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20141026GRAAETB67

Good morning everybody and welcome to this Sunday’s talk. I am looking forward to this upcoming celebration in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the Sunday of November 2nd. That is very, very kind and thank you.

Now we have to talk about today’s talk. As you remember, this is basically the introduction to Mahayana Buddhism, in the sense that it is a real thing. Sometimes people think that the introduction is not the real thing and the real thing is something to be followed later. That’s also true to a certain extent. But when you are introducing something you have to really talk about it, otherwise what are you introducing?

0:01:26.1 There are many ways to introduce Mahayana Buddhism. But if you really look at Mahayana Buddhism, it is different than other forms of Buddhism. Compassion and love are there on the one hand and wisdom on the other hand and that is slightly different from the very general ones. Sometimes people misunderstand and say that Mahayhana is love/compassion and the rest of Buddhism is not love and compassion. That is also no true.

0:02:26.9 Self-liberation points have tremendous compassion. In other words, that’s the Hinayana. That’s old terminology, which people don’t like. Hina is small and Maha is big. That’s why it is a little prerogative language and people don’t like it. So we call it self-liberation, because in principle that’s what it is. It is liberating the individual by themselves. That is the major principle of that teaching. Then helping and bringing love and compassion with wisdom to all living beings, that is A-L-L, is the Mahayana path. That’s why we call it that. But that doesn’t mean that self-liberation doesn’t have compassion and love and wisdom. They have incredible amounts of it. But in addition to this, this is quite different. Even compassion itself is called here greater compassion, not just compassion.

0:04:13.6 Then love is the most affectionate love and the combination of this love and compassion together is called the mind of Buddha, the bodhimind or enlightened mind. People use all kinds of terminology to express that in English. But it is bodhimind, because that’s how Buddha thinks and acts and all buddhas do that.

0:05:11.7 And that’s why it is bodhimind. So the greater compassion, incredible, affectionate love and the bodhimind, on top of this incredible compassion and love then the commitment that “I will do it.” It is me. I am going to have tremendous love and compassion and you cannot imagine. It is not only for one or two persons, but to all living beings.

The 7th Dalai Lama said,

The compassion of buddhas and bodhisattvas has no comparison to the love I have for myself. It is way beyond that.

So you can imagine what they are talking about. Then, that compassion, that commitment, alone will not be able to do much. It is there, but you want to do something. You have the commitment. But then you don’t know what to do. So that’s the problem. That’s why Maitreya gave the 10 instructions. As you have heard, the nature itself: the two truths, relative and absolute. The focusing point of the Four Noble Truths and the object of refuge is three. The nature itself with enthusiasm. So we did talk about the three different types of enthusiasm. By the way, here we are talking from the Mahayana Buddhist point of view. When you are talking about enthusiasm, we are not simply talking about individual endurance. We are talking about endurance with virtuous activities, good karma-creating activities, great love, great compassion and great wisdom and all Six Perfections, in order to make the individual ripe and fit. These are the perfections of generosity, morality, patience, enthusiasm and concentration or meditation as well as wisdom.

0:04:06.7 Those are the six very important mental tools that we utilize to move ourselves forward and to bring everybody forward to liberation of everybody, not only me as one individual as a single individual, but all, everything included. That is easy to talk about in words, but you think it is impossible, almost impossible, because our pre-preparations are not so good. If you remember, we bring in equanimity, great equality, to all living beings. That’s why every day we say: May all beings be happy, may all beings be free from suffering and its causes, may all beings never be separated from the joy that has never known suffering, may all beings remain in equal balance between the push and pull of hatred and obsession.

0:05:59.3 We can only pray, but that doesn’t mean that we will or won’t become that. Many did and many will. I have been talking to you all this, because of my little background in Tibetan Buddhist incredible teachings. My knowledge is nothing. My understanding is nothing. Really, a tiny, little thing. The Tibetan Buddhists say it is like a drop of water picked up by a blade of grass out of the great ocean. All of that is due to the kindness of my great teachers, many of them. The most important, outstanding of these, since my childhood almost, is Kyabje Denma Lochö Dorjechang. Honestly. Many people know him as Denma Lochö Rinpoche or Lochö Rinpoche, but I like to address him as Denma Lochö Dorje Chang. Dorje Chang means one who has achieved the ultimate Buddha level. The Vajrayana Buddhas are called vajra holder. In Tibetan that is Dorje chang. The one who holds the vajra holds the bell too. They hold bell and vajra together. The meaning is this: holding the vajra is holding all compassion aspects that all buddhas have ever known. Holding the bell means that most incredible wisdom that buddhas have ever known. It is sort of united together. That’s why Buddha Vajradhara or Buddha Dorje Chang.

0:09:42.6 It is incredible sad that about three days ago he passed away in Dharmasala, India. A week ago, fortunately he had wonderful meetings with His Holiness The Dalai Lama at the Dalai Lama’s residence. You could see the pictures passed around and His Holiness was touching his head very closely towards Kyabje Lochö Dorje Chang’s head. So there is tremendous joy and happiness for those like me, the disciples of Lochö Rinpoche. Then within a couple of days of that he passed away, at three in the afternoon. Some people say it was at 4 or at 3.30 or whatever, but around that time he went for a walk, came back and sat down, had a cup of tea and passed away. It means incredible sadness on the one hand, but also a tremendous celebration, celebrating his complete achievement. These are the people who have been Buddhas centuries ago. Kyabje Dorje Chang was openly known and well known to be Buddha Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom.

0:12:02.7 Even he himself admitted a number of times, while visiting Jewel Heart in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He said the Tibetan government protector Nechung somehow pronounced that he is Manjushri. He said, “My Manjushri manifestation.” Manjushri is called Jamyang in Tibetan. So he said, “Everybody who has the name Jamyang, doesn’t mean that they are all Manjushri. As for me, I don’t have the name Jamyang, but the protector pronounced that I am Manjushri’s reincarnation.” That is how he incredibly said it – jokingly. At the same time I must recall that one fine morning he was sitting in my bedroom in Ann Arbor. I walked in and wished him good morning and he suddenly said, “Did you have a vision of Yamantaka?” I said, “Oh no.” He said, “When I woke up early this morning, I looked up above your bed and there was some king of mandala activities going on. Later, when the light came I saw that you have a Yamantaka picture over there.”

I have a little postcard of Yamantaka. That particular Yamantaka is from a Yamantaka statue in the old Drepung monastery in Lhasa in the tantric college there. There is a huge Yamantaka statue as principal. The postcard is half the size of the that and I have it hanging up there. So Lochö Rinpoche said, “Later I saw you have a picture where I had seen all these mandala activities up there. So I thought you may have had a vision.” I said, “No, I didn’t. I wish I could, but I am not there. That’s it.” So it is incredible.

0:15:11.7 In short, Kyabje Lochö Rinpoche’s learning level was outstanding. He was an outstanding Lharampa geshe, which is like the top PhD, Number one throughout the mid-50s. Also in the tantric college two years thereafter, he was Number One. Then he didn’t want to have any office-holding position like abbot or deputy abbot, etc. He withdrew himself from the list of tantric college geshes. He gave teachings throughout Drepung, Lhasa and so on and continuously gave teachings and upheld his lineage from his own master, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, HH Dalai Lama’s senior tutor. He was holding his lineage. Last night, at the party, Professor Robert Thurman very kindly mentioned Kyabje Lochö Dorje Chang and his lineage, particular the Yamantaka lineage that is coming through Kyabje Ling Rinpoche. I very deeply appreciate that, thank you.

0:17:21.7 And it is true and it makes me think again. On the one hand, that is the sadness. On the other hand it is a great celebration of his obtaining Mahaparanirvana. It is gone beyond – gate gate paragate parasamgate Bodhi soha. Not only gone beyond, but beyond that and greater beyond and reached the Buddha level – Bodhi soha.

0:18:16.5 That is briefly remembering his kindness. On the one hand we are left without guidance. It is almost like the great mother bird left the babies in the midst of the field. It is like Allen Ginsberg used to say: Guru Death, your words are true – Sangha Death, we’ll figure out.” So I suppose we have to figure it out.

Anyway, I am really grateful. Many of my friends joined me to pay my tribute and also everybody is praying and dedicating our great virtues to fulfill his great wishes and life after life, great Manjushri master may remain and guide and lead us all the way through to gone beyond, beyond, greater beyond, till the Buddha level. That is what I have to say.

I am supposed to talk to you about the five wisdom eyes, but with all these circumstances I would like to do it this way. Also we are looking forward to the great reincarnation of Kyabje Denma Lochö Dorje Chang to be returning to the human land in general and particularly to open-minded people such as ourselves and to the people who are interested in the Buddha’s way of completing our journey. So we all wish that and please join me in that.

Thank you 0:21:11.6