Cultivating Meditative Concentration: Calm Abiding (15 February 2011)

0:00 So... Little by little, slowly, slowly. Well, I've been meditating on the floor for a while. Shorter duration. What I realized is you have to build up your lower back muscles. You know, in Asia, they're just, we're sitting, but we're not. I have osteoporosis. My whole upper back. So you need to take it easy. I think, actually, it's a better position. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:29 So if nobody sits there, I'll come down. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 0:29 Highlight the passage at 0:29

0:36 Some woman would even say sitting in a chair. Yeah. Yeah, some traditions. I think it's easier, actually, on my back, in a way, but my legs fall asleep. Yeah, mine do too. Report an error in the passage at 0:36 Highlight the passage at 0:36

1:02 I would do it right now, but I'm afraid of being a pig and taking up two seats. Oh, you're not a pig. You know what I mean? I know what your name. Sure. Report an error in the passage at 1:02 Highlight the passage at 1:02

1:32 Oh, yeah, have you ever seen chickpea, she's in a little mask, she's out there. Thank you. Come on, man. Go wild. I'm just going to be selfish. Just let yourself go. I'm just going to be really selfish. Let yourself go. Good how are you? Report an error in the passage at 1:32 Highlight the passage at 1:32

1:53 Yeah, go wild in the country. I just really hated to take two seats. I know. But your hair hang down. Report an error in the passage at 1:53 Highlight the passage at 1:53

2:08 You know, I've always... you very much. Report an error in the passage at 2:08 Highlight the passage at 2:08

2:10 crazy, it's very interesting to watch this show. You're in right now. I know. It doesn't go in. Yeah, it depends. But, you know, you're, um, I think they should hear changes in different phases of the work. I might come in with a whole thing. It's going to be a show. Report an error in the passage at 2:10 Highlight the passage at 2:10

2:44 Do you want a table bag? Oh, I got one right here. I just weren't in love before you had a friend. So I feel like I don't like it. I think it's pretty good. I think it's pretty good. I think it's nice to meet you. I think it's nice to meet you. I think it's nice to meet you. Report an error in the passage at 2:44 Highlight the passage at 2:44

3:18 Is that Nurse Betty? It is Nurse Betty. There's only brownies. There's only brownies. Gosh, I'm so cherished. Report an error in the passage at 3:18 Highlight the passage at 3:18

3:35 If you want it now, yeah. I don't have yours from last week. I'm behind. I was at my computer like, oh, I gotta get in the shower. I gotta finish writing this. So I'm a little behind schedule. one. Report an error in the passage at 3:35 Highlight the passage at 3:35

4:02 Alright. Yeah. There you Report an error in the passage at 4:02 Highlight the passage at 4:02

4:11 Okay. Thank you. It's that kind of a day I think. Report an error in the passage at 4:11 Highlight the passage at 4:11

4:27 You're going to A minus. All right. Okay. think? promise you, you know it. Alright. Report an error in the passage at 4:27 Highlight the passage at 4:27

4:39 Welcome, everyone. I Report an error in the passage at 4:39 Highlight the passage at 4:39

4:47 need to think about what we're going to do. Let's settle in here, get my mind straight. All right. Well, let's spend a minute and set our motivation for the evening. And I won't lead you through a motivation this time. Report an error in the passage at 4:47 Highlight the passage at 4:47

5:11 So you can do whatever works for you. Report an error in the passage at 5:11 Highlight the passage at 5:11

· · · silence, 2 minutes

7:21 So we'll start. I thought I'd lost my voice for a second. I'll start on page 73 with the praise to Shakyamuni Buddha. To Report an error in the passage at 7:21 Highlight the passage at 7:21

7:39 the founder, the endowed transcendent destroyer, the one gone beyond, the foe destroyer, the completely perfected, fully awakened being, perfect in knowledge and in good conduct, Sugata, knower of the world, supreme guide of human beings to be tamed, teacher of gods and human beings, to you, the completely and fully awakened one, the endowed transcendent destroyer, the glorious conqueror. Report an error in the passage at 7:39 Highlight the passage at 7:39

8:02 The Subduer from the Shaki clan, I prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. To the Founder, the Endowed Transcendent Destroyer, the One Gone Beyond, the Foe Destroyer, the Completely Perfected, Fully Awakened Being, Perfect in Knowledge and in Good Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Supreme God of Human Beings to be Tamed, Teacher of Gods and Human Beings, to You, the Completely and Fully Awakened One, the Endowed Transcendent Destroyer. Report an error in the passage at 8:02 Highlight the passage at 8:02

8:30 The glorious conqueror, the subduer from the Shaky clan, prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. To the founder, the endowed transcendent destroyer, the one gone beyond, the foe destroyer, the completely perfected, fully awakened being, perfect in knowledge and in good conduct, Sugata, knower of the world, supreme guide of human beings to be tamed, teacher of gods and human beings, to you, the completely and fully awakened one, the endowed transcendent destroyer. Report an error in the passage at 8:30 Highlight the passage at 8:30

9:00 The glorious conqueror, the subduer from the Shaka clan, I prostrate, make offerings, and go for refuge. When, O supreme, amongst humans you were born on this earth, you paced out seven strides, then said, I am supreme in this world. To you who were wise then, I prostrate. With pure bodies formed to be pure, wisdom ocean like a golden mountain, fame that blazes in the three worlds, winner of the best, Lord, to you I prostrate. Report an error in the passage at 9:00 Highlight the passage at 9:00

9:28 With the supreme signs, face like spotless moon, color like gold, to you I prostrate. Dust free like you, the three worlds are not, incomparably wise one, to you I prostrate. The Savior having great compassion, the founder having all understanding, the field of merit with qualities like a vast ocean, to you the one gone to thusness I prostrate. Report an error in the passage at 9:28 Highlight the passage at 9:28

9:51 The purity that frees one from attachment, the virtue that frees one from the lower realms. The one path, the sublime pure reality, to the Dharma that pacifies, I prostrate. Those who are liberated who also show the path to liberation, the holy field qualified with realizations, who are devoted to the moral precepts, to you, the sublime community intending virtue, I prostrate. Report an error in the passage at 9:51 Highlight the passage at 9:51

10:15 Homage to the Supreme Buddha, homage to the Dharma refuge, homage to the great Saṅgha, to all three ever-devout homage. To all worthy of respect, bowing with bodies as many as all realms, atoms and all aspects, with supreme faith I pay homage. Do not commit any non-virtuous actions. Perform only perfect virtuous actions. Subdue your mind thoroughly. This is the teaching of the Buddha. A star, a visual aberration, a flame of a lamp, an illusion, a drop of dew or a bubble, a dream, a flash of lightning, a cloud. Report an error in the passage at 10:15 Highlight the passage at 10:15

10:50 See conditioned things as such. Through these merits may sentient beings attain the rank of all seeing, subdue the foe of faults, and be delivered from saṃsāra's ocean, perturbed by the waves of aging, sickness and death. Report an error in the passage at 10:50 Highlight the passage at 10:50

11:04 Page 98 is Refuge in Bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 11:04 Highlight the passage at 11:04

11:15 I go for refuge until I am enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly by the merits I create through listening to the Dharma. May I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I'm enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 11:15 Highlight the passage at 11:15

11:39 I go for refuge until I'm enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 11:39 Highlight the passage at 11:39

12:00 right, so last time we were talking about. The third of the five obstacles or faults to calm abiding. So just to review, the first obstacle that we encounter is laziness. And this is the laziness of not wanting to sit down and meditate. And how do we overcome that laziness? Through these antidotes. Report an error in the passage at 12:00 Highlight the passage at 12:00

12:28 That's one of them. Report an error in the passage at 12:28 Highlight the passage at 12:28

12:34 well. There's the four of the eight antidotes, the pliancy, the joyous effort, aspiration, and faith or confidence in calm abiding, the benefits of meditative stabilization. Report an error in the passage at 12:34 Highlight the passage at 12:34

12:52 So to start with, we need to develop the confidence in meditative stabilization, which means that we need to contemplate what the benefits are. Again and again and again, because it's so easy to find other things to do that give us more immediate gratification. And meditation, it takes a while in order to really get the benefit from it. So we need to remember why we need to meditate. Report an error in the passage at 12:52 Highlight the passage at 12:52

13:29 So that we need to contemplate the good qualities, not just once or twice, but to get it ingrained in us, we need to meditate on it again and again. Report an error in the passage at 13:29 Highlight the passage at 13:29

13:38 Then the second obstacle then we encounter, once we've overcome the laziness of not wanting to sit and meditate, is now we're meditating and we keep losing the object of meditation. We're forgetting the object. What's the antidote to forgetting the object? Report an error in the passage at 13:38 Highlight the passage at 13:38

13:58 Mindfulness. Mindfulness. Mindfulness. It's even up here. If you give the wrong answer, I'm sorry. Report an error in the passage at 13:58 Highlight the passage at 13:58

14:14 Mindfulness. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is extremely important, right, to know what it is. So what's mindfulness? Report an error in the passage at 14:14 Highlight the passage at 14:14

14:30 Yeah, it's that function of the mind that's... I don't know if I've ever seen one before. Report an error in the passage at 14:30 Highlight the passage at 14:30

14:10 you don't know about it. Report an error in the passage at 14:10 Highlight the passage at 14:10

14:36 Holding on to the object, remembering the object. Yeah, yeah, a familiar object, right? It's hard to be focused on an object that we're not familiar with, right? So first of all, we need to familiarize ourselves with the object and then we need to remember, right? So it's that part of the mind that's tied to the object, remembering the object. Yeah. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 14:36 Highlight the passage at 14:36

15:06 Then the third of the five obstacles are laxity and excitement. So we'll review those. And the antidote to that is introspection or vigilance. Different translations of the same term. Report an error in the passage at 15:06 Highlight the passage at 15:06

15:29 So what is introspection or vigilance? David. But... Report an error in the passage at 15:29 Highlight the passage at 15:29

15:33 David. And I'll use this. Okay, aren't you good? It does. The image I like to use for that is mindfulness is like maintaining a concentration or focus on a particular object and then introspection or vigilance is, it's sort of like if one part of your mind is focused on something, then the vigilant is sort of like watching its back to make sure that... Report an error in the passage at 15:33 Highlight the passage at 15:33

16:02 If it begins to wander, become distracted, scattered, that scoots it back into that focus. And so the mindfulness maintaining that thread of concentration on the familiar object and then the introspection is kind of checking in to making sure that that focus remains. Or like a camera that might go out of focus, it'll help with that. Report an error in the passage at 16:02 Highlight the passage at 16:02

16:32 Yeah, and so is the vigilance or the introspection focused on the object or is it focused on... The vigilance is being vigilant of the mind itself. So the mind is focused on the object and then the vigilance is kind of being aware of if there's a distraction that starts to pop up so that the appropriate antidote can be applied for whatever is taking place, if it's becoming lax or excited or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 16:32 Highlight the passage at 16:32

16:56 Yeah, exactly. Carol. I was just going to say, go along with what... David said the object of vigilance is the mind observing the object, right? Yeah, exactly. And Lynn. If we're getting discursive, like we're forgetting a lot, that's when we are mindful of the breath, is that right? It's a specific kind of mindfulness. Report an error in the passage at 16:56 Highlight the passage at 16:56

17:31 Connected to forgetting the object? Report an error in the passage at 17:31 Highlight the passage at 17:31

17:37 Yes. If we have a lot of discursive thought, then it's recommended, in general, to meditate on the breath. But if we're in the middle of meditating on the image of a Buddha, we don't switch to the breath. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 17:37 Highlight the passage at 17:37

17:55 Another question? Well, yeah, I mean you You can, but you don't switch to the breath every time you have a distraction, right? Right. But if you're... Right. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 17:55 Highlight the passage at 17:55

18:10 Introspection and vigilance. How does that not in some way break the concentration? Because the mind can't really do two things at once if you're really focused. So I'm finding that I will break... My concentration because I'm looking to see, am I doing this right? So that's the question. Yeah, okay. That's a good question. I think I'll turn off my cell phone while I'm thinking about it. Report an error in the passage at 18:10 Highlight the passage at 18:10

18:52 It's good mindfulness. So the question is, and you get a tape and you get a tape and you get Report an error in the passage at 18:52 Highlight the passage at 18:52

18:57 Okay, so if mindfulness is focused on the object, introspection is looking at your mind. How is it that you're not getting distracted from the object when you're applying introspection? So in the beginning we focus first on mindfulness, right? Focus on the object. And then with just a part of our minds, every once in a while we check in. Report an error in the passage at 18:57 Highlight the passage at 18:57

19:21 Like if we have not much mindfulness, And then we're switching to introspection, then that'll cause the mind to scatter, right? But if we have a little bit of stability and then we check every once in a while, then it's not going to go up. And we have to be careful how much attention we give to the introspection as well. Like we don't put 100 % of our attention to introspection. Report an error in the passage at 19:21 Highlight the passage at 19:21

19:49 Maybe 10 % or 20 % of our attention, then we switch to introspection. Yeah, I mean, it's kind of switching back and forth, but if our mindfulness is strong enough, it can be almost intuitive, you know, that we just know if our mind is getting, you know, too lax or too excited. So it's something that we have to just experiment with, you know, through our experience. Mr. David. Report an error in the passage at 19:49 Highlight the passage at 19:49

20:24 One thing you can relate that to is, like, talking on the phone while you're cooking or driving your car. It's a very similar type of experience where when you're driving your car, you're not just staring just at the lines of the road or just at the light ahead of you. You have a sense of the direction where you're going and then you're making sure that you're maintaining the speed of traffic and whatnot. So it's, well, on the one hand, when we sit down to meditate, you think, well, how can I keep track of my concentration on the object and then look for distractions? Report an error in the passage at 20:24 Highlight the passage at 20:24

20:58 We do that in a way all the time. So you can just sort of apply the same type of feeling. It's just applying that type of skill in a much more focused way. Report an error in the passage at 20:58 Highlight the passage at 20:58

21:09 Yeah, and I think, I mean, I think, I mean, we kind of do that all the time, but actually most of the time when we're doing it, we have excitement or laxity happening. So we're not trying to model our meditation after what we're doing when we're driving and switching the radio stations. We have a lot more attention. Report an error in the passage at 21:09 Highlight the passage at 21:09

21:30 So because that mind, like we talked about last time, that part of our mind is on the object and part of the mind can think about other things, that's excitement. Report an error in the passage at 21:30 Highlight the passage at 21:30

21:41 So our mind is really focused on the object, but then we're also aware of whether or not... There's some laxity or excitement. So I think it's a little bit more merged, those two functions, than typically when we're talking on the phone and cooking or driving and switching the radio stations or texting or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 21:41 Highlight the passage at 21:41

22:05 I don't think we have that many examples in our daily life of a good balance of attention without laxity and excitement. yeah, Report an error in the passage at 22:05 Highlight the passage at 22:05

22:18 Because that's a pretty good attainment. Report an error in the passage at 22:18 Highlight the passage at 22:18

22:31 Yeah, unless we're really concentrated on something. When I was studying for my exam, you know, in order to really study and learn, you have to have a good balance of not being distracted, but to read a chapter. And you have to sort of keep track that you are actually reading it. Because otherwise, you know, you're like reading halfway down the page and you're like, I have no idea what I just read. Report an error in the passage at 22:31 Highlight the passage at 22:31

22:53 Right. And you have to really, but it has to have that balance because you can't have too much laxity or too much, you know, I mean, you have to have like a good balance of like focus concentration to really learn. That's what I, when you talk about it, that's what reminds me of sort of like this calm, trying to focus and take something in and also keep track that I'm actually paying attention and getting it. Report an error in the passage at 22:53 Highlight the passage at 22:53

23:17 Or do I need to go back and reread that, you know? Right. Yeah, I think that's a good example. You know, studying or, you know, reading something really difficult or trying to solve a problem and being so focused, right, and being so focused that you don't even hear it. Like if somebody's saying, hey, hey, the phone's ringing, you don't even hear it, right, because you're so inwardly focused on your, you know, the problem or the, you know, what you're reading or studying. Report an error in the passage at 23:17 Highlight the passage at 23:17

23:49 I think that, yeah, that's getting closer. To what we're trying to accomplish. Report an error in the passage at 23:49 Highlight the passage at 23:49

23:57 Anyway, I mean, if I look at my mind, I think I'm generally falling into laxier excitement most of the day, all day. Okay, so just a review. Can you read that? Excitement, right, is this unpeacefulness of mind that pursues pleasant features and belongs to attachment. So on a very gross level, excitement is losing the object of meditation and And thinking about what's for dinner or thinking about all the nice things we would like to be doing right now or thinking about the movie we watched last night that was really good. Report an error in the passage at 23:57 Highlight the passage at 23:57

24:38 On a subtler level, it's that divided mind where you're still on the object but part of your mind is thinking about other things, attractive things. And then I think on even a subtler level, it's that... Buzzy, buzzy mind that's still on the object, but it's not peaceful. It's like if we had too much coffee, right? Report an error in the passage at 24:38 Highlight the passage at 24:38

25:08 We're sitting there and we were focused, but you were kind of nervous and a little bit too up kind of thing. That's still excitement, which in the text oftentimes you hear it said if you hold too tightly to the object, you have excitement. And it's not that you've lost the object necessarily if you hold too tightly, but you have that tenseness, that nervousness if you hold on too tightly. Report an error in the passage at 25:08 Highlight the passage at 25:08

25:46 Like my example of driving on Highway 17 in the rain, in the dark, right? If we're a little bit scared, we're holding onto the steering wheel a little too tightly. So that's excitement. Even though we haven't lost focus of the highway, the road, but the mind is tight and nervous. So that's also excitement. Laxity, on the other hand, is the opposite. Report an error in the passage at 25:46 Highlight the passage at 25:46

26:16 It's like we've sunk into the object too much. Report an error in the passage at 26:16 Highlight the passage at 26:16

26:24 Lama Tsongkhapa says that it means that your mind's way of apprehending the object of meditation is slack and it does not apprehend the object with much vividness or firmness. So your mind is on the object, but it's become a little bit too relaxed. The clarity of the mind isn't there. all right so gross lax okay well Report an error in the passage at 26:24 Highlight the passage at 26:24

26:46 It's kind of become a little foggy or dimmer, a little darker. It's laxity. Report an error in the passage at 26:46 Highlight the passage at 26:46

27:01 So we gradually cultivate our power of vigilance or introspection. Then we're able to recognize laxity and excitement first as they arise and second when they're on the verge of rising. So gradually we'll notice when we're about to fall into laxity or excitement. Report an error in the passage at 27:01 Highlight the passage at 27:01

27:27 So we need to maintain our mindfulness all the time, right? Holding on to the object all the time when we're meditating. But is vigilance something that you also maintain constantly? Lama Rūpa says, no. Report an error in the passage at 27:27 Highlight the passage at 27:27

27:46 All right, so this is related to linear question. So it said that the vigilance is something to be applied only intermittently. Report an error in the passage at 27:46 Highlight the passage at 27:46

27:57 So especially at the beginning stages, you need to be very aware of how frequently and when to intrude in the meditation, watching and checking up with vigilance. You must quickly become sensitive to the general condition of the mind. When it's pretty well free of laxity and excitement, then leave it alone. Report an error in the passage at 27:57 Highlight the passage at 27:57

28:17 When it's more likely to be prone to the laxity and excitement, that's the time to bring in your guardian vigilance. Report an error in the passage at 28:17 Highlight the passage at 28:17

28:28 So we'll have to check up more frequently, right, when our mind is less trained, right? But then as time goes on, we leave it alone more. Report an error in the passage at 28:28 Highlight the passage at 28:28

28:44 And then again, Lama Rūpa says vigilance can also arise casually or intuitively. If the force of one's mindfulness is quite strong, vigilance easily arises on its own. Report an error in the passage at 28:44 Highlight the passage at 28:44

28:58 Similarly, if vigilance is strong, it's easy for mindfulness to be maintained. So they help each other. If we have a lot of mindfulness, then it's easier to notice the state of the mind. If we have vigilance, then it's easier to be mindful. Report an error in the passage at 28:58 Highlight the passage at 28:58

29:17 Okay. All right. So next, if you're following in the text, we're on page 228, where we get... Applying the antidote to not endeavoring to abandon laxity and excitement, although one has identified them. So here, as explained above, you develop very powerful mindfulness and introspection through proper use of the methods for maintaining mindfulness and introspection. Report an error in the passage at 29:17 Highlight the passage at 29:17

29:46 Introspection is then able to notice even very subtle laxity and excitement, so there is no problem recognizing the occurrence of laxity and excitement. Report an error in the passage at 29:46 Highlight the passage at 29:46

29:56 To that point, we have strong mindfulness and strong introspection or vigilance. Then we're able to recognize laxity and excitement, even very subtle levels. Report an error in the passage at 29:56 Highlight the passage at 29:56

30:11 But if we notice them, but we make no effort to stop... that's Report an error in the passage at 30:11 Highlight the passage at 30:11

30:19 Laxity and excitement as soon as they arise. Your complacency or failure to apply yourself constitutes an extremely serious problem for your concentration. For if you practice in this way, your mind will form bad habits and then it will be extremely difficult to develop a concentration free of laxity and excitement. So if we notice them but we don't try to get rid of them, that's going to be a big obstacle for your concentration. Report an error in the passage at 30:19 Highlight the passage at 30:19

30:48 So there we get to the fourth of the five obstacles or faults called non-application, which means not applying the antidotes to lax of your excitement, even though we notice them. And how do we overcome non-application? By applying application. So non-application is the failure to apply the antidotes when lax of your excitement arise. Report an error in the passage at 30:48 Highlight the passage at 30:48

31:16 So in this case the problem has arisen, you've recognized that the problem has arisen, and you respond with non-application or not responding, right? We don't do anything. This is a fault. You know, maybe this is laziness, okay. This is good enough. I don't need to do anything about it. Report an error in the passage at 31:16 Highlight the passage at 31:16

31:41 So then we need to eliminate laxity and excitement. Which means cultivating the intention called application or effort. Report an error in the passage at 31:41 Highlight the passage at 31:41

31:54 So this intention, this intention is a mental factor. The Asanga says it's the mental activity of applying your mind, having the function of drawing your mind to virtue, non-virtue or the ethically neutral. So it's a general mental factor that accompanies every mind. But it's the mental factor that moves or directs the mind to a particular object. Report an error in the passage at 31:54 Highlight the passage at 31:54

32:22 So in the case of meditation, it would be moving. Let's say we're meditating on our object and we recognize that, let's say, laxity has arisen. Report an error in the passage at 32:22 Highlight the passage at 32:22

32:36 So intention would... Either decide not to do anything, right? Or intention would decide, okay, now I need to apply an antidote, right? Now I need to try to get rid of my laxity. So intention is applying here, moving the mind to apply the antidote. Making sense? Report an error in the passage at 32:36 Highlight the passage at 32:36

33:08 So the example they often give... To describe intention is iron filings are compelled to move under the influence of a magnet. Similarly, the mental process of intention moves and stimulates your mind toward virtue, non-virtue or the ethically neutral. So it's said that we have a main mind and mental factors that are operating all the time. Report an error in the passage at 33:08 Highlight the passage at 33:08

33:37 And there are 51 mental factors often talked about. One of the mental factors is intention. So intention moves the mind and all of the other mental factors that are operating at the same time moves it to the particular object. Okay, Report an error in the passage at 33:37 Highlight the passage at 33:37

34:08 so we keep talking about this. The function of the application is to move the awareness right back to the object. Report an error in the passage at 34:08 Highlight the passage at 34:08

34:22 So Genlamripa says the intention to redirect the awareness is the immediate first stage remedy. You know, let's say your mind has wandered off the object, right, or started to get excited. So the first thing we do is try to bring the mind back, right, tighten, right, if it's laxity, tighten the apprehension of the object, right, tighten, right, because with laxity maybe our mind has become a little bit lazy. Report an error in the passage at 34:22 Highlight the passage at 34:22

34:51 A little bit too loose. So with application here, we would tighten our hold on the object. Tighten our mindfulness. If the mind obeys, it's back on track. But if the mind does not come back to the object, then we need to apply additional antidotes. But initially, if it gets excited, the mind is too tight, and so we need to loosen our hold on the object a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 34:51 Highlight the passage at 34:51

35:22 If it's lax, then we need to strengthen our hold on the object, right? So first of all, we try to, you know, tighten or loosen the hold on the object. Report an error in the passage at 35:22 Highlight the passage at 35:22

35:34 But then sometimes that doesn't work, right? Maybe we're falling asleep, right? And we try to, you know, tighten the hold on the object and then, you know, we're falling asleep again. Then we tighten the hold on the object and we fall asleep again and we tighten, right? Then we have to do something else, right? Because just... Report an error in the passage at 35:34 Highlight the passage at 35:34

35:55 Adjusting our mind isn't enough, right? Or similarly with excitement. We're really excited. We got caught in thinking about what we're going to do tomorrow, right? And so we try to bring the mind back to the object and then it goes back to all the things we need to do tomorrow and then we bring it back to the object and then it goes back to the distraction, right? Report an error in the passage at 35:55 Highlight the passage at 35:55

36:19 So if it keeps going back to the distraction, then we need to do something more. right? Report an error in the passage at 36:19 Highlight the passage at 36:19

36:28 So first of all, how to stop laxity. Report an error in the passage at 36:28 Highlight the passage at 36:28

36:35 So the mind that's lax has withdrawn inward too much, right, has sunk into the object more. It's on the object, but it's become a little bit too relaxed or loose, loosely holding the object or, you know, I mean, how we can get into this kind of... Dull stupor, especially if we're meditating with our eyes closed. Like, okay, I'm on the object, but then we're kind of, you know, on the object, you know, like this. Report an error in the passage at 36:35 Highlight the passage at 36:35

37:10 You know, similar to like when we're driving, we're, you know, on the road and, you know, we're really relaxed and the alertness of the mind has gone down, right? The brightness of the mind has gone down. So that's laxity, the alertness, the brightness. Report an error in the passage at 37:10 Highlight the passage at 37:10

37:28 has gone down. Report an error in the passage at 37:28 Highlight the passage at 37:28

37:32 And when we're like that, it's withdrawn inward too much. So if something happens, well if we're driving, for example, if the person in front of us brakes quickly, we might not respond very quickly because we've sunk too much into our own little space. So we're withdrawn inward. Does that make sense? Okay, instead of kind of alert, right, and focus. Okay, so if we get lax, then Kamala Sheila says we need to attend to a cause for the mind to move outward again, something joyful. Report an error in the passage at 37:32 Highlight the passage at 37:32

38:19 So the mind's become kind of down a little bit. So to lift it up, to think about something joyful. Tsongkhapa says it should be... Something like the Buddha's body, rather than something joyful giving rise to mental afflictions. So we need to bring the mind up, but not bring up more mental afflictions, not bring up attachments. Report an error in the passage at 38:19 Highlight the passage at 38:19

38:47 Meditating on the brownies that we're going to eat at break time is not the right antidote to laxity. But thinking about the positive qualities of the Buddha or the positive qualities of meditative stabilization or our precious human rebirth, love and compassion, these things that will uplift the mind but aren't going to make us more attached. Report an error in the passage at 38:47 Highlight the passage at 38:47

39:16 Betty? Report an error in the passage at 39:16 Highlight the passage at 39:16

39:22 But if we don't have the Buddhist body already as our object of meditation, we shouldn't just throw them in there, should we? Well, here, this is where, okay. Yeah, good question. You're not supposed to go back and forth, back and forth. Right, right. So the first step, right, if we recognize laxity is just to try to, you know, we continue to meditate on the object and we tighten our hold on the object, right? Report an error in the passage at 39:22 Highlight the passage at 39:22

39:47 But if that isn't working, right, we do that and we lose it and we do that and we lose it and we do that and we lose it, then it's recommended we switch our meditation. We stop meditating on that object for a while. Three times? Report an error in the passage at 39:47 Highlight the passage at 39:47

40:04 Well, I don't know that there's a magic number. Three times is sometimes a number that's being used. But I think it's, you know, when we know that we've lost control, right? We've lost, right? We've lost any power of mindfulness, right? We've lost, right, the ability to uplift the mind, right? I mean, we've all been there, right? Report an error in the passage at 40:04 Highlight the passage at 40:04

40:32 We're meditating and there's just... No way we can continue to keep our mind on the object. So we need to do something else because the state of the mind is too stuck in where it is. So just through the power of will is not working. So then it's advised, okay, we stop that and we uplift the mind. So then we can think. If we're already meditating on a Buddhist body, I'm not sure that that will work. Report an error in the passage at 40:32 Highlight the passage at 40:32

41:05 But if we think about the good qualities of the Buddha, then that might work. So something, like for me, the precious human rebirth is a really good one for me to uplift the mind. It's like remind me of how wonderful this life is and how fortunate we are and how rare it is and things like that. But we all have to find kind of what works for us. Report an error in the passage at 41:05 Highlight the passage at 41:05

41:33 So again, Lama Rūpa, basically. He is basically saying this because this is to broaden our minds, cheer it up, give it more space, uplifting our spirit. So he says wholesome objects could be the excellent qualities of Buddhas, thinking about the kindness of the Buddhas, benefits of bodhicitta, the precious human rebirth. Report an error in the passage at 41:33 Highlight the passage at 41:33

42:03 Qualities of our teacher, that's always a really good one too, if we have a lot of faith in our teacher, right, to think about the good qualities of His Holiness the Dalai Lama or Geshe Dagpa or Lama Zopa. Report an error in the passage at 42:03 Highlight the passage at 42:03

42:18 Okay, so another thing that we could do is meditate on light. Such as sunshine and clear away the laxity. Because the laxity, the mind has become a little dark and foggy. So we can meditate on, for example, our bodies filled with light. To try to make the mind more alert and clear again. Report an error in the passage at 42:18 Highlight the passage at 42:18

42:53 But don't meditate on a disenchanting object at this point. If we already have laxity and then we think about... How we're all going to die, right? The mind is going to go crash, right? So when we have laxity, we meditate on something bright or uplifting. Yeah, not something depressing, right? Or the suffering of saṃsāra, right? Those actually you meditate on when you have excitement. Report an error in the passage at 42:53 Highlight the passage at 42:53

43:23 But with laxity, we need to bring our minds up. Or we can analyze. An object, right? Because with analysis, that tends to make the mind more alert, right? So if we want to meditate on emptiness or meditate on the Four Noble Truths or something like that, right? Analysis that can also stop laxity. Report an error in the passage at 43:23 Highlight the passage at 43:23

43:55 Question, which is, how does analytical meditation fit into what we're learning? How are we supposed to do it? Report an error in the passage at 43:55 Highlight the passage at 43:55

44:11 Well, I mean, in general, we balance analytical and stabilizing meditation, right? We balance calm abiding and special insight. But if we're really focused on calm abiding, like we're doing a retreat and we're really trying to get calm abiding, then we lessen our analytical meditation, right? We kind of minimize the other practices that we do because they can become distracting. Report an error in the passage at 44:11 Highlight the passage at 44:11

44:38 But generally in our day-to-day life I think it's important to do both. Report an error in the passage at 44:38 Highlight the passage at 44:38

44:54 So another thing we can do, and Lama Tsongkhapa talks about the term laxity or slackness. There's a decline in the way you apprehend the object and also there's an excessive withdrawal inward. And we can also counteract it by stimulating the way you apprehend the object and making the object of meditation extensive so as to uplift your mind. Report an error in the passage at 44:54 Highlight the passage at 44:54

44:43 That's… Report an error in the passage at 44:43 Highlight the passage at 44:43

· · · silence, 1 minute

45:18 So one thing often recommended is to meditate on space or look at the sky. When people do retreats, oftentimes they like to do it where there's a big view in a high place, because that really makes the mind more spacious and vast, and that's good for overcoming laxity. Report an error in the passage at 45:18 Highlight the passage at 45:18

45:44 But here it says making the object of meditation extensive, Personally not sure what that means. I looked in the different commentaries and they didn't mention this at all. So, you know, at first I thought, does that mean making like your Buddha really big? But generally, you know, that's not advised, right? You don't change the size of your meditation object. But all I ever read about with this kind of advice is to... Report an error in the passage at 45:44 Highlight the passage at 45:44

46:19 Like meditate on space or the sky or something like that. You had to make the mind vast. Report an error in the passage at 46:19 Highlight the passage at 46:19

46:27 Carol? In the front row, frowning? Report an error in the passage at 46:27 Highlight the passage at 46:27

46:37 Anyway, what just came to my mind regarding making, you mentioned changing the size of the Buddha and that's not advised, but I was wondering if in this case, just like... You know, multiplying offerings and visualizing not only one Buddha, but like a whole space full of Buddhas. I mean, or would that be just like too much for the mind or, I mean, I don't know. Report an error in the passage at 46:37 Highlight the passage at 46:37

47:06 Maybe as a momentary thing, because you've already stopped meditating on your object at this point, right? So, right. So an antidote, right, to make the mind more bright and spacious, that might work. I don't see why not. Because Geshe Jumpy Gyatso's commentary said, expand your object of meditation. Report an error in the passage at 47:06 Highlight the passage at 47:06

47:30 I thought, okay, not sure what that means. Because I thought, oh, is this a translation thing? Is this really about making your mind more extensive and not making the object more extensive? But it seems to be talking about making the object more extensive. Report an error in the passage at 47:30 Highlight the passage at 47:30

47:57 So Bhava Viveka is saying to expand the mind through meditation on spacious objects as well as uplifting it by seeing the benefits of joyous effort. So meditating on space, meditating on light or uplifting subjects that don't increase mental afflictions. Report an error in the passage at 47:57 Highlight the passage at 47:57

48:21 Also we can consider the positive qualities of the Three Jewels and bodhicitta. Okay, so that's pretty much. So when we do this, when we meditate on the positive qualities to uplift the mind, it should be as effective for refreshing the awareness as cold water when it's splashed into the face of someone asleep. Report an error in the passage at 48:21 Highlight the passage at 48:21

48:47 So this depends on the experience you've gained through your analytical meditation previously. All right. Report an error in the passage at 48:47 Highlight the passage at 48:47

48:55 If we're meditating on calm and abiding and we've never contemplated how wonderful a precious human rebirth is, it's not going to work. Report an error in the passage at 48:55 Highlight the passage at 48:55

49:08 If we've meditated on the precious human rebirth before again and again and every time we meditate on that, it uplifts our mind, then that's something likely to work when we're trying to uplift our mind when we have laxity. But if we've never meditated on it before, then it's probably not going to work. Because most of these analytical meditations don't have a powerful effect on the mind unless we've done it again and again. Report an error in the passage at 49:08 Highlight the passage at 49:08

49:38 It doesn't have a powerful effect the first time. So that's why one of the prerequisites of calm abiding was to have meditated on the lamrim beforehand. Report an error in the passage at 49:38 Highlight the passage at 49:38

49:56 Now's not the time to meditate. Report an error in the passage at 49:56 Highlight the passage at 49:56

50:02 A few more minutes. And then you can stick the brownie in your mouth and not just meditate on it. Further investigate. Yeah. Investigate not just the visual, but the, yeah. Okay. So another thing is, again, Lama Rinpoche says that when we use this remedy of meditating, let's say on the good qualities of Buddhas and things like that, don't expect immediate results. Report an error in the passage at 50:02 Highlight the passage at 50:02

50:29 They may appear. But don't expect them. Nevertheless, when you're confronted by the repeated arising of laxity, continue to meditate on uplifting subjects. You may not feel the effect in your next meditation, but very likely the next day you will feel it. So he was talking in the context of doing a calm-abiding retreat. Report an error in the passage at 50:29 Highlight the passage at 50:29

50:52 We're sitting down, we're falling into laxity, we're falling into laxity, we're falling into laxity. It's very easy to do when you're meditating day after day after day. It's hard to keep excited about it. So it's easy to fall into laxity and feeling even a little bit depressed and bored. So then we can meditate on these uplifting subjects. Report an error in the passage at 50:52 Highlight the passage at 50:52

51:18 And it might not brighten your mind right away. But again, Lama Rūpa says that the next day you'll probably feel it, right? There's, you know, so not to expect the immediate results. Report an error in the passage at 51:18 Highlight the passage at 51:18

51:35 And also, again, Lama Rūpa says it's better not to interrupt the meditation for an extensive analytical meditation, right? Let's say we're meditating and calm abiding, you know, to do a 45-minute analytical meditation to uplift the mind. He's saying it's better not to do that. So in order to avoid that necessity, it's helpful to have a little nugget of something to think about. Not very elaborate, but something that takes the essence of the subject. Report an error in the passage at 51:35 Highlight the passage at 51:35

52:08 Because precious human rebirth, to spend time and meditate on the ten leisures and... it the 10 and the 8 or the 8 and the 10? I forget now. The 8 leisures and the 10 endowments, right? It's the 18 leisures and endowments, right? That takes a while. Okay, I'm not, you know, I'm not an animal. I'm not a hell-robed being. I'm not a hungry ghost, right? Report an error in the passage at 52:08 Highlight the passage at 52:08

52:40 I mean, So it's better to have kind of an abbreviated, really effective one. It might be, you know, remembering one that really registers with you, right, that really works with us. Like for me, it's remembering how fortunate I am to have met the Lamas, right? Like that immediately, you know, has a lot of effect on me, you know, to have met Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to have met, you know, Gishu Jampa Gyatso and Gishudagpa. Report an error in the passage at 52:40 Highlight the passage at 52:40

53:15 Amazing, right? So we don't have to meditate very long, but it immediately uplifts the mind. And then Genlampurpa says if you have difficulty finding the right nugget, you can consult your mentor or your Lama and ask him to help you come up with something. Report an error in the passage at 53:15 Highlight the passage at 53:15

53:36 Aha! Okay. Report an error in the passage at 53:36 Highlight the passage at 53:36

53:43 Emily, I was wondering, would it be okay to use a mantra, for instance, to repeat a mantra a few times when we want to uplift our mind and get our mind closed back to somewhere instead of an idea or something? I think so, if it helps. I mean, I think at this point, you know, I mean, these are suggestions. But the main point here is whatever helps to uplift the mind but doesn't, right, doesn't... Report an error in the passage at 53:43 Highlight the passage at 53:43

54:11 Increase grasping, right? Doesn't increase mental affliction. So if a mantra helps? Yeah, what works for me with the mantra is that something that I know that is very comfortable, but you can examine at various levels, you know, the meaning or the singing or the words. And so that way I can really get more, maybe too much excitement, I guess, but a way to really awaken a little bit too mild. Yeah, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 54:11 Highlight the passage at 54:11

54:36 So I think, you know, this kind of thing, like with... All of these aspects of this meditation is we have to experiment and see what really works for us. There's not one formula that we all need to apply. Except don't increase your mental afflictions right. Report an error in the passage at 54:36 Highlight the passage at 54:36

55:05 Lama Tsongkhapa doesn't mention coffee, but I think that that could be a good one. Report an error in the passage at 55:05 Highlight the passage at 55:05

55:17 I don't think Starbucks is around in the 1300s. But I was meditating the other day and I had this heaviness of the mind that wasn't actually because I hadn't gotten enough sleep, but I was just sluggish, right? And I tried, you know, brightness and I tried all these things, but the mind just kept on being just cloudy, yeah? Report an error in the passage at 55:17 Highlight the passage at 55:17

55:47 So then I got up, well I don't drink coffee, but I drank a cup of... Black tea, which I rarely do. And that was good. That actually, you know, woke me up enough. Not so much that I had that buzzy mind, but at least it cleared out some of that. Report an error in the passage at 55:47 Highlight the passage at 55:47

56:04 So I don't know. Lama Tsongkhapa, you know, don't call it Lama Tsongkhapa on this, but, you know, but, you know, what works, I think. Report an error in the passage at 56:04 Highlight the passage at 56:04

56:18 Okay. So if we apply the antidote of meditation on light. to the causes that reinforce the development of So we talked about this last time. Lethargy, sleepiness and mental states with an aspect of darkness induce laxity. So I was thinking more about this because we had quite an extensive discussion last time about, well, how does lethargy cause laxity, right? Report an error in the passage at 56:18 Highlight the passage at 56:18

56:46 Because it seems that laxity arises first and then lethargy. But actually... When we're meditating and we're starting to get tired, that really does cause laxity. We're not already to the point where we can't control our minds yet, but we've become sleepy or we've just become tired from so much effort. Report an error in the passage at 56:46 Highlight the passage at 56:46

57:12 And then our tightness on the object starts to loosen, and so laxity arises because we're tired. Makes sense. So if we meditate on light to counteract right lethargy, sleepiness, etc., then the laxity which depends on them will also not develop. Report an error in the passage at 57:12 Highlight the passage at 57:12

57:38 And that which has already developed will be counteracted. Report an error in the passage at 57:38 Highlight the passage at 57:38

57:47 Okay, so this next means is one that is actually talked about a lot in the Enigma tradition and stuff. Lama Tsongkhapa doesn't talk about it. But I find this one really helpful. And it's the... Pay. Have people heard the pay? Okay. So this is, you visualize your mind as a little sphere of white light at our hearts. Report an error in the passage at 57:47 Highlight the passage at 57:47

58:13 And then with a forceful exhalation from the diaphragm, very vigorously send it right up through the central channel and out through the crown of your head. And as you do this, you say the word pay really strongly and loudly. Right? And it's amazing, right, how that clears your mind really effectively. Report an error in the passage at 58:13 Highlight the passage at 58:13

58:46 Right, Report an error in the passage at 58:46 Highlight the passage at 58:46

58:52 right. Don't, you know, hang out on the bus and say, pay, pay, pay. Right, but it's very effective and precious, right? But they say don't do it lightly, it's actually a very Report an error in the passage at 58:52 Highlight the passage at 58:52

58:46 don't just do it all the time or joke around when That's a lot of part. Right, Report an error in the passage at 58:46 Highlight the passage at 58:46

59:04 And then, again, Lama Rūpa says, of course, if you're meditating with an earshot of other people, say it either silently to yourself or just imagine the light going up into space and merging with it. I think about that sometimes, you know, if I'm meditating and there's other people in the other room, you know, you don't really want to go, pay! And people kind of wonder what's going on in there, right? Report an error in the passage at 59:04 Highlight the passage at 59:04

59:26 But we'll try that. We'll do a little meditation. uh... We can see if that one works for us. Do you want to do a meditation before break or after? Report an error in the passage at 59:26 Highlight the passage at 59:26

59:51 Yeah, and then we'll finish this. I mean, I'll just cover this one more slide. Again, Lama Rinpoche also recommends, you know, imagine sitting yourself sitting on top of a telephone pole. That doesn't wake us up. Imagine sitting on top of the telephone pole in an earthquake. Report an error in the passage at 59:51 Highlight the passage at 59:51

1:00:11 So. . So anyway, again, Lama Rūpa's little sense of humor there. But anyway, whatever, you know, kind of wakes up your mind. All right. So we'll do five minutes again on our object. Oh, and actually before we start, have we done the nine-bound breathing before here in this class? I know. Well, let's, I think we did do it once, but anyway. But that's a really good way to settle the mind since we're only going to do a five-minute meditation maybe. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:11 Highlight the passage at 1:00:11

1:00:44 In five minutes our minds won't be settled yet. So blocking your left nostril. Breathing in through your right and exhaling through your left. Doing that three times. In through the right, out through the left, in through the right, out through the left. And in through the left, out through the right, in through the left, out through the right, in left, Report an error in the passage at 1:00:44 Highlight the passage at 1:00:44

1:01:30 out right. Then inhaling through both, exhaling through both, inhaling both, Report an error in the passage at 1:01:30 Highlight the passage at 1:01:30

1:01:45 exhaling both, Report an error in the passage at 1:01:45 Highlight the passage at 1:01:45

1:01:49 inhaling both, exhaling both. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:49 Highlight the passage at 1:01:49

1:01:58 Then putting our minds on the object with strong mindfulness, whatever Report an error in the passage at 1:01:58 Highlight the passage at 1:01:58

1:02:08 object you choose. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:08 Highlight the passage at 1:02:08

1:02:16 So holding onto the object tightly, but also balancing tightness and relaxation. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:16 Highlight the passage at 1:02:16

· · · silence, 5 minutes

1:07:26 So are people able to recognize laxity and excitement in their experience and Report an error in the passage at 1:07:26 Highlight the passage at 1:07:26

1:07:35 mindfulness, introspection? I don't understand what those... Report an error in the passage at 1:07:35 Highlight the passage at 1:07:35

1:07:45 Okay. All right. So we have two kinds of brownies today. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:45 Highlight the passage at 1:07:45

1:07:54 Carol made some lovely Valentine's Day brownies. And I think Betty made the other ones, yeah? So they're in the coffee room. Huh? There's no wrong choice. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:54 Highlight the passage at 1:07:54

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:08:42 No, they're a set of teachings. It's like a category of teachings. Oh, thank you. You made it just in time for break. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:42 Highlight the passage at 1:08:42

1:08:57 So, Abhidharma, Vasubandhu wrote into Abhidharma, Asandhu wrote into Abhidharma. It's like Vinaya. There are different texts on the Vinaya. There are different texts on the Abhidharma. And the Abhidharma is full of knowledge. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:57 Highlight the passage at 1:08:57

1:09:17 It's full of all sorts of things. It's in the Abhidharma where you get information about karma, about the mental afflictions, about... Report an error in the passage at 1:09:17 Highlight the passage at 1:09:17

1:09:30 can see the dialogue with your kid until you subscribe to our specific test. The text is part of the dialogue. No, it's... I mean kind of. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:30 Highlight the passage at 1:09:30

1:09:55 No, it's the subject matter. Like one, uh, one. to like, characterize what we were doing, I mean I know it was like from the earlier before, but I don't know what makes it ambidharma, it was just the time that they were reaching or there's... Report an error in the passage at 1:09:55 Highlight the passage at 1:09:55

1:10:00 One way of dividing up the teachings is in terms of three baskets. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:00 Highlight the passage at 1:10:00

1:10:08 One of the baskets is Binaya, and one of the baskets is Ops. Abhidharma and one of the baskets also called Sūtra. But Vinaya is on ethics basically, Abhidharma is on knowledge or wisdom, and Sūtra they say is on concentration in the context of those three baskets. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:08 Highlight the passage at 1:10:08

1:10:33 So knowledge, knowledge or wisdom are included generally in that basket. But then there's a specific usage of that term Abhidharma. And basically, the two main Abhidharma texts are... Vassabandu's Abhidharma Kosha, and Asanda's compendium Abhidharma's Samuel Chai. And then at the same time, not all they wrote was Abhidharma unsuspected. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:33 Highlight the passage at 1:10:33

1:11:02 Not all of that. Not all of those two, not all of what they wrote. Right, right, those were two specific texts from each. Right, because Asanga wrote a lot of other things. So I don't know if that helped. Well, yeah, I mean, I was like, oh, does that mean that, you know, was Asanga the only author of Asanga? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:02 Highlight the passage at 1:11:02

1:11:31 Because I've heard so many times lately this word and I can't place it. So that's why I was, so it's part of the three baskets. It makes more sense to me. And Vasubandhu wrote avidharma according to the kind of Babashika, so Chantika schools, the lower schools and Asanga wrote it. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:31 Highlight the passage at 1:11:31

1:12:00 I don't know what I know about our organization. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:00 Highlight the passage at 1:12:00

1:12:10 Hi, man. It's good. I may leave early because I'm so tired. I did okay. Try the pay. I almost did. My feet fell asleep. Okay. Isn't that interesting? I was, my back didn't go out, it was great. Sitting on the floor, yeah, I've been doing it at home. So I'm giving it a lot. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:10 Highlight the passage at 1:12:10

1:12:34 I told you I was, I scramble, scramble, all my, yeah, actually it was interesting. So I may leave early because I'm so damn tired. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:34 Highlight the passage at 1:12:34

1:12:52 It is my really hard, hardest season because I have a 60 student class on Wednesdays. Yeah, that takes a lot of energy. It does. I have speakers coming, scientists in every different area of cognition, emotion, personality coming. So I take care of them and the students. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:52 Highlight the passage at 1:12:52

1:13:16 And the students are afraid of science. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:16 Highlight the passage at 1:13:16

1:13:22 A lot of people are here. You know, my mind drifted. I don't catch it until I'm... It's always about the object or related. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:22 Highlight the passage at 1:13:22

1:13:37 When it goes, it's related in some way. It's like a story. But I don't catch it until I'm into it. You know what I mean? I don't yet have the ability to be... I think that might be a while. Slowly, slowly. when I was going to switch. I see. I noticed. There's no in between. It's When I suddenly realize that I'm telling a story related to the object, I'm not focused on the object. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:37 Highlight the passage at 1:13:37

1:14:17 Yeah, yeah. yeah. I think it's practice. That's all it is, it's practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:17 Highlight the passage at 1:14:17

1:14:32 My husband got me a pillow on the floor. I've been sitting on pillows. Two pillows. The thingy got me, I couldn't go to sleep. But I get my back pain. I'm amazed. Well, you know, my back does much better sitting on the floor. You have to keep it pretty straight. I mean, I've got osteoporosis. I do have terrible dowages. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:32 Highlight the passage at 1:14:32

1:15:01 So it bends over. But I think sitting back with my legs going down does straighten me. It's very interesting. It's very good. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:01 Highlight the passage at 1:15:01

1:15:11 Yeah, and then there's just experiment in ways to sit without your feet falling asleep. Yeah. Helping you do well. You can just do stuff actually, she's going to refinish the chairs for it. She cleaned up the basement. Can you find this over here? I'll find this. You can sort of hear the cars and the tires against the wind. That's her. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:11 Highlight the passage at 1:15:11

1:15:39 So have you settled in a living situation yet? You're not in a hurry to do that. You staying with a friend? Yes, still a friend. All right. Good to see you. We're in the same place. We're not too close to her. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:39 Highlight the passage at 1:15:39

1:16:22 We want to buy a Next piece of slide. land. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah, a friend who's recently cast away, he and I would climb up the... Report an error in the passage at 1:16:22 Highlight the passage at 1:16:22

1:16:53 I understand the Indians do not like the decline of Chester. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:53 Highlight the passage at 1:16:53

1:17:00 So that's why we went with Chester. Shasta Abbey is up there. A really beautiful remain when he was staying up there at the chastis. He said his meditation was really good. He had a right meditation. Something I can't do test. But I think he knows what he's doing. Are you going to do his Patropani thing? Report an error in the passage at 1:17:00 Highlight the passage at 1:17:00

1:17:30 I was out for five months of COVID-19 trying to get back into work. But then all my sick leave and all that sort of stuff, there's a lot of things you're talking about. you. I appreciate it. I appreciate it. I appreciate it. We all together. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:30 Highlight the passage at 1:17:30

1:17:46 Thank you. That being one of them. The way he does it, like an hour of teaching, an hour of teaching, an hour of teaching, an hour of teaching, and an hour of teaching. And, you know, get you back to breaks for no one hour. And I was able to like that. He was really stuck. I never thought of him. You can't add my back there. Oh! Get to that place. Daddy? How are you? Report an error in the passage at 1:17:46 Highlight the passage at 1:17:46

1:18:28 Thank you. Thank you. Nothing about working and coming to class. This is my heart, because I have this class on Wednesday, 55 graduate students, the speakers have published emotional, emotional, personality, students that really want to hear about science. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:28 Highlight the passage at 1:18:28

1:18:55 What would they rather be talking about, Saturday night or something? Clinical. They don't quite get it. They want to be psychologists, they ought to know. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:55 Highlight the passage at 1:18:55

1:19:17 I heard Daniel Siegel, your boy, what an incredible guy. Amazing stuff. Eight hours a day. It's nonstop. No notes or anything. It's not bad. Yeah. Is it Deborah? It's a mess. Yeah, Deborah's a mess. Get some rice. Are you counting? Are you counting? Oh, gosh. There's something about the job, you know, when you work at a place that's 24-7. I work right up here at CP &C. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:17 Highlight the passage at 1:19:17

1:19:58 Right on Webster? Yeah. But then do you know how to post it? Yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:58 Highlight the passage at 1:19:58

1:20:09 And that's something I really want to do. Yes, I have to recommend, I think being a hospice nurse is what brought me here. I think it's the spiritual nature of dealing with what I'm doing. So, I think they're always welcome here. Sorry. All of you. All of us. All of us. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:09 Highlight the passage at 1:20:09

1:20:31 I think the Zen Center, they used to, and I think they still might have a training program. But we're in a hospice. And And over over at at Laguna Laguna. Honda, they have like a little 225-bed hospice And they're reopening this one down here. That's the five beds. There's hardly any inpatient hospice here in the city. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:31 Highlight the passage at 1:20:31

1:20:54 My mother-in-law is at the University of London. She puts on the university and making all of it. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:54 Highlight the passage at 1:20:54

1:21:10 Steve, thank you. you next week. You should have bounced out. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:10 Highlight the passage at 1:21:10

1:21:17 Not that far south. Not that far south. The other end of the bank. Yeah, don't go all over the L.A. Oh, my God. That would be easier to spin, huh? You should have left L.A. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:17 Highlight the passage at 1:21:17

1:21:33 Yeah, she teaches the same class Thursday at GGPC, actually in Campbell. That's Kamigata? Yes. Are you comfortable south of San Jose? It is a little bit north, just barely. In San Jose it's pretty much that standard. And so Lama's of Lumpish is giving white or green? Yes. It will be down there for two weekends. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:33 Highlight the passage at 1:21:33

1:22:01 It's not March. It's March. March, uh, let me see, 6, 12, maybe, this is, oh, oh, oh, no, it's, uh, I think it's 11 or 12, 13. Really? It's been in the cell phone. I love Sherry, let me see. I've been to Campbell. Have you been to Campbell? I don't know, but each has a really good job. What's that? Galloway books. Oh, I don't know. Good to see It's you. in Campbell, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:01 Highlight the passage at 1:22:01

1:22:36 But there is a location. Yeah, it's going to be a San Jose by the airport, I think, on Bellatrix. Oh, okay. Yeah. No, but Guadalajara is it, right? Yes, Guadalajara is small. It's a little red space. Oh, wow. I didn't feel like a break, I hadn't really done much. You didn't need one? Go figure. That's what I'm going to do. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:36 Highlight the passage at 1:22:36

1:23:00 it is. A break from parking. Yeah. Right. Maybe a break from work. Are you all so good now? No. But my kitchen's unpacked. So I've been cooking. Okay. Well that's important. Sorry. See, we're all excited. A little bite. All that sugar. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:00 Highlight the passage at 1:23:00

1:23:20 Thank you very much, it's beautiful. card. Okay. I have your card. Oops. Let's knock you another nose-tie into the slide picture. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:20 Highlight the passage at 1:23:20

1:23:32 Oh, I had stitches. Fine stitches. Oh, yeah. Right into the corner. Fortunately, the table's okay. I was wearing gloves. Aww. It's the little things, huh, Lewis? Yeah. That's why there's a cloth on the table. Yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:32 Highlight the passage at 1:23:32

1:23:51 I'm a hazard to myself. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:51 Highlight the passage at 1:23:51

1:23:55 Hello, hello. tell you what it is for some time. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:55 Highlight the passage at 1:23:55

1:23:52 I think everyone wants F1. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:52 Highlight the passage at 1:23:52

1:23:59 Hello, spiritual, calm-abiding seekers. You should use the drum. Yeah, this is very intimidating. It's like hurting cats around here. Too much excitement. Yeah, I like that. Catching off the drum. I love Do Report an error in the passage at 1:23:59 Highlight the passage at 1:23:59

1:24:25 you guys know that Lama Zopa is flying in tomorrow? Yeah, he's flying in arriving. I don't know there was an email sent out. Singapore Airlines. Oh yeah, that makes sense from Singapore. So coming in at 1110 at SFO. So if people want to... He's coming from Singapore. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:25 Highlight the passage at 1:24:25

1:24:48 No, I'm sure he'll go down to his house in Aptos until he comes here in a week and a half. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:48 Highlight the passage at 1:24:48

1:25:02 All right. Okay. So we have any questions so far? We lost some people. You're sitting back there all by yourself. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:02 Highlight the passage at 1:25:02

1:25:18 Okay, so we're still talking about laxity. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:18 Highlight the passage at 1:25:18

1:25:25 Lama Tsongkhapa also quotes Asanga, who's saying pretty much the same thing, except for, you know, like meditating on light and et cetera, uplifting your mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:25 Highlight the passage at 1:25:25

1:25:41 As well as we can recite teachings that point out the disadvantages of lethargy and sleepiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:41 Highlight the passage at 1:25:41

1:25:54 Looking to the sides or looking at the moon and the stars. Or, you know, if we have to get up and splash our face with water. I've had to do that before. With cold water. So whatever works, you know, because sometimes we sink so much that we really have to do something physical. Exercise. Moving the arms. Anyway. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:54 Highlight the passage at 1:25:54

1:26:26 okay. But if the laxity is just very slight and doesn't occur more than once in a while, all we need to do is tighten our hold on the object. But if the laxity is heavy and keeps happening, then we need to switch objects and do whatever we need to to uplift the mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:26 Highlight the passage at 1:26:26

1:26:56 Which is what he's saying. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:56 Highlight the passage at 1:26:56

1:27:05 So if we familiarize ourselves with them again and again, then this great limpidity of the mind will arise, this great clarity of the mind, transparency of the mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:05 Highlight the passage at 1:27:05

1:27:18 Laxity. Now excitement. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:18 Highlight the passage at 1:27:18

1:27:24 So when we're excited, the mind runs after forms, sounds, etc. Due to attachment, right? So then we should focus our mind on something disillusioning, right? Because the mind is too up, right? So we need to bring the mind down. I just noticed an unfamiliar. Anyway, okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:24 Highlight the passage at 1:27:24

1:27:51 So to cause the mind, to bring the mind down and more inward again, right? Instead of focusing on, right, food or whatever it is. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:51 Highlight the passage at 1:27:51

1:28:06 But then as soon as the excitement has subsided, then we rest in equipoise. We put our mind back on the object. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:06 Highlight the passage at 1:28:06

1:28:19 So one thing recommended to calm our excitement is to meditate on impermanence, right? Because that brings our mind down, right? We get all excited, oh yeah, I'm going to go, whatever, I'm going to go to this great restaurant tomorrow and then we think, and then what? Then Report an error in the passage at 1:28:19 Highlight the passage at 1:28:19

1:29:04 The pressure is getting closed. Yeah. Yeah. because we get all excited right we get involved in the story right and then right and and impermanence can mean death or we can meditate on the impermanence of all the wonderful experience of eating in that Well, that'll be over and then what? Like how many wonderful meals have we had in our lives? And then it's over and then what's next? Report an error in the passage at 1:29:04 Highlight the passage at 1:29:04

1:29:38 All right. So we get all excited because... He said what's next. Okay. No, but it's true though. I mean, that's worth it. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:38 Highlight the passage at 1:29:38

1:29:55 Okay. But just remembering, or if we're really excited to meet our friends, think, okay, well, with every meeting, there's a parting, these kinds of things. Because we forget the rest of the story when we get all excited. Like, yeah, and then this is going to be so great, and then what? Report an error in the passage at 1:29:55 Highlight the passage at 1:29:55

1:30:22 So that kind of brings the mind back down and doesn't get so excited about. These temporary pleasures. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:22 Highlight the passage at 1:30:22

1:30:32 Also we can focus on the faults of the distracting objects, the faults of the chocolate or whatever it is. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:32 Highlight the passage at 1:30:32

1:30:49 We still want Betty to bake brownies and chocolate chip cookies. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:49 Highlight the passage at 1:30:49

1:31:03 His excitement is focused on There's no such thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:03 Highlight the passage at 1:31:03

1:31:06 An object of attachment, a pleasant object, right? So it's only thinking about the pleasant features of the object, right? So to bring the mind down, it's like thinking about the more realistic, the balance of the pleasant and the unpleasant. Yeah, so we don't get so excited. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:06 Highlight the passage at 1:31:06

1:31:27 So if we have intense or long-lasting excitement, it's effective to loosen the meditation for a while and meditate on something disillusioning. So once again, similar to laxity, if a little bit of excitement is arising and we can just adjust our hold on the object and that works, fine. But if we have really strong excitement or excitement that keeps coming back, even though we keep, you know, Report an error in the passage at 1:31:27 Highlight the passage at 1:31:27

1:31:58 Keep adjusting our hold on the object. Then we need to just change our object of meditation for a while and bring the mind down. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:58 Highlight the passage at 1:31:58

1:32:09 And I find it's very useful to meditate on the faults of whatever you keep getting distracted on. Because if there's one thing that keeps distracting us, right? If it's just many different things, okay, that's something else. But if you keep thinking about... You know, the same thing. What's going to happen tomorrow? What's going to happen tomorrow? What's going to happen tomorrow? When you see your friend, when you see your friend, when you see your friend, right? Then it's useful to, you know, to meditate, to counteract that particular distraction. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:09 Highlight the passage at 1:32:09

1:32:45 So this is useful, just general advice, is just to pay attention to what our... What's going on in our minds, what our distraction is or what, you know, what's causing, you know, the laxity or excitement again and again. And then apply an antidote to that specific thing that's going on for you, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:32:45 Highlight the passage at 1:32:45

1:33:04 If, I mean, laxity also happens because of sleepiness. So if we're not getting enough sleep, you know, it doesn't really matter how much you try to tighten your hold on the object. You're going to continue to fall asleep or continue to be dull. Right? So then it's useful to take a nap. Right? Report an error in the passage at 1:33:04 Highlight the passage at 1:33:04

1:33:36 I seem to have some excitement that's not identifiable. I'm not thinking about something else, and I'm not falling asleep at all. I'm just unable to focus on the object. Okay. And it feels like a little speedy brain, so it feels like it probably is excitement. Mm-hmm, but Report an error in the passage at 1:33:36 Highlight the passage at 1:33:36

1:34:08 But occasionally it'll just be fleeting thoughts, but it doesn't seem to be, it's not like, oh yeah, this is what I'm doing, it's not like the normal kind of laundry list kind of thing, it's just unable to focus. Okay. Let's get through the steering wheel and hold on real time. Uh-huh, yeah, yeah. Because it's kind of aggravating because it's like I'm trying and oh, then I was like, okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:08 Highlight the passage at 1:34:08

1:34:40 Are you using the breath as your object? I think part of my problem is I'm having a really hard time with this whole open eye thing. And when I try to visualize, my eyes go wherever I want to visualize. And I've noticed that, and I don't think I do it as much. My eyes move no matter what, but if my eyes are open, then my head moves. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:40 Highlight the passage at 1:34:40

1:35:11 whatever, you know, like if doing Vajrasapha and I'm seeing him up here imagining something flowing, then I notice that my eyes move, eyes are open, my eyes move and head's going all Report an error in the passage at 1:35:11 Highlight the passage at 1:35:11

1:35:27 right okay I really enjoy the Buddha when I can get it there but I was kind of you think I'm gonna probably back to the Report an error in the passage at 1:35:27 Highlight the passage at 1:35:27

1:35:42 Yeah so it really takes time to get used to it. And do you have your eyes wide open or are they just slightly open? When they're just slightly open, it seems, it's really hard to do that. Yeah. It seems easier and less, it seems like it takes, and then when I just have them open, I'm actually more comfortable. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:42 Highlight the passage at 1:35:42

1:36:10 Right, right. But, so, because I've tried a lot of different, but I've noticed I cannot keep my head still, but that's, I haven't done it with the breath. I haven't tried that when I did, I was able to visualize it. Well, if I'm looking down here and the Buddha's here, I'm really having a hard time. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:10 Highlight the passage at 1:36:10

1:36:37 Yeah, yeah, that takes practice. I mean, other people have said that to me before, too, is it's really hard to keep your eyes only partly open. But I think it's useful, though, to get used to it. It's a matter of training because with your eyes wide open, it's very easy to get distracted by forms, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:37 Highlight the passage at 1:36:37

1:36:59 But to keep them slightly open, to leave the light in, is useful. I think we need to have patience with it. It takes a while to get used to it. You can play around with the eye position. Get used to being able to visualize without using your eyes. That's really hard. Maybe we can visualize it with our eyes closed and then open our eyes a little bit so that you already have the mental image there. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:59 Highlight the passage at 1:36:59

1:37:28 So, you know, just experiment, right? Because if you start visualizing with your eyes open, maybe you're more likely to want to use your eyes. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:28 Highlight the passage at 1:37:28

1:37:38 But if you close your eyes, you visualize it and then open the eyes a little bit. You know, experiment and see if that helps. Yeah, I feel like when my eyes are partially, I mean, just barely, you know, just a little slit, you know, I feel like I can visualize more. But I'm having this thing where I can't. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:38 Highlight the passage at 1:37:38

1:37:59 It's like I need, I guess I need to just meditate and concentrate on my eyes because I'll be seeing it and then the next thing I know my eyes are open. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:59 Highlight the passage at 1:37:59

1:38:10 You know, I'm having more issues with the eye thing. And, and, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:10 Highlight the passage at 1:38:10

1:38:21 Maybe just don't focus on your eyes. Like sometimes we get distracted because we're so focused on our... Physical posture, you know, what the physical posture should be. Oh, my eyes should be open. Focus more on the object, you know, and don't worry if your eyes are wide open, okay. If they've closed, okay. I mean, I wouldn't worry about that too much. I mean, the physical posture is to support our meditation, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:38:21 Highlight the passage at 1:38:21

1:38:52 But we should try to put as much attention as we can on the object itself. So that's what I was going to say, it's like my head moving and... Just forget about that, just because I can do, keep the eye, you know, just keep coming back to the eyes just barely open if I don't have to think, oh Lord, there my head's moving again and then, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:52 Highlight the passage at 1:38:52

1:39:11 Yeah, that's so distracting. You know, I can get to where I'm not even paying attention to that and I'm really trying on the Buddha, but I think that's a lot of energy probably if I'm, you know, even though I'm not thinking about it all the time, I'm sure that little introspective is like, oh yeah, there goes your head again, it's moving around. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:11 Highlight the passage at 1:39:11

1:39:31 Yeah, we're thinking about too many different things. Okay. I'm really making this, this is the first time I've made an effort before to do the eyes open and I did it for a couple weeks and I'm like, I just can't do this. But this time I'm like, okay, this is what it takes to be a Buddha. I'm going to learn how to meditate with my eyes open. But, you know, I am having, I was, my next thing was like to start looking up a bunch of references. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:31 Highlight the passage at 1:39:31

1:39:58 See how everybody says, you know, what do they say when, yeah, we know you want to meditate with your eyes closed, but this is what you need to do. Usually it's just a couple lines. People don't really go into any depth other than that you really need to do it. Yeah, yeah. I feel like the dog in the car, you know. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:58 Highlight the passage at 1:39:58

1:40:18 Yeah. Eyes open, eyes closed. I'm really more comfortable. I can visualize much better. With the eyes just barely open because it's like, oh, there's that blank screen and I can use it. Yeah. But then the next thing I know, my eyes are open. Yeah. Because it seems like it's work to keep them just barely open. So slowly, slowly. I mean, it's just like, you know, when we first learned how to drive, how we had to think about where the feet are and we had to think about where the hands are and think about where to put our eyes and make sure that, you know, we're not going to run anybody over, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:40:18 Highlight the passage at 1:40:18

1:40:52 We're just... Nervous, right, where there's too many things we have to pay attention to. But through practice, right, it becomes more natural. So I think we just have to have patience there. Would you think that it might, I mean, be better to go back to the breath? I really was... My intuition is that if you have that excitement that you started, you know, talking about a lot of that excitement, then try the breath because the breath helps to purify the winds, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:40:52 Highlight the passage at 1:40:52

1:41:18 So it helps to purify. And then... And then I can move to the Buddha. Then you can try the Buddha again if you really like that object. Yeah. I really do. Okay. I had the same experience. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:18 Highlight the passage at 1:41:18

1:41:33 I had been following something Lama Yeshi wrote and he said, close your eyes. So I had the same experience. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:33 Highlight the passage at 1:41:33

1:41:44 So Report an error in the passage at 1:41:44 Highlight the passage at 1:41:44

1:42:12 we'll Report an error in the passage at 1:42:12 Highlight the passage at 1:42:12

1:42:22 go on to... Report an error in the passage at 1:42:22 Highlight the passage at 1:42:22

1:42:29 Right, so here Lama Tsongkhapa was saying, right, if we have strong or long-lasting excitement, then we loosen our meditation, meditating on something else to bring our minds down, right? Because if we just draw the mind in and place the mind back on the object, it's not effective because we have strong or long-lasting excitement because, right, it still has a strong tendency to go outward. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:29 Highlight the passage at 1:42:29

1:42:56 And then once the excitement is not as significant anymore, then we draw in the distraction and tie the mind back to the object. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:56 Highlight the passage at 1:42:56

1:43:07 Okay. And then when we have excitement, don't think about objects like the precious human rebirth and the qualities of the Buddha, right? Because we're trying to bring the mind down. So with an excited mind, we need to meditate on objects that bring the mind down. With laxity, we need to meditate on objects that bring the mind up. Yeah? Makes sense. So we're constantly playing this game, not this game, but this adjustment thing, going back and forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:07 Highlight the passage at 1:43:07

1:43:45 When laxity occurs, bring the mind up. When excitement occurs, bring the mind down. Kind of like on the road, when we sway too far to the left, bring it to the right. When we sway too far to the right, bring it left to the right. Like that. Okay, Report an error in the passage at 1:43:45 Highlight the passage at 1:43:45

1:44:04 so the causes of laxity and excitement, the causes of both laxity and excitement, the common causes, first of all not guarding one's sense doors, so are like the sense doors, right, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and letting the mind constantly go out to the objects of the senses. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:04 Highlight the passage at 1:44:04

1:44:32 Longing for food and longing for sleep and longing for this and longing for that, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:44:32 Highlight the passage at 1:44:32

1:44:42 Not eating the right amount. So generally if we eat too much or really rich foods, the mind tends towards sleepiness, sluggishness, laxity. If we don't eat enough, more excitement arises, right? And we're not grounded enough. enough, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:44:42 Highlight the passage at 1:44:42

1:45:08 So eating the right amount, right? If we eat too much, obviously, you know, the more it's the sleepiness. So we find the right balance there. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:08 Highlight the passage at 1:45:08

1:45:19 Also, playing with caffeine, we're a caffeine society, I think. You know, we drink too much caffeine, the mind goes too up, right? All right. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:19 Highlight the passage at 1:45:19

1:45:31 I'm not... I couldn't find some commentary on this, but here Lama Tsongkhapa says not putting effort into one's practice without sleeping during the first and last parts of the night. So basically being lazy, you know, laziness, not putting effort into our practice, I think is what he's talking about. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:31 Highlight the passage at 1:45:31

1:45:51 But I'll share with you something. You don't think it's true? I don't think so. Because generally it's recommended. Which is very hard for most of us to only sleep during the middle watch of the night, it's said. Like if you divide the night into three periods, not to sleep in the first period and not to sleep in the last period, but only to sleep in the middle period and otherwise to do practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:51 Highlight the passage at 1:45:51

1:46:24 I think it's pretty difficult for most of us, but basically not sleeping, oversleeping. Not sleeping too much and try to practice as best as we can. And also the last one is remaining without introspection. If we don't have strong introspection then we don't recognize laxity and excitement. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:24 Highlight the passage at 1:46:24

1:46:52 So again Lama Rinpoche comments on this failing to restrain the sense doors being a cause for laxity and excitement. For example if you become attached to visual form then we can exhaust ourselves. Outside of meditation, running after objects of attachment, which is what most of us do. Then when it comes time to meditate, we're tired, and it's tiredness that gives rise to laxity. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:52 Highlight the passage at 1:46:52

1:47:27 But then even if it doesn't cause exhaustion, being attached to a lovely visual form can give rise to attachment. And when you sit down to meditate, then the mind will go out to all the things that we're attached to. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:27 Highlight the passage at 1:47:27

1:47:43 Then Gendlam Rinpoche, I mean, I think it related to this thing about not putting effort into one's practice without sleeping. I think that's related to joyous effort or joyous perseverance. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:43 Highlight the passage at 1:47:43

1:47:56 Well, Gendlam Rinpoche talks about if we have perseverance in association with laziness, that can cause either laxity or excitement. Right, so perseverance with laziness as opposed to joyous perseverance. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:56 Highlight the passage at 1:47:56

1:48:13 So what does this mean? He says one example would be looking at your watch and saying to yourself, oh, in the next minute I'm supposed to start my next session. I don't really want to, but I guess I should. So sitting down and making the effort because we think we should, but not with happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:13 Highlight the passage at 1:48:13

1:48:37 Again, Lama Rūpa says if we start out under those conditions, it won't be long before lack of your excitement has you in its grasp. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:37 Highlight the passage at 1:48:37

1:48:44 So this is where meditating on the benefits of calm abiding is really helpful, to remember to be joyful about meditating. I'm not meditating because Lama Tsongkhapa told me to, but we really see that this will benefit us. This will bring us more and more happiness and realizations and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:44 Highlight the passage at 1:48:44

1:49:20 Then the causes of laxity, great sleepiness, we know that one, or excessive looseness in the minds holding its object. So our mind isn't holding onto the object tightly enough. Now this next one, the translation says not balancing calm abiding and special insight but relying on calm abiding too much. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:20 Highlight the passage at 1:49:20

1:49:47 But in the Lamrim Chenmo, the great treatise, the translation was giving only partial attention to serenity or calm abiding without accustomizing yourself to it and fully refining it. So I'm not sure which one this is, because this is kind of strange in the context of calm abiding to say you're relying too much on calm abiding and not on special insight. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:47 Highlight the passage at 1:49:47

1:50:12 But once again, I couldn't find commentary on this. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:12 Highlight the passage at 1:50:12

1:50:19 -hmm. But in general it's, well anyway, that's just my speculation, I won't say. The next one is the mind remaining as though in darkness. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:19 Highlight the passage at 1:50:19

1:50:36 And the last one, not enjoying directing the mind toward the object. If it's a chore to sit down and meditate on the object, that will give rise to laxity. So that's where the advice that we had before when choosing your meditation object, What comes in handy is choosing an object that your mind likes to meditate on, that your mind is attracted to. Not an object of attachment, of course, but something that you're attracted to. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:36 Highlight the passage at 1:50:36

1:51:08 If you're forcing yourself to meditate on the image of a Buddha we have no connection with, then that may not be the right thing. If you're more attracted to Tara than Manjushri, then maybe... Tara is a better object for you. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:08 Highlight the passage at 1:51:08

1:51:30 And then lastly, the causes of excitement, little disillusionment. Little disillusionment with cyclic existence, little disillusionment with objects, pleasant objects. We still believe strongly that these external objects will bring us happiness and will bring us happiness for a long time. So then when we think about those objects, we get really excited and carried away by them. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:30 Highlight the passage at 1:51:30

1:52:03 The mind being excessively tight with respect to its object. So we've talked about that, holding on to the object too tightly. Not being used to making an effort. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:03 Highlight the passage at 1:52:03

1:52:17 So that won't sound familiar. Or the mind being distracted by thoughts of close ones and the like. So thinking about the people that we're attached to. Will bring about excitement. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:17 Highlight the passage at 1:52:17

1:52:39 I feel like I'm losing you. Have I lost you? I'm Report an error in the passage at 1:52:39 Highlight the passage at 1:52:39

1:52:48 sorry. I was thinking about my loved one. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:48 Highlight the passage at 1:52:48

1:52:55 All right. So if you do not put effort into abandoning even subtle laxity and excitement, then you do not know how to accomplish pure meditative stabilization. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:55 Highlight the passage at 1:52:55

1:53:08 All right. So then we use introspection to notice even subtle laxity and excitement. We should stop laxing excitement in every possible way, not tolerating them in any form. Not getting lazy and just saying, okay, well, what to do? It's just there, right? We need to try to counteract them. I mean, especially once we've stabilized on the object. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:08 Highlight the passage at 1:53:08

1:53:35 In the beginning, we can't have it all. At least we can try to stay on the object. Well, you know, once we're able to stay on the object, then we can, know, Start adjusting for laxity and excitement. If we try to do all of it once, I think we're going to get discouraged. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:35 Highlight the passage at 1:53:35

1:54:03 So if you get discouraged and you give up thinking, although in the beginning I cut through some subtle excitement, distraction and the like, they were never cut off, so I shall not cut through them any longer. So we cut through them, but it didn't really work, so I'm not going to do it anymore. Or if you think, unless they are intense and come in excessively long chains, there's no need to cut through them because they're brief and weak, so that no karma will be created. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:03 Highlight the passage at 1:54:03

1:54:35 So if you think, okay, well, it's just subtle, so I don't need to do anything about it, then Lama Tsongkhapa says you don't. know how to accomplish pure meditative stabilization So if we give up because we think we can't cut through them, or we give up because we think, oh, it's no big deal, it's just subtle, you know, those are both incorrect. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:35 Highlight the passage at 1:54:35

1:55:07 So at the outset, right in the beginning, we'll most often be interrupted by distraction and excitement. right so In the beginning, most of the time, we're going to get distracted from the object. So we strive to eliminate those first. So by working on this, if you can stop gross excitement and distraction, we'll get a little bit of stability. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:07 Highlight the passage at 1:55:07

1:55:37 Then at that point, then make an effort to guard against laxity. Because laxity is a danger once we have stability. In the beginning, we're just trying to get stability. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:37 Highlight the passage at 1:55:37

1:55:49 And distraction and excitement come up a lot. Then once we have some stability, then laxity becomes a danger. So then we try to guard against laxity. Then if we're on guard against laxity with a heightened awareness, then excitement, more subtle than before, may again interrupt your stability. So we're on laxity, we're lax, then we uplift our minds, then... Report an error in the passage at 1:55:49 Highlight the passage at 1:55:49

1:56:20 Excitement then becomes a danger. Then we need to eliminate that. Be more stable again. Then laxity arises. So it's this excitement, then laxity, then excitement, then laxity, and then excitement, and then that laxity. So this constant adjustment thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:20 Highlight the passage at 1:56:20

1:56:49 So whenever the stability factor has arisen, beware of laxity. Bring forth intense clarity. So we accomplish faultless meditative stabilization by alternating between those two. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:49 Highlight the passage at 1:56:49

1:57:02 Too tight, too loose, too light, too tight, too loose. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:02 Highlight the passage at 1:57:02

1:57:12 Yeah, yeah, two different translations of the same term. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:12 Highlight the passage at 1:57:12

1:57:20 So, Report an error in the passage at 1:57:20 Highlight the passage at 1:57:20

1:57:26 Lama Tsongkhapa says, do not trust mere limpidity lacking the factor of clarity endowed with the intensity of the mode of apprehension. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:26 Highlight the passage at 1:57:26

1:57:41 So, from what I understood in the commentaries, limpidity is this, like, translucence of the mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:41 Highlight the passage at 1:57:41

1:57:54 Yeah, like pools of water. Exactly. So don't trust just that without the clarity and the intensity. So as we talked about before, we need the clarity of the mind. I mean, ultimately, we need the clarity of the mind and the clarity of the object. In the beginning, the clarity of the object, we won't have so much. But over time, we need a clear mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:54 Highlight the passage at 1:57:54

1:58:23 Clear object, bright mind, and vivid mind, right? Because we talked about last time the difference between the 100 watt light bulb and the 60 watt light bulb. It may be clear, but it needs to be vivid as well, right? So clear and vivid, so the brightness is turned up a little bit more. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:23 Highlight the passage at 1:58:23

1:59:01 Limpidity? Report an error in the passage at 1:59:01 Highlight the passage at 1:59:01

1:59:04 Translucent, clear and vivid, all within that work. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:04 Highlight the passage at 1:59:04

1:59:13 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:13 Highlight the passage at 1:59:13

1:59:18 Yeah. So that's what we're striving for. Yeah. Slowly, slowly. So first... Not yet. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:18 Highlight the passage at 1:59:18

1:59:41 Here's Report an error in the passage at 1:59:41 Highlight the passage at 1:59:41

1:59:45 a definition of... Livid? Report an error in the passage at 1:59:45 Highlight the passage at 1:59:45

1:59:51 Oh, okay. Marked by transparency, clear and simple in style. And then this is the second one, absolutely serene and untroubled. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:51 Highlight the passage at 1:59:51

2:00:02 I think it's the first... Well... yet. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:02 Highlight the passage at 2:00:02

· · · silence, 1 minute

2:00:06 No, I mean, in this context, it's talking about the quality of the clarity of the mind. Yeah, the transparency, I think, of the mind. Okay, it's all right. So Lama Zopa's here in a week and a half. This is a week from this weekend. Jessica has some announcements. Are you ready for those? Do you want me to read another? Report an error in the passage at 2:00:06 Highlight the passage at 2:00:06

2:00:37 thing from here just to get us for Lama Zopa. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:37 Highlight the passage at 2:00:37

2:00:56 about mashed potato dessert? that one? Report an error in the passage at 2:00:56 Highlight the passage at 2:00:56

2:01:03 Rinpoche decided to accept an invitation to someone who requested it. The initiation was scheduled to happen Sunday. We were scheduled to leave Madison early Monday morning after an 8 a.m. appointment with the doctor. And to start driving to Milarepa Center in Vermont. Then the initiation was changed to 4 a.m. Monday in the busyness of things. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:03 Highlight the passage at 2:01:03

2:01:29 Now it is Monday afternoon and Rinpoche is somewhere in the middle of preparing. And we haven't left yet. Still not finished with the preparation, Rinpoche decides to make dessert while we are running around packing and trying to figure out what's going on. The dessert. Mashed potato, more butter than one would ever want to dream about, nonfat half and half, honey and Greek yogurt poured on the top. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:29 Highlight the passage at 2:01:29

2:02:01 Rinpoche passes it around to the attendants who are running around. Not bad, actually. But Rinpoche doesn't eat any. When will we leave Madison? We are six hours late and the initiation hasn't started. Now it's Tuesday at 10.30 a.m. I think we are going soon? Only 26 hours late. The initiation finished at 3.30 this morning. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:01 Highlight the passage at 2:02:01

2:02:32 Not to scare you. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:32 Highlight the passage at 2:02:32

2:02:36 There have been some pujas here and there for people seriously sick and some deaths. Sometimes these things are complicated and take time. All sorts of things have to be managed. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:36 Highlight the passage at 2:02:36

2:02:51 So, it's... Huh? Report an error in the passage at 2:02:51 Highlight the passage at 2:02:51

2:03:01 um... So it's useful to just prepare our minds that Rinpoche won't necessarily be on time and Rinpoche might go late. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:01 Highlight the passage at 2:03:01

2:03:15 But whatever he does is for the benefit of sentient beings. It's not for selfish reasons. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:15 Highlight the passage at 2:03:15

2:03:26 So that's it. You want to make your announcements? Report an error in the passage at 2:03:26 Highlight the passage at 2:03:26

2:03:55 going to go Report an error in the passage at 2:03:55 Highlight the passage at 2:03:55

2:04:09 then on Wednesday, next Report an error in the passage at 2:04:09 Highlight the passage at 2:04:09

· · · silence, 1 minute

2:04:58 guess on Tuesday, March 1st, just to Report an error in the passage at 2:04:58 Highlight the passage at 2:04:58

2:05:08 so I think, squeeze all that material Report an error in the passage at 2:05:08 Highlight the passage at 2:05:08

2:05:22 There you go! So two weeks from today, we won't have class. after, right immediately following on the Report an error in the passage at 2:05:22 Highlight the passage at 2:05:22

2:05:35 there any questions on that? And I know Emily mentioned that he's flying in tomorrow. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:35 Highlight the passage at 2:05:35

2:05:47 Okay, Report an error in the passage at 2:05:47 Highlight the passage at 2:05:47

2:05:54 let's dedicate. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:54 Highlight the passage at 2:05:54

2:05:58 246. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:58 Highlight the passage at 2:05:58

2:06:18 May all beings everywhere, plagued by sufferings of body and mind, obtain an ocean of happiness and joy by virtue of my merits. May no living creature suffer, commit evil or ever fall ill. if you want details on that, I can Report an error in the passage at 2:06:18 Highlight the passage at 2:06:18

· · · silence, 1 minute

2:06:31 May no one be afraid or belittled with a mind weighed down by depression. May the blind see forms and the deaf hear sounds. May those whose bodies are worn with toil be restored on finding repose. May the naked find clothing, the hungry find food. May the thirsty find water and delicious drinks. May the poor find wealth, those weak with sorrow find joy. May the forlorn find hope, constant happiness and prosperity. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:31 Highlight the passage at 2:06:31

2:07:01 May there be timely rains and bountiful harvests. May all medicines be effective and wholesome prayers bear fruit. May all who are sick and ill quickly be freed from their ailments. Whatever diseases there are in the world, may they never occur again. May the frightened cease to be afraid and those bound be freed. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:01 Highlight the passage at 2:07:01

2:07:22 May the powerless find power and may people think of benefiting each other. For as long as space remains, for as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain to dispel the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:22 Highlight the passage at 2:07:22

2:07:57 Have a good week. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:57 Highlight the passage at 2:07:57

2:08:04 Happy Valentine's Day. Oh yeah, homework. If you have homework, I also have a few hard copies of the next week's homework if anybody wants one. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:04 Highlight the passage at 2:08:04

2:08:21 Homework five. Homework five. Good price. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:21 Highlight the passage at 2:08:21

2:08:39 Eleanor, did Eleanor leave already? ready? right here. Okay, I have Eleanor's homework. Hey, you made it. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:39 Highlight the passage at 2:08:39

2:08:51 I didn't think you would. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:51 Highlight the passage at 2:08:51

2:08:56 Busy day. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:56 Highlight the passage at 2:08:56

2:09:11 Yeah, I figured that was you, so this is from your Wild Awakening book. Report an error in the passage at 2:09:11 Highlight the passage at 2:09:11

2:09:26 one of these days... Oh, no, I'm so sorry. We're going to have a nice trip on it. Yeah. Should I ever get around here? Sorry, you're very patient. No, you know what? The more I get into it, the more fun it is. So, the longer the better. Oh, you mean a book or this? Report an error in the passage at 2:09:26 Highlight the passage at 2:09:26

2:09:46 That's because other, you know, definition stories keep coming up. So, it's kind of cool. Deeper layers of meaning. these are winners. Okay. Anyway. Good, you're going back to class tonight? No, I'm going to go see Tim. Oh, good, you're going to spend the night with Tim. Bring your pillow, Dad. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 2:09:46 Highlight the passage at 2:09:46

2:10:14 She's usually okay, but sometimes she likes to sit in my lap. She just likes something. Report an error in the passage at 2:10:14 Highlight the passage at 2:10:14

2:10:24 That might be a distraction. Report an error in the passage at 2:10:24 Highlight the passage at 2:10:24

2:10:42 Because Nikki likes the band. is really... Report an error in the passage at 2:10:42 Highlight the passage at 2:10:42

2:10:46 That's what they say. Report an error in the passage at 2:10:46 Highlight the passage at 2:10:46

2:11:01 For every hour that you're gone, the dog is gone for three years. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 2:11:01 Highlight the passage at 2:11:01

2:11:11 Well, Report an error in the passage at 2:11:11 Highlight the passage at 2:11:11

2:11:15 the last time I read, my dog is gone for four years. These are too heavy to carry too many. don't know how it really works. How does he count as you did they come up with weird ears? Report an error in the passage at 2:11:15 Highlight the passage at 2:11:15

2:11:23 Right, but these go off. No, they go off. Right where you're standing. I was going to say, should we have the other ones first? think Shane gave it to you. You got it. Report an error in the passage at 2:11:23 Highlight the passage at 2:11:23

2:11:37 I know huh, you're a mess huh? Report an error in the passage at 2:11:37 Highlight the passage at 2:11:37

2:11:47 is the International Channel. Yeah, yeah. you'll see, you know. You? Right. It's at 1110A. The Bucket Brigade. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 2:11:47 Highlight the passage at 2:11:47