Teachings from the Medicine Buddha Retreat (Audio and Unedited Transcripts)

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Soquel, CA 2001 (Archive #1331)

The audio recordings offered here are of the teachings which form the basis of the book Teachings From the Medicine Buddha Retreat.

The teachings which form Chapters 8 through 10 are included. Rinpoche gives teachings on a variety of topics such as making offerings and meditating on emptiness.

Chapter 9 Part B: Meditating on Emptiness

Wednesday October 31 Part B 

…and then split second of consciousness, all that. And then split seconds of that consciousness. Hallucinations cover completely. So like that. So in our life we believe all this hallucination is the real one. This is me, all this hallucination, all this inherently existent, this is I am. This inherently existent I, all that.

So anyway, so you can _____, so you can see it’s not there. So in reality all these, total nonexistent there, on this cushion. Something real appearing from there is not there. Something which is appearing to your mind is not there. So on this cushion all these totally nonexistent. Totally nonexistent. [pause]

And exactly the same when we, [pause] merely labeled text, there is inherent existent appearance covered by merely labeled text, inherently existent appearance covers the merely labeled table. Inherently existent appearance covers the light, merely labeled lights. Inherently existent appearance covered the merely labeled ceiling, beams, pillars. The truly existent appearance covered the merely labeled statues, merely labeled Medicine Buddha statues. And truly existent appearance covered the merely labeled flowers, white flower, red flower, ?yellow flower, like that. Then colors, merely labeled red, yellow, blue, is covered by truly existent appearance. So like that. And that blocked to appear, so everything the way we look at it, so the way we look at everything, thangkas, everything, so the hallucination covers everything. Everything. And you go out, merely labeled road covered by truly existent appearance. Sky, your mind, when you look at the sky, when you think of the sky, merely labeled but then truly existent appearance covered, ?projected, trees.

So everything, every phenomena, so when we eat food, merely labeled, again inherently existent, truly existent appearance covered the merely labeled food. Truly existent appearance covered the merely labeled vegetable, merely labeled beans, merely labeled rice, merely labeled noodles. So everything, so then, yeah, merely labeled soup, merely labeled bread, so the truly existent appearance covered everything. Everything. So, it’s like eating hallucination, so by, hallucinated person eating hallucinated food in a hallucinated bowl, plate, with hallucinated forks, forks or frogs. From, made by hallucination cook, merely labeled cook but then truly existent appearance covered, made it real cook. So like that.

So every, when we read a book, every single letter, every single A, B, C, every single letter is merely imputed by mind. While you are reading, your mind imputed every syllable, this and that. Because the way it is designed and you are taught, you were taught by somebody this is this, you are introduced, you are introduced in the label. This design, you label this. This design you label, this. So one page, so while you are reading your mind constantly labeling, constantly labeling because of the different design or drawing, the writing is different, different lines. How it is put together, so you are introduced what label to put, so then you are putting label from the beginning of the page, like when we are doing sadhana, from beginning of sadhana to the end we are putting label, constantly we are putting label this and this, this, this. This is A. This is B, it’s like this, A is, I mean there’s different, this is A, this is B, like that.

So in reality all these are mere imputation. All these letters are what is merely imputed by the mind but then projection put there, truly existent, on all these merely labeled letters. So therefore every single letter when you read book, appears to you, it doesn’t appear to, no one appears to you merely labeled by mind, your mind; it appears to you real letter from its own side. Like that.

So looking at L, there is real L, not merely labeled by mind, real L appearing from there. So there is all this hallucination, completely covered. When you read a book, including the book, including the page itself, the whole thing is a hallucination. So how many pages you turn, so hallucination. So like that.

So same thing when I play cymbals, when I play these cymbals, , it’s the same. By seeing the design, how it’s made, what it’s for, so you call cymbal. So what cymbal is is what is merely imputed by mind, but then because we haven’t purified the negative imprint left by delusion so that project the truly existent appearance on the merely labeled cymbals, so they become real cymbals appearing from its own side. So I am playing the real cymbals, hallucination cymbals. So like that.

When we look at these offerings, every offering, same as I mentioned letter, all these offerings, same. All these flowers, I mean the details, how many different flowers, how many details is there, so same. All covered by inherently existent, truly existent appearance.

And when we are at supermarket, when we go shopping at supermarket or department store or something, there is billions of objects, brightful objects, so same. Every single this object that you see there in supermarket, all these billions of things to make up, when you go in the shop for make up shop, the make up shops, all the bottles, all the different colors. Or when you go dressing, clothing shop, so anyway, all these billions of things, when you look at, while you are looking at it, you are putting label. Your mind is merely imputing this and this and this. By putting the label because of that phenomena’s function – what for it’s used, shape what it looks like and then what for it’s used. So depending on that constantly you put label while you are looking, while you are in the shop, department stores, supermarket, so when you look at supermarket all the food, thirty, forty different types of cheese, that rotten cheese that, in England in the old times, Geshe Kelsang he went in supermarket and then, so he said because there is so much, there is so many so he said it makes to vomit. So many it makes him to vomit. So anyway, what I was saying is like example that I used with text, so same in the shop, when you are in department store, same. While you are looking at it your mind constantly labeling. Then the negative imprint left on the mind constantly project, right after the second mere imputation then, so then made everything real, yeah, something real. Then that’s how it’s appearing to you, real one existing from there.

Then, so that is not the main problem, because even you have the appearance, truly existent appearance but if you are aware, but if you recognize, if you are aware all these are hallucination then there is no basis for attachment, to rise attachment, and get angry. You don’t find reason to get angry and attached or jealousness, all that thing. So if you recognize all those hallucination as hallucination , the problem is not the, still you can, even you’re hallucinated but still if you recognize the hallucination then no problem. So it’s like if you recognize the dream as dream and then you don’t get attached to, you can play with it, you have great fun because nothing is real. So you have great fun, when you recognize the dream as dream. Dream is dream then no fear because you don’t have concept that it’s real. So when somebody is hurting you or harming you or something like that, no fear. And so like that also no, when you see beautiful object no desire because you know that this is dream. It’s happening, you’re seeing it’s happening but there is no clinging. So like that. There is appearance, so on the, so the main problem is then we don’t practice mindfulness. Haven’t realized, haven’t recognized this is hallucination, which is hallucination, that which, haven’t recognized which do not exist. The false as false, that which do not exist is nonexistent, haven’t recognize that, and we let our mind to hold on to that. We let our mind to hold on those as true, true, with the way they appear, we let our mind to believe it’s true. So that is the, the root problem is that. We let, we allow our mind to apprehend that it’s true, the way they appear to one’s own mind. So then that, when that happens, then jealous mind of other people, anger, attachment, then all these things. When you let your mind to hold on those as true, then, the way they appear, then those other, then that becomes the root, those bases, all those other emotional negative thoughts rises, then motivated karma. Then we make the samara suffering, we make the oceans of samsaric suffering endless. As it has no beginning we are making no end. Every day like that. So creating cause of samsara, creating samsara.

So therefore, [pause] so that’s actually here, ?cho tam che rang zhin, all the phenomenas..., how do you say? We spend…, huh? We spent, how many minutes we spent in this translation, ?cho tam che rang zhin tong pa tong pa nyi? Huh? No, no, this, ?cho tam che rang zhin tong pa tong pa nyi , these words? I think we spent, just this one I think a half hour or one hour. What? [Reply inaudible.] Really?

Now, how does it say? Can you read? How does it say? I don’t remember.

[Ven. Rene: “All phenomena are empty by nature and thus become emptiness only.”]

Okay. So now, so [pause] the most important point, key thing, [pause] as I mentioned to you that the minute when you let, of course having this appearance, hallucination, of course is problem, but especially when you let your mind to hold onto that this is true, the way it appeared, so that is the very root. Then that is the biggest problem. I want to say this way, that is the biggest problem in our life, because all the other emotional thoughts, unhappiness, all these which we think, depressed, all these, which we think is big problem, but actually all these came from that concept, which we not aware, that there are many of us who are not aware, in our, in the twenty-four hours, or in our daily life. So every, so all the trouble comes from this concept. The minute when you let your mind to believe this is true, the way it appears to you. So that is the root of suffering. So that creates, produces the frightening death. Generally, not everybody, not every single person, death, subject to be frightened, it’s not that. But general common people, generally, the most, death is something frightening. So, including that, the end of the life frightening one, so this is the root from where it comes.

So that, if one has so much pain in knees or the back pain or whatever, or manic attack or ______, so that’s the root, that concept is the root. So anyway, so therefore, [long pause] so what’s the antidote? So you don’t allow your concept to hold onto the things, the inherently existent appearance, object of refutation, that which is object, that this is true, correct, this is true, hundred percent correct, there’s such a thing. So antidote to this, so even just a very simple thing, every day to practice mindfulness, the whole life is like a dream. Or you can say even, you know, correct word is “like a dream,” “not dream but like a dream, correct word,” philosophically, but I think for meditation, even you don’t, of course if you say, [long pause] in our daily life even very simple thing, in daily life practice mindful, just simply practice mindfulness, I’m dreaming, I’m dreaming doing retreat here, LMB. I am dreaming doing sadhana. I am dreaming walking. I am dreaming eating. So if you practice mindfulness, just something very simple like that, it helps. When you practice mindfulness like that, which means it’s not true, the way that things appear to you is not true, so it comes to that point. So when you say, like illusion or as teaching says, like a dream or simply saying, I’m dreaming, even though that’s not, I mean philosophically, in reality it’s not correct. If you dreaming that you are LMB then of course, doing retreat, it means your doing retreat at LMB is just a dream then it’s not happening , you not doing retreat, you are not at LMB. [pause]

What you see in the dream doesn’t exist, the objects in the dream do not exist. Then otherwise, after you dreamt that you have found a trillion dollars, after you dreamt that you have found, that you got, somebody gave you a trillion dollars in the dream, then when you woke up you should have a trillion dollars, but you don’t have . And then if what you see in the dream it exists, if they exist then there’s no differences between the dream and the daytime, between the dream and after you woke up from the dream, sleep, no differences.

So then, so in the dream if you married, had wedding with somebody in the dream then in the daytime when you woke up should be the same thing. So that shows, so when you woke up it doesn’t exist. So that’s what, so dream that’s hallucination. So however, because you had that dream, in the dream married and have children in the dream, and then, daytime when you woke up, Oh, where’s my children? Oh! Then you say, then you believe in the daytime also, once you woke up, same, that person’s husband or wife or, then that doesn’t work, it doesn’t exist.

Anyway, so anyway, so for meditation, like a dream or even just saying, I am dreaming, I think it’s very good. So like Heart Sutra where it says, no this – no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind, in The Heart Sutra. So you put ‘no’, the ‘no’ is like atomic bomb or missile. Missile. Like the Americans shooting the missiles to Afghanistan, Taliban. Anyway, so ‘no’ is like a missile, like a bomb. So you throw the ‘no’ like a bomb on the not merely labeled nose, which exists; not merely labeled tongue which exists; not merely labeled mind which exists; not merely labeled body which exists. But you throw this bomb ‘no’ on the target, the object of ignorance, the concept of true existence, the nose that appears to you not merely labeled by mind, a real nose appearing from there and then believed by your concept, and believed it’s true by your concept. So that one, so you are throwing this ‘no’, this bomb, on that. And to see that inherently existent nose is, that is nonexistent, that’s nonexistent as it is nonexistent. To see nonexistent as it is totally nonexistent in reality, totally empty in reality. So like that same, with all the rest of the phenomena, no form, no smell, no taste, it’s same.

So here, so similar this is how we meditate, this is how to meditate when we do Heart Sutra. Similar, so here, so when you say, “I am dreaming,” so dream, you put it on this real I appearing to you, you put the dream on the real mind, real body. You put dream on the real enemy. You put the dream, “I am dreaming,” dream on the real friend, truly existent friend appearing to you. So like that. Where you put the dream, where you put no or dream, this, illusion.

So even a simple meditation, antidote for this wrong concept in daily life, practice mindfulness, I am dreaming. Everything is like a dream or even say, “I am dreaming”. Even it’s not correct but it’s good for, it’s very powerful for the mind.

So by thinking that while you are walking, while you are eating, or doing session, however, when one is talking to people, while one is talking to somebody, I am dreaming. Anyway, so then gives understanding in your heart all this is not true. The way it appears to me, it’s not true. The way it appears to me, what one believes it’s not true. Empty, not true, all these are empty.

So it brings to this conclusion, empty. So then this is the way, this is the protection, protect you from this enemy, the king of delusion, the ignorance, the concept of true existence. You protect from that. The antidote, because this concept believes that, hold on to that they are true, the way it’s appears. So then the anti-, so how to stop that? How to don’t let your mind to not hold onto things, the opposite, thinking it’s like a dream or like illusion or I am dreaming, as I mentioned before. So, thinking it’s false, hallucinations, which means that they don’t exist. So that, so holding, the concept holding onto that, grasping, so that doesn’t happen. So because that doesn’t happen, you don’t allow that, so that doesn’t happen, so the anger, attachment, all other emotional thoughts do not rise, the opportunity stopped. So then, by the way, it brings your mind in a state of peace, tranquillity, stability, so this is just simply keeping the mind in the awareness of, here ?cho tam che rang zhin tong pa, so all the phenomena are in the nature of emptiness, so here you are keeping your mind, practicing mindfulness, whatever different words you use, dream, illusion, whatever, object of refutation or dependent arising, whichever way, words you use, different words but the point is that, bringing your understanding that they are empty, so that is the conclusion, so yeah, so like that. [long pause]

So, if you let your mind holding onto the phenomena, existing by nature or truly existent or independent or however, this which is a projection of the negative thought, I mean, projection of the ignorance, I mean the negative imprint. So if that, in some way you can say, when this is happening, you are not meditating on emptiness. If this is happening you are not meditating on emptiness. Whenever [snaps fingers] you let go this, holding onto the object, whenever, instead of holding like this, grasping a real I, like this, so the minute you stop [snaps fingers] grasping that, the minute you stop [snaps fingers] grasping the object, that is meditating on emptiness. That time meditating on emptiness, but as long as there’s holding onto the object, grasping, that real phenomena appearing from its own side, it’s not meditating, no matter how many hours it’s done, no matter how many hours you spend, whatever other experience is happening, you’re not meditating on emptiness, whatever discovery is happening, you’re not meditating on emptiness. It’s totally opposite to, it’s just your mere belief, your own, that’s your superstition, I’m meditating on emptiness, that’s superstition, you’re not meditating on emptiness, and you believe that is meditating on emptiness, like that. [long pause]

So, as I normally, as I usually mention, normally mention that, after looking at everything, [pause] /