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

0:00 I noticed the numbers have been dwindling as the weeks have been going on. Is this class going on too long, do you think? No, don't let it end. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:11 Yeah, no, it's interesting how you get a new flurry of people and then... Yeah, and then it's like the new... I guess that's the nature of human nature. Report an error in the passage at 0:11 Highlight the passage at 0:11

0:30 Yeah, unless he's sick. Right, unless he's sick. Stuff with me. Thank you. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 0:30 Highlight the passage at 0:30

0:38 I love you guys. You're a great class. Well, we better try to be fun because she's driving a long way and they're on her. We better talk about your car tonight. Report an error in the passage at 0:38 Highlight the passage at 0:38

0:50 Oh yeah, Joe's out of town. Joe's mother is having open heart surgery, so keep her in your prayers. Report an error in the passage at 0:50 Highlight the passage at 0:50

1:10 Well, he was here this weekend, so you guys probably... He's doing a little better. Report an error in the passage at 1:10 Highlight the passage at 1:10

1:20 Yeah. And plus it's difficult for him to get Tuesday nights off. So the Report an error in the passage at 1:20 Highlight the passage at 1:20

1:29 small classes are fun. Report an error in the passage at 1:29 Highlight the passage at 1:29

1:37 Let's meditate on our breath for a few minutes. Report an error in the passage at 1:37 Highlight the passage at 1:37

2:08 And just let the shoulders relax. Report an error in the passage at 2:08 Highlight the passage at 2:08

· · · silence, 2 minutes

4:17 Others, Report an error in the passage at 4:17 Highlight the passage at 4:17

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5:59 a sense of closeness with others. Report an error in the passage at 5:59 Highlight the passage at 5:59

6:22 Remembering that they're stuck in the Report an error in the passage at 6:22 Highlight the passage at 6:22

6:30 future is very uncertain. It Report an error in the passage at 6:30 Highlight the passage at 6:30

6:45 would be a good life. It might be a life of tremendous suffering. Report an error in the passage at 6:45 Highlight the passage at 6:45

· · · silence, 1 minute

7:41 So the only way to ensure that we won't suffer anymore is to get out of cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 7:41 Highlight the passage at 7:41

7:52 So I can resolve and Report an error in the passage at 7:52 Highlight the passage at 7:52

7:58 complete enlightenment ourselves so that we can help all of our kind mothers, sentient beings, end their suffering. Report an error in the passage at 7:58 Highlight the passage at 7:58

· · · silence, 1 minute

9:07 And we'll start with the priest to Manjushri on page 84. I Report an error in the passage at 9:07 Highlight the passage at 9:07

9:24 also forgot to mention Linda who was coming for a while, taking BART. She's had knee surgery. We Report an error in the passage at 9:24 Highlight the passage at 9:24

9:33 can keep her in our prayers too. Report an error in the passage at 9:33 Highlight the passage at 9:33

9:44 Obey since 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 the sun, unclouded by defilements or traces of ignorance. Who teaches in sixty ways with a patient love of a mother 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 9:44 Highlight the passage at 9:44

10:12 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 10:12 Highlight the passage at 10:12

10:40 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. Report an error in the passage at 10:40 Highlight the passage at 10:40

10:57 And Report an error in the passage at 10:57 Highlight the passage at 10:57

11:20 on Report an error in the passage at 11:20 Highlight the passage at 11:20

11:32 the bottom of page 88 is Refuge in Bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 11:32 Highlight the passage at 11:32

11:46 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. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 11:46 Highlight the passage at 11:46

12:08 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. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma. May I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings? It's Report an error in the passage at 12:08 Highlight the passage at 12:08

12:36 a little higher than I'm used to. All right. So here we are talking about the methods of developing bodhicitta, which we'll finish today. Report an error in the passage at 12:36 Highlight the passage at 12:36

12:56 So we talked about the two methods, right, of developing bodhicitta, the sevenfold cause and effect, which we finished. And then exchanging oneself with others, which we're almost done with. So this exchanging oneself with others, or actually it's equalizing and exchanging oneself with others. Report an error in the passage at 12:56 Highlight the passage at 12:56

13:17 So with regard to this method, just as a reminder, Shantideva says, whoever wishes to quickly protect self and other must exchange self for other. Practice this excellent secret. So if we want to accomplish the welfare of ourselves and others. Report an error in the passage at 13:17 Highlight the passage at 13:17

13:35 To achieve the ultimate happiness for ourselves and others. Then we must, sooner or later, put the well-being of others in front of the well-being of ourselves. But slowly, slowly, we do this. This is a gradual process. Report an error in the passage at 13:35 Highlight the passage at 13:35

13:57 So we practice this in secret. We talked about... Not to brag about doing this practice. Hey, I'm exchanging self and other. Report an error in the passage at 13:57 Highlight the passage at 13:57

14:11 See how to do this. Report an error in the passage at 14:11 Highlight the passage at 14:11

14:24 Basically, not to make a big deal out of this practice. Because oftentimes, well I shouldn't say oftentimes, but you know. Right. Exactly. Report an error in the passage at 14:24 Highlight the passage at 14:24

14:35 Sometimes when we do something nice for others, we kind of want others to know about it, which is of course self-cherishing if we want other people to know how great a thing that I did. So it's a good practice to do things without telling, do nice things without having to talk about it. Report an error in the passage at 14:35 Highlight the passage at 14:35

15:01 And then also Shantideva said, all happiness that exists in the world arises from wanting others' happiness, while all suffering that exists in the world arises from wanting one's own happiness. So ultimately, the more we're concerned about the welfare of others, the more we're able to open our hearts to others, the more happy we are, because we're less concerned about what happens to me. Report an error in the passage at 15:01 Highlight the passage at 15:01

15:28 Whereas our suffering arises when we're thinking, well, what about me? What am I going to get out of this? Why aren't you treating me the way that I want to be treated? Report an error in the passage at 15:28 Highlight the passage at 15:28

15:43 And then just as it is expressed here, you should think of cherishing oneself as the door to all problems and cherishing others as the basis of all excellences. Report an error in the passage at 15:43 Highlight the passage at 15:43

15:57 So equalizing, exchanging oneself and others has five steps, and we covered the first four. First of all, equalizing self and other. So starting by seeing at least other beings as being as equally important as ourselves. I didn't even say that well at all. But others are just as important as I am. And we do that how? Report an error in the passage at 15:57 Highlight the passage at 15:57

16:30 Remember how do we do that? Equalizing ourselves and others. Report an error in the passage at 16:30 Highlight the passage at 16:30

16:48 Is one of the methods the meditation that you do where you visualize someone close to you, someone you perceive as an enemy and someone you perceive as neutral and analyze those relationships to you? Okay, that's the equanimity meditation. But the equalizing self and others is a little bit different. Report an error in the passage at 16:48 Highlight the passage at 16:48

17:11 I know we've gone through a lot of different steps and different methods. Report an error in the passage at 17:11 Highlight the passage at 17:11

17:19 I thought we tried putting the others... Higher than ourselves in order to consciously putting others first in order to kind of equalize the relationship. So in other words, instead of thinking me first, I want blah, blah, blah, I think, you know, wouldn't it be nice if Emily had it? Yeah. And that's step number four, to put others first. Yeah. So we have step number one. Report an error in the passage at 17:19 Highlight the passage at 17:19

17:47 Equalizing ourselves and others because it's not equal. I mean, it's not easy, right, to put others ahead of ourselves to start with. So the step before is to at least make ourselves and others equal. We'll put others ahead of ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 17:47 Highlight the passage at 17:47

18:12 That was a good thought, though. Report an error in the passage at 18:12 Highlight the passage at 18:12

18:27 The chord. Don't get all tangled. Okay, my step. Is it realizing there's so many other... people and that we're just one. Report an error in the passage at 18:27 Highlight the passage at 18:27

18:47 Did you have your name? Report an error in the passage at 18:47 Highlight the passage at 18:47

18:57 just make them our friend. Report an error in the passage at 18:57 Highlight the passage at 18:57

19:01 That. Report an error in the passage at 19:01 Highlight the passage at 19:01

19:07 of these things, right, but none of them are the answer I was looking for. The essence of this step or the advice given at this point that Pabongka mentions is that Report an error in the passage at 19:07 Highlight the passage at 19:07

19:34 It's for the first step, right? How self and others are equal? The first step. Report an error in the passage at 19:34 Highlight the passage at 19:34

19:41 Well, what I have written down here from like two weeks ago, your little analogy, was to kind of consider oneself and others as a mind and a body, but they're just labels. And they're basically the same at that level. Report an error in the passage at 19:41 Highlight the passage at 19:41

20:12 I'm not putting that very well. Okay. Yeah. Okay. There's no real distinction between, I guess you could say like, you know, I'm a being with a mind and you're a being with a mind and we both want to be happy. So in that way we're equal. There's, that was the, what was I, I was looking for. That was the, we're all the same in that we want to be happy and we don't want to suffer. Report an error in the passage at 20:12 Highlight the passage at 20:12

20:40 So that's the main method. I mean, these other things are true also. What John, you were saying, I think that, I mean, Lama Tsongkhapa mentioned that, like how each of us are just labeled, right? Like me and like self and other are just different labels, right? Depending on where you're sitting, right? They're just relative labels, like here and there, right? Report an error in the passage at 20:40 Highlight the passage at 20:40

21:09 This. So that can help too. So I guess whatever works. But the specific method mentioned was we're all equal in wanting to be happy and not wanting to be Report an error in the passage at 21:09 Highlight the passage at 21:09

21:26 happy. And then the second step was to contemplate the many faults of self-cherishing. And the third step to contemplate the many good qualities resulting from cherishing others. So all of our suffering, all of our unwanted circumstances come. From the self-cherishing mind, either directly or indirectly. Our negative karma we create because of our self-cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 21:26 Highlight the passage at 21:26

21:56 Our negative states of mind are because we're self-cherishing. If we feel self-pity or depression or anger at someone, we can trace that to the self-cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 21:56 Highlight the passage at 21:56

22:13 And we all know from those times when we... We can purely give to somebody else and not expect anything in return. That feels really good, right? We just feel more purely happy in those moments than when our minds are thinking, well, what am I getting out of this kind of thing? Report an error in the passage at 22:13 Highlight the passage at 22:13

22:40 And then number four is what Effie was talking about, the actual contemplation on the exchange of self and others. So this is where we start training in putting others as being more important than ourselves. So this one we really have to do gradually, not just kind of go crazy and give up everything that we want and everything that we need and always put everyone else ahead of ourselves if we're not ready to do that yet. Report an error in the passage at 22:40 Highlight the passage at 22:40

23:13 So we need to do it gradually and kind of give as our limits. Kind of expand. So the main thing is to give, to push our limits, to give enough that it hurts a little, but not to the point where we're going to regret giving later. Report an error in the passage at 23:13 Highlight the passage at 23:13

23:34 Because we're not treated well, we get angry, we're not getting what we want in return. So the actual contemplation of self and others, trying to train in putting others as more important than ourselves. And then the other thing, Here that Lama Tsongkhapa mentioned is specifically we need to use mindfulness and introspection. First of all, mindfulness, remembering that we're trying to cherish others is more important than ourselves throughout the day. Report an error in the passage at 23:34 Highlight the passage at 23:34

24:07 And then secondly, introspection, the inner spy, noticing when the mind is developing selfish thoughts or angry thoughts and trying to... Reverse that, trying to apply an antidote. When our hearts are closing and going on and on about what a jerk somebody is, to try to counteract that. Report an error in the passage at 24:07 Highlight the passage at 24:07

24:37 So that's a moment-to-moment practice. Report an error in the passage at 24:37 Highlight the passage at 24:37

24:44 Rose, did you have a question? Report an error in the passage at 24:44 Highlight the passage at 24:44

24:50 So point one and point four could also be seen as... Somehow as a contradiction. You know, in point one, you make yourself and the others equal, and then with point four, you give the other person more importance. Yeah, I wouldn't say it's a contradiction, but a progression. A progression, yeah. A progression, yes. Yeah, so we start by putting them equal, but ultimately, you know, when we're ready to put them as being more important. Report an error in the passage at 24:50 Highlight the passage at 24:50

25:32 All right, so now number five, the meditation on giving and taking or tonglen as it's called in Tibetan. So tong means giving and len means taking. So first, so we start by taking on, like imagining taking on the suffering of others. And then we train in giving what others need. So taking to build up our compassion, right? So imagine taking on the suffering of others, right? Report an error in the passage at 25:32 Highlight the passage at 25:32

26:10 Builds up compassion. Whereas giving, giving what they need, giving them temporary and ultimate happiness is to build up our love. So we start with taking. Why do we start with taking? Because if somebody's intensely suffering, you know, giving them a piece of chocolate cake isn't really going to... Relieve their emotional, mental pain. Chocolate cake is pretty good. If they're starving, maybe giving them chocolate cake would be a really good thing. Report an error in the passage at 26:10 Highlight the passage at 26:10

26:45 But first we need to remove their suffering. So we start with the taking. So how do we do this? So we begin by contemplating the sufferings. Of our precious mother sentient beings, right? Until this unbearable sense of compassion arises within you. I know one of you doesn't like this word, unbearable sense of compassion, but this strong sense of compassion arises, right? Report an error in the passage at 26:45 Highlight the passage at 26:45

27:14 So we begin by imagining their suffering or contemplating their suffering and then great compassion arises and then we visualize that suffering in the aspect of black light or black smoke, oftentimes it's said. And then we visualize like I'm breathing it in. It comes inside, absorbs into the rock of self-cherishing that's in our hearts, destroys that rock of self-cherishing in our hearts. Report an error in the passage at 27:14 Highlight the passage at 27:14

27:48 And then Pabongka doesn't mention this, but I read in the past where then it's important to fill the chest with golden light. Don't leave the black inside. That's not good for us. So the black comes in, destroys the self-cherishing at the heart. This chest is filled with golden light. And then we imagine that that person or those beings are free from that suffering. Report an error in the passage at 27:48 Highlight the passage at 27:48

28:19 And imagine the relief they are experiencing, their happiness. I think that's an important part of it. And then they're also purified of their negativities and obscurations. So we pray that the negativity ripen on us. And then Pobonka says, well, but when you take, don't take from your gurus or the Buddhas. Report an error in the passage at 28:19 Highlight the passage at 28:19

28:44 So don't, His Holiness the Dalai Lama or Geshe Dangpa or somebody like that, because that's assuming that they're suffering. But if they're really Buddhas, they're not suffering. Report an error in the passage at 28:44 Highlight the passage at 28:44

29:04 Contemplate the sufferings, then we visualize the suffering in the form of black light or smoke. Destroy self-cherishing in our hearts. Golden light fills the body. So that's the taking part. Report an error in the passage at 29:04 Highlight the passage at 29:04

29:20 Two hands went up. John and then Matt. Report an error in the passage at 29:20 Highlight the passage at 29:20

29:26 Just out of curiosity, what are the consequences if you take from the gurus or the buddhas? Just out of curiosity. Just because you want to know. Report an error in the passage at 29:26 Highlight the passage at 29:26

29:40 I don't know. No, I think. I heard minds want to know. Yeah. I've never heard anything about that except for our own minds. With regard to our gurus, the training is to see the gurus as a Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 29:40 Highlight the passage at 29:40

29:59 This goes against that training. If you're thinking that they're suffering, It's kind of undermining our belief that the guru is a Buddha. So I think that that's the main issue. We're not supposed to see gurus and Buddhas as just being ordinary beings who are experiencing the same things that we are. Report an error in the passage at 29:59 Highlight the passage at 29:59

30:26 So it's a mind training. I don't think it's a matter of you're incurring tremendous negative karma or anything, but it's hurting our guru devotion kind of thing. Report an error in the passage at 30:26 Highlight the passage at 30:26

30:42 You sort of answered the question. I guess, what if you, like, for example, if you knew your teacher was sick, is that something that's still you shouldn't do that? Well, you know, that's what they, you know, I've never heard an exception to this rule. You know, you can do prayers and practices for them, right? But, yeah, I've never heard, you know, that we should do Tonglen for them. Report an error in the passage at 30:42 Highlight the passage at 30:42

31:08 Because the teaching, okay, the way the teaching goes, and this is hard for us, you know. to really swallow, I think. The Gurus are Buddhas manifesting in an ordinary form in order to teach us. Because we're sentient beings, we haven't purified our obscurations enough to be able to see Buddhas in their enjoyment body form, in the form of light. Report an error in the passage at 31:08 Highlight the passage at 31:08

31:43 Because in order to see them in enjoyment body form, we need to be bodhisattvas who have directly realized emptiness. So we're not there yet. We're ordinary beings. And so we only have the karma to see gurus in an ordinary aspect. So because we have that karma, then they appear as ordinary with sickness and suffering and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 31:43 Highlight the passage at 31:43

32:10 But that doesn't mean they're really suffering. They're just appearing that way. Report an error in the passage at 32:10 Highlight the passage at 32:10

32:17 And we need to purify, and the reason they say that the gurus get sick is because we have obstacles, because we've created karmic obstacles to seeing a healthy guru. Report an error in the passage at 32:17 Highlight the passage at 32:17

32:33 Because we need to have really good karma to have good gurus around who are healthy and have a long life. Okay, and like you guys said, this is hard for us to really... Report an error in the passage at 32:33 Highlight the passage at 32:33

32:46 To really swallow, right? We can listen to it and try to keep an open mind. But it makes sense when we really understand emptiness and karma that everything that we experience is a result of our karma, right? Everything that we perceive is a result of our karma. So in order to see something pure, our karma needs to be really pure. So the gurus being sick means that we don't have pure. Report an error in the passage at 32:46 Highlight the passage at 32:46

33:16 hear karma, to see that have Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 33:16 Highlight the passage at 33:16

33:32 so this is why we do guru pujas, this is why we... Long life pujas and things of that sort, making offerings. Yeah, exactly, long life pujas and things like that. Because guru devotion is really difficult. And so whenever we break our commitments and vows to the guru, we're creating negative karma, right? Report an error in the passage at 33:32 Highlight the passage at 33:32

33:55 If we've promised to do succession guru yoga every day and we don't, we're creating karmic obstacles to being able to see a pure guru. So they say that's why some of these lamas have died young. It's because their disciples weren't keeping their commitments purely. Report an error in the passage at 33:55 Highlight the passage at 33:55

34:22 So anyway, I think it's very advanced to really be able to... To take that on. But I just mention it in way of an explanation of why these gurus appear to be sick, but we're not supposed to do Tom Lin on them. Report an error in the passage at 34:22 Highlight the passage at 34:22

34:47 It's not them that needs the help, it's our own minds that need to be purified. Report an error in the passage at 34:47 Highlight the passage at 34:47

34:57 As I say, when the guru is sick, then what do we do? We need to do prayers and practices to purify our own minds. We Report an error in the passage at 34:57 Highlight the passage at 34:57

35:11 do long-life pujas. Right, and that's for us, right? We think that's for the Lama, but that's really for us, you know, pray for them to be around a long time. Yeah, so that creates tremendous merit in our own minds, you know, when we really put a lot of effort in to ask the Lama to live long, right? Because that means to us, oh yeah, the Lama is really important, right? Report an error in the passage at 35:11 Highlight the passage at 35:11

35:44 Okay, so I don't ask you to buy all of that right now. Report an error in the passage at 35:44 Highlight the passage at 35:44

35:55 Okay, so after we do the taking, then we can give. So we've taken on the suffering of others, and then we give. So one way of visualizing the giving, Pavonka mentions emanating replicas of your body and visualizing that these bodies transform the environment and sentient beings. Basically, these bodies transform into the, you know, whatever that. Report an error in the passage at 35:55 Highlight the passage at 35:55

36:26 That being needs, right? So if it's a starving person, you know, our bodies turn into food. Or if it's, you know, a homeless person, our body turns into a home for them or whatever that they need. Report an error in the passage at 36:26 Highlight the passage at 36:26

36:42 So this is an interesting practice. Report an error in the passage at 36:42 Highlight the passage at 36:42

36:48 This is, I think, really preparing you for Tantra because in Tantra practice you do a lot of this, emanating bodies to help others. Because that's what Buddhas do. We're training to become Buddhas. Buddhas are constantly emanating bodies to help others. Report an error in the passage at 36:48 Highlight the passage at 36:48

37:07 So first of all, we transform those bodies into the temporary things that others need. And then we emanate bodies. That take the aspect of spiritual masters teaching the Dharma to those beings who then practice Dharma and gradually achieve enlightenment. So then we emanate bodies that are teaching the Dharma to them to help relieve their suffering ultimately. Report an error in the passage at 37:07 Highlight the passage at 37:07

37:33 Help them learn the Dharma and get enlightened themselves. So we emanate the temporary things that will make them happy and then ultimate happiness. So we take on the suffering and then we give. Happiness, temporary and ultimate happiness. Take on suffering and give. So in the beginning, it might feel really fake. Report an error in the passage at 37:33 Highlight the passage at 37:33

38:05 Imagine taking on the sufferings of others, but we practice. Report an error in the passage at 38:05 Highlight the passage at 38:05

38:12 And then Pobonka says if it's difficult to take on the sufferings of others in the beginning, then we can try taking on our own future suffering. Like if I'm going to have a... Stressful meeting tomorrow, like take on the stress and give out a really successful presentation or something like that. So we can start with ourselves and then we move on to the beings that are really close to us or easier to take on their sufferings. Report an error in the passage at 38:12 Highlight the passage at 38:12

38:45 Like if our child is sick, it's easy to imagine taking on their sufferings or our parents or our good friends. So as we discussed in many of the other meditations, we start with the close beings and then we move to the harder ones, right? So start with friends, move on to neutral beings and then to the difficult one. Report an error in the passage at 38:45 Highlight the passage at 38:45

39:20 And then after we've become familiar with doing this meditation, then we can do it all the time, right? Combining it with the breath. Every time we inhale, we imagine taking on the sufferings of others, exhale, giving out happiness. Inhale, taking on suffering of others. Report an error in the passage at 39:20 Highlight the passage at 39:20

39:41 But I think, you know, we need to practice first before we do this. Report an error in the passage at 39:41 Highlight the passage at 39:41

39:48 Yep. We can be doing it all the time. Yeah. And that's when, you know, then our mind is virtuous all the time, right? And it's very useful, right? And then at the time of death, if we're doing Tonglen at the time of death, you know, guaranteed good rebirth. Advertising. Report an error in the passage at 39:48 Highlight the passage at 39:48

40:09 I'm going to be a weasel. Report an error in the passage at 40:09 Highlight the passage at 40:09

40:16 so, uh, so it's, It's nice when it becomes instinctive. We're just automatically done it every time. Every time we see somebody suffering, we could be doing it all day, but even before that. For me, for some reason, I always remember to do it when I see somebody pulled over on the side of the road with a flat tire or something. Report an error in the passage at 40:16 Highlight the passage at 40:16

40:40 I've been there. And it's not, you know, it's not fun, right? So, you know, breathing. Report an error in the passage at 40:40 Highlight the passage at 40:40

40:50 Or, you know, if we see a homeless person, you know, or somebody having a really bad day, Report an error in the passage at 40:50 Highlight the passage at 40:50

41:00 suffering, breathe out, whatever they need. And then the other time that is also very helpful to do Tonglen is when we're suffering, right? When we're sick or we're depressed or we're going through a difficult time. Report an error in the passage at 41:00 Highlight the passage at 41:00

41:21 Doing Tonglen, imagining that we're taking on everybody else's sickness. Like, I'm feeling sick, I'm feeling bad. Anyway, so I might as well make this a meaningful practice, right? And then imagine, okay, well, I have the flu, I'm going to take on all the flu of all beings. Report an error in the passage at 41:21 Highlight the passage at 41:21

41:48 And that makes, you know, that really, you know, instead of being sick and thinking, oh, poor me, right? That makes that... It expands the mind, and it can be a really blissful experience, right, if we can do that, or at least feel meaningful. And I've read stories about people who were, like, on their deathbed, you know, with cancer or something like that, who were doing the Tonglen meditation, and they were just glowing. Report an error in the passage at 41:48 Highlight the passage at 41:48

42:17 So it definitely helps, you know, for sure expands the mind, right, instead of me, me, self-cherishing, me, me, me, oh, yeah. Oh my gosh, there are thousands of other beings experiencing this exact same thing. So I wish that all other beings are free from that. I'll suffer so that all other beings can be free from that. Report an error in the passage at 42:17 Highlight the passage at 42:17

42:50 So that's Tom Lin. Any questions on that method? Peter Rose. I was just going to say, this can also have a very positive effect on the other person. I've experienced it where I've been just... I was just wondering Report an error in the passage at 42:50 Highlight the passage at 42:50

43:34 about loving kindness. Report an error in the passage at 43:34 Highlight the passage at 43:34

43:40 Meditation and Tonglen, are they a certain situation where you rather would do Tonglen than Mettā or loving kindness or are they just very different? Report an error in the passage at 43:40 Highlight the passage at 43:40

43:59 I think that Tonglen is a more advanced practice. So if we can genuinely do Tung Lin on someone, it's more advanced because we're taking on their suffering. Just wishing somebody happiness doesn't feel so threatening and scary, but imagine actually taking on their suffering. Then that's doing the compassion and the loving kindness both. And not just compassion, but... Report an error in the passage at 43:59 Highlight the passage at 43:59

44:34 You know, a strength, a courage, right, to take on their suffering and give them happiness. So I think, at least for me, there's certain instances I do tonglen, I mean, that I do laminkindness instead of tonglen, when I feel, when I don't feel ready to do the tonglen on them, Report an error in the passage at 44:34 Highlight the passage at 44:34

44:59 just to do the laminkindness. Report an error in the passage at 44:59 Highlight the passage at 44:59

45:07 Often. Report an error in the passage at 45:07 Highlight the passage at 45:07

45:15 Sometimes it just feels really fake. Like when my mom is suffering, it's really easy for me to tongli. If someone I really have a hard time with is suffering, I can wish them happiness very genuinely. But to do tonglen for them feels fake and it doesn't feel right for me. So that's when I do it. But that's just me. I don't know what other people do. I haven't heard specific advice from a Lama. Report an error in the passage at 45:15 Highlight the passage at 45:15

45:51 It's always good to do Tonglen, but I think if you're really not ready, if it's not genuine, then do a genuine loving kindness than a pretend Tonglen. Report an error in the passage at 45:51 Highlight the passage at 45:51

46:05 But that's just my thinking. Does anybody else have? Report an error in the passage at 46:05 Highlight the passage at 46:05

46:18 I read somewhere, and I don't remember the source, and that's why I'm asking this question. I heard that it's not advised to do Tonglen for any of your teachers or gurus. Yeah, we just talked about that just before you walked in, and that's true. Yeah, we're not supposed to do that, because we're trying to see them as pure. Report an error in the passage at 46:18 Highlight the passage at 46:18

46:37 My experience of doing Tonglen, which admittedly is limited, but when I first heard about it, I thought it sounded kind of depressing and really hard, and then when I've done it, I've found that I felt it just really... I don't know if empowered is the right word, but I felt really good. Then that surprised me. It's actually a really positive thing for the person doing it. Report an error in the passage at 46:37 Highlight the passage at 46:37

47:01 Yeah. Oh, for sure. They say this is the most powerful practice to get bodhicitta quickly because it takes a lot of courage to take on somebody's suffering. It doesn't take all that much courage to wish them happiness, but it takes a lot of Report an error in the passage at 47:01 Highlight the passage at 47:01

47:22 discomfort and sleep. Report an error in the passage at 47:22 Highlight the passage at 47:22

47:32 Yeah, if it's, yeah. I think the hardest thing is doing it for someone that you're close to who's hurt you badly. It can also be the most powerful, too. But it can take time. Like, you might have to do it for months before you start really feeling okay about it. Report an error in the passage at 47:32 Highlight the passage at 47:32

47:53 I don't know. I think it could be a powerful step for people. Yeah, for sure. Report an error in the passage at 47:53 Highlight the passage at 47:53

48:01 Yeah, the ones who are close to us that have hurt us are really... Perhaps the greatest objects of practice. It's one thing to dislike Saddam Hussein, somebody who's done horrible things but hasn't hurt us personally. Report an error in the passage at 48:01 Highlight the passage at 48:01

48:28 But somebody who's hurt us personally, if we can forgive that and let that go, that's hugely powerful for letting go of this self-cherishing. Report an error in the passage at 48:28 Highlight the passage at 48:28

48:46 Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Report an error in the passage at 48:46 Highlight the passage at 48:46

48:53 Especially pain that's prolonged. Because then I can feel what it would be like to somebody who has to live in chronic pain. Yeah. So it helps me understand it more and that automatically makes me have compassion. Yeah. Because I could figure mine's probably going to go away. You know, or if it doesn't, you know, that makes me want to do it even more. Report an error in the passage at 48:53 Highlight the passage at 48:53

49:15 So, fortunately it can be automatic sometimes. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, that's a very good point. You know, when we're actually experiencing the suffering, that's when the compassion really arises, right? Because when we remember, you know, we know what it feels like, right? Because when we're sitting here healthy, it's kind of hard to imagine. Okay, so this person has back pain. Okay, so you have back pain. I'm sorry. Report an error in the passage at 49:15 Highlight the passage at 49:15

49:42 You know, right? It's like, right? But then when we have back pain, Oh my gosh, I can't get out of bed. I can't lift anything. And then we realize how debilitating that is. Or if you hurt your thumb, if somebody else hurts their thumb, you think, it's just a thumb. But when we hurt our thumb, it's like, oh my gosh, I can't do anything without a thumb. Report an error in the passage at 49:42 Highlight the passage at 49:42

50:12 Oh, there you go. Marcella knows this. Yeah, so then it's easier to do Tonglen when we're... I think too it's like how with people chronic pain can be nice. Yeah. And there's nice people that live in pain. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 50:12 Highlight the passage at 50:12

50:33 It's quite heroic. Or nice and cheerful and have horrendous pain. Report an error in the passage at 50:33 Highlight the passage at 50:33

50:44 Okay. So that's Tonglen. Report an error in the passage at 50:44 Highlight the passage at 50:44

50:54 Okay. So the review of the five steps that we just went through. So equalizing, exchanging self with others. So those are the two methods of developing bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 50:54 Highlight the passage at 50:54

51:06 Then Lama Tsongkhapa gets into the appropriateness of putting effort by many approaches into the methods of generating the mind of enlightenment. So there's these different methods and it's good to apply all of the different methods. Different things work better at different times. Report an error in the passage at 51:06 Highlight the passage at 51:06

51:27 So it's good if a habit develops that constantly checks to what extent this mind has been generated since everything stems from it. Report an error in the passage at 51:27 Highlight the passage at 51:27

51:38 So it's good to just check in our minds. Do we have bodhicitta now? Do we have love and compassion in our minds? So just developing that habit of checking. Oh, because sometimes we get really angry and we develop resentment and we have the negative story go on and on and on in our minds and we don't even really, we're not really mindful that, oh, I'm checking. Report an error in the passage at 51:38 Highlight the passage at 51:38

52:03 Supposed to be practicing, right? Living kindness and compassion, right? Maybe like three days later we remember, oh wait, you know, I really got myself into the hole there, right? So it's good when the habit, we develop this habit and we notice it, you know, sooner and sooner, you know. Initially it might be some days later and then we'll be, you know, like an hour later and then, you know, eventually we'll catch it, right, as the story is developing. Report an error in the passage at 52:03 Highlight the passage at 52:03

52:32 Like, oh, I don't want to go there. Especially if we've noticed how our angry mind has really hurt us again and again and again, really brought our minds down, hurt our relationships, then more and more we want to counteract that right as it's arising or even before it arises. Report an error in the passage at 52:32 Highlight the passage at 52:32

53:04 And then Lama Tsongkhapa continues, whether or not the root of Mahāyāna has been planted and whether or not one is included among Mahayanists. So we talked about that. If we have bodhicitta, then we're Mahayanists. If we don't have bodhicitta, then we're aspiring Mahayanists. So even if it does not develop, even if this love and compassion and bodhicitta does not develop, do not leave it at that, but rely on a virtuous spiritual friend who teaches it. Report an error in the passage at 53:04 Highlight the passage at 53:04

53:33 And always associate with friends who are training their minds in this way. So not to get discouraged or give up if our hearts aren't opening, if we haven't developed bodhicitta yet, but continue to practice, continue to take teachings from teachers who are teaching it. And then it's very useful to hang out with other people who are training their minds in the same way. Report an error in the passage at 53:33 Highlight the passage at 53:33

54:01 And not so much with people who are saying, yeah, that person's a jerk, you should, you know, you should get back at them, right? That's kind of reinforcing the other way, right? It's so useful to have friends who say, yeah, you know, they're just trying to be happy, you know, they probably didn't mean to. Report an error in the passage at 54:01 Highlight the passage at 54:01

54:22 You know, somebody to encourage you in the positive way. Makes it a lot easier. Report an error in the passage at 54:22 Highlight the passage at 54:22

54:35 And then... Also, it's useful to read the scriptures of the teacher and their commentary, so always good to read the Dharma. And then as its cause, then we need to accumulate the collections and purify obscurations. So as always, not to forget, we need to create merit and purify. It's not just a matter of practicing bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 54:35 Highlight the passage at 54:35

54:58 We do need to purify our negativities and accumulate merit. Since it is certain that if you train your mind in this way, the seed will be fully planted, these actions are of no little importance and a reason for joy. So here, if we just try to practice this, he has to go. Report an error in the passage at 54:58 Highlight the passage at 54:58

55:22 He's fed up with his bodhicitta business. Report an error in the passage at 55:22 Highlight the passage at 55:22

55:29 So this is very encouraging. If we just try to practice bodhicitta. If we just try to practice love and kindness and compassion, we're definitely going to get there. We're just planting seeds. We have seeds in the past to be angry and to close our hearts and things like that, so we have to work against that. But just like with anything, the more we practice it with familiarization, it will grow. Report an error in the passage at 55:29 Highlight the passage at 55:29

55:57 So if we just try to practice bodhicitta. Even if the heart doesn't open, but we have that intention, we're moving in that direction, then we'll definitely get there if we don't give up. Report an error in the passage at 55:57 Highlight the passage at 55:57

56:12 So here, this is, you know, it's so easy to get discouraged, right? Here I am, you know, I'm meditating. You know, I've been doing this for six months and here I am. I still, you know, I still get angry. I still, you know, hate people, right? Report an error in the passage at 56:12 Highlight the passage at 56:12

56:34 So don't get discouraged, right? For sure we'll get there. Like the whole drop, drop in the bucket thing. Later drop by drop the bucket. Report an error in the passage at 56:34 Highlight the passage at 56:34

56:54 Because this is, this is, well I think I said this in the first class, this is the heart, probably the hardest thing we'll ever do. To give up our self-cherishing. What can be harder than that? Report an error in the passage at 56:54 Highlight the passage at 56:54

57:12 But for sure through familiarity we can do it. We just have to make the effort consistently over time and never give up. Report an error in the passage at 57:12 Highlight the passage at 57:12

57:32 It is as if the great Joe Oatesha said, for those who wish to enter the gate of Mahāyāna Dharma, it's worth an eon of effort for bodhicitta to grow, which like the sun and moon eliminate darkness and pacify scorching heat. So even if it takes an eon, it's definitely worth the effort. Report an error in the passage at 57:32 Highlight the passage at 57:32

57:56 Hopefully it won't take an eon, but for sure. But for sure it's not a waste of effort if we try. Report an error in the passage at 57:56 Highlight the passage at 57:56

58:09 And then, you know, with Report an error in the passage at 58:09 Highlight the passage at 58:09

58:14 anything, as with anything, right, it's hardest at the beginning, and then it gets easier over time. Report an error in the passage at 58:14 Highlight the passage at 58:14

58:28 Okay, and then I had mentioned, Lama Tsongkhapa doesn't mention the 11-step method, right? So I had mentioned earlier, right, so there's this seven-fold cause and effect, and there's this equalizing exchange in oneself and other, those two methods, right? But actually, we need to practice both methods. And this 11-step method combines both of those methods. Report an error in the passage at 58:28 Highlight the passage at 58:28

58:57 So I'll go through it briefly because we've already gone through each of these steps before. So starting as always with equanimity, right? So trying to remove our partiality, our biased mind, really cares about some people and does not. It has aversion toward others and indifference. Report an error in the passage at 58:57 Highlight the passage at 58:57

59:26 So practicing equanimity through remembering ourselves and others are equal in wanting happiness. But also remembering in all of our lives we have every kind of relationship with every other being. All beings have been kind to us in the past and all beings have been. Report an error in the passage at 59:26 Highlight the passage at 59:26

59:49 So why would we cherish them more than others? So trying to remove the strong attachment and aversion that we have for others. And then recognizing that all sentient beings were your mothers, remembering their kindness and wishing to repay their kindness. Report an error in the passage at 59:49 Highlight the passage at 59:49

1:00:09 So that's to develop this sense of affection towards all beings. Affection, that they're beloved, that they're precious. The third step, remembering their kindness. This step is more expanded than the step that we talked about in the sevenfold cause and effect. So we remember sentient beings' kindness when they were our mothers, but then also their kindness in all sorts of other ways, you know, how they provide us with food and shelter and pipes for our running water and all of those kinds of things. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:09 Highlight the passage at 1:00:09

1:00:54 So I was just thinking about the sense of affection for others. Sometimes it's translated as developing a sense that all sentient beings are attractive, but it's more than that. It's a heart thing. It's not, oh, Saddam Hussein, he's really attractive, right? But developing a sense of affection like... Report an error in the passage at 1:00:54 Highlight the passage at 1:00:54

1:01:29 It's like if, you know, somebody insults us, like says something really rude to us, right? We'll get offended if it's certain people and we'll, you know, and we'll give them the benefit of the doubt if it's others, right? If it's somebody who's, let's say if it's a three-year-old child, we'll think, oh, you know, he's three years old, he's just being cute, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:01:29 Highlight the passage at 1:01:29

1:01:54 We won't, you know, get all, well, maybe we won't, you know, but probably we wouldn't get all huffy about it, right? Or if it's somebody who's been really, really sweet to us and has done a lot of things for us and they say something insulting, we probably think, oh, they're just having a bad day and we'll brush it off. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:54 Highlight the passage at 1:01:54

1:02:19 Because we have a sense of affection for them. But if it's that annoying person who's always doing annoying things, we don't have such affection for them and we'll probably... Report an error in the passage at 1:02:19 Highlight the passage at 1:02:19

1:02:34 Get pretty annoyed when they say that. We won't give them the benefit of the doubt. So if we really do well on these three steps, two, three and four, recognizing that they're our mothers, remembering their kindness and wishing to repay their kindness, then we have that sense of affection for beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:34 Highlight the passage at 1:02:34

1:02:55 And then we can give them the benefit of the doubt. We have that caring for them. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:55 Highlight the passage at 1:02:55

1:03:03 I was giving a loving-kindness talk the other day, and we were doing a meditation on love for others. And this person was doing a meditation on love, wishing happiness for the difficult people. And she was saying, you know, whenever I try to wish happiness to the difficult person, she says, I always have this subtext. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:03 Highlight the passage at 1:03:03

1:03:28 May you be happy, because then if you're happy then you won't be such a jerk. What do I do about this subtext? It just always comes up. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:28 Highlight the passage at 1:03:28

1:03:43 And this is probably true for a lot of us. So I didn't think of it at the time, but then I thought, well that's because we don't have a sense of affection for them yet. And I didn't think of it. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:43 Highlight the passage at 1:03:43

1:03:56 So I think that's a really good sign to go back to the affectionate love. I really like you. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:56 Highlight the passage at 1:03:56

1:04:09 It does take a while, right? Because we need to do those steps until when? We need to continue working on that until we see every single being as our only child, as beloved as our only child. How long will that take? A long time. Maybe not. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:09 Highlight the passage at 1:04:09

1:04:48 No, for sure. If we do this every day, we definitely see. So good to keep doing that. Then step number five, equalizing self and others, as we just talked about. Then six, contemplating the many faults resulting from self-cherishing. Maybe not. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:48 Highlight the passage at 1:04:48

1:05:08 Seven, the good qualities from cherishing others. Then eight is the taking part of Tonglen and giving. So here, steps two through four, we've developed affection for others. Then we're developing love and compassion for others through taking and giving. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:08 Highlight the passage at 1:05:08

1:05:31 And then number ten is the extraordinary thought, right? I myself will take responsibility for freeing sentient beings from suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:31 Highlight the passage at 1:05:31

1:05:43 Number 11, actual bodhicitta. How do I free sentient beings from suffering? Oh yeah, I have to attain enlightenment myself. I need to remove my faults, my mental afflictions before I can really help others in the best way. Before I can help others get out of saṃsāra. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:43 Highlight the passage at 1:05:43

1:06:13 Really 8 and 9, or 8 is compassion and 9 is love. And then... Five, six and seven are preparing you. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:13 Highlight the passage at 1:06:13

1:06:27 Why do I want to take on the suffering of others and give them happiness? Oh yeah, because self-cherishing is the source of my problems and cherishing others is the source of happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:27 Highlight the passage at 1:06:27

1:06:44 So that's pretty straightforward, right, based on everything else we've talked about. Any Report an error in the passage at 1:06:44 Highlight the passage at 1:06:44

1:06:52 other questions on how to develop bodhicitta? Report an error in the passage at 1:06:52 Highlight the passage at 1:06:52

1:07:05 And then how do we know when bodhicitta has arisen? Lama Tsongkhapa says, that should be understood from what was already explained before. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:05 Highlight the passage at 1:07:05

1:07:18 four so hmm so anyway so what is one Once again, for any of these minds to be the full-fledged, so actual bodhicitta is when it's uncontrived or spontaneous. We don't have to make effort, like thinking, oh, sentient beings are suffering, oh yeah, they're my mother. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:18 Highlight the passage at 1:07:18

1:07:48 But uncontrived, right? When it arises all the time spontaneously. Yeah. So Geshe Jumpy Gyatso says, the mind of enlightenment is the wish to achieve enlightenment for the welfare, for the benefit of all sentient beings. When this mind becomes uncontrived or non-artificial, we are said to have generated the mind of enlightenment. On the other hand, as long as the mind of enlightenment is contrived or artificial or through effort, even though it is called bodhicitta, it is not actual bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:48 Highlight the passage at 1:07:48

1:08:20 It is like the real sweetness that is hidden inside the hard bark of sugar cane. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:20 Highlight the passage at 1:08:20

1:08:29 But I think we can still feel really happy if we develop it, you know, through effort. I Report an error in the passage at 1:08:29 Highlight the passage at 1:08:29

1:08:40 think at that point we can take a break. And then we'll actually talk about the ritual for aspiring bodhicitta after a break. Are Report an error in the passage at 1:08:40 Highlight the passage at 1:08:40

1:09:02 you just visiting? Report an error in the passage at 1:09:02 Highlight the passage at 1:09:02

1:09:26 I'm going to try to finish, go through the ritual for aspiring bodhicitta pretty quickly. I don't think we need to understand every detail of the ritual. Just to give an idea. So remembering, so there are the two types of bodhicitta. The aspiring bodhicitta, the mere wish to attain enlightenment for the welfare of all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:26 Highlight the passage at 1:09:26

1:09:47 And then engaging bodhicitta where, okay, not only do we wish to attain enlightenment, we're committed. We're committed to doing it. We practice the six perfections. We take the bodhisattva vows. So there's the mere wish and then the actual... Commitment and doing it. Taking the steps to attain enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:47 Highlight the passage at 1:09:47

1:10:17 So now, after we've meditated on bodhicitta for a while, we have a strong aspiration to develop bodhicitta. We feel inspired by it. We see the benefits of it. Then it's useful to undertake the ritual for aspiring bodhicitta. Not just kind of sitting on our cushion, but actually formalizing that, to strengthen it, to stabilize it. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:17 Highlight the passage at 1:10:17

1:10:49 So Atisha says, those who wish to train after they develop bodhicitta, accustom themselves with effort for a long time to the form measurable, love and so forth, thereby clearing away attachment and jealousy, and produce bodhicitta through a pure ritual. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:49 Highlight the passage at 1:10:49

1:11:07 So useful, the next step is to... To take the aspirational bodhicitta through ritual. And then Yangtze Rinpoche says, this is in order to stabilize aspiring bodhicitta within our minds. We engage in a ritual ceremony whereby we commit ourselves to this mind. You know, maybe like getting married. Like you love this person, you have the aspiration to spend the rest of your life with them. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:07 Highlight the passage at 1:11:07

1:11:35 And then you take the next step of actually committing yourself to them, right? So we commit ourselves to bodhicitta. This aspiring bodhicitta will become the basis of our bodhisattva vows in the future. So aspiring bodhicitta is different from taking the bodhisattva vows. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:35 Highlight the passage at 1:11:35

1:11:53 We'll talk about that a little bit later. So what is this ritual of aspirational bodhicitta? So there's three sections of this. First of all, receiving that which has not yet been received. So if we haven't taken this ritual before, then we receive this. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:53 Highlight the passage at 1:11:53

1:12:15 This vow that hasn't been received before. Then after that, Lama Tsongkhapa gets into, then how do we guard that which has been received without degenerating it? So how do we guard our bodhicitta without degenerating it? And then the method for restoring it if it has been degenerated. So that's what we'll cover for the rest of this series. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:15 Highlight the passage at 1:12:15

1:12:39 So for the next few weeks, we'll go into two and three. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:39 Highlight the passage at 1:12:39

1:12:45 Receiving that which has not yet been received. So first of all, who do we take this aspirational bodhicitta from? So here, it is not enough for the person from whom the vow is taken to possess the aspiring mind and to be abiding in the trainings. Rather, he must possess the engaging vows. So in other words, so the master who is giving the aspiring bodhicitta must be someone who's taken the bodhisattva vows, has engaging bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:45 Highlight the passage at 1:12:45

1:13:16 Not just aspiring bodhicitta, but has engaging bodhicitta and who possesses the bodhisattva vows. Hasn't given up their bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:16 Highlight the passage at 1:13:16

1:13:29 So it's not saying it must be someone with the title Lama, it must be a monk. Basically it needs to be somebody who possesses the bodhisattva vows. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:29 Highlight the passage at 1:13:29

1:13:47 Then who, the student, who is qualified or who is... Ready to take the aspiring bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:47 Highlight the passage at 1:13:47

1:13:58 Atisha says, repulsed by cyclic existence, mindful of death with wisdom and great compassion. So ideally it's somebody who's studied the lamrim, understands that psychic existence is suffering, understands that we're going to die with some understanding of emptiness and some great compassion. So ideally. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:58 Highlight the passage at 1:13:58

1:14:26 We have all of this stuff. But not necessarily. But it should be someone who has gained at least a little bit of experience of transforming their mind into bodhicitta due to having trained the mind in the stages of the path as explained previously. So someone who has at least a little bit of experience of bodhicitta. A little bit of at least... Report an error in the passage at 1:14:26 Highlight the passage at 1:14:26

1:14:52 Like strong respect for bodhicitta and a strong aspiration right to develop bodhicitta. But even better to have a little bit of experience of bodhicitta. Oh, you know, with some compassion and loving kindness and not wanting to just go for my own liberation, but really wanting to work for the liberation of all beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:52 Highlight the passage at 1:14:52

1:15:20 At least the liberation of some beings, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:15:20 Highlight the passage at 1:15:20

1:15:31 So then the ritual. So I'm always amazed, you know, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, like a couple of years ago he was teaching in Pennsylvania. He taught in the Lom Rim, the Great Lom Rim for like 10 days or something like that. And then at the end he gave aspiring bodhicitta and then engaging bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:31 Highlight the passage at 1:15:31

1:15:52 So, you know, this group of, you know, thousands of people are all taking aspiring bodhicitta together. It's pretty, it's pretty amazing. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:52 Highlight the passage at 1:15:52

1:16:03 So the ritual consists of the preparatory part, the actual and the conclusion. So in preparation, I'll go through this quickly. So basically, first of all, the place should be clean, like if it's the gulpa. It should be clean. Don't worry about smearing it with the five cow substances. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:03 Highlight the passage at 1:16:03

1:16:25 That's my favorite part. In India, right, the five cow substances were considered very pure and they would clean. you. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:25 Highlight the passage at 1:16:25

1:16:36 floor with them, it's like. Cow butter, yogurt, Report an error in the passage at 1:16:36 Highlight the passage at 1:16:36

1:17:11 milk, dung and urine. In the Brahmin tradition, they were considered to be pure. Cows are very pure. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:11 Highlight the passage at 1:17:11

1:17:28 Practically speaking, it should be clean. not so important, but anyway, if you're interested. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:28 Highlight the passage at 1:17:28

1:17:10 butter, yogurt, milk. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:10 Highlight the passage at 1:17:10

1:17:30 Right? The, the. The Report an error in the passage at 1:17:30 Highlight the passage at 1:17:30

1:17:38 Gumpa should be cleaned, sprinkled with fragrant water such as sandalwood or scattered fragrant flowers. Then obviously we set up an altar, representations of the three jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha with statues, text, images of Buddhas, stupas. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:38 Highlight the passage at 1:17:38

1:18:04 Then do the preparatory ritual with as many valuable offering items as canopies, flowers. Et cetera, as possible. Arrange a throne for the master, adorning it with flowers. And then it's Report an error in the passage at 1:18:04 Highlight the passage at 1:18:04

1:18:24 good to make offerings to the monks and nuns. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:24 Highlight the passage at 1:18:24

1:18:31 And then here, I'm not going to read through this, but basically the point here is that even if you don't have offerings, like if we don't have any, Report an error in the passage at 1:18:31 Highlight the passage at 1:18:31

1:18:43 it's not important. What's important is that we offer the best that we can afford. So even if all we can afford is a piece of cloth with fringe on it, as long as the offerings are obtained in a good way, without stealing, without deceit, without hinting, we obtain the offerings in a clean, clear way. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:43 Highlight the passage at 1:18:43

1:19:22 Remembering making offerings is also mind training, appreciating the Lama, appreciating what he's about to give you. Not being miserly, but to make the nicest offerings that we can. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:22 Highlight the passage at 1:19:22

1:19:43 It's good for our minds. Then we invoke the arias, those who have directly realized emptiness. And then we as the student should be washed and well-dressed. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:43 Highlight the passage at 1:19:43

1:20:06 With hands joined, right, so this is good for the mind too, right, appreciating what's being given, putting our hands together. Oh, and then the Lama encourages us to develop faith or confidence, right, in the merit field, in the Buddha Dharma and Saṅgha. And then we do the seven limb prayer, imagining that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are here. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:06 Highlight the passage at 1:20:06

1:20:37 And then the student having generated the discrimination of his Lama as the teacher. So here, As usual, we're trying to see the teacher as the Buddha, as inseparable from the Buddha. Easy for me to say, hard to do, but we try to do that. Going to prostrate and make offerings, at least mentally, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:37 Highlight the passage at 1:20:37

1:21:04 We always traditionally offer a mandala to the teacher before the ceremony. Before a teaching, the mandala, imagine the pure world and offer that. Because remembering the Dharma is the highest gift that we can receive because the Dharma is really our ticket to everlasting happiness and freedom from suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:04 Highlight the passage at 1:21:04

1:21:30 So through that appreciation, offering a mandala. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:30 Highlight the passage at 1:21:30

1:21:38 And then we kneel on our right knee if we can. Or squat or sit in a chair if we can't do that. And then we join our palms. And then we always make a request, right? Make a request before receiving the aspirational bodhicitta. Because remembering that we're not supposed to push the Dharma on others. So we request it and then the Lama responds. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:38 Highlight the passage at 1:21:38

1:22:12 And we're generally supposed to request things three times to make sure we really want it. So here the request is, usually it's repeating after the Lama. So just as the previous Tathagatas, Arhats, perfectly complete Buddhas, as well as the great Bodhisattvas abiding on the great grounds, first generated the mind of unsurpassed, perfectly complete enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:12 Highlight the passage at 1:22:12

1:22:39 Likewise, I, whose name is, and then we recite our name, request the Master. Usually we don't, right? Because usually this is done in Tibetan and we just repeat what the master says and we forget to put our name in. But good to put our name in. I, whose name is whatever. Request the master to generate the mind of unsurpassed, perfectly complete enlightenment. So that's the formal request we recite three times. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:39 Highlight the passage at 1:22:39

1:23:13 Then we go for refuge to the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. With the attitude thinking, from now until I achieve enlightenment in order to protect all sentient beings, I go for refuge to the Buddha, the teacher of refuge. I go for refuge to the Dharma, the actual refuge. I go for refuge to the Saṅgha, those who I ask for help to achieve refuge. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:13 Highlight the passage at 1:23:13

1:23:38 So this is the special going for refuge. This is the Mahāyāna going for refuge. The Mahāyāna going for refuge with this. Right, motivation to achieve enlightenment for the welfare of all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:38 Highlight the passage at 1:23:38

1:23:57 And then with the special attitude of making the strong aspiration, I will never turn away from this attitude at any time. Right, so here, so this is, this is the thing, you know, so this is the difference between just having aspirational bodhicitta and want to attain enlightenment for the welfare of all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:57 Highlight the passage at 1:23:57

1:24:18 And taking aspirational bodhicitta with this vow. I will never give up my bodhicitta until I attain enlightenment in this commitment. It's not just a fleeting, trendy thing to do, but we really want to do this until we attain enlightenment, never give it up. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:18 Highlight the passage at 1:24:18

1:24:41 This Report an error in the passage at 1:24:41 Highlight the passage at 1:24:41

1:24:49 is the special Mahana Refuge, I mentioned that. And in all of these ceremonies, if we take bodhisattva vows, if we take aspirational bodhicitta, if we take tantra, refuge is always the basis. For all of these. Refuge, so real refuge, right? Real refuge understanding that the source of temporary happiness is abandoning non-virtue, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:24:49 Highlight the passage at 1:24:49

1:25:16 And practicing virtue, right? That's the source of happiness in saṃsāra, right? And then ultimately, to attain ultimate happiness, we need to realize emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:16 Highlight the passage at 1:25:16

1:25:31 And how do we get there is through relying on primarily the Dharma, but then also the Buddhas to teach us and the Saṅgha to help us. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:31 Highlight the passage at 1:25:31

1:25:45 So having faith in the Three Jewels. And then what was the other cause of refuge? Anybody remember? The two Fs. Fear of the lower realms or fear of saṃsāra. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:45 Highlight the passage at 1:25:45

1:26:05 And then we say, the words of the ritual are, Master, please grant me your attention. I, whose name is, from now until I reach the essence of enlightenment, go for refuge to the best of men, the Buddha Bhagavad. And once again, Master, please grant me your attention. I, whose name is, from now until I reach the essence of enlightenment, go for refuge to the best of Dharma, the Dharma that is peace, free from attachment. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:05 Highlight the passage at 1:26:05

1:26:30 And then Master, please grant me your attention. I, whose name is, from now until I reach the essence of enlightenment. Go for refuge to the best of assemblies, the Saṅgha of Irreversible Arya Bodhisattvas. And we repeat that three times. So Report an error in the passage at 1:26:30 Highlight the passage at 1:26:30

1:26:48 those are the actual words of taking refuge, the Mahāyāna refuge. And then the master is supposed to remind us of the refuge precepts that we talked about quite a while ago in the class on taking refuge. So when we've taken refuge... Report an error in the passage at 1:26:48 Highlight the passage at 1:26:48

1:27:13 There are certain precepts that we're supposed to follow, like once you've taken refuge in the Buddha, you don't take refuge in worldly gods, once you take refuge in the Dharma, etc. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:13 Highlight the passage at 1:27:13

1:27:27 So there were specific precepts and common precepts. And then we do the seven limb prayer. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:27 Highlight the passage at 1:27:27

1:27:42 Lama Tsongkhapa says the observed objects and aspects of loving kindness and compassion should be visualized. So what does that mean? We visualize all sentient beings around us and then we develop love and compassion for them. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:42 Highlight the passage at 1:27:42

1:27:57 So it's not just a matter of sitting there and reciting a bunch of words. We're trying to develop bodhicitta in our minds during this ceremony. So starting with developing love and compassion. On the three levels that we had talked about how wonderful it would be if all sentient beings had happiness, may they have happiness and I will cause them to have happiness, etc. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:57 Highlight the passage at 1:27:57

1:28:19 And the same with compassion. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:19 Highlight the passage at 1:28:19

1:28:24 So that was the preparation. Then the actual ritual is when we kneel down on our right knee again or sitting in a crouching position if we can't do that. Then with palms joined. We should try to develop bodhicitta in our minds using the method. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:24 Highlight the passage at 1:28:24

1:28:57 So here then Lama Tsongkhapa says the mind generation here is not the mere mind generation that thinks I will attain Buddhahood for others' welfare. Rather it is the promise that observing the mind that has been generated thinks I shall not give it up as long as I have not attained enlightenment. So this is what I was talking about before. Not just wishing. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:57 Highlight the passage at 1:28:57

1:29:21 For enlightenment, for the welfare of others, but making that commitment not to give it up in all my future lives until I attain enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:21 Highlight the passage at 1:29:21

1:29:32 So this is why that attitude should be generated, independence on a ritual, to formalize that, to make it strong. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:32 Highlight the passage at 1:29:32

1:29:45 Maybe if you've taken aspirational bodhicitta, you didn't really realize that you were doing all this, but at least I didn't. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:45 Highlight the passage at 1:29:45

1:29:56 But... Then, okay, if you're not able to train in the precepts of this aspiring mind, you should not make this promise. So if we're at the point where we're not, we have the aspiration for bodhicitta, we do want to attain enlightenment for the welfare of all sentient beings, but we're not ready to commit ourselves to never give it up. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:56 Highlight the passage at 1:29:56

1:30:17 So we shouldn't say that part of the ceremony. We don't have to make that promise. It's still good to develop at least the wish, right? And then to make that promise when we're ready. So Report an error in the passage at 1:30:17 Highlight the passage at 1:30:17

1:30:39 there's these two types of aspiring bodhicitta. Aspiring bodhicitta that wishes to attain enlightenment for the welfare of all sentient beings. And then the aspiring bodhicitta that wishes and commits to never giving it up. So there are those two kinds. But then when it comes to engaging mind generation, engaging bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:39 Highlight the passage at 1:30:39

1:31:06 Basically, we have to commit to not giving it up. Engaging bodhicitta is not just wishing for enlightenment, for the welfare of sentient beings, but wishing for committing to it and training in the bodhisattva trainings, in generosity, in the six perfections and the four means of gathering disciples. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:06 Highlight the passage at 1:31:06

1:31:32 So if we've taken the bodhisattva vows, Like the 18 root and the 46 secondary. Then we have engaging bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:32 Highlight the passage at 1:31:32

1:31:50 So if we've taken any highest yoga tantra initiations, we have the bodhisattva vows. Well, unless we've lost them. We've broken them. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:50 Highlight the passage at 1:31:50

1:32:12 So it's inappropriate. So with respect to taking the engaging mind by means of a ritual, it is inappropriate to take it without training in the trainings. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:12 Highlight the passage at 1:32:12

1:32:24 after... After starting the next class, we're going to go through the precepts of bodhicitta. This isn't the 18 and the 46. Those are the precepts of aspirational bodhicitta. So once we've taken this vow of aspirational bodhicitta, committing never to give it up, then we need to train in the precepts. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:24 Highlight the passage at 1:32:24

1:32:47 Then on top of that, if we've taken the bodhisattva vows, the 18 and the 46, And we were committed to practicing the six perfections. So does that make sense? When I read through this, I thought, what are we talking about? Report an error in the passage at 1:32:47 Highlight the passage at 1:32:47

1:33:09 So once again, so for aspiring mind generation, we have two options. We can take, go through this ritual with the vow never to give it up, or we can go through this ritual without taking this vow, just with the aspiration. Bless you. For engaging mind generation, we have to take the vow never to give it up. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:09 Highlight the passage at 1:33:09

1:33:29 And train in the bodhisattva deeds and take the bodhisattva vows. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:29 Highlight the passage at 1:33:29

1:33:43 The advice to King Prasenajit says that if one cannot train in the trainings of generosity, etc., a great amount of merit is accomplished from merely generating the mind of enlightenment. So basically he's saying, don't feel bad if you're not ready to take the vow. But there's still a great amount of merit from... Report an error in the passage at 1:33:43 Highlight the passage at 1:33:43

1:34:08 Developing, you know, just the aspiration for enlightenment, for the welfare of sentient beings. Thus it is clear that it is appropriate for someone incapable of training in the trainings of generosity and so forth to generate the mind of enlightenment, but inappropriate to hold the vow. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:08 Highlight the passage at 1:34:08

1:34:28 So yeah, so it's appropriate to generate bodhicitta, the wish. But not train in generosity in the six perfections, right? It's fine to do that. But if you're not ready to train in the six perfections, etc., then just don't take the vow never to give it up. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:28 Highlight the passage at 1:34:28

1:34:57 Speeding through this. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:57 Highlight the passage at 1:34:57

1:35:01 And then the words of taking aspiring mind generation. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas residing in the ten directions, please grant me your attention. Master, please grant me your attention. I, whose name is, by means of the roots of virtue of the nature of generosity, the nature of morality and the nature of meditation that I have created, caused to be created and rejoiced in the creation of, in this life and in previous lives, just as the previous Tathagatas, Arhats, perfectly complete Buddhas and great Bodhisattvas, thoroughly abiding on the great grounds, generate the mind of... Report an error in the passage at 1:35:01 Highlight the passage at 1:35:01

1:35:45 unsurpassed perfectly complete enlightenment in the same way i also i whose name is now until i reach the essence of enlightenment will generate the mind of unsurpassed perfectly complete great enlightenment will liberate the beings that are not liberated free those who are not free give breath The words are very beautiful. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:45 Highlight the passage at 1:35:45

1:36:16 So then we repeat that three times. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:16 Highlight the passage at 1:36:16

1:36:25 So here, basically, we're repeating the words after the master, which is usually said in Tibetan, but this is what we're saying. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:25 Highlight the passage at 1:36:25

1:36:40 So that's how we take this aspirational bodhicitta from a master. But then Lama Tsongkhapa gets into, okay, what if there is no master around to take it from? Then he says, oh, you can do it. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:40 Highlight the passage at 1:36:40

1:37:00 If we cannot find a master, then the ritual for generating the mind of enlightenment oneself in the absence of a master is as follows. Having brought to mind Tathāgata, Shakyamuni Buddha, and all the Tathagatas of the Ten Directions, prostrate to them and do the rite of offerings and so forth. Then, according to the previous order, make the request, go for, there's Report an error in the passage at 1:37:00 Highlight the passage at 1:37:00

1:37:28 some sort of a typo there, leaving out the word master and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:28 Highlight the passage at 1:37:28

1:37:38 It's not for refuge. We still have a draft translation. But basically, this is saying the ritual is the same without the master, except in this part, leave out the master, please grant me your attention. Everything else is the same. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:38 Highlight the passage at 1:37:38

1:38:03 So this is useful, you know, if we know people or if we're writing to prisoners or something, right, that don't have access to a master. They can do it themselves, at least with aspirational bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:03 Highlight the passage at 1:38:03

1:38:21 And then in conclusion, the master should mention the precepts in the aspiring mind to the student, which we'll start going through next time. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:21 Highlight the passage at 1:38:21

1:38:32 And that's it. That's the ritual for aspiring bodhicitta. I Report an error in the passage at 1:38:32 Highlight the passage at 1:38:32

1:38:44 think I know what the Tathagatas of the Ten Directions was, but I don't remember anymore. Well, those are just the Buddhas abiding in the... The ten directions, so the four cardinals. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:44 Highlight the passage at 1:38:44

1:39:03 Yeah, north, south, east, west, northwest, northeast. So like that, and then up and down, that's all it is. Yeah. I was just confused. Cardinal directions, intermediate directions, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:39:03 Highlight the passage at 1:39:03

1:39:24 So just in summary, right, we're trying, we undergo this ceremony if we want to, in order to stabilize our bodhicitta, we can do it either with a qualified master or by oneself. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:24 Highlight the passage at 1:39:24

1:39:40 We're qualified if we've studied and contemplated the lamrim and have at least a little bit of experience of bodhicitta in our minds. And then we prepare the gompa, make offerings, etc. And then we can take this ritual either with the promise to never give it up or without. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:40 Highlight the passage at 1:39:40

1:40:03 Then once we've taken the vow, then we need to train. So the precepts are just to help us never degenerate our bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:03 Highlight the passage at 1:40:03

1:40:35 For us, to take the vows, when it's going to happen, usually they're going to tell us when it's going to happen. I believe, I remember six months ago or so, when I just came, I believe you did, no, the refuge, you took refuge, no? Yeah, it's always there telling us when it's going to happen, when can we do it. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:35 Highlight the passage at 1:40:35

1:41:03 Or we can do it by ourselves if we decided to do it too. Yes, so it's always useful to request it. If we want to take some sort of vow, then we request it. We don't just wait for it to happen because the llamas don't do it unless we, from our side, request it. So if you want to take aspirational bodhicitta, I think it's better to take it from the Lama if there is a Lama, right? I mean, you can take it by yourself, but taking it by yourself is mostly because you don't have a Lama, you know, access to a Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:03 Highlight the passage at 1:41:03

1:41:42 It's good to take these things, you know, and have others as witnesses, you know, so it's not just, you know, me doing it in my room and nobody knowing about it so I can stop. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:42 Highlight the passage at 1:41:42

1:41:56 Give it up whenever. The temptation. It's very powerful to do it, as Mary was saying, in a group. It's very uplifting. The energy is really wonderful. You do it together and then you have these brothers and sisters. You can help each other on the path. So if you want to take this, you can request Gishidangpa to give it. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:56 Highlight the passage at 1:41:56

1:42:24 Yeah, so that's the aspirational bodhicitta. And then if you want to actually take the bodhisattva vows on top of that, you know, the engaging bodhicitta, we can ask, I guess your dog could do that too, because you can do both in the same ceremony. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:24 Highlight the passage at 1:42:24

1:42:41 And I understood that they order, how say they order their food first, or we can take a bodhicitta first? It doesn't matter. They order. Well, you're supposed to take refuge first because that's the basis. But if you haven't taken refuge, you're taking refuge in this ceremony anyway. So you can do both. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:41 Highlight the passage at 1:42:41

1:43:02 You can take refuge, aspiring bodhicitta and engage in bodhicitta all in one shot if you want. Or if you take a tantric initiation, your tantric razz too. But usually it's better to do it more gradually. So refuge, aspiring bodhicitta, both in the same. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:02 Highlight the passage at 1:43:02

1:43:29 Yeah. I mean, that's the basis. It's not like Chucky just schedules it and says, oh, well, maybe some people want to take it. You know, people usually ask Chucky, oh, I'm really interested in taking this, and then she'll schedule it. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:29 Highlight the passage at 1:43:29

1:43:46 Right, yeah, I mean, because they're, you know, leading them along. Yeah, so, yeah, I mean, is anybody you're interested? You know, I can mention it, too. It's good for you to mention it, and I'll mention it, too, as well. It's a very wonderful thing to do. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:46 Highlight the passage at 1:43:46

1:44:09 Okay, you know, and then once you take this, you know, you can take them by yourself all the time. You know, it's like, and we'll talk about that next week, but basically every day you can take aspiring bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:09 Highlight the passage at 1:44:09

1:44:37 Exactly. Yeah, don't think your job is over now. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:37 Highlight the passage at 1:44:37

1:44:53 Page 246. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:53 Highlight the passage at 1:44:53

1:45:06 Oh, and the homework. The homework. So I thought... Actually, I have actual homework questions this week. So, you know, they're not complicated questions. It doesn't take long. And it's helpful to do it. I have to kind of maybe really encourage people to do it because it's not for me, right? But it's helpful for you to do it. So I sent it to you and then there's the hard copies. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:06 Highlight the passage at 1:45:06

1:45:41 And then is the practice assignment to continue to do this equalizing and exchanging yourself with others since we only did it for one week. Let's do it some more. You might want to focus on Tonglen this week. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:41 Highlight the passage at 1:45:41

1:45:58 And then the last thing is to make the announcement about Guy Newland being here this weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. I know last weekend was a big weekend here. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:58 Highlight the passage at 1:45:58

1:46:10 Guy Newland has traveled here from... I forget where, Michigan, especially for us to teach us on emptiness. I haven't met him personally, but his books are perhaps the clearest of the scholars that I know, that I've read. He really tries to make these, or he has a very good way of making these complicated subjects accessible. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:10 Highlight the passage at 1:46:10

1:46:19 know, and... Report an error in the passage at 1:46:19 Highlight the passage at 1:46:19

1:46:41 accessible to normal people to non-scholars you know really you know give them a try you know even if you can't do it the whole weekend know emptiness Report an error in the passage at 1:46:41 Highlight the passage at 1:46:41

1:46:54 is our ticket out of saṃsāra so we always need to get a ticket He studied with Jeffrey Hopkins at University of Virginia. He got his Ph.D. there. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:54 Highlight the passage at 1:46:54

1:47:14 He was one of the translators for the big Lamrim Chenmo, the great Lama Tsongkhapa's Lamrim. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:14 Highlight the passage at 1:47:14

1:47:28 He's one of the leading scholars of Tibetan Buddhism and translators in the West. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:28 Highlight the passage at 1:47:28

1:47:39 He wrote this book, Introduction to Emptiness, explaining the special insight section, which is the emptiness section. Lama Tsongkhapa's lamrim. And we'll get to that, you know, later next year. But that Lama Tsongkhapa's special insight section is known to be clarifying all the difficult points that other scholars weren't able to clarify. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:39 Highlight the passage at 1:47:39

1:48:07 Right. So it's extremely profound. And, you know, Guy Newland wrote a book on explaining that. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:07 Highlight the passage at 1:48:07

1:48:25 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So we're so fortunate to have him. Have him coming and who knows if he's ever going to come back here. If we don't go, we're not creating the causes for him to come back. And Chucky wanted me to announce this too because not many people are signed up and not to miss this great opportunity. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:25 Highlight the passage at 1:48:25

1:48:52 Because I think people just don't know him. It's the big weekend, right? It was last weekend too. And then people aren't familiar with him so haven't signed up yet. Really, it's a great opportunity. You know, I'm going to make it, at least on Saturday. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:52 Highlight the passage at 1:48:52

1:49:13 Shantideva. May Report an error in the passage at 1:49:13 Highlight the passage at 1:49:13

1:49:20 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. May those whose bodies are worn with toil be restored on finding repose. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:20 Highlight the passage at 1:49:20

1:49:47 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. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:47 Highlight the passage at 1:49:47

1:50:15 Whatever diseases there are in the world, may they never occur again. May the frightened cease to be afraid and those bound be freed. May the powerless find power. 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 1:50:15 Highlight the passage at 1:50:15

1:50:56 see you this weekend. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:56 Highlight the passage at 1:50:56

1:51:04 does anybody want to homework? Report an error in the passage at 1:51:04 Highlight the passage at 1:51:04

1:51:12 driving going towards the gate? Report an error in the passage at 1:51:12 Highlight the passage at 1:51:12

1:51:38 it in my grave. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:38 Highlight the passage at 1:51:38