Archive Result

Soundfile: 19860518GROmCafTantra02.mp3

Speaker: Gelek Rimpoche

Location: Ann Arbor

Duration: 83:13 (1h 23m 13s)

Title: Tantra Talk at Om Cafe

Transcriber: Kimba Levitt

Topics: Three Principles of the Path

0:00:23

Tonight we'll be starting to talk with the Three Principle Path. As I have briefly introduced the first night what Three Principles Paths are. And what is really a path. And path leads to where, and why. I think I briefly mentioned to you. But, as we have saying in Tibetan, [TIBETAN 0:01:01], whatever's important should be repeatedly mentioned. And dharma talks can be repeated a hundred times. This is a common phrase that tibetans have. So, I think that's quite important to mention.

Before we talk about Three Principle Paths, why it's a path? And what path? So, I mentioned the other day, the persons who are interested in spiritual we have given what is really a means of spiritual. Why it's called spiritual? And what is aim of the persons try to achieve. And all these I talked. And what are good aims and what are bad aims I talked the other day so I'm not going to repeat. But however, I should say this, the ultimate aim, or the aim — the ultimate aim of the spiritual personalities are to obtain enlightenment. To enlightenment is the ultimate aim of the spiritually interested persons. That can be any other thing. Can be produced as some achievement. But, that cannot reach you — give you an ultimate at all. At all. Ultimate enlightenment means totally developed. Totally cleared all your blockages. Totally known everything if there is something to be known. If there is anything to be exist it is known to enlighteneds.

So that is what really enlightened means. And that is what people can achieve ultimately as human being can achieve that. So therefore persons who are in spiritual field should have their aim as this. To achieve ultimate. To achieve something which will be enable you to read somebody's mind, which will enable to bring some kind of funny feelings, feeling of joy, sad, sorrow, and getting lost, and sort of, you know, temporary bliss and all this sort of things are possible. But, that is not an ultimate achievement at all. That shold not be aimed. And persons should not be able to aim to read somebody else's mind and to overpower somebody with certain — you know. And in short, fly in the air, stay under the water, reading somebody else's mind, overpowering other people. All this are possible but it is not the goal and aim of spiritual at all.

0:04:20

Because persons who are working for that direction only is not working for spiritual development at all. I can clearly say that. Why I say this? Because these sort of development can come either meditational power, mantra power or karmic power. So three ways it is possible. All three ways it is possible. Every one of us have that. Had before a number of times. And we will have that a number of times. But that has not helped us at all before. We are still here in the same condition. So it didn't help us at all before, so it will not help in future at all. So, if that is aim, then you're out. No use at all. So therefore, spiritual means you must take a step beyond that. These are the side effects. Side. If you work for a better, ultimate enlightenment, these things even you don't want it, it will come to you. Even you don't want it, they will come to you.

0:05:30

(Oops. Sorry. [LAUGHTER])

0:05:36

Even you don't want it, they will come to you. They are just simply a side effect. So no use for going for that. You don't even have to spend time. It is a waste of time. If you have time to spend something for betterment. Something for betterment. That you can achieve better for you. Try to gain something like that it's single effect, you're wasting your time. If you say mantras for that, if you meditate for that, if you sort of try to do anything for this, it's totally a waste of time. OK, number one.

Number two, if you're hoping for instant enlightenment, then again, it's totally out. There is no such thing called instant enlightenment. Enlightenment comes as step-by-step development. No instant for whatsoever. OK? If anybody tells you an instant enlightenment, then that's just simply cheating you. Or you try, if you're happy, if you have time enough to waste, go and try. And when you don't get it, then you will know. But, there is no instant enlightenment. OK? Two.

Three. OK. Third, if you are enlightened, you will know yourself. OK? If when you don't know yourself you're enlightened and you are sure you're not enlightened. I meet a lot of people try to tell me, do you think I am enlightened? So I say — I will always tell, "what do you think?" [LAUGHTER] That's it. Because if you are enlightened you should know you are enlightened. That's not enlightened! You're enlightened. If you are enlightened, you should know what's happening with you. So when you don't know what's happening with you, I'm sure you are not enlightened. OK? So that's it. So just to remember this. No instant enlightenment. If you're enlightened you should know. Nobody else will know it.

OK. If there is no — if, well, if you try — if you spend time to gain some different things, OK, try to read mind. Even try to gain samadhi. Samadhi by having concentrated meditation you can try to gain samadhi. Even then it's a waste of time. OK? For spiritual person, it's a waste of time. If your aim is only to accumulate a little merit and your aim is only to gain some harmony, or if your aim is to gain a little better health, like reducing high blood pressure or reducing sugar in the blood, or all this sort of things if you aim, then you can only do concentrated meditation. That will definitely give you the result. But if your aim's spiritual aim, then concentrated meditation alone will also not give you help at all. That also not a spiritual path.

0:08:52

OK. Now, cutting all this out, what is left? It's only you have Three Principle of Path. No matter whatever a perfect religion you follow, whatever perfect type you follow, they will tell you the same thing, whether it is Eastern or Western. They may have different terminologies. OK, that is a different matter. Without these Three Principle Paths involved, you can — no way you can go to the enlightenment. No way. For sure, no way. OK.

Three Principle Paths are therefore it is the most important on the path to reach enlightenment. That's why it's called Three Principle of Path. Though the text of this Three Principle Path is short, but the explanation can be very long. Very long. And it can be done short and long. Doesn't matter. It depends intelligence of the people, how much they pick up. Now for example, for example I have given a talk on the Three Principle Path for a month-long period. Almost a month-long period of four hours daily. Even then, I'm not satisfied whatever I could explain it. Also, I have given Three Principle Path talk on three hours. Or half an hour. That also possble. So that's it.

The text, though it is named, saying it is written by Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Yellow Hat sect, but it is not his text. It is the text of Manjushri. The Manjushri has given him the really, sort of, you know, day-to-day activities and how to function, what to do, what not to do. Tsongkhapa for some period he totally relied on Manjushri. For a long period. He even asked to whom he should go with certain places, whom he take with him, and all this. Even that sort of — even that sort of question even he asked Manjushri and have been working with that.

Later Tsongkhapa wrote a very huge thick book called lam rim, which is graduation path. It's called graduation path in English. I do not know what is the meaning of that. But what I know is lam rim is the stage of — stage of road. Stage of road; I mean, stage of path. That is lam. Lam is road and rim is the layout of this road. That's a big book he wrote later.

0:11:35

And when he wrote that, Manjushri asked him, "Don't you think Three Principle Path what I give you is enough? You thought it's not enough so you started writing that long book here. Is that right?" So, Tsongkhapa had to reply. He said, "Look. I kept the Three Principle Path as a life of the — really the life-force behind this book. And then I have explained it detailedly on this." So then Manjushri said, "I'm just joking with you. But that was very good work." That's what he later said. So that's it.

Three Principle Paths really gives you a complete road from here to enlightenment. From here to enlightenment. The stage way of going may be slightly different than the lam rim or any other teaching. But, it is perfect path and it can reach you ultimately up to the enlightenment. Enlightenment. That was the Three Principle Path. So we have to start with this.

And there are a number of translations of — it is a very small text. About one or two pages. The number of translations are available on this Three Principle Path. Many different people have done it different translations. But, out of which — I mean, I have seen four or five done by different American professors such as Jeffrey Hopkins, Robert Thurman, and Alex Berzin. And then there is one by Serlungpa. And that's four I've seen it. But out of which, I prefer rather the Robert Thurman's translation is a bit sort of better and easy to talk. So, I believe the texts are made available with xerox copy, right? Xerox copy made available and I'm sure you can pick up and probably they will cost you 25 cents or something. So those who are interested — not only interested, those who would like to read this, and they probably has to pick up the copies. And then I have to talk according to the text.

0:13:55

(Would you like to distribute the text or no?)

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

RIMPOCHE: If you do it afterwards then how do I talk? They can look at the text and uh, — what you do is you can give the texts and — there you go.

0:14:16

The first word is (what is it?) — "reverance to the holy guru." As you see how short it is now. Now, before I talk here, you have to think, OK, every line — OK. Now, from now on, my talk will be concentrated on this. OK. Every line you read and you have to think what he talk about this line? And when you meditate, when you go back home, and you have to meditate. Read this line and think about it: what did he say about this line? OK, then try to draw a conclusion. Then try to draw concentrated meditation. If you do this, it will help you. If you don't do that, it won't help you at all. If you want to help yourself, you do that. If you don't want to help yourself, you don't have to do it. That's it. OK. Simple.

Now, the first word is, "Reverance to the holy guru." OK. Why? Why? Why you have to pay homage? There are systems such anybody, according to the buddhist tradition, anybody who ever write any book, it's customary that they pay homage to somebody. Something powerful, something effective to somebody who is powerful, effective. Why? Because it helps the person to be able to complete. Number one. Number two, it also help the person not to have much of a disturbance — lesser disturbance inner and outer; mostly inner disturbance. We get mostly inner disturbance. Inner disturbance, our thoughts not clear. We forget what we want to say. Even when we have something to say, we cannot express. We cannot remember the word. You don't get the word supplied to you. You don't get all this. This are the inner disturbance. And outer disturbance you get illnesses, you get attractions, you get laziness and all this different things. You are unable to complete. So, in order to avoid all this it is custom, buddhist tradition, to pay homage to somebody powerful.

0:17:02

Now, beside that, the teachings of the Buddha are included everything is, no matter how vast the Buddha's teachings may be, but if you put them together, it is always included in three different baskets. One, dealing with samadhi, which is concentrated meditation and development of the samadhi power, etc., is one basket. Two, the wisdom activities, activities relating to the wisdom and all this. Third, it's vinaya rules. The rules of the monks how to resolve, how to do, behave, and all this. In other words, it may looks like the rule of the monks but actually what they're talking is to have a mental discipline develop through the physical discipline. That's what it is. Another basket.

So there is no teaching of the Buddha, no matter how vast it may be, which is not related either one of these. So Buddha's teachings are, no matter how vast it may be, if you read it, there are 125 volumes. Volumes. Not like these small books. Not like those small — I mean Western books type. You know, these Tibetan long book which reads on both sides. And both sides are counted as one page. I mean, in other words, here you will say it is two page, according to the Western standard. According to the Tibetan tradition it is one page because of one back and one forth. So that's one page. So that sort of page runs into 700, 600 pages of not less 500 pages each volume. So that runs into the 125 volumes.

That's Buddha's teachings available in Tibetan language alone. OK, there are much more available in Sanskrit and Pali which is not translated into Tibetan or Chinese are still there are much more. But, whatever's been translated into Tibetan is 125 volumes. So, I mean, person like us, today it is impossible to read even all of them. Impossible. But, what made it possible for us to study is collecting those; collected in the different baskets. OK. Teachings are related to this, this, this. And then it's made easier and shorter and shorter. Now, all this 125 volumes essence will be included in this, OK? So that's it. So it is possible because of the three basket teachings. So to be able to collect in it.

0:19:54

So, when it was dealing with — now, what our main purpose what I wanted to say this, is if it's dealing with wisdom, it is more or less customary to pay the homage to Manjushri because Manjushri is the one embodiment of the wisdom beings of the enlightened persons. OK? In other words, the wisdoms of the enlightened peoples are collected and made one body form which is the Manjushri. So therefore, whenever it's dealing with Manjushri — uh, wisdom portion, that is, they pay homage to Manjushri. When it's dealing with other activities, such as generosity, morality, or concentration, or enthusiasm, all these different portions, then it is possible to pay homage to buddhas and bodhisattvas. Buddha means enlightened persons. Bodhisattvas means followers of the buddhas are called bodhisattvas. OK? These are two Sanskrit words. So I don't want people to get confused thereafter.

Now thirdly, then sometimes they pay homage to great compassion. Great compassion. Great compassion, again, dealing with wisdom based compassion, the homage to great compassion. Why? No matter whatever you may deal it, wisdom or method — OK.

Before I say wisdom or method, OK, in order to reach enlightenment what do you need? You need two things. Two things. One is method and second is wisdom. OK. Wisdom is method but that is absolute method, not relative method. For relative methods you need compassion, great compassion, and good special mahayana mind and other relevant activities are called method. OK? Wisdom is one path, method is two path, the second path. Results also separate. When you become enlightened, you have two — you have achieved two kayas. Kaya is Sanskrit word, again. The two embodiment: physical part of the body and mental part of the body. Mind body and physical body. You gain two things. OK, mind part of the body are direct result of the wisdom. And physical bodies are the direct result of other activities, method other than wisdom, are the result when you achieve enlightenment. OK?

0:22:42

Strange thing is here. At the level of enlightenment, though we say mind and physical, but, they are combined. Combined. A lot of people — all of you are familiar with the word of 'union.' You say, "union, union, union." Everywhere you say, "union." OK. What does really union mean? A lot of people get the wrong idea, man and woman joined together at the level of enlightened. So you see all this tantric deities and all this male and female joined together. You say, "Oh, that is union." OK. That is misunderstanding. And misunder — totally misunderstanding. And people do write books on it. Try to explain how it works in union.

But what is really union mean? The union of there, ultimate union, is combination of body and combination of mind. In other words, they have extraordinary quality at the level of enlightened beings. Their body is their mind; their mind is their body. OK. Their mind is their physical body; their physical body is their mind. This is very strange, but, it is true. Every part of the body, whatever those enlightened people have, is mind. Every part of the body. For us, our feet cannot see anything. Our feet will not be able to hear anything. But when you're enlightened, your feet will be able to see everything. Your feet will be able to hear everything. Your feet will be able to know everything. And that is the special quality, extraordinary quality. That is union of the mind and body. That's called real union. That is really union. OK?

So, similarly, the body is mind; the mind is body. Mind is body, mind you, their mind have — their mind is physical body. Again. Their physical body is their mind. Wherever their mind is, their physical bodies are. Wherever their physical body are, there are their minds there. OK. When I say wherever their mind is, their body is there. Their mind is everywhere because they know everything. If they know something, their mind is there. That's why even in the christian tradition you say God is everywhere. A lot of people do say God is everywhere. OK. Why you say that? That is because of that reason. Because they know everything. When they know everything, that's their mind is there. When their mind is there, their physical appearance is there.

0:25:41

We can't see it because we don't have the capacity of our eyes to be able to see. We don't have the capacity. When you develop capacity, you don't have to be enlightened. When you develop — when you reach first bhumi, and when you reach the first — third path and first bhumi, then you have the capacity to see it. Your ordinary eye that you and I will have, this very eye, will be able to see everything. Will be able to see everything. That is different method. OK. That is our development. That is not enlightened. That is not enlightened. That is a small little development we have. OK? That's it.

So, the real unique is the union of body and mind. OK.

0:26:35

Why did I have to say this? From where did I go? I don't know.

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

RIMPOCHE: Where did I go from?

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

0:26:52

RIMPOCHE: Oh yeah. Wisdom and method. That's it. Wisdom and method. That's it. So. So, great compassion. OK. People do pay homage to the great compassion if you are talking about wisdom. The reason why they do pay homage to the great compassion when you're talking about wisdom is the great compassion is linked with wisdom. The great compassion is the mother of wisdom. The wisdom is the result of great compassion as well as the wisdom is the path of the great compassion. That's why — that's why they do pay homage to the great commpassion. OK, that's what I wanted to say. OK?

But today, instead of that, they choose to pay homage to the holy guru. OK? Why? There is a special reason for this. Why? Because, this particular small text is not dealing with single point. It is dealing with whole path — complete path from our ordinary level to enlightenment. And that's why it is chosen to pay homage to the gurus rather than particularly one single deity, or one single mind. Serve the purpose as I mentioned earlier. Same way. Number one.

The number two reason is that traditionally these teachings are, and these teachings have come, with unbroken lineage. Number two. When the person get development, it root of development is called guru yoga. Guru yoga is the root of all development. Or root of all development lies to guru yoga.

OK, I'm not try to take you to guru trips. OK? Really. It's not the guru trip. Guru trip's been overdeveloped by a lot of different teachings. But, when I talk about the guru here, I'm not referring to the person who's talking to you, nor I'm referring to the person who claims to be guru. I am referring to a person. I'm referring to a thing which you develop root, which you develop — which helps you to build up all your development. That is the root guru I'm talking to you. A lot of persons will refer to guru as somebody leading and talking, trying to point their finger right and left is not necessary. You can find very, very good — Shakyamuni Buddha is the buddhist guru. So, that's it.

0:29:55

So similarly, you can take any other understanding. So root of all development lies to guru, guru yoga. Guru yoga. That guru yoga is very important. It is the root of all development. All development. Without that, it doesn't develop at all. So therefore, that's why it choose to pay homage to the holy gurus.

And if you are meditating, if you wanted to develop, OK, then you do have a little bit of concentration to be done on this very line. Why gurus are — guru yoga is the root of development? Why? And how it works? And what is the sign for me to develop the, the understanding, gaining experience over this guru devotion business. And these three you have to learn yourself. You — I can ask questions, you can read, and you try to learn it. There are eight outlines on this but I don't like to talk today with the obvious reasons. So, I'm not going to do this. But one thing you have to think. You cannot avoid guru yoga because it is the root of all development.

[TIBETAN 0:31:28 - 0:31:33]

The great compassion, the great — (now, how I talk to you?) — the great enlightenment. OK. Great enlightenment means fully enlightened, fully happiness, fully blissful, which is total enlightenment. OK? That is possible to be able to bring to an individual within short period of a almost second. When we say a second, it doesn't mean a second of what we talk about an hour and minute and second. Second means it refers to one short lifetime.

[TIBETAN 0:32:16 - 0:32:18]

That is short lifetime. Why life is referred as second? Because we have tremendous amount of life after life. Meaningless efforts. Meaningless. No achievement of life after life has been repeated many, many times. Repeated one after another many, many times. Yet we have no result for whatsoever until now. So therefore, even one life is like a short second. Because we have so many. And we will have so many. So therefore it referred as short second. So within the short second of a life, of the human lifetime, human lifetime, it is possible to achieve great blissful, ultimate enlightenment because of a perfect devotional guru yoga practice. That's why I quote the,

[TIBETAN 0:33:17 - 0:33:21]

Oh that't it. And then we do have a lot of obstacles on this. A lot of obstacles. Because this is the first step where we walk. There we have tremendous obstacles we'll face. A lot of reasoning. Lot of giving different viewpoints. Lot of arguments and a lot of things. Our own mind will give to ourself when you're thinking, when you're meditating it. OK? Will give it to you. And this is important to have those arguments. To receive this counter statement is very important. If you gain that, you will be able to talk to yourself. You'll be able to explain yourself. And then you can really gain a proper understanding. And then you'll gain the development. OK.

To short, the shortest and most important reason, those who are seriously thinking on guru yoga. OK, I know a lot of different gurus have come, has given a lot of different talks been given. Have given a lot of different teachings been given. And then they have a lot of different scandals come thereafter. Lot of different. You know. On everything. Every different scandal possible have come up. And people have a lot of different understanding, wrong understanding, develop. But doesn't matter. What does that matter to individual? No matter whether that individual guru, whoever it may be, whether it is good or bad, that's his problem. It's not our problem.

My problem is to gain my benefit. So we all want benefit. We don't want disadvantage. We want advantages. Therefore, it doesn't matter whether the individual is good or bad. As a general guru devotion we should look in a nice way. Because don't care whatever the individual may be. That's his own problem. Why should we concern? We have to concern ourself because as I told you from the beginning first day, we all may say we are all sentient beings and for the benefit of all sentient beings. Actually, we are all our own benefit. Nobody is for all sentient beings. I can give it in writing at least. Every one of us are for ourself, not for everybody. We may say so from our lip, but no. Individual concern is most important. If you're not a concerned individual, you are not concerned for other sentient beings either. Can never be. If you are not concerned for yourself, how can you be concerned for others? Impossible! Impossible! Impossible. That means neither you're for others nor for yourself. You are nowhere. If you try to be — say, you know, "I'm not meant for myself. I'm meant for all even people around here and every sentient beings." Which means, neither you are for them nor you're for yourself. That is the sign. If you are for others, you have to be for yourself. How can it be possible? It's not possible. OK? So after all we want happiness.

0:36:29

(OK. I'll [INDECIPHERABLE]. OK. What happened? [LAUGHTER] What happened?)

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

RIMPOCHE: Yeah, yeah. OK.

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

0:36:5

OK. Now, because the reason, because argument, you can give to yourself is no matter whatever you may see, hear or do whatever, that's their problem. As far as I'm concerned, I want advantage. I don't want disadvantage. Therefore, I'm going to look in that way. That's fine. OK? Full stop. That is the strongest reason one can give.

Now, sign of a guru devotion development is the sign, well, when you think about it, your own root guru, or whoever it may be, when you almost see the person is mixing with enlightened. Almost mixed, you know. No separation. When you see that, and that is the sign to develop — to gain the development of this very first step. This is the first and foremost step. That's why it is important. People do spend time on this.

As far as I'm concerned, I don't claim I have a development on this but I spent years on this. OK? Here you get most blockage. Here you get — take the most time. And after that, once you go through, the rest of the steps automatically follow up to a certain extent. Then you get a second part somewhere held up. Afterwards it comes. So that's it.

Now, so now that is the reason why pay the reverence to the holy gurus. That is the reason why. OK. Hmm. Now the next is …

[PAUSE 0:36:35 - 0:38:44]

OK. My god.

[PAUSE 0:36:46 - 0:38:51]

The Tibetan word is,

[TIBETAN 0:38:53 - 0:39:00]

Here it says, "I will explain as best I can the essential importance of all the victor — victor. (What is it? Victors.)

AUDIENCE: Victorious.

RIMPOCHE: How do you pronounce? I'm so bad in English, and you know, really, I never know how to read and never know how to speak this language. Victorious teaching. (Victors, right? OK.) Teaching. OK.

[TIBETAN 0:39:27 - 0:39:38]

Now which means, essence of the teachings of the Buddha. I think. The essential important of all these teachings. OK. Why buddha, or enlightened persons, been referred to as victor? Why? Because they gain victory. They gain victory. When you been enlightened — you just by sitting you don't get enlightened. After fighting you gain. You have to fight. You have to fight with delusions. You have to fight with delusions and its imprints. OK.

Fighting with delusions is easy. Fighting with imprint of delusion is more difficult. More difficult. Delusions can overcome easily, but imprints are more difficult. Very difficult. If you have to — if somebody is using garlic in a certain utensil, to throw the garlic is easy, but to wash the garlic smell is difficult. Yes. Similarly, to overcome the delusions are easy. Easy.

Now anger is easy to control if you think carefully with the disadvantage of the anger and advantage of the patience. Then it is easy to overcome anger. But, imprint of anger is very difficult to overcome. It'll take a long time to overcome. OK? Probably, probably, if you get up and slap me, I may not get angry. Hopefully. [LAUGHS] Really. But, but, imprint is difficult to go. Imprint is very diffiuclt to go. The imprints make, as long as you don't have cut the imprints, it make possible even to re-grow the anger. Even to re-grow the anger. Even to re-grow the anger. Even it does not re-grow the anger, say if you been able to overcome it, even then, it is quite difficult to get the imprints off. It'll take a lot of — a long time. Long effort.

So, when you are enlightened, you have gone clear total imprints. If you are not cleared with imprint, if you are just covered with all the delusions, then we refer them as ordinary enlightened person. Ordinarily enlightened person. OK, persons who are just be able to get over the samsaric functioning, who are just be able to conquer the ignorance, are called ordinary enlightened persons. OK? They are not been able to overcome the imprints. Imprints. But they are not subject to coming back because they have cut the root. So it's not subject to come back. Persons, some persons who have not cut the ignorance, yet they're able to overcome all the delusions, and they are subject to come back

[NOTE: 0:43:46 REPETITION NOTED IN BOLD BEGINS]

because they have not cut the root. They are subject to coming back. Now that's a different matter. But anyway, when the enlightened beings are referred as victorious, (what is it? Victors. Let's say victors, OK?) Victors. Means they not only have the victory over the delusionS but even they have victory over the imprints of delusion. That's why it's referred as victors.

Now, essential importance of all teachings, now there are three different systems of putting it. However, here I can very easily put is renunciation …

[NOTE: 0:44:28 — 0:45:09 REPEAT EVERYTHING IN BOLD, ABOVE]

They try to talk renunciation. The renunciation is the most important. The most important of the teaching. Why? Because this is the most important practice you can do. If you are unable to renounce, renounce, then you are very much subject — you are not in the spiritual period at all. As I told you the other day, even with renunciation there are two: within the lifetime and future lifetime. OK. Here they are not making the division differences. So, in order to become a spiritual-oriented, you have to have the renunciation mind. Without even the renunciation mind, you cannot have a spiritual oriented at all. So therefore, it is the essential importance of a spiritual path is renunciation. That's why the first word is renunciation.

Essential importance of Buddha's teachings. The path praised by the holy bodhisattvas. OK. Path praised by holy bodhisattva, which is nothing but that a special mind. The mind which we refer as bodhicitta, bodhisattva special mind, that is the — that is the path which is praised by the bodhisattva. Because if you don't have that particular mind, no matter whatever you do, no matter whatever you do, any virtuous you do. OK, now, number one, you have to go back on the first word. OK. The essential important — the essential importance of all the teachings. OK. If you don't have the mind of renunciation, as I told you, it's not a spiritual oriented. Why? I forgot to tell you why. Because no matter how much you do, whatever you do virtuous, you may even give your head away to somebody else, or you may give your blood away to somebody else, or you may do anything. Whatever you do, whatever you do, this will simply be a virtue but it will neither go to the cause of liberation nor it will go to the cause of enlightenment. Just because, because it will not go to the cause of liberation because you do not have the mind of renunciation. You do not appreciate it good qualities of liberation. You do not see the fault of the cyclic existence. Therefore no matter how much virtue you do, it will not go to the cause of liberation or nor it will go to the cause of enlightenment. OK?

0:48:17

Because, as long as you don't see the quality of liberation and as long as you don't see the faults of the samsara, no matter whatever virtue you do, it will be only bring certain good comfort within the samsaric circle and it will never go out of that. Therefore, it is not cause of liberation, so therefore it is not spiritual oriented.

Similarly, if you don't have the special mind of the bodhisattva, no matter whether you meditate a million years, even then it will not go for the cause of enlightenment. Simple. Because you do not understand the qualities of the enlightened beings, you don't have the desire to obtain that and you don't have the cause which really direct cause is the bodhisattva mind. Without bodhisattva mind, that special mind of the mahayana, whatever you do, whatever you do, million years of meditation, even then it doesn't go to the cause of enlightenment. Enlightenment. Because of this particular mind.

These are the blockages. Blockage. Doors. These are the doors. If you — if the door closed, how — no matter how much you spend time outside there, you will never be able to get in until the door opens. Right? Similarly, these are your spiritual doors. OK? These doors — until these doors open, no matter whatever you do. You may scratch, you may kick, you may do whatever, you are unable to let in because these are the doors. OK.

That's why, if anybody develop this particular mind, the bodhisattvas and buddhas, are very happy. Enlightened beings are happy because the person has been entered into a perfect path. That's why path which has been praised by the bodhisattvas, which is referring to the — the first line is referring to the first of the Three Principle Path. Second line is referring to the second of the Three Principle Path and third is referring to the third. The Three Principle Path.

0:50:36

Best entrance for (what is it?) — those (what is it?) — those fortunate who seek freedom. OK. Those fortunate. OK, now remember this word. Why it's called fortunate? Fortunate? Because if you are not fortunate, you will never, never, never be able to know it. Never, never, never be able to know it what is really good and what is really bad. That requires a little bit of luck. If you don't have good karma, you will never be able to know it. OK? Number one.

Number two, it also need a little merit. If you don't have the merit, you will never be able to develop that at all. To develop this perfect wisdom not only needs knowledge, not only needs meditation, it also needs a lot of merit. You need to be lucky person. If you are not lucky, you have no way of knowing it. You will never hear it. You will never be able to read it. You will never be able to think about it. Never, never, never. So that's why persons who will be able to understand something, persons who'll be able to think about it, persons who'll be able to use this, are called fortunate ones. Regard as fortunate. Because this is the only opportunity that you have to be able to cut the samsara, to be able to gain control over your life, your death, your living, how long you want to live, where you want to be reborn, where and how, what level, and how long you want to live, what sort of position you want to be. You can determine your self. You can choose your self. You can do yourself. This is the only opportnity you have. That's why it's called fortunate. The reason why it's referred as fortunate is that reason.

0:52:52

And which is referring to path seeking freedom. OK. Freedom of what? We all know freedom's important. We all think we have freedom here. We do have to certain extent the material and other things that we are controllable. Whatever the human beings can manage and control, that much freedom we enjoy. We have it. It's great in the United States. I mean, compare with any other country, this is the best and great and people appreciate it and people enjoy it. However, we don't have spiritual freedom here at all. We don't. Because that is — it doesn't give by country. It has to give by yourself. The country of not fated to give whatever they can give. But we have fate to gain individual freedom for ourself.

Individual freedom is only that freedom — freedom from the sufferings and pains that whatever we have. Freedom — pains which makes us pain more. OK, from there we can gain freedom. And that is the through only wisdom. So, that's why the wisdom is referred to (what is that call it here?).

[PAUSE 0:54:21 - 0:54:26]

Best entrance to freedom. OK. The best entrance to freedom. OK. Because — well, I don't know why it's called it best but this is only entrance. Really. Without wisdom, you can never be able to obtain freedom. As I told you, method like meditation and compassion, great compassion, bodhicitta, all this will not lead to you the freedom at all no matter whatever you do. You meditate bodhicitta great compassion for one million year, you will never reach the freedom. Because,

[TIBETAN 0:55:03 - 0:55:07]

This is very important, Dharmakirti's word.

[TIBETAN 0:55:11 - 0:55:14]

Love, compassion, etc., not a direct opponent of ignorance. Therefore, it could never cut the samsara. OK. So therefore, bodhicitta, love, etc., etc., etc., of the method portion is only a method. It doesn't bring you to direct opponent of ignorance. OK. Love, compassion is direct opponent of anger. That cuts anger totally. But, that doesn't cut the ignorance totally. OK, ignorance totally. So therefore, every delusions, every fault, or every negative force whatever we have, it has its direct opponent positive forces you have to apply. If you apply the wrong positive force on the wrong negative force, it doesn't work. It's like giving the wrong medicine for the wrong sicknesses. When the doctor has given the wrong diagnosis for the different sicknesses, give the wrong medicine, it will do no good. It doesn't harm, at least. Do no good. Similarly, when you apply the wrong method on the wrong delusion, doesn't work. Though it's a great method, love and compassion, great method, it cannot cut ignorance. Wisdom is a great method; it cannot cut anger. Just like that. So, that's it.

So you need to know what is the negative forces, which is direct opponent of the positive forces, how you apply. That is the path. That is called path. OK. So, then the last word is on the top, "I will explain as best I can." OK. That is the last word according to the Tibetan. I'm thinking in Tibetan. So, when he say as best — I will explain as best I can. OK. I will explain as best I can. Sure. Manjushri or Tsongkhapa, they can definitely can explain it. But it means, in shortest way and best way, this is what we call it — there are systems. When you write a book, there are certain systems. First things goes at homage.

Second, promising to write. One line they will devote always promising to write. Why? Why promising to write? You don't have to promise. You can go ahead and write. That's not right. You have to have promise because these sort of spiritual works are done by the great persons. Great persons, when they make a promise, they have to honor it. If it's — if you are a good person, when you promise something, you have to honor it. If you don't honor it, you are not a good person. Your promise. If you don't honor your promise, you are not a good person. The good person means you have to honor your commitments. You honor your promises. OK. Buddhas, one of the sutra, the White Lotus Sutra had said,

[TIBETAN 0:58:45 - 0:58:51]

It said, if you are a great person, they don't make many promises. The great persons make no promises, actually. But, when they make one promises, it is like a mark on a stone.

[TIBETAN 0:59:10 - 0:59:14]

When they promises some difficult promises, it is like marking on the stone. You know, when the stone has been carved, it doesn't go easily.

[TIBETAN 0:59:24 - 0:59:25]

Even they die — even they die, they will not forget and they will honor their promise. OK? That is the reason why promise to write. Even you die, you will somehow make sure that you will complete that. That's why the promise to write is important. When you say you write something, I mean, you can't say I write Three Principles, but every one of them here do explain every line. Every line. And then fourth line says, "I will explain as best as I can."

That is the — this is the short, but long one's the same thing. That's why promise to write is always comes.

The next thing is, (I don't know I have to stop here. Because I do have plenty of time.) So, that's it.

So the Three Principle Path means three major important in your enlightenment.

1:00:29

Now the next is tomorrow. OK. Tomorrow I have to give you the outlines now. In addition to that we'll have some outlines. OK, the outlines will not be written. Probably you have to do is take notes yourself. And outlines. Then what you have to do is you read the textbook, you read this book, you find the outlines, and when you read one line — now what you have to do today. Reverance to the holy gurus. And you have to think about it. Think on this. What does that mean? Why did I talk on this? What did he say? What examples I give. And what is the whole purpose of talking on this. And similarly to each one of these lines you can think about it. And then you gain some kind of understanding you can get. Not by reading you cannot gain. By thinking you can gain. But that also if you think twice or thrice then you can gain something really meaningful on it. So that is called understanding.

After the understanding, then you can think more. When you think more — I mean, just now you have nothing. When you go a little bit down, then you can gain a lot of things. You can gain a lot of things are called then beginning to reach, picking up the spiritual developments. As I told you earlier, spiritual development doesn't come with horns. Doesn't come with horns, OK? It is just a little bit of better understanding and better mind; little bit of better peace in the mind. Not only peace, gaining some understanding and some realizations. OK. These are called spiritual development. When these important realizations, when file it up, you can get such it's automatically to you. I can guarantee you that. OK. These are side effects. And do not waste time to get side effects. Side effects will come automatically. That's it.

So. Any questions?

[PAUSE 1:02:33 - 1:02:44]

AUDIENCE: At the beginning you talked about Manjushri. You were beginning to explain who — what Manjushri is without … [INAUDIBLE].

RIMPOCHE: I think I did. I did. I did. I taught it is the embodiment of the wisdom part of the enlightenment. Enlightened people' embodiment. I think I did. I think that's enough. I don't really have to go. But if I have to detailedly explain, there's a Manjushri tantra. Then there is out of tantra — every one of those deities, the word deity I'm using is wrong word. I know it's for a fact it's a wrong word because Taoist — if you look at the Chinese tradition of Taoist, and Taoist use the word deity for protectors. OK. So therefore I'm sure using the word deity is wrong. But, it is the really a deity which is fully enlightened. OK. That is what we have in Tibetan the word called yidams. Yidams. Or, in Sanskrit they refer as god, so they use as lord, god. It's same thing. So, that's it.

But, the each one of those fully enlightened yidams, they have their own tantra. All their tantra was said by the — according to the buddhism, by the Buddha. And when Buddha said tantra, then these feature, whatever the physical form may be, it appeared. In reality there is enlightened beings taking certain form to suit certain individual needs. Why you have thousand different funny things? Because there are thousand different variety of individual people. So each one of them will have certain karmic link to certain individual those, those deities. But, and when you link up with them, it's very been helpful. That's why they have taken thousand different forms. That's number one.

1:05:01

Number two, Atisha, the famous Bengalian teacher and saint and scholar who had brought buddhism, rather, elaborated buddhism in Tibet in the 1100s, have said very important things. What he said is,

[TIBETAN 1:05:20 - 1:05:26]

He said, "there is nobody who does not have a deity (or yidam) to meditate. And there is nobody who does not have a mantra to say. But the fault is, nobody has a dharma to practice." That is the fault, he said.

Everybody had something to think and everybody had some mantra to say, but nobody has dharma to practice. This is very important word. We all consider saying mantras, meditating those different whatever, the gods, or deities, or yidams, or whatever may be, we consider that as dharma practice. In reality, it is not. If you are not been influenced by this either of these three principles, no matter whatever you do, it is not dharma practice. It is totally creating samsara. Totally creating samsara. No matter you may repeat a hundred times — a hundred million times the mantra you repeat. OK. You create totally samsara again. Nothing more. It is samsaric virtue. As long as you don't have influence. That's why Atisha said everybody has something to think, something to say, yet no dharma to practice. This is so important. And if you have either of these three influences, whatever you do, it is goes to the cause of liberation. It goes to the cause of perfect enlightenment. Otherwise, no. This is the door. That's why earlier saints had referred everything as, yes you have everything but you have no dharma. That is the reason why.

1:07:26

Yes sir.

AUDIENCE: I'd like to know more about your views and reasons, purpose, for working on enlightenment. Is it simply to relieve suffering and escape from reality?

RIMPOCHE: No sir. No sir. OK. Release suffering — it could be a reason for a spiritual person. If person doesn't want suffering, he has to be free from the sufferings. OK. Escaping means avoiding. Avoiding cannot be done. You cannot avoid suffering. You cannot avoid your karma. You cannot avoid your death. No matter wherever you may be. Buddha had said,

[TIBETAN 1:08:16 - 1:08:23]

Wherever you go, there is no place where they cannot reach. It is not in the space, neither in the ocean, nor behind the mountains.

[TIBETAN 1:08:36 - 1:08:39]

Even you hide behind the mountains, they can catch you there. So that's — there is no escape for whatsoever. No escape for whatsoever. But there is a way and means to release the suffering. Way and means to release suffering. To be free from the suffering could very well be an obvious spiritual person, though it is a lower level. Yes, it is a spiritual aim. When we are aiming at a release from the suffering, we are not aiming for temporary release from suffering for which you can do anything. You can take morphine injection, or anything. [LAUGHS] Sorry. But, permanent release, permanent relief, and that should be the aim of the spiritual person. And doctors give injections for what? Not to feel the pain. That's temporary relief. That won't help. A permanent relief, yes. No temporary relief.

Yes, sir.

1:09:55

AUDIENCE: [INDECIPHERABLE] … so I assume having heard the Three Principle of the Paths clearly — a, b, c, d — and with wisdom and renunciation being discussed [INDECIPHERABLE].

RIMPOCHE: Renunciation is number one, wisdom is number two, bodhicitta is number three.

AUDIENCE: Bodhicitta is not that clear a concept. [INDECIPHERABLE].

1:10:26

RIMPOCHE: Not empowerment and commitments. I think I did talk bodhicitta — when did I talk little bit? I did talk the other day.

AUDIENCE: Yeah, Sunday.

RIMPOCHE: Sunday I did talk a little bit, yes. But actually I said,

[TIBETAN 1:10:41 - 1:10:44]

Maitreya has given: it is mind which seeks the enlightenment, which desire to obtain the total enlightenment and dedicate it for sentient beings. OK, that is the mind. Easy to talk; difficult to gain. Difficult to understand. I repeated that. OK? So we will talk bodhicitta detailedly on this. I mean, I think after this three quarters of the page is devoted to the bodhicitta. It will come. Yeah. Bodhicitta is, yes, I know, wisdom is English language. So you gain some understanding. You can grasp something. OK? OK. Renunciation is, again, English language. So you can grasp something. But bodhicitta is not an English language, so it is different language, so you're unable to grasp. I understand that. I understand that. But, similarly, you have to question whether you're grasping is renunciation, or your understanding of renunciation is the really renunciation what we are talking. And your understanding of wisdom is the really wisdom are we talking? That is questionable. As much as bodhicitta is questionable, they are also questionable. Just want to remind you that. I'm sorry.

AUDIENCE: No that's fine.

RIMPOCHE: So if you think this carefuly, I'm sure you get some more. But don't think what you understand of renunciation out of word, don't think that is the renunciation we're talking about it. And I mean to everybody. Really. Some renunciation — you think renunciation. That word has certain meaning and you think that's it is. No. We're going to talk much more on that. That is not the renunciation really what we're talking.

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

RIMPOCHE: Yeah. And also wisdom too. Wisdom too. That's for sure it has to be.

AUDIENCE: [INDECIPHERABLE]

RIMPOCHE: I'm glad I'm not. But, I mean — I think, you know, this renunciation and this wisdom, I think it's very difficult to understand. Really. We are just holding on the word renunciation. When we talk about this then you will sort of begin — well, renunciation is a little easier than wisdom. The wisdom is really difficult. I mean, the really a difficult one. We are not talking about a little bit of sharp, clear mind or some grasping. No. I mean, that much of understanding general people may pick up as renunciation — as wisdom. You know, something special, clear, something you know. No. We're making much, much, much more.

Actually I should say a word here. When we are talking about wisdom, we are talking about zero. We are talking about nothing. We are talking about zero.

[PAUSE 1:13:54 - 1:14:03]

OK? I'm glad you raised that question.

AUDIENCE: Yeah. I understand. I don't want to turn this into [INDECIPHERABLE] but even … [INDECIPHERABLE].

RIMPOCHE: Hm?

AUDIENCE: I said I don't like to turn this into a personal dialogue teaching in this group but…

RIMPOCHE: Yeah, it should be. It should be. You should have some dialogue then gain understanding. If there's no dialogue then you cannot understand at all. That's why I'm trying to make it a talk. You know.

AUDIENCE: Yeah. Dialogue itself is a nice word. [INDECIPHERABLE] … is the best means of gaining wisdom. Is much more powerful and much more practical than just reading a book. [INDECIPHERABLE] … In other words, if you have a dialogue like this, your [INDECIPHERABLE] is much more powerful than your understanding is. [INDECIPHERABLE].

RIMPOCHE: Yeah, I know. Yeah.

AUDIENCE: The same thing happened with any concept. The concept of wisdom and the concept of renunciation. The more we practice it, the more we achieve, the [INDECIPHERABLE]. The idea that bodhicitta is the mind is — seems enlightenment. And then it becomes the nature of the path, the third principle of the path. That's not a clear concept. That's — that's just a …

RIMPOCHE: You know, bodhicitta — OK. Now let me put it this way: bodhicitta is a quality of mind. OK. Which is something can be developed within individual person. OK? Which is mind. What does that mind think? What does that mind do? OK. I try to make a little easier. What does that mind think? That mind seeks enlightenment. That mind dedicates totally for all sentient beings. OK, double purpose minded and which is some sort of mind which sort of not to understand, but it is something which you gain, which sort of develops within you. When it develops within you, it changes your way of thinking. In other words, your mind will be influenced by that particular mind. OK. By that level, you change all your thinkings, or change all your way what normally thinking. You know, up to now, up to that level, we will have alway ultimately seeking something for ourself, no matter how much we say. That's what I keep on repeating, repeating and all this, way of parrot and all this because until then, no matter how much we will say it's for others, we are not for others. We are always for ourself. At that level, that begins to change. Begins to. Right now you may think we are for others. We are not. We are sure for not. Maybe a little bit here and there. That is a small matter. That is a small matter. Generally we are totally for ourself just now. No matter how much you say or deny, we are. Everybody. At that level we'll change. And that is the level what we are talking about. And that is briefly what I mean.

And, but, don't think that mind has no desire. It has tremendous desire too. Yeah, really. It has tremendous desire too. Tremendous desire to obtain enlightenment.

1:17:44

OK. Yes, sir.

AUDIENCE: Could you tell me what you just said about bodhisattva. What is difference between this and wisdom? And what did you mean when you said wisdom was zero?

RIMPOCHE: Yeah, this is important. It's really important?

AUDIENCE: What's your answer on renunciation?

RIMPOCHE: Huh?

AUDIENCE: [INDECIPHERABLE] … that zero and wisdom being zero and renunciation in the sense of working for another [INDECIPHERABLE] …

RIMPOCHE: What? OK. Renunciation you have not reached to the zero at all. But wisdom will lead you to zero. Zero in the sense, wisdom perfect understanding will lead you to understand nothingness. That's why I said wisdom is zero. Understanding of nothingness; understanding of a voidness. Sometimes it's referred to as voidness. The perfect word in Sanskrit it's called sunyatha. Sunyatha. Emptiness. OK? That is — when you understand the emptiness then you gain wisdom. That is the wisdom we're talking about. Understanding of empty is the great wisdom we're talking about it. OK, the bodhicitta business — what did you say? Bodhisattva and what did you say?

AUDIENCE: Difference between bodhicitta and wisdom.

1:19:24

RIMPOCHE: Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that's right. Bodhicitta does not understand wisdom at all. Bodhicitta is the only a compassionate based mind which seeks enlightenment which also totally dedicates. It has nothing to do with understanding of sunyatha or emptiness. It doesn't care — that particular mind does not care what is the nature of phenomena or everything nature of. True nature. It really doesn't dig the truth. It only applies love, affection, and kindness to all living beings. And it dedicates one individual to the service of all sentient beings irrespective of anybody, whoever it may be. That is the bodhicitta part of it.

But other part of the wisdom part, does not deal, again, with love, with compassion, but it only digs into the nature of truth. Truth. So the person must have both. When you have one, when you don't have other, so it is like bird without one wing. If one bird, one big bird with one wing, he or she is unable to fly. So must have two.

[TIBETAN 1:20:50 - 1:20:57]

Candrakirti has mentioned that in madhyamaka text. So that's what it is. That bodhicitta love-compassion and applying love and compassion to all living beings, dedicating oneself to the service of all this are called relative path of — relativity part of it. The absolute part of it deals with really, deeply true nature; deep, true nature of what is the truth of all, everything. What is truth behind man? What is truth behind other phenomenon than living beings? All this digging right into the truth is the absolute part of it. So in order to obtain enlightenment, in order to obtain union, as I mentioned to you, it also need not only the body and mind union but also it's union of relativity and absolute union. So in order to do that you need both. And that's why these three everything is important. If there's no renunciation, no samsaric out. When there's no love and compassion, no relativity. When there is no wisdom, there is no ultimate. So these three are must to be able to have great union. The union means body-mind union; union means absolute and relative union. Absolute and relativity. That's why, now you see how three principles are becoming important. You see more and more. I'm glad you raised that question. Thank you. Which opens some mind of mine too.

1:22:44

OK, I think that's enough for today. And we will meet tomorrow. Same time, same place I hope? Yeah. Thank you. So but, don't forget to go back and read this book. And think what we said. And think tomorrow morning once whenever you get time tomorrow. And then tomorrow we go back. We'll be able to discuss more on it.

[ENDS 1:23:13]