Archive Result

Soundfile 20130223GRAAUMMA

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Topic Tibetan art as a living tradition

Transcriber Constantijn Koopman

Date June 27 2023

Person introducing:

So, just as it was not necessary for us to look outside, the University of Michigan, to find the art to be presented in the exhibition upstairs, it was not necessary for us beyond Ann Arbor for us to find a distinguished speaker to open our series. The Tibetan language is a very beautiful language. It is hard to pronounce, and so people often don’t say Tibetan words, and they don’t often know what they mean. But every Tibetan name has a meaning. And our speaker today really has three names.

So, when I am talking about him to Tibetan monks or to the Dalai Lama or other distinguished figures in the Tibetan tradition, I refer to him Jadi Kehmtrul??? . Jadi Khemtrul means the incarnation of the aboot of Nag Ghe???, which is a place in eastern Tibetan Kham. This was the name by which he was known at his monastery in Lhasa, Drepung Monastery, the largest monastery in the world with about 11,000 monks at the time he was there. And at Drepung, he was a monk of Loseling monastery, the monastery of clear awareness: lo sel. He was identified as a tulku, an incarnated lama at a young age, and trained by some of the greatest masters of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, including both tutors of His Holiness the Dala Lama.

Then, when I am talking about him to scholars of Tibetan Buddhism, I refer to him as Ngawang Gelek Demo. We know him as a publisher of books. Right after the Tibetans came out in the early ninety sixties, the great Tibetan literate tradition was in great danger, with so many books left behind in Tibet. So many Tibetans carrying their precious scriptures, block prints and manuscripts, across the Himalayas into safety in India. They needed be published, and Ngawang Gelek Demo published many of these books to preserve them for the world.

Ngawang means the power of speech, and he is an excellent speaker as you will see in a moment. [Strange microphone noise] I will not try to make him laugh, because it will make that sound. Gelek means auspicious virtue, and Demo means happiness, or comfort. And then here in Ann Arbor he is simply known as Gelek Rimpoche. Gelek: auspicious virtue; Rimpoche: jewel or precious one. A term that is used to refer to an incarnate lama in Tibetan Buddhism or by disciples to refer to his or her teacher.

So, Gelek Rimpoche established Jewel Heart here in Ann Arbor in 1988 in Kerry Street. That was his house, and the center was upstairs. After that, Jewel Heart moved to Washington Street for some years. And then, like other successful Ann Arbor enterprises, they became so successful they had to move south of town, just like Searmans?? to the South State Street area near the airport, where they are now situated. 0:03:08.9

So, it is my great honor and pleasure to introduce Jadi Khemtrul, Ngawang Gelek Demo, Gelek Rimpoche

Rimpoche:

Thank you. [applause] Thank you so much. Excuse me, I have to sit down. I can’t be able to stand and talk. Forgive me. Thank you that beautiful introduction. And it is very nice somebody explaining what my name is all about it, great. And I also like to say: this great university not only have this great treasure of art, this university also has those great beings. Great human beings ,who not only knows about those arts, but what does these arts do, what it is. Like great Tibetan scholar, such as Paulton Lovins??? . Honestly! One of those best Tibetologists, Buddhologists, or whatever you call it. He is a Tibetologist, he is a Buddhologist. And art historian are you? No? Okay. But whatever he may say, yes or no, but he had full knowledge. Perhaps better than some of you claims… Not you, but some people who claims to be the art expert or Buddhist expert or spiritual masters.

Such as myself. We are all fraud. I’m the fraud, they are real ones. Honestly. Because they studied best teachers available at that time with all of those teachers. Went through deeply with the critical analysis the message of the Buddha. Also… I don’t know, in the university field I am supposed to say you practice a lot. People practice a lot. 0:05:59.1 So, whatever there you practice or observe, whatever you do, went through with the Tara practice, and great living example to have.

So, I am very, very happy associating, be able to associate with this great university. When I first came in Ann Arbor, my bread and butter was university. I taught language and did all kinds of things andwhatever they are. So, really great, so better happy that of. And you called me here today and giving me the opportunity. Very kind, thank you.

And before I came here, I sort of vaguely remember the collection here with an anthropologist professor. Lady professor, right?

Audience: Carolyn Hawkin.

Rimpoche: Hawkin, yes. So, I’ve been able to see those collections. It is a fantastic, wonderful collection. Those thangkas that you see upstairs. I just had briefly looked, before I came down here I went up. And each one of them it is really a beautiful art of its own. It has traditional meanings, a traditional message, perfect hand gestures as well as hand implements and everything. It is wonderful. And many of them are… To me many of them are eleventh, may twelfth and thirteenth century. And a number of them are also… And also, basically speaking, Tibetan art is like any other art, honestly speaking. In the other art. There are certainly systems, certain way of coming???.

0:08:59:1 Before I came here, I was talking to some friend of mine. And I said, “I’m going to see about this art.” He said, “We Tibetans are barbarians, we don’t know anything about it. So, the art has to come from India or China.” That’s exactly the guy told me. And that is right. Unfortunately, all that funny remarks are right. Though there are a little bit of indigenous Tibetan art, but the major art is coming either based from the Indian art. Many of them is Gupta period, and many of them is Central Asian period, starts comes through Kashmir. And also many from China, great many. So basically, finally, the Tibetans begin to analyze the dawn???, truly speaking… If I’m wrong Professor Lobets??? will correct me, please do. But my thinking is: it will boil down to… appending?? part of it. I’m not talking about image, okay? Image is different. But painting part of it, I think it will come down to, according to the Kongtrul Yonten Gyamtso??? … RIMU… [quotes Tibetan]

So basically, it is a Nepalian art. Nepalian doesn’t mean Nepal, it is Newari art. It’s not Nepal it is Newari art. Newari art and then mixed with a little here and there, and then becomes two system: Mili Mentang Bang Mili??? system and Khyentse’s system. Khyentse system too. When you look at the art, when you see, you can identify, saying, “This is the Khyentse style, this is Mentang style, and all this you can do.

I had the opportunity to work with the Tibet House in New Delhi when it was first established. And I was major responsible to identify the iconography aspects of it. 0:12:00.5 Very difficult, because I have no idea before that. And then, those days, the great teachers such as Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Ling Rinpoche. And from Sakya tradition, there is a great guy called Polo Khempo. And Khyentse Rinpoche from the Nyingma tradition. And then Dudjom Rinpoche. And each and everyone of them are really fantastic, you know. I mean, they just exactly look at it, they will know which part of Tibet they is made, what type of materials they use, and will roughly guessing the date.

Tibetan dates are not that great, honestly speaking, not that great. It is always more than what it is. And one time, one of these teachers told me, looked at one Buddha image, and he said, “Oh, yeah, this made during the Buddha’s period, and then went into under the sea some 600 years or something and then came afloat???.” And probably... it is very strange. Probably, he is not talking about that particular image, right? I’m trying to find out what this particular image is, you know, when it is made, what is the date of that. At least, I was told to find out that. Because I worked under an Indian National Museum director. It is American lady called Dr. Grace Molly, I think. And she was extremely careful. On the one hand, I have those great teachers saying six hundred years ago it went under the sea and pop up, I don’t know when. And all them. And she doesn’t want any word of it anyway. Also, the dates are not that great, even thangka or whatever. Because they always try to give you a little more than what it is. 0:15:00.1

But many of them are eleventh and twelfth century they are, not that many. And a lot more in thirteenth, fourteenth, and a lot more on fifteenth and many of them are seventeenth and eighteenth. Many, majority of them are seventeenth and eighteenth. But these are the older ones up there; they’re all older ones. Then, in addition to that, in addition to Mentangpa system, which is a little more darker than the Khyentse, a little more pacifying the wrathful deities. Khyentse style is a little more the third eyes and brown eyes are, it looks like just looking at you. Mentangpa is a bit more laid back and Khyentse is a little more intense. Just roughly, because if you’re looking in each then you can be different, right?

And then there is a third Tibetan painting style. This is an incarnate lama called Chuwa Lung. Chuwa is mice. And why he is called mice? He is searching for the painting style and painting thing. He searches everywhere. And here found, pick a lot of Newari art style. Newari art style, many of them. And the examples that I’ve been shown by the Trupu Chuwa??? style are basically square. And sometimes even the above yidam is almost sitting on top the others’ guys heads. They’re almost like a little square, a little square. Like in Nepal. If you look in Nepal, they have all these wooden curved boxes. And very similar to that. I saw a couple of them upstairs. Even today, I saw a couple of them are Trupu Chuwa style up there.

And then, of course, later one, this famous Kama Gurti???? comes in. Kama Gurti comes in. Karma Gurti is the Karmapa’s’style. 0:18:02.3 Karma Migyö Dorje went to China and he took his artists with him. And traditional Nepal-Tibetan art, artist, based on that beautiful Chinese landscapes are added. And that new style is called Karma Gurti.

So basically speaking, these are the Tibetan styles painting. I’m talking about only painting. These are the basic Tibetan painting styles. And then side???, there is like something called Dri Degungpa’s??? system. The Degung tradition has its own slightly different style. Each one of those red heads are also standing out. Driwi also has a couple of different… Actually, many of them you can read in Gundrung Yonten Kkyabtsentse Shitensö ???? And I wanted to look before I came to here today. And I didn’t have time because I have the retreat going on. And just beofre, hour before, I had somebody look through these Jinsemet??? collections, and Shitensö is missing. [Laughs]

So, all other, Dharma Hantsö and all Nigpagyuntsu???, all those available, five of them. So Shitensö is missing. So, l didn’t be able to refresh my memory. And then, I wasn’t active with the art work for a long time anyway. I have this opportunity to look for that wisdom-compassion exhibition arranged by Tibet House. Professor Thurman helped me to look. And that was many years ago, so I don’t exactly remember.

Then, a funny thing happened at that time. So, can I tell that story? Popping up in my head, I’m sorry. 0:21:04.4 Maybe, it is not very nice too. But Professor Thurman took me to a lunch, not in New York city but way up there, somewhere. So we’ve been there lunch. There’s a very nice, good family. I think it’s called the Zimmermans. And they have a huge Tibetan art collection, hundreds of thangkas. And many of them clearly you can see it is 15th and 16th century, Tsongkhapa’s period. Slightly a little bit early or some part of. Clearly you can see. And this has a huge collection. And then, also they’re buying new things; new things coming.

So, he showed me a number of things. And there’s one interesting, those offering banner. A huge one they showed me. And I look at it, and they keep on saying, “This is 17th century.” And I keep on saying, “No, it’s not. Because a) you look at the bouquet??? . This design of the bouquet also came much later than the 17th century, honestly.” And then, they turned that huge banner, then they turned over the thing. And there is poetry written there. And I look at the poetry. The style of the poetry is sort of unmistakenly it is Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. And I said, “This to me is very much look like Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s poetry. And Kyabje Rinpoche is not 16th or 17th the verses??. It’s a 19th century image almost.”

And nobody liked what I say. [laughter] Unfortunately. Everybody in that lunch didn’t like what I say. And the gentleman who owned that told me, “I showed to Chekawa.” Chekawa is a very well known Tibetan scholar, and he says it’s 17th century. And I keep on arguing he is stupid. And it’s sort of almost, “Who are you who is saying no?” 24:05.4 So then we left, and I think they are a little upset. Two years later I got a call from them. They said, “You are right! We got the other half of this banner. And then, it is by Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. [laughs] Because in a way it’s working; the names are going. Because there is not artist name there, but way it is working, the style is coming. So actually, when you have those writings and the calligraphic style and the construction of the language style, poetry style, and art style – all has to be conformed together and then we get…

I mean it is really, now there is much more than before when I was active. Those days my problem was: Tibetan art is like any other art. Somebody has to really study very carefully and then level?? it example, and so then, like any other art, anybody can date if you know what you’re dating. But I don’t think Tibetan art has done that.

That is the art aspects of it. And I am sure you people have some questions I may be able to answer later. And I hope I didn’t say anything wrong, professor? Okay?

But now what we do with those arts, for the Tibetans. As it is, as we say: originally drawing of the Buddha was made during the Buddha’s lifetime by one of those Buddha’s either disciples, suppose a king who would like to give some gift to his friend. That is the basically where finally Buddha advised them, “Draw a Buddha and then give the message of the Four Noble Truths underneath.” And as far as I know, that is the beginning of it. So, Buddha introduced Buddha’s drawing, Buddha’s art, for people to practice, to meditate and to learn. And all this practice, meditate means: making difference in your life. 0:27:06.7 Whether you sit cross-legged or stand or..., doesn’t matter. Whatever! The gesture does matter but doesn’t matter; that’s not the major point.

Major point: when we use word practice and this and that, but it’s really making difference to the individual and his life. To that person, that drawing really represents, not only represents but a substitute for a living buddha. So does all other either wrathful or peaceful is really to make very difference to that individual practitioners. And what do you do with this, is really utilize them as acsually a buddha in the room with you. So much so that, sort you really think it’s Buddha is here. Until that level they bring it in, that thangkas or drawings of the images or even photos or whatever. I don’t know whether the postcards do it or not. Supposed to, but...

That was the purpose, and actually main representing a living buddha there. That affects the individuals gathered, that’s supposed to. And there are many ways of doing it. There is like thing called sadhana, self-generation, field of merit, some subject where you can create good karma. In other words: to make good business. Why you get Buddha in your room with all these efforts? Because I want to get some profit. In order to get some profit. In order to get that profit I do some business with the Buddha. How do I do business with Buddha? Well, I have something to sell, a buddha has something to give. Right? So what do I have something to sell? Oh, little offerings! Maybe it is water, maybe it is a flower, maybe it is incense, maybe it’s my faith. Whatever may be, I sell that. Right? So how do I paid? In dollar, in pounds, in euro. Or maybe Singpore dollar? [laughter] I’m just joking, right? 0:30:09.5

But what I wanted is... the gain is reduction of my bad karma and building of my good karma. That is the business that we do. All spiritual practitioners are… to me, it is business person. So, you’re doing business with the enlightened people, enlightened society. So, what you’re selling is, you’re selling is your anger. You’re selling your hatred, you’re selling your obsession and you’re selling your jealousy. And what you’re going to get it? Compassion, love and patience, enthusiasm, concentration and wisdom. That is better than Bill Gates. So, when you say spiritual practice, living tradition, all of those, it is not necessarily mystical mystery or holy or something, but a very practical level. So, I’m here to get rid of… You know, particularly, when you have those odd sales, those garage sales. So, we have a lot of those junk we want get rid of them changing them into the hard cash. So, that is what spiritual practitioners do. So what we we sell, what we to get rid of it, is our negative emotions, such as those what I said it. And what you’re going to gain some positive, good karma. Maybe, it’s compassion, maybe some faith, all of those. And that is the spiritual business. To me! If you want to make it a little holier, untouchable, mystery, yes you can do all that too. But all of them there.

Most important what you have to get rid of it is ego-grasping, selfish-ness. 0:33:03.4 These are the two. And by cutting up those ego-grasping thing, you gain wisdom. Wisdom, which I don’t talk much about it because Professor Lopez is an expert on that: wisdom. Honestly, many books he had translated, written??, many. But what you’re getting out is ego-grasping, which traditionally call it “ignorance” too – sometimes. And then, by cutting that, you get wisdom. Wisdom “emptiness,” which is traditionally called. But really, what it is: interdependent origination. Am I right? Thank you. At least he did not say, “You’re wrong.” Thank you.

So honestly, interdependent origination. Which really tells you: things will happen if cause and conditions are right. And which is very scientific, which is very acceptable in today’s intellectual society, or whatever you call it. Intellectual people. It’s really true. When conditions are right, things do happen; when conditions are wrong, no matter whatever you do, it will not happen.

And that basically Buddha’s law of karma too. They are all like this. There is nothing solid of anything, inherent existence of nothing. Not me, not you, none, no for whatsoever. Things will change, very true.

I’ve been able to go back to Tibet after 47 years of exile. That is 2007. (2007 or 2006, I forgot.) But I went back, and I saw Tibet. 0:35:55.7 And Tibet, what I have in my mind, based on where I was born, based on where I was grown up and Tibet what I see, then it is different. Totally different. Except the Drepung Monastery, old monastery, it’s all there. It’s funny. And when I went there, the monastery received me very kindly. Old monks lined up with banners and all that. And they told me I can drive up to the general assembly hall, up to there. So, I’ve been there, they take?? their monks, and all that. And then, they took me down, where my Nyare Khamtsen belonged to. They have a ceremony there too.

Then they’re going to take me back up to this old big assembly hall up there. And so, they’re taking me very long route. And I do know there was a step which you can go up. There’s a very rough step. It’s quite high, maybe some 80 or 90 steps at that time, I think. So, I don’t want togo that round because even those days I have a problem of walking. So, I wanted to make as short as possible. So, I got out of that thing and went out. There’s a little door there, used to be. So I looked it, there’s a door. I opened the door, and it opens. And I looked it up: the steps are there. Okay, I’m going to go through. I had a little umbrella and putting it up. Then Hartmut came, and he pulled me here. And I cream?? really climbed the steps very up. By the time when I realize, there are like three or four monks lifting me up literally, like a door or something. And two are here, and I was up there. But I was happy to see that steps is available. It’s not gone. And also, you know what? It’s much more cleaner than what I had remembered. I don’t know why but much more cleaner than I remember.

So, things change, things doesn’t last. This is the truth of impermanent. Truth of impermanent is not truth of emptiness. But however, it’s getting close. So living tradition really is this. This understanding. This not only understand. 0:39:02.1 Whatever you understand, it becomes your quality. You change the personality of the individual. If you’re a little mean person, change that into a little kinder, a little gentler. If you are a person who couldn’t care less for anything, but change that into a little caring person. Whatever those depicted qualities on Buddha whatever you have, you are getting those qualities. And that, that sort of thing continuing in life, in person. And I think that is what living tradition is all about it.

I am adding up this living tradition business just before I came in here. And somebody informed me, “Your subject is not thangka, your subject is living tradition.” [laughs] So, I’m sorry. Somebody might have told me months or years ago, but I completely forgot, and so that’s why I add up the living tradition. In others words, now you have to... the art and the living tradition, you have to put them together.

Art represents not only a buddha, the quality of a buddha: compassion, caring, love, wisdom. And transmit that message, which is coming through generations to ourselves. And looking at a thangka, what does getting blessing mean? Getting blessing means: some influence, some effect, some change of circumstances so better things can be materialized. Conditioned something better can be happened. So to me, that is a blessing. I don’t think there is a something called “blessing,” some big white cloud comes and give you a whitewash. Though you may visualize that way, as sometimes they tell you. 0:42:01.3 But I don’t think that happens.

What really happens is looking at it. I mean, the same thing: we look at different informations. We get a lot of information. We are bombarded with information, through radio, through television, through newspaper. Maybe, not so much now. And so you see it, you feel it, you understand. And that changes your personal attitude slightly because of the things you see. Otherwise, why should people put money to advertise it? Honestly, they change your mind, they influence you better. And that is the commercial blessing we’re getting. And so, we expect exactly the Buddha’s blessing by looking at the Buddha’s picture, remembering what he has done. Remember and try to figure out how he has dealt his problems that encounter.

It’s not that Buddha was problem-free, certainly not. We look at the Buddha, we’ll say today, “How wonderful, great, ” and this and that. But if you really look at it carefully, this guy is just an Indian guy running around with the chappel??, maybe a sandal or not. But maybe not even a shoe. Does running round in the dust, and having every problem: the family problem, political problem, the country’s problem, poverty. And each one of them are having, having problem, and try to overcome those problems, not only the physical, but the mental, emotional. And to me, that is Buddhism: personal experience of handling these problems. Improving your life, sharing with others, try to help whatever we could. And one thing, most important: if you can help, you should help, help out. If you can’t help, we have no harm to harm. That is the real essence of Buddhism to me, this is the real essence of living tradition to me. This is what art conveys the message to the individual. And then, I will say, “Thank you. Bye!”

[applause]

Do you have a question?

Hartmut: Does anyone have any questions or comments to discuss with Rimpoche? We have a few minutes. 0:45:05.7

Rimpoche: You know what I normally do? When I don’t see hands up… Oh, there’s a hand up, sorry! There’s a hand. Otherwise, there’s no hand, I go home, We will close our shop.

Yes, sir.

Audience 1: Hey! So let’s say.

Rimpoche: Tell??? you, who? Where? Can you write? Okay, yes sir. No, don’t get up! If you feel happy get up, if you don’t feel happy, don’t get up. Whatever you say, that’s fine for me.

Audience 1: Okay. So, let’s say an artist is making a PCS??? instruction on how to make it. So, that’s one situation. And the other situation is where the artist’s state of consciousness is different. You know, we don’t like to use superlatives, but we could say more advanced in the mode of Buddhist thought. So how might an artist’s state of consciousness effect the output, the final result of an artistic piece?

Rimpoche: Look, I really didn’t get what you are intending. But you know, looking at this, I always feel that art is something that you can express whatever you feel like to. You know, art to me, it is a message that an individuals is sending of his or her what you have. Some people express this through poetry, some people express that through writing. Some express through art, whether it is painting or building images or whatever. And it is the freedom of the artist to express whatever you want to express. That is… well, all has to be accepted, honestly. And in addition to that, if you want to follow a certain prescribed some design, then, I guess, you have to follow that. 0:48:00.1 Just like, if I’m artist… I don’t know how to do a line straight. But even I’m artist, if I have been commissioned by somebody who asked me to draw the head on the butt and the butt on the head, and I have to do it. Because I have been commissioned. Or you don’t think that commissioned, you do whatever you wanted to do. That is our choice. So, very similar. I say that because there are a lot of modern Tibetan arts these days.

A friend of mine told me… I said, “What are these modern Tibetan arts? They’re good.” An old friend of mine said, “It looks like a god’s head with a ghost’s tail.” You know, that expression is a very old Tibetan expression: the head looks like god, and the tail looks like ghost. Or the other way around: the head looks like a lion and the tail looks like a dog. Or vice versa. In one way, that is the freedom of the artist, they can do whatever they wanted to do. But, you know, just the opposite of god’s head with the ghost’s tail is a little too extreme. Maybe.

So to me, the freedom of, artist freedom is very important. We have to respect, we have to leave them there. But if you’re following the traditional art for a mandala or something, then you may have to follow the measurements and shape and everything as much as possible. This is the individual choice, however, you may have to do slightly di[fferent]. I don’t know whether that is what you’re asking or not. Because this is the answer I’m getting in and so, popping up in my head. And so, if I didn’t answer your question I’m sorry.

Audience 2: I have a Tibetan mandala in my home from when I visited Dharamsala. And it’s quite beautiful and it’s deep. It’s both at the same time. And I imagine that onlookers here in Ann Arbor, when they come to this museum, they’re able to appreciate in their own way the Tibetan art when they view it. So my question is how the Tibetan art strikes the spiritually minded in Tibet. And here I mean, perhaps, the monks as well as the laity, the laity who view it. What do they get out of the art in Tibet? 0:51:02.8

Rimpoche: Can you repeat the last question?

Audience 2: Yes. As a resident of Ann Arbor, I know what I appreciate from the art and the piece that I have. But I am wondering how the spiritually minded who live in Tibet, the monks for example or the laity who are connected with spiritual activities, how they appreciate the art, who live in Tibet.

Rimpoche: Thank you. We do have those lot of beautiful art. For example… I don’t see it, sorry. But when I go to a temple, what I’m supposed to perceive and what I see used to be two different things. But many times it becomes same. Now, honestly speaking, when I walked in a Yamantaka temple, it’s a very wrathful, fearful deity. And maybe I’m brainwashed, but when I walked in, I will see the Yamantaka as wrathful, I will see the Manjusri as peaceful, together. And I also remember there’s two horns there. So, I will these two are giving me a message, saying, “There is two truths.” And there are a number of hands, and they’re giving me a number of different messages. So, it’s really giving you the purity of it. Now, this may be more technical language. Where does that come from?

I tell you what. I have a friend, a Russian Jew who became… he put a lot of money in the Tibetan art and had a museum in New York City called Rubin Museum. So, Donald Rubin himself invited me a number of times, wanted to talk about this art and all that. 0:54:10.3 And one day he said, “When I see these freshly severed heads round this figures, I get it, message saying, “Cut the head of obsession, cut the head of ignorance, cut the head of hatred; and wear it!” Whether he is something extraordinarily getting message or whatever it is, that’s what this art tells me. Sir, thank you.

Audience 3: Hello. I guess my question is: when you’re meditating on the image of the Buddha, what’s the benefit of having the Buddha in the room with you? And then, how should I meditate on images of the Buddha?

Rimpoche: Thank you. The benefit is: I will not be naughty because there is someone else watching me. [laughter] Even you wanted to be a little naughty, and you can’t. There’s somebody else there watching, a little embarrassing. And also you don’t want him disappointed. So, sort of, you know, both hope and doubt played and maybe postponed mischievous activities a little bit, if not completely get rid of it. Postpone a little bit. You can meditate on Buddha’s physical body, or you can sit there and focus and look at it. But looking at the Buddha’s image and try to meditate, you don’t want to train your eye, you want to give a training to your mind. So looking alone can become maybe training your eyes but not training your mind. So, that may help you to imagine. In many ways. If you want to meditate an image of a Buddha, you look at it, you learn how to draw that base on which you’re meditating. Mental of Buddha by you, for you. 0:57.10:1 You can draw, and then focus. If you can get the detail, the head and legs and hands, they’re fine, great. But if you don’t get, even a yellow lump is good enough for the basis of meditation. That is what I was told. Thank you.

I don’t want to go into… this will purify you negativities You don’t want that??, I can do that in Jewel Heart.

So, I don’t see any more hands. Shall we close the shop by thanking?

[Applause]