Basic Program - Buddhism From A-Z (2 January 2009)

0:01 So last time we started talking about death, cultivating the mindfulness of death and why that's important. Because if we don't think about death and how it's imminent and how we're going to lose everything, then we spend a lot of time and effort, a lot of energy focusing on the pleasures and the success of this life. Report an error in the passage at 0:01 Highlight the passage at 0:01

0:32 And we waste a lot of time. And so the more we see the pleasures of this life as being really important, or the more we have a lot of goals for this particular life, then the more time we're going to waste. Report an error in the passage at 0:32 Highlight the passage at 0:32

0:59 Also, our mental afflictions will increase because we'll have a lot of attachment to this life. So the purpose of meditating on death is to really cause us to make our lives meaningful, to use our time really well and not waste time on the temporary pleasures of this life. Report an error in the passage at 0:59 Highlight the passage at 0:59

1:32 And particularly the eight worldly concerns, right? Because most of our actions are really indulging in the eight worldly concerns, right? Being focused on pleasure, gaining pleasure and having an aversion to pain, gaining things and not wanting to lose things, you know, wanting a good reputation and having an aversion to... Report an error in the passage at 1:32 Highlight the passage at 1:32

2:00 A bad reputation. And then wanting fame and not wanting, right, no, that was a good reputation. And wanting praise and not blame. And so if we think about it, most of our actions throughout the day are attachments to the eight worldly concerns. Report an error in the passage at 2:00 Highlight the passage at 2:00

2:22 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 2:22 Highlight the passage at 2:22

2:26 So meditating on death is to encourage us to practice the Dharma. And not just to practice the Dharma, but to practice purely. Because if we don't remember death and we still practice the Dharma, we don't necessarily practice purely because it's always tinged by the eight worldly concerns. Report an error in the passage at 2:26 Highlight the passage at 2:26

2:47 Okay. So I think we got up to, it Report an error in the passage at 2:47 Highlight the passage at 2:47

3:00 is the gate to all excellence. Does that sound right for people? On page 52. We just got there. Didn't we finish? Report an error in the passage at 3:00 Highlight the passage at 3:00

3:19 Gain, loss. Pleasure, pain. You want me to go through all of them? Praise, blame, good reputation, bad reputation. Report an error in the passage at 3:19 Highlight the passage at 3:19

3:35 Okay. So it is the gate to all excellence. So on page 52. In brief, the time for achieving the goals of beings is only this time where we have gained the special basis. We have gone through this, right? Yeah. So this section is basically saying we have a precious human rebirth now. right. Report an error in the passage at 3:35 Highlight the passage at 3:35

3:57 Most of our lives were born in the lower realms actually and then once in a while or we might have a human rebirth but not a precious human rebirth with all the leisures and endowments. So every once in a while it's like our head surfaces and we get a precious human rebirth and it's only with a precious human rebirth that we can really accomplish the goals of the Dharma that we can actually make progress spiritually. Report an error in the passage at 3:57 Highlight the passage at 3:57

4:25 And... And get closer to enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 4:25 Highlight the passage at 4:25

4:32 So the next section is how it is necessary to give up misunderstandings and meditate from the bottom of one's heart. Therefore you should not think. This is a practice for those who do not have profound dharma, other objects of meditation to meditate on. And you should meditate on this, but only a bit in the beginning. Report an error in the passage at 4:32 Highlight the passage at 4:32

4:51 And it is unsuitable to practice it continually. You should not take it like that, but rather you should meditate upon it. Until you gain certainty from the bottom of your heart that is necessary in the beginning, in the middle and at the end. So this topic on meditating on death is not just for those kind of the dull people who can't understand emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 4:51 Highlight the passage at 4:51

5:18 It's really the foundation of the path. I wanted Report an error in the passage at 5:18 Highlight the passage at 5:18

5:29 to read it by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Do you recognize that book? Report an error in the passage at 5:29 Highlight the passage at 5:29

5:35 So this is by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He says, Awareness of death is the very bedrock of the path. Until you have developed this awareness, all other practices are obstructed. Report an error in the passage at 5:35 Highlight the passage at 5:35

5:51 So it's the very, awareness of death is the very bedrock of the path. Until you have developed this awareness, all other practices are obstructed. I Report an error in the passage at 5:51 Highlight the passage at 5:51

6:12 think so. Report an error in the passage at 6:12 Highlight the passage at 6:12

6:16 Because then otherwise we're really just focused on the pleasures of this life. We're becoming a better person in this life. And we create a lot of negative karma. We create a lot of non-virtue because we're just pursuing the success and things of this life. Report an error in the passage at 6:16 Highlight the passage at 6:16

6:39 And we notice people who have a lot of, let's say, ambition in this life. you know, can be quite, know, you can be quite. Insensitive to the surroundings or insensitive to the people that you're affecting. Like all the greed and things of this culture ruins the environment. So many animals are affected. Report an error in the passage at 6:39 Highlight the passage at 6:39

7:09 So many beings are killed. And then you pursue your ambitions regardless of how that affects others. Other people as well, you know, it hurts your relationships. If you look at politicians, actually we won't say anything about that, but we might just notice, right, they're not necessarily the racist of people, right? Report an error in the passage at 7:09 Highlight the passage at 7:09

7:38 So the more strong kind of attachments we have, the more, you know, the more negative karma we tend to create. So then when we're aware of death, right, we're really much more focused on creating the causes for happiness in the future, right, in future lives, which means that we're more focused on practicing virtue, right, because that is the cause of happiness in the future and abandoning non-virtue, right, because that's the cause of suffering in the future. Report an error in the passage at 7:38 Highlight the passage at 7:38

8:15 Okay, Report an error in the passage at 8:15 Highlight the passage at 8:15

8:22 so we need to meditate on death and not only in the beginning. beginning of our practice, we actually need to practice it. Lama Tsongkhapa says, in the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the path. Because in that way then our practice becomes pure. We really keep focused on kind of the long term and not just the immediate satisfaction, the immediate gratification. Report an error in the passage at 8:22 Highlight the passage at 8:22

8:55 That keeps our practice pure. Report an error in the passage at 8:55 Highlight the passage at 8:55

9:00 Otherwise, like I said, you know, we may do our practice, but we'll rush through it, right? You know, it's not the priority. You know, our, you know, getting to work is the priority and, you know, doing all these things is a priority. And we may do our practice, but we'll do it, you know, with a distracted mind or we'll do it in the five minutes, you know, that we can recite our prayers. Report an error in the passage at 9:00 Highlight the passage at 9:00

9:24 So, and I really noticed this, you know, in my own life. It's so easy to forget about future lives and just kind of go through the motions in the practice. There's some periods when we really practice well, and then there are periods where we're just kind of going through the motions and doing our commitments. Report an error in the passage at 9:24 Highlight the passage at 9:24

9:45 And that's because we're not really focused on, okay, well, this life is going to end, and it can end any time. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 9:45 Highlight the passage at 9:45

10:09 And then what kind of mind? That is mindful of death is generated. The fear born from worries about separation from relatives, etc. is the kind of fear of death of those who are not trained in the path. Therefore, here, this is not what is to be generated. So when we're meditating on death, it's not for the purpose of generating fear that we're going to lose our possessions and be separated from our loved ones. Report an error in the passage at 10:09 Highlight the passage at 10:09

10:40 Because that's the kind of fear that... that anybody has, right? Well then, what kind of fear is to be generated? All bodies taken under the power of karma and mental afflictions do not pass beyond death, which is why, even though this may give rise to fear, it cannot be prevented for the time being. However, without having blocked the causes for bad migrations and accomplished the causes for high status and certain goodness, you will fear death. Report an error in the passage at 10:40 Highlight the passage at 10:40

11:13 With regard to that, if you think of the resulting fear, this can be accomplished, whereby you will not be afraid on the verge of dying. Report an error in the passage at 11:13 Highlight the passage at 11:13

11:25 So Lama Tsongkhapa is saying here that all of us, you know, all of we ordinary beings have taken birth through the force of our karma and our mental afflictions, right? Because of our ignorance, we've created mental afflictions because of that. Report an error in the passage at 11:25 Highlight the passage at 11:25

11:43 We take what's called the contaminated aggregates. We take on a new body and mind every life. And because this body was born from karma and mental afflictions, then it definitely has to die. We can't avoid death as long as our body was taken under the force of karma and afflictions. So it's definite we're going to die and it's definite we're going to get another. Report an error in the passage at 11:43 Highlight the passage at 11:43

12:19 body if we haven't become liberated yet, right? Report an error in the passage at 12:19 Highlight the passage at 12:19

12:25 So the kind of mind that we need to generate or the kind of fear that we need to generate rather than generating the fear of being separated from our loved ones and separated from our possessions, etc. is the concern about the future lives, concern about whether or not... We've abandoned the causes for a lower rebirth in the future and whether or not we've created the causes for a higher rebirth and happiness in the future. Report an error in the passage at 12:25 Highlight the passage at 12:25

13:00 So meditating on death is for us to really be focused on abandoning our negative actions, purifying our negative actions and creating virtue. Report an error in the passage at 13:00 Highlight the passage at 13:00

13:16 It's reminding us. It's reminding us. What is important in life is reminding us that we need to create the causes for happiness long term and not just the immediate pleasure. Report an error in the passage at 13:16 Highlight the passage at 13:16

13:34 So we develop this, I mean we could call it fear or this, just the sense of concern, right? You know, throughout our lives constantly be focusing on virtue and abandoning non-virtue. Report an error in the passage at 13:34 Highlight the passage at 13:34

13:51 Not like a strong anxiety or fear. It's like driving carefully because we know we can get in an accident, right? Not that we're really anxious drivers, you know, that doesn't do any good. But just having that awareness that we could get in a car accident that we drive more carefully, right? And similarly, just having an awareness. Report an error in the passage at 13:51 Highlight the passage at 13:51

14:17 That we're going to die and we need to create the causes for happiness in the future. Then we, in the moment hopefully, when we're about to say something nasty to somebody or get really angry, just trying to avoid that negative action and trying to develop patience, etc. Report an error in the passage at 14:17 Highlight the passage at 14:17

14:52 So Lama Tsongkhapa is saying, so if we keep that mindfulness throughout our lives, then at the time of death we have no reason to feel fear. Because if we've abandoned all the causes for a lower rebirth, all the causes of suffering in the future, then at the time of death there's nothing to worry about. Report an error in the passage at 14:52 Highlight the passage at 14:52

15:11 There's no fear. If you do not achieve this objective for fear of not being liberated from cyclic... The cycle of existence in general and of falling to bad migrations in particular, you'll be tormented by remorse at the time of death. Report an error in the passage at 15:11 Highlight the passage at 15:11

15:29 So if we don't think about creating virtue and avoiding non-virtue throughout our lives, then at the time of death we'll feel a great regret that we really wasted our lives because at that point it's too late. Report an error in the passage at 15:29 Highlight the passage at 15:29

15:50 Then the next outline is how to cultivate the mindfulness of death. So, so far Lama Tsongkhapa has really been focusing on kind of convincing us that it's really important to meditate on death and impermanence. And then we get into actually how we actually cultivate the mindfulness of death, how we actually meditate on death. So that has three outlines. Report an error in the passage at 15:50 Highlight the passage at 15:50

16:20 The first one, it is certain that we will die. The second one, it is uncertain when we will die. And the third one, at the time of death, nothing will be of benefit except for the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 16:20 Highlight the passage at 16:20

16:42 So those are the three, what's called the three root thoughts. And so you should meditate on this by way of the three root thoughts, the nine reasons and the three resolutions. In this regard, the three root thoughts are, it is certain that we will die, it is uncertain when we will die and at the time of death, nothing except for the Dharma will be of benefit. Report an error in the passage at 16:42 Highlight the passage at 16:42

17:06 Okay, so it is certain that we will die. The first outline has two, the actual reasons and the resolution. And then the actual reasons have three. The Lord of Death will certainly come and there are no conditions for warding him off. One's lifespan cannot be increased and diminishes incessantly. And you die without having had time to practice Dharma while alive. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 17:06 Highlight the passage at 17:06

17:37 So the Lord of Death will certainly come and there are no conditions for warding him off. So the Lord of Death is just death. It's just kind of death personified into the Lord of Death. So in the Udana Varga, it says that whatever body you have taken, whatever country you reside in, and whatever the time, you are defeated by death. Report an error in the passage at 17:37 Highlight the passage at 17:37

18:12 So whatever body you have taken, no matter what kind of body, no matter how strong our body is, no matter how young our body is, we're going to die. Even all the Buddhas and Arhats, Bodhisattvas of the past have died. Shakyamuni Buddha died. All the great Lamas of the past have died. Right, so certainly we're going to die, right? We're just ordinary beings, so of course we're going to die. Report an error in the passage at 18:12 Highlight the passage at 18:12

18:51 And then whatever country you reside in, so it doesn't matter if we live in a rich country or a poor country, we're still going to die. And whatever the time, no matter the time period, we're definitely going to die. Report an error in the passage at 18:51 Highlight the passage at 18:51

19:06 It will come to pass that way and cannot be turned back by fleeing swiftly away or by force, wealth, material substances, mantras or medicine. As it says in the Advice to a King Sūtra, Kamawa said, Now some fear of death is necessary. At the moment of death, you must not be apprehensive. We do it the other way around. No, we are not afraid. Now we are not afraid. But at the moment of death, we dig our fingernails into our chests. Report an error in the passage at 19:06 Highlight the passage at 19:06

19:46 So we're definitely going to die and there's nothing that we can do to stop that. You know, money, friends, possessions. Report an error in the passage at 19:46 Highlight the passage at 19:46

19:56 Even Dharma practices mantras. There are practices to extend our lives, but sooner or later we're going to die. And this Kamawa says that we need to have some fear of death. Report an error in the passage at 19:56 Highlight the passage at 19:56

20:19 He says the point is throughout our lives to have some fear of death, but at the time of death to not have any fear. Because we've done everything, we've practiced well. But then he's saying, but we do it the other way around. We don't think about death throughout our lives. We don't have the fear of death. And then at the time of death, then a lot of fear and anxiety arise because we haven't created the causes for a good rebirth in the future. Report an error in the passage at 20:19 Highlight the passage at 20:19

20:54 And particularly as we talked about last time, in this culture, We're so averse to thinking about death, talking about death. But that's not going to help us. At the time of death, death is just going to come. And it's much better to have been prepared for it rather than have been in denial throughout our lives. Report an error in the passage at 20:54 Highlight the passage at 20:54

21:22 And then at the end of the day, just feeling terrified. And then... Report an error in the passage at 21:22 Highlight the passage at 21:22

21:35 So a friend of a friend of mine recently experienced this with, so my friend had an old student of hers who experienced, let's say he led kind of a hedonistic life. I mean, he was a good guy. He had a lot of friends, you know, he partied a lot, you know, and he was helpful to others and all of that. And he never thought about death. And then he got sick, you know, and he was only 40-something years old. He got sick and, you know, and he was in the hospital for a while. Report an error in the passage at 21:35 Highlight the passage at 21:35

22:18 And then the doctors, you know, basically told him he was going to die soon. So he decided that he would, he wanted to go home and die, right? So he went home and his sister flew out to be with him. And in those last days... While he was home, you know, instead of being kind of relaxed and happy with being home, he was terrified and he couldn't sleep. You know, he just couldn't relax. Report an error in the passage at 22:18 Highlight the passage at 22:18

22:44 He couldn't rest because he knew that death was coming. And he avoided thinking about it throughout his life. And so finally, you know, he was just so exhausted and so anxious that the doctor gave him some medicine to put him out, you know, so he could actually sleep. And then he never woke up. know Report an error in the passage at 22:44 Highlight the passage at 22:44

23:06 So, you know, so this is, I think, not a unique story. I think this happens a lot. Yeah, I mean, it's a really, it's a really sad way to go. It's really, it's really hard to see that, right? Report an error in the passage at 23:06 Highlight the passage at 23:06

23:27 So it's just so much better, you know, that we're getting these teachings on death and we kind of know how to prepare our minds for death. And then the time of death, you know, we know what we can do. Well, we know how we can live our lives, right? And then we know at the time of death, you know, what will help, right? Keeping a relaxed mind and taking refuge and doing Tonglen, these things will really help us, right, at the time of death. Report an error in the passage at 23:27 Highlight the passage at 23:27

23:56 Right, so if we take refuge at the time of death, it's said we won't be reborn in the lower realms. Doing Tonglen at the time of death, right, creates incredible causes in the future. Report an error in the passage at 23:56 Highlight the passage at 23:56

24:15 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 24:15 Highlight the passage at 24:15

24:23 So I find it's very, very useful to meditate on death. Report an error in the passage at 24:23 Highlight the passage at 24:23

24:34 Then everything becomes clear. All of our priorities become very clear. You know, what's important and what's not. Report an error in the passage at 24:34 Highlight the passage at 24:34

24:49 It's really sad. I have a great aunt who's 89 and she's starting to fade out and she doesn't believe in anything. She thinks you die and you just, it's gone. And none of her kids are talking to her. About her imminent death. And so it's just so frustrating to think that somebody could have lived that long and die thinking that there's just nothing. Report an error in the passage at 24:49 Highlight the passage at 24:49

25:15 It's actually been good for my practice to be thinking about that, but it's kind of sad to think about that reality. I think a lot of people kind of believe that there's nothing, but then when death really comes... Doubt starts to arise, like, well, what if there's something else, right? By that time, it's too late to do anything. Report an error in the passage at 25:15 Highlight the passage at 25:15

25:57 This subject is really touchy with me, because... I used to work in the hospital for 10 years, and I've been around death for a long time. I've seen it. And then my grandmother became ill and she started dying. It took many years. And then when she finally died, I was with her alone and I can't handle it. I have a very hard time talking about it, thinking about it, my own mortality. Report an error in the passage at 25:57 Highlight the passage at 25:57

26:41 And I just had that conversation with a friend today about it, death and everything. And then just thinking about the whole suffering. and everything, it's like... With the teachings, what I'm learning now, I want to get there fast so I can understand it so I'm ready. It's pretty terrifying, really. Report an error in the passage at 26:41 Highlight the passage at 26:41

27:05 I just can't get there quick enough, understanding it and knowing that it's going to be okay because when you are in your dying bed, Denise, you'll know all that. It's going to be peaceful. You can go to refuge and all that. it's like but I'm lost right now. It's really terrifying. Report an error in the passage at 27:05 Highlight the passage at 27:05

27:34 I Report an error in the passage at 27:34 Highlight the passage at 27:34

27:38 tend to think that that's a period we go through of feeling really terrified. And not knowing what to expect, I think, creates more fear. And it can be very helpful to just study it, you know, study, you know, the stages of dissolution, you know, how, you know, the whole process of dying and what kinds of things will help. Report an error in the passage at 27:38 Highlight the passage at 27:38

28:12 Then, then I think that takes, you know, some of the anxiety and the fear out of the process of death. And Report an error in the passage at 28:12 Highlight the passage at 28:12

28:27 I know, you know, like my father died a couple of years ago. Report an error in the passage at 28:27 Highlight the passage at 28:27

28:33 And I was with him. He was in a coma for a few days and I was with him as he died. And I felt an incredible sense of calm throughout because I knew what to do, how to help him. I had all of these practices to do and these mantras and things like that. I had talked to Lama Zopa Rinpoche on the phone and he told me exactly what I needed to do that would help him. Report an error in the passage at 28:33 Highlight the passage at 28:33

29:03 And so, you know, so although it was incredibly sad, you know, to lose him, there was something, you know, there was like something really beautiful about it too because I knew that I could do something to help him. You know, so there was this real sense of calm, you know, whereas if you don't know what to do, you know, you feel kind of helpless, you know, and, you know, you kind of feel. Report an error in the passage at 29:03 Highlight the passage at 29:03

29:35 I mean, you can feel hysterical about it. And I know a lot of people who have said that before they met the Dharma, when they lost someone that they love, it was a really horrible, terrifying experience. But since they met the Dharma, it was so much easier to deal with. So I think it'll be better the next time, I hope, for you. Report an error in the passage at 29:35 Highlight the passage at 29:35

30:04 Yeah, so you didn't have the Dharma at that time. I had it. I had a friend there. He was Tibetan and he was helping me with my prayers and everything. But just sitting there next to her for a month, 24-7, and watching her suffer, it changed my life. And I don't think I'm afraid of dying myself. I don't want to see another person that I'm close to die. Report an error in the passage at 30:04 Highlight the passage at 30:04

30:41 You know, that's what I think about. So it keeps me up. You just mentioned about your friend. Yeah, that keeps me up a lot. So Peter just mentioned, you know, study the three jewels. Maybe I could do that. Report an error in the passage at 30:41 Highlight the passage at 30:41

31:19 I was just saying that if you make sincere prayers about this, I really truly think they're answered. And if you ask the three jewels to help give you the insight you need. To get past your fear and to work through it, they'll give you, in whatever way you need it, that assistance. But you might have to pray a lot if you have a lot of fear around it, but I would suggest it might help. Report an error in the passage at 31:19 Highlight the passage at 31:19

31:43 It's helped me, actually. Report an error in the passage at 31:43 Highlight the passage at 31:43

31:54 And another thing that Lama Zopa Rinpoche suggests is when a loved one is suffering so much, it's so hard to be there for that. But if you think, well, maybe they're suffering like this. So that they don't have to suffer more in the future. Like if it's helping them purify so that they will actually have a better rebirth in the future, then that can help us deal with it a little bit better. Report an error in the passage at 31:54 Highlight the passage at 31:54

32:23 Doing tonglen helps too. Report an error in the passage at 32:23 Highlight the passage at 32:23

32:42 I understand what you're going through because I went through a period where I had four very close relatives die within about a four month span of time, including my stepfather. And it was incredibly painful. And that's actually what made me finally start practicing seriously after being kind of a dilettante about it for years before. Report an error in the passage at 32:42 Highlight the passage at 32:42

33:02 And I think that going through that experience, which also brought my mother to the Dharma because she learned how to do POA before my stepfather died and did that for him. It really transformed both of our lives. And the thing is that you can do things to help them. I mean, you can, like Emily was saying, you can learn Poa practice, you can do Tonglen, you can read the Lamas and what they have to say, and then it empowers you, so it's not such a terrifying experience. Report an error in the passage at 33:02 Highlight the passage at 33:02

33:31 But it is really hard to see someone you love go. It's probably the hardest thing we face. But it's part of life. We have to just learn to work with it and not to be overpowered by it. Report an error in the passage at 33:31 Highlight the passage at 33:31

33:46 So anything you can do to empower yourself around death I think would really help a lot. Because we're all in the same boat. And we're all going to be there someday. Report an error in the passage at 33:46 Highlight the passage at 33:46

34:12 It's amazing how people take advantage of life. I mean, life is really precious. I mean, no matter what you choose to do or how you want to live your life, like the person that you were speaking of, he chose to be a partier. Well, that's a choice, you know, and unfortunately he died the way he died at such a young age. Report an error in the passage at 34:12 Highlight the passage at 34:12

34:38 That is unfortunate, but that was a choice. And I had a friend die at 27, you know, and he made a choice to live his lifestyle as he did. But that's the thing. If I can just keep myself in check in how I live my life and just remember the Dharma and just keep on a good path, which I'm trying. Really hard, you know. I don't want to be on that deathbed saying to myself, looking at my loved ones saying, well, I should have, could have, would have, you know. Report an error in the passage at 34:38 Highlight the passage at 34:38

35:10 I don't want to do that. Yeah. So that's why I'm here. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 35:10 Highlight the passage at 35:10

35:25 And, you know, the FPMT has these wonderful, like, death and dying packets and care for the dying with all sorts of advice for how we can help. People at the time of death and while they're sick. And it's just so, I mean, it's just incredible. It's so helpful. And there are like five mantras that you can say for helping them be liberated from lower realms, you know, so that they won't be, you know, they won't die in lower realms. Report an error in the passage at 35:25 Highlight the passage at 35:25

35:55 And I remember when, you know, recently our, you know, one of our dogs died. And in the last few days, I was doing those mantras constantly. Report an error in the passage at 35:55 Highlight the passage at 35:55

36:08 She was suffering so much, but it was just really helpful to me to know that I could do something for her. Hopefully she's in a good place now. So the Dharma is a great blessing. Report an error in the passage at 36:08 Highlight the passage at 36:08

36:33 They're on the FPMT website. Care for the dying. you know, at those times. Report an error in the passage at 36:33 Highlight the passage at 36:33

36:43 What about things that you can do for people who have experienced a death of a loved one recently? Like how to support them. For example, you know, people who maybe are just meeting the Dharma or, you know, don't really have a lot of Dharma and you just want to, I don't know, you want to be reassuring to them, but, you know, you don't want to tell a lie to them either. Report an error in the passage at 36:43 Highlight the passage at 36:43

37:13 Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Report an error in the passage at 37:13 Highlight the passage at 37:13

37:18 Um, maybe not. No, so, so, so, I mean, yeah, I mean, you can support them, right? And tell them things that they can do, like practices they can do, like medicine Buddha puja is always, always recommended, right? So, so you, so you can offer up, you know, constructive suggestions, right? And then be really careful about the things we say that will just make them feel bad, right? Report an error in the passage at 37:18 Highlight the passage at 37:18

37:47 Like, oh, maybe they've gone to the lower realms. We don't really need to say stuff like that, right? But what in particular were you thinking about? Well, actually, my daughter's friend's grandmother just died. And so I'm just, you know, thinking of ways to be supportive. Like when my daughter's grandmother died, we did Medicine Buddha Pooja for her. Report an error in the passage at 37:47 Highlight the passage at 37:47

38:14 You know, and you can make a little stoop. You know, there's all kinds of things that you can do. But then when it's, you know, it's just when it's somebody else, you know, just trying to think of how to keep it simple, I guess, but positive. Report an error in the passage at 38:14 Highlight the passage at 38:14

38:30 Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I have difficulty with that, you know, myself. But, you know, I mean, it always helps to just listen and, you know, say prayers for them and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 38:30 Highlight the passage at 38:30

38:45 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 38:45 Highlight the passage at 38:45

38:57 Oh, okay. So we were talking about, as Report an error in the passage at 38:57 Highlight the passage at 38:57

39:05 it says in the Sūtra of Entering the Womb. Did we start that? Oh, no, no. Okay. The one above in the Udan Varga. It says that whatever body you've taken, whatever country you reside in, in whatever the time you're defeated by death. It would come to pass that way and cannot be turned back by fleeting swiftly away or by force, wealth, material, substances, mantras or medicine, as it says. Report an error in the passage at 39:05 Highlight the passage at 39:05

39:29 So actually, we just finished that already. So to have some fear throughout our lives so that we practice well and then at the time of death to not have fear because we know that we've done everything. Report an error in the passage at 39:29 Highlight the passage at 39:29

39:47 So then one's lifespan cannot be increased. increased diminishes incessantly. So as it says in the Sūtra of Entering the Womb, reaching a lifespan of a hundred years seems to be the limit of what is possible. However, even if you reach that, the years until then waste away with the passage of month after month, day after day and night, day and night, as they too waste away with the passage of mourning and so on. Report an error in the passage at 39:47 Highlight the passage at 39:47

40:19 It seems that the general lifespan has already been... Wasted a lot previously and the remainder also diminishes incessantly without anything being added. Report an error in the passage at 40:19 Highlight the passage at 40:19

40:32 So the first point of meditating that death will definitely come, that's pretty easy to understand, that's easy to realize. But the second one where our lifespan cannot be increased and it's constantly diminishing. It's a really important one to meditate on. Report an error in the passage at 40:32 Highlight the passage at 40:32

40:59 So we know that a lifespan at the maximum is really 100 years for us, or maybe a little bit more. We're not going to live 200 years. Report an error in the passage at 40:59 Highlight the passage at 40:59

41:11 And then each day our life is getting shorter. We're getting closer to death with every day. Regardless of what we're doing, whether or not we're practicing, whether we're sleeping or distracted, we're getting closer to death each day. We're getting closer to death each moment. And so there are a lot of different meditations that are recommended that are really helpful for us to see that our life is getting, well, death is getting closer in each moment. Report an error in the passage at 41:11 Highlight the passage at 41:11

41:54 There's one where Lama Zopa Rinpoche recommends that we look at our watch. I've talked to you about this before, right? Report an error in the passage at 41:54 Highlight the passage at 41:54

42:17 So Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, for example, think that from this moment until we die, there are a certain number of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. It's good to spend an hour just looking at your wristwatch while thinking that there are so many seconds from now until your death. You'll see how your lifespan is decreasing with each passing second. Report an error in the passage at 42:17 Highlight the passage at 42:17

42:52 So I did this meditation. When I first met the Dharma, I was in a 10-day solitary retreat. And I was doing this meditation. And I had this watch. And I just sat there. And I watched the second hand kind of keep going around and around. And, you know, at first it's like, yeah, whatever, you know. And I did this meditation for a while and at a certain point it was this super powerful experience. Report an error in the passage at 42:52 Highlight the passage at 42:52

43:27 It was like, holy, holy moly. Or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 43:27 Highlight the passage at 43:27

43:39 Yeah. You know, like I grabbed my chest. It was like you're watching the seconds tick away and that second will never come back again. Report an error in the passage at 43:39 Highlight the passage at 43:39

43:54 And it was so powerful. It was so powerful. I mean, I was petrified because I think that was the first moment that I really realized that, okay, I'm going to die and I'm getting closer in every moment. It was such a good meditation to do. And after that, I mean, I just haven't wanted to waste my time, you know, waste our life doing, you know, all sorts of meaningless things, you know. Report an error in the passage at 43:54 Highlight the passage at 43:54

44:30 Accumulating possessions and working at a meaningless job for half of my life or a third of my life. But really to spend time and practice the best that I could. So we have these experiences and they're really powerful and then they fade and then it's important to bring them up again. So this is a really good meditation I would recommend. Report an error in the passage at 44:30 Highlight the passage at 44:30

45:04 For people, there's another one of meditating on our breath. So it's said that our lifespan is actually determined, you know, karmically determined by the number of breaths. We have a certain number of breaths that we'll breathe until we die. And so every time we inhale and exhale, we're getting... Closer to death, right? One less breath until we die. So that's another good meditation to meditate on our breath and thinking that we're getting closer and closer to death. Report an error in the passage at 45:04 Highlight the passage at 45:04

45:51 Lama Zopa Rinpoche also mentions, you know, throughout our lives, you know, if we're walking, we can think that we're taking one step closer to death. Report an error in the passage at 45:51 Highlight the passage at 45:51

46:03 So, you know, so this can be quite frightening. If we don't do something with it, right? But if we actually use it to inspire us to practice, then it's very useful. Report an error in the passage at 46:03 Highlight the passage at 46:03

46:29 So Lama Report an error in the passage at 46:29 Highlight the passage at 46:29

46:41 Zopa Rinpoche says, this is very effective for overwhelming the evil thought of the worldly dharmas, the eight worldly dharmas. I think it is said in the teachings that we breathe 21,000 times in one day. With each inhalation and exhalation, Think that that much of your life is running out. Now that much is finished. Now that much is finished. Now I have come that much closer to death. Report an error in the passage at 46:41 Highlight the passage at 46:41

47:09 If you don't have much feeling for death, if it doesn't make much sense to you, or if the question arises, why death? Then with each breath say to yourself, now I have come that much closer to the hells. And if you don't feel much from thinking like that, you should think about karma. Report an error in the passage at 47:09 Highlight the passage at 47:09

47:29 From the time I was born until now, which type of karma have I created more? Virtuous or non-virtuous? Then you'll get a feeling for the hells, and from that you'll get a feeling for impermanence and death. You should either think about the hells, death and so on, or you should try to have unbearable compassion and cherish sentient beings. Then your life isn't wasted. Report an error in the passage at 47:29 Highlight the passage at 47:29

47:56 One way to practice is to find out which actions you can do to bring the greatest benefit to others and offer them that without necessarily remembering impermanence, death or the hells. Report an error in the passage at 47:56 Highlight the passage at 47:56

48:10 But I think that it is very difficult to have great compassion for sentient beings and to work for enlightenment without thinking about death, the hells and karma. In fact, I think it's impossible. Report an error in the passage at 48:10 Highlight the passage at 48:10

48:28 Generally, it is good to have strong compassion and to dedicate yourself to serving sick, helping animals and so on. But not thinking about karma, death and the hells. Just having a good heart and strong compassion. Wanting to help those with problems is not enough. If there is something that you are capable of doing, you must offer your service. Report an error in the passage at 48:28 Highlight the passage at 48:28

48:53 But just being helpful is not enough to become enlightened. In order to free all sentient beings from cyclic existence. Just helping others isn't enough to accomplish the greatest benefit for all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 48:53 Highlight the passage at 48:53

49:17 You should relate all of your actions to impermanence and death. When you take one step from your bed, think that that much of your life is gone. Two steps, that much is gone. Three steps, steps, etc. Report an error in the passage at 49:17 Highlight the passage at 49:17

49:36 You can practice mindfulness of impermanence and death by thinking, each step I take brings me that much closer to death and my life becomes that much shorter. There's nothing that can be done about time that has already passed. Oh, I wasn't happy yesterday. I wasted yesterday, so I want that part of my life back again. Report an error in the passage at 49:36 Highlight the passage at 49:36

49:57 There's nothing you can do about it. All you can do is work on however much of your life remains. With each step as you walk to the market. To the post office, a restaurant, the tea shop. You're getting closer and closer to death. With each step the moments pass. That time will never return. That much is gone. Report an error in the passage at 49:57 Highlight the passage at 49:57

50:28 And make the conclusion from the depths of your heart. Therefore I should not waste my life. From now on I must practice pure Dharma in order to attain the greatest benefit for all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 50:28 Highlight the passage at 50:28

50:42 Therefore I will practice the two bodhicittas. Report an error in the passage at 50:42 Highlight the passage at 50:42

50:53 So that's conventional bodhicitta, which is the aspiration to attain enlightenment for the welfare of all sentient beings. And then ultimate bodhicitta, which is the direct realization of emptiness. So the method and the wisdom sides. Report an error in the passage at 50:53 Highlight the passage at 50:53

51:14 And then if your mind is wandering or lazy and you don't have much energy to study or practice, then watch your clock. Think of how this precious human life is getting shorter each moment. And you can't possibly go on wasting it. Report an error in the passage at 51:14 Highlight the passage at 51:14

51:39 I never thought of that. Yeah, it could be. Report an error in the passage at 51:39 Highlight the passage at 51:39

51:50 And then Rinpoche says, whatever you are doing, you'll stop and do something meaningful that will at least benefit your future lives. Even if you don't have the opportunity to practice Dharma during your life, you're going to die. Even if you do have the opportunity and you don't practice. You're still getting closer and closer to your death. Report an error in the passage at 51:50 Highlight the passage at 51:50

52:30 So then Lama Tsongkhapa continues by saying, in engaging the bodhisattva behavior it says, this life decreases constantly day and night without respite or respite. If from nowhere there is increase, either how would I not die? Report an error in the passage at 52:30 Highlight the passage at 52:30

52:55 So we can't add any more time to our lives. Report an error in the passage at 52:55 Highlight the passage at 52:55

53:01 Our life is just constantly getting shorter with each breath, with each second, with each word, with each thought. Report an error in the passage at 53:01 Highlight the passage at 53:01

53:17 And much of our lives are already finished. Report an error in the passage at 53:17 Highlight the passage at 53:17

53:30 About how much of our lives is already finished? Well, like for me, yeah. No, just according to years, right? Like for, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 53:30 Highlight the passage at 53:30

53:57 Well, I mean, if you think that it'll help them, you can maybe say that. But this is more for ourselves, right? To focus on me. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Because, I mean, you know, life really passes us by so quickly. You know, another year has gone. You know, we're in 2009 now. Report an error in the passage at 53:57 Highlight the passage at 53:57

54:31 And it's really good, right, if we can go back through 2008, right, and think, yeah, I really practiced well, you know, I really did my best, right? I really worked on my mind, you know? But if we look back on 2008 and think, hmm, what did I do? I think 2008 looked pretty much like 2007 and 2006, yeah. I remember I used to do that when I was in the corporate world. Report an error in the passage at 54:31 Highlight the passage at 54:31

55:02 You know, like five years would go by and I'd think, hmm, what did I do in those five years that was important? Not really very much, you know. And that's really sad, right? So if we really think about using our lives well on a moment-to-moment, day-to-day basis, right, then at the end of the year we'll think, yeah, yeah, I really did well this year. Report an error in the passage at 55:02 Highlight the passage at 55:02

55:29 You know, we can feel good about that, right? And then... You know, continue to do that next year. Report an error in the passage at 55:29 Highlight the passage at 55:29

55:41 Oh, yeah. When my roommate comes up to me and says, I'm 56 and I have nothing to show for it. It's like, but you can totally change that. It's not too late. Yeah, I mean, that kind of thought, you know, being really depressed about that can be so helpful. It's like, okay, well, I'm old now and I can actually use the rest of my life. Report an error in the passage at 55:41 Highlight the passage at 55:41

56:08 In a useful way, right? We can't do anything about the past. You know, we can purify our past negative actions, but we can't change the past, right? So, but, you know, right in this moment, we can change things, right? Yeah, but trying to tell her that. Right, well, you know. I mean, you just. You need to go take a darn. 24-7. Yeah. I mean, all you can do is kind of, you know, be skillful. Report an error in the passage at 56:08 Highlight the passage at 56:08

56:38 Not be obnoxious about it. And then the rest is really up to her karma, right? Because that's the thing. I mean, it's just not helpful to push the Dharma on people, right? But if we can try to be skillful through our own actions and all of that. And yeah, trick them. Report an error in the passage at 56:38 Highlight the passage at 56:38

57:08 Yes, the secret Dharma. Just trying to use our wisdom as much as we can. Report an error in the passage at 57:08 Highlight the passage at 57:08

57:23 But not feeling really dejected if we can't help them. We just do what we can and then we can't change their karma. So if they have some seeds and they're ripe for them, then maybe we can help them. know. Report an error in the passage at 57:23 Highlight the passage at 57:23

57:19 yeah but that's Report an error in the passage at 57:19 Highlight the passage at 57:19

57:41 If they don't, then nothing we can do will help. We just do our best. Report an error in the passage at 57:41 Highlight the passage at 57:41

57:53 Okay, so much of our life is already finished, and so we don't really have that much more time to practice. We don't have that much more time where our minds are still sharp and our body is still healthy, where we can really practice, where we can really meditate. Right? I can really... Get some realizations. Report an error in the passage at 57:53 Highlight the passage at 57:53

58:27 So Lama Report an error in the passage at 58:27 Highlight the passage at 58:27

58:32 Tsongkhapa continues by saying, furthermore, you should consider this by way of numerous analogies, such as a weaver weaving cloth, animals to be slaughtered, approaching the place of slaughter with each step, cattle being led without any control to their place by a herder and so forth. So we can think about like a weaver, right, is weaving the cloth kind of one thread at a time. Report an error in the passage at 58:32 Highlight the passage at 58:32

58:59 But then finishes, you know, before you know it. Or the animals to be slaughtered, right, with each step. They're getting closer to death. Report an error in the passage at 58:59 Highlight the passage at 58:59

59:12 Cattle being led without control to their place by a herder. So that's similar to us, you know, getting closer to death without any choice. Report an error in the passage at 59:12 Highlight the passage at 59:12

59:26 So this is also taught in the Sūtra of Extensive Display by means of many analogies. Impermanent, autumn cloud-like, the three existences, birth and death of beings resemble a show, the passage of life of a being, a flash in the sky. It passes fast like a waterfall from a steep mountain. Report an error in the passage at 59:26 Highlight the passage at 59:26

59:50 So our lives are impermanent, like an autumn cloud, or like a show with actors changing costumes and playing different parts, right? So similarly, you know, from life to life we take different bodies and then our life passes quickly like a flash of lightning in the sky. Report an error in the passage at 59:50 Highlight the passage at 59:50

1:00:20 So here Lama Tsongkhapa is basically saying that we can use so many things in daily life to remind us of impermanence. Like yogis of the past used to sit by the river and just contemplate the river and just watch, you know, the river rushing by and in that way remembering impermanence. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:20 Highlight the passage at 1:00:20

1:00:42 Or Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, you know, while we're driving, you know, think that we're driving closer to death. So, so many things can remind us of death. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:42 Highlight the passage at 1:00:42

1:00:57 For someone with the resolve of inner contemplation, there are no external objects that do not point out impermanence to him. Since this is taught, certainty arises, if you consider it often and from many angles. There's no benefit in thinking one has considered something several times, but still no certainty arose. Right, so we need to contemplate this again and again, right, until the certainty that death is coming, right, arises. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:57 Highlight the passage at 1:00:57

1:01:33 As Kamaba said, and actually he said this to himself, you say nothing has come about through contemplation. Well, when did you contemplate? During the day, you indulge in distractions. At night, you sleep. Don't lie, right? So sometimes people think that, right? They say, oh, you know, I tried to meditate on death and, you know, nothing really happened. So, you know, so they don't contemplate on death anymore, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:01:33 Highlight the passage at 1:01:33

1:02:03 So these meditations, we need to meditate, right, again and again until the experience arises, right? And that's so different from our... You know, our culture where, you know, you learn something and you kind of don't study it again. You don't think about it again and again, right? But when it comes to the Dharma, we, you know, we learn it intellectually, but then we need to meditate on it again and again and again and again. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:03 Highlight the passage at 1:02:03

1:02:33 And at a certain point, it'll change, right? It'll move from being intellectual knowledge to an experience, like a real experience, like a... Report an error in the passage at 1:02:33 Highlight the passage at 1:02:33

1:02:45 Feel it in our pores kind of experience. Like, oh my gosh, I'm going to die. And then at that point you know that you have something. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:45 Highlight the passage at 1:02:45

1:02:58 And then that really changes our lives. If it just stays as intellectual knowledge, it might not change the way we live our lives. Most likely it won't. But when we meditate on it again and again and get that experience, and that changes everything. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:58 Highlight the passage at 1:02:58

1:03:22 So Pabongka Rinpoche gave meditation instructions on the lamrim. So for example, he said, okay, so then turn after meditating on the precious human rebirth, turn now to the meditation topics that relate to impermanence. You are sure to develop mental transformations by first meditating for about a week on the six disadvantages of failing to recall death, and then for another week or so on the six advantages of recalling death. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:22 Highlight the passage at 1:03:22

1:03:57 So a week on each. And then after that, practice the three reasons that the death is certain. Like the first reason that the Lord of Death is certain to appear and cannot be turned back by any means. With great determination, apply analytical meditation to this topic, no matter how many days or months it takes. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:57 Highlight the passage at 1:03:57

1:04:24 So that's how we meditate on the Lama. You meditate on the same topic again and again until you get the experience. Then you meditate on the next topic again and again until you get an experience. And then you meditate on the next topic again and again until you have the experience. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:24 Highlight the passage at 1:04:24

1:04:44 Whereas we tend to have the tendency to meditate on it once, maybe, or meditate on the nine points of death, and then move on and meditate on the lower realms and meditate on karma. You know, like once for each thing. And think, oh, well, this doesn't work for me. I mean, just a month ago, one of... Report an error in the passage at 1:04:44 Highlight the passage at 1:04:44

1:05:12 One of the students in my class says, well, you know, the lamrim meditations, they don't work for me. I meditate on the stuff and it doesn't happen. You know, nothing happens. And then I asked him, well, have you meditated on it more than once? He said, well, no. So we shouldn't be like that, right? To think, okay, that doesn't work. That doesn't work. Maybe I should move to Zen because that doesn't work. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:12 Highlight the passage at 1:05:12

1:05:43 It doesn't work for us if we just meditate on it once. It's not going to work for anybody, right? Just once. We need to meditate on the same thing again and again. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:43 Highlight the passage at 1:05:43

1:05:54 All right. Let's take a break. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:54 Highlight the passage at 1:05:54

1:06:01 mandala is nice because you really hear a lot about Rinpoche, Lama Rinpoche, FPMT, and Lama Yeshi. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:01 Highlight the passage at 1:06:01

1:06:14 right, so what I just gave you was to add to your little collection of meditations the long rim. So the first few pages are on the eight mundane and the eight worldly concerns. And then starting on page 23 is impermanence and death. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:14 Highlight the passage at 1:06:14

1:06:45 So it's useful if you guys put all of these in a binder or something so that they're all together. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:45 Highlight the passage at 1:06:45

1:06:53 So on page 23 it starts with a really wonderful poem. So you have an education binder. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:53 Highlight the passage at 1:06:53

1:07:03 For a long time I memorized and recited every day. This day is a special day. It is yours. Yesterday slipped away. It cannot be filled with more meaning. About tomorrow nothing is known. But this day, today, is yours. Make use of it. Today you can make someone happy. Today you can help another. This day is a special day. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:03 Highlight the passage at 1:07:03

1:07:37 It is yours. And Report an error in the passage at 1:07:37 Highlight the passage at 1:07:37

1:07:55 so then there's the section on the disadvantages of not remembering death at all times. So to meditate on that for a week, as Pabongka Rinpoche said. And then the advantages of remembering death at all times and meditating on that for another week. And then the nine-point death meditation where we've gone through actually the first two points now. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:55 Highlight the passage at 1:07:55

1:08:22 That death is certain. Well, underneath death is uncertain. No power in the universe can stop death. And then one cannot add time to life. And one gets closer to death every minute. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:22 Highlight the passage at 1:08:22

1:08:36 So we can meditate on those two things separately in separate sessions, or we can meditate on them in one session. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:36 Highlight the passage at 1:08:36

1:08:48 So I thought that we could meditate on Report an error in the passage at 1:08:48 Highlight the passage at 1:08:48

1:09:03 those first two. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:03 Highlight the passage at 1:09:03

1:09:08 Actually, I wonder... How many people don't have a watch? Report an error in the passage at 1:09:08 Highlight the passage at 1:09:08

1:09:17 So that's okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:17 Highlight the passage at 1:09:17

1:09:24 A watch with a second hand. Okay. So we won't do that meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:24 Highlight the passage at 1:09:24

1:09:35 So Report an error in the passage at 1:09:35 Highlight the passage at 1:09:35

1:09:39 meditate. Well, let's meditate on our breath then and think that with each breath we're getting closer to death. So Report an error in the passage at 1:09:39 Highlight the passage at 1:09:39

1:10:07 we'll just do that silently for 10 minutes. should not. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:07 Highlight the passage at 1:10:07

· · · silence, 11 minutes

1:20:49 the time when there's one last breath. Mm-hmm. This was Report an error in the passage at 1:20:49 Highlight the passage at 1:20:49

1:21:08 one meditation where I had to really keep putting my mind back on the object. I kept wanting to drift off. And I think it's just that little, that doesn't want to have to think about it. But I kept pulling myself back to it, so that was good. I didn't run from it. I noticed this one I had a little more trouble focusing on. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:08 Highlight the passage at 1:21:08

1:21:28 And some of the others. Yeah, it's uncomfortable for sure. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:28 Highlight the passage at 1:21:28

1:21:38 I just wanted to say each breath felt kind of precious. So Report an error in the passage at 1:21:38 Highlight the passage at 1:21:38

1:21:52 I thought to finish the class with something, an uplifting story, it's kind of long, about the death of Dilgo Kenze Rinpoche, who was a great, great master. yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:52 Highlight the passage at 1:21:52

1:21:42 Yeah. Mm Mm-hmm. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:42 Highlight the passage at 1:21:42

1:22:11 This is a picture of him. He was extremely amazing and beautiful. There's another one. He was a kind of enigma master. Well, actually a master of all the traditions, the Rime tradition, which is non-sectarian. He was a teacher of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:11 Highlight the passage at 1:22:11

1:22:42 Who, as you'll see from the story, was quite amazing. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:42 Highlight the passage at 1:22:42

1:22:48 So I'll start with a quote of his. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:48 Highlight the passage at 1:22:48

1:22:54 Even if death were to fall upon you today like lightning, you must be ready to die without sadness and regret, without any residue of clinging for what is left behind. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:54 Highlight the passage at 1:22:54

1:23:10 Remaining in the recognition of the absolute view, you should leave this life. Like an eagle soaring up into the blue sky. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:10 Highlight the passage at 1:23:10

1:23:30 So at the young age of 15, Dilgo Kenze Rinpoche promised his main teacher just before he passed away that he would unstintingly teach whoever asked him for the Dharma. So he was 15. To prepare for this task, he spent most of the next 13 years in silent retreat in hermitages and caves in the wilderness near his birthplace in Nepal. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:30 Highlight the passage at 1:23:30

1:23:58 After this time, when he told his second teacher that he would like to spend the remainder of his life in strict solitary meditation retreat, he received the reply, The time has come for you to teach and transmit to others all the countless precious teachings you have received. His inner journey had led him to an extraordinary depth of knowledge, which enabled him to be a fountain of loving kindness, wisdom and compassion. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:58 Highlight the passage at 1:23:58

1:24:25 for all living beings until his death in 1991. Kinze Rinpoche was always acutely aware of impermanence and death, and whenever people would ask him to come and visit them, or request him to come again, he would say, If I am still alive, I shall come. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:25 Highlight the passage at 1:24:25

1:24:44 He mained his characteristic stamina even after having turned 80. However, in early 1991, he began to show the first signs of ill health while teaching in Bodh Gaya. The place where Buddha attained enlightenment in India. He completed his program there nevertheless and traveled to Dharamsala where he spent a month giving important teachings to the Dalai Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:44 Highlight the passage at 1:24:44

1:25:10 When he returned to Nepal later in the spring, it became obvious that his health was steadily deteriorating. He was losing weight and needed increasingly more rest. Much of his time was passed in silent prayer and meditation. Only a few hours of the day were set aside. To meet with those who needed most to see him. Instead of making another trip to Tibet, he chose instead to spend three and a half months in a sacred retreat site in Bhutan. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:10 Highlight the passage at 1:25:10

1:25:45 During this year, he indicated many times that he was going to leave this world soon. He would sometimes joke about it, saying such things as, Shall I die now? Report an error in the passage at 1:25:45 Highlight the passage at 1:25:45

1:25:56 One time he wrote to a close disciple saying, We will meet in the glorious copper-colored mountain. After the retreat in Bhutan, Kienze Rinpoche seemed to be in better health. He visited several of his disciples who had been in retreat and spoke to them of the ultimate teacher, beyond birth and death or any physical manifestation. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:56 Highlight the passage at 1:25:56

1:26:19 He was invited to go to Kalampong by the Queen Mother of Bhutan, but rather than using the helicopter she had arranged for him, he insisted on doing the strenuous journey by road. To see on the way an old disciple of his. Shortly after returning to Bhutan, Kense Rinpoche again showed signs of illness, and for twelve days was almost completely unable to eat or drink. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:19 Highlight the passage at 1:26:19

1:26:45 Four days before he passed away, he wrote on a piece of paper, I shall go on the 19th. Two days later, his closest disciple and spiritual friend, Trusik Rinpoche, arrived from Nepal and they had a happy meeting. The day after, September 27, 1991, which is the 19th day of the Tibetan month. At nightfall, he asked his attendants to help him sit in an upright position, and he went into a peaceful sleep. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:45 Highlight the passage at 1:26:45

1:27:17 In the early hours of the morning, his breath ceased and his mind dissolved into the absolute expanse. At the request of disciples from Tibet and all over the world, his body was preserved for a year using traditional embalming methods. Every Friday, the day of his death, for the first seven weeks, 100,000 butter lamps were offered on the Bodanath Stupa near Sechen Monastery in Nepal. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:17 Highlight the passage at 1:27:17

1:27:46 Finally, his remains were cremated near Paro in Bhutan in November 1992 at a three-day ceremony attended by over 100 important Lamas, the royal family and ministers of Bhutan, 500 Western disciples. And a huge crowd of some 50,000 devotees, a gathering unprecedented in Bhutan's history. As with other masters, his death was his last teaching, the teaching on impermanence. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:46 Highlight the passage at 1:27:46

1:28:19 Never forget how swiftly this life will be over, like a flash of summer lightning or the wave of a hand. Now that you have the opportunity to practice the Dharma, do not waste a single moment on anything else. But with all your energy and effort, practice the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:19 Highlight the passage at 1:28:19

1:28:56 So just his quote one more time. Even if death were to fall upon you today like lightning, you must be ready to die without sadness and regret, without any residue of clinging for what is left behind, remaining in the recognition of the absolute view. You should leave this life like an eagle soaring up into the blue sky. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:56 Highlight the passage at 1:28:56

1:29:28 Dilgokense Rinpoche. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:28 Highlight the passage at 1:29:28

1:29:33 Sometimes you hear Tibetans say Dengo Kense. It's spelled Dilgokense. And actually his autobiography was just published in November of last year called The Brilliant Moon. And I've heard it's really beautiful. I haven't seen it yet. Brilliant Moon. It's on Amazon. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:33 Highlight the passage at 1:29:33

1:30:00 Brilliant Moon. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:00 Highlight the passage at 1:30:00

1:30:05 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we should. Yeah, I mean, it's only in hardback right now. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:05 Highlight the passage at 1:30:05

1:30:24 So he was a huge man. He was well, like, six feet five or something like that. Enormous. And just, you know, a yogi. I mean, he spent something like 25 years of his life in solitary retreat. And so he was this huge man. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:24 Highlight the passage at 1:30:24

1:30:44 And so gentle and beautiful. And I don't know, you can't see this picture, but I'll pass it around. And you can just see, actually this picture as well as the first picture, you can just see how kind his eyes are. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:44 Highlight the passage at 1:30:44

1:31:12 Yeah, yeah, he was so Yom Rinpoche's teacher. Really the teacher of many, many, many Lai Lama's, yeah. He was one of the real greats. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:12 Highlight the passage at 1:31:12

1:31:33 So, so that's the... The happy thing to pass around. And then there's the homework, which we haven't covered all this material, but it's all of the homework questions for this topic on death and impermanence. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:33 Highlight the passage at 1:31:33

1:32:05 So actually, you know, and I forgot to finish reading this sentence, this section, so I'll just read it. Finish reading it. It is not just at the end of our lives when death overcomes us. That we proceed towards another world, for up until then there is not a moment where the lifespan does not diminish. Therefore, since we entered the womb, we have been going straight towards a future life without remaining still, even for a mere instant. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:05 Highlight the passage at 1:32:05

1:32:38 So from the first moment in the womb, we're becoming closer and closer to death. In the meantime, life also wastes away without a moment of respite. As we go towards death, led by its messengers, disease and aging. Therefore, do not rejoice in the view that you abide during your life without approaching future worlds. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:38 Highlight the passage at 1:32:38

1:33:05 It is like the analogy that when falling off a high mountain peak, the time of falling through the sky before crashing to the ground is not worthy of joy. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:05 Highlight the passage at 1:33:05

1:33:16 not to be complacent thinking our life is You know, kind of static, stationary, right? But remembering that it's approaching death and approaching our future life very quickly. And then in the commentary on the 400 verses, there's the quotation, Hero of men in that night in the very beginning where someone comes to dwell in a womb in the world. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:16 Highlight the passage at 1:33:16

1:33:42 Starting from that point, he moves with each day without the pause of a step towards the Lord of death. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:42 Highlight the passage at 1:33:42

1:33:56 So we'll stop there. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:56 Highlight the passage at 1:33:56

1:34:13 We'll do dedications on page 240. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:13 Highlight the passage at 1:34:13

1:34:22 So we'll do the first three and then a couple on page 241. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:22 Highlight the passage at 1:34:22

1:34:38 Due to the merits accumulated over the three... Report an error in the passage at 1:34:38 Highlight the passage at 1:34:38