Archive Result

Soundfile 20050512GRJHNL

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location Utrecht, NL

Topic Compassion

Transcriber Glenn Powers

Date 2020-10-02

0:00:09.5 [Dutch] Announcer: Rimpoche, Welcome. We are very, very happy that you visit again Utrecht and we are very happy to have you here and to listen to you. Thank you.

0:00:28.2 Rimpoche: Good evening and welcome everybody and it is beautiful to be back in Holland and Utrecht. As you see the subject tonight for me, there is a lot of talk there. But, it is boiled down to compassion. The reasons why compassion is necessary for our life is not need to be mentioned. You all know well what is happening. You all know very well what is happening in the world today. Actually, it is a terrible time that we are in today. So much so that there are a lot of difficulties from the environmental point of view and a lot of difficulties: killings, wars, I, crazy decisions over power.

0:02:41.1 We’re supposed to living in democracy and freedom and choice and all this. But, the democracy and freedom and choice are extremely limited today. Unfortunately, it becomes war time. War continuing in Iraq. And, because it is a big thing dealing with America, so it is right in front. But, a lot of other wars are going and a lot of difficult time. Not only the war, but also from the economic point of view. I’m quite sure you all feel the difference.

I have been here quite number of years. About over 20 years been coming in Holland, on and off. Almost every year. It’s on and off unfortunately. Few years, I don’t show up. But, you know it is a beautiful country. Peaceful, wonderful and you have that beautiful gilding. Now, it is all gone. I’m sorry. Don’t laugh. It’s true. 0:04:26.6 [dutch] 0:05:16.1 Yeah, it’s gone and also the value. It becomes, you know, expenses. It’s almost doubled. I don’t think your income has doubled. I don’t think so. If it has, you are lucky. That is the situation where we are. But still, the gilding is gone. The value has doubled. Even then, we have a comfortable life.

We must realize what’s happening in Iraq, in Africa, and Afghanistan and the threat that comes out. You know, there is a nuclear threat. Don’t forget. 0:06:27.7 [dutch] 0:06:47.8 Actually, what really had happened there was no threat of weapons of mass destruction from Iraq. There is no threat. But, America went there with unilateral, no matter whatever anybody says. Bombarded and did everything. Now, the actual threat comes out from North Korea and elsewhere. And, now what? 0:07:20.5 [dutch] 0:07:40.7 All of those are brought up by hatred. Don’t forget. It is the hatred that played and to a certain extent, it is the jealousy. The jealousy of oil. 0:08:03.8 [dutch]. 0:08:12.1 Hatred, we don’t have to tell you why.

You know this is second time in Gulf War. They call it “Gulf War II.” Not the first. So, when the courses are unable to complete whatever they want to do. So, then they came back. Just because they thought they made a mistake. And, it continue our hatred. 0:08:36.1 [dutch] 0:08:51.5 The consequences of that: so many innocent people lost their life. Remember? Before the Americans went inside the Iraq. How many day-in-day-out, night after night, day after day, how many times they throw bombs. And, they did not just throw the bombs on just in desert. They throw the bomb on the city. So, how many people really got killed? The innocent people. Not those who play political power. They’re somewhere else. And, so many innocent people got killed. 0:09:37.5 [dutch] 0:10:01.8 And, like that even in Afghanistan everywhere. These are the man-made sufferings we’re experiencing. It’s man-made.

And, then there are environmental problems. Tremendous amount of environmental problems. You all know. Netherlands was in the forefront of protecting environmental before. At least before. Before 0:10:43.7 big Buddha. [dutch] 0:10:54.0 You remember? So, and then the environmental consequences we had tsunami. Just end of last year, beginning of year, how many people died? And, how many of us suffered by watching? And, how many people lost their loved ones? So, it is terrible time. I think we have to acknowledge. But, acknowledge alone will not do. It is our responsibility to do something to help. From both ways, from the normal activity way as well as from the spiritual way, both ways. And maintain way you know better than I know. Because, you are the people who are really involved so much activities: saving the environment and helping refugees and doing all kinds of compassion nature of work. This is not new in your generation. You been doing this for generations. 0:13:17.9 [dutch] 0:13:31.8

I must tell you, when I been kicked out of Tibet in 1959. I became a refugee. I came down to India. And I came down because Tibet is high up. Came down almost penniless. No clothes to change whatever been wearing. And, I been wearing monk’s robe. Old fashioned monk’s robe and came through with this. Through the Himalayas. And, when you reach to a certain area of India and when you receive those aid. You know, those foreign aid. Those huge pajamas, fit for Viking people to wear. Huge big ones. When I put on the pajama shirt, it almost reach here. But, it was extremely helpful because you have something to change. 0:14:45.4 [dutch] 0:15:21.6

And, the vitamins that you can take, aspirins, pain killers and other medicines and food. Especially nutritious food, like Dutch cheese. Really, this is fantastic for refugees who has nothing for months walking through and suddenly the beautiful cheese and pajama that doesn’t fit are really great 0:15:55.0 [dutch] 0:16:19.0

I’m telling you, when you are at the receiving end and you have no idea how grateful we are at that time. And, this is a work of compassion that you do in generations. It’s great. That’s also spiritual. However, when we came with difficulties at such a time like this and when the general there is difficulty, there is more individual difficulties, individual sufferings. A lot of them, we face. 0:17:19.7 [dutch] 0:17:31.3

Perhaps, we have little difficulties dealing with this. And, the number of people think, “Why me? Why me have to suffer so much? Why not somebody else?” To tell you the truth, you are not alone. Many others are suffering the same thing. So, all of those and the question rises and how we have to do everything materially 0:18:19.7 and this was your generations and you’ve been doing it and very similar different works you do you should continue. But, the question comes, what can you do spiritually?

Spiritually, to answer all this: compassion. Compassion is the answer. A lot of people think that I have look people at the sufferings. It’s true. You have to look people who are suffering. But, that must include yourself as well. Don’t forget yourself. 0:19:21.7 [dutch] 0:19:33.3

It is interesting to think when I’m trying to tell you have compassion for yourself. This may be a new word, new vocabulary for you. The truth is if you do not know how to develop compassion on yourself and if you do not know how to help yourself, how can you expect to develop compassion on others and help others? Please think a few moments. Please think this is not possible. 0:20:24.8 [dutch] 0:20:42.0

A friend of mine, a great guy, a new-age guru, wrote a book called, “How can I help?” The problem, because you do not know how to help yourself. If you don’t know how to help yourself, helping others is difficult. Because, the way how it works, way how you help yourself, taking that as an example and trying to help others and that is the wisdom that the Buddha shared, Buddha give us for 2,600 years ago. This is ancient, 2,600 year wisdom. Help yourself and exactly the way you help yourself, try to help the others. 0:21:56.1 [dutch] 0:22:18.5

Remember this, helping ourselves is the first object, first thing to do in compassion. Everybody is happy and excited to help others. But, when I say you have to help yourself, you begin to pull back, thinking, “How?” The question is, if you don’t help yourself, who else will help you? Please think that. If you don’t care for yourself, who else do you expect to care for you? And, this is important. This is the first step. This is not the formal first step. Formal step, there are many. But, this is real first step: to indulge yourself in spiritual work is to help yourself. 0:23:57.3 [dutch] 0:24:13.0

Because, we all suffer. We all have tremendous amount of sufferings. Believe it or not, you do. You do have less suffering suffering than underdeveloped nations or the third world nations. But, we do have more emotional sufferings than underdeveloped nations and the third world nations. Honestly.

Because we have a little time, little bit of opportunity to think about ourselves a little more. The third world nations, when they suffer tremendously, there is no time to think. I used to live in India and there is somebody call koolies who carry your load, carry the boxes of people on the railway stations and they carry tremendous four, five, six suitcases on the head and they run faster than you could ever catch them. If you don’t catch them, you loose them completely, your suitcases gone. But, you have to run equal to them and they run so fast as well as they are in the station almost 24 hours. The train comes in and they are busy carrying. There is a gap, they fall asleep. And, zoom, one comes in and they run. There is no time for them to comprehend or hold themselves together. There’s no time. Because, the economic hardship. The family responsibility drives them 24 hours, worse than we drive the horses here are paradise anyway. 0:26:54.7 [dutch] 0:27:54.7

So, over here, we have a little time for our self. A little time to contemplate, a little time to think. So that we notice all of physical and emotional problems. It’s not that we don’t have it in the third world nations. But, there is no opportunity to get sick until they drop dead. Honestly. 0:28:21.2 [dutch] 0:28:40.9

We have emotional pains. Tremendous. Each and everyone of us here to give nice little smiley face to each other. I look at you, try to smile. You look at me, try to smile. Nice, but, in the deep down we have all these worries and problems. 0:29:06.8 [dutch] 0:29:22.7

Honestly, if you don’t have emotional sufferings, you won’t be here. The reason why you here, I believe, if I’m wrong, you’d better tell me, I believe that you are here to find some way to help yourself spiritually, to make yourself a better person and to ease your pain a little bit. Is there a wisdom that Tibetan Buddhists carry, which the Buddha brought them 2,600 years ago and the great many spiritual masters continuously carry? Is there something for me, to help me? That’s why you’re here, each one of you. If not, raise your hand. I’m quite sure I won’t see any hand. 0:30:30.9 [dutch] 0:31:06.2

Maybe there are one or two exceptional cases. Maybe, “if she’s going to be there, I’m going to go there.” Maybe. Or vice-versa. Maybe one or two exceptional. Otherwise, mostly you are here for that reason. 0:31:23.3 [dutch] 0:31:31.6

So, it is true. Tibetan Buddhism carries answers to all this. Angry oriented problem we face. The hatred oriented problem we face. Obsession oriented problem we face. Jealous oriented problem we face. And, above all, the fear oriented problem we face. Yes, there is an answer. 0:32:09.9 [dutch] 0:32:28.3

We do. But, it is nothing from outside. It is inside. It is within you. It’s nothing external you can find it. It is within you. Let me tell you. The number one issue here is non-denial. If you deny your problem, your problem is going to be better, stronger and difficulties. Just like a swarm provides mosquitos to breed. [dutch] Really, the denial is giving shelter for the problem to grow. So, number one: face the problem. Recognize and don’t deny. Really, truly, there is nothing to be ashamed of it. Whatever we did. Nothing to be ashamed of it. Some people may think, “Oh, my god! I’m terrible. If people know what I did wrong, I’ll be ashamed of it.” But, you don’t have to be ashamed of it, nothing you have done wrong. 0:34:53.1 [dutch] 0:35:07.7

You did not do anything, 1%, of what George Bush did. You did not bomb innocent people. You did not torture the prisoners. You did not steal their oil. You did not curb the individual freedom and individual right and choice of the people. Nothing to be ashamed. The George Bush, who has to be shamed, is not shamed. He came to Holland, “Remember, I liberated you sixty years ago.” 0:36:04.5 [dutch] 0:36:15.5

Was he ever born before that? I don’t know. How did he liberate us? But, he did curb our liberation. You know, I said that the last few days. You know, never in Holland you never hear you cannot demonstrate. Did you ever hear in Holland? [dutch]

And when George Bush came, you cannot demonstrate. Remember? You can demonstrate the day before or day after. But, not when he was here. Yet, he claims to be the, “Creator of Democracy.” [dutch]

If you did that, you should be ashamed. Otherwise there is nothing. You have not done 1% of he did. He is not ashamed. He is still proud. You shouldn’t be ashamed at all. [dutch] 0:37:46.4

But, recognize the problem. Acknowledge. Please don’t deny. [dutch] And, once you recognize then you can find a way if you want to. Find a way how to help yourself, if you want to. [dutch]

It goes to me for me the same thing. First and foremost, I must acknowledge when and how if I’m sick. I must acknowledge. If I deny, I will never do anything for my illnesses. I must acknowledge. Once I acknowledge, it is my choice whether I want to treat or whether I don’t want to treat. And, if I want to treat, then I have a right to choose to treat and I can help myself by treating. If I deny completely, I’m deprived the opportunity for me to get treatment. 0:39:28.7 [dutch]

It is exactly the same way for you. If you recognize your anger problem, hatred problem, obsession problem and then, you can help yourself. But, if you deny and keep on denying until you die. You know the American expression, you keep on denying, “until the cows come home.” The cowboy. [dutch] 0:40:48.8

So, once you recognize and then you find what does what. Suppose if it is hatred, how are you going to handle your hatred? [dutch] The difference is, a few years ago, maybe a decade ago, when we are talking about hatred a number of people can think, “Well, I don’t have hatred. I really don’t have hatred.” Number of people thinks that. Today, it becomes very difficult for so many people to think that way. Because of the word situation, this crazy leaders lead us in such a world. In that situation, it becomes very difficult. There’s well 0:42:13.4 we having whether reality or false whatever it may be the war on terrorism is going on. When you look into American culture today, that beautiful, wonderful, good old American Era is not there. Today, it is everything, war on terrorists, war on property, war on this, everything is war, war, war, war on this, war on this, people’s mentality and terminology, all of them change into it. Believe it or not. It is just a matter of a few years, years of course, 9/11 happened. Yes, but still. The whole thing changed. Everything is war, war, war, war on terrorism, war on property, war on this, war on that. Every terminology is changed on war, war, war. Not love. Not compassion. It is unfortunate and that’s the reason why even many of you cannot think, “Well, I don’t have hatred.” But, the war is going on. 0:43:41.5 [dutch] 0:44:50.6

Whatever those warmongers wanted. Let them talk. But, let us help ourselves individually. And, let us not put ourselves on war. Let us put on the path of compassion, caring and love. [dutch] Because, love and compassion will really prevail at the end. War and violence are not going to prevail in the end. [dutch] Even if you do’t believe me, look back into our history. Look back to the history. This is Europe, a rich history behind. [dutch] And, we had all these wars, which war had really prevailed for the centuries? Yet, on the other hand, look at the nonviolences. The nonviolence, throughout history and particularity by Ghandi, by Mother Theresa and by Martin Luther King, Nelson Madela and Dali Lama and all this and you look and love, compassion, really prevails. The war, if something achieved, what had happened with Hitler? What happened with Stalin? What had happened with Mao? Look at it. It’s not far. And, we will see history is judge. You can look from there. And, violence and wars are not going to help. Not going to serve. It’s going to hurt and harm each and everyone of us. On the contrary, choose love over war. 0:47:34.0 [dutch] 0:48:19.3

It’s not only the Americans who are leading into war, believe me. I think Dutch is also involved, isn’t it? Right, yes. Tony Blair did not spare you. [dutch] So, let them do whatever they want to do. Let us help ourselves. If you do’t help yourself, who else is going to help it? [dutch] And also, you don’t think, “I can make no difference.” Please. You will make a big difference. Each and everyone of us will make a difference because we are society. Society is nothing more than a collection of people. Nation is nothing more than collection of people. It is no longer the old time. Today, it is democracy, means people’s power. And each and everyone of us are people. 0:49:43.6 [dutch] 0:50:03.3

That’s for the general world. But, for the individual, you have to develop compassion for yourself. If you recognize your own pain and suffering, it’s easy for you to develop compassion for yourself. [dutch] Actually, compassion is a beautiful word. But, meaning when you feel with yourself the desire to remove the suffering that bothering us. The desire to remove the suffering that is bothering us is compassion. If you leave that aside, going to search for compassion somewhere else, you’re not going to find it and that is compassion within you. 0:51:12.3 [dutch] 0:51:38.3

Your compassion for yourself calls for you to commit to help yourself and redouble your efforts to help yourself. [dutch] That also both spiritual as well as maintain everyday world. [dutch] Some people think spiritual is important, I can ignore the maintain 0:52:22.8 world. It doesn’t work. [dutch] Because, there are bill collectors. [dutch] They don’t leave you alone. So, you also need the spiritual path. Otherwise, one day will go. [dutch] So, you don’t have investment, you don’t have capital, you don’t even have pocket money. So, you need spiritual, too. [dutch] When you go, you have to pay the bill, a different bill. There, you need the spiritual path. [dutch]

[break] 0:54:12.6

So, I said we have to develop compassion to yourself and I repeatedly say it. You have to develop compassion to yourself. Remember, if you don’t, if you don’t care, compassion is expression of care. If you don’t care for yourself, no one else care. That, you have to remember. [dutch] At the same time, you cannot feel a pity to yourself either. Compassion is not pity feeling. [dutch] A lot of people will mistake that and compassion looking at yourself you begin to feel pity and that’s not right. You have to think that very carefully. [dutch] All the enlightened ones, like Buddha and Jesus and all of them have compassion to all of us. But, they don’t have pity feeling on us. [dutch] We are not the object of pity feelings of anybody. And, why should I be object of pity feeling of myself. [dutch] Here, you have to say thank you but no thank you. [dutch] But, at the same time, you have to care for yourself. If you ignore yourself completely, try to do whatever it is that you are supposed to be doing, totally outlook and if something happens to you. 0:57:09.7 Who else do the other things for the others that you wanted to do. [dutch] Our own purpose is not yet achieved if you keep on feeling pity. [dutch]

We are not hopeless and helpless. We can help our self. We have this precious human life. Precious. [dutch] Buddha referred human life as like that of magic lamp. You know, those lamps you rub and a genie comes out. [dutch] Because, it is capable of delivering goods. Material, spiritual, both this human life is capable. [dutch] And, that because of our human mind. Human mind has no limits. No limit. From the spiritual point of view they say that. Now, from the scientific point of view, even the scientists now knew we’re not using all our capacity. Forget about all, not a even quarter what we can use it. 0:59:21.6 That is the beauty of our mind. So, while we are having this wonderful life, while we are having the capable mind and we must help ourselves. [dutch] The way of helping ourselves is curbing our negative emotions and negative activities. And, bringing the positive aspects of the life, mind. Indulging in positive activties. [dutch] I say this because I am firm believer karma. [dutch] It is not only believing system, but logically. Just look at it. You will see it. Good deeds bring good results and bad deeds bring bad results. We ourselves see it in everyday our own life. It’s not the word. It’s not the belief. But, things really happening right in front of us. We see it. [dutch] We might not have been brilliant person. But, you don’t need rocket science to see this. This is everyday in our life it’s happening and that’s the reason why even at the beginning I even told you, nonviolence, compassion, will prevail. And, violence and hatred will fail. 1:02:15.6 [dutch] 1:02:46.9

Nor is it necessary for you to become a monk or a nun who goes to monastery or temple. But, really there is a beautiful way you can help yourself in your own home, with your own family, with your children, you can help yourself and that is important. [dutch] They’re all great. If you go to temple, great. If you become a monk, great. If you become nun, great. If you go to church, great. But, the liberation is available in home. [dutch] It’s all mind. Number one: the motivation. Number two: avoid, as much as possible, those afflictive emotions. Namely, you don’t submit yourself to control of hatred. You don’t submit yourself to control of obsession. You don’t let jealousy guide your life. [dutch] You be your own judge. You be your own guide. Be your server. 1:05:05.2 Make yourself comfortable in your own skin. Don’t try to be somebody else. Bring awareness. Alertness, in your life. Awareness, where your mind is leading you in the positive way or the negative way. You be your own watcher. [dutch] If you try to be helpful to yourself and others, rejoice. [dutch] If you are overpowered by your negative emotions, which you always do. All of us do. Recognize the challenge. [dutch] When you deal, when you challenge, it is no longer that huge monster that we think we have problem. We cannot look up. It’s no longer there. [dutch] Sometimes, it can become so small and may come to your door and ring your bell. And, open your door and say, “Oops. I haven’t seen you in a long time. What happened to you?” [dutch] “Would you like to have a cup of tea or a glass of beer?” That is how you deal. It’s no longer that monster any more. It’s our exaggeration of our mind. Thinking that we cannot handle I am little schmooze. [dutch] That’s how you deal, temporarily. 1:08:22.0 [dutch]

An for long run, you try to gain some wisdom that Buddha had shared with us for 2,600 years wisdom. [dutch] Wisdom that tells us what really we are. It’s not the question, “Who you are” and “what you are?” It is the question, “What is our reality and how it functions?” That is different that who you are and what you are. [dutch] We tried to protect ourselves all the time, looking our physical beings, which is by nature our destruction. To be destroyed, because it is impermanent. It is perishable vegetable. [dutch] We are afraid of that all the time. Get yourself out of the control of the fear. Take charge. Get wisdom.

We, in the Jewel Heart, it is my little way of contributing towards the kindness and compassion that I had opportunity to experience what I am telling you. Those pajamas don’t fit and the great cheese and the vitamins and pills when I first became a refugee. Also, it is the Buddha’s gift to the service of the humanitarian. That we try to provide the compassion and the love and the wisdom combines together, a method of helping yourself. That’s what we try to doing Jewel Heart. Through providing the information as a service, through courses, through seminars, through retreats, through booklets and transcripts and so forth. That’s what we do. If you find it helpful, if you find it useful, we even have a group here in Utrecht. Mostly, we settled in Nymagen. As a matter of fact, I try to be twice in the year in Nymagen. Here try to talk to people. Both ways. 1:12:01.5 Talks like this and very traditional, semi-traditional, I don’t make thrones. Semi-traditional, but having everything true to the tradition, bringing here to service to people in the Netherlands. [dutch] 1:13:49.6

Okay, if you have any questions, I must give you the opportunity for three. I’d like to conclude by meditation. So, three questions, if you have. [dutch]

Audience: What is the difference between anger and hatred? [dutch]

Rimpoche: Very good, very practical question. For me, the anger is you get upset. You have a temper tantrum show. And you someone, you love your kid, you want them to the best and they won’t listen to you and you get upset. They are all anger. Which is not that bad. Because, the motivations, sometimes, for the good of the person. It is also so you get angry, but you don’t hate the person. If you don’t take care of that anger, then it go prolonged, or sometimes you withdraw that internally. Did not dismiss it. Hid it and then it is rebuilt, rebuilt, rebuilt. After a little while, even between the children and the parents, the hatred develops. Even between parents and children, hatred develops. When you hate it, then it becomes hatred. Hatred really wants to teach lessons. May not want to kill you. But, want that person to suffer. So, that we appreciate what I did before. 1:16:22.8 That type of strong feeling that want to poke. If you really want to know where the transition taking between the anger and the hatred, you want to use harsh word which pains the other person. You want more and more hard word paining. When they are getting pain, you say, “Ah!” That is the transition. That is the difference. [dutch] 1:18:24.5

And that is very practically clear. If there are no more questions, we should try to meditate a little bit. Because, what I want you to do is to have the information, whatever I have been able to throw at you, that is the general world situation, plus individual. Way and how we can correct and help, through individual, each way. I want them put into a little meditative way. So that you can bring that information and you can bring that information and you can mediate about it. Try to be helpful to yourself in your everyday life. If you try to be helpful, that achieves something for you. That will help you. That is what I would like to do. [dutch] 1:19:58.6

Just a few minutes. First and foremost, watch your mind. Try to keep a little silence and breathe. Breathe normally from the stomach, not shallow breathe, but deep breathe, from stomach and through nostrils only. Try to breathe in and out. [dutch]

When you relax a little bit, then in the space in front of you suddenly appears your object of refuge, enlightened one. [dutch] Whoever you like. Whether it is Buddha, or female buddha, Tara, or Jesus or Mary or whoever you like, even energy. It’s fine. [dutch] 1:22:11.4 That represents total positive. We pray and wish, joy, joy that has never know suffering for all living beings in general and particularly those of us suffering physical, mental, emotional, war, torture, all of those. [dutch] The object of refuge dissolves in the form of light, dissolve to yourself. [dutch] You, yourself becomes happy, joyful, alert, committed. [dutch] We radiate light from our self. We wish our self well. We wish all other people in the room well. Light goes out, we wish all fellow citizens well. Light fills the whole Europe. Wish well to everybody. Light goes beyond Europe. Middle eastern countries and particularity those tremendous suffering of killing, losing their life, losing their limbs. Help them, wish them heal their illnesses, mental, physical, emotional. [dutch] Just the touch of light from you, they healed. Go beyond the Middle East. Indian Continent, Southeast Asia, China and North Korea. Particularly the hatred and the fear their leaders have. [dutch] Change it, just by the touch of light from our bodies. Light goes beyond this to other continents, like Australia, New Zeland and Africa and North and South America. Then, finally, the light coming from your heart, your body, does this great service to all living beings in the world. 1:27:37.7 [dutch]

We develop joy and happiness. We remain in that wishing well of all living beings and joy and happiness. We leave our life with that. [dutch] We also give our self the commitment that I help myself. [dutch] Then, I will help others.

Thank you. 1:29:18.9 [Thanks from announcer.]