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20040714GRSR7

JEWEL HEART SUMMER RETREAT DAY 4 (7/14/04)

Welcome to the evening session.

We have just completed Common with the Lower Level practice. We sort of slightly began the Common with the Medium Level practice. We gave you this morning the reasons why it is necessary and even two points. The first point- the reasons I gave you this morning- has the actual session, which has a preliminary just like the usual.

(Quotes Tib.) The collection of the Total Refuge, the great Lama Lhabel-La(?), Thubwang Dorje Chang, making requests to it. Light liquid coming, purifying, and we generating long fortunate life, etcetera. The usual. And our thought begins:

I and mother sentient beings, as long as we did not cut samsara completely, we could not cut sufferings at all. It is bound to be repeated again and again. We have done that a number of times before, got nowhere. So here, we have the opportunity and so at this moment if I cannot liberate myself totally from samsara, it will repeat, whole thing again. So I and all mother sentient beings may develop the desire to liberate ourselves- or myself- and each and every one of them have the desire to liberate themselves from samsara.

Light, liquid, purification and obtaining blessings- all of them are usual. That’s the first outline.

The second outline is also same thing, but you have two more points here. Point one- generally meditating on the sufferings in general, on samsara in general. That is, when you are meditating on Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang on your crown, thought should begin:

I, by having good ethics of protecting myself from the ten negativities, and by maintaining such an ethical life, I am NOT going to have a lower rebirth. However, if I do not cut the root completely, I will never know when it will repeat. It’s like giving me extension of some punishment, and it puts me in suspense, all this. And you never know whether I am going to have such opportunity and possibility in future lives or not. Well I’m having it here- this is now, right now, I have to do it. Otherwise, there’ll be no end for this. And the taking rebirth is completely under the control of karma and negative, or afflictive, emotions. Delusions- they completely control. And because of that, there’s no certainty. No certainty of what I will be; not only no certainty of enemy, friend, etcetera; who; what; there’s no reliable at all. As Nagarjuna mentioned (Quotes Tib.):

Sometimes father becomes son, and mother becomes wife, enemy becomes friend, and vice versa.

So, there is no reliable; no certainty at all in samsara. And, likewise, the famous Buddhist story: one who is chewing the flesh of the father and threatening to mother; and one who is appreciating the enemy- the enemy is considered most precious thing within your family. Remember that story that I began in that Good Life, Good Death? The Katayana story. And this is really the true reality, that is why the Katayana laughed and saying ? . ku wa chuma kahmel tos.? (Quotes Tib.)…ku wa chuma kahmel tos. [The story is about] the father who has taken rebirth as a fish - and you are eating the fish; and the mother who has become your dog and who is wanting to chew the fish bones, and hoping to get it, and you scold him and don’t let him eat it; and the enemy that you have killed becomes your son, your most precious baby; the husband chewing the bones of the wife; the wife chewing the bones of the husband. All this is happening and we have no knowledge of it whatsoever. But [there are] those who have [the knowledge], they see it but can’t help. Laughing as well as sad- and that is the reality of the samsara. It is really summed up that way.

So, in short, sometimes our previous life’s parents become children in this life; previous life’s mothers become wife in this life. Or visa versa; previous life’s enemy becomes most important, precious friend. And, not only that, the enemy at the younger age becomes a friend at an older age, or visa versa. (11:03) And not only that, the biggest problem what we have, is that no matter what we get, there’s no satisfaction. One of the general samsaric problems is: no satisfaction. Buddha himself said (quotes Tib.):

One of the kings asking Buddha, ‘What does this samsara thing do to you, to the individual?’ and Buddha replied, ‘Your honored king, if you get all the desire of the samsaric gods, human beings, everything, even single person gets that: they are not satisfied, they still will be looking for more.’

So dissatisfaction is one of the most difficulty sufferings that we create ourselves. Because dissatisfaction really drives us completely crazy. It brings the competition; it brings the desire to make better than the other. Dissatisfaction makes individuals [pass] judgement. A lot of people begin to make judgement of the people on the basis of wealth, on the basis of looks, on the basis of all this. And that is because of [dissatisfaction], and this is why there is so much suffering.

The great mahasiddhas, and each and every one of those, if you look in those traditions- not only the Indian tradition of Buddhism- if you look at the Chinese tradition of Buddhism, and all of them, [you will see that] all of these spiritual peoples are fully satisfied.

Remember the story of Ubuthebah, the poorest person in the kingdom had all of a suddenly found a bag full of gold, and became the richest person? He decided not to keep the gold for himself. He wanted to give it to the most poor person. So he had all the people assemble- the whole town, the whole kingdom assembled. He walked up and down with his bag, and finally he pointed to the king, and said ‘you are the most poor person, so I will give it to you.’ And the king got offended and was [also] happy to receive the gold, both. And he said ‘I am the king, how can you call me poor?’ [And the man answered] ‘Because you have the most desire, and are [therefore] the poorest person in all of this kingdom.’ This is the Ubuthebah story. (15:41)

One of the great Indian mahasiddhas has said (quotes Tib.):

‘Huge desire, that you receive whatever you want, even then you will not be satisfied. Day after day, you’ll be running after accumulation of wealth, fame, looks.’

And he says (quotes Tib.) ‘ I have never seen such a sicker person than those- they are really sick.’

In the eyes of those Great Beings, the way we behave, they really see us as sick persons. Totally sick with desire. Totally sick with dissatisfaction. That is how we really are. (17:20) (Quotes Tib.) Buddha himself said:

The great Hindu/Buddhist mythological gods such as Indra and Brahma, who’s really the most important being that ever existed in the samasaric world. They became King of kings, God of gods, and all this. But- when their karma has been exhausted, they will fall from their state, and they’ll become again just like dogs and pigs. (Qoutes Tib.) You may become the chakaravati-raja- that’s how it’s called in the Indian language- the ‘universal king,’ but you will become again the weakest, poorest subject in the kingdom.

So these are the general sufferings in samsara. (Quotes Tib.) I think this is Nagarjuna. Nagarjuna says (quotes more Tib.):

One will take rebirth, [have] the greatest joy, [in the] wonderful samsaric gods’ realm (quotes more Tib.) So you will have the best joy, the best happiness, the best of everything. Certainly, if you die, you’ll become like fuel for the fire in the Hell Realm. How much suffering that would be!

Nagarjuna continues (quotes Tib.):

We have become a child, and keep on drinking [the] milk [of samsara]. If you put all this milk together in one area, that will be much more than [that which is contained in] the four different directions of the ocean. If we cannot cut this now, we will drink much more than that in the future.

If we cannot cut the samsara out, then we will become enemies, and fight against each other, and will chop each others’ heads off. If we can collect all the heads that we were involved in chopping, and all the heads that are chopped by others, and my head, if we put them together, they will not fit in this universe. And if you don’t stop now, you will continuously do this.

In a way I think this is very true. Absolutely. This is why we do have the tendency to hurt people. It becomes sort of our habit. As well as, you know this one (Nagarjuna) still goes on, saying (laughs, quotes Tib.):

So when we become big pigs and dogs, and we have been eating all this shits, when we collect them and put them to the side, it will become much bigger than Mount Meru.

(Quotes Tib.) And when we are separated, having lost our friends, and we keep on crying, we keep on crying and collecting the drops of our tears, it will be bigger than the ocean.

(Quotes Tib.) So, what I said earlier, we keep on fighting, and collect all of our chopped off heads- it is here, too.

Anyway, I’d like to conclude. The conclusion here of what Buddha had said (quotes Tib.):

The conclusion of accumulation is exhaustion.

We keep on collecting wealth, wealth, collecting, collecting, collecting, saving, saving, saving, saving. At the end, it gets exhausted. Finished.

We keep on claiming [our] positions, name, fame, and all this. We keep on claiming, claiming, claiming. At the end, you have to fall down. The conclusion is, the closure will be: falling down.

We keep on meeting, meeting, meeting. The end is separation. Separation. We’ve been living a life. The end of life is death.

So this, the closure of everything we do in samsara, it is always something sad, terrible, and bad. Never good. Never perfect. Sad and terrible. That’s why [all] accumulated, collected, things are impermanent. All contaminated things are suffering. That is Buddhist law. Number two out of four [the Four Seals]. That’s what it is.

Just like Buddha concluded, Shantideva concludes (quotes Tib.):

We make a long time friend, companion, and remain together, but in the end, death will make separation. And this sad[ness], suffering, sorrow, is the nature of samsara. And, not only that, when that conclusion of death [causes] separation, at that time, we have to go alone.

Like the Tibetans have a saying (quotes Tib.):

So the kings will leave behind their retinue, estate, royalty, royal palace, everything; the beggers leave their begging bowl and sticks; everybody will leave everything- and will go all alone, by yourself, alone. By yourself, alone. Nothing else goes with you. All alone, by yourself.

Shantideva said (quotes Tib.):

Our bones and flesh that are born with us will also [become] dismantled and become separate. So, not to mention [that] all others [things will become dismantled and separate]. The sadness in samsara is, when we are born, we are born alone; when we die, we die alone. My share of suffering- nobody else will share. It is only me, and me alone who will experience this.

So, today, I have found a wonderful life, which is important. And it is just by chance, I just happened to obtain this life. This moment, if I cannot make myself free of samsara’s suffering, then when will I have the opportunity? So I shall not waste my time. I would like to have not only liberation from samsara, but I would like to obtain total enlightenment of buddhahood.

May I be blessed to be able to do this. And then light and liquid comes from Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang, purifying all negativities in general, and particularly, attachment. Attachment or obsession. (30:03) Attachment and obsession. May I be completely purified and may I obtain this state immediately. And may I develop the realization of seeking the liberation.

So that is the conclusion of suffering in general.

So now the particular sufferings- there are so many! And you people have heard- I think you have heard…. I wonder how much, how detailed the Common with the Medium Level is in the Odyssey to Freedom transcripts? How detailed is it? … I will cover them briefly.

Let’s begin with Human Life. Now this is the second outline. We are looking specifically. Now let’s just look at human life in general.

So now the meditation should go as follows:

Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang on your crown. The preliminary is just like usual. Request light, liquid, all this. And then when the reasoning comes, should follow like this:

As long as we have this body, which is our identity, it is always [going to be in the] nature of suffering. There is nothing other than suffering that this identity brings to us. This identity brings to us the three Lower Realms. Even as a better human being, the moment we become a human being, we become, by nature, suffer[ing beings]. If we become too hungry or too thirsty or too cold or too hot, the body is such that it cannot bear those. Just by obtaining this body, it is natural for us to be subjected to these sufferings. Hunger, thirst cold, hot- this is the body’s point of view. The mind has sadness, emotional sufferings continuously. And also, the moment that we have obtained this body combined with the mind- there are of course a lot of good qualities- at the same time, they also bring a lot of sufferings together. Such as: we become naturally tolerant to suffering- we will not hesitate:

[to commit] any negativities,

[to experience] any sufferings, or even

[to get] a bad name [for ourselves].

We will go all-out to accumulate wealth. It is [because of our] nature we are there. So everybody, by nature of this body and this identity and this mind combined, is looking out for the accumulation of wealth- not even accumulation, just making a life [living]; just getting out there to make it, running for that. Most people cannot make it anyway! But whether you can make it or you cannot make it, or whatever, we drive ourselves for that, with no consideration or hesitation for pains- physical, mental, emotional; or for negativities, or even for a bad name. We go out all the way. And if you do get something- even a little bit, then that becomes some unnecessary additional suffering:

There will be huge tax. No doubt. Income tax. Social security. You know. You name it! State tax; Federal tax; this tax; that tax; all of those. Huge.

And then you get cheated.

Then people steal it.

And then you are put in an odd position- even if you don’t want to spend, you have to spend.

And to protect that, you have to fight; you have to do all kinds of things. Lawsuits.

If you really look at everybody among all nations- large, medium, small- and in all families, every fight is actually you are fighting for wealth. You may say ‘I am fighting for principle.’ That’s an excuse. Whoever [would] be president [would do this]- just don’t blame Bush alone. There are very few people like Abraham Lincoln. Really. Otherwise, everybody, no matter what, they are fighting for territory and all this. The big ones fight war; the small ones have… whatever. Luckily [one of the] things we don’t see here, is what we very often used to see in Tibet, are warlords fighting against each other. Not only the warlords, but incarnate lamas! They fought each other for territory and wealth and power. (41:13)

So, in short, in human life, we all, almost by virtue of being human beings, have this desire, and that drives us to fight, and to do all the sufferings: If you don’t have it- you have the suffering of not having it; if you do have it, you have the suffering of protecting it.

And- while it’s a little better in the United States, or in the civilized nations- in the uncivilized nations, where I come from, they have to protect their wealth during the daytime, and at night they cannot sleep- they have to protect their wealth just like a dog. So you have to be a man at the daytime and dog at night, because there is no insurance. Simple as that. So you just have to protect. Not only do you have to do it, but you won’t even remember. You are so taken in by it, that at daytime, you won’t remember to eat, and at nighttime, you won’t remember to sleep. So that’s what happens. That’s how we, the people, are driven by our desire. That is suffering.

Then there is separation. Separation. I am going to jump quickly.

Then there are our desires: whatever we want to have, we are not going to get. Whatever we don’t want, it’s happening.

And then not to mention the suffering of birth, illness, age, and death. All of them- we have it; we have it plenty.

So, knowing this, in short, as long as we have this identity, this body, this mind combined together, [we will have] death, birth, aging, all this, all kinds of sufferings, and these sufferings continuously lead us, [and will do so] even in our future lives. Thus, this particular form, identity, is not independent; it is controlled [by something] other than me. It is completely controlled by my karma and my delusions.

This is the First Noble Truth.

So the continuation of this contaminated identity, as long as I have this, I will not have independence; I will be controlled. Controlled.

So, this is the time that I have opportunity. May I be blessed to be able to do this. Make strong requests to the (quotes Tib.) collection of all protection. Thubwang Dorje Chang, I make strong requests to you:

Through your kindness and compassion, may I receive your blessings in the form of five-colored light and nectar, purifying all negativities in general, and particularly attachment-oriented desire. Completely wash it away from my mind stream. And independent-ness, the state of independent-ness, and understanding the realization of this, may this be obtained by me. And all sentient beings.

Then conclusion, dedication, etc., the usual. And in–between sessions, you are also recommended, as usual, to read and think about the teachings of the Buddha, or the biographies of the great masters who have [written about how] they actually went away from their desire. Do this rather than [looking for] other entertainment. (48:34)

Now comes the actual method that will lead you to freedom. In-Session and in-between session is the system of this particular teaching book. In session and between sessions. In session has beginning, actual and conclusion.

Beginning is like the usual- we make requests to lama Thubwang Dorje Chang just like before, and in-session, what is our focus now? One of the main reasons why we are continuously having these lives of suffering, one after another without any control- completely control-less- is because I, we, never really seek freedom. I’ve never had the true desire to develop freedom, and that is a fault. This is the fault. Even if I have developed some desire, I’ve never really applied what [I have learned] and should [be applying].

So now, I and all mother sentient beings, not only do we have the desire to liberate, but [we know that the method of] how [to do it] is by the application of the Three Higher Trainings that Buddha shared. The Three Basket teachings that Buddha shared. And that is:

The basket teachings of Concentration

The basket teachings of Morality

The basket teachings of Wisdom

(quotes Tib.) These are the Three Higher Trainings, or the Three Basket Trainings, or three baskets of Buddha’s teachings. These three are the method of how one gets free. You need all three, because they all depend on each other. Basically, the higher training of Concentration is based on the higher training of Ethics, and the higher training of Ethics is based on the higher training of Wisdom, and the higher training of Wisdom is based on the higher training of Concentration.

So Ethics, Concentration, and Wisdom are the three keys we apply, or are the three weapons we apply to sever samsara. So we request:

May I and all mother sentient beings be able to have this. Light, liquid comes from the body of Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang, purifying all activities in general, and particularly obstacles to this. And may we obtain the blessings, especially may we obtain the blessings for the desire to liberate the self, and interest and enthusiasm for following the Three Higher Trainings. Our body and mind become pure, clean, crystal- like light-nature. And may our life, luck, fortune, knowledge, development, quality, all prosper. Especially, again, [may we be blessed with the] desire to liberate and to follow the Three Higher Trainings, and that such a realization be developed within us.

Here comes the actual point:

While remembering Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang on your head, on the crown, we need to look deeply within ourselves. There we find two points that we can point to: physical and mental.

The physical is almost like a skin that we see, and when you peel this off- like an orange skin, you are peeling the orange skin, then you get the orange inside. That’s what we see- is mind. And when you are looking at the mind, the mind itself is neither virtuous nor non-virtuous. It is neutral. But such a neutral state of mind is pure.

Such a pure state of mind has now been contaminated by my perception of a strong me. [This is] Because I see ‘me’ as something more important- and perhaps the only one; ‘I’ am the most important one for me; the most important is me. Because of ‘me,’ I develop ‘my.’ If there is no ‘me,’ how can there be ‘mine?’ If there is no strong ‘me,’ how can there be strong ‘my?’ Because of ‘me’ and ‘my,’ I begin to notice and perceive that it is something solid. Everything external is not really permanent. [Everything is] impermanent, changing, [subject to the] natural law of dismantling. However, even my physical body I may see as [being subject to the] natural law of dismantling. But ‘me’ is something else: more solid, more strong, and much more valuable. That’s all I have, that’s all I see, that’s all I hold tight - in my perception. This perception is not there at the beginning. Or, [rather], it’s not there in its nature. ‘At the beginning’ may be incorrect, philosophically incorrect [to say, because there is no beginning]. But it’s not in its nature. However, I build up that perception. That perception created ‘my,’ a strong one!

That ‘my’ has desire, attachment, and even obsession. Because of that, we also make ‘yours’ and ‘theirs.’ Just opposite of ‘my’ and ‘ours, ‘ there is ‘yours’ and ‘theirs.’ My perception brings hard [/solidifies the notion of]: ‘Them, no good,’ and ‘We, good people.’ There is no other valid reason [other than:] because it is ours, so it’s good. Because it’s theirs, it’s bad.

So we have obsession, attachment; we have hatred and anger. And it doesn’t stop there. Because of that, ours is better than yours, because it’s ‘ours.’ I am better than you because it’s ‘me.’ This comes from two angles: the angle of self-superiority, and also [the angle of] the inferiority complex. Both bring this funny thought of wrong pride. Because of this pride, it will also bring hatred against [those] ‘other than us,’ ‘other than me.’ Especially, [this pride makes us say] ‘I don’t want to hear about it,’ and [makes us resistant to] any questions about me and myself and my existence. Anyone who raises such questions, we will look at them as someone who is trying to threaten, to destroy [us]. Sometimes we even [see] wisdom itself as the most important [/virulent] opponent. (1:02:20)

Because of that we bring doubt. We even perceive that there is no such thing as the Four Noble Truths in reality; that there is no such a thing as Enlightenment- that it doesn’t exist. We might have this wrong perception, this wrong doubt. Because of that, all of our negative emotions will increase tremendously; and because of that, our samsaric life will continue; and because of that, in reality, absolutely I suffer.

So, the cause of all sufferings that I experience is that big ‘I,’ ‘the Rimpoche’ or ‘I, the Queen Ant’ that we keep inside. So to further strengthen it (?), Dharmakirti said (quotes Tib.)

All faults are rooted to this one, this one is: Collection of Fear

Dharmakirti continues (quotes Tib.)- I think I explained this already in the form of meditation, but…

Some people begin to see something called ‘me’ and make a huge perception here called ‘I’ and bring attachment to that ‘I,’ which [in turn] brings all faults of samsara.

(Quotes Tib.) Sometimes we see little/[a few] benefits here, so we proudly accept it as ‘my.’ So I have my attachment to ‘me,’ and as long as I have that, my samsara will continue.

(Quotes Tib) One perceives that ‘I exist.’ ‘I’ am strong, solid. And because of that, I see [anything different from ‘me’ as] the ‘others.’ So, [with the differentiation and separation of] ‘I’ and ‘other,’ we will create the karma of attachment, hatred, and aversion.

(Quotes Tib) Because of this, we bring all the sufferings.

(Quotes Tib) The first ‘I’- ‘I,’ ‘I,’ ‘I’- and ‘me,’ ‘me,’ ‘me,’ have the strong desire to protect all this. To make a big, solid one [‘me’]. And then: ‘my this,’ ‘my that,’ ‘my this,’ ‘my that’ – we have a huge obsession. And because of that, the true ‘me’ becomes like sunjun chan. I don’t know how to translate this, this is old fashioned Indian culture, which is everywhere, actually.

You know earlier, before we had good irrigation, there were some places where we would build huge wells. They would sometimes go three, four, five stories deep. The water was way down there. In order to pick up (there’s no electrical pump, right?) the water, there was a little sort of a bucket. It was so big and so deep. Human beings had difficulty in picking it up, so the first mechanical system, what they developed, they put two strong holders, and then put a stick across, and then make a wheel on that. The weight will pull it down. And then when you get the water, then you roll it up and bring it up. That is called sunjun chan. And when that bucket goes down, you don’t have to make any effort: the weight of the bucket will take it –whirrrrrr!- down, because of gravity, right? So Chandrakirti used this as an example- because of a solid me, and a strong attachment to ‘me,’ that makes me go down like that heavy bucket. (1:10:03) Whirrrrr! We go down. Without any control, without any rights, without anything, it goes right zing! down. That is samsara, and that comes from this.

(Break.)

So, I sort of basically mentioned how samsara is created. That is what you can really meditate [upon].

Now I will conclude this particular meditation:

So what we need is to be free of all the sufferings of samsara, which is total liberation, total enlightenment. I would like to obtain that. For that I will conduct my life according to these three higher trainings.

And that is the meditation you do. And conducting my life, I function my life according to these three higher trainings. The three higher trainings are the Ethical Conducts; Concentration; and Wisdom.

Now this is not a meditation, I am talking to you. What makes us not to have proper conduct, proper ethical conduct? Basically, there are four ways of getting a downfall. Let me call it ‘non-ethical things happening within our life’- there are four ways, four doors.

Door number one is ‘Not Knowing.’ That’s what it is. So like we say, ‘you should have good morality.’ But we don’t know what morality is really about. Where do we get downfalls against our vows? So, if you don’t know, then you don’t know. You don’t even know you got downfalls. So, this is our number one door. Knowledge. Building an understanding and knowledge is very important. And so it is necessary for us to learn and attend teachings about it, read about it, have discussions about it.

(quotes Tib) So sometimes, when you learn a lot, the knowledge and learning sometimes destroys your ethical [behavior]… like this morning I said ‘if you know what really happens so well, you know how to steal.’ So there have to be two of them: Knowledge and ethical functioning have to be complementing each other. One does not destroy the other. If you don’t have it, it is a door; but if you do have it, [the two] should be complementing each other. Otherwise, someone would be very learned, but would be crazy, completely.

So, it is important to learn, what are the downfalls of [breaking] the vows that we take. If you have taken bodhisattva vows, what are the bodhisattva vows, commitments? What are the downfalls? How does one protect [them/ oneself]? And if you have downfalls, how can I correct? Vajrayana vows: if you have taken MahannaYoga Tantra vows, and then you have to learn about these twenty verses of vow and bodhisattva advices, and the root and branch downfall explanations, and fifty versus of Guru Yoga,etc. So [you must have] intensive… at least knowledge of what is what, so that way we close the door of not-knowing. It is like those sunroof cars: when you have a sunroof car, when it’s open and it started raining, all the rains will come. So not knowing [about] the door [where] the rain [can] get inside the car is: ‘sun-roof open,’ which is like not knowing what is what. So you close that sunroof door by learning what are the downfalls, how does one protect [oneself from them]- learn it in whatever way so that when you have the knowledge, it is the base. Basically knowledge is very important. I completely skipped it, but at the beginning of the Lam Rim (quotes Tib), it says

Learning is like the light which destroys the darkness; It is the best wealth that you can have which no thieves can steal (except the thief named ‘Forgetting’); It is the best friend who will not let you down when you are low- mentally, physically, financially; This is your best weapon to fight against your enemy of ignorance; This is your best friend who gives you the best ideas when you need them…

Now I forget- there are a lot! Volume after volume of the qualities of learning! (1:20:20) But then if you are only learning, then you become academic professors. Only. So the spiritual practice: is learning and building knowledge.

[There are several downfalls when dealing with knowledge: the first is]

Knowledge [must be] transformed into quality. And that is the transition that you have to make. Knowledge- don’t leave it at the knowledge level. Make the transition; make that quality. And when that happens, the doors [of not-knowing] automatically shut.

We have knowledge that killing is bad. So now when you are driving in the middle of the highway or something, and suddenly you see a creature there, you will suddenly stop your car and avoid it. Automatically we do two things: avoid an accident and save a life.

You don’t have to teach this, you almost don’t have to think about it- you do it automatically. So that is [an example] where knowledge has [been] transformed into quality. So that is quality because we know that if we get in an accident, we’re going to get hurt, and we know killing is not good, so we automatically do it. Both. Sometimes you can’t help it, you go beyond. But even then we do it. And that is how knowledge becomes quality, because we have this automatic [response.] We try to dismiss that as instinct or something. But instinct or no instinct, whatever you know- knowing killing is bad, and knowing that you don’t want to hurt yourself (that you don’t want to have an accident)- these two function together so that automatically you manage. You try to, at least, sometimes you don’t; but most of the time you manage. That is when knowledge is transformed into quality. That’s how we protect ourselves from downfalls. That’s how we protect ourselves from the negative emotions. That’s how we help ourselves: building knowledge and transforming it into quality. This is spiritual practice.

Shutting the door of not-knowing is: Knowing! Knowing.

[The second downfall is not respecting your knowledge:]

Then, even if you know, you don’t respect [that knowledge]. ‘I know, I know, I know, but…” So we are disrespectful. A lot of intelligent people do this. Don’t you? (Laughs.) ‘I know, I know, I know, but… but…but…’ So that is disrespectful, that is not respecting your knowledge, your understanding. So that is the second door through which we get- I don’t want to say we become immoral- but that is how we get into it.

[The] Third [downfall is]:

Un-conscientiousness. ‘Everything’s fine.’ Like me, you know?! ‘Everything’s fine. Whatever it is, it’s fine. Fine, fine, fine.’ (quotes Tib.) We have a saying in Tibetan:

We keep on saying everything’s okay. Even when you are burning your temple on fire, it’s okay; even when all of your offerings in the temple have been eaten by a dog, ah, that’s okay.

So everything is okay, nothing is conscientious. There is a lack of conscientiousness. Remember there is a chapter on Conscientiousness in the Bodhisattva-charyavatara. So if we add Conscientiousness to the seven virtues of life, then that will be the eighth virtue of life. (1:25)

So how do you maintain conscientiousness? This is interesting. This is politically incorrect. Here you go… What makes you conscious/ [conscientious]?

Shame. Yeah. If you are shameless, shame on you! (laughs) We don’t want anyone to say to us ‘shame on you.’ We think, ‘How can I do this, I’ll be so shamed!’ Using that as a reason for doing no wrong is one of the two ways for maintaining conscientiousness. Using shame and…

‘How embarrassing it would be if other people came to know about this!’ In America, if I understand correctly -maybe I am wrong, I hope I am- but in our culture we don’t like these two [shame and embarrassment], but they are very useful to maintain self-discipline. Extremely useful, these two. So by maintaining [shame], using me [as the recipient of this shame], how can I do this [wrongdoing]? It is impossible [to do it without feeling shame]. [There will be] Shame on me, and I don’t want that. So using that as a reason, one reason, you maintain conscientiousness. And ‘how embarrassing, how horrible if other people came to know this.’ Mind you, if you really have some bad behavior, or something funny, as much as you try to keep it a secret, that much people will know. This is really something. There is nothing that you can hide in the closet. We may be great at hiding things in the closet, but others are great at taking them out! This is the reality. If you are embarrassed about such a thing, and you don’t want to have such a thing, then it is better not to have it from the beginning by using these two reasons. That builds conscientiousness. Un-conscientiousness will be the doorway to bring non-ethical things.

And then the last, the fourth and last door is:

A lot of afflictive emotions. When you have so many delusions. That is the last door.

The root of these is the three poisons:

Obsession/ Attachment

Anger/ Hatred

Ignorance/ Confusion

The antidote for

Obsession/ Attachment is not only impermanence, but for physical attachment it is recommended that you look deeply inside and [consider] the reality of the decayed body. You know [this is] the reason why in Thailand, the Thai monasteries (I’ve told you this a number of times), they maintain dead bodies all the time. They put them in the water, and that sort of makes them even more horrible. They not only decompose, but they don’t have a tomb or anything like that. No. They just maintain them in the water, turn them over and all that. That is the really disgusting aspect of the natural reality of the body. [Considering this] as well as the impermanent nature [of things] is the direct antidote for obsession/attachment.

Anger/Hatred is compassion and patience

Ignorance/Confusion is the interdependent nature of existence and interdependent reality, etc.

So if you try to use these often, they will begin to take care of those poisons within us.

So, we may strongly pray to Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang that I and all mother sentient beings (though Common with the Lower Level and Common with the Medium Level, it is only ‘I, I, I,’ actually, not ‘all sentient beings.’ However, it is Mahayana-oriented, so we bring them together), may we be able to develop these realizations and clear obstacles for these realizations. Light, liquid comes from the body of Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang purifying all negativities in general and particularly developing this one (and this and that realization again).

And conclusion is just like usual: dedications.

Thus I have completed Common with the Medium Level. The essence of the message of this Medium Level is: the method for liberating ourselves lies within the practice of the Three Higher Trainings, the Three Basket Teachings. The most difficult obstacle is to gain the desire for liberating ourselves. [And this is] because we have a strong addiction to samsaric life. And actually, if you look, almost 90% of the people you know, each and every one of us, including ourselves, is actually invested and running and sacrificing everything, sacrificing your life, your body, your health, your wealth, your name, your fame, everything [for the sake of] some kind of satisfaction of some samsaric goodies. And almost 90% of people are doing this because they have that addiction .(1:37) So we somehow have this information, this knowledge, and we look at each and everyone of them, including ourselves, and see that we have become slaves to samsaric goodies. These are impermanent; they have no true value; even if you become multi-billionaire, it is short-lived, a couple of years, and that’s the end of it. We really do, this is what it is.

When we see ourselves doing this, we should generate compassion for us. Not pity, but compassion. When we see our friends doing this, we should really develop compassion for them. We should really generate compassion and see what we can do. Sometimes you have to watch helplessly. Hopelessly. It’s very often that way. But what can you do? But never give up trying to do whatever you can. And first and foremost, the real target at this moment is ourselves. Not the other people. Ourselves. So put ourselves there as the target. When you realize you have been subject of that, have compassion for yourself and try to help yourself. When we know how to help ourselves, we will begin to know how to help others.

So tomorrow, Mahayana path.

I am going to stop here as there may be some questions. (1:40:40)

Question 1.

“Rimpoche, in Liberation in the Palm of your Hands, it reads ‘when examined in the context of a single deed, it is not possible for a complete cycle of dependent origin to occur in one lifetime. The shortest time period in which it can occur is two consecutive lifetimes.’ This contradicts what you said that sometimes it can happen in one life. Would you explain?”

Gehlek Rimpoche’s Answer:

Good question. Thank you. In the Liberation in the Palm of your Hands, actually, in the context of this particular verse, it is actually talking about the completion of cause and result within two lifetimes, or within maximum three, minimum two. It is talking at that level.

It is taken out of context because they are specifically talking about how to complete in more than one life.

It is also true that this is exceptional to our time and our life. That within one lifetime both result and cause may be completed. It is an exceptional case. Otherwise, normally, a minimum of two; maximum of three. That’s how the circle completes. But between one and two, there can be many lives. It’s not necessarily consecutive lives. But you know, there’s a gap of between 15-20 lives, and then the second one comes, so it may complete [in that way]. That is possible.

So you’re right, and my explanation here, is:

The points here we were talking about it and

Also we are in the lagsava (?),we are in an exceptional situation [time].

And you know, the best Buddhist excuses are The Exceptions! (laughs)

Question 2.

“Rimpoche, can you clarify the distinction between the first characteristic of karma, that it is definite, and the third, that the result is bound to occur when conditions are right. They sound very similar to me, or at least overlap a lot.”

GR’s answer:

They do. They do overlap. ‘Definite’ means really they are trying to tell you that no matter how much time it may take, it’s not going to disappear, it’s bound to give you the result, and that is what ‘definite’ means. One never meets… One who creates karma, and, if [it is] not disturbed, the result is bound to meet/ [to be met with by that person]. Yes, it looks very similar, but there is a specific difference. The first one means: if you created it, you are bound to have it; the third one is, it happens when the conditions are right, no matter how long it may take. It will not disappear. Sounds the same, it looks the same, but it has a slightly differently emphasis. The emphasis of the first is: it is definite. The third one tells you that if the conditions are right, then it will become [the effect]. That’s the difference.

I don’t know whether I answered it or not- I think I did.

Question 3.

“Rimpoche, of the five powers- object, motivation, actual, body, and time- what is the power of body? Could you explain this more?”

GR Answer:

The human body has much more capability than that of any other body. And that also [has to do] with the vows. Whenever you do good things [with vows, they will] have more value than without vows. And vice versa, if you do bad things you have the equal amount of disadvantages. And if you do the right things [you will have advantages over without-vow people in the same way that if you do wrong things you will] have huge disadvantages over without-vow people.

Question 4.

“Rimpoche, who are the workers in the Hell Realms, and who is wrapping us in foil?”

GR Answer:

Oh yeah, Mr. Ax, and Mr. A, and Mr. B. They have names such as ‘leng-an ala wanga duk ting-go.’ They are something like, you know, the guy with the pig head by the guy with the horse head, by the guy with … you know these identifications [of those who work in the Hell Realms] are there. In reality, they are actually manifestations of our own negative karma. And that’s why they will tell you ‘Everything is a delusion, everything is not true.’ It is the perception that we get because of our karma.

Whether there is such a thing as so-and-so with the horse head, cow head, buffalo head, and all of them, I don’t even know. You cannot say ‘no,’ because it is very well described, but actually it is a manifestation of our own karma. It is easier to understand that now than before. Now, if you look at the people who are suffering from the mental tortures, and if you look at those people, for them, the suffering that they are going through is real, very real. But for us, it is only their mind. For us, [they are] those who don’t understand, it is only their mind. Nothing’s happening. It’s only their mind. But for them, it’s reality. We now know that. So that is exactly how those Lower Realms, in my opinion, function. It’s real, it becomes reality. If you look in the sutras, it even gives you where they are and a description how far it is from here and all that, and I don’t know whether they are interpretable or direct. We don’t know. So always there’s interpretable and direct. So, I hope it is an interpretable one, who knows. So, it really exists in the perception. And again, when I say ‘it exists in the perception,’ means it is not reality, [although] it is [perceived as] reality, it’s [perceived as] real. We now know very well people who are mentally suffering. They are really real for them. Absolutely real. It’s not just hallucination. Or, it is [not] just mind, and [therefore we can’t just] ignore [it]. Now we know that is wrong. And we all accept that. It helps us to understand better.

Question 5.

“What makes our actions more powerful in this degenerate age than in another era?”

GR Answer:

Because it is the degenerated age, the majority of the people are going the opposite way. When one tries to swim against the current, all enlightened beings have great feelings for us. And their power, their prayer, and our efforts all combined together make a difference. This is what we call ‘circumstantial advantage.’

Audience (Rochelle): We’re calling it ‘Hazard Pay:’ you get extra money for being in a dangerous zone.

GR comments: Hazard Pay. You know, when you go in the difficult areas, when you get posted and you get [paid] per diem.

Question 6.

“In the Lam Rim, is there an order or structure to the points we should meditate on so as to maintain balance?”

GR Answer:

Sure. It is very structured. It is automatic: one leads to the other. So, if you lose the structure, you’re stuck, you cannot move to the next one. So they worked out the structure so that no matter how intelligent and how great you may be, if you follow this structure, it will be much easier. Why? Because, when you have developed at a stage. one will automatically lead you to the second one. It’s not that anyone has to promote you. You don’t have to promote yourself- we always like to promote ourselves- if you keep on promoting yourself, you will build an ice-castle without a base.

So the Lam Rim structure helps you with the automatic transition from one to another. In order to achieve that, it is always recommended to (pause)- I hate to say it this way- superficially go through it. (1:53) I mean to put this in the way of: ‘over-viewing;’ sort of ‘broad-viewing;’ sort of ‘do-not-really-focus-single-pointedly-too-much.’ Getting a broad view of it. Like the Lama Chopa/ Lam Rim stage, where you say the ‘Foundation of All Perfections’ [Prayer], or Tsong Kapa’s shorter Lam Rim, or something that is sort of organized in a broad way of looking. Something where the words will lead you [from one stage] to another; that will build the structure within your mind so that when you are actually meditating, you will realize that one realization leads you to another realization. This is so that you do not depend on someone to promote you, or on knowing when to promote yourself. You just get there [by following the stages as they are laid out]. And that is important, so that if you lose structure in between then you have to make sure that you lead, that you are not jumping one stage in between, you make sure that you can lead yourself from A to C, without skipping B.

If you cannot [do it this way], then you’ll get stuck. So that’s what you’ve got to do. Sometimes, you’d like to omit that [/one of the stages], but in order to lead you to there [/to stage C], you’ll have to re-instate B. But you have the choice of dropping anything, as long as you can lead yourself. Not by mentally saying ‘That’s that! Now, I want to do this!’ for that is not a smooth transition. That is ‘cut and paste.’ It needs a smooth transition. When the smooth transition is there, it really will lead you [to the next stage]. For example, when you have the Guru Devotional practice (quotes Tib.), it will lead you to what the precious instructions really are:

Embrace human life.

And why do we have to embrace it?

Because it is important.

Why is it important?

[For reasons] A, B, C

If it’s that important, is it easy? Do I get [to have] it all the time?

No, it’s difficult.

[Why is it difficult?]

Because: the cause is… this and the example is… this and that

And just when you get comfortable with that [answer], then the next question automatically comes:

Will that be permanent? Will that be there forever?

[And then you realize that] ‘I didn’t even think about it.’ Then

I realize how impermanent it is.

It just leads you from one to another realization. That smooth transition is really important. (Quotes Tib) Anyway, so that’s that.

Question 7.

“Rimpoche, what is the difference between the merit of good works and the merit you’ve been talking about that needs to be accumulated on the path?”

GR’s Answer:

Yeah. One thing that I really didn’t tell you at the karma level- I’m glad you have that question, I should mention it… There’s good karma/ bad karma. Good guy/ bad guy, you know. Good cop/ bad cop (laughs). You see that all the time on TV anyway. Good karma/ bad karma: both generally give you good result/ bad result within samsara only...

Unless there is the desire to liberate ourselves from samsara. With the influence of that motivation, that thought, any good work we do will be cause for liberation. And with bodhimind, any good work we do will become a direct cause for us to become a fully enlightened buddha. Without those, any good work will become ‘unshakeable karma.’ ‘Unshakeable karma’ meaning that it will give you a good result or bad result that is only limited within samsara. This is because more or less it is oriented from the ego-functioning, ego-grasping, self-grasping ideas. Therefore it is not really accumulation of merit on the path. It becomes accumulation of merit, accumulation of good karma, but the results only occur within samsara. That makes it very difficult for us. And that is one of the reasons why ignorance is the doorway for downfalls.

I’m glad you raised this question because it’s very important for everybody.

Fran’s Questions: (2:00:00)

Question 1

“The criteria for what constitutes sexual misconduct seems arbitrary. A centimeter, more or less, of penetration seems beside the point. A person can still be hurt deeply without any penetration. Could you comment?”

GR’s Answer

Yes. A person can be very strongly hurt without penetration. However, when we are talking about very specific sexual misconduct, specifically focusing on the three doors, then they have these measurements. So these measurements are presented when we are talking about penetration through any of those three doors. We are talking specifically about a specific act. That’s what it is. That doesn’t mean others are not.

Question 2

“You mentioned this morning that if 100% of a population thinks that something is a certain way, then it must be right. Maybe that’s not true. 100% of the people could be wrong, and-“

GR interjects: … you are the only one that’s right. It’s a little hard to buy.

“… like when a good majority of a population goes along with something and it’s not right, like the Third Reich, or slavery in the American South, or women not being equal to men. All of these ideas were adopted by large populations of people. Is there some other way to measure doubt?”

GR’s Response

You’re right. They’re all true. However, at that time, they were all ignorant. The more wise we become, [the more right we become]. At the same time, (quotes Tib) Chandrakirti said

There are limits. Sometimes even if you are right, but when the majority, most of the people in the world, are going in one direction, and singly you insist that you are right, driving you to another direction.

I believe he is referring to something like stubbornness.

You may be right in the absolute, but you are losing [sight of] the relative truth. You are losing the balance. Right and wrong is definitely important. However, you also have to occasionally balance with the acceptance of the majority.

This sounds funny. However, if you really look at truth, deeply, and say ‘This is my truth.’ Truth, truth, truth. You search for it and you search for it, and at the end, there is nothing that is called truth. So what is it? Is it a collection of things? Or events? Or acceptances? Or whatever? (2:06)

Interdependent nature of existence is the Truth. There is no such a thing that is really called ‘Truth.’ And that is the reason why you have to find a balance between the Absolute Truth and the Relative Truth. Whatever you believe, whatever you practice- that is one different thing [your relative truth]. Whatever you accept as your function- that is another different thing. So because in the Absolute Truth, there is non-existence- emptiness is the truth- then what is only left is the interdependent nature of existence.

Therefore it [/relative truth] is everything: the labels, normal acceptance, [all have] some truth in it. All of them combined together, they become [what we accept as] truth. This is how not only today’s world is, but total existence is like that.

If it is otherwise, like we say ‘I know the truth, but most people don’t know it.’ And ‘History will judge, and I’ll be proved right! It may take two hundred years or so, it doesn’t matter.’ And if you are thinking like this, you are becoming like- the traditional example given by spiritual masters- a blind yak. Tibetans have yaks, you know. When you let the blind yak, the one-eyed blind yak, be in the open fields, in the beautiful mountain pasture, the yak will eat one side of the grasses and the other side of the grass will be left. Just like if you have a bad lawnmower, and when you are done, it has cut one side. (Laughter). I had one- it cut the two sides and the middle was left out. So that is what is called ‘One-Eyed Yaks Eating the Grass.’ So the advice is: ‘Don’t be a one-eyed yak!’ eating one side of the grass only.

The reason is because non-existence is the truth. To make it short.

You are right- whoever is writing- you are really right, absolutely you are right. But also you are losing the relative truth.

Question 3

“The next question is about making the next step after attending several retreats, this person is looking for some practical advice on what to do next, or proceeding along the path.”

GR Response

Well, I give you the signs for developing each and every one of those points. Check with yourself: do you have that sign within you? If you have that sign, it is time for you to move. Otherwise, [if you don’t have the sign and you move ahead anyway, then] the rest of what you are doing, you are really doing superficially. Try to practice, make yourself perfect to the path, including Vajrayana initiations and Vajrayana practice. It is like when you have a horse race, and before the race, you take the horse on the track and let the horse run. That is exactly what we are doing.

In actual reality, no matter how many times [you have to do this], with your real uncorrected normal open mind, put those points that we give you in the Lam Rim or the Odyssey- they are all the same- and check each point. Do you [have the signs?] You don’t have to tell anybody, [this is] just for your eyes only, for your mind only, for your ears only. [Ask yourself] ‘Do I have these signs?’ If you do, appreciate it, [then] focus on the next.

With the superficial path that we give you, and if you have [followed the] unbroken steps, [and have transitioned] from an ordinary person of know-nothing to [one of] total knowledge- they [/the steps] are all intact in that [path]. So the question of ‘what next?’ actually does not arise. Actually does not arise. So it is important to look back and within yourself and [evaluate] where you are. That is the reason why we give you each point with its sign of development, and why [we tell you that] the realization is: this and that and this and that. So look into it.

For example:

Step One. Guru devotional practice. The sign of realization is: all your spiritual masters, when you look at them, it looks like they are merging with the Buddha. It’s almost like something has merged into Oneness. When you have that, then you have that realization. If you don’t have it, you don’t have it.

[Step two is: reflecting upon] The important-ness of human life. You realize that you are wasting time, you don’t want to waste time, wasting is such a misuse, (2:13:34) it is such a waste! (Quotes Tib) And when you find the realization of Difficulty to Find [Step #19, Odyssey to Freedom ‘Appreciate the rarity’], you just cannot sit idle, sit still.

So all of those [steps], each one of them, have a sign. If you have that sign within you, of course, by all means, you have to move to the next step. You don’t have to- your practice will automatically move you. And when you don’t have that [realization], no matter how many times you have said a million ‘om mani padme hum’s, [you won’t be able to move forward].

Question 4

“The last question, Rimpoche, is a request for you to repeat the full quotation of Tsong Kapa’s that you ended the morning session with.”

GRs Response:

I tried to remember it earlier, and I tried to get Jamyang’s help, too, but I couldn’t get it, remember? So if I remember it tonight, I will write down something for tomorrow, and will repeat it. Thank you.

Okay. Now the next will be: Mahayana path. So basically there are two outlines:

How to develop bodhimind within yourself, and, after developing bodhimind,

Taking bodhisattva vows.

First, developing bodhimind, and that also has two [methods]:

Seven stages of developing bodhimind and

Exchange stage of developing bodhimind.

So the ‘seven stages of developing bodhimind’ is the usual teaching that comes through from Buddha and Maitreya Buddha and Asanga, etc. This is the Lam Rim lineage, the lineage that comes from the vast teachings lineage. That lineage is called the Seven Stages of Bodhimind Development [lineage].

The ‘exchange stages of development’ comes from the lineage of the profound teachings- that is the Manjushri, Shantideva, and all these lineages.

Most of you have heard both of these stages of development, very often and everywhere. But there may be quite a number of new people who also need to gain this knowledge and many may need to be reminded.

So, each and every one of us, when you look at this, basically the basic meditation is also divided into two, just like before:

activities in-session and

activities in-between session

Activities ‘in-session’ has

preliminaries

actual

conclusion (2:18)

Preliminaries follow just like usual. (Quotes Tib) you make absolute requests to Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang, who is the collection of all refuge. Supplication to him is as usual. And, also, particularly when developing bodhimind, [it is recommended to visualize] Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang in absolute reality, and also [emphasizing the] compassion-nature of Avalokitshevara.

Also it is not out of place to be able to say a few mantras tomorrow, those that we have not said so far. When you have this lineage prayer, at the end of the lineage prayer, [it would be good] if you said ‘om muni muni maha muniye soha’ a few times, and Avolokitshevara’s long and short mantras. [This should be done] during this Mahayana teaching period, until we reach the wisdom level. When we’ve reached the wisdom level, we may switch to the Manjushri mantra. [This] would be appropriate and nice.

And during the mantra saying: ‘om muni muni maha muniye soha,’ we should focus strongly on Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang. [Visualize]:

Light, liquid coming from the body of Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang, purifying negativities in general, and particularly, the developing of compassion [within you], [through the use of the] seven stage and exchange stage ways of developing bodhimind. Then you become pure. Life, fortune, luck, compassion all are developed [within you]. The self- the consciousness, the ‘I’- becomes less clouded by selfish ideas, selfish thoughts, and narrow, selfish principles. They are purified completely, obtaining the blessings of Lama Thubwang Dorje Chang.

And within the mind-stream of ‘I and all mother sentient beings,’ [wish for] the equanimity, [for all to be] free from aversion and obsession. And [generate the] recognition of all mother sentient beings as kind- to me, particularly, and [the thought of] repaying their kindness. [Think of] Developing love; developing compassion; and developing the special mind that takes personal responsibility for liberating all sentient beings, for [whom] you are seeking total enlightenment.

[Think that] All of those realizations have been obtained while saying the mantra and while meditating. Light and liquid obtaining within myself and all sentient beings. All sentient beings are now at this equanimity stage that is free of aversion and free of hatred.

And also [visualize] knowing all beings as mother sentient beings, remembering their kindness, and committing [oneself to] repaying their kindness, developing love, developing compassion, and special mind that follows bodhimind.

[Having] Such realizations, obstacles have been cleared, and [we] become pure- both body and mind. Especially, [have] within the mind that we all have gained the realization of this. And build [upon this] our life, strength, energy, luck, fortune, etc.

So, that will be the preliminary, and that preliminary you may be able to visualize within the mantra-saying in the morning.

I will close here now. Whatever we have taught to you, do kindly pick up that as a practice.