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Soundfile 200409003GRGRLBMT04

Speaker Gelek Rimpoche

Location Garrison

Topic Lojong-Infinite Heart #4

Transcriber Helen Breault

Date January 2019

Good evening and welcome everybody.

We repeat the prayer, which we do every Tuesday or Thursday nights, whenever we meet. It’s not that we don’t have any other prayers to say, that’s not why we do not repeat. We repeat that with the reason because people who would like to practice by themselves, so they can. Of course you can’t sing like we do here. But you just simply go through with this. A lot of people have been asking, “Where do I begin?” So here you have the practice introduced. That’s the reason why we’re repeating it here.

This morning I talked to you about the developing of compassion for ourself. One thing I forgot in the morning, or rather did not conclude, is, in short, that Buddha had said one important thing. And that is, Buddha said, “Samsara is suffering and nirvana is peace.” So samsara is a sanskrit word which means circle of continuation of life. Wherever you’re born, whatever we do, good life, bad life, difficult ones, easy ones, rich, poor, man, woman, all kinds, whatever it may be, all whatever in samsara it is suffering in nature. Because I talked to you three different sufferings this morning. There is no freedom from those sufferings as long as we are within the samsara.

[2:33]

And that’s what Buddha referred as contaminated life. Life that has been contaminated. And nirvana, he introduced nirvana—free of that. He says nirvana is peace. When you’re freed from those of samsaric life then it’s nirvana. By introducing this, not just by introducing, by thinking, analyzing, if you want a little mystical way, by meditating. If you want it straightforward, focus, concentrate, think, analyze. By doing that what do we gain? We will gain the understanding of those. And when we begin to see any life, whatever it may be, as long as it is within samsara, then you will see that as nature of suffering; for which you need a tremendous long time meditating, putting efforts, concentrating and contemplation. All of them are needed. Without those contemplation and purification it becomes harder to see it. But if you really put efforts you will begin to see this. When you begin to see that, it is the beginning of interest in the spiritual practice, according to Buddha. According to Buddha that is the beginning of spiritual practice. Looks like we’re at the end of it but it’s not. It’s the beginning, beginning.

So when you see this and when you wanted to be free then what would you do? Just three points. That’s what Buddha called Three Higher Trainings of Mind. One: fundamental base, the morality. Two: concentration. Three: wisdom. These three, what we apply to our life, and how: learn, think, and meditate. First, get the information. Straight and sometimes very hard to get straightforward information because so many interpretations, so many people talk so many things. What you really need is cut all the craps and get to the root. And have: apply the morality in our life.

[6:52]

Focus and meditate. And apply the wisdom. When you get that, then it challenges the ego, the root completely. And get rid of the root of samsara. The samsara is, you see always like a Wheel of Life, always a drawing there. Drawing to show the Wheel of Life and all of those you see. Nothing cuts in between. If you’re going to cut anywhere it’s not going to cut it. It’s only cut at the root level, nothing else. That is the wisdom they apply. To make the wisdom work you apply the morality. To make the wisdom work you focus and concentrate. Learn, think, meditation. Three higher training of mind, three ways of applying. So it’s important in my opinion, cutting all the craps. Because that is the one where we’re caught all the time, all the time. All the time we’re caught. It’s not very fun. It’s not easy. It’s difficult.

[8:38]

Any efforts you put on this level it gives you tremendous result. Even though—since my subject is greater compassion, boddhimind, and training of the mind, so I have to say—even nirvana is not good enough. You do obtain nirvana. Even you obtain the nirvana, it did solve our problem. It’s not like having one good life and then wondering what happens thereafter. But it really did solve individual problem. I think it’s one for all anyway. Yet, this is not complete. Neither we have accomplished for self purpose, for helping ourself, nor we have accomplished helping others. For, remember, the spiritual practitioners job or duty is to get accomplished, get the job done for self-benefit and get the job done for the benefit of others. I’m sorry using sort of very common language. I feel comfortable with that. Actually its purpose is get the job done. The job that you do is to accomplish your own purpose and the purpose of others. That is the goal and none of them have been accomplished at all.

[10:55]

So, you have done something for accomplishing self purposes, something to help a few others. But that’s not good enough. Ultimately buddhas will appeal and ask those arhats, we call it— in other words, those who are liberated from the samsara but have not become fully enlightened. Another nice little picnic spot’s there. It’s better than samsaric picnic spots, definitely much better because it’s nice, peaceful, and wonderful. But that’s not really total, according to Buddha’s teaching of the Mahayana now. Theravaden or Hinayana level, when you reach to this arhat level or nirvana you’re job is done. That’s why they said the ultimate is the three yanas. So, whether you take the shravaka yana, or pratyeka yana or buddhayana, doesn’t matter. All three of them can lead to the state of no more learning, they call it. So that’s why they say, “Ultimate three yanas.”

But Mahayana says no. Ultimately all living beings will become fully enlightened ones because they’re capable, they have the seed of what we call buddha nature and it’s only if they work they will become fully enlightened. And therefore, two other yanas are incomplete. That is more of a philosophical point.

However, where I come from, what I was taught is at that level, when you’re in the nirvana, you’re in picnic or you’ve gone out for lunch. And then your phone will ring. And at the other end the buddhas will be calling you and saying, “Um, are you still in lunch? And how long are you going to stay there? Would you like to give a hand? Would you like to share some thoughts?” And that’s what’s going to happen.

[14:13]

Now I am talking to you Mahayana points. Up to here, it is common. Whether it’s Mahayana or—the people don’t like it calling it “Hinayana,” it is old language. Nowadays they even call it Theravaden which is sort of self-liberation, right? And now they even change that and they call it “Elder’s Way.” Jack Kornfield called me and said, “Would you please use the terminology ‘Elder’s Way’ instead of Theravaden. I presume you don’t use Hinayana at all.” So, fine. Doesn’t matter. So whatever. But the point is whether it’s Elder’s Way or self-liberation or Theravaden or Hinayana or whatever, the Mahayana tells you, “Hey you have neither completed your own purpose nor others’ purpose.” So you have to help here and do more for benefitting those people who are suffering.

[16:24]

And I would like to talk to you about this path on the basis of Tsongkhapa’s teaching of middle Lam Ram. And there’s some additions I have to do here and there a little bit. I will do that. And I don’t think I can go everything in detail here because if I do it will be too much. But I’m just going to make sort of what Tsongkhapa emphasizes here is not Tsongkhapa. It is the Buddha. It is prajnaparamita. It is the transcendental wisdom that Buddha has given. He has shared his experience.

[17:09]

And that tells us here, “Hey, if you are simply doing something for yourself, not to have aches and pains, you’ll be just free of this, it’s a good achievement, but not good enough.” But I want you to be great person. Great person here does not really mean simply one who goes in the morning for work and comes back in the evening, and you get your salary and pay your bills and just take care of yourself. It’s good but not necessarily great. The great person here is not only taking of yourself but also taking care of others. In other words, I want you to be leader not just a follower.

[18:17]

My interpretation; if I’m wrong I’m sorry. But that’s why it’s called “Maha” and “great” and so forth. I want you to do better than just getting by, make it. To be leader, to be helpful to the others. Just to be able to get done your responsibility and just able to eat and drink is not a big deal. Even a good animal will know how to eat a handful of grass. And anyone who is very thirsty will know how to drink water. And that is simply taking care of yourself. It’s not that sufficient enough here.

Why? Because every single person that you know, that we deal with ourselves, are suffering. They have a big pain. They have difficulties. Are you just going to watch and give your lip service or are you going to do something?

Therefore, every wise person will do something to help. According to the Mahayana teachings, the division between wise and not so wise is cut over here. And when you’re doing something for helping others and benefiting others these are called “wise person.” The sources of all good things…Now, you know, I’m going through this text so that’s why slightly you find a different than I’m simply straight-talking to you. Anyway, what they say here is, “The sources of all our good things, the medicine that cleared all our difficulties and great path that all enlightened beings travel, and even you hear about it, seeing it, or even remember it helps anyone who does all this. And by serving others, one also completes one’s personal needs.” So that’s why they call this the great method. It is very fortunate for us to be able to see this and practice this. Learn this practice and try by yourself. Tsongkhapa says you are very fortunate. So that’s what we should think. And not only we think, but put all our efforts and try to enter into the great path.

[22:09]

That great path we’re talking about is greater compassion, Mahayana Path, boddhimind. They’re all different names but all almost the same. That’s basically leading you to the Mahayana Path, suggesting leading you to the Mahayana Path. If that’s true and if that is all okay, what is that Mahayana Path? How does one enter? Where do I begin? How do I go? What is it? The doorway to the Mahayana practice is nothing but boddhimind; the precious, wonderful, the beautiful mind that links—I talked to you last night what is boddhimind. The mind that is linking to total enlightenment, mind that is totally dedicated for the benefit of others. Boddhimind is the only doorway, according to Mahayana. Actually, it is true. Compassion, love, and ultimate compassion and ultimate love—all of them are the only way. I don’t mean Mahayana Path is the only way. I don’t mean Buddhism is the only way. But compassion and love is the way, without which no one can go and do anything, whichever tradition you follow. Or, even if you don’t follow any tradition, just common sense and common good person will have to have compassion and love without which you will not become good person. We all know that.

[24:34]

It is the only way. That doesn’t mean Mahayana Path is the only path. That doesn’t Buddhism is the only “ism” that liberates you. It doesn’t mean that. What it does mean is kindness, compassion, caring and love, without that you can’t do. No matter whatever you may be—or may not be. Doesn’t matter, without which you cannot do.

Now I have to talk to you a little bit of traditional way because it’s here. Otherwise I’d be skipping a lot. So what is the Mahayana? Actually, there are two types, two kinds of Mahayana: Mahayana with, and without Vajrayana practice. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people think Hinayana and Mahayana and Vajrayana is three yanas. That may be true in the terms of people’s practice point of view. But in terms of philosophical point of view, Hinayana is not Mahayana and Vajrayana. It is the Shravakayana, Pratyekayana, and Buddhayana. Shravaka is the disciples of the Buddha who will hear all the teachings of the Buddha and will just pass the message. They do the Hinayana path of the practice. When it comes to the Mahayana, they listen and they will pass the message. That’s why it’s called “Shravaka.” Pratyekayana Buddhists don’t listen to anyone. It’s self-liberating. Mostly Pratyekayana Buddhist practitioners have come before Buddha or after Buddha. Before Buddha, when he officially appeared the Pratyekayana Buddhists were supposed to be finished, no more there. That is Pratyekayana, self-liberating by themselves. No teacher, no master, no tradition, nothing, by itself, Pratyekayana.

[27:45]

And Buddhayana, the Mahayana, because one who aims to become a Buddha, that’s why “Buddhayana” or the Mahayana. Which is divided into two: within and without Vajrayana. Both are Mahayanas. Whether it is Vajrayana or no Vajrayana, what makes you Mahayana practitioner is this mind. If you have this mind, you are Mahayana practitioner. If you don’t have this mind you are not a Mahayana practitioner, no matter whatever you do. That’s why they call it, “doorway” or that is where the line is drawn. Tsongkhapa adds up here, “Whenever any individual, when [they have] developed this ultimate, unconditioned, unlimited love-compassion, when it’s developed then that person becomes”—whatever that person may be—even a dog or cat or whatever it may be— “he becomes a Mahayana. And when you don’t have that, even if you have perfect wisdom you don’t have it, or you had it and you lose it, and that very moment you are becoming non-Mahayana.” That’s what Tsongkhapa is clarifying here.

[29:59]

Therefore, it ultimately depends on this mind whether you’re going to be great practitioner or not. It just depends on this mind. Shantideva’s Boddhisatvacharyaavatara has said, “The moment you develop this it will become—those are the days, it’s almost 2,000 years ago in India—they refer to this practitioner as ‘Children of the Buddha’ or ‘Prince and Princess of Buddha.’ (I’m not sure whether I’m going to find it or not). What Shantideva had said was, [Tibetan 31:18]. The moment you develop this mind, no matter how difficult you might be, how weak you might be, whatever your position might be, at that moment you will be called ‘Children of Buddha.’ And you also become subject of worship by…” (Believe it or not I found it here. It is Chapter 1, Verse 9. I think it’s chapter 1: Benefit of Awakening Mind, Verse 9). “The moment an awakened mind arises in those fetid and weak in the jail of cyclic existence, they will be named as ‘Son of Sugatas’ and will be revered by both men and gods of the world.” That is the Verse 9 of Chapter 1. So even though the verse is not mentioned here; it says, “Shantideva referred as ‘The Prince of Buddhas.’” So that’s what it is.

[33:12]

And also, Maitreya Buddha referred to this mind… You know just to get the interest here. Maitreya Buddha referred to this as “the diamond ornament.” No matter, even broken diamond, diamond with the flaw, the spots, even a diamond with the spots or flaw, even then by virtue of being a diamond even though it’s not good, but even then it’s better than gold or any other ornaments you wear. Not only it’s better, but it also helps you to get more money to clear our poverty. So just by virtue of being a diamond it helps. Just like that, they also give the example—I think it’s also Maitreya Buddha— gives the example of Prince or Princess of Queen or King, no matter how weak and how immature they might be, just by virtue of being future King or Queen, so it is more important and more valuable than seasoned ministers. These are the examples. I’m not making it up. It is Maitreya Buddha who gives those examples. So therefore, how important this Boddhimind mind is, really.

[35:32]

And also, okay, now another mind will come up. My mind, my thought, “Ok, so what. So it’s like a diamond, better than gold. It’s like a Prince and Princess, more than a seasoned minster. So what?” It also does something else. (I don’t think I’m going to find it). Shantideva says, [Tibetan 35:00]. “This mind is one of the best purifications. Among the Tibetan Buddhist practitioners it’s known, they will say a Vajrasattva practice. Everybody talks about Vajrasattva practice. Great, wonderful because it’s specialized for purification and all that. But the real, true, powerful antidote of negative emotions and negative karmas and negativities are boddhimind. [37:00 Tibetan] “Such a powerful negativity like this, who else can overpower besides boddhimind?” It is Shantideva who said that. And it’s true. We don’t care whether it’s Prince or Princess or better than minister or better than gold and jewels and diamond and all this. It doesn’t matter. But this one does matter. Because our interest in spiritual path is to help ourself and to help others. Way and how we help ourself and helping others is by purifying our negatives and building a positivity, karma and good and kindness and compassion. This is the only way we do. No matter whatever you may be.

[38:10]

You may be whatever, whatever tradition you may be following. Whatever you may be that is the way to do. If you’re going beyond that, there’s a question, there’s a doubt, there’s a difficulty. Boddhimind does that. Earlier Tibetan Kadampa masters used to say, [38:40 Tib] “If you have the boddhimind, it accumulates merit by itself, by virtue of having that mind. And it purifies negativities by virtue of having that mind.” And that’s why it’s called “precious.” It’s not called “precious” for nothing. That’s why it’s called precious. That’s why it’s difficult to gain. And that’s why it makes a difference in our journey of life after life, journey to the spiritual path. That makes a difference. That’s why it’s so important. (I’m sorry I

diverted from here. I will not do that. If I do it…Okay).

[38:55]

What Tsongkhapa emphasized here…Alright, great Mahayana and blah blah blah. The Mahayana is not important. But this mind is important. This compassion, that is important. And somehow that mind is by virtue of Buddhist thought, they identify this with the Mahayana. It’s not that Theravaden or Hinayana doesn’t have compassion, they do. It will come down there, I will talk to you later. Then we’re very proud, sometimes we’re very proud of being Mahayana.

I was really, when I was in Tibet, I was very proud of being a Mahayana practitioner. 99.9% of Tibetans are Mahayana practitioners. But still I was very proud of being a Mahayana practitioner. So I came to India. And there was a seminar between the Indian scholars and Tibetans. And I was selected to attend the seminar. And there was one Kashi pundit. Kashi pundit means from Varanasi, the Varanasi area. This is the real Brahmin caste, the real ultimate Indian Kashi pundit. [laughs]. And he was a professor of the Varanasi Institute. His name is Oubadaya [42:00]. Very nice gentleman, kind, and wonderful. And also really had a nice way of talking. And he was saying, “You people are great, you people are Mahayana. You people are great.” And I was sitting there listening, “Sure I am.” And he said, “Great.” And, “Just like Mt. Everest,” he said. “Just like Mt. Everest, high and great. But how high you are? Your height has to be measured. And the measurement has to be done from the ground. You can’t measure from the top. You have to measure from down, going up and see how high you are. So if you don’t have the foundation of basics where’s your ground, how are you going to measure? And we won’t know how high you are.” A great guy, made me think, hit me, and I said, “Wow!” That was 1959, 1960. I was twenty years old. Between nineteen and twenty year’s old. Wow.

[43:30]

So it’s true. Yes, you can be very proud of being Mahayana. But if you don’t know where you’re measuring, if you don’t have the ground and then then height is height. It really doesn’t mean anything. Beside that, it becomes ice castle for the individual. It becomes ice castle.

[44:00]

Now when I realize the Mahayana that we should be proud about, but it is this mind, this compassion, this love and caring for all. Not for ourself but for all. And this is really precious. This is what we should be proud of. And I should have been proud of this mind—not just being a Mahayana practitioner. So besides that, we have a bad habit as Tibetans to claim Mahayana because what we talk, what we think, what we say, the prayers. They are Mahayana prayers. We say, “May all beings have happiness. May all beings be free from suffering.” “May all beings” we say all the time. Is that enough to be this? No. The reality is not enough. It’s not the dharma. It’s not the practice that you do. It’s not. It is the person who does, who says, who thinks, who acts, who functions. That makes the difference. So that’s why Tsongkhapa says [45:40 Tib]. What Tsongkhapa meant is if the practice that you do is the Mahayana dharma that’s not enough. The person must be. It’s really true.

Person must be.

[46:12]

It’s the same thing. We do Vajrayana practice, a lot of us. We say Vajrayana rituals. We say the commitments. We say sadhanas. We visualize. We meditate. We say mantras. They’re all Vajrayana practice. It’s fine. But if the person is not having this mind, you’re not even—the technical I have to say—you’re not even a Mahayana. So how can you be good Vajrayana? Cannot be. Technically I have to say Mahayana. Mahayana or no Mahayana doesn’t matter. You’re not the person that you wanted to be. The things that you say, you think you do and you read, you listen, you talk, it doesn’t matter. I guess the practice what you preach is really the answer here. It’s not the label, not. It is the individual.

Each and every individual makes a difference. We’re here together. And many of us think we are Mahayanan. But if you really look carefully, some of you may be. Some of us may not be. The person who’s sitting next to you, may be. The person who’s sitting in the middle, that’s me—might not be. It is only you know by yourself, nobody else. So I think that’s good enough for here.

[48:42]

Yes, it’s true, the benefits and all of those are these. But if you don’t have the mind then you don’t. Then, well I’m going to jump here. Ultimately what you really have to do, you have to develop this mind within you. How do I turn myself to develop this mind? What measurements I take—whether I have this mind or not. And then the Buddhist practice offers holding a boddhimind through ritual. Basically three outlines you can think. First, how do I turn my mind to become this, to gain this mind? How do I do? Because we don’t know, we don’t know anything about it. And so it’s why it becomes important. There are many, believe me, there are many boddhisatvas, many persons who are having this mind who don’t claim to be Buddhist, who don’t even know anything about Buddhist or not Buddhist. There are many people in this world. There are many of them. Really. A lot of them. You have to remember that. Though this was so much emphasized and given from the Buddhist teachings. But there are persons who have this mind almost like by nature, almost like by nature, who don’t know anything about Buddhism, anything about any “ism.” There are many.

[51:00]

We have to realize that. That’s why it’s not the dharma that it is. It is the person who does what. That’s what it is.

Now we are talking from the dharma teaching point of view. How do I develop this mind? There’s a known method given in the Buddhist tradition. From the Buddhist tradition it is two things. Two known methods of developing this. And many of you are very familiar with this. There are Seven Stages of Development of this mind, is one known method. The other known method is Exchange Stage of Development. So it’s really interesting. When you really look deeper into the Buddha’s teaching it is very, very interesting. It is very open. And the result, whoever has it, not by practicing this, by other ways and means of doing it, is getting to that stage. Whatever way they get it they achieved. It doesn’t have to be following this and following that. We are simply following because this is only known to us. No matter whatever you do, either of these two stages of Seven Stage of Development or Exchange Stage of Development, or both combined together and make Eleven Stage, so whatever you do it doesn’t matter. They all give you the same result.

[53:21]

No matter whoever, wherever they practice this and it gives you the same result. Whatever is given to the other person, everybody gets the same results. These are the proven methods of doing it. And that’s known to us, so I’m going to share that with you. I’m also going to make it a little simpler and shorter than normal long teachings. I’m not going to give you much detail. I’m going to make it a shorter way.

Where does this particular, very precious mind that we’re taking about do? Actually I did not even introduce that mind yet. So let’s talk that first. Where does it come from? Now, think like steps. Where does that mind pop up from? What is the cause of developing this mind in me? What makes it pop up in me? That mind, the precious mind, what we refer to as “precious mind,” is popped out of what we call “special mind,” “special mind.” What is special about it? This special mind is taking responsibility, committing self and taking a responsibility. Let me just go through with this. It sounds a little childish. But taking a responsibility, that’s called “special mind.” Why is it special? Because if I’m simply seeking freedom for myself, I do not need this special mind. Because this special mind gives me responsibility and commitment of serving all beings. I’m committing. So that’s why it’s called “special mind.” Without that special mind, that precious mind doesn’t pop up.

[55:41]

That precious mind is the result of this committed special mind. This committed special mind one will not have unless one has greater compassion. I use the word “greater compassion.” I did not use “simple compassion.” There’s a big difference. Here we’re talking about greater compassion. Well, I may give you very briefly. Compassion can be focused to an individual person only. And aspects of that mind can be simply freeing from the suffering of one person or a group of persons. But greater compassion is supposed to be focusing to all living beings. And aspects of that mind is freeing from not a suffering but from all suffering. That’s why it’s called greater compassion. Such a compassion or such a greater compassion cannot develop to anyone unless you have love, unless you have love. Otherwise you don’t have that much feeling of, you know…It is very true when you look at it. The more you love the person, when the person is suffering you’re desire to free that is much more. It’s true to all of us. And that’s why this is unlimited, unconditioned compassion. So therefore it’s to all for everything.

[59:09]

Such is not possible unless you have love. The love wishes or seeks or acts to have a joy to whomever you are focusing. And that is not possible to anyone unless you have appreciation of that person, whether they’re kindness, or whether they’re as a person. Whatever it may be, without which you will not have such a love. You may like it. You may think it’s good. You may think it’s great. You may acknowledge it is nice. But you don’t have love unless you have great appreciation. And you do not gain such appreciation unless you see how good they have been, how kind they have been to me. So, according to the traditional Buddhist teachings, they will say, “Remembering kindness and recognizing, repaying and seeing everyone as your most important closest friend, one who you rely on survival for many times. The ultimate friend, they say ‘mother being.’” That’s why in the Buddhist tradition they say look at every sentient being as a mother being, not just a being. When you look at it, it is the recognizing as total, the ultimate friend. And remembering their kindness and appreciate and wanted to repay. Love, compassion, special mind, six of them, brings the result, the boddhimind. So that is seven, Seven Stage of Development. Just briefly mentioned to you, very briefly. I’m not even sure whether I have done service to you or disservice to you. Sometimes when you do in such a short way, instead of helping it can also backfire.

[1:02]

But if you read, read my own transcripts. I must publicize my own transcripts of Training of Mind, Lojong, which I did in New York a few years ago. It’s a very good transcript. I just got a chance to look back. I really realize it’s done very well. The language of course, editing and all this, because of my own English is a big problem. However, the message was really good. Read that. And also, one of my late teachers, Gomo Rinpoche’s “Children of Buddha” or something, it’s called “Becoming a Child of the Buddha.” Read that. My big thick, Lam Rim, which we neglected, that had a really good section in that. That is a huge thick Lam Rim that one. Those are all transcripts. And then of course Pabongka’s “Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand.” That one has a very good section.

Although I’m going to talk to you the whole day tomorrow, I haven’t even begun with the Lojong level yet. And I didn’t even touch the Exchange Way of Developing Boddhimind. We all do this. But also I wanted to tell you this is something we won’t be able to do in one weekend. This is something we won’t be able to do in one month. This is something we won’t be able to do in one year. This is something constant, continuous, interest, efforts, reading, understanding and thinking, analyzing, meditating, gaining experience bit by bit. Gradually it builds up. You know I think it may be in here—maybe I’m telling you a little too early. It may be here, I’ll look in the afternoon. I thought I saw it somewhere here. Maybe I’m telling it to you a little bit earlier.

[1:05:13]

Atisha, the great Indian Bengali teacher of 1100’s, is really who made the Tibetan Buddhism what it is today. It is all because of Atisha. Otherwise it was mystical, mystery. This, that, ringing bells, banging gongs, burning incense and hitting on the head and that’s it. And it goes in that way. It had been not really solid that one can think, meditate and taste. It is all made by Atisha. So Atisha said…Sorry I’m not finding it so I’m not going to waste your time by looking for this. But Atisha said, “You Tibetans know a greater compassion which doesn’t care for anybody else except yourself.” [laughs] That’s what Atisha told the Tibetans. “You Tibetans are the only persons I know who know the compassion which cares for no one except yourself.” …I don’t see it. So may be slightly different wording’s there.

That’s basically what is the Seven Stage of Development. Basically, I talked to you the Seven. And there’s a meditation on this and all of those. What I would like to do is recognize all living beings as most closest, dearest, ultimate friend. Which is not possible for us to think, even to think. It’s not possible because we think we’re not fools. We know who is enemy. And we know who is friend. We could be very wrong but we think it is. We’re not fooled. So we will have a huge, unbalanced perception of enemy and friend.

[1:08:30]

Until we’re taking care of that, there is no way we can see all beings as most closest, dearest friend. It’s not even possible. We’re talking about something impossible. Looks, but it may not be that much impossible. It’s reality. But in order to make that change, make that switch, you really have to have mind of it. Mind that’s labeling, mind that’s smooth thing, this so much black and white of enemy and friend. Nowadays the moment you say enemy you will see Osama Ben Laden. When we say friend we will see George. [laughter] I’m kidding. Because somebody said when you think of a friend you think George Bush. So when you think a friend, we think the person who saves from the terrorism. It’s George Bush. I’m kidding. [laughter] Politics is a game that we enjoy playing. It’s really a game as well as it makes a difference in life. It’s not only a game. It is something else.

But here we really have that big difference. Particularly, you know, the year of politics. And we do have a lot of feelings of enemy and friend between two of them. And if you take one step beyond that it’s not much difference. [laughs] I’m sorry, that’s me. The democrats are like the republicans. I’m sorry they both are the same thing there. Neither the Ralph Nader is greater either. Not any way. So all of them are same category. All of them are same category. If you go beyond one of those filters, if you take the filter off—the democratic filter or republican filter or Nader filter, whatever—they’re all the same.

[1:12]

And when they get into power they create trouble equally. One does it the other way, the other does it the other way, but it will create trouble equally. So it may be a good point for us to equalize a little more. But I don’t want to equalize your thoughts sixty days before the election. [laughs] I’m going shut my mouth here.

Tomorrow what I’m going to do, the first thing, I’m going to bring this equanimity. And way and how you bring equanimity and give and take, tonglen. I’m going to divert a little bit from this Tsongkhapa’s teaching and I’m going to my late master, Kyabje Trijang Dorjechang’s. Kyabje Trijang Dorjechang’s Special here is short. It is one page or two pages but it really tells you in very detail how it develops with the one individual’s mind. We say, “May all beings be free. May all beings never be separate from the joy that has never known suffering. May all beings be free from attachment and hatred.” Free from attachment and hatred is what they really try to bring is a little bit of stabilize, and equalize and smoothing. That smoothing has three or four layers of how deep one should go and can go. This is what I’m going to do tomorrow.

[1:14:35]

(Now it’s 9:10. My watch is way beyond). I think I will go to the questions that you have because that’s also very important because you have come here for a purpose. And I’m sure you have a lot of questions. I hope not too much.

Questions and Answers

Audience: Actually this first one, there were a lot of questions about the same thing, Rimpoche. So I’ve tried to combine them. They had to do with karma. The question was: if we never meet with karma that we didn’t cause, and if as you say, karma is one of the hardest things to understand and one of the most complicated things, are there any purely accidental events? In speaking about karma, how do we think of victims of accidents or events, such as what happened in Russia yesterday?

Rimpoche: There are accidental things for sure. But when accidental things happen, that becomes the conditions that connects with the karmic. Actually, what happened yesterday in Russia in the school, which we prayed last night and we should also pray today, and all the time, saying it’s over 200 lives have been lost. What happened is they were there at the wrong time, wrong place. However, being wrong time and wrong place is accidental and connects to its own condition and it connects with that karma of dying or losing a life or wounding or whatever terrible thing’s happened. That is the true reality.

[1:17:26]

You know, I had a great deal of difficulty to answer that question. My “Good Life, Good Death” book came out just after 9/11. So wherever I went to the book signing, there was a huge amount of people coming in and the same question, “What did they do wrong, those who lost life in New York on 9/11?” And they did nothing wrong. We happen to have that karma and accidental things happened, actually wrong place, wrong time. But the karmic connects because conditions right. When the conditions are right karmic result is given. [1:18:28 Tib] When the conditions are right the result comes. That’s what it is. It is very much karmic. There’s not so much even a mystery about it. It’s quite clear. Could you have avoided? Yes, you could have avoided. But you did not get to avoid. So you’re caught in that incident, that accident, incident, which becomes the result. For me it is strengthening more of karma rather than questioning. So that’s my answer for that.

Audience: The subject of reincarnation was addressed this morning in terms of immediacy—what we do today effects the tailor-cut of our next suit of clothes and the extremely unlikely—the blind turtle sticking his head up through the yoke floating in the ocean. Should we think of the next life as being directly effected by what we do in this one, or only remotely and indirectly?

Rimpoche: Very good question, thank you. In order to answer this question, I need to talk to you a little bit because I didn’t talk to you how karmic consequences materialize. According to the Buddha’s teaching, what happens, the most powerful karma whatever we have—positive or negative—that gives you the result first. If we have a very powerful negative karma and we do nothing, that’s bound to give you result first. Vice versa, if we have very positive karma and it’s not destroyed by hatred, then that’s bound to give you the first result. However, if it’s power, if it’s equal, then whatever we get more used to that gives you result first. That’s the reason why we do daily practice. Daily practice gives strengthening to our positive karma. If it’s equal, the second choice is wherever we’re more used to it will come first. So if you’re so used to it with the positive karma, the positive karma’s result will come before the negative karma’s result, or vice versa.

[1:22:06]

Even if it’s equal, equal to the force and power, equal to whatever you’re used to, if all these conditions are equal, equal, equal, then whichever you have done earlier. Seniority. That is according to the Buddha. [1:22:31 Tib] I think it is Vasubandhu’s metaphysical root text tells you. [1:22:43 Tib]. That’s how it works.

The question, what was the second part of the question?

Audience: Should we think of the next life as being directly effected by what we do in this one, or only remotely and indirectly?

Rimpoche: It depends how powerful the karma is that we produced. It does effect anyway. What we try to do is have a powerful positive karma and develop sort of, try to use for that. And our usual use is very important. You know what does that do here? It’s almost like the opposite of getting addicted to negativities. And here you’re getting addicted to the positivities.

I don’t know whether I have answered this question or not. That’s what I think. Thank you.

Audience: You spoke this morning about life being the meeting of the individual consciousness and a particular physical identity. The question is: when in this meeting of consciousness and body how does the ego form?

Rimpoche: I can see two parts of a question here. One, the question is, when you put it directly, is when does life begin? And the second is, where does ego come from and how does it form?

[1:25:15]

When life begins, according to the Buddha’s teachings, it begins at the conception. In my understanding, I looked at this quite carefully. It is like, when you look into this genetic chart, we have all this something that looks like intestine going this way all the time. [gesticulates] It is the gene that travels through parents to children to grandchildren and it is one direction. And then you look into the endless knot of Tibetan…This is the sign that we use in Garrison, that endless knot. So, if you look at that, and I see that as a chart of consciousness, consciousness traveling throughout. The gene chart’s going this way, the consciousness chart is going that way. And then when you superimpose on each other the points where they join together. And each one of those joining points are the point where the consciousness is occupying the genetic-oriented identity. That’s what I have in mind and that’s what I was talking about.

Yes, at the time of the conception is this. This gene is like a base or it is a house. My consciousness is traveling and is like a tenant. Always use idea of rented apartment, a tenant. The tenant occupies the apartment and when the tenant enters in that basis of that apartment that is what it is. But the question remains whether that a human life or not and all of those are subject of discussion.

And behind this question, the question in which the country is divided, it is the pro-life or pro-choice. In myself, personally, I’m pro-choice. That doesn’t mean the method that we apply by choice is great. In my opinion, no pro-choice person, I hope, don’t say abortion is great. It’s not. It is difficult. I hope nobody thinks it’s great. It’s not. But when you can’t help it, your body condition, your medical condition, your financial condition, all circumstances you can’t help it, and you have a right to do what you need to do. And that’s how I support pro-choice. But that doesn’t mean abortion is great. That doesn’t mean abortion does not have negative karma. It does. But then everything, whatever we do, does have negative karma as well. Every negative karma is not necessarily permanent karma. It can be purified.

[1:30:38]

That’s why purification is there. So that’s how I’ve become pro-choice. It doesn’t mean that’s a great thing to do. But you can’t help it. You can’t afford to. The time, the money, from every corner. That’s my way of thinking. I’m sorry if I said something wrong. I’m sorry about it. But I think that question touches that.

And the second part of the question, what was it?

Audience: How and when, if you have the tenant and the house, and you also have the ego that moves in, when and how does the ego move in?

Rimpoche: Ego is nothing new. Ego has been traveling ‘round us throughout our lives. It’s nothing new. If it’s new, if it begins at the conception we could have easily gotten rid of it. It doesn’t. It comes from much deeper than that. Ego really here is the confusion and the fear combined together and controlling the individual completely. Couldn’t even breathe, couldn’t even function properly. It is such an intense tightness. That is the problem. It’s been a very long time. Very, very long time. It just does not begin this life. Even so, not that difficult. Thank you.

Audience: The emphasis of our practice in Jewel Heart seems to be on the transformation of our mental attitude from negative to positive and the improvement of our ethical behavior. Is there any room within this context of our practice for social work and political action? Or should those areas of concern be considered not related directly to our practice?

Rimpoche: Social work is a very important question. Social work, political activism, they are very concerned and very good things to do. It is a practical way of translating compassion. Practical way of translating compassion. We Tibetans have one big problem. That is, we are sitting in the comfortable square cushion and keep on thinking compassion. But when you become practical level, you can’t lift our butt up. And this is our practical problem. And when you have the social activities and political and all this, and particularly, you know, all this—taking care of sick people, old people, environment—and all of them are important. They are extremely important and complement each other.

[1:43:49]

With our own mental practice and action, it is the translation of the mental practice into action and which complements each. It is a wonderful way of doing it. We should definitely do it. And definitely encourage and emphasis it. However, such action should not be influenced by hatred. Such action should not be influenced by obsession, or both. Free of hatred and free of obsession as a principle. And purely loving, caring, and kindness-oriented action will complement each other. And a great way. And I personally welcome it very much. But myself is a big fat guy who can’t move much. Honestly. Sorry.

Audience: My last question is, you’ve spoken a lot in the last day or so about the need to help yourself first. And in the context of that, how do we find a balance between selfishness and giving too much to other people before we’ve helped ourselves enough?

Rimpoche: I think that’s why you need the help-yourself is needed. Helping yourself will give you a limit and give you a line where to draw. The idea that Elizabeth gave me this morning was, “When you fly in the plane and when the oxygen mask comes down, they will tell you you put yourself first in order to help the other one.” It is genuine, because if you die or you are killed or you’re not functioning—I mean, die, not in the sense of literal death, but die in the sense that you can do nothing—then forget about helping others. You can’t even help yourself. That’s how it is. That’s my thinking. And line’s been drawn because your capacity, when it becomes better then you go more. When your capacity will limit you how much you can do for the others and how much you have to do, according to your own capacity you have to move. And that is your personal capacity, your capacity of time, your capacity of money, your capacity of everything. So with your own capacity you go. You help, you don’t destroy yourself. That is simple common sense to me. Thank you.

Audience: For new students I think it would be helpful if you actually listed the Seven Stages or Steps. You said them but didn’t actually list them one through seven.

Rimpoche: Thank you for the suggestion because we will revisit that tomorrow anyway.

Audience: If technology keeps us alive longer or indefinitely, does it offer the opportunity for spiritual development no matter what body parts have been replaced?

Rimpoche: Good thinking. As long as you can think and function I don’t think it matters. If you can’t think, and if you cannot make right decisions then you can do nothing. Then it’s time to pack up. As long as you can think and function properly—“properly” is interpretable—function well or function. So you always find way of contributing to your spiritual practice. If you’re doing something that looks like non-spiritual, watching TV, watching a movie, just for example, it can be very spiritual to some people and it can be very non-spiritual to some persons. It is the person that makes the difference not what do you do. We already said that in the afternoon today.

[1:41:25]

Some of the Tibetan’s great masters they used to snuff tobacco. Snuffing tobacco. They didn’t smoke. It’s the culture. It’s the same thing. If you go to Thailand a lot of Buddhist monks smoke cigarettes. If you go to Tibet no Buddhist monks or nuns will smoke cigarettes but they will use snuff. It’s the same thing. Whether you smoke the tobacco or snuff tobacco it’s the same thing. However, culturally it is sort of accepted. There was one great master, it was about 1800’s, he used that too much, all the time. Not only picking up by two fingers and pushing it, but the whole thing was put on through, all the time. [demonstrates] But you know the Tibetan’s and his own biography says—the person who wrote his biography—once he took it he took a pound of each and threw it on his own face all the time. He does that. And then he said, “I do this all the time because I do know how to use this. Every time when I sniff in I’m taking the suffering of all sentient beings in.” [laughter] “When I’m passing the smoke out of my mouth, I’m giving all my virtues to all sentient beings.” And it is true for his own practice. He really does that. That’s how it is. It is very appearance is something different.

Did I answer your question? What was the question anyway?

[1:44:50]

As long as you’re mentally capable of doing that, then no matter whatever the parts you have changed, it doesn’t matter. And if you’re not capable of doing that, you’re taken over by delusion or confusion, and then it’s okay, time to go. Thank you.

I will suggest to you tonight, just give yourself a little time to review what I said this morning and this evening. And if you can, think of the Seven Limbs plus Seven Stage. The way the Seven Limbs and all this works, it is contemplating. And the way the Seven Stage works it is the development of the boddhimind. So if you could meditate a little bit by yourself and in the morning if you could meditate something too it may be helpful. And thank you very much and good night.

[1:46:45 Teaching ends; Kathy gives announcements & dedication, tape ends at 1:52]