Lecture 6

…it makes one free from suffering, and that pleases God.

We can understand well from the part of the meditation on the refuge, the meditation on the knowledge of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, on that subject, when you come to that part of meditation you will understand. A being who harms other sentient beings, who has partial compassion like an ordinary person can never become God. God has supreme power, who has the perfect power, being the perfected being the most holy being, who has the whole supreme, perfect power to guide other beings from suffering, and who has compassion for all sentient beings, such infinite compassion. That being can be called God because it has the function of God, knowledge of God, function of God. So as it is the function of God, it can be called God. However God is the name, it is a title that is given by the function.

So since it is a supreme being who wants to guide all the sentient beings from suffering and who has compassion for all sentient beings suffering, hurting sentient beings is hurting God. Hurting the son is like hurting the mother, hurting the father. Even if the mother herself doesn’t have any marks on the body, wounds or anything, mentally it is the same, it hurts. If you hurt the son, the daughter, then you hurt both the mother and the father, the same thing. Like this, because why? Because the parents have compassion toward their children and they want their son to be happy and not suffer. Similarly, hurting the sentient being is like hurting the real God. These actions never become the cause of pleasing him. So how can that be an offering to God. That has no logic. Check these examples that I mention, whether they are really the perfect path to make one free from the whole suffering. That is checking, you can understand. This is not just discriminating.

Like mention these people’s practice, the path that they follow, their different conception path of what is right and wrong, this is not discriminating. Whether it is right or wrong, by checking with wisdom, by checking with experience ... as I told you this morning, checking that way with the practitioners, whether anyone has received peace and became free from the whole suffering, that is not discriminating, that is checking.

Then there are many different religions like this. You make big holes in the ground and then you put a trident in the ground, in the big hole, then if the trident comes through the body, the person becomes free from suffering. There are hundreds and hundreds of different things like that.

Then worshipping sperm. Thinking that the sexual action is the path to the peace, that is the best offering.

Some of these things, during the Buddha Shakyamuni’s times when Guru Shakyamuni Buddha was in India, certain other founders were jealous of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, his great knowledge, his great works for sentient beings and so they themselves, the founders of this path, couldn’t lead themselves in the discipline as Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, so they wrote their own doctrine, proving how the sexual action is the path to the peace, how making offering to sperm is the path to peace, the best offering. This way they got the chance to enjoy, to do what they want without the need to be in the discipline. Without the need to follow the moral conduct.

Then how does Guru Shakyamuni Buddha guide sentient beings from suffering? He doesn’t wash the negativities away by water. Also he does not transplant his realizations in the mind of other sentient beings. What is the way Guru Shakyamuni Buddha makes the sentient being release from the suffering? By showing. Then comes the answer: by showing, the sentient beings become released from the suffering by showing the absolute true nature. The absolute true nature means by showing shunyata, voidness, like that. So this is the way. So just like this as it is shown in the teachings, like this by his own complete experience of the whole path then he teaches that, then he has shown the method, the path, the essential path, the absolute nature. How the sentient beings become released from suffering is by following, by listening, meditating, by actualizing the path as shown by the Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. The essential path, the absolute nature, realizing the absolute nature. This way then they become released from the whole suffering. So however, gradually we will understand, it will become more and more clear.

However, checking is extremely important if it is the right thing, it will prove more and more how it is perfect and if it is wrong thing you will find more and more it is wrong thing. Checking is extremely beneficial. It only becomes a cause of one’s own happiness.

So like this, from Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, the teachings on these two paths, the profound path and extensive path, has been handed down gradually from Atisha. From Atisha to Lama Tsongkhapa, as I explained with a little more details this morning. Then Lama Tsongkhapa handed down these teachings, the lineage of the three forms of study which came from Atisha, on the gradual path to enlightenment. So Lama Tsongkhapa has received all the lineages of the teachings. Tantra, sutra, the whole thing he has received. Then from there there are about eighteen specific lineage of these teachings.

The root gurus, our gurus have received these. I have received the teachings on lam-rim from various gurus like this. From His Holiness the Dalai Lama and also other gurus such as Zong Rinpoche, who are in India. The first guru from whom I heard the teachings on the gradual path to enlightenment in my life was the root guru of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the younger tutor, whose name is Trijang Rinpoche, who’s living now, whose kindness of giving these teachings can never be repaid at any time.

So all these lineage lamas have the perfect experience of the whole path to enlightenment. With their experience of the whole meditation they handed the teachings down from one to another, like this. Not like me, person just passing words, not like that, not just passing dried words. All of them have unimaginable knowledge of Dharma, have complete understanding of Dharma. Not having one single mistake. Having the complete experience like this.

Sometimes also the lamas explains when the lama himself has time, they explain also the histories, the stories of each lineage, which means how each lama has followed the path and how he actualized the path. There is a life story, the experience of realizing the meditation on the gradual path to enlightenment. So when there is a lot of time, they go through this, each life story, how each one has practiced the gradual path to enlightenment and has experience. Now they have a fantastic experience of the meditation.

 

... interesting. Like the great yogi Milarepa’s life story, like that. Like Marpa. Talking about their experience of realizations, different things, like that.

So this teaching is the Mahayana teaching that leads the fortunate one to enlightenment. It was well-expounded by the highly realized pandit, the Mahayana philosopher Nagarjuna, who received enlightenment in one lifetime. These teachings were well expounded by the highly realized Nagarjuna and Asanga. These profound teachings are like the essence of the highly realized bodhisattva Atisha and the Dharma King of the three worlds, the great Lama Tsongkhapa’s, infinite knowledge. They contain all the essence of the 84,000 teachings shown by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha and all these teachings are set up to be the gradual practice for one person’s receiving enlightenment. All these teachings set up means the teachings of Theravadan Hinayana, Paramitayana, and Vajrayana; all these teachings set up here in the gradual path to enlightenment. These are set up, made easier, like the food that is already arranged on the table that is ready to eat. It is fixed there for the person to practice to receive enlightenment. All these teachings are set up for one person to receive enlightenment and this path is the sole path through which all past, present, and future buddhas have received enlightenment.

So in order to give just a very brief commentary, the explanation on this gradual path to enlightenment.

This has four basic outlines. The knowledge qualifications of the author, Atisha, who wrote the teaching, who gave the title the gradual path to enlightenment, and then the actual path to enlightenment was handed down by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. The lam-rim path to enlightenment was written by Atisha, and from this we got the title lam-rim, so that represents the qualification of the author. In order to realize the pure reference, how the teachings are pure, in order for devotion to the teachings to arise, the qualifications of the pre-immanent qualities of the teachings, and how to listen and explain these teachings and how to lead the disciple to the actual teaching, there are four basic outlines.

Having a little bit of understanding of the life story of Atisha is very beneficial for the mind. To be able to feel the teaching that we are going to practice, try to understand the teaching written by him. By understanding his life story, how he practiced Dharma, how he achieved the realization, devotion arises so that we feel his teaching is the most precious, pure ...

…Actually it is a very long life story. In order to have some idea about Atisha, this great bodhisattva Atisha, how he benefited sentient beings—generally there are life-stories about his births, his home, his birthplace, and his earlier life. There are stories about how, with that holy body, he achieved the great knowledge, the realizations. Then after having achieved the great knowledge, the realizations of the path, then how he benefited the teachings, and helped the sentient beings. How he led the disciples and sentient beings to happiness. His life story is divided into these three.

His birthplace was in India, in Bengal. He was born as a prince and his family was extremely wealthy. During those times, his family was one of the most wealthy families. Just even in his palace, the number of people was 100,000. He was surrounded by servants, workers, and the palace had thirteen golden roofs, and 25,000 golden banners on the top. Also many swimming pools, like in the West. 25,000 swimming pools, 25,000 beautiful parks, gardens of beautiful flowers that you can enjoy. Even just in the palace there were seven bridges and special trees that only grow in India.

When he was three, he became an expert in the general education, in astrology, letters, the brahmas, those things. He also become expert in discriminating the inner and outer being, so his parents wanted him very badly to take the place of the king. They tried very much, but after some time he left with 300 horses in disguise as an army going to fight.

All these people went into the forest with Atisha to seek the guru. Atisha took many teachings on refuge and bodhicitta, and then the guru sent him home to check up and try to understand the suffering of life. This happened three times. He came back, the guru sent him to another guru, that guru sent him home to check up the shortcomings of worldly life. His parents tried very hard to have him marry and take the place of a king. They invited all the beautiful women of the country to a party, and they let them all dance around. But it didn’t work.

Atisha explained, “For my mind, there is no difference between this palace and prison. There is no difference between beautiful expensive clothes and the torn cloth in the garbage. There is no difference between delicious food and dog meat and pus. There is no difference between princesses and mara women. Devil women.” Why devil woman? Because they transform into beautiful bodies and cheat oneself. His parents listened.

Atisha followed 157 gurus. He followed them perfectly and received many teachings and initiations and Vajrayana teachings. Once while he was at home, in a dream the female aspect of Buddha, Tara, instructed him not to be attached to the happiness of this life, to the samsaric happiness of worldly life. After this, Atisha went to see his guru. Then one day, after receiving so many initiations, he thought, “There is no Vajrayana teaching left that I don’t know. I have become the most learned.” He felt a little bit of pride. That night, he had a dream that many female dakinis, transformations of buddhas who have high realizations of tantra who showed many Vajrayana texts that he had never seen before. This made him lose his feelings of pride.

By living in the Vajrayana conduct he wanted to receive the Mahamudra realization in the lifetime. When he was thinking like this, all of a sudden one of his gurus, Rahula, realized Atisha was thinking like this with his psychic power. Without any resistance Rahula appeared, came in front of Atisha and instructed Atisha, “What are you doing, forgetting all the sentient beings by leaving them. Take ordination and do great work for the teaching. This will be greatly beneficial for the teachings.” So Atisha took ordination when he was twenty-nine. He was persuaded by his Guru and also in the dreams by the Buddha, female aspect Tara and Guru Shakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Buddha and many other Buddhas and Vajrayana deities such as Heruka to do so.

Then after some time when he was going around the bodhgaya stupa, the temple in India, the most holy place where Guru Shakyamuni Buddha received enlightenment, above the stupa in space, he saw the transformation of one young woman asking an old woman a question. During this time Atisha was concerned with quickly receiving enlightenment, and in space the young woman was asking the old woman, “What path should one practice in order to quickly receive enlightenment?” The old woman said, “Train the mind in love and compassion, in bodhicitta.”

Again when he was going around the stupa on the walls there were paintings. The paintings were talking to each other. Again one was asking the other what path one should follow to reach enlightenment quickly. And the other is answered, “Train the mind in love and compassion and bodhicitta. Again he was going around near Nagarjuna’s caves he saw the statues of Buddha communicating, saying, “Train the mind in the love and compassion thought, bodhicitta.” There was one ivory statue, and it spoke like this, “Yogi, if you want to quickly receive enlightenment, train the mind in love and compassion, and the thought of bodhicitta.” Many statues spoke like this.

Atisha went to see Guru Serlingpa. Then he spent about twelve years taking the complete teachings on bodhicitta. Then in the presence of Guru Serlingpa he received the actual realization of bodhicitta. Then Lama Serlingpa predicted that he should go to the northern countries, Tibet, the snow land.

At that time there was much degeneration in the teachings in Tibet. They did not know how to practice these teachings, they had confusion about the practice of sutra and tantra together. The king of Tibet sent twenty-one boys to India to study Dharma and all of them died except two from the heat. These two came back to Tibet and told the king that everyone was talking about Atisha, the pandit, and that they should invite him to Tibet to help. These two translators names were Rinchen Sangpo and Lakpu Lotu.

As soon as the king of Tibet heard the name of Atisha in his ear, incredible devotion arose in his mind. Right at that time he completely decided to invite Atisha. He sent many gold offerings to India to invite Atisha. But it didn’t work. Then afterwards he went himself to find gold for Atisha, and he was captured by an irreligious king who didn’t want the spread of Dharma in Tibet. Then he was put in the prison by the irreligious king. His nephew Jangchup Ö came to see him in the prison. The irreligious king told him, “I won’t let him free until you find the size of the gold of his body.” So the nephew went to find gold and found enough to reach up to the neck, but still the irreligious king was not satisfied. He said if you don’t bring gold the size of the head I won’t let him be free from prison. Then again he went to the king of Tibet and explained all these things.

The king in prison explained to his nephew that since much gold was offered to him and he is still not satisfied, you should not offer him even one handful of gold. He said he was now very old and have not so long to live, and it is more beneficial that you take this gold. I don’t care if I die in prison. Take all this gold and ask Atisha to come to Tibet and spread the Dharma. Then the king sent a message to Atisha through the nephew, saying, “I gave up my life in the prison to invite you to Tibet, please guide me with your compassion. What I have in my mind is only for you to come to Tibet and spread the teachings.”

The king in prison sent the message with Jangchup Ö with a suffering, frantic voice. Then, the king passed away in prison. The nephew sent a translator to invite Atisha with many gold offerings. But the kings and abbots of India wanted him to stay there. Finally he received permission and came in secretly to Tibet, and helped spread the Dharma there. According to his teachings there he wrote the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment.

Atisha spread the pure Mahayana teaching like the sun rises, and all the conflict, ignorance, and wrong conceptions are destroyed. His text was translated into English by some Tibetan lamas and other translators. I am reading the translation of this teaching because it is extremely beneficial. It is so short. So Atisha did great work and benefited so much in India and also in Tibet. In India he destroyed many other followers who follow other religions and wrong paths and wrong conceptions. He did great work.

Also in these present days many young people from the West have a chance to hear this and to understand and to practice this meditation on the gradual path to enlightenment. They find satisfaction in the life, they can make the life meaningful and happy. They integrate it in their own mind, they understand that life is meaningful, that there is a chance to make life meaningful. All these things this are the kindness of Atisha, the great bodhisattva.

Then as regards the realization of this great bodhisattva Atisha, living in discipline, the realization of moral conduct, about that. He purely kept the 253 precepts, and on the basis of that the bodhisattva’s precepts, moral conduct presents, and Vajrayana precepts. He has unshakeable, firm one-pointed concentration that could last fro years. Even if hundreds of rockets were flying nearby they wouldn’t disturb or shake his meditation. He had unshakeable one-pointed concentration and perfect realization of shunyata, the absolute nature, and achievement of high tantric realizations, seeing himself in the form of deities.

In his view he does not see ordinary places: for us we see an ordinary house, a house built in mud or cement, an impure place, but he has high tantric realization without projections. He has only pure projections, pure view. He always sees the view of the mandala of the deities. He has the high Vajrayana realization, and is able to transform even the kaka into nectar, and poison into medicine. Meditate like this to rise devotion to his teachings. Do the checking meditate according to that.

For the people who may find difficult at the beginning of the subject, it takes time to understand. By checking and understanding more and more the various meditations and teachings, gradually it will be clear within one’s mind.

[Dedication]

Lecture 7

[Short prayers]

So before listening to the actual teaching it is necessary to cultivate the motivation in order to make the action of listening to the teachings a cause of ultimate happiness. That depends on making the mind Dharma. If the mind is not oneness with Dharma then the action of listening to Dharma cannot become Dharma. In that way, it cannot become the cause of receiving ultimate happiness, what we want to experience. It is extremely important to understand this example, since we want to practice Dharma. It is important to keep that example in the mind. Then we know how to practice Dharma, otherwise even though we believe we are practicing Dharma, we are doing some spiritual action, it is possible we spend the lifetime doing something else, not doing Dharma, not doing spiritual action, doing something else, and the whole life is spent creating all the causes of suffering, but believing what you are doing is always creating the cause of happiness.

For instance, there are four people saying prayers. The first person says the prayer with this motivation, “I am going to recite the mantra in order to receive enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.” With this virtuous motivation the person says the prayer. The second says the prayer with this virtuous motivation, “I am going to recite this prayer in order to receive nirvana, the ultimate happiness.” The third person recites the prayer with this motivation, “I am going to recite the prayer in order to receive happiness in the future lives.” This is the third person’s virtuous motivation. Now the fourth person says, “I am going to chant this prayer so that my present life will be happy or I will get a good reputation from other people who will assume I am a spiritual person, a great yogi.” But the person seeks only the happiness of this life, and he says that prayer with this motivation, not receive enlightenment for the benefit of other beings or to receive nirvana for the benefit of oneself.

The same thing in the case of the person who give charity with the aim of seeking only the happiness of this life. By giving one rupee to a beggar, maybe this person wants to appear elegant among the people, wealthy, he wants to have reputation that he has no miserliness, no attachment. I am joking. He expects that other people who are looking will think he is so compassionate. All his actions are seeking the happiness of this life.

But the first person’s action done with the great motivation of bodhicitta becomes a cause for receiving enlightenment. In this case it can be said, “I am practicing the Mahayana teaching, Dharma.” That action becomes a cause of receiving enlightenment.

The second person’s action is done only for himself to receive nirvana, the cessation of suffering. This action becomes Dharma, not a cause of receiving enlightenment, but in order to receive the blissful state of peace for oneself, nirvana. The third person’s action is still Dharma and that causes him to receive happiness in the future lives. But the fourth person who said the prayer with the motivation only concerned with the happiness of this life—his actions are not Dharma. Why? Because his mind is not Dharma. The motivation that produced that section is not Dharma. Is not virtue. That thought is a worldly thought, not holy Dharma. It is a non-virtuous thought. It is attachment clinging to only the happiness of his life, and that action is not holy Dharma, it is worldly Dharma, it is non-virtuous action. Same thing with the person who made charity with this motivation. It is not Dharma which becomes the cause of happiness, not that Dharma.

Dromtonpa, who is the embodiment of Avalokiteshvara, the compassionate Buddha, the closest disciple of Atisha, whose life story we briefly talked of yesterday, asked his guru Atisha, “What result will actions done with the motivation seeking only happiness of this life bring?”

So the great Mahayana teacher Atisha answered, “The result this action seeking only the happiness of this life will bring rebirth as a narak, preta, and animal, the suffering transmigrators’ rebirth. The narak beings’ lives pass by with unbearable sufferings, the pretas experience hunger and thirst their whole life, and animals suffer so. The action karma is non-virtuous because the motivation is non-virtuous. The motivation is possessed by the delusions, the attachment attached to the happiness of this life.”

From the root of the mind, the action, the whole thing is like a poisonous tree. The root is poisonous, so the tree is poisonous, so the whole thing, all the branches and fruit, are all poisonous. So the result of this comes—the action of the mind is only suffering, not happiness. So therefore, practicing Dharma, whether the action is holy or not, is defined by the outlooking action. So you see by saying prayers, the action does not necessarily become Dharma.

Same thing, there are many other actions that look spiritual, doing some spiritual trips or something, but if you check up on the motivation of the other person, only by understanding that can you understand whether the action is Dharma or not. The whole thing depends on mind. As I emphasized at the very beginning, even if one doesn’t do these actions, if the person’s mind is Dharma, virtue, then just his normal activity, sweeping floors, cutting trees, or making business, eating, working in the kitchen, normal actions that don’t look like Dharma become the cause of happiness. Just daily life, normal activity. If one can keep one’s mind in virtue without separating from the Dharma, like this.

So therefore, the emphasis is that for the reason of happiness, we are doing this. Therefore it is extremely important how to make one’s action. How to transform the motivations before listening to the teachings, before starting to meditate. If you have found the motivation it is not pure, you can transform, you can change it. By recognizing it, you can change it into virtue just like you can dye the cloth from one color to another, like this.

So therefore, it is necessary to cultivate the pure motivation. It is not enough, it is not right just to receive happiness in the future life or to receive the blissful state for oneself. You must receive enlightenment in order to enlighten all the kind mother sentient beings. So therefore it is necessary to think, “I am going to receive the teaching for the sole purpose of enlightenment.” It is necessary to feel like this in one’s heart. If you can make your own mind’s virtue like this, even in one session, one session’s work that you have done, meditating or listening to the teaching, bearing the feeling of the hotness, the tiredness, it becomes at least the cause of happiness. It becomes a worthwhile action, what you have done, even in one hour. You have not wasted your life or your time. It is good that in even one hour we can create the right causes of happiness. Normally we are making mistakes, but one hour ...

[BREAK]

Student: The Tara that came in front of Atisha, was that White Tara?
Rinpoche: Green Tara. He always communicates and has instructions from Tara. Before he goes to Tibet he asked Tara what was beneficial and were there any hindrances to his life. Tara said, “If you go to Tibet it will be beneficial but your life will be short. If you don’t go to Tibet you will live till 92. If you go to Tibet and work for the teachings your life will be shorted by 20 years.” Atisha said, “If my life will benefit the teachings, I don’t care if it is shorted.”
Student (Christian): Can you say that the mind is one? Beginningless mind?
Rinpoche: I see. This I forgot before. I usually introduce this at the beginning, but I forgot this time. This is like the mind coming from parents, remember? That one is similar.

The answer is the same. Christian is asking a question, if the mind is one. If mind is one unit. If the mind is one mind. That actually is very simple, that is very simple. We just check here, you know. Do we feel oneness here? As you’re looking at me do you feel you are sitting here? And talking to you? That itself is the answer. The question of what you are feeling now, that itself is the answer. That mind is not oneness. Not one unit. Of course mind is similar, being formless, being colorless, having a similar nature, but that does not mean oneness. So what we are feeling here is the answer, that mind is not oneness.

As I mentioned before, the mind and the body were in the mother’s womb and came out of it so we are born from the mother. We are born from the parents but our mind and our parents’ minds is not oneness. We have our own experience, so separate mind. It is just a matter of being aware. We don’t feel that the mind is oneness.

I will give another example: Dieter spread his mind, he puts a little bit of his in all your bodies, so in fact all of us become Dieter since his mind is in all our body, we all are Dieter. In that case one person stealing, one person killing, telling lies, one person bankrupt, one person taking hashish, in that case Dieter is doing all of these things. Dieter is bankrupt, killing, stealing, telling lie, Dieter is awake, Dieter is out of Tibet, while he is in Tibet—Dieter is sitting but standing.

Then in that case whatever knowledge he has we all should have. All our actions have to be his actions because the mind is one. All our actions are Dieter’s actions. When we eat food we give it to Dieter. So Dieter eats all our lunch. Funny things happen like his if the mind is oneness. This is just an example.

Many people think mind came from one big, universal mind that broke into several hundred pieces , like one globe becomes different planets. The basic conception is similar. One mind, then the mind becomes pieces. Then different beings started like this. In this case it is the same as my example, one big universal mind like Dieter’s mind, and then from his mind all these bodies have pieces. It becomes very funny. If all the living beings’ minds came from one big universal mind, when Dieter’s mind is made into pieces and put into our bodies, we all become Dieter. So like that, if all sentient beings minds came from one big mind then all the sentient beings only have different bodies, but in fact they are just the one being. In that case what happens is that there is no difference in the self. I am you, you are me. All the sentient beings are me, like this it happens.

Similarly—all the people who are president, all the presidents are me. All the prisoners are me, all the people who do bad actions are me. If the mind is oneness then there is no difference in the self. As mind is oneness, the self has to be all one. So in this case there is no difference between each other. That means if one person is kept by police for hashish, then everybody who takes hashish does not have hashish, everybody has to be put in prison by police, the police themselves have to be in prison because you see only oneself. As there is one self, one mind, there is no such thing as regards material possessions, this is yours, this is mine. Everything that other people have is mine. Even what I have is theirs. Those other beings are also you. Does all the bank belong to you? Does all the money in the earth belong to you? When you travel why should you pay for your baggage, why should you have air tickets? You can go free it is your own airplane. This is so simple, this is a matter of not checking. We don’t understand even a small thing. We are ignorant of small, silly things, we don’t understand. That is a matter of not checking. Like this.

Anyway in this case, if one is free from suffering then everyone should be free from suffering. If one is practicing Dharma everyone should be practicing Dharma. If one’s mind has knowledge, everyone should have. If one is enlightened everyone should become enlightened. If one is hungry everyone should be hungry. So just by checking our own experience, this is not true.

The listening subject is the Mahayana teaching which leads the fortunate one to enlightenment. It is well expounded by the great Mahayana philosopher, the highly realized pandits Nagarjuna and Asanga. This teaching is a profound teaching, it is the essence of the teachings of Atisha and the Dharma King of the three worlds, the great Lama Tsongkhapa’s infinite knowledge. This teaching contains all the essence of the 84,000 teachings shown by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. All these teachings are set up for the gradual practice of one person’s achieving enlightenment. This is the sole path of how all the past, present, and future buddhas achieved enlightenment. There are four basic outlines.

Talking about the knowledge, the pre-eminent qualities of the author, the great bodhisattva Atisha, in order to show the pure reference. Not just teachings being passed intellectually, or like a doctrine or belief. Not something that is not his experience, not like that. It has been handed down from Guru Shakyamuni Buddha and the pre-eminent qualities of the teaching in order to arise devotion. That part Dieter has already introduced before at the beginning of the course, so this I do not want to repeat.

It is important to understand the qualities of the teaching. If you look at it in the book, in the beginning of the book, it is introduced, just the outlines, I think, so you can find out from that.

Then the third one is how to listen and explain these teachings. Explaining these teachings, also there are many disciplines. Just knowing the words is not enough to explain and teach. It is not enough preparation to teach. Explaining the teachings should be a pure action, not polluted by the impure minds, such as pride, “I am the most expert, I am the only one who knows.” Feeling pride. The mind which explains the teaching should not be possessed by pride. Should be pride-less. Not possessed by the attachment seeking the happiness of this life. Or by reputation. If I teach this Dharma I will receive material offerings, or they will give me a good reputation. Now I am great and wise. Great meditation master. Things like this.

The mind should be pure and not possessed by the impure mind. There should be much discipline in regards the way of explaining. Many disciplines. The practices to control pride are practiced by the lineage of the lamas who have been giving teachings. The first time, making three prostrations before sitting on the throne—that is also to control the pride. Purify pride. Make prostration to the lineage lamas and buddhas, and to the merit field. As one sits down all the lineage lamas all absorb into the root guru. Then the guru absorbs into one’s own mind, becoming oneness. When one sits down on the throne one cannot do this with attachment, thinking, “Oh that is comfortable.” We have to remember according to the discipline, how everything is impermanent, like lightening in the sky. Like starlight in the sky. Like a flame, illusory. Like a water jewel, so fragile, not lasting for a long time, like a water bubble. Like a certain cloud in space—the object has to be meditated upon, concentrated on like this. If it’s not concentrated on like this, there is danger to arise attachment and pride. Danger to rise all the wrong conceptions. So there is much discipline.

Also one has to sit down according to the practice by the lineage lamas. As one sits down one has to snap the fingers. That is to show impermanence. This is to remind one of voidness, firstly impermanence, subject and object, how everything is impermanent. So therefore, there is no reason to be attached or to feel pride. In terms of objects, all their nature is void. These are the general disciplines that have been explained in the teachings, but I don’t practice, you know. I don’t do this, what I do is completely opposite to the teaching. This is what those lineage lamas have explained in the teachings, also listening. So these are the disciplines, the qualifications that he should have in order to make teachings beneficial, not poisonous.

However, from the listening side, the purpose of sitting on the throne is not just to admire oneself. “Oh! I am an important person, I am a lama.” Not like that. That is to respect Dharma, the path that is shown by the teacher. That makes oneself be free from all suffering and receive enlightenment for the benefit of other sentient beings. Therefore, to respect the Dharma such as that shown by the teacher, this performance is done for that reason. And also to create merits from the side of the disciples. There are purposes like those. However, there are many things to talk about but the essential thing is this, how to make the teaching beneficial to one’s mind. If one doesn’t know how to listen to the teachings, then the teachings do not become beneficial. The listener himself has to make the teaching beneficial to one’s own mind. So that depends on how to listen to the teaching.

Then the Dharma is like the mirror that shows one’s own whole life, the whole nature of life. The good part of mind and the bad part of mind, all this one’s own life action, the good action, the good actions the negative actions, everything. Dharma is like a mirror…

…it shows oneself those actions of the material mind. Those actions that you don’t recognize, of which you aren’t aware. The virtuous and non-virtuous actions. What is right and what is wrong, not aware of the Dharma. Dharma shows like a mirror.

On the other hand it’s like x-rays. The Dharma is like x-rays. I heard in America, I think somewhere, in one year the family goes twice to have x-rays ... so by having x-rays, whatever is wrong in the body, whatever is wrong, they can find out from the x-rays. So by finding out what is wrong with one’s own body, they can have treatment, you see. They can make their body healthy by taking medicine. Then they know what medicine should be taken. Then they go to have x-rays and when you find something wrong in your body, if it is not clear on x-ray, then the mind is not happy. If you find something wrong, as long as the x-ray is clear, showing what part is wrong, what part is okay, when you find something in the x-rays, then you are happy. Why are you happy? Because after recognizing what is wrong inside the body you can have treatment, the right treatment. Then by this you can be completely healthy, well, without getting sick.

Like the x-ray, the Dharma ... there are many diseases of which we are not aware, that we cannot find out from external things like x-rays or from mirrors. There are many diseases that we cannot see. Those things that we cannot explain or show. Many diseases that we are not aware. Always these bring the various life’s problems. The diseases of which we are not aware bring all these other problems such as rebirth, old age, sickness, death. There are many other problems and diseases that bring results which we are not aware of. Usually we are only aware of the physical unhappiness in the mind, just the physical marks. Only this we usually recognize as disease.

Same thing, when animals are bitten by other animals, when there are worms inside and when there is pain, things like that. They also recognize.

But there are many other diseases that bring all these problems. All these diseases ordinary people and even animals can recognize. Where all these problems come from. There is some other disease that we have, but we are not aware of it. Those diseases that we have and don’t have are clearly explained and shown in the mirror of the Dharma. By recognizing those diseases through Dharma, the Dharma also shows not only what is wrong there, the other disease, the delusions that brings all the life’s problems.

Among all these sickness, that principal disease is the delusions, the three poisonous minds of ignorance, hatred, and anger. Why? Without having this principal disease, this unhealthy mind, there is no way to go through the problems of rebirth, old age, sickness, all these different types of sicknesses. There are about 424 diseases that we can recognize. Always getting sick, one after another, many other problems. If one has been cured well, if one doesn’t have the principal disease, the delusions, there is no way to experience any of these other problems. No way. So the worst disease is those delusions from where all these problems arise. The delusions are worse than the sickness. So therefore ...

Perhaps you may think those others sickness have pain, are uncomfortable, but you don’t feel uncomfortable with attachment, you feel happy with attachment. Anger you enjoy to destroy others. Some person like me may think this, it is possible to think like this. That is without checking up. That is again lack of wisdom. All this has the nature of pain. If you check up the nature of attachment, when it arises, there is pain, when there is strong anger there is pain. If you check up the ignorance it is also painful.

Attachment is so easy—when there is clinging, when there is such strong attachment. Sometimes we judge like this. When you meet the object of attachment, as the attachment arises we just call this feeling, “I am happy.” In fact it seems happy but in fact during that time, if he really checks up the nature of his own mind, just check up, meditate on his mind, his mind is not peaceful, it is uptight. mind is bound by rope or chain. Very uptight like this, pulling. Like the same thing you feel in the mind when there is strong clinging or attachment, painful mind, the heart is painful, if you check up. Never relaxed, never peaceful. This is why attachment has pain, and anger without question is pain. It is like a flame coming in the body. Now there is no relaxation, no peace. That is clear with anger.

Then ignorance is also painful because ignorance is like this. By ignorance we make mistakes and we get into problems. Ignorance is like this, harmful and painful. It is like dark at night time. We believe we can go straight from the cliffs. We can go straight from here. There is a road to go straight. There is a very high cliff, but at nighttime complete darkness, can’t see anything. Oh there is a road, yes, for sure. So then going like this, you fall down. So ignorance is so harmful. We also create problems by not recognizing the cause of happiness or the cause of suffering, so always we create the cause of suffering, never the cause of happiness. So that is how this is real disease we have. I think I stop here.

Listening to oneself, we have to think I am patient and Dharma is the medicine, as Dharma is not only showing the mistake, the disease, but also those methods, so Dharma is the treatment, the medicine. And the person who teaches Dharma is the wise skillful doctor. How to think from the listener’s side, in order to make the teaching beneficial for one’s own mind.

The meditation will be ... I think ... it will be repeated, so you can do according to that.

[Dedication]

Lecture 8

Again listen to the teaching with pure motivation. Think, I am going to listen to the teaching in order to receive enlightenment for all the kind mother sentient beings. So by thinking like this, as I explained this morning, how to listen to the Dharma. If one listens in this way, thinking of oneself as a person, Dharma as medicine, and the person who explains Dharma as a skillful doctor, then in this way whatever teaching is explained it becomes beneficial to one’s own mind and also one understands the nature of one’s own mind. One clearly understands one’s own mistakes; all the wrong things within one’s mind. So listening in such a way, the person does not think someone else’s mistake is not my mistake. The actions of delusions that the Dharma explains and the Dharma introduces, at that time the person does not think, “I don’t have such delusions I don’t have such negative action, it is someone else the Dharma is talking for. What Dharma is explaining is not for me.” One does not think like that.

Also one thing is…we also have to think of new people. So one should not concentrate on only oneself thinking “this subject I have heard before, why should this be repeated?” concerned for only oneself. Not thinking of other people, so this time hoping that maybe some other subjects, meditation subjects and some other practice that have not been taught in other courses, hoping that some of those subjects in the lam-rim, the teaching on the gradual path to enlightenment, haven’t been discussed before hoping to also talk of these things. Also concern over those who have attended several courses ...

Even if you have heard this subject many times, until the meditation is actualized within one’s mind, and even if it is actualized, one has to keep the realization without losing it. The main thing is to actualize, not just to understand the words, the meditation techniques, but the main purpose is to actualize them. By actualizing that we control our mind. We control gradually the delusions. Not just being satisfied with understanding the words, techniques. This is not the main purpose.

Also, when a certain subject is not clear or difficult, we should not be discouraged. ‘This is so difficult to understand, I can’t understand this, I don’t think it’s for me.” Because of one’s own mind problem, lack of wisdom, discouraging oneself. We should understand that we are going to hear a new subject that we haven’t heard in the lifetime. Generally Dharma study is not easy and understanding takes time. First it takes time just to understand the meaning of the words, to clear it up in one’s mind. Then secondly, by checking, by meditating with right understanding of the meaning then gradually one understands clearly. Then afterwards when we actualize each meditation that is the time that we really understand clearly, when we really get the experience of the meditation. When we get realization of meditation at that time you really understand, you feel and see it. Like this. So it is gradual.

It is natural at the beginning that we find it difficult to understand even the meaning of the words. They are not clear. Then as you meditate, trying to understand they become clearer and clearer each time we talk about it. The ignorance which disturbs us from receiving the knowledge of the Dharma becomes less and less. Then the understanding become more and more clear. Like this.

Listening to Dharma has many benefits. As we hear each word of the Dharma, as we understand each subject, each word, ignorance is pacified, becomes less. Also by listening to the Dharma one avoids, stops completely meaningless actions. And also by listening to the Dharma one keeps one’s own actions in virtue, away from non-virtuous actions of body, speech, and mind. By protection from non-virtuous actions, actions become virtue. And also by listening to Dharma one can control the delusions. One can realize, see the absolute nature of the self. Like this one receives release from samsara to nirvana.

The last outline is how to lead the disciple in the actual teaching in the path to enlightenment. This has two outlines. How to make the guru practice, which is the root of the whole path to enlightenment. Then by following the guru, how to train the mind in the path to enlightenment. Just a few words talking about the first outline. How to make the guru practice which is the root of the whole path to enlightenment. Again in this outline there is a whole subject on meditation to actualize. However we mare talking about some emphasis on basic things on this point.

There are many people who say that to receive nirvana, to receive enlightenment, you don’t need a guru, teacher. If you buy lots of books from the store and you meditate as it is explained in the book, it is enough. To be free from suffering and samsara many people think you don’t need to depend on the teacher, the guru. Even if you have the whole library of the Buddhadharma texts, sutra and tantra, first of all without depending on the teacher you don’t get even the right understanding of the words. Even the right intellectual understanding. Many times there is danger that you get wrong understanding. Even if it is written correctly, it is possible to get a wrong understanding. This is not the mistake of book but of one’s mind. The teachings are written many different ways, in parables and so forth. They are not necessarily what is outwardly written. Many people get confused about these meanings, and need some other commentary to understand them. Reading these texts, many people believe there is no eye, no ear, no nose…

no form, no sound, no smell…they believe either it doesn’t really exist or they get the wrong conception, “Oh! Buddhists say those do not exist.” Even if the Buddha in that teaching did not mean that, did not say that, the person understands and believe what is literally written there. So that is due to his own ignorance and lack of guidance.

Also then to receive the realization of the gradual path to enlightenment, besides reading texts and understanding, one has to get explanation from the teacher. The meditation techniques one has to receive from teacher with his experience. Also you have to example our own experience. What is right and what is wrong, from the experienced teacher. However there is no way, without depending on the guidance of teacher, no way to receive nirvana, release from samsara.

Especially in tantra, without depending on the guru there is no way to receive Vajrayana realizations. To receive Vajrayana realization depends on receiving initiation from the guru. Like this, by training one’s own mind in the fundamental general path, by depending on the guidance of the guru, one takes initiation from the guru and that makes the mind ready to practice the Vajrayana path, to actualize it. So then by following the Vajrayana path one receives enlightenment on the basis of pleasing the guru, by following his orders perfectly. Especially in tantra, that is the most important thing. Anyway, it is not necessary to talk so much on this point at this time. However it is said in the Vajrayana teachings, explained by Buddha like this, “The boat cannot cross without the person holding the oars. How much knowledge is completed, without the guru we cannot release from samsara.”

Student: [inaudible]
Rinpoche: Yes, Buddha explained here.

What he is saying is this, even if you have all the understanding of sutra, tantra, like a library within one’s mind, able to explain to other people by heart, with a guru this is like having the boat but not having the oarsman who can guide oneself to cross the ocean. Having all this knowledge is like the boat, not having guru is like not having an oarsman, who knows very well how to cross the ocean, how to leave to the other side. So it is said in the Vajrayana teachings even if you have a boat you cannot reach there. Without a guru one cannot be released from the suffering realm of samsara. To receive enlightenment, one should follow the perfect teacher who can show perfectly the whole gradual path to enlightenment. The gradual path of the lower, middle and higher intelligent being. In order to receive enlightenment one has to find the perfect teacher who can show all these gradual paths to oneself and has the understanding of the whole path.

There are qualifications. The teacher who gives Mahayana teachings or Vajrayana teachings has a certain number of qualifications. For the teacher who shows the Vajrayana path, his own mind is subdued and he has the fundamental realization of the preparations to practice the Vajrayana path—the realization of bodhicitta, the wisdom realizing the absolute true nature and the mind renouncing samsara on the basis of having the understanding of the Vajrayana path perfectly, there are many Vajrayana practices that one has to know. So one should have perfect understanding of these. For the Mahayana teacher, there are about ten qualifications. These are based on the mind being subdued. I think to tell it takes much time. Basically there are ten qualifications to show the Mahayana teaching. Even for the teacher who shows the lesser vehicle path, the Theravadin path, his own actions of body, speech, and mind must be subdued by living in the moral conduct. If his actions are not subdued how can he subdue others? He must be living in the moral conduct, the higher training of the moral conduct. Not only that …

…but having the experience of shamatha meditation, the mental guidance. Having control over the mental distractions. Also having the right wisdom realizing shunyata. Those are the fundamental qualifications.

It is extremely important that oneself be completely free from suffering. One should destroy the cause of the suffering, the ignorance of the absolute nature of the self. So, if the teacher doesn’t have right intellectual understanding of shunyata, it is impossible that the teacher can turn the disciple from the root of suffering. The disciple cannot actualize the absolute true nature of the self. On the other hand, there is no way to escape from the evil, the ignorance not knowing the true nature of the self. Therefore, it is so important—in order to be free from suffering and to receive ultimate happiness, the teacher that we are seeking, trying to follow, it is extremely important that he have at least the perfect intellectual understanding of shunyata.

If it is a teacher who only emphasizes oneself, one’s own nirvana as goal, who does not emphasize that it is more important to work for the happiness of others, to take other sentient beings in more care than oneself, who emphasizes the happiness of other sentient beings as being more important than oneself, one does not enter in the Mahayana path, the Dharma that he practices does not become a cause of receiving enlightenment, just nirvana, the release of samsara. A teacher who doesn’t have the understanding of the root of suffering and the absolute nature cannot make oneself receive nirvana.

A teacher who only emphasizes the happiness of this life, who never talks about future lives, who emphasizes that to work for the happiness of this life is more important then the happiness of future lives—by following this teacher the disciple is misled. The teacher is concerned only for the happiness of this life so the disciple becomes the same, and in this way the disciple never makes preparation for the happiness of future lives, to have a better rebirth. So the actions of the disciple do not become Dharma, and the teacher makes the disciple create the cause of suffering, not happiness. The way of checking is like this, the qualifications of teacher. However there are many things to explain from the teachings. These are fundamental ones on how to check up.

If you are going to make a block picture, print something from the block, then the copy model has to be perfect. If the model itself is imperfect, something wrong with it, the picture won’t be perfect. Things are not straight, they are curved, or in the model the eyes are crooked, nose turned. This is why it is important to examine the teacher from whom we take influence. It is a copy, an example of our life. So how much pure Dharma one can practice depends a lot on whom we copy, the teacher. These are the fundamental things to know, to check up, to have some understanding of.

Then generally, there are also qualifications for the disciple. The teacher has to check up before accepting the disciple, before giving teachings. There are three qualifications for the disciple. However after one found the right teacher one has to know how to follow him. If one makes the wrong practice, that negative action is very heavy. Gradually we can understand.

Then if the teacher is perfect, and the disciple is a right receptacle—like if you are going to put tea in the clean cup, no holes, you put tea and it can stay. The disciple who is a right receptacle and meeting the perfect guru can attain enlightenment so easily, like making bread, with flour, like we make mo-mo’s.

So this has three outlines. However after this I am not going to repeat anymore outlines. Following according to outlines, all the details of the teaching come out. Then it takes many months, there is danger to take years.

The whole path in which we train our mind is divided into three. The gradual path of lower potential being, the gradual path of middle potential being, the gradual path of higher potential being, like this. The whole gradual path divided into three paths to receive enlightenment. So part of this meditation is, in order to receive enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, that depends on completing the gradual path of the higher potential being. To complete this depends on actualizing the gradual path of the middle potential beings, and actualizing this depends on having actualized the gradual path of the lower potential beings. So part of this meditation is from the gradual path of the lower potential being.

As regards the meditation, one is fixed one-pointedness meditation. There are two forms of meditation. Most meditations that we practice are analytical. Analytical meditation is extremely important, especially to deal with the daily life problems. Like living in the West in the cities, while one is working, the usual daily life’s problems, the confusion. How to deal with the daily life and how to stop those problems. Especially if you are concerned with making the life happy. If you want to get solutions, understanding of analytical meditation is extremely beneficial. To recognize the nature of problems, and how to stop each of the problems of the life.

So the first meditation on the gradual path to enlightenment: the perfect human rebirth which has eight freedoms and ten richnesses. The first of the eight freedoms is having the freedom to practice Dharma by not being born as a narak suffering being.

This narak suffering being is defined by the heaviness of the suffering, not so much defined by the definite shape of body, but by the unbearable heaviness of suffering. That being is experiencing the heavier suffering than human beings, than animals—there are other sentient beings besides humans who are called asuras, suras. By the incredibly heavy physical and mental suffering defined in the narak. These narak beings, their main suffering is the various hot suffering and various cold sufferings, like this ...

It is like this: the person who dies in the house being burnt, everything becomes fire, no way to escape out to where there is no fire, that is ... such a place like this, person suffers like this. That is, in fact the, if the person himself, if he doesn’t have the negative thought, the delusions, if he doesn’t have this, no way that person experience hot suffering, no way that person can die from heat in the fire. Person doesn’t have to experience. The reason why some people have to experience is because, some people could escape, some people could not escape. Some people just before that danger happened they were out of the house somehow by opportunity, by chance, out of the house. Even though they are not aware there is going to be such danger, but somehow out of that part, that problem. Even though they are living in the same house as other person who died in the fire. So this person, this specific person who died in the burning house, by experience of hot suffering, this is the karmic, this is the person’s view. What he sees the fire burning, his experiencing suffering. This is his karmic view, which is produced by the delusion. It is like this.

When you have feelings, if there is a fire burning, if you have received it like that in the feeling then it happens like that there, the projection like that. Being burned by fire, very fearful things like that, so like the feeling there is the projector of the delusion within his mind, so this delusion, it produces the Karmic suffering view. Person who is free from the delusion, who has not created such cause like that, karma cause, who is free from delusion- that person, even ... he is living with this person, but for that person whose mind is free from delusion, purified then can see, in his view it can be beautiful park. Other person’s view is fire-place, awful place. The other holy being whose mind is purified, who doesn’t have the negative mind which produced the karmic view, the same place can be seen as beautiful park by that person. So like this, how the views are creation of individual mind.

Sometimes when we look at Katmandu, when many tourist come from West, Katmandu is so beautiful, so attractive, doesn’t want to go back to the West wants to stay even much longer there (laughs) one extra day if possible. Then for some people it is a terrible place (laugher). Ka-Ka place sort of which causes headache and diarrhea. I’m joking. Many people, they get diarrhea. Some people they don’t want to stay even a few hours after they see Katmandu, they want to go somewhere else, Delhi or somewhere. Hong Kong, or maybe somewhere—can’t stand it. Some young people they find it so beautiful. Like this. Different view, they enjoy very much. Very happy. At the same time they are not happy. These different views are produced by the mind. Seeing it as terrible ugly, all these things. It is karmic view. It is a view of the individual KARMA, the view of individual mind, the negative mind, seeing terrible, ugly suffering place like this.

So like this these narak beings, those who experience heaviest…

…cold sufferings in the ice, body become oneness with ice, you know, enter ice ground, inside ice mountains, their own mental view is view of their own negative mind. Creation of their own mind. narak beings who experience hot sufferings same thing, in various hot sufferings. Always which place is in nature of fire with weapons which are in the nature of fire. Like that. Individual view. Same with the person who dies under the explosion of atomic bomb, that is also the negative mind view of that person.

The question, why don’t we see these narak beings who have incredible sufferings and as it is explained in the teachings by Buddha with his omniscient mind, which clearly sees how each sentient being is suffering? Why we don’t see those terrible suffering places as Buddha explained?

There are different types of narak beings, ordinary narak beings we see in the form of animal suffering, in the different form, they are suffering. Ordinary narak beings who experience ordinary narak suffering, specially in the desert and at the sea places, all kinds of suffering, different kinds of animals who are experiencing ordinary narak suffering. Shape is not definite, not some kind of specific thing, and the worst suffering states, at the moment we don’t see, because we don’t have the clear perception, we don’t have the mental power to see. Also we don’t have the karma to experience or to see that. So that’s why we don’t see.

Why we don’t see those heavy narak suffering places, those beings? Why? It is like this, person who is, if we are all sleeping in this same tent, then each person gets dream. One person gets a very fearful dream, whole place is being burned by fire, you know. All round flames coming. Full of water, floods oceans. Person who is dreaming is very frightened, he is experiencing that dream but we don’t see, we don’t feel his dream. What he is seeing in his dream we don’t see or feel it, even though we are sleeping together. So that is a projection of his own mind, that is his own mind’s view. The fearful view is what he has in dream. So similarly why we don’t see those heavy suffering place of naraks, as explained by Buddha in teachings it is like a dream. I think I stop here. The meditation will be repeated so you can do according to that.

[Dedication]

Lecture 9

Before mentioning this quotation of this great bodhisattva’s teaching, first, in order to get some feeling when we hear teaching, to feel the teaching is real, the great bodhisattva, highly realized Indian pandit who lived at the same school, in Nalanda, where Atisha lived. This pandit’s name is Shantideva, so when he was in the monastery in this famous school, where there were many other thousands of learned, fully distinguished pandits. These pandits are normally, his daily actions, behavior are different from other monks. Other monks do prayers, prostrations and they make many other purifying practices, recite prayers. They do many other active Dharma works. This monk Shantideva he doesn’t do any of these works. Shantideva, all the day he sleeps. All day he lies down on his bed. Every time when a monk comes into his room, all the time they see him lying down on bed.

So what other monks see him doing is sleeping, eating and making kaka and peepee—only these. The Tibetan form for only doing this is Tishumba. Then so the monks have to work very hard, but this monk doesn’t do. Not sure but maybe they feel a little bit jealous. Those other monks they want too kick him out of the monastery, because other monks complain he is wasting. He doesn’t do any work for the monastery, he doesn’t study, doesn’t do anything. He just wastes our monastery enjoyments. Means tea, food and clothes received from monastery. He just wastes and lazes in the monastery. We must kick him out of monastery. The monks consulted each other like this on how to kick out Shantideva. They proposed among them how to make that arrangement. In order to kick out monk there has to be a serious condition which causes the monk to get out. Without any serious mistake you can’t just tell the monk to get out.

So then they wanted to create some cause for kicking him out. Some of the monks have found idea. Since he always sleeps, doesn’t do Dharma works, so I’m sure if you let him recite the Sutras, to give teachings, I am sure he can’t give any teaching. So in that way there will be excuse for kicking him out. After they have decided they ask Shantideva if he can come give teachings on such and such day. He accepted, Yes I will give teaching. Then they arranged, in the place, they put very high throne, without steps, so that they can watch how he climbs up . They can enjoy that. Then, so they invited him.

So Shantideva came. Everybody must be very curious how he is going to climb up and give teachings. Then with his psychic powers he easily sat down on the throne and then he asked the monks ‘Do you want a teaching that was given by guru Shakyamuni Buddha or which is not shown by guru Shakyamuni Buddha? What one?’. Then of course they would ask for teaching that weren’t shown by guru Shakyamuni Buddha. So then he started to give teaching. This does not mean that, means this way. The subject is set up, formed, actual path is shown by guru Shakyamuni Buddha, but this specific text of following bodhisattva’s actions or entering the bodhisattva’s path, the way it is formed is not said by guru Shakyamuni Buddha. Even though actual path of what is shown there is shown by guru Shakyamuni Buddha.

So then he starts to give teaching on what is called ‘Following the bodhisattva’s action.’ This contains the practice of bodhisattvas, such as the practice of the 6 paramitas, the 6 practices which are called ‘gone beyond.’ It contains the explanations, the benefits of the bodhicitta, detailed explanation on how to practice bodhicitta, how to keep the moral conduct and how to make charity, how to learn patience paramita of patience, energy, concentration explaining absolute true Nature and wisdom of shunyata. Besides that there are also other subjects. Then he, without any resistance, without any obstacles, he gave the teaching, with no hesitation or doubt. Just in one session he gave teaching from the heart, just like water flowing from the pipe without any difficulties. Like this he gave teaching.

Then afterwards when he reached the chapter explaining about shunyata, that part. When he was giving the teaching he flew up above the throne without touching the throne. Then as he flew higher and higher his body became smaller and smaller, then afterwards as a fly, like the size of fly. But still no matter how much he has gone higher and higher and body become smaller, voice of the teaching does not change, nothing smaller. Sometimes when a person has gone very far we can hear the sound from very distant. No, nothing like that. No change in sound. Still the sound of his giving teaching is the same as before as if he were still sitting on the throne.

So everybody, the monks who thought he was terrible lazy monk before, doesn’t know anything, does only 3 things, peepee, kaka, sleeping and eating. Then all their wrong conceptions completely smashed. The heresy, the way they used to believe before completely stopped. Instead of that all of them have incredible devotion to him realizing his great psychic powers and the controls over his mind and speech. Having such great knowledge of Dharma.

How he is a great bodhisattva, he didn’t practice? The person who doesn’t show his Dharma practice outside, who practice secretly, well those are called hidden practitioner. Great hidden practitioners. Like those yogis who practice Tantra but outside you can’t see that they practice. Tantra because they never show. Many highly realized yogis, you cannot see they have high realization of Tantra. What we see, ordinary people see as ordinary person, that, they do not practice Dharma at all. Such these practitioners are hidden practitioners. He explained in his teaching this is one of the main teachings, which came from fully realized distinguished, Indian Pandit. So this teaching is one of the basic ones that the Tibetan Lamas who have practiced, they prefer to it. If you want to practice bodhicitta the principal cause of enlightenment then this is one of the basic teachings that we have to study, understand and practice. So many teachings come out of this. Therefore I mention at the beginning the story of the great bodhisattva.

The perfect human rebirth is extremely difficult to find. If there are no benefits created in this life how can this rebirth be received in future life? This perfect human rebirth is difficult to find. What he is saying is that to find again this perfect human rebirth that has the freedom to practice Dharma is extremely difficult. To receive such this perfect human rebirth again in future lives depends on creating the cause in this life, creating good karma in this life. If there are no benefits created to receive this perfect human rebirth in future lives, if it is not created, how can it be received again? It cannot be received.

Also we can understand this way, if you want to receive nirvana, the boundless state you should create the benefits, the cause, in this life. Without having created the cause in this life, nirvana cannot be received in future lives. Same thing also, even if you wish to receive enlightenment for the benefit of other sentient beings in future lives, if the cause is not created in this life it is difficult to receive in future lives. So, receiving enlightenment for the benefit of other sentient beings is the main aim of our having taken perfect human rebirth in this life. Without depending on this gradual path to enlightenment, enlightenment cannot be received. So therefore it depends on following this teaching which shows the gradual path to enlightenment. That depends on actualizing the whole path, which depends on listening, understanding, and practicing meditation. So therefore, it is necessary to cultivate the pure motivation of bodhicitta in order to listen to the teachings.

Think, I am going to listen to the teaching on the gradual path to enlightenment in order to receive enlightenment for the benefit of all the kind mother sentient beings. This is the listening subject that leads the fortunate ones to enlightenment. It is well expounded by the great Mahayana philosophers, the highly realized beings Nagarjuna, and Asanga. This is the sole path through which all buddhas of the past, present, and future have received enlightenment. I will offer just a very brief commentary on gradual path to enlightenment.

This has four basic outlines:

1) To show the pure reference, the pre-eminent qualities of the author.

2) The pre-eminent qualities of the teaching in order to arise devotion to the teaching

3) How to listen and explain teachings which have two qualities

4) The gradual path, how to lead the disciple of teaching in path to enlightenment

i) How to make guru practice which is the root of the path and
ii) By following the guru how to train the mind in the gradual path to enlightenment.

So the path of guru, which needs some emphasis, as I told you already. Then how to train the mind to gradual path to enlightenment.

[BREAK]

So dividing the gradual path to enlightenment, there are three divisions. The gradual path of the lower intelligent being, the gradual path of the middle intelligent being, and the gradual path of the higher intelligent being. To be able to receive enlightenment depends on completing the path of the higher intelligent being, which depends on realization of the gradual path of the middle intelligent being. To receive that path depends on having the foundation realization of the gradual path of the lower intelligent being. So part of this meditation is from that teaching.

As I taught yesterday, those heavy sufferings of the narak beings are explained in the teachings by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, as the omniscient mind clearly sees all sentient beings’ different types of sufferings. Which sentient beings have the worst suffering, lighter suffering, different types of sufferings. Guru Shakyamuni Buddha has clearly explained this in the teaching.

Guru Shakyamuni Buddha explained the sufferings of naraks, pretas, animals, and human beings’ suffering and the suffering of sura and asura. Those who are living in the higher planets. The different sentient beings’ sufferings. The main purpose of explaining the suffering is to be able to seek and realize the cause of suffering. So in that way the sentient being, by following the path, will become free from the suffering and also from the cause. Like this, gradually they receive enlightenment.

Also one reason Guru Shakyamuni Buddha explains, is that to receive enlightenment depends on actualizing the principal cause of bodhicitta. Receiving bodhicitta depends on having realization of Mahayana compassion for all sentient beings.

So to receive Mahayana compassion for each of the sentient beings, one has to feel it is unbearable, one has to feel other sentient beings’ suffering as one’s own suffering. Like the mother when the son has fallen down in a fireplace in a hole where there is big fire, the mother feels the son’s, her child’s suffering, as if it is her suffering. Even if her body is not in that fireplace, suffering, she feels that she is held down in the fire. So like this, in order to bring up compassion for all sentient beings one should feel like that. One should feel other sentient beings’ suffering as one’s own suffering. How to actualize compassion is to try to understand as much as possible other sentient beings’ suffering. Gradually as you feel other sentient beings’ suffering, feeling it that unbearable, that much you have compassion.

So to generate this great Mahayana compassion for all sentient beings depends on understanding, feeling unbearable for the other sentient beings’ suffering. So therefore, we have to understand by studying the teachings, we ourselves do not have power to see without depending on the teaching. So as Guru Shakyamuni Buddha has explained with his complete understanding, we understand other sentient beings’ suffering by listening and understanding, by meditating on the teachings. For these reasons Guru Shakyamuni Buddha has explained the different sentient beings’ suffering.

Then, those heavy sufferings of the naraks, as explained in teachings, why we don’t see it is partially that our karma is not ripened yet to experience that, and also we don’t have the clear perception, the psychic powers to see these other different types of sentient beings and to see clearly their sufferings. However, it is like the example I mentioned, like the dream. The person who is experiencing fearful dreams. He dreams that he is caught in the fire, the whole place is full of flames. The individual who is having the dream, that is his own karmic view produced by his sinful mind or the mind delusion. That is the karmic view produced by the delusion. Even the dreams, the fearful view. The person who is sleeping with him can’t see the other person’s dream. Like this we don’t see at the moment those suffering states as Buddha has explained in the teachings. However there are ordinary sufferings of narak beings. narak beings that we see or that we don’t see.

On the other hand, a person who has created many harmful actions in life, evil actions, torturing many people, becoming the leader of the country, killing and torturing many people, many animals. At death time they are like this. They don’t have a good death, don’t have a happy death. Those beings, after death, they are ready to be born in the realm of the naraks. There is a sign which already shows the person is going to be reborn in the naraks. The sign happens at the death time, before the person’s breathing stops. When the person is dying they have incredible pains at death time. They do not have a peaceful death, but they have incredible pains in the body, making so much noise, kaka coming out. Showing fearful faces, big eyes, colors of face changing, mouth opening. Even the people who nurse him get scared.

The person who is dying, who is on the journey to the narak, this person says all kinds of things like the person who has fever, the person sees all kinds of things, his view changes. The person who has taken drugs, his view changes, he sees all kinds of things, but he doesn’t see things correctly. Color changing, things upside down, he sees non-human beings as human being, that which is not animal as animal. Like when you have drugs. Even if there is no one around you hear people, so many people talking. Every small piece of dust you see as full of worms. Everything is moving like this. The person who is on the journey to the naraks, he is like this. He says all kinds of things. He shouts this and that and says all kinds of frightening things like, “Many animals are attacking me. Many people are beating me or chasing me with weapons, cutting me.” Even some people don’t see anything happening but for that person dying it is real, everything he sees is real. As he has no solution of what to do with these fearful views, no control or understanding, the person gets so scared with own views, these karmic views produced by his delusions. The delusions and karma that he has produced in his life. The heavy narak Sufferings that we don’t see. Another example is like this: the person who works around many dead people as a nurse in hospital can remember, can see.

Recently one Tibetan man died in Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama’s residence is. One Tibetan man died. Before this man was trying to help another person who was dying. When this person, who was a layperson, was dying, there were some other monks whose teacher is Geshe Rabten who is now in Switzerland, the Abbot of the Tibetan Monastery there. Some disciples, some ascetic monks who retreat living in a cave went to help this man who is sick, who is about to die. When he was dying he was making so much noise, showing all kinds of fearful faces, many sheep coming from all directions and attacking him, all these things he was mentioning. Then afterwards they checked up why he made noise like that. Then they found out what kind of life he led in Tibet. In Tibet he used to kill many animals, so many sheep. So what was happening is that before the person’s mind left the body and took rebirth in the lower realms, he experienced that again, the karmic view produced by his delusions and his previous negative karma.

Also there are signs like this. The person who is going to be born in the realms of the happy transmigrator, who is going to be born in the pure realms of the Buddha. Things like that, at the death time they have good signs, not horrible frightening things, but only good signs, good pleasant views. That person’s mind is also happy at death time. So there are different mental states. Different forms of death.

Before that another example. Here there is just cold and hot on this earth, but some human beings like heat. Some people can’t stand it, its incredibly hot and for some people it is so small it is nothing, and they don’t care, it is not so terrible. It is the same thing with cold, they don’t get same feeling of heat and cold. Even if it is the same place, same climate, people feel different ways. Some people don’t feel so much cold, and different things like this. The hot and cold sufferings that human beings experience is nothing compared to those other suffering narak beings—how much they experience hot and cold, many hundreds of time greater than human beings suffering of hot and cold. Oh! I forgot one thing to mention that also happened like this in Tibet.

In one country, there was one leader and while he was leader of that country he tortured so many people. When he was dying he got a vision, he saw in his view, like dreaming, all the people in that country attacking him and pressing him down, all the people on top of his body. He had a very frightening death. And also one monk who lived in the monastery. Maybe he did something wrong, he caused disunity among the monks, the Sangha, in the monastery, he created heavy negative actions when he was living in the monastery. So this monk, what happened at death time is that before his mind left the body he had very terrible visions. The whole monastery was burning on top of his body and pressing down. Very frightening karmic views happened like this and he was telling other people, the Sangha, describing how he saw and thought like this. There are other stories. This was because they did not purify the negative karmas they had collected in their life, and the karma that has been collected and is not purified during the lifetime brings the suffering result, whatever it is.

Meditation is like this. Even if a fire spark, a tiny one, comes on the body, I cannot meditate. I can’t meditate, can’t concentrate. Just as a rubbish can is dropped on the body you have to shake, you can’t concentrate. So being born in those realms, the narak suffering realms, the whole suffering is greater, extremely many time greater than this. It is impossible. If you are born there, it is impossible to practice Dharma with this fire spark on the body. I can’t practice. How can I practice Dharma there? It is impossible.

Now I have a perfect human rebirth and have the chance to practice Dharma. So therefore without losing the freedom I must practice Dharma. I think I stop here. Then the meditation will be repeated, so according to that you do meditation on the gradual path to enlightenment. The meditation will be on the usefulness of the perfect human rebirth. As it is repeated then you concentrate. Like this.

[Dedication]

Lecture 10

Before listening to the actual teaching it is necessary to activate the pure motivation of bodhicitta, thinking that you are going to listen to the teaching in order to receive enlightenment for the benefit of all the kind mother sentient beings.

So the formal meditation on the perfect human rebirth. How to do it, like this. First thing is having the freedom to practice Dharma by not being born in the narak suffering realms, so first remember this. The example, that we experience here is that with that hot suffering we can’t practice Dharma. Such a small fire-spark drops on the body, and for seconds while it is on the body we can’t practice Dharma. The most effective way is to reason like this. Then after this visualize as if you are in the narak suffering realms. Hot red burning iron ground burn, suffering–how it is there, whether you have the chance to practice Dharma there or not, try to feel it, how unbearable, then as you feel it, get the strong, unbearable feeling of the hot suffering, then think back, it is impossible to practice Dharma there. Now, how fortunate I am that I have not been born in the narak realm and that I have received the perfect human rebirth and have the freedom to practice Dharma, and while I have this freedom I must practice Dharma without losing it.

Then think of the second one, it is translated in books as preta. The samsaric word is hungry ghost. It is like this. There are similar primitive countries where many people suffer the whole day, life passes away and they are starving. Always life passes and they are experiencing the suffering of hunger and thirst. All the time they have that problem. Also outside looking bodies are very ugly. Similarly the outside of the body is very terrible, ugly looking . Not in good color, not in good shape, very ugly looking. They have big stomachs, the hands and legs are very tiny, awful looking, similar to what has been explained, the terrible bodies of the pretas, the hungry ghosts, in the teaching. Similar to that, things we see in some countries; also the hungry ghosts are many times like this.

The excuse of what makes one to be born as a preta, that is one principal cause, attachment, miserliness. That is the main cause. To be reborn as narak beings the cause is anger. The anger is such a violent mind. The cause to be reborn as a preta is miserliness and attachment, such as not making charity. This is the principal cause and there can be other causes, of course. Many people who are so attached to their own property, home, are so much attached at death time. They die with attachment and strong miserliness to property, material possessions. Also the karma to be born as preta through attachment and miserliness has been collected during the lifetime, especially at death time. After death then that person is born as a suffering being such as a preta.

People who can’t make food, clothing, and other charity to other people. Even though they can’t use things for themselves, they collect, and preserve, preserve, like this. They can’t wear them themselves, can’t eat them themselves, but they can’t make charity. Many times it like this. After death, because there is so much attachment at home, then they are reborn as a preta and have to be situated around that home. Many times these spirits harm the family people inside.

Sometimes it is also like this. You die and the mind is spiteful toward other people. You have anger within your mind towards someone and you die with that mind. Also there are many people who die with a spiritual mind and after this they are born as a preta, very mischievous spirits, very wrathful looking spirits, who are very harmful. Also pretas are like this, very powerful in regards to giving harm.

Also many times I heard stories even in the West. After the person dies at home others still hear the noise of that person returning home. He is banging the door and making noise, causing the people who are inside to come out. There are many stories.

Also there are many spirits in the West that enter mediums. Also in the West, besides in Tibet and India and in Eastern countries, they are also in America and other countries. The medium invokes spirits and they enter the body. They give answers to other people’s questions. There are different types of pretas. Some of these pretas also have a little bit of karmic powers and can tell a little bit about futures, what is going to happen. There are certain spirits like this. Many different types of spirits who possess the country, certain mountain places. Some of these pretas do have karmic psychic powers, not through meditation practice but by karma, but it is not something you can trust, that you can take refuge in. These certain pretas, hungry ghosts, can give us little bits of material help. Like if you want to destroy or give harm to some other people, do black magic. Then you ask that spirit…

…and it guides you temporarily, guides you to harm, destroy, or kill others. There are different types. Also before they were human being, for different reasons with anger or miserliness, they died. Then they are reborn as pretas. There are many stories like this.

These pretas beings can be seen by some people who have certain types of eyes and senses. High lamas who have high psychic powers can see these other spirits, the pretas, other sentient beings that ordinary people can’t see. High lamas can see, control, and subdue them.

Before in India, when Guru Shakyamuni Buddha was in India, there was one young monk. His mother died, and his mother had such strong attachment and miserliness to properties, she never made charity in her life, so with that types of mind she died. Then after death she was born as a preta. One day, this young monk saw one very fearful, wrathful being, a hungry ghost. And the young monk started to run away because he was so scared. Then the fearful spirit said, “Don’t you run away, I am the loving mother from whom one son was born. After death I was born as a preta, with unbearable suffering of hunger and thirst (the number of years I don’t remember exactly). Then for a long time I have been seeking food and drink, and I didn’t find even a mark of water when there is the dampness.” If there was water before then there would be a mark, dampness or wetness. She is saying she didn’t find even a mark, besides finding a drop of water.

Guru Shakyamuni Buddha existed in the manifestation of the nirmanakaya. So this young monk went to see Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. He offered a small piece of cloth to Guru Shakyamuni Buddha to dedicate for his mother, who was born as preta to have a better rebirth. To pray for his mother. So he took and offered the cloth and asked for dedication for his mother and his mother preta had terrible miserliness and attachment and didn’t want to offer that piece of cloth to Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. So after the monk left Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, then the mother went slowly, sneakily, and took the piece of cloth back home. Then the young monk again he took it to Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, then again his mother followed and slowly took the piece of cloth back home. Several times it was like this. Before his mother was born an extremely poor preta, not having any material possessions, then after Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s dedication, offering this piece of cloth again and again, by the power of Guru Shakyamuni’s dedication, although she still had very strong karma to be a preta, she couldn’t change her rebirth to become a human being or to be born as a Sura or God, so by the power of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s dedication, she was born a wealthy preta. Then slowly by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s skill the young monk offered this cloth, and the mother had a better rebirth like this.

Also there was one great yogi whose name is Sangye Yeshe, one very highly realized yogi. He had psychic powers to travel to those different planets and to see other types of sentient beings. So this great yogi Sangye Yeshe visited a place where there is a city, where there are many members of pretas situated. This yogi with his psychic powers went to this place to guide pretas. He saw one preta, one mother who had five hundred children. The mother preta could communicate with this yogi, so she asked the yogi when he goes to certain place in India (I don’t remember the name) can you give this message to my husband. My husband has gone in human places, to find food and it has been fifty years, (something like that) and now I have five hundred children and no food to eat, so come back soon…with food. This reminds me of the West. Anyway it doesn’t matter.

So this yogi said there are many pretas in the city in human places who are seeking food, how can I recognize your husband? Then she said it is easy to recognize because his eye is blind, and one leg is limp. So this yogi came back to this city and tried to find this husband preta. Then one day he met one preta with one eye blind, one leg lame. He gave him the message, and the preta said he had been seeking food for fifty years but hadn’t found anything except for one small dried up piece of spit, which he held in his right hand tightly so as not to lost it.

The preta found this food because one day a monk who is purely living in the precepts threw spit and then said a mantra. He dedicated his spit for the pretas by reciting mantras, so this preta found the spit, and preserved it for a longtime. Therefore Guru Shakyamuni Buddha has shown methods. There are prayers and mantras to say. Also in the monasteries, when the monks have food, before food they make charity for different kinds of spirits. Then after having the food they make charity to the pretas by reciting these specific mantras that were given by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha.

So by the power of the mantra, by this dedication, they have it—otherwise they can’t see even the food. Many people pass on the road but don’t find that jewel, one person finds the jewel. Everyone who goes on the road can’t find the jewel, even if it is right there. It is like that because of karma. The obscuration of the karma. They can’t see the food and drinks. So the power of mantra allows them to receive it, to find it. Usually also in the monastery, the monks make offerings like this. Even for making kaka and peepee, there are ways to make dedication mantras. The pretas’ main suffering is hunger and thirst, which is 100,000 times greater than a human being’s suffering of hunger and thirst. Their length of life is also a long time, many hundreds of thousands of years depending on individual karma.

So then think, even if one lunch, one meal is delayed, we feel hungry, can’t pay attention to the Dharma, to the teaching, can’t meditate. The visualization of food comes automatically without effort. Even if one meal is delayed it is difficult to practice Dharma, even three or four meals. So if I can’t practice Dharma now then if I am born as a preta beings—if it is possible put yourself in the situation of being born as a preta, experiencing such unbearable suffering of hunger and thirst. Try to understand and feel that. Then think if I am born now as a preta it is impossible to practice Dharma. So how fortunate I am to not be born as a preta, having received the perfect human rebirth and having the freedom to practice Dharma. So while I have this freedom, without losing the freedom I must practice Dharma. Like this.

Then the third one is the long-life gods. Sorry the animals—like these buffaloes. If you tell the buffalo you must recite this mantra, it is so secret and you can receive enlightenment right away, just tonight you will receive enlightenment, they still can’t recite mantra. They can’t understand what you’re saying. No matter what you are saying, whether it is so profound, practical, and so helpful, it is nothing for the buffalo, it is just outside noise…

…no freedom to practice Dharma. Besides practicing Dharma, you’ve no chance to enjoy samsaric pleasures, no chance to enjoy the sense pleasure humans have, besides not having the freedom to practice Dharma. Then think, after feeling how the dumb animal doesn’t have the freedom to practice Dharma, then you think how fortunate I am that I have not been born as this dumb animal, a buffalo, having received a perfect human rebirth and having the freedom to practice Dharma. While I have the freedom to practice Dharma, without losing this freedom I must practice Dharma.

Then the long life gods. The reason these type of sentient beings are called god, living in the higher planet, is because they have greater sense pleasure, greater enjoyment than the human beings; the sura, asuras. These things you will gradually understand more and more clearly as you follow the meditation. These suras and asuras are in the higher planets, such as Mt. Meru, the jewel mountain, these gods are situated in those categories of this mountain. Also on the top of this mountain and also on moon and sun. Those living beings are also situated there. But it is not something we can see, their actual place that they enjoy came into existence by their karma.

The actual place that they see in their view, we see either by ourselves being born there by creating karma or we having the psychic power to be there and see. We can communicate this way, otherwise we don’t see those living beings, we don’t see their beautiful countries, their beautiful places. Even though we go to the same height, or even if we went to that place, we see things according to our own karma, according to our own mind. Same as the story that someone mentioned the other day. In one bowl human beings see water, the higher beings, gods, they see nectar, preta beings, lower beings see pus and blood, all in the same bowl. The answer is like that. Each have a different view that each living beings sees, and this is the prediction of their own different level of mind. Even if we went to the same height we see only things according to our own mind, our own karma.

If we have the karma to see those gods and to have the sense pleasures, enjoyments that they have to experience, we should have the karma. Our karma should ripen. If the karma is not ripened or created then you cannot communicate or see those beings. You see according to your own karma.

I heard that in the case of the scientists who have been to the planets, before they thought there were no living beings, but now they feel there is something there, but they are not clear what it is. But they feel there are living beings on the moon, the planet.

The details of explanation of the planets and is given by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, it is one of the philosophical teachings, the concourse teaching Abhidharma. This explains these evolutions, how all these planets started, how they end. The detailed explanation is there. Living beings, place, how everything started, how everything ends, by what cause, everything. So, because these beings have greater enjoyment, greater sense pleasures than human beings, they are called gods.

One is called asura, which means non-god. For instance, in the countries if a person does the most horrible actions beyond the normal human behavioral actions, that person is recognized as not a human being, acting completely opposite to the usual behavior. Then he gets kicked out of that country. These asuras, their minds are more mischievous than suras, so by this they are kicked out of the suras’ place. So by this they are called non-gods, the mischievous gods, asuras. In this state there is no freedom to practice Dharma.

Simple example is, you see, when we have a rich apartment with many swimming pools around, cars and TV, where there is everything, so many sense pleasures, it is difficult to relax the mind. One after another you want to enjoy this, you want to enjoy that, you want this and that sense pleasure, the mind becomes busy. The mind is distracted by the sense objects. By having attachment to these sense pleasures, the mind is occupied by that. The person does not relax even for a few minutes, it is difficult to relax the mind. The main distraction is the attachment to the sense pleasures—the person is busy with the object of pleasures, so it difficult to relax the mind. The person can actually make time to meditate but the person doesn’t give time. So when we are surrounded by many sense objects, experiencing sense pleasures, it is difficult to keep the mind quiet and to meditate.

If I am born in those realms of asura and sura, there are greater enjoyments and sense pleasures. Houses are made of jewels such as lapis lazuli; even the ground is lapis lazuli. The house is radiating, having beams made of jewels, like a palace. When they walk on the ground they can see their reflection in the mirror by looking in the glass. They live on nectar for their food enjoyment. Their food is not like our food. It is much greater and more pure than this. They live on that. Even the male ones, their bodies are so handsome and beautiful…

…and female bodies so beautiful, not ugly bodies. Also the bodies have light. Unlike us they don’t have to depend on the sun. We have to depend on sun, but they have their own light, their bodies. Always they spend the life singing and dancing with many hundreds of friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, always going around beautiful parks to enjoy, all things like that, always playing music, like this.

About the material wealth, I will mention this one example. If we compare all of our jewels to even one small ornament of these beings, it could not compare. Their material wealth is unbelievable. Even all the wealth of material on this earth cannot compare to one ornament. There is such great sense pleasure and sense objects. And it is extremely difficult to practice Dharma.

Firstly, you visualize yourself as a rich person having everything around you, all the material conditions around. Whatever rich people have, you visualize yourself. And think how it affects the mind—whether you can keep the mind quiet relaxed. Then after that you think. Visualize you are a sura. Then think about having these great enjoyment, and how fortunate I am not being born as a sura, and that I have received perfect human rebirth with the freedom to practice Dharma. Without losing this I must practice Dharma.

In previous times in India, one of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s disciples called Sharipu, who was an arhat, completely free from delusions and the suffering realms of samsara, he had a disciple who was a young medical king. He respected Sharipu very much and when he was riding on his elephant and his teacher passed through the road, he would jump down very quickly. After the disciple died, Sharipu checked with his psychic powers to see where the disciple was born. He found him in the sura realm. Sharipu went to the sura realm and he tried to see the disciple teach him. But his disciple just looked at his teacher for a second and then put his fingers up like this, and he left. He didn’t have time to listen to the Dharma. Didn’t have time to listen to Sharipu, he left with his girlfriends to enjoy the beautiful parks. He didn’t have time to listen to Dharma, to pay attention to his teacher. Previous stories, things like that happened, which shows there is no freedom to practice Dharma in those realms.

The fifth one is the state of a barbarian. This refers to the place where there is no Dharma at all, completely dark. Also the barbarian birth has no understanding of the cause of happiness or the cause of suffering. Completely ignorant of karma. So then think, the formal meditation is like this ... the people who do not have one single understanding of karma, what is the cause of happiness or suffering. Completely dark and ignorant, all the time their whole life completely expecting and wishing happiness but creating the cause of suffering, being completely ignorant. Put yourself in that situation. The people who have no understanding of Dharma, about karma. Not one single understanding. Think how they continually create the cause of suffering, put yourself in that situation. How there is no freedom to practice Dharma, try to feel, understand this. Then afterward think how fortunate I am that this time I have not been born as a barbarian. I am not a barbarian, having a perfect human rebirth and having the freedom to practice Dharma. While I have this freedom then without losing it I must practice Dharma. Think like this.

Then after that, heresy. Heresy is like this. The person has wrong view. Wrong understanding. The heretical being has wrong view, wrong conception, like this. There is no such thing as karma, no such thing as incarnation, no such thing as shunyata, absolute true nature. No such thing as Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Having wrong conception, nothing exists. “I” don’t exist, nothing exists. All kinds of wrong conceptions like that. Think if I am this person, the heretical person, who doesn’t understand any of this, completely having wrong view, conception, believing completely wrong view, no reincarnation, no absolute true nature, no Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, no karma, the good actions bring happiness, the virtuous actions. The non-virtuous actions bring suffering. Having completely wrong belief that there is no such thing. Put yourself in that situation of the heretical being, and try to think, feel how the mind is completely ignorant and there is no freedom to practice Dharma. By this wrong conception, wrong views, the person does not practice Dharma. It doesn’t allow the person to practice Dharma. Wrong conception does not allow person to understand reincarnation, to understand karma, things like this. This is how wrong conception disturbs the person from practicing Dharma. Then think how fortunate I am not being born as these heretical beings and how now I have received a perfect human rebirth and have the freedom to practice Dharma, while I have this freedom without losing it, I must practice Dharma.

Next one, if I am born in a place and time which is devoid of Buddha. If the Buddha did not descend then there are no teachings, you see. Such a place and time where Buddha has not descended and there are no teachings. Visualize yourself, I am born here in such time and place. Think, try to feel how there is no freedom to practice Dharma. Then after feeling that, then think how fortunate I am that it is not this place where there was no Buddha descended and no teachings and I have received the perfect human rebirth and have freedom to practice Dharma and while I have this freedom without losing this I must practice Dharma.

Number eight is the mute, fool, can’t communicate, the mind extremely ignorant. The mind has no capability to understand. Visualize yourself as a mute-fool person, you can’t communicate; besides Dharma communication, you can’t communicate with even the normal things and the mind is incapable of understanding even if the Dharma is explained. Even normal talk, even if you speak normal worldly thoughts, eating, drinking, just normal things, you can’t understand. The mind is incapable of understanding the meanings. Visualize yourself like this. As you remember a certain person and you put yourself in that situation and think how there is no freedom to practice Dharma, try to feel it in your meditation. Then afterward think how fortunate I am this time that I have not been this fool-mute person, and I have received a perfect human rebirth and have the freedom to practice Dharma. While I have that freedom without losing it I must practice Dharma, like this. The way to meditate is like this.

Then ten richnesses.

1. Human being firstly. From the Dharma point of view, the meaning of human being is making preparation for the happiness of future lives, which differentiates one from the animals. Think this time I am a human being making preparation for the happiness of the future lives, having the freedom to practice Dharma, how fortunate.

2. The second thing is being born in the center of the religious country, which means where there are the lineages of the ordinations. And also where there are all the teachings existing. That is the center of a religious country. There is a chance to study all the teachings on the path to enlightenment. Also if there is a wish to take ordination, there is a chance to take it, there is a lineage that is a path to nirvana.

3. Third, I am born with a perfect body, with perfect organs. For instance if I am born in the center of religious country but there are no ordinations, no lineages of the teachings, then there is no chance no matter how much I wish to study Dharma or take ordination. There is no chance.

Also, there are bodies that have both sexes, female and male, and also bodies that don’t have any sex. If I were born with this kind of imperfect body, no matter how much the person wishes to take ordination the ordination cannot be granted. The person cannot receive ordination. The abbot cannot grant ordination to such a person who has an imperfect body. So this time I have received a perfect body and this time if I wish to take ordination, there is a chance.

4. Besides that, if I am a person who has created one of the five heinous extreme negative actions, the heaviest negative karmas­killing father, mother, killing arhats, those higher beings, causing blood to flow from those higher beings, the tathagathas, who have received the highest path, causing disunity among the Sangha, the group of monks. These five actions are called this. Why? Because these heavy negative actions have a very heavy suffering result that one has to experience for an incredible length of time until the karma is finished. Therefore these karmas are called immeasurable karma. Immeasurable is not the exact term. Limitless negative action.

So if I am this kind of person no matter how much I wish to take ordination there is no chance to receive it. Also one who has created this heavy negative karma has difficulty in understanding Dharma, difficulty in actualizing the meditation. How fortunate I am to not be this person who has created limitless negative action. If I wished to take ordination there would be a chance.

[5. Having faith in the three baskets (tripitaka) of Buddha's teachings: vinaya, sutra and abhidharma. See Rinpoche's comment below...this point usually comes here.]

6. Besides that, if I were born in the place or time where Buddha has not descended there is no chance to practice Dharma. In this world there is not always Buddha, he doesn’t always descend.

Like this, at the very beginning the original human beings who came to live on this earth, they had long life, more than one hundred years. Incredible length of life, like the gods, the suras, similar to that. They had a very long life.

In fact, talking about this, those original human beings minds came from the sura realms. Those beings took human beings body from the sura realms as their karma to be as a sura finished. In their previous lifetimes, before they were born in the sura realm, they created the karma to be born as human beings. So one day they finished the karma to live in the planet of the suras, and the karma to be born as human beings was ready. Like the, one flower died, produced by one seed, another seed was ready to bring sprout and plants—the karma to be born as a human being is ready, the karma to live in the sura realm is finished. After that these sentient beings, according to their karma, they took a human body on the earth. At that time they didn’t have parents—there are four different types of rebirth. This rebirth is called “entering;” your mind enters into things and you become alive. Original human beings minds’ take physical conditions, such as light, certain conditions. So by the mind taking place in that it appeared gradually in the form of the body. The physical condition like this. They didn’t have parents and they had the “entering” rebirth.

Anyway, the human beings’ life, at the beginning it started from the unimaginable, uncountable life, which means an incredible length of life. Then gradually the length of human life became shorter and shorter. It went down to ten. Then from the age of ten it got longer and longer until 80,000. It happened about twenty times, life coming down, becoming shorter, going up, down. Twenty becoming shorted like that, and twenty becoming longer. Buddha does not descend on this earth during those times when the life gets longer, up to 80,000 years. When it gets longer there is no Buddha, no Dharma. The world is complete darkness. Also when the life degenerates down there is no Buddhadharma, no Buddha descending, no teaching. Only after some time does Buddha descend, when the life becomes shorter. So this time that we are born is a time when the Buddha has descended. If we are born in a time where no Buddha has descended then there is no chance to practice Dharma. Now we are born in a time and place where Buddha has descended, so we have the chance to practice Dharma, so without losing this chance I must practice Dharma.

I think I stop here. The meditation will be repeated so you can make the analytical checking meditation according to what is repeated.

[Dedication]

Lecture 11

Before listening to the teaching it is necessary to cultivate the pure motivation of bodhicitta, in order for this to become the action of listening to Dharma, not just to become the cause of happiness, the cause of one’s own blissful state of peace, nirvana, but for the action to become the cause of enlightenment for the benefit of other sentient beings. As the highly realized Lama Tsongkhapa explained in his teaching on the direct meditation on the gradual path to enlightenment, I have received the perfect human rebirth. This is extremely difficult to find and highly meaningful. Please grant me blessings to arise the thought of taking of taking the essence day and night unceasingly by knowing this. The greatest essence that can be taken with this highly meaningful perfect human rebirth is to receive enlightenment for the benefit of all mother sentient beings. So that cannot be received without cause. So what is the cause? The thing that makes us receive the fully enlightened stage is actualizing the gradual path to enlightenment within one’s mind. That depends on listening, understanding, and meditating. So therefore it is necessary to listen to the teachings with this motivation. I am going to listen to the teaching on the gradual path to enlightenment in order to receive enlightenment for the benefit of all the kind mother sentient beings.

The listening subject that leads the fortunate one to enlightenment—there are four basic outlines, and the last one is how to lead the disciple in the gradual path to enlightenment. Of the actual teaching there are two outlines. How to do the guru practice which is the root of the path and how to train one’s own mind in the path by following the guru. So the whole path is divided into three. To receive enlightenment depends on completing path of higher intelligent being, which depends on completing gradual path of middle intelligent being, and that depends on completing the realization, the gradual path of the lower intelligent being. So part of the meditation subject is from that.

Then eight freedoms, the perfect human rebirth has eight freedoms and ten richnesses. Among the ten richnesses there are five things that are received from one’s own side and five things that are received from the other side, from the side of the other people and the place. The first richness is oneself being a human being, that I told yesterday, then being born in the center of a religious country, besides that having perfect bodily organs, not having created these extreme limitless negative actions. Besides that, if one is born in a time or place where Buddha does not descend then no chance to practice Dharma.

Then I was describing yesterday the times when the Buddha does not descend. There are about twenty. So without describing much, there are four great eons when the world starts to decay, and it takes four great eons until it completely becomes empty. No ashes are left, no dust is left, it takes one great eon again to start evolution. Then space becomes empty without having form, and it lasts another great eon. After the creation, evolution is completed, then before it starts to degenerate it lasts another great eon. Within these great eons there are twenty-one small eons, called little eons. First of all the length of life is unimaginable compared to our present life. From there it degenerates down, it becomes shorter and shorter, then becomes longer and longer, up to 80,000 years, and during this time there is no Buddha. Buddha does not descend. The present age is recognized as the age of one hundred, but this is now finishing, is coming to the end. So again there are not so many people who can live for one hundred years. It is becoming more and more rare. So like this, the most number people live is sixty or seventy, around that. However again after this there is no Buddhadharma, so in fact, this time is like the candle flame. So by opportunity we have just made it, the tail of the teaching, the tail of the Buddhadharma. The last part of the Buddhadharma. Actually, by thinking like this we are greatly fortunate. So if we are born in those other times where Buddha does not descend, during all this time in this world it is completely dark. No light of Buddhadharma. Complete darkness in the minds of the sentient beings in this world. So we have the chance to practice Dharma. How fortunate I am, think like this.

7. Then besides Buddha having descended, he also has shown the teaching. For instance if you were delayed, if you were not born now, but born after some time, when the Buddhadharma was completely degenerated, completely finished, even if you were born as human beings there is no chance to practice Dharma, to follow the path. So Buddha has descended but even if Buddha has descended there are times when he does not give teachings right away. The way to think is this. Even if Buddha has descended he does not give teaching right away to the sentient beings. Guru Shakyamuni Buddha descended on the earth, taking the princely life, taking the ordinary form like this. Even after bodhgaya after he received enlightenment he did not show teachings, only after he was requested and he was persuaded by the god called ... I am not sure what his name is in Sanskrit, Brahma? This god persuaded and requested him to give teachings. Without requests, Buddha doesn’t give teachings. Buddha did not give teachings right after he received enlightenment. During that time, if you were born, Buddha had descended, but he does not give teachings during that time. This time Buddha has descended and shown teachings, so there is the chance to practice the teaching.

8. So this time, besides Buddha having shown the teaching, the teaching is existing. This is like this. If you are born afterward, then Buddha has shown the teaching but it has degenerated, finished, not existing. If you are born late, after the teaching has degenerated, and even if Buddha has shown the teaching, the teaching is not existing so there is no chance to practice Dharma. So now the teaching is existing, besides being shown the teaching ...

Here there are two divisions of teaching. The actual teaching is the realization, the existing realization in the mind of the living, holy beings. This is the definition of existing teaching. The perfect understanding of the meaning of the teaching in the minds of other holy beings. If there is not perfect understanding of the meaning of teaching, then no one can explain it perfectly. Even though there is a whole library full of texts you can’t give the right explanation. On the other hand, if you don’t have the perfect intellectual understanding of the teachings there is no way to receive right realization, perfect realization. Like this. Since the teaching ...

…I have the chance to practice Dharma, how fortunate I am.

9. And besides the teachings existing, many times in the countries, even the pure teachings exist but many people in that country do not follow the teaching. They do not understand the benefits of the teaching. Even though there are such precious methods to pacify the suffering that brings ultimate happiness, people in that country do not follow. So, just having the teaching existing in the country, that is not enough. One has to follow the teaching. In order to pacify one’s own suffering and to receive ultimate happiness oneself has to follow the teaching. In Tibet there are innumerable highly realized yogis. The precious teaching, sutra and tantra, the shortcut path to enlightenment, such pure teachings exists but still there are many people who don’t follow the teaching. Who don’t understand that there is such a precious method there, that can make the life happy, that can make this life and all future lives happy. They don’t recognize and they don’t follow. So if one doesn’t follow the teachings, even if one is born in the country where the teachings are existing, it is of no use; same thing also in India. So not like this. If one does not follow teachings then there is no chance to practice Dharma. So this time it is not like this.

Those other beings can actualize the path and escape from suffering and receive ultimate happiness, therefore I have the same capability. Why can’t I do the same as those other beings? I can do it because I have the same capability, same potentiality in my mind to be able to do that. So by understanding and seeing this, you also want to experience, to follow the path. This time as we are trying to actualize the meditation, trying to understand Dharma, trying to experience the meditation—Guru Shakyamuni Buddha himself had the whole experience of this path and benefited numberless sentient beings, enlightened numberless sentient beings and followers, by following this path, hearing and understanding this and trying to actualize the meditation. I also have the same capability to do this, following the teachings as those previous highly realized yogis and enlightened beings have followed the path.

10. Then besides oneself following the teaching ... receiving help and compassion from others even if one is following the teachings. If he doesn’t have compassion then he wouldn’t give teachings, he wouldn’t help. So again one can’t practice Dharma.

Second thing is that to practice Dharma, as we do not have control over our body and mind, the high realizations, so that we don’t have to depend on temporal needs, now we have to depend on temporal needs. Therefore, if someone doesn’t help with temporal needs with compassion then again we don’t get a chance to practice Dharma. We have no chance to listen to the teachings, to meditate. So receiving help given with compassion from the teacher is receiving teachings. Also we receive help from other people with compassion in terms of temporal needs. Many times the students who study in the East, other friends help, they send money, parents—when they want money they ask parents and the they help, things like that. Also when you want money you ask for work, other people give you a job and then collecting that money you can again practice Dharma. This gives you the opportunity to practice Dharma. Those things happen, help is received from other people. So therefore I have the chance to practice Dharma, how fortunate I am. There are ten richnesses. Briefly like this. Without talking much detail.

Student: What are merits? The prayer that we say before the teachings, we purify and create merits, what exactly are merits?
Rinpoche: That is good karma. All good actions are merits. How is it said in the dictionary?
Student: What I was wondering was how the J’or Ch’o prayers purify hindrances and accumulate merits.
Rinpoche: Well, by doing different practices you create different causes of different result. The seven limbs—each have a different result because the practice is different. But the whole thing is merits, good action, but different practices, so it has a different result, which is necessary to receive it. So like this, those other practices. Merits in good action, the good cause. The non-virtuous action does not have a good cause, it does not create merit because it has a suffering result. Merits have always a good result. For instance, even just by hearing the prayer without the actual practice contained, hearing the words clearly in the mind, even that creates merit. Why? Because that plants the seed in the mind, it plants the seed for life. In later life he meets the teachings and he understands the teachings much easier. Whatever the subject he heard before is much easier. He learns without much difficulty and understands it in the future, so that is also merit. That is a good result. That cause planted a seed in the mind from hearing the mantra, so even that is merit, a good cause. If it is a good cause it is merit. If it is virtue it is merit.
Student: What is the difference between creating merits and making purification?
Rinpoche: In fact it is not opposite, there is not much difference. When you create merit you purify and when you purify you create merit.
Student: It is exactly the same? Or is it different?
Rinpoche: It is called by different function, different actions. When you make prostration to the visualization of Buddha it purifies, it creates merits. By the function it is called, by the benefits. There is no such thing as this is purification but not creating merit, and that is creating merit not purification. One actions has different functions. As it purifies, the prostration purifies delusions, negativities of body, speech, and mind, so it is called purifying practice. Then as it creates good karma which brings a good result such as enlightenment and a happy rebirth in the future life, then in that way it is called creating merits. Like this.

I thought I counted ten but I left one. Having devotion to the teaching that was left. It was forgotten. So quickly just to make conclusion making short repetition.

As I am making preparation for the future life.

i) I am a human being so there is a chance to practice Dharma;
ii) Besides that I born in the center of a religious country so there is a chance to practice Dharma. If I wish to take ordination then there is a chance to take it and also to practice the teachings;
iii) Besides that I have received perfect organs in the body. So therefore there is a chance to take ordination if I wish;
iv) Besides that I have not created the extreme negative actions, so therefore I have the chance, if I wish to take ordination I can take it. Also if such heavy negative karma is not created it is easy to understand Dharma;
v) Then besides that Buddha has descended so I have a chance to practice Dharma;
vi) Besides that Buddha has shown the teaching so I have chance to practice the Dharma. Besides that I can’t practice Dharma even if Buddha has descended but not shown the teaching. But the teaching is shown so I have the chance to practice Dharma;
vii) Besides that if the teaching does not exist I can’t practice Dharma. The teaching is still existing so I have the chance to practice Dharma;
viii ) Then after this, what I forgot before, having devotion to the teaching. Usually in the text having devotion to the teaching is put before the Buddha descends, but I can put it here. If one does not have devotion to the teaching then one does not continue with the teaching. Also having that much devotion to the teaching, because of that there is that much chance to practice Dharma.
ix) Besides having devotion also one follows the teaching;
x) Then besides that one having compassion from the teacher and other people, such as benefactors, friends, other things like that—by this there is a chance to practice Dharma. So after each of these things if you can emphasize, while I have this chance I must practice Dharma. You can emphasize like this. It is very good instructing yourself like this.

As one meditates then perhaps you may find you have not received the whole ten richnesses, there is something missing. However we have received more than what is not received. For each freedom, each richness that we find, that we have received, we should feel great happiness, we should feel how fortunate I am in having the richness to practice Dharma. After having found each richness one should feel great rejoicefulness with one’s mind. Great happiness. Feeling happiness, feeling rejoicefulness only makes one practice Dharma, it only persuades one to continuously practice Dharma.

The more clearly one recognizes each freedom, the richness one has received, that much great happiness arises in one’s mind and that only helps one to continuously practice Dharma. How much you can increase this happiness is only beneficial. It only persuades one to work towards enlightenment. I have the chance to drink—how much you think of that. How much you exaggerate that as happiness. Then you drink more and more, you smoke more and more, then what happens is you become more and more unhealthy, the lungs, the heart becomes black, lungs get rotten. You drink more and more ... completely become berserk. Then after you completely become worse than those animals, not knowing who takes money from the pocket. Not knowing who takes the passport, then afterwards life is completely awfully confused. Not like this, big difference.

This is just a simple way to be meditating on perfect human rebirth. Then one who has been doing this meditation, one who has this idea, for a long time they can do this. This is a more powerful way to do it—for new people it is a little bit complicated. However, like the first freedom, not being born in the narak and having the freedom to practice Dharma by having received the perfect human rebirth and having the chance to practice Dharma. Then think you can bring usefulness into this, useful to obtain those three goals. Just one freedom, how useful one of the freedoms is to obtain these three goals; like that. Then you can also relate how difficult it is to receive this freedom. After you think how useful it is to obtain these three goals, then you think how difficult it is to receive them again, just this freedom. And it doesn’t last. This freedom does not last for a long time. Not sure when we will lose this freedom. Tomorrow or today—not sure.

One whole formal meditation on the usefulness of the perfect human rebirth and the difficulty of it being fragile and short, life can stop any time. You can relate all these to each of these freedoms and each of these richnesses. When you meditate like this it is powerful, with each freedom and the ten richnesses, it is really very powerful. When you meditate like this using the first freedom, not being born in the narak, having a perfect human rebirth, and having the chance to practice Dharma—this is useful and difficult to receive again. It does not last for a long time. Can be lost anytime. Even just by meditation, with the first freedom you have to do something. Even though you were lazy before, you were doing some meaningless action, useless actions, right after you found this, you have to do something else. So you can meditate like this on each freedom, each richness. Those who have been meditating like this many times can do this. It makes it more powerful.

And also, there are certain richnesses, like having devotion to the teachings, following the teachings, which can be stopped. Even if we have them now they can be stopped even in this life. So, meditating on this, when one experiences the realization or when one’s mind is close to the experience of this meditation, then each time one finds each freedom, each richness, one’s mind feels greater happiness, greater and greater happiness. Like a beggar when he has no material, not even one day’s lunch, not even a day’s food to live on, like he feels if he finds a diamond, a jewel in the street, in the garbage. The mind feels great happiness like this, that is when the mind is experiencing the meditation on the perfect human rebirth.

Like this, this rebirth that we have received now is so precious. Generally, human rebirth is so precious. We can do many meaningful things, especially the perfect human rebirth that we have received is extremely precious. It is extremely difficult to receive these eight freedom and ten richnessess. Many times even if we are born as human beings it happens like this—one freedom is received and one is missing. Another time when we have a human body one freedom is received but another freedom is missing. All the time it has been like this, and all the time we have received one richness but are missing another richness. It is extremely difficult to get these eight freedoms and ten richnessess together. Extremely difficult; almost impossible for it to happen this time.

We have eight freedoms and ten richnesses, so we have $18. If we have 18 rupees how much we feel it is precious. If you lose one rupee from that, out of 18, how much we feel great loss. By mistake, if you are shopping, you have given one extra rupee to the shopkeeper, by not counting well. Then how much you feel great loss. Then afterwards, you come back home, you count money, how much is left, how much is gone, when you put a number in the back, you know, then, “Oh! I paid that much, this doesn’t make sense, what happened to one rupee that is missing?” Then, “Terrible, terrible ... what happened? Did I give it to someone else?” You spend a long time. Then afterward you have found you have given it to the shopkeeper by mistake. Then you feel terrible. How silly I was, how annoyed I was, you feel like pulling your skin. Something taken from the heart.

Actually, even if the other person made a profit of $1,000,000 there is nothing lost, another person has received it. Still one sentient being has it. Nothing lost, another sentient being is enjoying it. Not lost, not burned, even if someone took it, someone made profit of one rupee extra. We feel as if it is something taken from the heart. When you have eighteen rupees left, you don’t buy any kind of silly things, you buy useful things, the most urgent things to live the life. Candies! Joking, anyway. Whatever you think of when the picture comes in the mind, you don’t buy. I have only twenty-eight rupees left, I must use it very carefully. So you spend each rupee carefully. You use it only for beneficial things, only if it is practical. If you lose one rupee, two rupees, you get an incredible feeling of loss. When you have lost all the eighteen rupees you don’t fall asleep even if you try to lie down. Incredible feeling of loss, worry. Why? When a person who has 100,000 or 100,000 billion rupees loses five or ten to someone else, he feels great loss—”I lost ten rupees, how crazy I was.”

Why doesn’t he feel like this with his perfect human rebirth? We don’t get that same feeling of loss with the loss of one richness, one freedom as we would with one rupee. Even if we have wasted all the eight freedoms and ten richnesses we never feel the loss of one rupee less. Why? Because we clearly see the value of each one rupee, but we don’t see the great meaning that can be obtained from the perfect human rebirth. We don’t feel the preciousness of it.

Then the meditation on the last part of the richnesses that I repeated this morning, what you can remember from that talk. Begin with the mantra.

[Dedication]