Archive Result

Sound file:19990830GRSROF08

Speaker:Gelek Rimpoche

Location: Camp Copneconic,Fenton,MI

Topic:Odyssey To Freedom

Transcriber: Jayapushpa

Date: 12th October,2022

(Preliminary prayers ..Heart Sutra, Lineage prayers, Seven Limbs, Mandala offering)

For the benefit of all sentient beings , one would like to obtain the ultimate state of Buddha for which I would like to listen to this teaching , practise and make it possible for happen within this lifetime. Such a generation of mind recommended by traditional teachings, may kindly generate. Teachings what you are listening to is sort of Odyssey To Freedom which is based on the Lam Rim stage of development, slightly presented in annotated way.And so with all these qualities of that described in the Lam Rim are still in there. And so do kindly listen to this. And then I think before I would like to go through with this, I would like to take a few minutes of your time on two things. Number 1, the response that I appeal yesterday, the response is so overwhelming, so thank you very much. And still, those who think they still can sort of put your name in there, please do so. The overwhelming , thank you. But still not enough. My target is 360 is not going to fill there anyway, even if each and everybody did it. But still, do keep that in mind. And important thing what I wanted to do is I heard rumors last night that there were interesting questions and some people close to me said, “Well it might not be appropriate to ask”. and this morning when I walked in, Brenda showed me a piece of paper, “ There is..” I heard about it . “Really?” So, this mic has to go to Brenda. No, no, you don’t get up. James(?) here. Thank you. (Audience: The question is this, “What should I do if I hear from a reliable source that my guru is involved in dishonesty in financial matters or sexual matters(.Is it one question or separate questions? Separate question. (Laughter) It is a very good question and it is definitely issue and I am so glad whoever asked that question. Really, you should ask those questions. These are the main problems we have. When you have dishonesty, that’s a terrible stuff, and specially financial dishonesty. You know what, it is very interesting. You don’t mind if I tell you openly. When I was here at the beginning, and it’s early part. And when Allen was here., Allen Ginsberg. And Allen did a workshop called ‘spontaneous workshop’. (*interruption) Anyway I do remember there were a number of people. So, and I did attend the workshop of Allen, for just respect to Allen. For I never thought I’ll be ab;e to attend a poetry workshop, forget it. You know I can’t even say,’ how do you do ‘properly , at that time. So forget about it. But still I went out of the respect to the person. I went to the workshop. And Allen suddenly had people come up and say what you are thinking about it. And he turned to me and say what you are thinking. Say some thing. And I said, “I don’t know what to say; I really don’t know” Say whatever you are thinking. My thinking was at that time, you remember, Jimmy and Tammy Baker they had , there’s a big scandal trouble. So, I was just thinking I don’t want to fall in that shoe. So I said that was what I was thinking. I said to Allen (Rimpoche laughs) Allen said, “That’s great!” So, the way and how you to do is don’t hide anything; be completely open and honest straightforward, that’s what it is. So, when you read that question I did not hear the question exactly but sort of complicated question. So some people thought it might not be appropriate. But I think it is great, appropriate and wonderful. I am glad. It is not me only , everybody is involved. So, and me, too. So,that’s what it is. The person has to be straightforward and honest. And particularly guru are not politician. If you are politician, then maybe you have to do something. You know but you are not. You are straightforward person or maybe you are businessman, so therefore for this sincerity, honesty , is definitely absolutely required. Second part of it is the sex, think. (Audience: The question I’ll say again, “What should I do if somebody tells me and I trust them, a reliable source tells me, that my guru is dishonest in financial matters and or dishonest in sexual matters) Oh, dishonest is different issue. Ya, if it is dishonest, this is interesting question. Ah…(pause)..the sexual question is another question completely to me. It depends on the person. If the person is a sort of person with a vow, celibate, vow of celibacy. If that person is found to be having sexual …let me say, intercourse, it is breaking a vow , then that’s not right. But if the person is without vow of celibacy, and if is involved in sexual matter, I don’t think it is big deal. But if you twist this language, by saying ‘sexual honesty’, and then it becomes ‘Lewinsky business’.(Laughs) I don’t know whether it is that big deal or not. As far as my personal, me as an individual person concerned, if I found any one of my guru who are not honest with financial….honesty is honesty , it is no matter what it maybe. It is need to be honest. But I will be much concerned if that person is dishonest in financial matters than that of a ..the second point. Many of you disagree I am sure. But you have every right to disagree. You don’t have to follow exactly what I tell you. I am just telling you what will I do. Instead of saying wwbd,I would like to say wwme.(Laughs);wwme. I would be show much concern if it is financial dishonesty. Did I answer you whoever the question coming from. I think it is important question. We have to discuss that. 0:31:34.2

Now the second question which we do not answer here. “Does that make the guru disqualified to be a guru?” Now, that is the question you have to raise up. I don’t know. I don’t think so truly speaking. You may have encountered with that guy or lady whoever maybe and clarified yourself, and especially secondhand information. And make sure by yourself it is absolutely correct or not correct. Give yourself time before you give any judgement. Do not follow the American media system. (Laugh)In 30 seconds, everything is done, decided.and all that. And so don’t do that. Give yourself the time to observe , think about it and find out for yourself on your own satisfaction. And judge from there and if necessary you should encounter that person definitely. There is no …there is no …terrible thing there. Now, I thought I make this sexual thing a little bit light, when I looking back at what I said. And sometimes that’s not true. (* censored*)(recording off)I wanted to share that openly with you. These are terrible stuff, not to be taken lightly at all, and terrible. And the guy is definitely not qualified to be your own spiritual master for sure. That’s what it is. But, and if it is “Lewinsky matter, it is Lewinsky mater. “I think I did…are you satisfied with that or do you want to talk more. I mean this is very important issue. And issue such we have to deal with it and talk with it, talk about it and try to prevent ourselves from subject of such a thing. And though I said in very general yesterday, when you cannot do , say “No”. that is very general. So specifically to apply to each and every one of these types of thing. And when it is not right, it cannot be done , or you don’t want it. Make sure you say “NO” and because…Another funny thing is the …there is this thing called ‘dakini business’. And that is one way of abusing a subject, “Hey, you are dakini”…blah blah..This is what I’ve been told by the Malaysians. “You are dakini” (*censored*) Dakini or not dakini,if you are not interested , you don’t have to do anything, okay. You not going to miss any opportunity, okay. (Laughters) So, that is another point, you know. Because they make the individual confused, “Oh I maybe a dakini. So maybe some great thing opening for me” It is straightforward, if you wanted, go ahead. If you don’t want it, say “NO”. And that doesn’t break anything, that doesn’t make you terrible at all. And that’s what it is. Okay. I think I answered that. I hope so anyway. We can talk more. 0:37:06.5

Because the guru devotional practice is guru yoga is root of all development and so therefore this is important. And all these problems are there because before we build the relationship, people didn’t check carefully. Or, sometimes even you checked properly before, and then it happens.If it is common interest both sides , feel it and wanted then don’t blame the other person (Rimpoche laughs). You know what I mean, don’t blame the other person. But if it is one side person business, guru or no guru, you don’t have to be subject for nothing. Even the President was subject for how much .So, how many embarrassment and torture and whatever, even though he didn’t lose his job. But almost lost, you know.(Rimpoche laughs). So all these shows you. And that’s what you can do. No big deal at all. I am glad you raised that question and need to talk about it. And when I am talking about specific incidents, I don’t want to be on tape. That’s why. I cut the tape off. That’s what it is. Because I said something funny on somebody, either Thurman or Jack Kornfield or something. I said something during one of the teaching..(Audience: Thurman) Is it Thurman? So,later he got the tape. “Oh, Rimpoche” (Laughters) It is nothing bad, you know but sort of thing. That happens. I don’t want these things go and say ..you know. So not on the tape.That’s what it is. (Rimpoche laughs) Alright, but Thurman is great.and is a very good friend and we have a very good relationship. So he is okay, doesn’t matter whatever I say,he is very kind. I also say a lot of great things about him too. One or two funny things(Laughters) comes out, you know.0:39:56.9

Anyway, now what else? Oh, now we are here. So wherever the question oriented ,if I don’t hear anymore or raising hands by anybody , I presume you are satisfied with that part of the question. (Audience: Rimpoche, could you speak to the issue of when a person has a spiritual master and has acknowledge that the spiritual master is not completely straightforward in some dealings whether sexual or financial, but you still have…but that is not come into your relationship with that spiritual master. I mean I heard this question a lot with people. People just three or four levels away from something and it has nothing clearly to do with how they are dealing with that person) I probably … I don’t know what kind of answer you wanted. You want honest straightforward answer or diplomatic answer. (Audience: Ya, I want you to tell the truth) If honest straightforward answer, none of your business, if third or fourth person involved. None of your business. (Audience:But that’s..) It is none of your business. Because you are not investigator. So it is none of your business. Even if it is dealing with yourself, then you have to be concerned. (Audience: So then when one accesses the qualities of a spiritual master , you must really look to your own experience as litmus test) The spiritual master qualities test is normally done before you establish spiritual relationship. You will not do that after you establish relationship. That’s the normal is. And after you ..after relationship is already started, and then examples of the snow mountain is not yellow because I got jaundice. All these are applied for that reason. So all these things re done before, not after. That’s what it is. (Audience: So even information that comes into you third or fourth hand after after the establishment of the relationship, if it is essentially then just …if what you are saying… I just trying to paraphrasing what you said. You saying if it directly affect you and your teacher and your relationship with your guru, after you have that relationship established, then doesn’t going that well?(?), I mean..) You can, you may talk to the person and say, “I hear this, what is it?” for your own satisfaction. That doesn’t mean you have to sweep under the carpet. But you may do it. But that does not make the person disqualify to be your own thing(Audience: ?relationship. Okay). ya, that’s right. Making sure third and fourth person is making sure is right. And maybe you encounter with the person and check. And also…so not really.. Let’s say if I hear somebody else…I do very often, “one of my guru is involve here and there, here and there”. None of my business. I take that attitude personally. I take that attitude, ‘it is none of my business’. And luckily nothing is there now. So, but…sometimes you have big contradiction of something. A very big contradiction of something, right? (Audience: right, right) Now, for example , this issue of Dorje Shugden. It is a big conflict than contradiction to me. What attitude I am taking? None (Laughs). Completely quiet, that’s about it. So, that’s what it is. Unless you been personally bugged so much. If you personally then you have to take a stand. When you have to take stand, you have to take stand that is honorable, true to yourself, and true to the tradition lineage, cause everything. And I will avoid taking stand as long as I can. So that’s what it is. So, it’s sort of none of my business. That’s I am doing. It is clear example. (Audience: Rimpoche, do I understand you say that there is (?) qualities of a spiritual master and then after that there is a finite period and after that once you established the relationship, you no longer examine the qualities?) Otherwise you going to examine the spiritual past, present qualities till you become a Buddha, so you get nowhere. (Laughs) That’s right. (Audience: ..can you sustain your own moral code or what you learnt. What if your thinking something that really violates something moral tenet of yours?) So, you encounter with that person. You encounter with the person and try to find out , get explanation for your own satisfaction. That’s what it is. (Audience: Rimpoche , are you ..often say that once the person has done the thorough investigation and committed to the relationship , that you (?) (?) business , like should not be like (?) (?) at that point in relationship to the relationship that can be easily swayed. You can be open , you can investigate , if you need to encounter, you encounter and ask but that basic color. If you don’t have the basic color, you are basically karmically really messing yourself because you are not accomplishing anything. Here) I am not saying karmically messing up yourself. (Audience: Okay) I am saying then you don’t establish the guru devotional thing, nothing’s there. So, as long as you are putting the…as long as you have the guru under subject of examination, then that’s it. You know , politically whatever I am saying is incorrect. Politically incorrect (Audience: Right) Politically know, I should say, “ Oh, yes, should be under the examination all the time” blah blah blah. So, that’s why I asked you, ‘Do you want a straightforward …damn straightforward answer or polite political round.So the damn straightforward answer is, “None of your business”then that’s what it is. But politically it is incorrect. Because that’s what it is. (Audience: But the reason is you say is ‘none of our damn business’ is because if becomes a hindrance to us , then it becomes our damn business. We are not supposed to trun off our brains. But to have a …this is probably incorrect. To have a successful student guru relationship, you have to get your feet wet, you have to be in the water; you have to be engaged. And if you look for an excuse every two seconds to not tbe engaged, then to get through even the Lam Rim, is going to be a start stop start stop start stop business.) Ya (Audience: Okay) That’s what it is. Are you happy now?Audience: Ya) Good. Laughs (Audience: Thank you).Are you okay with you? (Audience: Yes) Ah, ha, you have no questions for that? (Audience: No, thanks. I have to digest.) Okay. You don’t have that much problems, so , you are okay, actually. (Rimpoche laughs).0:49:32.

So, what else now.So now the ‘Impermanent’ . We are at the level of …normally I should repeat a little bit. If I keep on repeating…you know, the time goes so fast. (*short cut off on recording) …spiritual master. How you acknowledge the spiritual master is after examining the the spiritual master.. You know one of the reasons why they say give it 50% discount, that’s one of the reasons too because you never going to find absolutely ideal, perfect , no problem guru at all. Even Buddha appeared alive today, unless it is image…if it is image, it will sit up there nicely like everyday with whatever day and night, even look the same thing, nothing (?). So that is called ‘image’, right? So it is the statue. So, that’s never going to happen. As long as it is a human being, it have some thing here and something there and something there. And question really arises,” how much I can tolerate?How much I can swallow that? What is this?” That’s the bottom line. And then it is also very much individualized rather than publicly what it is. It is the relationship, the guru yoga is really individual thing rather than public thing. Politicians the relationship is public thing. The spiritual master relationship is individual thing. This is how I look. How I look, how I look. That’s what it is. And so, anyway, so after examining, after knowing, after perfectly clear and then acknowledge the spiritual master. Not only acknowledge the person as a spiritual master but as actual living Buddha, living. Not only as living Buddha but inseparable from all enlightened beings. And so, that’s what it is. Then, the qualities of the spiritual master that you would like to adopt. That doesn’t mean every quality of spiritual master you have to adopt. Some spiritual master would like to sleep late, in the morning, which is not necessarily is that you have to adopt. Some spiritual masters may stay up whole night, you know. You don’t have to adopt that quality, whatever you know. The quality of dealing with negative emotions, and that quality you have to adopt. You better be specific rather than.. you know…because some people do that. Some people do that,”Well, I don’t drink coffee anymore”Why?” “Because my teacher doesn’t drink, so I am not drinking coffee anymore”(Laughs) Or, you know some people do that, “Well, I eat meat now “ “Why?” “It’s because he’s eating meat; So I adopt that”. I don’t think these qualities are to be adopted. You know I am guilty. I am guilty of making many vegetarians into …(Laughters). Cannibals…(Laughters) I don’t know whether I told you or not, I had an Indian taxi driver in New York. I thought I did tell somewhere. You know I got into the taxi and normally I get along well with the Indian taxi drivers because I speak Hindi over the Punjabi or Urdu or a couple of those Indian dialects. I speak very well almost like the hometown person. Truly, I don’t know how to read Hindi, but I have such a funny gift that I can pick up so easily but I had such a terrible enthusiastic, so I never spent time to sit down. Believe me, I could not read English, even today, more than a page, then I have to close the book. I cannot. It takes hell of time for me to do that. But I can talk to you is okay, I managed. I can do the same thing with Hindi, very well. Once I was talking with an Indian officer, and one of them said, “Jesus’. I said, “What?” He said, ‘If I don’t look in your face, I think it’s another Indian talking to me” This is in foreign office people. He said, :”If I don’t see your face, I think I am talking to another Indian rather than a foreigner”. That’s what he told me., “rather than foreigner”.So, I can get along well with Indian cab drivers okay. But this cab driver I was talking to something and I said I am a tibetan. And he said, how do you speak, “Oh, you Tibetans, you are the Dalai Lama followers”. I said, “ya, ya.” He said, “You are the animal eaters” he said, “You cut cut cut animals and you eat them”, you know. I felt so embarrassed I had to lie to that man, I said, ‘I don’t eat’ (Laughters) And to honor my lie that night I didn’t eat.(Laughters) Tibetan style of vegetarian, you know, whenever we have to do some Kriya or Carya something, we have to be vegetarian. So we don’t eat that day or that morning. So, I followed the same thing not to lie, so I don’t eat that night, though I was going for dinner at a steak house or something., (Laughters) I had to be vegetarian. Ya, the way he told me ,”Cut cut cutand told me in Hindi,” Kat kat kat jata hey” really. He kept on “ cutting them,cutting them eating them eating them. Cutting them eating them , cutting them, eating them” ,you know. Made me feel very embarrassed ; really feel terrible. So I might be guilty of turning couple of vegetarians into cannibals(Laughters). Anyway, so, every quality …I don’t know it is a quality or disqualification, whatever it is, (Audience: ?) being a non vegetarian is quality or disqualification, it is not disqualification of being guru but something is not great, anyway. So, such a thing should not be adopted. 0:57:48.3

When I said those things, I get into trouble. I remember this is about 20 years ago in Dharamsala. The Youth Congress was set up. And I was supposed to be advising them. So I was sort of giving teaching cum lecture, Buddhism combined with daily behavior. And I kept on telling those people you have to take bath, you have to take shower, you have to do that every day. You have to brush you teeth and blah blah blah. And then absolutely and stupidity said you should not adopt the nomad’s culture of here. Nomad tibetans, nomad. Those people with animals sit up in the very high altitude. They can’t wash because there is now water for them to wash, right, so they won’t wash. They are lucky if they take bath once a year. They are lucky. But I somehow slipped out of my mouth , I said nomad’s culture should not be adopted. And after a little while a boy raised hand , “I am a nomad” (Rimpoche laughs). And that’s why they are not taking bath. That’s okay. I had to apologize. I shouldn’t have said that ‘nomad’s culture’. That came up on my head. You know I am open person, straightforward, so I thought…(Rimpoche laughs) So, I don’t want to go so many things here, but, you don’t have to copy everything. Okay. For example, if guru is drinking, you don’t have to drink. If guru smokes, you don’t have to smoke. And if guru is stealing, you don’t have to steal.(Laughs) So, you don’t have to do these. But what you do is the techniques, the tricks to apply to overcome negativities, pick up that. That’s what it is. So that means…what are we talking? ‘Reflect on the qualities’, that’s what it is. And then, ‘Cultivate pure relationship’. So do not let disturb your own pure relationship by any variety of information. Some people..some information maybe true. Some information even though you hear from reliable person, but then you will…at the end you’ll comes up, well when you really encounter it might not even be true. And then why you take completely destroying your own pure relationship here, which is your spiritual development base for some thing , which is either fabricated by somebody purposely or misunderstood or anything can happen. So, why should we destroy our own individual benefit. Now , I am talking about myself. I will not destroy my own spiritual basis for some silly such a thing like this. I will never do. If I do, I am crazy. So couple of screws…extra screws are lose. So that’s what it is. So, quality. Cultivate pure relationship. Then light and liquid come from the supreme field of merit, purifies all these negativities in general, and particularly whatever we have…misunderstandings, not understanding, doubt all of them cleared. The relations rejuvenated. I and all sentient beings remain safe with the guru, who is Buddha, who is Dharma, who is Sangha. Buddha is Guru, Dharma is Guru, Sangha is Guru. Guru is Buddha, Guru is Dharma, Guru is Sangha. Guru is yidam, Guru is bodhisattva, Guru is Deity. Guru is Dharma protector, Guru is daka, Guru is dakini. (pause). When you have good Guru disciple relationship, then you work become quite successful. As long as you have a problem there, no matter whatever your work will be , there are difficulties, always. This is interesting. When Tsongkhapa in life, this is clearly written either in Tsongkhapa’s biography or even in Lam Rim teachings. During Tsongkhapa’s lifetime, almost lower part of his life, he was asked by number of people what kind of special rituals you do to have so many people following you. People kept on asking him, is there some kind of special cakras that you develop?That is wheel/ Or, do you have some special kinds of yantras, or special mantras, or something which you do, which you collect so many people. And Tsongkhapa kept on replying, “No, I did nothing.It’s true. I did nothing” Then he begun to examine himself, and he found his own guru yoga is responsible for that. So the success of your work, your helping other, and your guiding…even your own personal job, and all of them have something to do with this. Even usual mundane job, I am talking about it. It is something to do with this. It has become a very important issue. Yes, it has also tremendous open opportunity to those who would like to abuse. Yes, there is also tremendous method how you protect yourself too. So, you have to be very clear with this and go accordingly. The bottom line is you don’t have to say ‘yes’ for everything. That is the most important point you have to remember. Don’t say ‘yes’ for everything, okay. Don’t have to say. If you can , go ahead ,it is great. If you cannot, make sure you say, ‘No”. Okay? That’s what it is. 1:06:53.3

Then, we have ‘Embrace human life’. We talked about human qualities, value, timing, and appreciate the life what we have. Do not project the difficulties in life very strongly and see that only and don’t see the good things what’s happening in life.Do not do that. Yes, you have to be concerned with the difficulties in life. But on the other hand life itself has tremendous value and tremendous thing you can achieve. Don’t ever forget and embrace. And the value in general and particularly timing. And the rarity of this life, from the causal point of view…even at the present result level, you look at the right, you look at the left, you know so many people and who did not embrace this opportunity, whatever the reason might be. Basically, that individual is deprived of this opportunity, makes yourself different and even better than that person. You don’t have to develop pride, but it is different and you have opportunity, that person doesn’t have the opportunity.And so embrace that and do not waste your time.Do not waste your time. This opportunity doesn’t come very often at all. Take ourselves, each and every individual, ourselves. We have to presume it. Let’s say we have 1000 lives, one after another. So, if you look 1000 lives, out of those 1000 lives, probably this life is the only life where you have this opportunity. The other 999 human lives that we have taken before or will take after, might not have this opportunity. Really, this is that much rarer. Even looking the millions of the …million years of human history, from totally not from the spiritual point of view, from the pure scientific point of view, in those human history that we had. Look in that history , how many really spiritual paths have come in that. Really true wonderful. Spiritual path that deliver the individual to a total enlightenment level. How may have come? How many they remain? Out of all these human existence history before. You all educated, you know how to count. It is me who cannot count. here. It is not you. You know how to count. And look from that. That itself will give you message.And these great teachings and great opportunity to have those, doesn’t last very long. Somehow it gets corrupted, it gets this thing, it gets that thing mixed up and after a little while , it waters down and goes away and it disappeared. It happened before, it will happen again. And that’s what going to happen. So that’s why I said the timing is so important. So important. So important. Even in our life, even this life itself. Just observe, let’s say from 1901 to year 2050 and within that year, even you look in that matter , and how many years is possible to have this? These are not fairy tales story I am telling you. These are the true facts with our own knowledge, you can observe. So, if you do not appreciate now your life, then you are really crazy. Actually we are all crazy but those who do not have appreciate that, lost more screws than we do. (Laughs) So, anyway, appreciate that then pray to the supreme field of merit. Light and liquid comes , wash all negativities in general particularly all obstacles over here.The obstacles over here is the permanent perception, “ I have the time tomorrow, I have the time tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow” , the permanent perception. So, washed them away completely. And generate, acknowledge, appreciate that life, it’s value, it’s opportunity, and if possible pass resolution by yourself , “I will make best use of this. Otherwise at death it is unavoidable. How you pronounce..’in ev..’(Audience: Inevitable) Inevitable. Inevitable, it will come sooner or later. 1:14:38.6

There is no place where you can hide. You can run up to the sun and moon and death will catch you. You can hide the mountains of Tibet, death will catch you. You can go into the forest of Brazil, Amazon or Thailand, or the plains of Mongolia, death will catch you. Buddha had shown this in his lifetime, demonstrated to us by picking three young Shakya boys, when the war was come on the Shakya caste. The story I am sure in the Lam Rim, all the Lam Rim, should have that. By the time sunsets, the boy who was hidden in Mt Meru somewhere was found dead. Boy who kept together by Buddha and disciples together in their temple, found dead. And where did they put the third boy? (Audience: bowl) Inside the begging bowl, is also found dead. So, this is unavoidable. In short such a person like Buddha, totally spiritually developed, or, for that matter Jesus, or anyone of those, we named it today, are gone.No one is living. Military power cannot protect. Napoleon is gone, Julius Caesar is gone, all these great Chinese dynas..(Audience: dynasty) dynasty, all of hem gone. Spiritually, politically, economically, military, medically…no matter whatever you do, you’ll go. Nobody ever lived forever. They change the life. Just because the chemical structure of our body is such that cannot be everlasting at all. So we will go, so death is definite. When it is going to come, we don’t know. We have seen so many. Young ones going, old ones still living. Chronic disease person is so much more in life, some body else suddenly popped up and dead. (?) is going, so there’s no certainty. Never know when it’s going to come. So be prepared now when you can. It is always better in our life if we can handle our own future life by ourselves rather than dependent on second or third person. So therefore to be done right now before it is too late. If happens what will I take with me? Nothing! Not even my body that born with me. I have to leave the body. Me,me alone will pull out of my body just like a single hair pulling out of butter; pulled out and I have to leave. At that time my relationship to my body discontinued. It is no longer my body. It becomes dead body. I don’t take that with me. So all other things I worked so much in my life to build, to make it success, to make it comfortable…all of them gone. It is not there ,just that very minute. Even my own body as I mentioned. Not even a part of my body. Even my brain was left out there. So what do I carry? Only the imprint of my positive and my negative imprints. Positive imprints will help me to find another positive base on which I can function. The negative imprint will help me to find an terrible base on which I can function. So therefore it is the only positive karma that make good help for me. I may be able to understand this clearly . Clear all the obstacles by the light and liquid coming from the supreme field of merit . And the positive resolution “I will not waste any opportunity at all; I have wasted enough in this life great opportunity under so many pretext..practice, work, responsibility. Who else we do and all of those under those circumstances ,I wasted tremendous amount of time. I shall not waste anymore. I maybe able to do this . A duplicate lama comes and dissolves to me , bless me and made me possible to function and do this.1:23:55.5

So now , “Thus all created phenomena are impermanent ‘, that is buddhist logo. Oh, ya, good. I have done quite good. I realized that death time is uncertain , wonder what happens after death. Alright, so we are here. I didn’t realize it’s gone easy way. So, ‘wonder what happens after death’. That’s the point. Believe me, we all going to die, okay. (Rimpoche laughs) Anybody doubt about that? Nobody, right? So, what happens? It discontinues really; disconnected between body.So far we are functioning totally out of our body, I mean from this body. And when you discontinued from this body, your way of functioning is different. You don’t have advantage and disadvantage connected with his body is not there anymore. So, advantage is you don’t have this what you called that..(Audience: ?) Ah, what did you say? You said something, don’t feel shy. (Audience: I said ‘aches and pains) Ya, aches and pains. And I am also thinking about it, not only the aches and paints but the heaviness of the body, you know? It is in one way a great body. In another way, it is a drag. Aughs) Drag, it is really a drag. And also you have to drag the body every where (Laughs). and try to fit that in certain vehicles or move it, and all of those (Laughs) And it gives you tremendous problems..too fat, too thin, you have to exercise. , make it right and have to eat right, you know. All of them are all physical thing. And you don’t have that problem anymore. You leave them out. You are really like a free (?) then, like a free bird . That is advantage. The disadvantage, you don’t know how to function., number 1. Number 2, you lost your identity. You don’t have any identification anymore . Your driver license doesn’t work (Laughs). And you don’t recognize anybody else. Vice versa nobody else will recognize you because you don’t have your identity. Physical identity is gone. One advantage is, you think of any place anywhere, you are there because you don’t drag your body. You think Mongolia, you are there. From Mongolia you think Detroit , you are here. You don’t have to fly or do anything because it is mental body. Disadvantage is nobody will see you and you don’t see anybody else. You don’t recognize them and nobody will recognize you. So that what happens when you die. This is nice good way I explained. But the bad way, there are also bad ways too. The bad way is terrible. Every thing is intensified, you know like a if something happened inside your ear, when somebody screams inside here, the voice may be a little small compare with normal. But what you hear is (?) huge, isn’t it? Or, your eyes dilated and you see the green is so green, the white is so white you can’t even watch, right? And just like that manner, every perception of yours is so intensified. So every pains that you go through are so much intensified. The pains are normally coming out of four elements. Advantages are also coming out of four elements….fire, the air, the water, the earth. These are the four you get all your base ground establishment, these are the four you get your pain, misery out of those. These are the four things. So every disorder of water is so intensified. Even a drop of water to that individual can be a cyclone. You what cyclone is? You called cyclone,right. (Audience: hurricane) Hurricane, tornado, ,typhoon. A just a drop of water ,tik, it is reality..somebody maybe dripping a drop of water, to that individual it could be a huge hurricane in which you caught in. There may be a little cigarette spark, to that individual the whole world is on fire., burning every way, (*Rimpoche makes sound of fire spreading..), every single thing up down. (Rimpoche quotes in tibetan dum si la…ngo wa) Yet you can’t help it, can’t escape. No one there to help you. You can’t seek any help from anybody. You are helpless. The true helpless then. This is the time is not you put yourself in the golf cup. You really got into it this time. You did not put yourself . You really caught in it. So what you going to do? These are the words. That’s why …you know in one way people said death is beautiful, wonderful natural process. Sure, because you did not comeback from there. So you can say anything you want to, right. So makes it look like beautiful wonderful , make everybody happy and clap (Laughs) and enjoy. I met one woman in New York. I don’t remember when was it, about two years ago. Nice, elderly looking sophisticated society lady, in New York. She said “I was very happy in my life and I read that stupid book”.I said, “What is that?” “Tibetan book of living and dying” She said, “I become so miserable thereafter, talking about these horrible things can happen in death. So, I am so unhappy now. You are responsible and I said, “I am not Sogyal Rinpoche” (Laughs) “But you are Rinpoche”, she said. Anyway, the point really is, until you hear they don’t bother you at all. Because if you make it something nice , wonderful happening, and then everybody makes it beautiful. You may be doing disservice to yourself. You also have to know the terrible miserable things. The tibetans have so many prayers n many prayers goes.. (Rimpoche quotes in tibetan., ….bardo tan la…ching gyi lob) .Bardo (?) meaning, “I may be free from the narrow passage of the bardo). So we do have that many times. It is not that very simple, straightforward wonderful as people make it out. It is not. It can be terrible, miserable . 1:35:27.3

Anyway, what materialize that, is what we do now. That makes the difference. It is not too late to think about this now. It is not too late. Like Allen used to say, “ It is never too late to meditate. You can tell the super powers to meditate., right? He did say that right? Not whether you can tell super power to meditate or not ,but really true it is not too late at all. It is entirely in our hands right now. Entirely! How would you like to shape your death. It is in your own hands right now. It is entirely …it is not too late at all. Physical pains that you go through which caused the separation and the body, you may or may not be able to do anything. But what you personally experienced with your consciousness thereafter. You can do everything right now.it is entirely in our own hands right now. By the time when you die, somebody is praying for you, and somebody is doing rituals for you, and on that level, it is the secondhand help. We should have the first hand help by ourselves. We can and we should and it is not too late. Not only that…actually this is the hallucination period we go through with the bardo level. It is a hallucination . (Audience: Ya) Who said “Ya”? I don’t know whether it is really called ;hallucination’. It is truly not there but individual really experience. I don’t want to call it ‘delusion’ Lots of people called that ‘delusion’ too. Because it is not that but you experiencing it. But for that person it is really true, it is happening. It is happening to that person. It is the same thing when people went through mental suffering, emotional sufferings. When you are watching to that people , you are talking because the third person who has not experienced , you watching it, nothing is happening. You look the same, even more cute, more beautiful., right. You really see nothing but that individual is real to that person …the pain is real. The person is hopeless and help…1:39:16.0