Teachings before Mitukpa Initiation, Taiwan 2007 (Audio and Unedited Transcripts)

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Shakyamuni Center, Taiwan 2007 (Archive #1606)

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave teachings and a Mitukpa initiation at Shakyamuni Center, Taichung, Taiwan, February 25-26, 2007. Included here are excerpts from the teachings given before the initiation. It is not appropriate to post the recordings of the actual initiation.

There were also some general teachings given during and after the initiation, but the recording was not clear enough to publish online. Those teachings were able to be transcribed, though, and we have posted the edited version of the entire series (less the actual initiation) here.

Mitukpa Initiation Part Four: Motivation and Initiation Preparation

So before the preparation, the disciple preparation then need to give torma to the interferers who interfere to receive, to grant the Mitukpa, the preparation, which is preliminary for the great initiation.

Then what you can is, during that time you can generate bodhicitta motivation, by looking at samsara nature of suffering and then generate compassion to others and bodhicitta, motivation for taking the initiation, doing the preparation.

So I am going to do the gektor, whole ?truth, not only for the preparation initiation but also both preparation initiation but also for the retreat, combine three things, this gektor is for all three. Because before you begin the retreat also you need gektor.

[Rinpoche performs the gektor in Tibetan.]

Also, the gektor is also, maybe not all the time but try to dedicate, any sentient being who needs gektor, who needs this puja, anyone, so whenever we do a practice, pujas, even, pujas, it’s good to, even though you are doing it for somebody but it’s good to, but it’s good intent to, any sentient being who need the puja, so then your effort, merit is far more greater because many sentient beings, so yeah, it helps numberless beings who need the puja.

[Rinpoche continues the gektor.]

Now short mandala, short.

[Group starts to chant but Rinpoche then interrupts.]

The lama that you are, from whom you’re taking the preparation, so you visualize by stopping ordinary form then, because this is tantric practice so therefore it involves transcending everything, transcend everything pure. So, stop impure appearance, the ordinary being, the lama, then you visualize oneness with the Mitukpa, you have to do this from your side, the vajra disciple’s side. That, then, outside of the mandala, so there’s the, outside of the eastern part, the eastern side of the mandala, the front, outside of the door, there’s the variegated vajra, the whole mandala is built on a variegated vajra, so you are seated in the middle prong, which is very large, then from there facing towards the lama, so you visualize Mitukpa, then making mandala offering to ?as preparation for the great initiation, then offer the body, speech and mind and all the merits, manifested skies of offerings [a few words inaudible] the entire universe.

[The group offers a short mandala.]

So at this time while I have received all the necessary conditions to practice Dharma, that from one’s side the precious human body qualified of eight freedom, ten richnesses, received, that which is extremely rare to achieve, more rare than, as Buddha explained, you throw grains on the glass, on the window glass, then grain doesn’t stay on the window glass, very difficult, even more difficult than that to receive such this perfect human body and that is achieved this time, that which is most precious, that and have met the holy Dharma, extremely rare to meet, especially Mahayana teaching, no question about tantra, which is much, much more, far more, much more rare. So being Buddhist, so even being Buddhist doesn’t mean have karma to hear bodhicitta, doesn’t means to have karma to hear even name, bodhicitta. So to meet Mahayana teaching is extremely, much more rare. On top of that to meet tantric teachings is extremely rare, smallest number, extremely rare. So that I have met this time, and by taking this, those who haven’t met before, now by taking the great initiation then you meet tantra teaching, entered in the, by receiving great initiation then you enter in the door of the Secret Mantra, Vajrayana. So unbelievable fortunate the quick path to enlightenment, that one can achieve enlightenment, which enables to achieve enlightenment in one lifetime. So it’s incredible.

So then met a virtuous friend revealing unmistaken ?revealing path to enlightenment. Many of us have met many, as I mentioned before, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, received initiation, teachings, and then so many other great masters, extremely rare, difficult to find in this world, who has all the qualities, so, unbelievable.

So at this time, that this, such this gathered all the conditions to practice Dharma, that extremely rare such this to achieve again. Then the, that which achieved then it has three great meanings, one can achieve all the happiness of future lives, then ultimate happiness, liberation from samsara, full enlightenment and even each second one can create the cause to achieve these.

So now then the death can happen any time, in any moment, so before that then to make sure, one must make sure that to not be reborn in the lower realms, and to receive a higher rebirth. So now even one received deva, human rebirth, not free from suffering, being under the control of karma and delusion, contaminated seed of delusions, so pervaded by suffering. And not only that, not only suffering pervasive compounding suffering, that pervasive and compounding, [pause] all the deva realm, the desire realm, form realm, formless realm, then human realm, all those aggregates, besides the lower realms, then they are all under the control of karma and delusion and contaminated seed of delusion, so that’s why, so those the meaning of pervasive, pervaded by suffering. Then as I was talking before why the body and mind is nature of suffering, I was talking then I got distracted, didn’t carry on. So, how the body and mind is suffering is because of that. And then the negative imprint which, the aggregates, the body and mind, the mind, the consciousness is contaminated with that, so therefore, it compounds, it causes to rise delusions and compounds the sufferings. From the negative imprint compounds the sufferings so any time sickness can happen or any pain or any whatever, from that. And then it compounds also future life sufferings, from these negative imprint produces future life, compounds future life sufferings, future rebirth, future sufferings. So this deva, human aggregates, then this nature of pervasive compounding suffering [Tibetan].

Not only that then also experience suffering, basis of this, because of this foundation then experience also the suffering of change, the temporary samsaric pleasure. But not only that, besides that then the suffering of pain. So the whole entire suffering of samsara comes, encompassed in these three, belong to [a couple of words inaudible] pervasive suffering or the suffering change or the suffering of pain.

So therefore, nothing definite even we are born deva, human realm, there’s no certainty, you are reborn again in the lower realms. That is just for a very short time and then again reborn, nothing definite, certainty, then all the negative karmas collected from beginningless rebirth and again negative karma collected in that life, then again get reborn in the lower realms.

So therefore, one must be free from samsara. Even one achieve the liberation that which is free from the oceans of, from the oceans of this suffering of samsara, that alone is not sufficient, that having achieved this alone is not the meaning of, real purpose of our life, real purpose of human life. One must achieve full enlightenment for sentient beings, the great liberation, completion of all the qualities of cessation and completion of all the qualities of realizations.

And even that, then the one of the reasons is that all the sentient beings, all the sentient beings, [pause] have been enemy and received harm, but not only that, they all have been also friend, received benefit. So harm and help which one received more from sentient beings is benefit, received more benefit from sentient beings. [pause]

So now on top of that, then like this person like mother, this is not the first time being mother, she has been one’s own mother numberless times. Like that, all sentient beings, hell, hungry ghost, animals, human being, sura, asura, everyone, every sentient being has been one’s own mother numberless times.

And this mother, present life mother being kind giving body, especially a human body, which gives you opportunity to practice Dharma, to achieve the happiness of future lives, liberation from samsara, enlightenment. So gave body, the human body, especially human body, and not only that one can enlighten, by actualizing the path that one can enlighten all sentient beings. With this body, by practicing Dharma, actualize the path to enlightenment, ?you will enlighten all sentient beings, liberate them from the oceans of samsaric suffering and bring them to enlightenment. So this is not the first time this present life mother has been kind, gave body, but numberless times, numberless times, from beginningless rebirth that even the omniscient mind cannot see the beginning. [pause]

There’s no question about being mother, and then saved one’s own life each day from hundreds of danger, by this life’s mother did that, each day saved, protected one’s own life from hundreds of danger, so just even this life is, for all those nine months in the stomach and then after that so many years, so anyway, even just this life, it’s unbelievable the kindness, unbelievable kindness, unexpressible. So this is not the first time that she did like this, being kind and protecting my life from danger. Each time when she was mother, numberless times, she did this kindness, second kindness, protected my life from hundreds of dangers. She did like this number-, she did this kindness numberless times from beginningless rebirth, even the omniscient mind cannot see the beginning.

So each time when we meditate, must feel the depthless kindness, from beginning very important to meditate as much as possible that, to feel in your heart the kindness of the mother.

Then gave education, led in the path of the world, gave education, taught how to walk, speak, all these things, from there then education or she gave [a couple of words inaudible] or she helped to receive education. So this is not the first time, so she’s the one who helped also the, because she gave body, kindness gave body and protected life from hundreds of dangers each day, because then sent to school, like this, however, helped to get education, so because of that now one can read Dharma books, one can learn, read and write Buddha’s most precious teachings, so that’s unbelievable. So this is not the first time, and she has been kind like this, gave education numberless times from beginningless rebirth, so even the omniscient mind cannot see the beginning of her kindness, gave education to oneself, so feel this, depthless, no beginning, kindness.

So then next one, she has been kind to give, beared so much hardships for my wellbeing. She had to give up so many things when I was conceived in mother’s womb and during those nine months, she had to give up many things that she like, she had to sacrifice for me. So protected my life from danger, you can think also abortion, if she did abortion then now I don’t have a chance of this, all this, unbelievable, this incredible opportunity, myself to achieve the highest thing, to achieve enlightenment and to enlighten all sentient beings.

So beared so much hardship, unbelievable pain, so you see in the TV during the birth, I didn’t see physically but on the TV so it shows all the time unbelievable. So not only that, then beared so much hardships, completely sacrificed life for many, her most precious life for me, for many years, so many years sacrificed completely. And worked so hard, so hard, yeah, to collect money, then spent to me, for education, for my survival, my comfort. So mind, worry, fears, always concerned my health, my survival, my wellbeing, my future, all the time and then, totally exhausted, exhaustion of the body and mind, all that, for so many years. [pause] So from the kindergarten, that herself from kindergarten, started education then primary school, college, university, however, for so many years of study, in order to make money, find job, so many years of her life gone in the education, studying and then university, then after all this she found a job, collected money then that’s spent for me. So that’s another aspect of life, so many years of life, I mean, has spent, gave ?for ?me.

So then for my happiness, for my wellbeing then, so she created so much negative karma the other thing is, killing, stealing, telling lie or covetousness, so many things, harshly speaking, so many, created so much negative karma for my wellbeing. So result of this negative karma, she has to suffer in the lower realm, alone in the lower realm. So like this. So this not the first time she did like this kind to me, beared hardships for me from beginningless rebirth, from beginningless rebirth, and Buddha’s holy mind, omniscience cannot see the beginning of this kindness. For my wellbeing, she created so much negative karma for my wellbeing, when she has been my mother then created so many negative karma, born in the lower realms numberless in the past, so she had to suffer all this, she had to suffer numberless times in the past in the lower realm, because for my wellbeing, so much negative karma, not knowing Dharma.

So from my side, then, disturbances, not, even nighttime not ?leaving quiet, cry and, besides daytime, so much disturbance, bothering, however, demanding, always disturbing, always making difficult their life, want this and that, and always cry and then kaka, peepee, so what she gets is that. Then she has to clean all this, or similar hire somebody, to look after me, same.

So anyway, so like this, numberless sentient beings, so like this numberless sentient beings, hell, hungry ghost, animal, human being, suras, asuras, everyone, every sentient being been kind to me, been mother and kind numberless times, protected, gave body, protected my life from hundreds of dangers every day and led in the path of the world, gave education and beared so much hardships for me, so did this numberless times from beginningless rebirth. Exactly the same. Even omniscient mind cannot see, it’s exactly the same with every, each and every single sentient being, everybody here, everybody who is here in the room, same, they did to me exactly the same. And same every insect I, the mosquito flying around, every insect I see in the road, ants, worms, birds, dogs, what I see around, everybody did the same thing, the four kindness numberless times from beginningless rebirth to me, everyone, including the person who dislikes me, criticizes me, whom I regard enemy, exactly the same, been my mother numberless times, did four kindness numberless times.

So everyone is, so to repay their kindness, for each kindness even I sacrifice my life more than the atoms of this earth, never enough, cannot finish repaying. So now, ?here, the time to, now I must repay their kindness, now I must repay their kindness. Giving food and shelter and money, those [pause], it’s good but that’s not, not actual repaying kindness. They have been wheel-turning king, they have been born in the deva realms, so, been king of deva realm, king in human realm, they had so much wealth numberless times but that didn’t free them from samsara. So the best way to repay kindness is, from my side the best way to repay kindness is to free from the suffering of samsara, to bring to enlightenment, so by practicing Dharma. You can do that only by practicing Dharma, only by actualizing the path, the stages of the path to enlightenment, lam-rim.

So now this is my turn to repay their kindness, to repay my kind mother sentient beings. So now, the sentient beings what they want is happiness but they are ignorant in the cause of happiness, so therefore they are devoid of happiness, temporary happiness; even they have temporary happiness but they are devoid of ultimate happiness. So therefore I must cause them the happiness and cause of happiness, ultimate happiness, which includes also full enlightenment. So the, every hell beings, every hell beings to do that, every hungry ghost, [pause] I must cause that. Every animal, I must cause that. Every human being, sura, asura, everyone I must cause that. [pause] And to do that, what they do not want is suffering but they constantly they create the cause of suffering, they constantly keep busy to create, they run to create the cause of suffering. So I must free them from all the suffering and causes. And even that, then I must do it by myself alone. As I have all the opportunity to actualize the path and to liberate them from all the suffering and causes, bring to enlightenment, as I have all the opportunities, so even by this reason also I, by this reason also I am responsible, I have responsibility. So I must do it, free them all the suffering and causes and bring them to enlightenment by myself alone. And there’s no other means except first myself to achieve the state of omniscient mind, full enlightenment, that which can see all the sentient beings their karma, level of mind and wishes, all this, directly and all the methods that fits to them to bring to happiness to happiness to enlightenment. So therefore must achieve state of omniscient mind.

So then now, so then if I practice only the Paramitayana, not practicing tantra, only the sutra, Paramitayana, then I need to collect merits for three countless great eons, so takes a long time to achieve enlightenment. So by practicing tantra then, even the lower tantra, then I am able to achieve full enlightenment in one lifetime, so able to enlighten sentient beings much quicker, so much quicker. So therefore then I, to practice tantra then my mind need to be ripened by receiving the great initiation, for that I need the preparation; so therefore, I’m going to take the Mitukpa’s, the preparation, for the benefit of all sentient beings. Then, that’s it.

So then the initiation in one minute.

So the particular thing is also to actualize the path to achieve enlightenment then we need to purify defilements, negative karma, so then this Mitukpa is very powerful, so like that.

So now, so that’s the, the first part is the motivation, so in regards preparation, so bodhicitta motivation, so only who has that motivation, seeking enlightenment, will be allowed to enter the mandala. So that’s ?we ?did. And then when you seek enlightenment, then liberation, happiness of future lives, all this comes by the way, the happiness of this life comes by the way, so that’s what it’s saying. Okay, yeah, mention that.