← Emily Hsu

Basic Program - Buddhism From A-Z (15 May 2009)

Emily Hsu · 15 May 2009 · 1 h 21 min · Tse Chen Ling via Internet Archive

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  • 3:00

    So since we're, you know, in a Dharma center, you know, we talk about the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha, right? As being an ultimate source of refuge, right? A way to attain lasting happiness.

  • 6:10

    So the Buddha, why we take refuge in the Buddha is because the Buddha has done that. The Buddha has eliminated all the faults, eliminated all the mental afflictions and showed us how to do it. Showed us that it can be done. The Dharma is the method. That he teaches, it's what we need to actualize in our own minds in order to attain more and more happiness and get out of saṃsāra.

  • 10:00

    And so I really want to make sure that I always have a great life, right? And I want to take refuge in the three jewels because I know the three jewels. By taking refuge in the three jewels, then I'll create the causes for more and more happiness. And I'll avoid the causes for suffering. So the real refuge is said to be the Dharma refuge. The Dharma refuge, the real protector, the real...

  • 19:12

    And then last time we... Almost finished going through the precepts of refuge, right? So when we've taken refuge, then we're supposed to keep these 12 precepts. So I passed these out last time, and I don't know if anybody still has them. But here's some more copies, and I'll put it up.

  • 41:09

    right, once you take a breath, you Although generally speaking there appear to be many ways of positing what constitutes non-Buddhists and Buddhists, it is widely known that Jo-o or Atisha and Shantideva distinguish them by the fact of going for refuge. So there's different ways of distinguishing, like when do you become a Buddhist? When are you a non-Buddhist and when do you become a Buddhist?

0:02 What are you talking about? Yeah. Yeah, we are almost, yeah, almost finished with Refuge. So I think that we'll probably finish Refuge today and start on Karma next week. And then in two weeks, Chodron Rinpoche is here. So then we'll have another break from class for a couple of weeks. So we'll have this class and next week's class. So Refuge. All right, so taking Refuge. Report an error

0:31 What does it mean to take Refuge as a reminder? Right? Entrusting ourselves to something, right? Where do we go for protection? Or where do we go or who do we rely on and what do we rely on in order to avoid a specific type of suffering? Report an error

0:56 So in general, we take refuge all the time in our lives, right? We take refuge. In a doctor, when we're sick, we entrust ourselves to the doctor to help us get better. Or in rainy weather, we entrust ourselves to shelter, to protect us from the rain. Report an error

1:21 Or maybe we entrust ourselves to TV when our mind is too buzzy or bored or something, we turn on the TV. So we take refuge all the time. Report an error

1:39 You know, in various different objects, right? And that's all fine, right? But then who do we entrust ourselves and what do we entrust ourselves in to attain lasting happiness? There's the temporary refuges, you know, to get to feel better, to protect ourselves from rain and specific types of suffering. But who and what is going to help us attain lasting happiness, right? Report an error

2:06 So that's the question. And that's a useful thing to think about in our own minds, in our own lives. Where do I go? If I'm feeling depressed, what do I take refuge in? Report an error

2:20 Chocolate, maybe? Report an error

2:24 How do we think that we're going to get out of depression? If we're feeling lonely, what do we entrust ourselves in? you know. Report an error

2:35 if we Lose half our money in the stock market, you know? Where do we trust ourselves? I mean, ultimately, right? There's a temporary and then there's an ultimate. So what do we really believe in? What do we really believe will bring us happiness in the long run? Report an error

3:00 So since we're, you know, in a Dharma center, you know, we talk about the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha, right? As being an ultimate source of refuge, right? A way to attain lasting happiness. And why? What's so special about the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha? Why would we take refuge in the three jewels instead of something else? Report an error

3:23 Should we take refuge in a shaman instead? Or should we take refuge in somebody else? What's so special about the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha? Why are we even here? What's so special about that? Peter. Report an error

3:54 It's helpful. By entrusting ourselves in the Arya Triple Gem, we have an opportunity to free ourselves from cyclic existence. Other spiritual traditions may give us insight or may give us development of certain qualities, but they're not going to ultimately free us from cyclic existence and enlighten our minds so that we may become Buddhas. Report an error

4:19 I'm not convinced that this is the only path. but um... But it is at least one method, right, or the method that probably... It's a proven method, right, and it's a method that many of us have chosen, right, as being appropriate for our minds, right, that works for us, right, to end our suffering, right, and to attain liberation from this cycle of samsaric suffering. Report an error

4:58 So according to the Dharma, as long as we're in saṃsāra, as long as we have mental afflictions, as long as we have anger and attachment and ignorance and jealousy and miserliness and all of that, we're going to encounter suffering again and again. We're going to create karma to stay in cyclic existence, to suffer, and we'll experience undesirable results again and again. Report an error

5:29 We'll, you know, lose our job and we'll lose money and people won't do what we want them to do and, you know, they'll, they might not treat us well, etc. You know, and then we'll get old. Well, if we're lucky, we'll get old, you know, and then we'll die. You know, we'll get sick, etc., etc., right? As long as we're caught in this cycle, right, of having mental afflictions and creating karma. Report an error

5:57 So the Buddha Dharma helps us eliminate our mental afflictions and purify our karma so that we can attain lasting happiness. Report an error

6:10 So the Buddha, why we take refuge in the Buddha is because the Buddha has done that. The Buddha has eliminated all the faults, eliminated all the mental afflictions and showed us how to do it. Showed us that it can be done. The Dharma is the method. That he teaches, it's what we need to actualize in our own minds in order to attain more and more happiness and get out of saṃsāra. Report an error

6:47 And then the Saṅgha are the helpers who help us along the way. So the three jewels, Buddha, the Dharma and the Saṅgha. Report an error

7:00 And then Lama Tsongkhapa also went into the causes of going for refuge. Why do we go for refuge? What are the two causes? Report an error

7:12 Shame. Report an error

7:19 Fear of suffering. Fear of suffering and bad grief. Okay, that's the first one. Part Report an error

7:33 of the first one. Does anybody remember the other one? Report an error

7:45 Somebody besides Peter. Report an error

7:56 Of going for refuge. Lama Tsongkhapa says that the deeper we have these causes, the more sincere our refuge is. Report an error

8:08 Faith, yeah. Faith or confidence or conviction. Fear and faith. So fear or an aversion or not wanting to suffer. I don't want to suffer. I don't want to get sick, so I take refuge in the doctor. We have fear, and then we have a certain amount of confidence or faith. Report an error

8:34 The triple gem will make us better. Or if we go to the doctor, we go to a doctor that we can entrust ourselves to, that we have confidence in. If we don't have confidence in the doctor, then we go and find another one. So we need those two factors in order to take refuge, in order to entrust ourselves. Report an error

8:55 First, we need a reason to even take refuge. If we're not sick, then why take refuge? We're fine. Why go to the doctor if we're not sick? And then the confidence or the faith in the doctor. And in this case, the fear of suffering and then having confidence in the three jewels, the two causes of going for refuge. Report an error

9:30 So these are really important, right? When we're taking refuge, you know, when we say the refuge prayer, I go for refuge until I'm enlightened to the Buddha Dharma Saṅgha. You know, if we're just saying it, right, and we don't really feel it, then it's not really taking refuge, right? Taking refuge is, oh my gosh, I have a great life now, but I'm not always going to have a great life. Report an error

10:00 And so I really want to make sure that I always have a great life, right? And I want to take refuge in the three jewels because I know the three jewels. By taking refuge in the three jewels, then I'll create the causes for more and more happiness. And I'll avoid the causes for suffering. Report an error

10:21 So the real refuge is said to be the Dharma refuge. The Dharma refuge, the real protector, the real... Helper for us to attain lasting happiness is practicing, right? Practicing from moment to moment, right? Instead of justifying our anger, trying to develop compassion, trying to develop an antidote, right, to anger, trying to let go of the anger, try to develop more in love. Report an error

10:57 Instead of resentment, trying to forgive. Instead of grasping, right, trying to let go. You know, that's what taking refuge really means, is working with our minds and not justifying our negative emotions, right? But really working from moment to moment on, okay, well, that tension that I'm feeling, well, that's ultimately caused by my mind, right? Report an error

11:28 That I need to work with my mind. And not try to fix everything external to myself, actually it's my mind, working with my mind that's going to bring us to lasting happiness. Report an error

11:45 And that's an easy thing to forget again and again, right? Like, oh yeah, we keep blaming the external environment. Oh yeah, well, my job, my boss, my colleagues, you know, they're the causes of my problems. Report an error

12:01 But actually, it's our own mind, the way we think about things, that can create happiness or suffering. So that's what it really means to take refuge in the Dharma, is to work with our minds and develop more and more positive emotions, counteract the negative emotions. Report an error

12:28 And ultimately, to realize emptiness, realize that nothing really exists from its own side objectively. They're projections of our mind. Okay. Report an error

12:54 And so to take genuine refuge in the three jewels, first of all, we need to really deeply understand what the three jewels are. And then really reflect on their positive qualities. Like why should I take refuge in them? It's not just some kind of rote thing that we're repeating again and again. It's like... Report an error

13:20 Really we need to reflect on the qualities of the Three Jewels and the potential for future suffering for ourselves. And then our refuge becomes deeper. Our refuge really becomes heartfelt. And when we really take refuge from the heart in our lives throughout the day, then it makes a big difference in our lives. Report an error

13:47 We really see progress in our spiritual path. Because most of us still have this two-pointed mind where we trust in the three jewels, but we also still trust in our old habitual ways of trying Report an error

14:06 to change the external environment or watching out for number one, really trusting in the ego and self-cherishing, justifying our anger, things like that, right? And as long as we justify our mental afflictions, then we don't make much progress. So the more that we really reflect on, okay, well, selfishness, is that really giving me happiness? Report an error

14:35 Or cherishing others, is that really giving me more happiness? We need to reflect on that and not just take somebody else's word for it. Report an error

14:53 So Lama Tsongkhapa encourages us to reflect again and again until we gain certainty. A strong sense of confidence, right? That the three jewels really are who we want to take refuge in. Yeah, Anna. Yes, I have a question. You said taking refuge throughout the day. Yeah. What do you mean by that? Or how does one do that? Yeah. Report an error

15:17 Right, well, there's the formal taking refuge, right? I go for refuge until I'm enlightened, right? The prayers that once we've... If we've undertaken the refuge ceremony, then we're supposed to take refuge three times in the morning and three times in the evening. That's one of the commitments. But then actually, what does it mean to take refuge? Report an error

15:38 Where do we put our confidence in throughout the day? So in each moment, we're encountered with a situation, right? And we can either follow our mental affliction or... We can try to counteract the mental affliction. Let's say somebody at work sends you a nasty email. So really taking refuge in the Three Jewels means, okay, well trying to do something constructive, right? Report an error

16:07 Trying not to get angry at that person, right, who sent the email. Trying not to, you know, get back at them, but... To try to understand them, try to act constructively, try to develop compassion, and then to act with wisdom as opposed to reacting with mental affliction. So we have that opportunity throughout every day. We can choose whether to react with mental afflictions or to try to counteract them. Report an error

16:43 So am I making sense? Report an error

16:48 Okay. I find this a really important point. Because it's really what we do throughout the day that makes the difference. If we do our practice for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening and then we completely forget through the rest of the day. Report an error

17:14 Which I'm sure none of you do. If we just... We get caught up in our irritation and we yell at people and we obsess about things and we don't even try to work with our minds throughout the day. We don't see very quick progress. So as much as we can to try to remember throughout the day, oh yeah, I'm irritated, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Report an error

17:45 What does the Dharma say? Oh yeah, that doesn't exist from its own side. Oh, that person, I can choose whether or not. To be irritated at that person or to practice lojong mind training, to see that person as my teacher, as somebody that's helping me work through my mental afflictions. Report an error

18:13 And this is really hard to do, to remember throughout the day. So whatever we can do to encourage ourselves, remind ourselves throughout the day. Report an error

18:30 So taking refuge. It's really where do we think our happiness is going to come from? Is it going to come from reacting with irritation or is it going to come from reacting with compassion? Report an error

18:48 And so, you know, for most of us our refuge, you know, falls on the scale. It's not totally pure yet. It's still, you know, somewhere in between. And it's just a process, right? Report an error

19:07 All right. Report an error

19:12 And then last time we... Almost finished going through the precepts of refuge, right? So when we've taken refuge, then we're supposed to keep these 12 precepts. So I passed these out last time, and I don't know if anybody still has them. But here's some more copies, and I'll put it up. Report an error

· · ·

20:05 Oh, by the way, yeah, this, you can't see this very well, but this is up at Koh Pan. This is Geshe-Long Kon-Shok-Stupa. Oh, cool. So I don't know if, did anybody see The Unmistaken Child? Isn't it beautiful? Yeah, it's a documentary basically about finding Geshe Lama Konchok's reincarnation and it's very moving, very touching, beautifully done. Report an error

20:32 So this is the stupa that his attendant, right, Tenzin Tsopa had built for him and it's the most gorgeous stupa I've ever seen. we'll give you one more copy. Report an error

20:48 I don't, but we can make some. We can make Lama every time. But I'll put it up. Report an error

21:02 But yeah, this is very unlike Nepal. You know, it's very pristine and very well kept. And Nepal tends to be pretty polluted and dirty and garbage around. So this is a very special place. Report an error

21:26 city go up to just to be in this park, like beautiful park-like city. Because there's nothing to love. Open up, open up, open up, all about the list. Yes. Report an error

21:42 I need to have joy. Yeah, it's pretty sweet. What is Copando? Report an error

21:58 I mean, it was the start of the entire movie. Yeah. Report an error

22:03 that teaching is intense. Report an error

22:08 water, no big toilets. It's very friendly. And now it's just, it's beautiful. Report an error

22:26 a restaurant when I was there they had a little restaurant well they had a Thank you. Report an error

22:44 restaurant person. Report an error

22:48 Okay, Report an error

23:17 so we went through these. The specific precepts. So when we've taken refuge, if people have taken refuge with Geshidaka or somebody else, then we've basically taken these precepts, right? So we need to abide by these precepts once we take refuge. And we went through the first six last time, last time in March, I guess. Report an error

23:50 When you take refuge in the Buddha, you shouldn't take refuge in other gods. When you take refuge in the Dharma, you should give up causing harm or difficulty to sentient beings. And when you take refuge in the Saṅgha, you should not let yourself be influenced negatively by non-Buddhist friends. So we've taken refuge in the Buddha. Report an error

24:15 So we shouldn't take refuge in other beings. Who teach something contradictory to the Buddha, right? Because that's kind of defeating the purpose, right? When we take refuge in the Dharma, we give up causing harm or difficulty to sentient beings, to others, to other human beings and to animals, etc., right? Report an error

24:40 We try not to harm others, right? Because really the fundamental precept of the Dharma is to, right? Report an error

24:52 So this includes even not harming insects. Thanks. And then when you take refuge in the Saṅgha, we should not let ourselves be influenced negatively by non-Buddhist friends. So it's useful, especially in the beginning, to be with other Buddhists to help us. Report an error

25:18 When our close friends and family are encouraging us to go against the Dharma, are encouraging us to lie or cheat. Things like that. We can break down after a while if our refuge isn't strong. So particularly in the beginning, to take care. Report an error

25:44 And then the precepts of what is to be accomplished. Generating respect for all images of the Buddha, even if the quality of the artwork is poor, and regard them as the Buddha himself. So the Buddha statues and... Thankas, right, to generate respect for them because they represent the Buddha. And not to criticize, right, treat the writings on the Dharma with respect, so the texts, as you would the actual Dharma jewel, and take care of Dharma materials, right, don't pawn them, etc. Report an error

26:20 So in general to really take care of Dharma books and not just like throw them around or put our cup of tea on top of the Dharma book, not to carry our shoes with the Dharma books. And then generate respect for the monks and nuns and Dharma friends and regard them as you would the true Saṅgha. Report an error

26:44 So in general, you know, it's good to generate respect for all beings, but in particular the monks and nuns and, you know, Dharma practitioners, right? Because they're here to help us, right? Help us along the path and to appreciate that. Report an error

27:03 And so this precept number five, taking care of Dharma books, Report an error

27:17 in order to help with that, Report an error

27:22 I brought some presents back from Nepal. So there are these lovely little book covers that you can put your texts in and carry them around. If you'd like one, take one and pass it around. Report an error

27:48 No, it's my pleasure. Report an error

27:58 I'm going to talk while you do this. So see if you can listen at the same time. the concepts are different than the Yes, yes. There's a, yeah, the Pradhi Moksha vows, the individual liberation vows, right? There's the five vows that you can take or any of the five, right? The not killing, stealing, lying, etc. Right. And so we can choose, right, whether or not to take vows along with taking refuge, right? Report an error

28:29 But when we take refuge, these precepts go with the taking refuge. And sometimes it's not explicitly stated. Report an error

28:44 But this is what we're taking when we take refuge. Yeah, I don't think I understood this when I first took refuge either, but this is what we're... We've basically agreed to and whether or not we know it when we take refuge. So then there are common precepts that apply to all three objects of refuge. The first one, number seven, by recalling the distinctions and good qualities of the three jewels, we go for refuge again and again. So basically what I talked about, what is... Report an error

29:29 Why should I go for refuge in the Three Jewels? What are the good qualities of the Three Jewels? By remembering those, then to go for refuge again and again. Report an error

29:44 This is habituating our minds to going for refuge. We have a habit of going for refuge in all sorts of other things. We take these precepts and we take refuge again and again throughout the day in order to... To develop that new habit. Oh yeah, I'm taking refuge in cherishing others. I'm taking refuge in emptiness. Report an error

30:09 That's right. I'm trying to counteract our habitual perceptions of things. Number eight, by recalling the great kindness of the three jewels, strive to venerate them constantly and offer the first portion of your food and drink. So there's an important practice in this tradition of making offerings. Again and again to the three jewels, right? Making offerings to the altars or making offerings to the lamas or mentally, right? Report an error

30:41 Physically and mentally making offerings. And so even if we don't have money, if we don't have many possessions, we can at least make offerings mentally to the three jewels. And we can do this throughout the day, all day, every day. And it's a beautiful practice. Report an error

31:03 You see a beautiful sunset, we can offer that. You see a rainbow, you can offer that. You see something that you really want to buy in the store, and you mentally offer it. Report an error

31:21 So we went through, before we had the break, we went through this big section about offerings. So we make material offerings, we make mental offerings, and the best offering of all? Is the offering of our practice. The Buddhas, the Lamas, what really pleases them is for us to work on our minds. For us to develop more love and compassion and wisdom. Forgiveness. So that's the best offering. Report an error

32:06 So that got us up to establish Report an error

32:18 other living beings in this practice by considering them with compassion. So once we see the benefit of taking refuge, once we see the benefit of practicing the Dharma, then out of compassion for others, then we can share that with others. We can share the methods that are helpful. Not proselytizing, not pushing the Dharma on others, but using our discerning wisdom to see who might... Report an error

32:55 You know, be open to the teachings who might be helped by the teachings, right? Someone who's maybe going through some suffering and, you know, trying to help them, you know, with a lot of respect and a lot of compassion. Report an error

33:16 So that's number nine, right? And, you know, we have this tendency, we humans have this tendency to think, okay, my way is the best way, right? Report an error

33:32 Buddhism is the best religion. And so to try to avoid that, is to have genuine respect for the differences of others. And if they have different beliefs, not to push Buddhism on others. And not to take the attitude when we're helping somebody that you need to believe what I believe. Report an error

34:00 You need to do what I do. Just, you know, out of really respect for that other person's beliefs and that other person's, right, inner wisdom, right, knowing what they, you know, respecting what, you know, their own intelligence and wisdom, knowing what's good for them. But then just, you know, out of compassion and with a lot of space, right, then to offer something. Report an error

34:27 And if it's not, if they're not receptive, then that's fine. Report an error

34:40 And then number ten, whatever activity you engage in and whatever your purpose, make offerings and supplications to the three jewels, forsaking any other worldly methods. Report an error

34:57 So whatever activity you engage in and whatever your purpose. So this is, you know, throughout the day, right, taking refuge in virtue, right, taking refuge in. Instead of when we want to hold on tightly to our things and not want to give, to try to work through that and try to develop more of a generous mind. Report an error

35:26 When resentment arises, to try to work through that and try to forgive, etc. When the heart is closed, to try to open it. So whatever activity we engage in. And then also to make offerings. Report an error

35:44 And supplications or prayers to the three jewels, forsaking any other worldly methods. On an ultimate level, right? As I mentioned before, taking temporary refuge in doctors and things like that is fine. But ultimately, forsaking other worldly methods, particularly methods that are contradictory to the Dharma. Report an error

36:08 And there's so much out there that's contradictory to the Dharma, encouraging selfishness, encouraging. Materialism, etc. So forsaking those. Report an error

36:22 And after you have understood the benefits, go for refuge three times in the day and three times at night. So that's pretty explanatory, self-explanatory. So you can do that right by reciting the refuge prayer. Hopefully not just reciting it, but thinking about it and trying to do it with your heart. Report an error

36:42 Remembering the two causes, right? Fear and faith are confident. And then lastly, maintain your refuge and do not forsake the three jewels, even in jest, or if it costs you your life, which is pretty big, right? But even in jest, so not even joking, not even joking about giving up your refuge. Because that plants an imprint in your mind, right, if we're joking around about it. Report an error

37:18 not funny. Report an error

37:23 So you have good refuge. Yes. Report an error

37:39 And Gishisopa, in his book, The Steps on the Path to Enlightenment, brings up this, like, taking the Lord's name in vain thing, you know, in this culture, you know. We say things like, oh, Jesus, or oh, God, you know, is swearing, right? And he's saying in Tibetan, you know, often the Tibetans say, gontrog sum, you know, as... Report an error

38:02 And that means the three jewels. So he's saying that's not a good thing to do. You know, we think, oh, that's horrible, but we do the same thing, right, in our culture, right? And it's odd, isn't it? It's odd that we do that. Report an error

38:25 So not to do things like that. Report an error

38:41 And Lama Tsongkhapa says here, there is no doubt that we will be separated from this life, body and possessions, right? So we're definitely going to die. Report an error

38:51 If we give up the three jewels for their sake, so for the sake of temporary sensual pleasures or possessions or things like this, there will be continuous suffering in all successive lives to come. Therefore we should vow not to abandon our refuge, come what may, and not even utter the words about giving our refuge, even for a joke. Report an error

39:19 So giving up our refuge. Report an error

39:24 Not giving up our refuge. So this is the most serious precept to, well I shouldn't say the most serious, but this is a precept that if we violate, if we actually give up our refuge, that's when we've lost our refuge, right? When we've completely relinquished our refuge. And Report an error

39:51 actually, you know, I need to back up. I skipped something. I'm on the number 11, after you've understood the benefits. Go for refuge three times in the day and three times at night. So there are a number of benefits that are in the text. The benefits of going for refuge if you have the text. Report an error

40:26 It starts on page 76. Report an error

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41:01 The first benefit is you become a Buddhist. Report an error

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41:38 Lama Tsongkhapa says... right, once you take a breath, you Report an error

41:40 Although generally speaking there appear to be many ways of positing what constitutes non-Buddhists and Buddhists, it is widely known that Jo-o or Atisha and Shantideva distinguish them by the fact of going for refuge. So there's different ways of distinguishing, like when do you become a Buddhist? When are you a non-Buddhist and when do you become a Buddhist? Report an error

42:04 Lama Tsongkhapa is... It's basically saying, you know, according to the tradition of Atisha and his teacher Shantipa, you become a Buddhist when you take refuge. You take refuge from the heart. Not just the ceremony, but it's the refuge from the heart. That's when you become a Buddhist. You can also, I mean, there are other presentations of whether or not you're a Buddhist in terms of philosophical view. Report an error

42:31 And that's the four seals of Buddhism. If anybody has... Tsongkhapa Rinpoche's book, What Makes You Not a Buddhist or something, he talks about those four seals. So that's whether or not you're a Buddhist from the philosophical view standpoint, whether or not you believe that compounded phenomena are impermanent, the second one, contaminated phenomena, phenomena that are caused by karma and mental afflictions, those are all sufferings. Report an error

43:09 In the nature of suffering. That all phenomena are empty and selfless. And that nirvāṇa is peace. So those are the four seals. Report an error

43:22 Compounded phenomena are impermanent. Contaminated phenomena are in the nature of suffering. All phenomena are empty and selfless. Report an error

43:33 Nirvāṇa is peace. So those are the measure of whether or not we're a Buddhist from the philosophical view. But whether or not... But the Lama Tsongkhapa is following the tradition of Atisha and Shantipa and saying going for refuge from the heart is a measure of being a Buddhist. Report an error

44:02 So therefore Report an error

44:20 Buddhists should be understood as those having achieved going for refuge and not having given up on it. So we've taken the refuge from the heart and haven't given up on it. Report an error

44:34 As for the measure of being a Buddhist, it is necessary to consider the three jewels as teacher, etc. from the bottom of one's heart. Without that, whatever virtuous deeds you do, you are not included among Buddhists. Report an error

44:50 So we become a Buddhist if we've taken refuge from our hearts. Right, and so that's based on reflection, right? Based on understanding what the three jewels are and their qualities. Report an error

45:14 So in other words, you don't have to be good at it. You're trying. You haven't given up on the path. Yeah, right. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you have that genuine from the heart, the trust, right? You don't have to be good at it 24 hours a day or anything, right? But, you know, you've made that, you know, you've analyzed it and you've seen, oh, you know, this really is my path. Report an error

45:44 And you've decided, right? You've made that decision, right? From the heart. Then you become a Buddhist. So if we forget again and again, you know, we're still a Buddhist. Report an error

45:58 Otherwise, you know, not many of us would be Buddhists. Exactly. Right. Report an error

46:12 And then the second benefit of going for refuge is it's the basis of all vows. All right. Report an error

46:17 So in the commentary on the treasury, it says, those who go for refuge have gained access to taking all the vows correctly. And in the 70 verses on going for refuge, it also says, upasakas go to the three jewels, right, for refuge. That is the root of the eight vows. Okay, so whenever we take vows, you know, if we take bodhisattva vows or write the five lay vows or if we decide... Report an error

46:46 To become a monk or a nun, right? First you take refuge. Taking refuge is the basis upon which you take the other vows. And included in the ceremony, right, whenever we take any of these vows, is taking refuge. We have noticed that if we've taken bodhisattva vows or tantric vows, we always take refuge first. Report an error

47:11 That's really the basis, the foundation. The intention being that through going for refuge, the thought of passing beyond suffering is stabilized, and the vows spring from that. So through going for refuge, then we start wanting to strive for liberation, strive to get beyond suffering, and that becomes more stable when we take refuge. Report an error

47:43 Take vows based on some level of stability of the mind. If the mind doesn't have any stability in believing, all right, I'm a Buddhist or whatever, then it's not a good basis for taking vows. The mind needs to be pretty stable to take, well, to keep vows, right? Report an error

48:18 Benefit. The Report an error

48:37 obscurations accumulated previously are reduced and exhausted. So here, when we take refuge, right, when we really take refuge, right, especially taking refuge, you know, when we really take refuge in the Buddha Dharma Saṅgha, really understanding the causes of happiness and the causes of suffering, understanding, right, the mental afflictions, right, our minds are the causes of suffering, then we purify a lot of obscurations. Report an error

49:12 Some are completely purified, it says, and some are reduced. Some of the negativities that we've created are reduced because we've made a decision to go more toward love and compassion and wisdom and to go more away from anger and irritation and obsession. Report an error

49:39 So then that's a level of purification for the mind. Because we've decided to go in a particular direction. Report an error

49:50 You're looking like you need a break. So why don't we take a break? And I think Karen has something for us at break time? Yeah, I need a little dessert. Report an error

50:07 So thank you. What doesn't kill us will make us Report an error

50:38 not sure, I just took it off the desk. I'll email it to you. Okay. Who's copy did we need to copy? Oh, there's a code? Well, it asks for a user ID. Thank you. Report an error

50:54 They're probably just trying to get a little bit closer. Well, I'll, uh, anybody can have it. All right, so. What I can do is we can make something next week or I can email it out to you. Report an error

51:23 You think you can go another way? Report an error

51:35 You know, and actually, I have, okay, Report an error

51:55 so these are the, this is the section on refuge in Ani Karen's meditation manual that you can stick in your meditation. Karen Magnussen? Karen Magnussen? No, Karen, Ani Karen, Val, Val, Val. Report an error

52:16 So I've been, I've been giving out these Report an error

52:26 orange bound... Okay, because I have that, and oh, I'm starting to think, I'm thinking, gee, these look familiar. And then I put it together. Report an error

52:36 No, I got it at Kohane. This is my version of it. There's another version that's more extensive as well. it took me all the way to eight, so it wasn't very quick, but after a while. Report an error

52:52 I think I know these. That's good that they eventually... Yeah, and actually in that handout, precepts are... So Report an error

53:34 on pages 26... No, it's not 26 and 27, sorry. In my version it was. It's 39. Report an error

53:45 39 and 40. The advice and commitments of refuge. The specific commitments and the general commitments is what she calls them. So slightly different wording, but the same thing. Report an error

54:02 But I'll email it out anyway. Do we have enough of these? No. Report an error

54:14 Okay. Report an error

54:24 Okay. And then... No, I'm just like, I Report an error

54:15 worry about it, Peter. I have a call. Okay. Report an error

54:27 Karen, you might be interested in, it talks about the four bodies of the Buddha, pages 36 and 37. Report an error

54:41 The benefits of taking refuge. Report an error

54:58 The next one, the fourth benefit is one accumulates vast merit, right, when we've taken refuge. When we take refuge and keep the precepts, right, we create vast merit. Report an error

55:11 When it's genuine refuge, right? Not just saying the prayer. I'm thinking Report an error

55:21 this isn't focused very well. In the summary of the perfections, it says, if the merit of refuge took shape, these three realms would be small as a container. Great oceans, foremost of water bodies, could not hold or measure it. That's how vast the merit is of taking refuge. Report an error

55:44 It's really going in the direction of... Getting out of saṃsāra when we really take refuge. The next benefit, one will not fall into the bad migrations, right, into the lower realms if we take refuge sincerely from the heart. Report an error

56:06 So at the time, you know, if we take, we develop that habit of taking refuge throughout our lives, throughout the day, whenever we have difficulties, then at the time of death, then naturally we take refuge and that's... That will keep us out of the lower realms. That's a really useful thing to think at the time of death. Report an error

56:33 Taking refuge, doing tonglen is also incredibly helpful at the time of death. Report an error

56:42 Sixth benefit, not being harmed by human and non-human obstacles. So it says that when we're really... Oh, actually, related to not falling in the bad migrations, there's this story. So there's this... The god realm, right? In the six realms of saṃsāra, there's the hell, the hungry ghosts, the animal, the human, the demigods and the gods, right? Report an error

57:08 So the god realm, it's said, you know, for thousands of years, they just enjoy bliss and happiness. They have everything that they need, you know, no suffering and all of that. But at the end of their lives, then they start to age and they start to suffer. And then they see what their next rebirth is going to look like. Report an error

57:28 So according to the scriptures. And so there's the story of a god who saw that he was going to be reborn as a pig. And he was very upset and he went for refuge. And he wasn't reborn as a pig. Report an error

57:50 So according to Lama Tsongkhapa, he told that story. So good to go for refuge at the time of death. Report an error

58:01 The benefit of not being harmed by human and non-human obstacles. So I think this is a useful thing for us to try in our lives. Report an error

58:14 Let's say, for example, I have the habit when I'm in a plane and there's turbulence in the plane, to start saying mantras, take refuge and sing mantras. And so far, it's worked. Report an error

58:31 It's really helped. So when we encounter fearful situations or where we can be harmed, just to experiment and see if it works for us to take refuge. And I think I've told the story before of the time that I was walking in the country in Italy. It was basically pretty flat, nowhere to hide. I was just taking a walk and enjoying the beautiful day and then a Doberman Report an error

59:09 Pinscher saw me from like 100 yards away and decided to run after me, you know, with his, you know, gnashing his teeth and, you know, all fierce. And I had nowhere to go and I was petrified, right? And that's when I... I started saying my own money, put me home and all of that. And it was the bizarrest thing because he was running full speed at me and I could see him from 100 yards away just taking off and barking and gnashing his teeth and I was just frozen. Report an error

59:50 If I ran, he was going to catch up with me anyway and I just said my own money, put me home and he stopped. Like he just stopped right there and just looked at me and then walked away. Report an error

1:00:06 And I thought, okay, I have a little more faith in these other videos now. And who knows if that was why he stopped, but it certainly didn't hurt, right? Report an error

1:00:22 But, yeah. Anyway, so if you ever get in a situation like that, you know, try it, try it. Report an error

1:00:36 I'll never forget that experience. That was, you know, my life past. time to say a dober. Yeah. Report an error

1:00:40 In front of my eyes. I was picturing being torn from limb to limb. You'd feel very helpless at that point. So having a refuge was very useful. And it certainly doesn't hurt to try, right? Because there's nothing else you can do. Report an error

1:01:00 So, okay. So Yangtze Rinpoche says in this case, the protection that we receive from the Three Jewels is completely dependent on our quality of refuge. Report an error

1:01:14 So if our refuge is 100 % genuine, then also, so also is the benefit of the protection. And that makes sense, right? If it's just words, it's not going to help so much. Report an error

1:01:34 Number seven, one will attain everything one wishes for. So whatever Dharma activity we do, if at the beginning we make offerings to the three jewels, go for refuge and supplicate them, it will easily be accomplished. So any Dharma activity, in most sadhana practices, it includes the seven limbs, where you take refuge and you make offerings, confess, etc. Report an error

1:02:05 So that's really to create merit and to purify. And so when we do that, then it's much easier to attain concentration and realizations and all of that. right not Report an error

1:02:20 If we just try to sit down and concentrate and we don't do these practices, we encounter more obstacles. So that's something that we have to check up for ourselves if it really works that way. But I definitely notice that if I just kind of jump to the income abiding practice or something like that and forget these preliminaries, there's a difference in the quality. Report an error

1:02:47 So it's good to take refuge, make offerings, etc. Then Report an error

1:02:56 the eighth benefit. One will swiftly attain Buddhahood. In Report an error

1:03:08 accordance with that, you obtain distinguished leisure and having encountered refuge, trained in the special paths, whereby you will become a Buddha without a long delay. Report an error

1:03:22 Mindful of these kinds of benefits, you should go for refuge three times a day and three times at night. Report an error

1:03:40 Yeah, so once again, you know, when we're genuinely taking refuge, like from our hearts and in our actions and our minds throughout the day. And counteracting our mental afflictions, really making that effort. Then we really make progress on the path. Report an error

1:03:58 If it's just words and we don't do anything during the day to work on our minds, then we don't make much progress. It's not very quick. Report an error

1:04:14 Alright, any questions on the benefits of taking refuge? Report an error

1:04:28 The next is the... Not giving up the three jewels for one's life nor for a laugh and guarding against us. Report an error

1:04:51 There's no doubt that we will be separated from this life, body and possessions. So we're definitely going to die. And if we give up the three jewels for their sake, there will be continuous suffering in all successive lives to come. Therefore, we should vow not to abandon our refuge, come what may, and not even utter words about giving up our refuge for a laugh. Report an error

1:05:23 So Gishisopa says, right, so the three jewels, right, are antidotes to suffering. So when we give up refuge in the three jewels, it means that we're pushing aside, right, these helpful methods. Report an error

1:05:41 Because these are methods to help us, right, to eliminate suffering. So when we give up the refuge, then we're giving up these methods. Report an error

1:05:54 So, he says, merely saying that you give up your refuge for worldly purposes will have bad results. And if you abandon your refuge from the heart, you will of course act in ways opposite to the Dharma. You will come to rely on a course of action that is actually the road to trouble and suffering. Then, without a doubt, the consequences will be all kinds of misery throughout future lives. Report an error

1:06:23 From beginningless time up... To now you have seen all kinds of trouble and inexhaustible suffering, but still you continue to be friends with your inner enemies, the mental afflictions. If even now you follow that path, you will be on an endless road of misery. Therefore you should not give up your refuge even for the sake of your life. Report an error

1:06:52 When you fully appreciate these reasons, it will be easy to keep from giving up your refuge. So the important thing is to understand the reasons, not just blind faith, but really understanding the reasons why it's important not to give up our refuge. Report an error

1:07:15 That is why it's imperative to learn about the Three Jewels' qualities and functions and how they can lead you to attain your goal. Report an error

1:07:25 When you have firm trust rooted in a deep understanding, You will not want to give up your refuge no matter what happens. You should fix this understanding based on clear reasons in your mind again and again. And once your mind is firm, then of course the actions of your body and speech will follow. Report an error

1:07:58 So I think it's important in the Dharma to again and again use our reasoning to really investigate and then whatever confidence. Report an error

1:08:14 It's not, oh I should do this and pushing ourselves beyond where we really are. Report an error

1:08:28 I've seen sometimes people give up the Dharma because they push too hard. They try too intensely without having that strong foundation of understanding. It's more like maybe guilt. think Report an error

1:08:48 So I think it's important to be Report an error

1:08:56 kind to ourselves, to have trust in ourselves, to make the effort, but not to be aggressive with ourselves and to listen to the teachings and think about the teachings and then let our confidence grow kind of gradually and Report an error

1:09:20 then take on practices when we're ready. Not just because everybody else is doing it. Oh, everybody else is taking refuge. Everybody in the class is taking refuge, so I should take refuge. Or everybody else is taking bodhisattva vows, so I should take bodhisattva vows. That's a formula for going beyond where you really are, which eventually the pressure cooker will blow. Report an error

1:09:45 And then you're tempted to abandon it altogether. right? So... Report an error

1:09:54 So just one other thing. So Geshe Sopa talks about the importance of two kinds of effort, like intense effort or intense application, what did he call it, and continuous effort and intense application. Report an error

1:10:14 And the more important of those two is the continuous effort, right? So to practice for the long term, like to practice at a level that we can keep up for the long term and to not... Practice really intensely for a couple of weeks or a couple of months because that's the fashion or whatever. Give up when we don't see immediate results and go on to the next thing. So the intensive application, some level of strong practice that we can maintain over a long period of time. Report an error

1:10:59 In Report an error

1:11:11 our culture we tend to... Be immediate gratification of that kind of expectation. Grocery stores are open 24 hours a day. If I have a craving for ice cream, then I can just go and get ice cream any time of day or night. But in the Dharma, it's more important to just go step by step, slowly, slowly, as they say, and just to keep with it. Report an error

1:11:44 As His Holiness the Dalai Lama says sometimes, practice as if you can attain enlightenment tomorrow with that kind of effort, but be willing to expect that it will take eons. We Report an error

1:12:10 need to pace ourselves, the turtle as opposed to the hare. I Report an error

1:12:31 was reminded of... The story you told about the bodhisattva who cut off his arm, it comes to me often, and I wondered if that was applicable to what you were saying. Report an error

1:12:46 Yeah, because that bodhisattva gave up his bodhicitta, right, as a result of that. Yeah, so the story of him cutting off, or some guy asking him for his right arm, right, so he cut off his right arm and handed it to him. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Report an error

1:13:04 With his left hand, which is a no-no, right, in India. And so the guy was offended that he handed it to him with his left hand. Report an error

1:13:18 But the tiger was a different one. Yeah, okay. I haven't Oh. Report an error

1:13:29 Well, it's a different story. Yeah, this was a bodhisattva, right? So he cut off his right arm, handed it to the guy with his left hand, and the guy said, I can't believe you handed that to me with your left hand, and I don't want it. And the bodhisattva at that point lost his bodhicitta. He said, you know, these sentient beings, they're hopeless. Report an error

1:13:56 Right, so. So it's good right to not cut off our arms and give them to other people in case you thought about it. But yeah, but there is also the story of Buddha Shaky Muni giving his body to the tigers. But that, that was in a previous life. It was like tiger asterisks. Report an error

1:14:24 Yeah, yeah, you mixed up. I don't like it. Report an error

1:14:32 Yeah, yeah, Report an error

1:14:44 yeah. Report an error

1:14:48 Actually, the place where I was the last month, Namo Buddha, that was where Shakyamuni Buddha gave his body to the tigress in a previous life. And they call that the birthplace of bodhicitta in Namo Buddha because that's, I don't know if it's actually the birthplace of bodhicitta, but he actually gave up his life. Report an error

1:15:11 And he didn't give up his bodhicitta, so he was ready for that. Report an error

1:15:18 Not to be tried at home. Report an error

1:15:23 All right. Okay. So we almost finished Refuge. Okay. So we'll finish it next time and start on karma next time. Okay. And then I'll send out the precepts. Report an error

1:15:42 Did I give you homework before? You sent them all. Yeah. Yeah. That's right. You have homework 22. We'll send that. Okay. Report an error

1:16:00 So we'll dedicate. I'm going to check out what this is. Report an error

· · ·

1:16:02 Maybe we'll just dedicate, without the book, any positive energy that we've created. So we'll dedicate it for the peace and happiness and well-being, good health of all sentient beings. May Report an error

1:16:43 we continue to train our minds and develop our qualities and only contribute to the peace and well-being of all beings, never harming others. Report an error

1:17:11 And eventually attaining complete enlightenment in order to benefit all beings. Report an error

1:17:36 Also dedicate for the Dharma to continue to flourish and our spiritual masters to have long lives and good health turn Report an error

1:17:56 again and again to bring us all out of saṃsāra. Report an error

· · ·

1:19:55 down at Gillygasso in Atlanta, but it never made it up here. But I think eventually we can get a copy. Report an error

1:20:10 have the equipment. Report an error

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Talk by Emily Hsu, recorded 15 May 2009. Original at Tse Chen Ling Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies via Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/EH_Lamrim_200803. Licensed CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US. Transcript generated automatically and may contain errors; the audio is the authoritative version.

Recorded at Tse Chen Ling Center, San Francisco, and archived by the center on Internet Archive. More from Tse Chen Ling

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