So, what did I just say before this? What I was talking? [Ven. Carolyn: About the I.] About what? [Ven. Carolyn: The I.] Huh? [Student: We a hundred percent believe.] Yes, that’s right. Yeah, I’ve forgotten now. The connection I’ve forgotten now.

So anyway, I’ll just finish this one, okay. This wasn’t the planned subject but I…. It always happens like that. So, it’s an obstacle, there’s an obstacle. So anyway, just to give, kar ma rab rib mar me dang, gyu ma zil pa chhu bur dang, the first, look at the causative phenomena like a star, so this one is, the very first thing, the meaning, “like a star,” so that is the one most important subject, yeah, what I was saying before. So, by understanding this, by having this ultimate wisdom, this, knowing the ultimate nature of the I, the aggregates, then with this wisdom is the one that we can, this is the one that, by developing this, then cut the root of all these sufferings, what causes, what makes us to reincarnate. From where this, the reincarnating in samsara, being under the control of karma and delusions, so from where this comes, from where the delusion comes, from where the karma comes, from where this without choice reincarnating, the rebirth, suffering rebirth comes. So, that is the ignorance, not knowing what is I, not knowing the ultimate nature of the I, not knowing the ultimate nature of the aggregates, such as the ultimate nature of the mind, these things. So, from this ignorance. So the realization of this, this ultimate wisdom, so this is the one that ceases this root ignorance. So that means this is the one which cuts all other delusions, anger, attachment, all the delusions, ignorance then karma, then all those sufferings, suffering rebirth, old age, sickness and death. So, oceans of sufferings of human beings, oceans of sufferings of these worldly gods, suras, asuras, hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, ceases completely, then you have the ultimate happiness, the sorrowless state. So then it’s impossible, once you achieve this cessation, the liberation, total liberation, impossible to experience suffering again, because there’s no cause. Impossible to experience suffering again because there’s no cause, the delusion and karma. Because there’s no cause of delusions. The cause of delusions, the cause of ignorance, anger, attachment, from where the three poisonous minds rises is from the root, this ignorance, unknowing mind, not knowing the meaning of selflessness, ultimate nature of the I and the aggregates. So, once that ignorance is ceased, including the cause, the imprint, seed, that which is on the mental continuum, once that is ceased, then impossible to rise the root of samsara, the ignorance. Once the cause of ignorance, the seed, the imprint, is removed by the remedy path, the direct one, the actual one is the wisdom realizing emptiness. So by developing that then you achieve directly perceiving emptiness, so that is what directly ceases the seed of delusion, which is nature of imprint. So that is the nature of the mind, ultimate nature of the mind, the mind that which is free from all these sufferings and the defilements, including root of delusions, the ignorance, the seed removed completely, which is nature of imprint, removed completely by the remedy of the path. So then that ultimate nature of the mind so that’s the nirvana, sorrowless state. So we achieve that, so by developing this wisdom realizing emptiness, then we achieve that.

So, not only that, then your own liberation, with your own experience of the path, then you are able to liberate the others, you’re able to guide others, able to give wisdom eye to others, liberate others from all the oceans of sufferings, human beings, all the problems of human beings and as well as the devas, suras, asuras, the hell, hungry ghosts, animals, so you liberate numberless of other sentient beings, numberless of other sentient beings. Others, who are numberless, you are able to liberate each of them from all those oceans of sufferings by ceasing the cause of the suffering, karma and delusion. And then eradicating the ignorance which is within them by causing them, by showing them the path, by revealing the truth, the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness. So by causing them to generate this, by revealing the teachings on emptiness, the Buddha’s teachings, Perfection of Wisdom.

So as Buddha himself explained, the way I liberate sentient beings is not by washing the cause of the suffering by water. And also by taking the cause of suffering with the hand, like a thorn went inside the flesh, take out with the hand, not in that way. And not by transplantation, the Buddha’s realization transplant into us sentient beings, within us, also not that way. Transplant Buddha’s realization within the sentient beings and Buddha doesn’t , that like transplanting somebody’s heart. A monkey’s brain in the human being, anyway, somebody’s heart into other person’s body, not in that way. So, only by revealing the truth, so that is this, showing the ultimate nature of the, showing the meaning of emptiness, the selflessness. By teaching, by showing the two truths, conventional truth and, the ultimate truth and conventional truth.

So it is said in the teachings, [Tibetan] the Mighty Ones, means buddha, do not wash the negative karma, negative karma or cause of suffering, with water. [Tibetan] Then, Buddha do not eliminate the suffering of sentient beings with the hand. [Tibetan] Nor his own realization, transplanting his own realization in others, not in that way. [Tibetan] By revealing the chönyi, the ultimate nature, the sentient beings get liberated.

So, I’ll just finish this one. So here, the I , these aggregates, the association of body and mind is not the I. This association of body and mind is not the I, not the self, not the I. And even the body is not the I, mind is not the I, nor all the five, form, if you go in more details, form, sound, smell, sorry. Form, feeling, cognition, compounding aggregates, consciousness, any of them is not the I. Even the collection of the five is not the I, not the I, the self. So, I exists nowhere on this. I exists nowhere on these aggregates, okay? So, that’s one thing. Also I exists nowhere on these aggregates, nowhere you can find. Nowhere on these aggregates you can find the I. So just think that.

So that does not mean that there’s no I, okay. So first make sure. From the five aggregates, any of them is not the I. Even the collection of all the five is not the I. The I, the self, exists nowhere, exists nowhere on these aggregates, okay. First make that clear.

Now that doesn’t mean that there’s no I. I who does the action of walking, sitting, eating, walking, sitting, sleeping, doing job or creating the cause of happiness, cause of suffering, doesn’t mean that I which experiences, this, which does all these activities, it doesn’t mean that this I doesn’t exist. Doesn’t mean that there’s no I which does all these activities or which experiences happiness, suffering, okay. It doesn’t mean that.

There’s I doing all these activities, experiencing happiness, suffering, all this, that which is merely imputed by mind. Think that.

Not saying on these aggregates, there’s I on these aggregates—I’m not saying that. But there’s I exists which does, experiences happiness and suffering, which does all these activities, which is merely imputed by mind.

Now next, aggregates, the aggregates. Same, the aggregates, the general aggregates, the form, feeling, cognition, compounding aggregates, consciousness, all these, any of these is not the aggregates; even the collection of all these five is not the aggregates, that is the basis to be labeled aggregates, that is the base to be labeled aggregates. So the aggregates is the label and the collection of the five is the basis, is the base. Two different phenomena. It’s not the one phenomenon; it’s two different phenomena. So therefore, this general aggregates that is not any of those, from the five not any of those, even the collection of five. Neither of them, okay. Nor any of those, neither any of those nor even the collection of five, the general aggregates, okay. So general aggregates exist nowhere, exist nowhere on this. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. It exists, the aggregates, can’t find there but it doesn’t mean aggregates doesn’t exist, it exists. What it is, what is merely imputed by mind. But not there.

Now, the form, the body. The general body, collection of the five limbs, the four limbs and the head, all these parts, collection of these parts. Collection of all these parts. The form, or the body, is neither any of the limbs, neither the head nor arms or legs, any of the limbs, main part of the body, are not them, nor the collection of all the parts, nor that. And this form, this body, exists nowhere on this. Can’t find. It doesn’t mean this form, this body, doesn’t exist. It exists. What is it? Merely imputed by mind, but not there.

Now the head. Now we analyze each part. Now the head. The parts of the head, brains, all the different parts, pieces, none of it is the head. Even the collection of the pieces is not the head. The collection of the parts is the base to be labeled head. Head is the label, that is the base, two different phenomena. So the head cannot, neither you can find on the parts of the head, on the pieces, collection of all the pieces, you can’t find. Neither pieces nor all the collection, but that doesn’t mean that there’s no head. There is a head. What is it? What is merely imputed by mind, but it’s not there. But it is not there on that base.

Now same, so it’s same analysis goes down to the atoms of the head, goes down to the atom, finer and finer and finer, goes down to the atom. So exactly the same, everything. Cannot, not on the pieces and collection of the pieces, whatever you call, brain or this and that, so cannot find on there. So the same, down to the atom is the same. So according to Prasangika school, Madhyamika school, the Prasangika school the atoms have particles. Atoms are particles.

So, atom is the label and particles, collection of the particles is the base. So two different phenomena. So again here cannot find. Those particles, the collection, is not the atom. It’s the base to be labeled atom.

Now same, those particles also, so same reasoning goes, particles of atoms has also particles of atom, so like that. So, like that, so everything, so therefore nothing, so everything is merely imputed by mind. Nothing, from the head down to the atoms, particles of the atoms, nothing exists from their own side. From the form, body, then head, everything, including the atoms, particles of atoms, everything are empty of existing from their own side. Exist in mere name, merely imputed by mind.

So now exactly the same all the limbs, arms, legs, so same analysis, so goes down to the atom. The arms, so the parts of the arms is not the arm; collection of all the parts is not the arm, that’s the basis to be labeled arm. So, you cannot find the arm on the parts, on the collection of the parts you cannot find the arm. But that doesn’t mean arm doesn’t exist. Arm exists, being merely imputed by mind. So same, down to the particles of the arms, atoms of the arms, particles of arms, all same. So all, reality, everything is merely imputed by mind, so therefore, nothing exists, including the atoms, particles of the atoms, nothing exists from their own side.

Now same, the legs. The parts of the leg are not leg, collection of the parts of the leg is not, that’s the basis to be labeled a leg. So, parts of the leg is not leg, collection of the parts of the leg is not leg. You can’t find leg there on that base. That doesn’t mean leg doesn’t exist. It exists but what it is, what is merely imputed by mind. But you can’t find there, on that base. So down to the atoms of the leg, particles of the atoms, all the same, everything, what they are is what is merely imputed by mind, so nothing exists from their own side, including the atoms, particles of atoms, all that, nothing exists from their own side, everything are totally empty.

So the main part of the body also same. So like those other examples, same. So it goes down to the atoms, particles of the atoms, so everything exists in mere name, merely imputed by mind, so nothing exists from their own side, even including the atoms, even the particles of the atoms, nothing exists from their own side.

As the I, the self, you can’t find the I on these aggregates, but it exists and what it is is merely imputed by mind, what is merely imputed by mind. So therefore, same, all the rest of the body down to the atoms, particles of atoms is the same, exactly like the I. All are merely imputed by mind and that they are all empty.

Now, same thing consciousness, continuity of the consciousness of this life, continuity of the consciousness from life to life, and then this life, then today, twenty-four hours consciousness, the one hour consciousness, one minute consciousness, one minute consciousness, one second consciousness, then the split-second’s consciousness, again same. So all this twenty-four hours that’s the base to be labeled one day consciousness. So same, each hour consciousness is not that today consciousness, the collection of all that is also not that, that’s the basis to be labeled today’s consciousness, the one day consciousness. So that is the base, collection of those hours, twenty-four hours, that’s the base and then one day consciousness is the label. Two different phenomena. So what is that? That is what is merely imputed by mind. So, like that goes down to the minute consciousness, the second consciousness then those split-seconds of consciousness. So all these merely imputed by mind, including the split-seconds of consciousness. So therefore, all these consciousness do not exist from its own side, including the seconds of consciousness, split-seconds of consciousness, all those do not exist from their own side; they’re all totally empty. So, just think that.

So nothing’s there except what is merely imputed by mind, from the I down to the particles of atoms, split-seconds of consciousness, all that. There’s nothing there except what is merely imputed by mind.

So this is the reality, this is the reality. But now the next, this is the reality, mere imputation ?by the mind, this is the reality, but after the mere imputation it appeared back, all this, from the I, aggregates, down to the atoms, particles of atoms, as far as mind then seconds of consciousness then split-seconds of consciousness, all that, all appeared back, came from the mind, merely imputed by the mind but, empty of existing from its own side but all appeared back, after the mere imputation all appeared back to your mind, a real one, a real one exist, in the sense existing from its own side. Totally different world. So yourself totally another world, totally another self, inherently existent, independent self. So everything, down to the atoms, particles of the atoms, seconds of consciousness, split-seconds of consciousness, so everything inherently existent, independent one. So everything appeared back a real one, totally opposite to reality. Totally opposite to reality, the way it exists, what it is. Not merely labeled by the mind, inherently existent, independent, like that, something real.

So, how this has happened, so there’s the negative imprint left on the mental continuum by ignorance, concept, the ignorance, the concept holding the object truly existent. There’s negative imprint left on the mental continuum by the past, by the ignorance. So right after the mere imputation by the mind, the next second, first mind merely imputed this and that, I, aggregates, all these, down to the particles of the atoms, atoms and particles of atoms, seconds of consciousness and split-seconds of consciousness. First the mind merely imputed that, next second there’s the decoration, there’s the projection from the negative imprint, the truly existent, independent, this hallucination, the illusion or this hallucination that there’s truly existent, independent, not merely labeled by mind. Then next second appeared not merely labeled by mind.

So everything, so the ignorance, concept holding object truly existent, so by leaving negative imprint on the mental continuum, so made everything real, not merely labeled by mind when it appeared back.

So now here, so all this is hallucination, false I, false aggregates, false body, false mind, false form, false feeling, false cognition, false compounding aggregates, false consciousness, so down to the false atoms, false particles, false consciousness, false, down to the seconds of consciousness, false split-seconds of consciousness. So everything, hallucination. Everything false, so everything is object, gak-cha, everything is gak-cha, object to be refuted, okay.

So now, so then we let our mind believe, not only this projection, true existence, not merely labeled by mind, something real, not only the projection, on the mere imputation, not only that, the problem is not just only that. Then we let our mind, instead of meditating, instead of the mindfulness, being aware…. [Rinpoche has a fit of coughing.] So, some obstacle. [Rinpoche drinks.] So, instead of being mindful that all these are false, hallucination, object to be refuted, so this is not there. If this is there you don’t let your mind to hold onto all this is true. You don’t allow the mind to believe this is true. Hold onto this, all this is true. Either practice mindfulness all these are false, all these are object to be refuted, all these are hallucinations or all these are empty, that which is empty. So you don’t allow the mind to hold this false I as it is true and so forth, aggregates. So you don’t create the root of samsara. The self-grasping of the person and self-grasping of the phenomena, the aggregates, so the two roots of samsara you don’t create.

So here, so this is not there, meditation is not there, you don’t meditate or no realization that it’s empty. That this is empty. Then you see the I, aggregates, everything, like a dream, like illusion, so this realization is not there, because the realization, the wisdom seeing all these are empty is not there, so you don’t have realization seeing all these as, like in the thought-transformation teachings, The Seven-Point Thought Transformation, it says, [Tibetan] look at phenomena like a dream. Then also there, [Tibetan] think, look at the phenomena like a dream. Examine the nature of the unborn, means the mind, the mind which does the meditation, so even that is empty. [Tibetan] Even the remedy itself naturally free from the mental fabrication, the inherent existence. Even the meditator, so free from, unstained by inherent existence, free from that. [Tibetan] The essence of the path, place in the ?kun shi, the state of the all-base. So that’s the equipoise meditation meditating on emptiness, looking at it empty, then all these are empty, then doing equipoise meditation in emptiness, one-pointedly meditating on emptiness.

Then, when you rise from that, then [Tibetan] in the break time from the equipoise meditation then be the illusory person. So that’s one thing, be the illusory person. So, while you’re, by realizing all these are empty, as it is empty, then you, in the break, no matter how busy you are, you see yourself as illusory person, that, all this what appears to you something not merely labeled by mind, something real one existing from its own side, but you have understanding in your heart all this is not true, so illusory, illusory person, like you are working in the dream, like when you recognize the dream, while you’re so busy working in the dream then you recognize that this is a dream. So there’s no clinging, all this hallucination there’s no holding on this is true. So, like that, so seeing yourself as illusory person.

So however, so now here, so now like this, same this house, so the house, hall, so this hall there’s the parts of the hall, collection of the parts, you cannot find the house on each pieces, on this side wall, floor, ceiling, you can’t find the house. And the collection of all the parts on there you can’t find, it’s not the house. Each pieces is not the house; even the collection of all is not the house, you can’t find the house. This is the basis, this collection of the parts of the house is the basis to be labeled house. So it’s the basis, house is the label, two different phenomena, they are not one. They don’t exist separately but they exist differently. So same, again here, so what is the house? It’s what is merely imputed by the mind. It’s not that there’s no house. There’s a house, but what it is is merely imputed by mind. So therefore, now from the collection of the parts of the house, from there down to the atoms of the house, particles of the atoms of the house, all the same, everything is merely imputed by mind, came from the mind, merely imputed by the mind, everything, so nothing exists from their own side, everything are totally empty. But all these things appear back, after your mind mere imputation, everything appears back as not merely imputed by the mind. Appeared back not merely imputed by mind, which means something real, everything real, existing from its own side. So like this, form, sound, smell, taste, tangible object, all the same. After the mere imputation appeared back not merely labeled by the mind, in to our hallucinated mind. Everything appeared back not merely imputed by mind, real one existing from its own side, right after the mere imputation [snaps fingers], right after it came from the mind [snaps fingers], right after the mere imputation by the mind.

So now, wisdom directly perceiving emptiness, the arya beings’ wisdom, directly perceiving emptiness cannot see, the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness what it sees, all this, from yourself, from the I, down to the particles of the atoms, split-seconds of consciousness, all this totally, what the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness sees, all this is totally empty. Totally nonexistent, totally nonexistent, what it sees. And what that wisdom directly perceiving emptiness sees, all this, what your hallucinated mind, what one’s own hallucinated mind, everything appear, all this house that house down to the particles of the atoms, everything appear to you not merely labeled by mind, something real for your hallucinated mind, but the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness see all this totally nonexistent, empty. Totally nonexistent, empty.

Same, sound what you hear, form, sound, smell, taste, tangible object, all something real to our hallucinated mind, not merely labeled by the mind, but the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness sees everything, the sound, smell, taste, tangible, everything totally empty. What appears something real to our hallucinated mind, not merely labeled by the mind, that we hold onto, we let our mind to hold onto all this completely true. Now, the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness see all this, form, sound, smell, taste, all this what appears to our hallucinated mind not merely labeled by mind, real, something real, that which we believe that they’re true, that wisdom see all these totally nonexistent, empty. Totally nonexistent, empty.

So the hell, when we think of hell, appears us not merely labeled by mind, something truly existent, not merely labeled by mind, to our hallucinated mind and we hold onto it it is true. Now that wisdom see that one is totally nonexistent, empty. So the enlightenment, when we think of enlightenment, again appears to us not merely labeled by the mind, to our hallucinated mind, a real one in the sense existing from its own side and we let our mind to hold onto that as true, but the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness sees that as totally nonexistent. Same thing the liberation, samsara, happiness, problem, virtue, nonvirtue, everything what the, after the mere imputation appeared not merely labeled by mind, something real, existing from its own side, that we let our mind to hold onto all this is true. Then the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness see all this totally nonexistent, empty.

So now look at the causative phenomena like a star. So daytime you don’t see star, when the sun rises. So like that, the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness do not see, the view, the gak-cha, the object of ignorance, object of our ignorance, do not see. What it sees is all this is totally nonexistent, empty, okay. So like this, look at the causative phenomena like the star, meaning is that. So you meditate, you first you recognize all the gak-cha, objects to be refuted, all the hallucinations, that which are hallucinations, that which we let our mind hold on true. First recognize all this. Then you think of the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness of the exalted being, or buddhas, the arya beings, buddhas, same, the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness see all this totally nonexistent, empty.