Archive Result

20131201GRNYETB38 note: should be 20131201GRNLETB38

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MOVE TOWARDS POSITIVENESS

Good morning to you. Again, greetings from Netherlands. We had a beautiful weeklong teaching retreat here on the basis of Tara. I think this is great. It’s slightly little bit cold here. I think it’s cold everywhere anyway.

Of course those of you who are in Southeast Asia and Brazil and China may say, what are you talking about? But those of us in cold northern Europe and the cold part of the United States – yes, it is cold. I’m sure those of you who are in Texas probably have the best time.

I’m trying to make a little shorter talk today because this recording is done on one of the evenings which was quite rushed and other factors, electronic factors, which has to be a little short.

1:50

We are talking about the subject of Tibetan Buddhism and also not just Tibetan Buddhism that is what is Tibetan Buddhism and what are the historical effects of Tibetan Buddhism – not in that manner. But we are talking about it as one individual person in downtown Hong Kong - what can I do with Tibetan Buddhism. That is our theme that we are keeping. We have talked of many reasons, and very particularly, we talked about a very short statement of Buddha’s from the sutra, saying “Avoid all negativities, build all the positivities, and tame your mind; this is Buddhism.”

2:55

We have now come to the point of taming mind. So we try to recognize mind – well, can’t recognize mind as if you are introducing to another person, saying this is Mr. So and So or Miss So and So. You can’t introduce that way. However, we try to point it out, finding the mind within ourself.

Of course we all know that we have physical activities and mental activities. No one can deny. No one can deny mind becomes the most important thing for us to use our body as well as speech, and all of those. Besides that, in between that while I was giving teaching, I saw a quotation from Jamgon Lama Tsong Khapa’s teachings somewhere. It says, the physical body and the verbal aspects of human beings are, almost like mind’s usage. So it’s sort of under the control of mind. Which is very true – everything we do, we say, we act physically – it is all the mind; the motivation first.

4:42

That’s why we emphasize so much of motivation. Motivation makes a 50% difference between virtue and non-virtue. Particularly those that are neither virtue, nor non-virtue, a neutral state of mental states are changed into positive or negative by motivation. So always think about it in the morning when you wake up. Be happy you are in life. Be happy you are still in the same good old physical body. Good old conditions that you are used to. You are still there. In other words, be happy you are in life. AND then think I’ll make best use of this life for me and for others – all the time, and particularly today. And dedicating your own deeds for the benefit of all beings, which will reach a long way.

6:02

Then bring awareness, awareness of mind, what your mind is doing, what your mind is thinking, how your mind is leading you. If your mind is leading you in the right direction – positive manner, virtuous manner, avoiding negativities – be happy and continue. If you are finding your mind is influenced by negative emotions - maybe hatred, maybe anger, or something - if that is so , take yourself a break. Stop and sit down and take a breath. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out, and just focus. Keep on counting until you let that anger or that hatred go - until it becomes a little weaker.

7: 08

Sometimes when people get so worried, so worked up – you can’t sleep during the night, neither can you wake up in the morning, nor can you sleep at night. When you are finding yourself in that situation, sit down and count your breath. Taking in and taking out until your tightness of worry has temporarily relaxed. Temporarily your attention is drawn separately. Once that strong emotion of hatred or anger is reduced, then it is the opportunity for you to make movement of your mind, moving towards positiveness.

8:08

Think of good qualities. Think of Mother Theresa and her activities. Think of great beings, those like Buddha and Jesus and all those great earlier spiritual teachers – what they have done and appreciate them. Think of our contemporaries, such as His Holiness, etc. - their great activities. The activities of His Holiness the Dalai Lama or the activities of His Holiness the Pope and all these, think about it. Good deeds are appreciated and rejoice. And also, if anyone has done something good, there may be great beings that are not drawing the attention of the world press, but you know for yourself. Think of them. Appreciate them. Bring any happiness you can. Also good time you had, good deeds you have, good opportunities you have. Make yourself a little happier, little better.

9:41

And then try to motivate into helping, into positiveness, into compassion, into love, into affection and all that. Try to move.

9:56

9:56

THINK OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL JOY

Anyway, major focus today, subject I am to talk with you today is the next 5 major points of mental faculties, which is ascertaining mental faculties, which will help your, help mind to ascertain.

Five points – Number one is aspiration. Number two is believing. Number three is mindfulness. Number four is concentration. Number five is wisdom. In Tibetan is dunba, möba, tenba, ten zing, sherab.

We are looking for certain translations and translators have suggested for dun pa – aspiration. So anyway, this aspiration is something very important. Whatever you are going to believe, whatever you going to appreciate, or dislike, whatever your mind is going to do, first you have to have – especially positive deeds like believing or faith or something – you do need this aspiration. Because you are not going to like it - your mind might not be able to engage on the focusing meditation on that unless you really see the result of meditation.

12:42

You know when you meditate properly and meditate long enough, you do get result. The result of the meditation is not only that you get focus, even before you get focus, a certain joy will develop – a certain physical joy as well as mental joy. So this physical joy, those who have experience have described it as some kind of physical happiness. Physically engaging in a feeling in your physical body - almost like you shaved your head and someone gives you a very warm, thick cloth or towel. Not like those in airlines or some Chinese restaurants or like now many restaurants that give you a tiny little towel which may be coming out of a microwave oven so it will burn you.

Not that type, but really thick, sustaining heat and if you put that on your head, and if you’ve shaved your hair and put that on your head, that certain heat will give you a nice warm feeling. Particularly like here, if you are in a cold place with a cold building in it and then if you have that nice thick big hot towel and put it on your head; you’ll really have this strong heat, heating your head and giving you physical warmth and relaxation - which somehow pushes through from the head onwards through all the rest of your physical body. Simultaneously, you develop joy and happiness within your mind.

15:20

Mind will also occupy a different attitude, a different atmosphere. Mind will engage in a different atmosphere of joy and happiness. So when you get that level, then your enthusiasm of meditation is effortlessly coming in. It is effortless because you begin to see your physical result. You begin to see your mental happiness. So who doesn’t want joy? Who doesn’t want happiness? We all do. So we will effortlessly push ourself to meditation.

16:16

But our problem now is that we don’t get those. These are the nice little results, not very far from now, but we may be able to get it. But right this moment, person like us, you and me, it’s almost like a fairytale story. We are not there. So what makes us to motivate? We get this motivation by this aspiration.

17:03

Thinking of that quality – like the physical and mental joy I talked about just now. Think about it. And also express the desire that you’d like to have it. Thinking about it, expression of desire, these are what we call dunba or aspirations, actually.

Until you really get those good results, physically or mentally, until we experience, then this mental substitute for this is aspiration. Seeing the quality of certain things and you admire the quality of those certain things. Like the quality of kindness, like quality of compassion, and the quality of love. And then the aspiration that one would like to engage with that. One would like to live one’s life in love. And one would like to live one’s life with compassion. And one would like to be a person of compassion rather than hatred. You know, we have the expression of saying, “grumpy old man”. So you don’t want to be the grumpy old man. You want to be the loving, compassionate, affectionate old person, or something like that. These are the aspirations, the desire to be.

19:12

9:56

ASPIRING TO LIVE ONE’S LIFE IN LOVE

Anyway, major focus today, subject I am to talk with you today is the next 5 major points of mental faculties, which is ascertaining mental faculties, which will help your, help mind to ascertain.

Five points – Number one is aspiration. Number two is believing. Number three is mindfulness. Number four is concentration. Number five is wisdom. In Tibetan is dunba, möba, tenba, ten zing, sherab.

We are looking for certain translations and translators have suggested for dun pa – aspiration.

So anyway, this aspiration is something very important. Whatever you are going to believe, whatever you going to appreciate, or dislike, whatever your mind is going to do, first you have to have – especially positive deeds like believing or faith or something – you do need this aspiration. Because you are not going to like it - your mind might not be able to engage on the focusing meditation on that unless you really see the result of meditation.

12:42

You know when you meditate properly and meditate long enough, you do get result. The result of the meditation is not only that you get focus, even before you get focus, a certain joy will develop – a certain physical joy as well as mental joy. So this physical joy, those who have experience have described it as some kind of physical happiness. Physically engaging in a feeling in your physical body - almost like you shaved your head and someone gives you a very warm, thick cloth or towel. Not like those in airlines or some Chinese restaurants or like now many restaurants that give you a tiny little towel which may be coming out of a microwave oven so it will burn you.

Not that type, but really thick, sustaining heat and if you put that on your head, and if you’ve shaved your hair and put that on your head, that certain heat will give you a nice warm feeling. Particularly like here, if you are in a cold place with a cold building in it and then if you have that nice thick big hot towel and put it on your head; you’ll really have this strong heat, heating your head and giving you physical warmth and relaxation - which somehow pushes through from the head onwards through all the rest of your physical body. Simultaneously, you develop joy and happiness within your mind.

15:20

Mind will also occupy a different attitude, a different atmosphere. Mind will engage in a different atmosphere of joy and happiness. So when you get that level, then your enthusiasm of meditation is effortlessly coming in. It is effortless because you begin to see your physical result. You begin to see your mental happiness. So who doesn’t want joy? Who doesn’t want happiness? We all do. So we will effortlessly push ourself to meditation.

16:16

But our problem now is that we don’t get those. These are the nice little results, not very far from now, but we may be able to get it. But right this moment, person like us, you and me, it’s almost like a fairytale story. We are not there. So what makes us to motivate? We get this motivation by this aspiration.

17:03

Thinking of that quality – like the physical and mental joy I talked about just now. Think about it. And also express the desire that you’d like to have it. Thinking about it, expression of desire, these are what we call dun ba or aspirations, actually.

Until you really get those good results, physically or mentally, until we experience, then this mental substitute for this is aspiration. Seeing the quality of certain things and you admire the quality of those certain things. Like the quality of kindness, like quality of compassion, and the quality of love. And then the aspiration that one would like to engage with that. One would like to live one’s life in love. And one would like to live one’s life with compassion. And one would like to be a person of compassion rather than hatred. You know, we have the expression of saying, “grumpy old man”. So you don’t want to be the grumpy old man. You want to be the loving, compassionate, affectionate old person, or something like that. These are the aspirations, the desire to be.

19:12

So you know, as we said very clearly, mind is the driving force. Mind will drive you. So when the mind drives you, you manage your mind and if you don’t want to be grumpy old person and you want to be loving, kind and affectionate sweet old man or old person. So that is the thought. Whatever you are going to produce, that’s in your hand. Whether – not only the thought – but whether you want to be good old, sweet person when you are aged or you want to be grumpy, angry old person, it’s in your own hand. You are preparing now. So now, if you wanted to be loving, kind, and then you have that aspiration develop. That aspiration will take you until you develop those great experiences I talked earlier.

Until then, that aspiration - dunba, that mental faculty will connect you. Connect your mind towards not only an old man, but even a person today, whether you want to be kind person that people like to be around, or you’d like to be a grumpy person no one likes having you around. That is in your hand. Not thinking of old age but even today, today itself. So when you would like to be a good, kind, “people would like you” person, you have to have that aspiration. That aspiration and thinking you want to be lovable, you want to be kind; you don’t want to be identified as a grumpy person. You don’t want to be identified to be an angry person. So that is also in your own hand and how you move with your aspiration.

22:00

But sometimes when you are angry; you cannot get that aspiration, sit down and count your breath. Sit down and count your breath, in-out, in-out, in-out, in-out, and don’t think anything else. So count the breath so the strength of your anger goes down. Then gradually introduce your aspiration. Aspiration of being nice, being kind – particularly, liked by others, that others like you and think you are great or good or cute or kind and sweet. That’s what you want and you should have your aspiration. If you don’t manage - if you want your mind to do whatever it wants to do, mind may express anger, mind may express hatred. Mind may let you be a very sarcastic person. Mind may let you hit back at the person or get back – this is payback time! Get you back. And if you do so, people don’t like you. Look at you as a funny person - not funny in a good way but in a bad way. So if you want to avoid that, have a good aspiration.

23:48

And that’s what aspiration does.

And then, next time whether they believe or möba in Tibetan, I’ll talk to you next Sunday. I’m sorry it’s a little short today. As I said at the beginning, I’m planning to be a little short, my apologies. And probably see you next Sunday. Maybe I’ll be in Ann Arbor and I’ll see you then.

Thank you.

24:00