Archive Result

Soundfile 19910200GRJHNLLR02

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location JH NL

Topic Lam Rim

Transcriber Matthias Schmitt

Date 6.17.21

() = inaudible

And there you really see. And then you look at () that also means dreams within us. Around us. Also, we are also totally subjectable. Another one. And we are all we don’t have the immune system to all of us, right? We are all so subject to (). So, you cannot really dissociate ourselves as a way from the pain. No matter whatever it is. And these are the small things compared with our major suffering that people or true. The being () is nothing. The human level is deep () the realm of pleasure I mean it’s not a realm of pleasure but another realm of suffering. But we still have that much. And compare it. The animals are not so. They suffer tremendously, right? They cannot speak. They cannot extract. They don’t have a right. They don’t have a right. They don’t have a right to be in the house. We have to kick them out. The () you don’t want them. The mice. We don’t own them. The skunk. We don’t want them. I don’t know let’s have () it’s not there anymore. But it seems not to be there anymore. Audience: They hibernate in the winter. (laughter)

0:02:23.8

So, do we want to be free of those sufferings, pains, that is probably everybody, there is nobody who doesn’t want that, right? And we call that a pleasure, happiness, we want that, as long as possible we trying to hold that happiness. So everybody like it or not tried to work for happiness. Everybody! Nobody is there not working for happiness. Everybody! So the material part of you, the material people will says, alright if you don’t want suffering you need money. If you have money you can get of your suffering. you can have a house, you can have a car, you can have this you can have that. So that becomes ourselves and they think it is ourselves so they go for it. And it is limitless to certain extent as well as (). But that faults only a temporary (). Isn’t that right or wrong what I said? What do people work for? What do people need money for? Why do you have to pay your bills? Alright. Because you want to be happy. And then that becomes part of our baggage. Abd actually when you work you work for your happiness even for the material point of view. Not so many people work for say () working. But everybody works for and then when you look for job? How much are you getting? How much you pay? How much are you giving? How many hours do you have to work? Bla bla bla. All of them are looking for money. Why are you looking for money? Because people think it can solve the problem and that’s why money becomes everything. And so, the () monks call money a nickname (Tibetan). () Everybody likes, and it fulfills your wish. Nickname. That’s why it’s called (). So that’s why we think that can solve. Now solve to certain extent you create certain things.

0:05:18.1

Now the spiritual path is looking for the other way. It is alternative to the money solving a problem. That does not mean. You don’t have to have money. You give up, forget completely. No, you have to go out of society. In addition to that you see if you can solve. It is not really optimistic. Maybe I am wrong. It is another way. And looking from a different way. So, I believe that is proper () no buddha will deny that. Right? I think that has to be. Nobody can deny that. Nobody whoever made it they can’t deny it (). Let’s say you call Buddha; ah the Tibetan Buddhist go let alone with that and then see what happens. And that own (). But we want to eliminate suffering. I don’t mean anybody denies that. Right? So, the Buddhas answer for this is be frank. Is sort of saying, it’s saying, with money you can do this and this and that. Instead of saying that, Buddha says: this is the road of certainties that we have done. We are responsible for certain things (). If you want to eliminate that, you can’t eliminate on the () point. it is like only treating its symptoms. Why don’t you look into the cause and try to cut the cord and then it doesn’t become anymore? It’s like a water dam or something. If you have a water dam of suffering. If you want to eliminate that instead of picking the water out of those dams, why don’t you stop that river’s coming into the dam. Like a river valley project or something. Why don’t you stop the rivers coming into that and it’ll automatically resolve? And that’s what the Buddha is saying. Buddha is saying the answer, he said, I looked and did not find answer in those way we are doing it, but I found answer by cutting the cord. That was real Buddha’s message. That’s how the four noble truths work.

0:08:14.1

So similarly, if you really want to stop the suffering, let us stop to the cause, from the cause level rather than try to stop () level. You get me? Ok. So that’s what. And then what kind of cause we want And Buddha said let’s look for the deep root cause rather than the temporary cause. And that’s the thing and then here we are introducing that becomes introduction of our (). I might become a little radical for Lam Rim tradition. Lam Rim tradition has to say the Buddhahood is your end and then they go on to different level. But let us work the other level out. Instead of saying is possible Buddhahood () so let us look otherwise at up way. So, removing the suffering and cause of suffering from ourselves completely. Eradication of our suffering. Which is acceptable to anybody in this world today. That is the language we just speak. If we say to become Buddha that’s language you don’t speak. You know what I mean? So that is becoming (). And then you channelize Lam Rim, you channel the energy to be able to work towards that goal. Otherwise, you do this you do that, you go nowhere. So, try to let the Lam Rim really do. Channel all your efforts. Put them together. To achieve certain goal. That’s what really it is. Right? So let us at least our goal is to eradicate suffering and causes of suffering. To eradicate suffering by eradicating the cause of suffering. Right?

0:11:13.7

So, then the question comes, does this practice whatever we are going to learn or do it, has the capabilities of doing that. The next question, will this practice, is it capable? The answer for this is yes. Yes, it is capable because through this practice of the Buddha has achieved the result and all the Bodhisattvas achieved the result, the arhats have achieved the result; So, by looking at those things, these people who have achieved. If I do the this same thing, I can also achieve it. A lot of things we act, right. Normally, in life somebody did something right we follow it. So, we call them we know it works. How do you know it works? It works for this and this person. This and this person did it, it worked, right? So, what means for that we call that work.

Inaudible question from audience.

GR: I do know that.

Audience: Inaudible

GR: Another one. What we have talked this morning. Is it really hot here or is it me? Would you mind open this one a little bit? Open this one.

You are right there is not some many people in here that can say it is true here. The fact that I don’t really know whether you spiritually, spiritually development, can you really prove like some scientific thing, not even sure that, right?

0:14:08.2

Inaudible question from audience

GR: Well, I don’t think the sangha’s are suffering here. I don’t think so. I don’t think so. We don’t have immune system. This membership does not immune you, immunize. (Laughter). (Inaudible). But you have to also think it is group of people, huh? I am going to say something funny. It’s a group of people. OK. A group of the people who do have all kinds of problems, get together is it bad for them, it is. Normally. A group of people who are also very intelligent and yeah, I am not joking. That’s true. Very intelligent, who () see and who are very intelligent see beyond money there is way to solve a problem better than that. And who also see that money doesn’t solve all the problems and there is another way and the group, and this is the sangha. So number 1, I do think Sangha was very much a way of () and a problem, very much, a way, it is not superficially want over, it doesn’t, they are very much a (), It will also have a problem of its own plus opportunity of solving it together and so what we have been saying this morning is looking back to the people, looking back to the people and looking back that’s why people finding they are (), somehow, number of people have find been helped.

0:17:31.3

And a number of people look like are much more grounded than ever before, really. At least, they say the right thing on the right direction, really, right? Number of people do. And tremendous improvement within the Sangha you can see, and I think that in itself is a (), fine, I don’t even say, it is fine, it may help. But there is no guarantee, there is no money will be refunded if it doesn’t work. (laughter). That is sort of joke I believe it’s not really insurance, what happened is during the retreat we talk about that and when I went to Chicago somebody got up and said that is for you. () So, I don’t think it seriously plan it and don’t mean it. Don’t misunderstand. It’s not insurance. You thought that something said? (). If you want to buy you can buy but no money guaranteed returned. So anyway, so that’s what we do and that’s the end, that is the goal. We have to have some end. And let’s this is beginning Lam Rim, let’s not jump Buddha and all this. Ultimately, Buddha is () for sure, but when you read this and that is () ultimate goal but not immediate goal. Immediate goal is eradicating of suffering. Eliminating and eradicating, too much rejoicing. So, this is suffering see, can you see? It is hot and cold and already cold. So therefore ().

0:20:14.2

So that is the end of it. So can this practice help do this and that’s what we have been talking what we see. And what we don’t see is we rely on the () word of the enlightened being because after that we cannot see. And when we see it when we experience, we cannot communicate to the others because something causes that in between. With separate (). Separate from the living and the dead. The sound of which we cannot communicate we cannot talk face to face. Otherwise living and dying is the same thing. We give a () continuation, so you’re done. I know some people have a () on their head but doesn’t mean much. So, what we can judge, what we can see, is use our intelligence and make decisions and when you cannot use then we rely on word of (). That’s how Buddhism introduce people. You know the. object of something is, we can see, how much we can see, how much we can plan, we rely on ourselves, and when the limit goes beyond, beyond our limit, we rely on the words of the Buddha and something like that. When the Buddha was a ghost and use your intelligence bla bla bla, when you talk about Khama, when you talk about something beyond human comprehension then the Buddha goes and extend a thing. all the Moon and the Sun and the stars can fall on the ground and the ground, and all the wet ground become dry and all dry can filled with water. How about the Buddha will not lie, bla la bla. They make to that point of going to statement because just to at least to get some kind of, I don’t want salad, but I do want salad, some sort of () benefit of doubt. So that’s why they go to that point.

0:23:09.5

I even raise a caution. Do you really think there isn’t a future life and of this and that? This are some question Alan Ginsburg and he said: I don’t know, I don’t buy, I don’t know, I don’t think I buy that. However, I am doing my to working very hard, () that is really true and if there, is not () and I better be prepared, I am not going to suffering and regret as last time. So, if that’s true. That is a straightforward answer he is giving. If it is true, I’d rather be prepared than () after all this I have opportunity that’s what he said. I don’t know about the father figure. That’s straightforward answer and lot of people say yes there is. Are you sure there is? Yes, there is. How do you know? Well, the book says, the Buddha says, the Rinpoche says. Which is worse than what Allan says. Straightforward answer. true. So, if there is why not prepare, why not prepare. But the science is 99% is more clear that there is. Much more. So, there is a lot of indication. And we are intelligent enough to observe that. There is a tremendous amount of science that there is a future life. Really. A monk says because the ghost come back and talk to you. No no no. Lot of indication, lot of true science, I mean, at least when you look at these people here. Everybody has a (), but everybody has a different () different thing, everybody has a different character. Why all this? I mean it’s () answer. Even if you are twin, twin. The looks is same, walks same but have different character one good one bad. Or a () all sort of funny thing, different character, where did that come from? Each one of them. I mean really, if you trace back, if we keep on tracing back, there is endless trace.

0:26:18.2

We can endlessly trace. The indication of those endless trace are different behavior of the people have. Nobody taught this. Even if you taught this same time, same way, same time, same school, same teacher, same movie they see, same restaurant they go, same () but they have a different way of (), different behavior. Where did that come from? () And we really accept the elderly people that when you become elder, you behave different, because as a childhood, you have different experience. We accept that. Don’t we. More or less. Don’t we. We do accept that. And why the child behave different? You have to accept (). Anyway, some are going to go in that. That’s not our business. Why is it not our business? But it is not our direct business today. In a way it is. For when you can’t find the answer then there is different or something. If you find some sort of artificial answer in between and try to cut it out. Right? Do you know what I am saying? Some artificial answer they give you. So, god made it different way. Or different world.

Audience ().

GR: It may not be true. But if it () maybe behaving differently too.

Audience ()

GR: If every scientist believes in reincarnation, it may be problem.

0:31:22.6

Audience ()

GR: But I do not know how much we can really comprehend beyond that. Unless there is somebody who died and come back and tell us Hey there is. But which of course even the Buddha () tremendous question and saying that this is our imagination blah blah blah. () are there.

Audience ()

GR: True. But I think we should go limited direction. I don’t really think you hear, and no Buddha will deny. Hundred percent. That’s a total bullshit. I don’t think there is anybody who have. and if you have that it is a problem. I think you have to work first for that. I mean even Dharma can’t work who are working with future life it can () work for sure, it is its own thing, however, I think that is the question. Absolutely, thought it out. You know what because if there is, this is something, my way of thinking, if we know, if there is no future life or anything, why should we have to worry about? Why don’t we do everything that we like to do? You know what I mean? Why do we have to restrict ourselves for doing something? Do certain things.

Audience ():

GR: If you go in it, or what do you call, eternal heaven or hell, you know with dead body you don’t go you change the body. So that is that. That is future life. Even by accepting eternal…

Audience: ()

GR: I know you can come out of nothing. What I am trying to say, if we don’t have to worry about future, you can do anything you want to. You can marry to your sister if you like it. And why not? Maybe law will stop but law is law. Why not.

0:35:23.5

Audience ()

GR: But beyond that.

Audience: If you in the heat of anger you kill your husband or your brother or your child or your loved one you regret it afterwards, after you’re angry. And then you did it. And if the police catches you it’s even worse Total anarchy in society and we do that, we feel that regret. Most people have any sense of the teacher or he past or history, becomes whatever you happen to remember is the () and it seems to me that the main argument I have seen is that if you don’t believe in reincarnation, there is no, if you really look at the argument there is no belief then in karma. You cannot believe in karma if you don’t believe in reincarnation. Even from a strictly scientific material point of view even they believe in a form of reincarnation if you go into heaven for eternity and not have to communicate with your sons and daughter who are still if they’re suffering or their children There’s always going to be the connection once you every loved anyone or scarred anyone. Or done anything that has any impression of virtue or non-virtue on this planet. You have some type of connection of sympathy or antipathy unless you connect yourself completely off. You put yourself into. Human beings learn to live in each other. Human beings carry other people inside them, and they project themselves into other people whether a guru or lover. But even the worst person loves somebody. Even the worst person has a friend and buddy. That they shared with and cared

Audience () But even if they die, they have some part they have given themselves over, your land or money or things. That’s why people have wills.

GR: But that has nothing to do with you. You’re gone.

Audience (): I think there is bigger. I think that most people have a sense there is something more. Even the materialistic they don’t believe afterwards. I know multimillionaire. Five years down the road he’s thinking about his son. there is somebody who’s gonna own the land. how’s gonna own all the stuff, who’s gonna. they are not gone. their words and their actions are still living there.

GR: But their actions and their words are not themselves. If you argue that way. For argument’s sake. But you can do all this.

0:38:43.3

Audience: () one argument I have is that from all the thinkers I have read, and I believe it’s true for m thinking it out. If you don’t believe in reincarnation you don’t believe in Khama. That means you don’t believe there is justice.

GR: I didn’t say that as you said, I am saying, it doesn’t () incarnation, why worry about it? Why not marry your own sister and things like that. If you are on a retreat, you get some of it, that’s not bad, you gonna die that is the worst.

Audience: Can you give an example of what kind of result will happen?

GR: That is how karma really works and that is () is partially true, how karma really works. Anyway, let’s not () that is beyond our scope but is important. This argument, if you read cutting through appearance, do read that. I am sure there is one of them says, () and Geshe (). And I am sure if it’s () maybe it’s done well, the has this viewpoint. This viewpoint and this viewpoint, really if you accept () and then there is a long, this is ancient argument. We not really sometime, you may find lot of ways and means in between like the continuation path of things. But that’s definitely valid. I don’t think there is a true, 100 percent it’s not. I don’t think it can be. If scientifically really prove there is no future life, I don’t think in any sensible spiritual person will hesitate to accept that. I really don’t think so unless you are stupid, hard-headed, stubbornness. Which means if the scientifically prove there is no future life that’s definitely.

Audience: anything going on with fundamentalists in the US to refuse and disallow for evolution to be taught even though 100 years ago evolution was established scientifically I amen such a large segment in the US won’t accept that evolution exists and in the world millions and billions of people will not accept evolution whether if it is scientifically proven or not.

0:42:02.6

GR: I am going to; I give you in writing today. If its scientifically proved there is no future life, I will not hesitate a minute to accept it. I really do. I think his Holiness also says somewhere that I won’t hesitate that’s true science if it’s scientifically proven.

Audience: ()

GR: as long as you cannot prove or disprove, we have room to travel there.

Audience: But the scientific thing is we didn’t get much into is the theory of relativity and if that’s true and that everything you do affects everything else. Then if each one of us if one were just think a little bit and see their individual and their social responsibility whether it is an artist or as a human being that has a gift or something that can benefits themselves and others which are inseparable, actually, it seems that that’s.

GR: I am glad you said. Benefits others and themselves is inseparable. I am glad you said that.

Audience: I think the reincarnation Khama here being to transform the Earth overnight. If reincarnation karma were to be understood and accepted that literally within a couple of months the whole world would transform.

GR: is it true? but it cannot be done either.

Audience are first ones that ever encountered () I mean I remember the shake head when I first encountered Tibetan Buddhist when I met rinpoches in Tibetan that would be so concerned over the future lifetimes when everyone in esoteric that it would only talked about the last life or previous one. And it took me a while to realize that they were deadly serious.

GR: there are really serious. It is serious business. This is the karmic shaping time for our future.

Audience: It makes one pathological pettiness about your own parent completely disappear. You are responsible and you thought your parents gave your problems and by the way you are living now you are picking reincarnation.

GR: On the other hand, there is no relation with their parents is also not true. They have some relation too. It is all multiple, a dependent rise. So, everything contributes for everything. Definitely. That’s relative proof. And every single thing has contributed to every single thing. So, the childhood abuses contributed to the behavior of later () all these are definitely contribute, and the parents behavior contributes to the children’s behavior. And especially if the children pick anybody young one, pick up a role model and they will definitely contribute to the behavior of that person because you like to be () you want to be that one and the () without realizing. This are definitely contributor of relative truth.

0:46:07.5

Because of the relative truth that is definitely everything contributes on everything. But the major contributions is our own karmic and the () contribution comes from everything whatever is happening round you. These are the things which create the condition for the future stuff. I don’t remember if that is who one of the Tibetan earlier Lamas who will give example. Given your own karma. You know we weave this, this clothing we weave. Cotton and all this. The major thing the () goes round and then the other things goes cross. then you weave and then you put that () so your own karmic is like the major thread that goes inside. All other events that have taken place cross within your lifetime or whatever and there is all this () besides thread that goes which you pull. The () after that. Thus called () relation is has some kind of relation so even in all of our lifetimes there are own karma that are () and the conditions are the () so that is how it is shaped. And that’s what it is. Anyway, so we’re going little bit beyond that. So, the () whatever it is what we are looking for is eliminating the suffering. How can eliminate suffering by eliminating the cause. This thing going straight. By eliminating the cause, you can () but by eliminating the () you may not completely be able to eradicate this things. And this thing is not () this side going business cannot function even though there is nothing to stick. Do you see what I’m talking? So that’s I believe how it works. So, when you eliminate that one you don’t this one. This one is sidetrack for us. So, the Lam Rim can help. I am not talking about earlier historical points; I am talking about what people can improve today and what has happened and that really can see. It is benefit. It is tremendous. People who go around lot they tell you more. People go round tell you more and more how Lam Rim can help and how much it can help. And how much it cannot help. They can definitely tell. We have a real interesting examples within our sangha. I’m not going to name them today. But yeah, but it’s good improvement though you can name but we can see. I don’t have to really say. So, it does. Yeah.

0:50:03.3

Audience; I’m () on the condition and the cause. Some teacher said that if you don’t create the condition then karma can’t arise. So, if I don’t want that fabric woven, I also don’t create the conditions so then the karma doesn’t have the opportunity to become ().

GR: you are right. If you don’t have the condition, you cannot produce the fabric, but the causes remain there.

Audience: Eradicate the cause as not having the karma arise, but can’t I, change by watching the conditions and that making the conditions to become effective?

GR: How much can you watch?

Audience: I know it’s like cutting the branches instead of the root.

GR: We cannot watch that much. () watching all the time. Do nothing () watching. He can tell you (). That may not be good answer. Good talk but might not be. It may not work now.

Audience: There is fabric beside the fact of looking for result that people bettering themselves. Once could also argue once you really find the dharma the result could be the fact that you just one wakes up to their suffering in a better way. One could argue that after finding Buddhism now I really started to suffer but before I was, I was like an ostrich in the sand. A lot of people do a lot to avoid they are in denial and dysfunctional and they don’t understanding anything that is going on. So, when they finally get on the path then for a few years it is really a question of finally finding the shit in their lives or the unprocessed stuff as its in karmic () and if they can say it i can say it. But that’s what it is all that stuff is unprocessed and the residue. A friend of mine wrote an article “troubles on the Path” so when you first enter the path really things get worse and suddenly when you turn the light now you see the dark corner sand the dirt you have to work on. And at least it is more real when it feels more human, they feel engaged in life and you’re really here now and not fading away. I mean there is an argument for that. Kinda like the Americans are happy to be at war, big tough, there is a whole side of spiritual practice where one wants to be a warrior.

0:53:33.6

GR: That’s true.

Audience: I don’t think () get worse I think you just see them whereas before you didn’t. It seems like they get worse because for the first time you see all these things and you pull the strings, and all that stuff is attached to it.

GR: Ok. So let us do a little bit down now. I you find it difficult to follow this it’s ok. Another one. Which we earlier worked out and some people find that easier. Go ahead and use that. So basically, what I’m going to introduce here. The quality. Oh oh oh oh. Did I talk about the four qualities, I think I did? (Pali)that is. what is the outline? But the what happened is in for me it doesn’t matter. You know why, because I’m thinking in Tibetan I’m not thinking in English. So, the somebody has used this word, it landed in me in the same way, what I’m thinking. Pretty perfected word that I’m putting in. And the interpreters and the translator used this language and looking through that language, some here some there. But not close to. So that’s what happening So the four qualities is () the great Manjushree is automatically (). The great Manjushree this is another similar to the non-contradictory business type. Another thing, ja we are good and you’re bad and like that sort of thing lost. So, if you understand the Lam Rim properly and if you get it then all the teachings of the Buddha will become more one. And there is one purpose to help all beings to eradicate the sufferings of all beings. And so, you can’t say this is good and this bad and that is good, and this is bad. So otherwise, we are in very much habit I’m saying. Ours is good and yours is bad and this and that and particularly among the very little Tibetan Buddhist traditions there you find lot of (). Particularly among the western people not so much within the Tibetan. Fortunately, unfortunately not so much in the Tibetan but it’s tremendous among the western people.

0:57:22.1

And these western people they did not make up there also instigated by few Tibetans for sure. I’m not denying that. however, the majority in the western dharma groups if you look, everybody will tell ours is the best. if you go to the ktc here they say theirs is the best. system and bla bla bla and is the of the and (). If you go to the nimo tradition hen there is earlier and they say theirs is the best then and there is bala balah balah and if you go to the () center, telling you tsongkapha is right! That’s not to emphasize the others are not right but we are telling go look at that and that’s what is happening. and so, but that’s all right and that is you are the best great fine. but you can’t say that you’re wrong. you’re the best that’s fine. but you cannot say the other is wrong. and if you say that this is what they are talking about the great Manjushree and that’s what they are talking about. it’s the personal the value to the lam rim and the dharma then they cannot say that was wrong. there are a lot of people who say that is wrong. if you want to do right you do here and this way. and if you do that way it is wrong and they will tell you that a lot. that is what is the great Manjushree. directly they are talking about THAT. INDIRECTL what we are talking about our ignorance. the ignorance, lot of people, it might well say here, lot of our sangha will think, the teachings on wisdom will come. when the teachings on wisdom will come there is some kind of illumination which you, we create dharma is like that. and the people look for that. it is not. teachings for the wisdom is the beginning when you open the mouth.

1:00:20.9

it is the beginning at that time. when you introduce the sufferings the teachings on wisdom begins. there is no such thing which eliminates like that. (Snap of finger) no. a lot of people do think it is there. and that is another misunderstanding. so, the teachings the lam rim particularly begin to cut down the ignorance tremendously and when you start to cutting down the ignorance opposite of the ignorance will be the wisdom. at least now you know the karmic system. how karmic what does karma mean how it works. how does all of them sort of () that is the wisdom and that’s not only the wisdom, but it is part of wisdom. when the whole picture comes up together and then you see it clearly until then it is all wisdom gradually. and there is no such thing really like this eliminate. so, what the four qualities of cutting the fault behaviors which is Manjushree karma which will gradually begin the moment we sit down and start talking it is starting functioning cutting down the faults. by cutting the faults the action of the faults cut down. by cutting the action of the fault you cut down the bad karma, and that is automatically affecting the individual, automatically the individual. and particularly the effect of the induvial whether it’s been affect or not been affect you have to see it is a longer period and then try to see try to read back, look back and look back. and then you see it different. and you don’t see now if you had to look back what are you thinking yesterday what am i thinking today. if you’re trying to sit, you’re trying you see nothing and then you’re disappointed and then you get disappointed and then you get to worry about it and then you call me and you cry on the telephone. people do that a lot. so that won’t work. but if see over long period and then you start watching you see effect. and that is the how i will interact the four qualities and it also helps you and you can revisit that system. but don’t say the other system is wrong.

1:03:21.3

No matter whether you are teaching Tibetan Buddhism you are doing Tibetan Buddhism. if you are gelug you are doing Buddhism if you are doing () you are doing Tibetan Buddhism. And you are doing Buddhism. If you are doing, you don’t teach, somebody else is. I mean you don’t teach are doing teach, somebody asks you something, you taught, you are teaching the dharma what the Buddha taught. And that’s what it is and that’s what you ought to subscribe to. So that is another quality so the quality if you look in that thing, or you have it. (). What do we have there?

Audience: Qualities and benefits of the Lam Rim tradition and how to meditate and practice.

GR: What did you say? (Lam Rim tradition as meditation). We covered that much. You don’t have it because I am not 100% happy with this but we will work out that system. We’re trying to put all the Lam Rim studies together. Chicago, here, New York, together what unified, little bit of. What’d you call this? Curriculum. So that you readings and the book what you read and what page or the chapters and all this we’re sort of trying to put it together. Not 100% through yet. So, we may make more contributions on the little bit more connections (). So the qualities and teachings. What is the other one? And how to practice. What does it mean? What do you think?

Audience: () Guru devotion, precious human life is session 2 according to this outline. This one is meditations qualities and benefits of the Lam Rim in order to develop good motivation for study and practice. ()

1:06:22.3

GR: Anyway. So let us cover this quality, these four qualities, which we already have been covered. Now, we’ll change the, the second is how to listen, right? This is tremendous amount of subject to cover with this. How to teach and listen. And how to practice and how to I think the shortest Lam Rim don’t have the teachings, but it goes on the practice, that’s why. So anyway, now let’s start to cover, the how to practice, ok. How to practice, let’s go to that. I will divide that into two ways. I think she has to cover the preliminary. So that’s where i am. How to practice. [Guru devotion?] No no no no. The beginning session and the session and the end of session. So here how to practice. Is that?

Audience: When she When she talked to me, she mentioned the me the upside down.

GR: We have to do the preliminaries. We cover here. Ok, she told you the base, so which has base in. When you telling your base on how to listen that’s what it is. Ok now let me put this, how to practice, before you practice what you practice what you need to know. Alright? If you don’t know what to practice you don’t know what to practice. It is true. Don’t look at me. So don’t give me that. It is true. So, you have to know what you practice. So, in order to know the practice, you have to either learn it either through reading or listening. Ok? So, through listening or reading, as matter of fact it is absolutely necessary to have both. You have to have the reading, by listening you can have very limited information brought in because of our timing. And the time we have to wait, too. So, the readings become absolutely necessary. Listening is also absolutely necessary because if you don’t listen then the book cannot be spiritual guide. No way.

1:09:58.3

Number of reasons why so the most important reasons is that carries the spiritual teachings traditions carry a tremendous backbone of the lineage. Unbroken continuation of the lineage practice is the backbone, is the backbone and which cannot be provided by reading even by video chain or audiovisual cannot provide that. So, the teaching listening is absolutely necessary. And in both cases now you said base, in both cases, whether you are reading or listening three things have to be clear. Three things. The number 1 the most important is also you have to listen you have to pay attention or you will not learn it, it’s like upside down glass you cannot pour water in if it’s upside down. It is simple as that. And another is not a big deal for the rest today a big deal foe the Tibetan before, you cannot forget. If there is a hole in the glass no matter much how much water your pour, nothing can be filled up. So that is the second problem. That is not a big deal because in the west now you can leave all your information in the book. Very good taking note. Tibetans are not good taking notes. Take very good notes or you can read in book, or you can put tape recorder and leave it here. So that’s another big deal so there is something to think.

Audience: the analogy made that because the hole in the glass represents lost through and forgetting?

GR: Yeah, I do not know cannot filled up by the books know by the book and change. I don’t know whether you can ()> Most likely not. Most likely or you know why? Would you really need is the time when you need? At the time when you need the book or tape recorder will not be there. It is only you in your brain there. So probably so probably the book and text and that sort of you know running through and () in brain. So that’s what I’m doing. So now the most important thing is if there is piece of shit in the grass you cannot use it. That’s that. No matter how much nectar you pour in you cannot use it. Ok. That is if you have the wrong motivation if we have wrong motivation it won’t work. Our purpose cannot be fulfilled. Your purpose it becomes useless. Even if you don’t have the wrong motivation if you are angry that is problem. because anger will affect.

1:13:50.7

If you’re frustrated if you’re not angry, if you’re frustrated with anything, and that won’t help. That is again become affected. All your being there that is totally another reason for attaching of something or another that is again a piece of shit in it. So, all of them will not serve purpose. So, the first thing when we said generate pure motivation mean you have to watch that. That simply saying for the benefit of all being will not be sufficient at all. It is the right thing to do but it is not sufficient. You have to see your mind is clear. If you come with a prefabricated idea of the answers that you have and you try to be here and then that is another problem because then what will happen if that suits your mind you acknowledge it that’s right and if it doesn’t suit your mind, you say that’s not right. So, because you are prefabricated idea doesn’t work with the thing. Because you have to remember the whole purpose of the Lam Rim is to correct our mind to smoothen our mind and to develop ourselves. So, for that doesn’t work. For listening it doesnt work for saying pratcice it doesnt work for meditation it doesnt work. So don’t have a prefabricated idea then have frustrated idea then have an attaching or any sort of word another word the hatred, the jealous, the attachment, and ignorance all have to. No sorry. Hatred, jealousy, attachment has to go. If that is gone the ignorance will be affected and if that’ not gone not matter the ignorance is protected so with that idea you have to listen.

1:16:40.6

I might as well have mentioned it a bit because it is now maybe a point to say. And also, there is system. You have to respect to the teaching you have to respect to the person who teaches. why? The person who teaches at least carrying the message of the Buddhas and Bodhisattva, so they are representing and if we don’t respect to that person, it becomes insult to the buddhas and the bodhisattvas. They give you the example in traditional old Tibetan. if you two villages and if the one representative of the village to the other village and if that is not received the representative with the right respect and they started kicking and they sort of if they did not receive representative in accordance to what to expect or whatever then it becomes insult to the other village, right? In old tradition you () that way. Even today if you send a representative to Iraq and they don’t respect you or get hurt look at them and this sort of thing you not because you love James Baker but because you’re American this is disrespectful to American normally, you’re going to be happy. So, they give you that example. So that’s why you need respect. The respect is how? The system. So (Sanskrit) the system if somebody is sitting down and if the teacher is standing or something. what happens?

Audience: ()

GR: ok so if the teacher is, if the students are sitting and the teacher should not teach by standing which is in the western culture (). So () dharma should not taught in that manner and if the student is sleeping, lying down and you cannot give teaching by sitting. So, for that’s why don’t I don’t mind you start to () don’t lie down. If you put your body like this and then you cannot sit on stool like this then you are not sit on stool to teach dharma in that manner. Then the teacher should also lie down.

1:20:02.3

AR: what’s the purpose of the teacher sitting and the student sitting how is that not if the teacher stands ()

GR: () traditional rule how disrespectful that’s all it is. And you don’t teach to the person who’s very dopey. Huh? What’s wrong with that? () I said “dopey”. Topy?

Audience: (Inaudible but seemed to be funny). Implied symbolism. Explicit as well? Dharma not being taught standing while students are sitting. It not be proper teach dharma.

GR: () You know why? In that culture sitting is the proper yet, and then what do we do or out system if you notice, the old system if the elders or the respectable people come together, they don’t () so getting up is respect, right? But then there is other thing so mediocre, the other () not get up but others will get up. So, the standing is respect and sitting is less respect to the standing but then the student cannot stand all the time because it is difficult so common, they settled on the sitting position. But if somebody is sitting and they () dharma by standing, so the standing is the lower order to sitting, right? And that is the culture of more in the sense that they do that. The lower person stands, and the other person sit. So that’s why dharma doesn’t do that. So, you don’t stand there and the respect ().

1:24:26.2

Audience: I think it has to get up with moving, staying.

GR: No, it is not that and then the lying down will be even more disrespectful so that’s why you dont do that. Walking standing and walking you can do dharma teaching that’s ok buddha there are so many ways. you don’t go to detail. (). If you read this () what does that say? ()

Audience: Movement to ritual where we (). So, standing has a great tradition in Christian and the standing was the standing stone it was the erect posture versus the earth but the animals had the horizontal so to lay down you return to the animal realm so by standing you only the humans have and it’s a relationship of standing and sitting that the whole body is the center of the Earth and the stars and you have the consciousness rise higher and lower. There is a whole tradition then one that’s standing has the energy and the one that’s sitting or lying down is not.

GR: But the, what I’m talking is what I know. I am not saying that that’s not true. So anyway, so that’s how to listen. And the most important thing is mental part of it. Clean. Mental part. As I mention to you, I do not know, I think I did mention to you that [Rinpoche] once told me I went to a teaching of () Rinpoche. Which is another great teacher I had and very well-known teacher and not very high-ranking king, become () Dalai lama teacher and all this and become a () later. The chairman of the Gelugpa. Very high ranking but the sort of all attend one of the Rinpoche’s teaching and have it on the same () all the time. Always. Always he’s because when I first heard teaching () I didn’t really realize what Rinpoche is saying. And afterwards will tell others before because Rinpoche says certain things. There is one quotation by (): one where there to learning who love to meditate or love to do projects is somebody without arm trying to climb on the rock and that’s what () Rinpoche quotation means. So () means (). So, everybody will tell the new student will incarnate lama, will laugh and also funny things they do sort laugh, so we told them to not laugh, and they listen more carefully and giggle. They giggle more () Rinpoche went into teachings from () Rinpoche always very famous at that time so nobody was there to tell. () Sitting here for ().

1:29:32.6

GR: Giggling and was very sad and then “I’m an old person I said the wrong thing, correct me if I said the wrong thing” Then he started reading something, the (), means narrative so he’ll remove the negative word out and the () and when there is no negative word, he asked them all the time. Read this. So, Rinpoche keep on starting correcting a couple of times they even told me. Couple of times and said couple of times he acknowledges and then after some time he picked the book up started reading from the wrong, so all come here to find fault for me. To become my fault. All you come here to find my fault. In that case you better not stay here. () So, I don’t know why I’m saying that. So, the idea is you should not be here to find fault, that’s what it means. So, if you have looking for fault and problems then you don’t have to be at the Lam Rim to finding fault and problems and you have enough of them problems outside. And so, when I said the () totally clean means all of them should not be there. Now, or how to listen. How to teach. How to teach might as well cover here now. How to teach. The teacher should not be preparing for himself saying that how best I can teach so that I can get better in practice. So that you know this sort of motivation and how can I make myself very presentable the best way presentable if you want to make the best to be affect people) then you wanted to fine. But if you want to make it very impressive and say the right thing and don’t have the wrong thing that sort of thing teaching. It’s wrong, that is again. the piece of shit inside () that’s from the teachers (point of view. It is always you’ the always think that you are only sharing things you know. you don’t talk things which you don’t know.

1:32:39.4

That is very important. But only you know as acknowledge but the things you have practice yourself and have a little bit of insight and try to share that on that basis you may add two scholarly things here and there, but you have to be based on what you know. And rather then so that’s why you dont find prepare the lessons like the classes you have you don’t find that you shouldn’t that. And if you to become and then there is the tendency of taking over for your own personal knowledge and touch and insight is taking over by the preparations. So, you know what I mean you read a couple of books here and there and practice very nice things. So. look presentable, nice, and wonderful complete everything but effect to the individual practice very little. It becomes less effective, not very much effective. So even () Rinpoche reads…children behavior.