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2002 Summer retreat 16/ 20020830SROTF16

Chanting til 16.03. Ok. Tonight I’d like to go very briefly, many of you are very much aware of the Mahayana path. There may be a few of you who are not aware of it. That, even if I give you three-four hours teaching here It won’t do that much difference. I’m going to refer you mostly reading the transcripts, particularly that book, Odyssey to Freedom. In that there is quite a detailed description about this Mahayana path. Did everybody have the copy of the Odyssey to Freedom? Rebecca, you don’t have it, why not? They haven’t delivered to you? Door to door service, cushion to cushion service. Just kidding. Please do pick up and read it. It will be helpful. Briefly I’d like to mention to you, I’m going to tell you one benefit.

The benefit here is, actually the first chapter of the Bodhicharyavatara is totally the benefits of the bodhimind. If you have the transcript and you are reading it, then you will know from there. (Quotes Tibetan). The moment you develop the bodhimind no matter how weak, how small, how poor, how protected the situation one might be, you become sort of earmarked to become a Buddha. You will be like that of the Prince of Wales of Buddhism. You are going to a Buddha one day. You are the prince or princess of Buddha’s kingdom. That is the bodhimind. Very simple mind which makes that much difference. What is this mind? This (20:00) mind is mind that has a total altruistic commitment. Yet you are still seeking total enlightenment, not necessarily much for yourself, but for all sentient beings. That includes six and wombs and all that, sentient beings. That mind is called the bodhimind.

Is it possible for us to get that mind? Yes, it is possible. Again, as I mentioned to you this morning, there is no limit to what our mind can do. There is a limit what our body can do. There is no limit what our mind can do. Can do everything possible. Mind is capable. What does mind need? Mind needs slight guidance, slight direction. That’s we need. The preliminary directions we already have including seven limbs, guru devotional practice, embracing human life, impermanence, death, and taking refuge, meditating on sufferings in the lower realms, human realms, demigod realms and samsaric gods realm, and general suffering in samsara, and developing desire to liberate ourselves. These are the preliminaries.

As we see for ourself these are relative, necessary and great opportunity to do it. If we fail and miss it, we may not be able to do it for a very very long time. When I’m saying very long time I’m not talking two years, twenty, I’m talking about many lives, many eons we may not be able to do it. That’s why this life is important, this opportunity is important.

On that basis as we ourselves need it, those liberation from samsara, sufferings, causes of sufferings, likewise every person that I know to begin with my spouse, my children, my family, my parents and friends and people who are depending on me, people who are relying on me, people who have been good to me and people I have to be obligated to, all of them, and their friends, and so forth all sentient beings need that. Here I have the opportunity, the real true blue moon. No one really doesn’t have that much opportunity. It is very rare, and I happen to be the one having that opportunity. If I hope to gain again if I let this go, not just luckily for centuries. (25:00). I must make best use of this very life. I must develop the ultimate, unconditioned, unlimited bodhimind.

That’s what you have to imagine. That’s what you have to project to yourself. That’s what you have to speak to yourself. That’s what you have to think about it. That’s what you have to talk about it and that’s how you meditate about this. And you think about it. Ok let’s say we make up our mind, this is what I would like to do this, but where do I begin? Begin with yourself as we already have.Then begin with the persons you care for the most, concern for the most. You have to develop greater compassion to that person. How can I develop greater compassion? In order to develop that greater compassion, compassion that I will be totally willing to go all out of the way to help that person.

How can I gain that mind? That mind has to come out of another similar, same object, same focus, same concentrated mind, and that we call love. Really love. Love that wishing that particular sentient being or person to have the ultimate joy, the joy that has never known suffering. May I be able to bring to that person. Such a joy. How can I develop such a love to that person? You cannot develop such a love to such a person unless you know the person. Who is the person? What is the person to me? Why I must do that? All these are important.

This is my mother sentient being, the sentient being on whom I have totally depend all my existence, my life, my growth, my development, my survival, everything. A mother, not only once but many. Remember we talked reincarnation, we talked previous lives, and we talked continuation of minds. We talked there is no strange mind floating anywhere. It is the continuation of mind. So the mind has no beginning, it goes through so many dimensions, so many lives. Many lives we may not have a mother at all. We simply born out of some substance, like some of the worms. Many of us might have born out of a pure lotus, but many of our lives born as children, son or daughter with parents. Number of lives, number of parents, so many.

In short I talk about one sentient being, my mother sentient being, but in short there will never be ever a single mother sentient being. There is not a sentient being who has not been a son or daughter with parents. So, number of lives, number of parents so many. If you find a sentient being (30:00) which we can say has never been my mother ever, that is false. There is not a single person being who has not been my mother, there is not a single being who has not been your mother. It is always change, but there has been all the time.

Remember we talked last night, there are no new souls. They are all old souls. How can you accept not continuation of souls? How can you accept there is a mind of today that was not a continuation of yesterday? How can there be a mind of 2002 that is not a continuation of 2001? How can there be new millennium mind which is not a continuation of old century? It cannot never be. It can never be. Mind is really a continuation of its own, like the physical gene is a continuation of parents, grandfathers and great grandfathers and so forth. You are probably never going to find where it is coming from. You may find it is some Jews, or Irish, or Viking, or something, but you can never find saying this is the beginning. You will never find it. Even the physical gene. Always you can trace it, but there will never be a physical beginning. Never ever. We may find the beginning of the world, but you are never going to find the beginning of the physical genes. Likewise you are never going to find the beginning of life. That is the reason why Buddha kept silent. Remember? So we are never going to find, so the continuation of those minds. And each, every time they pick up a new identity they have up parents. How many can be? Each and everybody has served as mother to each and everybody millions of times. That is really reality.

But our knowledge is so limited. Our capability is so limited. Really. We can only see from birth to death and nothing more. This is the limitation that we have. With all the great education and so and forth and development. Yet we still have these limitations. We cannot see beyond this. We are right here. We don’t have panoramic view of life at all. We have very narrow sandwiched view between life, birth and death. That’s our limitations.

So every sentient being, you can never leave a single one out who has not been my most important savior, our life’s savior. You know you look at the mothers. How many times a day they save the lives of their children? Every time they have done that. That’s who that person is. That person has been (35:00) so kind, so devoted and care only, really think about me only.

You know what is the mother’s love to children. Those of you who have been mothers know. I won’t know. Those of you who have been mothers how much you really care for your children, though you may not care that much for your own mother. But how much you care for your children. You know. Have been kind, saved my life thirty times, three hundred times a day. Yes, but if you been receiving their kindness, receiving, receiving, receiving and not giving anything back, so what kind of person will you be? Right? You are only receiving, receiving, receiving, not giving. What we call them, slackers or something ? Right? So it’s not considered good person, not respectable. We don’t want to be that.

We have to return their kindness, repay. Anything you receive from anybody you really have to repay their kindness, in any form. Whatever way we can we have to. If you don’t, you become something else. I don’t know whether you remember. I received coral (?) a number of times. It’s not easy to chew. It’s not. If you don’t pay, then there will be times you have to pay by our flesh and blood. That’s not going to be easy. Generosity of somebody is wonderful. But the receiver of that generosity, for that person it is debt. Even it is gift or whatever. It is a real true debt. It is a debt you have to pay back. You may not have a piece of paper signed with a stamp from a public notary, signed and all that. You may not have it, but it is a real debt that we carry. We have to pay from any form. Anything received to us, we have to repay.

That also best way. Those of you who know me, you know. Whatever you give you have to give the best. You don’t want to give something not useful for yourself and give it to somebody else. That’s not a gift. That’s passing away of stuff, the junk, the garbage. It’s not a gift. I’m telling you. It’s true. If it’s not useful for you (40:00) it’s not useful for the others. So that’s what. If clothes don’t fit, then somebody else fits that’s different. But if it’s not good quality, too old, too worn out, too bad, then it’s not good for you, it’s not good for the others too. So don’t do that. That’s not generosity. That is passing away of garbage.

Every gift whatever you received, it has come, here you have received the gift of life, you got life gift. You have life and saved. A number of times it has been brought up, educated, made the person to be able to function in the society as a normal human being. We may think it is ourself. We did it. I’m here. I went to school. Yes, if the parents did not send you to the kindergarten school, you are not going to be here. You know that very well. It is their kindness, caring and compassion. We must pay them back. That also what they needed most, what is most going to be useful, helpful to that person. Not simply just food for the hungry, medicine for sick, shelter for homeless.

They are great, but that’s not enough. That’s not enough because we have a unique position, a unique opportunity to be able to share a method that totally frees themself for once and for all. Such a wonderful gift that we can give it. We have it. We learned it. It is a life. So why don’t we do that? We have to.

That also we have to really deliver the total enlightenment to them. If you don’t care enough about them, then it is a different story. But we do. We are repaying the kindness brings the love. Love that brings the compassion because when you love the person you cannot bear that person is suffering, any kind of suffering. You would like to separate that person from the pain. Whatever one has to do. Again we look at the mothers. How much they go out of their way to ease the pain of their children. I don’t mean papas don’t do it. They do. Only a few do it, really true. That love brings the compassion. Love is the wishing to be well. Compassion is freeing from the pain. When you begin to look at those like a mother of my own who was actually, the example given here.

The metaphor given here is your own mother who is totally blind, doesn’t see it, and walking on a cliff above a pit where there is a huge pit of burning fire. The mother is walking on a cliff, doesn’t see it. On a cliff above a burning fire (45:00) in hell. The mother is walking on that cliff, walking without any help. So if you are near here somewhere can you just sit there and watch and let mother fall in that? Forget about the mother. Any human being within ourself, these people who are in this room together tonight. Not a single one will be able to watch any human being in that condition without help.

Many of you can even go totally out of that for animals and insects. I just mentioned the fox yesterday. John said something is very wrong. I have to get out of this car. That is compassion. That is caring.

And a human being you cannot watch, especially if that is your mother. We are watching and only hope that we may be able to help. I may be able to help. If she doesn’t make that hope for me, who else will make it? If I as a son doesn’t help her, who else will? That is the same situation every sentient beings are there. The lions because they don’t have wind. They are in a confused state. Oh, I forgot, in that metaphor there is a crazy mother. There are drunk with addictions. They are confused and if they make one mistake, they are going to the hell realms and they are going to go to the hell realms at this walking on the cliff. If I don’t help, who else can help?

Yes, I should go totally out of the way to help. I should be willing to jump out there and help. Not only willing, but what can I do when I get put there? I would like to take total responsibility. What can I do? Virtually, I can do nothing at this moment. Why? Because I’m limited. This is my urgent task, but I’m limited. How can I become unlimited? Therefore, I would like to become a Buddha. Therefore, I would like to become fully enlightened as soon as possible. Because this is urgent. This is not one mother. All mothers. Not one day, every minute. Every person. So it is urgent and for that I would like to become a Buddha.

Talk to yourself. Even if you don’t get it, keep on talking to yourself. Or draw a picture. It doesn’t have to be traditional style or anything, you draw if you are an artist. If you are a musician, sing (50:00) or play, whatever. That is how you have to train yourself from every angle. That is bodhimind. If you sincerely from the bottom of your heart think this is urgent, this is what I need to do now. That is bodhimind. That becomes for the benefit of all I seek enlightenment. For the benefit of all because they are the blind mothers on the cliff. I need to go and help them. I need to lead them to total enlightenment. Why me? Because I have the opportunity. I have the capability. I can not just do something.

That is when you are talking about it, generate your bodhimind, either your seven step, exchange step or which you have to develop. We have talked about it. It is nothing new to you. You have heard twenty times. Maybe more. You have heard exchange stage of development a number of times, at least half a dozen. You have heard eleven stages of development, combination of seven stage and exchange stage at least a couple of times. You have also heard thirteen stages of development at least once. That’s how you train your mind. That’s how you meditate. Once it becomes reality. The moment it becomes reality, then you begin to get all the benefits the Bodhicharyavatara talks about in the first chapter. That is the development of the bodhimind. It is sort of brief, but that’s how you have to meditate. Try to meditate tonight. Try to meditate tomorrow morning. You have late sleep in, but you can do that in your bed, without snoring.

I just wanted to do this. I have a couple of questions left from earlier, so I have a few minutes for that.

R. Mark says a little bit left over says what is the antidote for the sinking mind? Sinking mind does not have a separate antidote. You know I told you for the meditation, the obstacle is the wandering mind or sinking. Both of them, there are a number of things. If you are focusing on the object, wandering (55:00) mind, lower, bring the object of meditation down. If it is up there, bring it down. Sinking mind, if it is too low, raise it up, up higher. See if that can correct. In general sinking mind. Subtle sinking mind is different. For subtle sinking mind you really need to pay attention and the alertness, you know like holding the bowl with soup completely full. That much alertness you have to apply. If you cannot apply, recommended to stop meditating for awhile, maybe a couple of hours. Maybe a day, maybe a week, maybe a month even. Then start again. There are a number of things in the teaching, the Lam Rim, the thick transcript. They have lots in there. There are at least seven, eight different things to do in that.

R. What does that mean? Is guilt unpurified regret? What does that mean? Can you clarify please? Mike not working.

Rimpoche we were talking about, it really relates to the fact that when you purify things in our society, sometimes there is a leftover feeling of guilt. It seems to linger. If you would say maybe a little something about guilt from your perspective?

R. Thank you. If I understand correctly, the guilt it’s when you feel bad but there is nothing you can do about it, but you have to feel bad and you have to be terrified. That what I thought guilt is. Even if it’s true I don’t believe in guilt at all. Number one it is impermanent. There is nothing you can’t change. If it is changeable, why don’t we try to change rather than worrying about it. Shantideva says (quotes Tibetan). If there is something to be corrected, then why you have to worry about it. Go on and correct it. Keep on purifying until you get good satisfactory sign that you yourself is convinced, it has been purified, go on and purify. If there is nothing to be corrected, why worry? Why torture yourself? Let it go. Really. That’s why I don’t believe in that nagging business. There is no such negativity which cannot be purified according to the Buddha. The main reason is it is impermanent.

Is it really true that the vows we take today are more meaningful and exceptional (1:00:00) than the vows we took in the past? Can you please say a little more about that?

R. It is an ordinary monk’s business, but for us also it’s our business because of bodhisattva vows, lay vows, vajrayana vows. For us when it’s lay vows or bodhisattva vows or other vows, yes. Why? It’s a degenerated age. You know what? If you read the sutra in Buddha’s time they said a person who is having a single vow for life and a person who is taking a single vow for a day are almost equal because it’s a degenerate age. And in times like this it is so difficult to keep vows. In a degenerated age there is a disadvantage, also there is an advantage.

We didn’t understand there were two things you said earlier that seemed to be related. What do you mean morality is like the Buddha in Buddhism and the teaching of Buddhism depends on the sangha?

R. In the teaching tradition what does it mean buddhism exist? Buddha, dharma and sangha exists. Buddha said when there is a sangha there is Buddhism and when there is no sangha there is no Buddhism. That sangha is not like our sangha, sangha like us. It referring to fully ordained more than four ordained either monks or nuns, not two monks and two nuns.

The part about morality is like the Buddha in Buddhism?

R. Our vows within ourselves represents the Buddha within us. That’s why Buddhism exists.

Earlier about prayer you said I don’t know. What happens when you pray? Do the Buddha’s and bodhisattvas help us?

R. I don’t know. This is a little more than Communism. Communists say if you know it, you have to say it. The time limit. We’ll revisit tomorrow if there is time.

How do you reconcile the beginningless of consciousness with limited number of souls?

R. Why do I have to reconcile it? Why? I don’t. I don’t get it. Life is not limited to this planet only. In many other areas it continues. Why do I have to, I don’t see it, really.

Can you purify bodhi vows on your own? Do you have to do it in the presence of whoever gave you the vows?

R. Two. Bodhisattva vows can be purified in the presence of lama Buddha bodhisattva. (1:05:00) Vajrayana vows have to be purified in the presence of lama deity mandala. Self liberation vows has to be purified among the sangha. That’s it. Three, three different vows, three different systems. Vow is different than the negativity. Negativities can be purified by four powers. Vow can not. It depends on where you take it. That’s why a lot of people do retreat. You do self initiation because you can purify in the presence of lama deity mandala. You take in front of the lama deity mandala, and the bodhisattva vows in the front of lama Buddha, bodhisattva, which you do on your own. You don’t have to go to your lama, no. It is the lama in the form of the Buddha Shakyamuni with bodhisattvas in you.

What is the difference between Shamatha and Vipassana ?

R. Vipassana is looking inside, especially looking inside. Shamatha is focusing and not thinking. Shamatha does not think.

Is Vipassana the same as analytical meditation?

R. Not really. Vipassana is supposed to be better than analytical. Analytical has to lead you to Vipassana. Vipassana is supposed to be better than analytical. Today’s Vipassana as known in this country whether it is really Vipassana or not I don’t know.

When you say liberation in the Four Noble Truths you said something there beyond liberation do you mean beyond nirvana or beyond enlightenment?

R. Something beyond Nirvana, yes. Nothing beyond enlightenment.

People said when you talk to someone near death who are you talking to? This is coming

from a person with experience in a hospice where they see people talking to someone a number of times as if they are having a conversation.

R. As I said earlier the boundaries are going down. We talked about the office. The boundary goes down. Things are slightly different. It is a time of transition. The boundaries are going down. The boundary goes down. Then things are slightly different. This is the time of transition. This side of the world and that side of the world are getting mixed. They don’t know exactly who that person is and they are doing it, talking, having conversations. Some people knows they are there to receive you, nicely. Some people knows they are there to get you, badly. So all of them are true reality, (1:10:00) that’s the boundaries loosening in short time that what I can say.

Next question is in what language did Buddha teach?

R. Sanskrit I was told. I was not there. What did you say? Yeah, but I forgot to answer. Thank you.

How did the original thoughts become karmic causes? You gave the example of the guy who thought he was ( the Nepali guy) . He didn’t know he was lying? You really believing you are doing great things. Like suicide bombers.

R. That is ignorance.

The perspective of people believe they are doing the right thing. The karmakamic negativity. I’m wondering how acts that are bad, how do delusions arise that become bad karma?

R. Delusions create karma. That is no problem. Delusions create bad karma. The (Nepali) lama is something different. He was not lying. He believed very strongly that what he is. Is it bad karma, yes it was bad karma. Lying karma is different. Delusion things become bad karma. It’s very common, hatred. Every day in our life.

Thank you. I’m going to close here tonight because you have poetry readings tonight. So I stop here. Bruce, please clean the room in the morning tomorrow. Please leave this room with air this morning. I will be here around eight to do the preparations for the White Tara initiation. Nobody should be sitting here. We starting the White Tara initiation at ten thirty in the morning. Please pick up your nesting things tonight. That’s it.

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