Archive Result

Soundfile 20091114GRAANL4

Speaker Gelek Rinpoche

Location Ann Arbor

Topic Nyur Lam

Section 4

Transcriber Beth Locke

Date 12-05-09

Earlier we mentioned the conclusion of the session. Now in between the sessions are equally important because you know, for us sometimes we to be very open and we are in the retreat but in between the retreat, in between the sessions, we would like to gossip and do all kinds of things and doing everything which we are so used to it. I'm not talking about we as Jewel heart, but I'm talking about we as western Dharma practitioners with the exception of a few serious persons those who claim to be serious anyway. It looks like they don't want to look to the right or they don't want to look to the left. They're just sitting straight anyway, they are great. But with the exception of a few of these we all have a little relaxing in between sessions and maybe it is necessary for us. However the teaching...(talks to someone arriving) in between the session we also try to keep a continuation of the awareness. So normal traditional teachings will tell you during the in between sessions read about what you've been thinking during the session and all that and it may raise questions because you may think well during the session you are also allowed to read when you're saying the mantra retreat or something you are allowed to read and then in between the session also, you are reading and so what is this? There is no difference. You can ask the question but it is also true. In the session you are allowed to read, too but by reading it will slow you down saying mantras or doing whatever it is. But it is permitted to read that is also true because you are focusing in there. Anyway during the in between sessions these are the activities you will follow. So thus we hope we'll develop a very strong desire to liberate ourselves, getting out of samsara. Samsara you really see as nothing good. Wherever, whatever you do at the end there will be disaster, at the end there will be difficulties, and they will show you all kinds of delights here and there each delight will give you a little worse suffering and disaster at the end. So thereby whole of samsara is faulty. So it is the object to develop aversion. And then "I don't like this, I don't like that, there is nothing I like!", you don't go there, you will look for nirvana as an alternative to obtain. Nirvana also remember from the Mahayana point of view when you talk about nirvana you are talking about total enlightenment. The usual Sanskrit language nirvana talks about free from samsara, all arhats and so and forth. But from a very practical point of view for us, particularly for us, those of us who are Mahayana practitioners...(speaking Tibetan aside) from the Mahayana point of view when we are talking about nirvana we are talking about total enlightenment. I'm not using the words total enlightenment because we are not talking about the Mahayana path yet and that's why. So here you have to understand in your deep mind when we are referring to nirvana we are referring to total enlightenment. It means Buddhahood. Mahayana nirvana is Buddha and vajrayana is Buddha Vajradhara state. So that is really true Nirvana and until then you have not reached to the ultimate goal. Nothing. Well, I don't mean nothing, but it is not. So the ordinary nirvana are arhats. Neither they have completed their own purpose nor they are capable of completing the purpose of benefiting others, a little bit here and there but not totally. So that's why it's called ordinary, ordinary. Yes, you have overcome the enemy. The word in Tibetan is dga chom or dga chomba. Dga refers to enemy. Chom is who have defeated. I think the direct translation probably is conqueror or victor and all that because although conqueror and victor refers to Buddha too, but it is one who has defeated the enemy. The enemy happens to be here all this samsara problem. Where is it coming from? What is the cause of samsara? You know, we all come out with good ideas, a very good mind, a very dedicated mind. We want to be good for everybody and come out but still we are stuck with good virtue but cannot be going beyond samsara. Why? And that's because of the ignorance. The ignorance is the root of all suffering. Its ignorance. Ignorance is the real culprit. The traditional teachings call it ignorance. In my Good Life Good Death we have called it ego. Not in terms of the way psychologists call it ego not in the terms that psychologists think of ego but ego as in normal conversation oh that's your ego talking, your ego doing this and that is personal ego which is the combination confusion and fear and even inferiority complex or superiority complex or inferiority complex. That is normally referred to as pride, not the pride of self esteem but pride that "I am great. No one can look down on me don't you know who I am?" And looking around "I am!" You know and that is the (0:12:56) nga gyi sang gyi jig pa tsal du sols. In Tara's Prayer for the Eight Fears it says "I may be protected from the pride of the fear of lion. Lion! We think I am the king of all animals! That's were supposed to be thinking until a clever rabbit comes along when a clever rabbit comes he says "you're not the king, are you sure? Of course I am! Is there anyone else besides me? Yes, there is one! Where is it? It's down there. Where?" So the rabbit takes the lion to a lake and the lion says "where is it? It's down there." So the lion looks down right? And sees a lion just like himself, looking up. And he says grrrr and the other one says grrrr, too! And he goes grrrr more and the other one says grrrr more too and the lion jumps into the water and goes. So the lion may be thinking he's the king of the animals wild animals but the little rabbit can destroy you. So always you have to watch your pride, pride. The pride in this case it's not really the Western understanding of pride, you know. It is what in our normal language we call superiority complex or inferiority complex, whatever it is. Superiority or inferiority? Yes, yes it is superiority, OK, superiority complex. So that is whenever you read a Buddhist text where it says pride they are really referring to that and many of us will have it! Particularly some of us we have a little knowledge, a little understanding, have done a few retreats and yet the mind is not really developed with compassion, care and all this common with the lower, common with the medium and the Mahayana level. And then the superiority complex comes in, takes over. And if you uncheck that if you let that take over and you will waste your life. Otherwise, you have a great good path right in front of you. However these things can take you right or left, so be aware of that all the time. So anyway going back to the cause of samsara is the combination of all of those known as ignorance. So we have to be developing the actual path (0:16:58) nyi pa thar pa dro way lam gye rang shi del la bas. Thar pa dro way. You know liberation is called tharpa. Tharpa in Tibetan means suppose if you are tied, if you are tied, your legs and hands and everything, right? So I think recently there's a movie when somebody tied you up completely in the chair, wasn't it? I'm asking a very specific person and that specific person refuses to answer and hear you come saying it happens in all movies, a lot of movies, yes, that's what happens. Anyway, when you are talking about samsara the picture, you know our training is such the picture that I get that you are tied. You are tied with duct tape all over the chair and seat and hands and legs and mouth and all tied to the chair. That's why they say, although they say kor wa, (greets audience member, good to see you) So the idea of samsara kor wa although people say kor, it means circling around. But actually kor ching means it's always tied and duct taped and can't move and all that. Then the liberation is called thar pa, freed from those. Freed from those ties and all that is thar pa, you escaped. You went out of there. You managed to get out. So even the nirvana, we don't call it nirvana in Tibetan. We call it thar pa which means one who really got away, got away. (0:20:22) Thar pa dro way lam gyi rang zyen de la par ba. The actual path which really liberates you or takes you to the liberation, so establishing that is now the subject we are dealing with. That also like usual in the session and between sessions. In session also pre, actual and conclusion. Pre just like usual up to

Kyab nye kun du lama lhag pey lha

Tub wang dorje chang la sol wa deb

Up to that it's as usual. You should have a short seven limb. It would be very good, you know the Jewel Heart prayer we have that. How does it go?

I bow down in body speech in mind.

I offered the best I have to give both real and imagined to fill the space between us.

I regret and purify all transgressions.

I rejoice in all virtues.

I request you to remain until total enlightenment.

I request wise and compassionate guidance.

I dedicate my merit for the sake of all beings.

And that is the short seven limb. If you read that King of Prayers it is three or four verses for each seven limbs. And then if you go even into the Lama Chopa some of them have three or four verses for each limb. Ganden Lha Gyema has one verse for each seven limb, and this one is one line for each limb. So it is a very simple and easy way. If you can learn it and say the words and think about it and then shorter word, better thinking will be very helpful including mandala offering, making requests, and then finally reaching to the Lama Buddha Buddha Vajradhara and then saying

Kyab nye kun du lama lhag pey lha

Tub wang dorje chang la sol wa deb

So now the point of focusing is this. I and all mother sentient beings taking countless number of rebirths in samsara for a long time, strong suffering continuusly and that is because we a.) we never developed the desire for liberation. and b.) we did not put any efforts towards that. Those are the faults. So we never developed interest, and we never put the efforts. The efforts that you have to put our three things. The three higher trainings, three higher trainings. You know the Buddha's teachings are divided into the three basket teachings. Lung dey ngal sum. That is the three baskets, from the subject that they talk about it is the three higher trainings. And sometimes we even talk about view meditation and ethics, right? So they are all the same thing with different names, but it's the same thing. The wisdom, ethics and concentration these are the three things. A.) we never developed the desire for liberation B.) we never put in efforts in the way and how to liberate ourselves by practicing the three higher trainings. That's why they call them higher trainings. Concentration, ethics, moral ethics and wisdom. So, that is our problem. Now may I and all mother sentient beings develop the desire to liberate ourselves and the interest to develop these three important points within us. I may be blessed to be able to do this. Light and liquid are coming from the body of Lama Lhag Pey Lha, five colorered rainbow light and nectar comes and reaches to me and all of their living beings and enters our body and mind stream, purifies the negativities that we have accumulated from the limitless beginning and particularly the obstacles to develop the desire to liberate ourselves and the way and how to liberate ourselves by following these three higher trainings. And our body becomes light in nature. Our life, luck, fortune, knowledge and qualities are all fully developed and especially the desire to liberate ourselves and the willingness to follow the three higher trainings develop. So that's what you do for "pre."

Then the actual is the analytical point first. While thinking

Kyab nye kun du lama lhag pey lha

Tub wang dorje chang la sol wa deb

on your crown, you have to focus. Me and my. Me and my. If you start saying me and if you start saying my and then there's somebody there, somebody sitting there called me inside me, is always there, always there. But if you don't have that me in there you won't have my. So me is there, somewhere, somebody. So the moment we start looking at me you find something solid within me, something solid called me. Actually, our mind itself is actually neither virtuous or non-virtuous. It is neutral remember? The example of the clean clear still lampshade. So it indicates to you that it is very neutral. Neither virtuous nor non-virtuous. But when you say me than you think of something solid within me to identify as me. So we hold that as solid identification or solid, who acknowledges, who owns the name of me. You hold that and not only do we hold that but we hold it very dear within us, within me. Then those of my side my near ones and dear ones are on my side so we have obsession, desire, attachment, liking, feel good about it and then the opposite of it called others, we dislike them, we hate it, and are doubtful. So, that is how we develop me and my and others, oppositions. And then looking at me, superior me, that superior, again I always try to say pride, but it is the superiority thing and thinking your great and if they don't agree with your thinking, with your understanding then you immediately take a position that they are wrong like Sarah Palin! Right or wrong, it is symbolically wrong. And because of that then we develop wrong view, wrong view. Because of that then when the Buddha says, selfless sometimes we begin to wonder what he's talking about, doubt. So when we developed doubt to Buddha like saying selfless than automatically we develop doubt for the Four Noble Truths, cause and result of suffering, cause and the result of liberation you develop doubt. Because of that we open the gateway to other negative emotions to follow, to take over. Because of that, we created a lot of negativities, not knowing, confuse, mis-knowledge all caused us to do the wrong thing. Because of the wrong thing we are buying sufferings. We are guaranteeing the continuation of suffering. So now I've been able to recognize the real culprit is that ignorance. Dharmakirti has said in the parmanavartika, that is the logical text (0:34:24) Nge gyun they ye tsa wa je they an jig so ta wa yengs. All faults are rooted to this. This is jig ta. Jig tso ta wa means jig ta. Remember the word jig ta? Does anybody remember the word jig ta? You do? Let me hear you. Huh? Somebody else. Why is it called jig ta? Anyway, fear holding, the accumulation of fear actually. When this ego grasping, when they ego grasping begins to look in ourselves, when we tried to identify me what will they identify? They identify my skandhas, right? Skandhas are aggregates. The aggregates are what? Aggregates are what? Huh? Anyway, there are five aggregates, right? So what are they? How high? Contaminated, perishable, there you go. So perishable by nature. So you are holding it. You are even afraid of losing it because it is perishable. It will go yellow or whatever, if it's a vegetable you are afraid of it becoming yellow or wrinkled down. So the collection of perishable things are identified as, that big one. So that is why jig ta. So Dharmakirti says Nge gyun they ye tsa wa je they an jig so ta wa yengs. I'm sure the translation is in Pabongkha's but don't worry. All faults are rooted with this. That is the collection of fear and looking at it. That's my paraphrasing. Dharmakirti continues, (0:38:43) Kang shi dha tu tel a nye nga shi ta du she meng jur. ... cont. So that seeeing itself, one always thinks that is me, me, me. And such a me desire brings the desire for joy. That desire develops all faults. Yong den to wey yong sey pay nga shi ti drub... So they see the qualities of me, me and then they see develop my mind. (Tibetan) As long as you have desire you have attachment, you have obsession for this you will have samsara continue. That's what Dharmakirti says. (Tibetan) Also Chandrakirti Tibetan. First, you develop me and then Tibetan, it's my. First you develop that to me here. Then comes my afterwards. Because of that, everything continues. You know, the old fashion wells will have some kind of thing that goes down to pick up the water, a bucket. Traditionally it is maybe a leather bag or something that goes down, deep down there and then brings the water up by pulling. It is an ancient thing, but not so ancient. It's maybe 50 or 60 years old before the electronics came in. That's what it was where there was a big well there and you have those little buckets with a big rope that was put on the little wheel will end when you throw the heavy bucket down it will go brrrrrr down without any stopping. When you bring it up if you have to put a lot of effort to bring it up. But going down no problem. That is known as Tibetan (0:42:20) We will become like that. Going downwards we have no control whatsoever. Zoommm! Diving down because of the weight. All these are because of first me. Then my. Then desire. Then hatred. All developed so you go down, zuup! That's what I'm talking about. Tibetan (0:43:00) and because of this I must put all efforts to become fully enlightened Buddha for which I would like to follow the three higher trainings. And that also, first is ethical. Ethical points are if you follow, it is very beneficial. If you don't follow it is quite a downfall. So why? Buddha himself told his disciples Tibetan (0:43:48) So Buddha said some people's ethics are joy. Some people's ethics are suffering. Those who have good ethics they have joy. Those who have wild crazy ethics are suffering. That's it. Sometimes it is so beneficial if you maintain one good morality, one vow, one single vow, whatever it may be. If you can obtain it it is so beneficial. Buddha said during the good times, that means when the Buddha was here or when Buddhism was fully developing and everyone is getting liberated here and there. When you look at this this is something that so many hundreds of thousands of people developed early in the morning and hundreds of thousands of people liberated in the afternoon and hundreds of thousands of people liberated in the evening and all that. During that period is called the good fortunate eons. In that good fortunate if one gives a tremendous generosity gift you are going to have a lot of good fortune but, but in times like this when Buddhism and Buddha's teaching is almost about to die at this time, if one can protect one good morality let's say not killing our something. Not killing a human being or something. If you can protect that nicely in the 24 hours than you have better benefit than those earlier. Then the Sutra quotes here Tibetan (0:47:00) So during the good time if one created space where you offer millions of food, drink, ornaments, decorations, banners, light and flower malas to hundreds of millions of Buddha's for years but in the degenerated age like this, if one can protect one vow, a single vow, the virtue of that is a million times better than the earlier one. So that is the thing. Even if you can protect one single good ethical point for 24 hours, properly it has much more benefit for the individual than giving a million Buddha's a million variety of things for a million years. So, that is a really important point. They are pointing it out saying how important to protect your vows, your commitments, good morality, particularly in this degenerated miserable time. Not only that, if we cannot protect our vows the downfalls are also very vivid. Tibetan (0:49:50) They said some powerful kings even if you don't listen to them then you may get away but Buddha's ethical rules if you break them we suffer tremendously like that of Tibetan. During the previous Buddha not Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha's period, Amitabha Buddha will had asked the monks not to break the trees during the summer retreat time and one monk didn't listen. He said so what I'll break a branch. So later that monk died and was born as one of those nagas, almost like a snake who had a tree in the head, a growing tree in the middle of the brain. So the go, Buddha Amitabha says this is what happens. Tibetan (0:51:33) So then whatever we have, commitments, our vows, we must protect no matter whatever it may take, we have to protect. So, you have to think about it. You have to meditate about it. You have to develop that thought within us, you have to be reminding ourselves, we have to live with this. Remember, Tibetan (0:52:13) So some people's morality becomes very joyous. Some people's morality becomes suffering. That's because if you break your morality it becomes suffering. So how does one break morality? Actually there are a number of ways but basically four. One. When you don't know what you are doing so the doorway to develop the faults is because you don't know. So you have to learn about it. You have to overcome the not knowing. How? You need a good teacher from whom you learn. What type of good teacher? I'll give you a bottom-line answer. Tibetan (0:53:33) So very learned but crazy and wild will not do. The learned should not destroy the ethics of that person. The ethics should not destroy the knowledge of that person. Some are very ethically correct but knowledge is very limited. So that's not right. So you have to have a balance of, remember, Kuntang Sangye, Tibetan (0:54:25) Three qualities. Learned. Learned because you learn many things. Lots of information collected. And whatever you have learned you practice and that's why you become ethically right. Totally dedicated for the benefit of all living beings or Buddha or Buddhism, and that's why a kind person. So the quality of at least three. Knowledgable, ethical and kind. So from such a person you learn. If possible, total path. At least Lam Rim in general. At least common with the lower, common with the medium. And maybe a little bit of the Mahayana path. So if you are learning and reading, collecting information, talking, having discussions, and that way you will learn. So you close one of the doors of downfalls. Second door is disrespectful. Tibetan (0:56:27) So you should have great respect, to counter that you should develop great respect to Buddha and Buddha's teaching and respect to your own dharma friends and colleagues. Rather than saying , I know him. He is full of s***! Or I know him. He is full of hatred. That will do no good for you. So develop respect. So that respect will close the doorway of no respect. A lot of people will say so what! So what is disrespectful to Buddha, to his teaching, to all this and that is the doorway to drag your self down till the end of samsara to the lowest hell. So that's so what! Then the third door is unconscientiousness. Unconscientious. No awareness. So you apply to mental faculties here. That is the shame and what is the other one? Embarrassment. Thank you embarrassment. Even if nobody knows you should be ashamed of yourself if you do such a thing and even if someone knows how embarrassing it would be. Using these two mental faculties to protect your self, so you close the door to unconscientiousness. So then the last and dangerous door, that is strong negative emotions and strong delusions. So to cut obsessions think about it.It's not so much as you think it is. Remember those in Thailand and many in Southeast Asia the monasteries do keep dead bodies around even in the Tibetan Buddhism. They do have all these dead body things, they do drawings in the monasteries. Sometimes it comes out as protectors offerings, but some other times it is just for practitioners to think about. And literally in Thailand they do keep a lot of dead bodies there for the monks and nuns and Buddhist practitioners to look at. So one of those obsessions we develop is for the physical. One of the obsessions we develop is for wealth. One of the obsessions we develop, all these are the ways how to cut the obsession down. For hatred, it is love. For ignorance. It is the dependent origination. So when you maintain those then by shutting these four doors you will be able to maintain a fairly good moral, fairly good wisdom, fairly good concentration. So I pray to Lama Lhagpa-la to be able to do this. So light and liquid are coming from the body of Lama Lhagpa-la reaching to me and all living beings purify all negativities in general and particularly against these three higher trainings. All purified and developed the blessings of Lama Tubwang Dorje Chang and the stage of development of establishing the path to develop liberation. That is again perfect, good wisdom, good concentration and good morality. Through this we take ourselves out of samsara and bring ourselves to liberation. Finally, Lama Lhagpa-la dissolves to me, that means the self and the self suddenly becomes a Buddha. And at the heart level you have a moon disk. Above this you have the mantra Om Muni Muni Maha Muniye Soha, and reciting the mantra and the radiating light from the mantra mala is purifying the environment and the inhabitants everywhere. Wherever the light reaches it purifies, transforms, they all become fully enlightened Buddha and there we conclude our session and in between the sessions we're reading about this. Thus we have completed common with the medium level here.

And so whatever we have talked about here today just don't leave it. Please remember, this is not Jay Leno's show. And this is certainly not the David Letterman show. It's not. So don't look at it in that way. Look at it as something you have to think, practice and may not be able to do it today much but throughout during the holiday period you will be busy, yes you have to keep yourself busy but also you cannot forget this. And if you pass through a resolution that passed the resolution that I will get myself liberated. Abandon samsara, embrace liberation. With this, whatever we have mentioned do kindly put into practice.

Dag gi ji nye sag pai ge wa di

Tan dang dro wa kun la gang pen dang

Kye par je tsun lo sang drag pa yi

Ten pai nying po ring du sal je shog

Discusses tomorrows schedule-

Sa zhi po kyi jug shing me tog tram

Ri rab ling zhi nyi day gyen pa di

Sang gye zhing du mig te ul wa yi

Dro kun nam dag zhing la cho par shog

Je tsun la may ku tse rap ten ching

Nam kar trin let chok chur gye pa dang

Lo sang ten pei dron mei sa sum gyi

Dro wei mun sel tak tu ne gyur chih

Idam guru ratna mandala kam niryata yami

Long Lam Rim Dedication (singing)

(verse I don't know)

Long Life Prayer for His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Kang ri ra wei kor wei zhing kam ter

Pen tang dei wa ma lu jung wei nei

Chen rei zik wang ten dzin gya tso yi

Zhap pei si tei bar tu ten gyur chik

Cho kyi gyal po tsong kha pa

cho tsul nam par phel wa la

gek kyi tsen ma zhi wa dang

thun kyen ma lu tsang wa shog

Da dang shen gyi du sum dang

Dril wa tsok nyi la ten na

Gyal wa lo zang drak pa yi

Ten pa yu ring bar gyur chik

Dor na pal dan la ma ku tse ten

Kha tsun tan zin dham pa sa teng gang

Ten pa jen doug nga thang jor pa gya

Lo sang gyal wa ten pa gya gyur chik

Good night.