25th Kopan Course: Kopan 25 TOC

Transcription

1 944 25th Kopan Course: 1992 Kopan 25 TOC LECTURE 1: 25 NOV 95 introduction Biography of Atisha Lam-rim texts All happiness and suffering come from the mind The suffering of change Dharma is the cause of happiness Dealing with a person who harms you Everything comes from the mind LECTURE 2: 26 NOVEMBER 1992 The dissatisfied mind of desire How the mind labels Everything comes from the mind The need for compassion Problems are labeled by the mind Mind is the creator of everything LECTURE 3: 27 NOVEMBER 1992 The base and the label Subtle dependent arising Guru devotion and dependent arising Searching for the I Everything comes from the mind LECTURE 4: 28 NOVEMBER 1992 AM Emptiness The truly-existing I The difference between the base and the label Where the concept of true existence comes from Perfect human rebirth Hallucinations The importance of practicing Dharma LECTURE 5: 28 NOVEMBER 1992 PM Questions and answers How things exist

2 Dependent arising Emptiness cuts to the root of samsara Emptiness and dependent arising Universal responsibility LECTURE 6: 29 NOVEMBER 1992 AM Searching for the I The five aggregates Subtle dependent arising Enlightenment The paths within Buddhism Compassion The power of the Buddha The actions of bodhisattvas The qualities of the Buddha Compassion The aggregates are not the I Searching for the truly-existing I LECTURE 7: 29 NOVEMBER 1992 PM The purpose of life The perfect human rebirth The kindness of the mother Repaying the kindness All happiness comes from others The purpose of life LECTURE 8: 30 NOVEMBER 1992 The aim of a spiritual practice The mind does not exist from its own side Because of buddha nature we have the opportunity to help others Compassion LECTURE 9: 1 DECEMBER 1992 Emptiness The eight types of suffering Guru devotion and emptiness The truly-existing I as the object of refutation Losing the I The continuation of the consciousness LECTURE 10: 2 DECEMBER 1992 AM Realizing emptiness The sufferings of samsara

3 The Tibetan monastic structure The suffering of the god realms The fortune of being born in the southern continent LECTURE 11: 2 DECEMBER 1992 PM The kindness of others Compassion Immeasurable compassion Guru devotion The meaning of Dharma LECTURE 11A: 2 DECEMBER 1992 PM TARA COMMENTARY AND MOTIVATION The power of the Tara practice The power of Tara (no outside Yama) The power of Tara (victory of the maras) The power of Tara (the absolute guru) The meaning of the Tara mantra The benefits of the Tara practice LECTURE 12: 3 DECEMBER 1992 The purpose of life Helping others The three scopes The three realms: the form realm The three realms: the formless realm The middle scope being LECTURE 13: 4 DECEMBER 1992 The middle scope being (cont.) The middle scope being (not seeing samsara as a pleasure park) The five paths How to practice Dharma Pervasive compounding suffering The suffering of change Samsara is not a pleasure park The general sufferings of samsara The evolution of samsara Being yourself LECTURE 14: 5 DECEMBER 1992 AM The eight Mahayana precepts The suffering of samsara An explanation of the precepts prayer

4 An explanation of the precepts prayer (nonvirtue depends on motivation) An explanation of the precepts prayer (sitting on high thrones) An explanation of the precepts prayer (not eating at inappropriate times) Dedication The benefits of taking precepts Dedication LECTURE 15: 5 DECEMBER 1992 PM The three scopes An overview of the Guru Puja The eight worldly dharmas Dealing with criticism (by remembering emptiness) Dealing with criticism (by generating compassion) Getsul Tsimbulwa s story Asanga s story The benefits of problems Letting go of attachment Letting go of expectations Compassion for the enemy Dedication LECTURE 16: 6 DECEMBER 1992 AM The eight worldly dharmas The shortcomings of samsara Karma (experiencing the result similar to the cause) The eight worldly dharmas stops us practicing Dharma Remembering death LECTURE 17: 6 DECEMBER 1992 PM The eight worldly dharmas bring all problems It s better to practice Dharma (Dromtömpa s story) Remembering impermanence and death Dedicating a cup of tea The appearance of true existence The importance of purification Practicing Dharma eliminates concern for this life Rinpoche s life story: Rolwaling Rinpoche s life story: after Tibet LECTURE 18: 7 DECEMBER 1992 The three scopes The higher scope and bodhicitta We must train in the whole lam-rim The nature of samsara The three types of worldly dharma

5 The evolution of human beings The five degenerations The degeneration of life Virtue and nonvirtue depend on motivation Discriminating what is Dharma and what is not Dharma Remembering impermanence and death LECTURE 19: 8 DECEMBER 1992 Renunciation Khunu Lama Rinpoche Seeing the body as dirty LECTURE 20: 9 DECEMBER 1992 AM The suffering of samsara Karma: nothing is definite in samsara Karma: not seeing is no proof that karma doesn t work Realizing how fortunate we are Rinpoche s teaching style How to listen to the teachings Refuge Mahayana refuge Karma: good luck means good karma How to accumulate merit The fly on the cow dung Refuge: how it creates extensive merit Refuge protects from the lower realms Refuge leads to enlightenment The prostration mudra Taking refuge in the Triple Gem (the ceremony) Refuge precepts LECTURE 21: 9 DECEMBER 1992 PM Understanding the Dharma Dealing with anger Bodhicitta: the seven points of cause and effect The benefits of patience The importance of the three principal aspects of the path The importance of motivation The benefits of light offerings How to make light offerings The benefits of offering to the FPMT LECTURE 22: 10 DECEMBER 1992 AM The dangers of clinging to this life The early days of the FPMT

6 Zina The three principal aspects of the path are needed even for tantra LECTURE 23: 10 DECEMBER 1992 PM Lama Yeshe s story Kari Rinpoche Zina dies The three principal aspects of the path : your wisdom is your guide Understanding the lam-rim is preferable to having clairvoyance There is no happiness in samsara The wheel-turning king How devotion can heal: Tony Wong s story Only Dharma can help at the time of death The lam-rim definitely leads to enlightenment Healing helps the symptoms; Dharma helps the cause Motivation for the oral transmission of the Essence of Nectar LECTURE 24: 11 DECEMBER 1992 AM Question and answer: how things exist Three ways of knowing Reincarnation The Buddha explained very hidden objects Why we can trust the Buddha LECTURE 25: 11 DECEMBER 1992 PM Asanga and the maggoty dog Getsul Tsimbulwa Renunciation The benefits of meditating on impermanence and death The meaning of self-supporting Impermanence and death: purifying negative karma The definition of negative karma Signs at death of future rebirth in the lower realms The sense of permanence tricks us Death can come at any time Dying with a good heart Renunciation We can trust the Dharma LECTURE 26: 12 DECEMBER 1992 AM The cause of happiness The third path: heat and tip The third path: the Prasangika way of analysis The third path: heresy The third path: aagood heart saves from the lower realms The third path: the kind of death experienced depends on the mind

7 The four suffering results Guru devotion LECTURE 27: 12 DECEMBER 1992 PM The mind qualified to take refuge Labeling Labeling long and short Labeling here and there Labeling me and other The importance of understanding emptiness Wisdom cuts delusions Refuge Suffering The suffering of taking an animal rebirth Bodhicitta LECTURE 28: 13 DECEMBER 1992 PM Requesting prayers to the lineage lamas Manjushri s advice to Lama Tsongkhapa Lam-rim needs to be experienced in the heart Everything comes from the mind What is mind? Reincarnation stories Meditating on lam-rim Perfect human rebirth Oral transmission The kindness of the guru Vajrasattva LECTURE 29: 14 DECEMBER 1992 AM The purpose of chanting What helps and hinders at the time of death The old monk and his butter tea Craving and grasping block a good rebirth Life without Dharma Training the mind in the lam-rim Only tantra gives complete knowledge about the mind The importance of learning about death Thubten Sherab s story Happiness and unhappiness Tibetans in Switzerland Helping the dying FPMT hospices Vajrasattva Dedication

8 LECTURE 30: 15 DECEMBER 1992 PM Everything comes from the mind Labeling the scarecrow as a person Labeling Kathmandu The I is not the aggregates Dependent arising A valid base is also needed The story of the man with no head Mind is not the brain Radio interviews in Adelaide The base, the label and the mind The parts of the table are not the table Labeling the A Labeling woman, table, car The object of refutation The valid base and the red light LECTURE 31: 16 DECEMBER 1992 AM The mind as creator Labeling friend, enemy, good bad The view of the self-cherishing thought The view of bodhicitta Views creates appearances LECTURE 32: 16 DECEMBER 1992 PM Dependent arising Searching for the formally labeled table The danger of nihilism Dependent arising Searching for the table Searching for the book The need to meditate on the lower realms Renunciation and reflecting on the sufferings of samsara Karma The hells LECTURE 33: 18 DECEMBER 1992 AM Tantric rituals are more than devotion The valid base The valid mind The obscuring mind LECTURE 34: 18 DECEMBER 1992 PM How the Buddha and the Sangha guide

9 The Buddha s past lives The actions of the bodhisattvas How the Buddha guides Geshe Jampa Wangdu Thogme Zangpo and the thieves The Sangha as objects of refuge How negative karma increases LECTURE 1: 25 NOVEMBER 1992 INTRODUCTION First I would like to say that I m very happy to meet all of you and that by opening the heart that, by opening one s own mind that to look for new method that to learn other culture or to learn new method that, to, either to seek happiness for self or to, either with the attitude to benefit other sentient beings, to benefit other living beings, so whichever the motivation it is, that however, opening the heart towards new method or culture, without being, without letting oneself continuously distracted or cheating oneself, without letting oneself continuously deceiving oneself with the wrong concept. So, came here, came from very far to learn meditation practice and the meditation that which is taught here, that is teaching or advice and taught with the experienced mind, those, the founder of the present Buddhadharma Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, with his compassionate kind omniscient mind, this meditation practice which is taught, which comes from, taught by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, with his compassionate omniscient mind. That which is not misleading is meditation practice. If it is practiced that it definitely leads to happiness, temporary happiness, especially ultimate happiness. So, it s just a question of from one s own side whether one practices or not, whether one understands or not, whether one practices or not, whether one open one s own heart towards the right path, the unmistaken path to peace taught by kind omniscient Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. So it s just a question one opens one s own heart towards that or not and how much one can open heart towards this, the right path. So the progression of the achievement depends on this, so we must decide from our side to practice or not. So from the side of the teachings there s no misleading, there s no cheating. So I would like to thank all of you coming here from very far with all the hassles that coming here to do the meditation course. However, which is very wise that, to think, doing the course that, coming to course, doing the course, that to make this present, this human life, this very precious human life, that we have found or achieved, to make it meaningful, to make it beneficial for oneself and make it beneficial especially for others, the numberless sentient beings. So, it is extremely worthwhile to attend. BIOGRAPHY OF ATISHA Today I thought to do the oral transmission of one text, there are many teachings on the graduated path to enlightenment. There is a set of lam-rim teachings, a set of eight different teachings on the graduated path to enlightenment, composed by different lamas. For example, Lama Tsongkhapa wrote the extensive commentary, the commentary on the graduated path to enlightenment, the first text was called, that which was labeled, called lam-rim, the graduated path to enlightenment, which is called Lamp for the Path, that was composed by Lama Atisha, among many hundreds of fully distinguished, not only learned in the words of the whole, the particular knowledge, the Buddhadharma, the whole entire teaching of the

10 Buddha, not only learned in the, fully distinguished in all those words, but also learned, how to say, having achieved all the realizations of the path that is revealed by the teachings. So, great, having achieved all the realizations of the path, so paths that which are revealed in the sutra texts and paths that which are revealed in tantric texts. So a great yogi of those paths, he is living in all the experience, has practiced and lived in the experience, however, experienced all these paths, those mentioned in the texts, sutra and tantra. So however, among those many hundreds of pandits from the holy place Nalanda, this great university in former time, so, one of the far-famed great yogi or pandit, Lama Atisha. So they are not just learned, great yogi, so learned in the whole enormous scriptures but also knowledge of the common education, art and so many other things, poetry and many other common education, also the medical knowledge. So those are five sciences, those five great knowledges, particularly the Buddhadharma. So however, those pandits are like this, also expert in common knowledge. Lama Atisha was invited by the religious king, Dharma king of Tibet, when there was much corruption happened in Tibet between the sects, much corruption happened, the people unable to understand the sutra and tantra, these different levels of teachings taught by Buddha is for one person to achieve full enlightenment. Not knowing this and, not having this understanding and then having misunderstanding that if one practice sutra then one cannot practice tantra, those who practice tantra cannot practice sutra. So they see sutra and tantra like hot and cold, opposite, that you can t practice together, and those teachings cannot be practiced by one person. So they had a lot of misunderstandings, corruptions, have been made after the Dharma was spread in Tibet, that great enlightened being Padmasambhava was invited, pacified, subdued those interferers, who interfere to establish monasteries and to spread the Dharma. So this great enlightened yogi was invited, Padmasambhava was invited in Tibet and purified the land of Tibet so due to all these interferences, who interfere to spread the Buddhadharma in Tibet. So however, after having established the Buddhadharma, spread Buddhadharma in Tibet then after some time there has been degeneration, due to some pandit came from India, who spread wrong views in Tibet and then there happened degenerations in Tibet. Then the Srongtsen Gampo, the Dharma king who is embodiment of the Buddha of Compassion, invited Lama Atisha to re-establish Buddhadharma in Tibet, to make it pure, to dispel or to eliminate all the wrong views. Then, according to the corruptions that happened in Tibet, so according to that then Lama Atisha he wrote this teaching, the Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment. That, which contains all the answers according to the confusion, misunderstanding of Tibet, in regards the wrong practice, which contains all the answers, particular the general sutra and tantra, how it is gradually practiced by one person to achieve enlightenment. And misunderstandings as regards tantra. I made a mistake telling the history, not the king Srongtsen Gampo, Lhalama Yeshe Od. So, he went to look for gold offering, look for gold, all the places of Tibet and maybe near Nepal, went to look for gold to make offering to Lama Atisha, to send to India, to invite Lama Atisha to spread Buddhadharma, to reestablish Buddhadharma in Tibet. So, the king Lhalama Yeshe Od was captured by irreligious king of that area, and then passed away in prison and so before that he asked his nephew Jangchub Od to send one translator to invite Lama Atisha but unable to invite Lama Atisha that time, But he was unable to invite him. So then, so the king Lhalama Yeshe Od sent his nephew Jangchub Od to invite Lama Atisha, so told his nephew Jangchub Od that I will give up my life in the prison in order to invite Lama Atisha in Tibet and to spread pure Dharma in Tibet, for the sake of Buddhism in Tibet I will give up my life, I will die in

11 prison. Doesn t matter if I die in prison. That you should not offer so the irreligious king told the nephew that I will release the king from the prison if you, besides the gold that you collected by piling up, which comes up the neck, up to the head, you see, so the irreligious king said, There s still missing gold the size of the head, size of the head is missing, so when you find the rest of the gold, then I will let the king to be free, then I will free the king from the prison. So then, so the king s nephew told to the king this message, the king said, the king Lhalama Yeshe Od who was in prison told the nephew that, Don t give any gold, even one handful of gold, don t give him anything. Take, how much you give him he won t be satisfied, so you take all this gold and go to India to invite Lama Atisha in Tibet to spread the pure Dharma. When Lama Atisha came in Tibet, then King s nephew Jangchub Od, the king sent a message to Lama Atisha that, I give up my life to invite you in Tibet and to spread Buddhadharma in Tibet, to spread Buddhism in Tibet, so please guide me in the future lives. So this he sent message to Lama Atisha. So however, that Lama Atisha accepted, but secretly, because if it was known, if the people in India knew Lama Atisha was going in Tibet then they wouldn t let him. So Lama Atisha came from India as if going for pilgrimage, came to Nepal, then went in Tibet, but showing going for pilgrimage. Then when Lama Atisha came in Tibet, the king s nephew Jangchub Od explained all the problems, people holding wrong views, their practice, so he told how people had confusion, they see sutra and tantra as opposite, completely contradictory, hot and cold. So explained everything to Lama Atisha. So the king s nephew Jangchub Od requested Lama Atisha to give teaching, very simple, to give refuge, teachings on refuge, karma, so did not request to Lama Atisha at the very first very high teachings, teachings on emptiness or tantra, so the nephew asked Lama Atisha, explained to Lama Atisha that we the Tibetan people were very primitive, so please give teachings on these things. So to give teachings on the Lesser Vehicle way. So Lama Atisha was extremely pleased that he did not request from very first time very high teachings, asked teachings on karma and refuge. Lama Atisha wrote the Lamp for the Path, that which, all the teachings of Buddha, which comes in the two, sutra and tantra, the sutra teachings, the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle path, the Mahayana teachings or the Great Vehicle teachings, then of the Mahayana teachings the tantra, the secret mantra. The Lamp for the Path sets up all these teachings from the Buddha, that how it is, the Lesser Vehicle teachings, the sutra Mahayana teachings then the Mahayana secret mantra teachings. So how all these teachings of Buddha, Lama Atisha sets up these teachings in the Lamp for the Path, very clearly, how all these are not contradictory for one person to achieve enlightenment, how all these are graduated practices for one person to achieve enlightenment. So however, containing all the answers according to different problems they were having, according to the questions the king s nephew Jangchub Od asked. Since Lama Atisha wrote the Lamp for the Path, the lam-rim, the title what s called lam-rim happened, since from that time, even thought the subject, the graduated path to enlightenment, even though it means, the subject was existing before, very extensively in all those philosophical teachings of sutra and tantra, in all those teachings taught by Buddha, root texts taught by Buddha and the commentaries by pandits, yogis, these subjects how the path is revealed by, the graduated path was revealed, all those topics were revealed in all those teachings, but a text called lam-rim, the graduated path to enlightenment, that which shows very clear how to begin, from where to begin the path, from where to begin the practice, which makes very clear the beginning of the path, the beginning of the practice, and

12 the end, the whole path that shows very clear, the whole practice that is clearly set up. So which is called lam-rim, first started from Lama Atisha s time, the Lama Atisha s text, the Lamp for the Path. LAM-RIM TEXTS Since that time, even us, Western people, we have incredible opportunity that without confusion even those who seek the Buddhadharma, who seek enlightenment for the sake of sentient beings that without any confusion that one can, that immediately one can begin the practice. Without confusion, one can begin to actualize the path from the beginning, and able to develop clearly how to practice, steps that which lead to full enlightenment, that, whether one practices or not. We have opportunity to know how to practice from the beginning to the end, and also, even one practice without confusion, but one can practice all this paths revealed by all these extensive philosophical teachings, the extensive scriptures of sutra and tantra that one can practice gradually, practice without confusion. We have this incredible, unbelievable opportunity, even nowadays, not only the Tibetans, those who have met this, especially this special teaching, the graduated path to enlightenment, those who have met this practice, nowadays even us Western people that have incredible opportunity is by the kindness of Lama Atisha. It is such a simple way presented, easy to understand, the very essence, even though so vast, so profound, containing the root commentaries of the sutra and tantra, teachings taught by Buddha and commentaries by pandits, yogis, so deep, like the ocean, and so extensive, all within a few pages the heart of all this is explained, the essence of the whole path is explained in a few pages or even one page. This what is called lam-rim, that one can meditate on the whole path, even just by reading one page of this teachings of the graduated path to enlightenment or a few pages, that we are able to leave imprint or seed of the whole path to enlightenment within a minute, within a few minutes. We can plant the seed of the whole path to enlightenment by going over, by reciting the meditation prayer, that which contains the essence of the whole path. All this happened due to Lama Atisha s kindness, that Dharma king, Lhalama Yeshe Od, who sacrificed his life, with all those people of Tibet, sacrificed his life and dedicated for these teachings, that to have these pure teachings in Tibet. Because of their kindness, then able to also, people outside of Tibet us having great opportunity to practice, to meet and, to hear, to do listening, reflecting, meditation practice on the lam-rim, the graduated path to enlightenment, the essence of the, the heart of the whole entire teaching, the essence of the whole path, that having unbelievable opportunity, so is by their kindness. So there is extensive commentary by Lama Tsongkhapa, on the basis of the teachings of the graduated path to enlightenment, composed by Lama Atisha, the Lamp for the Path, so on the basis of this, Lama Tsongkhapa wrote very extensive commentary called the Great Commentary of the Graduated Path to Enlightenment, (Lam-rim Chen-mo) then there s another text written by Lama Tsongkhapa, Middle Commentary, but the part of the debate, negating all the wrong views in regards emptiness, those parts, debate, is not there, so because of that then it becomes shorter than the most extensive one. Then there s the very short one, the Hymns of the Experience of the Graduated Path to Enlightenment written by Lama Tsongkhapa, the short one also very effective for the mind. And then, there are other lam-rim commentaries, such as Happy Path, then Quick Path, the Red Commentary. Those are shorter than the Great Commentary and the Middle one, then these two lam-rims, these last two lam-rims teachings also very common, those who cannot study the extensive Lama Tsongkhapa s commentary of the graduated path to enlightenment then they study these last two, the Happy Path and the Quick Path, they study these, they memorize those who don t have much interest, those who haven t done that much study, especially philosophy, then these two lam-rims usually many

13 practitioners they memorize by heart, so after they memorize by heart then they, without need to use text, then they are able to meditate, doing meditation. Then, there s the text called Jampel She Lung, Sayings of Manjushri, again very clear lam-rim commentary, commentary on the graduated path to enlightenment, written by I think it might be Fifth Dalai Lama, I got mixed up the Fifth Dalai Lama or the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, I think Fifth Dalai Lama, but I don t remember a hundred percent. Then, there s another shorter one, then, the Sayings of Manjushri has I think it s by Fifth Dalai Lama, there s another lam-rim text called Refined Gold, that one is composed by Thirteenth Dalai Lama, then there s another shorter text, shorter lam-rim text. Then one lam-rim text, the Essence of Nectar, from these eight, the eight commentaries of the graduated path to enlightenment, the Essence of Nectar, then this one might be one. I thought first to do the oral transmission of this lam-rim text, the Essence of Nectar, since this text is already translated into English, there is a root text of this Essence of Nectar, and there s a commentary of this, commentary that was done by one of my gurus who taught, who began teaching me philosophy, the debating subject, the philosophy, the first guru who taught, whose holy name is Geshe Rabten Rinpoche. Later on Geshe Rinpoche taught Dharma to many Western people. Then he was invited in Switzerland to be abbot of the Tibetan monastery there, then I visited Rikon, then later, Geshe Rabten Rinpoche started a monastery, in Switzerland, there was, the monks who went, who studied there, they had very good training, many of these were able to speak Tibetan language, they studied debating subject, and lam-rim, many teachings. Then Geshe Rabten has passed away and reincarnated, passed away some years after our incomparably kind Lama Yeshe, so some years later Lama reincarnated and Geshe Rabten Rinpoche also reincarnated again. Now the reincarnation is there at the same monastery in Switzerland. So however, so, then, I think maybe to go, before starting the oral transmission, I think maybe have a short break. [GL, RL] [short mandala] [break] [Recitation of Shakyamuni Buddha mantras] ALL HAPPINESS AND SUFFERING COME FROM THE MIND Why do we need to practice Dharma? Why we need to practice meditation, something extra, something different or something extra than what we normally do, something additional than what we have been doing? Why we do this? What is the importance of it? What can you get from that? First of all, that happiness and suffering comes from the mind, they do not come from outside. Our life the suffering and happiness which is our life experience, these experiences what we have in our life, they do not come from outside, they come from one s own mind. Because the cause of happiness, the cause of suffering is not outside, it s in the mind, it is in the mind or it is the mind, can be said both. So, the way to stop suffering, the way to stop problems of life is by eliminating, by stopping, by eliminating the, by cutting off the cause of suffering, the cause of the

14 problems, which is one s own mind. So by cutting off the cause of the problems, that which is one s own mind, by eliminating them, then one is able to stop the problems. Then, for example, how many friends one is able to make, able to receive, that alone, even one has billions and billions of friends, that alone cannot give satisfaction, with that alone one cannot find satisfaction. How much wealth, even one owns the whole wealth, the whole possessions that each country has on this earth, all the wealth that which exists on this earth, even one own everything, with that alone one cannot find satisfaction, the peace, happiness, the inner happiness, the happiness in one s own heart cannot be found, cannot be achieved. That peace in the heart, the peace in the heart by having satisfaction cannot be found, even one own all the possession whatever exist on this earth, whatever everyone has. How much education, how much knowledge, intellectual knowledge one has, knowing all the religions, knowing all the languages and all the, everything that is taught in the universities, in the college, even one knows all those subjects, no matter how much intellectual knowledge, how much education one has, with that alone again one cannot find happiness in the life, peace in one s own mind. Education alone is not enough to solve life problems, just only that, education alone. THE SUFFERING OF CHANGE The reason why one want more and more, more and more wealth, more and more, as one become wealthy, becomes more and more rich in material, the reason why the mind becomes more and more dissatisfied, even more and more miserliness, even more clinging, rather than becoming more and more generous, become more and more miserly, however, more and more dissatisfied, so life become more and more unhappy, so that is, you see, so that life experience shows something is missing in the life. Something is missing in the means of seeking happiness, in the method of seeking happiness there s something missing there, something didn t get done. So more wealthy one becomes more of these problems, mind becomes more unhappy. So again, so that due to mistake, seeking happiness from one s own mind, that is missing. Seeking happiness from within one s own mind, that which is meditation practice, Dharma practice, so that is missing. So, now, even one is becoming more and more wealthy, but even that is happening, but if one practice Dharma, but if one practice meditation, seeking happiness within one s own mind, then this problem, life becoming more and more unhappier, more and more dissatisfied, that doesn t happen. There is more and more peace in the heart, the life, one find more enjoyment, one find life more enjoyable. So, now, as soon as one stops following desire, as soon as one stops following the dissatisfied mind desire, that painful mind, right there, on that same bed, on that same chair, in the office, right there on the same place where one feels suffocated, where one feel so much problems in life that, so unhappy, so dissatisfied, one feels great satisfaction. Even one had everything that you can find in the world, even one had the best, all the enjoyments that one can think of, like luxurious places, apartments, with gardens, swimming pools, having many different TVs and cars [GL], several TVs to watch all the different stations [GL, RL], except there s only two eyes, however, whatever you can think of, enjoyment, even one has everything, but however, however, life is still so dissatisfied, so unhappy, that one cannot see any meaning to the life. You can t see the purpose of living, because so unhappy can t see the purpose of living, and can t find satisfaction. You could not find peace in the heart, in the heart could not experience. So tried everything, nothing gave satisfaction in the life, nothing gave inner peace, real peace in the heart, the heart which has been empty, the heart which has been something missing all the time. Whatever external success, business, reputation, power, how much one gain, how much there s external

15 success, but if you look at your own mind, heart, there s no real peace, something missing there all the time. Something is empty, the heart is empty. What is missing? The something that is always missing is satisfaction. By having external things, even one had all the external success, more of those things one has achieved, more dissatisfied, more unhappy, however, that same place, on the same chair, in the same bed where one used to feel so unhappy, one could not see any use of living because you don t enjoy the life, so one think to commit suicide, so come to the conclusion to commit suicide. So however, on that same bed, same place, immediately one stops following the desire, immediately if one stop, right there, right that same place, one find happiness right there, right there in the same place, within your mind in that minute that you stop following desire [snaps fingers] you find satisfaction in the life, happiness, one found happiness in the life, right there. That is what importance of meditation, Dharma practice, renunciation, which means freeing yourself from the dissatisfied mind of desire, from the painful dissatisfied mind of desire. From the three important Dharma practices renunciation of samsara, emptiness and bodhicitta. This is renunciation of samsara, renunciation of the cause of samsara, renunciation of the cause of the sufferings, life problems. This is freeing oneself, it s not renouncing yourself from happiness, it s not renouncing your happiness, but renouncing the cause of life problems, freeing oneself from the cause of the life problems, dissatisfied mind of desire. The real peace, freeing oneself from the cause of the life problems, you give yourself real peace, real happiness. In other words, by renouncing what is called happiness but which is actually suffering what is labeled pleasure but in reality it s suffering nature you renounce that and you actually give to yourself the real happiness which nature is not suffering. The peace, happiness that we experience by cutting off or freeing yourself, the mind being devoid of the painful mind, the dissatisfied mind desire. This is pure happiness, this inner peace, this pure happiness, this is not labeled on the feeling which nature is suffering, the other one is labeled pleasure, which feeling is, if you analyze only suffering. So there is a difference, the pleasure which is labeled on the feelings that which is compounded by meeting the sense objects, external sense objects, by meeting the external sense objects. When we do not analyze the nature of that feeling. I guess you have been meditating the four mindfulnesses? Right? [GL] The mindfulness of the feeling there s mindfulness of the body, feeling, the mind however, you can understand from the mindfulness of the feeling, if you analyze, the feeling that it s compounded by meeting the external sense object, if you analyze we can find that it s only suffering. And there s only suffering nature. It s just because at the moment, until that person or object or place, however, that the feeling that which is compounded by meeting the object a very long time, that sense object, then that, the tired or boring, it s compounded more and more and more, increases more and more. Then with a new one, then when you change the object, with new object, new person, new place, new TV, new car or the new object, then the feeling that is compounded by meeting the object, that is, the tired and the boring feeling, it starts, it is compounded by the action meeting the object, but at first it s unnoticeable, it s so subtle, not noticeable in the beginning, so the longer one continues, days and months, years, the feeling that is compounded by that action of meeting together with that object, being together with that object, every day, then it becomes more boring, more gross, increasing. The feeling of boring becomes more compounded by that action, being with this object, becomes more and more, as longer, more and more one meet this object.

16 If it s not like this, as there is excitement, the happiness, when one has met this person or when one has met this friend, when one receives the material possession, car or whatever, the excitement should be continued, the excitement, where one believes happiness, the excitement should be continued every day, one should experiences as one experiences at the beginning, one should have the experience every day, as month goes, year goes, that excitement should be there every day. Why, then, isn t that excitement what one believes is happiness why isn t like that every day, as month, year goes? As the months, years go. It should increase more and more, more happiness, more excitement, it should increase more and more. The longer we are with that object, there should be more and more excitement, more and more happiness. But, why that is not happening? Even it is not happening more, why, the excitement what happens, what one believes and what one experiences, why it did not stay? Why one can t experience as the days go, as the months go, as the years go, even same what one experiences. Why does it decrease, why does it change, why does it decrease? We can understand from this question, why it decreases, why it changes. The reason why it does not last and that it changes, becomes less and less, is because the feeling, the boring or tired or whatever, this which is compounded by meeting the object, it is subtle, it is there after meeting the object, but it s subtle, so those times when it s not noticeable, when it s not very gross, when it s not noticeable for us, then we call it pleasure. That feeling we label pleasant. We ordinary, common people in the world who are not aware, who do not practice meditation, the mindfulness of feeling or this, who don t do meditation, we don t notice the true suffering and the true cause of the sufferings, in order to be free, in order to achieve the cessation of the whole entire suffering and causes. We, who do not meditate, do not understand, so according to our point of view or according to our mind, so, at the beginning pure happiness then later the feeling become problem, when the boring or tired becomes noticeable then that time then, only that time then we see something as problem. DHARMA IS THE CAUSE OF HAPPINESS There are ten or twelve differences the worldly happiness and Dharma happiness. I don t remember now, it is mentioned the differences between Dharma happiness and the samsaric pleasure, worldly happiness. There are I think twelve differences. In the Kadampa s teachings that, the mind training, the very beginning mind training, the very beginning mind transformation Opening the Door of Dharma, so that talks about the differences between Dharma happiness and worldly happiness, like that. The Dharma happiness is true. The happiness one experiences by practicing Dharma, by eliminating the cause of the problems, which is one s own mind, that, so even one cannot cease completely now but by applying the meditations that the remedy, meditations which are remedy to the dissatisfied mind desire, like medicine, the meditations which are like medicine for that mind pain, that mind sickness, the dissatisfied mind desire. Such as emptiness and so forth, there are many other remedies, meditation practices, however, the most powerful, there s no difficulties to understand, very easy to understand it, very powerful, very easy to practice, easy to meditate, that, the impermanence and death. So, such as like this, the impermanence and death, especially that the death can happen at any time. By applying these remedies, these meditations, that one is able to stop the dissatisfied mind desire, one is able to stop, by remembering the impermanence and death, one is able to free oneself from this dissatisfied mind. Suddenly there is enjoyment in the life, because of satisfaction, in the heart there is enjoyment, there s peace. And so, external, so how much wealth there is, so if there s Dharma practice in the life, there is great happiness, there is great freedom, peace. However, whether one has wealth or whether one doesn t have wealth, however, if there s Dharma practice there is happiness and peace.

17 Similar, whether one has friends, whether one doesn t have friends, whether one has great education, whether one doesn t have great education, whether one has power, whether one doesn t have power, whether one has reputation, whether one doesn t have reputation, whatever happens in the life, if one practices meditation, if one practices Dharma, there s always peace and happiness in the heart. There s always enjoyment in the life. As it is mentioned in the text, in the same text, this Kadampa teaching, at The Very Beginning Mind Transformation, Opening the Door of Dharma, it refers to the sutra that, one who follows the desire, until one follow the desire, there s no satisfaction, one cannot find satisfaction, happiness. The person who follows Dharma wisdom has satisfaction, happiness, a happy life. How to achieve happiness in the life? How to get happiness, how to find happiness in the life? So, the method is to stop following the dissatisfied mind. How? Through meditation. How one should do that? Through meditation. By applying the meditations, such as the single most powerful one, such as the meditation of impermanence and death, and so forth. That is Dharma practice. From the three principal of the path to enlightenment, renunciation of samsara, bodhicitta, emptiness, that is freeing oneself from the desire, renunciation of samsara. Freeing oneself from desire that which is the main cause of samsara, so in this way you are freeing yourself from the life problems, the samsaric sufferings. What is ultimate liberation? What is nirvana, ultimate liberation? That is the cessation of the attachment, the ultimate liberation, which means the cause of the sufferings, cause of the life problems, samsaric sufferings. That is the ultimate happiness, not just only the cessation of attachment but the attachment is the nearest cause of samsara so that is why attachment is expressed. Cessation of all other delusions, anger, ignorance, so forth, all other delusions. So why focus on attachment? When we take refuge to Dharma, it talks about I m going to take refuge to Dharma, the cessation of attachment, the absolute Dharma, the true cessation of the suffering and then true path, cessation of the suffering, this is absolute Dharma, when you take refuge to Dharma, the absolute Dharma, so by thinking of the cessation of the suffering, then true path, the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness, we rely on, we take refuge in that. So the cessation of the sufferings, then takes refuge, in the vinaya, according to vinaya, in the refuge prayer it says cessation of attachment, the cause of the sufferings, the nearest cause of samsara. So therefore, so by ceasing the causes of suffering, the attachment, so forth, then one is able to cease completely the whole entire suffering, the problems. So that is the ultimate happiness or liberation. So one achieves that, in other words, in everyday life when we, through meditation, when we free ourselves from the delusions, from dissatisfied mind desire and so forth, when we free ourselves from these things, that we make our mind peaceful in our everyday life, that, by stopping, by cutting the dissatisfied mind, freeing ourselves from that mind, making our mind devoid of or free from that. Now this leads to that ultimate liberation, happiness, complete cessation of all the cause of the sufferings, attachment, ignorance, anger, as well as all of the sufferings. day-to-day life, this Dharma practice, this meditation practice is one of the most important meditation practices. This is because attachment is the cause of dissatisfaction and discontent. Desire, you see, this is obstacle, that is the main obstacle to achieve liberation, to achieve liberation for the self, discontentment and the dissatisfied mind. So by cutting off that, then it becomes path to achieving the ultimate, the sorrowless state.

18 This peace, this Dharma peace, this Dharma happiness, you can continue and complete, you can develop and complete, you can finish the work, the work achieving happiness. This way of working for Dharma happiness, to achieve Dharma happiness, the real peace, happiness, one can complete it, one can develop it and complete it. When one achieves liberation, when one achieves full enlightenment, the work is finished. With samsaric pleasure, worldly pleasure, there s nothing to develop, more and more happiness to develop. The pleasure that is dependent on the external five sense objects does not last, those samsaric pleasures cannot be developed. However much one continues, one can never find satisfaction; however much one experiences, one never gets satisfaction and can never find satisfaction. That work is endless, working for that is endless. So there are about twelve things, differences explained. In our life, when our life is in such a state, so depressed, so dissatisfied like this, upset, especially in those cases, when one arrive in such a situation like that, without Dharma, without meditation practice, there s no way how one can find satisfaction or happiness, peace, in the life there s no way. There s no way to achieve this using external things, no way. This is the way how to achieve happiness in the life is through your own, from within one s own mind, by transforming, mind which becomes cause of suffering, cause of life problems, you transform it into the cause of happiness of life, into the cause of success, you transform your mind into the cause of success, cause of happiness, so, you see, mind which becomes cause of life problems you transform it into the cause of success of life, happiness, peace, so that is Dharma practice. DEALING WITH A PERSON WHO HARMS YOU For example, somebody who disrespects you, somebody who abuses you, somebody who hurts you, if you change your concept to that person, if you change your concept how you look at that person, there s no problem. If you change how you look at that person, the problem doesn t exist, you don t have a problem. But if you don t change your concept, how you view, how you look at that person, if you don t change your concept, until you die the problem may even continue into the next lives then when you see that person again [GL], in the street or in the car or bus, or in the airplane, in the shopping center or something, when you meet that person again, as soon as you meet that person, you hate that person [GL], so it s possible to continue next lives, if you don t change your concept in this life, you see. So always we see somebody negative, we have this appearance somebody s bad. If somebody who abuses oneself, somebody who disrespects or provokes, it is said in the Bodhicharyavatara, The Guide to a Bodhisattva s Way of Life, In the past I gave such harm to that person, Therefore I deserve to receive this harm from the other sentient being. There s no reason why the other person should receive harm from me, that s okay. In the other life you gave harm to that person, you treated that person in the past like that and that s okay, but you cannot be treated by the person, It s just the selfish mind, because I want happiness, I don t want suffering, so even though it is the same case, other person also wants happiness and does not want suffering, but just that, so, there s no logical reason because of me, I, so should have happiness, not should have problems, should receive harm, only happiness. In the past I gave such harm to that person, in the same way the person harmed me in this life, so I deserve to receive this harm this life. When one thinks this way, when you think of karma, this has happened because of that cause, there s some reason why this person abused you, why this person hurt you. Even in this life, you never met this person before, even this is very first time, but this person

19 immediately harmed one s own life. However, there has to be a reason why this is happening, why this particular person is doing this to you, harming you, there has to be a reason. What s happening is the result, so there should be a cause. By thinking of karma, it breaks the concept, you break the concept, the fixed concept, This is bad, this person is enemy, this person is bad it breaks that concept. So again there is peace, even by thinking of karma, the reason why this is happening, which is the cause, immediately it breaks the anger, the negative thought, thinking that person is bad, harming you. My karma, my action, persuaded him, so I received this harm. [Shantideva goes on to say by making him harm me] I m making that sentient being get lost in the hole of the naraks, the hells? Didn t I make the person to get lost in the hole of the hells? That means in the past life I gave harm, so my action, karma, persuaded that sentient being in this life to give harm to me, so this life, this sentient being giving harm to me makes him get lost from the human realm, from the realm of the happy migratory being, then from there you fall down in the hell, the hole where there s fire. The negative karma he created, due to me, is the cause for rebirth in the lower realms. Due to past karma harmed to this person, in this life then harmed oneself, then that make the person, that causes the person to get lost from the realm of the happy migratory being, not able to remain in the realm of the happy migratory being, deva, human beings. By thinking in this way, that other sentient beings who harm you, criticize, badly treat, abuse or whatever, didn t take care well of oneself, the child-time didn t take care. The explanation is because in the past you harmed them, it only becomes cause of compassion. By thinking in this way, it becomes only cause of rising compassion. Why they are creating negative karma now, by their giving harm to you, they create negative karma, cause of suffering, cause of problems now and in the future, so many lifetimes. So therefore, why they created this negative karma, harmful action, by harming to me, is because I, my karma, my past lifetime karma, so that makes them to do this. That s how those people who harmed us, who hurt us, however, this way it becomes only cause of compassion, rather than, instead of rising anger, it only becomes cause of rising compassion towards them. Because who let them to create negative karma, create the cause of suffering, result which they have to experience is oneself, by oneself. So therefore, this way of thinking it become only reason to rise compassion. So therefore, you see, again looking at that person as negative, as bad, it is stopped. Rising anger is stopped. By thinking like this, patience is most important quality, most precious, important quality of human mind, most important quality of human being, otherwise human being become same as animal, like tigers, snakes, just only difference is the shape of the body [GL], but mentally is the same. So mentally the same, mentally no differences. There s no special reason to be human being, there s no special quality, as one particular quality of human, quality, especially it s most important, patience, again it s the source of happiness in the life, source of happiness and peace in the life, which brings harmonious success, oneself, for other sentient beings. It becomes the most important education and it is the path to, even who seek enlightenment. Patience becomes very important path to enlightenment. The more one practices patience, one can actualize bodhicitta easier, quicker, because the more anger there is, more difficult to practice and to actualize, to realize bodhicitta. Anger is one very great obstacle to actualizing bodhicitta.without bodhicitta one cannot achieve full enlightenment, then one cannot free all the sentient beings from all the suffering and causes and lead them to peerless happiness, full enlightenment. One cannot do this extensive benefit for all sentient beings without bodhicitta. Therefore patience becomes extremely important especially for the benefit of all sentient beings happiness, for us, for oneself to practice patience becomes so crucial, so important, not only for one s own happiness, for the happiness of every living being.