Archive Result

Soundfile 20070624GRAASR01

Speaker Gehlek Rimpoche

Location Ann Arbor

Topic Summer Retreat 01

Transcriber Janet Bourgon

Date July 4, 2007

Before I talk to you tonight I'd like you to have a short, a very short period of meditating. And the meditation, which you are going to do here is the motivation. Number 1 -- checking with yourself, your own motivation, your own mind. Let's take a simple question, why am I here? So a little meditation, giving meditation in the sense, give you a little time to answer why you’re here. Then you may find a variety of reasons why I'm here. And I don't want to give you the answers. And check with your own mind, saying why you're here.

The reasons why you're here can be many things. According to the Buddha, that of Mahayana teachings, if it's other than for the benefit of all living beings, Buddha says all the motivations are wrong. Everything is wrong motivation. If you think I'm here because I wanted, my friends are here, and that's why I wanted to be here, or any other reason except to benefit all living beings. Not so much self alone, but all, that is A-L-L, all living beings. So you have to say I'm here to help myself and thereby to help all living beings. And that's why I'm here. I'm here to improve myself and make myself to be able to become a Buddha, for the benefit of all beings. So in other words, I'm here so that I can become a Buddha and help others. So my purpose of being here is to make myself become a Buddha, and thereby serve others. Will you think about that for a minute?

So the motivation or purpose of your being here is to make yourself a Buddha. And period. Nothing more, nothing less. That's it. All other thoughts--I'm here because I have responsibility, I'm here because I must participate, I'm here because I must show my face to people, I am here because I want to see people, all are wrong according to the Buddha. So you're here to make yourself a Buddha. Period. That's it.

The question is now, can I make myself a Buddha? It's funny, yes you can. If you cannot make yourself a Buddha, no one can become Buddha. That's period. Just simple. You can make yourself a Buddha. I can make myself a Buddha. But I can't make you Buddha. You can't make me Buddha. So you can make yourself a Buddha, if you want to.

And a number of questions will arise. Why should I make myself a Buddha? Number one question. Why should I make myself a Buddha? Because, if you can’t make yourself a Buddha, you have not completed your mission of life, your purpose. If you can't make it, you did not achieve what you should achieve in your life. It sounds funny, but that's what it is, according to Buddha. The mission of your life it is to achieve the best you could. We all know, we don't want to settle for less than best. That's what it is.

Sometimes people talk to me and say, what do you think is the purpose of my life, what is the mission of my life? And particularly, a few, the senior people who have spent some years within Buddhism, and that of Tibetan Buddhism, would like to ask their teachers and lamas, what do you think is my purpose? Would you do a definition for me? What do you think my purpose of life is? And when somebody individual asks me, and I just have to give some kind of interesting answer, and to give, you know, dismiss it. Anyway. But the actual answer for that is given by Buddha himself already. We don't need a definition. Buddha himself has said. So you made my teaching, you following Buddha. So what I can do for you is help you to become a Buddha. That's your best achievement. That's your best purpose. That's good for you. Good for everybody else. So that's, truly speaking, the purpose of our life is that.

The second question, as we already said, is can I? Yes, you can. There are many reasons why you can. Number one reason -- the life that we have is a tremendously rich life, and the capability of this life that we have, is unmeasurable. Really. This human life, and that of your life, there is no equivalent life at all. Honestly. It is really, really, not only important, it has tremendous opportunity and capability, which no other life ever had. Yes, it is sad that we spend a lot of time achieving almost nothing, except normal, bare mundane activities. Which is also good. Education. Profession. Career building. But no matter, whatever they are, just mundane. That's good, but not best. And, we wasted a lot of time. That is sad, but still we’re not at end of the rope. Our life is not at the end of the rope. So we can do. An earlier Tibetan teacher said, if I have three months to live, I'll make sure my future life is a good one. If I have three years to live, I'll make sure that I achieve at least halfway through the enlightenment. If I have 12 years to live, I must make sure that I achieve Buddhahood. So truly speaking, these are our purposes. This is what we need to achieve. So even though we wasted a lot of time already, but we still have time to do the right thing.

The point is, if we cannot do it now, this time, then that opportunity that we have, it really goes away. It doesn't last very long. It goes away. I'm going to be a little conservative, or, I mean rather traditional. When I was a kid, when I learned this thing first, I was told, this time I happened to be meeting, met the pure teaching of the Buddha, which is extremely difficult to meet. I was also told, this time I met a great Mahayana spiritual teacher, which is extremely difficult to meet. So this is the truth. There is a tremendous amount of human beings in the world that we live in. I think it's 90% of the people did not meet with the pure teaching of the Buddha. 90%. Maybe more. Even though we're here together, same time, same place, they did not. We happen to be somehow involved with it. That is the opportunity that I'm talking about.

I'm not saying that Buddha's teaching is great, others are not good. That's not my point. My point is the Buddha's pure teaching has a tremendous amount of way, how, it helps individually. Not just make the individual free from negativities and negative emotions, but also possible to that individual to cut negativities and negative emotions completely. Once and for all. I mean once and for all, completely. Not only just cut and free from negativities and negative emotions, but also able to help others to do the same thing. Not only help others to do the same thing, but the individual, the self, almost made self into the compassion and wisdom combined, pure being. So this is the opportunity that I'm talking about.

Why do we need to do this? If we can't do at this time with this capability of life, with these opportunities, the chances of doing it for many eons are rather difficult. Many eons. So that's why we need to do it now. So that is the purpose of why you're here. That is your motivation. That's your purpose. That's your mission. I don't mean we can make you Buddha in seven days, but we sort of give you your direction.

And I don't know whether you remember or not, but I'm using the same subject that we gave last year, and this year, last year's summer retreat, and this year. But last year it more emphasized at the beginning level, and this year it's going to be more emphasized on the compassion, love and the Mahayana activities. As far as I'm concerned, there is no other way to achieve Buddhahood without developing compassion, love, and wisdom. Because Buddhahood means, it is a combination of the compassion and wisdom together. That is Buddhahood. In other words, when the person becomes Buddha, the personality of the individual is nothing more than, or less than, combination of compassion and wisdom together. And that is called Buddhahood. It's Buddha. That's what it is.

So the individual personality of, you know, right now, the rough nature of hatred, obsession, all of them completely changed into the nature of compassion and wisdom. That is Buddhahood. It's not that a person from one place goes to another and becomes Buddha. Or changing the color, shape, or look, nothing. But the personality, the real personality, the real sort of habit, pattern of the individual, that is changing from those negative, hatred, obsession nature into compassion and wisdom nature. When I say, you become a Buddha, I don't mean you have to change your physical color into yellow, nor have to make your ear longer, nor do you have to grow the extra lump on top. But meaning the nature of our self, in that rough, hatred nature, into compassion-wisdom nature. That is transformation of the individual. That is the individual person become a Buddhahood. That is what I want you to understand.

And that is the Buddha's total efforts of Buddha. Total message of the Buddha is that, for people to go into that. And that is what we call the ultimate spiritual development. Anything moving towards that, whatever you can get in, it is plus. Anything going backwards, whatever moves backward, is menace. So this is my understanding of the spiritual life and spiritual development. Spiritual development is, I think that is what we measure, that's where we measure. We don't measure whether you can read somebody’s mind, or you have psychic capability, or you can fly in the air, or remain under the ground. These are not spiritual measurements, or achievement even. It is the mind, how this mind, how much roughness, how much it becomes smooth, how much compassion comes in, how much hatred goes down. This is the measurement of spiritual development.

From here, you can judge what is your future going to be. And it is a true judgment, because the more hatred and negative thoughts, emotions influence us, and that much negativities we are going to create. That much negativity will produce suffering, which we the individual alone, have to experience. As much as compassion, love we have, that much positivity we create. And that much result of goodness, joy, harmony, peace, we get. So that is the basis on which you can make your own judgment, how good you are. And no one else can judge. You can only judge yourself. Because of that, you don't have to go to somebody else to save me, asking to save me, asking to help me. I think that's the only way you can help yourself. That's the only way, how you lead yourself to Buddhahood.

So I'm here to introduce you to what takes you away, far away, from Buddhahood. What brings you closer to Buddhahood. I can use the words and express what Buddha and the great masters have expressed. And it is up to you, whatever you want to do with it. So the major purpose here is a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening for me to present you how to conduct your life. Honestly. Although it is sort of romantic to say, what do you meditate, how do we develop, but actually, it is what do you think. And how do you behave. It is just the way of life. Just how one functions in every day life. So that's what I'm going to do.

And then it was to help, to support that, as Kathy had already given you the orientation, to support that. And then you have some practical meditations, discussions, question/answers, and they are all meant to support this. Some readings. And I'll be recommending you to read the Odyssey to Freedom. And I'll be recommending you to read, if you can, the Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. And if that's too big, too long, then just read this Second Dalai Lama's Refined Gold. And I will be talking around with these. And whatever you hear, whatever you have discussed, whatever you've been guided to meditate, all of them collected in one little short thing. Reading of either the Odyssey, or Essence of Refined Gold, or, even you can’t do that, just have this Tsong Khapa’s shortest Lam Rim, that Lines of Experience. Or even if you can't do that, have the Foundation of Perfection. So collect all of them, on those each words, and then in the evening just say this word, and whenever you say this word… Like for Foundation of Perfection, so then you just say one word Foundation of Perfection, and whatever you have read, collected, you know, the root of all development is guru devotion, all of them, thoughts are put on that word, and use that word as the basis, and say that word, and reveal all the thoughts, reading, information.

And, if you have time, and sit on that and spend as meditation. And that is going to make a difference to your life. That’s how it's going to improve yourself. And that is how your, our own usual addiction to the hatred, and all this, is going to change, and compassion. That's the only way. Honestly. That's the only way it will change you.

Other than that, even saying sadanas, even saying sadanas, mantras will not change that much in your life, will not change that much. Because when you came to that time, in that level, in that point of development, it will have a tremendous effect in practice. But until you get to that level, sadanas, sadana is not going to change much. Honestly. There is not so much, I mean I shouldn't say that, say sarcastic remark, you know I shouldn't say that, but sarcastic remark, you know, I mean, if you keep on thinking I'm Napoleon, or Julius Caesar, or Cleopatra, or I'm thinking that I'm Vajrayogini, or Yamantaka, what makes the difference? Really doesn't make that much difference. Until it came to the point of making a difference. The point of making difference will only come if you use the Lam Rim stage, and that is the one that will make a complete different impact. No matter, whatever you do, doesn't matter, whatever it is, meditate on emptiness, Madhyamaka, mahamudra, tsoh, whatever you do, not going to affect anything to the individual life. Honestly.

Or sit and meditate, and sit till the cows come home. Not going to make any affect, at all. I mean sitting will give you relax, but then if you sleep, it gives you better relax. Honestly, you know. Just a few days ago, I mean, only a few days ago I came back from Malaysia, so I had this jet lag, whatever. So I would fall asleep during the daytime, especially roundabout, today I don't know what happened, about six or seven I just sort of go off, whatever I do. But then at night, I don't sleep at all. So I just lie there in the bed, you know. Sleep till you go to bed about two or one or whatever and sit, sleep there till five in the morning. And no matter how much you decide not to get up you just stay there. Stay there till five or whatever it is. And then it's time to get up, just get up. I mean, it's sitting, it's okay, but if I really fall asleep I get better relax than sitting. So it's the same thing.

If we keep on sitting, meditate, sitting, and it reduces the gross, negative emotions. You don't engage directly with the gross negative emotions, because you kept your mind busy focusing on something. And that gives you a little relaxation. And then maybe be able to extend a little bit more and have a little joy and happiness, a little bit. Other than that, it's not going to have any impact.

So really what makes an impact is to pick up these subjects, one by one, and think about it, and do analyze it, draw conclusion. Think again and again and again and again. So the mind is mind. It makes an impact on mind. That impact on the mind will change the habit of doing the wrong thing, thinking the wrong thing. And that doing the, changing that, will build the positive virtues. And that makes the individuals better. That makes the mind softer. That brings the compassion. That brings the wisdom. That makes you totally enlightened. So honestly speaking, spiritual development is this, follows through this. Nothing more, nothing less.

I don't mean you should not say your sadanas. I don't mean you should not say your mantras. Because that's what you do, you do. But, to make an impact, and to make a difference to life, and life thereafter, only this will do. And that's what we're going to do. And learning alone, thinking, analyzing, discussion alone will not do. It's not good, it's not, it's good, but not good enough. So also you need a little bit of merit, or luck. So always a little purification, and accumulation of merit. That's what always must have every day in your life. Not only here. That's why we say this 7 limb prayer. That is the best way of accumulation of merit. And within that we have purification. So picking that up, when you do it here, if you're new and you pick that up and take it as your daily practice, and that way it will help to organize your life, to make an impact, to help you. That's one way of coming. And that alone won't do, you have to have a subject. You have to pick up, analyze, try to draw conclusions, and meditate. Combination of this is what we call daily practice, will make a difference to you. This week you're going to learn a little more. Some of you, maybe nothing new to hear, but if you think, focus, concentrate, put efforts, it will make a different impact on you every time.

And then my usual thing is, I don't like nesting. When I say nesting here, again, I mean those dharma materials that you carry, which is your dharma books, dharma readings, news, practices, all of them. Putting on the floor, or leaving on the cushion, or walking over, yours or others, is actually against refuge. When in the refuge when you say taking refuge to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, then we say you have positive advice, and negative advice. Negative advice is don't jump over, don't sit over, don't be disrespectful. So when I say no nesting, that's what I meant. So normally, we do have some tables put in, and I don't know where they are today, but I believe those are the raffle tables. This is too far. Everybody has to come from there to put things here and then go back. Why don't you put another table over there, two long tables over there, so that people can put their things on there when they leave from tomorrow onwards.

And also during the teaching, and I do hope people don't go in and out, and get the door, you know, banging and making noise. If you don't have to go, please don't, because it disturbs. I mean, I've been noticing just now. I've been thinking and talking to you, and the door opens, shut, close. It will just disturb you. So, during the teaching, if you don't have to go, but if you really have to go, then you have to go. You know, there's no point of making additional suffering.

It happens in Holland, you know, this ????name??. Karl Wilbur, and he has to go very often, anyway, that’s his nature, he has to go very often. And one time he’s, during an initiation, and he sort of has to go and I'm sort of saying no. And after a little while, poor guy fell off. So we don't have to do that, you know, if you have to go, you have to go. Then please remember, the door makes noise. Open very quietly so that you don't disturb others. You know, I mean, if you are cows and buffaloes and they just bang and bang you go, but as human beings, so think about others. And so when you have to open, open quietly. And no nesting. That's about it.

And then we call this retreat. Yes, it's beautiful weather, wonderful summer, we should enjoy it by all means. But since we call it retreat, to make an impact to the individual’s mind, and just try to spend a little time to analyze and think about the subject. Learning about the subject that we are talking, thinking about it, analyzing, and if you walk it becomes walking meditation. And if you think about those while you're eating, and that becomes, the, Milarepa says, you know, while walking I meditate. I have that method, others don't. If all have it, how happy I will be. While eating, I meditate. I know how. I have the method. But others don't. If they do, how happy I will be. While asleep, I meditate. Others don't. If they do, how happy I will be. And that really becomes that way. Yes, you can talk about it. You can gossip, you can talk politics, you can talk, whatever. You can bash Bush, or do whatever you want to do, that's fine. But at the same time, if you also spend a little time to think about it, and during all your activities, then the retreat will become worthwhile. Seven days taking out of your busy schedule become worthwhile. The money that you put in will be spent, becomes worthwhile. And that is how you make your life worthwhile for yourself. That's my orientation.

When you get up in the morning, think how wonderful I am in life, this beautiful, wonderful, capable life. And I shall not waste this life. Particularly today. That's how you have to think. And you may pray say--I may be helped not to waste my life today. And then remind yourself lunchtime, evening, and keep up with that spirit. At the same time, enjoy life. I guess that's it. And that's all I have to say.

Tomorrow morning, my morning session I will not be here, because I have a diabetic doctor's appointment tomorrow. And I tried to cancel it, and this doctor wrote and saying that you must see me in a, whatever, you know, a month’s time, or something, and it becomes tomorrow. When I tried to cancel it, there is no opening till August, end of August . So I'm taking one session off tomorrow. But, I have Hartmut and Ann Warren are going to lead you t0 that meditation. Tomorrow, at least, they are going to cover the important-ness of life, impermanence, and refuge. So it'll be a practical meditation session. So that is what is going to be tomorrow. And then I'll be here with you in the evening too. In the afternoon too, but what is happening tomorrow afternoon? So, I guess that's it. So please remember, don't put dharma materials on the floor, floor including your own cushion, too. And don't jump over please. Okay? Thank you.

That motivation is every day, you have to think. You know what I'm going to say? Please remember your motivation. That's all I'm going to say. And that's what it is. Anything other than to become a Buddha is wrong. Remember that, okay? It is very strange, you know, sounds very strange, in this, this is not usual culture at all. It is very counter culture. So enjoy it. Okay. Thank you.