Archive Result

20070626GRALSR6 – transcriber Sarah Wilkinson

Rimpoche Q and A

Good evening.

Do you have questions? You do. Alright.

Audience: Rimpoche, this is a follow-up from a question from last night. It has two parts. You said last night that enlightened beings don’t know wrong. The question last night was, ‘Do enlightened beings think in terms of right and wrong?’ And your answer was that enlightened beings don’t know wrong. They don’t know what ‘wrong’ is. Does that mean that they don’t identify actions as right or wrong? Or they’re not aware of the difference? Or they don’t see it that way?

Rimpoche: Interesting question. Actually, I would have asked a different question. “Enlightened [beings] don’t know wrong- does that mean that wrong doesn’t ever exist? If wrong does exist, how come enlightened [beings] don’t know it? That [would] mean that enlightened beings aren’t all-knowing, because there is something they don’t know, which is ‘wrong.’” I would have asked it that way. You put me in the fixed [/You would have put me in a fix] (1:34). [Laughter]

But… what you asked is the other way around. ‘They can’t figure out right or wrong, or what?’

They’re not stupid. They can figure out what’s right or wrong, for sure. However, the way you put the question gives me an escape point. If it had put the other way around, I probably would have [some] difficulty. But since you put it that way, I’ll say that wrong-knowing is not a part of enlightened persons. Enlightened persons do nothing wrong, so therefore it is not in their knowledge, or not in their capability. So they won’t do it.

A: I think the question is…

R: You just read it. [Laughter]

A: Yes, but there’s a second part.

R. Okay.

A. The second part explains what the first part means. The second part of the question is: As we are unenlightened beings, and we see actions that are causing harm, what in that situation is the right action for us to take? The implication is that the enlightened beings are also looking and seeing actions that are some right and some wrong…

R. Why don’t you re-write the question? Then I’ll answer it.

A. I’ll do that for tomorrow. (3:28)

R. Okay. [Laughter] That’s it?

A. Another question, may I ask?

R. Oh, sure.

A. So this person writes: When I am thinking about impermanence and I don’t know when my life will end, I sometimes experience a sense of panic and angst. How do I transform that feeling to one of enthusiasm and opportunity and positive motivation?

R. Again, it’s an interesting question. ‘When I think about dying, I feel…?’

A. ‘Panic and angst.’

R. ‘Panic…’

A. … and depression

R. Are you reading that? (4:27)

A. ‘Angst’ was the word that was written, but… frustration, depression.

R. Is it written there?

A. ‘Angst’ is written.

R. Ok. Good… I normally support editors, but sometimes I don’t like them. [Laughs]

When you say, ‘thinking about death and dying, I get panicked,’ that is a sense of urgency. To me, that is a sense of urgency. I don’t look [at it in the same way]… that is your choice. You can look at getting panicked as something terrible that you have to get out of immediately.

Or, you can think, ‘Yeah, I have this anxiety, this worry, so I’m going to use this opportunity, use this as an opportunity to indulge myself to do something that will help me, insure me [that I will have] a better future.’ I think that is the way that I would say [to look at it]. (6:28) Take this as a positive point to help the individual, rather than as a negative, as something [from which] you have to run away.

The idea that you get: ‘this is panicking, anxiety, so it’s not good, I have to run away [from it], otherwise I will become depressed.’ If you were to add up the two or three worst things in the future and tried to divert [your life from] that in different ways, that’s fine, totally fine. But I don’t think in the spiritual way that’s [how] you do it.

What you do is when you have a sense of urgent panic, then that is the cause for you to indulge in more positive deeds. If you’re just going to scream, ‘No, no, I can’t, no, no, I can’t [take it]!’ [It’s] like you were a twelve year old kid or a six year old little girl. In that case you can scream it, and you know nothing’s going to happen and that’s that. (7:51) But as an educated young intelligent person- or an educated person- you don’t do that. Utilize this opportunity to make a better way to do [/to live your life].

And the sense of urgency, if it’s not there, then there is the danger that every deed that you do in the spiritual field becomes showbiz. Because of the sense of urgency, because of that anxiety, because of that panicking point, it gives the opportunity for the individual to build a positive [life for themselves]. That’s what Buddha wanted! That’s what Buddha is bringing [to us through his teachings]. That’s what Buddha hopes individuals [will do]- [something] along those lines. (8:47)

So I read that as a positive – not as a negative - that you have to run away from. A positive that you take as an opportunity. If you don’t take that opportunity, what can I do if you start screaming like a six year old kid? Then you will get nothing else but depression. What else [would you expect]?

After all, we are grown-up, educated. So we utilize this opportunity and we get [motivated in] that way. That is like when Milarepa says, [quotes Tibetan] (9:34), meaning:

The horrible omens and signs are the real…urgent messages given by the enlightened ones to indulge the individuals in positive deeds.

Interesting. They’re like those [quotes Tibetan](10:16) [times when]

If a spiritual master gets angry and scolds you, this is the wrathful mantra.

It clears obstacles. [Quotes Tibetan] (10:38)

Milarepa says [quotes Tibetan] (10:56).

Marpa used to beat Milarepa, so Milarepa read the beating by Marpa as a blessing- not blessing, but a giving of an accomplishment. It purifies negativities, this does.

There are interesting things like that. Getting panicky is one of them. [It is important to use this as [/to encourage] positive deeds, positive advantage, rather than runaway.

Any questions? You have more?

A. How do I spark myself in my practice when I am living far away from my guru and no one around me is Buddhist? How do I find my motivation? Keep my practice?

R. [Quotes Tibetan] (12:15)

The kind guru remains in the palm of your hand or on the crown of your head. Right in front. So normally, it’s never far away. Never, ever. Whether the guru is in life or death, it’s never far away. It’s always there.

But then we have the physical thing, which we read as distance. This is a guru devotional practice question. Actually, your own mind and your guru are almost inseparable. Inseparable, so it’s always together. But the mind, if you don’t think about it and if you don’t meditate, if you don’t think about it, then it gets further away and further away and further away. Then the distance really generates [/grows].

If you have guru devotional practice, it’s never separated. My experience tells me that. That’s how it goes. Your own mind, the guru, and the yidam, the Buddha- they are all inseparable.

I am not giving you the answer that you want to hear. However, that may be the true reality.

What we normally do, we normally do reminding of guru is the teaching [/we normally use the teachings to remind us of our guru; OR we normally are reminded through the teachings of our guru](15:13). The teachings, the books, the teachings, they are available all around. Then Sangha is another one. Then you have a person like His Holiness who comes once or twice to the United States in a year. Here and there; everywhere. These are the opportunities for developing inspiration. There are many other great teachers who come around. They are also [a source of] inspiration. If you want to look at [/for other] inspiration points, you have a lot everywhere.

But then, if you are looking the wrong way, even if you are sitting in the presence of His Holiness, and you don’t [/may not] get inspiration. That’s exactly how it works.

One more? Okay.

A. It has been noticed that you are teaching from a text, and someone is curious to know what text you are teaching from.

R. I am looking at three different texts here. Four different texts, actually. It is our tradition that we always keep texts as a base. Wherever you go, you will hear the Lam Rim, always, everywhere. But then always we keep texts as a base. Sometimes we teach on the text itself- that means certain portions of the text you read out and explain it. That’s the way many people normally do it.

I am doing something else. I am really reading the Lam Rim text. I recently got the collected works of a not-very-well-known lama called Lama Urnuh Rimpoche (18:17), he goes by the name of Lobsang Norvo. He has collected works that I got from Eastern Tibet when I went to Tibet last year. In the center of Tibet, a group of people came from East Tibet to meet me- some monasteries and their people- all of them came to me. I was talking to them and then they said, “This Lama Unuh Rimpoche….’ [He is] not very well known, at least to me, because this is the Eastern part, the tribe area. They told me he has [some] collected works, and that these collected works run about seven or eight volumes. I said, “Where can I get a copy?” He said, “No, there’s not a copy available now. We have only one copy available. Somehow, somebody wanted it, and [that somebody] said His Holiness was interested. So they took that copy to India. So we don’t have it.”

Then, about two months ago, I received the collected works by mail from China. They somehow brought it from eastern Tibet and delivered it to my brother in Tibet, and he sent it by mail. He got it here, so I am reading that. [Laughs] Actually, I am reading his notes, and doing the teachings together, and seeing what he has really been saying here. (20:06)

So this is what I am reading. I am trying to sort of,…What do we say? ‘Kill two birds with one stone.’ I am giving the teachings and also looking at what he is saying here, too. You know, on the subject. Actually, I have three different works of his here. I am looking at all three at the same time- what he is saying there and here. That’s what I am doing.

I’m glad you asked.

Any other questions? That was a short question [and answer session]. Nice. Sometimes we get fifteen-twenty questions!

Back to the teaching:

So, what did we cover this morning? I can’t ask this question of Tony because he’s not here. What did we cover this morning? Do you remember? I know you have been studying, paying a lot of attention. At the same time you have been [going to] workshops- that I heard were very wonderful. Thank you. I had it in mind to go but I couldn’t [rid myself of] my couch-potato habit, so I was stuck downstairs. I was really cold and shivering. Even then, I was still just sitting there, not getting off the chair! Since your thoughts are going all over the place, I’ll ask you (Rochelle). What did we cover this morning?

Rochelle: You started off saying everything was impermanent. Then you spoke about faith.

Good. Everything is impermanent, with the three reasons. Do you remember the three reasons? You do! Great! If you remember, I am not going to ask you. I’ll go around and ask someone else. Do you remember? Are you reading from your notes? Okay. That means your teachings are in the book. (23:38) What?

I gave three reasons:

Death is definite. There’s nothing that can bring you back.

There’s no certainty of the time [of death].

[As to] The time [of death], nothing but positive karma can help.

That is the normal, usual thing. If you don’t have those reasons, you’re going to say, ‘Death’s definite. Yeah. You’re going to die for sure. Yeah. Sure, sure. Why not? Die. Die. It doesn’t matter.’ But when you have those reasons to think about, it becomes very convincing.

Then, I’m sorry [if] it brought panic to somebody, but at sometime you have to know, [you have to] utilize that panicky feeling, and make the best use of it. Do you know what the biggest problem is for us? It’s laziness. Being a couch potato, I couldn’t get up, lift my butt from the chair where I was sitting. And it [/laziness] made it not possible for me to move anywhere. And when they [/[the kitchen staff?] try to push you in some different ways, and make it [an unwelcome/undesirable place to stay], you know… and especially unconcerned people would try to make more noise than naturally [/they normally would to encourage one to leave]. [Instead, this compulsion toward laziness made it so that] you would like to put [your chair] back and sit behind[/stay there anyway]. (25:51) Right? So that is the laziness taking over.

So how can you cut laziness? Not by making noise,but by having the sense of urgency. That becomes the most powerful weapon to cut negative habits, negative habitual patterns. So utilizing that becomes important. And then on top of that, if you think about it, these are the three reasons followed by three resolutions. The nine-rounds of impermanence meditation is known to most of us anyway. So it is important to be meditating in that way, bringing that sense of urgency. And when you have that sense of urgency, utilize that as a great opportunity, rather than something [from which] you have to run away.

Maybe the psychologists will tell you differently, I don’t know. I am not a psychologist, I have no idea. But this is an opportunity to take [advantage of], and go in that way [/direction].

Otherwise, our negative habits are so strong. Extremely strong. Plus, we have a stubborn quality. Stubbornness. A very stubborn quality- we all do, no matter who denies it. I’m included. We have a very strong, stubborn quality. My stubbornness [is that] I drag my feet. This is what it is. We all do [have this].

How are we going to cut that? we need a powerful tool. And this is the sense of urgency. This is a really important point. Because once you’re gone, you cannot come back. Right? We all know that. That’s clear knowledge [that we have] of that. (28:32)

This sense of urgency… a little fear. Fear of death- if you don’t work with it, then it simply [remains] ‘fear of death.’ Then it is:

I don’t know what I am afraid of. I am afraid of dying? But what does that mean? The unknown? What happens thereafter? Or the loss of opportunity? Or I’ll see no more what I see today?’

Or all of those. Whatever it is, there is some kind of fear. All the time we say ‘fear is bad.’ True. Fear is bad. But then sometimes fear is helpful. There is a helpful quality. Even the negativity has quality. Kyabje Ling Rimpoche always says:

Even the negativities have quality. The quality is: to be able to purify it. That is the quality of negativity. (30:00)

Just like that, even this fear has quality. This is the fear of suffering because I won’t see [this or that] anymore; or I fear I’ll be lost or I cannot return. You know, it’s true. True. Very true. We may get completely lost. Anything’s possible. You cannot come back. That’s also… definitely not true, but not immediately. More or less it’s true. True.

This is what we identify as… this is the reality of samsara. These fears have samsara’s characteristics- especially the fear that I might take [/have] a horrible rebirth. For us we should - but we don’t – really think much about the Hell Realm. [We think of it] as some kind of story. But we are afraid of taking a horrible rebirth in the slums of Calcutta with pigs, as a pig, or something. Those fears we have.

What advantage can we get out of that? We can take advantage of this by using these fears as a cause for taking refuge. These are the reasons why we need to take refuge.

I’d like to take refuge, so I am taking refuge… [quotes Tibetan] (32:35)

?????… om namo buddhayah

I take refuge in the Buddha

It may not be good refuge at all [if] there’s no reason, no cause. When I have a sense of fear of getting lost and falling into this terrible life - that is the cause of taking true refuge.

We don’t hire a lawyer for the fun of hiring a lawyer, do we? We don’t want to pay them whatever their fees are for the fun of it. We hire a lawyer, an expensive lawyer, because when you have a sense of urgency, you need to be protected. So you need to pay lawyers! [laughs] You go to lawyers for that, right?

Just like that, you take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha because there’s a need for it. Not for the fun of taking refuge! Then it doesn’t even become refuge. Just for the fun of it, going to a lawyer… if the lawyer gives you pro-bono service, you’ll be happy and take it, but if they don’t, you’ll walk away. It’s not really retaining legal services.

Just like that, these fears are the cause of taking refuge. There are two. One is that fear. The other one is what I am talking about: intelligent faith. The trust, the faith: the three that I told you about this morning. (34:35) The trust.

This fear and that trust are the causes of taking refuge. Why Buddha?

There are three reasons ‘Why Buddha?’ Three reasons. (35:00)

I don’t know what this guy says. [Looking at text] This guy says, ‘Buddha as a doctor and Dharma as medicine, and Sangha as helper, supporter.’

Why Buddha as a doctor? Three reasons.

Buddha himself was able to free himself from the things that we are worried about – the fear of getting suffering. In other words, Buddha has gone beyond fear. That is one reason.

Also, he knows good… that is [the good in] helping others to go beyond fear. (36:23)

And, Buddha has compassion - compassion that does not do favors for [those of our friends and/or family who are] nearest [to us], [nor does it] not do so much [for those who are] distant [from us].

These are the three reasons why: He himself is free of those fears; he knows very well how to get others free from that fear; and he has the compassion that doesn’t know closeness and distance [/that doesn’t discriminate], that equanimity.

These are the three reasons ‘Why Buddha?’ (37:20)

This particular book I’m reading, this one says, ‘Buddha has already cleared obstacles and has completed everything that he needed to, therefore he is a reliable object of refuge.’ The other one says the same thing.

These are the three most important points. The historical Buddha, he himself freed, completely freed [himself] from all fears. [He has] gone beyond. He is sort of an expert to help us, to lead us to that path. And he has reliable compassion that does not recognize… that has no conditions. These are the three strong reasons ‘Why Buddha?’

Then the message that Buddha gives is the result of his experience which is: the Dharma is the actual refuge. Like we say: this is the real medicine. It is the actual medicine. That is the real Dharma. Sangha is support. Since Buddha is reliable, then the words that Buddha gives are reliable. Buddha is reliable because the words that Buddha gives are true. So you can go this way, or that way.

Reasoning is important for us. If you don’t have the reasoning, then someone else can say, ‘Hey, this is your object of refuge. Worship this. It goes around. It gives you time. It has light. It is inner light in nature.’ (40:42) You can say all of those [things], right?

There is a funny Tibetan story- I don’t know if it will fit in here or not. Probably it will.

There was a witty Tibetan guy. He was very witty. There was a king there- a small kingdom with a king. The witty guy was always trying to get favor from the king. He always had some interesting idea.

One day, the king asked the man, ‘What do we have that’s special in our country? Really, what quality do we have?’

He said, ‘I’ll think about it.’

Then he got a big piece of ice and cut it. He put it faraway on a bridge somewhere. Then he said, ‘I found it!’ he said to the king, ‘I found the quality!’ He said, ‘We have a special jewel that radiates light.’

The king said, ‘Where is the jewel?’

‘It’s a beautiful jewel…’ and blah, blah, blah.

‘I’d like to see it!’ [said the king].

‘I’ll show you if you go upstairs to the roof of the palace.’ Then he pointed out the ice radiating light, the sun shining on it. ‘This nobody else has. It is a great treasure. You have to make me the keeper of that treasure. So give me a very senior cabinet position.’

The king was not stupid either, and said, ‘Bring it over here and then I’ll give you [that cabinet position].’

So then he had to go and get it, right? Then the ice would have melted, so he said, ‘The jewel has passed urine and has gone.’ [laughter]

So, if you don’t have reasoning, then that happens. (43:24)

[Much laughter] I should have said, ‘The jewel went to the bathroom and disappeared.’

The reasoning is important. Okay?

Buddha is reliable, therefore the Buddha’s dharma is reliable. The dharma tells the truth as our experience knows, and that’s why Buddha is reliable. One of the great early Indian pundits, Dharmakirti, gives that reason. The second chapter of the Parma nau or the logical texts (44:35), the first chapter itself begins with… now I have forgotten the words…my god. [Quotes Tibetan]

Because his speech is reliable, therefore Buddha is [reliable]…

There’s a lot of those… 3,4,5 reasons they go [into].

These are the reasons, ‘Why Buddha?’ ‘Why Dharma?’ and ‘Why Sangha?’

Taking refuge means: since we have been convinced that they are reliable, you will rely upon them. Not only are they just reliable, they will never let you down. The word is not just simply ‘reliable,’ [it also means] it will never let you down. It will never let you down. Therefore, we take refuge.

Then, after taking refuge… you know, taking the refuge vows is one thing; actually taking refuge is another thing. Truly speaking. True refuge is something that you develop within you. Vows are done through ritual or activity. One gives the vow, one takes the vow, and then we say, ‘I have a vow.’ But true refuge is [the] very strong reliable trust that one develops.

In order to build that trust, in order to bring that, we say a lot of words, like, ‘I am taking refuge…’ We say that 100,000 times and all this, in order to bring that [/build that trust]. Simply saying the words alone will not do- it has to have a reason behind it. When you are thinking about the reasons behind [the words], saying the words, it brings the development or the realization [to reside] within the individual. Then unshakeable realization develops, and true refuge really begins at that time (rather than [when one] simply says, ‘I took refuge [vows].’) True refuge really becomes [true refuge] then. (47:33)

Then it is un-returnable, irreversible refuge. That really becomes very strong. Then all of the benefits of refuge that they talk about… [quotes Tibetan] (47:58)

When taking refuge to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, if that is in a physical form, then the whole world would be too small to put it in.

That’s what Shantideva said, remember? {Quotes Tibetan] (48:19)

How can one measure the quantity of the ocean by taking the water in handfuls?

How can you measure this? You can never measure this. This is immeasurable positive karma that one develops. This is true when we have true refuge grow within us. Just by taking refuge or saying words, ‘I take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,’ may or may not be getting that [immeasurable positive karma].

Anyway, after taking refuge, we always say ‘there’s negative advice and positive advice.’ Whether true refuge grows with us or not… because a number of people want to take refuge, they have asked [me] today, so I’m going to take a little time to talk about it.

The advice:

The negative advice is this:

By taking refuge in Buddha, you then don’t go and take refuge to every single thing you see around you. That’s why you don’t take refuge, especially in those who are not fit to be objects of refuge, [and] especially in ghost types of people – beings who are themselves not free from negativities and fear. You don’t take refuge in them because they will force you to do something wrong, because that’s what they do. That’s the reason why by taking refuge in Buddha, you don’t go and take refuge in every Tom, Dick, and Harry. (50:30)

That’s one.

Two. You don’t hurt or harm any living being in general, and particularly, human beings.

The third one is…

You know, the first one is taking refuge to Buddha so don’t go [doing so] to every Tom, Dick, and Harry. The second one is taking refuge in Dharma, so you don’t hurt anyone. Because dharma by nature is non-violence. They don’t like anybody who is engaged in violence. That’s why you don’t hurt anyone, hurt or harm anyone.

Then you take refuge in the Sangha because you don’t want to associate with someone who is against Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Because you know why? They will shake your faith, too. That is the reason why.

Three. [That was the third] what not to do.

What to do:

By taking refuge in Buddha, give respect to the representing Buddha, the representation. In this case, your spiritual masters are your spiritual representatives. Buddha images- images of not only Buddha, but all yidams, all of those who in reality are buddhas- give respect to them.

By taking refuge in the dharma, give respect to the teaching. Not only the teaching as a teaching, but books, dharma books. That’s why I say, ‘Don’t jump over dharma books, don’t put your feet on dharma books.’ And even in your home, don’t sleep where you put your feet to the altar. Don’t put Buddha, dharma, and sangha things- you know, books and all of this- everywhere where your feet are. These are the sort of respectable things and non-respectable things to do.

By taking refuge in the sangha: anyone who is wearing sangha color, give them respect. In the West, a lot of women wear the sangha colors- red, and yellow, and all of them- so you must give them respect. Anyway, whether they are wearing the sangha colors or not, though that what was traditionally said, whether they are wearing the sangha colors or not, but all human beings, we must give them great respect. By taking refuge to sangha, and particularly your own sangha members, your own community of sangha members, you must give them the highest respect that you can. (54:49) Actually, [you have to give it] to all human beings, but especially your own sangha members.

Then what else? The most important message of the Buddha is: positive deeds will bring joy and harmony; negative deeds will never give you peace, harmony, and joy. In other words, this is the karmic point. Positive karma will give you positive results and will never give you negative results; negative karma will never give you positive results and will give you negative results.

That’s what Buddha wants you to remember as a principle. This is the positive and negative advice of taking refuge in Buddha.

Positive deeds… we were talking about that this morning. We went through it this morning: the ten negative deeds. And by not indulging in them, they become ten positive deeds.

This is the reason why… you know, Buddhism, sometimes people say it is not even a religion; it is a way of life. (57:06) Buddhism doesn’t demand that you have service done [/serve anyone]. We do the Seven Limbs [prayer] to gain merit, but we don’t do service to please Buddha. We don’t serve anyone, we don’t.

Because of this principle - from positive deeds spring good results and will never give you bad results; and that bad deeds will bring you bad results and will never give you good results… This is really establishing strong principle within the individual, thereby watching the individual everyday of their life [/thereby encouraging the individual to watch their actions in everyday life], [paying attention to] which direction they are going.

But then when you find yourself indulging in the wrong way, you’re going to find it. Not only are you going to find it, but you’re going to find it again, and again, and again. I don’t want to say all the time, but again and again you’re going to find it when you are doing the wrong thing. It doesn’t matter! Don’t get disheartened. If you fall down 300 times a day, you must get up 300 times a day. That’s how we make a move [/progress].

Because if you think, ‘Because I took refuge to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, I can never do wrong,’ you are cheating yourself. You are lying to yourself. It never happens. You may [get] caught [for] your doing wrong way after you’ve done it. Or you may [get] caught [for] doing wrong while you are doing it, or immediately after you’ve done it. It doesn’t matter. Even if it [done as] late as years ago, it doesn’t matter.

Recognize. Acknowledge. Regret. Don’t repeat.

Even if you say, ‘I’m not going to repeat it, I’m not going to repeat it,’ the left hand may still be doing it while the right hand is saying, ‘I’m not going to repeat it.’ The left hand may be doing it. Even then, it’s okay. Recognize this and [vow] not to repeat.

This is how we struggle. This is how we work. That’s how we function in our life. The most important point is: never give up. Never give up.

By doing this, what do we guarantee ourself? (60:22) We guarantee the postive karma that we create. I don’t want to call it karma. Then again our mind will switch. Another scope somewhere else, another pocket, we’ll get ourselves another different world (60:41) The positive deeds, every action that we take, will make it possible that you only have [/will lead to only] a positive result, and not a negative result. And that is the real guarantee that we’ll have a good future life.

Just one good future life guaranteed is great, no doubt. But that’s not good enough for us. That’s not good enough for us. Honestly. Then we repeat the same old thing again; we get the same old life and then, you know, you become like George Bush. Positive karma brought [him a] good, wonderful human life; negative karma made him the President of the United States and [led him to become] engaged in these unfortunate incidents. He goes into war and is killing zillions of human beings, constantly, continuously.

So then, what will happen to us [when we behave like the example George Bush]? Nothing good can happen as the consequence of that.

Earlier, there was a meditator- Tibetan. His disciple asked him, ‘What will [be] the result of these actions?’ He said, ‘Hell Realm. Hungry Ghost Realm. Animal Realm. That’s it.’ Hell Realm, Hungry Ghost Realm, and Animal Realm. This is bound to be the result. I am not giving a prophecy! Don’t tell that [to anyone]. But honestly, logically, karmic-wise, this has got to be the result.

So, when we are [born again as a human] in those shoes, if we are to be in those shoes again, what’s it going to do for us? Nothing. That’s why it’s not good enough. Because here we have the opportunity, here we have this great life. We have to make sure we are free of those sufferings for not only one lifetime, but always, once and for all.

That’s why Buddha comes out and says, ‘Samsara is suffering; nirvana is peace.’ Freedom from samsara once and for all is necessary. Not only is it necessary, it is an immediate requirement, an immediate need- because of the opportunity, because of everything. Taking Refuge and doing this karmic thing working (64:44) is an emergency measure. In reality, we have to get freedom from our sufferings. And that means getting freedom from our own negative emotions.

Wrong deeds come from wrong thoughts- wrong thoughts such as hatred. Hatred and fear combined together make… even Bush. Even Bush had to have pre-emptive thing that [/Bush’s pre-emptive strike] came out of hatred and fear combined together. (65:38) This is a good example that you can see.

We do the same thing! Don’t just blame Bush alone! We do the same thing. If we were in the same position we would do the same thing. Thank God we are not the President of the United States. Honestly. Otherwise we would do the same thing. Even if you weren’t President, whatever [position of] responsibility [you might have], you’d do the same thing. That’s because of samsara. Whatever you do, it is the suffering nature [/it is in the nature of suffering].

The problem is: negative emotions. Negative emotions do this. So the blame goes inside ourself. Our hatred. Our obsession. Fear. Jealousy. All of those. That [/Those] come from ego. Ego is the one that really… we traditionally call it ignorance, or ma rigpa, not-knowing. Wrong-knowing. That is the real root of samsara.

Samsara is suffering. What is samsara? This is important. Samsara is nothing but the continuation of contaminated identity. This is samsara. Samsara is not a place. Many people say, ‘Samsara. Yeah, yeah. I know what that is! It’s here. It’s where I am.’ It’s not a place. Samsara is not a place. Nirvana is not a pure land. Samsara is within our self. [It is] the continuation of contaminated identity. [Quotes Tibetan] (68:37)

The continuation of the contaminated identity.

That’s what we have. Or you can say, ‘The continuation of contaminated entity within us.’ When we go to nirvana, this continuation of contaminated entity changes into the continuation of uncontaminated entity. That’s how the switch [works]. Nirvana and samsara is just, again, an adjustment of a little screw here. The major block of that screw is the ego. That’s where it comes from.

The Buddha’s teaching of the Four Noble Truths is actually… this is it. (70:05) The Truth of Suffering: which is samsara. The Truth of the Cause of Suffering: which is karmic cause and mainly (70:24) the negative thoughts and emotions that are rooted in ma rigpa or ego. [These are] the two negative noble truths. Practicing the path and getting through and getting [/achieving] cessation are the two positive truths. These are the four Noble Truths. Whether you say it or don’t say it, this is the truth of suffering. This is the truth of the cause of suffering. This is the truth of the path. This is the truth of cessation. Whether you say it or not, that’s what it is.

If you say it, the purpose of saying it [/talking about] suffering is to [get you to] recognize, to acknowledge. The purpose of saying [/talking about] the cause of suffering is to [get you to] avoid, to abandon [negativities]. The purpose of saying [talking about] cessation is to [get you to] obtain, to get it, to internalize. The purpose of the path is to meditate, to practice, to meditate. That’s what it is. (72:17)

Then if you want to make one more circle: Yes… to recognize the suffering but [acknowledge also] that there is nothing to be recognized… to abandon the cause of suffering, yes! Yet [acknowledge that] there is nothing to be abandoned… Cessation [is] to be obtained yet [it must be acknowledged that] there is nothing to be obtained… Meditate on the path yet [acknowledge that] there is nothing [upon which] to meditate. Because it is [all] empty. Emptiness.

That is your Buddhism at the mundane, everyday level. Traditionally, we call this ‘common with the lower’ or ‘common with the medium.’ In opther words, it is the basic Theravada Buddhism. That’s it.

So what do we do? We meditate.

And somebody else is going to tell you to do this meditation thing today. I don’t know who. Who? Who? Where’s James? Did he run away? That’s okay. Let him go. (74:33)

Yeah. You people have some scheduled people, but… I am being very tempted by counter-culture today, I am sorry. You know why? Somebody said, you know, we are disorganized, but that’s me. Because they are organized and I am disorganized, right? That’s good. Maybe I shouldn’t disagree with you and have Mark do it. James has already run away…

[more chatter!]