Kadampa Teachings (Audio and Unedited Transcripts), Continued

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India; 26 December 2003 - 02 January 2004 (Archive #1470)

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave these teachings at Root Institute, Bodhgaya, in December 2003. There were seven days of teachings; days 5 through 7 are included here. You can listen to the first four days here.

During these three days Rinpoche continued to give commentary on Atisha's Jewel Garland

Day Seven: Appearances come from the mind

So now again, you see, the third is this. So there’s nothing from the side of the object, coming, existing, as we normally believe in our daily lives. It’s totally the other way round, opposite.

So here there’s three, conclusion, giving idea of three, that how things comes from one’s own mind, the view of the object comes from one’s own mind. So it’s very important to do this meditation, this analysis, you use in daily life when there’s danger to rise delusions or when delusion rises, to prove how the delusion is wrong concept, because there’s no such object as it believes, as it apprehends. So like the ignorance, so because there’s no phenomenon, any phenomenon exists depending, it exists being merely imputed by the mind, relating to the, because there’s a base, a valid base exists, so relating to that, then that phenomenon is merely imputed by the mind. So anything that exists is merely imputed by the mind and relating to the valid base, because there’s a valid base. So therefore, nothing exists from their own side. No phenomenon exists from their own side and all phenomena are totally empty. So that’s the reality. So therefore, appearance what we have, one after another is appearing to us, appearing not merely labeled by mind, existing from their own side, so this is totally hallucination, totally false, not even the slightest of atom exists.

So that proves this ignorance apprehending that it’s true, that’s totally wrong. That is a false mind. So proves the delusion, ignorance, totally false. So same for the delusions, anger, attachment, all those wrong concepts. Superstition, _____ ______ as it apprehends, so the superstition, all these delusions are superstition. So usually superstition is something that you believe there’s no such thing in reality it exists, so you call that one is what is called superstition. So all the delusions are superstition. [pause]

Why, I didn’t clarify yesterday, what Gyalwa Götsangpa, the great Kagyu yogi, Gyalwa Götsangpa, so what he said that, other’s mistake is your own mistake, that I explained yesterday, so how other’s mistake is one’s own mistake, so anyway that I don’t need to repeat again what I mentioned yesterday. But what I want to clarify is the next one, what he said. The appearance of mistake, appearing mistake, the appearing mistake clarify into yidam, deity. So yesterday I did not clarify the last bit.

So, [Tibetan] when you visualize, when you practice thought transformation, somebody who did cheating, somebody who that you think harming you or cheating or abusing or provoking or whatever, so here Gyalwa Götsangpa mentioned one method, I mean there are so many methods, but one meditation, then visualize as your deity, clarify or visualize in your yidam, mind-seal deity. So when you think, when you visualize as deity, then suddenly no way to get angry, anger immediately goes away, no way to get angry, anger goes away immediately then, unable to get angry and also then it stops the creating negative karma, harming back or insulting or beating or even with the words, insulting, however, disrespect. So it stops negative karma, anger goes away then stops negative karma, those negative actions, doing out of anger, so because anger stopped, no way to rise anger, so then the negative actions that which follow after anger, then doesn’t happen. Then also rising respect when you think it’s deity. So there are many benefits in the mind thinking, visualizing that is deity.

And also maybe, also one can think like one think of the guru’s blessing, similar then, this is the deity’s blessing. So similar also looking at that sentient being as one’s own guru. So as it is mentioned in thought transformation, looking at, practice thought transformation looking at sentient beings as one’s own guru, so then the anger, those negative thoughts do not rise and one respect, so again that might be the reason why thought transformation looking at them guru. [pause]

This person who’s possessed by spirits, also there’s danger to harm, then you visualize that one as deity, if you visualize that person as deity, then it calms down or doesn’t harm, unable to harm. However, then, other methods to control the mind when there’s danger to rise delusion or delusion rises, ________ negative karma, the Kharag Gomchung, Kadampa geshe, his advice, the lama, guru, who reveal the Mahayana teaching, even though the outside conduct is not beautiful, not nice, even the outside conduct is not nice, but you can never tell the inner, the mind; so therefore, do not have superstition to the guru’s mistakes. What I was going to mention is this last part. So this part what I was going to say is, whatever you think in your heart, whatever you think, [Tibetan] so it says, whatever thoughts rises, whatever you’re thinking in your mind, the buddha’s holy mind can see all the time, so the buddha’s holy mind there’s no obscuration, so it’s clear, so can see what you’re thinking. So there are numberless buddhas, they all the time they see what you’re thinking, it’s very clear for their mind what you’re thinking, so the negative thoughts, attachment or anger, whatever, all these negative thoughts rises, so buddhas they see what’s happening, what’s going on in your mind, they see you, so numberless buddhas they see all the time. So, what it’s saying is, because numberless buddhas they see what’s going on, what you’re thinking, then the attachment, so on, negative thought rising, so suddenly you remember that all the buddhas are watching me, are seeing me, seeing my mind, this, I’m generating negative thoughts, so then suddenly you feel embarrassed or, so suddenly you want to stop, so suddenly you don’t follow the delusion, you don’t think of those objects of delusion, suddenly you don’t follow the delusion, so remembering this, that all the buddhas’ holy mind they see, there’s no obscurations, clear, see what’s going on, also this delusion rising, generating these delusions, so like that. So suddenly one feel shy, doing something wrong, so suddenly that helps to stop, so this is controlling the delusion or controlling one’s senses.

Then, it says, don’t [Tibetan] Don’t let bad thoughts to run in your mind, that which makes your deity, your yidam, kind of upset or [pause], yeah. So, if you did some bad manners in front of, for example, in front of respected people, some bad manners, then they will think how disrespectful or how stupid or, they will think bad. [pause] So if somebody, a friend that one has met and the person become friend, but then that friend find out all your selfish attitude, all your bad characters, so then if the friend find out that, see that, then the friend will think that you are bad, so anyway, the meaning is, the feeling, how the friend will feel when the friend find out. First the friend respect you and like you, then later your friend find all your mistakes, the bad things what you do or think, then friend get upset, recognition, the friend the recognition of you is kind of bad, yeah, like that. I don’t know, anyway if you ask the meaning then that meaning. Is there a word for? How do you say? Ah, Sean? What word for, do you have any word? [Tibetan] So anyway, that’s the meaning.

And then it says, it’s like the, Kharag Gomchung explains, however, that it’s like the [Tibetan], it says here, it’s like in the presence of the blind one, it’s like the person who has eye in front of the blind person, gives more examples. So Buddha he always look at, see you, what is going on, what you’re doing, what you’re thinking, what you’re behave, actions, always sees you, so giving example, it’s like person who has eye in front of the blind person. Then, the blind person gets [few words inaudible] does not see that the people who has eye they can see your mistakes, you are blind, doing many mistakes, I mean, going where there’s no road or where there’s danger, so what mistakes you do, the blind person, then so the person with eye sees completely what mistake you are doing. [Tibetan] So buddhas and bodhisattvas, they always look at you with their eye, without obscuration.

Then it says, [Tibetan] so therefore don’t engage in, don’t be maybe excited, I’m not sure. Don’t get excited, don’t get excited engaging in bad behavior. Don’t get excited, I’m not sure, that’s my guess. Don’t get excited, [Tibetan] so something like that, don’t get, maybe expressing like that, I’m not sure. Don’t get excited in bad behavior.

Then also, [pause] so this is one technique what Kharag Gomchung says, one technique to, suddenly you see all the buddhas are watching at you, knowing your mind and behavior, wrong, unrighteous actions. So then suddenly you dare not to do, unable to continue, so stop, so by thinking that, by being aware of that, it’s one technique.

Then other technique is that, so one thing is the negative imprint, so whatever this, attachment, anger, whenever these delusions rises, like heresy, so it leaves, it’s not just rising but what it does is it leaves a negative imprint, it plants a seed on your mental continuum, like planting seed in a field, so it leaves a negative imprint back on your mental continuum. Then more of those negative thoughts, those negative actions are done, more and more is done, more and more negative imprint back on your mental continuum, so that makes it more and more difficult your future, that makes more and more difficult your coming lives, your future lives. Then in the future lives, because the negative imprint left, the negative thoughts and actions left negative imprint on the mental continuum so the future lives, because of past habituation, then becomes so difficult to stop that behavior, so difficult. For example, stealing, so then got habituated, so more the negative imprint is left, those attitudes and the actions of stealing, for example, then future lives become so difficult to stop, uncontrollably it happens. And same, then sexual misconduct, all these things, then so difficult, becomes so difficult to stop, so difficult to control, so it makes your future lives so difficult, because of these negative imprints left in this life. Then also there’s past lives negative imprint, already so much left. So which allows to rise these delusions and did negative actions, then leaves negative imprint, more and more, then makes future life so difficult, so difficult to control the mind, control delusions, so difficult to stop these negative karmas, the bad behaviors, so difficult to stop. So then that again leaves negative imprint and ?makes the mind again and again, then like this continuously makes the life so difficult, create always obstacles, obscures the mind all the time. So negative imprint by negative thoughts, negative actions, left on the mind, then such as attachment so forth, then so it harms, it endangers, it harms, so many lifetimes, so many, many lifetimes, so goes on and on like that. So, hell is, you experience and that’s certain length of time, you finish the karma, experiencing, then finished but the negative imprint, what is left there then it’s experienced out again and again; until that is purified, it is experienced out again and again, so one engages, so one experience difficult life and engage in those negative actions again and again.

Then the ?Kongkar Rinpoche, one great Amdo lama, said, There is no sin or negative, _______ friend of negative karma. In the Tibetan it’s called [Tibetan], the friend of negative karma. So it says, there is no friend of negative karma. Somebody saying, Oh, I am the friend of negative karma, and then has horns growing on your head, something like that, some particular feature, shape, doesn’t rise. And how this friend of negative karma, how it will appear, he says, it smiles, in the manner of having affectionate, in the manner that the person cares you. [Tibetan] So in the manner or that person loves you or cares you and shows smile. [Tibetan] So, what it’s saying is, one who brings you in the action, one who brings you in the activities of, what is the opposite of conscientiousness? Opposite of that? Opposite to conscientiousness? So, one who brings you, one who makes you engage into the careless activities, helping you to play, laugh and distract is the friend of the negative karma. [Tibetan] So then, abandon that gradually like epidemic disease, like contagious disease, so, abandon that. Then nonvirtuous friend, it says, abandon the nonvirtuous friend and the friend of negative karma like the smile of the cannibal and poison, ?hara is one poison, like a poisonous plant. So, abandon nonvirtuous friend, friend of negative karma, like smile of cannibal and poison ?hara.

The smile of the cannibal, that is, cannibal, at the beginning when you meet, say many nice words that they love and I care you, I love you, many nice words and smiles, shows a lot of affection, but then later, then you believe in that, company with that, then later the cannibal eats you, so that means, so by believing in that then you get cheated, you get eaten by the cannibal after, then you’re cheated.

Then ?hara, poison of the ?hara, hara has very beautiful flower, but it’s poison, so then it’s very beautiful flower, very attractive, then it’s poison, so by eating that or smelling, however, maybe harms, so cheats.

Then another advice from Kharag Gomchung, that is, so related to that, the Lama Atisha’s teaching, If one desire to engage in the unrighteous actions, then abstain the body, speech engaging in that, abstain the body, speech, moving to that. [Tibetan] So if the desire rising to engage in the unrighteous action, then abstain from body, speech and mind engage in that, moving to that. Then it says, so if you do that, then what advantage you get is then, it says here, [Tibetan] so it eliminates obstacles for yourself, obstacles for others. So it eliminates obstacles for both, so if you abstain from the body, speech engaging in the unrighteous actions, so means when you stop engaging in negative karmas, then that itself is, when you don’t stop engaging in negative karma then that itself is creating obstacles in the life, creating obstacles to practice Dharma, creating obstacles to have sicknesses, to you and to other people, so it causes obstacles, to have problems in your life and to others. The obstacles can relate to many things. So if you abstain from that, if you are abstaining the body, speech engaging in these unrighteous actions, then it eliminates obstacles, it eliminates obstacles of self and others. So itself become puja, so the best puja. So when in our daily life whenever there’s danger to engage in unrighteous actions, desire rising, then there’s danger to engage, then when we stop that, body, speech, engaging in that, when we stop that, then the puja is done already, because you yourself, without asking other people to do puja, you yourself have done the puja, because you stopped the negative karma, you stopped creating negative karma.

So then, next verse. [Tibetan] Then you will receive common siddhis and sublime realizations, it says.

So one thing is to remember, to rise fear of negative imprint, by letting to rise these delusions, okay, and engage in the negative actions, unrighteous actions, then leaves negative imprint. So how this is also harmful continuously in the coming future lives, so harmful this. Very important one to be cautious. Then what the Kharag Gomchung’s advice what I explained, those are also very powerful.

However, two methods, so one is to be away from the object, for us beginners. Since we don’t have realizations, stable mind, so being near the object, close to the object, is very dangerous. But even physically you are away from the object but if you don’t meditate, then it becomes very difficult because the desire’s still there, clinging, even though physically very far, but then didn’t let go, desire’s still there, one didn’t let go of the object, so then becomes very unbearable suffering. So therefore, not only that distant from the object, but at the same time one need to, that one need to practice meditation, that [pause] how the delusion, if the problem is anger, then the shortcomings of that, all the suffering results one has to remember again and again, all the suffering results of anger, all the shortcomings, as many as, as extensively as possible, lower realm sufferings, even next time we are born human being, so many problems, very ugly body and so forth, many shortcomings, so as extensive as possible. So if the problem is desire, same. So one need, not enough only physically become remote or far, so one need to, like medicine for the mind, the desire is a sickness of the mind, then, like medicine, taking medicine, need meditation. So what I was explaining before, those different techniques, however, as I mentioned yesterday, the other day, the lower realm, karma, the death can happen any time and then the relating to the karma, also negative karma and lower realm sufferings, particularly relating to the, yeah, the shortcomings of desire and the shortcomings of the negative action, the action done out of desire which becomes nonvirtue. [A few words inaudible] Then as powerful, effective, as most effective, vast and most effective, need to reflect, however, need to _____ do meditation, those parts of the meditation, and how samsara is in the nature of suffering.