Basic Program - Buddhism From A-Z (2 May 2008)

0:00 So, Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:16 so far, recall that we've gone through the greatness of the teacher, Atisha, the greatness of the teaching, and now we're going through the section on how to listen and explain, listen to and explain the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 0:16 Highlight the passage at 0:16

0:38 That section we're on how to listen to the teachings, and there were six discriminations. Report an error in the passage at 0:38 Highlight the passage at 0:38

0:49 We're on the six discriminations. Report an error in the passage at 0:49 Highlight the passage at 0:49

0:57 Okay, so we're on the bottom of page 15. Report an error in the passage at 0:57 Highlight the passage at 0:57

1:22 The text? Yeah, at the beginning of class I did. Report an error in the passage at 1:22 Highlight the passage at 1:22

1:33 Oh, well, that's the commentary probably. I guess you're jumping out, so it's commentary. I emailed out the commentary and the text. Report an error in the passage at 1:33 Highlight the passage at 1:33

1:46 It's good to read the commentary. It's excellent to read the commentary. Because the text itself, if you just read the text, it's hard to get the full meaning. But if you read the commentary. you, Terry. Report an error in the passage at 1:46 Highlight the passage at 1:46

2:05 So last time we started covering this section on the instruction to act accordingly having identified the meaning of persistence. So we had talked about how one should view oneself as being someone who is ill, a patient, when we're listening to the Dharma. We should view the Dharma as the medicine. Report an error in the passage at 2:05 Highlight the passage at 2:05

2:31 The teacher is the doctor and how we need to practice persistently, right? And so here we're talking about the meaning of persistence. And so last time we talked about persistence in this context. So signifies putting into practice the topics of adopting and abandoning of modes of conduct from the spiritual teacher's instructions. Report an error in the passage at 2:31 Highlight the passage at 2:31

2:55 All right, so here we're, um, so the, according... Based on the teachings, we understand what we need to practice and what we need to abandon. We need to, for example, abandon the three faults of the vessel, listening as an upside-down vessel or a leaky vessel or a dirty vessel, and then adopt, listening with concentration and good motivation, etc. Report an error in the passage at 2:55 Highlight the passage at 2:55

3:25 cetera, et et cetera. Okay, also Gishisopa says that persistence or assiduous, as he translated it, means urgency or seriousness of purpose. So we talked about that before. Practicing with urgency and seriousness of purpose. Realizing this is our ticket out of saṃsāra. Report an error in the passage at 3:25 Highlight the passage at 3:25

3:52 So next, now to put them into practice, you need to know them, and for that, you need to listen and study. So if we're going to practice, first we need to know what we need to practice, and in order to know what we need to practice and abandon, then we need to listen to teachings and to study the teachings. Report an error in the passage at 3:52 Highlight the passage at 3:52

4:15 Again, after studying and knowing, you need to practice, and therefore it is crucial to engage in the meaning of what has been studied to the best of one's abilities. So obviously we can't practice everything all at once. Report an error in the passage at 4:15 Highlight the passage at 4:15

4:32 It can be pretty overwhelming sometimes when we study the Dharma and think about all the different things we need to practice. So the advice here is to practice to the best of one's abilities based on where we are. Report an error in the passage at 4:32 Highlight the passage at 4:32

4:48 Otherwise, at the time of death, you will have regrets with regard to what you have not accomplished. You will resemble an actor imitating others or someone interested in sugar eating only sugar cane. Report an error in the passage at 4:48 Highlight the passage at 4:48

5:07 Exhortation to the supreme intention, it says, I failed in my attainments, now what should I do? That is how the childish wail while dying. They have not dealt deep, and the suffering is great. Note that these are the faults of delighting in words. Report an error in the passage at 5:07 Highlight the passage at 5:07

5:29 So, right, so if we really do our best, you know, in our Dharma practice, we practice to the best of our ability, at the time of death we won't have any regrets, right? Because it's really the Dharma that's going to help us in our next life. Report an error in the passage at 5:29 Highlight the passage at 5:29

5:45 Everything else we're going to lose, right? Our body, our money, our possessions, we're going to lose everything. So really the only thing that's going to help us at the time of death is the karma that we've created through this life and then the mind at the time of death. Report an error in the passage at 5:45 Highlight the passage at 5:45

6:06 So if at the time of death we realize, okay, well we wasted our life, we didn't really practice, we were really lazy, we were really distracted, then we'll really have a lot of regrets. Report an error in the passage at 6:06 Highlight the passage at 6:06

6:18 so... Report an error in the passage at 6:18 Highlight the passage at 6:18

6:23 So that's why the advice is to meditate on death every day. So when we want to meditate on death and realize we can die any day, then we'll really use our life well. Then our priorities get straight. Report an error in the passage at 6:23 Highlight the passage at 6:23

6:42 So many of us probably know Kim Hollingsay. This is such a great example. Kim was a student of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and a few years ago he worked for the Liberation Prison Project. Before that he had kind of a wild life, but when he met the dharma and he met the lamas, he became very devoted to the lamas and he worked for Rubina for a wild liberation prison project and then a few years ago he moved up to Portland. Report an error in the passage at 6:42 Highlight the passage at 6:42

7:21 And he was the director of administration in international office. And so he was working directly for Lama Zopa Rinpoche. And it was really hard for him. I know it was really. He went through a lot of difficulties there. And he had a few health problems. And I remember thinking, maybe Kim, maybe you should find another job or something. Report an error in the passage at 7:21 Highlight the passage at 7:21

7:45 But he stuck it through. And then on Tuesday... He had a heart attack, a massive heart attack, and died. He was in meetings all day long, away from the office, and he was coming back to the office. He got out of his car, and he had a heart attack, and then he was found there. And then immediately, international office found out, Lama Zopa Rinpoche found out, and I'm sure he did practices immediately. Report an error in the passage at 7:45 Highlight the passage at 7:45

8:14 And then I heard yesterday that Lama Zopa Rinpoche... He observed that Kim went to a Pure Land. So, you know, what a great reward for him to have really practiced, to have really given himself to the Dalai. And so that's Kim right here, for people who don't know him. He was really big hearted. Report an error in the passage at 8:14 Highlight the passage at 8:14

8:50 So that's another good reminder of impermanence. Report an error in the passage at 8:50 Highlight the passage at 8:50

8:56 You know, the rewards of working for the Dharma and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Lama Zopa Rinpoche will take care of us at the time of death. So that's really nice and inspiring. Report an error in the passage at 8:56 Highlight the passage at 8:56

9:19 The text says, like someone amidst the crowd observing a play, discussing the virtues of another hero and failing with regard to his own persistence, note that these are the faults of delighting in words. Report an error in the passage at 9:19 Highlight the passage at 9:19

9:34 So here, this is, this is, um, Giving the example of someone who's watching a play and discussing the virtues or the talents of the actors in the play, marveling at the talent of others, rather than practice being good themselves. Report an error in the passage at 9:34 Highlight the passage at 9:34

9:59 And here, failing with regard to his own persistence. So rather than practicing the Dharma, just delighting in the qualities of others. delighting in the qualities of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Note that these are the faults of delighting in words. So this is the fault of just listening to the Dharma but not actually reflecting on it and practicing. Report an error in the passage at 9:59 Highlight the passage at 9:59

10:26 You Report an error in the passage at 10:26 Highlight the passage at 10:26

10:36 said delighting in the actions of others. I thought that was a virtue. Right, well that's good, right? Delighting in the virtues of others. Report an error in the passage at 10:36 Highlight the passage at 10:36

10:48 But it's not enough, right? We need to practice ourselves as well. So this is talking about someone who's only delighting in the virtues of others but not practicing. Does that make sense, Anna? Yeah. It's like in the seven-limb prayer, the rejoicing in the virtues of oneself and others. That's one of the seven limbs. But we need all seven limbs. We need to pray across straight and make offering. Report an error in the passage at 10:48 Highlight the passage at 10:48

11:19 me it. And Report an error in the passage at 11:19 Highlight the passage at 11:19

11:26 then the text says, in the bark of sugar cane there is no essence. The delightful flavor is inside. Someone eating the bark is unable to find the delicious flavor of molasses. Report an error in the passage at 11:26 Highlight the passage at 11:26

11:39 Similarly, words are like the bark. The taste is like the meaning of those words. Consequently, abandon delighting in words. Always be conscientious, reflecting their meaning. Report an error in the passage at 11:39 Highlight the passage at 11:39

11:52 So here this example is talking about someone who wants sugar, right, something sweet, but just eats the bark of the sugar cane. So it is missing out on the essence of the sugar cane, right, and missing out on the sweetness inside. And so this is compared to someone who is just listening to the words of the Dharma, but not practicing and missing the essence of the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 11:52 Highlight the passage at 11:52

12:19 So the essence of the Dharma is really... Practicing and applying the meaning in our lives. And ultimately actualizing. Actualize the meaning within our own lives. Report an error in the passage at 12:19 Highlight the passage at 12:19

12:40 So here it says, don't be satisfied with just listening to the words of the Dharma. We need to reflect on the meaning, practice and actualize the meaning. Report an error in the passage at 12:40 Highlight the passage at 12:40

13:02 And Gishisopa says, this does not mean that you should disregard the words of the Dharma. It's just we shouldn't stop there. Report an error in the passage at 13:02 Highlight the passage at 13:02

· · · silence, 1 minute

13:39 Gishijampa Gyatso says, We also need to abandon talking too much and to try to think more. We need to have conscientiousness at all times and to take care of our own mind. Report an error in the passage at 13:39 Highlight the passage at 13:39

13:56 So I've noticed this tendency within myself, at least when I've listened to a Dharma teaching, to immediately think of questions and not to actually think it through in my own mind, but just kind of jump immediately to questions. And I think that maybe we as Westerners have that tendency, right? And so it's good to cultivate just thinking about the teachings, reflecting on them on our own and see if we can come up with a conclusion on our own instead of always asking other people. Report an error in the passage at 13:56 Highlight the passage at 13:56

14:34 I mean, it's good to ask questions, but it's important to reflect within ourselves. I Report an error in the passage at 14:34 Highlight the passage at 14:34

14:54 remember when I was in Italy as an American at the beginning of the... Seven years that I was studying, I was like one of those really obnoxious people who was constantly asking questions. And it was interesting because some of the people who grew up in other cultures, like in Singapore and things like that, they were really quiet. Report an error in the passage at 14:54 Highlight the passage at 14:54

15:14 And two of the brightest students, you know, they're really, really brilliant. They almost asked no questions. And I thought that was very strange at the beginning. And then over time I came to appreciate that they really knew the Dharma. They didn't just sit and constantly ask questions, but they were really reflecting on it. Report an error in the passage at 15:14 Highlight the passage at 15:14

15:41 Any questions Report an error in the passage at 15:41 Highlight the passage at 15:41

15:47 so far? Report an error in the passage at 15:47 Highlight the passage at 15:47

15:58 after saying that Report an error in the passage at 15:58 Highlight the passage at 15:58

16:02 No, but it, I mean, I'm not discouraging you for answering questions, but it's good for us to reflect, right? Report an error in the passage at 16:02 Highlight the passage at 16:02

16:15 And then maybe I'll, Geshe Soppa mentions the four reliances, right? So, so we're advised, the Buddha advised that we should rely on the teaching, not the person. Report an error in the passage at 16:15 Highlight the passage at 16:15

16:32 Teaching and not the... right, um... Report an error in the passage at 16:32 Highlight the passage at 16:32

16:35 If someone's very charismatic and eloquent and well-spoken, not to believe them just because they're impressive as a person, but to rely on the teaching. Report an error in the passage at 16:35 Highlight the passage at 16:35

16:48 And then to rely on the meaning and not just the words. So this verse is talking about how we should rely on the meaning and not just the words. And then the next two rely on the definitive meaning and not the interpretive meaning. Report an error in the passage at 16:48 Highlight the passage at 16:48

17:08 And then rely on exalted wisdom, not dualistic cognition. I rely on basically ultimate truth and not conventional truth. Report an error in the passage at 17:08 Highlight the passage at 17:08

17:23 I won't talk about those last two reliances, but I just wanted to mention this. Report an error in the passage at 17:23 Highlight the passage at 17:23

17:42 So the next section, contemplating the discrimination of the Tathāgata as an exalted being. The fifth one consists in developing respect, having brought to mind the teacher of the Dharma, the Bhagavan. Report an error in the passage at 17:42 Highlight the passage at 17:42

17:56 So here, this is... Thinking about the qualities of Buddha Shakyamuni, the hardships he went through, the realizations he attained, the mental afflictions he abandoned completely, he attained omniscience. Report an error in the passage at 17:56 Highlight the passage at 17:56

18:14 And then out of his great kindness, he taught the Dharma. If he just attained enlightenment and kept it all to himself, we wouldn't be here now. so reflecting on the great kindness Report an error in the passage at 18:14 Highlight the passage at 18:14

18:31 Buddha Shakyamuni, and Report an error in the passage at 18:31 Highlight the passage at 18:31

18:36 then develop respect for him. Report an error in the passage at 18:36 Highlight the passage at 18:36

18:44 So the reason the Buddha taught, it was solely for our benefit, right? It wasn't for his own benefit, right? He'd already attained everything there was to be attained. Report an error in the passage at 18:44 Highlight the passage at 18:44

18:56 So that's true of all our Lamas. If you think about it, all these Tibetan Lamas, they came to this country, why? For us. They left their home, they left their family, they left all of their friends. And they're here, right, amidst all of these strange westerners teaching us the Dharma, right? And oftentimes, right, we're not the best of students. Here they are teaching all of these profound subjects and we're not necessarily meditating on them. Report an error in the passage at 18:56 Highlight the passage at 18:56

19:34 You know, we do the best we can. But I think of Gishidapha and think about... The immense qualities he has in this encyclopedia of knowledge. And we can only absorb some small, tiny fraction of what he has to offer. But he just continues to offer it. He just continues to give it so much equanimity, you know, and he never gets tired of it. Report an error in the passage at 19:34 Highlight the passage at 19:34

20:02 He's just kindly offering it and answering questions, right? You never hear him exasperated with anyone when they're asking. a question that I very patiently. Report an error in the passage at 20:02 Highlight the passage at 20:02

20:18 The Report an error in the passage at 20:18 Highlight the passage at 20:18

20:33 last discrimination is generating the wish for the Dharma tradition to last long. So the sixth one consists in the thought how nice it would be if based on listening to the Dharma, to such a Dharma, the genus teachings remained in the world for long. So here developing the wish out of compassion for all beings. Report an error in the passage at 20:33 Highlight the passage at 20:33

20:56 A wish for the Dharma to last for a long time. Jina. Did I tell you that I looked up Jina? Okay, so Jina was the way that this translator translated the Tibetan word for conqueror or victor or king. Report an error in the passage at 20:56 Highlight the passage at 20:56

21:21 Conqueror, victor, or king, referring to Shakyamuni Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 21:21 Highlight the passage at 21:21

21:28 And then Jina seems to be a word that's... A term used a lot in the Jain religion and apparently is used in Buddhism as well, but not as widely. Report an error in the passage at 21:28 Highlight the passage at 21:28

21:47 The Report an error in the passage at 21:47 Highlight the passage at 21:47

21:55 next section, the way in which one needs to listen, having related this to one's mind. Apart from that, if you keep your own mind aside while explaining or listening to the Dharma, the Dharma remaining separate from it, then this will result in whatever is being explained to miss the point. Therefore it is necessary to listen in order to reach certainty concerning one's own continuum. So I think this is easy to do. Report an error in the passage at 21:55 Highlight the passage at 21:55

22:26 Sometimes when we're listening to the Dharma, just think of it as being something intellectual, not as being something that causes us to look inside at our own minds. You know, if we learn about the mental factors of faith or wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 22:26 Highlight the passage at 22:26

22:49 Conscientiousness, like perhaps we understand intellectually what these mental factors are and forget to look in our own minds to try to recognize those mental factors. Report an error in the passage at 22:49 Highlight the passage at 22:49

23:04 Keeping our own mind aside from the teachings, not really using the teachings as a mirror to look at our own minds. Then this will result in whatever is being explained to miss the point. Then we're missing the real point of the teaching. right, if keeping the mind aside. Report an error in the passage at 23:04 Highlight the passage at 23:04

23:26 To illustrate this, if you want to examine whether or not there's dirt or some other impurity on your face, you look at yourself in a mirror and understanding that there is, remove it. So if we want to see if we have dirt on our face or a pimple on our face or something, we look in the mirror. Likewise, when we listen to the Dharma, when you hear the Dharma, Your faculty behavior appears in the mirror of the Dharma, whereupon you feel anguish, thinking, that is what my mind has come to. Report an error in the passage at 23:26 Highlight the passage at 23:26

24:04 Right? So, that's true, right? When we listen to the Dharma and use the Dharma as a mirror for our own minds, then it can be quite painful. Like when we were studying the mental factors, the six root afflictions and the twenty secondary afflictions. Oh yeah, I have that one. I have that one, too. That pride? Yeah, I have. Oh, that miserly? Yeah, I have that miserly. Oh, yeah, and I have that jealousy, and I have attachment, and I have anger. Report an error in the passage at 24:04 Highlight the passage at 24:04

24:42 You know, it can be quite painful to see that we have all of those. But that's the first step, right, in order to get better, right? Then we work on it. Report an error in the passage at 24:42 Highlight the passage at 24:42

24:58 Alternatively, we can listen to the teachings and think, oh yeah, I know somebody who has that. That really reminds me of so-and-so. And so once again, that's missing the point. It's so much easier to see it in others. I Report an error in the passage at 24:58 Highlight the passage at 24:58

25:21 can point out the faults of others, but that's maybe not the point. Then, as you engage in eliminating faults and attaining qualities, You necessarily train in accordance with the Dharma. It is like in the Jataka stories where the son of Sutasa asks Prince Chandra for Dharma teachings in these terms. Report an error in the passage at 25:21 Highlight the passage at 25:21

25:49 Beholding the forms of my bad behavior in the dazzling mirror of Dharma, anguish arises forceful in me and I turn towards the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 25:49 Highlight the passage at 25:49

26:00 So this is the story in the Jataka tales where there was this... Kind of demon-like creature. So in a previous life, Shakyamuni Buddha in a previous life, he was a prince, Prince Chandra. Or Gishisopa called him Prince Report an error in the passage at 26:00 Highlight the passage at 26:00

26:21 Suttasoma. But anyway, so there was this demon-like creature who was the son of Suttasa. His name was Kalmasapada. And he was known for liking to eat the flesh of human beings. And so one day the prince was out. Report an error in the passage at 26:21 Highlight the passage at 26:21

26:44 He heard that this demon-like being wanted to eat the prince, and so he went to see this demon and was kind of licking his chops, but was at the same time really amazed at the peacefulness and the beauty of the prince, right? And so he didn't eat the prince right away. Report an error in the passage at 26:44 Highlight the passage at 26:44

27:09 So then the prince was in the middle, I think, of receiving a Dharma teaching. I don't remember exactly. Exactly. And then asked this demon if he could go and finish. No, I think he was giving a Dharma teaching. And he asked if he could go and finish giving the Dharma teaching. And then he would come back and allow himself to be eaten. And this demon-like creature thought, nobody voluntarily comes back to be eaten after they've been released. Report an error in the passage at 27:09 Highlight the passage at 27:09

27:45 But the prince, you know, really asked sincerely and the demon thought, okay, well, let's just see what he does. And so the prince went and he gave the Dharma teaching and then he came back and said, okay, now I'm ready. And the demon was, you know, floored. And so he thought, well, you know, maybe this person has something to teach me. He said, before I eat you... Report an error in the passage at 27:45 Highlight the passage at 27:45

28:14 Will you give me a Dharma teaching? And so at that point he became a suitable vessel to listen to the Dharma. He became open enough to listen to the Dharma, seeing his own bad behavior. And so the prince gave him a Dharma teaching. Report an error in the passage at 28:14 Highlight the passage at 28:14

28:42 That's what this was referring to. Report an error in the passage at 28:42 Highlight the passage at 28:42

28:50 I don't think so. He realized the error of his ways and became a student of the prince, I think. Usually they don't tell the rest of the story. The first teaching was no doubt centered around not eating people. Report an error in the passage at 28:50 Highlight the passage at 28:50

29:10 Let's just say, hypothetically. I don't think so. I don't think so. Report an error in the passage at 29:10 Highlight the passage at 29:10

29:13 call you. Report an error in the passage at 29:13 Highlight the passage at 29:13

29:24 To be the thinking of a suitable vessel for hearing the Dharma the Bodhisattva gave in teachings. Report an error in the passage at 29:24 Highlight the passage at 29:24

29:43 So here, Geshe Jampi Gyatso advises us at the end of this section to study the Lamrim carefully, to read books and to think about it and then apply it to our lives and really try to understand it. Report an error in the passage at 29:43 Highlight the passage at 29:43

30:05 Then, if we still don't understand, then ask questions. Report an error in the passage at 30:05 Highlight the passage at 30:05

30:16 He gives some really beautiful advice in here. Report an error in the passage at 30:16 Highlight the passage at 30:16

30:29 So it is important to try as much as possible to develop our inner qualities, mainly love and compassion. These two are important for everyone, for every living being. Report an error in the passage at 30:29 Highlight the passage at 30:29

30:47 Love and compassion are a universal religion. No one will argue that we do not need them. Everyone knows that everyone needs love. Report an error in the passage at 30:47 Highlight the passage at 30:47

31:03 We also see that even mother cats... Dogs and birds try to take care of their offspring. Therefore in daily life we should develop the minds of love and compassion. The Report an error in the passage at 31:03 Highlight the passage at 31:03

31:20 next practice he talks about is how we should also be more satisfied, more content and have less desire for material things. Report an error in the passage at 31:20 Highlight the passage at 31:20

31:31 We should think I have enough. I have all the necessary conditions. If instead we think I already have a car but I want a better and more expensive one. We will not be satisfied and will not be mentally happy. We need a satisfied and content mind with less desire. Report an error in the passage at 31:31 Highlight the passage at 31:31

31:55 On the other hand, we need more desire for inner attainments, for enlightenment and for Dharma practice. Report an error in the passage at 31:55 Highlight the passage at 31:55

32:05 We also need dissatisfaction with what we have done so far. Dissatisfaction and more desire for material things, on the other hand, is an obstacle and only brings suffering. Report an error in the passage at 32:05 Highlight the passage at 32:05

32:19 Therefore, we need to give them. Report an error in the passage at 32:19 Highlight the passage at 32:19

32:26 So practice love and compassion and more contentment. Then we also need to help others as much as possible. If we cannot benefit them, at the very least we should try not to harm them. So we hear that from His Holiness the Dalai Lama again and again. Report an error in the passage at 32:26 Highlight the passage at 32:26

32:50 We also need to understand what pure Dharma is and to do this we need to study. This is not easy as we cannot understand everything immediately. We need to put effort into gaining understanding. Therefore, we need to eliminate the obstacle of laziness. We should not think, today I am tired. I won't do it today. I'll do it tomorrow. Then again tomorrow we think, well, not today. Tomorrow. Until we die, there will always be a tomorrow. Report an error in the passage at 32:50 Highlight the passage at 32:50

33:36 Lastly, he talks about how we need to take care of ourselves. Others can help us financially, but if our mind is unhappy, others cannot help us. Report an error in the passage at 33:36 Highlight the passage at 33:36

33:49 We need to apply the antidotes and develop our own inner qualities. We need to apply the Dharma to our mind, and in this way we can eliminate faults. Report an error in the passage at 33:49 Highlight the passage at 33:49

34:21 And how to keep in mind the purpose of attainment. Report an error in the passage at 34:21 Highlight the passage at 34:21

34:35 In short, thinking, I shall attain Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings. To attain that, I need to train in its causes. Apparently, it is necessary to listen to the Dharma for that. Therefore, I shall listen to the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 34:35 Highlight the passage at 34:35

34:51 You should generate the mind of enlightenment, consider the benefits of study and listening with joy, abandoning the faults of the vessel. Report an error in the passage at 34:51 Highlight the passage at 34:51

35:02 So here this is talking about how we need to generate bodhicitta, the desire to attain complete enlightenment for the welfare of all sentient beings. In order to do that we need to train in its causes. So bodhicitta, the causes of bodhicitta are great compassion, Love, wishing that all beings are happy or have happiness in its causes. Report an error in the passage at 35:02 Highlight the passage at 35:02

35:36 And then great compassion, wanting all beings without exception to be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. Report an error in the passage at 35:36 Highlight the passage at 35:36

35:51 We need to listen to the Dharma, Report an error in the passage at 35:51 Highlight the passage at 35:51

35:56 consider the benefits of study, listen with joy, remembering the benefits of studying. Then we develop a joyful mind. As we study and then abandoning the faults of the vessel. Report an error in the passage at 35:56 Highlight the passage at 35:56

36:14 Anybody remember the faults of the vessel? Dirty, upside down, holes. So that's Report an error in the passage at 36:14 Highlight the passage at 36:14

36:32 it for the section on listening to the Dharma. And Report an error in the passage at 36:32 Highlight the passage at 36:32

36:40 the next section is considering the benefits of explaining the Dharma. You want to take a break before we go into the next section? Report an error in the passage at 36:40 Highlight the passage at 36:40

37:04 So the next section is how to explain the Dharma, which has four sections. Considering the benefits of explaining the Dharma, generating respect for the teacher and the teachings, what kind of attitude and activities to explain with, and distinction between who the explanations should and should not be given to. Report an error in the passage at 37:04 Highlight the passage at 37:04

37:27 So Report an error in the passage at 37:27 Highlight the passage at 37:27

37:31 considering the benefits of explaining the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 37:31 Highlight the passage at 37:31

37:40 So I think this applies to all of us, right? I mean, not just a formal teacher, but when we're explaining the Dharma to others. This is how we should explain the Dharma. And then who knows? Maybe some of us will become a Dharma teacher someday. As unlikely as that may sound, I know that for me, I had absolutely no intention to ever become a Dharma teacher. Report an error in the passage at 37:40 Highlight the passage at 37:40

38:10 And in my retreat, I decided, okay, I'm not going to do it, at least I'm not ready to do it now. I'll do it, you know, maybe if I'm ready at some point in the future. And then I came out of retreat and my Lama asked me to teach, so, I'm like, what can you do? Report an error in the passage at 38:10 Highlight the passage at 38:10

38:30 How long was your year on your programs? Yeah, you know, it's like you make a decision and then the Lama asks you to do something completely opposite. Report an error in the passage at 38:30 Highlight the passage at 38:30

38:43 How long was your retreat? I hope that your decision wasn't the sumpt total of your retreat. That was my one civilization. Report an error in the passage at 38:43 Highlight the passage at 38:43

38:55 It's all about not teaching. Because I was putting all this pressure on myself. They expect me to teach and I'm not ready and so I decided to be really compassionate with myself and not force myself to teach. too, man. You're the mama. You're kind of a... The best laid plan. Report an error in the passage at 38:55 Highlight the passage at 38:55

39:18 Anyway, we just do our best, right? So, you know, that can happen to us. Report an error in the passage at 39:18 Highlight the passage at 39:18

39:30 And, you know, in retrospect, it's been very, very beneficial for my own practice. I mean, how incredible it is to have that opportunity to go through and study the Dharma. To the point where you have to explain it to others, right? When you just listen to a teaching, you think, okay, well that kind of makes sense. But if you're explaining it, you have to go to another level. Report an error in the passage at 39:30 Highlight the passage at 39:30

39:54 And that's been really, really helpful to me. Then you really have to, it forces you to go inside a bit more. So the Lama always knows best. Report an error in the passage at 39:54 Highlight the passage at 39:54

40:11 Lama Tsongkhapa says... In the Treasury, this is the Treasury of Knowledge, or the Abhidharma Kosha, written by Vasubhambhu, one of the five great texts studied in the monasteries. It says, giving Dharma, free of mental afflictions, teach according to Sūtra and other true texts. Okay, so when we give the Dharma, we should give the Dharma with a good motivation, obviously, right? Report an error in the passage at 40:11 Highlight the passage at 40:11

40:41 And a pure motivation, if possible. Only wishing to benefit others, not out of egotistical reasons, not so that others will respect us or give us offerings or praise us or like us, but purely for the benefit of others. Report an error in the passage at 40:41 Highlight the passage at 40:41

41:04 So this would be out of love and compassion for others, for bodhicitta. Then it can be beneficial. So not teaching with a bad motivation, not teaching wishing to be famous, Report an error in the passage at 41:04 Highlight the passage at 41:04

41:27 or just not teaching with an afflicted mind at all. Report an error in the passage at 41:27 Highlight the passage at 41:27

41:34 Actually it would be attachment to material things or respect. Not attachment to the eight worldly dharmas, basically. Report an error in the passage at 41:34 Highlight the passage at 41:34

41:48 And also not teaching out of a desire to have others serve us. If we teach with a bad motivation, this will cause our previously accumulated merit to degenerate. Also here it says, teach according to sūtra and other true texts. Report an error in the passage at 41:48 Highlight the passage at 41:48

42:07 So this is an important point, to teach the Dharma according to the valid texts and the sutras and the valid commentaries, not just based on reading some book that's been published and thinking, okay, well, this is what this book says. Report an error in the passage at 42:07 Highlight the passage at 42:07

42:26 That's why I think it's so fortunate for us to be studying Lama Tsongkhapa's text. Then we know that it's correct. If we just always receive Dharma teachings not based on a text, then we don't know if it's really a valid source. But learning from a text can take a longer time and maybe a little arduous sometimes. Report an error in the passage at 42:26 Highlight the passage at 42:26

42:57 It's such an incredible benefit. Okay, well, Lama Tsongkhapa said this. Oh, so we can rely on this. Rather than, oh, well, so-and-so said this. You know, so-and-so teacher said this. And you just either have to believe them or not. It's really good to be able to go to an authentic source, a written source. Report an error in the passage at 42:57 Highlight the passage at 42:57

43:20 So sometimes I wonder if we're going through this text kind of in too much detail or too slow for people. But then I just think it's so great, so beneficial to actually go through line by line the text. And hopefully we're not taking this too long. Report an error in the passage at 43:20 Highlight the passage at 43:20

43:42 So if we teach and give a mistaken teaching with wrong information, that's not beneficial. So it's good that whenever we explain the Dharma to others, we try to explain it the best that we can. Report an error in the passage at 43:42 Highlight the passage at 43:42

44:04 As correctly as we can. Report an error in the passage at 44:04 Highlight the passage at 44:04

44:11 Then Lama Tsongkhapa says, therefore a pure motivation to teach the Dharma is extremely important. And just like Naragompa said, it is crucial to review it beforehand. I've never explained the Dharma without meditating upon impermanence before the session. So here the advice is before you explain the Dharma to meditate on impermanence, remembering death. Report an error in the passage at 44:11 Highlight the passage at 44:11

44:41 In exhortation to the supreme intention, two groups of twenty advantages of giving the gift of Dharma in the absence of material things and the concern for gain, respect and the like are set forth. I'm not sure about this two groups of twenty advantages. I could only find one set of twenty advantages of giving the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 44:41 Highlight the passage at 44:41

45:03 I thought I would just read them to you. We won't go into those in detail. But just so you hear them. Report an error in the passage at 45:03 Highlight the passage at 45:03

45:30 So there are various lists of them. Report an error in the passage at 45:30 Highlight the passage at 45:30

45:38 So what are the 20? You will be endowed with recollection or mindfulness, intelligence, understanding, firmness, wisdom and super mundane wisdom. So super mundane wisdom is wisdom based on the direct realization of emptiness. You will have less attachment, hatred and ignorance. Demons will find no opportunity to harm you. You will be cared for by the Buddhists. You will be protected by non-human spirits. Report an error in the passage at 45:38 Highlight the passage at 45:38

46:13 The gods will imbue you with splendor. Enemies will find no opportunity to harm you. Your friends will be unfailing. Your words will be trusted. You will become fearless. Your happiness will increase. The wise will praise you. Your gift of the Dharma will be worth remembering. Report an error in the passage at 46:13 Highlight the passage at 46:13

46:37 So these are the 20 benefits, if we explain the Dharma with a pure motivation. Report an error in the passage at 46:37 Highlight the passage at 46:37

46:49 Also in Drogchulchen, it says that the merit of a householder giving immeasurable material things is exceeded by an ordained person giving a single verse of the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 46:49 Highlight the passage at 46:49

47:13 So this Drogchulchen apparently is a sūtra, and then, well that's pretty self-explanatory. An ordained person, a monk or a nun, giving a single verse of the Dharma creates much, much more than a Report an error in the passage at 47:13 Highlight the passage at 47:13

47:33 householder giving immeasurable material things, countless amounts of money. Report an error in the passage at 47:33 Highlight the passage at 47:33

47:47 So this is referring to the four types of giving, giving material things, giving protection, giving love and giving Dharma. Giving Dharma is the highest form of giving because it has the highest benefit. Report an error in the passage at 47:47 Highlight the passage at 47:47

48:16 Generating respect for the teacher and the teachings. When uttering the mother of the Buddhas, the teacher himself arranged the seat and so on. Report an error in the passage at 48:16 Highlight the passage at 48:16

48:27 Accordingly, the Dharma is a field of veneration even for Buddhas, so one should bring to mind the positive qualities and kindness of the Dharma and its teacher, generating respect. Report an error in the passage at 48:27 Highlight the passage at 48:27

48:38 So this is talking about Buddha Shakyamuni himself when he was teaching the... Mother of the Buddhas, which is the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, when he was teaching those Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, he would arrange his own seat. And the reason he would do that was out of respect for the teaching, to prepare his seat well for, out of respect for the teaching that he was going to give. Report an error in the passage at 48:38 Highlight the passage at 48:38

49:11 So... The Dharma is a field of veneration, even for Buddhas. So when we're explaining the Dharma, obviously we should remember the good qualities of the Dharma and Buddha Shakyamuni and generate respect. Report an error in the passage at 49:11 Highlight the passage at 49:11

49:35 Then what kind of attitude and activities to explain with? First, there's the attitude. First, the sūtra requested by Sagaramati puts forward five discriminations. Generating the discrimination of oneself as the doctor, of the Dharma as medicine, of the one listening to the Dharma as a patient, of the Tathāgata as a holy being, and of the mode of Dharma as abiding for a long time, as well as the development of loving kindness towards the people around. Report an error in the passage at 49:35 Highlight the passage at 49:35

50:08 So these five discriminations sound familiar. So once again, not only the listener has these five discriminations, actually the listener has an additional one. The six discriminations. And then the teacher needs to remember these five discriminations as well as trying to develop loving kindness for the listeners or the students. Report an error in the passage at 50:08 Highlight the passage at 50:08

50:39 Also, the teacher should be free from the envy born from anxiety that others are superior, the laziness of putting things off, the discouragement of fatigue due to explaining things over and over again, Praising oneself and chit-chatting about other people's faults, the reluctance to lend texts as well as concern for material things such as food and clothing should be abandoned. Report an error in the passage at 50:39 Highlight the passage at 50:39

51:08 Thinking those merits from teaching for the sake of my own and others' enlightenment are the provisions of my happiness. Okay. So here, when we're teaching the Dharma, we should be free from this envy or jealousy, worrying that others will know more than us. So not teaching everything that we know, but holding back because we're afraid that others will know more than us. So we should be free from that. Report an error in the passage at 51:08 Highlight the passage at 51:08

51:39 We should also be free from the laziness of putting things off. So if someone asks us to explain from Dharma, we can say, oh well maybe I'll do it tomorrow, or maybe I'll do it the next day. We shouldn't put that off. Report an error in the passage at 51:39 Highlight the passage at 51:39

51:59 Also the discouragement of fatigue due to explaining things over and over again. So the teacher should never become tired of explaining things no matter how long, you know, how many times they have to repeat it. Report an error in the passage at 51:59 Highlight the passage at 51:59

52:16 I remember hearing Geshe Jumpa Gyalto explain the same thing, I don't know, so many times. And he never got that kind of exasperated tone in his voice. He would just explain it like he's never explained it before, you know, with just as much enthusiasm. Which is amazing, right, teacher? Report an error in the passage at 52:16 Highlight the passage at 52:16

52:43 And then the teacher should not praise one's own good qualities, be self-congratulatory and shouldn't talk about other people's faults. Report an error in the passage at 52:43 Highlight the passage at 52:43

52:58 The reluctance to lend texts. So the teacher shouldn't be miserly and should lend out texts and give teachings not out of miserliness. I was going to say freely. So freely according to the student's capacity. As well as concern. For material things such as food and clothing should be abandoned. So the teacher shouldn't be concerned about food and clothing and even medicine, thinking that the merits from teaching that I'm creating are the provisions for my happiness. Report an error in the passage at 52:58 Highlight the passage at 52:58

53:56 But we see this, we see this with, you know, Geshe Dapha or Geshe Jumpy Gatsa, he's not concerned about... Report an error in the passage at 53:56 Highlight the passage at 53:56

54:05 Clothing, well, certainly clothing and food and his health care, you know, he's not a demanding person at all. He just accepts whatever he's giving. Report an error in the passage at 54:05 Highlight the passage at 54:05

54:20 Then the activities. Having washed and dressed in immaculately clean clothes, you sit down in a clean and pleasant place on a cushion on a Dharma throne. Report an error in the passage at 54:20 Highlight the passage at 54:20

54:32 Okay, so the teacher should wash, out of respect for the Dharma, and dress in clean clothes, and then sit down in a clean and pleasant place. on a cushion, on a Dharma throne. So if any of us ever host Dharma teachings, it's good to prepare a very nice, pleasant place that's clean if you're going to have a Dharma teaching here. Report an error in the passage at 54:32 Highlight the passage at 54:32

54:58 And then place a cushion on a Dharma throne. So traditionally the teacher sits higher than the students out of respect for the teaching, out of respect for the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 54:58 Highlight the passage at 54:58

55:12 That's what the Dharma Throne is for. And then, if you then chant a mantra subjugating demons, demons and gods of the demonic category will not get closer to you at all than a perimeter of a hundred yajanas, and even if they do, they will not be able to create any obstacles, as it says in the sūtra requested by Sagara Mahdi. Report an error in the passage at 55:12 Highlight the passage at 55:12

55:39 Okay, so, demons... Demons. I don't know how many people believe in demons here, but if you do, right, so the demons, it's advised to chant this mantra for kind of keeping the demons away before you teach. Report an error in the passage at 55:39 Highlight the passage at 55:39

56:06 But nowadays, what's actually done is reciting the Heart Sūtra for the same purpose. So we have to go to Geshe. Well, that's where we started. Reciting the Heart Sūtra at the beginning of this class. And also in Gishindaka's class, His Holiness the Dalai Lama's teachings, you don't even notice that the Heart Sūtra is recited. Report an error in the passage at 56:06 Highlight the passage at 56:06

56:29 Subjugating demons. And this Yojana, so that's a unit of measure in your in Tibet. But a Yojana is about four and a half miles. Report an error in the passage at 56:29 Highlight the passage at 56:29

56:54 I need half miles. I'll be happy. Report an error in the passage at 56:54 Highlight the passage at 56:54

57:00 Therefore you should chant that mantra and with an extremely radiant facial expression give your explanations conjoined with the conditions for ascertaining their meaning. Examples, proofs and quotations. So it's helpful when we explain the Dharma to explain in different ways so people can get it with examples. Report an error in the passage at 57:00 Highlight the passage at 57:00

57:30 Proofs, you know, reasonings, if it's that kind of a teaching, and then scriptural quotations. Okay, somebody had a question. Report an error in the passage at 57:30 Highlight the passage at 57:30

57:43 I had a question about, because I've always, I had a little struggle with trying to understand gods and demons in the context here, because, and I went to India, I sort of thought, my problem was that I came out of a Western tradition, sort of like, hero Israel, the Lord our God is one, and then the Christian kind of, choice what if there's one God that's all powerful and there's going to be one devil that's all powerful but I noticed in India there's tongues of God and demons and all of powerful and just Report an error in the passage at 57:43 Highlight the passage at 57:43

58:16 it's not a good way to say it but their stories and they've all got their story and it's very, very intriguing but it's not the same thing as the Jewish God and the Christian devil Yeah, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 58:16 Highlight the passage at 58:16

58:34 Yeah, I mean, we come from such a different cultural background, and I'm not quite sure what to say, but gods here isn't talking about, you know, the creator god. You know, there are gods of the desire realm, for example, according to Buddhism, and lots of them. And so, so I personally tend to not personify these things so much, you know, it's like, you think of interferences. Report an error in the passage at 58:34 Highlight the passage at 58:34

59:04 I think in Tibet and India, they tend to personify them and give names to different types of interferences and things. So whatever helps our minds understand that we're trying to eliminate these interferences, that Report an error in the passage at 59:04 Highlight the passage at 59:04

59:30 helps. It's very different culturally. And the average Tibetan and Indian, they just believe in demons and things like that. And I know Westerners also who believe in them, and I've always had a hard time with them myself, believing in them. Report an error in the passage at 59:30 Highlight the passage at 59:30

59:53 But I'm starting to believe that maybe they do exist. There's enough stories around, and I've had some kind of funky experiences, like Copan. Report an error in the passage at 59:53 Highlight the passage at 59:53

1:00:11 Paris one time where I felt like there was some sort of a being there, some sort of funny interfering energy. Anyway, and I noticed sitting here in teachings, there are some, sometimes when my mind seems to be pretty clear and things flow and I'm able to explain things, okay. And then there are other times when, you know, I feel really blocked. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:11 Highlight the passage at 1:00:11

1:00:45 And my mind is unclear and I'm unable to say anything with eloquence or clearly. And so maybe there's some... Sometimes it feels like there are some interferences. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:45 Highlight the passage at 1:00:45

1:01:05 Oftentimes when you're teaching, you do feel like the Buddhas are there helping you, because you're answering questions that you would never be able to answer normally. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:05 Highlight the passage at 1:01:05

1:01:15 Sometimes people ask questions and you think, oh, I don't know how I would answer that question, but then the answer just comes. And so I don't think that's me, and I think that the Buddha is helping us. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:15 Highlight the passage at 1:01:15

1:01:33 But then sometimes it's like that avenue is closed, and I'm on my own up here, and then it feels like there's some interferences. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:33 Highlight the passage at 1:01:33

1:01:53 Then, next. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:53 Highlight the passage at 1:01:53

1:01:58 Distinction between who the explanation should and should not be given to. In the Sūtra on Discipline it says, do not act without being asked to. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:58 Highlight the passage at 1:01:58

1:02:11 Okay, so accordingly you do not teach without having been asked. Alright, so this is an important point in the Dharma, right? We're only supposed to explain the Dharma if somebody asks us to. We're not supposed to proselytize. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:11 Highlight the passage at 1:02:11

1:02:29 Tell people what they should be doing. That can be really obnoxious for people. So in general not to teach unless we're asked. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:29 Highlight the passage at 1:02:29

1:02:43 And then even when somebody asks, you should examine the vessel. So sometimes people may ask us to explain the Dharma, but maybe their motivation isn't really good. Maybe they're just asking you so they can attack. Attack what you have to say. Or maybe they're doing it because of worldly reasons, because they're wanting others to respect them more. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:43 Highlight the passage at 1:02:43

1:03:12 Things like that. So it's important to examine others' motivation as best as we can before explaining the Dharma. And then sometimes, you know, if we start explaining something and a person gets... Report an error in the passage at 1:03:12 Highlight the passage at 1:03:12

1:03:32 If someone gets really contentious or aggressive, then maybe it's good to just back off. Or fearful, if someone gets really fearful, maybe that's also a good time to back off. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:32 Highlight the passage at 1:03:32

1:03:52 However, knowing someone to be a vessel, it is acceptable to teach even without having been asked. So this rare exception, if you really know, If you help this person very well and you really know that they're ready to receive the Dharma and there's something that you can say that can help them, then in that rare instance, then it's okay to say something. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:52 Highlight the passage at 1:03:52

1:04:18 As it says in the King of Concentration Sūtra, further modes of conduct are set forth in the Sūtra on discipline. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:18 Highlight the passage at 1:04:18

1:04:30 So I'm wondering about people's experience with explaining the Dharma to others. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:30 Highlight the passage at 1:04:30

1:04:41 If you find that it's beneficial to explain the Dharma to non-Dharma people, do a lot of non-Dharma people ask you to explain the Dharma? And do you find it helpful? Yeah, Anna. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:41 Highlight the passage at 1:04:41

1:05:02 I don't really talk about it to most people because, yeah, it's difficult. It's not a deal that I know enough, really. But I did have a friend who was going through a very difficult time. She called me one day and I wasn't all that happy with this friend. There you go. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:02 Highlight the passage at 1:05:02

1:05:17 But she called me kind of out of the blue because she was having panic attacks, which she wasn't like. But she was having these panic attacks and she was just like pleading for me to come over and spend the night at her house because she was kind of freaking out. So anyway, I reluctantly went because I really didn't want to go. And, you know, I could see that she was very agitated and I didn't really quite know what to do. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:17 Highlight the passage at 1:05:17

1:05:47 Because she's ill, I was thinking, I wonder if it's really a fear of death that she's experiencing. So we started talking a little bit about that, and I was thinking, I don't know what to say or do, you know, what can I do to help this person? But then we got into a conversation about Dharma, and that was the first time that I had tried to explain something to her, or Dharma to any extent, and it was the first time that she and I had had the conversation. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:47 Highlight the passage at 1:05:47

1:06:15 We spoke for a couple of hours and it really was a great benefit to her. I mean she really calmed down and then she called me a couple of days later saying that she was having panic attacks. So there are circumstances where that can be a great benefit to do what you can. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:15 Highlight the passage at 1:06:15

1:06:50 I used to a lot more, used to talk about a lot more with people at both. Friends who even seemed interested and friends who didn't seem interested. And I think that as a couple of years have passed, I realize that I really don't know what I'm talking about. And so there's that big thing. And I have also, I think, seen some of the results of getting myself into spots where I didn't know what I was talking about. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:50 Highlight the passage at 1:06:50

1:07:17 To the point where I feel like now that I almost never bring it up with people. I mean, like even my wife. And I feel really comfortable about that. And if she ever asks, like every once in a while she'll say, well, like if something really terrible happens on the news or like all of the things with the Dalai Lama and the Tibetans recently in China and all that, like every once in a while my wife will say, what do you hear about the extra classes and stuff? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:17 Highlight the passage at 1:07:17

1:07:44 And then I'll talk about it. And I have to say that I am so personally so much... I'm more happy than I used to be when I tried to explain it to people and stuff. I don't know how to say that except that I just sort of accepted that there was some facet of myself that I was really just like really pumping up with that whole thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:44 Highlight the passage at 1:07:44

1:08:03 I mean there was some enthusiasm like sort of meeting the Dharma enthusiasm but part of it I think was me wanting to explain things to people. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:03 Highlight the passage at 1:08:03

1:08:14 So all I need to say is that my experience over the years, and maybe it will change someday in the future again when I have better self-control, but it just seems to me that I talk to almost nobody about it. And sometimes I worry about that. Like maybe that's not good. I don't know. But I also feel very good about hanging up pictures of the Dalai Lama in my office and Geshe Dakbar and the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:14 Highlight the passage at 1:08:14

1:08:39 And I think oftentimes when somebody has to come in and talk to me at work, At least they're seeing that and that it has nothing to do with me. I don't have to do anything. So I always feel good about that. So sometimes I feel like that's what my Dharma explanation to people is. They see the statues in my home sometimes and I'm just pleased, okay, I did that. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:39 Highlight the passage at 1:08:39

1:09:01 Or sometimes I'll say, oh my God, my cat's ear, and I think that's about as much as I can do because the cat can't judge me. And there's no way the cat's like going, Jay, so cool, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:01 Highlight the passage at 1:09:01

1:09:12 So I do that. And Lama Zopa says to do that, and I started to do that with animals. And I always feel really good about that. No, I mean, that's excellent to do for animals when they're sick or even on their food, you know, to bless their food before you give it to them. That's not giving the Dharma to those who haven't asked. Those who can't ask you not to give it. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:12 Highlight the passage at 1:09:12

1:09:43 But it's also good, it is good to hang pictures and things like that. And I have this great story of a friend of mine who came to visit me in Italy, and she's not a Buddhist. She came to her husband and her father. cool. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:43 Highlight the passage at 1:09:43

1:09:38 it also. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:38 Highlight the passage at 1:09:38

1:09:58 A four-year-old girl. And she came to visit me and we went out and, you know, we went and played in the park. We had this great day, had the latte like three times. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:58 Highlight the passage at 1:09:58

1:10:09 And then we had all these, we had these baby kittens at the institute because people tend to drop off their unwanted pets. And so we had this slew of baby kittens that this little girl was so delighted with. She'd never seen anything like that. And then at the end of the day, they're about to leave and Geshe Jampagyatsu was just about to finish his teaching. Okay, well, just wait a second and you can meet my Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:09 Highlight the passage at 1:10:09

1:10:42 You know, and they were kind of hemming high and I'm not sure if they wanted to meet him. But I just thought it would be good for them to get that karmic connection. And so they did and the little girl, she was kind of afraid and she kind of ran off in the bushes and Geshe was so... Wonderful and so gentle. Come on, come on and really sweet. And she came over and she said hello to him. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:42 Highlight the passage at 1:10:42

1:11:07 Then a few days later, my friend asked her daughter, what was your favorite part of your trip to Italy? Was it the little kittens? Was it playing in the park? And she thought and she said, it was meeting Emily's teacher. And then she said, He looked at me like people used to look at each other a long, long time ago. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:07 Highlight the passage at 1:11:07

1:11:38 But that was amazing, you know, she was open enough to really see his beautiful qualities, right? So I think it's great to bring people to, I mean, his holiness and the Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:38 Highlight the passage at 1:11:38

1:11:55 He also brought my mom to a teaching. His Holiness is teaching. And she didn't understand any of it. You know, and I was kind of worried that she'd get kind of a weird mind about it. And she just loved being in His presence. Even though she didn't understand any of it. Except the part of... Remembering the kindness of your mother. Reminded me that one again. Remember what the Dalai Lama said. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:55 Highlight the passage at 1:11:55

1:12:28 Remember the kindness of your mother. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:28 Highlight the passage at 1:12:28

1:12:33 But the Report an error in the passage at 1:12:33 Highlight the passage at 1:12:33

1:12:41 other thing, I mean, I never talk about the Dharma. I mean, I never talk about the Dharma to people unless they ask. I think people in my family, they never ask me. me of his mother. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:41 Highlight the passage at 1:12:41

1:12:30 They won't. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:30 Highlight the passage at 1:12:30

1:12:50 Never talk about it, either. And sometimes I wonder, is that what I should be doing? It seems to be better than putting it in people's face. I think that's a Western thing to wonder, because we're so inundated with... I mean, the Western church is a real missionary church, you know, and so there's that. You reminded me of a story that Karina Katen told me one time about his parents meeting Lava Yeshe, and he... Report an error in the passage at 1:12:50 Highlight the passage at 1:12:50

1:13:17 And his parents, you know, his dad was like, I don't know what he did, but he was like an insurance salesman or something, you know, and they were just like, they weren't really interested in that kind of thing. But he'd gone there, and it was still the early 70s or whatever, and so it was still kind of like this hippie thing, you know, and it was like, oh, we're going to meet his crazy teachers and like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:17 Highlight the passage at 1:13:17

1:13:32 And they met in some restaurant, and he hadn't been back from Nepal for too long, and Lama Yeshe was there, and so he had dinner with his parents in Lama Yeshe, and... He was so worried, and he said they didn't even say that much to each other, they would just sort of talk, but he was really pleasant, and of course they were pleasant to him. And then he said when they left, his dad said, he said, well what did you think of Lama Yashi? Report an error in the passage at 1:13:32 Highlight the passage at 1:13:32

1:13:55 And his dad said, I think that's probably the smartest man I've ever met in my life. You know, he had said like so few things to him too, and I thought that was really powerful to hear that. Because his dad was just like what a bunch of nonsense before that. Yeah, and I think he ended up helping out with the purchase of the land and medicine group. So that was a good meeting. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:55 Highlight the passage at 1:13:55

1:14:31 Yeah, I hardly ever talk directly about the Dharma. I was thinking, especially when you were saying about family, probably the only person that I sometimes talk about it. I have a sister who's very, very captive. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:31 Highlight the passage at 1:14:31

1:14:55 With her and with other people, I've noticed like if you, I Report an error in the passage at 1:14:55 Highlight the passage at 1:14:55

1:15:02 see certain things like in other religions, not everything, but certain things that are kind of in sync with the Dharma, like compassion and love. I think if you really focus on the positive aspects of someone else's religion and the practices they do, there's this common meaning around it. And you become more open. And then I've noticed, like, my sister, every time she brings us books by the Dalai Lama and she brings us statues and stuff. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:02 Highlight the passage at 1:15:02

1:15:34 It's, like, incredible. So she's doing all these things, and I really do respect where she is. I think her is a better Buddhist than me because, you know, we're not doing this thing, but otherwise... So I think it's, like, recognizing that and not so much talking about... If you do talk about it, you're not all like, you know, just relating on a level of people's behavior and being, you know, just genuine but not looking for an opportunity to preach. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:34 Highlight the passage at 1:15:34

1:16:14 Yeah, exactly. Just our sincere practice. Just kind of help others. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:14 Highlight the passage at 1:16:14

1:16:26 You can see that in the end of the job that I'm a person's public focus. I think that's a really powerful statement too you make about your sister, if you'll allow me to say so, and that's, and I think I've noticed that like about my wife, who I say never talk about the nirmity, which is she's such a better Buddhist than I am, like, you know, I'm very sincere about that, and that's good, I think that's a good thing to know about people, and to recognize about their religion and their own inner, yeah, that's great. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:26 Highlight the passage at 1:16:26

1:16:57 I'm just amazed at how many people are sharing about how they, They've shared their experience with the Dharma with their families because I have the same thing. I never speak about it with anyone outside of the Dharma center, but my parents being on the East Coast, of course, like to know what's going on in my life. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:57 Highlight the passage at 1:16:57

1:17:23 And I know I'm asked, so what you do on this right? And I share that with her. She'll ask me on occasion to... What are you learning about? And I find it so difficult to explain. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:23 Highlight the passage at 1:17:23

1:17:41 You know, I try and hopefully she understands. You know, last year when I heard that His Holiness was going to be in my hometown for six-day teachings in July, I knew that I was going and my parents knew that I would be there. And I wanted very much to share that experience with them because it's so important to me and they're so important to me. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:41 Highlight the passage at 1:17:41

1:18:08 And I tried to get tickets to bring them to the public talk, but those tickets sold out within like seconds. So I had no choice but to try and offer them to come to the teachings with me. And I was so kind of afraid to ask because I know, I mean, they respect the fact that it's something that I care about, but in a way it's also very difficult because we come from a Catholic background. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:08 Highlight the passage at 1:18:08

1:18:36 They were not really practicing Catholics, but it was just hard for them, my father more so, to accept it in a way. And I was very surprised when I asked them, when I invited them to come with me, that my father was actually in tears and said, of course, he would be honored to go. So in a way... know, I feel that the message probably everyone wasn't able to. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:36 Highlight the passage at 1:18:36

1:19:07 They understand it because sometimes when I listen to the teachings, I think they're so similar to it. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:07 Highlight the passage at 1:19:07

1:19:28 I Report an error in the passage at 1:19:28 Highlight the passage at 1:19:28

1:19:34 think in my experience, it's more in terms of presentation. In some ways, Buddhism and teachings are really more of a philosophy than they are a religion. And so, I talk about it, still... I've asked to have Mabini come and speak my work. It's a talk about philosophy, and Rubin does that very well, makes that transition. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:34 Highlight the passage at 1:19:34

1:20:04 It isn't so much, but I do think practicing or talking about it as a religion is probably not a wise thing to do, but unfortunately, but talking about the teachings of philosophy, I think it's really quite different. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:04 Highlight the passage at 1:20:04

1:20:21 the philosophy of it, not the religion, because it doesn't really matter what religion you are for them. That's been my experience. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:21 Highlight the passage at 1:20:21

1:20:35 Even when we do talk about it to others, I find it's really important in my mind to remember to really treat others with respect when explaining the Dharma instead of thinking I'm the one who knows and I'm going to explain it to you and help you. Now to really have a lot of respect for them and where they are and their own qualities, like oftentimes they're better Buddhists than they are, even though they don't have a label. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:35 Highlight the passage at 1:20:35

1:21:20 Ready to go through the homework? Report an error in the passage at 1:21:20 Highlight the passage at 1:21:20

1:21:32 Does anybody else need a copy? Report an error in the passage at 1:21:32 Highlight the passage at 1:21:32

1:21:56 Number one, Lama Tsongkhapa says that one should rely on the six discriminations in listening to the Dharma. List these six and briefly explain each. So what's the first time? Look, look, Report an error in the passage at 1:21:56 Highlight the passage at 1:21:56

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:22:15 I'll read it straight from the book here. Sorry. Contemplating the discrimination of oneself as a patient. Okay. What does that mean? Which is to just recognize that you have afflictions in the first place and that, well, I'll just leave it at that. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:15 Highlight the passage at 1:22:15

1:22:34 I have mental afflictions, so we need help. We need help. Okay. The second discrimination? I'll Report an error in the passage at 1:22:34 Highlight the passage at 1:22:34

1:22:51 do one more than somebody else. Contemplating the discrimination of one expounding the Dharma as a doctor. So having realized that we are sick and need help, that the teacher is the doctor who will be giving us the medicine. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:51 Highlight the passage at 1:22:51

1:23:19 what has been taught as medicine, that means just as a patient appreciates medicine put together by a doctor, that one should regard the instructions as left Report an error in the passage at 1:23:19 Highlight the passage at 1:23:19

1:23:36 And then to practice, right? Well, actually, that's the next one. Next discrimination? Report an error in the passage at 1:23:36 Highlight the passage at 1:23:36

1:23:53 Generate discrimination of persistent practice as the cure. So, for example, if we're ill, if afflictions, just taking a few doses of medicine will not be effective. You have to continue taking the medicine, which is the Dalai Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:53 Highlight the passage at 1:23:53

1:24:10 Right. So we need to practice consistently day after day. Yeah. Not just once or twice. Okay, good. Next. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:10 Highlight the passage at 1:24:10

1:24:26 Contemplate discrimination of the Tathāgata as an exalted being which respect the teacher. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:26 Highlight the passage at 1:24:26

1:24:38 So generating respect for Buddha Shakyamuni. And then the last one. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:38 Highlight the passage at 1:24:38

1:24:48 Generate the wish for the Dharma tradition to last. I guess that means for it to be passed down from generation to generation. And not to, yeah, for the Dharma to not disappear. Okay, good. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:48 Highlight the passage at 1:24:48

1:25:09 Number two, why is it important to think of oneself as being ill when listening to the Dharma? Report an error in the passage at 1:25:09 Highlight the passage at 1:25:09

1:25:28 Thinking of oneself as ill as an individual being allows us to bring the Dharma into our life and apply it to our life. And by doing this, it's going to begin to heal by living in ourselves without friction. It's just speaking or reading Dharma is not enough. It was actually different. You don't have to internalize it in order to get better. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:28 Highlight the passage at 1:25:28

1:25:58 And then number three, explain the meaning of persistent practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:58 Highlight the passage at 1:25:58

1:26:05 Okay, David. I wrote walk to walk. Okay, actually we didn't cover that one last time we covered it today. Okay, anything else on that one? I guess talk to talks. Janet. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:05 Highlight the passage at 1:26:05

1:26:32 I just wrote some things that I thought would be persistent. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:32 Highlight the passage at 1:26:32

1:26:40 It means when things become difficult or boring that we must continue to practice. When we see no results, we need to realize that we've been circling and cycling of existence for a long time and we cannot expect results overnight. And so we must continue to study and meditate. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:40 Highlight the passage at 1:26:40

1:27:08 In this context, Lama Tsongkhapa was talking about persistent practice, referring to what practicing according to the instructions, what to adopt and what to abandon, and to practice with Report an error in the passage at 1:27:08 Highlight the passage at 1:27:08

1:27:35 seriousness of purpose and urgency. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:35 Highlight the passage at 1:27:35

1:27:42 And then explain the analogy of eating sugar cane in relation to listening to the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:42 Highlight the passage at 1:27:42

1:28:13 He said we shouldn't just eat the bark. Which would be like accumulating a lot of teachings, hearing the words, but not applying the lessons to our lives. We need to actually taste the Dharma, like we taste the sweet sugar. I Report an error in the passage at 1:28:13 Highlight the passage at 1:28:13

1:28:43 guess we actually experience the Dharma by the realizations that come only after listening, studying, reflection, or meditation. and actually practicing. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:43 Highlight the passage at 1:28:43

1:29:00 of your body, speech, and mind. And you get the suit. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:00 Highlight the passage at 1:29:00

1:29:08 So I forgot to make copies of homework five. I'll send it electronically and then I can make copies immediately after class if anybody wants to worry around. How many people want a hard copy? Report an error in the passage at 1:29:08 Highlight the passage at 1:29:08

1:29:24 So I won't make copies. to class and I'll just it electronically Report an error in the passage at 1:29:24 Highlight the passage at 1:29:24

1:29:33 Let's dedicate. So next, next time we start on the first section, first section, the section on relying on the spiritual teacher. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:33 Highlight the passage at 1:29:33

1:29:54 So we'll do dedication prayers. So let's do something different than usual. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:54 Highlight the passage at 1:29:54