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.2110Sound file Tale : 19950101GRAR8FP04

Speaker: Gelek Rimpoche

Location: Ann Arbor

Topic: Experience of the Buddha Shakyamuni

Transcriber: Steve Kelly

Date Finished October 3, 2017

Saved as ODF

Rimpoche: Deals with the sentient beings and work with them, which is how we created all of our negativities. We create them on the basis of sentient beings. When you try to build up something positive with them that really gives you the base. That is the power of the base. Is that power of the base clear to you?

Hmmm, yes, okay (audience laughs).

So, second, well you may be thinking recognition, and now base, what is that? 000044

It may be going through. I’m referring to one, recognize the negativities that you did, on which you created the negativities. Try to make some kind of compensation. That is the recognition. Recognition is not only recognition but you need to do something if you realize that you did some bad thing to somebody.

Compensate for the harm you cause

So do something to compensate for that. That is the recognition part of it. Second we also need regret. Regret is extremely important and if you don’t have regret it’s not going to work very well. Right?

Regret so you don’t repeat

If you don’t regret that you did something then it doesn’t do any good you’re going to repeat it again. So not only that, if you don’t have regret, why do you even have to purify it? So how can you purify nothing? If you keep on saying that killing is good and especially if you get away with it, whether it’s a double murder or whatever it is, if you can get away with that then nothing is saying you’re not going to do it again.

So I’d rather not talk too much on that anyway. So that’s what it is you know? Regret is definitely absolutely necessary. So the because of recognition, it will be able to bring you to the regret. If you don’t have regret you cannot purify it. Regret is definitely needed. But regret does not mean you have to be feeling guilty about it.

Regret not guilt

On this point, I always make a big distinction here. Guilt feeling, if I understand guilt correctly, I have a problem understanding this guilty feeling or guilt or whatever. I really do because I don’t get it. People really have a big problem with this. People can cash in on that. People can take advantage of somebody’s guilty feelings and they do that. I don’t know how but I don’t buy into that. I am someone who doesn’t believe in guilt. If anybody tries to play a guilt trip with me, it doesn’t work. (audience laughs)

If I understand guilt correctly, people who feel guilt think I’ve done something that I cannot correct. I am stuck with this, I have to live with this. I have to die with this. Am I right? Maybe I’m wrong, I don’t know.

But if that is the thing, I don’t believe a bit of it - I don’t.

Really, it is simply because of two things. These are the two most important points in me that gives me that power of not buying into that. One is impermanence and that things change. 000503

The second is the famous Buddhist viewpoint called emptiness. These two keeps me from buying into guilt trips no matter who does the spinning. I don’t buy in because it is impermanent so it will change. The question of being stuck does not arise. You don’t get stuck anywhere - you change. Physically, mentally, emotionally, karmically, spiritually - from everywhere we change.

So therefore stuck is not there, you not going to be stuck there. There is no permanent fixture of certain things, its not a permanent thing. If it is a permanent thing, then I’m stuck you can’t change it. You are stuck with that it is permanent. Since it is not permanent but rather it is impermanent, we are subject to change.

All negative and positive karma is changeable

So change will take place for sure, good or bad. So if you put in the right efforts you can change it in a good way. So it is changeable. All negative karmas are changeable. All positive karmas are changeable. All karmas are changeable. That is definite, though the characteristic of karma is called - what is it?

There are four characters for that. Karma is definite, it is fast-growing, one doesn’t meet the result if you have not created the the conditions and one is bound to meet the results if one creates the conditions.

Those are the characteristics of karma. However it is not permanent. Permanence is not a characteristic of karma. So it changes. So the guilty feelings of, I did something wrong, I’m stuck with this, I have to live with this, I have to die with this, I don’t buy that for a minute because of impermanence.

Can I wait for another 15 to 20 minutes and then we can have question time? So I know that makes you think a lot many of you. It doesn’t matter, even if the Buddha comes in front of me and says hey you’re guilty of this and that and gives me a guilt trip and says I’m guilty of something but I will not get that guilty feeling nobody can spank me on that. No I’m not going to buy that at all because it is impermanent.

It is the nature of emptiness. The nature of emptiness means interdependent arising. 000846

There are interdependent connections. Everything exists dependently. Everything is connected, so therefore if one little thing moves somewhere it makes changes everywhere. So now I can say it a little bit better. Before if I tried to say it people will laugh at me.

But the interdependent relationship is so much so that the movement of a butterfly in China will make a difference in the United States that’s what Buddha 2500 years ago.

So the movement of a little butterfly somewhere in southern India will make a complete difference in northern India and it’ll make a difference on different continents. 000948

It is that much dependent. We are in an interdependent relationship as is the whole of existence. So things are very much changing. So there’s no way you can have those guilt trips and feel that I’m stuck with this. How can it be? Our spiritual life is such an interconnected and interdependent life with enlightened beings as well as non-enlightened beings everywhere.

So every movement will make a helluva difference everywhere. Each and every one of us that is doing something good will also make a total difference to millions of others because of this dependent relationship.

It is not my subject of talking here but basically I mention this because this one of my important basis in my understanding of my spiritual path because of emptiness meaning it is an interdependent relationship. Emptiness is a normal Buddhist terminology. Empty of what? Empty of independent existence.

So if you are empty of independent existence, then you are existing with the dependent arising. The interdependent relationship is the basis of our functioning. So that makes a difference and impermanence.

They are interdependent again. If there is no impermanence then you don’t have a dependent relationship.

You cannot have an interdependent relationship because it is permanently fixed. You can’t change it. If you try to change it what are going to depend on? There is nothing you can do - you’re just stuck there. 001149

Dependent origination allows for purification

So since is has the nature of emptiness, since it is a dependently originated it gives you a tremendous amount of room for purification. It gives you a tremendous amount of room for divine intervention. It gives you a tremendous amount of room for miracles to happen. It gives you tremendous insight for everything. It is because it is impermanent, it is because it is dependently existent. It gives you room for everything because it is impermanent.

So if you feel stuck, then you don’t have room for anything. So then it is not impermanent, then it is not dependent than it is nothing. Then you will be like a little fixture somewhere.

And that we are not that, you know that because we die! So that’s it! So basically regret yes very strong but no guilty feelings. Regarding guilty feelings, what I understand of guilt if I understood correctly, is I have permanently damaged myself, I’ve done something wrong, so I have to live with this. Nonsense!

Then regret is a must. You know they will tell you that the traditional Tibetan teachers actually demand a tremendous amount of regret.

They demand very powerful regret. They give you examples. For example, three people went to a restaurant. One died immediately because of food poisoning, the other is about to die and then nothing happens to you. So what would you do? You would run around to every possible hospital, to every doctor that you know, to every spiritual healer that you know. You would explain that nothing happened to me but one of them dies and one of them is about to die and we all ate the same food. So I’m sure something’s wrong with me so treat me and give me whatever you have to give, take a colonic or a holistic treatment whatever.

In short you will not leave a stone unturned. You will do everything possible to wash inside or clean or whatever you have to do. Even to the extent of operating on yourself and do whatever needs to be done.

They demand that sort of regret. They will say it’s also true because some people who have the same negativity created as you, have gone and have suffering too and somehow on the way but you’re not on the way - yet. 001524

So therefore you should have that much regret and make the change. So if you have strong regret, it helps to make the change. It gives you a boost to help you make the change that you want to make.

If you have weak regret then ahhh, its alright whenever I can, maybe next Sunday, or maybe next month, or maybe once a year or something. Or maybe not even once a year maybe once every 3 years or something and that sort of becomes not strong enough it becomes diluted, it becomes weak.

So the power of regret is extremely important. If you have the power of regret - the repentance is automatic. Not repentance, this is a very strong word, rather non-repeatable - I’m not going to repeat it again. It’s going to be automatic because you dislike it, you won’t go back to that same restaurant, no way. No thank you right?

So that’s automatic. But then the antidote action is also necessary which is very important. Antidote action what the Buddha recommended is the wisdom. Wisdom overpowering the ignorance. Ignorance as I told you earlier the ignorance of wrong knowing, wrong knowing, wrong knowing.

That is a very important thing, which is a little difficult for us particularly when you are not very familiar. This is a little philosophical subject. Since I mentioned this, I must mention a little bit more. What does that ignorance do?

This ignorance is actually some kind of funny ignorance which tries to protect ourselves. I can’t do that, I’m going to get hurt. It is protecting ourselves, protecting ourselves not in a very nice way but in a negative way. It is sort of ego protecting, ego cherishing, ego, I don’t even know how to put this.

Basically we think there is something called me - a really big strong being deep inside somewhere in there, who we have to protect like a queen bee or something.

When you have a queen bee there, you see all these little bees going around and doing all sorts of things and stinging everybody who’s coming nearby and collecting and doing something to save the queen bee inside there.

And our mental faculties will do the same thing to save somebody who is bigger than ourselves which is some kind of a big “I” inside. Basically when the Buddha tells you and I looked everywhere I looked at every path and I couldn’t find.

So the Buddha’s real true emptiness is empty of queen bee here. When there’s no Queen bee, there is no reason why every bee has to go down and sting everybody and bring everything in there. You may think the queen bee is in there but in reality, it’s not there.

So basically we are wrong on that. 002004

That’s why we see the dualistic mind on this and that. In our normal talk that people use, they will give you this wrong perception of a big important “self” in there.

The queen bee is not really there

When we begin to see it’s not in there then we understand we are dependently existing. We are dependently existing because there’s no big “I” in there. When you begin to see this actually it is the destruction of the negativities. Buddha called that wisdom. I just gave you a completely superficial very shallow explanation of this because somehow it slipped out of my mouth I was not even planning talk about that all.. But somehow it slipped out of my mouth. But that is basically beginning to get to the root of all negative functions.

This is because all negativities, negative emotions like anger, attachment, hatred, all these are there to protect the queen bee inside. 002121

If we behave like a porcupine ready to hit and all this we are thinking I’m just protecting somebody inside that untouchable, big, important, supernatural whatever we are perceiving inside that somebody called “me”.

Somebody called I or me or my ego or whatever, a little bit of something gets hurt, if somebody looks at you differently you have a million different questions. Why is this person in looking at me differently, why​?

Or if somebody speaks to you differently you will have a million questions why is that person speaking to me in that manner why why why? All of these are because we try to protect that queen bee inside.

When the Buddha finds this out, he tells us hey there is no queen bee what are you doing? What are you doing there’s no queen bee in there. 002241

Buddha’s emptiness means there is no queen bee in there

That’s what the Buddha’s emptiness really is. It doesn’t mean that there is no nose, no trunk, no these things, though the Sutra says no eyes no nose no ear no head no being whatever. They will say there’s a lot of no no no things. But what that really means is there is no queen bee in there.

So when we stop using all these mental and emotional faculties that we are using to protect the queen bee that is not actually there, then we really begin to cut down all of our negativities.

This is the shorter way to cut down. This sort of an aspirin to all different headaches and all these things. Buddha’s dosage to cure that is the emptiness by saying there’s no queen bee!

Buddhism does not use queen bee as a metaphor all. This metaphor came up two Tuesdays ago when I was talking in Ann Arbor and I tried to explain the details and suddenly the queen bee came up in my head. So I started using it. If you think it is traditional terminology is not. It is not a traditional metaphor.

Because I do have a bee, it is not really a bee, it’s a wasp. They made two nests one in front of my house and one in back of my house. So that’s why I said it. Though there’s no queen they are also very active you know. So that’s what it is. At least the bees have a queen bee, the wasps have nothing there.

Anyway so that’s why it came up in my head. 002451

It is like a queen bee protecting queen bee. No matter whatever even if you have to die, you die. You sting somebody you die and you go to that extent just to protect the queen bee. So we use the same thing our mental and emotional things to protect somebody we think is deep inside there, somebody called the big director, or the big provider.

The big owner inside somehow which is called me. Basically Buddha says there’s no such me there. I function. I live. I die. I go. I come back all this is basically a combination of it. This has become too philosophical I’m sorry but all our basic emotions are built on that way.

Queen be and reactive habits

When you really use the wisdom as an antidote of all negativities it begins to shake every emotion. We begin to question every anger that we get. We begin to question every attachment that we arise. We begin to question every jealousy that rises up. Because when we begin to see that there truly is no queen bee the we ask what am I doing here and why am I doing this? It is reactive because of our habitual patterns. We get it habitually.

It is our habit to get angry. It is our habit to get attachment. You may say it’s human nature but it’s not human nature. Human nature doesn’t have anger. Human nature doesn’t have attachment but it is our habit that gives us all these negative emotions.

So negative emotions are the real source of negative karma. If you regret that and if you renounce that if you renounce that then you’re okay. We are okay. If you don’t have the wisdom then the love compassion is another action which we can use for purification.

Then Tibetan Buddhism has in addition to that the saying of mantras. We have a thing called mantras. Most of you know that. The mantra is another one. Basically the word mantra means mind protection. It is protection of the mind.

So saying mantras is another antidote action. Acting with generosity, helping people, giving shelter to those who are homeless, or providing food for those who are hungry, providing medication for those who are sick. All of them are antidote actions for different negativities.

And each one of the antidote actions whatever you may apply, be a nice person, be a kind person, be a gentle person. These are also an antidote actions. Each one of them combined with the other powers will purify against any negativities that you want to purify. That’s what the Buddha said, Buddha gave a very interesting example on this. 002919

There was a guy whose brother was an extremely intelligent person who was one of these top-level what we call Arhats a high ranking disciple of Buddha. The Arhat’s brother was so stupid he could not understand anything. He couldn’t get anything so he went to the different schools and every school kicked him out everywhere.

Finally went his own brother and his brother couldn’t do anything. The brother couldn’t do anything so the brother is a clairvoyant person so thought for little while. He thought how best can I treat this brother of mine?

Should I be a little rough on him or be nice and kind and gentle. He found out that if he’d been a little rough for him it will benefit him better. So the brother said you stupid fool you never make anything get out here and he kicked them out.

Finally the brother kicked him out. So he was so upset and he was standing in the road and crying. So Buddha came by and said why are you crying?

He said well you have no idea what I went through. He said I’d do have some idea what you went through. Can I help you? He said oh no no no I have enough help. I don’t want you to help me. My own brother could not help me how can you help me? Forget about it.

The Buddha said well your own brother is an Arhat which is sort of a level below the Buddha level. I’m a Buddha I can help you better. He thought for a little while. Then he said all right I will let you help me if you promise me you’re not going to kick me out. I cannot take any longer this rejection. I’ve been kicked out by 18 different schools and finally by my own brother and I cannot take it anymore.

So I will if you’re not going to kick me out. Buddha said okay I promise you I will not kick you out. So finally he said all right I’ll come he said but what I have to do?

Buddha said do one thing, just say Dubahn timahbah. He said just say two words Dubahn timahbah which actually means clear the dust, clear the dirt.

And he could not make it out. He could not say it. When he said clear the dust he forgot to say clear dirt and what he said clear dirt he forgot to say clear the dust. He couldn’t do it. So then Buddha said, can you sweep? 003240

And the he replied, that’s something I may be able to do. So the Buddha said, come with me and he took him in. The Buddha said it’s a very heavy negativity, that’s the problem.

Clear dirt clear dust

So let him sweep. So Buddha made him sweep the floor everywhere in Buddha’s ashram where the Buddha’s disciples are meditating. Buddha told every disciple that whenever they see this guy to repeat the words “clear dust clear dirt”. In the traditional way meditation halls are organized is everybody fits in the one room and they have a common courtyard 003330

In the common courtyard, they leave their shoes. His job was to clean their shoes. So he comes around cleaning the shoes and every meditator, by Buddhas order, has to say clear dirt clear dust clear dirt….

They just have to keep saying that for this guy until he goes away for the next door. But each had to say that. It took a couple of years for him to get it, then finally he got it. He got it. Not only did he get it, do you know what he did?

One day he was sweeping through and suddenly he got this clear dust and clear dirt. He said Dun yah ser tan….

He began to say clearing the dirt here does not mean the dirt on the ground it is the dirt of attachment I’m here to clear my attachment.

So clear the dust here does not mean the dust of the outside dust. It is my anger. I am here to sweep away all of my anger. So he got all and he comes out with this fantastic poetry which comes out automatically. So Buddha gave that as an example.

No matter how heavy the negativity may be in the beginning with sincere correction and sincere attitude even this person can understand. He can understand the underlying meaning and come out with this beautiful poetry saying that dust is not ordinary dust it is the dust of my anger and I am here with my wisdom broom to sweep away all of my anger. 003530

That person who comes with just “dirt and dust” could come to this deep understanding, that was Buddha’s example.

Buddha very often used the example of the moon. He said that sometimes the cloud covers the moon but the moon will come out as pure clean crystal full moon every month. Likewise each and every human being has basically a wonderful nature. We have no problem. The problems are temporary. So when you purify that, it can go away.

That is the Buddha’s way of life. I finished. (Audience laughs).

So we do have a couple of more minutes. Basically if you take that attitude in your life and live that way, that’s how it really works. If you have questions, I would like to give you some time for the questions. I do have 15 more minutes right? Thank you.

Audience: What you think about the establishment of marriage saying that nothing is permanent. Do you think that has anything to do with so many divorces?

Rimpoche: (Rimpoche laughs) so many divorces has proved marriage is impermanent too! (Rimpoche laughs). Marriage is impermanent for me. That doesn’t mean you have to change your husband every day or wife every day. It’s really true. Yes, lady over here.

Audience: is guilt and regret are they related to shame and humiliation?

Rimpoche: This is a good question, it’s an important question. Humiliation no. Embarrassment yes. But more so it should be the embarrassment of yourself rather than the other person. I am embarrassed of myself. Embarrassment yes. Humiliation no but humbleness yes. Do you know what I mean? Thank you

Audience: Don’t they all go together?

Rimpoche: Not necessarily, why do you have to humiliate yourself? It is for nothing. It is not only you who does negativities, everybody does negativities, everybody. If there is a perfect one, then he will not be here. When the perfect one is gone, then those of us are left here we do that. So there’s nothing to be humiliated about. But I am embarrassed to myself by my own behavior. My mind is absolutely clear to me. Nobody else will know but the way and how I behave badly within me or with the other person - embarrassed yes. That is definitely a good reason. Buddha really uses that a lot too. But humiliation no. Yes lady over there.

Audience: Will you speak about concentration?

Rimpoche: Concentrated meditation or what? When? Now? All right I can do that tomorrow sometime. Yes

Audience: You mentioned the four R’s I have recognize, regret, and repentance.

Rimpoche: I don’t like the word repentance I use the word non-repetition. Not to repeat - non-repetition. And one is missing right? Renounce - thank you. Are you from New York?

Audience: Yes just like your black friend. New York is a very grateful and grateful to have the opportunity to ask you the questions. When you spoke of ignorance and wrongful knowing how can we apply the first power of recognition.. How can we begin to sense or tune in that we have a wrong knowing? 004050

Rimpoche: This is a big philosophical question, it is really true. But basically in our everyday life we want to recognize that you are angry, to recognize that your jealous. I’m simply referring to that level we are not going beyond that level. We are not going beyond that level at all.

So in the application of those practices are there certain ways in which you can go deeper. Basically if you go deep deep deep down into the nature of emptiness and the nature of reality it becomes difficult to even differentiate what is wrong from what is right.

I think that is too deep for right now. At this moment, what we want to do is just really recognize that when it is wrong, it is wrong. Leave it there rather than having a philosophical thought of how wrong it is, where is the wrong coming from, is it inherent existence or is it collectively put it in or put collectively labeled or you know then it will be too complicated.

So basically negative and positive as a line for right and wrong and recognition is just left at that level. That is the level where we normally function comfortably I believe that’s where we begin and remain. Thank you.

Audience: I would like to ask for practical application. Just give an example of how a Buddhist would respond to a situation which happens a lot perhaps, a couple divorces and both spouses hopefully are protective of the children but one is feeling and maybe this is the Buddhist. The Buddhist one is watching the other parent do something that is perhaps physically or emotionally harmful to those children. How would a Buddhist parent react? How would a Buddhist react in a situation where the parent wants to protect the children? How would a Buddhist react? 004320

Rimpoche: Good question. Two things, one the one person’s thinks the other person is doing something which emotionally disturbed the children. It may or may not be true. How much exaggeration will the person put on this? When the person is angry with that particular person then everything whatever that particular person does will become quite negative in the eye of that particular angry person.

Anything whatever the other person is doing or try to teach the children following in that manner, in the eyes of other person it will be following a bad example and emotionally it will the damage and this and that.

I’m not sure how far its true. 004427

Anger exaggerates everything

One thing is that one has to really see it. Looking beyond the anger level people really need to see it because anger exaggerates everything. So every action that the other person is doing is either manipulation or angry or something. You don’t really see it straight.

Even if it’s a true honest compassionate moment that the other person is having but we will perceive it as a manipulation, an angry act or something. So first and foremost you have to be clear of that anger to see. If it’s absolutely clear that anger and it is really harmful to the person then you avoid the situation and avoid meeting the person and avoid having custody or meeting or visiting rights or whatever. Whatever you have to avoid.

When you’re absolutely sure you’re not exaggerating the other one’s behavior. Is it really a true bad influence? Let’s say it’s alcoholic parents. They try to teach the children how to drink you know? Like a 20-year-old boy or something they try to teach him how to keep on pouring the alcohol and smoking pot or whatever. If they try to teach that, then you have to try to avoid the situation as much as possible, avoid the visiting rights you know avoid all of this.

Before you do take that action you have to be absolutely sure you’re not exaggerating. So that’s that.

It also depends on the age of the children as well, not necessarily age because that is the legal terminology but the understanding of the children, whether the children can really make their own choice. Sometimes even if you don’t like it you have got to go with it because they made their own choice and that happens. 004704

That is when compassion is called for. Sometimes we must helplessly watch people do bad things to themselves. We have to helplessly watch but even then here comes the patience because even then you should not get angry. Try to accommodate and that’s basically what it is. My guess, maybe I said something wrong. I’m sorry.

Audience: What happens if they are physically abusing the health of a child?

Rimpoche: then protect the child.

Audience: well if you’re married, or your if you're an outsider or a grandmother.

Rimpoche: Grandmother is slightly different than that of the real parents. Right sometimes if you can you should protect. If you cannot then both parents and the kids altogether are heading in that direction sometimes you are helpless. The enlightened beings have a duty to protect all of the non-enlightened beings but sometimes they cannot. They cannot, they have their limitations. Well I believe it depends on the situation. If you can help yes. If you can help you should try to help yes.

Audience: the Buddha and the Christ were they basically bringing the same message?

Rimpoche: I don't know much about Christianity so I don't really know. But when you look at the 10 Commandments and the Buddhists have the 10 negatives, it looks like they had a telephone conversation (audience laughs). Maybe they had a conference in passed some resolutions. You go there, I'll go here, you do this, I'll do that. Yes Mary...

Audience: I'm curious in Tibetan societies is there no teenage rebellion?

Rimpoche: I went through that (audience laughs) I went through that. I was recognized as incarnate Lama by the age of four and I was taken to a monastery and all this. Again I had the extreme opposite environment. I was always wondering what was out there. I have that. And thanks to the Chinese for kicking me out of the monastery, I had the opportunity, the opportunity to find out some kind of, I don't know what I was really looking for.

I was looking for some kind of mental physical kick some kind of woo or something so that's what I've been looking for. I looked through alcohol, cigarettes, not pot. Some friend of mine gave me a joint in Texas in 1977 and I threw up (Rimpoche laughs).

That's not in England this is in Texas (Rimpoche laughs). I was not a Rhodes scholar either. Anyway so but then I tried it through cigarettes and I gave up my robes and I tried to look for some kind of kick. And also I was rebelling against the traditional Buddhist teachings and the way of structuring my life.

I sort of tried to be as completely wild as possible. Though it's not really teenage because I was over 20. I was 21 to 24 at that time. It was in the late 60s. So I tried to have that opportunity a little bit and I tried to rebel and I must say through the kindness of the great teachers, somehow they sort of brought me from very far away and around back. That's really nice now I think of it as great. If they told me at that time no you can't do that sort of thing I would've gone way beyond. You know what they used to say ah well what did you find? How is it? Isn't it nice to drink? How do you feel? How did you go? blah blah blah and then they make jokes and tell more stories about it, as though they been drinking together with you - in that manner. Or every joke in every single thing. So that sort of gradually made me come back. There is a teenage rebellion which I experienced a little late (Rimpoche laughs) 005327

Okay, I think the time is 4:30 so you have the next schedule. So I thank you so much. Tomorrow I will try to talk a little bit more on the love and compassion side and see what happens. Thank you. (audience applauds)