Perfect Human Rebirth and Bodhicitta (Audio and Unedited Transcripts)

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Cumbria, England, 1979 (Archive #280)

The following are excerpts from teachings on Geshe Langri Tangpa's Eight Verses of Thought Transformation, given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Manjushri Institute, Cumbria, England, August 16-24, 1979. Rinpoche began the series with introductory lam-rim talks.

Listen to more teachings from Rinpoche on the Eight Verses from 2003 here. You can also read Rinpoche's commentary on each verse in his commentary on the Everflowing Nectar of Bodhicitta text.

The Precious Human Rebirth; Bodhicitta Motivation

This time we have received a precious human body, which is qualified with the eight freedoms and ten richness. Even though we haven't all eight and all ten, we have received most of it. Even though we haven't received all eight, all ten richness, we can make this precious human body to be qualified of all eight and all the ten richness. However, because this precious human body is qualified of the eight freedom and ten richness, with this one can achieve three great meanings and three great advantages. Three great advantages.

With this precious human body qualified to eight freedoms, ten richness, one can achieve any temporary meaning, whatever one wishes, one can achieve. Whatever happiness one wishes in the future lives, beyond from this life, whatever happiness one wishes, one has the possibility to obtain with this precious human body. Even if one wishes to have perfect material possessions in the future life, one can obtain. Because with this precious human body one can create the cause, practicing charity; even if one wishes to have perfect surroundings, always to have perfect surroundings, helper, in the future life, always obedient, one can do, one can obtain this. How? With this precious human body one can practice patience. Even one wishes to again be born as human being, who has the body qualified of eight freedoms, ten richness, even one wishes to receive such a body again, one can do. How? One can obtain that by creating the cause, practicing perfect moral conduct, pure moral conduct, and charity, and making prayer, which makes to join to the, from this life to the next life, to receive the precious human body qualified with the eight freedoms, ten richness. Even if one wishes to be born as human being, even if one wishes to be born in the realm of the worldly gods, who have great enjoyment, those higher beings on different planets, even if one wishes to be born as a worldly god in the future life, one can obtain, with this precious human body, creating cause, practicing pure moral conduct. So whatever, the temporal happiness, whatever one wishes, one can obtain with this precious human body.

Even one wishes to achieve ultimate happiness, the ultimate meaning, even one wishes, such as the release from samsara, which is bound by unsubdued mind and karma. Even if one wishes to achieve nirvana, the release, the blissful state of peace, even one wishes to achieve this ultimate happiness, one can obtain. How? With this precious human body qualified with eight freedoms and ten richnesses, one can practice the three higher paths, the three higher trainings: the higher training of moral conduct, higher training of the concentration, the samatha, the higher training of wisdom. So, that's how with this precious human body one can achieve the ultimate happiness, nirvana.

I think I'll stop here.

[Dedications]

[Tape change]

So, this precious human body which is qualified with eight freedoms, ten richnesses, with this we can achieve the three great meanings. The temporal meaning, ultimate meaning, even in each minute, second, one can achieve great meaning with this perfect human body. Also, the temporal meaning, besides, with this precious human body that one can achieve the rebirth, in the future life that one can receive the body of the happy transmigratory being, human body, the body of the worldly god, those who are situated in the different category of the planets. Also, even if one wishes, to be born in the pure field of Buddhas after this life, that also one can achieve - how? By creating the cause with this perfect human body. The fundamental cause to be born in the pure field of Buddhas, creating the fundamental cause, pure moral conduct, charity and pure prayer, stainless prayer.

Then also practicing the particular techniques which makes to transfer the consciousness in the pure realm. On the basis of renouncing the attachment, clinging to the happiness of this life, the body of this life, material possessions, surrounding people, without clinging, by renouncing the attachment which clings in this. Then, by doing those special practices, techniques, to be born in those pure field of Buddhas, so one can transfer one's consciousness in those realm.

Then, one takes spiritual body, in the pure field, one takes spiritual body, not like the body that we have, which is constituted of the parent's sperm and blood. Not like this body. Body which is constituted of flesh, skin, like that. The beings who are in the pure field, who are born in the pure field, they don't have such this body. They have spiritual bodies. So one takes a spiritual body, so one gets born in the lotus, then like that, taking the entering rebirth. There are four different types of rebirth. Taking the entering rebirth. In the lotus.

Then one is able to see, as one is born in that particular Buddha's pure realm, so one is able to see that pure realm of Buddha, then one can receive teachings directly from the holy speech, from the holy mouth, of that Buddha. If it is Amitabha, Amitabha. If it is Tara, Tara. If it is Vajrayogini, Vajrayogini. The different deities. Those different aspects of Buddha. Then one sees in that Buddha's own pure realm, one receives teachings directly from that Buddha. Then all the surrounding beings are only bodhisattvas, like that. Even the animals, the birds which are flying around in the beautiful parks, or in the beautiful wish-granting tree, even those are transformations of the bodhisattvas. Even those are bodhisattvas. Even their noise. Not like the noise that we hear from these birds. The beings who are in the pure realm hear Dharma, even from those birds when they make noise. They talk Dharma. Even the wish-granting trees, the wind touching, the wind blowing, even they receive teachings, they hear Dharma from the wish-granting trees. Incredible, unbelievable beautiful, the place in the pure realm. Whatever great enjoyments there is, never causes to rise, to develop the unsubdued mind. Instead, it only causes to pacify the unsubdued mind. Then the path, the steps of the path to enlightenment that one hasn't finished achieving in this life, the rest of the path to enlightenment, then by being born in the pure realm, one completes actualizing the rest of the path, by receiving teachings directly from the Buddha. Then in that life, one receives enlightenment.

Even if one wishes to not be reborn as human being, as a worldly god, one wishes to be born in the pure realms, where there is the opportunity to practice tantra, the path of the secret mantra, and to quickly achieve enlightenment, one can achieve by creating the cause of that with this precious human body.

Even if one wishes to achieve the nirvana, the blissful state of peace, the complete cessation of suffering, one can achieve by creating the cause with this perfect human body, by following the path. By following the path on the basis of the three higher trainings. Not only that - even if one wishes to achieve the ultimate meaning, or the aim, enlightenment, without seeking only the nirvana, the mere cessation of suffering. Even if one wishes the greatest, the great nirvana, the enlightenment, one can achieve by following the Mahayana path with this perfect human body.

Even one wishes to achieve enlightenment in one brief lifetime, within fifteen lifetimes, within three lifetimes, within this life, even one wishes, there is opportunity because the method to achieve enlightenment in a brief lifetime, in one brief lifetime, that is making the cooperative practice of sutra and tantra. Among the tantra there are four divisions, four categories, four divisions of tantra, four different methods. The highest, maha-anuttara yoga tantra. By doing the cooperative practice of sutra and maha-anuttara yoga tantra, one can achieve enlightenment, the state of omniscient mind, even in this brief lifetime.

A little more details, how? With this precious human body one can train the mind in the general path, the Mahayana path, the three principles of the path: the mind renouncing samsara, bodhicitta, wisdom realizing voidness; by training the mind in these three, the principal paths, the general, the three principal paths to enlightenment, then one take initiation, from a perfect guru who has the quality to show, who has the perfect quality to reveal the path of the secret mantra, the method which leads oneself to the goal, to enlightenment, which one wishes. From such that perfectly qualified guru, one takes initiation, maha-anuttara yoga initiation to ripen the mind, to make the mind capable to practice the path of the secret mantra, to generate the path of the secret mantra, particularly the maha-anuttara yoga path.

After having taken, having received the initiation of the maha-anuttara yoga tantra, from a perfectly qualified teacher, then, and also doing special guru yoga practice, the guru yoga practice holding, practicing the guru yoga, keeping that practice as one's own heart, life, as one's own heart. On the basis of a special practice of guru yoga, however perfectly following the guru, then one generates, one follows, one meditates on the path, the maha-anuttara yoga path.

There are two divisions. The graduated path of becoming, the graduated path of accomplishment. The maha-anuttara yoga tantra path to enlightenment. Then one gradually train the mind in this path. After one has generated the path, the graduated path to becoming, then one generates the graduated path of accomplishment, the path of the secret mantra. After completing the graduated path of the accomplishment, then one receives the unified Vajradhara state, the state of omniscient mind. Like this, how one can achieve the fully enlightened state even in one brief lifetime with this precious human body doing the cooperative practice of sutra and tantra.

One reason is, at the moment, now, this precious methods are existing, are not degenerated. It is not degenerated yet. The profound sutra and tantra path, the maha-anuttara yoga path, which gives enlightenment in one brief lifetime, in one's hand, such as the great yogi Milarepa, then many highly realized great yogis happened in Tibet, Ensapa, so many disciples of Milarepa himself, and so many disciples of Lama Tsong Khapa who have received enlightenment in one brief lifetime, so many of the previous pandits, Aryadeva and many other pandits, those who received enlightenment in one brief lifetime. The method which made possible them to receive enlightenment, what they have actualized, what they have experienced, is still existing. The teachings are still existing, not degenerated. The explanations, the experiences are still existing in the mind of the highly realized, the learned Tibetan lamas. So there's opportunity to practice those profound methods. It's just a matter of, the whole question is just a matter of, from one's own side, whether one tries. From one's own side, whether one practices these methods, this path as those previous great yogis, pandits, as they practiced, as they followed the path. It's just a matter of whether one tries, from one's own side, whether one tries or not. The whole question is upon oneself. It's not up to the path, the whole question is upon one's own decision, how much one is able to practice. If one is able to practice like them, able to follow the path like those previous pandits, yogis, there is no question why we can't receive enlightenment in one brief lifetime and they can, they could receive enlightenment in one brief lifetime, why we can't receive enlightenment in one brief lifetime. There's no question.

Such as the great yogi, Milarepa. He had no material possessions. Just one scarf to wear. Most times his life he lived naked body. Food that he had to eat was only nettles - breakfast, lunch or dinner. Whatever it is, it is only nettles. Nothing else. Salt is also nettles, pepper is also nettles. Everything is nettles. There are no other things like we have, many varieties full of kitchen, full of, whole kitchen full of things. Like that, he doesn't have. Only nettles in his cave. And one clay pot, even that was broken. He doesn't have nice rooms like we have. He never had. Didn't have heaters in the cave. Didn't have cars outside of cave.

I'm not sure whether he had the opportunity to taste even chocolate. Anyway, whether he tasted chocolate or not doesn't matter. Anyway, whether he tasted ice cream or chocolate or, what else? However, we have everything, but he received enlightenment first. Oh then like that, fact. We are still not free from suffering, not free from confusion. Milarepa, when he was practicing Dharma he didn't have a good comfortable place with material possessions, good food, like that, like we have. He had only nettles to eat. However, he received enlightenment before us. Doing the works for other sentient beings, continuously, spontaneously, with his holy body, with his holy speech, with his holy mind.

So anyway, the whole conclusion is, my conclusion is that there is no question, no doubt, there's no question as to the numberless of those great yogis or pandits, that they received enlightenment in brief lifetime by doing, by following this profound path, the sutra and tantra. There's no question, we have good place, we have, comparing to them, what we eat is incredible, rich food, place, what we, we have material possessions whatever we wish, we have things around, whatever we wish. Have a comfortable life. No question, from our side, if you practice like they did, if you follow the path like they did, there's no question why we can't have the same experience, why we can't achieve enlightenment in one brief lifetime. No question. The whole question is upon oneself, how much one is able to practice. So, even if one wishes to achieve the ultimate meaning or aim, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all the sentient beings, one can achieve. How? With this precious human body following the path, the steps of the path to enlightenment. That's the conclusion. Even in such a short time we can achieve great meaning with this precious human body, within one hour, within a minute, within a second.

How? Due to the power of the bodhicitta, by the practice of the bodhicitta, with this precious human body one can achieve great, infinite benefits for the benefit of all the sentient beings. Of course, even if one has generated actual realization of bodhicitta, even if one doesn't have actual realization of bodhicitta, even just with the motivation of bodhicitta, in such a short time while one is breathing out, relating with the action of breathing, if you think, even the short time while we are breathing out, thinking, with the motivation of bodhicitta, "I'm going to do the practice of purification in order to receive enlightenment," thinking "I'm going to purify all my unsubdued mind, the confused mind, in order to receive enlightenment for the benefit of all the sentient beings."

Thinking, even just breathing out, to benefit for all the sentient beings, thinking like this, just one action, one small action, breathing out, visualizing the purify, all the unsubdued mind, all the negative karmas, all are coming out in the form of pollutions, smoke. Even just the short moment, one has accumulated infinite merit, the infinite cause of happiness. Another way of saying, infinite merit. In just that short, that few seconds breathing out. Again, as one breathes in, as that action is done, again with the motivation of bodhicitta, so one accumulates infinite merit.

Why is it so important to accumulate merit? Why is it so important to make purification? Why is it so important? In order to achieve enlightenment, just having the understanding of the teachings and doing the meditation practices, that alone is not enough. With that alone, without doing, without accumulating merit and making purification, without purifying the hindrances, the obscurations, which disturb to actualize the steps of the path of enlightenment, to actualize the meditations, without purifying the obscurations, without accumulating the merit, which causes to generate the realization of meditation or in the steps of the path to enlightenment, just having an understanding of the whole teaching, and only doing the meditation practice alone, with that alone, one cannot achieve enlightenment. One cannot generate the path. Just like without water and soil, nothing can grow. Even if you planted the seed, even if you had the seed, but if it is not together with the condition, if the seed doesn't have the soil, condition of soil, the water, those necessary conditions, then it cannot grow. It can't produce the stems. How much one wishes, you put the seed on the glass, you put the seed on a table, you put a seed there and no matter how much you wish, how much you pray, please grow. No matter how much you wish to grow, it cannot grow without having the necessary conditions, the soil, the water, those things.

So like that, same thing. The meditation practice is like the seed. The actual body of meditation, the practice, that is like the seed and purifying the hindrances and the accumulation of merit are like the soil and water. Those necessary conditions stops the hindrances. Necessary conditions stop the hindrance which disturb to grow the stems, to bring the fruit. Like that, necessary the practice of purification, purifying all the obscurations, which disturb to generate the steps of the path of enlightenment. And it is necessary to accumulate merit, which causes to generate the steps of the path to enlightenment. When one has completed the whole merit, collecting, when one has completed accumulating merit, that time then one has completed the whole steps of the path of enlightenment and also at the same time one has finished the work of the purification, because there's no one single obscuration left. Because of that, one has completed the whole path, one is able to complete the whole path to enlightenment. If there is the smallest hindrance, obscuration is left, then there is no way to complete the whole path. It disturbs to complete the path. One cannot achieve enlightenment. So whenever one has completed the work of purification and of accumulating merit, that time also one has completed the path, and that time one has also received enlightenment. So without finishing the work, without completing the work accumulating merit, making purification, there's no way to reach enlightenment. So therefore, the whole question, how long does it take to reach enlightenment...