So that, one or two techniques that, I just mention that. For those who are, do not have much idea of emptiness, doesn’t know how to meditate, just to give, just to play around, just to play around in the emptiness or something.

Anyway, so this is one technique that may also be helpful that, for example, this is what I normally mention, one technique that, so you ask to yourself, What I am doing? You ask to yourself, What I am doing? Then, I am sitting. Why I say I am sitting? Why I say I am sitting? There is no other…. While you are questioning, you should watch the I, self, to start with. You look at the self, I, and then you, What are you doing? Then, I am sitting. Whatever action you are doing, that, sitting or sleeping or walking or whatever, eating, eating, going to toilet, whatever activity you are doing.

Then, so sitting here, so at the moment sitting. Why I say I am sitting? There is no other reason at all, there is no other reason at all except the aggregates, the body, is doing the action of sitting. That’s all. Nothing else, no other reason. So you put this reason, aggregates, no other reason at all except the aggregates, the body, is doing the action of sitting.

After you put this reason, then look at what happened to the self, the I. If your mind is meditating, not just saying the words but your mind is meditating, definitely, definitely there will be change in the view of the I, self. Something different than before. Before you start to analyze, there is a real I sitting, doing the action of sitting, that’s what you believe. But now after you put this reason, there is no other reason at all except the aggregates, the body, is doing the action of sitting. [pause]

If one is meditating then what should happen, what it effect, by putting the reason then watch, spy or watch, how you see the self—there’s total differences, total change. Before, the real I, what the psychologist says, emotional I, or the truly existent I, real I seems exist from there. Now here, that, I think, I guess depend individual person, so could see it’s not, now it’s not there. There’s no such thing on these aggregates. However, there is definitely change in your view of the I, how you see the I.

Doing this, or many activities, while you are walking, you can do this meditation while you are walking, eating, not only sitting, so listening, talking, so then by meditating like this then you see more and more clear the false I. Before there’s a real I but after that, it’s not there, at all. However the, something becomes, however, not like before. You don’t see the I like before at all.

This meditation helps to recognize the gag-cha, object to be refuted, to recognize the false I that which we have to realize, on which we use all the analysis, that is explained in the Madhyamaka subject, Nagarjuna’s teachings, dependent arising or all those, so many different reasonings to realize that doesn’t exist. Analyzing on that in order to realize that is totally nonexistent. So that is empty. That’s the, so realizing that, realizing that is total nonexistent is the emptiness of the I, ultimate nature of the I.

Also, this is His Holiness, one time also His Holiness explained the method, method or the way to recognize the false I, the object to be refuted. There are not so many words to us, just very simple but very effective.

And the other thing, so if there is a child or say, child called Kiko, child whatever it is,  called Kiko. So Kiko, before the pregnancy, before the aggregates, Kiko’s aggregates is actualized, before the pregnancy, Kiko’s aggregates is actualized, before that, even the parents gave name, Kiko, that time Kiko doesn’t exist. That time Kiko doesn’t exist. That time Kiko doesn’t exist, even they gave the name. They went through the books, list of many, thousands of list of names and then they found Kiko and they agreed to label Kiko. So their mind labeled already Kiko but Kiko doesn’t exist that time.

Now, the other one, Kiko’s aggregates is actualized. Pregnancy happened, Kiko’s, well, anyway, Kiko’s aggregates is actualized but the parents hasn’t labeled Kiko. They haven’t gone through the book, or, anyway they haven’t labeled Kiko. So that time Kiko doesn’t exist. Not only before but even now, even this time aggregates is actualized, but the parents haven’t labeled Kiko, that time Kiko doesn’t exist. Even that time Kiko doesn’t exist.

So when Kiko came in existence, is, there is the valid base, the aggregates, actualized. Base to be labeled is there, actually actualized. Then because of that, parents, father or mother, whoever, decided, mind made up, made up the label, Kiko, and believed in that. Made up the label Kiko and believed in that. Mind, the aggregates, the valid base, aggregates, is there, then father or mother, their mind just simply made up the label, Kiko, and believed in that. So that time, then Kiko came in existence. That time then Kiko came in existence. [Rinpoche snaps fingers]

So now, what is Kiko? So now what is Kiko? So it’s nothing.  Nothing other, except what is merely imputed by the mind. Nothing other except what is merely imputed by the mind. Kiko is nothing other than what is merely imputed by the mind. So that means again here, Kiko is nothing other than except what is merely imputed by mind.

So therefore, Kiko is totally empty, totally empty of existing from its own side. Kiko is empty of the real, what we, what appears to us and what we believe in daily life, real Kiko, in the sense existing, real Kiko appearing from there. Real Kiko appearing from the object’s side, from Kiko’s side. Real Kiko in the sense of appearing from Kiko’s side. Not Kiko that is imputed by your mind, not that one; but Kiko appearing from its own side. So the Kiko is totally empty of that Kiko. Totally empty of that Kiko, Kiko appearing from its own side, that one, real Kiko, it’s empty of that. So the other one - totally nonexistent, totally not there, cannot find anywhere. Kiko exists but it’s empty, totally empty. So again, here, unification of emptiness and dependent arising, what Kiko is, like that.

So that’s one meditation technique, simple. Not too many reasoning, simple. To get an idea of empty, truth of Kiko, for example, truth of Kiko, able to see the truth of Kiko and the false of Kiko, Kiko which doesn’t exist.

Then, I just mention this then I stop there.

This is, also His Holiness, sometimes His Holiness give this, explains through this, give this technique, also helpful.

So the 360 days, not 6 days, 60 days, when we do not analyze what is the year, not this ear,  not this, year, so normally in our daily life when we do not analyze, when we think about year, this year, this year I’m going to do, this year I’m going to travel. This year I am going to travel, or this year I am going to go to school or university or going to do job. So anyway, so, when we do not analyze what it, what is the year, a real year, there’s a real year in the sense existing from its own side, there is year appearing from there. There is a year, a real year appearing from there, okay? So that is a gag-cha, object to be refuted, the real year appearing from there. You don’t see as merely imputed by your mind, but when you think of year, there’s a real year coming from there. So that’s the false year. So that’s how normally appeared and believed, by our hallucinated mind, the ignorance.

So now, what is year? What is year? It is nothing, it is nothing other except what is merely imputed by the mind because there is a base, 360 days. Because there is 360 days, base, so year is merely imputed by the mind. So now here you can see, now here when you analyze what is the year, it is totally empty of the year that you used to believe before, the way it appeared and you believed, it’s totally empty of that, what you used to believe daily life. It doesn’t mean year doesn’t exist; year exists but it’s totally empty. So that’s clear.

Now, what did I say? I mean, that’s one way to say, but I think the, could put it this way. Twelve months, the base, you can say twelve months. So now, next is a month. So this, say, so sometimes I’m not sure so you have to correct me, you have correct me on the numbers. So, the what? Thirty days? The four weeks? Huh? Is it right? Four weeks or three weeks?

Students: Four.

Rinpoche: Okay. All right. So now here, a month. So, again, when we think of month in our daily life, in our daily, a real month appearing, a real month appearing from there. You don’t see merely imputed by your mind even though right now, just a second before, your mind merely imputed but you don’t see that. And believe in it. Merely imputed and believe in that, you don’t see. You don’t see that, not aware. So the next second your mind merely imputed, next second [Rinpoche snaps fingers] it appears back to you, month, month not merely imputed by the mind. Not merely imputed by the mind, it appears back the next second, which is not true, it’s totally false.

This is what, daily life this is how it has been appearing and that’s how we have been believing. This month I am going to do this, I am going to do that, all that.

So now, what is the month? What is month? It’s nothing except what is merely imputed by the mind because there is the four weeks, the base. So month is merely imputed by the mind. You think of the base, four weeks, now think, mind merely imputed month. Your mind made up the label and believed in that. So now, the month is totally empty. The month exists, but it’s totally empty of the real month that you used to believe before, existing from its own side. It’s unified emptiness and dependent arising, the month which exists. What it is, is extremely fine, subtle.

Now the week. So how, when we talk about the week, when we talk about the week how it appears, how we believe normally in our daily life, is a real week, a real week appearing from there. So now, this week I’m going for holiday, this week I’m going for retreat, this week I’m going for beach, whatever ?you call. So normally real week, real week appearing from there and believe that.

So now, what is the week? So again same. There is the base, the seven days. That is the base. Then the mind, because there is seven days then mind merely, the mind simply made up the label, week, and believed in that. So merely imputed, mere imputation. So now, the week is totally empty, the week is totally empty of the previous week that just before, what the way it appeared and how you believed, that real week. So now this is, now this, after analyzing this week, totally empty of that. So that previous week, that other one, which ?person you believed, total nonexistent, total nonexistent.

So same thing, then the twenty-hour, the base, then mind merely imputed, day. Simply made up the label, day, and believed in that. So again, now here, the day is totally empty, totally empty of the real day, the way it appeared and believed by one’s own hallucinated mind, ignorance. So that one, that one which we normally believe in our daily life, totally nonexistent, there’s no such thing there. So the day is empty of that day, that real day.

So now the hour. Sixty minutes, I guess. So there’s the base, sixty minutes. So when you meditate you should think like this. First how you see the hour. How you see the hour. When you think of hour, how it appears? Then you analyze. First how do you see the hour, then use analysis. So there’s sixty minutes, the base, then your mind merely imputed, made up the label, minute. Sorry, hour. What did I say? Got confused now. Yeah, sixty minutes. Then hour is merely imputed, one’s mind merely impute hour, so that’s it, what hour is. So therefore, the hour, now here it’s totally empty of that hour that appears, the way it appeared and you believed before, which we believe in daily life, totally empty of that. Totally empty of that. So that other one is false hour, now this is the hour which exists, that which is empty and dependent arising.

So now same thing, the minute. So that, how many seconds one minute? Huh? Sixty? What? Huh? How many?

Students: Sixty.

Rinpoche: Okay. So sixty seconds, okay, now so on that base, mind merely imputed, mind merely imputed minute. Mind merely imputed minute. That’s it, nothing else, nothing other than that, what is minute. So, minute exists but it’s totally empty of the real minute what which we normally believe and appeared, the way it’s  appeared, totally empty of that. The other one is false minute. This one is the truth, the reality, what is minute, that exists, extremely, what is a minute is extremely subtle.

Now the second. So I guess, I don’t know, I don’t know the camera, when you click, count, you count many, I don’t many hundreds of what? Seconds or something, what? What do you call?

Student: Frames.

Rinpoche: Frames? Huh? So you don’t call seconds? Huh? Huh?

Student: Frames.

Rinpoche: So when you click the camera you count, so many, the shortest time, how do you say. “Shortest time” can you say? The other name.

For example, duration like this. [Rinpoche snaps fingers] Duration like this it’s counted, it is counted 365 shortest time. So the second here it’s counted, according to Mahayana, 365 shortest time. Counted like that. According to the lower, the Vaibashika school, like that, 65 shortest time but according to Mahayana, 365 shortest time.

So I could, I think, second, as clock goes, so when that, anyway, I think scientists they, I don’t know how much count within this, [finger snaps] I think must be count many, I’m not sure. So like that.

So again, on this basis, on this basis then second is merely imputed by mind. So what is second? It’s nothing except what is merely imputed by mind. So that’s totally empty of that real second, the way it appears which we believe normally. So the other one is false second, this one is second which exist, that which is empty.

So even the shortest time, even the shortest time 365 shortest time, it is what is called is name. Even that what is called is name. 365 seconds what is called is name. So name has to come from the mind. So it’s merely imputed by the mind. It is merely imputed, 365 shortest time is merely imputed by the mind. So, merely imputed by mind, so that means empty of, they all are empty of the real shortest time, 365, each one is empty of the real one.

So now here, , starting from the year, down to the second, the shortest time, all that, they are all empty. In reality they are all empty. Existing, it’s mere imputation, exist in mere name, merely imputed by mind, so all that.

So similar meditation from the I, sorry, I pointed here, I. Similar meditation from the I, I, aggregates, general aggregates, collections of the five aggregates, then each aggregate–form, aggregate of form, aggregates of feeling, cognition, compounding aggregates, consciousness. Then aggregate of form, then, the collections of all the parts, collections of all the different parts of the body and then each part, each limb, part, then parts of the limb. So everything goes, everything goes down, goes down to the atom. So goes down, so more analyze, more analyze, further, then goes down to atom. So according to the Prasangika school, the atoms ?are particles, imputed on the base, another atom. So atoms are the particles.

So atoms, without the mind labeling, there’s no atom. So what’s called atom is merely imputed by the mind, name imputed by the mind. Merely imputed by mind, so what appeared, what atom appears, what atom what appeared from its own side that is object to be refuted, that’s hallucination. That’s totally empty.

So starting from the I, everything like that. Existing, exist in mere name, merely imputed by mind. So therefore starting from the I down to the atoms, particles of the atoms, everything is empty. Everything exists as mere imputation, so everything is empty of existing from their own side.

While one is walking, one can do that with this meditation, you can walk, starting from the I, everything’s existing in mere imputation, the ?whole aggregates, everything. With this awareness of everything merely impute, exist in mere name, merely imputed by mind, so you walk. It becomes very fascinating. It’s a wonderful discovery.

Same thing, the continuity of consciousness. One is the atom, one is the consciousness. The seconds of consciousness, then there are also particles. So many particles within that. Time, the continuity by dividing. So all those merely imputed by mind, what appear, what appeared, the consciousness and all the split second of consciousness, hour, hour, minute, seconds, all that, then those shortest times, then within each one there are many shortest time, so all those appeared, real one appearing from there, all that is object to refuted, false, they are empty.

So here it’s same. It shows what is the, here, what is the false view, false I, I which exist and the aggregates, false aggregates which doesn’t, and aggregates which exist, so again here it shows. So this is also a very good meditation, a very good meditation.

So one does this analysis, then you walk, after doing the analysis, then when you walk also you do the same, with this continual awareness. So then, here there’s nothing to, there’s nothing to grasp, to hold onto. So it helps to not, it helps to not rise the three poisonous minds, to not create the cause of samsara. Like that. And it helps for liberation. To liberate oneself then also with this experience realizing emptiness, one is able to liberate other sentient beings.

Yeah, so then, alle. Sorry, I think the time is gone.

The real time, the real time, the real time or ?empty, always, so I think maybe…. This is just to give you some idea of, those who are not familiar, to do some meditation, so it’s basically like that. Since I brought that subject last night.

Sorry, I didn’t get to touch the Golden Light Sutra.

Very sorry. I think a lot of obstacles to,  I think my mind become obstacle to read the Golden Light Sutra.

So taking refuge, the refuge vow, one is refuge, one is what’s called, in Tibetan what’s called [Tibetan], only refuge upasika vow, those who are taking only refuge, only upasika refuge, that is one. Then those who taking any lay vows - five, four, three, two, one, whichever one can from the five lay vows, so that is one thing.

It is mentioned in the sutra Do ting dzin gyal po, this sutra by Buddha, anyone, equaling the number of the water atoms of the Pacific Ocean, that many eons, eons equaling the number of the water atoms of the Pacific Ocean, then one make offering to the buddhas every day, food and drink, umbrella, banners, so forth, very extensive offering, very extensive offering to the buddhas. Then, in degenerated time one person keeping one vow, one precept, just for one day, just for one day, one precept, one day, this one collects far more greater, far more greater merit than who made offering, extensive offerings to the buddhas, for eons, how many eons? Equaling the number of the water atoms of the Pacific Ocean. So itself is unbelievable merit, extensive offering to the buddhas, to all the buddhas but not just for a hundred years or like that, but eons, how many eons? Equaling the number of the water atoms of the Pacific Ocean. It is said there sand grains of Ganga, but this is not the Indian river Ganga, this is the Pacific Ocean and it seems the sand grains, not ordinary sand it’s the water atoms. So equaling, water atoms, eons equaling the water atoms of the Pacific Ocean. But then one person taking one precept, keeping one precept one day, such degenerated time, now it’s even over-degenerated time, flourishing the five degenerations. So here such degenerated time, one person keeping one vow collects far more greater merit than all those other extensive offering for that many eons, number, making offering to Buddha every day, it becomes very small.

So this is what the Buddha, this is one quotation. There are other quotations. However, must realize, so therefore, must realize even you take only one vow in such a degenerated time, the benefit’s unimaginable, like limitless sky.

And the other one, three thousand galaxies, the great thousand of three thousand galaxies, universe, you count one, two, three, four, like that, a thousand, then one thousand like that, you count one, two, three, four, the thousand, then again you count one, two, three, four, like that, then thousand, so like that. Great thousand of three thousand galaxies, so all those sentient beings become wheel-turning king and then each one offer, each one offers oceans of butter, by putting Mt Meru of wax [wick], make the light offering to Buddha, that one person living in the vow, so all those not living in the vow, but this one person living in the vow you offer to Buddha butter size of mustard of seed and size of hair wax [wick], size of mustard seed butter, you make light offering to Buddha, this person living in the vow making a very tiny offering to Buddha, mustard seed, size of mustard butter and hair, size, wax [wick], light offering to Buddha, this person living in morality collects far more greater merit than the great thousand of three thousand galaxies, the sentient beings living in that, all those become wheel-turning king, everyone makes oceans of butter, Mt Meru ?wax [wick] light offering to Buddha, the merit is small, if you compare.

By living in the vow, the precept, then not only, while you are working, many hours doing job, many hours doing job, you collect merit all the time and how many hours one sleep at nighttime, nighttime or daytime, how many hours one sleep, all those hours you’re collecting merit all the time, you’re making your life meaningful, you’re collecting merit all the time by living in the vow. Walking, sitting, sleeping, whatever, all the time you’re collecting merit, so making the life meaningful all the time.

Then not only that, with the vow, whatever virtue you collect every day it increases, it increases hundred thousands, depending number of the vows, even millions it increases. Thousand, one hundred thousand, millions, it increases, whatever virtue you collect by living in the vow, whatever virtue you collect it increase so much, like business in stock market, banks. However, the merit, whatever virtue you collect increases, unbelievable.

So again here one makes one’s own life so meaningful. So easy, so like that.

And this is the foundation, this the foundation to achieve libera-, this is the foundation, more, living in the morality, living in the pure life then become basis for, to achieve perfect concentration, shamatha, then that becomes basis for great insight, great insight, that realization, able to derive rapturous ecstasy of the body and mind, by meditating on emptiness, unified with the shamatha. Then that becomes basis for the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness, arya path, exalted path, which directly ceases the defilements, the seed of delusion, the imprint. Then, of course, with bodhicitta, with the support of bodhicitta then also able to cease even the subtle defilements. So then able to achieve full enlightenment, like that. So this is the foundation for all the development, your liberation, enlightenment.

Then other one is, from the five lay vows, five, four, three, one, whatever one is able to take, you stop other sentient beings, other sentient beings receiving, other sentient beings receiving harm from you become less, including the sentient beings, people living in the country, and family, animals who are around you, starting from there in the country, sentient beings in that country, and all the rest of the world, they receive less harm. More number of vow one takes, they receive less harm from you. So they receive that much peace and happiness from you.

So now here, at least stop giving harm others. So that is peace and happiness what they are receiving from you by living in the vow. So therefore this becomes, therefore this become most practical contribution for the world peace. How many number of vows one takes, this becomes the most practical contribution for the world peace, to the sentient beings. So this is the importance of that.

So from the five, whichever one think, one can do that, or if one can’t take all the five, then just only take refuge. Only refuge upasika vow, one can take that, because Buddha is so kind, Buddha is so compassionate for us sentient beings, so Buddha, according to us sentient beings’ capacity, that even granting the refuge, taking the refuge vow, there are practices, refuge precepts, three things to abandon, three things to practice, so you stop many, this way you stop many negative karmas, you stop many negative karma that obscures your mind to have realization, and then collect so much merit, just even with the refuge practice, refuge vow, respect to the holy objects, like that, so every day you collect a lot of merit. Before eating or drinking, first you offer to Buddha, that’s part of the general practice, by taking refuge you should offer, to make offering to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, just offer, then you take it as a blessing, so that to achieve the spiritual path, path to liberation, enlightenment and to benefit other, to serve other sentient beings. So every time first offer then you take.

So like that, before going to bed, three prostrations, at least, and then when one gets up in the morning, three prostrations to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. So things like that, so there are general practices like that. So in the daily life, Buddha is so compassionate to us sentient beings, so Buddha, in our daily life, anyway we have to eat, we have to sleep, all this, so it’s a way, it’s Buddha’s skillful means for us to collect the virtue, while we doing these daily activities, sleeping, eating, all this, so collect virtue, so much cause of happiness. So reason is like that.

Even just with the refuge alone, from just that practice, collect so much merit, purification. So like that.

From Buddha’s sutra, there are unbelievable, unbelievable, unbelievable merits of taking refuge, it’s like skies of merit, going for refuge to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, something, anyway, I’m not going to read. I think I just say  unimaginable, limitless skies of benefit. I think if I’m going to read it will take a lot of time. Taking refuge to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, how much merit, that and then other examples, it will take time to translate all that. So I think, it is said, if taking refuge if the benefit is materialized, even the three thousand, great thousand of three thousand galaxies, all this will be very small container, taking refuge all the merit if it’s materialized cannot fit in the great thousand of three thousand galaxies, all these universes, cannot fit.

Whenever we do practice, we do with the refuge. If you do that, whatever practice you do, it increases, it makes difference, the merit increases a hundred times more. With refuge, not only that become, not only it becomes Buddhism or practice of Buddhadharma, what you do, not only that, but by having refuge, with the refuge if you do the practice, the benefits, the merit increases one hundred times, this Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche explained.

I already explained the first night about some of those things, what is done, introduction is already done. So here just this, actually, actually you have refuge already in your mind. This is ceremony, this is taking vow, making sure that, directing one’s own life, making sure that, it’s like you are in an airplane, it’s like you are in an airplane, you are in a rocket, put it this way, you are in a rocket going to the moon, you put yourself in a rocket and go to moon. So here the refuge, taking refuge vow, by living in these qualities, practice, then you are able to, then able to achieve, able to take all other vows, pratimoksha, bodhisattva…. Then able to achieve all the realizations, up to enlightenment.

When you take, the minute, by listening to the teaching, the minute when you have wish to, interest or wish to meditate on the path, to learn Buddhism and to meditate on the path to liberation, enlightenment, that time, that time in your heart refuge is taken, Dharma. So then who reveal Dharma? There’s somebody has to reveal Dharma. Somebody has to reveal Dharma, so Buddha is the one who reveal. So naturally if you are, since you are, since you want to actualize the path, rely upon that then naturally you rely upon on Buddha who reveals the path. Then you rely upon Sangha who help you to learn Dharma, to actualize the path, who inspires you, who is attainer of the path, so like that, practitioner, attainer. So that’s how naturally you go for, by taking refuge to Dharma you go for refuge to Buddha, Sangha, naturally like that.

But now here, as I mentioned before, putting yourself in the rocket going to the moon or airplane, beautiful place where you wish to enjoy, so you are here making sure of the practice. Putting oneself that, into the practice, to achieve liberation, to achieve enlightenment.

So here, those who are taking then think, “Until I get liberated from this samsara, then I’ll continuously be attacked by suffering of pain, suffering of changes, samsaric pleasure, the suffering of changes, and the pervasive compounding suffering. However, all the time take this body and mind which is nature of suffering, all the time, one after another. So no end for suffering until I liberated from samsara. So this time, while I have received all the opportunity, I have received this perfect human body and have met virtuous friend leading in the path to liberation, to enlightenment, have met Buddhadharma, so this time then I must achieve enlightenment for, I must achieve the great liberation, enlightenment, okay?

Those who are taking only refuge upasika vow then think, I am going to take only refuge upasika vow. Then those who are taking not just that then, one vow, from the five lay vows, one vow, two vows, whatever, then thinking that this is just about one time I have this precious human body, as I mentioned yesterday, which gives this incredible opportunity to achieve all the happiness for you, cause all the happiness for all sentient beings. So therefore, I’m going to do my best, best use this, best use this precious human body that I have, in a very short time, in a very short time. You can’t say how many days, how many hours, minutes, seconds, that we will have this, can’t tell. Very short, and even that can be ended any time. So therefore, I am going to make best use my life, precious human body, not just for my happiness but for the world, to all sentient beings. So therefore, then taking this lay vow, whatever, one or two, three from, abstaining from killing, stealing and sexual misconduct, telling lie, alcohol, so whatever one can, for the peace and happiness of the world. So this is, this is against war. This is what you are doing is against war. All that, all those violence,  opposite. For the happiness of all sentient beings, okay? So think that.

So then, by relying upon Buddha, as founder of refuge. Dharma as actual refuge. Sangha as the helper to actualize ?refuge, by relying upon them.

So those who are taking refuge, this is also your best way to repay the kindness of the parents, to any sentient being, and including this life parents. We have to repay their kindness anyway, we have to realize that they are so precious, so kind, realize and we also should repay. So this, taking refuge, all this, any of the lay vows, is the best way to repay their kindness, making one’s own life most beneficial, for you to achieve, to finish your, to end your suffering of samsara and to achieve ultimate happiness, not only liberation, enlightenment, and to cause like that similar to all sentient beings.

So the parents, they sacrificed their life, the mother who gave birth and then whoever, even you’re brought up by somebody else, whoever took care, gave you education, every day when you were child, baby, every day bore, every day protected you from hundreds of life danger every day and gave education and bore so much hardship, bore so much hardship, suffered so much for you, for your wellbeing, for your happiness, and created so much negative karma for you wellbeing. And then they have to experience all those result sufferings, negative karma, all the problems and then in the next life in the lower realms, like that. All the exhaustion of body and mind, all the worry, fears, however, they suffered so much to take care of you, for your wellbeing, for so many years.

So therefore, by taking this refuge and any of the lay vows if one can, then this is making best use, something special, useful to the world, to the parents, to the country, to the world, to sentient beings. So think that. [pause]

So here you are relying upon Buddha, okay, whose holy mind is totally free from all the mistakes, defilements, and perfect in all the qualities, realization. So, perfect understanding, the compassion, power to guide us sentient beings. So with whole heart, with whole heart rely upon Buddha, okay.

Then next one is relying upon Dharma, the true path and true cessation of sufferings. So relying upon this, okay, to be able to actualize within oneself.

Rely upon the Buddha, billion times much more than rely upon the physician, doctor, they can recover sicknesses but only temporarily. And rely upon Dharma a billion times much more than medicine, medicine can cure, even can cure sickness but only temporarily, but here the Dharma can cease completely all the cause and all the suffering of samsara.

Then next one is relying on Sangha, the attainer of the cessation of suffering and true path, who can guide us.

So now here, there is a booklet so that explains, that explains all the details about refuge, three things to abandon, three things to practice, and general there’s about, say, seven or eight general practice, what I mentioned before, before going to bed, three prostration at least, then when you get up, three prostrations, then before eat, drink, first offer, make offering, whether you know prayer or not, doesn’t matter, but from the heart you offer then you take. And then practice compassion for sentient beings as much as one can. And then relying upon the holy beings. If you rely on the holy beings, then you become a holy being. Like that. Rely upon the virtuous friend, rely upon Buddha, then listening to teachings. Taking classes, studying, listening to teachings. It doesn’t mean everywhere, wherever there’s somebody give teaching to go to listen. In some of the Chinese countries they think like that, they interpret this like that, it’s not like that. But generally, listen to teachings. Where there is qualified virtuous friends, then listen the teachings. Those whom have already made connection, or those haven’t made connection, qualified guru, teacher, then receiving teachings.

Then in the situation where you create very heavy negative karma by getting angry or like that, then try to practice patience, try to control the mind. So there are general advices, like that.

And then taking, such as eight Mahayana precepts, which is only one day, taking higher. So there are instructions, there about, I think, seven, eight, something like that, so to make our life most beneficial, so Buddha advised like that, and for all sentient beings. So if you read the book then you can understand and then also the benefits of the vows is explained there. Explaining the vows in there.

So here I’m not going to repeat the vows, whatever you have taken, you just think in your heart.

The past arhats, they changed their attitude, they changed from the actions of body, speech that harms others, these negative karmas, abstained from those and like that, then also today I’m also change attitude and my actions, body, speech, the harming other sentient beings, from those, like for instance with the five lay vows, that abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, telling lies, alcohol, so I am going to engage in that. Whichever one is taking, so think, like the arhats, they practiced this, achieved liberation from samsara. I am also today going to engage in this, practice these vows. Think like that, so that’s, so just you think like that in your heart.

[Pause. Possibly refuge ceremony, however, this was not recorded.]

So this blessed string, this blessed string, so many thousands, thousands of the mantras has recited and blessed, especially OM MANI PADME HUM, then other powerful mantras, so this, so therefore, to not throw away and as it’s mentioned in the text so many, so much benefits these mantras have, so it’s good to keep it and then when you see somebody, animal or people dying or dead, to put on the body, it’s very good. It has power to purify negative karma, so that way then it can help for their good rebirth.

And generally the blessed string is good to, it’s given as a protection, but I think it’s good to remember, of course, by reciting mantras so forth, it purifies the negative karma. But however the, I think most important thing is to remind good heart, when you wear this this is to remind you good heart. If you practice good heart then that becomes the best protection, best protection, like when Buddha was about to achieve enlightenment, millions of maras, ten millions of maras try to attack Buddha, but Buddha lived in the loving kindness, in the meditation on loving kindness, so those ten millions mara unable to harm Buddha. So the blessed string is to remind you good heart. Then that becomes very helpful. So just to mention that.

So before, Geshe-la was talking about, he talked about [?] must be Buddha. So this is Buddha here. I am just Mickey Mouse from, I’m just Mickey Mouse from Solu Khumbu.

[End of teaching]