Archive Result

12

Soundfile 20080604GRJHNLLBWL (1)

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location The Netherlands

Topic Life based on wisdom and compassion

Transcriber Lay Tin Ng Elsie

Date 13 October 2021

Audience: (In Dutch)

0:02:24.6

Audience: Rimpoche, very warm welcome here in The Netherlands again, we are very glad that you been able to come to The Netherlands for a little shorter trip than usually, but anyway it is very nice and very good that you are here. So, I have been talking a little bit too long now so I think over to you. Thank you.

Rimpoche: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much for that introduction. And thank you so much for everyone here. And Jewel Heart members of the Jewel Heart Board, and the members of the Jewel Heart DCT – Dharma coordinating committee and making, and all of you, thank you for coming here tonight. And, without you been coming here, I won’t be here. And so, thanks for everybody. And that is the first one.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:03:56.2

Rimpoche: The second point is, is next year, it is going to be the 25th year of the Jewel Heart in Holland, and the it is 25th of existing Jewel Heart. Jewel Heart first arrived.

Audience: 2010, because first time came here was 1985.

Rimpoche: I thought it is next year, it’s 2010? Okay. While, it gives me one more year break. Thank you.

Audience: (Laughing)

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: My point is, is, I thought it is 24 years. And I have been here 24 years, now is 23 years. Anyway. I have been here 23 years I still didn’t speak Dutch. So, I am really shame of myself, I am sorry about that, honestly. You know, when you thinking back, you know, saying you have 24, 25 years, oh you know, I am in 23, 24, 25 years, I have been here, at least once, may be couple of years in between, where the late Helen was here. You know, when late Helen was here, and you know, I try not to come much because they capable of handling. So, then, you know, few years I have been able to skip. Other than that, I have been here every year, so, not learning Dutch is a little embarrassing and little shameful for me, honestly. Honestly, speaking, so I am sorry about it. I mean, otherwise you will be without job. (Rimpoche and audience laughing.)

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:06:29.5

Rimpoche: But you can always blame somebody, right?

Translator: Always

Rimpoche: Ya, so, I can blame somebody else too.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: (Rimpoche and audience laughing.) Anyway, the subject what I have today here, not only tonight’s talk, but the whole workshop, the upcoming for the weekend is engaging wisdom and the compassion.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: There is a little booklet, right, with His Holiness’ picture. Can I? Thank you.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Thank you so much. That is, that is because His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Jewel Heart America in April. And actually, many of those Dutch members have come there. And many of them have seen it. And but most of you are not there, so I thought I bring that message here, try to share with the people in Holland.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:08:32.0

Rimpoche: And, and this is the booklet and that he gave teaching and so, for this weekend, and we, we thought we will do this. But way and how we do it, is also very similarly as His Holiness did it. So, we do have certain electronic materials available here. Where is ‘Nicole’? (Rimpoche laughs.) Oh, ya, you have it right? So that electronically, it is made available, so, for the, for the, for three days, right? Tomorrow, right?

Audience: Four days.

Rimpoche: Four days, okay, oh I thought it is three days. I am sorry, I just came in from America and last night I didn’t sleep because I have been watching the election, the Obama and the Hillary. (Rimpoche and audience laughing) I was fully awake, 3 o’clock, 4 o’clock, fully awake. So, so, so, (Rimpoche laughing), I am sorry. So, the 4 days, 4 days, and what I am going to do, I was planning to do, is show the portion of His Holiness’ teaching as it is. And then talk about it, and then show another pieces and so, we sort of really use His Holiness’ teaching of what he did, is on the basis, and then, you, we going to commented, and talk, and maybe questions and answers. That’s what we going to do. Because His Holiness also didn’t do from A-Z, he jump from here, there, here, there and few verses here, few verses there, and that what he does these days, anyway. So, I don’t know where he jumps from what, so, better to have electronic basis, so we don’t do the wrong thing, and that’s what we planning to do.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:11:31.8

Rimpoche: The essence of his talk and his message is, you know, he always use a traditional, ancient either Indian or Tibetan or both in this case, both. a. He uses early Indian teacher called Nagarjuna. And Nagarjuna’s commentary on bodhi-mind. And b. He uses Je TsongKhapa, the founder the Gelugpa sect, TsongKhapa’s praise to Buddha. And he always, I mean, Dalai Lama really is a truly, not only a symbolizing, but, but, he himself is really the compassion and the wisdom, really truly compassion and the wisdom. Not only engaging actually living embodiment of compassion and the wisdom, he truly is.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:13:22.6

Rimpoche: However, however, he always uses traditional text, anytime, everywhere, I mean, unless there is one- hour of short hour lecture, every time he use traditional text book, always, always, wherever you go, he uses traditional text book, all the time. The reason why he does this, is making, he doesn’t have to make sure he is, but however, giving us the message, saying whatever the spiritual path, that whatever we follow, making sure, that is authentic. Authentic and the real, and the real stuff and that is the reason why he uses the text book. Even there is no time to go through or do anything, even then, he uses text book. So, making sure that message what people are receiving is a. Authentic, and b. Is spiritually tested. Tested by earlier masters, c. It has been proved to be helpful by anyone who is using, so thereby, no misleading of any individual, anywhere in this unknown path called spiritual path and that is what he does.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:16:25.2

Rimpoche: If you don’t do that, today’s world is such a strange. And there are number of different people with the different things come up. I am not raising a question, you know, like the great tradition, such as Judeo-Christian tradition, Hindu, Buddhist tradition, these are very well established and so and forth. They are very well established and great I am not raising question. But also simultaneously, this does so many mumble-jumble thing put together come up as very entertaining as well as a, as well as a, I don’t know whether we should say, effective or not effective, but that come up so many times. So, that might not be a great for the individual because you know, spiritual path is really, in one way, the great traditions are great traditions, other than that, many of them are popped up so many, and may not necessarily be helpful. And so, when they, when they engage with the people, they spend a lot time, a lot of energy, sometime whole life. So, we don’t really wanted to waste, or mislead the people, it is so important, that is the reason why His Holiness emphasizes to use traditional authentic text.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:19:37.9

Rimpoche: In the background of my tradition, tradition where we come, I mean where we come from, there is a great teacher, it is about 100 years ago, may be 200 years ago, 150-200 years ago, and make emphasize, emphasize to be able to qualify, to be good spiritual, he is talking about Buddhism only, but from the Buddhist point of view, he emphasizes to be authentic, what does that mean? What constitutes authentic? And he goes on and said, if it is authentic Buddhist teaching, the teaching must come from Buddha himself, no matter, no matter whatever it is, whether it is sutra or tantra, it must be essence of Buddha’s teaching, either part of the collected words of the Buddha or, not or, and commentaries done by early Indian teachers, so part, must be part of either the Kangyur which is known as, Kangyur but is collected words of the Buddha or Tengyur, the collected words of early Indian masters. Must be, should not be somebody else’s made up stories.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:22:07.3

Rimpoche: Also, it also must be the path that has been practiced, path that has been studied and analyzed and proved and accepted by the earlier Nalanda great teachers. But, should not be, be some crazy people sitting some corner whispering something. (Rimpoche laughs.)

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:23:05.7

Rimpoche: Dalai Lama specially emphasize Nalanda tradition very much because these are the early great Indian teachers like Nagarjuna, Asanga, and all these people are coming from Nalanda, and that’s why he emphasizes so much. And, so, does not only one, there is more on that, ya.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:23:51.1

Rimpoche: And also, it continues, these great teachers say continuously, not only a, a study tested but the practice and have experience developed. And not somebody’s unclear Harvard needs, Harvard dreaming funny thing and has to be, to be developed and that and also, finally, path must lead to the total enlightenment not to the wrong way. And that are the criteria of a perfect spiritual path, emphasize by earlier masters, throughout the India, throughout the Tibet, and today His Holiness’ emphasizes, and that’s why he keeps traditional teaching in hand as a base, although he himself is an embodiment of compassion and wisdom.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:26:03.4

Rimpoche: Now, we talk about it and now let us, let us see what is the essence of the message that what it brought in. The message that the Dalai Lama brought in is, is nothing, ??? the message what the Dalai Lama really brought in is the message that the Buddha gave 26 hundred years ago, the wisdom that the Buddha shared, and that is really what it is.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:26:55.4

Rimpoche: That bogged down to compassion and wisdom.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Now the question of the compassion, let us deal with that first.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: You know, Tibetan Buddhism is known as Mahayana Buddhism.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And, we Tibetans, are very proud of being Mahayana Buddhists.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Especially back in Tibet.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: When I was in Tibet, pre-1959, I have the mind, the understanding we are the Mahayana Buddhists, we are the owner, almost like the compassion of the world is belonged to us. Honestly, I used to think almost that way.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And when you get in, out of Tibet, you know, I was kicked out of Tibet in 1959, literally kicked out.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Today, we the Tibetans outside Tibet, we say we came here to fight for freedom, and this and that, that is what we say, politically correct language for the Tibetans.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: But, actually, my case, what I remember, when I was 19, between 19 and 20, so, I do remember very well. What I do remember, is they shooting at my butt, so I was running out, (Rimpoche laughs.) honestly, that is really what it is. (Rimpoche laughs.) This political statement, politically correct statement is, you know, people talk in India, so we follow that. But the true fact is they are shooting, you know, I am running, I am covering my butt and running. And we crossed one pass, one mountain, and they still shooting across another mountain, still shooting, that’s how we landed in India, really shooting and kicked out.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:30:35.6

Rimpoche: But when you came in Indian territory, and in my case, I became penniless refugee.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And the first thing what I get, is food and clothes and medicine. Some kind, I still remember, some kind of red pill they gave me, whether it is capsule or pill, I think it is capsule something, red colored pill, I don’t know whether it is vitamin or anti-malaria, whatever it is, two red pills they gave me, I ate it. Everybody else eating it, drinking little water and eating the pills, and we have no idea what it is. But maybe it is anti-malaria because there is a lot of malaria in that period, we are coming from high altitude. Right? And then the second thing is in my case, I got a pajama, almost the color like your shirt, slightly turquoise-bluish pajamas, something fit for six foot some tall people, maybe a big Dutch Viking, I don’t know, that’s what I got. And when I got that, it was great, doesn’t fit me, fine, but something to wear. Because you were wearing same old clothes from Tibet all the time. So, so, you have to wear, the sleeve roll it up, up to I don’t know how long, and, and also, you know, from the leg, you have to roll them up, but there is something to wear. And then get the food. And these are the generosity, and the compassionate gift that the people in the Western has giving.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:33:45.0

Rimpoche: So, when you are receiving end, the other’s end of the generosity, the compassionate gift, giving by the kind people, when you are the other end of receiving it when you have nothing, I mean it was a great help.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And that told me, the compassion is doesn’t own by the Tibetans, Mahayana Tibetans. (Rimpoche laughs.)

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:34:37.2

Rimpoche: Then, on top of that, in India, we had a, some kind of a conference, a Buddhist conference. There is a professor from Benares, Indian professor. I think I might have mentioned here earlier, also I sort of vaguely remember I mentioned, so, but Indian professor’s name is, Dr Upadir, and Upadir in the meeting told us, you people are Mahayanist, you are great. But when you say Mahayana, you mean you are big, huge and great which suit my idea very well. But then he says, we say the Mt Everest is very high but we will know how high the Mt Everest is, we have to measure from the, from the sea level, and goes up and see how high it is. So, we have to know how high it is. If there is no sea level, if you may be great height, but there is no way of telling what high, how high it is. So, the base is the sea level. (Rimpoche laughs.)

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:37:10.7

Rimpoche: So, what we, what he is telling us, the basis of the compassion, Mahayana may be very great and high, but the base remains under here.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: So, in my case, then I learned compassion is not only the Mahayana Buddhists have it, but all other, other Buddhists, you know, all other Buddhists, that is you know, Hinayana, Theravada, whoever, whether it is you know, the yellow monk or the Zen monk, Zen Buddhist, whatever everybody else, and the Hindu, and everybody else have it. In short, the compassion is the real essence of, very important point, may not be real essence, but very important point in Judeo-Christian tradition, Hindu, Zen or whatever, ??? Zen-Zen, Hindu, Sikh, everywhere you look, it is basic foundation of great traditions, all of them, carry compassion.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:39:05.0

Rimpoche: So, whether you looking East or West, wherever you look, the great traditions always talk about compassion.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: If you looking the Judeo-Christian tradition, especially Christian tradition, and I heard a number of times, they tell you, the priest will tell you if someone hit you at the right cheek, turn the left one.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And we hear that all the time. I am sure you people heard many times. Even I heard. I know nothing about Judeo-Christian tradition, equal to zero. However, even me heard.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:40:25.2

Rimpoche: When you looking at the compassion, and you see people or whatever, people suffering, we see people suffering and we feel it. We really feel it.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And that is compassion, the feeling that we have. And that feeling brings us, and move within us, to try to help, to try to help to remove, to be free, to make the people free of those pain and the very strong heartfelt feeling is the compassion that we look at.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:41:44.0

Rimpoche: And I said the Buddha’s message of the compassion is absolutely relevant although it is 26 hundred years old, but it is absolutely relevant in today, our life.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And looking at this, and looking at our situation today, look in the war in Iraq.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: The problems in Darfur.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And the earthquake in China, Sichuan China.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And especially now the, the getting the dam burst-ed, you know, earthquake in China have killed over 60,000 human beings.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: The school has collapsed, 900 over kids just smashed it and sitting in the classroom. Can’t believe it.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And if the dam get burst-ed, it is going to be, again uprooted over million people, you know, the earthquake created that water, if that get burst-ed, it is going to, going to total over million people, you know, million.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:44:05.4

Rimpoche: And then look at the, look at the Burma, what we called it Myanmar or something whatever that is, traditional Burma is called Myanmar whatever, and look at this, it is the water quake, not earthquake, the water quake, you know, the nature is so powerful, nature is much more powerful than the clever human beings. We are very clever, we know everything, we can go to the moon, and we can go to the Mars and all that, but when you are challenging with the nature, it is very difficult. But look at, look at Burma, I am quite sure is 100,000 people being either killed, or dying or whatever, and that crazy dictator sits there and don’t let the world people to go and help them. Just simply crazy. He is afraid of losing his power, what a stupid thing to do, right, that is called stupid stamina.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:45:48.1

Rimpoche: And if we don’t develop compassion on this, this type of thing, where else?

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: If we don’t care for this type of human suffering, where else?

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: If this is not relevant for us, what is relevant for us?

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: So, it is, really bringing compassion right in our own nose.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Looking at this situation, look at Americans, and the Europeans, and they are happy, I mean, somehow, you may, I mean, you may think that you don’t know the situation in America and the Europe. Yes, you do have homeless, you do have all this, and you do have all that people, however, compare with this, and we are very well off.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:47:27.9

Rimpoche: If we don’t care the weakest session, if we don’t care the weaker people, if we don’t care people who are really suffering, you know, look at these hundreds of thousands of people dying, homeless, getting sick, and all these, and the dictator, you know, doing all that, and all this, if we don’t care, what happen to our heart?

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:48:12.4

Rimpoche: And try to meditate, and try to be holy and ignoring people suffering, is not holiness.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And there is nothing more to meditate on it.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: So, that must move our feeling, must move our heart.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: And that is the general compassion, that great tradition, good human beings, kind person such as yourself, we always have that, and that is our good quality.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:49:30.9

Rimpoche: When the Buddha is talking about compassion, he is talking slightly more than that. Base on that, that is a must, and on top of that, he has a little more, slightly different than our normal usual understanding. Even on top of that, we have even more.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:50:04.9

Rimpoche: That is looking in yourself, looking inwards, not only looking outwards and see people suffering, but also looking inwardly, and each and every individual, looking at ourselves.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: That sufferings, that we go through individually, mental, physical, emotional, all that, we go through individually, we have individual experience of pain too.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: In addition to this general problem, we have individual different culture. Buddha emphasizes to look in both.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Especially our own individual problem.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Let’s say me, if I don’t care for my own sufferings, who else going to be caring for me?

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Certainly, not my government, not my president George Bush. (Rimpoche and audience laughing.)

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: So, who else?

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: You think Obama will, I doubt it.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Hillary may. But she lost last night. (Rimpoche and audience laughing.)

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: It’s joke, but (Rimpoche and audience laughing.), because she lost last night, so you can spare her.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Now that is Buddha special emphasize and that is the bottom-line reason why we need spiritual path, why we need spiritual practice.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:53:03.2

Rimpoche: It is slightly different then turn your cheek right and left. It is slightly more than that, recognize your problem and take charge by yourself. Because you are the one who can only help yourself, nobody else, not even Obama.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: So, Buddha emphasizes not only the outside, looking out the compassion but looking in, and developing compassion to ourselves, side by side.

Translator: (In Dutch)

Rimpoche: Okay I will stop here, take a break. And, I have been talking nonsense to you, so you may be sitting too long, and you want to stretch your leg, and do whatever you have to do, or have a coffee or whatever, so, and then when a little more time, we talk a little more. Okay.

Translator: (In Dutch)

0:54:49.6

(Sound ended)