This body, as Nagarjuna explained, this body which contains thirty-two impurities or dirty things. So like the garbage container or the septic tank, like you know, like garbage container or sack of thirty-two dirty things. So however, that which is in the nature of impure, dirty, then believing, apprehending as pure, clean. Then attachment arises again there, and with that wrong, with that superstitious thought, which [_?] dirty, but clean, pure then attachment all from there.

As Kyabje Khunu Lama Rinpoche, the great bodhisattva from whom His Holiness took extensive commentaries on Bodhicaryavatara, Rinpoche, during Rinpoche’s teachings on Bodhicaryavatara commentaries. So Rinpoche said if this body is clean then what in the food, what went inside the body, when it comes out should be eatable. After you put the food inside the body, what is went inside the body, when it comes out it should be eatable. But when it comes out, when it comes out, uneatable. So even if comes from the mouth, vomit, even come from not from down below, even come from the mouth, but it’s uneatable, to cast or to, so whatever comes out from the ears, from the nose, you know, from any holes of the body, whatever comes out is dirty. So what makes it dirty, what makes all this dirty by this body, so that’s what Rinpoche said. So the nature is dirty, so food is clean before, so then after when, then inedible. So again this, so it’s superstition, believing, clinging pure or clean, so then attach to that then it can cause samsara, cause of suffering.

Then Lama Tsongkhapa mentioned in the Lamrim Chenmo, the feelings what this aggregates experiences, so there’s violent, not peaceful feeling, not peaceful feeling, which is suffering, suffering of pain. Then the feeling which is kind of satisfied, [Tibetan], kind of, I’m not sure. I think His Holiness said satisfied, satisfied feeling, recently His Holiness mentioned that. So anyway, more satisfied feeling [Tibetan], so this, anyway so more peaceful feeling, so that’s pleasure which is called pleasure, but that is suffering of change.

Then there’s indifferent feeling, indifferent feeling is, so that’s pervasive compounded suffering, Lama Tsongkhapa explained. So that’s which is the feeling of the aggregates which is contaminated seed of delusion, so I think that might explanation, so the pervasive suffering, pervasive compounded suffering, the indifferent feeling what this aggregates experiences.

So with these aggregates, these three types of feelings: that feeling which is rough, or say, not peaceful, so it’s undesirable, so suffering. So even a feeling which is desirable, feeling that which is desirable, so I don’t know how to put that expression, [_?] receives satisfied feeling, something like that. So that’s also suffering, suffering of change, and the indifferent feeling, pervasive compounded suffering, so like that. So that’s being under the control of indifferent feelings and the control of karma and delusions, so like that.

Until one gets liberated from this samsara, free from this clinging to the burden of this aggregates, contaminated aggregates, contaminated seed of delusions caused by karma and delusions. So constantly one suffers, there’s no real happiness, there’s no pure happiness, happiness that one labels happiness, the label happiness that one put is on the feeling which is only suffering.

So as I mentioned that after hungry, then when we eat the first spoon of food, drink, or thirst, so that pleasure is labeled, another suffering, another heavier suffering stopped, another suffering began, another side of suffering stopped, another suffering began, so that feeling labeled "pleasure." So the hungry before compounded by the action not eating, so it stopped, so having stopped the action so the hungry, that suffering stopped, and the heavy.

Then the next one is, by doing the action of eating caused the discomfort, discomfort but it’s unnoticeable, it’s already caused the discomfort from the first action of eating, but it’s unnoticeable. So the more one continues eating, then the discomfort gradually becomes visible, becomes more and more noticeable.

So then when it becomes more noticeable, then become suffering of pain. But when it is unnoticeable then that feeling is called pleasure. So otherwise, if that’s real happiness, then  after eating one big plate of food, then there should be incredible bliss, happiness should be increased, more spoon of food eat, more mouthful of food eat the happiness should be increased more and more after one plate, big plate of food should unbelievable happiness. Then the two plates of food, then eat more, second bowl or second plate arising should be unbelievable, third even more, but it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t work that way, it doesn’t happen, that’s not our experience. Our experience is totally opposite.

So His Holiness Zong Rinpoche, who was great like the ancient pandit like Chandrakirti or like those great pandits, great scholar, then abbot, ex-abbot of Ganden Shartse in Tibet, the Ganden Monastery, Shartse, so was a great enlightened being. So then Rinpoche in Spain, we invited Rinpoche to give, mainly to give tantra teachings, initiations in the West so that the students in the West to meet. That was Lama Yeshe’s wish in the West was to follow the Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings, then to meet tantra teachings, so Lama invited His Holiness Zong Rinpoche to give initiations and commentaries, Vajrayogini, Tara Cittamani, so all those deities.

So invited Rinpoche in Spain and [ate pizza or at Pisa?]. [Ate pizza?] that busy place, [ate pizza?], so the course was held near the ocean. So one student, one Spanish made this tent, piece of iron, the iron bar, so many pieces put together then become a whole dome, dome become dome, so put pieces and become dome. So anyway, so very close to the ocean. So the break time the students they, because it was hot, very hot, so they go to in break times, afternoon, after lunch then they go in the water to swim, it was hot.

So Rinpoche during the lam-rim teaching, talking about samsara, nature of how samsara is in the nature of suffering, and introducing the three types of suffering, so Rinpoche said, “If this is real, if that’s pure happiness is real happiness, then when you get in the water, so first feeling so hot and being in the sun, then you go in the water, so if that’s real happiness, then the longer you stay in the cold water, your body, the longer you stay in the water, then the happiness should increase.” I don’t remember exactly, but, so longer you stay there, then you stay there the water continuously, tomorrow, you know like that, so then there should be unbelievable happiness, unbelievable, unbelievable, should increase. So Rinpoche said.

So like that, so because feeling on which we label pleasure is only suffering feeling, another suffering stopped, another suffering began, that second suffering is unnoticeable, so during that time it’s there, but it’s smaller, unnoticeable, so we label pleasure.

So because of that then, because of that samsaric pleasure, so the pleasure which you label on that. So anyway, so because of that, another suffering stopped, another suffering began, that feeling we label pleasure, so that’s why the pleasure, samsaric pleasure doesn’t last. Why the pleasure doesn’t last,? Pleasure of sleep, pleasure of food, drink, or music, pleasure, sexual pleasure, whatever all these pleasures, doesn’t last. Why it doesn’t last is that. And not only that, why doesn’t increase? It doesn’t last, it doesn’t last, not only that it doesn’t increase, should say it doesn’t increase. First of all, it doesn’t increase, and second, doesn’t last, it doesn’t even last.

So that is why because the feeling on which you label pleasure is only suffering. So like this, so until you are free from samsara, all this, even what is called pleasure is all suffering, like that. So that hallucinated mind, it appears as pleasure to our hallucinated mind, to our attachment, to our hallucinated mind it appears pleasure, but with our wisdom, see with wisdom, when you analyze, you realize, what you realize is only suffering. So like that.

So those who have realization renunciation of samsara, how samsara is in the nature of suffering, the arhats, the exalted beings, arya beings, exalted beings, those who have their wisdom directly perceiving emptiness, all those then, they see what we believe is something incredible pleasure, but they see only suffering

Then these aggregates, these aggregates, so these aggregates is the pervasive compounding suffering. This is a production of karmic delusions created by karma and delusion, so the root, the ignorance, not knowing the meaning of selflessness, not knowing the ultimate nature of the I, the aggregates, not knowing this, ignorant of that, holding, holding on the, so while there’s no such I on these aggregates, on these aggregates, collection of the five: form, feelings, cognition, compounded aggregates, consciousness, while there’s no, while there’s no I, while there’s no real I on this, on these aggregates. From above these aggregates, while there’s no such real I, can’t find, can’t find anywhere, neither on these aggregates, neither on these, the form is not that I; feeling is not the I; cognition, the cognition is not the I; the compounded aggregates, so aggregates of form not the I; aggregates of feeling, not the I; aggregates of the cognition, not the I; the compounded aggregates not the I; the aggregates of consciousness not the I, even the collections, all the five, not the I.

That I could not find, if you look for, can’t find anywhere. So here, from the tip of the hairs down to the toes, from the tip of the head down to the toes, anyway can’t find, you can’t find at all.

So can’t find anywhere, that is total nonexistent, empty, total nonexistent, empty. So while, so that’s the reality, so while there’s no such real I existing from above these aggregates, in Tibetan it’s [Tibetan], so while it’s totally empty, while it’s totally empty there, that I, you see. So then, then there’s a projection of the mentally fabricated, or there’s a projection of the real I, in the sense existing from its own side, projection on these aggregates, projection of I, the real I in the sense existing from its own side, existing by nature or inherently existent however.

Then one allows one’s own mind, one allows one’s mind to hold on this as true. So then, so that’s what it is, self-grasping of the person, the root of samsara, so that time you create the root of samsara by letting your mind hold on to that as true. How to say, entrusting to that, [Tibetan], entrusting to that like somebody who cheats you all the time, but you believe is your best friend, you trust completely but actually what it does is totally cheats you all the time, deceives you, but you don’t realize that and you completely trust.

So you see, believe, you know. So here, so you let your mind believe on to this. So here, in the Three Principles of the Path, [Tibetan], so that you fully trust this, fully trust. So this due to the blessings of the guru, due to your strong devotion seeing as Buddha, and strong, continual intense purification and collecting merits, the seven limb practice,[_?] practicing Thirty-five Buddhas with prostrations, so these things. Or you know, or obeying the guru, serving the guru however, so these, so strong, powerful purification together, so then with that time, when your mind is ready, ripened to experience, you get experience then with one or two words, with one or two words it just clicks your mind, clicks.

Normally you recite the words all the time, say every day, but it doesn’t, you see it’s like a rock, so your mind is like a rock, it doesn’t click, because due to heavy negative karma and things like that, so your mind becomes like a rock that doesn’t understand what it means, the real meaning of that. Even though intellectually you say it’s that, but actually the way you think, totally, the way you believe is totally opposite. Your belief is that the gag-cha, what you believe the inherently existent as the existing by nature, same with the I.

So that should be I which exists from its own side, this something existing from its own side, it should be there, should have like the uma, how say? [Tibetan] the Prasangika, or [Tibetan], not Prasangika, sorry that, Sautrantika philosophy, what the philosophy believes, cannot be existing merely imputed by mind, it should have some, there should be something from its own side. If it exists, it should have some existence.

So you totally believe in that, even though through studies, the texts, you can even say by following the texts, empty of true existence, all that, you know, [rang shimeypa] it doesn’t exist by nature, all that, so even though you say all these things, but your heart, your belief is totally opposite to what you say. Totally your belief, your heart, and even though what the scripture says, even though your words are correct, but the way you think, on towards the gag-cha is believing that’s true, like that.

Then this there, this there due to the blessing of the guru entering into your heart, then even one or two words [snap]. It’s like guru’s teachings or some teachings, like you know, I on the I, or the I on the I, or vase on the vase, like the brocades, bright brocades around the thangka, you see the blue on the blue, like that, however, some expression like that in the teaching, so one or two words, just clicks, just clicks your mind.

Then you say, “Oh,” you say, “Oh this is what is gag-cha, object to be refuted.” You see which is always there, it’s not that it didn’t exist before now it came, not like that. It’s always there, but you didn’t recognize, because you have been believing that has to be this way, one hundred percent. Your mind is like a rock.

So now here, then, how to say? “Oh, this is gag-cha,” so then you are able to identify from the words, the teaching, through the words, it’s like a picture, a mirror or picture you are able to identify the picture.

Then [Tibetan] so then, then you see, that you’ve been holding, that you’ve been cherishing, that you’ve been holding, no question, one hundred percent it, this I, not only from this morning, not only from birth, from beginningless rebirth. So from beginningless rebirth, believing, entrusting this, full trust this. So then at that time after recognizing, “Oh, this is gag-cha, object to be refuted” this is the real I, this is the real I which we, everyday life we say “real I.” Everyday life, we say “real I,” that’s gag-cha.

So whenever we talk, real I, real me, every time that concept, the root of samsara, that view of that, that real I. Somebody, when a person, you see, “Oh, he said this to me,” you know, how to say? Something very, from the real I comes the strong, like balloon. Like you blew up a balloon, you blow the balloon, a rubber balloon, how to say, someone praise you, the I, and somebody is told by your mistakes, somebody accused you, somebody accused you, especially you. Or, even if you did things, mistakes, somebody tells you also. Anyway again, this emotional I, in the Western science, Western psychological term, “emotional I,” so in Tibetan in the philosophical texts, the gag-cha, object which to be refuted, the I existing by nature, existing from its own side, inherent.

So this, first recognize this what is gag-cha., Some not completely, not completely realize it’s totally nonexistent, but gag-cha, this you see behind this, this is what the hallucination. Then the next minute, then the next minute, sooner or later, the next minute, then everything you think dependent arising, however then it can’t exist by itself.

By reason, it’s like from long distance you see there’s a person, you know, a person at nighttime, there’s some bush there but you see instead of bush or some plant, you see person. So then when you come with a light, a flashlight, and maybe there’s a person at your door or something, anyway there’s a person there. So you put, you put light, you know that person, that person doesn’t go anywhere, that person that you thought that appeared person and believed it person, doesn’t go anywhere but is, but is dissolved, doesn’t go anywhere, but you discover it doesn’t exist there. From where it is appearing, it doesn’t exist there.

So similar, used in the texts, that in the road, in the dusk time, there’s a road, the way it’s curled, you know like a snake, and it’s shape and colors and maybe some spot on the road, there’s some round I mean there’s some, so anyway, so however, that time not clear. So first your mind, first your mind, because it looks like that, look like that, so then your mind labels snake, but you believe in that, as you label you believe, then appears snake, appeared as snake. Then appeared as snake, then you see snake, then you see that as a snake.  So then fear, so there’s a whole evolution, there are [_?] until you see that it’s snake. So then fear arises, you know, fear arises, or what the heat storm or something which is not there, Snake which doesn’t exist anyway, so like that.

There’s a quotation from Fifth Dalai Lama, very good one stanza, very good for meditation, daily life meditation, also by using this example, practice mindfulness on the gag-cha, object what is hallucination, practicing hallucination, practicing that is hallucination, that which is hallucination. So using example of the [Tibetan]. So that’s what I remember, third one I don’t remember, so obstacle there. The fourth one is [Tibetan], but the third one I don’t remember [Tibetan]. So I think means, you know, the meaning is labeling snake and then believe that, and then same thing, you know, label I you know I which appeared as truly existent, and then believe that. So the meaning of that, I don’t remember the words, so anyway.

So here [Tibetan], so there’s darkness, so they using this example one’s own mind is ignorant, darkness, the ignorance, so [Tibetan] in the midst of that, so then the, as I described before, the rope like that, the way it’s curled like snake, designed like a snake. So then, so look like that so then the mind labels snake, and then label snake and then appear, believe in that, and then appear snake, there’s a snake, then see a snake. So there’s all this mental fabrication, all the creation from your superstitious thought. So you made up all this.

Then fear, because of that then fear arises, so then the aggregates due to ignorance, then the mind which sees the aggregates, the mind which sees the aggregates, then merely imputed I, merely imputed I, with the belief, then right after that second, right after that second, then the negative imprint, the negative imprint left on the mental continuum by the ignorance decorates this hallucination inherently existent. You see [snaps fingers] right after imputation [snaps fingers] on that [snaps fingers] then the projection, the inherent existence decorated on that by the negative imprint left by the ignorance. So how to say, in other words, projected there.

So that’s why, so that’s why when the I, that’s why when the I appeared back [snaps fingers] next second when the I appeared back, first imputation [snaps fingers], then when the I appear, what is imputed by your mind, merely imputed, when it appears back, it appeared back, it appeared back, it should appear not merely imputed by mind, but it appeared back, but it appeared back truly existent, something real I.

The reality is what is merely imputed by mind, but when it appeared back, so it appeared back totally something else, totally false, false I, totally false, not merely imputed by mind, existing from its own side or by its nature, so like that, inherently existent.

So then appear, then your mind, let your mind hold on to that, entrust in that, believe, hold on that as true, what appears as one hundred percent true. So at that time, so at that time, then we create the root of samsara, root of all the delusions and karma and all the sufferings. All the sufferings: the rebirth, human suffering, for example, human suffering, rebirth, old age, sicknesses, and death, unable to find desirable objects, if one found, could not find satisfaction, and fear worry, fear of separation, after one met, after one found, all those relationship problems. However all those oceans of human beings’ problems, all these what we see in the world, what we ourselves have gone through, and the root of all that, and that’s the root of the fear, why we have fear, where the fear came from, where the depression came from, also all that.

So low esteem, or in the West there’s a big thing about low esteem, low esteem, not low esteem in the pot, not low esteem in the pot, not low esteem in the pot. So anyway, then so that being the root of oceans of hell beings’ sufferings, eight hot major sufferings, eight cold major sufferings, however the six neighboring sufferings, then ordinary sufferings, the hell sufferings, all those things.

Then the preta beings, heaviest suffering of hunger, thirst, exhaustion, disappointment, then three types of obscurations, obscurations blocked by the karmic guardians, even they see food but blocked by them or then food disappeared when you’re there, even you saw drink, food before, but when you arrived there, finally, it’s not there, or it’s filled with junk, pus and blood, garbage. So however, then the next thing is they can’t, their mouth is so tiny like needle, eye of the needle, so can’t go, couldn’t go through, and so even the tiniest, tiny, even went inside, but then there’s knots, through the knots can’t go, at least even went inside, it caused flames in the body. So however, so the heaviest suffering of the hungry ghosts, so that’s really the root of all that.

So then all the animals’ sufferings that you see on TV, all the animal programs, so all that suffering is unbelievable, unbelievable. That we ourselves have gone through this numberless times, what we see on TV, all the animal programs, so the nature we have gone through this numberless times, and then still there’s in the future, if you didn’t get liberated from samsara. So if you are unable to eliminate this root of samsara, ignorance. So anyway, so root of all that is this concept of the self-grasping of the person, then the aggregates. So like that.

So here, so then as His Holiness Dalai Lama mentioned, that even if believe in the snake and then fear arises so that. So believing that the real I is there, real I there in this body or on these aggregates, however. So then there’s, then all this fear that, there’s all this fear, what’s going to happen to me, my happiness, you know, day and night, all the time, my happiness, my happiness, my happiness, something’s going to happen to this I. All the worry, fear, relationship problems, friends separating away from you or constant fear of these, from this I, from this I which is not there, which is not there. So friend is going to separate from you, separate from me, but which is not there, can’t find in this body, doesn’t exist on these aggregates, so that real I is not there.

So all those unbelievable, all those worry, fear, expectations for this, expectations for this I which is not there, whole life expectations, you know, so many expectations. So how to say, all the worry, fear that this I is going to get sick, you know, then billions of exercise, billions of exercise, this I is going to get sick if it’s not there, that real I which is not there, so billions of exercise, then the checking ahead of time, check ahead of time, you know prevention.

However all this, then there’s somebody, then somebody, if somebody did something wrong to you, or you think there’s somebody wrong to you, then sue those people, sue those other sentient beings, because of this I, because that person did something harm to me, which is not there at all, then you sue back, believing there’s such I there, then you sue back, then you see, kill. For the happiness of the I, to protect this I, then you kill others, kill enemy, tell lies, deceive, then however, all this, steal, all this negative karma harming others. So if you have influence, power, then kill, so believing there is such I there, then kill for the happiness of this I, to get power, reputation, then kill many millions of people, but the I which is not there, so all that.

So life is kept unbelievably busy day and night, for the happiness of this I which is not there, can’t find, if you look for can’t find on these aggregates that real I, nowhere it exists.

But when you don’t examine, so it looks like there, so whole life kept busy to achieve happiness for this I which is not there, in order to achieve that happiness, you’d do anything for, if you have to harm sentient beings, what you see all that, and then get so many negative karma. So all this due to this wrong concept.

So as Gyalsä Thogme Zangpo² explained in his teaching, [Tibetan] you say you talk, you make big thing, you announce no phenomena has true existence, you make big thing. But then in the daily life when somebody accuses you, but in daily life, in the daily life, again I don’t remember doesn’t come out . In the daily life when somebody praises you, a little bit of praise you, a little bit criticize you, affect your mind, ups and downs. So that’s the meaning, I didn’t remember the words [Tibetan], so somebody a little bit of praise, so exciting, up; then somebody, a little bit of criticize, down. So [Tibetan], so last words are very important, but I don’t remember.

So it means, even you talk so much, you know [pretty much know truth of all this?] but then somebody in daily life somebody praises you a little bit or they give a little bit of criticize, then you’re, you like and dislike, up and down, effect. So it means your heart is far, it means [Tibetan]. So what it’s saying is, so your heart is far from emptiness, you know your heart, you talk so much anyway, but your heart is far, not even slightest, you know not even the slightest feeling of emptiness in that time. My memory is so bad that, something uma [Tibetan], so the first uma, emptiness, not even the slightest [Tibetan], even that time there’s not even slightest of, how to say, anyway aggregates, feeling of emptiness, there’s no connection to the emptiness, the heart is far from that.

So what it means is, so whether the person has realized emptiness or not, meditating, really meditating in daily life, then when somebody, when somebody so criticizes you or praises you, then that time you can see whether, so up, so down, like and dislike, all this effect, very badly effecting, very badly effecting to the mind, to the emotional mind.

So anyway, so even the I what exists is what’s the merely imputed by the mind, relating to these aggregates, valid base by [_?], but even that if you look for, even that if you look for, can’t find. You can find, but can’t find on this valid base, aggregates, can’t find if you look for even that.

So Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche explained that [Tibetan], the wise ones, learned ones, there are two ways of saying, one is it exists on the aggregates, it exists in mere name, it exists merely labeled on the aggregates. Some learned ones, you know, it exists in mere name on the aggregates and some learned, they don’t accept that, so like find much more comfortable that one, the second one.

So what I was trying to come back, while there’s no self, while there’s not actually an I, in a very gross way, somewhere in the chest, above the belly, down below the neck, somewhere, not in the feets, toes, not in the fingers, not in nose, but some where there the natural, how it normally you think is somewhere there.  You look for that, probably that could be extremely gross, extremely gross way. But however, that on these aggregates there’s this I appearing to you, not merely labeled by mind, that’s extremely subtle, extremely subtle hallucination of the object to be refuted.

So the wrong concept, so while the life things, surround people, possessions, all these things while they are permanent, while they impermanent, while they impermanent then believing in permanence and so there’s that’s the basis of huge, that’s the basis of much of our problems in the life, not thinking of impermanence, death, that death can happen any day, any moment the reality.

The other one is the samsaric pleasure which is only in the nature of suffering by believing as real happiness, so huge, that’s the basis of attach and then big hallucination there, being attached to that cause of samsara, so continuously circle in samsara, so the huge mistake is this suffering of your life.

The other one then, so huge delusion, hallucination, delusion, and then there’s while the body is totally container of dirty things, then one thinking clean, pure, then again attachment arises, then like that. So again that is a huge hallucination, huge hallucination and that’s the basis of so much of our problems in the life. All the relationship problems, all the relationship problems, all the package of relationship problems that you experience one after another, one after another, your life goes like that, one after another because of that attachment, thinking this clean and pure, thinking opposite which is wrong concept.

So thinking dirty doesn’t, so it helps overcome attachment all those relationship, package of all this package of relationship problems, one after another, doesn’t happen. So attachment doesn’t arise. So by thinking the opposite, by thinking opposite to the reality, this clinging this beautiful or something, so then that. So attachment then cheats, then suffer for many years, then when you hurt, when you lose the object of attachment, then by thinking one left you, you lose or died or left you then hurt, hurt, whole your life hurt that doesn’t get healed.

So that’s, if you practice this, this what the Buddha explained, reality of these things, you know, the dirt is dirty, all that’s impermanent is impermanent, all that. Empty of these, how say, the no-self, the real I in a sense existing from its own side, so while there’s no such thing, while the I is empty of that, empty of that real I, then no problem. Then unbelievable peace in your life. All these problems where we need to go to psychotherapy or the mental hospital, all these medicines have to take, all these doesn’t need. You don’t create the root of samsara, because you don’t hold it, you don’t hold the I as truly existent, so you don’t hold it, so you don’t create the root of samsara. So just that is amazing. So you don’t create the constant root of samsara in that way. Otherwise, you create constant root of samsara by holding this as true.

So,what the Buddha explained this reality, he’s just talking about, he’s not religion, it’s just, how to say, it’s just reality of phenomena. The Buddha is saying to think of them, to think of their nature.

So it’s kind of universal, Buddhist philosophy is universal. But if you don’t think universal, the reality, you know, what they are, if you don’t think that, then if you put your hallucination on those things, so this is how we suffer all the problems and how in the future, that you’re unable to achieve liberation from the samsara, full enlightenment, all that.

So here I was talking about superstition before, so I think this is how it came here. I was talking about superstition, that which what you believe it doesn’t exist, so that brought this topic.

But I think it’s important meditation, very important psychology this one, so to cut your, to bring peace in your heart, cut your problems and at least for yourself, you know, peace. When their mind is so down, depressed, can’t do anything or anyway this, so the extremely fall into this.

So however, so I got carried away, again I got carried away, my bad habit. So then what I was saying by going back, higher training of, so the one benefit is able to practice morality, when you put your palms together to the merit field, statues, stupas, scriptures, even visualized. So one benefit is that one is able to practice morality, so I was saying higher training, so by having refuge. Oh, I see, by having refuge, so I was talking about what it means higher training, “higher” means by having refuge, so higher training of morality, higher training of concentration, higher training of the insight, so that’s higher training is by having refuge, so that becomes special, becomes special.

So practicing not telling lies or not stealing or not killing, so in the Christianity, Christianity, you know, some of these they practice, I don’t know how vast, whether they cover all sentient beings or not, but they have Ten Commandments, there’s something like that. But that is done by practicing that morality they can achieve higher rebirth, not liberation from samsara, enlightenment, no way, but they can achieve higher rebirth. So achieving higher rebirth, not necessarily has to be Buddhist. So the priest, those who engage in this Ten Commandments, just abiding in the vow of not killing, not stealing, so forth, so they can achieve higher rebirth, that’s their good karma, so they can attain higher rebirth.

But it’s not Buddhism, it’s not Buddhism because there’s no refuge in their heart. So the useful fear, that’s what I was talking useful fear to samsara, fear of the lower realms’ sufferings, how that’s in the nature of suffering then, and then the faith to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, that they have qualities, powers, and reliance, the mental factor that reliance on them, so that’s their refuge. So by having refuge, then the practice of morality, that becomes Buddhism. Then making offerings, living in the vow, and so all this, then it becomes Buddhism. Otherwise, if there’s no refuge, then it doesn’t become Buddhism in the heart.

So without, so without the higher training of morality, then there’s no higher training of the concentration, then without that there’s no higher training of the great insight. Without that then you can’t achieve exalted path—wisdom directly perceiving emptiness, that which directly ceases the defilements—you can’t achieve that. That means you can’t achieve total liberation from the whole entire suffering causes of samsara, like that, so no question about the enlightenment.

So therefore, when you put your palms together, so to create cause to practice morality, then it’s a cause to achieve the arya path, the exalted path which I mentioned now, then that cause to achieve enlightenment, so there are eight benefits, roughly like that.

So however, anyway this introduction for the initiation, introduction for the Golden Light Sutra, that’s for the initiation, okay. So especially the power of renunciation, so basis of bodhicitta, basis of compassion, the reason to generate compassion to other sentient beings, so like that.

Notes

² Author of Thirty-seven Practices of a Bodhisattva. [Return to text]