The Need for Wisdom and Compassion (Audio and Unedited Transcripts)

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Tara Institute, Australia, June 3, 2006 (Archive #1585)

Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave these teachings at Tara Institute, Australia, June 3, 2006. Listen to the audio and read along with the unedited transcripts, or watch the videos, now posted to FPMT's "Rinpoche Available Now" webpage. Note that the start and end of the videos are not in line with the transcripts, which are derived from tapes not video.

The Kindness of Sentient Beings

... I receive, completely I receive by the kindness of each of these persons. So because all this happiness came from my virtuous thought, virtuous action, that is Buddha’s action which is in the mind of a sentient being, working in the mind of sentient being, within the sentient being. There are two types of Buddha’s action. One is Buddha’s they receive, [pause] by themselves and one is within the sentient beings. So this came from Buddha, this is Buddha’s action, came from Buddha, Buddha came from bodhisattva, bodhisattva came from bodhicitta, bodhicitta came from great compassion, great compassion is generated by depending on each and every single obscured suffering sentient being. So that includes even one’s own enemy, person whom you hate or who hates you, so including that. So the compassion is generated by depending on the kindness of each and every single sentient being.

So therefore, all my three time happiness, including liberation, enlightenment everything I receive from each of these persons. So if you’re working in the office, think that way; if you’re in the family, think that way. So, if you’re a school teacher then think like that. So anyway, then with that thought of kindness of other, this deep, like skies, then the respect with words, respect with the body, everything comes, the appreciation and kind action comes naturally. Respectful words and the manners, very pleasant, very pleasing to others, it comes naturally. You think how this is so precious, most precious one in your life.

So even Buddha, Dharma, Sangha came from this sentient being. Buddha comes from this, Dharma, so Buddha, depending on sentient beings, Buddha happened, so as you can understand from the previous explanation, then Dharma came from Buddha, Sangha came from, by actualizing Dharma, so Buddha, Dharma, Sangha came from, to whom I pray at the beginning of the practice, this came from each of these sentient beings, came from them, so they’re most precious. Each sentient being’s more precious than Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. So, of course, Dharma is the one that removes the cause of suffering, all the defilements, but it came from sentient being, by each, so they are most precious, most precious one. So then even there then the thought of offering service comes naturally, thought of offering service comes from the heart, not as a business. Not as a business but really offering service.

So that’s how to live, how we should try to live the life, the life from the sitting meditation, the busy life.

So here I want to mention, so I’m going to stop here, I’m going to mention the Nagarjuna’s prayer. This is very important. [Tibetan] This prayer is very important. You must write down. Put in your notebook, put in your diary, the I always say diarrhea but, not put in the diarrhea. In your, book, put in the room, put in the car, to remind you of this, frame, put there, those words. So usually it’s very good, many of the words to remind you, put around the house, office. In America, Kadampa Center they did like that. They put many words, Dharma words around the office, in the center, outside, inside, everywhere, so it’s very, very good. Sometimes when you have problems, you don’t remember the meditation, you don’t remember the teachings, so then if you have something written there, it reminds you then good-bye [snaps fingers], good-bye problem.

[Tibetan] I think maybe ______ from there. So actually this is a text about thought transformation, that I think it’s in Transforming Problems, so it’s a basis from here that book, but I was meant to read this, then how to, for practice, so to transform all the obstacles into happiness. So no obstacle for realization, no obstacle for practicing Dharma in the life. Anyway, that, so many obstacles happened, didn’t happen what I planned. So anyway, [pause] ______ the words there, [Tibetan] I didn’t remember, I left out one verse. So here this is what we should do, try, the Nagarjuna’s prayer, the seventy, [Tibetan] The Seventy Prayers of Nagarjuna. It’s very, very, Lama Tsongkhapa mentioned somewhere either you dedicate that way or King of the Prayers.

So [Tibetan] I, dag ni, like Eight Verses it says, dag ni sem chän tham chä la, yi zhin nor bu lä lhag päi, dön chhog drub päi sam pa yi, tag tu che par dzin par shog, means from the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation the first one. So dag ni means doesn’t matter how other sentient beings treat me, doesn’t matter, how that person treats me doesn’t matter, whether he or she practices compassion towards me or not doesn’t matter, myself I am going go cherish others. When the words begin dag ni sem chän tham chä la, so doesn’t matter whether this person or others, however they treat me, angry or criticize, whatever, but from my side I’m going to cherish, always cherish even that, always mind cherish to all sentient beings. “To all sentient beings” includes friend, enemy, stranger, enemy also there. All sentient beings, without discrimination, then with the thought, remember I mentioned before this sentient being is more precious than the sky filled with wish-granting jewels, remember I mentioned already that? So with the thought achieving sublime success, [pause] then think of the sentient being more precious than a wish-granting jewel. This is, I’m telling more the meaning, rather than strict with the words, word by word, but more the meaning. With the thought achieving the sublime success, so from this sentient being you achieve higher rebirth, happiness of future lives, liberation, enlightenment, all these, so sublime success. So with this thought then this sentient being is much more precious than a wish-granting jewel, means not one, but filled the whole sky, that’s nothing; this one sentient being is more precious. So with the mind always cherish, with the body and speech, serve others. With your heart, cherish always, not when you’re happy, when you have problems, give up. When you are happy then some good heart . So not like that. Always cherish, with the body, speech and mind, along with that, serve.

So dag ni ?yi zhin nor ____ dro wai yi, [Tibetan] so I myself, anyway, I read the whole thing. [Tibetan] I myself become like a wish-, [pause] Myself may I become like a wish-granting jewel accomplishing all the desirable things of the sentient beings, and become a wish-granting tree fulfilling all their wishes, fulfilling [Tibetan] is complete, all their hopes, all their wishes, for happiness.

So here you’re praying yourself to become like a wish-granting jewel, fulfilling all the wishes. So there are two things. So what I mentioned before is that sentient beings are wish-fulfilling for you. Every sentient being is wish-fulfilling for you, okay, what I explained before. So that is one meditation what we should have while, during busy life, awareness, okay. Then, the other thing, that’s the foundation. Now on top of that then you become wish-fulfilling to other sentient beings, so these ?details. First they are wish-fulfilling to me. So here in Nagarjuna’s prayer it seems you become, praying you become wish-fulfilling to all the sentient beings. So this dag ni ?yi zhin nor ____ dro wai yi [Tibetan], so dag ni ?yi zhin nor ____ dro wai yi, so this one can have two meanings. One is may I be able to accomplish all the desirable things of transmigratory beings, who’s like a wish-granting jewel for me. That’s one way to think. And the other way to think is, May I be able to accomplish all the desirable phenomena, may I become like a wish-granting jewel, accomplishing all the desirable phenomena of the sentient beings, the transmigratory beings. So it can have both meanings, wish-granting others and you yourself become wish-granting.

Then next one is may I become like a wish-granting tree, that brings [Tibetan], bringing, accomplishing all the wishes, all the hopes, all the wishes for sentient beings. So this is the heart practice of the Mahayana or practice of bodhicitta, this is the best. So even you have sicknesses, relationship problems, court cases, anything, then, take all sentient beings’ problems on yourself and destroy the ego and then use, everything you use to achieve enlightenment for sentient beings, whatever problem you have then you take all sentient beings’ problems, the sufferings, on you, then in that way destroy your ego from where it came all the problems. Then that way becomes like medicine to heal, to eliminate the ego, so that way you’re using to, all this experiencing problems, to achieve enlightenment for sentient beings, you’re using to achieve, to cause happiness to all sentient beings. So when one encounters problems, take it all sentient beings’ suffering on yourself and then may all sentient beings’ oceans of suffering be dried out. I don’t remember the words, the Tibetan, exactly. Then when you have happiness, you give to sentient beings and you use, you collect merit, when you have happiness you offer to sentient beings and then you use to collect merit, this way, use the happiness also path to achieve, you use also to achieve enlightenment. Even when you have happiness, comfort, success, then cause of happiness for all sentient beings, so then pray, May [Tibetan], May whole sky filled with happiness, peace, for sentient beings. So this is how to practice.

Okay, so now we stop there, okay. So, sorry.

Dag gi ji nye…

[Short mandala offering]

Due to all the three time merits collected by me and the three time merits collected by others, may the bodhicitta be generated in the hearts of oneself, one’s own family members, then, all those students here in Tara House, anyone who comes to learn Dharma here, and all the organizers, in the hearts of then all the sentient beings, then particular in the hearts of all the leaders of the world, this most urgency there, and in the hearts of all the terrorists, the terrorists’ minds, all those people who have harmful thoughts to harm others, without delay even a second. And it’s most urgency to even without delay to generate, otherwise very dangerous.

Jang chub sem chog…. [3x]

Then, as I mentioned yesterday, all the opportunity, incredible opportunity we have to achieve all the happiness, including enlightenment, and able to enlighten, liberate numberless sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric suffering and bring them to enlightenment, then by the kindness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is sole object of refuge of us, all sentient beings, and source of happiness of all us sentient beings. And long life, to have stable life, all the holy wishes be succeed immediately.

Gang ri ra wai….

Then, kinder than all the three time buddhas, Lama Yeshe, whose holy name is difficult to express, then who’s the founder of this organization, so also that we have all these opportunities is also by Lama’s kindness, so therefore, all the, whatever intention, whatever Lama planned, wishes, to be actualized, everything. Then, Lama Ösel Rinpoche to have stable life, all the, to benefit for sentient beings like Lama Tsongkhapa, okay.

Pal den la mai ku tse….

And due to all the past, present, future merits collected by me, the three-time merits collected by others, may all the father and mother sentient beings have happiness, may the three lower realm beings be empty forever, may all those bodhisattvas’ prayers be succeed immediately, may I be able to cause all this to happen by myself alone.

Pa ma sem chen tam che….

Due to all the past, present, future merits collected by me, the three-time merits collected by others, may I, then oneself, one’s own family members, then all the organizers, all the students here, everyone who comes to meditate, to learn Dharma here, and then all the rest of the students and those, all the benefactors in this organization, those who give up their life to the organization doing service to sentient beings, teaching of Buddha, so and all the rest of the sentient beings, may we meet only perfectly qualified Mahayana virtuous friend in all the lifetimes, and to be able to do only, to be able to see only enlightened being from each sentient being’s side, from one’s own side, and to be able to, to do only action most pleasing the holy mind of the virtuous friend, from each sentient being’s side, from one’s own side, and to be able to fulfill the holy wishes of the virtuous friend, from each sentient being’s side, from one’s own side, in all the lifetimes to be like that. [long pause]

And may the, here at Tara House, due to all the three-time merits collected by me, collected by others, may be most beneficial to all sentient beings, cause to find faith in refuge and karma, in the hearts of sentient beings, and actualize loving kindness, compassion, bodhicitta in the hearts of all sentient beings, and especially spread the complete teaching of Lama Tsongkhapa, unified of sutra and tantra, in the hearts of all sentient beings, and receive all the needs for this, all the facilities, all the, to be most beneficial to all sentient beings, all the needs, the finance or facilities, whatever, receive everything naturally, even without need to think, it just comes, just receives everything time when it’s needed. Same, like this, then all the meditation centers in this organization, same, to happen like that, to be most beneficial. [long pause]

And please dedicate the merits, all the three time, past, present, future merits, the three time merits collected by others, all these please dedicate that, may all the needs, all the fundings by completed and be received, then without delay even a second, and able to construct the 500-feet Maitreya statue, and complete as quick as possible and abide in this world until Maitreya Buddha descend. And may it become most beneficial in this world for sentient beings, causing sentient beings to collect extensive merit and purify all the defilements and cause to actualize loving kindness, compassion, bodhicitta in all sentient beings and this way bring perfect peace and happiness all over the world, fill this world with perfect peace and happiness. Then bring all the sentient beings to enlightenment as quick as possible.

As well as continuing service to the monasteries, where they have all those thousands of monks, those, yeah, offering food and offering money for the teachers, in each monastery there, those, to educate many monks and all those different things there, so offer service. Then, the Sanghas within the FPMT organization, so those, and building monasteries in different parts of the world, to preserve Dharma, spread Dharma for sentient beings, and to build holy objects in different parts of the world, that quickest way, easiest way to purify sentient beings, collect merit, bring them to enlightenment. And then all the social services different parts of the world, then to be successful. Then, cause to generate good heart in all the sentient beings, those who receive the service. So able to illuminate this whole world and transcend, eliminate, reduce the sufferings, through education, universal education, like that. [pause]

Due to all the past, present, future merits collected by me, the three-time merits collected by others, that which exist but which is empty, may the I who exists but who is empty, achieve Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment, which exists but which is empty, and lead all the sentient beings, who exist but who are empty, to that enlightenment, Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment, which exists but which is empty, by myself alone, who exists but who is empty.

I dedicate all the merits to be able to follow the holy extensive deeds of bodhisattvas Samantabhadra and Manjugosha, as they realizes.

I dedicate all my merits in the same way the three-time buddhas dedicate their merits.

General teaching of Buddha, particularly Lama Tsongkhapa’s teaching, may it completely actualized within one’s heart and one’s own family members, in the hearts of all the students, all the organizers, the people in this organization and then all the benefactors, especially those who give up their life to the organization, doing service to others and the teaching of Buddha, in all their hearts, and in the hearts of everyone in this world, in that way may it be spread and flourish forever in this world.

So with this thought we do the prayer.

Der ni ring du….

Cho kyi gyal po….

Dag dang zhen gyi….

So I thought continue o-o-o like this all night. But didn’t happen. So, non-stop.

Sorry. I mentioned doing meditation on lam-rim every day, whatever you can, so that helps that _____ day to be more mindful and to be able to remember the meditation, to be able to control the mind, the negative emotional thoughts, however, engaging in the negative karma or creating the confusion, problems. So otherwise, we start with good heart at the beginning, whatever, even a meditation center, service or whatever it is, social service or looking after people, whatever it is, we start with good heart but then when you become very busy, very involved, then forget, then there’s no continual meditation accompanying with the busy work, there’s no continual meditation accompanying, going together, everything ?do meditation. So then, you start with the compassion, with the good heart, then when it become very intensive, many problems, and very involved, then forget, compassion, like that, because you did not continue with the meditation, so there’s nothing to encharge, not encharge! What is it? Recharge! Not encharge, recharge, then the battery is not charged. So then there’s many problems, of course problems and very busy, then mind become, compassion’s gone and then your good heart is gone and then all the emotional thoughts, anger and the selfish mind, all this comes out, manifest out. Then you create many problems, where there’s no need but you create many problems with others and you find many problems and then, there are already difficulties then you create extra problems with those emotional thoughts. So then you are kind of trapped like that, in the net, the emotional negative net, and then bad karma.

So therefore, the reason why I said every day meditation, whether you work in a company, whether you’re doing meditation center, every day lam-rim, it’s very, so whatever work you’re doing but every day lam-rim meditation, developing the path, that’s very important and helps, takes care of the rest of the day.

So that I thought to bring up again. So otherwise, I have seen many times this is what happens to us, that, of course, we start with the good heart at the beginning, then very busy and then many problems there, financial problems especially, that’s the biggest one, and then many pressures, you have all the pressure, and because there’s so many expenses, this and that. Then, did not do meditation, continue everyday life, so the lam-rim, you may have done mantras or something but not lam-rim meditation, the real meditation that changes the mind didn’t get done. So then, at the beginning you’re a good person, good-hearted, then as time goes, then you become totally something else, somebody else. Then life filled with the problems, so this is what happens. So this, I think it’s very important, even you’re working in a company or running the country or whatever, everything, then need, should go together, need lam-rim meditation every day.

So I think that’s all, okay. So, good night. Thank you very much. Good night. Thank you.

[Crowd noises, then Rinpoche speaks again. Quality of recording is poor.]

So, sorry. When we see a Guru Shakyamuni Buddha statue, then, so to ?read this one is, I don’t know how much it’s used but this, I suggest that to have, wherever there’s a Buddha statue to have, so if you ?read that it purifies, I think, ten millions of eons of negative karma. So the statue’s there, but it’s not just decoration. That has great, like atomic bomb, to purify negative karma, this comes from Buddha’s teaching, from the ?Kangyur, so also I try to recite this verse, of course, not every day but just if can recite. And then that describes the Buddha [a few words missed] then [a couple of words missed] become enlightened, then Sarnath where turned Dharma wheel, then ?Sravasti where we’re going to build the Maitreya Buddha statue, [words missed] put the palms together, read and then [inaudible]. Then after that, there’s stupas of the ten directions [inaudible].

So however, when you see Buddha then pray that, that I have met this time Buddha’s, teaching of the supreme leader is by your kindness. Supreme leader means Buddha. That I have met is by your kindness. By this may all sentient beings meet also the teaching of the supreme leader. The Tibetan is [Tibetan]. So here dedicated all sentient beings to meet virtuous friend, like that, but changed the prayer I think maybe a little bit, all sentient beings meet the teaching of the supreme leader. So you dedicate the teaching of the supreme leader all sentient beings to meet. So that’s good.

Then other one is, you have developed your compassion all sentient beings ?for ?numberless ?eons, and completed the merits by sacrificing your life [inaudible]. Then achieved enlightenment, revealed to us the unmistaken path. So may I be able to bring all sentient beings [inaudible] and bring to enlightenment as quick as possible.

So this prayer when we see Buddha [inaudible]. When you see Lama Tsongkhapa statue, then it’s very important prayer, ?what ?I ?did ?last ?night, May I be able to offer limitless skies of benefit to sentient beings, teaching of Buddha, like Lama Tsongkhapa [inaudible] by having the same qualities within me as you have. [inaudible] in all the lifetimes, [inaudible] sentient beings and teaching of Buddha. Like Lama Tsongkhapa in all the lifetimes, in every second.

So, and then also, By Lama Tsongkhapa being direct guru in all the lifetimes, the Mahayana virtuous friend, direct guru [inaudible] never separate away from the path which pleases all the buddhas. [inaudible] Then this way becomes very meaningful, when we see a statue, the statue is to purify, the sentient beings, we can’t see buddhas [inaudible] manifest in the form of statues us sentient beings to purify and collect extensive merit so easily and to achieve, and that makes it so easy to achieve enlightenment. So therefore, we have to look at the statue, [inaudible] having the statue in the house must look every day, so see, then purify the mind. [inaudible] how many you have in the house, so many times a day [inaudible]. This body, the parents suffered so much for this body, for so many years, nine months, all that, so many years they suffered so much for this, created so much negative karma, so now here when you put the palms together each time to a statue of Buddha, so you are making this body worthwhile, collect good karma, create the cause of enlightenment [inaudible], including the parents. So your body making, even the limbs making [inaudible]. So if we do that, skies of benefit, [inaudible] whole path to enlightenment each time when we do this [inaudible] we create the cause of everything, to achieve all the realizations. Plant the seed of enlightenment that means achieving all the path. Planting the seed of enlightenment is not independent, so that means you plant the seed of the whole path to enlightenment. So each time when we do that, it has unimaginable merit. [inaudible] So it’s very important like this, realizations [inaudible].

Then the Tara, May I be able to generate from guru devotion up to enlightenment [inaudible]. Then you dedicate for all the projects [inaudible].

Then the Sixteen Arhats, there was no Sixteen Arhats in Nepal where you can buy in the store [inaudible] they’re called arhats but actually they’re buddhas, they are buddhas manifest as arhats. [inaudible] to be able to live in pure morality, pure practice, so has about nine benefits like that. So pray when we see, May I also able to do like Sixteen Arhats in all the lifetimes to be able to protect the Buddhadharma, able to spread, able to protect Buddhadharma, because this is the originator from where all sentient beings’ happiness comes is the Buddhadharma. So to have the same qualities they have, then to be able to protect Buddhadharma and spread Dharma, then to help [inaudible] in all the future lifetimes. So this is very good to pray like that.

So also one thing is the guru’s long life, so there it’s mentioned the name has power, ?even ordinary person has life obstacle or the guru’s, then mention reciting the name then praying, there’s much power in that.

So, that’s about it. So same, when you see a picture or statue, same, like that. So anyway, just, I think, gossip a little bit.

Anyway, so thank you very much. Good night!