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Odyssey to Freedom – Volume V – 20001102GRNYOTF05

00:01 Welcome here today, November 2nd, am I right? I want to continue today talking about guru devotional practices. We didn’t draw any conclusions in that. But at the same time, I still did not cover that very carefully. For example, I did talk about the root of all development, we talked about fake, we did not talk about the relationship, (we did talk about the internal relationship) we did not talk about the mental and physical relationship, we did not talk. And we also did not talk about the meditations about the guru devotional practice with Om Ah Hum and did not talk about that as well. 1:26

1:26 So perhaps with guru devotional practice with mantra might not be easy for me to talk to this group. Those of you who are interested will probably be getting from the tapes or the transcripts of Lama Chopa. Lama Chopa is guru devotional practice, which is coming in the Winter Retreat. So, from there certain angles of meditation on guru devotional practice. No only is simply meditating “Guru is a Buddha, Buddha is a Guru, Guru is no other than the Buddha, Buddha is no other than the Guru.” Simple verse of a “Yidam is a Guru, Guru is a Yidam, there is no separate of that of a Yidam and Guru.” If you’re looking at the Lama Chopa at the point where “you are the Guru, you are the Yidam, you are the Dharamputrata.” Right? So this little verse is similar, well that is one of the meditations without any hesitations, we can talk here, and with no problem. 3:00.

3:00 As I mentioned to you in the Theravadin principally, you should see Guru as a Buddha and the Mahayana sutra principle you should see Guru that is equivalent to Buddha, and the Mahayana Tantra level, Guru is inseparable from that of the Buddha. Which means, not only are we talking about the Buddha, Buddha Shakyamuni, alone. We are talking about Buddha Heurka, Buddha Shakasambora, Buddha Yanantaka, Buddha Createsmaja, Buddha Yoginin. So all of those yidams. And if you try to the yidam and the guru, if you can’t see inseparable, then you lose an very important fundamental basis, extremely important. You almost lose your link completely. So, this is something different. 4:14 All of us talk about the scientific point, without realizing there is scientist people here. I have been talking like a funny butt. But I emphasize that. 4:38 But in this guru devotional practice, I am not sure if it is scientifically correct or not. There are other ways of doing it, which is very important, particularly Lama or Guru who should never be thinking as separate as a Yidam. If you have a Yidam and Lama separate, guru separate, then it becomes a big problem. 5:08 Always you think there is something. 5:13

5:13 Remember, I like to remind you the Naropa and the Telopa System, no Naropa and Marpa. Marpa went to India to try to see Naropa, who happened to be his Guru. And, if you read Marpa’s biography, I believe it’s available and translated into English. I think so. Right? Okay. They translated it into English, so you can read it. Apparently Naropa had already passed where Marpa runs around and has a lot of difficulties and finally he has an encounter with Naropa in the forest somewhere. And Marpa with the usual understanding with Naropa being a human being and with him and all of a sudden early in the morning when Marpa is asleep, Naropa wakes Marpa up and said, “Hay, your Yidam, ________ Vajra, complete Mandala is over here. So, wake up, wake up!” 6:47 Marpa is still half asleep and got up and looking in the air and sees the __________ Mandala completely. So then Naropa ask him “Would you like to prostrate first to me, the Guru, the Naropa, or would you like to prostrated first to the Mandala?” 7:14

7:14 So Marpa didn’t think much, being sort of half awake, so he thought guru is guru is always here so I can always talk to him. It is once in a Blue Moon; I can see the whole shape of the complete Mandala here and suddenly I will prostate to the _______ Vajra. So Marpa prostrated to the __________ Vajra and Naropa said (In Tibetan) Where there is no Lama there is not even a name of a buddha exists. 7:57 All the thousands Buddhas of the Fortunate Era are there because of Guru. So, the Mandala is the manifestations of the Guru. Therefore, I shall dissolve the Mandala into me. So, it’s gone. So, the Mandala is gone. 8:26

8:26 So even a person like Marpa, who is the founder of one of the great traditions in Tibet, one of the four great traditions, of Tibet, the Kagyu transitions, was founded by Marpa. It’s the guru of Milarepa, took that level of person at that state even to him there is such a problem like this. 9:06 Perhaps, maybe that’s the reason why the Naropa is a special Vajrayogini teaching, Naropa did not share with Marpa instead of that, whoever giving the teaching of that special Vajra yogini 9:26 (?) could … Naropa start, Naropa tradition. Marpa is the biggest, the best Guru and Marpa is Naropa and yet Naropa did not give the Vajrayogini to Marpa and Naropa looked for two ______guys. So, he gave to the (?) guys and did not give to Marpa. Perhaps, this has something to do. That’s what a number of teachers told me. But I have seen nowhere in anything. So, things like that happen. 10:13

10:13 So this is the problem when you see the guru relationship with the individual and you see the guru and Yidam separate and then we have the biggest problem. Even in the Mandala, when you ‘re giving initiations during the (?) and the major (?) it is always a start no matter what time it is, meaning Lama who is inseparable from that of the principle of that of the Mandala. It always begins there, it always taught that. And that’s why guru devotion is so important. That’s why is called root of all development. 11:01

11:01 For many years I didn’t talk much because you all know of the misunderstanding of the fear of misunderstanding or even misusing and all of those reasons. Yet, it is so important the linkage, without which, one doesn’t make it. Definitely. This is one of those really, like a throat, it is one of the doorways, whatever goes in or out its the throat, like a doorway. So, it is important. And there are certain meditations, guru devotional practice meditations are done with Om Ah Hum. So, I hope that you will be able to pick up out of the Lama Chopa Teachings. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do this year in Winter Retreat. No, I am going to do it this year in Winter Retreat, Lama Chopa 12:12. I hope I’ll be able to do these particular points. So, you should be able to pick up from there. Even you can pick up the whole Lama Chopa 12:31

12:31 So, I think that much is important and I am going to close this particular subject, that we have been talking about for quite a while. For quite a number of Thursdays, we’ve been talking. So, I should close that here. And I am going to move to Number 17 (Embrace human life), 18 (Understand its value, 19 (Appreciate the rarity) and the suggested reading are page 111 to 120, 120, 128 through 130, Lam Rim, all of them you have their Lam Rim page 141 to 160, Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, page 307 to page 332. Paths to Enlightenment by His Holiness the Dalai Lama page 75 to 80; Anthology of the Well-Spoken Advice page 140 to page 160. You have them there anyway. Treasury of Dharma page 60 to 78. 13:36 So, that was now number 17, was supposed to be pick it up by the individuals along with number 13 (Acknowledge the spiritual master). So, one doesn’t wait to develop number 13 to 16, to develop because it may take a hell of lot of time to develop. It is important and difficulty and at the same time it has a lot of obstacles. A lot of obstacles. Even though the difficulties we come through in the ’60’s with those gurus’ scandals, all of them, has something to do with the individual concerned gurus or the disciples or whatever - gurus and challis actually. If you used the word guru, you should use the word challah. Guru is master and challah is disciples. Guru and challah is (?) one in Sanskrit. 15:02

15:02 But on the other hand, it also has to do with something with general development of the spiritual path in the West. That’s my personal feeling. So, this is the difficulty, and I was saying that things happened in the ’60’s, somehow actually problem, some happens to be encountering difficulties and of course it is a difficulty of the individual behavior of gurus and well as the person concerned. At the same time, it has something to do with the general spiritual development part. So, this difficulty has to come. This difficulty has to come, and we have to fixed (?) the challenge and we have to overcome. So, this is not every individual doesn’t have to go through with this. For a number of people making oh yeah, we have, I haven’t gone through that yet. It doesn’t mean everybody has to go through with that. But they have experience here. It has brought, it has clearly showed its faults advantages and disadvantages, and all of them clearly show and that has opened a lot of clearly wonderful things, so we don’t have to, you know a number of people, it’s a good learning experience. So, everything you have to experience and learn you don’t have to do this. We can overcome a lot of those difficulties. 17:57

17:57 So, and also, let me strongly emphasize what true crazy wisdom is all about it. dAnd what is pretend to be crazy wisdom? What it is and all of them are quite clearly, we can see it now. So, it has sort of a general development of the spiritual path. Also, has something to do with this. Things that have happened both with the good part as well as the bad part, of what had happened in the ’60’s is gurus’ scandals. We have a number of scandals, you know. Almost all, but maybe not, but many of the gurus we have a lot of scandal after scandal and all of those, perhaps it has to happen.

19:10

19:10 I am not talking about the scandals of Jim Jones or that type of thing. I am not talking about it. Those are too far gone. So, I am talking about the scandals we heard about such as Soda Chit Anandin, nuganundan (?) (?) (?). Perhaps it has to happen. 19:40 The learning lessons are out of this is examples are good enough. And each and every one of us doesn’t have to repeat this. If nothing comes out of that except a good learning experience. And I was always against that. Because learning experience, generally, anything, learning experience is once you have it, that is good enough and everybody doesn’t have to go through with the same learning experience again, and again and again. Because you are not learning at all! It is not really learning. You are somehow caught in the middle of the that problem and you don’t know what to do, so you call that on the basis of learning experience. 20:41 So that is basically what it is. So when you have the learning experience it is good enough. You don’t have to have the learning experience again and again and again. 20:57

20:57 So that why I say Crazy Wisdom, Crazy Wisdom is a big issue. You know what, people have two different thinking’s, always. They think Ha! There is something wonderful about Crazy Wisdom. I, the individual, does not want to miss the opportunity. At the same time, sometimes you wanted to say blah, blah, blah, all of those. So that is feeling natural. So that’s why the true Crazy Wisdom, Crazy Wisdom, there is a true Crazy Wisdom. All the great Mahasiddhi’s are the examples of those true Crazy Wisdom. 21:47 Anyway, so the bottom line, I think mentioned the other day, I want the benefit, I don’t want disadvantages. Did I mention that the other day? I did. That is the bottom line, no matter whatever reasons, whatever agreement, this is the bottom line. I want the benefit; I don’t want disadvantages. Right now at this level, we are almost like an infant, like a child, even younger than child. We’re at the infant level, right? So, the bottom-line reason you can use is benefit. I believe I used this as to why one has to seeing the guru inseparable that of a buddha. 23:15 Anyway, the root of all development, is developing faith. On that level I think I used that as a reason. That is the strongest reason and the most important and most effective reason. It is not only me telling you, but I was also very many emphases, told by (?) Rinpoche and this was the bottom-line reason we use. 23:42

23:42 So it is the same thing again, Crazy Wisdom or no Crazy Wisdom, that’s that in that level. So again, the guru and the chella relationship is absolutely individual. It has nothing to do with the guru. It has nothing to do with society. It has nothing, nobody should take a side of this and that. And that has become a problem in (the) Sangha. It is not only have we seen this problem developing even in the Jain tradition. And very clearly, we can see the great guy, what is his name, Soco Rouche and his disciples. I think he’s a great guy. And all those problems because people started taking side. I’m the guru side and you are whatever the side is, organization or public or whatever this is. So, that shouldn’t be done. if you do, it is absolutely individual, nothing to do. Because is you poke your nose, it will create a division (schism) among the Sangha, among the Buddhist, division among the spiritual people. It is one of those saying five limitless numbers to it (heinous acts), right. Killing of Father, killing your Mother, killing an arhat, creating divisions withing the Sangha community, and hurting the Buddha. So these are limitless (?) breaches or one of them. We have to realize that. Since we want advantage and don’t want disadvantage, one should not indulge in that, at all. It is absolutely between two individuals, has nothing to do with society, with the guru, with anybody. It is only a matter for me. 26:24

I added the following: [Ânantarika-karma or ânantarika-kamma is a heinous crime that through karmic process brings immediate disaster.[1][2] They are called 'Ânantarika' because they are 'an' (without) 'antara' (interval), in other words the results immediately come to fruition in the next life, i.e. the participant goes straight to hell.[citation needed] These are considered so heinous that even non-Buddhists must avoid them. According to Buddhism, committing such a crime would prevent the perpetrator from attaining the stages of sotâpanna, sakadagami, anâgâmi or arhat in that lifetime.[3] The five crimes are:[4][5][6]

Intentionally murdering one's father.

Intentionally murdering one's mother.

Killing an Arhat (fully enlightened being).

Shedding the blood of a Buddha.

Creating a schism (heresy) within the Sangha, the community of Buddhist monks, nuns and pariṣâ who try to attain enlightenment.

In Mahayana Buddhism these five crimes are referred to as pañcânantarya and are mentioned in "The Sutra Preached by the Buddha on the Total Extinction of the Dharma”.[7][8].

26:27 It is very strange, I told you, the story about the Lochu Rinpoche made ___________ Rinpoche to drink his urine. Did I tell you that story? Likewise, Atisha did this same funny thing, you know. You know the hygiene in Tibet is quite bad, right? So Atisha goes and sits on his cushion, and there is a lot of dirty dust there. So, Atisha starts pickup up those funny little dusts available in his cushion and started throwing them at Dome Rinpoche. So, he looks like a little kid, spoiled little rotten kids playing. So, Atisha started throwing that at Dome Rinpoche, and he has no idea if it is out of his shoe or who knows where wherever it comes from. So Dome Rinpoche, with an idea, oh isn’t this great, Atisha is giving me a blessing or whatever he throws at him. Dom Rinpoche started eating them up without any hesitations whatever, whatever it is (comes from) out of his shoe, which he walks through the street, with whatever kind of (?) and dust, and everything available, maybe it’s a part of that or you know, in Tibet, we don’t take off shoes much, taking off of the shoe only during the teaching period, they take off shoe. Otherwise, during the prayer meeting and in all this great big monastery, everybody wears the shoe in every chapel and every temple. They don’t take off. It is somehow during the teaching; we take off shoe. Because why? In the Buddha says “One shouldn’t teach to the person who’s wearing shoe. 28:38 And Buddha also said, “One shouldn’t teach to one wearing hat.” Buddha also said, “One shouldn’t teach people whose wearing jewelry. And all this are there and in Tibet in 1950’s, if I remember, that is the only teaching we have to take the shoes off. Otherwise, no, you wear the shoes. And also, the watches came in Tibet at that time. So, it looks like everybody was wearing watches and everyone had to take off and put in right in front of them. Hopefully, we don’t forget. So that’s the reason why they take off the shoes during the teaching period and doesn’t take off the shoes when otherwise they don’t 29:36

29:36 So, Atisha, I’s sure is wearing shoes or his cushion, or the shoe that he is wearing on the cushion, so he’s picking up the dust and throwing it at Dom Rinpoche, so you have no idea what it is. But Dom Rimpoche, without any hesitation, keeping on eating it all the time 29:55. And one day, when he (Atisha) throws one big one and Dom Rinpoche ate it up and at that moment, he developed clairvoyance and was able to see a distance where an eagle can fly for eighteen days distance. It isn’t measured by miles or how far an eagle can fly for eighteen days of the eagle’s journey. Dom Rinpoche is able to see it and develop like that. 30:35 And I told you about after drinking that urine, he picked up emptiness. All of those that things happen. That’s Crazy Wisdom part of it. 30:54

30:54 Anyway, I am going to close that. In order to develop, it takes a tremendous amount of time. So, coincidently, we will try to work for the seventeen (Embrace human life), which is Embrace Human Life. This is equally important and in one way, it looks like we’re talking some funny little things somewhere. On the other hand, this is the fundamental basis of the spiritual path. 31:44 And, some people think this is some kind of psychology. I don’t think so. It is not a kind of psychology. It is the kind of spiritual thing. Why? Because human life is extremely important life, and we pay no attention. 32:19

39:19 Number One, we don’t take advantage of this. And so, we waste a life. Number two, we do not realize what we really have it. And this, and until it was present. Right, when it’s present, I am sure it shakes you. It shook you. Did it? When it’s present, it will shake you. But until then we don’t realize it. We take it for granted. So, the Buddha shared with us, you have to meditate on this, so that our mind is properly trained to appreciate the life and take advantage of the life. We all know, life is important. And we all know that life is precious. But we won’t remember it until it is present. When it’s presents sometimes it’s too late (I wonder if Rimpoche mean when it’s absent). So, all the great teachers have to meditate on this. 34:00

34:00 First, recognize before you embrace. Recognize what like they’re talking about it. Every human life has the potential but might not have the opportunity. Other that human life it is very difficult. If you think we have any other life that we encounter today, besides the human life, the capability is not there. Let us think about the Hell Realm. There is a tremendous amount of suffering in the Hell Realm, physical suffering; either too hot or too cold. There is no time or opportunity for each one of us to do anything if we were at that level. 35:18

35:18 If we are in Hungry Ghost Level, perhaps we are too angry or too occupied. The opportunity is not there for us. If you are in the Animal Realm, our suffering is so great [In Tibetan], the biggest suffering within the Animal Realm is the fear, the fear of losing your life, one eats the other. That’s what the Animal Realm is all about it. In one way there is wonderful cats, horses and this and that and all of them there. But on the other hand, generally, if you are looking at animals one eats the other. That is the biggest fear. You know, it is. 36:19

36:19 Shantideva had said, [In Tibetan], so all this animal either of fear of one eating the other one. So that what Shantideva pray or dedicated on his Bodhisattva prayer for that. One of the dedications in their whole verse. It is true if you watch the discovery channel. You see it all the time. You see it. It is absolutely true. That’s why they call it animal or something or whatever. That’s what their problem is. That’s what their suffering is. So that’s their level of understanding is. No matter how intelligent your cat or mouse may be, you see it in it. You know it. Or you like to believe it and pretend my cat is the most and very intelligent, but it is not so intelligent as you are. And your cat’s capability is not like yours. If that’s true, you don’t have to look after the cat, the cat will look after you. And, yeah, that doesn’t happen. That doesn’t happen. So, likewise the dogs, even horses, you look after the horse, the horse doesn’t look after you. So that’s what it is. You may train the horses; they’ll do all kinds of things. You may train the dog and it becomes very useful. You may train the cat so that it be a little less nescience. All of those, but that’s life and compare it, particularly if you are getting a cat or dog close to you. Compared with your life and no matter how wonderful it is, kind it is, intelligent it is; how much does a dog know, how much the cat knows, when you compare it with your capability and your own knowledge and there you will begin to realize life what you have is slightly different than that 39:01

39:01 Then we think, other than human beings, such as samsara gods or even those demigods or whatever it is, we think they’re great. We always look for some kind of close encounter with a third kind, we are thinking that they have a better knowledge, better understanding, they know more that we do, we are like two hundred or five hundred years behind them. You may have a big surprise. You never know who’s behind, you never know, you never know, you never know. So even those demigods, according to the Buddhas six realms, if you look at it, those demigods, they are so much overpowered by jealousy, and they are always jealous of something or another. They see the samaras gods; they say they are much better, and they cannot accept why can’t they be equal to that. So, they are always having trouble, they always fight. They do all this. If you believe in six realms then you have to believe what their suffering is, because you are shared by one person, it is the Buddha who said six realms and the Buddha who says all this, this problem, if you believe one you have to believe the other one, too. Because one person with one statement, so if there is demigods, they have that problem all the time. 41:00

41:00 Samsarik gods are known as three tables (?). Why are they called three tamals? Because they know where they come from. They know where they are. They will know where they are going to go. They have tremendous joy. It is a wonderful, beautiful picknick spot, fantastic. No matter from the moment you are born in there until the time that you receive the signal that you have to die. Until then you are absolutely intoxicated with joy. Everything beautiful, every being that you encounter, the male the female, everything, everybody so beautiful so wonderful. They smell nice, they wear flowers. The flowers don’t die. It is sort of the beautiful things, tremendous. Unimaginable, immeasurable, our human level, luxury, has no comparison for whatsoever in the samsarik gods level. 42:26

42:26 But they are completely intoxicated, they will never ever even think about it. During the Buddhas lifetime, Shariputra, one of the two disciples standing here, one of them is supposed to be the most important wisdom guy, and one of the magical guys. So Shariputra, wisdom guy, has a disciple, who happens to be a prince of a certain Indian kingdom at that time. So Shariputra is teaching this guy and he has a tremendous devotion to Shariputra and he sees Shariputra from a distance, even this guy is on elephant and without any hesitation he would jump off from the elephant and run to Shariputra and prostrate and taking presents. And suddenly this guy died, they do not mention the name because his name is in Tibetan. I don’t know the Sanskrit name and it doesn’t make sense anyway. Sanskrit or Tibetan is Greek. So, he died. So Shariputra sort of followed him to his meditative level where is person is going to be born. So he was going to be born into the samsarik (c) god level. So samsarik (c) gods they knew what is their past life, what’s going on, and what’s their future life. They know all the time. So Shariputra had no hesitation that he would not recognize him, definitely recognize him. So Shariputra went into heaven to encounter with him, walked by. He doesn’t give hand acknowledge and he ran away. So Shariputra came down and ask the Buddha, so this is what happened and he died and I followed him, and born in samsarik (c) gods realm, and I went over here and when he saw me he doesn’t raise his hand and goes away. It happened three times. So, what to do? 45:03

45:03 So Buddha said, Well, you are supposed to be the most wisdom guy, but perhaps you’re a little stupid. Because samsarik gods level is completely intoxicated in joy, it is almost as if a person is very high, you know with whatever. When you are extremely high, and everything is extreme. Right? Good. There is extreme joy there is extreme suffering. Perhaps you all know better than I do. You may have a better experience, many of you. So, that’s that. This guy is at this level. So Buddha said, “You’re a (?) student. And that is one of the reasons why even this life where we have both, good and bad, suffering and joy. When we have all of those things, you have Gore, you have Bush. So, its a good thing. You can see. You know it. 47:02 I can’t get rid of what this Rocknida said. [Rimpoche tells a story about his trip to Minnesota] 48:34.

48:34 So anyway, samsarik gods level, there is no suffering so they are not so active. It’s almost like there is a great economy on (?). So anyway, that’s a funny thing. It doesn’t matter that I am subjecting you to both Nadir, or Gore or Bush or whoever. I just sort of talk those things. They came up. So the samsarik gods have that problem as in Shariputra story. I am talking to you like that, these story kind of things, like story telling or whatever, in the manner. Please remember, I am giving you material for meditation. I am not being a comedian here. I am not a talk show hostess. Really, truly, so. This is not a Jewel Heart talk show. Really. So, giving you the material for meditating. These are examples we use to help you to remember, help you remember. And, when you have that problem, you are out of touch. It is total joy, too much intoxicated (?). 50:31 But they have a suffering. The suffering is seven days before they die, those samsarik gods, seven days before they die, their flowers started going down (wilting), getting old, otherwise, they don’t have to have flesh flowers. They are born, they wear flower mala and it is always fresh. That’s a karmic thing. It always remains fresh in that area. Seven days before they die, they begin to see the flowers going (wilting). So, they know, their lives are limited. For seven days in their day, maybe more than seven years for us. But seven days of their day. 51:25.

51:26 So they begin to use their natural karmic power, to see, if I am going to die from here, where am I going to be reborn. So, they begin to see all kinds of funny things, including taking rebirth, in the slums of Calcutta, a peak, in the middle of Calcutta, slums. And, then they begin to worry, tremendously. Tremendously, they sit at the corner. Their friends will avoid because they think it is unhygienic. They avoid. Very, very, very close friends, sometimes bring some fresh flowers. They also bring along a very long stake (stick). They don’t want to come near you. They don’t want to see you and at the tip of the stick, they throw a little flower at you. This is even more insult. It’s is like eating the salt on the wound. They have tremendous suffering at that time. But it was too late for them. They begin to see why they’re born in that realm, why they had those picknicks. They will also see where they are going to go. With all that knowledge they can’t do anything because, it is too late for them. 53:20 So, they have that suffering. 53:28

53:28 But our life is much better than theirs. We have sufferings. We have joy. We understand suffering. We understand joy. We go through with the suffering, mental, physical, emotional suffering. And we’ll come out of it. We have joy. We have physical comfort, mental comfort, emotional joy. We have that. And that’s where we can make difference in our journey. If you are completely in one of those picknick spots it is too good. And, if you are in the lower realms, it is too bad. We’re here at the right level. It is great quality. 54:33

54:33 Not only are we here at the right level, but we, the people are open minded, spiritually interested people. We have a better opportunity than those of great yuppies and great hippies. We do have a better opportunity than those. Really, true. Because some of them are, we have the same lives, same capability, but many of them do not have the interest. They are not interested. Maybe, the information’s didn’t come across to them. Maybe, their karma did not really give the opportunity. Maybe a number of them have a great amount of information. Many of you, we have a best friend or spouse or whatever available, and somehow you want to give the information. Somehow you hesitated, you can’t give it. Or sometimes you did give the information, they don’t like it. Sometimes you want to force them to drag in here and do this. They won’t like it. That shows that life is different between ourselves and our immediate family. 56:20

56:20 I’m not saying this, this is what Buddha had shared two thousand five hundred years ago and we see it true today. Today is the information age. You see any spiritual information you want to, available on internet, including Vajrayana and everything, everywhere it’s available. But, very, very small amount of people will take an interest, not so many. Probably they think it’s crazy, probably think it is silly, (?). The bottom line what happens is, those individuals have been deprived of opportunity. The opportunity that you and I have, they don’t have it, whatever the reason is. Maybe too primitive, maybe stupid, whatever the reason may be, the bottom line, they have been deprived of opportunity. They cannot, they have not the opportunity, which you do. That’s the difference. That’s why your life is much more precious and important than them. Though, we may be equal human beings, they may be better educated than you, or worse, less educated than you. They are maybe much richer than you or much poorer than you. It doesn’t matter, whatever. They don’t have opportunity. Karmically, they can’t connect. They don’t have it. You do. 58:55

58:55 I know this is a politically incorrect statement for me. However, that’s the reality. It is a politically incorrect statement. You know it. I know it. We’re all (?). We all do that, even among ourselves. Even in our family. Even among our colleagues. You know, even among our everything. That shows the karmic link, the karmic connection with yourself and your practice and some people do, some people don’t. That’s how it is. When Buddha talks about here eighteen different qualities, right? then endowments, and leisure, they call it. But when you talk about it, they go through those lives, and that’s what it is. And, sometimes, we also make a joke, because each different life they don’t have opportunity or time. 60:19 And there we say, don’t make ourselves in the mindwa. So mindwa is our busy laziness. Even though the opportunity is right in front of you, right under your nose, but you cannot take it. You cannot take it because you are too busy. So many important things to do. Yes, they’re so many important things to do in our life, but death comes to our door and it starts ringing the doorbell, when they start knocking at our door, then what is important. 61:16

61:16 The important meeting for your company? Is is a priority or something for you to carry with you. Which is (your) priority? One of the (?) have said: Normally, we don’t think about dying. But when death comes, we start scratching our chest. I haven’t done that, I haven’t done that, I haven’t done that, which is useless. So, the things we prioritize in our life, the priorities what we give, the important meeting, the important lunch, important dinner, whatever important cat show, horse show, whatever we have, the political activity, family obligations, and all of them, when you compare it, which one do we consider the most important in our mind, what is the priority? 63:08 Think about that and that will tell you a lot. 63:22

63:22 Take me, I am supposed to be a reincarnated Tibetan lama, born again to live (?). And being in the monastery since childhood, brought up by so many great teachers. If I look at my life and see what I did, I practiced my readings and all other things. My practice comes the last. What I have been able to do in the morning, if I manage great! If not, then late at night. Sometimes two in the morning, three in the morning, so half asleep. So that shows how much we really put ourselves (Tibetan) born again, even then in that person has that thing, which really shows the culture, environment, is really such that we really have to give priority for everything else and whatever is left over time, we give it to dharma. 65:02

65:02 You know why? There’s no bill collector for dharma. There’s no bill collector, that’s why. Or the virtues are not green in color. So, those are the reasons. We see the green and we count. And, then you get the bill collector chase you. And that’s why they take priority. It might be time for us to balance, to balance the priority. I am not urging you people to make the bottom to the top priority. It is too much to ask you in the American culture. In Asian culture, sure, by all means. Dharma is the most important priority. But in the American culture, it may be too much to ask. But balance, both are for your own good. Perhaps, one cannot live without balance in it. You need spiritual development. You need to have a good future life. You also need good present life. So, both are needed. Needed badly. So, you may have to balance a little bit. 67:25

67:25 It is impossible to give equal amount of time. You have to have most of eight hours or whatever, whether you are a nine to five person or eight to four person or whatever. That eight hours you have to give it for the material life. To make your living comfortable, to pay your bills, to have your insurance, to have your investment, to multiply your investments. You have to have this in eight hours. But I am not asking you to give another eight hours for a spiritual part, which is again, it is absolutely impossible for you to be working for sixteen hours, though we all work more than that, but when you start thinking I am working sixteen hours, this is impossible. Your mind won’t take it. But we do. Everybody does that. So, our mind won’t take it. So at least you give it two hours a day, or an hour and a half, or one hour, at least forty-five minutes, half an hour, twenty minutes, no less than that. If you have been able to put in your spiritual practice, constantly every day, without brake. It makes a big difference. Even if you collect a drop of water per day in a bucket. One day the bucket fills up. Right? 69:38

69:38 So even if you put in twenty minutes of total honest effort of your spiritual path it goes a long way. And I know many of you puts in close to two hours and some maybe put in three hours. There are a few who put in three or four hours. It is important. It will pay you. You get tremendous when you need it most. But make sure that has been solidly good. When I say solidly good, I don’t mean you have to be mindful, focusing on this. I don’t mean that. Because we have a very limited time, we’re putting in. So, you make sure that whatever practice you do, it is a sound solid one. Make sure it goes, it is an antidote of our negative emotions. Make sure it is capable of delivering Buddhahood. Make sure it is properly motivated, with motivation of a bodhimind. And make sure that the virtues you have accumulated has been dedicated properly, so it is not destroyed by another negative emotions, such as hatred, or anger. Make sure this has not been influenced by attachment. So, when you do that, then it became solid. Even if you are unable to focus and concentrate all the time. At least, and it is so simple, because of the kindness earlier great linage masters. It is all returned in the words. So, when you go through the words and you know every word what you say has been supported by a pot. That is important. If you don’t have any pots to support your words, you say blah, blah, blah. It is as good as a parrot turning anything when they see nuts, cashew nuts, or walnuts, all those nuts. They didn’t say anything, right. Whatever you taught them. If you say good morning, they say good morning, good morning, good morning. So, until you get nice nuts, you know. 73:05

73:05 So there is benefit of saying it, but other that, it doesn’t have much value. Mantras make a solid difference. Mantra has its own little power, which is inexplicable. It has its own power accumulation of merit, and power of purification. Manta has is own separate, that’s why a lot of those Tibetans, uneducated, illiterate, Tibetans all forces, they say Om Mani (Money) Padme Hum, Om Manu (Money) Padme Hum, Om Mani (Money) Padme Hum all the time. Sadhana, Malesia, the money rolling, money doing all this. It is not only the Mani (money) mantra. Every mantra whatever it is, it has the power and capability. They are counting on that, they are relying on that, and that’s when you find them saying Om Mani Padme Hum wherever they go, whatever they do. Even in the middle of the street or even sitting on the toilet or taking shower or whatever you hear Om mmmmm. That is exactly what they are doing. They are counting on it. 74:26

74:26 Mantra has its own value. Other than that, we are simply, if your pots are not supported, then the words become like a parrot. It is the Tibetan tradition that carries the words and the meaning behind, and the words give you a proper basis and foundation to take you through the steps. I don’t know whether the Zen tradition has that or not. I am sure they do, and I don’t know any other, traditions, they have that. I don’t know. I do know the Tibetan tradition has that, equally emphases. Perhaps more emphasized in Tibetan traditions saying prayers than simply sitting and meditating. Because each prayer carries every single syllable carries meaning. And one (won’t be) is able to think about it and then it makes. Like for example simply pick-up Om Mani Padme Hum, that because Om Mani Pedme Hum. You simple pick-up Om, what does that mean? It is the combination of Ah, O, M together makes three syllables put together makes Om, which has the body, mind, speech of the individual practitioners and objectives of the Field of Refuge, combined together that why Om is important. Om is the Jewel Mantra. 76:20

76:20 Mani, we all know what Mani is. it is green in color. The banks have it. Anyway, I am just joking. So Mani is jewel, wish fulfilling. Because it is green in color. In one way, if you’re have the money you can do a lot of things. If you don’t have money, you can’t do much. You’re limited, right? It is wish fulfilling, anyway, maybe not. Wish fulfilling, love compassion and anything related activity like Guru Devotional Practice, embracing human life, all other meditations other the Emptiness meditation. All of them are in that category, the category of methods. When you say “Mani” wish fulfilling jewel, love, compassion, and everything in that category. What brings love, what brings compassion, what is the ultimate love, what is ultimate compassion, unlimited, unconditioned, all of them when you say Mani. That’s where your mind goes. Your mind actually goes from the Guru Devotional Practice to the bodhimind level. The moment you say Om Mani, you can have all this, altogether. And those are the few people who are used to it, it goes like twitter. You are a Guru devotion human embracing life quality, depth refuge, four Noble Truths, and to that level it comes out the moment you say Om Mani. You have all those things come in your head pot. That thought supported that word “Mani.” 78:49

78:49 After Mani comes Padme, the pureness of it. That is the wisdom part of it. Like Allen use to say, Allen Ginsberg, natural empty, everything is pure, naturally pure, that’s what I am. So that’s what the Padme lotus means, purity. That means the pureness of the wisdom. All this, suchlessness, kindnessness, emptiness, the mahamudra, all of them comes into Padme. Om Mani Padme. Hum joins them together, union of relative truth and absolute truth. Union of body and mind. Union of wisdom and compassion. Union of body, mind, speech. Union of method and wisdom. So, all of those, each syllable carries its weight. Whatever weight it carries goes through in your brain cells and think those and words Om Mani Pedme Hum come. I am just using Om Mani Padme Hum as an example. If you say, I take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha until I am enlightened. By practicing generosity and all perfections, may I be able to attain enlightenment. So again, that word carries “I take refuge,” it is not only me alone, I and all sentient beings taking refuge to the Buddha, Buddha the pure. Not the historical Buddha, not the Present Buddha, not the Past Buddha but the Future Buddha, but the buddha within ourselves, as well as not ignoring the Historical Buddha because its represented. All of those, like Dharma, is the spiritual development withing that Buddha, within that Sangha. We call it a Sangha, it’s not a Sangha at all. It is the collection of human beings. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to (?). What is really is, is the best of assemble, assembly, more that sole, pure Buddhist monks and nuns. Even you don’t have monks and nuns’ vows, it’s okay so long as you have had bodhisattva vows. If you have Vajrayana vow, if you are a dakka, a dukini, that’s fine. That’s the Vajrayana Sangha anyway. If you are a bodhisattva that’s fine you are a Mahayana Sangha. So that’s okay. When you talk about Sangha, that’s the level they are talking about it. 82:43

82:42 At least we have the potential to be able to be that Sangha. We have the potential to be that Buddha. We do have that. Believe and seek, whatever it is. There are a lot of people criticizing and saying, “Invent Buddha.” Invent Buddha is good enough to be (laughter, then some people say this baby Buddha, you know, I hear some people who wears a robe … this baby buddhas). So, decide, even if its baby buddha. It’s baby buddha that’s fine. It’s better than not having baby buddha. You know what I mean. 83:29

83:29 So, anyway, each one of these words carries a tremendous value and message behind. And going through your mind and those message behind the words, all in between lines or whatever you call it. So, when you do that and then whatever you are doing is perfect. When you don’t have that, then it’s a stray parrot. When you have those, it is a valid one, valid one. Parrot, the valid one and you know you can be in between too, it’s okay. It it always something better than nothing. That’s true, then a lot of people think that you have to be a great learned scholar, you don’t! You don’t! If you are great learned scholar, you know it you can do it that’s great. If you don’t have it, if you just become learned scholar and you can’t have it, the soldi practice. You know, we have a lot of jewels in Tibet. (In Tibetan) May you become Ghese who have beautiful words flower, which will never give fruit. (In Tibetan) Samaya means concluded. So, one shouldn’t be that. And, then there is something else for meditators who can’t think anything else, I forgot. (In Tibetan) The other one, I forgot. 85:39

85:39 These are the great part of old Tibetan culture, which comes out like a joke. People make a joke or people tease each other by using these words. People tease each other by using these words and that is the direct use, but indirectly, they give you tremendous message. Long pause. So, this sort of thing, that’s what I told you the other day, the culture difference. And I came out a culture that supports all the practices. Even the jokes. Even all those people teasing each other. It looks like insulting, but it is not in reality. It’s correcting. It’s a part of culture. The other person who begins the joke is never going to get upset. Some of them are funny. If it’s directly translated into the English language, and you throw the people, people will sort of sit back because they’re bound to get mad and even fight, fist fight. But in that culture, it doesn’t. But some funny thing, that doesn’t mean anything in American culture, they really, really get mad. That’s the culture difference. 87:32

87:32 Anyway, when I say do something, do them now. That’s what I am talking about. I am not talking about anything else. That’s what I’m talking about. Even using Om Mani Padme Hum, think of its meaning and the message run through your head. You know, when you meditate on the Lam Rim stages, right now, it takes a long time. It does not. The earlier Tibetan teachers use to say, you can meditate the whole Lam Rim when you put your left leg in the horse’s stupid. You put the left leg and by the time your body gone over and by the time you put the right leg in other stupid, you have done the whole Lam Rim. That very often happens, and I have never had that experience of going that fast, but it doesn’t take me a half an hour to go through whole Lam Rim doesn’t take me. For sure. That’s what happens. These people can do this 88:56. If you are riding a bicycle (?) they Lam Rim they have completed it. So that is how you train yourself. 89:08.

89:08. In the most important spiritual practice is your everyday life. That’s is the most important. Everyday life somehow, your life should come it is compassion, love oriented from that angle, it should come. Always think that people are great. People can do better. Anything we think we have bad feelings; we think that is me, not them. It’s me, it’s not him, not her. It’s me. I have bad feelings. I have bad things, because of my bad habit. You know. So that keeps it (?). That doesn’t mean you have to be stupid, foolish, and people take advantage of you, you become doormat. It is not. You should also use discriminating wisdom always, with two eyes open. As I told you all other five elements are five hundred blind people. This wisdom is eye which leads you to the city. So likewise, the wisdom should take over and discriminative wisdom will make sure, the right or wrong thing, whatever it is. Even if the wrong is the fault of the other person, don’t have hatred. Acknowledge and let it go. You should remember it in the future and don’t fall under attack or trap. That’s is discriminating wisdom job. 91:20

91:20 All the five, six paramitas has its own job, responsibilities. Each one of them you have to apply in your life. Even the generosity, you have the generosity of morality. Generosity of patients. Generosity of enthusiasm. Generosity of concentration and the generosity of wisdom. That’s how it works. (?) too, all six of them. And that’s why a Buddhas experience are slightly difference that Jerry Fallwell. It is a valid difference, that’s what it is, or Pat Robinsons, for that matter. Anyway, I talk too much. Sorry. 92:34 [Rimpoche talks about going to Malaysia returning December 7th].

97:32 The Migstemas till the end of the tape file at 99:25 from the Ganden Lha Gyema, the Hundred Deities of the Land of Joy.

Note: This tape contains the Impetus to Practice, especially to have a daily practice that works towards the ultimate goal of Buddhahood.