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20120122GRAATB4

Rimpoche: Good morning everybody I would like to wish a happy New Year . I would like to wish all of you a very very happy new year. Upcoming is the year of the horse which will bring good spiritual development prosperity and health to everybody as well as peace and harmony everyone living in East and everyone living in the West. So that is what I'd like to wish first and now today's Tibetan Buddhism with Rimpoche.

It will be a continuation of what we talked about last Sunday. Last Sunday we talked about a variety of things and particularly talked a little bit about the wisdom thinking about this the whole question. is why people need practice but usually I call spiritual path sometimes spiritual path can be anything for different people.

So why do we need more than what we do daily like you now getting cleaning ourselves sleeping and working more than that. The point is this one of the great Indian mah pundits known as .

first we grasp self me o that grasping me becomes very strong stronger and stronger and very strong ecause of this me then you have my. My things my dear ones my near ones so we not only growing the attachment very strong obsession. Because of that then create enem and not only anger but we also develop hatredo it all begins from here grasping at me.

So this is not our nature but it looks like our nature. We're born with this and brought up with this and we live our life in that e guide our life with the princi we consider me and my should be protected and that and th should be discarded or rejected

that very strong feeling we naturally t sort of looks like nature of our self and our life. Although it is not we don't know that yett is almost like nature. We're born with it brought up with that and we live with and we die hat is the problem for us. Because of that we have obsession because of that we have hatred o all our life has been somehow governed by this obsession and hatred o every action we do every thought we develop and every act every moment are governed by those thoughts.

So that is why the acts become negative. egative act because hatred oriented you want to hurt obsession oriented you wanted to be cool. ot and that is we act hat is why every action becomes negative every negative brings a negative results negative consequences hat is how our lives actually begn.

That is how we function in our life and that is how we end this life

So here's the point that we have to think we have to consider. That is why we difficulties

never satisfied something goes wrong always difficulties hat is how we function individuallyand collectively

ndividually that is how we live within our own families even. Collectively that is how we function in the society as a group as a nation as everything hat's how we do.

So these are our problems. That is why we need to do something other than just getting up working and sleeping. We need, let me call it spiritual path, I was hesitating to call it that.

That is why material things are just not enough. Unless we're some kind of mechanical robot person mindless.

If we are then we don't spiritual path. But we are not we are not.

Not only we are not but this is funny et's say when we end this life e don't end our we have lives we this life we still find ourselves continuing. We don't remember because the death is a big shock and it takes a long time not only to recover but to fully mature.

So we don't remember that's what it is. So when you're continuing again basis we have to continue ightnow are functioning on physical body and mind level that and we call it ourse I you John you m this that.

And we function in that way but then when you change it then it's different yet the same person. So this is our situation o that's why we need betterment.

If it is only the end of life then you don't need betterment it's fine. You can have a comfy comfortable and that's about it. But it doesn't o that is why I believe all of hose of you who are listening or watching you spending time because you knew the something beyond that and you want to do the right thing for yourself.

That is why you're spending your time and energy on Sunday morning. Try to pick up something. That's what it is.

So that life thereafter going to be is totally dependent on ourselves right this moment. Right this moment we are actually manufacturing and our future lives, our future .

That is the reason why Buddha says we are responsible for our self that's what meant. doesn't mean sometimes will say in society I take the total responsibility

hen there is no reward there's no consequences. So that is easy to take responsibility right especially. They say I take all responsibility the buck stops here or something right?.

But when there's no consequences or rewards what responsibility we tak word right

And that's not what Buddha mean responsible for yourself Buddha meant there is a reward it is yours and you've earned it. If consequence then you created it and you are bound to pay for it. Pay here is probably mental physical and emotional suffering.. Reward here is mental physical and emotional joy and happiness.

This is the principle Buddhism. a new name anyway Buddha didn't create Buddha ou know that's Buddhas understanding experience ou may call it Buddhist philosophy our Buddh thoughts I may call it Buddh experience. That tells us we are responsible. So when we are responsible, actually it is great in one way. Our life is in our own hands and our own control. 001715

n reality that is the truth honestly it's true. However then you may think who wants suffering Nobody wants suffering we all want joy and happiness and w not getting it.

If I'm in control why don't I control this hy can I control it Yes I am in control it is true I'm in control.

But when the consequences of good and bad are happening I don't have control of that is the mechanism of the karmic things functioning by itself.

control is the stage of causal stage the results stage I don't have control. What we normally a mind of its own that is what is happening.

But it will not happen if I don't have the causal cause. Even if I created the cause of suffering a lot of us may think I have done it so I cannot undo wrong can do and undo everything it takes it's own life

Until then we can do and undo. That is why Buddha on purification. will do no matter whatever

ou cannot righteous do want to do right but it won't be because we are living in such a life that whatever we do there is bound to be negativities attached.

Even if you're doing very positive things along with that there will be . . Can you imagine ven if you're just driving the car in the summer on a dirt road. It is not a negativity but while you are driving how many insects have you over?.

I mean if you think carefully and looked in sort of a microscope yes there are hundreds oflong with that

imply one person to get from one place to another. ome people may say well then let's not drive cars.

That is wrong f you don't drive won't get anywhere ou could've done a lot and you just depriving the opportunity. So people some a lot of that way to I'm a simple person I don't have to drive let me and get well water grow my own food and all that

eople do that it's great I'm not criticizing. But even if you grow your own food the insects are there.

They . They're not running away from your land that's wh I sa you want to be right but we absolutely everything right so righteous.

I do remember Ramdss was talking and I was sitting next to him e kept on saying you cannot be so righteous. t that time I was new in the United States new in this culture to n my head I of course you can be righteous

I didn't say anything kept on listening and now I realize all these of the reason why you cannot be so righteous everybody wants to do right but you totally right because 're born in such a way live in calls.

We don't live in a pure land is absolutely a pure land. But n the other hand in reality it is .

Perhaps Buddha talks about to truths e all think truths must be one ight or wrong s yes or no. like to say that right nd we like to think that way to o probably when I said you know my thoughts, and I said in one hand it is absolutely pure land on the other hand it is .

So you probably said what is it pure tell me right? Some people may think that but then the funny thing is pure and impure both are in one. I don't want to go on th road okay The last Sunday I went on th road I don't know why honestly I don't want to go on th road today.

True only talk about the relative level honestly. So living in the samsara everything whatever we do the food that we eat you may think insects and all that only outside right ut we have a tremendous amount of those guys inside of our physical body to.

We may call them a virus or bacteria and whatever name you give are living beings in . Even when I was a kid and the elders around to say a little prayer when they're eating food hey said those beings inside of me may be satisfied the food just no in the future I will satisfy with the Dharma and therefore fully enlightened Buddha stage.

So that's what they used to say o we are somehow you know in one hand the Tibetans is not like today's . I was born Tibet according the Communist Chinese so backward so dark and so ignorant five qualities for the Tibetans

o backward so ignorant so stupid and what is it? And so barbaric and so ferocious. All five qualities quality person.

You know in 1930s and early 40s we know all these things are inside physical body and we don't survive without them to. And they don't survive without me there e know that.

So these h and help there so many things so much goin there and look a little. A little bit looking deeper that there s it doesn't matter it's me I've been it doesn't matter-committed to serve and to help yes. But don't forget you carry some 84,000 living beings within yourself to o when you're talking about one person 84,000 different that's what it is.

When you think I'm alone there are 84,000 living beings (audience laughs) so whatever you do alon there are 84,000 if there are two o you and then it will be double the 84,000.

So really that is the reality so all of us you say well I'm not important doesn't matter. So think about 84,000 alon with you. I don't mean we have 84,000 split personalities again don't misunderstand me okay.

84,000 independent living beings within our physical condition as human beings of this continent that's what we have hat's why we have those illnesses that's why we have comfort that's what we have all kinds of things experiencing in our bodies because there so many. And how can we function with all these 84,000 together to obtain the jo within our body. To gain the comfort to gain peace and harmony that's why it's difficult. That's becomes difficult an you imagine to manage 10 people together orget 10 ven to how difficult it is 003054

One would like to say yes, one would like to say no one would like to lights on and one would like to lights off. One would like to have a TV onne would like to have just for two hen when you have all this 84,000 within you so that difficult .

Nothing to be surprised because one person's joy and happiness depends on the 84,000 minds coming together

hat is why this peace and harmony difficult. The spiritual path the Buddha gives the path the Tibetans brought to the non-Tibetan land whatever . It is what we call Tibetan Buddhism is the gift that we try to give to the world. That is what Tibetan Buddhism really carries.

There is a way and a means t is been done by millions who have obtain higher development. It can. Even usual world it can not easy but if you look at the leaders the great leaders like Gandhi or like those people they have been able to bring millions of people together simultaneously. It is not impossible it is not impossible is possible is happening is happening is doneo that is exactly what we do on the spiritual path

W talk about joy and happiness we may think about one individual one physical body one mind true but not true

es one person but along with that much living beings move together these are the important points. This is the reason why we not only need spiritual path but we need a good right one.

ow did they do he way and how they cutting down and building the positiv. a simple way of putting it cutting down the negativities it is easy when you do it is very difficult.

So many things are against cutting down negativities ay you want to cut down your anger is not easy can tell people don't get angry your anger is total destruction

e know and that person who you telling your anger is total destruction they knew to not that they don't know but they cannot manage they manage hy ecause they're addicted to it hey become part of their thing sometimes go crazy lmost look like behave like a mad person or sometimes become like a different person altogether for that.

It is not a split personality that powerful emotion is taking over thatf that individual completely. So that emotion took over and whatever that emotion reactions are that person is acting according to that.

People get so upset and pick a fight and kill somebody nless you mercenaries or something they don't want to kill you or kill anybody. They don't hurt anybody but at that moment when they're min has been occupied that emotion they don't know what had happened hat doesn't mean excuse the law honestly that the person really doesn't know what's happening.

Because that negative emotion in which you are addicted become some so powerful other thought idea even seeing hearing and smell taste all of them are occupied by that emotion.

is a Tibetan guy in the 70s Tibetan guy who was a guerrilla leader in Tibet and Chinese dissident Chinese military leader dissident very close friend of him and that Chinese guy joined that Tibetan what they normally called rebels nyway dissident group and together they w together they fought together they did everything and when got India the government of India separated them

ne was sent to northern India the other was sent to southern India not permitted to contact each other's for 18 years. At the end of the 18 years I think the gu in the South was permitted to go to the north to see his friend

. They're very good friends close friends. Something happened in the Dharamsala his wife went to the bathroom and the Chinese guy also the bathroom the Tibetan guy was hosting got so jealous e picked up a knife that was to him morning when they realized he had stabbed that guys 18 times he didn't even know. So when the negative emotions take over sometimes that happens than normal talk among the Tibetans they say well he got a ghost possession.

It's not a ghost possession it is jealousy that took over o all other emotions are completely subduedwareness understanding alertness all are gone under the control of one powerful jealous or hatred or whatever. In this case it was total jealousy.

happen to know that stor shared that happens here in the West t. You all know a number of stories that people do that. It happens to be is another one that completely takes over . Hatred is another one is another o we get all these problems because what I told you right the beginning me me grasping that hat is the source where it's all coming from.

Religion or spiritual whatever you may call it is supposed to deal with that ither you worship and pray helps or you meditate analyze and try to catch it red-handed and refute. That is how we correct ourselves when we correct ourselves that is Dharma according to us to Buddha that is Dharma.

If you don't know Dharma means activities to Buddha hat is Dharma hether you worship or not worship or whatever it is you may claim to be Christian or non-Christian or an atheist or whatever it is Buddhist Buddhist whatever.

But when you handl that within you that is exactly what Buddha calls Dharma. That is how you're helping yourself that is how you help others. That is a true practice. The practice have to be getting up and sitting down and doing all that doesn't have to be that. How to s how to walk how to stand not practice well practice but we talking about.

We talking about practice that is what we are talking about ow to handle mind how to handle our addiction ow can I be independent When say seeking freedom that's what it is ow can have freedom for myself the control of those addictions. This is the purpose this is the theme practice. This is what that Buddh is all about. So I would like to stop here because you may have some questions 004429

But I would like to say on the next two Sundays I will be talking to you from Holland, the Netherland in Europe o I will be talking opefully electronic things work smoothly without somebody getting up and walking having to do things in between o that's all I would like to say again I like to wish our friends who are celebrating according to the Chinese calendar happy prosperity wonderful new year. Thank you. All right so any other questions? I'm glad she's happy thank you (audience laughs) okay then thnk so much I think time for dedication I think that will be the four imeasurables (they close with chanting)