Archive Result

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Soundfile 20000902GRSROTF01

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location SR

Topic Odyssey to Freedom

Transcriber Helen Breault

Date October 31, 2020

The longer one at the end, but the end is end. It’s always left to the last.

So basically, again, I would like to emphasize to make it clear. Number 1: If you wanted to read Seven Stage of Development of the Boddhimind I was told it is chapter nineteen in that Lam Rim book. And it’s about thirty pages. Somebody looked it up and told me it’s chapter nineteen, about thirty pages in there. Make sure you took that out and put it into the Odyssey to Freedom.

And then also the Exchange Stage of Development of the Boddhimind is quite well mentioned in the Lojong teachings. It’s all there. And also should be in the Lama Chopa as well. Might not be very much; quite brief. Again, Lama Chopa, that comes at the end. Perhaps next time when we teach we have to teach upside-down, so I’ll probably read backwards. [laughs] It’s not only saying that generate compassion but it tells you how to generate the compassion. I think it’s important to be aware of it.

[1:53]

Now, after generating a boddhimind, is that enough? Most probably not. The purpose of the generating of the boddhimind is not only just to get the inspiration mind but also, oh yeah, let me put it this way: When you develop the boddhimind you develop the boddhimind mind in two ways. One, in the prayer form. And the other is in the action form. The prayer form of developing boddhimind is like this morning we did: “I take refuge to Buddha, dharma and sangha until I obtain enlightenment. By practicing generosity, etc., may I be able to become fully enlightened.” That is the prayer form. You are praying that that may materialize. Yes, you can go on praying for a while but the praying is praying. [laughs] You need action. [laughs] That’s what they say. You need action. Action boddhimind is equally important. There are a lot of activities of the bodhisattva. A tremendous amount of activities of bodhisattvas. Actually, the whole of the Bodhisattvacharyaavatara presents all the different ways, how the boddhisattvas way of life should be.

It was a little funny when Aura first asked me, “Would you please teach Bodhisattvacharyaavatara on Tuesdays. And I also think a number of you people talked. Chris and maybe Sandy, maybe not, at that time. I think a number of them, maybe Sopa, maybe Tony, all of them. They came up and asked me, “Would you teach Bodhisattvacharyaavatara?” And I said, “When?” And they said, “Oh, Tuesdays.” “Tuesdays, okay. Okay. Okay.” [laughs] Then I started reading the Bodhisattvacharyaavatara verse by verse and it took a long time. And I tried to explain the best way we could. And we looked into a couple of translations and found that Stephen Batchelor’s translation seems to be very convenient and nice. So we sort of stick to that. Though occasionally we referred to the Oxford. And then there was another one, right? Anyway, we referred to the Oxford.

[5:30]

And then we began to look in the English commentaries and there was one very good commentary by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso called, “Meaningful to Behold.” And then there’s His Holiness’ commentary, “Flash of Lightening in the Middle of the Night.” And then we began to read about it a little bit. And the commentaries are very good but… So we began to read one verse and started explaining it and talking about it. And I think some time last year after we moved to this Washington Street from Ann Street, then I said, “Well we have been here for a year or two. And so this has been going quite a while, quite long.” And then, I think it was Tony, he took out his glasses and said, “For five years.” Okay. [laughs] I thought four. Five years. We have been doing that, giving that teaching every Tuesday, almost whenever I’m there. And most of the time I tried to make sure I’d be available for this. And one or two verses, with the exceptional cases three or four verses might have gone a couple of times. So every Tuesday, it’s been five years. And I saw the first transcripts of the first chapter, it is huge, right? That’s the first chapter. We have done chapter five, we’re in the middle of chapter six? Okay, we have done five. You probably have transcripts of one-hundred and -six or -five, not less. I think there’s much more.

If it’s done, it is not intentionally started, but if it’s done it’s going to be one of the best commentaries available. Particularly I tried to follow the words exactly so that when you read the Bodhisattvacharyaavatara you see all the, when you read the verse the message behind that will come quite clearly.

[8:48]

I’m not sure. It might become a sort of nine little booklets or something when it’s finished— if and when it’s finished. We’re in chapter six, it’s taken five years. We’re in the middle of chapter six, there’s three more. When you see all this then you really know the bodhisattva activities very detailed in there, what action the bodhisattvas are supposed to take. Right now we have a superficial understanding of what bodhisattvas are supposed to be doing. But very superficial, because everything we sort of expect, oh that’s bodhisattvas’ way, bodhisattva should do this, bodhisattva should do that. But if you really…And there a number of people here, they constantly come every Tuesday night. Many of you are here. And many people are not here. And it comes every Tuesday. And I hope they’re getting something there. [laughs] Those of you who are unable to make it to Ann Arbor every Tuesday we probably will have that transcript sooner or later. It will be coming out. So when it comes out you will be able to read it. There are the Tibetan commentaries, a lot of them are available. But Tibetan commentaries also need some slightly different eyes to read. I noticed that. Just because knowing Tibetan language will not get it. You need a little more than knowledge of language. Even you’re a master of Tibet language you’re not going to get it. Way, how, and I’ve been able to do that a little bit not so bad is because of sixty years’ experience. So I read between the lines. I read the side lines. I read the other part of it. And somehow I tried to digest myself and present a very simple way to the English so that people will be able to at least get the message.

[11:54]

A little bit better. It’s a daily life dealings. Many of you remember sometimes it’s fantastic, it’s wonderful. The action, when you talk about action—what the bodhisattvas are supposed to do, act and do— we like to refer to Bodhisattvacharyaavatara.

But then, very briefly six paramitas. And if you look in the Bodhisattvacharyaavatara it’s not six paramitas alone.

Six paramitas comes way down there again. But it’s quite a lot. And six paramitas, out of six paramitas the first paramita is paramita of generosity. Paramita is what? Perfection? Gone beyond, whatever. So generosity. It’s interesting, if you look in the west, generosity is something, again, more or less everybody accepts it as good thing to do. It is somehow people know it is something good to do, no big problem. I just remember here some time ago I did give teaching, either it’s in one of the summer retreats or wherever it was, each one of those six paramitas have six paramitas within that. Generosity has the generosity of generosity, morality, patience. I think I did give that teaching somewhere. Many of you are shaking head. And I don’t know where it is.

(Asks audience: Anybody have any idea where it is?

Audience answers are: Inaudible.

Probably not. In Holland too. But did I do here too? Yeah. I think I’ve done it in Ann Arbor, maybe in Chicago, in Holland. So do you have transcripts of that?

Would you look and see if you could include it. Generosity of all six paramitas and all six morality, I think I did that. Might not be…(etc.) I’m trying to make this Odyssey to Freedom complete. Marianne told me…)

[15:46]

Anyway, when you look in the generosity, what is it? What are we talking? Being generous and sharing and all this idea’s wonderful. But a little more than that. Basically, I would like to think about two or three generosities: generosity of the spiritual information, teachings, and all this. Oh, that’s interesting. The spiritual information you should not hide or do anything and share it very openly with everybody, everything. Okay? Be generous. But at the same time, you’re not supposed to share certain things when certain people are not likely to be benefited or certain people are not likely to be helpful. And it also can be harmful too. When you see those, with a mind of generosity, you try to share everything it’s sometimes not necessarily helpful, or not necessarily harmful, but it didn’t work very well with a certain individual.

[17:43]

For example, a Vajrayana initiation. The full-fledged Vajrayana initiation works very well with a certain number of people. But a certain number of people had a quite a difficulties after that too—which not only the traditional teachings will tell you, but I myself have experienced that over the decades with dealing with the people. So generosity, yes, but generosity with the discriminating wisdom. Here itself again shows. Even we like to talk about shunyata emptiness, but shunyata emptiness will give you some good idea with a certain number of people. But to certain number of people it might not work very well. So things like that, you have to be careful. Because I’ve been talking yesterday. It is much easier now when you talk with the theory of relativity and indivisibility and so and forth. The danger part is removed. Otherwise Nagarjuna says [19:10 Tibetan]. If you look at it wrongly in the shunyata, and if you are not intelligent enough, it may create some trouble. And the example is, if you try to catch a poisonous snake and if you don’t know how to catch it, you may have trouble. Likewise [19:42 Tibetan]. Likewise, some people say a lot of mantra, without boddhimind, without good motivation they say a lot of mantras. And those can go wrong. That is very important. Mantra is mantra. Again, there’s a mantra power. I don’t know whether mantra power is blind or not. Mantra is blind.

[20:18]

Whatever the way people use, it goes that way. By nature, I mean it’s some positive mantras by nature, by nature it’s positive. However, people misuse that and it can definitely use. Black magic and Vajrayana practice can be equally powerful. Perhaps Vajrayana practice is more powerful than black magic. But if you misuse it—misuse it with the sense, without intention of missing it, but you have no idea what you’re doing with this— and keep on saying a lot of mantras and without having boddhimind and without having understand of emptiness, it could have reverse effect, not only to yourself but to the other people as well as to yourself. So that is [21:40 Tibetan]. Nagarjuna has cautioned these two together as catching a poisonous snake if you don’t know how to catch. That’s very important point to be remember. Otherwise, a lot of people say, “Yeah, yeah, yeah I’d like to say mantras.” Yes, it’s very good to say mantras. But with a good intention, good motivation, good thing and it will work.

[22:11]

Not only ourselves, even the great monasteries, the person who would like to do some pujas, and ask them to do certain number of pujas, and from their point-of-view they will definitely do that with compassion, no question. But from the person who’s requesting to do, if he or she has some strange thing in mind those mantras and prayers work according to that. That’s the very tricky point. This is completely brand new in America today, those things. So one has to be very careful with this.

Anyway, the generosity of dharma with the wisdom. And also needs a diligence, concentration. If you don’t concentrate, then you’re nowhere, you’re just lost everywhere. If you don’t have diligence then you can’t get through even a bookmark. You will be stuck up there somewhere; so the diligence. Generosity also needs patience. And it also needs morality or ethical points. It’s equally important. All of those. Discrimination wisdom we’re just now talking. And they’re all that way.

And then, not only the dharma but generosity of material. And protection from fear. All of them are considered as generosity. Generosity does not have to be only material. Protection from fear is also generosity there. Most important thing is training our own mind. Training our own mind to be able to share and not been hanging on, not been holding on. Whatever it is, wherever it is, without any hesitation, without anything, you know. Without any reservation, hesitation and especially when you’ve been generous you should never have the strings attached. The strings, you know you can pull the strings. And you know, if the string’s attached then it’s not generosity. It’s a personal interest. Even though you think interest for that person or for something else, even then it’s a personal interest because it’s conditioned. It’s not that good.

[25:49]

So it should be any strings attached. And be able to share it. And then remember it is the mind training too. Mind training too. And that means actually it is mental exercise. There’s a tremendous amount of generosity practice in Vajrayana, tremendous. All our tsoh offerings are the generosity practice. And that’s why we don’t a miser tsoh offerings. And then of course those of you know about the Kusali practice. All Kusali practice is a generosity activity. Those of you who don’t know about the Kusali business, don’t worry about it. Forget it, you didn’t even hear it. [laughs] Those of you who know you know this is one of the most important generosity practices. And then of course most important on [27:04 Tibetan]. [laughs] These are the root texts we memorized when we were learning the middle path doctrine. I’m forgetting now. Jamyang still remembers. [28:05 Tibetan] When you even do the generosity there is a person who’s generous, and what they give, and there is a taker, three. [28:36 Tibetan] All of those three things are involved: who gives, what and who gets. And all of them should always think about them being emptiness in nature, shunyata nature.

Then, you know, sometimes if you give a little piece of food to a dog it could have a tremendous generosity yield than somebody else giving whole kingdom. This has a number of times happened during the Buddha’s period. Whole wealth of the kingdom was put up and distributed. And then somebody else gave a little piece of food to a dog. And many times the little piece of food to dog gets a much better yield, tremendous amount of more yield than a king has given a whole kingdom’s wealth.

[29:55]

So this depends on those three: the giver, the thing that you give, and who receives, and looking at that into the nature of emptiness. The nature of emptiness and the boddhimind. The emptiness/wisdom aiding on this and the boddhimind aiding on this is the solution which really makes it different. And then of course if it’s a huge amount and then of course a huge merit comes. And that’s what it is. So it is to whom you give, what you give, and who are you to giving. All these are very important.

[30:40]

And it is also… That should be enough. So whatever you do, whatever you give, whenever, whatever you give it is important that you give without any attachment, without any strings attached, without any hope of return. And particularly if you’re connected, if you have a relationship, if you have a connection with whom you give, it is always better, the yield is more than just simply giving because it is a giveaway, it is charity. If you’re connected it’s always different. That’s the reason why in the Tibetan tradition when people die or are sick, they always give something to the lamas or monasteries to do prayers or to sponsor prayers or do that. That’s giving part is not only— there’s two different things. You give them a certain amount, sort of to cover their expenses. And then you give another gift separately. That’s what they do. And the reason why they give that gift separately is for the connection. If it’s connected it’s always better. And if it’s not connected, I mean it’s generosity no doubt, but it is giving. That’s what it is. [laughs]

[32:52]

The connecting is very important. I sort of funny remember, I thought it was very funny. Remember I told you I stopped smoking cigarettes in one day. I went to Ladakh. The reason was I had to go to Ladakh was Degong Ran Rimpoche [?33:10] the head of the Degong Kagyu tradition. He was going to Ladakh for the first time. I was accompanying him, whatever there was a need to be. When I got to Ladakh those Degongpa’s system is so funny. It must have been old Tibet system too. There was an older monk, he goes around and just sort of shouted among the people. And all these Degong Rimpoches, this is what I’ve seen it. But central Tibet I’ve never seen they do. But when you go to the remote area, probably they’re doing it. So they did it. This was the first time I saw it, though I was probably in my beginning of my thirties. What they do is, I mean there sort of is the Degong [? 34:18], you know Tibet has those miniature Dalai Lamas. Degong Jango is another miniature dalai lama for Degongpas. And like a Dgayab (un-understandable 34:33)… All of those mini sakyapas, Sakayapa for sakyas, and Karmapa for karmas. You know they have those funny little things. So Degong for Degonpas in that certain area in Ladakh is the whole people. And the lay people, the farmers, the nomads, and whole monasteries there’s a certain geographical area is total Degonpas. So when Degong Rimpoche went there the whole, every human being ever existed in that area are all there. Nobody’s looking after the farm. Nobody’s looking after animals. All the men, women, children, young, old, everybody. Many of them have come days, putting on the horses and things like that. Then they have this funny little system which I thought was really bad. First, very uneasy, they get these monks to take off their upper robes and it becomes like a huge bed sheet, bigger than bedsheet. And going around people. And this older monk goes around, “It is time for you to build the connection. Those of you who have, they should offer the horses and yaks and mules. And those who don’t have should offer the needles and threads, and so forth.” There’s some traditional old saying. That’s what they do. And the people there are also looking for opportunity. So really, some people don’t have anything. They take out needles to stitch all their old clothes. They take out their needles and stick to the robe of that monk.

[36:44]

And it’s not one monk or two monks. It’s probably eighty or ninety of those going around. And this older guy’s going around and telling this. And literally some of those elder women who are wearing their ornaments, probably they never take it off— you know this turquoise. And they sort of cut it out with half hair thrown in there. I thought…but the idea of generosity and building connection, they have that. But for me it was a little too much. I’d already been in America twice. And so everything—the elder, some sort of old, old people they take out some jewels they were wearing for life and they couldn’t even tear it off. And they had knives and they throw it in there. And all this. And yes, horses, animals, everything. No doubt about it. Not only that, they had a meeting with Degong Rimpoche. Maybe about 100,000 people in that area. And they wrote some huge document, everybody signed it. It was a huge one, saying that from this area to this area all land and even a pebble was given to you. It’s your own. So Degong Rimpoche said, “What should I do?” And I said, “Well, you may just accept it for your benefit but you cannot accept land that belongs to the government of India.” [laughs]

[38:35]

Land that belongs to India they can’t give. [laughs] It must be some old system. They wrote it— “The mountains, trees, bushes, and pebbles and rivers, and sand and everything belongs to you.” Everybody signed. That is how, it gives you idea how old Tibetan culture really is. Because nobody really thought that the government owns those things. They think it’s the public people: it’s our country, it’s our land, it is our hand. We give it or we keep it. [laughs] I saw those. It was impressive and it was a little strange.

And the worst thing that I saw thereafter, which I really hated and I sort of objected but it doesn’t do much good because it’s their old monastery system. Worst thing that they do, people throw their jewelry in there, right? Then they pick it up and they auction it. That’s not good. [laughs] It feels terrible. Because, you know, some old person wearing it for his whole life, a little turquoise or coral or whatever, and certainly two hours later people auctioning it around. [laughs] I thought that was a little bad.

[40:22]

But then they’re an old monastery and they have their old system. When I told them it doesn’t look good, so you should… “Yes Rimpoche. Yes Rimpoche.” Nothing happens. Everything’s “yes” and nothing happens. Anyway that’s the generosity part of it, material generosity, dharma generosity, protecting from fear. That is saving a life.

[40:54]

And giving a protection and all of those are three categories of generosity. Though we may not be able to give, say more than five dollars or something, but in our really thought and the mind idea of giving is five million and then give or five billion and then give five dollars. Even wanted to, wished to, wanted to give and dedicate that virtue. And then giving is not only giving material alone. Anything that’s beautiful. Offerings. Remember? [41:45 Tibetan] Whether it is owned—you people have that in your Six Session Yoga, the long one— either it’s owned or not owned or something, right? The land, jeweled vase, sun, moon, everything. So you give land, jewel. That’s probably what they did. Every pebble is a [42:27 inaudible] [laughs].

(Audience: Inaudible.)

Rimpoche: It’s not symbolic. It’s actual. It is actual reality. Land, jewel. [laughs] I’m teasing you. Anyway, what is it? Land, jewel, all of those. You remember I heard a story that some kind of group of yogis took a plane full of people to India and collected all their money and jewels and all this. And they said, “You have to meditate, you have to empty everything.” They collected everything. Some people didn’t even get back whatever they had. These are the corruptions probably had happened. Maybe it’s a traditional Indian-Buddhist-Hindu culture may have that.

[43:39]

It doesn’t have to be material that you own. There’s a beautiful place, beautiful water, the beautiful environment, the beautiful mountain, the beautiful flowers. Wherever, whatever we’ve seen, so we offer them. We offer them. Even a glass of water is a very good offering. Then of course somehow in the west offering means a little incense and a little flowers. And that’s the western notion of offering.

It is a funny story. I think it is early part when Dalai Lama was visiting in Europe. Somebody gave him an envelope containing money. Nowadays they do a lot but in those beginning part and with a scarf and envelope. So His Holiness looked at this resident teacher geshe who was there and said, “Oh, did they already know that you know that you have to give an envelope and a scarf?” That sort of culture had they already picked it up in Europe, so he asked. Then the geshe replied, “No, Your Holiness it’s because it happens to be you so you got it. I only get incense and flowers.” [laughter] It was the joke among us, you know. And what did His Holiness say? He didn’t say anything. He went away. [laughs]

[45:46]

That geshe happens to be interesting, straightforward. He said, “No, that’s because it’s for you. You came so that happened. I only get flowers and incense.” [laughs] So anyway we call them western notion of offerings.

What else now? So anyway, offering. Everything and particularly it is to cut out attachment, to cut out clinging. We really developed the clinging on the material. That’s the one of them. And then in Lama Chopa, if you remember [Tibetan 46:32]. Again, this Lama Chopa is really something interesting. [46:45 Tibetan] What is that in the generosity version? Don’t look in the old version of Lama Chopa, you’re going to confuse everybody again.

What is it? (Talks to audience) Verse 67. The new version, right?

“Inspire me to perfect transcendent generosity

Through improving the mind that gives without attachment

Transforming my body, wealth and good deeds from all time

Into whatever each being desires.”

Rimpoche: So that’s it. [47:31 Tibetan]. Body, wealth and what is the third one? Good deeds. That means good karma. That’s the true generosity part of it. That is the bodhisattva’s activity.

Now let’s move to the morality part of it. Morality, in other words you train yourself in such a way that there’ll be no hesitations. Remember the Aryadeva. Aryadeva was asked to give one eyeball and without any hesitation he gave. In one of Buddha’s lifetime he cut his wrist and fed the tiger family. And all of those is the example of generosity. These are the inspirations for the generosity activities. That’s what it is. Okay?

Then move to the morality. [48:48 Tibetan] The morality is keeping your vows and commitments intact. Right?

Keeping your vows and commitments intact. Whether it is self-liberation vow or bodhisattva vow or Vajrayana vow. [49:16 Tibetan]

“Inspire to perfect transcendent moral discipline

By keeping even at the cost of my life

My self-liberation, bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows

And by collecting good deeds and helping others.”

Rimpoche: It’s again, like, three. [49:38 Tibetan] Now I forgot the third one. Helping. One morality to generate, morality to generate all the positive karma as much as you can. One to commit yourself to be helpful to all beings, not Mr. All Beings, but all beings. And then the third one, not to create negative karmas. Not to create negative karmas. These are the basic outline of the morality. Then, within that we talked the other day. So many important things are happening within our life today so we must be able to update with those. When we talk about the ethics and morality we must cover everything that’s happening around us. It’s not simply one should not “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not lie.” These are a part of it because not to create negative karma. But that’s not the only part of it. We must go much more than that and look much more. Be able to update. And another, in short, the well-being of all beings are our responsibility, everybody’s. I don’t mean Buddhist. Every human beings’ responsibility is well-being of all beings. Anything goes against that should be considered as an ethical issue.

[52:09]

So the wonderful scientific achievements are great, no doubt. And if that becomes discrimination of humanitarian or human beings my biggest worry is within a very short period, not so many years, within a very short period there may be a big separation of human beings: those who have and those who do not have. I don’t mean money. I mean information. Information. I think those who have and those who don’t have money issue is again the issue was before. Now I think those who have and those who don’t have, the issue’s going to go on the information. Who controls the information? And who doesn’t control the information? And it’s going to have a tremendous amount of difference in the creation of life and maintaining of life. When that happens—I mean it’s already happening—I mean if you look at the healthcare it’s already sort of something’s happening there. It’s already there. I mean, just simply look at the AIDS. And how many people, those people who are carrying it, HIV positive, and just have a look. What’s happening people in this country and what’s happening in Ethiopia and anywhere else. And there’s a tremendous difference there. And right now it may be functioning in terms of money—whether they can afford or not afford it. But soon it’s going to be the information: who has, who controls, who does not control. So these are the real true ethical issues.

[54:39]

And even who goes to jail and who doesn’t go to jail, there’s also a big ethical issue there too. You know, all of those are now, you know, the material world is globalizing. And the ethical issue equally comes along with that together. And if we are not aware of that and we simply keep our limitations “Hey, be straight, be crooked”

and if you keep on doing this then we get nowhere. I think it’s sort of really a pass issue. You have to go beyond that. Go beyond there and see. And I think the moral/ethical issues are much more, particularly with the genome. And I only hope there’ll be no classes of two human beings who will be produced at the end of this century. You know, maybe middle way, half way of this century, if that begins to happen then it will be terrible. It’s automatically going to happen. Those who look good, those who are perfect. And also don’t forget the genes not only going to be effected to the physical aspects of it, it’s also going to effect the mental aspects of it, too. The brain aspects of it. Mental aspects of it. It’s going to have that effect for sure. Then you’re going to have a better-educated, better looking, fixed society. Less educated, terrible looking, another type of society. If that goes it will definitely be much, much, much worse than the racial issues we have faced before. I’m not saying what we have faced before is not bad. I am saying it’s definitely going to be a true sort of select group and well-educated group. If that happens, then it’s really a… If that’s not an ethical issue what is?

[57:33]

So when we think about the moral and ethical you always have to think about all this. Yet at the same time, the scientific development’s great. We have to embrace them. You have to make best use of it. What we have to do is we have to make sure this does not become a question of who has and who controls and who doesn’t control. As it is already, we don’t know how much this information’s controlling. We don’t know how much it’s not controlling as it is. I’m not even sure if Bill Gates himself knows.

Anyway, these are the old and new ethical issues. [laughs] And also we must be able to update ourself when you look in those. Must be able to update. And also, you know, you people in the future, when you’re there, when you’re showing people, when you’re guiding other people, you should also know it has to be updated. Buddha doesn’t have to reappear to update those. This is not India. In India whatever the Nehru decided no one can change until Nehru reappears. Even his daughter cannot change. So you can’t do that. That’s what it is.

Basically these are the moral issues going beyond.

[59:21]

And then comes the… What is it?

(Talks to audience. Again, am I doing the same old thing? But this is a new thing, but yeah…)

Patience, I’m not even sure whether that of the word “patience” in English is exactly. It’s looking, maybe, maybe not. But I’ll tell you what it is from the Buddhist point-of-view, from the traditional Tibetan teachings what they mean by this word “patience.” It doesn’t mean you can wait without getting irritation. They’re not talking about that at all. That may be patient in English. But we’re not talking about that. If you cannot wait five minutes and you get irritated it’s your problem. It’s not a big deal. And if you cannot wait half-an-hour, forty minutes, then may not be your problem alone. [laughs] But if you cannot wait five, ten minutes and getting irritated it’s your problem. We’re not talking about that at all. Here what they’re talking about with patience, even how difficult it might be, you don’t get burned out. How difficult you may have to face, but your enthusiasm and your sort of efforts that you put in, the drive that you put in, will not get relaxed or slowed down. And constant continuously pushing it in. And you don’t get burned out.

[1:01:34]

I think that’s more what they’re talking about patience rather than you can wait or you cannot wait. I don’t think that’s —I mean that has a thing too. But they’re not talking about that. [1:02:00 Tibetan]

“Inspire to perfect transcendent patience

Even if all the beings of the world become abusive, critical, threaten or even kill me

Undisturbed I will work for their benefit.”

See? Even the whole world got angry and started abusing you, even killed you, don’t get angry. Don’t get burned out. That’s what they’re talking about. They’re not talking about waiting. That’s what it is. It is sort of extreme example. It is not ever possible: whole world gets mad at you. Sometimes people do perceive that. When you have, you know how it works? When you have psychological—or should I say emotional problems—what the energy you throw out to the people it’s going to be negative. Because you throw a negative energy out so naturally all people will react slightly differently because they know you’re throwing out negative, with or without your knowledge. More probably without your knowing. Everything, you’re going to throw a negative message out. Because of that negative message there may be straightforward a few persons who will say, “Hey! I can’t deal with you!” [laughs]

(Audience: Inaudible)

Maybe there would be one or two people, but the rest of them will withdraw. And then, when that’s repeated again and again, they won’t like you. That’s normal, natural. We will do the same thing with others. But that’s been thrown out by myself to the others, people get that way and then you get the sort of counter reaction. And we won’t know that. We won’t know that and then we think the whole world is mad at you. The whole world is there to get you. Whole world is siding for someone else because it there’s money, more prettier, more powerful, more whatever. Some excuse you pick up. They’re all your perception that you build up. And then you think the whole world is attacking you, abusing you. And then you get a few confirmations as well. Whomever you talk to, they will react the same way because you throw the negative energy. They have hesitations to deal, you know. So you know it’s sort of a hi-hi, bye-bye you’ll come. So hi-hi, bye-bye you’ll come and you read that as the whole world is abusing. This is only the mental perception you get. Otherwise, human beings are human beings. They’re honest and nice and everybody has some reason to do something with another. But there’s no reason everybody to hate anybody. That’s what goes truly. We perceive that ourselves sometimes. So even though whole world hates you, whole world is abusing you, even then you don’t get burned out and tired.

[1:06:17]

As a matter of fact, if you can you should welcome the opportunity. What a better opportunity than this to clear my negativities? And this is my perception. That’s not reality. My perception. It is the wrong perception. I shall not submit to this wrong perception. So I must be sending a negative message. I’d like to correct that. And get out of the cocoon. Shake yourself. [laughs] Does that mean something else? You never know, this language is so tricky. Some people will read totally different. [laughs] Shake yourself, dust up and walk out and say goodbye for the morning. I told you I did that. [laughs] You have to. You really have to make your mind, saying, “I’m no longer going to tolerate this nonsense making emotional stuff. I’m here to shake it off. And I’m going out. And I have to celebrate. Dress up. Put on make-up and whatever, make it fancy-clancy.” [laughs] I’m sorry it’s almost automatic. So, sort of have fun. Get out of it. Don’t submit for unnecessary thing.

Yeah, you have a problem with some other person. Yeah, but then there’s a thing called understanding. If you can understand and manage well, yes, have understanding and manage well. And if you do not manage well, have understanding that’s that person. You know, that’s that person. So that’s it. Then go away and don’t stick to it. You know, if you try to stick to it you’re sort of submitting yourself for suffering. That is, you know, like the flies, ants, get caught in that little red stuck there, you know. The other person is gone far away. You know five hundred miles away, not even looking back but you’re still stuck in that ant, that little thing. Is it worth it? Certainly not. Unless you’re crazy in yourself. Unless you want to torture yourself, then go to the torture chamber and get yourself tortured. Beat up, whatever you need to and get out of it. Don’t waste time. That’s how you waste your life. That is how you waste your precious life. A lot of people are worrying about it, “I’m wasting my precious life by doing things I shouldn’t be doing.” Meaning, I’m spending a lot of time for work, paying my bills. I shouldn’t be doing that. That’s not wasting time. This is wasting of life. Your opportunity and whatever you have is a limited time and all this time your stuck there without that little red—whatever that little red solution they put out for the ants and flies—’til you die. You can’t get out of it. Even if you try to separate them you can’t. They will die. So until you die you’re stuck there. This is sticky stuff. They do. And this is how they waste your life by making you feel bad. And bad after bad. Bad after bad. Bad after bad. Throwing yourself in the depression.

(Talks to audience.)

[1:11:30]

Now, where are we? Patience. So that’s what the patience is all about. It’s not the patience that, you know, we’re not talking about the patience that you can’t wait for five or ten minutes. This is the patience we’re talking about.

Okay. [1:12:00 Tibetan] So the bodhisattvas don’t get stuck in the depression. [laughs] If you are getting stuck in there that means that you don’t have patience. That’s what it is.

[1:12:38 Tibetan] There are like three categories. Three categories of not getting hatred to the person who harms you or hurts you. One who accepts, not accepts—but one who understands when the suffering’s coming through. And one who puts a lot of energy and efforts to develop on themselves. These are the three categories of patience.

The next is the enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is, again, now it’s extreme. The Lama Chopa says [1:14:02 Tibetan] Even for the sake of one single sentient being, if the bodhisattva has to hang around in the hell realm for hundreds of eons you should not lose your stream of enthusiasm. And you know what it is not to lose? Where do you get this energy? From compassion. The source of that energy’s from compassion. The compassion is much more powerful than that of anger for the long run, for sure. But the sources of all the energies and inspirations for bodhisattvas are compassion. We see this very often, even among ourselves. People who care about the environment issues, the caring comes out of the compassion. People who care about children, caring comes out of compassion. Though you may say, “I love children so I care.” Yes, love-compassion goes together. It’s out of compassion.

[1:15:40]

People who care about any cause they work, social issues and the strength and energy’s coming out of compassion. The anger and the hatred will put you off, actually make you twisted person. You know, like in these old trees some branches sometimes, even though a nice beautiful, wonderful old tree but sometimes it gets twisted, becomes crooked. The anger and hatred make the individual crooked person, really. Why? Because you keep on throwing the things, you know, unhappiness signals out all the time, everywhere, and then it’s really twisted. And then things that you’re going to get back is the same old worse effect that you throw out. You’re going to get it back. And then you’re not happy yourself. You become a twisted personality. Do you call it “twisted personality”? It becomes a twisted personality: everything’s not right, everybody’s angry, no one’s correct, no one has compassion. You know that sort of thing. And it’s only I’m the only one who cares but nobody cares for me. That is called twisted personality. That’s exactly what happens. So one should recognize, relax and get it straight, you know. [laughs]. Get it straight. That’s exactly what happens.

[1:17:28]

And then, you know, the reaction and counter-reaction becomes worse and worse all the time. All the time, because that’s exactly what it comes back. What you give you’re going to get it, for sure. It’s a karmic law. You give something nice you get something nice. Even the Louise from New York. She said, “Since I practiced Buddhism people treated me better.” I said, “What?” She said, “When I go to the department store normally they will think I’m stealing or they will shout and they will think something because I’m African-American. But since I’ve started this Buddhism they all treat me much better. They all say, ‘You’re okay. Nice.’ And they don’t think I’m stealing. They treat me…” I think the reality is she’s treating them better. She’s not coming with the idea of “They’re going to give me trouble.” I think somehow it makes a difference. Probably she comes all the time, “They’re going to give me trouble. A) I’m African-American. B) I’m a woman.” And all that adds up. And then sort of she expected that and she gets that. And then probably after that she doesn’t throw her things out. She throws the mechanical system must become first.

[1:19:05]

I noticed that with myself too. When I’m coming through the customs in Detroit and I’ve sort of come out myself with the mind, “They’re going to open me up totally, for sure.” You know why? I came from Beijing and some brother of mine put a little dry meat in there. I know he put it in but I did write on the declaration. I came through. And then they said, “Do you have any meat?” And I said, “No.” So they put my luggage through and there’s one lady who said, “I want to see that box.” And I said, “Well, there’s some symbols and all that I brought from Mongolia.” She said, “No, no, I saw that. There’s something else there. I want to see that.” So they took it out and said, “What is this?” “It’s meat.” “You said there’s no meat.” I said, “I didn’t know.” [laughs] She said, “You have a fine of $50.00.” So I said, “Okay.” I paid a fine of $50.00 and I’m out. So I thought it’s over. No. Every time thereafter I came in they looked through. Every time. This last time they didn’t, when I came back from Italy. Last time in May, I went to Holland and came back they looked through everything. At the end of that, the guy thought, you know, he begin to see all this and he said, “What are you?” And then, you know, [laughter]I said, “That’s what I do.” And he said, “Okay.” And then at the end of that there’s nothing wrong. At the end he said, “Do you know why? Do you like to know why we opened? Why we looked at you a couple of times? Because the computer must have kicked out, ‘He carries something not allowed. Don’t say meat.’ And then he asked me, ‘What do you carry?’” It doesn’t think that I’m carrying drugs. They think I’m carrying something. “So what do you carry?” “Nothing.” “Oh, okay.” Then I remembered they opened you a couple of times. “What are you carrying?” “Nothing.” He said, “Nothing? You’re fined?” And I said, “Yes. Oh, I carried a piece of dried meat.” “Oh, that’s it.” So probably he did something on the computer. This time when I came they didn’t open me. This is the first time. So I came out with the idea they’re going to open. I had my porcupine things ready when I come out. [laughter]

[1:22:09]

It comes out when the lady comes out. And it’s expected. But they didn’t open this time. So probably they wrote, “He’s carried dry meat.” Or whatever. And I was carrying cheese from Holland and they said, “Yeah, you can carry cheese, no problem.” But you cannot carry meat. Nothing

Anyway, so that is, you know, when you come with the idea of “They’re going to open me, sure” they see something and they catch you more. [laughs]

[1:22:55 Tibetan] How handy the Lama Chopa is to cover the six paramitas. [laughs] [1:23:11 Tibetan] The concentration is free of wondering and sinking mind. And concentration on nature of reality. And that is recommended concentration. Meditating on the nature of reality. Meditation on shunyata. The concentration is free of wandering and sinking. Both the sinking and wandering have a problem. Each one of them have subtle and gross so you have to be free of gross sinking. Gross sinking is falling asleep and all this. Free of gross wandering mind you’re not focusing, you’re not even thinking. By the time when you realize that you’re saying your prayers you’re probably saying the Auspicious Verses. “Oh, how did I get here?” [laughs] This is the gross wandering mind. Simple. straightforward. And gross sinking mind: falling asleep, repeating it, repeating it again, falling asleep. I told you yesterday anyway. So free of those is called concentration.

I’ll leave the wisdom tomorrow for Tsongkhapa’s initiation. Wisdom I’ll leave it there. Then that’s about it. And I’d like to again, once again, thank you. It has been very wonderful week. Though we do have a half-day tomorrow. But it’s a very wonderful week. Oh, we have evening too. Okay, that’s good. Oh, yeah, yeah, that’s right. Not only we have evening I have to do a job, right? There is not only evening. I have to do a job in the evening too. I could have talked a little more but that’s okay. (Talks about dinner.)

[1:26:37 Tape Ends]