Basic Program - Buddhism From A-Z (3 October 2008)

0:00 Page 37 of the text. Now, what's that funny? Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:11 Yeah, this rate will be done by the end of the decade. Well, actually, we probably won't. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 0:11 Highlight the passage at 0:11

0:24 So remember we were talking about the need for the two types of meditation, how we need analytical meditation as well as stabilizing meditation. okay. Report an error in the passage at 0:24 Highlight the passage at 0:24

0:37 What was analytical meditation again? Report an error in the passage at 0:37 Highlight the passage at 0:37

0:47 Peter. Report an error in the passage at 0:47 Highlight the passage at 0:47

0:55 I've got kind of a booming voice. It would be analysis of any of the lamrim subjects and the various meditations associated with them to gain insight into whatever specific teaching you're meditating on in the lamrim. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 0:55 Highlight the passage at 0:55

1:24 And why do we need analytical meditation? It helps us develop wisdom and have... Hopefully eventually realizations. Report an error in the passage at 1:24 Highlight the passage at 1:24

1:38 And then stabilizing meditation, why do we need that? Do you want me to answer that? Somebody else. Report an error in the passage at 1:38 Highlight the passage at 1:38

1:53 So we need stabilization meditation in order to, once we have a realization, to then hold on to it and basically bring it from the head to the heart so it becomes something more spontaneous and lasting. Can we get a realization without the stabilizing meditation? Yes, it's once we get the realization, then the stabilization is what you do to sort of hold on to it. Report an error in the passage at 1:53 Highlight the passage at 1:53

2:26 What do other people think? Can we get a realization without doing stabilizing meditation? You can, but the stabilization meditation allows you to develop the concentration that you can stay on an object. So that's the way. The only way you can really develop calm abiding is with stabilization. Report an error in the passage at 2:26 Highlight the passage at 2:26

2:53 So, Louis. I just got tripped off on the difference between an insight and a realization. Yeah. So, what's the difference? Yeah. So, we can get an insight. You know, we can have an experience or an insight of the teachings without having a level of concentration. Report an error in the passage at 2:53 Highlight the passage at 2:53

3:18 But... But most texts that I've read say that you can't have a realization unless you have at least calm abiding and special insight or what's called a similitude of calm abiding and special insight, which is something right close to calm abiding and special insight. Because we can get... We can develop insights and experience, which, I mean, I think we all have had those, but they're not stable, like they're not stable and they're not powerful. Report an error in the passage at 3:18 Highlight the passage at 3:18

3:54 But the technical, but a realization is something technically that's really stable, right? It's stable and it's powerful, which is why we have to meditate again and again on topics. Report an error in the passage at 3:54 Highlight the passage at 3:54

4:10 Particularly with that level of concentration so that it becomes powerful enough and that it becomes stable so that we're not constantly falling back into our old ways of thinking and believing, basically believing in our old ways of thinking. With realizations, you eliminate that doubt, that doubt that still thinks, oh, well, maybe I can really have. Report an error in the passage at 4:10 Highlight the passage at 4:10

4:38 Happiness through my self-cherishing, which maybe we all still have some level of belief that our self-cherishing can cause happiness for ourselves. And that's considered a wrong consciousness, actually, the mind that believes that we can have happiness through self-cherishing. Report an error in the passage at 4:38 Highlight the passage at 4:38

5:10 So, yeah, so gradually we develop doubt and we develop correct assumptions and then we develop realizations such that we don't fall back into our wrong conceptions again. Okay. Does that make sense? Okay. All right. Good. Okay. So, now this is kind of a technical section of the text. Report an error in the passage at 5:10 Highlight the passage at 5:10

5:36 So we're on... Report an error in the passage at 5:36 Highlight the passage at 5:36

5:42 It's a good thing I didn't hear what you said. Report an error in the passage at 5:42 Highlight the passage at 5:42

5:48 Okay, so there's, well, I mean, this whole section on refuting wrong positions is what we're doing. So at the top of page 37 is the outline, refutation of the misconception asserting that if you do a lot of analytical meditation prior to the arising of concentration, it becomes an obstacle. Report an error in the passage at 5:48 Highlight the passage at 5:48

6:10 The idea it is necessary to achieve the non-conceptual meditative stabilization capable of placing the mind on a single object in whatever way it pleases, and if you do a lot of analytical meditation before, it will become an obstacle to the arising of that meditative stabilization, is not upheld in the present instructions. Report an error in the passage at 6:10 Highlight the passage at 6:10

6:31 So basically this is... Dispelling this doubt that, okay, well, if I do a lot of analytical meditation first, then that will become an obstacle to developing calm abiding or single point in concentration. Because when we do analytical meditation, we're going through logical reasonings and really making the mind more conceptual. Report an error in the passage at 6:31 Highlight the passage at 6:31

6:58 Conceptual, right? So some people might say, okay, well, that will become an obstacle to developing calm abiding. And so Lama Tsongkhapa says, that's ridiculous. That just shows that you don't understand. Actually, in the Lamrim Chenmo, he actually answers this in two different ways. He says, if... You're trying to do a lot of analysis while you're developing calm abiding. Then it's true. Then it will become an obstacle developing calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 6:58 Highlight the passage at 6:58

7:40 When we're developing calm abiding, we need to just focus on the object and not jump around and not do a lot of analysis during that calm abiding meditation. But if you do a lot of analytical meditation before you try to develop calm abiding, then that actually helps you. calm abiding Report an error in the passage at 7:40 Highlight the passage at 7:40

8:03 So here Lama Tsongkhapa continues by saying, to illustrate similarly when a smith burns gold or silver in the fire and washes it in water again and again, all the impurities are removed and it becomes very supple and workable, whereby it can subsequently be made into any... Jewelry like earrings at will. Okay, so this is an analogy where when a smith is trying to make the gold or silver supple, he burns it again and again, cleans it. Report an error in the passage at 8:03 Highlight the passage at 8:03

8:49 Not through my own experience, I've never done anything like that. But apparently that's how... The impurities are removed and then the gold and silver becomes very supple and workable. So similarly with the mind, so Lama Tsongkhapa goes on and says, likewise, just as at first the mental afflictions, the secondary afflictions, in faulty conduct, Emerge on the occasion of meditating on black actions and their results and the disadvantages of cyclic existence. By meditating on such disadvantages again and again with the wisdom of individual investigation, the mind will become completely tormented, maybe not tormented, displeased or disenchanted. Report an error in the passage at 8:49 Highlight the passage at 8:49

9:42 Therefore, it is like burning gold in a fire. Similarly, when we meditate on certain lamrim subjects like the faults of cyclic existence or the sufferings of cyclic existence, we stop buying into the happiness of cyclic existence and then we develop more, I'd say, enthusiasm to develop calm abiding. Because usually when we sit down and meditate, We may notice a lot of distractions, particularly distractions toward objects of attachment. Report an error in the passage at 9:42 Highlight the passage at 9:42

10:24 Thinking about what I want to do tomorrow or fantasizing about dinner. The mind is constantly going out to these things that we believe will bring us happiness. Report an error in the passage at 10:24 Highlight the passage at 10:24

10:42 So if we meditate on the disadvantages of those things, how they don't bring us happiness, any kind of lasting happiness, if we meditate on that again and again, what happens is the mind stops believing so strongly that those things will bring us lasting happiness. It's like eating, if we fantasize about a great piece of... Report an error in the passage at 10:42 Highlight the passage at 10:42

11:12 And thinking, oh yeah, I can't wait until I eat that piece of pizza. Then if we meditate on, okay, well, eat that piece of pizza, and then what? Then maybe I'll have indigestion, and then what? Then tomorrow I'll want more pizza, and then what? Then the next day I'll want more pizza, and then the next day, and then the next day. Report an error in the passage at 11:12 Highlight the passage at 11:12

11:36 Actually, that pizza doesn't bring any sort of lasting happiness. It's actually further entrenching us into cyclic existence, our attachment to the pizza. The more we follow our objects of attachment, the more sucked in we get into cyclic existence. And when we really get that, when we really... Report an error in the passage at 11:36 Highlight the passage at 11:36

12:01 If you meditate on that and get some sort of experience in that, then we don't buy into that fantasy of pizza as much. The thoughts come up and then you can let them go more easily. It's like, okay, that's just a thought. That's not going to bring me lasting happiness. Go back to meditating, focusing on my object of concentration. Report an error in the passage at 12:01 Highlight the passage at 12:01

12:29 So I think very specifically we need to meditate on... Our specific objects of attachment and how they don't bring lasting happiness. Report an error in the passage at 12:29 Highlight the passage at 12:29

12:47 To counteract the particular distractions that we have again and again in meditation. Report an error in the passage at 12:47 Highlight the passage at 12:47

12:57 And then similarly, Lama Tsongkhapa is saying to meditate on the black actions and their results. So non-virtuous actions, meditating on those and how they bring suffering again and again. And so that helps the mind not be inclined to follow non-virtuous. So help the mind not justify our anger or justify our jealousy or justify our annoyance. Report an error in the passage at 12:57 Highlight the passage at 12:57

13:28 So that makes the mind more and more supple. When we stop buying into cyclic existence, when we stop buying into non-virtuous actions, then we'll be more inclined to practice and more inclined to sit down and really try to develop calm abiding. Because what's the biggest obstacle to develop in calm abiding for most of us? Report an error in the passage at 13:28 Highlight the passage at 13:28

14:07 Into your schedule. Okay, so let's see. So Hillary says laziness. I'll see you next Report an error in the passage at 14:07 Highlight the passage at 14:07

14:16 Laziness, I think, is a big one because it takes a lot of work. And so we don't really put it as a priority for us because we don't really get it yet that we have to have it. We have to have it if we want lasting happiness. We still want to find the easier way out of saṃsāra. Report an error in the passage at 14:16 Highlight the passage at 14:16

14:49 Okay, so laziness. And then Brian, is it right? Yeah, Brian. You said not, no time. No time. Yeah, but I think maybe kind of what you're, Report an error in the passage at 14:49 Highlight the passage at 14:49

15:06 like I always do procrastination. You know, I can do it this year, next year. The microwave, the microphone. So procrastination. Yeah, yeah. The idea that. Certainly I'm going to be alive next week or next year and I can do it then. Yeah, exactly. Right, so not really understanding how death can come at any time and then not making it a priority now. Report an error in the passage at 15:06 Highlight the passage at 15:06

15:41 Because once again we don't really understand on a deep level how important it is. We have time to maybe surf the internet. Right. But we don't have time to sit down and do calm abiding meditation. But if we think about the lasting results of surfing the Internet versus versus doing calm abiding. Right. There's no comparison. Janet. Well, Report an error in the passage at 15:41 Highlight the passage at 15:41

16:19 I think I think the the the biggest problem and what I see for myself, too, is is all of the things that were already mentioned, but is having been given. The meditations on the two lower scopes that lead to renunciation and not having actually sat down and done the analysis and gotten insights that are strong insights, let's not say realizations, but in a way it's almost like realizing it, maybe on a basic level. Report an error in the passage at 16:19 Highlight the passage at 16:19

16:58 We find all these other things to distract ourselves with. We don't see the importance of it. I see it in myself. I think, wow, I just need to go and meditate on, you know, precious human rebirth and death and impermanence and, you know, just how unsuitable this entire saṃsāra is because I still think, you know, this is pretty cool. Report an error in the passage at 16:58 Highlight the passage at 16:58

17:22 Yeah, yeah, exactly. And I got time. Mm-hmm. Report an error in the passage at 17:22 Highlight the passage at 17:22

17:28 Right. So that's what Lama Tsongkhapa is saying, right? We need to meditate on these things, the perfect human rebirth, impermanence, the disadvantages of saṃsāra, because that's what's going to motivate us to sit down and develop calm abiding and special insight. Report an error in the passage at 17:28 Highlight the passage at 17:28

17:55 Okay. Makes sense? Report an error in the passage at 17:55 Highlight the passage at 17:55

18:05 Hilly, did you have a question? Report an error in the passage at 18:05 Highlight the passage at 18:05

18:09 Yeah. It's not really something new, but one of the things that seems to... Be a factor in all of this. You know, I find, well, I'm sure it would have been hard to develop calm abiding at any time, but I'm struck at how addicted we are to instant gratification. I mean, you said surf the internet. It's like, okay, well, at least I'm going to feel good for a minute, even if I don't, whatever. And that's real strong compared to, oh, maybe this isn't five eons, I might, you know. Report an error in the passage at 18:09 Highlight the passage at 18:09

18:46 and, oh man. Yeah. I mean, it doesn't negate any of the things we said. It's just part and parcel of it. I need a break. Yeah, right. Report an error in the passage at 18:46 Highlight the passage at 18:46

19:12 Yeah, I mean, it's that desire for the immediate pleasure, right? I want pleasure now. I don't want to have to, you know, suffer through developing calm abiding, you know, in order to... Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 19:12 Highlight the passage at 19:12

19:26 You know, get my, you know, my happiness. I want the pleasure now. Report an error in the passage at 19:26 Highlight the passage at 19:26

19:34 It's like the adult thing to do, right, to delay gratification in order for, you know, the longer term result. You know, it's like saving money, you know, instead of spending all of our money now, you know, saving some money so that you have money, right, later when you retire. Report an error in the passage at 19:34 Highlight the passage at 19:34

19:54 Similarly, you know, really practicing. Really practicing and trying to develop the calm abiding so that we can actually gain these realizations and get out of some sorrow. Report an error in the passage at 19:54 Highlight the passage at 19:54

20:08 Yeah, Janet. Well, I think, you know, and I see it myself. I do all the things. I need breaks. I need this. I need that. You know, and I'm chasing these other little goodies. But, you know, I mean. I think for myself too, in addition to meditating on those things of death and impermanence, I really need to focus on how even the pleasurable things of this life are actually suffering and how that there's no real, you know, satisfaction or lack or not. Report an error in the passage at 20:08 Highlight the passage at 20:08

20:44 You can be satisfied with things, but I mean, you know, to stop suffering or to even these little bits of... that i get that i think make me happy like lies and so like that's Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 20:44 Highlight the passage at 20:44

21:16 Yeah. Yeah. because it really seems contrary to how it is. you so I haven't meditated on it yeah because I like those little things yeah Report an error in the passage at 21:16 Highlight the passage at 21:16

21:19 And even when you do meditate on it, it really takes a lot of time, you know, I think, to get that realization, especially that, I mean, I think that the pleasurable things are suffering, right? We all agree that, you know, sickness is suffering and, you know, the old age and, you know, the creaky body, that's suffering and, you know, people mistreating us, that's suffering, right? Report an error in the passage at 21:19 Highlight the passage at 21:19

21:43 But the pleasurable things, it's harder to see, that's suffering. Report an error in the passage at 21:43 Highlight the passage at 21:43

21:51 So we'll do some meditation on those subjects when we get there. I think actually as I hear myself and hear you, I think it's the attachment to those pleasurable things that's the suffering. It's not the pleasurable things themselves. I'm sure the Dalai Lama has lots of good times. Oh, yeah, absolutely. Lama Zopa. Lama Zopa, you know, and all of our, you know, very wise and spiritual teachers, you know, enjoy themselves. Report an error in the passage at 21:51 Highlight the passage at 21:51

22:30 Yeah. So I think, you know, just in my mind, I need to make sure that my terms are clear, you know, that I don't. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's an important distinction, right? Report an error in the passage at 22:30 Highlight the passage at 22:30

22:43 So there are all of those topics in the Lamrim to help us develop renunciation, which is no longer believing that saṃsāra will bring us happiness. Report an error in the passage at 22:43 Highlight the passage at 22:43

22:58 Which doesn't mean that we have to give up all pleasures, but we let go of that belief that saṃsāra will bring us happiness. right? Report an error in the passage at 22:58 Highlight the passage at 22:58

23:13 So that's not to say that we have to necessarily meditate 18 hours a day or 20 hours a day. We need to take breaks and things like that. But just mentally letting go of believing that whatever it is that we believe is going to bring us happiness, that job or that raise or that losing weight. or, you know... Report an error in the passage at 23:13 Highlight the passage at 23:13

23:43 Getting in shape or, you know, all of those things that we still believe. Oh, if I get when I get there, then then I'll really be happy. Right. And then that's going to last. Right. Because most of us are there. Right. There's something that we think, OK, well, if I get that, you know, if I get just get there, then. Report an error in the passage at 23:43 Highlight the passage at 23:43

24:08 I'll be happy and completely fulfilled and that's going to last, right? Is that true? It's the whole basis of America. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, I know myself, I catch myself again and again just noticing, oh, well, you know, I think, you know, when I get there, you know, when I'm a little less, you know, selfish, you know, then, okay, then. Report an error in the passage at 24:08 Highlight the passage at 24:08

24:38 I'm going to be so, you know, happy and I'll always be happy, right? I mean, just, or, or whatever it is, if my living situation, you know, if it just improves a little bit then, you know, then everything will be smooth sailing, right, from here on out, right? There's that, you know, there's, there's something kind of subtle in the mind that believes that, right? Which means that then we don't really have renunciation, right? Report an error in the passage at 24:38 Highlight the passage at 24:38

25:05 So we need to do more. More meditation. But I remember I meditated for three months in retreat, three months on the disadvantages or the suffering of saṃsāra, thinking, okay, I really need to get this in my head. And, you know, I don't have the merit yet. I still believe in the happiness of saṃsāra. Less. Report an error in the passage at 25:05 Highlight the passage at 25:05

25:33 So it was definitely effective to do those meditations again and again, but it just takes time. It just really takes time. Report an error in the passage at 25:33 Highlight the passage at 25:33

25:46 So thus Report an error in the passage at 25:46 Highlight the passage at 25:46

25:54 far, Lama Tsongkhapa was emphasizing our need to meditate on the disadvantages of cyclic existence and negative actions and things like that. Then he says in the middle of the paragraph, similarly, just as the mind turning away from the black side and the defilements being purified emerges on the occasion of meditating on the positive qualities of the spiritual friend, the great meaning of the freedoms and endowments, the positive qualities of the three jewels, white actions and their results. Report an error in the passage at 25:54 Highlight the passage at 25:54

26:31 And the benefits of the mind of enlightenment, by meditating on these positive qualities again and again with the wisdom of individual investigation, the mental attention of the mind becomes moistened or sincere, whereby it is like washing gold with water. Through the mind approaching the white side and delighting in it, the mind is moistened by virtuous dharmas. Report an error in the passage at 26:31 Highlight the passage at 26:31

26:55 So then the other side, meditating on really the positive things in the Lamrim, the advantages of developing bodhicitta, the great fortune that we have now, this time actually we're going to go through the perfect human rebirth as the next topic, but how extremely fortunate we are now to... Have enough food to be living here where there's the Dharma, where we have the opportunity to practice. Report an error in the passage at 26:55 Highlight the passage at 26:55

27:34 When we meditate on these things again and again, that brings a lot of happiness to the mind. Meditating on the kindness of the Guru and the qualities of the Guru, that makes the mind happy. right? If we meditate on Virtuous actions and their results, their resulting happiness, then that makes the mind happy and that makes the mind want to do more and more virtue. Report an error in the passage at 27:34 Highlight the passage at 27:34

28:08 So here Lama Tsongkhapa is saying that the mind becomes moistened or sincere and then delighting in it. Through the mind approaching the white side and delighting it, the mind is moistened by virtuous dharmas. Report an error in the passage at 28:08 Highlight the passage at 28:08

28:26 So we develop this momentum. So we meditate on the positive aspects of practicing and developing these realizations. And then the mind naturally is attracted to more and more virtue. And then we start eliminating more and more of the negative minds and the negative actions. And then the mind becomes more and more happy. Report an error in the passage at 28:26 Highlight the passage at 28:26

28:56 We just become happier and more stable and then the mind becomes more moist, more enthusiastic about the Dharma and the Dharma goes in more and more. Report an error in the passage at 28:56 Highlight the passage at 28:56

29:16 Because as we develop more and more attraction toward virtue, we develop more and more merit. And then we just develop this momentum, right, in practice. Report an error in the passage at 29:16 Highlight the passage at 29:16

29:34 The Venerable Renee once said, I'm going to paraphrase here, but something about the more we practice, right, the more we practice well, the more we see the benefits of practice, and then the more we want to practice. Report an error in the passage at 29:34 Highlight the passage at 29:34

29:55 And then if we let the practice degenerate and we don't really practice very much, then we don't really see the benefits of practice. And then we don't want to do it. So I find this is very, very true for me. The more I practice, then you start getting a taste. You start getting more and more enthusiastic and you really want to practice. Report an error in the passage at 29:55 Highlight the passage at 29:55

30:17 And then you really believe in the Dharma. Otherwise it can be kind of an intellectual thing. Oh yeah, yeah. Virtue brings happiness. Yeah, that's right. Virtue brings happiness, but it doesn't really touch the heart. So then the mind becomes moistened. And I like this terminology or this symbol of moistening. Report an error in the passage at 30:17 Highlight the passage at 30:17

30:51 Because oftentimes when we listen to the Dharma or maybe when we meditate, we feel like there's no effect. It's like... The heart is hard, right? It's like a rock and it doesn't seem like anything's really going in or anything's really affecting you, right? So the more we practice and the more we develop the merit, then that rock kind of softens and becomes moistened, right? Report an error in the passage at 30:51 Highlight the passage at 30:51

31:18 And then we feel more inspired, we feel more uplifted and we want to practice more. Report an error in the passage at 31:18 Highlight the passage at 31:18

31:28 And then Lama Tsongkhapa goes on by saying, when it has been transformed in that way. Whatever you wish to achieve, calm abiding or special insight, if you fix upon it, you will achieve it without difficulty. Report an error in the passage at 31:28 Highlight the passage at 31:28

31:45 So that's pretty self-explanatory. So when we've really developed that, well, when our mind has become moistened, when we've accumulated more and more merit, then it becomes easier, much easier to achieve what we want to achieve. And particularly if we've really developed some level of renunciation, then we don't keep falling back into believing in our old ways. Report an error in the passage at 31:45 Highlight the passage at 31:45

32:20 That is why such an analytical meditation is the best means of achieving non-conceptual meditative stabilization. That is how Arya Asanga also put it. Report an error in the passage at 32:20 Highlight the passage at 32:20

32:33 So by way of analogy, when a smith or his skillful apprentice burns gold or silver in a fire and washes it with water a couple of times in order to discard all impurities and slag, it becomes supple and workable for this and that ornament, whereby this is directly perceived. In this regard, through the know-how that accords with this, Of the smith or his skillful apprentice, any manner of ornament desired is then made with their smith's tools. Report an error in the passage at 32:33 Highlight the passage at 32:33

33:05 Likewise, when a yogi does not turn toward impurities and slag such as covetousness, he thereby gets disenchanted and turns away from unhappy afflicted states of mind and approaches manifest joy in the virtuous side, thereby becoming manifestly joyful. In that case, the yogi definitely trains his mind in either the side of calm abiding or the side of special insight, such that it is thoroughly applied to this and that, rests in its natural state, is immovable and unwavering, and also moves for the sake of perfectly achieving whatever purpose he has contemplated. Report an error in the passage at 33:05 Highlight the passage at 33:05

33:46 Okay, so a saṅgha is basically saying the same thing as Lama Tsongkhapa just did. Report an error in the passage at 33:46 Highlight the passage at 33:46

33:55 So, Report an error in the passage at 33:55 Highlight the passage at 33:55

34:04 clear so far? Peter. Report an error in the passage at 34:04 Highlight the passage at 34:04

34:10 I was just going to mention, I've taken metalworking and the process that he's talking about is called annealing. And literally you rearrange the molecules in the metal when you heat it so it becomes like butter. So you can hammer it into anything. And that's what he's talking about. It's like annealing the mind. The mind becomes super, super pliable. Report an error in the passage at 34:10 Highlight the passage at 34:10

34:37 Yeah, Keith. I Report an error in the passage at 34:37 Highlight the passage at 34:37

34:45 think the problem I have is that sometimes in meditation it's not always predictable. It is kind of like the golden. The crud that's in the gold, because a lot of times it's pretty painful and it's not always predictable what can happen. And I don't really, anyway, I'm not at the point where I can fully control that at this time. Report an error in the passage at 34:45 Highlight the passage at 34:45

35:06 I try, but all I would have to do would meditate a little bit on discrimination and lots of negative things would come up. I mean, I think that that's very true when we meditate on the lamrim. You know, you meditate on it again and again, and then sometimes we hit this kind of, Point where a lot of junk comes up, you know, maybe negative mind or you see your mind more clearly and in ways that you didn't want to see. Report an error in the passage at 35:06 Highlight the passage at 35:06

35:40 And I think that's a sign of progress. That's a sign that, you know, you're working, you know, you've hit something, right? You've touched something and it's not necessarily pleasant, but. Report an error in the passage at 35:40 Highlight the passage at 35:40

35:53 But it's impermanent, right? And so we just keep meditating and work through it, right? And if it was easy, right, we'd be out of cyclic existence by now. Yeah. That's good if anything worth doing isn't easy. If it was easy, we wouldn't be here. I said anything worth doing isn't easy. And so if it was easy, then we wouldn't be here. I think that's probably a good way to look at it. Report an error in the passage at 35:53 Highlight the passage at 35:53

36:30 And a lot of the obstacles that come up are the grasping at the self. It's the self-cherishing stuff, the grasping at the self. And that's painful to let go of. Report an error in the passage at 36:30 Highlight the passage at 36:30

36:51 Painful to let go of our old beliefs of what we think is going to make us happy. Report an error in the passage at 36:51 Highlight the passage at 36:51

37:00 Painful to let go of our self-image of being a perfectly wonderful person. The more we look at our minds, we see that there are impurities as well. We don't just have wonderful qualities. We have other qualities as well. Report an error in the passage at 37:00 Highlight the passage at 37:00

37:32 Or we don't want to meditate on the suffering like the lower realms. Because it's uncomfortable. So we encounter these obstacles. We don't want to think that I could be born in some poor part of Africa without enough food, without comfortable living conditions. We don't even like to entertain that thought. Or that we could be reborn as a mosquito. Report an error in the passage at 37:32 Highlight the passage at 37:32

38:09 Right? Like how many of us really believe that we can be reborn as a mosquito? So all of these things, I mean, they start threatening our ego, right? Because they're uncomfortable. Report an error in the passage at 38:09 Highlight the passage at 38:09

38:32 So there's this passage in The Wheel of Sharp Weapons that talks about, well, no, I'm not going to bring that Report an error in the passage at 38:32 Highlight the passage at 38:32

38:46 up. I Report an error in the passage at 38:46 Highlight the passage at 38:46

38:52 know, I do that. But, you know, oftentimes, well, I don't know about oftentimes, but I think, Most people I know, when they've meditated a lot on the lamrim, you reach periods where you get really negative about aspects of the teachings. Like, oh, this doesn't make sense, this is stupid, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Most of us, I know, for me, definitely that has happened. Report an error in the passage at 38:52 Highlight the passage at 38:52

39:21 It's like, I studied intensely for... you know for years in Italy and there were times when I would be really into it and times when I just thought it was the stupidest thing you know and what am I doing studying this and why do I need all of it you know to know all these lists and you know how's that gonna help Report an error in the passage at 39:21 Highlight the passage at 39:21

39:48 Most of my fellow students also hit that. And there's a verse in the Wheel of Sharp Weapons that basically says, that's because of your self-cherishing. You know, that you get negative about the Dharma because of your self-cherishing. And I thought that that was really insightful. I mean, I hadn't thought of that before. I guess I didn't want to. Report an error in the passage at 39:48 Highlight the passage at 39:48

40:20 You know, I just, you know, believed that that part was stupid when I encountered it. But it's not that the Dharma is stupid. It's just my mind didn't want to go there. My mind didn't want to go there because it somehow threatened my worldview or threatened what I wanted to think about. I didn't want to think about that. And that's because of my self-cherishing. So it's very interesting to keep in mind so that when the mind starts getting negative again, it's like, okay. Report an error in the passage at 40:20 Highlight the passage at 40:20

40:58 That's just my self-cherishing. That's not my wisdom. That's my self-cherishing. Okay, Peter. Report an error in the passage at 40:58 Highlight the passage at 40:58

41:12 And usually when I come up against one of those moments, that's exactly what I need. You know, one of those snags. It's something I don't want to think about and it's exactly what I need to break through to the next level. Yeah. Yeah, and when we get there, it's important to work through it. Report an error in the passage at 41:12 Highlight the passage at 41:12

41:36 Maybe not at that very moment, but... But it is something to be worked through. But that's also a test, right? It's a test whether or not we give up the Dharma completely or if we stay through it and try to work through it. Report an error in the passage at 41:36 Highlight the passage at 41:36

42:05 Move on. Report an error in the passage at 42:05 Highlight the passage at 42:05

42:11 Top of page 38. Furthermore, the main adverse conditions for the mind staying with an object of meditation continuously are twofold, laxity and excitement. If you have a strong and constant awareness that sees the positive... Well, actually, let's just talk about... So, we've talked about these two adverse conditions, right? Report an error in the passage at 42:11 Highlight the passage at 42:11

42:35 Basically, these are talked about as being the main obstacles, right, to calm abiding. Laxity and excitement. Do people remember what laxity and excitement are? Report an error in the passage at 42:35 Highlight the passage at 42:35

42:48 What's laxity? Report an error in the passage at 42:48 Highlight the passage at 42:48

42:53 Microphone. Microphone. nice. Dolphine. Report an error in the passage at 42:53 Highlight the passage at 42:53

43:00 David. Sinking. Report an error in the passage at 43:00 Highlight the passage at 43:00

43:05 A very concise answer. All right. Mental sinking. Anything else? Report an error in the passage at 43:05 Highlight the passage at 43:05

43:21 Just a dull, uninspired mind. Report an error in the passage at 43:21 Highlight the passage at 43:21

43:27 Yeah, that belongs more to lethargy. So there's the lethargy, which is that heavy, heavy dull mind. The sleepy mind, the one that falls asleep when we're trying to meditate. So that's lethargy. Laxity is a bit more subtle. Oh my gosh. Report an error in the passage at 43:27 Highlight the passage at 43:27

43:50 For me, I call it numbness. I get numb. I don't know if that's right though, but it's just feeling. Novocaine of the mind. Yeah, and I think that's lethargy. Lethargy. me. Report an error in the passage at 43:50 Highlight the passage at 43:50

44:06 So we have to kind of pass through lethargy before we can even get to laxity. Report an error in the passage at 44:06 Highlight the passage at 44:06

44:14 Yeah, so that dull, unclear, numb mind is more like lethargy. Is laxity when... The object that you're meditating on becomes unclear. You kind of lose the object. It may be there, but it becomes like a little blurry or your mind wanders a little bit like that. Yeah. Yeah. So coarse laxity is when the object is unclear, like where you're still you're staying on the object. Report an error in the passage at 44:14 Highlight the passage at 44:14

44:59 Right. So you have to. You achieve the level where laxity even happens, right? So your mind is still on the object, but the object is not clear. Report an error in the passage at 44:59 Highlight the passage at 44:59

45:13 And then there's subtler levels of laxity, right, where it's clear, but it's not intense. All right. Okay. So that's laxity. And excitement. What was excitement? Report an error in the passage at 45:13 Highlight the passage at 45:13

45:35 Hillary. Report an error in the passage at 45:35 Highlight the passage at 45:35

45:40 Your mind goes to objects of attachment. Right. So when the mind... Presumably not the object of your meditation. So it moves to the object of attachment. Yeah. So even a grosser one maybe, or a broader one, is just distraction in general. Just moving to other objects. Based on any afflictions, it could be an object of anger, an object of jealousy or whatever. But excitement is specifically moving to objects of attachment. Report an error in the passage at 45:40 Highlight the passage at 45:40

46:22 And so the gross level of excitement is where the mind totally loses its object and you're thinking about something else. And then the subtler level of attachment is where part of your mind is on the object, but then part of your mind is... is off into other things where this might um so it's so So one analogy to that is like a radio station that's not completely tuned in. You still have that radio station, but then you get the static and maybe some other radio stations kind of tune in and out. Report an error in the passage at 46:22 Highlight the passage at 46:22

47:04 So the mind. And that's tricky, actually, I find. I'm just like, okay, Lama can kind of... But that's still an achievement, right? Because at least part of your mind is on the object. So we can be happy about at least getting there. Report an error in the passage at 47:04 Highlight the passage at 47:04

47:29 Okay, so those are the two obstacles. Generally talked about obstacles to calm abiding. don't know how to do it. Report an error in the passage at 47:29 Highlight the passage at 47:29

47:38 And then Lama Tsongkhapa says, if you have a strong and constant awareness that sees the positive... Am I boring you? Friday Report an error in the passage at 47:38 Highlight the passage at 47:38

48:01 night. But this is only the first half of the double feature. Report an error in the passage at 48:01 Highlight the passage at 48:01

48:08 But Rubina will keep you awake. So Lama Tsongkhapa says, if you have a strong and constant awareness that sees the positive qualities of the three jewels, etc., it is quite easy to overcome laxity. For many valid sources say that its antidote is to uplift the mind by looking at positive qualities. So this laxity, this unclarity of the object. Report an error in the passage at 48:08 Highlight the passage at 48:08

48:39 So one of the antidotes is to then meditate on the positive qualities of the three jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. Report an error in the passage at 48:39 Highlight the passage at 48:39

48:50 Because this laxity is kind of losing enthusiasm for your object of meditation. So you kind of need to uplift the mind. And so meditating on the positive qualities of the three jewels. Report an error in the passage at 48:50 Highlight the passage at 48:50

49:06 Your guru or perfect human rebirth or the benefits of calm abiding, these things that uplift the mind, those are recommended as antidotes to laxity. So you let go of your calm abiding meditation at that point and you meditate on one of these things. To brighten up and uplift the mind. And then when the mind is kind of uplifted again, then you can go back to your object. Report an error in the passage at 49:06 Highlight the passage at 49:06

49:43 And then if you have a strong and constant awareness that sees the disadvantages of impermanence, suffering and so forth, it is quite easy to overcome excitement. Because since excitement is a distracted mind belonging to the category of attachment, many texts praise disillusionment as its antidote. So the excitement is moving to objects of attachment. So the mind is too excited, too uplifted. Report an error in the passage at 49:43 Highlight the passage at 49:43

50:11 And so then we need to bring the mind down. And so then you meditate on the disadvantages of the sufferings of cyclic existence, etc., impermanence and death, those things that kind of sober up the mind. and then Report an error in the passage at 50:11 Highlight the passage at 50:11

50:32 And then you're less enthusiastic about your objects of attachment. And so then you're able, then you're wanting, right, to stay on your object more. Report an error in the passage at 50:32 Highlight the passage at 50:32

50:43 Make sense? Report an error in the passage at 50:43 Highlight the passage at 50:43

50:55 So, let's see, it's quarter till eight. Report an error in the passage at 50:55 Highlight the passage at 50:55

51:06 So we have a few options. We can move forward in the text and start with perfect human rebirth. We can go through the homework from the last two classes, which... We haven't gone through the homework for a while, so I want to do that. Report an error in the passage at 51:06 Highlight the passage at 51:06

51:26 And then for homeworks 12 and 13. And then I had promised you, actually I'll hand these out now, promised you lamrim prayers. So if people want one, I have, I Report an error in the passage at 51:26 Highlight the passage at 51:26

51:48 don't know if I have enough copies. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13. I think I have made enough copies. And then maybe we can read through one of the prayers tonight. Report an error in the passage at 51:48 Highlight the passage at 51:48

· · · silence, 1 minute

52:33 Okay, I can pass it out next time to anybody who missed it. Okay, so I do want to cover the homework, but how many people want to move to cover more material in the text? Get into perfect human rebirth? Okay. Report an error in the passage at 52:33 Highlight the passage at 52:33

53:00 Because we're... me up. Report an error in the passage at 53:00 Highlight the passage at 53:00

53:01 Finally finishing up the introduction to the lamrim. We've just finished the introduction, and now we're going to get into the main part of the lamrim. Okay. I mean, are we going too slow for people? Report an error in the passage at 53:01 Highlight the passage at 53:01

53:29 Okay, how much? Yeah. I like it slow. I learn more. like learning. Report an error in the passage at 53:29 Highlight the passage at 53:29

53:38 Perhaps I need to defend myself. No, Report an error in the passage at 53:38 Highlight the passage at 53:38

53:45 it's fine. Although, yeah, I find myself probably not even in the laxity. But sometimes, I was saying this on the way over, that sometimes I just lose my focus because I find it hard to stay with it sometimes when it's slow. No, Report an error in the passage at 53:45 Highlight the passage at 53:45

54:10 And I'm like, what were we studying tonight? But I don't know. Maybe it's a big contrast to like Wednesday night. Report an error in the passage at 54:10 Highlight the passage at 54:10

54:21 I'm sure it's good. Report an error in the passage at 54:21 Highlight the passage at 54:21

54:26 I'm just exposing my laziness. Okay, never mind. Report an error in the passage at 54:26 Highlight the passage at 54:26

54:54 Yeah, I mean, that's... it goes really fast. Report an error in the passage at 54:54 Highlight the passage at 54:54

· · · silence, 1 minute

54:56 That's why I tend to like to go slower, just so we're not inundated with a ton of information and then we don't develop any real understanding of it. But then there's some sort of a balance, too. So I appreciate, actually, Hillary's feedback as well. So we can maybe speed up a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 54:56 Highlight the passage at 54:56

55:19 Speed up a little bit. But not to the point where we're covering so much information that we're, you know, that it's just like lists. So, you know. I hope so. Report an error in the passage at 55:19 Highlight the passage at 55:19

55:45 Yeah, the material is different. So we'll see. I'm hoping so Report an error in the passage at 55:45 Highlight the passage at 55:45

55:51 Well, you know, I mean, just continue to give me feedback and, you know, if it's too slow, let me know. If it's too fast, let me know. And, you know, we're not going to all agree, but we'll try to find kind of the middle, the middle ground. Okay, so let's cover a little bit more. And also I want to do more meditation on these subjects, especially once we start, I mean, since we're going to start kind of the meat of the lamrim then. Report an error in the passage at 55:51 Highlight the passage at 55:51

56:15 We'll do more meditation because that's really the point, right, is to meditate on the lamrim, not just to get the information. Okay, so we'll go a little bit more. The stages of how to train the mind once you have relied. So there's, okay, so you've relied, right, on the spiritual teacher, on the guru, right? Report an error in the passage at 56:15 Highlight the passage at 56:15

56:40 So we've covered that section. And then there are... Two subsections, the basis of leisure, exhortation to take its essence. So this is the subject of perfect human rebirth. And then secondly, then how to take the essence, which will be kind of the rest of the text. Report an error in the passage at 56:40 Highlight the passage at 56:40

57:03 Then the basis of leisure, exhortation to take its essence, has three, identification of leisure and endowments, considering their great value and considering the difficulty in finding them. And then the identification of leisure and endowments has leisure and then endowments. So then there's the section on leisure. Report an error in the passage at 57:03 Highlight the passage at 57:03

57:26 So basically this topic, the perfect human rebirth, is to help us. Really appreciate the current situation that we have, right? Instead of just kind of taking it for granted, really, really feeling how incredibly fortunate we are. So this is a really uplifting subject when we meditate on it. And there's the two different sections, the leisure and endowments. Report an error in the passage at 57:26 Highlight the passage at 57:26

57:57 So we have these... These eight leisures and these ten endowments. Or we have most of them. So what is a leisure? Identification of leisure. First, in the summary it says, through rules, the essence of the many worlds of animals and eight unfree states are renounced. Thus constant leisure one. Accordingly, leisure consists in the freedom from the eight unfree states. So leisure, what does leisure mean? Leisure means that we are free from situations that are unfree or that prevent us from being able to practice the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 57:57 Highlight the passage at 57:57

58:45 So we're free from these situations that prevent us from being able to listen to and practice the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 58:45 Highlight the passage at 58:45

58:57 So the eight unfree states. Report an error in the passage at 58:57 Highlight the passage at 58:57

59:03 Living in a border remote country where the four types of followers of the Buddha do not roam. Stupidity or being dumb. Being of incomplete faculties. Missing a limb, an ear, etc. Holding wrong views that regard past and future lives, actions and their effects and the three jewels as non-existent. Being without the word of Ajina. Report an error in the passage at 59:03 Highlight the passage at 59:03

59:27 With no Buddha having appeared in the world are the four unfree states of humans. Okay, so these eight unfree states are divided into two sections. There are four unfree states of being a human and then there's four unfree states of being born in a different realm. Report an error in the passage at 59:27 Highlight the passage at 59:27

59:53 So even if we're, well, okay, even if. Even though we're born as a human being, we don't necessarily have the eight freedoms. So even as a human being, we can be missing some conditions that would allow us to practice the Dharma. So the first one is living in a border remote country where the four types of followers of the Buddha do not roam. Report an error in the passage at 59:53 Highlight the passage at 59:53

1:00:32 So the four types of followers of the Buddha are fully ordained monks, fully ordained nuns, novice monks and novice nuns. So basically this is saying if we were born somewhere where there aren't sincere practitioners of the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:32 Highlight the passage at 1:00:32

1:00:51 So if we were born in, I mean I use Africa a lot, if we were born in Sudan or Zimbabwe. We wouldn't have any access to the Dharma at all in most of the world if we were born in a lot of the countries in South America, if we were born in the Middle East, if we were born kind Report an error in the passage at 1:00:51 Highlight the passage at 1:00:51

1:01:29 of in the middle of nowhere in the outback of Australia, actually in much of the United States. Right? Yeah. I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. If I never left Omaha, Nebraska, I wouldn't be here now, right? So most of the country, actually. So we're in incredibly fortunate circumstances where we're in the Bay Area, right, where there's so much Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:29 Highlight the passage at 1:01:29

1:02:05 But in most of the country and most of the world, you know. We don't have so much access to the Dharma, if any. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:05 Highlight the passage at 1:02:05

1:02:23 You know, so we have access to the Dharma here. We have, you know, Geshe Dagpa. We have His Holiness the Dalai Lama. So, you know, there's so many, you know, wonderful, you know, lamas around. So, this is incredibly fortunate. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:23 Highlight the passage at 1:02:23

1:02:52 So, I mean, so I've mentioned this before, you know, if we, you know, if we were suddenly... Had to get up and move to Utah or Missouri or Kansas, much of the Midwest, much of the South. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:52 Highlight the passage at 1:02:52

1:03:21 You know, where would we get the Dharma? Basically from the Internet. At least we have the Internet now. right all right Nonetheless, it's very different from being here, having a center, having friends who are also Dharma practitioners, having the Saṅgha. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:21 Highlight the passage at 1:03:21

1:03:48 Just imagine what it would be like if you were all alone, the only person who was interested in the Dharma in anywhere you knew. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:48 Highlight the passage at 1:03:48

1:04:10 I know when, I think I've told you this before, but like Nalanda Monastery in France, you know, for years and years and years they were trying to get a geshe to come. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:10 Highlight the passage at 1:04:10

1:04:21 Years and years and years. This is Nalanda Monastery, you know, full of monks, you know, sincere practitioners. But they didn't have the karma to get a teacher there. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:21 Highlight the passage at 1:04:21

1:04:36 And here we are, you know, with this incredible... You know, Geshe under our roofs. And maybe we kind of take that for granted. But there are not many Geshe's the caliber of Geshe Dagpa. You know, very, very few. We're incredibly fortunate. And, you know, it's not going to last forever, right? So to really think about that, right, and to meditate on how fortunate we are. And to go to his, you know... Report an error in the passage at 1:04:36 Highlight the passage at 1:04:36

1:05:12 Teachings take advantage of this opportunity while we have it. Because when he's gone, oftentimes we don't appreciate things until we don't have them anymore. It's like we don't appreciate our health until we don't have it anymore. We don't appreciate the teachers until we don't have them anymore. So to really appreciate it and use this opportunity. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:12 Highlight the passage at 1:05:12

1:05:39 And then the second... Unfree state that we're free of, that's kind of awkward, but is stupidity or being dumb. So basically we're free, we have the ability to understand the Dharma. We're sitting here and we can understand the teachings. We're not like... You know, someone who's, I Report an error in the passage at 1:05:39 Highlight the passage at 1:05:39

1:06:28 don't know, mentally deficient, where you sit there and you can't really understand the teachings. Or not like an animal, you know, like the cat may come in and sit on the floor of the gompa and listen, but wouldn't be able to understand anything. So we're incredibly fortunate here that we can sit here and actually understand the teachings. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:28 Highlight the passage at 1:06:28

1:06:54 And we're able to hear. We have the ear faculty so we can hear the teachings. Imagine if you were deaf and how limited it would be, how limited access you would have to the Dharma if you couldn't hear. Particularly if you couldn't hear or see, then you wouldn't be able to read or listen to teachings. And sometimes people really appreciate this when they get older, right. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:54 Highlight the passage at 1:06:54

1:07:28 Like, my housemate can't hear very well, you know, and so there are a lot of teachings she would love to go to, but she can't hear, right? If the sound system isn't very good, if the teacher talks too softly, or if the teacher has an accent, right? People who don't hear very well can't, often can't understand that. So we're able to hear, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:28 Highlight the passage at 1:07:28

1:07:59 And so we can go to the... The teachings and get something out of it, Report an error in the passage at 1:07:59 Highlight the passage at 1:07:59

1:08:06 which is actually part of the next one, being of incomplete faculties, missing a limb in the ear, etc. So if we aren't able to hear, then we lack one of the unfree states. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:06 Highlight the passage at 1:08:06

1:08:30 Actually, I want to stop there for today just so we have some time to go through the homework. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:30 Highlight the passage at 1:08:30

1:08:40 And the next time we'll actually meditate on these. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:40 Highlight the passage at 1:08:40

1:09:02 So we have homeworks 12 and 13. I don't think we've covered either of those. Did people bring those? Anybody? Okay, we will start with homework 12. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:02 Highlight the passage at 1:09:02

1:09:24 So what are the four causes of calm abiding and special insight? So this is going back a few classes. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:24 Highlight the passage at 1:09:24

1:09:37 Hillary. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:37 Highlight the passage at 1:09:37

1:09:46 This looks foreign. It was so long ago, but I put restraining the sensory faculties. As one, acting vigilantly, appropriate diet and striving to practice without sleeping at the wrong time and acting properly at the time of sleep. Okay, excellent. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:46 Highlight the passage at 1:09:46

1:10:15 Okay, then number two, explain the meaning of controlling the sense doors. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:15 Highlight the passage at 1:10:15

1:10:24 Anybody remember? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:24 Highlight the passage at 1:10:24

1:10:29 Only because I have it in front of me. It means guarding the six senses from attachment and aversion, which means this can mean avoiding the objects that cause these things to arise, like if it's chocolate or the people that you're attracted to. But on another level, it would mean working with the negative emotions as they are arising, using mindfulness and introspection and applying the appropriate antidotes. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:29 Highlight the passage at 1:10:29

1:10:57 Yeah, great. So one is avoiding the objects altogether, and the other one is? Coming into contact with the objects, working with the mind. Yeah, perfect. Okay. Three, explain the meaning of practicing vigilant behavior. I Report an error in the passage at 1:10:57 Highlight the passage at 1:10:57

1:11:28 think it's just constantly being aware of what the body's doing, what it's up to, and monitoring it so that you maintain virtuous behavior. Actually, it sounds simple, but I think when I thought about it, it's actually kind of complicated. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:28 Highlight the passage at 1:11:28

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:11:43 Kirito. Kirito. Kirito. It's one of those things that sounds simple, but I don't think it is because we don't know what we're doing half the time. I don't know what I'm doing half the time. That's what I found out. Yeah, okay. So it's being aware of what we're doing with the body. Is it just the body? I understand it to be the body of the mind, watching the body with the mind, but I think it's the body. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:43 Highlight the passage at 1:11:43

1:12:11 Behavior, I think it's just the body. Okay. What do other people think? Peter. Or Anna, Anna, go ahead. Body, speech and mind. Actually, yeah, we're watching all three. What we're doing, what we're saying and what we're thinking, right? So yeah, sounds simple. Actually doing it, you know, from moment to moment is quite an achievement if we can. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:11 Highlight the passage at 1:12:11

1:12:47 So that's a great first step, right? Just being aware of what's going on and then we can actually apply the antidotes. Okay, good. And then explain the meaning of knowing the right measure of food. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:47 Highlight the passage at 1:12:47

1:13:15 Oh, Peter. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:15 Highlight the passage at 1:13:15

1:13:19 Wouldn't it be neither overeating nor undereating? Eating nutritious food, you know, avoiding food that's going to cause problems with, you know, developing a long meditation session, basically eating in a moderate way. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:19 Highlight the passage at 1:13:19

1:13:34 Good. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:34 Highlight the passage at 1:13:34

1:13:39 Right, so as you were saying, not eating too little or too much, eating healthy food, avoiding unwholesome food, and then eating appropriate food that does not produce afflictions. Spicy. Or food that brings up a lot of attachments. Um... Report an error in the passage at 1:13:39 Highlight the passage at 1:13:39

1:14:06 That will crave again and again, right? Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:06 Highlight the passage at 1:14:06

1:14:17 And actually in retreat I notice you get to really see the foods that you crave, right? When you're not able to just run to the store and grab that piece of chocolate whenever you want, when you just have, you know, kind of that whatever food is brought to you, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:14:17 Highlight the passage at 1:14:17

1:14:40 So then you really see how that craving for food is a big obstacle to being able to sit down and meditate because you start fantasizing about, you know. And how can I get some chocolate? And maybe if I write a note to, you know, the caretaker, maybe they'll go out and get me some chocolate. And I wonder how long it'll take. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:40 Highlight the passage at 1:14:40

1:15:06 You know, if I'll get it tomorrow or if it'll take a week. You know, the mind can go, you know, spin these huge fantasies about. Chocolate, where you think it's not a big deal, right, to be attached to chocolate, but as soon as you sit down and really try to practice purely in retreat, then you see all of this stuff coming up. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:06 Highlight the passage at 1:15:06

1:15:33 Not that I know anything about it. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:33 Highlight the passage at 1:15:33

1:15:50 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:50 Highlight the passage at 1:15:50

1:15:54 Oh, and then number five, list some of the drawbacks of craving for food. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:54 Highlight the passage at 1:15:54

1:16:07 Janet. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:07 Highlight the passage at 1:16:07

1:16:17 I don't know if these are in the text or not, but one of the drawbacks is overeating and becoming real lethargic and not being able to do your meditations. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:17 Highlight the passage at 1:16:17

1:16:34 You can actually create unhealthy situations with your body. It's a huge distraction to meditation because your mind is constantly wandering and chasing after those things. that you are attached to. It's a waste of time to prepare it and cook it and shop it and think about the menu and blah, blah, blah. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:34 Highlight the passage at 1:16:34

1:17:00 I've heard some people say, and I don't know because I haven't done a retreat like this, but some people say, it was awful. I realized I was spending five hours a day just preparing my food instead of sitting down. You know, doing my meditations. And so like all of those kinds of things. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:00 Highlight the passage at 1:17:00

1:17:30 Anything else? Report an error in the passage at 1:17:30 Highlight the passage at 1:17:30

1:17:36 Oh, the drawbacks of craving for food. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:36 Highlight the passage at 1:17:36

1:17:43 By following your attachment, it creates the causes to remain in cyclic existence. And it can cause you to harm others to get food. You have to work to get food. We'll fight for food. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:43 Highlight the passage at 1:17:43

1:18:00 there's, yeah. Yeah. All of those things, yeah. Right, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:00 Highlight the passage at 1:18:00

1:18:24 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:24 Highlight the passage at 1:18:24

1:18:29 Yeah, I don't know if you said, you know, all the mental afflictions, kind of the negative karma we create in craving for food. Did you say that? One of you maybe said that. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:29 Highlight the passage at 1:18:29

1:18:42 Right. Because you think about, like, arguing about food can come up. Did you say that already? Fighting. You know, fighting. Yeah, I mean, there's the physical fighting. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:42 Highlight the passage at 1:18:42

1:18:57 Especially if we're in the hunting and gathering kind of society where you have to fight for the little food that you can find physically. But then there's the arguing about where we should go to eat. More than half of me. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:57 Highlight the passage at 1:18:57

1:19:19 Exactly. Who ate all the ice cream? I know we had it here yesterday. You know, just all of that. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:19 Highlight the passage at 1:19:19

1:19:34 Yeah. Yeah, exactly. You know, or Halloween time, you know, when you're a kid, you know, make sure nobody gets, you know, more than their share or the best food. You know, all of these things we do for... Exactly. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:34 Highlight the passage at 1:19:34

1:19:51 So if we start thinking about it, it can cite lots of examples. Okay, Report an error in the passage at 1:19:51 Highlight the passage at 1:19:51

1:20:05 and then when eating, what are some good things to think about in order to transform it into a virtuous activity? I think it's dedicating the pleasure of the meal to the triple gem and then dedicating it to... The hungry ghosts, the beings of the hell realms. Like offering it? Yes, I'm sorry. And also offering it to, I think, yourself, to the organisms within your body, and to even the deities within. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:05 Highlight the passage at 1:20:05

1:20:46 Okay, Report an error in the passage at 1:20:46 Highlight the passage at 1:20:46

1:20:52 yeah. Anything else? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:52 Highlight the passage at 1:20:52

1:21:02 Eating the meal mindfully without distraction. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:02 Highlight the passage at 1:21:02

1:21:08 Okay, how is that a virtuous activity? Because it helps develop concentration. We don't think about what we're doing, we just gobble food. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:08 Highlight the passage at 1:21:08

1:21:20 It's probably bigger in the Zen tradition than in our tradition, but eating is a big deal in Zen. Yeah, it is very big. It's a practice right in Zen. I'm not sure if it's a virtuous activity, though. I think it helps with your mindfulness, but I... Well, I think it helps develop concentration, which is a virtuous... Report an error in the passage at 1:21:20 Highlight the passage at 1:21:20

1:21:41 Not an activity. Can be. Actually, concentration is one of those things that can be virtuous or it can be non-virtuous or it can be neutral. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:41 Highlight the passage at 1:21:41

1:21:51 Okay, well I can extrapolate it. I mean, also, when you're dedicating the food to think about everybody that's prepared the food, everybody that's grown the food, the kindness of everybody involved with whatever meal you're eating. Right, yeah. Then you can concentrate on what you're eating. I have to keep that in me. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:51 Highlight the passage at 1:21:51

1:22:10 All right. Yeah. I mean, this is very useful, right? This is very practical, you know, instead of just sitting down and gobbling up our food, you know, offering it, you know, thanking, you know, thanking all of the beings who contributed to that food being there, you know, not just the people, but, you know, all of the beings that died in order for you to have that food, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:10 Highlight the passage at 1:22:10

1:22:37 The insects as well, you know, as well as the animals if we're eating meat. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:37 Highlight the passage at 1:22:37

1:22:45 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:45 Highlight the passage at 1:22:45

1:22:48 Yeah, and then we'll have to stop. And I thought also that you were supposed to, when we were talking about the kindness of others, and perhaps if you're eating an animal, you're hoping for its either higher rebirth and someday you may be able to teach or help it to liberation. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:48 Highlight the passage at 1:22:48

1:23:14 Exactly. So we're going to have to stop there. But yeah, it can be a bodhicitta activity, right? That you're making this karmic connection so that you can lead that being to enlightenment in the future. Also, we can think that we're eating right to strengthen our bodies so that we can practice the Dharma and benefit others. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:14 Highlight the passage at 1:23:14

1:23:38 Okay, so. Maybe silently dedicate the merit for a minute since we don't have time to do the prayers. And then Rubina's coming at 8.30. Thank Report an error in the passage at 1:23:38 Highlight the passage at 1:23:38

1:24:11 you. And then maybe if people can help set up chairs and things since Rubina tends to attract a big crowd. I don't know. She doesn't use those. So, yeah, we don't need the tables and we don't. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:11 Highlight the passage at 1:24:11

1:24:40 that the other one else is off the internet. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:40 Highlight the passage at 1:24:40

1:24:54 other way. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:54 Highlight the passage at 1:24:54

1:25:10 So, you know, mindfulness is one of the mental factors that can be virtuous, non-virtuous, or neutral. You're right. That's true. But they're so big on that. They are very big on that. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:10 Highlight the passage at 1:25:10

1:25:28 It's kind of beautiful. yeah, think so. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:28 Highlight the passage at 1:25:28