Archive Result

;;;;

Soundfile 20000902GRSRWTIN

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location SR

Topic Odyssey to Freedom

Transcriber Helen Breault

Date November 15, 2020

Preliminaries for… Many of you have received many times. But I’m going to go according to this particular system. I’m going to think along, I mean if the children get up and want to go around and make noise. They’re children and we tolerate. And we should accommodate them. They’re okay, don’t worry about it. Don’t make them difficult, don’t try to hold them back. Don’t do it. If they make noise let them do it because they’re children.

[laughs]

So let us go and think along with this. We’ve been talking for a whole week, almost like a Lam Rim. So here we’ve now come back and talked a little more.

Actually, a number of people asked me, “You talk about the Guru Devotional Practice. And what should I do? And what should I do?” All of those. This is something very interesting. I told them if I have the choice of organizing the steps, I would not have put Guru Devotional Practice right at the beginning. I would not. Particularly in today’s culture I’m not going to do it. But it was there right from the beginning and I have no authority to change the order which is already established. I’m not going to take something which they put as very important right at the beginning—I’m not going to take that out and say it’s lesser important and going to put somewhere else—which I cannot do. But individually speaking Guru Devotional Practice is something you develop on yourself as the time goes. It is not going to get it there right at the beginning, nor I want you to force about it on this. It is part of how the Buddhist Vajrayana particularly, Vajrayana Buddhism, leads the individual through in that manner.

[2:43]

Then that is perfectly okay. But if you, if anyone of us, when we’re not ready we don’t have to worry about. We don’t have to worry about it. Just you know it’s there but don’t pay much attention. Don’t pay much focus right now. It’s not your priority. So that’s what I wanted to say. A number of people asked me the question. It is very difficult even in the traditional way. Though Guru Devotional Practice has been mentioned earlier, first time, but they don’t recommend or insist or even recommend to wait to develop this Guru Devotional Practice. Otherwise some people may go throughout their life on that. That’s why it’s recommended always simultaneously go and thinking about the precious human life.

[3:55]

So if you don’t want to think right now about the Guru Devotional Practice it’s perfectly fine. It is something that develops within yourself and makes you think after a little while. And then it comes out by its own. It’s much better. And then you may take an interest what it is, what it is not. Rather than right from the beginning putting too much efforts in there and then sometimes you find it a little…um…sort of orthodox. Sometimes people like to think about literally and there may be orthodox teachers who would like to impose that as sort of almost literally. They are not suitable for American mentality or American society, even. It’s not suitable. We know that very clearly. That’s why those of you who have been with me a number of years know I didn’t even touch that subject for years.

[5:28]

Because instead of helping and contributing to the individual it creates more misunderstanding—no, more hesitation, more doubt, more fear, unnecessarily. That’s why I didn’t even touch it. But there are teachers who would like to strictly impose that. That’s their style. I have nothing to criticize nor to praise. [laughs] They’re doing their work and that’s their business. It’s not my business.

As far as I’m concerned this is something you grow, you develop within you. Perhaps it comes out as sort of you like the person, you like the idea, you find it helpful. Then you gain some respect. And that is how it develops. And I think it is easier to let it develop by its own terms rather than imposing. A number of people asked me individually. Somehow it did come up in the questions but did not really come out, maybe they don’t want to write an open question and say, “Hey, I’m not really feeling comfortable with this. Can I do without?” It came in that question. But individually in meetings they ask me. A number of people did ask me so that’s why I’d like to talk here openly. That’s one thing.

[7:21]

Now this is a little complicated too. In the Vajrayana the system is slightly different. But we’re here almost all Vajrayana initiations or anything, we’re here just to have opening for us or getting blessings or more or less than actually getting a real quote-unquote “real” initiation. I think it’s very interesting. And I don’t know where, I think it’s Wisconsin or somewhere, when His Holiness gave the Kalachakra Initiation, or L.A. or somewhere, he gave that initiation. There were maybe about four thousand people. And at the end of the initiation he said, “I think about twenty people might have obtained initiation, might have gotten initiation.” So though there’s four thousand people, he thought only twenty people or so got the initiation. That’s the really reality. But again it’s an opportunity to opening and all this. So this particular point I would like to again emphasize. Let it develop by itself. But let’s not have…

[9:10]

(Talks to audience)

[9:53]

More or less it’s a blessing. And more or less it’s an opening. It gives you opportunity to open rather than I don’t really think many people get the initiation even though you spend time and sit there and try to visualize and do everything. And so this is a perfect example, a vivid example given by the Dalai Lama. Maybe four thousand people and he said, “Oh, maybe twenty had the initiation.” [laughs] Twenty got it out of four thousand, twenty. What is it? Is it 2% or something? .5 percent. [laughs] That’s how Vajrayana really works with us. But still it’s an opportunity. Take a commitment and do it. And then opportunity to be able to study, to be able to learn, to be able to… You know that’s really the bottom line of what’s happening here. I don’t mean here but that’s what’s happening in this ‘90s and 2000s. Hopefully it’s better when the actual new millennium comes in, 2001.

[11:23]

Simultaneously the Guru Devotional Practice is taught at the same time. And if you have to think about yourself and when you think about yourself the life that we have is complete, all these qualities. We have a tremendous opportunity and even advantages, tremendous advantages. Which is not very often we’re lucky to find throughout our circle of life. It’s very rare. Very precious. But we happen to have found it this time. It is important, it is sort of my mission of my life that we will not waste this precious important life.

[12:43]

We would like to take benefit. We would like to make best use of this life. The best usage of this life is actually person like Buddha who had been able to make best use of his life. And I would like to follow the path experience that Buddha shared with all of us. And that also we need a complete path—not a single path not just a single branch but we need complete solid path. That also free of faults and free of mistakes which is absolutely important. In order to follow that path, the first is I have to learn. Second, I have to analyze. Third, I meditate on what I analyze and what I found. And by doing that way this is the way how I make my life worthwhile. This is the way how I can help myself. And this is the way how I’ll help others. In order to do this, I need a good long healthy life.

[14:57]

The more the time I have, quote-unquote “quality time” I have, it is better quality time. It is better. In order to have good quality time it is also important to have a special deity or yidam—I will not use the word “deity.” I’m always trying to remind myself because this is another confusing word. Everybody uses “deity” for something or another. If you go to Southeast Asia, all these things comes into trance. They’re all called “deity.” Some of them are simply just some human being died and born as something else, some spirit. And they’re all called “deity.” So that’s why word “deity” may not be suitable. But you need a yidam, a mental commitment, fully enlightened being to be representing all enlightened beings to me. And my basis of commitment to the enlightened beings, my connection, it is the bridge in between the enlightened beings and me. That is called a yidam. There are a number of different yidams. Many of them are specialized for longevity and health and all this. But particularly the White Tara, the great mother, the great being.

[17:18]

In actual reality it is the activity of all the enlightened beings. Activities of all the enlightened beings appeared in physical form as female physical form. The most kind, compassionate, youthful, always emphasize sixteen. Even you’re not sixteen it’s fine. You can think you are sixteen.

Nothing wrong with that thinking you’re sixteen even if you’re ninety.

[18:02]

And that is Tara, particularly White Tara. And this White Tara herself has a special connection with the Kadam tradition, both old and new Kadampas. When I talk New Kadampas, I don’t mean the Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s called themselves “New Kadampas,” I don’t mean that. I mean the new Kadampas are Tsongkhapa and after. They are called the new Kadampas. Before Tsongkhapa is called Kadampas and after Tsongkhapa is called new Kadampa. That is what the new Kadampa really is. So those of us who follow the Kadam tradition, it has a special connection with the White Tara. That is, Atisha’s disciple Drom Rimpoche. Drom Rimpoche herself, Tara appeared to Drom Rimpoche and said, [19:21Tibetan]. “Those who follow you, it is my duty to protect them and help them.” So she had given a real commitment to the Drom Rimpoche; not only Drom Rimpoche himself or herself, but all the followers of the Kadampa tradition. And she had given that commitment.

[19:51]

And these people, this type of enlightened beings, when they give a commitment their commitment is solid. [20:05 Tibetan] It is sutra called “White Lotus Sutra.” The great beings do not commit many. Once they make a commitment it will be like carved on the rock. Even they die, they don’t forget. The commitment stands. [20:41 Tibetan] Even they died, their commitment remains. So that is the commitment. Those great beings’ commitments are really, really solid. It is far better than, much more firm and better and solid than that of legal document signed with notarized and all that. It is definitely far more solid than that. So Tara’s commitment stands.

There are a number of different interesting life stories with this particular lineage. Anyway, to make it short, all of those lineage masters, more or less most of them, almost all of them had completed their life. Now, this is something important word: completed. Completed does not necessarily mean you reach one hundred. Here the complete means, whatever the purpose you have, purpose of taking this life, when you’ve fulfilled that, that’s called “completed.” Otherwise, you know, you don’t have to finish everything because, you know, our activities are like that of the waves of ocean, one after another it will keep on throwing. And if you sit there twenty-four hours, forty-eight hours, or one year, two years, it’s never going to finish. It comes up one after another. This is how the activity of the world is. If you’re going to wait for the waves to finish, they’re never going to finish. That’s the same thing that applies to completing your purpose of your life. Or also, they give this as an example for the people who think, “Well, I complete this work and then I will do.” “I’ll complete this work and then I will do some practice or something.” So that was the example given. They will never complete. It keeps on going, just like old man’s beard: keep on shaving, it grows more every day. More you shave, it grows more. That’s exactly how it is.

[23:41]

So completed purpose of life. Completed the life means whatever purpose they have come they have done it. So that’s what it is.

And particularly my own teachers, my own spiritual masters, all of them had their practice. And each and every one of them have completed their purpose of life, except Gomo Rimpoche. I thought that’s not completed anywhere. Whatever the reason is it’s a different story. Otherwise more or less everybody had completed their life. And particularly if you look there was a person such as the First Dalai Lama and Second Dalai Lama and all of them through the practice of this White Tara their life has been very very fruitful. And also not short. They were in their eighties and nineties and in old Tibet that’s quite long.

I’m not going to tell you the normal usual stories of Namye Gepopa [25:06] because you people have heard so many times as well as it may be in the transcript, right?

(Talks to audience: Is it in the transcript? No. I’m amazed it’s not there. That’s funny.)

[26:09]

She gave me the reasons. When you do the initiation it’s not recorded and therefore it’s not there. Okay.

Actually this longevity practice of this White Tara is given by herself. Sort of revealed by Tara herself. And from Tara, Tara herself has given this to a great Indian pundit called Pundit of Bodhgaya. Pundit of Bodhgaya, Tara herself sort of appears to the Pundit of Bodhgaya and she has given all this complete rituals. Pundit of Bodhgaya wrote a lot of different rituals, composed a lot of different rituals on Tara. Now I have to trace the Tibetan lineage. And then there’s something called a translator called Bari Lotsawa. Lotsawa means translator. Bari Lotsawa translated many of these rituals in Tibetan language and then he gave it to a lama named Lenagpa, Lama Lenagpa. Lama Lenagpa practiced and meditated this six years. When I say six years, ten years, I don’t mean like us. We do five minutes and then we count the year. [laughter] No, they mean an actual hour practice for six years. Lama Lenagpa. Then Tara herself appeared and talked to Lama Lenagpa, personally and gave a lot of teachings. Lama Lenagpa has given this to Gepapa. Gepapa spent a lot of time, first learning, analyzing, and meditating.

[29:03]

And why he did that? He was a great scholar and very bright and very proud. It’s pride—it’s not the bad way, a good way of pride. Wanted to be somebody, something, making a difference everywhere. You know, something like that. And one day, he encountered, he sort of saw a yogi in the street. And he’s very proud of his being a Buddhist and so he doesn’t really care about the yogi so much. And he sort of started looking down on the yogi and making him know that he’s superior. Then the yogi started giggling a little bit and then he said, “What’s the matter?” sort of thing, you know, “Why are you giggling at me? What’s the matter?” “Well, you may be great being but you have only very short days to live in your life. You’re going to die very very soon.” And also, he himself had a number of different dreams that his life is now counting, clock is ticking quite badly. So he thought, “Well, I’m not going to become scholar. I’m going to do some very short practice, something and I’ll make some thing difference. I have to do this.” That’s what he thought.

[31:06]

Then finally he met Lama Lenagpa and he told the story to Lama Lenagpa. And so Lama Lenagpa said, “Oh don’t worry about it, relax. I have a method.” So his clock’s badly ticking but Lama Lenagpa sort of keeps on entertaining him, the food, and chit-chat, and sleep, and food, and chit-chat and sleep. You know, getting up sleeping and then chit-chatting. So he’s sort of getting quite nervous about it. Finally when he got quite anxious and then he made a strong request, again and again, to Lama Lenagpa. And Lama Lenagpa said, “You don’t go anywhere, just sit here.” And within that little valley in this upper part where the hills are in there and there’s a little cave. And Lama Lenagpa said, “Oh this is where Demo Rinpoche sat there” and practiced after receiving the teachings and initiation and teaching from the Lama Lenagpa.

Then Tara appeared in person and said, “Don’t worry, you’re going to live sixty years. And also you’ll be very helpful to a lot of people.” When he become sixty years, he did a Tara retreat again. And Tara appeared again and said, “Make an image of me, you will live another eleven more years.” That time, he made a tangkha. And when he became seventy he did a retreat again. And Tara appeared again and said, “Make an image of me and you’ll live another eleven years.” And this time he made a bronze image of Tara. And these two are considered most important images, sort of, in total Tibet, and particularly the tangkha is supposed to be in the Reting monastery. That is the Kadam Tempechungpo [34:07] which is really where the Kadam traditions come from—it’s the Reting monastery. That is Drom Rimpoche’s monastery.

Later, nowadays there is a rimpoche called Reting Rimpoche. Reting Rimpoche’s now previous incarnation was the Regent of Tibet when I was a kid. Regent of Tibet. And this Reting Rimpoche was very interesting one. Very young, very young. When he became Regent of Tibet he was twenty-one or twenty-two or something. And so he’s not very strict. So though he’s the Regent they found him very difficult to find. You know, you find him he’s horse racing somewhere or having a gun shooting somewhere. But he was extremely… the thirteenth Dalai Lama hand-picked him to be the Regent before he died. But he did this hand-pick by unofficial way. You know, before he died he went to pay a personal visit to the Reting Monastery and then he gave his divination dice to the Reting Rimpoche and he said, “I made a lot of decisions based on this. And this will not let you down.” And so and forth. But he never said, “He’s going to be my Regent.” And the thirteenth Dalai Lama died.

Then the Tibetans picked up a number of people who could be Regent. And this Reting Rimpoche’s very young. But his previous incarnation was also Regent. So they picked him up. And then they rolled the thing. Dough rolling business. Don’t let me talk to about that. Dough rolling business and Reting’s name came out. That’s how he became the Regent.

[36:40]

Then, you know, Reting is great. During the Reting administration there was no trouble in Tibet. It was completely quiet, no trouble. And wonderful crops, the rain’s were on time and everything, it sort of, was really a little luxurious period. But a very short period. And had that, during Reting’s period. But Reting himself, they say whenever he made decisions he made very intelligent decisions but he’s not available.

The cabinet wanted to have a very emergency, urgent decision they had to make.

[37:32]

(Talks to audience.)

Cabinet had to make a very urgent decision. Reting Rimpoche wasn’t in his office in his house. The cabinet went to his house to see him. He was playing mahjong. So the cabinet couldn’t go in. And then his attendants came out and they had no other excuse to say, so they said, “Rimpoche is meditating right now. Please be seated here.” [laughs] In the room above that he’s playing the mahjong and below that the cabinets are waiting. So they could hear it. But still the attendants said, “Rimpoche is meditating, so relax.” So they’re all waiting. And Rimpoche had one chimo [38:38]. You know what that is? Those who know the mahjong they know. So he’s screaming, “Oh!…” (inaudible) And then the chief of the cabinet called the attendant, “Now the prayer’s over, the meditation’s over. Go! Go! Go!” [laughs] That is the Reting Rimpoche who I know.

Chief of the cabinet said, “Meditation’s over. So go, go go!” Because break time now, he pushed that out.

[39:30]

That is probably the lineage from the Drom Rimpoche, the incarnation lineage. That’s Reting Rimpoche

This White Tara tangkha is supposed to be the most important images and tangkha—sort of object of refuge available in Reting monastery.

Anyway, Namay Gepopa [40:11] remained many years, way past eighties, maybe nineties, whatever. So Namay Gepopa stayed there. And then Namay Gepopa’s reincarnation is Kyabje Locho Rimpoche [40:35] from whom I have received this particular Tara initiation a number of times, since childhood, since baby. Because my father respected Kyabje Locho Rimpoche very much and invited him very often in our house, many times. Perhaps six or seven months out of the year you’d find Kyabje Locho Rimpoche sitting in our house. Always there’s some initiation of White Tara by this request, that request, almost I can’t say daily but very close, three or four times a week maybe. So all the time. And my final last initiation of this White Tara from Kyabje Locho Rimpoche was during 1959 in March after the trouble already started.

Trouble’s already started, I received a note from Kyabje Locho Rimpoche saying that, “Tomorrow morning when the sun hits the peak of the mountain behind Drepung Monastery please come and see me in the Tsumberling house [42:00]. (Tsumberling is another big incarnate lama). Tsumberling house and I’d like to do the White Tara initiation.” So Tsumberling’s another [42:15 inaudible Tibetan]. It’s a very big lama. And then Kyabje Rimpoche’s waiting. And the yunzing, the teacher of the Tsumberling, another teacher called Chubsang Rimpoche [42:32] went to Sera. He didn’t come back. So we waited and waited. Not only the sun shined on the peak, but it’s almost come quite lower. And then, Locho said, “Whether he comes or not I’m going to start giving the initiation.”

And normal rules is, when they give, they make these little pills, they make an extra cup for this particular Rimpoche with this Tara picture and all that they do. And it is also a very, very expensive old Chinese jade cup, both of them. So when he’s giving the teaching, instead of giving the whole thing to the Tsumberling, he picked up a couple of pills, maybe a handful, and gave them to Tsumberling Rimpoche. And then he sort of went a little bit down and looked at the Tsumberling manager and he said, “I think I’m going to bag this cup from Tsumberling’s labrang and give it to this Rimpoche.” [laughs] So he gives those expensive jade cups, and books and pictures and all of them. And that is the last day I was in Lhasa.

[43:52]

It’s sort of very fortunate and have a very special connection to all of us. And we also find ourselves the healings done through this Tara is quite useful. Dr. Yatt is still alive. [laughs] I’ve noticed for a lot of people it’s been very, very helpful. So we’re very fortunate.

I’m going to cut the long story short. Otherwise I’ll be telling stories and not getting anywhere.

And it is also customary that we talk about total Lam Rim with the exception of impermanence. Because in longevity initiations we don’t even mention about impermanence, you know. I’d like to emphasize that because many of you may not know. And you’re going to do a healing and Tara practice and then talking about impermanence is not right. You don’t do that. Somehow it’s obviously missing.

Such a life we have to take, most important mission that we have is freeing ourselves from the suffering of lower realms. For that reason we take refuge to Buddha, dharma, and sangha. Taking refuge has two reasons. Cause of taking refuge is actually fear: fear of not making it in the next life. So we need some kind of protection, guarantee to not fall into lower realms. That’s why we take refuge to Buddha, dharma and sangha. Because Buddha himself is free of suffering, knows the way. And spiritual development within the Buddha and within ourself is the actual dharma, actual object of refuge. Sangha is there to support. And that’s the reason why we take refuge in Buddha, dharma, and sangha.

[46:30]

Nature of the refuge is trust. [46:43 Tibetan] It is trust. Trust in Buddha, dharma, and sangha that they do their jobs. They do. Remember, enlightened beings don’t make much commitment. Whatever they make it’s like carved in stone. That’s the Buddha’s word. So the trust. And combination of that, then rely on Buddha, dharma, and sangha is the refuge. And after taking refuge, what they tell you is advice, positive advices and negative advices. You have to know them. And read any Lam Rim book they will have it. Very briefly speaking, after taking refuge to Buddha you don’t want to take refuge or rely on any non-enlightened beings, anyone; particularly not the spirits, these ghosts. Particularly you don’t want to take refuge to this. This is totally against Buddhist vow, vow of refuge. If you take refuge—forget about taking refuge— even entertaining—I don’t mean the enlightened ones, I mean non-enlightened spirits—even entertaining them goes against refuge advice.

[48:39]

And also they will not be able to harm you at all if you have unshakable faith in Buddha, dharma and sangha. No way. And also it makes tremendous merit. [48:56 Tibetan] If you have taken refuge to Buddha, dharma, and sangha, the merit, luck and fortune, sort of what you accumulate it is more than ocean. And Buddha says, “Can somebody measure the amount of the water in the ocean by removing by handful like this? No way. Likewise no one can measure the merit developed by taking refuge to Buddha, dharma, and sangha.” Buddha, dharma and sangha, says, if it is in the physical form, if you have to store them somewhere, they say the whole existence is too small to store the merit that you gain by taking refuge to Buddha, dharma and sangha.

[49:53]

That’s the refuge part. I emphasize that because there are a number of people who are taking refuge for the first time today. Instead of having separate ceremony, I combine them together. And it’s also my habit. And I don’t give name when they take refuge. A lot of people give you name. Your own name is very good. It’s a good name. And good enough to identify you. So you don’t need name.

And I also had this conversation with Kyabje Trijang Rimpoche. I remember very vividly and I was saying, I told Kyabje Trijang Rimpoche, “These days some lamas are giving a name after taking refuge, name to these western people, (particularly western people at that time) and they have these funny Tibetan names which they cannot even pronounce correctly.” And so Kyabje Rimpoche said, “I have seen a number of them.” And he told me Karmapa Rimpoche chose to give the names with the Karma, and Sakya choose to give with the Sakyapa. So Kyabje Rimpoche said that at that time. Somehow the word went round and thereafter Sakya stopped using Sakya So-and-So, and Karmapa also stopped using Karma So-and-So. That was the conversation I had with Kyabje Trijang Rimpoche. And then Kyabje Rimpoche told me, “You don’t have to give name. Just tell them we don’t give names. Your name is good enough.” That’s the exact words Kyabje Rimpoche told me, “Your name’s good enough.”

But when you take Vajrayana initiation then they give you Vajrayana name. That’s not your personal name. That is your family name. Whichever Vajra Family you belong to, they give you that name. That is the Vajra initiation. And then some people give you name in Bodhisattva vows. They do that. I personally think it’s unnecessary. But some people like it. They have a funny name, you know? Some mystical name, whatever. And then it’s also available with the Hindu tradition. It may not be so much a tradition with Hindus. But they do—Ram Dass. [laughs] And Hindus do give a name too.

[52:40]

But Ram Dass is a good name. There are some interesting names, like Guru and then call it Bahjang; then call it Dashin. One who touches Guru’s feet. One who saw the Guru’s face. That means Dashin. Bahjang is one who’s been able to touch the shoe of Guru. I thought about that. There’s a commercial. Some big guy sitting there. There’s another guy licking the shoe. That’s exactly what Bahjang is. [laughs] One who licks the shoe of Guru. And one who saw the face of Guru. So these are very strange names. But it must be a tradition. I’m not criticizing because I know the Hindi language, so [laughs] when they say the names I get a little sort of a shock. After a little while you forget about it. We do have a friend who’s named this, so that’s why.

Anyway, so the names are names. I’m not giving any names at all. That does not mean your refuge is not completed. Very much completed. And it depends on your mind. If you focus nicely, follow nicely, it is very much completed. Even if you don’t have a name you do have refuge. So that’s how we take refuge.

[54:25]

The refuge alone is not enough. It may just give you a next life good way. But same condition will repeat. Same suffering, totally same condition, exactly same way. Same old mole coming out of three years hidden under the ground. Comes out same way. Same old mole. So you have same addiction. Even more so—Oops I better shut my mouth. Same addiction. The chances of getting, building, rebuilding negative emotions are much more.

Therefore it is important to be free ourselves once and for all—that is nirvana. Way and how you get out of the samsara is Four NobleTruths. First two truths tell you how the wheel is circling this way. Cause of suffering, suffering, cause of suffering, suffering, cause of suffering. Second two truths will tell you how to reverse that. Cessation, path, cessation, path. That’s exactly what it is. Most important of all this is shunyata. All the paths, both are necessary. Remember two wings of bird. I talked to you yesterday, remember? [56:24 Tibetan] The king of the bird to cross the ocean, going beyond the ocean you need two wings. Because of that, Nagarjuna says [56:43 Tibetan]. Two: the merit-merit, and wisdom-merit or the relative merit and absolute merit. Because there’s body and mind. As simple as that, you need two because there’s body and mind. When you are really fully enlightened your body is not made out of bones and flesh. Though you may appear to be, you may appear as bones and flesh. But your actual body is a wonderful light-natured body and this beautiful awakened mind combined together is the enlightened state. And that body and that mind you’re not going to get from nowhere. It is very expensive. You have to buy it. You have to buy it with the merit of relative and absolute merit. That is the only check or cash they accept. They don’t accept American Express. They don’t. They only accept relative and absolute merit in cash. Not even in credit. So, if you have a good basis, good character, collateral, you may get some credit. You know why? Really true. You know why? If you’re a good pre-thing [?inaudible 58:50] built up you begin to use the enlightened beings’ merit. Somehow you sort of borrow. You don’t have to pay back, but somehow you’re borrowing there and you do start using. So you do get credit. But in order to get credit, you have to establish good character and collateral. There you go. That’s one more “c” anyway, so that will come. So that’s that. That is necessary.

[58:30]

The most important of all is the shunyata. Because that is sort of antidote of ignorance. [59:55 Tibetan] Love-compassion, etc., great. But it is not direct opponent of ignorance at all. So that is the most important. Whether you want Arhat or whether you want to become a Buddha, Buddhini. So, the wisdom. Wisdom is also the key, the most important key to bust our negative emotions. Really it is. These two are the what do we call it, practice? These two are simple Buddhism.

[1:01:22 Tibetan] The essence of all the Buddha’s teaching, whatever it may be, it really boils down to two: relative point like that of magician’s presentation; absolute point like that of space. These are the two things. All our life, whatever’s happening, environment, inhabitants, all of them are like a magician’s presentation. The absolute one is like that of space.

[Talks to audience: (Did you understand? You did not. You have a big huge mouth opening. You didn’t get it?)]

That may be too sophisticated, too refined, too profound. All our life whatever we’re dealing with it, life, death, bardo, existence, environment, inhabitants— all of them are actually like that of magician’s presentation. In reality it’s not there. That’s called relative truth. In reality it’s like that of space—it’s called absolute truth. You know what space is? It’s empty. How does this empty come in? Because of free of block. If there’s something to touch, it’s no longer space. There’s something occupied. It will block. If you go up over here it’s free. Just free of block. That is called space. That is absolute truth. It’s like that. That is the real essence of Buddhism.

Then somebody raised the question yesterday. They said, “What about the bliss?” [1:05:00 Tibetan] So then this mind in the form of bliss inseparable that of those relative and absolute truth makes Vajrayana quality. Actually it is bus stop Buddhism. Brenda had been telling me for years we needed bus stop Buddhism. We didn’t realize we say that every day. So that’s that.

So in order to receive this initiation, to have a long life, to be able to reach to the level of enlightenment, do kindly repeat after me for requesting of this.

[1:05:54 Tibetan]

Okay now I’m going to go very fast. You keep on visualizing. So do kindly visualize for the benefit of all mother sentient beings I would like to obtain the state of the Buddhahood as quick as possible. For that reason I would like to receive this initiation and do the practice. Along with this, the place where you are right now is not an ordinary house like this. It is a pure wisdom mandala of White Tara. You yourself are inside the mandala of White Tara. And then the Lama who is instrumental to giving you this initiation is also not an ordinary person like me…

[1:07:25 Tape ends]