Archive Result

2

Soundfile 19980425GRJHNLVT02

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location Jewel Heart Netherlands

Topic Vajrayana

Transcriber Michael Hoffman

Date: 08/10/21 – 09/22/21

Now we’re gathering here together tonight, is the, originally we were supposed to talk Ganden Lha Gyema which already we did during the retreat time that might not be specifically need to talk. Ganden Lha Gyema here, except the deserving system in the Ganden Lha Gyema which might not come in that 64 steps. So, might as well as touch that a little bit. And then somebody asked me, Ganden Lha Gyema oral transmission. Right? You did it?

0:00:55.8 (Audience): [unintelligible]

0:01:00.3 And I might as well do the Ganden Lha Gyema oral transmission first. It’s simply you just to have to hear it, it’s about the sound. 0:01:12.6 (Recites Ganden Lha Gyema in Tibetan) 0:02:45.1 I believe that is the oral transmission. And you have heard sound, that’s right, so that will do. Okay, now the question in the Ganden Lha Gyema, when we talk we can talk very relaxed, very casual way. But when you do it you have to do it a little seriously. If you’re too serious you go to sleep like I did.

0:03:15.8 (Translator): Do you think we need a translation?

0:03:21.6 I don’t think so. Do we? Do we need translation? [Cross talk discussing need for translation.] A lot of heads are rolling this way. A lot of heads are rolling the other way around. Maybe we don’t need it.

0:03:32.8 (Translator): We don’t need it.

0:03:34.6 I don’t know. Now the heads are rolling. Now the hands have come up. Go ahead.

0:03:49.2 (Dutch translation.)

0:04:24.6 So most of the Ganden Lha Gyema points we already covered them. The seven limb we already covered, mig tse ma we talked, and there are … there’s two verses. Do you have that two verse? The ‘wisdom may grow’ and all this sort of thing. Do we have it or we don’t have it?

0:04:48.9 (Translator): I have it somewhere. 0:04:50.3 (Dutch.)

0:05:50.2 What’s happened?

0:05:53.1 (Translator): I just read the two verses about the…

0:06:09.0 Oh. (Pause.) Basically, the Ganden Lha Gyema, you can do the Ganden Lha Gyema practice as pure sutra. You can do the Ganden Lha Gyema practice as a sutra tantra combination. All of those. Yeah.

0:06:35.6 (Dutch.)

0:06:47.8 And the teaching transcripts what you have here is the sutra tantra combination, right?

0:06:58.1 (Dutch.)

0:07:05.3 And that’s a little complicated, things are there. But you can really skip those complicated things. Just do like sutra alone, sort of invocation, seven limbs, saying mantras, making requests, and then maybe joined with the Foundation of Perfections so you can have a sort of overview of all the path. And finally dissolving the lama into yourself.

0:07:40.0 (Dutch.)

0:08:09.3 So, when you…When you finally dissolve the lama to you, these are the three or four last it says, ‘O Glorious Guru something, come and take lotus seat cushion in my heart or something,’ right? There are three of them.

0:08:33.2 (Translator:) Yes, I need to find it. It’s over here. (Dutch.)

0:09:33.8 So, when you begin the Ganden Lha Gyema, that I actually forgot to mention…before that, you sort of visualize a pure land of Maitreya Buddha, which we really call it either Ganden in Tibetan or Tushita in Sanskrit.

0:10:01.9 (Dutch.)

0:10:17.8 It is sort of pure land of natural abode of enlightened beings in general, and particularly Buddha of love, the Maitreya Buddha and Tsongkhapa, Atisha, etc. sort of great, pure space.

0:10:44.8 (Dutch.)

0:10:58.0 Quality of the pure land is unlike our land. All the grounds, the trees and rivers and the flower, etc, whatever is there, they are the wisdom.

0:11:21.2 (Dutch.)

0:11:34.3 Part of Maitreya Buddha, or wisdom part of Maitreya Buddha.

0:11:40.6 (Dutch.)

0:11:46.6 So the flowers are also blooming all the time, like an orchid, doesn’t die for a couple weeks. Like orchid it remains long. Doesn’t die like tulips within a couple of weeks.

0:12:04.4 (Dutch.)

0:12:12.2 And the wind that’s blowing around and moving the leaves, etc. is also supposed to be very soothing. And wonderful. The singing of the birds and all of them are also at the sound of compassion, and the sound of wisdom.

0:12:41.8 (Dutch.)

0:12:56.3 The ground is also supposed to be very rich and very lush. And so that, you know, when you have beautiful ground the green grass growing sometimes it can even work like a sponge and that type it is supposed to be.

0:13:17.7 (Dutch.)

0:13:30.8 Lucky you don’t have car there, otherwise get stuck. (All laugh.)

0:13:36.8 (Dutch.)

0:13:40.4 It’s… I don’t know whether there’s a car or not. Maybe there is.

0:13:48.1 (Dutch)

0:13:50.2 Maybe they have different wheels, who knows.

0:13:51.9 (Dutch.)

0:13:55.0 So anyway, that’s supposed to be pure land. Just sort of little bit imagining that pure land.

0:14:01.9 (Dutch.)

0:14:06.4 And over here you are sitting yourself, and with all enthusiastic, and clear mind. And looking forward, the brightness, and with very excitement, and you certainly imagine that Tsongkhapa with two disciples, even if you can’t remember the disciples very clearly, it’s fine. But Tsongkhapa, this is your imaginary Tsongkhapa right in front of you.

0:14:45.2 (Dutch.)

0:15:17.2 Though when you imagine Tsongkhapa, Tsongkhapa is there.

0:15:24.0 (Dutch.)

0:15:30.9 That goes for everybody. Buddha, yidams, everything, the moment imagined is there.

0:15:38.1 (Dutch.)

0:15:46.2 That’s the reason they’re there because they have their commitment to guide us, help us…

0:15:55.4 (Dutch.)

0:16:02.5 And the moment we open ourselves up the opportunity is there so there should be there.

0:16:09.3 (Dutch.)

0:16:17.5 And that’s not only the reason. The most important reason is at that level of enlightenment level, your body and your mind functions one frequency, not separately, not like us. They function together. Wherever your mind is your body is there. Wherever your body is your mind there. Mind there. It is functioning on same frequency together simultaneously.

0:16:54.9 (Dutch.)

0:17:08.8 So therefore they are all knowing. Enlightened means knowing all, right?

0:17:15.0 (Dutch.)

0:17:17.5 When they [are] knowing all and they’re there…

0:17:24.9 Because their mind is there.

0:17:27.1 (Dutch.)

0:17:28.4 And the body comes there.

0:17:29.9 (Dutch.)

0:17:35.6 And that’s the reason why, you can, a lot of people say the gods is everywhere because the mind is everywhere, then there that’s there because their mind is everywhere they know everything. It is very similar to that.

0:17:52.9 (Dutch.)

0:18:05.0 Yet still we to satisfy our rational mind we invite them.

0:18:11.8 (Dutch.)

0:18:17.6 The first verse, ‘From the heart of the protector of the land of joy’ or whatever that is, that first verse is the invocation verse.

0:18:27.5 (Dutch.)

0:18:46.5 So if you want to visualize, they come from the nature of the abode --- which is pure land Tushita -- they came here, and become oneness with whatever you have imagined that one, become oneness with that, that will do.

0:19:01.3 (Dutch.)

0:19:11.8 Then it becomes supreme field of merit…

0:19:14.2 (Dutch.)

0:19:19.0 And then we do our business.

0:19:20.9 (Dutch.)

0:19:23.6 And because the purpose of the supreme field of merit is to gain, to gain the merit for us…

0:19:30.7 (Dutch.)

0:19:37.8 So the major business activity is the seven limb practice.

0:19:42.0 (Dutch.)

0:19:47.1 And in the Ganden Lha Gyema comes, the request to remain is first.

0:19:52.7 (Dutch.)

0:20:01.2 Then praise, right?

0:20:02.9 (Dutch.)

0:20:05.3 Then what is it?

0:20:06.0 (Translator:) The offerings, making offerings.

0:20:08.8 Then offerings

0:20:09.9 (Dutch.)

0:20:12.0 Then purification.

0:20:13.6 (Dutch.)

0:20:15.2 Then rejoice

0:20:16.2 (Dutch.)

0:20:17.5 Then request for the teaching

0:20:19.4 (Dutch.)

0:20:21.8 Then dedication

0:20:23.0 (Dutch.)

0:20:25.0 That is the major business

0:20:27.7 (Dutch.)

0:20:31.5 And then proper supplication of the mig tse ma.

0:20:34.5 (Dutch.)

0:20:39.9 And seeking wisdom and compassion, the two verses.

0:20:43.6 (Dutch.)

0:20:47.5 And wisdom and compassion on lam rim stages which were all the Foundation of the Perfections.

0:20:55.1 (Dutch.)

0:21:02.3 Which will correspond with this.

0:21:04.3 (Dutch.)

0:21:10.0 And what is not going to correspond is the finally dissolving.

0:21:16.2 (Dutch.)

0:21:25.7 And when you want to finally dissolve it, and you have three people there, the right and left people become, sort of right and left people dissolves inside the central Tsongkhapa figure.

0:21:41.7 (Dutch.)

0:21:54.4 And then you are very excited.

0:21:56.6 (Dutch.)

0:22:00.6 Yourself and very profound faith to Tsongkhapa.

0:22:05.2 (Dutch.)

0:22:10.1 Who is total enlightened being. Total enlightened being means all the enlightened beings are like one person.

0:22:18.5 (Dutch.)

0:22:25.9 And seeking your influence, your bless[ing] and actually seeking yourself will remain with me in my open heart.

0:22:41.9 (Dutch.)

0:22:53.0 And then you make the first request.

0:22:57.2 (Dutch.)

0:22:59.1 That’s the first verse.

0:23:00.5 (Dutch.)

0:23:03.2 At that moment the throne, etc. come down, come through your crown go and let it at your heart level and it’s there. It has to be smaller then, you cannot imagine a huge throne coming through your head because it is sort of enter through head you will be made flat, 0:23:28.1, so you don’t want that.

0:23:32.3 (Dutch.)

0:23:44.9 And it opens and sits at the center of your heart.

0:23:49.8 (Dutch.)

0:23:56.1 Then second request, the sun and moon cushions come down.

0:24:00.0 (Dutch.)

0:24:08.2 And sit on the throne.

0:24:11.0 (Dutch.)

0:24:12.9 Finally Tsongkhapa himself….

0:24:16.0 (Dutch.)

0:24:20.8 And not too big, not so small that you can’t see it, maybe about two inches, maybe? Two inches or one inch?

0:24:31.2 (Dutch.)

0:24:34.0 Translator: One inch

0:24:41.2 (Dutch.)

0:24:47.1 And come and remain at your heart level.

0:24:51.5 (Dutch.)

0:24:55.9 And then close your heart petal.

0:24:58.7 (Dutch.)

0:25:03.1 The heart petal is sealed.

0:25:05.3 Translator: Petal? You mean? 0:25:10.5

0:25:13.7 Sealed. And have mig tse ma going round

0:25:18.4 (Dutch.)

0:25:22.0 On top of that mig tse ma you can also have the Sanskrit alphabet like ka ga and all this.

0:25:32.9 (Dutch.)

0:25:37.5 And also those yidams, the essence of relativity or whatever, all those three of them can sit like that.

0:25:53.5 (Dutch.)

0:26:00.1 But still you’re doing that, but you’re not forcing him to remain if he doesn’t like it there. But you also have to think he accepted, he enjoys, he like to be there.

0:26:13.4 (Dutch.)

0:26:29.5 And then whatever you do thereafter, in the activities that you do, important activities to helping people, to giving healing, to guide a group or to teach lessons, to give public talk or to give private teachings or whatever, then you keep on thinking that Lama Tsongkhapa from your heart is doing it.

0:26:58.4 (Dutch.)

0:27:13.4 So it’s not only help themselves it also help yourself, okay, that’s good enough.

0:27:22.0 (Dutch.)

0:27:26.9 And there’s two more verses which is actually a prayer, and that verse itself will know, and I don’t have to explain, you don’t have to read the verse because it’s going to take a long time.

0:27:40.7 (Dutch.)

0:27:46.1 Okay, so that basically covers the Ganden Lha Gyema.

0:27:51.1 (Dutch.)

0:27:58.3 Now what I need to talk to you is, Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism is something considered very important.

0:28:28.5 (Dutch.)

0:28:36.4 A number of reasons. Even when there’s not so much of Buddhism in the west, even at that time a lot of spiritual teachers or the alternative groups, alternative teachers, all of us look to Tibet as a source or home of a spiritual path.

0:29:15.4 (Dutch.)

0:29:39.2 Though Buddhism is born in India, but in India so many things happened, so many wars and this and that, and of course so-called, not so-called, and of course, the great modern development. And all of them came up together, and the real value of Buddhism has gone down tremendously in India, not only gone down tremendously in India but totally disappeared actually.

0:30:24.9 (Dutch.)

0:30:46.0 Whatever the Buddhist, the India Buddhist whatever we have today is re-imported from Sri Lanka.

0:30:55.4 (Dutch.)

0:31:01.9 In the fifties.

0:31:03.3 (Dutch.)

0:31:04.5 Including Bodhgaya tree.

0:31:06.7 (Dutch.)

0:31:11.6 So it is really sort of disappeared, in India. So world at large, as in the spiritual world, somehow looking for Tibet as a spiritual home.

0:31:34.1 (Dutch.)

0:31:43.7 So even movies in here right, calling Shangri-La and this and that. So it keeps you, even though you’re not spiritual practitioners, your consciousness just guides and people look at Tibetan Buddhism, Tibet, as source of spiritual.

0:32:10.8 (Dutch.)

0:32:24.0 And that, Tibet, is of course, we’re looking for the Tibet that has a combination of religions and everyday life together, functioned until 1951 or 1952, or let’s say after ‘59.

0:32:57.7 (Dutch.)

0:33:10.7 And what is that so great about it, other than even though you have Buddhism in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, all this southeast Asia and you have it, but still why Tibet is so important.

0:33:33.3 (Dutch.)

0:33:47.0 That is because there is Vajrayana.

0:33:51.2 (Dutch.)

0:33:54.6 Why Vajrayana is so important, what makes it so big difference? It’s because it not only deals with our life and living but it also deals with our dying stage, death, and bardo and even rebirth.

0:34:24.7 (Dutch.)

0:34:45.0 Not only it deal with the rebirth, bardo and death, but transforming them into very positive way. Such as in the form of true nature, in the form of illusion body, or in the form of manifest state. Which normally we call three kayas, but that is what it is all about.

0:35:18.8 (Dutch.)

0:35:36.9 And that is a… if you can transform you can transform. If you cannot transform you try to change them. Change them in the sense that, even cheat death. They are all, even you can cheat the death, sort of digging yourself out of your body even before the, like a couple of hours or minutes before it is due.

0:36:12.0 (Dutch.)

0:36:31.7 And the question how do you deal with it. Actually, you know you should look like this. If you look in Hinayana, more or less it is discipline oriented. Because you try to be disciplined. You can’t do this, you can’t to that you can’t look here, do this, do that, it is more discipline oriented.

0:36:56.3 (Dutch.)

0:37:05.4 And if you look in the Mahayana it is a little more love and compassion, not so much restricted as discipline.

0:37:14.3 (Dutch.)

0:37:24.7 And Vajrayana is totally, very relaxed, very open, and transforming.

0:37:47.4 (Dutch.)

0:37:59.9 Transforming in the sense, instead of pushing very strong, emphasize to cutting down negative emotions, but some of the negative emotions even may have some usefulness within that, and making use of that, and getting, becoming pure, sort of rather than cutting through the hard discipline.

0:37:59.9 (Dutch.)

0:39:02.2 It is the internally things popped out. It is not like you know, in this lam rim level we pick each and every information and try to put it on us. But the transformation of the Vajrayana activity, it works inside and then affects out. It is sort of internal coming out. Rather than external injecting in.

0:39:30.4 (Dutch.)

0:39:50.4 (Tibetan) The four tantras been divided, and Buddha himself said, the way the Vajrayana functions is, if you want to destroy let’s say that poisonous tree over there, so in the normal Mahayana Hinayana will be, you have to get some weapons and try to cut it out and chop it branch by branch and then finally able to cut the stump and maybe you try to remove the root out and all this. But in the Vajrayana way, it is something like that tree is completely rotten inside and even the worms inside the tree ate them out and tree die out.

0:40:37.9 (Dutch.)

0:41:17.4 Not only that, if you are looking at the Mahayana, I mean if you look at the Hinayana, they don’t even talk about enlightenment. The ultimate goal they can come up to is arhat. They don’t even talk about it.

0:41:33.1 (Dutch.)

0:41:41.7 You go and ask any Burmese teacher, you go and ask any of those things, they won’t talk about enlightenment, they simply talk arhat level.

0:41:52.9 (Dutch.)

0:42:03.1 Which we call common with the lower and medium, lam rim.

0:42:08.2 (Dutch.)

0:42:15.3 Odyssey to Freedom, I think it goes out to…what is this now? Thirty eight? Thirty eight. Right?

0:42:38.0 (Dutch.)

0:42:44.4 And that is the total achievement.

0:42:46.9 (Dutch.)

0:42:50.4 And when you look in the Mahayana, they talk for you to become enlightened, they talk about enlightenment. Talking about becoming Buddha. Enlightened is English word they use, both uses, that is the problem.

0:43:08.9 (Dutch.)

0:43:21.6 And that very long time, like you know, three hundred eons or something.

0:43:26.5 (Dutch.)

0:43:32.4 So Vajrayana talking about today or tomorrow.

0:43:35.5 (Dutch.)

0:43:41.0 So it is very short.

0:43:42.7 (Dutch.)

0:43:44.1 Whether you make it die or doom, if you make it different in this life you get it, if not, forget it. That’s what Vajrayana says.

0:43:54.6 (Dutch.)

0:44:01.2 So it is easy. It is effective. And it is important. And it is capable of delivering goods much more faster than any other vehicles than ever known.

0:44:22.0 (Dutch.)

[Tape seems to cut out or perhaps was stopped]

0:44:35.6 Be faster than supersonic jets.

0:44:38.4 (Dutch.)

0:44:48.0 So, that is the zillion different qualities of Vajrayana. I just wanted to tell you that much. Then, how does Vajrayana work? Vajrayana is the base like sutra type of thing, is called tantra.

0:45:13.9 (Dutch.)

0:45:33.3 Each and every tantra are said and narrated by Buddha himself.

0:45:43.3 (Dutch.)

0:45:48.6 And through a, through a manifestation.

0:46:02.0 (Dutch.)

0:46:05.3 So when he noted a tantra in according to that tantra Buddha himself manifested in the form of whatever yidam it might be.

0:46:17.0 (Dutch.)

0:46:31.0 So, so the most important tantras are mahana yoga tantra.

0:46:39.3 (Dutch.)

0:46:42.5 Because mahana yoga tantra is the only tantra will be able to deliver the goods within lifetime.

0:46:49.2 (Dutch.)

0:47:00.6 And there a number of different, a lot of different yidams are in there.

0:47:07.2 (Dutch.)

0:47:11.2 For example, the Kalachakra that the Dalai Lama does everywhere.

0:47:16.5 (Dutch.)

0:47:22.4 Is also kind of yidam.

0:47:25.1 (Dutch.)

0:47:27.2 Yamantaka is another yidam.

0:47:31.8 (Dutch.)

0:47:34.2 Guhyasamaja, Hevajara.

0:47:37.0 (Dutch.)

0:47:39.9 All of them are yidam. And Tara is also yidam.

0:47:45.3 (Dutch.)

0:47:48.1 So among the yidams themselves nobody is higher than anybody else. They are all equal. For example, some people may think oh, Kalachakra is more important than any other thing. Or some people may think that. It’s not. They are all equal by themselves, they are all totally enlightened beings, they are all equal.

0:48:15.9 (Dutch.)

0:48:31.2 Why you have so many then?

0:48:33.4 (Dutch.)

0:48:35.9 Because some people may have a special connection with some yidams. Other people may not have a special connection with some yidams. Since there are a variety of different personalities

available to suit them, we have a variety of different yidams. That’s how it happens.

0:48:56.2 (Dutch.)

0:49:18.1 So, if you are not connected with a yidam, then your Vajrayana door is shut.

0:49:26.7 (Dutch.)

0:49:33.3 And whatever the method in there, you cannot get benefit.

0:49:39.8 (Dutch.)

0:49:47.2 So opening yourself to an opportunity is very important.

0:49:53.7 (Dutch.)

0:50:01.1 And traditionally all, naturally or reality-wise, in order to really receive a Vajrayana initiation, one should have a very strong background, and foundation, experience, realization of all the different stages that we are talking in lam rim.

0:50:32.2 (Dutch.)

0:50:47.9 But should I wait until I have a complete experience in lam rim? What should I do? That is the question.

0:50:57.4 (Dutch.)

0:51:07.0 So for that, I don’t know how long can you wait. You might not even have the opportunities available. So therefore in Tibet, the tradition of teaching in Tibet will recommend you to take the initiations. And even if your lam rim focus is not completely strong. However, without taking a complete lam rim teaching at least once, are not recommended, not permitted. Not only not recommended, but not permitted, to take any initiations, at all.

0:51:59.9 (Dutch.)

0:52:49.1 And then you may think, then how come the Dalai Lama is doing Kalachakra and everybody is going, as long as you bought the ticket, $750, and so everybody is going there so how come, you know?

0:53:03.3 (Dutch.)

0:53:16.2 I think that is more or less witnessing the ceremony. I don’t know. That’s my feeling.

0:53:24.7 (Dutch.)

0:53:32.0 And once Dalai Lama himself said by giving, after giving Kalachakra in New York, after like seven days or something, like four or five days of teaching, and then at the end of three days there is Kalachakra, at the end he said, there must be about twenty people or so might have obtained this initiation. He said that at the end.

0:54:01.3 (Dutch.)

0:54:20.1 But nobody said give my money back. (Everyone laughs).

0:54:22.6 (Dutch.)

0:54:24.6 Anyway. That’s a joke. But the reality is that is how it works.

0:54:34.8 (Dutch.)

0:54:38.9 If you don’t have the opening, you really are completely depriving all your opportunities.

0:54:46.2 (Dutch.)

0:54:55.1 And, when you are taking initiation, it really doesn’t matter, whatever the yidam you take is fine. Yamantaka, Heruka, all of them, in absolute reality is the total enlightened being in different physical form, with a different identity. So some are called Yamantaka, some are called Heruka, some are called this and some are called that. It really doesn’t matter whichever you are taking, it doesn’t matter. It works the same thing.

0:55:35.5 (Dutch.)

0:55:58.9 And especially this case, we are doing Heruka.

0:56:02.9 (Dutch.)

0:56:08.7 Heruka is the same person as Avalokiteshvara.

0:56:12.8 (Dutch.)

0:56:16.5 Avalokiteshvara is peaceful form, Heruka is wrathful form.

0:56:21.4 (Dutch.)

0:56:26.3 And Heruka is especially very special, not only the love and compassion but also attachment.

0:56:37.9 (Dutch.)

0:56:49.0 It is the part of love 0:56:51.2 [cross talk]. And especially the Heruka is love-attachment combined, transforming into a pure path.

0:57:20.3 (Dutch.)

0:57:31.4 Which we are very much in it.

0:57:36.6 (Dutch.)

0:57:40.6 That is one of the important reasons.

0:57:45.2 (Dutch.)

0:57:48.2 Another thing is, when Buddha relayed all the stories, not stories, all the tantras, Buddha himself manifested in the form of this yidam and that yidam, and the mandala manifested but at the end of that Buddha closed everything down. Including Guhyasamaja, everything, the mandala opened, explained, initiated, mandala closed.

0:58:22.5 (Dutch.)

0:58:42.0 And Heruka mandala instead of closing it still remain open.

0:58:49.7 (Dutch.)

0:58:54.6 And it is said, Buddha opened Heruka mandala on the peak of Mt. Meru.

0:59:04.4 (Dutch.)

0:59:10.9 And the mandala also faced to our continent. Continent is the wrong word. To the human land, to the direction of the human land.

0:59:25.1 (Dutch.)

0:59:33.0 And not only the mandala, though, the yidam also facing that direction.

0:59:42.7 (Dutch.)

0:59:49.1 That is the reason why it is more closely linked and more for us than any other yidam, because the closeness and way and how the mandalas manifested and how it remains. All of them counts, makes, you know this is relativity. It is, yeah, this is theory of relativity, yes.

1:00:21.4 (Dutch.)

1:00:35.9 And not only that, not only that, but normally anything whatever happened in earlier period, you know time of the Buddha and day after, and all this, seems to be very easy everything, and when you get in times like this, degenerated age we call it, everything becomes more difficult. But in Heruka, opposite direction. In the degenerated age, Heruka yab yum, both Heruka and the consort, Vajrayogini, are much more effective with the whatever…. if we put in a little effort they are much more effective than before, because every time when the time goes down, their power and their capability builds up, redouble their efforts, so things work much faster than anything else. That is the Heruka and the consort, Vajrayogini, this special quality which really other yidams doesn’t process.

1:02:02.5 (Dutch.)

1:02:50.8 And that doesn’t make Heruka yab yum better than others.

1:02:54.8 (Dutch.)

1:02:58.1 But it is more effective for us than others.

1:03:01.7 (Dutch.)

1:03:05.6 And then on the other hand, the request for the Heruka initiation is one of the very practical requests because there is no sadhana commitment, and that is why they chose.

1:03:19.7 (Dutch.)

1:03:31.0 Because when you have so many sadhanas then it is a big difficulty.

1:03:37.0 (Dutch.)

1:03:42.5 And when you say sadhanas I can sleep so there’s enough time there, remember today.

1:03:48.1 (Dutch.)

1:03:52.2 But you still have the commitment of six session guru yoga.

1:03:57.2 (Dutch.)

1:04:02.3 The simple reason is, when you initiate, not only are you introduced to the mandala, you also met the family members of the five different, what they call it, five dhyana buddhas.

1:04:19.8 (Dutch.)

1:04:28.5 And actually, connecting your own physical aspects of feelings, and cognitions, and collectiveness and all this, five senses of ourself, connecting it what the five pure wisdom-natured physical appearance … did I make it more difficult for you? Sort of really making it oneness and building, connecting, and bringing, trying to bring out of there the pure part of everything, pure part of form, pure part of sound, pure part of smell, and the mind that acknowledge those all of them bringing together in the transforming from the ordinary level to the extraordinary level, which is really what five dhyana buddha means.

1:05:40.7 (Dutch.)

1:06:40.2 So when you are sort of meeting the members of the Buddha families, you have some kind of commitments there.

1:06:49.5 (Dutch.)

1:06:58.1 Such as, I try to be generosity.

1:07:02.3 (Dutch.)

1:07:04.0 I protect my vows

1:07:06.7 (Dutch.)

1:07:09.1 I take refuge

1:07:13.7 (Dutch.)

1:07:15.5 That type of thing.

1:07:17.4 (Dutch.)

1:07:19.1 So every time you say, I do that six times a day.

1:07:24.7 (Dutch.)

1:07:29.0 Meaning three times a day and three times a night.

1:07:32.5 (Dutch.)

1:07:35.2 And since it has become very difficult for us, the earlier teachers wrote down a few lines of, few lines of…things to say, prayer, whatever.

1:07:55.1 (Dutch.)

1:08:09.2 So by saying that six times a day or six times together, one time, it sort of covers the, it helps then not breaking our commitment.

1:08:23.8 (Dutch.)

1:08:36.2 Whether you can do it or not do it, but just simply saying the words it helps to protect broken vows.

1:08:43.1 (Dutch.)

1:08:56.2 And, so, so that’s why six session commitment is there.

1:09:07.0 (Dutch.)

1:09:11.8 And there are long detailed six session yoga, we always have it, there is no shortage in Tibetan, so many long ones there.

1:09:20.3 (Dutch.)

1:09:28.7 And there are middle one.

1:09:30.2 (Dutch.)

1:09:32.4 What most of the people here are saying. How many pages there? Two pages? One? [Audience comment.] Two pages?

1:09:40.3 (Dutch.)

1:09:50.1 And we recommend you to say that.

1:09:53.2 (Dutch.)

1:09:57.5 And there’s a very very short one, four lines.

1:10:00.8 (Dutch.)

1:10:06.5 And even if the worst of worst comes, sort of so far I never did it, but worst of worst comes, because of our lives so busy, so this, worst of worst comes, you might be able to say that.

1:10:29.4 (Dutch.)

1:10:39.2 Bu the reason why I do not recommend that is that it is Pabongkha who said this is not good enough.

1:10:50.9 (Dutch.)

1:11:03.7 Not the Pabongkha today in Nepal, no, the famous Pabongkha.

1:11:08.7 (Dutch.)

1:11:17.7 And it is also written by Muchu, one official 1:11:22.0 lama called Muchu, the short one.

1:11:26.5 (Dutch.)

1:11:36.5 Dashe Lumpu (?), that is the Panchen Lama’s seat here, Dashe Lumpu, called Muchu.

1:11:42.5 (Dutch.)

1:11:44.4 His name.

1:11:45.1 (Dutch.)

1:11:47.0 So the Pabongkha thought it was not good enough.

1:11:50.0 (Dutch.)

1:11:52.4 Pabongkha accept a lot of Muchu’s writings, not this particular one.

1:12:00.3 (Dutch.)

1:12:03.0 But at the worst of worst comes, for us, something is better than nothing, If worst comes.

1:12:11.3 (Dutch.)

1:12:14.4 So maybe we could [crosstalk]

1:12:23.0 (Tibetan) Yeah it is some just like only four lines…You might have it by heart…something something. Anyway there is four lines there. So, anyway, What? So, so so so, that’s it.

1:12:53.1 (Dutch.)

1:12:58.5 The point here is, some people may be a little afraid of entering into Vajrayana.

1:13:06.6 (Dutch.)

1:13:10.6 And there is nothing to be afraid of. Vajrayana doesn’t bite you.

1:13:14.3 (Dutch.)

1:13:19.0 On the contrary…

1:13:19.6 (Dutch.)

1:13:21.1 It is a very important opportunity.

1:13:23.7 (Dutch.)

1:13:27.1 Buddha himself says (Tibetan). You know there was a Hindu Buddhist mythological flower, called udumbara flower, and that flower supposed to be pop up when once Buddha becomes official Buddha, when it’s born the flower will born, when Buddha become a Buddha flower opens, when that official Buddha dies, flower dies. It is one flower, it appears once when official Buddha comes. So it’s considered so rare and so important and so auspicious.

1:14:12.7 (Dutch.)

1:14:38.9 So even that, one thousand times in one eon comes. [1:14:45.0 translator clarifies]. That comes one thousand times in this eon.

1:14:50.2 (Dutch.)

1:14:58.8 Vajrayana is even rarer than that.

1:15:02.3 (Dutch.)

1:15:05.0 Out of one thousand Buddhas only the Shakyamuni Buddha, the fourth Buddha, carries Vajrayana.

1:15:13.3 (Dutch.)

1:15:22.1 Maybe the eleventh Buddha.

1:15:25.0 (Dutch.)

1:15:26.7 And hopefully the last one.

1:15:28.2 (Dutch.)

1:15:31.0 Yeah, so, even among the one thousand buddhas only three Buddhas will carry Vajrayana. It’s how rare it is.

1:15:49.4 And by sheer coincident…

1:15:53.2 (Dutch.)

1:15:58.3 Really, a coincident, nothing else.

1:16:01.4 (Dutch.)

1:16:03.4 By our own fortune…

1:16:06.4 (Dutch.)

1:16:09.1 That we happens to be contact in this

1:16:12.8 (Dutch.)

1:16:15.2 And we happens to be having the initial, the initiation coming in life.

1:16:21.6 (Dutch.)

1:16:26.8 So such an opportunity to be able to utilize is fortunate.

1:16:31.9 (Dutch.)

1:16:37.2 So if you miss it then you really miss a terrible opportunity.

1:16:42.9 (Dutch.)

1:16:48.5 And then the initiation will be given, but you simply have six session sadhana, six session guru yoga to say, and your major focus will still will continue on the lam rim stages.

1:17:08.6 (Dutch.)

1:17:21.5 And whenever you have the opportunity comes up, whenever your capability comes up you can transit yourself.

1:17:29.7 Translator: Transit?

1:17:31.6 Transit. You can move.

1:17:35.1 (Dutch.)

1:17:41.1 And that means when each and every individual separately by yourself when you’re capable of functioning in the Vajrayana way and then you can transit because you already open door.

1:17:58.7 (Dutch.)

1:18:12.2 And followed by that I hope to be returning in November and do a Vajrayogini initiation and teaching.

1:18:23.2 (Dutch.)

1:18:36.1 And you will be eligible for that.

1:18:38.7 (Dutch.)

1:18:42.7 And if you are not taking any other initiation before you cannot join in Vajrayogini initiation, that is a stage behind.

1:18:51.5 (Dutch.)

1:19:02.4 And so I will be looking forward for those of you who are first time joining in Vajrayana family. Like to welcome them.

1:19:12.1 (Dutch.)

1:19:23.5 And those who have already been there, and for them it is a great opportunity to purify.

1:19:31.2 (Dutch.)

1:19:41.2 And to re-strength yourself.

1:19:44.2 (Dutch.)

1:19:46.5 Your vow, your commitments.

1:19:50.0 (Dutch.)

1:19:53.3 And another thing in Vajrayana, if you maintain your vows and commitments, even you don’t do anything, you, you get liberated. Even you lie down and doing nothing you get liberated.

1:20:10.7 (Dutch.)

1:20:20.5 And that’s true.

1:20:21.5 (Dutch.) (Laughter.)

1:20:28.6 So, that is pep talk anyway.

1:20:31.6 (Dutch.)

1:20:33.8 No no it is true, but still it is pep talk. When I say pep talk I don’t mean it is not true. It is true.

1:20:41.0 (Dutch.)

1:20:44.1 Ah, I guess that’s it.

1:20:50.2 Audience: Yeah it is thought to be known to everybody but I do not know whether everybody realizes Vajrayana vows in general, Vajrayana vows are often included.

1:21:00.9 Always, yes.

1:21:02.3 (Dutch.)

1:21:04.5 And the refuge.

1:21:05.8 (Dutch.)

1:21:14.4 And refuge.

1:21:15.4 (Dutch.)

1:21:16.8 Tuflok (?) ok.

1:21:18.4 (Dutch.)

1:21:20.7 All right. So that’s it.

1:21:24.0 Audience: Thank you.

1:21:26.5 You’re welcome.

(End of audio file)