Archive Result

20060624GRSR05

6.26.06 pm

Good evening. Welcome to this session As usual, we will begin with questions.

Q. (There are two related questions here) What is the difference between mental satisfaction and spiritual satisfaction? You said that spiritual practice should give more than just mental satisfaction. Would you explain that?

A. That is a good question.

Mental satisfaction is… I think there’s a big difference between [the two]…

[technical gap from 1:06- 1:29]

Mental satisfaction, we have all experienced it. Our mind is fully satisfied. Not only do we just feel good, we almost feel like it cannot get better than that. That kind of happy, joy, satisfaction, I [would] attribute to mental satisfaction.

Spiritual- I like to call it development rather than satisfaction- spiritual development is such a thing that you overcome all of your negativities, slowly but surely. Steadily, getting better day by day, year by year, overcoming our delusions, obstacles, negativities. I don’t mean [overcoming/ getting rid of] material difficulties, I don’t even mean [overcoming/getting rid of] emotional difficulties, but I mean [you feel/see] basic human improvement. [You become] Kinder, gentler; [you become filled with] less roughness, less hatred, less obsession. [You have] Better comprehension, more understanding. [You find yourself] Getting deeper into spiritual development, overcoming the subtle mental blocks, or spiritual blocks. Not only [do you overcome] just gross obsession and hatred. etcetera, but the more subtle, underlying hatred and obsession. Even beyond that- going beyond, going totally beyond obsession, going totally beyond hatred. (4:19)

[You go beyond] even the imprints of hatred and obsession, thereby losing all jealousy, and anxiety, and all of those. All of them, everywhere, [you go beyond] all of the fifty-two mental… officially we call them faculties, and all of those different emotions, all of those negative ones, even temper. Not only just hatred but temper.

All of those are: first, reduced; then, second, are overcome at the gross level; third, are overcome at the subtle level; fourth, are completely overcome, even the imprints. Not only just they are unable to grow back, but even their imprints, or any indirect influence, all of them are completely eradicated.

Our… let me use this term [though] the Buddhists never use it, but it [/the negative emotions are] is completely out of the ‘soul’ or the self, completely out of it. They are refilled, replaced, by positive ideas, such as intelligence, faith, alertness, concentration, generosity, compassion, love, and the special mind that takes the full responsibility of liberating not only ourself but all living beings. [They are replaced with] total altruistic mind, which is ultimate, unlimited, unconditioned love/compassion. Not only do we generate that sort of aspiration, but [we are] actually [able to put it into] action without any difficulties, without any obstacles, without any laziness. [We are able to] actually complete [this aspiration], involving, indulging [ourselves] 24 hours a day, effortlessly. Thereby [we achieve the] development of seeing truth, reality, truth, actual reality, and even [we become capable of] reading other people’s mind, future, etcetera. Finally, [we get to the point where we] know everything, whatever what will ever be, all of those [/that there is to be known], past, present, future, all. [We know everything] without any interruption, without any mischief, without any confusion, totally looking just like [/as if we were] looking from the point of a table(????). (8:47)

That is spiritual development.

[Laughter]

Mental satisfaction is something different. So, there is quite a difference, in my opinion.

[Sound is back!]

Question: You talked this morning about balance. And you said that we should have the balance that comes from the uplifting energy that comes from understanding the preciousness of human life and appreciating that, and the grounding influence of recognizing impermanence. So one of the groups wants to know if you could speak something about the relationship between that balance, between those two and compassion. And without balance, can there be compassion? Is it possible to experience compassion?

Rimpoche: You can have a pity little compassion here and there. No, not good compassion. Not at all. What happens is, in our life, when we have some joy, some happiness, something, you know, you almost go and sit above the clouds, and think, “Wow, that’s me!”

We have an old Tibetan saying that is really very funny. This language was used in old Tibetan society by the monks in monasteries, the lay people in the households, and everywhere. They said, [quotes Tibetan]

Even when the Buddha comes, you don’t pay respect and bow; even when the mad elephant runs, you don’t move aside. What is this?

This was used by the disciplinarians who were in charge of the monks all the time when someone was misbehaving. [This is] Not just [for] when you are misbehaving, but [also for] when the ego is sitting above the clouds. You don’t have respect even if the Buddha just walked in front of you. You don’t even move aside when mad, drunkard elephants are running towards you.

Our mind is such that when it goes up high, it really goes. You know, it has no control. No control- it goes! (12:24)

A number of people in the United States, in the Western World- lesser so in the Eastern World, however, not so directly in the eastern World as it is hidden, because of the culture- but in the Western World, you know it is tremendous: people fly up in the air and think they know all. “I know everything! Everything!” A lot of people do that with or without realizing it.

When we look at people… there are people sometimes who want to talk about something, just to get it out of their system, or just to get it off their chests. Or sometimes they just want to share it or to talk to someone about some kind of difficulty or sadness that is torturing the individual. They just want to share it.

And [/But] the people [to whom they] begin to talk to don’t know how to listen. They don’t. They immediately take the role of advisor. Straight away. “Don’t do this. Do this. Think this. Think that.” All of those. Even before the other person finishes his/her sentence, the advice has started already! And it keeps on rolling out.

When you look carefully, some of the advice is not grounded at all. It’s not grounded. It is just “blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.” The advice is simply based on some information that’s not experience, it is just information.

You know what I mean by ‘flying person,’ they shift from one [topic?] to another, and you know, [get] all twisted here and there, and talk nonstop. Some of them have no idea what they are talking about. Honestly.

I used to have a nice lady who cut my hair very nicely. The moment I sat on the chair she would talk, no matter whatever it is [/the subject]. One time I was going to Malaysia, and I was talking to her about Malaysia. She started talking to me about Malaysia, and everything was about Peru in South America, and she was thinking she was talking about Malaysia! Until [the appointment] was finished she talked, about the mountains, and the peoples, and the donkeys and [laughs]… all kinds of things.

That is a direct example of a material thing [/people giving advice in a material sense]. Then there is another one [/example], another spiritual type of mental attitude, people advice [/where people tend to give advice on a spiritual/mental level]. Even the psychologists, or a really true spiritual person advising… at least they talk with sense. But then someone without any sense will talk about Peru thinking it is Malaysia! (17:54)

A lot of people do that. These are the symptoms of a spiritually flying person. Especially… I don’t want to give the name of the example we all know very well… especially if you have some idea of the Western spiritual background, [have knowledge in] a little bit of philosophy here, and a lit bit of theosophical, a little bit of homeopathy, a little bit of the medicines, a little bit of ayurvedic medicines, a little bit of astrology, a little bit of all… you know someone may be very good… but they keep on talking about that. This is what I mean by spiritually flying, and not grounded.

[Not] grounded because you did not really soak yourself in that. You really did not observe anything. If you put a nice piece of cotton cloth in water, the cotton will soak up as much water as it can. It’s a habit [/natural]. If you put synthetic material in water, and shake it, it’s gone! You may call it ‘waterproof’- that’s a great way [to refer to it]!

On the other hand, it just didn’t soak up anything, that’s the difference. Information didn’t soak into the individual. In other words, it did not make any difference to the person at all. Information is collected, then it becomes like [water to] a synthetic cloth- you just shake it, and it’s all gone! Cotton, no matter what you do- squeeze it, dry it- will take time [to get rid of the water], because it’s really soaked in.

It almost affects the nature of the cotton itself. With plastic, nothing happens.

Grounding means that. What makes you not grounded? Flying. “I have this. I have that. Oh, yes! Good! I have beautiful speech here, and I can talk, and I can sell it!” You know the selling will be the object of the [flying person’s] study, not the development of the individual.

I talked about this last night, too, remember? [I gather] This information here, that information from there, I make a beautiful speech here, and a wonderful one there, and say “I can teach!” (21:43) Sure you can teach. But what’s going to happen to the person that’s listening? They’re just going to be informed? Or misinformed? Or just mixed-up by everything? Is it going to have any effect? How are you going to touch the heart of the person? That is the most important.

Spiritual practice teachings have to touch the heart of the person. Every point the individual makes, the listening person has to think, “oh god, that guy is talking about me, or that woman is talking about me, talking to me.” You know why they feel [the teacher] is talking to “me”? Because it [/the teacher] is touching upon some problems that the individual has.

Spiritual teachers are providing a mirror, and showing the mirror to the person. The person will look at the mirror and say, “Oh my god, I am so old! So fat!” Whatever. “So dark.” Whatever it is, all of them will come in. You begin to see it. “Oh, I have a pimple here, so let me get it out.” You have to squeeze or paint or whatever; maybe you’ll put on some make-up on and cover it or whatever!

The mirror reflects and shows you [the details of your reflection]. Exactly the same thing [is true for] spiritual teachings: [they] have to do that. When they do that, and the individual sees this, it gives them the opportunity for correction, the opportunity for correcting it.

That’s called: touch. Touch [ing the heart of the person]. Touch doesn’t have to be painful. Sometimes it does, sometimes it happens. It’s supposed to be [that] every word of them [/the teacher is] being contributed to the life of the person. (24:22)

When you fly, this will never happen. This will never happen. “Blah blah blah, I’ve heard this before, blah, blah, blah, blah, I know all about it, I heard, I read, I know all about it!” Because you are flying, it doesn’t go.

[Why] Not to fly here, it’s not only [because of] the wonderfulness and the goodness [of having this opportunity] here, but also there is this danger [if you do ‘fly’.]. (25:05) Unavoidable danger is also there- it catches up all the time. The more you fly, [the more] this actual danger catches up. And then one day, it will catch your foot, and you can [/will be able to] do nothing. It will take you down. So, before that, you have to look. Have awareness.

One of the Karmapas, whether it was the First Karmapa or, I don’t know who, the Second- maybe it was the Ninth Karmapa, [Tibetan name?] (25:59)! [He said,] When you realize it is too late, and there’s nothing else you can do except for scratching your chest… Scratching your chest- there’s nothing else you can do. When that happens, it is too late.

So, that will balance the individual. Yes, you have the information! Yes, you have the wonderfulness! Yes, but then you also have that [death?] thing going. That balances the individual. (26:48) The more you [are] balanced within your mind, the nature of your life itself- and its system, and the way it functions, what it is, all of them- [will be balanced.]

When you balance it in your mind, you are neither going to be flying, nor are you going to go deep down into depression and all that. Even if you don’t [/You might not] get caught by the foot [and be told,] “it’s too late.” But suddenly something [might] happen and you [will] sink down, really sort of sink down, or almost sort of dip your nose down- sometimes it is so bad. It takes nothing- it takes a simple little incident in life, a simple little thing. This has happened. That has happened. This happened. “My cup broke.” Or, “my Chinese antique porcelain cup broke.” Or any of that. Any one of those incidents in our life can change, can swing, [our life around] completely. From that up to turn (or tum??) down.

How do you prevent that? (28:23) By balancing your mind. [Having] joy, mhappiness, and appreciation, while at the same time acknowledging suffering, pain, all possibilities, and keeping balanced. That balancing gives you a very strong basis for you to function. This will prevent a lot.

[It is] helpful, particularly for extremely intelligent people who might have borderline personalities. (Is that what you call it?). It really helps a lot, for a lot of people, to keep their mind, not necessarily calm and quiet, but stable. Not extreme of up, not extreme of down because: you understood; not only did you understand, but you meditated; not only did you meditate, but you adopted the essence of it. You made it a part of your life. You acknowledge it as the nature of your life. Then, it balances the individual. When it goes very high up, [it is] not so much of a surprise; when it goes deep down, [it’s] not so much of a surprise. (30:20)

This is the way you develop, not only the appreciation of life alone… there are so many other things that [/upon which] balance [will have an effect]. Balancing will avoid the extremes of any [emotions/ feelings]. Extreme of any [emotions/feelings]. That stabilizes the individual. Stabilizes the individual. Not so many big surprises. Even if it is a big surprise, it will be within the scope of you knowing how to handle.

And that- one has to do before it is too late. If it starts getting too late, you won’t be able to do anything. You can’t do anything. Well, you can’t say “you can’t do anything,” because you can do some things, but it’s very, very hard to do. Many of you have had that experience. Many of you have gone through this. Many of you have survived that.

We have to use that experience and bring it to those who have not yet gone through it, to those who may be in danger of not surviving. (32:16) That’s what we have to provide.

It was [a] short [discussion] when I was talking [about it] this morning, as it was close to lunch. Anyway, I intend to pick it up tonight. But it came as part of a question, so it’s good enough, whether talking in the form of an answer, or in the form of a lecture or whatever. The point is: you have to get it [/balance of mind]. Mind cannot be left down or… also cannot [/it is not healthy to] give it so many big surprises. You have to prepare for that yourself. If you are prepared, no matter what big thing happens, it will be easier to handle. Easier to handle. (33:25)

I always use myself as an example. When I was running out of Tibet, when I was kicked out or running out, in 1959, the life that I had in Tibet (whether life in Tibet was rich or poor or whatever, it doesn’t matter), the individual life that I had was not bad. Not bad.

I always make a joke: People say, “you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth,” and I say, “I was born with a gold spoon in my mouth.” Honestly, [I say this] because of my parents, and from all of the angles: From their life, through the genetic angle; also they were a very sophisticated family, they were very well-to-do, beyond well-to-do actually; from the incarnation lineage point of view- my father’s incarnation lineage is the Regent of Tibet. (This means, in other words, that when the Dalai Lama is too young or too old, there are a couple of people from the La???? Institution (35:10), we almost come as [/were] number one [in line] to be the Regent. [This is like] being a semi-king who controls all of Tibet.) That was my life, just to give you the background.

But the day when I had to run from Tibet, I ran with nothing. Just a pair of shoes and clothing- whatever I was wearing. Nothing. Not even a hundred rupees or dollars or rupees worth, although I had a bundle of British pounds on my bedside table. A bundle, this big, of British pounds- I don’t know how many were there. It was there in case of emergency. [I was supposed to] grab it and run. I forgot that, too! [Laughter] (36:20)

One of my attendants tried to grab one of those traveling altars that was made out of 24 karat gold and had a lot of diamonds decorating it. It was about this big. He tried to grab it and I scolded him and said, “Leave it alone! Just get out of here!” “Leave it alone! Get out of here!” That’s what happened. It never bothered me. I forgot about it. If I had [had] it, it would have been great. But I don’t have it. There’s no point in wishing I had it.

What would you say? [You’d] beat it to death. It doesn’t do any good. [There’s] No point. [It is just] Additional torture worrying, “Oh my gosh, I forgot that. Oh, I had that, right under my nose, under my pillow, why didn’t I bring it?” Blah, blah, blah. What is the use? Nothing.

Maybe [I was] immature (37:40), or maybe a silly person. (What do you call it? A silly goat?) Maybe I was being a silly goat or whatever, but it never tortured me. I have only dreamt twice in these forty years that I went back to Tibet and started collecting my [things/treasures]… not those British pounds! [I collected in my dream] the ritual objects and things like that, putting them in a ball of a sack and trying to carry it. Only twice in forty years. It never bothered me. I did not go crazy. I did not lose my mind. I did not become a mental patient. I did not. That’s my case.

Look at the Dalai Lama! The whole thing [was] left [behind]. The whole thing. He’s not going crazy. He’s not shedding crocodile tears for that. He’s worried about the suffering of the Tibetan people- people in general, and particularly Tibetan people. (39:02) He does shed tears for that. Really. But he never shed a drop of crocodile tears because [/over] whatever he lost.

So this tells us [that] mental balance makes nothing a big surprise. Nothing is a big surprise. Nothing is this “ooooh!” business. Whatever it is, it is.

[Does] Appreciation [exist in a balanced mind?] Sure, very definitely. Appreciation, sure. [Does] Regret [exist in a balanced mind?] No.

I don’t know whether this is a crazy way of life. But whatever it is, that is what I call: balance. [Balance] between up and down, so you always remain at a certain level. And that level is a Joy-level. Enjoyable. Comfortable. The level of comfort, the level of enjoyment may go up and down, but not [with] so much swing.

It’s not like my blood sugar [level]- it goes up and then goes down and it goes up and down! It doesn’t do that. I’ve switched between the mental swings and the blood sugar- I’ve had that for fifteen years- the blood sugar it goes up and down, up, down, up, down. It’s almost like the piston running inside the engine like that. (41:36) That’s what a lot of people do have on the mind level, but their sugar level is settled. But I have the other way around.

That’s what I am talking about, the balance. That balance makes you… I don’t know [whether to say] happy or not… stable. Stable.

If someone gives you thousands of dollars, you’ll appreciate it. You don’t go, “Woah!!!!” If someone cheats you thousands of dollars, well, in a way, it is your karma. That’s what it is. But you don’t become a doormat. Whatever you have to do, you try to do, but it’s not going to dominate your life.

You know I’ve been robbed a number of times. But I don’t have anything. Many of you know, I’ve been robbed many times. $10,000. Yeah, really true. I was robbed once in Amsterdam. I couldn’tt ell so many people. Incidentally I was carrying $10,000 in my bag, and people were trying to ahhhh?? (43:22)… And I was saying, “What’s happening?”… and somebody took my bag from behind. I couldn’t see what was going on. I shed my tear for twenty-four hours- actually less than twenty-four hours.

Once was in Amsterdam and once was in Zurich. But when I was robbed in Zurich I didn’t know how much money I had lost. I had no idea. Whatever cash I had, I lost. I have no idea what I lost, because I don’t know what I had. There was a nice gentleman, you know, who had a big bag. I had to go to the bathroom, I had to cash… the plane was late. And [there was] this nice-looking gentleman, and I said [to him], “I have to rush to the bathroom, I can’t carry my luggage through.” So I said to this guy, “Would you look after it?” He said, “Oh yeah, sure, sure.” I went inside and when I came out my handbag was gone and he was gone. He gave me a nice big smile and ran away! My bag was gone. [Laughter]

I looked at his hand- he had a black bag. I had a brown one. I did not know until I got to Amsterdam. When I got to Amsterdam they were showing pictures on television. They said that they blamed Eastern Europeans [for stealing in this way]. He had a big bag and put it over others’ small bags, and quickly gets up and suddenly walks away.

So whatever it is, incidents happen. Although… I had no other money! Anywhere. As savings or anything else. [I thought] “You lost everything in 1959, this is just pennies! Not even a penny. So what?! It’s okay.” So I had to manage. [I wondered,] “How do I walk around immediately? What am I going to eat and how am I going to pay for it? How am I going to get where I am going? [My] Plane ticket is gone. [My] Passport is gone.” You know, all that type of thing.

It’s very nice, the American Embassy will give you a passport immediately. American Express gives you $500 and a new card. That’s it. That’s fine. The airline gives you the old ticket back. So, that’s it. I didn’t keep on crying saying, “Nooo.” I didn’t stick [/get stuck] there. I did not shave one day, that’s all. (46:27) Then, I said, “It’s time for me to get out!” That’s it.

Sadness. Loss. Loss of parents. Loss of teachers. Loss of all this. And as you become older, you look back and you [see that] you have all of these losses. Loss of companions. All of those are there. And they are sad indeed. However, it does not dominate your life. It does not rob you of your joy and happiness. Like Allen Ginsberg’s poetry says, you know all of this path to death (47:21), and each one of the words really truly tell you what the losers are. That is reality. And it doesn’t shock you; it doesn’t surprise you; it doesn’t drop you off the edge; it doesn’t make you jump off the cliff.

Also, it gives you an opportunity to pray, to dedicate, to help, to serve. [It gives you the opportunity to] make a difference in the life, and in death, of the person you’ve been with, or the person who has been relying upon you, the person who appreciates you, and the person you appreciate, your role model. All of them are [/give us the] opportunity to dedicate our virtue. [Sadness/loss presents] a great opportunity to be generous. This is true generosity. True generosity: Dedicating every virtue that was ever collected, accumulated, by me, throughout my lives. [They are] to be dedicated here for the benefit of this person, that person. It makes a hell of a difference. And that brings a clear sign that you’ve helped a person. {That brings] a clear sign that you have witnessed by your direct eye. Direct witness [/directly witnessing] gives you mental satisfaction. And that helps your spiritual development. (49:49) All of those. And that’s how, I think, how life works.

It all begins here: balancing. Balancing. Otherwise, events in life [feel] out of control. Good, bad- all kinds of things are happening. Those of you who have known me for many years, I have emphasized so many times: stop flying. Try your best. Try to pull the person [down], ground the person. Whatever [/No matter what] you do, some [people] you can’t [ground]. Even if you put weights on the legs, even then you can’t pull down some people. For some, it is good. But then, all of them, one has to do it [/But then, everyone has to find balance.] That’s where it begins.

I guess that’s enough of an answer for that particular question. (51:10)

Question: Rimpoche, is being mindful a necessary quality of spiritual practice?

Rimpoche: Thank you. Being mindful is a necessary requirement. Yeah, you can call it ‘quality.’ [It is a] Necessary requirement. I’ll tell you why.

If you’re not being mindful, then you have a lack of awareness. Lack of awareness brings lack of understanding. Lack of understanding is of course a disadvantage, right?

So, mindfulness is the basis of awareness. As well as alertness, also. Alertness and awareness both come out of mindfulness. If you look at this little transcript of mine called Gom, that transcript tells you which is the result of what. Alertness, awareness, all of them, you know one brings the other. It is the result; one is born out of it; one is the result of [another]. Most of them are the result of mindfulness.

Especially when you are looking at the spiritual path, mindfulness is very important. [It is that] without which one can hardly function- on the true spiritual path. (53:44)

The Four Mindfulnesses. I’m not talking about the usual Four Mindfulnesses. The Mindfulness of Mind, and Feeling- that, everybody knows. Everyone’s thinking, “Yeah, I know. I’ve heard about this. I know about it.” It is true, it is good, but not that important.

But I’m talking about the other Four Mindfulnesses. The Four Mindfulnesses that I talked about at two different retreats in Madision.

Mindfulness of Refuge, or Guru

Mindfulness of Compassion

Mindfulness of Wisdom

Mindfulness of the Pureness of the individual body (in yidam form, or whatever, that actually means pureness of the individual)

These Four Mindfulnesses are extremely important (55:27).

The mindfulness of feeling… (quotes Tib’n)… the mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of feeling, mindfulness of mind, mindfulness of phenomena, [these four mindfulnesses] is [/are taught with] the idea of leading the individual to the four mindfulnesses of the other [more important kind] one.

When you don’t talk about that, then you talk about those four, which is sort of a beginning of… I mean it’s just like a high school subject, (56:18) and the other one is a college subject. I’m giving the example. Because that’s [what] ultimately affects the individual.

It’s also interesting: When I taught at two different retreats, one I based on the Seventh Dalai Lama’s text, and one I based on the First Panchen Lama’s text. Though they taught the same thing, they were totally different. Very interesting. So, when they put these two together, the [two types of] Four Mindfulnesses… we’re going to put two together, right? When [/If] you put two together as transcripts, it would come out to be quite a useful one, I think. Hopefully.

Particularly, Mindfulness of Purity- the mind of the body as a pure yidam or whatever. That may have [/present] some difficulties to some but…

It’s funny. I thought it would be easier to use Buddha. I used Buddha this time, and then I began to notice that Kyabje Ling Rimpoche (??? 57:50) has done the same thing. That’s what Hartmut told me. He used the same thing. So, that’s amazing because [he must have had the same idea that it would] hopefully [cause] less objection. Less downfall- that’s the way my mind went. I’m thinking Kyabje Ling Rimpoche might have done the same thing [/felt the same way]. That is interesting. Both texts give you Manjushri- both The Seventh Dalai Lama and the First Panchen Lama versions give you Manjushri- that is [/represents] the wisdom aspects of it [/enlightened beings]. It may have more meaning… anyway, whatever it is.

That is really the effect [that mindfulness has upon] the individual spiritually. Purity. Pure Nature. Mindfulness of Wisdom. Mindfulness of Compassion. Mindfulness of Object of Refuge. (59:00) Purity means Divine Nature. All of those are not only a necessary part, but they are very essential. [They are the] main backbone which keeps it all together. This you can see in non-Vajrayana talks, right? Non-Vajrayana teachings, non-Vajrayana level you see this.

But then if you look in Vajrayana, you can do nothing without mindfulness. Nothing! Everything is imagery. Everything is visualization. Everything is pure: the Natural Pure, Naturally Pure. Help me… [the audience offers the Vajrayana prayer:]

Nature Empty,

Everything’s Pure,

Naturally Pure,

That’s What I Am

That in itself gives you… that is the fundamental basis of Vajrayana.

Nature Empty,

Everything’s Pure,

Naturally Pure,

That’s What I Am

That is the tradition of Buddha’s mantra called:

OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM

And the words that Rochelle had said is Allen Ginsberg’s understanding and translation in English.

Thereafter, everything is imagery. We call it visualization. It is imagery. (1:01:33) if you are not focused, if you are not [filled with] mindfulness, how can you have imagery? Not only [do you visualize] yourself as pure beings, but [also you envision the] environment, [its] inhabitants, everything! It is a whole other world we impose on our world. That whole other world has a whole other life. That whole other life begins with imagery.

So mindfulness is absolutely necessary. Without it, you will get nowhere.

We call that the Development Stage. We develop one over the other. If there’s no mindfulness, the first one goes, the second one comes, the second one goes, the third one comes, the fourth one comes, the third one goes… what the Indians call ‘ayaram jayaram’???? (1:03:03) And the ‘ayaram guiyaram.’ Ram has come, Ram has gone. When that happens, then nothing happens.

Traditional Tibetan teachers give an example. That is a bear. A bear goes and finds one little hole where all of the groundhogs had been hiding. So the bear thought, “Ohhhh, I really hit it today!” So, he went to sit over there and dug his hand down and got one groundhog, and hid it and put it under his butt. He was sitting over it. When he got up to get another one, this one [/the one he was sitting on] goes [/escapes]. Then he got up and put it [/the next groundhog] here [/under his butt]. He kept on digging and no matter how many groundhogs he [collected], [they would escape]. By the time he thought he had collected twenty or thirty of them under [his butt], they were all gone, except the one in his hand. (1:04:08)

So that’s what happens. Ayaram guiyaram. The Ram has come, the Ram has gone. That is the lack of mindfulness. That shows you how important it is.

But that doesn’t mean, again, that doesn’t mean the mindfulness that we learn in the West. That is questionable, too. (1:04:43)

Question: Where do you draw the line between the doubt that is an obstacle related to laziness and the skeptical inquiry that is part of the responsibility of being your own leader?

Rimpoche: Very nicely put- whomever put it [that way]. Very nice, very important, very thoughtful.

Doubt is not only this. There are a number of different categories of doubt: doubt that’s positive; doubt that’s negative; doubt that brings positive results; doubt that brings negative results. There is a mental faculty/ emotion that changes, and that’s neither a positive virtue nor a negative non-virtue. It is a changeable thing. It changes. Naturally. So positive doubt sometimes- many times- brings good results; and negative doubts many times bring bad results. Bad results.

That is [/You said,] ‘skeptical,’ right? Skeptical inquiring mind. It definitely has to be encouraged. That is so important for us because without any skeptical doubt, it seems that we take everything in. We don’t have much… many things!

We don’t have much choice. Good choices are rare to come.

Without any skeptical check, if we accept it, it’s almost like blind faith. [This is] bound to give us a not good result anyway. And then there’s

If you remain skeptical throughout your life, and you are waiting for your spiritual development, you will wait until the cows come home. (1:08:12) Nothing is going to happen, because everything is doubtful [/you doubt everything]. Doubtful, doubtful, doubtful. Be cautious, be cautious, be cautious when you are twenty. Be cautious when you are in your thirties. Be cautious when you are in your forties. Be cautious when you are in your fifties. Be cautious when you are in your sixties. Be cautious when you are in your seventies, eighties. Be cautious and then the death comes. Nothing happens.

So, there are advantages [and] disadvantages- all of them.

How do we discriminate? You require ‘discriminating wisdom’ here. Discriminating wisdom. When you don’t have discriminating wisdom, then you rely on other people who seem [to be those upon whom] a lot of people are relying. [You rely upon someone] who seems reliable, [someone upon] who[m] [it] seems to me [that] a lot of people are relying. [This] may be a little safer, a little safer [than relying upon someone out-of-the-blue]. This is one problem we face.

Can you repeat the question once again?

[Question is repeated]

You know, the laziness that I used [/was talking about] this morning, that doubt was not necessarily a part of laziness. But laziness does use any [/] other mental faculties to check [/justify itself] and to do all this with us- any other [willing and able] mental faculties to do that.

I was talking this morning about laziness using a mental faculty called doubt. Doubt using the advantage of [/Doubt being used to promote] laziness. That doesn’t necessarily mean that doubt becomes a part of laziness. (1:10:59)

As a matter of fact, the doubt that is used by laziness is easy to burst. Not difficult. The [lack of] difficulty [in being able] to burst doubt is the true reality, and true benefit, and all of those are... Some of them are very easy to burst. Laziness is easy to burst. But there are other things.

Basically, to a lot of us, doubt on [/about] the spiritual path itself is extremely difficult to spell out. That is much more [difficult to burst].

[The doubt of] Laziness is obvious- if you are a little alert, if you have a few more cups of coffee! (1:12:01) More coffee, more caffeine. [Laughs] I’m just joking, okay? Don’t take it literally. Some people do, you know.

I was telling [someone] the other day: We used to have somebody who heard a voice, and he followed the voice, and the voice told him, “eat bacon wrapped inside butter.” You know, a piece of butter wrapped by bacon, and stir-fried and… we had that. And the guy said [that the voice] told him not to drink water or something, right? I don’t remember exactly, and the guy got into the hospital. The social workers kept on asking him to go to the hospital. They kept on asking me, “What do you teach? Did you tell him not to drink water? Did you tell him to eat bacon with butter?”

He came to the retreat like this. He started cooking by himself, with all the butter and the bacon around it. I saw it and I asked, “What are you doing?”

“Well, they told me to eat,” and I didn’t even know who ‘they’ were, you know. (1:13:36) It didn’t even occur to me. It was just odd what this guy was doing! He is a professor, too. [I was thinking,] “What’s this guy doing?”

Anyway, a few months later, he was in the hospital. The hospital kept on calling me and I wasn’t sure why they were calling me. I went over there and they said, “What do you teach?” And I said, “I didn’t tell him to eat butter and bacon and not to drink water!” And finally he told them, “No, no. The voice told me, not him.” Then the social worker apologized to me and told me I could leave. (1:12:22)

Okay… so, that is the doubt! Do you have more?

Question: Is there such a thing as destiny? And what is the distinction and relationship between destiny and karma, if there is such a thing as destiny?

Rimpoche: I don’t know. Karma provides the destiny, to me. Karma provides the destiny. Destiny. What does that mean?

Audience: “Pre-ordained, or fate.”

“We looked it up in the dictionary. Destiny means ‘pre-ordained series of events.’ Something that’s pretty much guaranteed to happen.”

“Your fate… that you can’t control.”

“Well actually, the dictionary made a distinction, it said that [in reference to] destiny, one had to be a willing participant in, as opposed to fate, which was something that was just going to happen without you.”

Rimpoche: We need to participate for destiny. Okay. Very good.

I don’t know whether that’s destiny. Willing to participate, you create the karma… and the karmic result- karma provides that. Destiny. Destiny has to have happened, [it is] pre-determined. But karmic determination, it’s possible, you cannot rule out… the moment we say ‘pre-determined’, someone immediately thinks God designed and provided and made. In that case, no, [there’s no such thing as destiny]. But karmic consequences, and your own deeds, your own consequences, bring something, especially when you have a willingness of participating. That happens.

I don’t know whether you’d call that destiny or not. Sometimes I hear people say, “Well, it was that person’s destiny. We can’t change anything.” And that [not being able to change the course of our life] might not be true.

I think karma provides it [/destiny]- if there is destiny. Karma does provide that. The relationship is: if there is destiny, it has to be [defined as] karmic consequences. (1:17:54) Good or bad. Consequences can be useful, good, too, right? It must be the karmic consequences.

Question: What is a meaningful legacy? What is the best legacy one can leave?

Rimpoche: Oh my god. Who knows.

We look at the great beings such as Buddha or Jesus. Their legacy- 2600 years after they’re gone- [is] the path, the way to help the individual. I don’t like to call it ‘Buddhism’- but the way to help the individual is still, not only in life [/during his lifetime], but [his teachings long after his death are still] fully functioning and servicing and helping. [This is] the case of the Buddha. In the case of Jesus, this is 2006, it’s exactly the same thing that is happening. It [His teachings] will continuously [service and help people]. [This is] Just an example of great spiritual masters. (1:20:00)

Look at Gandhi, Gandhi’s legacy- an old man with a dhoti and a stick in hand. [Laughs] A dhoti and a walking stick and a little goat together. He went to the Round Table conference in London, with a little goat who provides milk!

Legacy. It’s not only in India and all that… but [meaningful legacies are left by those who work for] peace, [who have] a longing for peace, [who] recognize the benefits of peace, and non-violence. Ahimsa, Gandhi calls it, ahimsa, non-violence.

There are a lot [of examples]. Look at the legacy of Dr. King. Whether the, what do they call it, the affirmative action…

Audience: Civil rights.

Civil rights are great. You know, there’s affirmative action. Whether it’s going to survive or not, who knows? People have been attacking it right and left. [Whether this is] good or bad, who knows? It may survive or not survive. Civil rights… equality- which we enjoy so much. So much. Not only equality between the colored [and the white people], but also it brought equality between genders, too.

So there’s a lot of greatness, great legacies [left] by so many people, even though they may not have brought it directly. Look at Mother Theresa’s [legacy through her example of] love, care, [and] devotion. (1:22:43)

You don’t have to look far. The forefathers of the United States [left a legacy that includes] what we enjoy today: rights, liberty, freedom, self-determination. There are so many.

Who can say which is the greatest one? They are all great. There are so many. We don’t have a shortage of examples. We just mentioned a few names of individuals and their thing [/notable legacy]. But that was not done [/this was not achieved] by one person- they were supported, contributed to, by so many people putting in their efforts.

It’s the same thing here in Jewel Heart. It’s not me. I just happen to be the person who happens to have the opportunity to pick up some information and [who] tries to practice [it] a little bit [for] a part of [his] life. (1:24:19) I am supported by so many of you- all of you- directly, indirectly. Whatever service you have been able to render to any human being, bringing compassion, kindness, gentleness in the hearts, [means that you are] thereby bringing joy and happiness to the family, thereby bringing joy and happiness to the city, the state, the country, and to mankind. It is the contribution of all of us. It is like this.

I don’t know how to answer this question. Each and every one of us has a great many opportunities right in front of us. But what we are going to choose is entirely up to the individual. No one can make anyone do anything that they don’t want to do. That’s why caring for yourself is important. That’s why love for yourself is important. That’s why compassion for yourself is important. So that you care for yourself and make sure you do what’s right and okay. That is how love and compassion for yourself can make a hell of a difference in our life. (1:26:19)

To conclude today’s work… we talked in the morning, we have discussions in the afternoon, and all different activities throughout [the day]. In the evening you have brought the questions in, so we discussed them, and that is how we’re trying to communicate. Person to person, in the normal human way- this is the greatest way to be able to communicate.

Whatever the message is that you have been getting is further strengthened with [/through] the different group/person discussions. Particularly during the retreat, if you discuss whatever [it is that] you [are] talk [ing about], if you discuss the subject that we are dealing with, it will be very helpful. Although it is important to discuss Iraq or Iran or whatever, for that matter, the weather and all that, if you really discuss the subject that we are talking about, then it becomes a retreat. It makes an impact on the individual. If your body remains in the retreat and your mind remains throughout the world, it’s not going to affect much. (1:28:28) [You can talk about] The emergency cases, of course. That is an exception, you have to.

We talked on the first day about motivation. Remember? That motivation has to be continued not only during this retreat but throughout your life. Even if you can’t do that, at least [do so] during the retreat. [Keep your motivation] Every moment, every step that you take- including your visit to the bathroom. Also use it in that way, and that will build some merit.

So the meditation that I’d like to give you today is this morning’s. Don’t make me repeat it because I’m already behind schedule. So pick that up, and try to conclude in the evening with: “What did I get today? What message did I get?” Not just learning- we are in the habit of [asking] “What did I learn?” Fine. That’s good. But what did you get? Learning is one thing; getting is another thing. Without getting, it doesn’t affect you. Without affecting you, it doesn’t help (or harm) you.

We need help. That’s why you are here. So please try to cultivate in that way. (1:30:37)

Do you have announcements…? No?

So I guess that’s it. Whatever you have gotten, try to keep that with you and make a difference in your life. If you can do that, it will serve the purpose.

Thank you. (1:31:16)