Archive Result

Soundfile 19990322GRCAWT

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location A school

Topic White Tara Longevity Practice

Transcriber Mike Wong

Date 2020-Dec-29

(Rimpoche makes remarks to the room about seating etc.)

0:05:58.5

Welcome to this Tara workshop. As every one of you has the little piece of paper which has the Tara picture, from the Buddhist point of view, if you don't put that on the floor, it will be a little nice. (0:06:20.5 You didn't get it? 0:07:07.0) So if you look at the picture first, it is the picture of White Tara. We also put up a thangka. Fortunately or unfortunately there are no nails here, so we put it over there. So you'll find the thangka over there. Thangka. I'm using the work thangka, which is of course Greek to some of you at least. Is it? Let me explain a little bit.

0:07:50.7

If you look back in the old Tibet, there is a tremendous amount of artwork done. In a way, the old Tibet, the very old Tibet, just like any other culture, it was very primitive. However, by 7th century, 8th century, 11th... there was a tremendous amount of Buddhist influence in Tibetan culture, and it brought not only a lot of spiritual wisdom, but it also brought along with that a tremendous amount of beautiful artwork. But if you look back to the old Tibet, it was very rich with a lot of artwork. Each and every one of those artworks, when you look at them very carefully, they are done with a total love of art, and devotion. They did it only for devotion and love of art, so therefore they didn't really do this for commercial value at all, like we do today. And that's why you don't even see who did it. They don't want to put their name. Who is the painter? Nor they put the date, anything. That is because it's totally for the love of doing it as well as devotion. They put them together and nothing more.

0:09:47.5

So those artworks, they do on anything, whatever you can get. Even a piece of wood or slate or leather or pebble or canvas, whatever they can do. Then later they established a little rule, mostly doing drawings on cloth, and they provided a beautiful basis, and they made that into it. Then they brought this brocade from China. They started framing their artwork in the Chinese brocade. Some people tried to say brocade from India. Yeah, brocade from India much later. But in Tibet, brocade from China before. So when they put those brocade frames, and heavy little stick to hold them straight down, so underneath you have that heavy little stick holding it and on the top a little bit of a stick pulling them up, so keep them together. And the combination of them all together there is called thangka.

0:11:09.9

So that's Tibetan word called thangka. And if you don't have the brocade frame, and if you have the main drawing, they don't call them thangka officially. Nowadays of course in the west again, they call it thangka. You know in old Tibet, they don't. The moment you use the word thangka, the picture what you get is the drawing in the middle, brocade around, stick or no stick maybe, but that sort of picture you get it. So that's called thangka, which is Tibetan language. It's also associated with worship purposes. Any other picture, for example, a lover drawn, your companion, framed, I don't think you call it thangka. They're called drawing or something. But that's becoming too detailed. I don't want (...). So basically thangka means that.

0:12:39.9

And mostly even those thangkas have tremendous amount of rules and measurements. There's sort of very detailed measurements. You don't just draw. Because they're very careful because whatever they draw is drawn for worship purposes. So they don't want any disproportioned figure. They think they'll create tremendous amount of negativity instead of creating good positive karma. So they really very strictly follow the measurements. And there's three or four different type of measurements commonly accepted, that's why they have different styles. Not too many, three or four. And I've never seen a modern art thangka in Tibet. It may come now, of course, why not. So that's that.

0:13:55.7

So now talk about Tara. As I briefly mentioned last night (?), Tara right from the beginning is determined to generate bodhimind. A thing called bodhimind. How many of you are not familiar to bodhimind? I see a couple of hands, but most of you are familiar. That's rather interesting, and very good. So it is bodhimind, they call it. Bodhi, not body mind, OK? Because my accent sometimes, you may think I'm talking about body mind. I'm not. It's B-O-D-I, am I right? D-H-I, see, that's my spelling. It tells you how much English I know. B-O-D-H-I, bodhimind. I believe it's connected with the word Buddha, and sort of it's Buddha's mind. Somehow it became a bodhimind. Again, I believe it's a Sanskrit word, right? Not Greek, or Latin, OK? Sanskrit word.

0:15:24.5

And then you try to find out what is bodhimind and blah blah blah? It is a... I don't know. Since it's a school I may have to say something. But normally I do the bottom line business. So the bottom line business really is... Should I give you the bottom line first? Or should I give you the philosophical explanation first? Bottom line first, alright. The bottom line business of the bodhimind really boils down to unconditioned, unlimited, love and compassion. That's what it is. The ultimate, unconditioned, unlimited love and compassion. Really that is bottom line.

0:16:24.1

Unconditioned. But we always have conditions, right? Whenever we talk about love or compassion, we like it. You know, I mean mostly Americans are very kind persons. They really like and enjoyed the word of love and compassion. They love it, they enjoy it, they like to participate. However, in the deep mind somewhere, the usual American character, "What's in there for me" is also there, all the time. Even though you show it is great and wonderful, I am dedicated, I am here with you, without going love and light business but sort of reasonable good in there, however, the question of "what's in there for me" is there. So as long as you have that, you're conditioning. You're conditioning. There's something I'm going to gain for me, so I'm doing this, just because I want to gain something. That's conditioned, right? Are you with me?

0:17:36.1

So that's why I said unconditioned. So there's no condition. Right?

0:17:42.6

So unlimited I used. That is again, normally, our love and compassion is limited. I'm capable of loving that person, or this person. Or that. But so-and-so, well, yeah, I rather not talk about it. Right? So that's we are limiting. Right? We are limiting. So the really true bodhimind is going beyond condition and beyond limits. And that's why the famous Buddhist thing, "all mother sentient beings," are coming out of that. You know, Buddhists always talk about that. Buddha always say about all living beings are called mother sentient beings. Right? The word "mother" is used to bring a closeness, and that's why you know, it's not the word Buddha really wanted, is "connected." Togetherness, rather than disconnected and don't care. So they want to bring everything.

0:18:13.3

So you know one of the biggest deals with the Buddha, is everything is inclusion, not exclusion. You know what I'm talking about? So that's why they wanted to become a close, attached, feeling, so they used the word "mother sentient beings." In a way it is absolutely true. But now, there's sometimes we have a problem. The problem is many people, many of us, don't like our mother that much. Many people do have a problem with their mother. It's obvious, it's true. So the mother sentient beings, you add up not only one but you add so many mothers, it may become more problems, and then... help! I don't know. That's supposed to be a joke. But it didn't work very well, right?

0:20:16.2

Anyway, the point really is when I look in that, and some people particularly certain Buddhist teachers, try not to use "mother sentient beings" because sometimes instead of doing the purpose of serving, it may become disservice. They worry about it. (0:20:50.5 Are you comfortable there? In one way, better make it comfortable because you have to sit here til 5. But in case you want to get up or something, I have no objection. Or you want to stretch your leg or anything. Just don't go and lie down. Don't go to sleep. That's about it. Otherwise, I'll get into trouble here.)

0:21:26.8

But the point really is, I've been looking at this and try to see the relationship between the mother and ourselves. Some people have a beautiful relationship, not only some but most people have a beautiful relationship with their mother. And some people have a difficult, but difficult is also because of the love and care that a mother has, it becomes or is created by, with the exception of very few you know. Some mothers do some funny things, but that is very very few. Most of the mothers, they want their child the best in the world, so they push their way, and it gets into a mess and that's how you get in trouble with it number one, right from the beginning. Anyways, if you dig down that, it is also because of love, and that's number one I observed.

0:22:37.8

But number two, the most important point, how much the mother care for their children is only known to the mother, not to ourself. That is very funny. That's what I observed. And many of you I'm sure have been mother. I have never been mother. But when you look at it, the mother's love to the children is something nobody can really measure. And they're willing to sacrifice anything. If one of their child calls you at two in the morning and says "Sorry mom, but I'm stuck somewhere 45 miles somewhere away or something, the mother will just get up and put on whatever it is and drive and go, without any hesitation, to pick up kids in the middle of the night. Whether it's raining or snowing or whatever it may be. So you observe those. When you observe those, the caring and love the mother has to the kids are tremendous. And that, those of you who have been mother, you know it. And how you look to your kids and child, how you care. But the same thing does not transfer when you start looking to your mother in that way, and you see the problems in between. But when you look that way to your kids and you see the openness and care and love, and problems this way are only because of some difficulty you've gone through. It is popping up and blocking, it's not that the other side direction as much as you have for your child, they have the same thing. But we don't see that, that's because we have certain problems.

0:25:00.2

So anyway I don't why I'm talking that. The main point is, if you look from the mother's window, the loving mother's window, the caring they're giving for the children then I think that particular point is really immeasurable. Really immeasurable. The question of "what's in it for me" is absolutely gone! And never appeared anywhere there. So that's why Buddha tried to choose this particular point of bringing closeness to all beings together. To bring everything together in closure. Using that is familiar to us, and we know it and using that as an example and giving you the idea of love and care and compassion that we should share with everybody. He's giving that picture, and that's why I believe Buddha chose to call it "mother sentient beings."

0:26:23.1

Except he forgot to say you should look from the mother's window not from your window. I'm just joking ok? I believe that's the point and that's why, you know, they say. So the Buddha recommends and that is one of the most important motivation. Are you with me? Motivation. Why I'm doing something. Even though I'm indulging in spiritual path because I like to help myself. Even though that's our main goal, but to benefit us better the Buddha recommends our motivation should not be to help me, but to help all mother sentient beings. Are you with me? So you say for the benefit of all mother sentient beings. And when you say for the benefit of all, that's A-L-L, underlining, all mother sentient beings, you don't say "except me." So you don't exclude yourself. You include ourself also. You do not exclude anybody else, so that's why I'm saying all, underlining A-L-L. So you don't say "except me," or except you know so-and-so, we don't say that. And that's why, so when you're having a benefit to all mother sentient beings, it's also benefitting to ourself. So we're included. Is that clear to you?

0:28:29.7

So let us do the first meditation. You don't have to cross your legs, or you don't have to sit down. Though Allen Ginsburg used to say, "When you meditate, sit down on the ground, the ground is not there sit on the chair." The first thing to do is keep your backbone straight. So if you can do all of those, are fine. But even you cannot do it, that also fine, because I want you to remember: (0:29:07.9 talking to someone entering late)

0:29:52.3

It's interesting. You know in the West today if you talk about meditation, people straightaway go thinking of the physical gesture, right? Straightaway physical thing. Traditionally in Tibet, I don't think it's the physical thing at all. Though we talk about the physical structure of the seven different postures of Buddha Vairochana (? 0:30:25.4), keep your shoulders relaxed, eyes straight, and all that sort of keep your hands down or put your hands together, that type of seven posture. But most important point is the eighth one, which is the mind. So you know it's true, your physical body is not meditating right? Your mind is meditating. Your mind is most important thing. That's true.

0:31:04.2

So when you're dealing with mind, I mean the posture business quite familiar in the United States, especially this group, I'm sure you know it also. Does not need to repeat. But mind business is difficult too. And you don't, you can't, the physical posture even you don't know, you can look to the right and to the left and you copy it, right? But the mind you can't copy. If you look at the right you see a bearded person. If you look, you don't see it. You don't see the mind, you can't copy.

0:31:55.9

There was a question in Tibet. The question was thrown in a 14th century that says, "What is the first step for meditation?" Just like the title of a book. When you open a book you see the title first. Just like the title, what is that, that question was thrown in 14th century. And the answer came in 17th century by another teacher, that says, "It is the watching your mind." Watching your mind. So again, the watching your mind is also a big issue. Because there will be certain people who say watching your mind means think nothing. Don't think anything, just relax. Forget about everything. It's true in a way, but most important point of benefitting everybody is not simply watching, and not simply keeping a blank mind. It's not. It is, whether your mind is engaged in thinking in negative manner, or whether your mind is thinking engaged in keeping a positive thoughts, that's what you're watching. You're simply not watching "Is there any thoughts or not?" You're not. That's not the first thing.

0:34:29.7

So how does our mind function? When the thoughts comes up, the mind somehow mix with that, and it almost becoming the nature of that thought. Or rather the thought gets into some kind of mind/mental nature so your mind is almost becoming like that. I use the example such as, I say, (0:35:01.8 mic noise) though, this is me right? though the mind does not have shape or color or anything, it is just like clean clear crystal lampshade. You know what I mean? lampshade. Clean, clear, crystal. Though mind has no shape or color, I'm still using lampshade as an example. And that clean clear crystal lampshade picks up a color when you are looking from outside. If the lightbulb is red, yellow, or green, or blue, and then from distance when you look it looks like a yellow lampshade, or you may call it golden crystal lampshade. Or blue lampshade or red lampshade, that's what we perceive through our eyes, right?

0:36:26.3

Just like that, these very thoughts come up. Our mind's been totally influenced—totally or halfway, whatever—influenced by those thoughts. So that neutral state of mind's been shifted to positiveness or negativeness. Vice versa. And that's what you're watching. What you don't want is the negativeness. What you do want is the positive, goodness. And truly, that's what you're watching. But many traditions and teachings will tell you "think nothing, sit there, peel off all your thoughts, just like you're peeling off the orange skin," or something, you know, people do say that. (0:37:40.8 speaking to a late arrival).

0:37:59.3

So that's what you're really watching, truly speaking, when you say "watch your mind." That's what you're watching. I don't know whether I should let you, OK, go ahead. Yeah, what's the big deal.

0:38:17.9

Audience Rimpoche, I was wondering about the negative thoughts we don't want. If they appear, do we let them flow out or do we try to stop them?

Rimpoche Well I do not know whether you can really stop them or not. But what you can really do is not to entertain. Sort of try to let it go, not to entertain. That is important point. (0:38:47.1 comments back and forth about seating arrangements)

0:40:10.4

Well we've been talking about negative thoughts. (laughter, chatter, audience may be reacting to the inaudible comments just before) Potential, alright. Maybe, maybe not. Some take it easy, some people hit the ceiling.

0:41:11.3

Actually one of Buddha's thing is very interesting. What Buddha really tells you is, don't hit the ceiling. That's no news. You know there's a verse in Bodhisattvacharyavatara, "If there is something to be corrected, why hesitate, go and correct. And if you cannot correct anything why worry, it gives you more trouble." It's very easy for them to say and difficult for us to do, but if you learn it, it gives you a little easier life. You have to be serious, but at the same time you can be a little bit of happy go lucky somewhere here. Doesn't really matter, there's no big deal. Have to take life a little easier, otherwise, there's too much pressure in life. Yes?

0:42:08.1

Audience Along with what you've just been saying, you said before not to entertain negative thoughts. Then you get into discrimination of what's negative and what's positive, and attachment to what's negative. What can you say?

Rimpoche Very true. Question is, it comes to what's negative and what's positive. And attachment, what is good and bad of all of those that come, what can you say? That's absolutely true. My bottom line is. Again I sort of go to the bottom line, I don't know why. You shouldn't go to the bottom line because sometimes it can do disservice. But my bottom line of negative and positive, it's really true that it's extremely difficult to say what is negative. Even among anger, even among attachment, even among that there may be you know some positiveness and some negative there, it is very hard to say. But bottom line is to me, my action, if it's hurting anybody, including myself again, if it's hurting anybody, then it's negative action. And if it's not hurting anybody, or harming anybody, then not necessarily it's positive but it might not be that bad. And if it's helping somebody including myself, then I should consider it is a positive action.

0:43:54.9

So the bottom line what I try to do is where you're hurting somebody. No matter whatever it might be: mental, physical, emotional. If you're hurting somebody. Then that action might be able to consider as negative action. And thoughts about creating that action may be attached to negative thoughts. At least to get some rough idea, to be able to function in our lives in a good way. I don't want to use the word virtuous way, but in a good way.

(0:44:47.3 speech suddenly goes silent? possible audio problem. some clicks can be heard, and then Rimpoche finally comes back in mid-sentence)

0:46:15.8

...I normally look. This bottom line business sometimes becomes disservice, that's why I hesitate to say. Because again, if it's helping me but harming somebody else, that's the type of very complicated detail there. But I don't think we want to make that decision right now. That's sort of basically the bottom line idea I try to hold on, and that's that.

0:46:55.7

What are we talking? Yeah, watching the mind. So anyways, negative thoughts that are engaged in our mind. So then the possibility of our mind is in the negative swing, or negative movement. So the meditation here is try to withdraw that, and try to give yourself a chance to swing in a positive, what you call it, direction, or a positive functioning, or positive nature, or in the moment of positiveness, or that type of thing. And that's probably the number one reason why you have to watch the mind. It's not necessarily keeping the mind blank. It's not necessarily a positive thing to do. I mean, it's not negative thing to do, but not necessarily a great spiritual thing to do.

0:48:25.8

But I don't want to go beyond that. Having said that, what we wanted first to do is give ourself a minute or so to sit and watch our thoughts. And if it is negative thoughts, to switch from the negative into positive. It is a little difficult straightaway. It is not a hammer that we can flop over you know? We cannot. It's the mind. It's kind of wool ((?) 0:49:00.1) and that. It takes time, it takes process. To be able to transit from... (0:49:13.5 comments about seating arrangements) 0:50:11.4 To be able to switch, give yourself a little time. That's why all the breathing business. You know breathing out, breathing in, counting breaths, and all of those are provided to be able to transit from the negative thoughts because you cannot switch, you cannot flip-flop like a hammer, so the pluses what you give is that counting breath for you, you're taking your attention away from anger or attachment or something, and putting it on the breath, which has no color whatsoever, nothing, just a little movement here or there. But you know, try to give you time to do this is to be able to shift, that is the one purpose. As far as I'm concerned. Not that I know.

0:51:08.6

So let us give ourself a minute or so just to meditate and think. (silence)

0:52:28.5

When you're thinking, if your mind is in between positiveness and appreciate and be happy about it. If you find some negative thoughts, let it go. Let it separate from our consciousness. Let it go. Do not entertain, let it go. (silence)

0:55:55.7

From that relaxed manner, from your physical point of view, or mental point of view, even physically, if you carry any tension, over your shoulders, or even joints, sort of let it go. Part it away, move it away, sort of throw away, sort of disappeared. Any tension, wherever you're carrying, if you notice any physical pain or hurt anywhere, part of your chest, or anywhere, moving away. Let it go out with your breath, from the nostrils. Slowly breathe out everything. Bring yourself in the relaxed atmosphere, free of all worries and tensions and even pain. (silences)

0:59:22.9

From this moment, we generate a new, positive motivation. That is just like what Buddha did, I would like to become a fully enlightened Buddha, so that I can help everybody without limitation, without obstacles, I can help without even putting effort. That's what I like to be. For that, I would like to go through learn and practice the White Tara Longevity Practice. (silence)

1:02:10.4

OK thank you. Can somebody keep the time? Do we need a break? No?

1:02:41.6

OK now we should move on, because I don't think we should take a break before doing anything. If you look there, what do you find in that booklet? What is first thing? Refuge. What sort of word did it use? I and all sentient beings take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. That's it? Didn't say until enlightenment or anything? OK.

1:03:07.2

So you know the refuge business comes in here because it's Buddhist practice. OK? Early in India, when Buddha was sharing his experience, one thing I would like to make clear to you. Buddhism is nothing than that of Buddha's personal experience of dealing with life. Buddha made that personal experience of dealing with life he shared that and that is Buddhism. Nothing else. That is Buddhism. Period. Besides that, there is nothing called Buddhism at all. Buddhism is nothing than that of Buddha's personal experience that he shared with people. That is Buddhism. It's not like a sort of different religions spee, really that's Buddhism.

1:04:18.9

So in Buddhism, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha has been chosen as... Chosen, should I say? That's not a very good word, chosen. Recommended to be object of refuge. The difference between Buddhism and Hinduism is also almost you will sort of see from here when you take refuge. That's why the refuge business is a sign of Buddhist practice. Normally they even say in Buddhism, the doorway to be a Buddhist or not to be a Buddhist is sort of the decision making point is whether you take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha or not. It's the sort of doorway. If you're in you're in, if you're out you're out, that sort of doorway they make it. So refuge taken to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha is the Buddhist mark. So I don't want to talk too much about the refuge business, otherwise I will not be doing White Tara I'll be talking refuge all day.

1:05:59.4

But I like to tell you since this is there, I like to give you a little idea about Buddha, and Dharma, and Sangha. Lot of people, the moment when you say Buddha, they'll say yeah yeah, I know Buddha. (1:06:23.4 remarks about seating arrangements, sit where I can see you. It's very difficult to talk to people when I don't see. And I like to talk to everybody, rather than people in the front or...) 1:07:43.1 So Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. When you talk to Buddha, everybody says yes yes, I know Buddha, that was 2500 years ago, an Indian prince who became a great spiritual teacher? or founder? Whatever. You identify that way. And sometimes they say, yeah yeah I know what Buddha is, it's in the antique shop. Or in the museum or something. I believe that's not what we're talking about. Again, that philosophically it's not right what I'm going to say. But practically it is right. Again I'm going to go to bottom line, OK? If you're a student here and somebody will give you examination, and if you write what I said, you're going to fail, so don't believe me OK? I warned you that first.

1:08:56.9

But the practical is, when you're taking refuge to Buddha, it's not only that you're talking to the historical Buddha. Not only you're not actually, but you try to link some buddha within you. The truly thing is the historical Buddha is only a representation. It's representing enlightened beings. It's not, that's what it is. It is really the buddha within ourself. Our future Buddha. That's the very important for me. And for you. That's what we wanted to wake up. That's what we want to be connected. That's what we want to mature. That's what we want to materialize. And that's what we're talking about it, rather than historical Buddha. Historical Buddha represents those who manage to get over there. And my job here is linking this up together, so that my buddha within me will be able to to be equal to that one. That is the bottom line business of taking refuge to Buddha, rather than worshipping Buddha, rather than simply folding hands, rather than bowing down, or you know, that sort of thing.

1:11:03.9

It is interesting. I remember once, there was a book on Tibet. Photographic book on Tibet, photographs taken by this uh, huh? What did you say? Audience Steven Rowell? Rimpoche That's it. That my mind. Great. You may have some telepathic. Thank you. So in that, there's a lady who's praying in front of the temple in Lhasa. And it looks to me what is happen on that Glenn Rowell? Audience Galen Rimpoche Galen Rowell, is showing the pictures to His Holiness, and he keeps on commenting, and there's somebody taking notes or tape or whatever it is, so then the pictures and the comments came out in the book that way. So he showed a picture of a lady who's praying in front of the central temple, but the side there, there is a bicycle. I don't know whether His Holiness seen it with his telepathic abilities, or clairvoyant capabilities, or whatever, or maybe he's joking, but he just remarked, saying that lady must be praying for the bicycle. And maybe her son is pressuring her to get her a bicycle, so she must be praying for a bicycle. Or something His Holiness said it. It was on that book. So I thought about it, so there's a crazy tooth thing right (? 1:13:09.1) His Holiness though his clairvoyance knew what she was thinking at that time, or he joked. Whatever it is. So if you are simply praying for a bicycle or things like that, it is not necessarily taking refuge or doing the right thing for it. So that's what I wanted to point out.

1:13:45.6

So the true right thing is to try to waken the buddha within ourself. I'm lost here somewhere, I don't know, what did I do? Audience Refuge. Rimpoche Yeah I know but why am I talking about this particular thing? My connection is lost. I know it's there, I know I'm talking about refuge. Audience Discerning, separating. Rimpoche Separating. Anyway. Audience (quiet/muffled) When you take refuge, it's not the historical Buddha but the buddha within. Rimpoche Oh thank you, thank you. (audio cut 1:14:44.0) Anyway, she said it. I lost the connection on that, so thank you for bringing that back. What? Audience You went off of the bicycle. Rimpoche Went of the bicycle, that's it. Lucky it did not go off the cliff.

1:15:10.1

So the refuge really is connecting buddha within ourself. A number will tell you by nature we are Buddha ourselves, and all that type of thing. I don't buy that either. That's me. Not necessarily tradition, but at least this individual person. We're not Buddha. We're not yet there. You know why I need to say that? It's about 8 years ago I was watching television in Michigan, in Detroit. There are a couple of young, or I don't know, a couple of 60s guys. Or people. I'm saying 60 because 60 had issues yesterday. Sitting there, "I am a god, I am a god, I am a god." What the hell are they talking about? If you're a god, why you have all those limitations over there? So that type of thing I'm keeping on, so that's why I'm saying it, we're not Buddha yet. But we have the potential to be a Buddha. We have a Buddha seed, we have a Buddha nature within ourself. So that is the important. We say we have a beautiful nature within us, as a human nature, wonderfulness, and all of those within ourself, yes. Absolutely true. That is our buddha-nature. We're not Buddha yet, we're not even have unformed Buddha inside. Forget about the whole Buddha in there. But we have a Buddha seed, Buddha nature, to be able to become a Buddha, and that is the Buddha within ourself I am talking about it. My future Buddha that what I am going to get it. My future Buddha.

1:17:26.9

Just like earlier I talked to you about anger giving almost the nature of our mind. Give you the lampshade and red lamp. And when it's Buddha nature, the Buddha seed, within that, when it started growing and functioning, our mind will become in that nature. And that's how we become a Buddha, truly. That is how we get influence our mind, by positive or negative, the same way. That's how we become a Buddha, truly, that's what it is. And become a oneness with that Buddha nature, growing, fully developed, that's how we become a Buddha. Are you with me? That's it is, there's nothing else, that you go over there and you know get the bill, there's a comet Hale-Bopp, and you get in the boat and go somewhere else and become it. No no, it's not. That's all within ourself, that's how it's going to function. That's why the refuge of that from the beginning is also link Buddha within ourself. But historical Buddha represent, because it is fully matured and fully developed. Ours is not yet. It's a seed. So we look there, look here, look there, look here, look there, look here, and becomes the base on which you going to copy and function. That's what it is.

1:19:08.3

That is taking refuge, bottom line. Don't write that in your examination, you're going to fail OK? But that is really bottom line. I don't think the books will tell you, I don't think the scripts will tell you that. But that's exactly what it is. That's not my theory either. That is the reality. If anybody wants to challenge, I can defend. From quotations from the Buddha's words, I can defend that. But I don't think the books will tell you that way. It becomes too simple. So that's the Buddha we're talking about. We look at the historical Buddha, we say that has these qualities. There's the body quality, speech quality, mind quality, and all of those. And we try to pick them up and try to put it on here. And get it up. Sir?

1:20:12.8

Audience Why the (unclear)? Rimpoche Very good question. I believe only a brilliant person can raise that question on this. If you're here, try to pick up why to take refuge. If you look at refuge as submission, or if you look the refuge as that refuge I took to India, when I was kicked out of Tibet. I was a refugee. So in that manner. When I took refuge to India, I said to the Indian government, give me shelter, I follow your law. I'll be a law-abiding resident (not a citizen, but resident). So the same thing here: I like to copy you. I like to function just like you. Can you help me? I will be following your laws or whatever. I believe that is really refuge. It is also becoming some kind of inclusion. It is also giving you a sense of belonging. It also gives you a vow that helps you to protect yourself from yourself. And it also gives you a direction in which you want to follow. It also gives you some kind of structure which you can conduct your life, but very relaxed manner. The moment I use the word structure it gives a funny feeling to some people. These are the few things I can think of. Sir?

1:22:51

Audience The historical Buddha, the Shakyamuni Buddha or whatever, he is a living being right now at this moment. Is there a value in sort of developing some sort of relationship with that being, or is better to disregard that being and just focus on that Buddha within as we call it? Are they different, or are they the same? Rimpoche I'm glad you raised that question. If you over simplify, you get that problem. You know, overly simplified that's what I try to talk bottom lines. And you get that problem. So yes, Shakyamuni Buddha is a living being. There is tremendous amount of benefit to trying to build a connection with this, because that becomes your supreme field of merit. Are you with me? Field of merit. Field, where you grow food, field. Of merit, you know, merit is like fortune, benefit, purification, all of them. That is the field. There is tremendous value to build connection with this. It is not it is maybe the most important thing in this bottom line business is Buddha within our self try to bring them up, that doesn't mean disconnect the historical Buddha, or even enlightened beings. Tara, or for that matter the gurus, or the lineages, or all of them, are not to disregard them, not to disconnect them, there is tremendous benefit to keeping a connection, closeness, it is the guidance. You know, after all, if you're Buddhist, the Buddha is the teacher. The real true guru is the Buddha. So that is we're referring to the historical Buddha. It is the guide, it is the role model, it is the guru, and it is the teacher, it is the Buddha. Same Audience Is that being, the historical Buddha, different from the Buddha that is in me? Rimpoche At this moment yes. At this moment it is different. Right at this moment it is different, because we're not Buddha. Because we want to become oneness with that. That's when you become Buddha. OK?

1:25:33.4

So maybe I'm going a little bit beyond what I wanted to do but I'm glad you raised that question. Because oversimplifying for practice purposes can raise these thoughts. People may think we can disregard the historical part of it. It's not. It's very much. Besides, I mentioned the principle of inclusion in Buddhism is very important, not an exclusion. That goes for people, that goes for the Buddhas, that goes for everybody. OK? Thank you. So let me just move through refuge.

1:26:17.1

Then the second is Dharma, right? That again, you can write what I tell you. There are two types of Dharma. The relative Dharma, and the absolute Dharma. The relative Dharma is the teachings and blah blah blah, all those people will say. But the true Dharma is nothing other than the spiritual development. The spiritual development is the true Dharma. Are you with me? When you talk about the Dharma, the spiritual development is the Dharma, nothing else. And that is why the traditional Buddhist teachings will tell you, Buddha is like a doctor. Dharma is like medicine. Sangha is like milk. Did you hear that before? You heard that a number of times. The medicine is the medicine which you take, and get your chemical balanced and get you up. That's what it is right? That is the medicine. So the spiritual development is the thing which should definitely work against our negative emotions and negative thoughts, negative ideas, and negative karma. That's why it is a true medicine, rather than doctor or nurse. And there is absolute true refuge. The absolute true refuge IS Dharma, not refuge in Buddha, but refuge in Dharma is the true refuge. So that's why they give you that as a medicine, not as a doctor. Doctor doesn't cure you, the medicine cures you. Right? The drugs that they give you make you feel better, not the doctor. You can go and see a doctor, and pay the consultation fee or whatever. But if you don't eat the medicine, there is no use. You can go and see the doctor every day. But that won't help you. But when you take the medicine it does help you, right? That will help you. So likewise, Buddha is like a medicine man or doctor. Medicine man you may think of Native American medicine man. Same thing, anyway.

1:29:12.5

The Dharma really is the antidote of our negativity. Really is the Dharma, that is the spiritual development we have. When that becomes bigger, that means person is developing better. When that becomes a small, less, the person is going down. That's how you go up and down with spiritual, that's what it is. So the moment that you say Dharma, don't look outside. It's not the teaching, not the book, not the message, that are the relative Dharma. The absolute Dharma is the spiritual development. That is whatever we have. That is the Dharma within ourself. Actually, simply let's say, if you're not angry, is that Dharma? No. But if you are becoming angry, and you see the faults of anger, you decide not to get angry, you decide not to hit the ceiling. But that positivity that you gain by stopping that negativity is Dharma. That's your Dharma. So don't look very mystical mystery, somehow it pops up, among the clouds, within yourself. But bottom line, clear clean cut simple, cut the negativity, the positivity gained by cutting the negativity, that becomes the Dharma.