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;;;FILENAME: 20151113GRJHNLVT01

SPEAKER: Gelek Rimpoche

LOCATION: Netherlands

TRANSCRIBER: Kimba Levitt

DURATION: 124:02

[INTRODUCTION IN DUTCH 0:00:00 - 0:02:44]

Welcome for tonight’s talk and thank you for - I don’t know what did you introduce? I was told by Marion that you introduced Jewel Heart and thank you. And I’m sure you did great introduction of Jewel Heart, but … I like to say there are a couple of Jewel Heart centers in the West and some group of people and things in the East, but Jewel Heart, the whole Jewel Heart, started first in Netherlands. I hope you mentioned that. And the Jewel Heart Netherlands has started before Jewel Heart America started.

There is a Dutch woman named Helen, not the little Helen but the big Helen. [LAUGHS]. Little Helen is sitting there. She’s no longer little. She’s quite healthy and strong now. But, there was Helen who was in India. She was great mind. Wonderful mind. I think she was socialist. I don’t think she was communist, but she was socialist - a great Dutch intellectual woman. There are a number of great intelligent people at that time - Helen and her colleagues and friends. A number of them.

0:05:15

She invited me here to a couple of times way before we started Jewel Heart. Couple of times we came and we took the teaching at the FPMT center called [?? SOUNDS LIKE: Masimomo] over there and so at the very beginning I think Carel was not there right from the very beginning but very soon he came in and then of course Marianne Soeters, Piet Soeters, and the Len. First Marianne and then Len and I think you’re the third group. Right?

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE

RIMPOCHE: You’re the third group. And that is sort of small group of people studied. And we been meeting in the living rooms of Marianne Soeters in Gennep [SPELLING ?] or Kennip.

AUDIENCE: Gennep.

RIMPOCHE: Gennep. And, right. And then of course a number of you came in and you came in too, right? And everybody else. And that is how Jewel Heart is started. And it is not we want to organize it. It is sort of people came in and somehow and then this become today with a base building we call it Jewel Heart and that is how it came in. A number of people continuously worked so hard to put that in. You did two works. (Am I talking too long?) We did two works. One, we emphasize on the study so we’re beginning, we’re really thinking sort of, how can we serve people? How? What can we do? So we emphasize on the teaching and the study and the model in my mind was sort of academic line, where - it’s not academic line as intellectual university studies, but giving the subject. And so my mind we’re thinking of academic line where the study is emphasized. A group of people will take responsibility of that and a group of people will take the responsibility of - not so much little but less but administrative works that we have to do. Sort of we provided basically responsibility to separately - so Helen, late Helen, Carel - Carel Weevers - and a number of them taking responsibility of the, this, the academic line. They don’t call it academic. This is only my mind thinking that way. But study emphasizing. And same, as well as, as well as Marianne Soeters is very, very strong in the thing, study. And then of course Piet, Len and they took the administrative side of it. So that is we begin.

0:09:54

And then gradually we have a Board, we have DCT. The whole idea of academic line goes in the DCT; whole idea of administrative goes in the Board. And then of course number of people came in and a number of people helped tremendously. And we’ve been able to have the building and people worked, particularly Ron Twisk and his colleagues worked so hard here and without, you know - for years. Every time - I came twice a year. Every time I came here, there is something new, something new, something new, bigger, better, bigger, better, bigger, better all the time as physically.

As well as, as well as the study groups are doing very well. Did very well for a long time. A number of people who are studying - we call it study. We don’t call it meditative practice. It’s study because it’s in line with academic information and once, as I said last night, once you have the information then you will do whatever you want to do with the information. You are not kindergarten kids: now sit down and meditate. Now stand up and prostrate. We don’t say that, right? Because if you are little kid we do that but you are not. You are educated, wonderful, intelligent great people and we’re not going to tell you, “stand up,” or we’re not going to tell you, “sit down,” or we’re not going to tell you, “meditate.” We’re not going to say, “don’t meditate.” [LAUGHS] So we’re not going to do that. So we give you the information and then it’s up to you what to do sort of thing. And that’s how Jewel Heart runs.

0:12:29

Marianne de Kok - is she here today? No. OK. Anyways, Marianne de Kok was the president for a long time until we had a little trouble and then we had go through a very hard time of close the Board and all that sort of thing we had to do. And I can’t manage from America and Frances (where’s Frances? I saw her in the afternoon somewhere.) Yeah, she helped me to manage for couple of years. How many years?

AUDIENCE: [DIFFICULT TO HEAR AT FIRST] … for one year and then we had four years …

RIMPOCHE: Yeah. Anyway, managed it and did very well. And then we had to reconstitute the Board. Long time our present president, Hans of Den Bosch. And I thought for five, six years and he told me yesterday it’s been eleven years. So, so thank you [CHUCKLES]. So we did very good in that way. And of course we will go according to the democratic principles and democratic society. However there are certain needs and the president gone a long time he been in there and so at the present it was very good.

We do have - last year we merged the Board and DCT. We merged them together last year because - I tell you honestly. Why did I do that? I suggested and pushed it and they didn’t accept for a number of years and finally they did, very kindly. The reasons why? Because the Board we have rules to change; DCT we don’t have rules to change. It’s continue. There was a period that DCT is more powerful, more stronger than the Board, so which is not right. So in order to avoid that we make it to merge them together. Merge them together because no Board should be more powerful than the Board itself so that is the reason why we merged them together. It makes a much bigger Board than what it was because two separate Boards merged them together. But everybody is kind, compassionate, well-educated, very dedicated for the cause and so therefore even though it is a little hard to handle for the meetings, etc., but based on the quorums and so I think we thought we will manage and finally you are now together with one big Bod and with separate responsibilities for separate members.

0:16:45

President is the president of the society and its head and somehow right from the beginning they have very kindly given me a veto power. As a teacher, buddhist teacher, vajrayana teacher, I accepted but never used. Never used. And the time came what’s going to happen to that so we set up a group called Elders’ Group. It might not be looks important, powerful, active, but it holds the banner. It holds the banner. When I’m gone, that group holds the veto. If they don’t like it, if they don’t like it what they’re doing, if it’s wrong they have the veto power. The Elders’ Group has the veto power and they will veto anything including Board, whatever they decided. So that is how we set up. And right now there are only a couple of people in the Elders’ Group but still the senior ones will go in the Elders’ Group and they will see it goes well, I hope.

So since - though it’s not my job to introduce Jewel Heart, and he did great introduction, (though I did not understand a word), but it is. And he will do well. And he is one of the members of DCT and now merged into the Board. And you know, beautiful musician. Admirer of Philip. And he came to America last year, right: in winter or something, right? In the retreat. Philip happens to be in the retreat too, Philip Glass. So, the day Philip leaving, I didn’t see them sitting together or talking so I got both of them together, took photo. Did you get the picture?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

RIMPOCHE:[CHUCKLES] I got them together and get them take a picture together so because you know he writes about and talks about Philip and he’s sitting there so might as well get a picture at least. So I was sort of happy to be - though it was a big rush, remember? But somehow I got Philip and got him and sort of got them to take pictures.

0:19:53

So anyway, so that is… And then of course our major emphasize is study, not administration. Things can go wrong in the administration. People can figure out; sort it out. If things go in the study, you’ll be misinforming people and that is not right so we really, we really look carefully. Carel did that wonderful job for a long time taking major responsibility. And we’re great to have you, Inge Eikhout, really wonderful. Great addition and help. And a number of senior people, number of people. If I don’t mention names it doesn’t mean I’m ignoring you, but many of you.

And there are, you know, there are occasions that so many wonderful young, bright peoples comes in. If I remember correctly, Naomi and Robert Kuerntjes (Kurrent right?) came.

AUDIENCE: [CORRECTS PRONUNCIATION]

RIMPOCHE: OK. Came in together one day and Naomi continued and wonderfully helping and guiding groups and leading the group prayers and wonderfully. Robert somehow drifted out but he does have the karma to be able to work with this, I’m quite sure. Quite sure. But, somehow he drifted out so, when you drifted out you can do nothing. So you let them drift. It is the human beings and they have their own mind and they have their own rights so you can do whatever you want to do but as long as you serve people, as long as you’re helpful to people, which he also continuously doing and I’m very happy with it.

0:22:27

So, and like this, many of you came and many of you put a lot of your efforts. And also putting efforts here, teaching whatever you know. Do not teach what you don’t know. As long as you know, teach. And teaching others, helping others, is the way to help ourself. Jewel Heart provides that basis, honestly. People who know about it and we have opportunity to share. People who like to know about it, they have opportunity to share.

And we do meditate. We do have a meditation course. If I remember, we have meditation course for a long time … the two people, one is Ed Houpperman and the other is (I forgot his name).

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

RIMPOCHE: No. Fred. Fred, right?

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

RIMPOCHE: I thought I saw him near the door somewhere. Where are you Fred? Oh, you’re at the back there. All right. So you been - how many years you been teaching meditation?

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

RIMPOCHE: (He didn’t understand me. You know, he doesn’t speak English so well.)

AUDIENCE: [TRANSLATES RIMPOCHE’S QUESTION IN DUTCH]

AUDIENCE: Twenty-six years.

TRANSLATOR: Twenty-six years.

RIMPOCHE: There you go! Twenty-six years and they’re sitting there, Friday (if I’m not making mistakes). Friday evenings, right? So the meditation course is running there.

So this is what we do. That’s who we are. It all started with one Dutch woman, Helen (last name is Van…)

0:25:57

TRANSLATOR (Marion Wierda) TO RIMPOCHE: Maybe I should give a summary now. What do you think?

RIMPOCHE: Yeah. Anyway. So can you translate? I talked too much. [LAUGHTER]

TRANSLATOR: I’ll make it a summary.

RIMPOCHE: Yep.

[0:25:07 - 0:29:00 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

0:29:04

RIMPOCHE: Thank you. Well, you got a double introduction of Jewel Heart, though that’s not my job. He did it. But since you said introduce Jewel Heart so I think I made very clear as far as what I know.

0:29:22

Now, the subject of tonight talk, I was told … I was told last night was (what did we do last night?)

TRANSLATOR: Tibetan Buddhism.

RIMPOCHE: Tibetan Buddhism. And tonight I was told vajrayana. And then, now, it’s not just the vajrayana. Vajrayana visualizations and how does that relevant and help today’s life. And this is what, when I was coming down both Frances and Gert Jan (I’ve been saying Christian, but Gert Jan) both came and told me that.

So now I’m thinking of brief introduction of vajrayana buddhism on the basis of Buddha of Compassion, Avalokitesvara on the weekend.

[0:30:46 - 0:31:06 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

RIMPOCHE: Last year when I was here (I think it was in April, right?), when I was here and you have this Dutch lady who’s married to a Tibetan gentleman who is - we call him Rinchen-la - the Tibetan shop-owner, and she asked me whether she could have Avalokitesvara initiation. So on that basis and as well as Avalokitesvara is out of four tantras the activity tantra, or kriya tantra. So it is a little restriction and little more easier. So thinking of introducing vajrayana along with Avalokitesvara initiation. And those who would like to take initiation as initiation they may do so, as well as those who do not want to take initiation but want to know what’s happening, can also take as blessing rather than initiation and also introduce in vajrayana. So sort of major vajrayana introduction I was thinking for the weekend and - but still I talk to you a little bit tonight. But still, that is what I was planning.

[0:33:00 - 0:33:52 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

0:34:00

Buddha of Compassion, Avalokitesvara, has many, many forms and commonly what we know is four-armed Avalokitesvara and then the initiation what I’m doing is thousand-armed, thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara. Yet, on Saturday the preparation day, we also doing that four-armed Avalokitesvara together on that day because originally I was planning to do only preparation on Saturday and then actual initiation only - both of them - on Sunday. And then Karin came to me yesterday and said that is a problem. She said some people want to have initiation but they can’t come on Sunday but if those who come on Saturday only they only have preparation and not initiation and that’s not right. So OK. I said, OK, I’lll do the four-armed along with preparation day together. So those who come with preparation and they will have at least a little bit of initiation or blessing on Avalokitesvara fully that day as well as on Sunday the full Avalokitesvara initiation.

Last night when we’re talking, Marion ask me whether you want to talk about the weekend initiation so I said tomorrow is vajrayana talk, we do. So that is what I thought we better talk today with these things and then that. (So maybe you should translate that.)

[0:36:21 - 0:36:57 DUTCH TRANSLATION

0:36:57 - 0:37:15 AUDIENCE MAKES COMMENT IN DUTCH]

0:37:17

And now talking about the vajrayana. What is vajrayana? Vajrayana is nothing but buddhism. Very buddhism. And that of Mahayana buddhism. Basically buddhism is, you know, divided into two categories called Mahayana and originally it’s called theravadin - no, Hinayana, but now we call it theravadin. So, sort of vehicle for liberate individual so bigger vehicle and smaller vehicle. So that is how it’s named originally in India during the Buddha’s period. So later, people don’t like call it Hina, which is smaller, narrow vehicle, and maha, which is great, big vehicle. Sometimes people don’t like the name. They objected, so they call it self-liberation and Mahayana. So basically buddhism is based in two.

The self-liberation, or Hinayana, is also known as southern buddhism. In India, earlier, it’s south side developed more than north side. Mahayana, vajrayana developed more in north and north to north. North to north. So it’s even call it sometimes northern buddhism. And the southern buddhism.

So what happened is, after Buddha passed away many years, there were wars in India, different tradition, particularly Mugal period. From Persia this … the war from the Persia side came and took over India and sort of smashed mostly hindu-buddhism, all of them. So the buddhism almost lost its complete seat in India and the southern buddhism went from India to Sri Lanka now we call it (those days it’s known as Ceylon) and then from there to Thailand, Burma and that southeast asian countries (Cambodia, Laos, etc.) are southern buddhism.

The Northern buddhism went north. North. That is north to Himalayas and beyond the Himalayas to Tibet, China, Mongolia and to a certain extent even to Korea. So these are the northern buddhism went to north.

0:41:46

Vajrayana happens to be part of the mahayan so it travelled to north.

[0:41:58 - 0:43:29 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

And it’s not that southern buddhism, some of them does not have vajrayana. They do. They did. And there are a lot of incidents, but it’s kept very secret. Vajrayana itself emphasize to keep secret. So they kept very secret in south. That means Thailand and even Laos, Cambodia, and even some extent China the vajrayana did go, but it is the royal family dharma. Not available for everybody. Very, very senior, trusted ministers, some of them are even allowed to sit in the initiation as a blessing. That is historical evidence tells us today. So it’s not that southern buddhism did not have vajrayana, they do.

But northern went so crazy, completely open. The vajrayana becomes completely open in north - Himalayan region, Tibet, and beyond, Mongolia and even northern part of china. The Mongols, Manchus and all that. (Can you switch off your telephones please? Thank you.) Mongols and Manchus and all those. So that is really evidence today because trusted ministers are allowed to sit with royal family members for certain initiations.

[0:45: - 0:46:32 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

In certain information some people say there are three vehicles: Hinayana, Mahayana, vajrayana. People do say that and it is quite popularly known in the West.

[0:46:52 - 0:47:04 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

I will not say it is wrong because, because from the individual practitioner’s point of view it is three vehicles: the Hinayana vehicle, the Mahayana vehicle, the vajrayana vehicle. It is from the practitioner’s point of view it is. Also, it looks to me introduced to that way by earlier masters such as Suzuki Roshi and Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and a number of other earlier buddhist teachers that came in 1950’s and 60’s. Seems to be introducing them. And definitely Trungpa Rinpoche, however scandal it may be, but great being and great master, great teacher. As well as Suzuki Roshi. So for me, it is not for me to criticize what they have said because they know much better than I do, honestly. So they know much better than I do. They are much better than me.

So, but, when normally when you look in buddhism, when they say three vehicles they mean sravakayana, pratyekayana, buddhayana. Sravakayana is self-liberation Yana; pratyekayana is also self-liberation, but both srvaka and pratyeka are Hinayana practitioners. And then the buddhayana is the Mahayana aspects of it. That is according to Buddha’s sutra and Buddha’s history and that is how it is. But, you can accept this Hinayana, mahayana and vajrayana because practitioner’s point of view.

What I mean by practitioner’s point of view - goal of buddhism, as I said, to make yourself happy, overcome your difficulties, to liberate yourself - these are the goals. So to overcome your unhappy mind, unhappy mind, sometimes to certain level of intelligent level it is important for discipline. Discipline. Sort of, of course, all three yanas morality is a big issue, no doubt, important, but even then, more than morality alone, discipline-oriented, like you can’t do this, you cannot do this, you can eat meat, you cannot eat meat, you cannot do this, you cannot do that. Discipline-oriented because our mind we cannot control, we cannot manage so we use discipline to that well so that’s why self-liberation uses much more discipline than others.

[0:51:28 - 0:53:15 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

For example, some of the teachings in the theravadin tradition (not only Theravadin tradition but everywhere, but still, emphasized on the theravadin tradition). If you’re a monk who cannot control the attraction and attachment to a say a young woman, the disciplines them, “don’t look.” And the monks are not supposed to look two feet this way, two feet that way. Just supposed to follow the earlier monk and follow, give example of how elephant functions, walks. One elephant after another you know, sort of goes straight and don’t look around. So that sort of discipline more emphasized. And when you really - you cannot handle your mind at all so these are emphasized. So that’s - when I say discipline I was sort of vaguely saying but when you really look at it, that’s what it is.

[0:54:48 - 0:55:25 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

One time I was at a conference (I forgot the place where it is), some conference, buddhist conference, and a group of monks - both Tibetan and theravadin monks - are sitting on the stage. I’m in the first row in there. When I’m looking up, the theravadin monks are sitting like this without any, any turning around, sitting like this and with hands going like everybody. Tibetan monks are up there laughing, talking, joking, everything. So, in my mind I thought, that is how discipline oriented and not so much emphasize on the discipline. That’s why it’s different. Or maybe Tibetan monks are more social and Theravadin monks are more strict. Maybe. Whatever it is. Anyway. Sometimes you see that.

[0:56:35 - 0:56:58 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

Also discipline tells you, tells you, the Theravadin tradition tells you greet everybody. Sort of, you don’t - you greet everybody. So the theravadin monks you notice going like this, greeting, you know. The Tibetan monks don’t do it. You probably, you know. So that was not emphasized in their training which if you really look deeply that is what it is. Discipline more emphasized because of you know, way how they handle negative emotions within the individual. Sort of mahayana do not emphasize so much of the discipline, physical discipline, but mental discipline. Mental discipline. Particularly compassion. Compassion. So much so that think everybody as your mother, mother sentient beings. Think everybody as your mother. There is no enemy. Everybody is one time or another time your mother. Sort of much more mentally emphasize than strictly just bowing and sort of bow down, that sort of discipline that way.

[0:58:50 - 0:59:55 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

When you say look everybody as mother beings, sometimes it’s difficult. Then you begin saying is my father is mother too? You know what I mean? So that sort of difficulties will come. You say is my son my mother? What you talking about it? Right? So, all that sort of difficulties will be there, but the whole idea is looking everybody so close, so near, so dear that someone you depend your life survival for this people that time or this time, that’s what it is.

[1:00:39 - 1:01:09 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

And, so now you see theravadin how to handling the negative emotions by discipline, mahayana level by compassion and love. Vajrayana level is transformation. It’s not discipline. It’s not - the compassion is of course there but transforming; transforming the negative into a positive; negative emotions into a positive wisdom.

[1:01:54 - 1:02:12 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

Let’s say, take five negative emotions, let’s say five. Number one, you take hatred, right? Hatred is one. And ignorance is two. Stinginess is three. And attachment or the obsession is four. Jealousy five. Let’s see. Take these five emotions.

[1:02:51 TRANSLATOR: You said stinginess?

RIMPOCHE: Huh?

TRANSLATOR: Stinginess number …

RIMPOCHE: Huh?

TRANSLATOR: You said stinginess is number three?

RIMPOCHE: Tight. I don’t want to spend. If there’s only $10 here I don’t want to take it anyone. You can’t have even one. I need every penny. That’s it.

TRANSLATOR: [IN DUTCH. LAUGHTER. CONTINUES TRANSLATING

1:03:34]

These are most affective negative emotions within us.

1:03:42 DUTCH TRANSLATION

Hatred is so much. Anything, you know, ow this hatred when it works out you know how difficult it works out. You just saw the war in Iran. Syria still going on. You are still having the problem of the refugee coming on - ah, the residues of that war. And all these are, all these are due to hatred.

[1:04:16 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

1:04:40

And then the hatred you have to change it into a, into dharmadhatu wisdom. There are - I brought five negatives so I have to get five wisdoms. So five buddhas. Five wisdom, five buddhas, five negatives. So five - the hatred you have to transform into dharmdhatu wisdom.

[1:06:10 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

1:05:30

So what does that mean? What does that mean? Right now we have a very strong hatred and when we become buddha, that very hatred becomes dharmadhatu wisdom. That’s what I mean transform. Rather than try to get rid of it, work hard, contemplating, doing all that, it is the power of the vajrayana which makes the change shift. Shift the nature of the hatred becomes wisdom, dharmadhatu wisdom. Dharmadhatu is - we’re using a Sanskrit word which is really a wisdom of natural reality.

[1:06:27 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

1:06:45

The moment this hatred becomes dharmadhatu wisdom, then you become a member of the Akshobhya family.

[1:06:57 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

1:07:07

Similarly for obsession/attachment it is the mirror-like wisdom and Amitabha Buddha.

[1:07:20 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

1:07:31

Similarly for this stinginess, equanimity wisdom. Equality. Why should you have less? Why should I have more? Because I’m very stingy. I have only 100 here so I’m keeping for myself, right? I don’t care to let it go. So why should you have a 100 and why should they have none? So the wisdom of equality, equanimity - which is the principle basis of democracy in the West. It is equality, equanimity, equal rights. So that is the principle of it so that is the, that is the - that stinginess becomes equality wisdom. Equal. Equanimity. We talk about even four immeasurable we talk about equanimity and equality but you don’t really think what it is. It is equal. There is no difference between you and me. Whatever I have, you should have it. Whatever you have I should [LAUGHS] - this is not that socialist society but, you know, but it is, you know, in-between people that is how equality looks into it. Equanimity, equal right. Equal rights. The moment you use the word, ‘right,’ then it becomes acceptable to the eyes and ears of the Western people.

[1:09:22 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

1:09:46

Ignorance like mirror-like wisdom. Mirror-like. There are five wisdoms. Mirror-like wisdom.

[1:09:55 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

Jealousy. Wisdom of activity.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Instead of jealousy, not doing anything, not giving anything, activity. Work it out.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

1:10:28

There was poetry by Allen Ginsberg called “Father Death.”

DUTCH TRANSLATION

And in that he said, “Sangha death, we figure out.”

DUTCH TRANSLATION

It says, “Buddha death, your words are true.”

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Dharma death, your - (what is it?) - your information is true? Or something like that. I forgot, anyway. So sangha death, we figure out. We figure out means there may be a little difficulties here and there. We’ll figure out. We’ll sort it out. That is wisdom.

1:11:22 DUTCH TRANSLATION

So anyway, did I count it all five wisdoms?

[PAUSE]

TRANSLATOR: We had five but there were two mirror-like wisdoms.

AUDIENCE: You said mirror-like wisdom twice.

RIMPOCHE: What?

AUDIENCE: You said Amitabha is mirror-like wisdom.

RIMPOCHE: Yeah. No, no. Amitabha … [TIBETAN…]

AUDIENCE: … discrimination

RIMPOCHE: Discriminating wisdom, yes. Discriminating wisdom. You’re right. So what else left now? So anyway, way how vajrayana handles negativities are through transforming. Just little bit mentioned what transformation and all that, right?

1:12:31 DUTCH TRANSLATION

1:12:47

So how do you transform? How do you transform? This is question. And everybody would like to know if there is some quick answer.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

In vajrayana they talk about the meditation. For transformation they talk about the meditation.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

And meditation is also not like usual you know in the West meditation, just sitting there.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

1:13:43

In the vajrayana meditation, you need to meditate aidam.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Yidam in the sense normally people translate as deity, normally people translate as, I don’t know, vajrayana god, or whatever. Whatever. But, when you talk about yidam, this your mental commitment of specific physical shape of enlightened being.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

1:14:38

For this weekend, like Avalokiteshvara, the yidam is Avalokiteshvara.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Next week we’re doing Heruka and then yidam is Heruka.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

The major teaching work I’m doing will be Vajrayogini and then that yidam is Vajrayogini.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

And Avalokiteshvara, in the case of Avalokiteshvara, there is a figure called Avalokiteshvara figure. However, if you really wanted to know, is there a person named Avalokiteshvara? Maybe. Maybe. But reality really is all enlightened beings have taken a physical form for you and that particular physical form, whatever you’re choosing, that if it’s Avalokiteshvara, it’s Avalokitshvara. If it’s four-armed, it’s four-armed. If it’s thousand-armed, it’s thousand-armed. Whatever you projected, imagined, and according to that, you perceive them back. So that is really word yidam, mental commitment. Word yi-dam is really mental. Your mind commitment base. So that is the mental connection collecting figure is actually yidam.

[1:16:35 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

1:17:20

So, how you do is you have to visualize.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Visualizing means mental image building.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Let’s say Avalokiteshvara. Is there any picture of Avalokiteshvara here? The thousand-armed, thousand-eyed over there but that is difficult to visualize [LAUGHS] because there is a thousand hands, a thousand arms. You know? It’s a little hard to. Is there four-armed Avalokiteshvara anywhere? Oh, Tara here. Let’s borrow Tara. So, there’s Tara here. You know, Tara is female aspects of the Avalokiteshvara. Tara.

It’s interesting. We call it Tara, right? It’s a Sanskrit name but Japanese call it Canon and Chinese call it Kwan Yin Po Sa. So, Tibetans call it Drolma. So it is interesting one person have a different name in all these different countries. And they worship them just like Buddha. It is a female buddha. Tara here. It is a female buddha who happens, buddha who happens to be female. Who developed bodhimind at the female level. Who contemplated difficult work during the female physical form. At the fruit level when he, when she becoming buddha, she was urged to be a male and then become a buddha she said thank you but no thank you. Why? She said because I contemplated all difficult work in female form. I generated my mind in the female form. Now it’s fruit level, I must have female buddha. So that’s why Tara is very outstanding example of female buddha.

[1:19:48 - 1:20:37 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

Incidentally, I must mention, in Jewel Heart we emphasize so much feminine principle also. This is one of our criteria - feminine principle. Because if you look in the Jewel Heart version of vajrayana text, like for example, coming up, Vajrayogini. If you open the Vajrayogini normal it says, “lama khorlo dampa yab yum,” - “may remain as refugee.” In Jewel Heart we emphasize Lama Heruka and Lama Vajrayogini, so equally emphasize for the female figure. So this is sort of - in Jewel Heart we do emphasize feminine principle much more than, much more than … I don’t know. [CHUCKLES]

1:29:58 DUTCH TRANSLATION

It’s not that we don’t respect sangha community. We do as refugee. Take refuge in buddha. Take refuge in dharma. Take refuge in sangha. We do. But, however, the feminine principle we equally emphasize.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

And so now the question now what we are talking about it, how do you visualize Tara, for example, Tara. How do you visualize? Simple. Simple. Look at Tara picture. Look at Tara thangkha. We do have beautiful Tara drawings out of Jewel Heart. Marianne van der Hoerst (where is she? Is she here? Hey, you’re sitting here.) Marianne van der Hoerst. She had done number of great, wonderful thangkhas as you see around. So look at Tara picture and then, then think about it. Not thinking about the picture but imagining. Imagining. Look at the picture, thangkha. Look at the head. Look at the face; look at the face and then mentally imagine that face. Your own mental drawing, mental creation of Tara face. Visualize that. That’s called visualizing. Mentally draw your own Tara face. Then correct. If the nose is crooked, make it straight. And if eyes is crooked, make it straight. That is called analytical meditation. When it is all correct, keep on thinking about it. Focus. Concentrate. That’s called concentrated meditation.

1:24:40 DUTCH TRANSLATION

1:25:36

And when you done well the head, then do the whole physical thing from head to toe. Physical thing you do. Then you have your own mental image of Tara. So either you leave it that Tara over there as second fellow or second object, or visualize yourself in that form. Depends on your authorization.

1:26:06 DUTCH TRANSLATION

1:26:32

So that mentally you do. Physically there are certain things you meditate and verbally you say the mantras.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

So both - all three: physical, mend, and verbal together working.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

And when that works, when that works there will be opportunity for you to be able to transform those negativities into a wisdom.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Well, the vajrayana thing is very profound and great. And vajrayana is the only teaching that Buddha give which will say you can make it in your lifetime.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

1:28:18

Actually, goal of buddhism that as we know is to become buddha yourself.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Theravadin doesn’t talk about becoming buddha at all.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Theravadin talks about how you get freedom from suffering of samsara. That goal.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Mahayana talks about buddha, becoming buddha, but millions of years later.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

And vajrayana talks about it within the life, either one or two lives, or at least sixteen lives. That’s what they talk about it.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

And the most profound, the most quick path, emphasize so much by saying quickly, quickly able to reach to the enlightenment. This sort of emphasize was done on vajrayana.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

So between introducing Jewel Heart and talking about it, I think I wasted my time for you.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Which means my time is up.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

Yeah. Thank you.

DUTCH TRANSLATION

[1:30:31

TRANSLATOR: Do we have a break and then a discussion?

RIMPOCHE: Yeah, that’s whatever it is. Cause I was told my time’s up.

TRANSLATOR: so we take a little break and then come back and have a discussion?

RIMPOCHE: Yeah, yeah. whatever.

TRANSLATOR: IN DUTCH]

1:30:03 TAPE RESUMES IN DUTCH

1:32:04

SPEAKER IN ENGLISH: Rimpoche, you had this very good explanation about vajrayana techniques. The techniques like, yeah, in vajrayana in which visualization plays a very important role. For many people visualization is pretty difficult. Sometimes it’s very hard to do. It’s - it can be very difficult to have something like a clear image. It can be very complicated; very complicated process. Can be very complicated to deal with that. Is it possible for you to say something about that; about how to deal with this complicated matter trying to visualize and work with that?

1:33:16

RIMPOCHE: It is interesting question. But vajrayana never emphasized - well, it did emphasize, your right - clear visualization. But clear visualization is very difficult for everybody. It’s not some people, but almost everybody will have a very difficult to have a clear visualization. But number one, visualization itself people have to figure out what is visualization. That’s why I begin to talk about head, looking at the picture of the head and then imagining and then keep on correcting it, rather than I will say, sit down now and keep your body structure and now think about this. So I didn’t do that because that doesn’t work. So I’m trying to explain it what visualization is really about it.

I mean, I think people can visualize red color. People can visualize yellow color. People can visualize colors. Like, you know, lump of red color or lump of yellow color and all that are possible. Very few, very few people will not be able to do it but most people can do. Think about white. Look at Inge Kappen’s shirt and think about white. So everybody can think about white. Maybe look in my shirt here and think about orange. So everybody can think orange unless people like me who have eye problem and who don’t see it well. And then of course, orange is a problem because what orange is. Luckily I’ve seen before so I don’t have a problem but that - and then everybody knows how to select orange jacket and how to get blue jacket, how to get green jacket. No problem for that. So when you’re thinking about the detailed image of course there will be a very big problem but if you think about just the color alone there will be no problem.

During the Trungpa, Trungpa Rinpoche’s period. Trungpa Rinpoche taught Americans in beginning at the Boulder, Colorado and later he moved to Halifax in Canada. And I saw in Boulder that he has meditation rooms that he does teach - he teaches meditation and visualization, psychology together. He had a room completely green, nothing else. Green room. Everything. The door, the ceiling, the floor, everything green. Everything red. Everything orange. Everything yellow. He had those rooms. So people who have a difficulty of imagining colors they are encouraged to sit in the room and meditate. So everything - floor is yellow, ceiling is yellow, pillar is yellow, door is yellow. Green, red, and all that. Five different colors he put in. So that sort of thing will help people imagining.

1:38:05

Visualization does not necessarily mean you have to see it. You have to see it. Visualization is imagination. Imagining. So, even normal lam rim meditation teachings will tell you if you can’t think of buddha, if you just think of yellow lump, that’s good enough. So that is how it begins. so.

1:38:46 DUTCH TRANSLATION

1:41:12

AUDIENCE: Rimpoche, I have a question too. You talked about transformation. Transforming negative emotions into positive qualities, positive the wisdom qualities. I understand that you do that, for example, by visualizing and making contact with these qualities by visualizing this Buddha images represent the qualities. What do you do with the negative emotions? Where is the link from transforming from the negative to the positive?

RIMPOCHE: Mmm. Interesting question. Visualization of yidam alone, whether they’re doing it or not I’m not so sure. There are a number of things. Number of things. You know, for pre-vajrayana, before vajrayana, it is compulsory requirement is the non-vajrayana aspects of the Buddha’s teaching, particularly that of Four Noble Truths and Six Perfections, etc. The day, the day when you are picking up, looking at buddha image, the day when you’re looking at the buddha image, you begin to pick up the poking through your negative emotions. It is begin at that time, not necessarily visualizing the vajrayana image. But even before taking refuge, just looking at the buddha image, seeing buddha image, talking about the Buddha, talking about buddhist teaching, you begin to picking up on negative emotions. That constantly, constantly become stronger and stronger and stronger and finally when you reach to the vajrayana level it’s becomes quite strong. So with that strong influence, not only a visualization of image but also looking at the mental level as I compare it five wisdom, five buddha, five negative emotions. One become the other. You don’t talk about getting rid of hatred. You’re talking about hatred making into wisdom. That’s why it’s called transformed. So, every efforts you put in, saying mantra, saying sadhana, rightly or wrongly, correctly or not correctly, proper or not proper, saying all building up, poking on the negative emotions, changing them, kicking them. Like a big bird or something. You know, those woodpeckers peck on your house - doh, doh, doh, doh. All the time. Very similar, you’re doing that. You’re doing that constantly picking up on all negative emotions. That plus your efforts there will be time one day the hatred become mirror-like wisdom.

I don’t think we can simply by meditation on yidam it becomes. I don’t think you can say that. That is one of the method. There are a lot of other methods as you know many of them. Basically two, development stage of meditation and the completion of the stage of meditation. So all of those will build up and become that way rather than now you sit there and wait for ten minutes and then you’ll see the color blonde or blue or something. I don’t think it works that way.

[1:47:02 - 1:49:06 DUTCH TRANSLATION]

AUDIENCE: Do you have any time for questions from … [IN DUTCH]

[1:49:06 - 1:49:48 LONG PAUSE]

AUDIENCE: [AUDIO DIFFICULT TO HEAR BECAUSE OF THE MIC] The question of [INAUDIBLE] is it she has so many [INAUDIBLE] in her mind and she can’t get [INAUDIBLE].

RIMPOCHE: lockage. Blockage is to me it is a mental creation.

1:50:19 DUTCH TRANSLATION

And also, and also, matter of your thinking. If you are relaxed, thinking very open, very relaxed, very open, open-minded and you can make your mind to do anything you need to do. You want to do. But if you get nervous and if you’re afraid and all that, and then mental - mind will not do what you want to do. It will just do the opposite. Which is sort of common understanding. And in case of Helen, call little Helen, being kind person, wonderful, kind, wonderful human being for a long time touch with us. At the time of even Helen, the big Helen, not the little Helen but big Helen time, been kind and touch, compassionate and caring. So even though you think you have a lot of blocks, maybe not. Maybe you have - maybe you don’t - maybe you’re underestimating yourself. You’ve been in touch with buddha-dharma, you been in touch with practitioners, and you yourself is kind, caring, compassionate, so you may think there is a block. Maybe not that much.

1:52:52 DUTCH TRANSLATION

1:53:54

Physical difficulties: when you become older we have always that’s the case. That’s why our body why we call it perishable.

1:54:08 DUTCH TRANSLATION

Our body will remain here. Our mind will go.

1:54:26 DUTCH TRANSLATION

So body problem comes with a - because it’s perishable, honestly, it comes with all kinds of problems. All kinds of problems. But mind will go beyond. Go beyond. Body is something you leave it out. Mind’s going beyond.

1:54:55 DUTCH TRANSLATION

So we face a lot of physical problems. Sometimes too fat, sometimes too thin, though too thin may not consider as a problem here nowadays. But, and then sometimes you lose certain organs. In my case, kidney’s gone, eyes’ gone [MEANING VISION], but I’m still here. And then, when the time comes, and kick your bucket, you’ll kick your bucket. But you’ll leave your bucket here. Somebody is kind enough to cremate it, or whatever, or buried, whatever they do. It’s body. But the mind goes. So then the body is discarded, perishable commodity and the mind is the one who goes. So, two different things. So you do have good mind. Don’t worry.

1:56:23 DUTCH TRANSLATION

I must tell you one story here. We have our - used to have Jewel Heart former member, Dr. Yet. Dr. Yet was a wonderful person and practitioner of Tara. Tara. As you all know, she is sort of diagnosis, prognosis is week or so but she lived five long years of a comfortable life. comfortable. She drove from Amsterdam to Paris and bought a tablecloth - beautiful green tablecloth from Tiffany in Paris for me when I came. So she gave me that Tiffany tablecloth and I took home. And our Tibetan friends who were living with me at that time, the night when I arrived they made Tibetan momos and spoiled this Tiffany [LAUGHS], Tiffany tablecloth.

But then you know, she told me once, she said, “I fainted. And when I fainted I don’t think of development stage or completion stage or anything. I can only think of Buddha.” So I said, “You’re lucky. If you think of Buddha, you go, you’re buddhist, you go, you’re never going to go to lower realms.” And that’s a guarantee. So like that.

So people who are in touch with it, somehow you may not think so much about you but you have achieved so much. You’ll only know when you go.

1:59:05 DUTCH TRANSLATION

2:00:06

We used to have Dr. Yet’s chair here. I didn’t see this time. [LAUGHS]

DUTCH TRANSLATION

[INTERRUPTS TRANSLATION] …

Remember? Dr. Yet’s chair here somewhere. I don’t know where but no you don’t have it. Anyway, so that’s that. So don’t worry. You’ll be OK.

AUDIENCE: It’s time, we need to …

RIMPOCHE: … be all night. [LAUGHS]

AUDIENCE: We have to bring this evening to an end because it’s nearly 10:00. But I think we could go on for hours more like this even but the clock is ticking on so we need to finish.

RIMPOCHE: Thank you.

AUDIENCE: Unfortunately.

RIMPOCHE: Well, those of you who are interested in the vajrayana path, you’re welcome tomorrow as well as (tomorrow is Saturday, right?) - tomorrow we have a preparation for the thousand-armed, thousand-eye Avalokiteshvara - thousand head. Sorry. Thousand armed thousand eyed, right? And also a blessing meditative mantra transmission of four-armed Avalokiteshvara. That will be tomorrow. I don’t know what time is it? 4:00 in the evening. OK. And is there an ending time or no? OK. So, and day after tomorrow?

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

RIMPOCHE: Tomorrow 4:00. Then?

AUDIENCE: 7:00.

RIMPOCHE: I heard that. Then?

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

RIMPOCHE: Sunday 2:00. OK. So, you know ending can be early, can be few minutes late but you know because it depends. There’s certain rituals you have to do. Tomorrow we’ll be done. There’s no problem. No doubt about it. But Sunday also they’re not that long. It’s OK.

2:02:44 DUTCH TRANSLATION

2:03:18

Thank you.

2:03:24 ANNOUNCEMENTS IN DUTCH

2:03:33 [IN ENGLISH]: Rimpoche, thank you so much.

RIMPOCHE: Oh thank you. And thank you so much for the both of you and Marion. Thank you.

[AUDIENCE CLAPS]

2:03:53 DUTCH THEN SILENCE TO END OF TAPE

TAPE ENDS 2:04:02.8