Teachings on Offerings (Audio and Unedited Transcript)

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Amitabha Buddhist Centre, Singapore (Archive #455)

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave this teaching during a Tara Puja in Singapore, on February 3, 1992, the day before Losar, the Tibetan New Year. In this teaching Rinpoche talks about mandala offerings and the seven-limb practice, especially rejoicing.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at the Seventh Meditation Course, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, 1974. Photo: Wendy Finster.

...I'll like to wait for the million, for three countless great eons.

As we have to repeat the seven-limb practice four times, it's like, seven-limb practice is like the seven important parts of the car or that which makes seven important parts of the car or... In the sutra teachings they explain the seven important parts of the... 

[Tape change]

... actualise the path, the graduated path to enlightenment, in order to achieve enlightenment. So without the seven important parts of the car, you can't really go to the place where one wishes. You can't, it can't carry, the vehicle cannot carry you to the place where you want to go.

So however, the part of, suggestion is that the rejoicing, one thing is the rejoicing is, it is the point that one, it is the, it is one point that we accumulate unbelievable merit, infinite as sky, infinite as sky, merit. So, usually personally I like to stop there a little bit and practice rejoicefulness. The, when we do guru puja, the seven-limb practice, in the practice, most of the practice, there is the seven-limb, as the preliminary, the highest, most of the practice begin with the preliminaries such as bodhicitta, four immeasurables, seven limb, mandala offering, so forth, whether it's sutra or whether it's Highest Tantra practice. So however, rejoicing is regarded such a, easiest way of accumulating merit. But with that second, that minute, that second, one accumulate merit like infinite sky, so much.

So the suggestion is that, so it is very good that when we do Tara, when we do Tara puja that either, since we have to repeat it four times, the point is, so the point is to accumulate merit.

Since that is the main point, that why four-mandala offering Tara practice is, why it is regarded very common, very, regard, it is very common method or it is regarded very powerful, why it always comes for success of works, no question about Dharma practice, success of Dharma practice, to actualise the graduated path to enlightenment. That is no question. Even the success of this works. Even the success, success for works for this life. Even the success works for this life, business and so forth whatever, the activities, the works of this life. And why so many time it comes in the instruction to practice, to do the Four-Mandala Offering Tara puja. The reason is because, the other thing is because Tara is the embodiment of all the Buddhas' actions. All the Buddhas' actions manifested in Green Tara. So that's one reason why it is so quick to grant success. The other thing is because each time when one, so there is four times one generate, take refuge and bodhicitta. So each time one accumulates infinite merit, infinite merit each time when one does "sang gye cho dang tsog kyi chog nam la". So we repeat each time three times. So each time when we generate bodhicitta, infinite merit we accumulate. Each time when we do the sang gye cho dang tsog kyi chog nam la". The, so by practicing bodhicitta, by meditating on bodhicitta, infinite merit.

Then so, also, of course then also the Four Immeasurables at the beginning. Then of course the mandala offering is the one with unbelievable, extensive, incredible skilful means of accumulating extensive merit, in a such short time, unbelievable. That, normally I think this way, for example, the person who has, the person who, somebody billionaire or zillionaire, somebody who has many wealth in many countries. However, all these things, for example a king or something, who has wealth in many countries, house so forth, many properties in many countries. However, there is something incredible palace, incredible rich palace. Actually, such this palace it's a question of offering one mandala, the cause of receiving that much property, that such that incredible palace, king's palace. It's a question of, the cause of that is just a question of offering one time mandala, one time mandala offering, the karma. So it is just one time mandala offering "sa zhi po kyi". Visualize the Mount Meru, four continents, seven gold, seven golden hills, these golden mountains, the seven golden mountains.

Anyway, all this, it looks incredible when we look at external development, looks incredible what the person owns. But actually somebody who practice Dharma, somebody who met Dharma, it is very easy to create the cause. It's just a question of offering one mandala. The one mandala this is nothing, this one palace is nothing. Each time when we visualise the four continents, it has benefit that you become the wheel-turning king of, each time you visualise the four continents, all the wealth inside, it creates the karma to be, to be, even talking temporal result, the wheel-turning king of each continent. So it creates the karma for that, so even visualising each continent. So this is without talking about the whole description of the mandala, even offering one golden mountain has unbelievable, one golden mountain, visualising even one golden mountain, without talking all the seven, all the different sides golden mountains.

So anyway, so, since I mentioned this, since I brought up this subject as, so as you've heard, some of you have heard in the past, in the during lam-rim teachings, the King Ashoka, in India, those have gone on pilgrimage near Bodhgaya, different places in India, you'll know the story of, there is many pillars by King Ashoka put there. So, however King Ashoka, why it is so wealthy, why so, King Ashoka, Dharma king, Dharma king and then built so many monasteries, and took care of many monks, gave food, all the monks, built many monasteries. And one day built ten million, ten hundred thousand is one saya, so ten sayas, so that is one chewa. So, that many stupas he was able to build in one day, that many stupas he was able to build in one day. So building one stupa has unbelievable merit. So that anyway, it's the same, the benefit of statue or stupa, one, the stupa has a particular, there are so many particular benefits. So how many number of atoms the stupa has, that many times, even before you become enlightened, that many number of times in future lives, you get born as a wheel-turning king; king, deva's king, human beings' king, wheel-turning king that controls one continent, in the universe, four continents, one continent, two continents. So like that, so there are many different types of wheel-turning kings, however.

So many of them are bodhisattvas, holy beings, and they do incredible, they do, so bodhisattva, so, however, with all that wealth and power, able to benefit for so many beings.

So however, so, then one achieve perfect concentration and then ultimate become, it become cause, ultimate it causes to achieve enlightenment. So even one put one handful of mud to build a stupa, even that, even one handful of mud to build a stupa, even one put inside, donated, become cause of enlightenment. So equalling the number of the atoms, how much there is in one handful of mud, there's unbelievable result, even temporal result, success to experience, so many hundreds and hundreds of lifetimes before, even before one achieve enlightenment.

So however, that even children playing with sand and imitating building stupa, even that becomes cause of enlightenment. So however without talking all the details. So the stupa, now circumambulating one time the stupa with relics inside, dharmakaya relics, all the precious mantras, these four precious mantras, then it purifies, by circumambulating one time, it purifies the eight hot hells I described yesterday. The, by circumambulating one time, it purifies all the negative karma of that, the negative karma to reborn in all the eight hot hells by circumambulating one time all the karma to be reborn in eight hot hells get purified by one time circumambulating.

So there's unbelievable benefit building one stupa has. So now this King Ashoka built ten million stupas, so ten times one hundred thousand is a million, so ten times that. So, built so many monasteries and took care, gave food to all the monks. So all the unbelievable merit he is able to accumulate being Dharma king, that is simply because in the past life, in one of the past lives he was a child, he was human being, child, playing in the sand. So there were three children playing in the sand. So one child stood up. Buddha was coming for alms. Guru Shakyamuni Buddha was coming for alms. Then there was one child. Then Buddha's holy body is so tall, very tall. So I think that's why his tooth is also very tall, very long. So, the child wanted to make offering but they are so short , cannot reach. So one child stood up - another child stood up on the first child's shoulders, then third child stood up on the second child's shoulders. Then the third child offered sand in hand by visualising gold in Buddha's begging bowl. There's no one single gold there, but he visualised the sand as gold in the Buddha's begging bowl. So that's all - that was the karma. By visualising gold in the Buddha's begging bowl , received the merit of having actually offered gold.

Of course, if one's mandala offering is silver and gold, of course, more merit., but the ascetic meditators who are living in solitary place, who completely give up everything, they, for example what they use is just grain, just the simple grain, there's no one single jewel there. The mandala base what they use is a stone, flat stone. When you pick up the flat stone, you ask the landlord, the deva, there's deva being situated each area, so you ask permission from that, otherwise it becomes stealing. So in case the devas possess this, gods, the worldly gods situated in the different place, mountain. So you ask for permission to use.

Then however, they pick up this, so whatever fruit, the grains, something very cheap, very simple things, what they offer. But this is what they actually offer, but because they visualise, as the prayer says, all the jewels, all the riches, all the best quality, as many as possible. So that they visualise on this, on this small thing, they visualise hundreds of universe, the hundred million, so however, best quality as many possible on this small place, on this small, the flat stone or wood or whatever it is. So the benefits, they don't have one slightest gold or silver, but they get all this merit. So without any danger arising, without any danger to that, covetousness or attachment, because it is not a valuable thing so there is no attachment in that. So, without any of those dangers then at the same time, they get the same, they get all these merits because of through visualisation. They get, as they visualise ten million, one hundred million universes all but then, pure, by visualising pure realm, the best quality, as many as possible. So they actually, they get actual merit having actually offered that many.

So the logic how you get this merit is come from the experience, it comes from the, even we don't remember our own experiences, that we often, through our own practice of mandala offering, visualising, like this, or other practices, but those, but there are such those King Ashoka so forth, many others, experienced the story that is written in the text taught by Buddha, I mean story of Buddha, they explained.

So therefore, so just, so all these things King Ashoka's time, this one life, unbelievable merit he's able to accumulate was simply offering the sand by visualising gold in the begging bowl.

So therefore, so that is same whenever we offer, so that is same. We have to use this experience or this logic whenever we do practice of offering. So even what you are offering is just sand or stone or rocks. For example in Tibet, the monasteries, when the people circumambulate, then there is piles of rocks, piles of pieces of stones piled up. Large, huge, large monasteries, certain places, people, many people they circumambulate. Then each time when they circumambulate, they put one rock, where there's a big pile of rock, they put one rock. So that signifies the mandala offering to all the temples, all the, each painting of Buddha, statue what there is in that monastery. If it is Sera, Ganden, Drepung or Tashi Lhumpo monastery, Panchen Lama's monastery. So, in one temple there's so many, so this rock, what you offer is rock, but you visualise a whole mandala on this and you offer, you put there and you offer to every single holy object there is in the monastery. So however, so what you offer is very simple. Even if it's water, just simple water but if one can visualise best quality nectar, so one received incredible merit having actually offered nectar.

So if one is offering for example, one dollar, if one is offering one dollar to the Buddha, if it's in front of statue of Buddha, if it is one dollar but if you visualise million dollars, if you visualise million dollar bill, what you are offering is one dollar, but actually you gained the merit, there's no. You don't have a million dollars. Even somebody says to you: "I'm going to kill you." Even you don't have one million dollars to show, no way to show. But even if it's one dollar you still offer, but if you visualise as million dollar when you offer, you got the merit having offered a million dollar. Whole sky filled with a million dollar then you offer. So you get unbelievable merit, this is the way how to create success. This is the way how to create cause for success, if one want success, this life or other lives. So one has to create, one has to be skilful in creating good karma.

So however, what I was trying to say is one mandala offering, all this wealth that we see, that the wealthiest person, the king, the palace all this what, wealth in many countries. All this is nothing. This is nothing. This is just a small part of the benefits of offering one time mandala.

So the whole benefit, the ultimate benefit of offering mandala is enlightenment, highest, the cessation of all the mistakes of the mind, then completion of all the realisations. Then you are able to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment.

So one who met Dharma, one who met specially not just Dharma, but specially who met lam-rim teaching, specially who met lam-rim teaching, this which contains these preliminary practices is unbelievably lucky, unbelievably fortunate. We are unbelievable fortunate. So, there is incredible opportunity to, every day we can create unbelievable luck, good luck from each mandala offering. Unbelievable, to be experienced in so many hundreds thousands of lifetime.

So however, so now my talk is becoming longer, so I'm going to make shorter. Best business where there's no risk, the best business is creating good karma. These preliminary practices that come in lam-rim, is the best, those are the real business. There's no inflation. There's no such thing that, for example gold or dollars, gold goes down or goes up. Every time, the benefit, when it is offered to Buddha, always same, always inconceivable merit, all the time the same, any of these practices. So now, because why, this is the real business. Why? Because anytime the practice is done, definitely there is a result, there's no cheating. There's no cheating. Definitely there is result.

Also on top of that then you dedicate the merit by sealing with emptiness. So you don't get destroyed your merit, good karma. So you protected your merit. So karma is, karma is definite to experience. Karma is definite and result is expandable, even small karma one time, but the result is expandable, so many life, hundreds thousands of lifetimes.

So for example, the one person, one very poor person offered medicinal drink to four monks. Then because of just that simple karma, medicinal drink to four monks, that, due to that result, due to that karma, that person, that poor person, next life that person was born as a king. One king called King Dashita[?] in India, was born as king, even just from that simple karma, just offer medicinal drink to four monks. So anyway there are so many stories of karma.

So , you think of the cause, so easy to create, so simple but the result is unbelievable. Somehow it doesn't fit to our mind, our ordinary concept, our ordinary mind, but this explanation of karma is explained by Buddha, omniscient one who knows everything, every single thing about karma. So however, so karma is like this, whether it is negative karma or positive karma, the result is unbelievable. It doesn't, hard to believe for our ordinary mind, for our ordinary limited mind.

So however, so now, so karma is definite, it's expandable and once it is created it never gets lost. No matter how tiny it is, never get lost, any time, millions of eons, how many goes. But when it, as it has no obstacles, it has, as it hasn't met obstacles, when the conditions come together then that karma is get experienced.

So however, so like this. So now after mandala offering, then the seven-limb practice. So each of these things is again incredible merit. So now, rejoicefulness. So it's very good, there are four times that we have to practice seven-limb.

In the world no matter how much the person has studied in the university about economics, and how to do business, the person can be so clever, so clever, so intelligent, learned all the techniques, but having learned all the techniques, not necessarily, it doesn't mean always the methods will work, every time, that the person will be always, that smart person, who is so smart, it will be, the person will be always successful, the reason doesn't cover, because smart and because having studied all these things it doesn't cover, that doesn't become, that reason doesn't cover for success - all the time to have success, it doesn't cover. There are many people who have studied all these things but not having success, having so much problems, have studied all this economy and all these how to do business and all this, very extensively whatever the university can offer but it doesn't mean all the time that person can have success. That reason doesn't cover. There is something else. The reason doesn't cover because they are many people who go through, who has, so many blockage, so many obstacles, not having success.

But even if there is success, but certain time success, but not all the time there is no success. So therefore that means, that means the answer for success is something else. It is not just that intellectual knowledge. There's something else. So one has to, one, that study of economics, how to do business, all these things that is the condition. That is the condition. That is not the real cause of the success. That is the condition. That's not the real cause. That is the condition.

So one who, one who learned everything in university, college, now having, going through a lot of problems, blockages. So that means the success, the cause of success is something else. It is not this, not just only this. This does help, but this is not only this, there's something, it means that, it shows that there's something else.

So however that is good karma. So if there's no good karma created from one's own side, one who wants success but if there's no good karma created from one's own side, then no matter how much the person is smart and intelligent, no matter how many other methods, no matter, other than creating good karma, other than various skilful means of creating good karma, no matter whatever other matters one studied, no matter how many methods extensively one studied, there's always blockage. Got stuck. Nothing works. There's always obstacles. So however, that means the person has not created enough good karma. Not created good karma, so therefore doesn't experience the result, and what person, and what person, what has created the karma is, the negative karma that brings all this obstacles. So however, that is basically it is contained in the ten non-virtuous actions. It is in the, answer why there is so many blocks, not having success in business and so forth, many things in the life, the answer is having created the ten non-virtues, basically, the basic answer is having created the ten non-virtues. So the answer is within that, one of those non-virtuous actions, is the result of, that is the cause of why there is so blockage in the success of whatever you're doing, business whatever. So the answer is contained in the past karma, the negative karma, among the ten non-virtuous actions is there, the answer is there.

So therefore the solution, one solution is to purify the past negative karma, even for success this life, business and so forth. One solution when there is a lot of blockage. The other thing is, the other solution is to purify the past negative karma, the Vajrasattva practice, powerful Vajrasattva practice, reciting thirty-five Buddhas names so forth, so however Namgyalma and so forth. There are many powerful practices, reciting Heart Sutra, meditating on the Heart Sutra and so forth, those are very powerful, incredibly powerful practice for purification. Then other thing is, to purify, so, one solution is to purify bad karma which brings obstacles.

Then the other thing is to create many good karma as much as possible. Such as these preliminary practices, these preliminary practices that is explained in the lam-rim. These are the real answer, solution for success.

So now, so what I am saying? so now the rejoicing, so like this, so normally when we do this practice, since we have to repeat four times, since the word, just the word alone, since the word alone is not, without meditating, the word alone doesn't accumulate merit. "I'm going to rejoice", reciting that without meditating on that, reciting the word alone doesn't accumulate infinite merit.

So therefore like this. That, so there are four times. So maybe two times rejoicing in one's own three-times. Then other two times that, rejoicing in other sentient beings' merits, the three-time merits. Then, the third, the fourth mainly rejoicing in all sentient beings' merits but particularly bodhisattvas' and Buddhas', their three-times merits. So like this, make it a little bit more interesting, by dividing.

So there we stop a little bit and then "How wonderful it is, how wonderful it is!" You try to feel happiness in the heart. So maybe twenty-one times, each time twenty-one times, each time you. So first two rejoicing one's own three-times merits. Then next is all sentient beings. Then next particularly Buddhas and bodhisattvas three-time merits, rejoicing in their three-time merits. So like this almost it becomes one mala. So unbelievable merit is accumulated.

So like this, each time, for example, after we make a waterbowl offering, then maybe before we dedicate the merit we rejoice "How wonderful it is that I have the opportunity again today to accumulate so much cause for enlightenment." So if you feel rejoice immediately after that, then you accumulate more merit than, the merit becomes like having invested money in the bank, immediately become increased. You put in the bank and immediately it becomes doubled and tripled. So like that become thousands and millions. So like this, in the bank immediately may be difficult. However but that is an example. But however, if you rejoice, then the merit we have just accumulated, we gain much more merit by rejoicing "How wonderful it is that I have this opportunity to accumulate so much merit." It is increased so much. So however, so if we, if we liberate animals or we help somebody, whatever help that, then rejoicing, again the merit is increased so much.

So however now, so much merit is accumulated since beginning rebirths until now, and then past, present and future. So, now we meditate now, right now we'll meditate, so this while I'm explaining. So then, we don't have to spend two separate times. So like this. So, so first you should think, since we don't have realisations of karma. If we have realisations of karma, then it is very easy, it is so easy to feel happiness each time when we are able to get chance to accumulate merit. But since one doesn't have realisation, so it is difficult to feel happiness, difficult to see so how fortunate that we are able to create cause for happiness, good karma.

So anyway, so first we'll start, think "Without good karma, no way to have success. No way to have happiness." First we have to make very clear of that. How that, first that has to be very clear. No way. No matter how much smart, how much intelligence, all the other things, education there is. No way, to have success, because the main cause of happiness is only good karma. So therefore, so oneself, I want success, I don't want failure, I don't want problems, so make clear that. Then after that then only you can feel appreciation having opportunity to accumulate merit.

So then, "Oh, I've created so much merit in the past, present and future. How wonderful it is. How wonderful it is. How wonderful it is." So like that, try to feel happiness in the heart like that. So, if one counts ten times, twenty-one times like that. So each time when you do "How wonderful it is. How good it is", then unbelievable merit is accumulated. So then the other sentient beings, the one we are supposed to do two together. We do now this one, the rejoicing.

So now we think, "I've created so much merit in the past, present and future, so much." Think, "How wonderful it is! Without good karma, no way to have success and happiness." So therefore to create good karma is extremely important. That is the main answer, main solution. So, "How wonderful it is. How wonderful is all my three time merits." So rejoice "How wonderful it is." Now we count, you try to feel from the heart.

So now we think, "I've created so much merit in the past, present and future, so much." Think, "How wonderful it is. Without good karma, no way to have success and happiness." So therefore to create good karma is extremely important. That is the main answer, main solution. So, "How wonderful it is. How wonderful it is, all my three time merits."

So, how then we feel from the heart the happiness, the rejoicing, that depends on how much we understand the karma, how much we feel the karma. Like, if you don't have much compassion, if you don't feel much other person who has AIDS or cancer, don't feel other person's feeling, then, if you don't have much compassion, you don't feel other person's sick, but if you have compassion, if you know the feeling of the other person, if you can feel that, then you feel so much compassion, so like that you want to help.

Now think, how wonderful it is that the three times merits accumulated by me.

Then we do the second, wherever the practice stop, then as you know that, when we request to turn the Dharma, then numberless of you holding Dharma Chakra, making request to the root guru, if you visualising one, the Tara, root guru, that, what is that?

...root guru, however. Whether one visualize billions there, billions of merit field or just one, it's the same. In reality it is the root guru. So that is the very essence of the visualisation.

So then when you ask for long life, then numberless of you holding the throne having the double-vajra, then offering. So like that. Then, dedication.

So please continue with the practice. The prayer. Where did we stop? [Mandala offering] I'm sorry. I could not, so much merit I couldn't stand. So I, couldn't stand to leave the rejoice so then I just, that bursted, like the bird that vomits food. This, what's the name of it? The bird that vomit, then we eat that one. Swallow. Bird that vomit this food, then we eat. Birdnest, it's like that. It become like birdnest. Thank you, please, please.

[Puja continues]

So again we do the, the next ritual, this one time what's left, so rejoicefulness. Normally it is good to stop the part of, the section of the rejoicefulness, to stop there and then do the meditation right there. So now this time, actually, so should start like this. When you rejoice in others', actually I am, actually I am responsible to free all sentient beings from all the sufferings and causes and to cause all the happiness, temporal and ultimate happiness. Actually I am responsible and I should be doing this. But, from the side of the sentient beings, accumulate merit from their side. How wonderful it is! Or, constantly their mind is controlled by the ignorance, anger, attachment, by delusions, the five delusions, five wrong view, delusion, five wrong view, five non-view[?], twenty secondary delusions, so there are many different, anyway, so the mind is constantly controlled by delusion, like a waterfall, like rainfall, like rain shower. Delusions rising so strongly one after another, like this. So it is so rare to rise, so difficult and so difficult, to generate virtuous thought . So difficult to generate virtue, so rare. So generally it is like this, even by looking at oneself, or other sentient being.

So however, the sentient beings have accumulated merit, past, present and future, three times. So there are two ways, how to start, so that you are able to feel happiness, others' merit. So there is other way one can start.

So how we should feel happiness in the heart is how the mother feels her beloved daughter or son, for example, passed examination or gets degree. Her beloved son or daughter, how incredible happiness the mother feels. So like that, we should rejoice other sentient beings' merits. When something good things happen for the daughter or the son, the mother feels incredible happy. So like that. So that depends on how much good heart, how much we feel appreciation or happiness other sentient beings' success, creating merit, having success, the business, wealth, so forth. All that depends on how much good heart we have, how much compassion, loving-kindness we have towards others, how much we feel compassion, loving-kindness towards others. So depending on how much we have that, then we feel that much happiness, when we see success, others having success. So, less, no jealous mind, less jealous or no jealous mind. so, no ill will.

So one should try to feel from the very inside of the heart, like how a mother feels her beloved son or daughter. So, so all sentient beings' three time merits, they have accumulated merit three times.

Then, and the enlightened beings, their three time merits. So like this.

So just to repeat. First visualise all these merit what they create in three times has the result of happiness, temporary and ultimate. How wonderful it is they have accumulated merit three times! So try to make clear the merit what it is for, what they can get from merit, make clear in the mind. Then, How wonderful it is, so then you rejoice like this by counting the number. [long pause]

Now we rejoice all sentient beings, Buddhas, specially bodhisattvas, their three time merits, bodhisattvas' three time merits, specially concentrate on this. How wonderful it is they accumulate merit three times, which has result incredible, happiness, specially enlightenment. [long pause]

So now here, to understand the reason why I emphasise bodhisattva is like this. So if you rejoice one bodhisattva's one-day good karma, then as oneself doesn't have bodhicitta, then bodhisattva's holy mind is higher level. So if we rejoice one bodhisattva's one-day merit, then, it is said in the teaching, lam-rim teaching by Pabongka, this great yogi, enlightened being, Pabongka, this great Tibetan lama, the lineage of the lam-rim path, that if you rejoice one bodhisattva's one-day merit, how much profit you get, how much merit, how much profit what you get. That, here little bit, I don't remember exactly, either half of the merit, what one Bodhisattva create one day, so there's bodhicitta, so every single action is the cause of enlightenment, infinite merit. So, you understand, so therefore one bodhisattva's one day merit, if you rejoice, actually yourself doesn't have bodhicitta, so how much you get, how much merit you get is half the merit of that one bodhisattva accumulate. So one quarter, by dividing in four, one quarter or half, that I have to check, I don't remember at present, mentioned out of this. So, now it is said by Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo that without rejoicing, without practising rejoicing, if you are going to accumulate that much merit, what you get by rejoicing on bodhisattva's one day merit, if you are going to accumulate without practice of rejoicefulness, it takes thirteen thousand lifetimes, I think thirteen thousand years maybe, I have to check back in the Lam Rim. Memory is going away. Thirteen, maybe thirteen thousand years, it takes that much time, without practicing rejoicefulness, takes that much time. But if one practices rejoicefulness in that second, [snaps fingers] that much which takes thirteen thousand years for you, then all that much merit gets accumulated in one second, by rejoicing one bodhisattvas' one-day merit.

So now there's numberless bodhisattvas. So if you rejoice, so unbelievable merit. So the reason why the last one, particularly emphasise bodhisattvas is like this. So it gives a clear idea, inconceivable merit. So like this.

So first two times rejoicing in one's own three-time merit, then last one, general all sentient beings, Buddhas. Then the last one, in general all sentient beings, Buddhas, specially bodhisattvas. So one can do like this.

Then, this way if it is uncomfortable, if you want to be more specific, if it makes to feel comfortable, then we think, this side, this eastern side, this side all sentient beings, Buddhas. Then this side all sentient beings, Buddhas. Then you rejoice. Then this side, all sentient beings, Buddhas, sentient beings, then this side Buddhas, then you rejoice. So all the directions. So one can, if this one makes to feel more, to feel more rejoicefulness stronger, then one can do like this.

So however, like this. So I think that's all. I'm sorry that talking again and again.

[Puja continues]

[Tape change]

[Puja continues]

Please dedicate the merits for bodhicitta, to generate bodhicitta in one's own mind and in the minds of all sentient beings. So what makes life most meaningful is by bodhicitta. Even arhats, those who have wisdom directly perceiving emptiness, free from all, become free from all the suffering and all the causes of suffering, free from all the samsara, but why still did not, why still not entered in Mahayana path? The arhats, not even becoming higher bodhisattvas is because not having actualised bodhicitta.

So therefore what makes the life most meaningful? That is the bodhicitta. So, so far how many, so far whatever age, so far whatever number of age so far, how many years one has been, since one's own consciousness took place on the fertilised egg in the mother's womb, since from that time until now, how many years ago, whatever, however the past life, however the past years, finished, life is gone.

But now this coming, this, this new year, in this new year, then to make the life most meaningful, most beneficial, by practicing bodhicitta as much as possible. That is the purpose of again, again to live in this coming year. That is the main purpose of surviving, of living again this coming year. So however, this way, with this bodhicitta, altruism to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, then the life becomes beneficial for every sentient beings.

No matter how hard it is, how long it takes time. No matter how, then to practice bodhicitta, this coming year, so that is the benefit of again surviving, again to be able to be alive this coming year.

So however, such like this, determination, such like this determination of life, how we are going to spend this coming year, how we are going to live this coming year. So this is the proper way to begin the new year, to do celebration of the new year. When we start with a special attitude, with a special mind, more stronger than before, more determination than before. So that's the real, the way of celebrating, that's the best way. So that is real new year, when we change, when we develop our mind, we change, we make better our mind, we make strong determination to develop our mind to, when we transform our mind specially bodhicitta. So this is the real, how to live the life, how to spend the life, how to make it most meaningful. So that is the real way to start the new year, new year, new life.

So I talked so much all the time. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Good night. Oh, happy new year, sorry. After eleven. Already, started already, already late.