Buddhism from A-Z, 2nd Semester - Bodhicitta: Developing the Big Heart (9 February 2010)

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0:43 And they, he was going to come today and bring them, they were just shattered. You know, so if he did not have them on, he normally doesn't wear them. I read that was so scary. I came a little late and you guys were all quiet and meditating. And I missed the whole thing. I had no idea. Oh, Report an error in the passage at 0:43 Highlight the passage at 0:43

1:03 okay. Okay. Okay. So he was early then. Well, it was just... I missed the whole thing, too. Oh, okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:03 Highlight the passage at 1:03

1:11 I was just outside changing my voice. Actually, my voice went from you. Yeah, it was a frustration. I mean, you were in a box. You were in a box. You were in a box. Report an error in the passage at 1:11 Highlight the passage at 1:11

1:25 I'll just throw a cut. I'll just throw a cut. Yeah, I read Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, that was smart, because it's your eye, and he's already had eye issues. I'm sure you guys didn't care, but my daughter was sick last week, so I didn't have a ride, but I got here. You all know, it was about a little late, because I had to kind of scramble at the last minute. And then, just was so funny that I came in and everything was so calm. Report an error in the passage at 1:25 Highlight the passage at 1:25

2:04 You know, we all know what to do. We are in shock. Report an error in the passage at 2:04 Highlight the passage at 2:04

2:13 Let's Report an error in the passage at 2:13 Highlight the passage at 2:13

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3:40 start by spending a few minutes meditating on our breath and settling our minds. Report an error in the passage at 3:40 Highlight the passage at 3:40

4:02 So focusing on the inhalation and exhalation of the breath, either through the nostrils or the rising and falling of our bellies. Report an error in the passage at 4:02 Highlight the passage at 4:02

4:17 And just letting go of... The habitual thoughts that come up, not following them, just noticing them and going gently back to the breath and Report an error in the passage at 4:17 Highlight the passage at 4:17

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7:45 then setting our motivation for tonight in Report an error in the passage at 7:45 Highlight the passage at 7:45

7:54 beings around us. Report an error in the passage at 7:54 Highlight the passage at 7:54

8:12 Where I do whatever I learn, Report an error in the passage at 8:12 Highlight the passage at 8:12

8:21 be beneficial for as many beings as possible. The Report an error in the passage at 8:21 Highlight the passage at 8:21

8:50 best way to help others is to free them from cyclic existence, free them from the goal of suffering by Report an error in the passage at 8:50 Highlight the passage at 8:50

9:07 becoming enlightened ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 9:07 Highlight the passage at 9:07

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10:24 start with the Praise to Mandershi on page 84. And I actually remembered finally to put the mantra up for people who don't know it. Report an error in the passage at 10:24 Highlight the passage at 10:24

10:44 So this prayer is to increase our wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 10:44 Highlight the passage at 10:44

10:56 Obeisance to my guru and protector, Manjushri, who holds to his heart a scriptural text symbolic of his seeing all things as they are, whose understanding shines forth as a sun, unclouded by defilements or traces of ignorance, who teaches in sixty ways with a patient love of a father for his only son, all creatures caught in the prison of saṃsāra, confused in the darkness of their ignorance, overwhelmed by their suffering. Report an error in the passage at 10:56 Highlight the passage at 10:56

11:24 You, whose dragon thunder proclamation of the Dharma arouses us from the stupor of our delusions and frees us from the iron chains of our karma, whose powerful sword of wisdom hues down suffering wherever its sprouts appear, clearing away the darkness of all ignorance, whose princely body is adorned with 112 marks of a Buddha, who has completed the ten stages achieving the highest perfection of a bodhisattva, who has been pure from the beginning. Report an error in the passage at 11:24 Highlight the passage at 11:24

11:52 O Manjushri, all loving one, with the brilliance of your wisdom, illuminate the darkness in closing my mind. Enlighten my intelligence and wisdom so that I may gain insight into Buddha's words and the texts that explain them. So we'll do some Manjushri mantras. Oma Rapatsana D, Oma Report an error in the passage at 11:52 Highlight the passage at 11:52

12:34 Refuge in bodhicitta on the bottom of page 88. Report an error in the passage at 12:34 Highlight the passage at 12:34

12:54 I go for refuge until I am enlightened. To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma. May I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I am enlightened. To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. Report an error in the passage at 12:54 Highlight the passage at 12:54

13:13 By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma. May I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I'm enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 13:13 Highlight the passage at 13:13

13:44 Welcome back. Maybe before we get started, we can ask Peter for an update. Yes? Hi. For tonight's performance, I'm . While doing . I'm fine. I'm almost completely healed. Oh, great. So for people who weren't here last week, Peter... I cracked my head open on the table doing prostration. I needed stitches. Report an error in the passage at 13:44 Highlight the passage at 13:44

14:10 I have a visual impairment, which some of you know, some of you don't. And so I misjudged the distance and cracked my brow ridge. And the miracle was that I was wearing glasses, which I normally don't wear when I come in. So it put a dent in the lens of my glass and went all the way through. But nothing happened to my eye. So that was really the three jewels protecting me, I would say. I forgot them. Report an error in the passage at 14:10 Highlight the passage at 14:10

14:34 I'll bring them next time. It went all the way through, though, so it could have been a lot worse. So that was definitely purification in a lesser form. But I'm fine. Thank you for everybody's concern. I really appreciate it. Really Report an error in the passage at 14:34 Highlight the passage at 14:34

14:50 serious happened. Report an error in the passage at 14:50 Highlight the passage at 14:50

14:56 We can't see it with your glasses on. Report an error in the passage at 14:56 Highlight the passage at 14:56

15:02 Looks good on you. Report an error in the passage at 15:02 Highlight the passage at 15:02

15:08 Does this cloth help? Yes. All right. So we're in class five of the bodhicitta class. A reminder, Lama Yeshe says that the best Dharma practice, the most perfect, the most substantial is without doubt the practice of bodhicitta. So we're studying the right thing. So what is bodhicitta? It's the aspiration for complete enlightenment. Not just for ourselves, it's for the welfare of all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 15:08 Highlight the passage at 15:08

15:48 Wanting to be the greatest of benefit to others. And by doing that, we need to get enlightened ourselves. We need to maximize our potential to develop our wisdom, our compassion and our power. Report an error in the passage at 15:48 Highlight the passage at 15:48

16:04 And in order to do that, we need to be enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 16:04 Highlight the passage at 16:04

16:10 So we've been talking about... How to train the mind of enlightenment or how to train in bodhicitta. And there are two main methods, the sevenfold cause and effect and exchanging oneself with others. So we've been talking about the sevenfold cause and effect. Report an error in the passage at 16:10 Highlight the passage at 16:10

16:33 So starting with the basis of equanimity, viewing all sentient beings as our mother, remembering her kindness, wishing to repay her kindness. Then developing love, great compassion, extraordinary attitude, and ending up with the mind of enlightenment. So we need every step. Every step leads to the next step. So we need to not skip any of the steps. Because if we follow this sequence, if we actually do these meditations for long enough, then we'll develop bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 16:33 Highlight the passage at 16:33

17:08 This is the method that's... Well, one of the methods that's tried and proven, right? So it's really an amazing, amazing practice that actually works. So, so far we've covered, okay, so we're trying to train the mind to strive for the welfare of others first, and then we figure out that we need to get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 17:08 Highlight the passage at 17:08

17:41 In order to help others. So first of all, we're striving for the welfare of others, laying the foundation for generating the mind and then actually generating the bodhicitta. So we've been covering laying the foundation for generating this mind, which is developing the equanimity and then developing affection for all beings. Report an error in the passage at 17:41 Highlight the passage at 17:41

18:04 Okay, so let's just review so far. So why do we need to start with equanimity? All right, so we have we have this habit of Having strong attachments towards certain beings and aversions towards others. And if we don't smooth out, even out that mind, even out that bias, then we'll always have that bias. Report an error in the passage at 18:04 Highlight the passage at 18:04

18:25 And we won't be able to truly love others as long as we have this bias. So we even out the roughness of our minds and develop an equanimity that's at least... With a reduced attachment and aversion for others, right? Becoming completely free is quite a realization, right? But at least reducing our attachment and aversion for others. So the two methods we talked about were, first of all, reflecting that all sentient beings are the same in wanting happiness and not wanting suffering. Report an error in the passage at 18:25 Highlight the passage at 18:25

19:10 So developing that sense of connection and closeness, commonality with other beings. That we're all the same. Well, we're all the same in that way. So it doesn't make sense to have attachment to some and aversion toward others. And then also the fact that friends, enemies and strangers are changing all the time. Within one lifetime and within many. Report an error in the passage at 19:10 Highlight the passage at 19:10

19:41 Lifetimes, all beings have been our closest friends. They've been our relatives. They've been our, you know, thorn in our side. You know, they've been, you know, everything. So when we really think about that, it doesn't really make sense to be attached to some and have aversion toward others because everybody's been everything to us. Report an error in the passage at 19:41 Highlight the passage at 19:41

20:04 But that's a hard realization, right, because we really need to believe in. Beginningless lives, yeah, or at least many, many lifetimes. Okay. But those two meditations really, really help to let go of the attachment and aversion or reduce them at least. So that's why we started with equanimity. And then we need to develop this feeling of affection toward others, toward all beings, right, not just toward the, you know, our friends and family that we do now. Report an error in the passage at 20:04 Highlight the passage at 20:04

20:44 And we do that by viewing all beings as our mother, remembering her kindness and wishing to repay her kindness. So we covered these first two last time, that all beings have been our mother. So this is a difficult meditation, thinking back on beginningless lives and think, wow, everybody, if I've had an infinite number of lives, hmm. Report an error in the passage at 20:44 Highlight the passage at 20:44

21:16 And then I've had mothers in those lives and probably everybody's been my mother. And not only once, but many times. Like each person in this room has been my mother. The ants crawling outside have been my mother. That Report an error in the passage at 21:16 Highlight the passage at 21:16

21:46 person that really annoys me has been my mother. So it's a huge impact on our mind if we really get this realization. It's looking at beings in a very different way. Report an error in the passage at 21:46 Highlight the passage at 21:46

22:12 So once we do that, once we really, really get that all beings have been our mother, then it's relatively easy to develop affection for all beings. Report an error in the passage at 22:12 Highlight the passage at 22:12

22:30 If we have a decent relationship with our mother, right? And if we have a really hard time with our mother, we can use somebody else, right? Like our best friend or our kind aunt or grandmother or something like that. But all beings have been in that really close relationship with us and have really, really done so much for us. Report an error in the passage at 22:30 Highlight the passage at 22:30

22:56 So that brings a huge sense of softness in the heart. Report an error in the passage at 22:56 Highlight the passage at 22:56

23:07 As well as a huge sense of humility. We can't feel arrogant if we recognize that everybody's done so much for us and taken care of us when we were small. Report an error in the passage at 23:07 Highlight the passage at 23:07

23:23 So, viewing all beings as our mother and remembering the kindness of our mother and how we wouldn't even be here without our mothers. We wouldn't have this life. We wouldn't be healthy. We wouldn't. Report an error in the passage at 23:23 Highlight the passage at 23:23

23:40 We wouldn't have this body, obviously, without our mothers. But if she had given up on us, we wouldn't be here. Report an error in the passage at 23:40 Highlight the passage at 23:40

23:51 And if we think of what she went through, it's pretty heroic that she didn't give up on us. So, you know, not just the teenage years, but, you know, the infant years. So, speaking for myself, she put up with a lot for me. So, remembering her kindness. So the meditation for this past week was to meditate on those two steps every day if we could, at least a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 23:51 Highlight the passage at 23:51

24:24 Do people do the meditations, the daily meditations? Report an error in the passage at 24:24 Highlight the passage at 24:24

24:30 Some people. Well, when I remember. Any comments or questions on those meditations? Because that's a hard one. John. And the microphone. Report an error in the passage at 24:30 Highlight the passage at 24:30

24:55 I've noticed that my ability to try and see other beings as my mother is extremely sensitive to the mind that I start off with at the beginning of the day. Report an error in the passage at 24:55 Highlight the passage at 24:55

25:16 If there's a little seed of annoyance that tends to grow and just forget about seeing this. Being is my mother. It's like, whatever. Yeah, who cares? But on other days where I'm in a slightly more, a better frame of mind, it's a little bit easier. But even then, I'll be like, okay, this being is my mother. These beings are my mother. Or they have been. Report an error in the passage at 25:16 Highlight the passage at 25:16

25:52 Or they will be. But it's very unstable. It's like, boop, it's there and there it's gone. Okay. Especially when I encounter a difficult person, it's not there. So there's still a lot of work to be done. Yeah, well, this takes a lot of time, doesn't it? Yeah, I mean, I asked you to meditate on this stuff for a week, but actually, you know, it really takes kind of a lifetime. Report an error in the passage at 25:52 Highlight the passage at 25:52

26:21 No, thank you for sharing that. And, you know, I recommend trying to do this meditation first thing in the morning. Before you take a shower, before you start your day, because that's how to get your mind to start off the day in a good space. If we start off the day feeling cranky and annoyed, then we don't really care how kind others have been to us. Report an error in the passage at 26:21 Highlight the passage at 26:21

26:57 For me, I meditate on bodhicitta the first thing every day. Right. But, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 26:57 Highlight the passage at 26:57

27:03 It really helps. I was always a person who was cranky in the morning, you know, in my life. And Report an error in the passage at 27:03 Highlight the passage at 27:03

27:12 usually. You know, there are definitely exceptions. I'll call you and ask for money before you've had your first cup of coffee. How's that? My bodhicitta meditation, watch out. Report an error in the passage at 27:12 Highlight the passage at 27:12

27:29 This is one of those meditations that I try to make basically like a life practice. So I think this is one you can do even when you're not. Just try walking around thinking that person was my mother and that person was my mother. And it makes a huge difference in the way you deal with adversity when it comes up. Report an error in the passage at 27:29 Highlight the passage at 27:29

27:48 And it's a good way to start with that and then work your way up to George Bush was my mother, which is a really hard one. And I actually used that for a while. George Bush was my mother before. And, you know, everything that he believes in is so antithetical to anything I believe. But even he, you know. Report an error in the passage at 27:48 Highlight the passage at 27:48

28:06 And I actually found that helpful to me. It might not be helpful to everybody, but find somebody that really drives you bonkers and make that effort to see that person as having been your mother. And maybe under the grip of karma and delusion now, and I have to become a Buddha to bring him to enlightenment, to bring myself to enlightenment, to bring everybody to enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 28:06 Highlight the passage at 28:06

28:27 It can be really powerful, but I wouldn't start out with that. Yeah, exactly. No, great. Yeah, I mean, exactly. That's why they recommend, right? First start with the beings that are close to you. You build up some strength in your practice and then you move on to neutral beings. And then once we have some power, then the difficult beings. But to start off with the difficult beings, yeah, I mean, we won't get very far and we might just get frustrated and give up. Report an error in the passage at 28:27 Highlight the passage at 28:27

29:05 But it's fun to play with after a while. Yeah. Yeah. So. Report an error in the passage at 29:05 Highlight the passage at 29:05

29:08 It's like, oh, okay, well, let's try this person. Oh, yeah, that worked today, you know. Let's go back to someone easier. Okay, that was good. And, you know, somebody else. And then someone more difficult. And then, you know, whatever, Saddam Hussein, you know. Report an error in the passage at 29:08 Highlight the passage at 29:08

29:29 Rose. Okay. For me, sometimes it isn't so clear how I have to imagine this mother. If we take, for example, George Bush or someone who I know, shall I imagine this person how she is or how she had been like my mother, a nice person? Report an error in the passage at 29:29 Highlight the passage at 29:29

30:00 I get in trouble sometimes with that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we imagine them doing all of the nice things that your mother has done. Report an error in the passage at 30:00 Highlight the passage at 30:00

30:12 She fed me when I was a baby and she woke up in the middle of the night when I was crying and she carried me around for hours until I fell asleep again and she was really sweet. So it's not like the person is now, especially if they're really difficult people. Because them being difficult is very impermanent. So they've been difficult in your life in this span of time, based on our karma. Report an error in the passage at 30:12 Highlight the passage at 30:12

30:49 But they haven't always been difficult people. And they're not difficult people to everyone. So we're thinking of other aspects of them and it doesn't even have to be in the same physical form because they weren't in the same physical form as when they were our mothers as they are now. So we can even imagine them looking like our mothers now or we can kind of overlay our mother over their body and just imagine what it's like. Report an error in the passage at 30:49 Highlight the passage at 30:49

31:28 Yeah, I mean we... We don't focus on the negative aspects, right? Because when we focus on the negative aspects, then that just brings up the irritation and the anger and, you know, the resentment, you know, whatever, the hostility. But if we focus on, oh, well, but for many lifetimes she was my mother and she was really kind, you know. Report an error in the passage at 31:28 Highlight the passage at 31:28

31:54 And now, you know, and once we've built up some power in that meditation, and then we can think now, now they're under the power of their mental afflictions. So they're doing silly things now, but that's not intrinsic to their nature, right? They have Buddha nature. They're just, it's like they're, you know, they're under the power of ignorance now and their mental afflictions. Report an error in the passage at 31:54 Highlight the passage at 31:54

32:18 And so they're creating suffering for themselves and others now. And then we can have compassion for them once we develop some power in that meditation. So we can look at the negative things eventually, look at the negative things they do with compassion and softness and understanding eventually instead of irritation and hostility. Report an error in the passage at 32:18 Highlight the passage at 32:18

32:46 I mean, that's the idea, right? That's why we're... Trying to develop a sense of affection toward everyone first, because if we think negatively about somebody and then we try to develop compassion for them, it just doesn't work. Report an error in the passage at 32:46 Highlight the passage at 32:46

33:04 I think of my mother, for example. I loved her. I think she was a wonderful person, but she was also not a perfect woman. Report an error in the passage at 33:04 Highlight the passage at 33:04

33:19 I was thinking more about including she as she was and not only the great mother who looked after me. Also, I mean also to like her weak side somehow. But what I understand now is at one side One is to develop this bodhicitta mind and the other side is the compassion aspect. Report an error in the passage at 33:19 Highlight the passage at 33:19

34:02 You did that? Yeah, well, I think, I mean, I think you're getting to the point. Yeah, yeah. So they're different. We emphasize different things in different steps of the meditation, right? So in these first, these two steps. We're emphasizing, actually, with equanimity, we're emphasizing that all beings have been both kind to us and unkind to us to develop equanimity. Report an error in the passage at 34:02 Highlight the passage at 34:02

34:34 So we're not so strongly attached or having strong aversion. So here we're looking at beings in a balanced way. Then we're trying to develop affection, right? So then we're focusing on the kindness. So we're focusing on the good things, right? At this point. Then back later on we're going to focus on, with love and compassion that we'll talk about later, is how they're suffering, how they're lacking happiness and suffering now. Report an error in the passage at 34:34 Highlight the passage at 34:34

35:08 So we're focusing on different things at different points. So if you're asking at this point, then if we're doing those meditations, then we focus on, yeah, the kindness. And we understand that their faults are still there. But we just don't dwell on them. Yeah, okay. And so oftentimes, you know, we, you know, so when we're actually meditating on this stuff, we actually need to meditate on equanimity for quite some time, you know. Report an error in the passage at 35:08 Highlight the passage at 35:08

35:39 Start with that. And then we can meditate on viewing all beings as our mother, you know, for a couple of months. And then remembering the kindness for a couple of years. Right. Right, and then wishing to repay the kindness and kind of go like that. Then it really becomes an amazing meditation. If we just do it a few times, we think, okay, Report an error in the passage at 35:39 Highlight the passage at 35:39

36:15 yeah, Jeannie. Report an error in the passage at 36:15 Highlight the passage at 36:15

36:20 I can't say I sit and meditate for as long as I should, but does it count if you just do it throughout the day? Definitely. I have to say with this, since I'm living alone now, no daughter. Report an error in the passage at 36:20 Highlight the passage at 36:20

36:34 I've really felt the need to take myself outside so I could be around people, just to be around people and just feeling people and doing the work around people instead of just by myself. I think maybe because I've done these for a while, I feel like I really need to get out and practice. So does it count? Oh, definitely. Report an error in the passage at 36:34 Highlight the passage at 36:34

36:57 I think we need to do both. Actually, you know, the sitting and doing the contemplating with a concentrated mind will develop more power behind the meditation. And then we go out and be with real people. So it's not just theory. I think, you know, as Peter was saying, you know, oh, you know, that person, you know, the taxi driver has been my mother. You know, the person who cut me off has been my mother. Report an error in the passage at 36:57 Highlight the passage at 36:57

37:18 This, you know, my boss has been my mother. Then we work with real people. So I think whatever works in your life, you know, if you can actually sit on the cushion and do it for. Report an error in the passage at 37:18 Highlight the passage at 37:18

37:32 you know. For 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, great. And then do it throughout the day as much as you can. And that's what we need to do, right? Because we're developing new habits, right? We have old habits of getting irritated at certain people. Well, maybe not you, but some people getting irritated, having attachment aversion and all of that. Report an error in the passage at 37:32 Highlight the passage at 37:32

37:59 And so if we're just meditating for 10 minutes a day and then the rest of the day, forget it. We completely forget, right? We're reinforcing our old habits, right? So the more we can do it during the day, then we're developing these new, you know, more positive habits. So it's great when you can do it, you know, throughout the day. Yeah, whenever we can think of that. Yeah, remembering to do it. Okay, great. Report an error in the passage at 37:59 Highlight the passage at 37:59

38:30 Okay, so we covered... Numbers 1 and 2, and Report an error in the passage at 38:30 Highlight the passage at 38:30

38:37 I showed you this quote last time, but just a reminder that developing equanimity, the basis, and then recognizing and accepting sentient beings as your mother are the most important points of this practice. So equanimity and number 1 are the most important points, and they're also the hardest. If you can practice and achieve a stable experience of these two points, you will be... Report an error in the passage at 38:37 Highlight the passage at 38:37

39:04 Able to realize the remaining points very easily. So I think that's a really important point. Don't skip over the equanimity and the recognizing all sentient beings as your mother. They're not easy. They might be boring. It might take a long time to get somewhere with those. But if we can actually get there, then the rest of the meditations will go much easier. And we won't still hold. Report an error in the passage at 39:04 Highlight the passage at 39:04

39:37 Those certain beings aside from our love and compassion. It's Report an error in the passage at 39:37 Highlight the passage at 39:37

39:49 easy to forget or leave out the really hard beings out of our love and compassion. It's easy to justify feeling hostile towards certain beings. We can talk to all of our friends and they will all agree that whoever. Report an error in the passage at 39:49 Highlight the passage at 39:49

40:12 know A certain politician or a certain dictator is a horrible person. And there's no reason to feel kindness or softness or affection toward these beings. We can find many reasons to not develop love and compassion for them. But what's the point? What's the benefit? It's much more beneficial if we can actually work through that and develop. Report an error in the passage at 40:12 Highlight the passage at 40:12

40:43 Real love and affection and compassion for them. Report an error in the passage at 40:43 Highlight the passage at 40:43

40:51 The challenging people, wouldn't that mean that you would have more compassion in a way because they possibly need it more because they're suffering more and maybe they don't know it? Doesn't that kind of hurt more to think about that? Yeah, when we get to that point, I think when we can really develop a sense of affection for them, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 40:51 Highlight the passage at 40:51

41:12 Yeah, because the really difficult people who are really creating a lot of suffering for others, You know, they're really, they're futures. I mean, they can't be happy now, right? And then the karma they're creating is very, very scary, you know? So, yeah, so we can develop even more compassion for them. Okay. All right. So let's go on to wish to repay the kindness. Report an error in the passage at 41:12 Highlight the passage at 41:12

41:40 So I think if we do this really well, viewing all beings as our mother and remembering her kindness. So we write, so we... Think about her kindness until almost we well up inside. We're so incredibly grateful for how much she's done. And then the natural next step is to want to repay her kindness. If someone saves our life, we want to do something for them in return. Report an error in the passage at 41:40 Highlight the passage at 41:40

42:11 If I get a flat tire on the highway and somebody... You know, somebody helps me with that. I feel really grateful and, you know, you want to, you know, naturally you want to do something. Report an error in the passage at 42:11 Highlight the passage at 42:11

42:25 Lama Tsongkhapa says, you know, I'm not sure about this translation, but there's nothing less shameful than carelessly neglecting your suffering, protectorless, kind mothers just because you do not recognize them anymore due to birth, death and transmigration and being preoccupied with freeing yourself from cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 42:25 Highlight the passage at 42:25

42:47 Less shameful or more shameful. Anyway. Report an error in the passage at 42:47 Highlight the passage at 42:47

42:54 yeah, so... Report an error in the passage at 42:54 Highlight the passage at 42:54

43:00 We don't recognize all beings as being our mother. They don't look the same as they did before. We don't remember our previous lives. But that's not a reason to neglect them. If they've been really kind to us, it would be if they gave us life, they gave us everything. Report an error in the passage at 43:00 Highlight the passage at 43:00

43:23 And if we just neglected them, their suffering, and just followed our own liberation, our own individual liberation, leaving them in saṃsāra, that would be really selfish. Report an error in the passage at 43:23 Highlight the passage at 43:23

43:41 It's like our mother fell in the river and we don't help her out. Because we're doing our own thing. And all beings have fallen in the river of saṃsāra, fallen in the river of being bound by karma and mental afflictions, and they need help. They need help out of saṃsāra. They're suffering not because they want to, but because they're under the control of karma and mental afflictions, and they don't know how to get out. Report an error in the passage at 43:41 Highlight the passage at 43:41

44:19 So it makes Report an error in the passage at 44:19 Highlight the passage at 44:19

44:26 sense to stay, you know, to help others, right? We're only here because of countless other beings, right? So it would be horrible of us to just kind of forget about them and just go for our own liberation and let them figure it out themselves. Report an error in the passage at 44:26 Highlight the passage at 44:26

44:55 Thus thinking, if neglecting such kind beings is unacceptable even to the ill-mannered, how can I reconcile it with my own ways? You should take the responsibility to reciprocate their kindness. So here Lama Tsongkhapa is saying, even in our society, it's considered ill-mannered to not repay the kindness of somebody. Report an error in the passage at 44:55 Highlight the passage at 44:55

45:17 If somebody's fixed Report an error in the passage at 45:17 Highlight the passage at 45:17

45:23 our flat tire or lent us money, it would be ill-mannered. It would be bad manners to not do anything in return. Report an error in the passage at 45:23 Highlight the passage at 45:23

45:38 If someone asks, well then, how should I repay the benefit? Whatever happiness and wealth of cyclic existence your mothers obtain, they are deceived by all of them. Report an error in the passage at 45:38 Highlight the passage at 45:38

45:49 So how do we repay the kindness of our mothers? We take them out to dinner? We buy them presents? Is that the best way to repay the kindness of our mothers? Report an error in the passage at 45:49 Highlight the passage at 45:49

46:05 Well, maybe not the best way. Report an error in the passage at 46:05 Highlight the passage at 46:05

46:19 Thus we should repay the benefit thinking I in the past by the power of conceit of the mental afflictions once again produce various suffering in those who are already suffering by nature, like putting salt and so forth on the injured who are already severely wounded. I will establish all those who have benefited me out of love in the happiness of liberation. So there are many different ways that we can help others. Report an error in the passage at 46:19 Highlight the passage at 46:19

46:52 And one way that's not so constructive to help others is to feed their mental afflictions, right? To give alcohol to an alcoholic, right? Or to give drugs to a drug addict, right? So to just like to repay people by feeding their attachments, right? And just buying them lots of things isn't the best way, right? To help others. Report an error in the passage at 46:52 Highlight the passage at 46:52

47:19 The best way to help others, you know, when they're ready, obviously, is to help lead them out of suffering forever. And how do we do that? We help, you know, we try to help them out of saṃsāra. Report an error in the passage at 47:19 Highlight the passage at 47:19

47:39 But in the meantime, obviously, if they're starving, we give them food, right? If they, you know, if they need a home, we help them. Help them find shelter and things like that. It's like parents. You don't just give your kids everything that they want. You don't just buy them a bazillion toys. That's not the best way to bring up kids. So similarly, we need to use our own wisdom and figure out how to best help others. Report an error in the passage at 47:39 Highlight the passage at 47:39

48:17 How to best help others is to try to... right? But... Report an error in the passage at 48:17 Highlight the passage at 48:17

48:20 Lead them out of suffering. Yeah. Help them stop creating the causes of suffering. Lead them to wisdom and compassion. Hi, Emily. My name is Chris. Chris. And I feel so grateful to be here. I finally, my other Tuesday night commitment was finished last week, so now I can regularly start coming. Great. Welcome. My question is, I have Christian family. Report an error in the passage at 48:20 Highlight the passage at 48:20

48:52 Um... And if I like, let's take my mom, for example, you know, if I want to lead her out of saṃsāra, how do I how do I do that? Because, you know, she obviously doesn't believe in beginningless lives and in rebirth. And, you know, so I guess I'm answering my own question, but I'd have to find some skillful way to maybe translate it into her own language. Report an error in the passage at 48:52 Highlight the passage at 48:52

49:25 Her own Christianity language or, you know, I'm just trying to figure out how to how to do that. Yeah. Well, I don't think the answer is converting her. You know, she's really a Christian. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 49:25 Highlight the passage at 49:25

49:53 So, yeah. So, I mean, I think this is a long term thing, you know, you know, wanting to wanting to, you know, having the aspiration to lead them out of saṃsāra. You know, we'll. All right. Report an error in the passage at 49:53 Highlight the passage at 49:53

50:05 How much we can do in this life, if we're not enlightened, how do we lead others to enlightenment? So this is kind of the aspiration. So the scriptures often say, Buddhists, we don't proselytize, we don't convert others. But we can try to help them if they do some unconstructive things. We can try to help them. Report an error in the passage at 50:05 Highlight the passage at 50:05

50:34 Help them with some methods for reducing their anger, maybe, if they're open to it, you know, or helping them think of things in a more constructive way, not in Buddhist language or anything, if it's appropriate. I definitely, you know, know that people trying to convert other people, all that breeds is anger most of the time. Report an error in the passage at 50:34 Highlight the passage at 50:34

50:59 So I don't want to do that. I guess I just remembered an example from last night. My really good friend and roommate is a practicing Catholic, and he's very involved in the Catholic Church. But he's also Irish and has a hot temper. And there was somebody who did him wrong, stole $7,000 from him. Report an error in the passage at 50:59 Highlight the passage at 50:59

51:29 He really hates this person, you know. And so I was trying to get him to feel compassion for the person. And I guess I used Christian terminology, you know, saying that, you know, well, he's really setting himself up to go to hell there, you know, and aren't those the people we should pray for the hardest? Report an error in the passage at 51:29 Highlight the passage at 51:29

51:53 You know, and he actually... He agreed and quoted some Bible scripture where Jesus said, you know, pray for those who persecute you. And so I think I got him starting to work on that instead of just building up his anger on it. Yeah, good. Good, yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's not helpful to preach, right, what we believe. Yeah, so great, you know. Report an error in the passage at 51:53 Highlight the passage at 51:53

52:18 So we have to use, you know, in each situation, right? I'll be good. Use the wisdom that we have and compassion. Particularly not, like, not let ourselves fall into arrogance, right? And think, oh, I have the way and, you know, you don't and let me tell you the way that it is, right? So that's where our love and compassion come in because when we have love and compassion, then the arrogance doesn't come in. Report an error in the passage at 52:18 Highlight the passage at 52:18

52:46 Chris, I was just going to suggest a book that really helped me because I have Christian relatives too. And there's a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, the famous Zen monk, called Living Buddha, Living Christ. And there's so many parallels between aspects of Christ's teachings and what the Buddha taught that if you read that it might kind of give you the skillful means to talk to your mom or other relatives about it. Report an error in the passage at 52:46 Highlight the passage at 52:46

53:08 It's a really wonderful book. It's kind of a classic. Thank you. Sure. Report an error in the passage at 53:08 Highlight the passage at 53:08

53:23 So then Lama Tsongkhapa uses this analogy. Which the language is pretty strong. In brief, if even your own kind mother, who, restless and insane, blind and without anyone to guide her, is stumbling with each step and approaching a fearsome abyss, getting close with each step, cannot put her hope in her child. Report an error in the passage at 53:23 Highlight the passage at 53:23

53:47 Who can she count on? If it is not for her child to free its mother from fear, who else should do it? So this image is of our blind mother, our mother who is blind is stumbling around near the edge of a precipice, and she keeps getting closer and closer. Report an error in the passage at 53:47 Highlight the passage at 53:47

54:13 And this is similar to we beings in saṃsāra. We're wandering around with ignorance, being controlled by our mental afflictions. Creating negative karma, which can propel us down a precipice. So if our mother was stumbling along a physical precipice, of course we would help her. She's our mother, right? We would help her. But she's actually stumbling on a scarier precipice, the cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 54:13 Highlight the passage at 54:13

54:54 And so if we don't help her, who's going to? And we have the great fortune of having met the Dharma and understanding some ways to create more happiness and reduce suffering. So with this privilege comes responsibility too, to help others to the best of our ability. Not being obnoxious about it, obviously. Report an error in the passage at 54:54 Highlight the passage at 54:54

55:30 But to do what we can. Report an error in the passage at 55:30 Highlight the passage at 55:30

55:40 Likewise, the sentient beings who have been our mothers are all in the same boat. All sentient beings have been our mothers. Their minds in a state of confusion due to the evil spirits of the mental afflictions, insane and without control over their minds by the fever of mental afflictions, without eyes to see the path to high status and certain goodness. Report an error in the passage at 55:40 Highlight the passage at 55:40

56:06 Without a blind person's guide of perfect knowledge, in each instant stumble due to being distracted by faulty behavior and wander toward the abyss of cyclic existence in general and the bad migrations in particular. Seeing them, consider how these mothers necessarily put their hopes in their child and that it is also for the child to get his mother out of there. Report an error in the passage at 56:06 Highlight the passage at 56:06

56:31 You will repay their kindness by definitely getting them out of cyclic existence. So this requires developing a good understanding of cyclic existence and how we're caught in this web of suffering and creating negative karma all the time. Just because we have mental afflictions, just by having mental afflictions, we inevitably create negative karma. Report an error in the passage at 56:31 Highlight the passage at 56:31

57:04 Just having the ignorance and just having attachment. Report an error in the passage at 57:04 Highlight the passage at 57:04

57:10 Hostility and irritation and jealousy. Just by having those mental afflictions, then inevitably we're creating negative karma. Karma to suffer again and again. So to stop the causes of suffering, to stop suffering and the causes of suffering, we need to overcome our mental afflictions. And how do we do that? Realizing emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 57:10 Highlight the passage at 57:10

57:40 We're all in the same boat. All of us sentient beings, all of these beings who have been our mothers. Report an error in the passage at 57:40 Highlight the passage at 57:40

57:53 So this will really help, you know, once we really, really get that, this will really help us understand, or help us be able to develop compassion for others. Report an error in the passage at 57:53 Highlight the passage at 57:53

58:14 Pobongka Rinpoche says, suppose your mother were mad, carrying a knife and trying to kill you, her child. You would not be angry with her. Report an error in the passage at 58:14 Highlight the passage at 58:14

58:23 Surely try to rid her of her madness. This is how you must repay the kindness of your enemies. So this is a really good way to look at it, yeah? Report an error in the passage at 58:23 Highlight the passage at 58:23

58:36 So that really irritating person, right? That person who's even trying to hurt us or trying to rid them of their madness, right? Rid them of their mental afflictions and help them not generate hostility toward them. Report an error in the passage at 58:36 Highlight the passage at 58:36

58:57 So we can do this once we develop affection for beings, for all beings. Report an error in the passage at 58:57 Highlight the passage at 58:57

59:23 So we laid the foundation for generating bodhicitta, or not generating bodhicitta, for generating the mind, striving for the welfare of others. And then in order to generate the mind, really wanting to strive for the welfare of others, then we meditate on love, compassion and extraordinary attitude. Report an error in the passage at 59:23 Highlight the passage at 59:23

59:43 So we laid the foundation by developing equanimity. Or trying to develop equanimity and affection for all beings. That's really the basis for then thinking about their suffering and then wanting to free them from their suffering. If we don't have the sense of affection for all beings, then we won't really care if they're suffering. Report an error in the passage at 59:43 Highlight the passage at 59:43

1:00:11 If we have hostility towards someone, we may even be happy that they're suffering. So we have to get over that hostility first by developing equanimity, at least a neutral feeling toward them, and then affection. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:11 Highlight the passage at 1:00:11

1:00:31 His Holiness the Dalai Lama says often you can't just go from feeling hostile to someone to loving them. We need to go from negative feeling to a neutral feeling and to the positive feeling. So that's why we meditate on equanimity first. When we have some success, then we really focus on developing affection for them. Okay? So we'll take a break, and then after that we'll start on love. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:31 Highlight the passage at 1:00:31

1:01:10 me call for conversion. funny way to But it's about, I think, Hume the Bill O 'Reilly show. I don't know. just amazing. I mean, it's from the sports section, which I never read. But my mother saved it for me. I thought people might find it interesting. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:10 Highlight the passage at 1:01:10

1:01:32 heard about that, right? It was on the news saying that Tiger Woods is a Buddhist, that he should convert to Christianity for forgiveness. Yeah, and then, well, no, just, yeah, the, yeah, basically he says. My sense about Tiger is that he needs something that Christianity especially provides and gives and offers. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:32 Highlight the passage at 1:01:32

1:01:53 And that is redemption and forgiveness. He said something worse, though, in that. Oh, there's more. Yeah, I was looking for there's more. But Robert Thurman, of course, had nice things to say. So I didn't really think the Buddhists seemed that irritated in that article. I thought that was not such a great headline. He said that Buddhists really had a way to deal with things. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:53 Highlight the passage at 1:01:53

1:02:21 We don't have to convert Christianity. We have our methods. We have some pretty good methods. Yeah, exactly. Well, you know Robert Thurman. You know Robert Thurman would defend the faith. Oh, yeah, he's not timid. No, he's not. I made carrot cake. Really? Report an error in the passage at 1:02:21 Highlight the passage at 1:02:21

1:02:41 There you go. There's some fuel for us. Jeannie made carrot cake. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:41 Highlight the passage at 1:02:41

1:02:54 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:54 Highlight the passage at 1:02:54

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:03:50 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:50 Highlight the passage at 1:03:50

1:03:58 I don't do that. I'm more on the 100. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:58 Highlight the passage at 1:03:58

1:04:09 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:09 Highlight the passage at 1:04:09

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:04:59 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:59 Highlight the passage at 1:04:59

1:05:11 I don't know if it's the best one about that. I don't usually read the stories. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:11 Highlight the passage at 1:05:11

1:05:41 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:41 Highlight the passage at 1:05:41

1:05:47 I don't know why I came out with that name. I'm so sorry. Oh, okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:47 Highlight the passage at 1:05:47

1:06:10 Thank you. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:10 Highlight the passage at 1:06:10

1:06:27 I'm doing biology now, that's why I wasn't here last week. Oh This is my last class, so I'll be graduating in May. Wow, that's great, that'll feel good. The opportunity of going to an accredited MRI school to make money, finally. Yeah, really, after you've been in school for how long? Many years. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:27 Highlight the passage at 1:06:27

1:06:52 kind of know how I actually do something with my life, grow up. Well, yeah. You're doing something with your life. It's nice to use that to give to others and then actually be able to make a living. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:52 Highlight the passage at 1:06:52

1:07:09 That's always my calling, is always being there to care for people, so I have to continue on with that. So that's from Jeannie. The gift is... Report an error in the passage at 1:07:09 Highlight the passage at 1:07:09

1:07:22 So, we were kind of, she's going to come in in a minute. She had like a, well I'll tell you. We were hoping you knew what it was and how to use that. What to do with it. She got it. Should I wait until she comes in? Yeah, she should be in any second. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:22 Highlight the passage at 1:07:22

1:07:49 Go ahead and open it because I'll let you know before the break is over. And then. why would they have a great crowd? Why would they have a job? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:49 Highlight the passage at 1:07:49

1:07:54 You can talk to her after class. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:54 Highlight the passage at 1:07:54

1:08:01 It's a what? A counter kata. Counter kata? A kata? Oh, kata. You know those white scarves? Yeah, exactly. Here she is, Jeannie. Thank you. It's beautiful. It's one of those scarves that llamas bless you with, except for it's a colored one. I, I, um. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:01 Highlight the passage at 1:08:01

1:08:23 I've never seen one like that. Isn't it beautiful? I just like in the last year or so started seeing things like that. It's beautiful. Well, I have a Valentine. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:23 Highlight the passage at 1:08:23

1:08:40 Isn't that beautiful though? It is. It's very unique. I love the color. Because you're our teacher, now are we supposed to like put it on you? Or how does that work? didn't have time. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:40 Highlight the passage at 1:08:40

1:08:58 you know, usually you, you know, if it's a llama, you know, you hand them the kata, and then they put it over your head. Right, yeah, that's what his line is doing to me. Yeah, but with me, you know. Where are you, Holly? I'll just hold it and look at it. Isn't that awesome? That's amazing. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:58 Highlight the passage at 1:08:58

1:09:22 amazing. once in a while you see colors, but, yeah. I've seen solid blue and red but I haven't seen design. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:22 Highlight the passage at 1:09:22

1:09:41 And she baked the cake. I don't know where I'm hanging out with you. I thought you were going to be a good part. Maybe we should just try it. We'll get you done forever or something. You try it. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:41 Highlight the passage at 1:09:41

1:09:50 That's why it's really heavy with good stuff in there. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:50 Highlight the passage at 1:09:50

1:09:57 It's really good. And it's not too sweet. Oftentimes you get a cake. She can bake her a bit. Yeah, I can tell. She's the baker in your room. I like to cook, but I have yet to really cook for her. She's got her own kitchen now. Yeah. That's in Karen's. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:57 Highlight the passage at 1:09:57

1:10:16 so there's too many people in the house it's all about cleaning up afterwards who wants to do that now she's got her own place and I can do that for her now first meal be still Report an error in the passage at 1:10:16 Highlight the passage at 1:10:16

1:10:33 Is this the first time you've been alone for how long? Forever. Seriously, this is the first time you've ever done it. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:33 Highlight the passage at 1:10:33

1:10:47 How is it for you? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:47 Highlight the passage at 1:10:47

1:10:55 It's true. I live alone for the first time for many years. It's interesting. You do have to make the effort. Especially because I'm working. It's fine, it's fine to go out to find people. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:55 Highlight the passage at 1:10:55

1:11:10 so quiet, so you just need to watch them. It's like floating around in the ceiling. So delicious. She doesn't have a real attachment issue. I have attachment issues, so I have a hard time living alone, you know. So I live with my ex-partner, which is not healthy. But it's not unhealthy, you know. It's okay, the living situation. It's just we're through dynamics and I should be living with my partner. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:10 Highlight the passage at 1:11:10

1:11:38 But she's like kind of enjoying her alone time right now, you know. She kind of deserves that right now. Not taking care of anybody. Yeah, exactly. And it's so good. I mean, it's so good for watching your own mind and letting, you know, letting yourself be with your own energy, right? And so constantly having to deal with somebody else's stuff. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:38 Highlight the passage at 1:11:38

1:12:05 dealt with a lot of my work. Definitely. He's dealt with my stuff a lot. But you know when I went home that day, things changed. I got a lot. I mean it was amazing because a lot of feedback from the class that night and I prayed on it. I meditated totally on it. When I walked through the house that night, the atmosphere was completely different. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:05 Highlight the passage at 1:12:05

1:12:34 I was freed from it. Interesting. That was amazing. So I've been feeling a lot better about things, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:34 Highlight the passage at 1:12:34

1:12:47 And Jeannie introduced me to a Gidong class that we just finished up, and that was nice. I enjoyed that. She always introduces me to things that calm me and ground me totally. So even though I fight her sometimes about it, I end up doing it. Someone's like, you don't need your umbrella. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:47 Highlight the passage at 1:12:47

1:12:54 It's really good to see that. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:54 Highlight the passage at 1:12:54

1:13:07 I do enjoy it. It's good for me. She's the one who introduced me to Buddhism. Years ago. So, I'm happy. It's so great that you guys can help each other, you know, and support each other. She meditates every day, and I'm blown away by that. I feel jealous. I wish I could be like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:07 Highlight the passage at 1:13:07

1:13:36 We all have our own strengths and our own personalities. Your practice manifests in just a different way. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:36 Highlight the passage at 1:13:36

1:13:48 I can see that. I don't know what it is about me. It's like I have two kinds of blood flow. That, caring for others, and music. Those two, it's just, they kind of dance together. It's just always flowing throughout me. You know, that's just who I am. And it's, if you're not happy, I'm not happy. So, and even if it makes me exhausted, just the way it is, I don't understand how people can't be that way. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:48 Highlight the passage at 1:13:48

1:14:28 Because you've just always been that way. Yeah, but it's okay. It's a good thing. Oh, it's a great thing. So when I'm listening to our, I come here to class and I look at the words and I, you know, and I think about it and I take it to my heart and it's just like, I think to myself, this is unnatural to me. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:28 Highlight the passage at 1:14:28

1:14:53 You know, this is common sense. I don't get it. Why are you thinking about it? You know, this is just the way it is. You know, so. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:53 Highlight the passage at 1:14:53

1:15:05 And I wanted to tell you about a movie I saw, a documentary about the next Dalai Lama, the next Lama. It has this holiness in it. It has, who else? The Immaculate Child? Yes, I just saw it. A mind blower. I cried so hard. It was so, I was like, I was like overwhelmed. It made, I think it made my whole week. It was amazing. Yeah. So moving. On a very deep level. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:05 Highlight the passage at 1:15:05

1:15:39 It was very deep for me. And I can't get it out of my head. I really can't. And how he just picked up, he just knew to go to the crystal beats. And he knew the exact bell and the little drum. You know, it was just amazing. And when the assistant to the Lama who passed away was chosen to be the one to go look for the child, you know, the reincarnated Lama, you know, he didn't want to do it. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:39 Highlight the passage at 1:15:39

1:16:12 He had to get himself together, and he went on that journey, and all those little areas he had to go to to check out each child, but that child didn't want to play with anything, but he was fascinating. It was amazing. I cried a lot. That was amazing. So I'm searching for to buy it. Yeah, I think it's out on DVD now. I saw it. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:12 Highlight the passage at 1:16:12

1:16:35 Do you buy it? Oh, excellent. I saw it in the Blockbuster. So I'm telling everybody about this. This is the greatest thing. I think it's a great educational documentary for anybody, and it doesn't matter. what faith you are, it's just touching. Yeah, I mean, it's so deeply moving and genuine. It is. So, yeah, you don't have to be a Buddhist to see that. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:35 Highlight the passage at 1:16:35

1:17:03 I think the only thing he complained about was getting his hair cut. Yeah, well he's still a child. Wasn't it amazing though? I loved it. Yeah, I did too. Because I saw it quite a while ago before it was released. I saw a screening of it down in the South Bay. Because the attendant who was in charge of the search, his brother was in the area and he had a copy of it before it was released. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:03 Highlight the passage at 1:17:03

1:17:37 And I saw that and to this day it's deep inside of me. Me too. I don't think I'll ever forget that. It's like I want to wake up and I want to see that. I learned something from that. It's just like that much more compassion for people, you know. It's just the joy on his face, you know. And I was so emotional every time he climbed up the mountain, you know. And when he wanted to go up there, that was his place, this is my place. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:37 Highlight the passage at 1:17:37

1:18:06 And he knew where to put things, you know. I love you. Yeah, yeah. And the attendant, how dedicated he was to finding this reincarnation. That's like me, I swear I'm like that. When I have a mission in life, I don't stop. I just do it until it's just bright. And then everybody around me is happy. Everybody good? Okay. Then I go the next thing. But that was, I loved it. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:06 Highlight the passage at 1:18:06

1:18:38 What's her cat called again? Immaculate Child. Immaculate Child? Not Immaculate. Unmistaken Child. Unmistaken Child. Unmistaken Child. That's right. Immaculate. Yeah, she just saw it. Mind-blowing. Mind-blowing. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:38 Highlight the passage at 1:18:38

1:18:57 Yeah, so I bet you can find it on the Internet somewhere. Maybe a Snow Lion publication. We should watch it here sometime. am going to survive. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:57 Highlight the passage at 1:18:57

1:19:06 Yeah, it was screened here a lot last year sometime. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:06 Highlight the passage at 1:19:06

1:19:13 It was the Dharma movie series. I think I've seen it twice. The first time it didn't really hit me, but the second time. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:13 Highlight the passage at 1:19:13

1:19:23 Yeah, it was fantastic. And all the rock star Lama's in there. I was like, wow, and I was looking for Robina. I was like, is she in there somewhere? Report an error in the passage at 1:19:23 Highlight the passage at 1:19:23

1:19:35 Rockstar Lama. Yeah, I think that's one of those movies that you can just see again and again and again and he doesn't get boring. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:35 Highlight the passage at 1:19:35

1:20:09 Yeah, he came and taught our class, and this happened to me, and it was our TV class. This was right before you started. Okay, 10 years old, but we had her teaching during Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:09 Highlight the passage at 1:20:09

1:20:27 He gave the best teaching I've ever heard, which is That's exciting He said make the world your monastery Report an error in the passage at 1:20:27 Highlight the passage at 1:20:27

1:20:43 It's incredible Report an error in the passage at 1:20:43 Highlight the passage at 1:20:43

1:20:47 would love to have you back. Yeah, it's okay. I wish I did. I know. It's just interesting. It was amazing. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:47 Highlight the passage at 1:20:47

1:21:00 He just happened to be here. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:00 Highlight the passage at 1:21:00

1:21:06 We're in the right place. He'll come back. We just have to create the karma. His brother lives in the area. Need to come and visit his brother. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:06 Highlight the passage at 1:21:06

1:21:23 All right. Meditating on love. So, you know, so actually I had made a mistake. No love? Report an error in the passage at 1:21:23 Highlight the passage at 1:21:23

1:21:38 In the previous week. No, that's for you. Not just one mistake. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:38 Highlight the passage at 1:21:38

1:21:48 When I gave you this list of, right, the sevenfold cause and effect, Step number four, I had previously called affectionate love. And because in some texts, that's what it says, is step number four is affectionate love. But actually, there isn't a separate, according to Lama Tsongkhapa, there's not a separate step for affectionate love. Affectionate love comes automatically if we meditate on number one, two and three. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:48 Highlight the passage at 1:21:48

1:22:18 And affectionate love automatically comes, this sense of... Holding everyone as dear, holding everyone with affection, as beloved. That automatically comes. So step four is a different kind of love than just, than this affectionate love. So this is what Pabongka Rinpoche says. Affectionate love is being attracted to all sentient beings as if they were your own children. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:18 Highlight the passage at 1:22:18

1:22:49 This love is not a separate meditation topic. You will develop it automatically when you have developed some feeling for the preceding three sections. So being all sentient beings is your mother remembering her kindness and wanting to repay her kindness. That makes sense, right? When we really focus on how much kindness that our mothers have given us and then think that all sentient beings have been my mother, then... Report an error in the passage at 1:22:49 Highlight the passage at 1:22:49

1:23:22 Automatically, if we do this meditation enough, then we would view all beings with a sense of affection. The more we meditate on it and the stronger it gets, then eventually we'll feel like all beings are like our only child. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:22 Highlight the passage at 1:23:22

1:23:41 That might take a while. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:41 Highlight the passage at 1:23:41

1:23:52 Step four isn't affectionate love. Then there's actual love, which arises. uh, um, Report an error in the passage at 1:23:52 Highlight the passage at 1:23:52

1:23:58 After one feels affectionate love for all sentient beings, equally without discrimination. So the next step, step four, comes after affectionate love. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:58 Highlight the passage at 1:23:58

1:24:17 So what is love? So traditionally in the Dharma, love is wishing others to have happiness. Wishing happiness for others. Not expecting something in return, right? Having nothing to do with me, but purely wanting the other being to be happy. So here Lama Tsongkhapa talks about the observed object of love is sentient beings who do not have happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:17 Highlight the passage at 1:24:17

1:24:49 And the aspect is the thought, how wonderful it would be if they met with happiness. May they meet with happiness and I will make them meet with happiness. So we've probably all seen that in the four measurables, right? How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings had happiness and its causes. Then that's the first level. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:49 Highlight the passage at 1:24:49

1:25:10 And then we progress to may they have happiness. And then we progress to I myself will cause them to have happiness and its causes. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:10 Highlight the passage at 1:25:10

1:25:23 So the object is who we're focused on. And the aspect is... The aspect or the attribute of that, those beings that we're focused on. So we're focused on sentient beings who do not have happiness. Now that's very interesting. So we're focused on beings who lack happiness and then we're wishing them happiness and wishing that I can help them have happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:23 Highlight the passage at 1:25:23

1:26:02 So affectionate love was developing that. A sense of closeness and affection toward all beings. And here is more action oriented, right? How wonderful if they have happiness. First of all, recognizing that they don't have ultimate happiness and then wishing that they have it and then I myself will help them have happiness, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:02 Highlight the passage at 1:26:02

1:26:32 So this is how it's starting to help others, not just having affection but... Moving toward action. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:32 Highlight the passage at 1:26:32

1:26:49 So then Lama Tsongkhapa gets into the benefits of generating love. He quotes Nagarjuna. Actually, he quotes a few different sources. Nagarjuna says, 300 small pots of food one offers three times every day falls short of the merit of love sustained for the duration of just one moment. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:49 Highlight the passage at 1:26:49

1:27:10 So if we offered 300... I just went through that, the three levels. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:10 Highlight the passage at 1:27:10

1:27:14 Small pots of food to the Buddha, you know, to the triple gem every day, three times a day. The merit created is less than one moment of real love generated towards sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:14 Highlight the passage at 1:27:14

1:27:37 Then you are loved by gods and humans, right? So if you have genuine love toward others, right? Not selfish love, right? And others, right? Others are attracted to you, right? They love you. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:37 Highlight the passage at 1:27:37

1:27:52 They protect you as well. And you have mental happiness and much happiness. Poisons and weapons can do no more harm. So we're protected also. Having that love, genuine love for others, is a protection for us. It's a karmic protection for us. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:52 Highlight the passage at 1:27:52

1:28:19 It's hard for negative karma to ripen on a mind of love. And then you have mental happiness. So we're happy if we genuinely love others and that just develops happiness in our hearts. We're unhappy when we feel angry or irritated or jealous. But if we have a loving mind, a loving heart, then that just brings happiness. Have you ever noticed? Report an error in the passage at 1:28:19 Highlight the passage at 1:28:19

1:28:54 For me, I have my down days. It's gray and it's raining again. And then I meditate on love and everything switches. You think like you get out of yourself, right? You get out of yourself cherishing. You think about others and you meditate on love. That just uplifts the mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:54 Highlight the passage at 1:28:54

1:29:27 Yeah, we love there's no good age. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:27 Highlight the passage at 1:29:27

1:29:33 And then poisons and weapons can do no more harm. and, know, um... Report an error in the passage at 1:29:33 Highlight the passage at 1:29:33

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:29:42 It's like the story of Shakyamuni Buddha when he was sitting underneath the Bodhi tree before he got enlightened and the Maras were trying to disturb him and tried to hurt him, but through the force of his love, they couldn't harm him. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:42 Highlight the passage at 1:29:42

1:29:59 So that's interesting that we can't be harmed with the mind of love. So that says something about the law of karma, yeah? Report an error in the passage at 1:29:59 Highlight the passage at 1:29:59

1:30:09 About how karma ripens. You Report an error in the passage at 1:30:09 Highlight the passage at 1:30:09

1:30:20 will achieve your goals without effort. You will be born in the world of Brahma. Even if you do not reach liberation, you will win the eight qualities of love. So these benefits. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:20 Highlight the passage at 1:30:20

1:30:33 Apparently there are eight benefits of love in this list. I haven't tried to count them. So Lama Tsongkhapa says, if you have love, you are loved by gods and men, and they naturally gather around you. Since even the Jinas or the Buddhas defeat the hosts of Māra by the force of love, it becomes the best of protections and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:33 Highlight the passage at 1:30:33

1:31:04 So that's something very interesting to try to actualize in our lives. The more love we have, that's the best protection for us. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:04 Highlight the passage at 1:31:04

1:31:15 If we're angry and irritated and snappy, that gets reflected. In others, the way others treat us. If we exude love and compassion for others, then that gets reflected as well. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:15 Highlight the passage at 1:31:15

1:31:39 Then it makes sense karmically. Everything is a karmic projection. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:39 Highlight the passage at 1:31:39

1:31:50 So how do we meditate on love? So just as compassion arises when you reflect again and again on how sentient beings have the suffering of suffering. Likewise, you should reflect again and again on the fact that sentient beings lack contaminated and uncontaminated happiness and on the manners in which they are devoid of happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:50 Highlight the passage at 1:31:50

1:32:11 So here we need to reflect, contemplate again and again how individual beings lack happiness. If we think that beings are happy, then there's really not much to do. So we need to reflect. On how they lack happiness. So it's easy to see with beings who are overtly suffering, right? The homeless person on the street or the depressed person or the drug addict or the... But then, you know, but then the angry person, you know, we can reflect on how they're obviously not happy, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:32:11 Highlight the passage at 1:32:11

1:32:57 If they're angry. If they're cheating us or stealing from us or harming us in some way, they're obviously not happy. The guy who stole, you know, $70,000. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:57 Highlight the passage at 1:32:57

1:33:14 $7,000. Okay. No? $7,000, right? I love him so much. All right. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:14 Highlight the passage at 1:33:14

1:33:31 If we can, reflect on how they lack happiness. That person likes happiness. You don't steal out of a happy mind. You steal out of desperation. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:31 Highlight the passage at 1:33:31

1:34:01 There's overt unhappiness and then the more we understand the suffering of saṃsāra, that beings are under the control of mental afflictions, so there's kind of, there... Report an error in the passage at 1:34:01 Highlight the passage at 1:34:01

1:34:13 It brings suffering for them. And then we can meditate on love for them. So once you have familiarized yourself with this, the wish for them to find happiness will arise naturally. Because we've developed a sense of affection for all beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:13 Highlight the passage at 1:34:13

1:34:37 And then we see that they don't have happiness. So then naturally... This wish for them to find happiness will arise. Like our best friend, if our best friend has lost their job, we wish for them to find a job. Just automatically, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:34:37 Highlight the passage at 1:34:37

1:35:08 Whatever it takes. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:08 Highlight the passage at 1:35:08

1:35:15 So in addition, directing your mind to the various kinds of happiness, you will then provide sentient beings with them. So we have a sense of affection, we contemplate how they lack happiness, and then we wish for them to have happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:15 Highlight the passage at 1:35:15

1:35:34 So Geshe-Sophus says, so here we look at sentient beings, beginning with our relatives, and see that they do not even have worldly happiness. They're not looking for the highest spiritual bliss. They simply want the commonplace kinds of happiness. Wealth and pleasure that they currently lack. Think about this in detail and in various ways. Go back and forth, first thinking that sentient beings lack a specific thing and therefore they suffer this or that type of misery. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:34 Highlight the passage at 1:35:34

1:36:04 Then wishing that they have the cause of happiness. Think this way again and again and you will come to feel like a mother whose dear child is in need of many things. A mother wants her child to have the things that will make him or her happy. She sincerely desires to help a child obtain these things. So we can contemplate how this person is lonely, how this person has a lot of stress and anxiety and lacks inner peace. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:04 Highlight the passage at 1:36:04

1:36:34 And we can wish for them to have these things, right? Inner peace, freedom from stress, etc. The more we think about it, the more we see that beings... There's not that many beings out there who are really happy. Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 1:36:34 Highlight the passage at 1:36:34

1:36:58 that's meditation on love. So we start with the easier ones, right? Our friends and relatives. The friends and relatives that we like, right? And then neutral beings, difficult beings, and then we spread that to all sentient beings, right? So this is similar to reflecting on all sentient beings as your mothers. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:58 Highlight the passage at 1:36:58

1:37:25 Starting with the easiest and going to the harder ones. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:25 Highlight the passage at 1:37:25

1:37:32 There's a progression to follow when meditating on love. The process is important, Lama Tsongkhapa says, because if we do not follow the right order, our love will be superficial. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:32 Highlight the passage at 1:37:32

1:37:44 So that's interesting. That's kind of true, right? If we say, oh, may you have happiness, may you have happiness, may you have happiness. We just go straight to... Report an error in the passage at 1:37:44 Highlight the passage at 1:37:44

1:37:58 Saddam Hussein, may you have happiness. We don't really mean it. We just start with the hard one. We have to build it up so it actually comes deeply from within the heart. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:58 Highlight the passage at 1:37:58

1:38:15 And sometimes we don't trust ourselves that it will actually come from deeply in our hearts, but it will, definitely. We just have to be patient and just... Keep doing the meditation again and again and go back to the easier beings when we're not having success with the harder ones. Go back and generate the love and those days that we don't feel anything, not to get discouraged because we have days like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:15 Highlight the passage at 1:38:15

1:38:44 Days when the heart is closed, days when the heart is open. Just trusting in the process and doing it day after day. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:44 Highlight the passage at 1:38:44

1:39:03 Remember, it is the mind that makes the distinction between friend, enemy and neutral persons. There's no individual who is ultimately one or the other. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:03 Highlight the passage at 1:39:03

1:39:13 So that's always a good reminder, right? It's our mind that labels these people, beings. Once we have the same degree of love for our enemy, friends and neutral persons, we can move on to all mother sentient beings. If we work through these stages, our love will be sincere. If we start meditating in a generalized way about all sentient beings, we will find love lacking when a particular situation arrives. So we've talked about that before. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:13 Highlight the passage at 1:39:13

1:39:44 So don't just meditate on love toward all sentient beings, right? Start with individuals, start with easier ones, and then the love will be genuine. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:44 Highlight the passage at 1:39:44

1:40:01 Peter, it's getting close to you. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:01 Highlight the passage at 1:40:01

1:40:08 What if you don't really have a huge problem with generating love towards sentient beings but you still get irritated by them all the time? Like small irritations because that's what I struggle with more. It's not hard for me to love people but I still get that critical mind about little things that they do. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:08 Highlight the passage at 1:40:08

1:40:32 So Report an error in the passage at 1:40:32 Highlight the passage at 1:40:32

1:40:37 you have a sense of affection toward them but for example you get irritated when they don't clean up or whine. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:37 Highlight the passage at 1:40:37

1:41:00 I have that mind that's kind of predisposed towards irritation over little things. It's something I'm constantly working on. Yeah. Well, I think there are other meditations that help with that. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:00 Highlight the passage at 1:41:00

1:41:18 Meditating on death is a big one. It really puts things into perspective so that little things don't bother us so much. So that's one thing that I might suggest. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:18 Highlight the passage at 1:41:18

1:41:34 You know, I mean, I think we all get, we all have our different buttons. Like, for me, I noticed a long, for a long time in my practice, I was judgmental of others because I hadn't, like, I'd rejected certain qualities within myself and I had to accept those within myself and then I became, well, I shouldn't say I became, you know, it's a process, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:41:34 Highlight the passage at 1:41:34

1:42:00 I notice it's a process of developing, you know, that acceptance and that compassion and forgiveness of those qualities myself, and then it's easier to direct it toward others. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:00 Highlight the passage at 1:42:00

1:42:15 And then we have, you know, we just have specific attachments of, actually, Report an error in the passage at 1:42:15 Highlight the passage at 1:42:15

1:42:28 before I get into that, then I think compassion helps if we think, okay, well, that person's doing that. Because they're stressed out, because they're overwhelmed, because whatever, because of causes and conditions, then we can have compassion and more patience with them. So I guess there's a lot of different things we can try depending on what are those specific buttons that they're pushing. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:28 Highlight the passage at 1:42:28

1:43:05 I don't know if any of those resonate with you. Yeah, we Report an error in the passage at 1:43:05 Highlight the passage at 1:43:05

1:43:15 are. It got passed. We've been using it all class long. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:15 Highlight the passage at 1:43:15

1:43:25 Yeah, just to finish up, it's also a family habit that I learned early on that I'm trying to get rid of. And I'm trying to purify this so I don't have to crack my head on tables to purify anymore. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:25 Highlight the passage at 1:43:25

1:43:38 Yeah, I mean, I think compassion is a big one. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:38 Highlight the passage at 1:43:38

1:43:49 Meditating on the second noble truth, true origins. and then, and then Carla. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:49 Highlight the passage at 1:43:49

1:43:38 Yeah, I mean. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:38 Highlight the passage at 1:43:38

1:43:53 How mental afflictions cause all of us to do stupid things. Cause me to do the stupid things that I do. Causes others to do the stupid things that they do. And that one really helps. I mean, I notice it really helps me. Someone who's very close to me that I get irritated. Who I think is always too hard on others. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:53 Highlight the passage at 1:43:53

1:44:23 Of course, it's very easy for me to see how he's too... on others. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:23 Highlight the passage at 1:44:23

1:44:31 My observation there is when we can't understand why they're doing that, why do they keep doing that, that's a good indication that we can develop some compassion based on understanding that they can't help it. They're under the control of mental afflictions just like we are. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:31 Highlight the passage at 1:44:31

1:44:53 Doing those stupid things because they're under the control of mental affliction. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:53 Highlight the passage at 1:44:53

1:45:03 Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 1:45:03 Highlight the passage at 1:45:03

1:45:10 and when we understand, we really understand that we do the same thing, then less likely we'll get irritated at others. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:10 Highlight the passage at 1:45:10

1:45:25 One of my favorite authors when I was younger was J.D. Salinger. And I don't know, I was just rereading one of his books. The other day, and, you know, I don't know if you've read him, but it's so much about these characters not being able to stand all these people with ego and all of these people who are so selfish and da-da-da-da-da. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:25 Highlight the passage at 1:45:25

1:45:48 And I totally related to that growing up. You know, and I noticed that as I meditate on compassion more, that I don't relate to that as much. You know, because I think the compassion helps you understand that they're just sentient beings. They're just doing what... We all have ego. We all do. We're all selfish in certain ways. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:48 Highlight the passage at 1:45:48

1:46:15 Yeah, they're very validating. All those people have ego. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:15 Highlight the passage at 1:46:15

1:46:23 Okay. All right. Yeah, Joe. The conversation was making me flashback to one of the topics that we talked about in the last term about the view of the mystery. The mistaken view of the transitory collection. And that was suggested as a meditation to counter anger and flashes of anger in that way to sort of dissolve the whole ego, like to ask the question, what is this that is getting annoyed? Report an error in the passage at 1:46:23 Highlight the passage at 1:46:23

1:46:50 What is this that is feeling anger? And that meditation was supposed to sort of dissolve that thing and realize that, you know, sort of that I'm empty kind of thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:50 Highlight the passage at 1:46:50

1:47:03 That would make the anger dissipate. There's nothing here to get angry. There's nothing here to get annoyed. Yeah, yeah. I thought that was kind of interesting because that was one of the meditation things I took away from last term was dissolving that ego. If there's no I, then there's nothing to get annoyed. Yeah. I mean, that's the real antidote, right, to all of that is meditate on emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:03 Highlight the passage at 1:47:03

1:47:30 And not even just the... The emptiness of I, but the emptiness of that irritating person. They're not irritating from their own side. Just find irritation from, you know, irritating from their side. It's not there. It's how we labeled it. But using emptiness is a hard one to cut through our mental afflictions until we've really developed some strength in it. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:30 Highlight the passage at 1:47:30

1:47:57 So I say just try a lot of things and see what works. That's what I do. Try that one. That didn't work. Try that one. Try that one. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:57 Highlight the passage at 1:47:57

1:48:14 So. And it was love. Yeah. So, okay. So we won't get to great compassion tonight, but let's do a meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:14 Highlight the passage at 1:48:14

1:48:25 Bite of carrot cake. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:25 Highlight the passage at 1:48:25

1:48:33 Thank you. Thank you, Jeannie. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:33 Highlight the passage at 1:48:33

1:48:54 All right. So we'll start by meditating on our Report an error in the passage at 1:48:54 Highlight the passage at 1:48:54

1:49:00 breath for a little while. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:00 Highlight the passage at 1:49:00

1:49:12 Just watch. The rising and falling of our thoughts, like waves on the surface of the ocean, Report an error in the passage at 1:49:12 Highlight the passage at 1:49:12

1:49:24 coming and going. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:24 Highlight the passage at 1:49:24

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:50:11 Just going quickly through equanimity, Report an error in the passage at 1:50:11 Highlight the passage at 1:50:11

1:50:20 you know, different beings that we know, starting with neutral beings. Thinking they're all the same and wanting happiness, just like me, not wanting to suffer. Trying to feel that in our hearts. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:20 Highlight the passage at 1:50:20

1:51:01 With neutral beings, moving on to a couple of friends and difficult ones. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:01 Highlight the passage at 1:51:01

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:52:08 I'm thinking each of these beings have been my mother in previous lives, carried Report an error in the passage at 1:52:08 Highlight the passage at 1:52:08

1:52:21 me in her womb and Report an error in the passage at 1:52:21 Highlight the passage at 1:52:21

1:52:30 comforted me. So Report an error in the passage at 1:52:30 Highlight the passage at 1:52:30

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:53:17 going through each person one by one, starting with friends and neutral beings and then difficult beings, Report an error in the passage at 1:53:17 Highlight the passage at 1:53:17

1:53:31 our mothers. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:31 Highlight the passage at 1:53:31

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:54:53 And what's the best way to repay the kindness of others, Report an error in the passage at 1:54:53 Highlight the passage at 1:54:53

1:55:02 others who we're completely dependent on in so many ways, for our food and our clothing, for our homes, Report an error in the passage at 1:55:02 Highlight the passage at 1:55:02

1:55:15 as well as them having Had been our mothers. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:15 Highlight the passage at 1:55:15

1:55:35 The best way to repay others' kindness. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:35 Highlight the passage at 1:55:35

1:55:40 Help free them from suffering forever. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:40 Highlight the passage at 1:55:40

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:56:42 Meditating on love. So choose one person that we're close to who's easy to love. If Report an error in the passage at 1:56:42 Highlight the passage at 1:56:42

1:57:03 they lack happiness in some way, Report an error in the passage at 1:57:03 Highlight the passage at 1:57:03

1:57:13 they're either stressed out or frustrated, Report an error in the passage at 1:57:13 Highlight the passage at 1:57:13

1:57:26 satisfied. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:26 Highlight the passage at 1:57:26

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:58:03 And think, may you have happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:03 Highlight the passage at 1:58:03

1:58:08 It will cause you to have happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:08 Highlight the passage at 1:58:08

1:58:18 Visualize that. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:18 Highlight the passage at 1:58:18

1:58:24 Giving them that happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:24 Highlight the passage at 1:58:24

1:58:50 So going back and forth thinking of what they lack and then sending it to them. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:50 Highlight the passage at 1:58:50

1:59:03 Wishing them happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:03 Highlight the passage at 1:59:03

· · · silence, 4 minutes

2:02:42 Move to a neutral being. Do the same thing. Think how they lack happiness in some way. Wish for them to have happiness and send them happiness. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:42 Highlight the passage at 2:02:42

· · · silence, 2 minutes

2:05:11 So that's our homework for this week is to mainly meditate on love. And it's good to build it up, start with some equanimity and then all sentient beings have been our mother, etc. and build up to the love. But if we don't have time, we can focus just on the love bit with the easier beings, right? And then build up to the neutral ones and the difficult ones if we feel ready. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:11 Highlight the passage at 2:05:11

2:05:47 But try not to make it just words. I mean, on some days it will just be words. But, you know, go back to the easier beings if you don't feel anything. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:47 Highlight the passage at 2:05:47

2:05:58 The important thing is to develop that power of feeling. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:58 Highlight the passage at 2:05:58

2:06:04 All right. So that's the homework. I also have a couple of homework questions for people. So, like, I emailed you the homework, and then I have some copies of it up here. For people who want a physical copy. And I forgot to print double-sided, so I wasted all this paper. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:04 Highlight the passage at 2:06:04

2:06:34 You know, I felt really bad. All of this paper spitting out of my printer. Okay, then we'll dedicate. Page 246. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:34 Highlight the passage at 2:06:34

2:07:15 May all beings everywhere, plagued by sufferings of body and mind. Obtain an ocean of happiness and joy by virtue of my merits. May no living creature suffer, commit evil or ever fall ill. May no one be afraid or belittled with a mind weighed down by depression. May the blind see forms and the deaf hear sounds. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:15 Highlight the passage at 2:07:15

2:07:38 May those whose bodies are worn with toil be restored on finding repose. May the naked find clothing, the hungry find food. May the thirsty find water and delicious drinks. May the poor find wealth, those weak with sorrow find joy. May the forlorn find hope, constant happiness and prosperity. May there be timely rains and bountiful harvests. May all medicines be effective and wholesome prayers bear fruit. May all who are sick and ill quickly be freed from their ailments, whatever diseases there are in the world. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:38 Highlight the passage at 2:07:38

2:08:15 May they never occur again. May the frightened cease to be afraid and those bound be freed. May the powerless find power and may people think of benefiting each other. For as long as space remains, for as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain to dispel the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:15 Highlight the passage at 2:08:15