Buddhism from A-Z, 3rd Semester - Bodhisattva Conduct (29 June 2010)

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0:49 So Peter, beware of this table. I think the tablecloth might be a little too close in color to the rug. Report an error in the passage at 0:49 Highlight the passage at 0:49

1:08 So let's start by settling our minds and getting grounded in our bodies. Report an error in the passage at 1:08 Highlight the passage at 1:08

1:26 So just trying to keep our spine straight and Report an error in the passage at 1:26 Highlight the passage at 1:26

1:44 noticing our body posture. Report an error in the passage at 1:44 Highlight the passage at 1:44

2:10 Just feeling grounded, rooted to the ground. And Report an error in the passage at 2:10 Highlight the passage at 2:10

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3:24 then becoming aware of countless sentient beings around us. Report an error in the passage at 3:24 Highlight the passage at 3:24

3:35 Our brothers and sisters, Report an error in the passage at 3:35 Highlight the passage at 3:35

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4:07 remembering their kindness as Report an error in the passage at 4:07 Highlight the passage at 4:07

4:14 well as their current and future suffering and trying to develop a bodhicitta motivation to Report an error in the passage at 4:14 Highlight the passage at 4:14

4:25 free all these beings. Okay, Report an error in the passage at 4:25 Highlight the passage at 4:25

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5:56 we'll start on page 73, the praise to Shakyamuni Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 5:56 Highlight the passage at 5:56

6:21 To the founder, the endowed transcendent destroyer, the one gone beyond, the foe destroyer, the completely perfected, fully awakened being, perfect in knowledge and in good conduct, Sagata, knower of the world, supreme god of human beings to be tamed, teacher of gods and human beings, to you, the completely and fully awakened one, the endowed transcendent destroyer, the glorious conqueror, the subduer from the Shakyat Klan. Report an error in the passage at 6:21 Highlight the passage at 6:21

6:48 I prostrate, make offerings, and go for refuge. To the founder, the endowed transcendent destroyer, the one gone beyond, the foe destroyer, the completely perfected, fully awakened being, perfect in knowledge and in good conduct, Sugata, knower of the world, supreme guide of human beings to be tamed, teacher of gods and human beings. Report an error in the passage at 6:48 Highlight the passage at 6:48

7:09 To you, the completely and fully awakened one, the endowed transcendent destroyer, the glorious conqueror, the subduer from the Shakyat clan, I prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. The Endowed Transcended Destroyer, the One Gone Beyond, the Foe Destroyer, the Completely Perfected, Fully Awakened Being, Perfect in Knowledge and in Good Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Supreme Guide of Human Beings to be Tamed, Teacher of Gods and Human Beings, to You, the Completely and Fully Awakened One, the Endowed Transcended Destroyer, the Glorious Conqueror, the Subduer from the Shakya Clan, I prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. Report an error in the passage at 7:09 Highlight the passage at 7:09

7:50 When, O supreme amongst humans, you were born on this earth, you paced out seven strides, then said, I am supreme in this world. To you who are wise, then I prostrate. With pure bodies, formed supremely pure, wisdom ocean like a golden mountain, fame that blazes in the three worlds, winner of the best, Lord, to you I prostrate. Report an error in the passage at 7:50 Highlight the passage at 7:50

8:12 With the supreme signs, face like spotless moon, color like gold, to you I prostrate. Dust free like you, the three worlds are not, incomparably wise one, to you I prostrate. The savior having great compassion, the founder having all understanding, the field of merit with qualities like a vast ocean, to you the one gone to thusness I prostrate. Report an error in the passage at 8:12 Highlight the passage at 8:12

8:37 The purity that frees one from attachment, the virtue that frees one from the lower realms, the one path, the sublime pure reality, to the Dharma that pacifies I prostrate. Those who are liberated and who also show the path to liberation, the holy field qualified with realizations, who are devoted to the moral precepts. Report an error in the passage at 8:37 Highlight the passage at 8:37

8:58 To you, the sublime community intending virtue, I prostrate. Homage to the Supreme Buddha. Homage to the Dharma refuge. Homage to the great Saṅgha. To all three, ever devout homage. To all worthy of respect. Bowing with bodies as many as all realms, atoms and all aspects, with supreme faith I pay homage. Do not commit any non-virtuous actions. Report an error in the passage at 8:58 Highlight the passage at 8:58

9:22 Perform only perfect virtuous actions. Subdue your mind thoroughly. This is the teaching of the Buddha. A star, a visual aberration, a flame of a lamp, an illusion, a drop of dew or a bubble, a dream, a flash of lightning, a cloud. See conditioned things as such. Through these merits may sentient beings attain the rank of all seeing, subdue the foe of faults and be delivered from saṃsāra's ocean, perturbed by the waves of aging, sickness and death. Report an error in the passage at 9:22 Highlight the passage at 9:22

9:53 And then page 98, refuge in bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 9:53 Highlight the passage at 9:53

10:06 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 10:06 Highlight the passage at 10:06

10:28 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. Report an error in the passage at 10:28 Highlight the passage at 10:28

10:52 So tonight we're covering joyous effort. Report an error in the passage at 10:52 Highlight the passage at 10:52

11:02 Sounds nice. Report an error in the passage at 11:02 Highlight the passage at 11:02

11:08 Joyous effort. So last time we talked about joyous effort, which is delight or joy, having a joyful mind in practicing virtue. Practicing virtue, helping others, doing our Dharma practice, doing our prostrations, going to class. Report an error in the passage at 11:08 Highlight the passage at 11:08

11:35 Meditating, having the joyful mind and doing virtuous activities. As opposed to having a joyful mind eating that big piece of chocolate cake or eating pizza or something like that. So having that kind of joyful mind but practicing the Dharma. Or doing virtue actually. It doesn't even have to be a practice of Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 11:35 Highlight the passage at 11:35

12:05 So I actually, I'm starting to prefer the translation joyous perseverance because it's not just a matter of, you know, making effort once in a while. It's persevering through, you know, if we want to attain the benefits of this path, then we need to persevere, right? We need to be willing to keep a consistent effort, right, and not just give up whenever. Report an error in the passage at 12:05 Highlight the passage at 12:05

12:31 We get bored or whenever something else more interesting comes along. I mean, I was thinking about this culture today and I was thinking, you know, we're kind of a remote control culture, you know, switching the TV channel. Okay, this is boring, switch. This is boring, switch. This is boring, switch. But if we do that with our spiritual life... Report an error in the passage at 12:31 Highlight the passage at 12:31

12:55 We're just never going to, we're not going to see the benefits. We're not going to see any lasting benefit from our spiritual life if, okay, I'm bored now, you know, suffering in the lower realms, switch channel, let's switch to Vipassanā now or switch to something that, you know, makes me happy at the moment, right? Report an error in the passage at 12:55 Highlight the passage at 12:55

13:15 So if we want to see lasting benefit from a spiritual path, then we need to stick with one, right, and persevere. Otherwise, you know, otherwise it would be like switching channels and we'll spend our whole lives, you know, kind of entertaining ourselves but not really seeing much benefit. Report an error in the passage at 13:15 Highlight the passage at 13:15

13:44 So Gishisopa says this perfection of joyous effort or perseverance is a special kind of happiness that keeps one going no matter what difficulties occur. Report an error in the passage at 13:44 Highlight the passage at 13:44

13:56 So the opposite of joyous effort is laziness. So recall that laziness, we covered this last time, laziness isn't just sitting around and doing nothing. Laziness in this context can mean being really busy doing things that just aren't meaningful, right? Report an error in the passage at 13:56 Highlight the passage at 13:56

14:18 Which is what this culture is all about. So the three kinds of laziness, first of all, laziness of procrastination. Thinking, okay, yeah, I'm really... I want to practice the Dharma, but wait until I'm retired. I have 15 more years, so I'll do it then. Or it's a really busy time now, so I'll do it next year, always putting it off. The second kind of laziness is attachment to worldly activities. Report an error in the passage at 14:18 Highlight the passage at 14:18

14:52 So this is... know, spending a lot of time doing things get it. Get us something in this life, something that we're just going to end up losing. So spending a lot of time entertaining ourselves, spending a lot of time making money that we're going to end up losing, spending a lot of time putting time and energy in decorating our house and remodeling our house that we're going to end up losing, spending a lot of time in a job that we're going to end up losing. Report an error in the passage at 14:52 Highlight the passage at 14:52

15:30 Just spending a lot of time distracting ourselves with temporary things that at the end of this life we will have put in a lot of effort but we may not have gotten anywhere really. If we put all of our effort into something that's just temporary, it's not using this precious human life well because we have this precious opportunity to progress on the spiritual path and to To create causes for lasting happiness. So if we spend most of our time or all of our time and energy on just temporary pleasures, then we haven't really used the essence of this life. Report an error in the passage at 15:30 Highlight the passage at 15:30

16:20 So that's the second type of laziness. And the third type of laziness is the laziness of discouragement or lack of self-confidence thinking. Report an error in the passage at 16:20 Highlight the passage at 16:20

16:30 How can I do, you know, how could I attain enlightenment? I'm, you know, I'm just this normal deluded person, you know, how could I ever, you know, become a Buddha? How could I ever become like the Dalai Lama or how could I, you know, something like that. So kind of stopping yourself before you even start. Okay, so we'll go through the antidotes to these three. Report an error in the passage at 16:30 Highlight the passage at 16:30

16:54 And then we talked about the three types or the three divisions of joyous effort. The armor-like joyous effort. Which is kind of girding yourself for the path. Like developing this happiness and the courage of following the path. Report an error in the passage at 16:54 Highlight the passage at 16:54

17:17 Kind of preparing your mind for, okay, well, this path. You know, thinking about the benefits of this path. Thinking, oh, you know, this path, if I follow this path, I'm really, I'm going to... I'm really going to become happier and happier and I'm much more capable of creating long-term happiness for others. So what could be more worthwhile than creating happiness, lasting happiness for myself and others? Report an error in the passage at 17:17 Highlight the passage at 17:17

17:44 You know, thinking, okay, well, this is really worthwhile. This is so much more worthwhile than anything else. So really getting enthusiastic about that and then, you know, being willing to do what it takes to get there. So when difficulties arise, you don't think, okay, well, that's not easier, that's difficult, and then they just kind of quit. Report an error in the passage at 17:44 Highlight the passage at 17:44

18:10 So mentally preparing yourself for the path is the armor-like joyous effort. And then there's the joyous effort of gathering virtuous dharmas, being delighted in practicing virtue, and then working for the welfare of sentient beings and being delighted in working for the welfare of others. Report an error in the passage at 18:10 Highlight the passage at 18:10

18:33 And then how to generate joyous effort. So I talked last time a lot about how we need to practice consistently and at a level that we can feel happy about. Report an error in the passage at 18:33 Highlight the passage at 18:33

18:50 Not practicing really, really hard for a short period of time or intensely for a short period of time and then giving up because we didn't see the quick results. So realistically, if we're going to make progress on this, This path, then it's good to just practice day by day at the level that we can feel happy about. And then we increase our happiness through remembering the benefits of doing this practice. Report an error in the passage at 18:50 Highlight the passage at 18:50

19:24 We talked about those last time. But basically, anything worth achieving, we need perseverance to do, right? Anything, to be really good at anything or achieve something of value, we need. We need perseverance. And if we're lazy, then we're never going to accomplish anything. Okay, then how to actually generate joyous effort. Report an error in the passage at 19:24 Highlight the passage at 19:24

19:52 So here Lama Tsongkhapa gets into the two opposing factors to joyous effort. First of all, basically which are the three types of laziness. But he divides them into two. First of all, seeing that we can accomplish the path but not doing it. And secondly, thinking... How could I ever accomplish this path or the results of this path? So this first one, seeing that one is able to do it but just not doing it, has the two subpoints, the laziness of procrastination and the laziness of attachment to worldly activities. Report an error in the passage at 19:52 Highlight the passage at 19:52

20:31 So we'll go into this first one, the laziness of procrastination. I think we covered this last time. But basically, this is where we keep postponing things until later, thinking, okay, there's still time. I'm only 45 years old. I've got 30, 40 more years to practice. But I might not. Report an error in the passage at 20:31 Highlight the passage at 20:31

20:55 So the first antidote is to remember that this body you have obtained quickly disintegrates. So basically remembering death, that we can die any day, any moment. Report an error in the passage at 20:55 Highlight the passage at 20:55

21:11 One particularly helpful meditation for me is... Like just sitting, like watching your breath or looking at your watch and seeing how each second is passing by and thinking each second I'm getting closer to death. Report an error in the passage at 21:11 Highlight the passage at 21:11

21:31 Like if you do that long enough, like pretty soon you start getting nervous thinking, oh my god, I just wasted 20 seconds. It's like every second you're getting closer to death and you can never get those 20 seconds. You can never get each second back. So I remember doing this meditation years ago in retreat and thinking and kind of panicking at one point and thinking, oh my God, I'm wasting my life. Report an error in the passage at 21:31 Highlight the passage at 21:31

22:05 Oh my God, listen to me. Oh my gosh. I'm wasting my life. And that was when, huh? Well, I mean. Yeah, I mean, not that the retreat was wasting my life, but, oh my gosh, I was 30-something years old at that time, and I thought, I've wasted 30-something years of my life. I spent all these years working, and so I made some money, but now what? It's like, do I really want to spend the rest of my life making money that I'm going to end up losing at the end? Report an error in the passage at 22:05 Highlight the passage at 22:05

22:48 So I think that was the point when I became really serious about my practice. I'm going to die. And at the time of death, what can I bring with me? Well, I can't bring my house with me. I can't bring my bike with me. I can't bring my body with me. I can't bring any of my loved ones with me. Report an error in the passage at 22:48 Highlight the passage at 22:48

23:14 My karma, my karmic imprints. That's what we can bring with us. That's pretty much it. You know, our mind stream and our karma, karmic imprints. Hmm, hmm. Report an error in the passage at 23:14 Highlight the passage at 23:14

23:30 So that's very sobering. And thinking about how much time we spend every day just feeding this body that we're going to end up discarding in the end. It's like, okay, you get up in the morning, you fix some breakfast and you eat. And then you go to work to make money, you know, which you're going to end up losing in the end. Report an error in the passage at 23:30 Highlight the passage at 23:30

23:53 And then you maybe go out to... Lunch, if you work, you probably go out to lunch and then you spend money going out to lunch, which means you have to work more in order to make that money so you can afford to go out to lunch. And then you go back to work and then you go home and you think about what to eat for dinner and then you eat or maybe you go to the grocery store and you think about what to buy. Report an error in the passage at 23:53 Highlight the passage at 23:53

24:21 And so we spend so many hours just... Feeding the body, and it's this endless cycle, right? Just all of this time, really getting nowhere. Really, it's like the hamster on the wheel. It's like you're doing a lot, but you're not making any progress toward anything, right? You're just temporarily satiating in your body. Report an error in the passage at 24:21 Highlight the passage at 24:21

24:45 And this is cyclic existence, right? This is constantly what we're doing. We're on this hamster wheel. Getting really exhausted and not really moving forward. Unless we practice work on our minds. Report an error in the passage at 24:45 Highlight the passage at 24:45

25:08 So remembering death is the first antidote to the laziness of procrastination so that we don't put it off until 10, 15 years from now. Report an error in the passage at 25:08 Highlight the passage at 25:08

25:22 And then secondly, um... The possibility of not having as good of circumstances next time around in this life. Because our next life will definitely not look exactly like this one. Who knows if there will be a Dharma center around. Who knows if there will be other Dharma practitioners around. Who knows if we'll even have the type of mind that can understand the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 25:22 Highlight the passage at 25:22

25:52 So remembering that the circumstances we have now aren't going to last. And then thirdly, it will be difficult to find such a good support once again. It will be difficult to find such a good life like this next time around. So remembering the causes. What's the cause of getting a precious human rebirth? Report an error in the passage at 25:52 Highlight the passage at 25:52

26:18 Yeah, pure ethical discipline along with prayers and things like that, right? So it's Report an error in the passage at 26:18 Highlight the passage at 26:18

26:30 okay. Report an error in the passage at 26:30 Highlight the passage at 26:30

26:35 As far as that goes, if you are practicing ardently or as best as you can, Is there any way of guaranteeing that you'll be reborn into a family of Buddhists or being born into a family or the auspicious circumstances we can practice? Guarantee? Well, karmic propensity. What can I do so I'm not born in Dubuque and working in an auto supply house? Report an error in the passage at 26:35 Highlight the passage at 26:35

27:10 So making prayers, I mean pure ethical discipline, right? And then making prayers to be born in a Dharma family next time around. And then not breaking your commitments. You know, if we have commitments to certain Lamas and we break them, then we're not creating the causes to meet them again. So I would say those three things. But yeah, but even if we could... Report an error in the passage at 27:10 Highlight the passage at 27:10

27:39 If we were at the level where we could choose our rebirth, it's difficult. It's difficult. Like who that you know would you want to be your parents next time around who are of that age, right? If you could choose. That's a loaded question. Yeah. A friend of mine talks about this. He's like, yeah, even if you could choose your rebirth. Report an error in the passage at 27:39 Highlight the passage at 27:39

28:04 Okay, well, like some, like a couple, like some. Couple that's, you know, young enough, right, to have kids, okay, like, okay, well, what 20-something-year-old couple or 30-something-year-old couple would I trust to bring me up, you know, and, you know, support my Dharma practice and all of that? Well, you know, it's risky, you know, it's risky even if you could choose, right? So, like, I, you know, I wouldn't have chose my current. Report an error in the passage at 28:04 Highlight the passage at 28:04

28:39 parents if had chosen them you know because they're not Dharma practitioners and things so I never would have dreamed you know they would be the right parents but they were great parents you So the next time around, there are no guarantees. We can just try to practice as well as we can in this life and make prayers. Report an error in the passage at 28:39 Highlight the passage at 28:39

29:09 So then the second, oh, and so Gishy Loden. It says, never fall in the trap of waiting for the right circumstances to be able to practice Dharma according to some preconceived notion as to what constitutes practice. Whatever your present circumstances, they are perfect for you to apply the Dharma in the most effective manner according to your specific karma. Report an error in the passage at 29:09 Highlight the passage at 29:09

29:35 So some people think, oh, you know, well, I can really practice later. When I have time. But we can practice in every moment. We might not be able to meditate in every moment, but we can practice virtue in every moment. Report an error in the passage at 29:35 Highlight the passage at 29:35

29:53 I've met Dharma practitioners who are kind of resentful of their current circumstances, thinking, well, you know, I have all these responsibilities, and I have a family, and I have kids, and I just want to go off and become a monk or a nun and be free of all of that. Report an error in the passage at 29:53 Highlight the passage at 29:53

30:11 But we have to work with the situation we're in. Report an error in the passage at 30:11 Highlight the passage at 30:11

30:19 Secondly, it's the laziness of attachment to worldly activities. So this one we might relate to. So this is being overcome by attachment to meaningless worldly activities. Report an error in the passage at 30:19 Highlight the passage at 30:19

30:37 So a worldly activity or meaningless activity in this context is anything that doesn't benefit ourselves or others past this life. So the first... Report an error in the passage at 30:37 Highlight the passage at 30:37

30:48 Beyond this life. It's a worldly activity if it's not going to benefit ourselves or others beyond this life. We can think about how do we spend our time and is it going to benefit ourselves or others beyond this life. Report an error in the passage at 30:48 Highlight the passage at 30:48

31:12 The first antidote to this attachment is thinking that the Holy Dharma is the cause for the arisal of boundless joy in this and future lives. So practicing the Dharma is just going to benefit ourselves and others. This is the way to attain lasting happiness. Practicing the Dharma, working on our minds, helping others, practicing virtue, eliminating our mental afflictions, developing more love and compassion, developing the wisdom realizing emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 31:12 Highlight the passage at 31:12

31:46 This is how we can... We can become happier and happier and bring more and more benefit to others. That gives us enthusiasm for practice. Report an error in the passage at 31:46 Highlight the passage at 31:46

32:00 Secondly, meaningless idle chatter and the distractions of excitement and so forth degenerate the great aim in this life. Spending a lot of time with distractions, samsaric distractions, wastes a lot of time, uses up a lot of time. Report an error in the passage at 32:00 Highlight the passage at 32:00

32:21 And then we don't use this precious human life well. And then thirdly, through seeing it to be the source that generates manifold suffering in future lives, it should be stopped. So seeing our attachments especially as being a cause of suffering, now and in the future, following our attachments. Report an error in the passage at 32:21 Highlight the passage at 32:21

32:47 Every time we follow our attachments, we're tightening our... are, uh, imprisoned. Imprisonment to cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 32:47 Highlight the passage at 32:47

33:01 Okay, so we went through all of those points last time. Any comments or questions on those? Report an error in the passage at 33:01 Highlight the passage at 33:01

33:17 So then Geshe Loden says, to overcome procrastination you must realize that the greatest benefit to both yourself and others at all stages of your life will be gained from the practice of the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 33:17 Highlight the passage at 33:17

33:31 So this is realizing it inside us, right? Not being told you should do this and you should do that, but... Really realizing that the more we practice, the more benefit we'll see and the more joy we'll have and the more sense of meaning, a greater sense of meaning we'll have. Report an error in the passage at 33:31 Highlight the passage at 33:31

33:56 It's like if we do a little bit of Dharma practice, especially if we do it in a distracted way, mumbling our mantras when we're... Watching TV or doing something else or saying your prayers really quickly before you go to work with a distracted mind. You don't really see much benefit. But the more you practice in a quality way, the more you become inspired to practice, the more joyful you are and the more you want to practice. Report an error in the passage at 33:56 Highlight the passage at 33:56

34:31 If we just kind of do... Do the rote thing and do what we have to do. We just don't see the benefit and we just think, okay, well, I've got 15 minutes to do all my prayers. Report an error in the passage at 34:31 Highlight the passage at 34:31

34:54 So it's good to at least experiment and try to make practice your priority for a certain period of time and just check and see. you know. Report an error in the passage at 34:54 Highlight the passage at 34:54

35:07 How that goes. I mean, I notice, like, for me, you know, the first thing I do in the morning is I get up and I do my practice. Report an error in the passage at 35:07 Highlight the passage at 35:07

35:21 And in those periods where I decide to kind of putter around the kitchen a little bit first, or the worst is turn on the computer and check your email first, forget it. Report an error in the passage at 35:21 Highlight the passage at 35:21

35:37 Forget it. You'll get caught. You'll get sucked into something else. And then the mind is starting to go, oh, I've got all these things to do. And okay, well, I've got to sit down and do my practice. So I'll just sit in my chair. I'll sit on the couch and mumble at my practice. Report an error in the passage at 35:37 Highlight the passage at 35:37

35:58 And then the quality just isn't there, right? So I would challenge you. Just try to do your practice before you do anything. Don't check your email. It's probably not life or death if you're going to check your email at 6 in the morning or 7 in the morning or 9 in the morning or whatever it is. Report an error in the passage at 35:58 Highlight the passage at 35:58

36:40 No, I don't. What works for me, and everybody has to figure out what works for them, is that... My mind is clearest and most concentrated first thing in the morning before I do anything. And so I want to use that time to concentrate. Like the first thing I do is meditate. Like if I, you know, if I dust and I do my water bowls and all of that kind of stuff, I'm kind of waste. Report an error in the passage at 36:40 Highlight the passage at 36:40

37:08 Well, I mean, I don't want to use my best. Like clearest mind to do things that I can do when I don't need a clear mind. So what I do is I do my concentration stuff first and then after a while you get tired. And then when I get tired then I do more prayers and water bowls and things like that. That seems to work well for me. Report an error in the passage at 37:08 Highlight the passage at 37:08

37:45 I mean, But of course the teachings recommend that you do your water bowls and your cleaning things first. So I'm not saying that you shouldn't do that. I'm just recommending that you kind of do what makes sense for you. I can be rebellious. But there isn't a rote formula that works for everyone, so we just have to kind of figure that out. Report an error in the passage at 37:45 Highlight the passage at 37:45

38:20 And then if I start getting tired, then I take a break. I used to think I have to do all of my practice sitting in one session. And I started getting lung doing that because it took me three hours. And by the end, I'm like, one more sadhana to do. Report an error in the passage at 38:20 Highlight the passage at 38:20

38:39 I was getting the disliking mind. So you need to stop before you get the disliking mind. So what ended up working for me is, okay, I do. Like my first three practices. And I can do that with a happy mind and then I take a break. And then if I need to do the rest at the end of the day, then I do the rest at the end of the day. Report an error in the passage at 38:39 Highlight the passage at 38:39

39:04 Or if I can take a break and do some more with a happy mind, then I do that. So we kind of have to see what makes our minds happy and inspired. Report an error in the passage at 39:04 Highlight the passage at 39:04

39:20 And then the last laziness, the laziness of discouragement or lack of self-confidence. So this is thinking, how could I, like little old me, ever become a Buddha? Report an error in the passage at 39:20 Highlight the passage at 39:20

39:37 So I loved this quote by Geshe Loden. He says, this form of laziness is characterized by the two syndrome, the T-O-O syndrome. I am too old to engage in the strenuous pursuit of Buddhahood. I'm too busy to cultivate all these paths. There are too many practices for me to manage. It's too complicated. It takes too long. I'm too deluded. Or I'm too agitated to meditate. Report an error in the passage at 39:37 Highlight the passage at 39:37

40:13 So I love these. I think every single one of them I've heard myself or somebody else say, right? It's too difficult. There's so many things to do. So all of these, Gishe Loden says, all of these excuses will prevent you from having the enthusiasm and natural joyous effort. That will enable you to accomplish your goals. If you convince yourself of such limitations, you will never overcome them. Report an error in the passage at 40:13 Highlight the passage at 40:13

40:45 So we have to be realistic about what we can do and not expect too much. So there's three types of discouragement. I'll go through the first one. The discouragement that with respect to the objects to be attained thinks that since the good qualities of a Buddha are limitless, I cannot attain them. Report an error in the passage at 40:45 Highlight the passage at 40:45

41:09 So if we think about a Buddha being omniscient and being able to manifest countless bodies and constantly working for the will of fair sentient beings and all of that, then, you know, we can get discouraged thinking, how could I ever do something like that? Like I can maybe become a little bit more peaceful and a little bit more kind, right? But become a Buddha? So the antidote is... Report an error in the passage at 41:09 Highlight the passage at 41:09

41:36 Even the Buddhas did not already attain elevated paths right from the start. Rather, they were like me and became Buddhas by treading increasingly higher paths. Report an error in the passage at 41:36 Highlight the passage at 41:36

41:48 Since the Bhagavan also said that even those who are greatly inferior to me will attain Buddhahood, why should I not attain it too unless I do not make the effort? All right, so all these Buddhas, like believe it or not, right, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was like us at some point. Lama Zopa Rinpoche was like us at some point, just a deluded person. I mean, not to say that you're just a deluded person, but they were normal people, normal beings. Report an error in the passage at 41:48 Highlight the passage at 41:48

42:22 But through their efforts, through their joyous effort, they became a Buddha. So we have the same Buddha nature. We have the same potential that they did. So we can do it too. We just need to make the effort. right? Report an error in the passage at 42:22 Highlight the passage at 42:22

42:35 And the Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha said even a fly can attain enlightenment, right? So if a fly can attain enlightenment, surely we can. Report an error in the passage at 42:35 Highlight the passage at 42:35

42:46 So yeah, so we can do it. You know, it's just the drop in the bucket. We just practice day by day. The second one, the discouragement that with respect to the method, the method thinking, since giving away my arms, legs and the like are immensely difficult, I cannot accomplish it. So when we went through generosity, we talked about, you know, the generosity of giving away your body, you know, your limbs, you know, giving away your arms and legs and Shakyamuri Buddha, right, giving away his body to a hungry tigress, you know, when he was in a previous life, right. Report an error in the passage at 42:46 Highlight the passage at 42:46

43:32 So we can become discouraged thinking, I could never do that. That's too hard. So... The antidote to this is as long as the discrimination arises that it is difficult to give away my body and so forth, I will not give them away. However, when it is time to give them away, it will not be difficult, but will be like giving away cooked vegetables. Report an error in the passage at 43:32 Highlight the passage at 43:32

44:01 So in the beginning, we can give away vegetables, right? But then, you know, as our capacity grows, then Then slowly, slowly we're able to give away more and more and more. And so at the point where we can happily give away our body, that's when we give away our body. Like we don't give it away now. Maybe this is still a difficult example to kind of visualize. But basically on the path, you do what you're ready to do. Report an error in the passage at 44:01 Highlight the passage at 44:01

44:39 You don't force yourself to do something you're not ready to do. We just kind of progress slowly, slowly, and we'll see just naturally our capacity grows. And then we do things when we feel ready. Report an error in the passage at 44:39 Highlight the passage at 44:39

44:55 So at some point, giving away our body will be no more significant than giving away vegetables to us. Maybe not tomorrow, but over time. Report an error in the passage at 44:55 Highlight the passage at 44:55

45:18 I mean, I was thinking of an example about this, and it was like, you know, if you, when you first have a baby, maybe, you know, it's, you know, they're just so cute, and so you can, you can really love them. And then you gradually grow your capacity to, to love and give. I mean, I'm supposing, I'm not a parent. But if, if, when you first had a baby, they were... Report an error in the passage at 45:18 Highlight the passage at 45:18

45:43 15 years old, right? An obnoxious teenager, right? You wouldn't be able to handle it. Like, you'd want to give them away immediately, right? Report an error in the passage at 45:43 Highlight the passage at 45:43

45:53 I'm sure, mom. Report an error in the passage at 45:53 Highlight the passage at 45:53

46:00 Right, exactly. So a parent, right, you gradually grow your capacity so that when they're 15 years old, like... You're so entrenched and you have so much love for them that you don't just kick them out when they're 15 years old or 13 years old. Or in my case, it was 8 years old when my father started calling me an 8-year-old teenager. Report an error in the passage at 46:00 Highlight the passage at 46:00

46:31 So you might not even notice day by day that your capacity is expanding, but it is, and you notice it over the years. Report an error in the passage at 46:31 Highlight the passage at 46:31

46:43 So then the thirdly is the discouragement that... danger. Report an error in the passage at 46:43 Highlight the passage at 46:43

46:47 With respect to the abode that thinks, since it's necessary to take countless rebirths in cyclic existence, at that time it will be harmed by the sufferings of cyclic existence. So this is thinking, okay, well, you know, the three great countless eons it takes to become a Buddha. Why do I want to do that? Report an error in the passage at 46:47 Highlight the passage at 46:47

47:09 That's too long. I don't want to stay in cyclic existence that long. Report an error in the passage at 47:09 Highlight the passage at 47:09

47:16 And so the antidote is, Thinking, due to the abandonment of negativities by a bodhisattva, their results, suffering feelings, do not arise. So a bodhisattva, in order to become a Buddha, needs to stay in saṃsāra for a while before they can become a Buddha. But since a bodhisattva has abandoned creating negative karma, they're creating just positive karma, so they're not experiencing the kinds of suffering that normal beings experience. Report an error in the passage at 47:16 Highlight the passage at 47:16

47:49 And even if they do have to experience some negative karma from before, their minds are so strong and their minds are so happy that they don't get down about the suffering they have to experience like we do. So bodhisattvas don't have to experience the incredible suffering of cyclic existence like normal beings do. Report an error in the passage at 47:49 Highlight the passage at 47:49

48:16 Lama Tsongkhapa says, due to his stable realization that cyclic existence lacks inherent existence, like an illusion, there's no suffering in his mind. So the bodhisattva who's realized emptiness doesn't have mental suffering, especially the direct realization of emptiness. You don't have any mental suffering. Everything is like a dream. Everything is like an illusion. There's nothing to hang on to. Report an error in the passage at 48:16 Highlight the passage at 48:16

48:45 If we notice our afflictions, our attachments and our aversions, our anger, there's something solid that we're hanging on to. It's like that difficult person or I need to have that solid house or I need to have that solid job. But in fact, they're all like rainbows or clouds. You try to grasp onto it. Report an error in the passage at 48:45 Highlight the passage at 48:45

49:13 There's nothing to grasp onto. Everything's constantly changing. There's nothing there from its own side to hang onto. So then there's nothing to have a mental affliction about. So there's no mental suffering. Because mental afflictions really arise from mental conceptions, right? Thinking. Report an error in the passage at 49:13 Highlight the passage at 49:13

49:43 So if he thrives... So the bodhisattva thrives due to physical and mental happiness even if he or she remains in cyclic existence. Despair is senseless. Report an error in the passage at 49:43 Highlight the passage at 49:43

49:59 So then you think, okay, well, you know, I mean, if you're a bodhisattva, you think I'm willing to do this forever for the benefit of others, right? Because if you're a bodhisattva, you're working for the benefit of others, right? And, you know, you have less and less self-cherishing. So it doesn't matter how long it takes. You're here to work for the benefit of others. Even when you're Buddha, you're working for the benefit of others. Report an error in the passage at 49:59 Highlight the passage at 49:59

50:26 So basically, what's time? Each moment, you're just trying to help others. You have love and compassion for others. If you're not suffering, you just work. right if you're if you're Report an error in the passage at 50:26 Highlight the passage at 50:26

50:45 For others, either when you're in cyclic existence or when you're out. Report an error in the passage at 50:45 Highlight the passage at 50:45

50:53 So Geshe Loden says, in fact, in order to overcome the laziness of a discouragement, there's nothing that actually limits you. The essential thing is to apply the teachings in whatever situation that you find yourself. Report an error in the passage at 50:53 Highlight the passage at 50:53

51:08 So the only thing that limits us is our minds, our thoughts that we're limited, Report an error in the passage at 51:08 Highlight the passage at 51:08

51:19 that we can practice anywhere in any situation. Report an error in the passage at 51:19 Highlight the passage at 51:19

51:26 And then there are the favorable conditions for joyous effort, which are four. So how do we generate joyous effort? Through the power of aspiration, steadfastness, joy and suspension. So the first one, the power of aspiration. Report an error in the passage at 51:26 Highlight the passage at 51:26

51:46 So here this is aspiring for the goal, right? So if we don't have aspiration for the goal, then we won't work toward it. Report an error in the passage at 51:46 Highlight the passage at 51:46

51:59 So if we think about, well, what do we aspire for? What are our goals in life? We really put a lot of effort into accomplishing the goals of our life. If it's buying a house, then we put a lot of effort into being able to buy a house. If it's getting a job, then we put effort into getting a job. If it's enlightenment, then we put a lot of effort into getting enlightened. So aspiration is the basis of effort. Report an error in the passage at 51:59 Highlight the passage at 51:59

52:29 Perseverance, joyous effort. So as it is said that yearning acts as the basis for joyous perseverance. Aspiration here refers to yearning. Yearning, really wanting. Wanting to get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 52:29 Highlight the passage at 52:29

52:48 So once we want to get enlightened, then Shantideva says, my present destitution has arisen from my not aspiring for the teachings, both now and in the present. Who would forsake aspiration for the teachings? The sage declared aspiration the roots of all aspects of virtue. So aspiration, aspiring, aspiring for the teachings, aspiring for liberation and enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 52:48 Highlight the passage at 52:48

53:24 Then Lama Tsongkhapa says the power of aspiration is that through meditating on causes and results, one will strive in discarding and adopting. So here, so first of all, we decide, okay, well, what? What do we really want? Is it enlightenment? Is it a good life next time? Is it just a more peaceful mind? Report an error in the passage at 53:24 Highlight the passage at 53:24

53:46 Is it financial security? Is it respect from others? What do we really want? And then we think, okay, well, what are the causes to get what I want? If it's buying a house, then I need to save money. I need a job, I need to save money. We create the causes to be able to buy the house. If it's enlightenment, okay, well, what are the causes to getting enlightened? Report an error in the passage at 53:46 Highlight the passage at 53:46

54:16 Pure ethical discipline, right? Concentration, wisdom, compassion. Report an error in the passage at 54:16 Highlight the passage at 54:16

54:24 So then we strive in creating those causes, right? If we really aspire to getting the result and we understand the causes, then we strive in creating the causes. Report an error in the passage at 54:24 Highlight the passage at 54:24

54:43 Second power is the power of steadfastness. Steadfast. So simply aspiring for something isn't enough. Then we need steadfastness or stick-to-itiveness. Report an error in the passage at 54:43 Highlight the passage at 54:43

55:02 So Lama Tsongkhapa says, developing the power of steadfastness means that you bring to conclusion without turning back anything at which you joyously persevere. Report an error in the passage at 55:02 Highlight the passage at 55:02

55:15 First, do not try to do everything. Examine the situation carefully. If you see that you can do it, You engage in it. Whereas if you cannot do it, you do not engage in it. You should not even start in the first place things that you will do for a while and then discard. Report an error in the passage at 55:15 Highlight the passage at 55:15

55:33 So we live in a culture where we try to do everything. And then we end up not doing anything very well. So in order to really be able to progress in the spiritual path, then we need to choose where we put our time and energy. So here... Lama Tsongkhapa is saying that whatever you start, you should try to finish. Don't just, you know, don't start ten projects and then just finish, right, one or two of them, or maybe none of them, right? Report an error in the passage at 55:33 Highlight the passage at 55:33

56:11 Because then, you know, that creates an imprint in your mind of never being able to finish anything. It's like I recently did a day long with Venerable Antonio. And he said, you know, and it was a day long from, what was it, 10 in the morning till 5 in the evening. He said, okay, so if you're here, try to stay for the whole day, you know. Report an error in the passage at 56:11 Highlight the passage at 56:11

56:38 If you leave early, you know, you're creating that imprint in your mind to not finish things, right. So we need to, you know, and yet, you know, oftentimes, you know, we leave anyway, you know, we can't even commit to seven hours, right. But it's not that difficult to write stay for the whole day as opposed to a few hours. So it's good to think, okay, well, can I do the whole thing? Report an error in the passage at 56:38 Highlight the passage at 56:38

57:07 Can I do the whole day? If I can, then do it. Create the condition so you can do it. Otherwise, don't even start it. Report an error in the passage at 57:07 Highlight the passage at 57:07

57:25 So this is also counteracting that impulsive mind. Oh, yeah, that sounds interesting. Let's go do that. And then getting bored or getting difficult and then doing that instead or doing that instead. Report an error in the passage at 57:25 Highlight the passage at 57:25

57:46 It's the whole switching the TV channel thing or the radio. I notice myself doing that sometimes. Come on, Emily. And that's such a symptom of the dissatisfied mind. Report an error in the passage at 57:46 Highlight the passage at 57:46

58:04 Just no, I'm fine. Yeah, I just Report an error in the passage at 58:04 Highlight the passage at 58:04

58:12 So it's that mind that wants immediate gratification and that mind that wants to be entertained all the time, that is preventing us from being able to complete things. Report an error in the passage at 58:12 Highlight the passage at 58:12

58:29 So here the power of steadfastness is, first of all, investigating beforehand. It's something that you can really realistically do, stick with and be happy about, and then do it if you can. But if you can't, then don't do it now. You know, you can decide to do it later. Report an error in the passage at 58:29 Highlight the passage at 58:29

58:57 And then I think just practically, it's good to just make decisions in our lives about what's really important and do those things and not just try to do everything. Report an error in the passage at 58:57 Highlight the passage at 58:57

59:13 I remember I had a strong habit in my life to fill every minute. Ten minutes before I have to leave, you know, and I'd start something else and then I'd end up being late leaving and then I'd be really stressed and then, you know, and then on the road you're stressed and you're in a hurry and it's like, you know, so I started just thinking, okay, I have ten minutes. Report an error in the passage at 59:13 Highlight the passage at 59:13

59:43 Maybe I can just breathe, you know, or make sure that I have everything that I need. Instead of thinking, oh, well, I have ten minutes, I can check my email. I can write one more email before I leave. And then your mind is stressed, and then when your mind is stressed, it's more easily agitated, and when it's more easily agitated, then mental afflictions arise, and then we create more tension around us. Report an error in the passage at 59:43 Highlight the passage at 59:43

1:00:10 So I think it's useful to try to pare down our activities to the important ones, right? What we have to do. And sometimes just be, right? Just be. I find that it's important to allow ourselves to just be because that's when the joy and the inspiration and the creativity come. If you fill every moment, there's really not much time to be happy and joyful. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:10 Highlight the passage at 1:00:10

1:00:43 And thirdly, the power of joy. So the power of joy, Lama Tsongkhapa says, makes one's understanding of joyous effort uninterrupted and insatiable. Like a child engaged in play. Like a child who's playing and never wants to stop. So that's the way, you know, what we strive to be like with our Dharma practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:43 Highlight the passage at 1:00:43

1:01:12 It's like, it's so great, it's so wonderful, you know, you never want to stop. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:12 Highlight the passage at 1:01:12

1:01:18 Okay, so I see some yawns, so I think it's time for break. And we'll continue after. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:18 Highlight the passage at 1:01:18

1:01:33 Yeah, I'm not inspiring you guys very much. You're not looking very joyful. You're kind of like, uh, yeah, yeah. Joyful. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:33 Highlight the passage at 1:01:33

1:01:55 So there's banana nut bread out there at break time for people who want, thanks to the kindness of Jeannie. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:55 Highlight the passage at 1:01:55

1:02:19 I mean, Report an error in the passage at 1:02:19 Highlight the passage at 1:02:19

1:02:33 it's true. a lot of sensitivity. hard to find a Report an error in the passage at 1:02:33 Highlight the passage at 1:02:33

1:02:35 Oh yeah, I have that one, that obstacle. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:35 Highlight the passage at 1:02:35

1:02:45 Yeah. Well, slowly, slowly, Report an error in the passage at 1:02:45 Highlight the passage at 1:02:45

1:02:53 being kind to ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:53 Highlight the passage at 1:02:53

1:02:58 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:58 Highlight the passage at 1:02:58

1:03:13 Give this to Donna on Thursday. Oh yeah, sure. goal. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:13 Highlight the passage at 1:03:13

1:02:56 yes, yes. Hm? Report an error in the passage at 1:02:56 Highlight the passage at 1:02:56

1:03:17 shouldn't be able to make it. I shouldn't be sorry to meet you guys. Dinner thing. Yeah. Yeah. Sure. I'll put it in a place where I don't forget it. Well, every question's over here. Well. Well. Yeah. But I can stick it in my computer. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:17 Highlight the passage at 1:03:17

1:03:35 you know, if I stick it in here, then I'll definitely see it Donna sticking out. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:35 Highlight the passage at 1:03:35

1:03:46 How's the class? The Tibet class? Uh huh. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:46 Highlight the passage at 1:03:46

1:03:54 have some kind of famous books. So he's going to go through a lot of money, but ancient history, and then I'll start reading it, and then President Hayes, and then what the future may Report an error in the passage at 1:03:54 Highlight the passage at 1:03:54

1:04:14 together and created a girl upstairs and she had to So really interesting stuff. He's just such a nice guy. Who is this guy? He's, um... Report an error in the passage at 1:04:14 Highlight the passage at 1:04:14

1:04:40 He's the guy, I think, who has been elected as the prime minister. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:40 Highlight the passage at 1:04:40

1:04:49 Really? He's a Tibetan guy in the government. And he does a lot of these. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:49 Highlight the passage at 1:04:49

1:05:01 he came to the United States in the end of, I think the 70s, the first time. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:01 Highlight the passage at 1:05:01

1:05:10 He was telling a story about setting up some kind of a constant thing just to keep the doors open so there would be a connection politically with Tibet. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:10 Highlight the passage at 1:05:10

1:05:23 And he said that it was just him. Nobody came in, it was just him. things like that, but just a long list of things he's got to bring you in his bio so you can see. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:23 Highlight the passage at 1:05:23

1:05:40 Well, I could look it up, too, on the internet. You sent me the link to the class. Yeah, and his reading list is a long list of historical stuff to read, you know, if you want, and films, philosophy. Oh, in fact, Kai's buddy, Ricard. Oh, Matthew Ricard. And his dad wrote a book, The Monk and the Philosophy. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:40 Highlight the passage at 1:05:40

1:06:13 Yeah. And so that was one that he recommended. Right. That one's interesting. Yeah, it's interesting. That one's a, I've seen that at Logos before. Oh, I've looked at it at Logos. I couldn't see it. Really? Somebody must have grabbed it. And then there's another one. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:13 Highlight the passage at 1:06:13

1:06:43 China or Apparently there's real specific dogmatic responses that the Chinese give about the liberation of the serfs, et cetera. Surprise. And so this is to answer those 100 statements. Ah, okay. just, you know. He's just got a lot of stuff. there's some stuff about the CIA involved into that. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:43 Highlight the passage at 1:06:43

1:07:11 Oh. Really? Yeah. Pre-59? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:11 Highlight the passage at 1:07:11

1:07:21 So it's good. Surprise, surprise. Okay. How's Marge doing? Marge is a dad. Yeah. Right. hear he got in his car? Yeah. It was okay, but he was not driving in the car anymore. Right. And her mom's got some spots on her way that are, know, so you're up to date on all that. Yeah. Yeah, she just emailed me yesterday or something like that, yesterday or the day before. But how is she doing? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:21 Highlight the passage at 1:07:21

1:07:52 That's a good question. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:52 Highlight the passage at 1:07:52

1:07:56 She had her take her mom back to the oncologist. Yeah, that's a lot to deal with. Yeah, because she's, because her. She has one sister who can't really help much, right? So it's pretty much all on March. I mean, Report an error in the passage at 1:07:56 Highlight the passage at 1:07:56

1:08:23 she's great. She has a great attitude and all that. But it can't be easy having to deal with both of your parents at the same time. You know, it's hard enough having to deal with just one of the things. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:23 Highlight the passage at 1:08:23

1:08:42 Okay. Thursday, hopefully we'll up Thursdays. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:42 Highlight the passage at 1:08:42

1:08:42 How about you? Report an error in the passage at 1:08:42 Highlight the passage at 1:08:42

1:08:48 It's okay. I mean, it's, it's, uh, I mean, it's some service giving me more, like, fire to get at, you know, get these Buddha wisdom and all that. But, uh, yeah, you know, you just go through certain periods and it's just like, you know, this person's sick and this person's depressed and this person, this person's parents are sick and this person's... Report an error in the passage at 1:08:48 Highlight the passage at 1:08:48

1:09:18 surgery and you know and She's in bed most of the time with her back pain. I can't do much for any of them. You can't take away the suffering. Just trying to find that kind of... You know, it's just, well. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:18 Highlight the passage at 1:09:18

1:09:50 That balance, letting go of what I want to help kind of thing. Yeah, having the compassion, but then also not the heaviness. You know, I haven't figured that one out yet. How do you totally feel the compassion without... Feeling the heaviness. Because for me to not feel the heaviness, I need to not think about it. Or, you know, I'm experimenting that with that one. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:50 Highlight the passage at 1:09:50

1:10:28 I mean, thinking about impermanence helps. Right. And thinking, okay, well, I'm building up a big story in my mind and, you know, breaking that down helps. But when you know somebody is suffering, it's like if it's your own suffering, you can work through it and try to reduce the mental suffering. But if you know the other person is suffering physically and mentally, figured out how to... Yeah, and there's the quality of somebody who's suffering, and you can look at it and go, okay, well, they're going through their karma, and it's certainly painful, but they're, you know, going through it. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:28 Highlight the passage at 1:10:28

1:11:05 Right. Getting rid of that, but it's the people who are generating a whole new crisis, right? That's really hard. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:05 Highlight the passage at 1:11:05

1:11:20 I picked up this guy in Santa Cruz and wanted to ride home. His name is Stone. His name is Stone. You've probably seen him, you know, when you walk across the street to the bookstore. He's this guy, he's about to listen to the police. He calls himself Stone. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:20 Highlight the passage at 1:11:20

1:11:47 So I gave him a ride. Does he have a home? You gave him a ride somewhere. All right. I don't know. Yeah, this is the same thing, you're thinking about, what can you have done, you know, that's the typical things, food stamps, services in the county, that kind of stuff, but then you look at it, and he's got a box of wine, and it's really going to be arranged by, you know, by the day, I don't but not not by by the the day. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:47 Highlight the passage at 1:11:47

1:12:21 date. So he's just kind of hiding in the back on the house. The rest are really hard. Yeah. They just keep going. They can't get through. They're mine. They're mine. So. That motivates me. I'm glad. Okay. I'm going to get this. I'm going to get some of these Buddha qualities. get that wisdom. Yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:21 Highlight the passage at 1:12:21

1:13:00 Oh, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:00 Highlight the passage at 1:13:00

1:13:07 Great. yeah! Report an error in the passage at 1:13:07 Highlight the passage at 1:13:07

1:13:09 just moving from Germany to South Carolina. Yeah, South Carolina. That's going to be a cultural shocker. She works for the government, so she's learned how to just smile. I bet she's going to make it. It reminds me of you. You have a lot of money, you know, and travel. Okay. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:09 Highlight the passage at 1:13:09

1:13:39 So this was her trip to check out South Carolina and come see mom. had already jumped out, but this was to come and select an apartment. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:39 Highlight the passage at 1:13:39

1:13:55 Okay. Rosemary must be pretty excited having her mom, her daughter family. But then you won't have anyone to visit over there. Well, in Germany, in Europe. Yeah, you'll go anyway. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:55 Highlight the passage at 1:13:55

1:14:22 I mean, I talked to Rosemary just briefly today because she invited me for It was a quick conversation. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:22 Highlight the passage at 1:14:22

1:14:44 So things are busy? Things are good? Report an error in the passage at 1:14:44 Highlight the passage at 1:14:44

1:15:01 Wow, you do Jimbo. Of course, Jimbo's on. Great, I can't live there. Oh, gosh. Yeah, well, of course. He's who he is. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:01 Highlight the passage at 1:15:01

1:15:17 Good. So, you've planted some good imprints there. Isn't that great, though? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:17 Highlight the passage at 1:15:17

1:15:17 because yeah that's a little frustrating it's good Report an error in the passage at 1:15:17 Highlight the passage at 1:15:17

1:15:23 Good job. Then you call him Sakamoto. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:23 Highlight the passage at 1:15:23

1:15:37 So the Reader app has all the, yeah, that's sort of like, that's kind of like, kind of more, um, like I did. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:37 Highlight the passage at 1:15:37

1:15:50 You do. Good job. Slowly we have to have a lot of patience here. Slowly, slowly wait for the opening. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:50 Highlight the passage at 1:15:50

1:16:12 Her wrath or your wrath? Report an error in the passage at 1:16:12 Highlight the passage at 1:16:12

1:16:37 That's the easiest thing I'll do all week. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:37 Highlight the passage at 1:16:37

1:16:58 Thank you. a Gmail message. Yeah. And so. Yeah. OK. So I have a reason that if something is sent directly to me, it's a Gmail, it gets forwarded to me. Direct Gmail? But news groups, they are usually sent to me. All right. OK. I want to make a couple of announcements, so yeah, okay, that's great. It reminds me. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:58 Highlight the passage at 1:16:58

1:17:52 Thank you. But, it's probably 20,000 people on my iPhone. It's probably 20,000 people on my iPhone. But I deleted it. No, that should be out. It depends on what time I deleted it. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:52 Highlight the passage at 1:17:52

1:18:14 So I asked what time Emily's surgery was. mean, I'm sorry, chicken surgery. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:14 Highlight the passage at 1:18:14

1:18:23 I think Emily wants to check that. Oh, she did. Thank you. didn't see exactly what it's here. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:23 Highlight the passage at 1:18:23

1:18:47 I have a good feeling about it. I think you're going to get it out loud. Thank you. then you've already got the copy. If you've done other immediate use, they can. Delete them off your phone. If you delete them on your phone, it's fine. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:47 Highlight the passage at 1:18:47

1:19:21 So, something that's sent to your work, but then it's auto-routed, so they're still at your work, even if you're doing it. Yeah, that's just going to happen now. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:21 Highlight the passage at 1:19:21

1:19:31 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:31 Highlight the passage at 1:19:31

1:19:50 Thank you. Thank you. them here for breakfast. I'm using Gmail as a mesh to keep on you from the delusion. Thank you. Yeah, I think it's forwarded. I think it's just forwarded. Yeah. I know. 20 weeks to go. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:50 Highlight the passage at 1:19:50

1:20:49 a nice trip, thanks. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:49 Highlight the passage at 1:20:49

1:20:57 Thank you. you go to see one movie here per month, that's $12 to $15. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:57 Highlight the passage at 1:20:57

1:21:36 right. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:36 Highlight the passage at 1:21:36

1:21:54 that would be cool. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:54 Highlight the passage at 1:21:54

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:22:33 So actually, before we go on, I just want to mention a couple of things. I don't know if all of you know, but Chucky is having her surgery tomorrow. So if you can say some prayers for her, do medicine, bodhicitta. We're planning on doing Medicine Buddha Puja here for her when the surgery starts, but we haven't heard yet when that surgery is. Is it 10? Report an error in the passage at 1:22:33 Highlight the passage at 1:22:33

1:23:02 Charles said that it was. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:02 Highlight the passage at 1:23:02

1:23:06 Okay, is that when the surgery is? Okay, because just now I just talked to Michelle and Janet and they haven't heard yet when the surgery is. She has a malignant tumor in her breast. So anything you guys can do, Medicine Buddha, Tara, mantras, anything. Yeah. She said be creative. I asked her. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:06 Highlight the passage at 1:23:06

1:23:35 okay. All right. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:35 Highlight the passage at 1:23:35

1:23:42 White Tara is for long life, so White Tara would be good. I mean, Green Tara is good for everything, so that's good. Medicine Buddha mantra, of course, would be really good. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:42 Highlight the passage at 1:23:42

1:24:00 Also, if you're doing Medicine Buddha mantras, I don't know if you all know Shane, who... He was coming to this class for a while. He has a lot of health problems and the doctors don't know what's wrong with him right now, but he's been to the emergency room I think four times in the last five weeks. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:00 Highlight the passage at 1:24:00

1:24:20 So he keeps emailing me and saying he's going to come to class, but then he goes to the emergency room. Again, they think that he's having a heart attack or he has tingling in his fingers. I mean, he has diabetes, so it might be related to that. But anyway, it's really worrisome for him. So if you can do prayers for him as well. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:20 Highlight the passage at 1:24:20

1:24:50 Jeannie mentioned that if you can contribute to Chucky financially, to give the money to Chucky or to Karen Villanueva or something like that to help her. It's a PayPal. Okay, so everybody knows this except me. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:50 Highlight the passage at 1:24:50

1:25:12 So I'm making the announcement. Okay, but anyway. So you guys know about this. Any Report an error in the passage at 1:25:12 Highlight the passage at 1:25:12

1:25:36 more suffering news that I can share? Report an error in the passage at 1:25:36 Highlight the passage at 1:25:36

1:25:47 Oh, I want to share one happy bit of news. It's Matt Monte, who came to the last class. He had a baby. Did I tell you this already? Oh, in April. In April, they had a baby named Miles. Zopa something, something, something. So anyway, but he says that he's just a wonderful little Buddha baby and really happy and Matt's really happy. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:47 Highlight the passage at 1:25:47

1:26:17 Yeah, and he says that, you know, anyway, it's just wonderful. And he's not even tired, he says, which is, and he's working one and a half jobs and he's still doing his practice and he's his baby, so somehow. He's doing it all. Yeah. And he says hello to everyone. Okay, Effie. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:17 Highlight the passage at 1:26:17

1:26:46 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:46 Highlight the passage at 1:26:46

1:26:50 The whole thing? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:50 Highlight the passage at 1:26:50

1:26:57 Well, I'm thinking, you know, the calm abiding section will probably take 12 weeks-ish, 10, 12 weeks, and then we'll do special insight probably for the rest of the year. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:57 Highlight the passage at 1:26:57

1:27:10 That's what I'm thinking off the top of my head, but I haven't gone through the stuff. detail to see kind of I think Geshe Dagpa took year somebody said a year on Special Insight Report an error in the passage at 1:27:10 Highlight the passage at 1:27:10

1:27:29 I'm thinking that I'll take less than that, but you never know. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:29 Highlight the passage at 1:27:29

1:27:51 Yeah, pretty much. I'm going to be away for October and November. Maybe we'll have a couple of classes in December. A couple of talks or something, but nothing's been planned yet. But, yeah, but the weekly series, we won't start until January. Because December, I think, is a bad time to start anything. So we'll start again in January. So we'll get rid of all of our anger and get rid of it. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:51 Highlight the passage at 1:27:51

1:28:22 Right. And next year, we'll all get calm abiding and special insight. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:22 Highlight the passage at 1:28:22

1:28:30 Yeah, yeah. I shouldn't have said that on the recording. You're on track. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:30 Highlight the passage at 1:28:30

1:28:32 We have an 8. We have an 8. We have an 8. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:32 Highlight the passage at 1:28:32

1:28:41 Right, so the logistical stuff. So next week we don't have class, but in two weeks. Because next Tuesday is His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday and Soak Day. Okay, Report an error in the passage at 1:28:41 Highlight the passage at 1:28:41

1:28:57 on with joyous effort. So in case this is kind of getting heavy for you and thinking, oh yeah, I have all these lazinesses and all that. It's not getting heavy? Anyway, I mean, no, it's a slowly, slowly process. We just do what we can. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:57 Highlight the passage at 1:28:57

1:29:27 class, and here we have the ladies. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:27 Highlight the passage at 1:29:27

1:29:33 I think we all have all of them. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:33 Highlight the passage at 1:29:33

1:29:40 And then the power of a suspension. I'm not sure if this is the right word, suspension. That makes me feel like we're hanging in the air. But anyway, what this means... Is to rest when your body and mind are worn out due to your effort. So this is just being realistic. So suspending your practice. Another translation was relinquishment, but that doesn't sound right either. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:40 Highlight the passage at 1:29:40

1:30:17 Yeah, exactly. So suspending or the power of taking a break. How's that? that you know So sometimes people can get really intense about doing something and then you get tired and you think you have to push through it and all that. But we're in this path for the long term, right? So we make effort when we can make an effort and we rest when we need to rest. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:17 Highlight the passage at 1:30:17

1:30:48 So I really appreciate this being spelled out. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:48 Highlight the passage at 1:30:48

1:30:55 Rest when your body and mind are worn out due to your effort. But then immediately after you've rested, persevere again. Not getting in the habit of resting all the time. So starting again right when you're not tired. And when you have completely finished your early activity, do not let this satisfy you. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:55 Highlight the passage at 1:30:55

1:31:25 You must joyously persevere at other higher activities. The next task is important because if you consider each earlier good quality sufficient, this will be a big obstacle to the attainment of many higher attributes. So if we think, okay, well, I developed a little bit of compassion today. Like, I don't have to do anything anymore, kind of thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:25 Highlight the passage at 1:31:25

1:31:50 That's not what Lama Tsongkhapa is saying. So you finish something, but then you start, you know, you start, you keep going, right? Don't, like, I guess you're jumping out, so my teacher in Italy says, you know, never feel satisfied with your level of practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:50 Highlight the passage at 1:31:50

1:32:12 It's like there's still more to do. That doesn't mean feeling discontented or bad about ourselves or, you know, never, like it's never enough. But, you know, always strive for more. So that's a difficult balance. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:12 Highlight the passage at 1:32:12

1:32:39 Lama Tsongkhapa says you must avoid both being overly intense and being overly relaxed. So make your effort continuous like a river. So it's finding that balance. We don't need to be intense about the practice, but we shouldn't be too relaxed. But we should try to be relaxed about it, you know, in general. Not to do like this all the time. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:39 Highlight the passage at 1:32:39

1:33:11 Yeah, I mean, I really related to this in the time of my studies, because when we were studying, we had, it was a really intense schedule, and we had like five hours of classes every day, and then plus you had to do your karma yoga, and plus you had to study, and it was just this, it was just this constant buzz, like constant trying to keep up, you know, trying to read the transcripts and trying to figure out what Geshe Jumpa Gyatso just said. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:11 Highlight the passage at 1:33:11

1:33:39 And trying to do your practice and trying, you know, so it was just this, this intensity. And like every night after dinner, well in the beginning of the program I remember after night, you know, after dinner people would go back and try to study. And then after a while, you know, like glazed eyes. And so it started being after dinner, movie time. Like everybody's like watching movies after dinner. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:39 Highlight the passage at 1:33:39

1:34:07 It's like, well. But that was really healthy, I thought. You really practice well and you do your best and then you have your time to chill out and let your mind relax. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:07 Highlight the passage at 1:34:07

1:34:23 Movies every night might not have been the best idea. But anyway, that idea of relaxing. Work hard, play hard. Maybe not. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:23 Highlight the passage at 1:34:23

1:34:39 So this is, you know, if you've really done well, then allow yourself to just relax, rest. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:39 Highlight the passage at 1:34:39

1:34:50 Somebody had a question? Carla? Report an error in the passage at 1:34:50 Highlight the passage at 1:34:50

1:35:00 Anything to do with time parameters? Like, is it a suspension of one minute or a month? Well, I think we use our wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:00 Highlight the passage at 1:35:00

1:35:14 see that you know there's like How are you 100 % sure you're in suspension or falling into laziness? Yeah, and that you just have to check up your own mind. It's like, you know, just be honest. Okay, am I sleeping in because I really need the sleep or I'm just being lazy and I'm attached to my bed, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:35:14 Highlight the passage at 1:35:14

1:35:38 Only we can really, right? Unless we're omniscient, right? So we have to check. Like in the seven verses of mind training, of the two witnesses, yourself and others, your own witness is foremost and that you have to check up for yourself how you're doing honestly. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:38 Highlight the passage at 1:35:38

1:36:03 But I find it's a tricky balance. We can make excuses and justify our activities. But I think deep down we know. It's just a matter of whether or not. We admit it to ourselves. Yeah. I remember a friend of mine, she's like superwoman who, you know, she's always working, working, working, working, working. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:03 Highlight the passage at 1:36:03

1:36:32 So she'll like work really, really hard for six months and then sleep for three days. You know, you don't see her for three days and then she'll work really, really hard for six months and then sleep for three days. And that works for her. That doesn't work for me. For me, I need to... Make sure I take a break every day. You know, sleep every day. You know, not wait three months to sleep. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:32 Highlight the passage at 1:36:32

1:37:17 So those were the four favorable conditions to cultivate, to increase our joyous effort. Aspiring for the goal, being steadfast, being joyful and then taking a break when we need to. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:17 Highlight the passage at 1:37:17

1:37:38 So Lama Tsongkhapa says, in this way, in dependence on stopping adverse conditions and relying on favorable conditions, you should undertake joyous effort until body and mind become light, like a piece of cotton carried by the wind. So when we've developed a joyous effort more and more, it's like, you know, whatever you're doing, whatever your activity is, it's happy, it's joyful, it's light. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:38 Highlight the passage at 1:37:38

1:38:02 It's not like slogging through the mud, I have to do my practice, right? The more and more you practice, the more you feel joyful about it. Yeah, you feel light. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:02 Highlight the passage at 1:38:02

1:38:24 But this would mean that you don't need any suspension if you are at that point. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:24 Highlight the passage at 1:38:24

1:38:33 Yeah, well, I mean, if you look at Lama Zopa Rinpoche, if people know Lama Rinpoche, he doesn't have any suspension. He doesn't sleep. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:33 Highlight the passage at 1:38:33

1:38:45 He's constantly going. And I think that's the idea. The idea is that we practice, like it said, continuously like a flowing river. We practice continuously with a happy, light mind, relaxed mind. If we're too intense, then we get exhausted. We can keep up that intensity for a week or whatever it is, and then we have to sleep for three days like my friend. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:45 Highlight the passage at 1:38:45

1:39:18 But I think the idea is to not go intense and then take a total break for a long time and then intense and take another break. The idea is more to be continuous in general. Sometimes, of course, there are more intense periods because you have an event. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:18 Highlight the passage at 1:39:18

1:39:40 Organize like His Holiness the Dalai Lama event. You've got to just do it right and then you rest afterwards. But yeah, so the power of suspension is only if you need it, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:39:40 Highlight the passage at 1:39:40

1:39:53 Because most of us do need it, right? But if we get to this point, I think you don't need it so much. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:53 Highlight the passage at 1:39:53

1:40:09 If you take Lama Tsongkhapa's advice for a practitioner, if you really do everything that he says, it's an entire day. It's getting up and doing your water bowls and then doing medicine, 35 Buddhas and meditation and then Vajrasapha at the end of the day. It's pretty intense. How do you balance that? Because in this tradition, there is a lot of emphasis on accumulating virtue and engaging in virtuous activity. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:09 Highlight the passage at 1:40:09

1:40:36 But for most... Westerners, they don't really have the time to do this, so how do you strike a balance? Well, I mean, I think that we have to be realistic about what we can do. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:36 Highlight the passage at 1:40:36

1:40:50 You know, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, I mean, my experience is he gives general advice to do a lot of things, right? I mean, he's not the kind of person who... Kind of holds back, right? And says, oh, you know, you only have to do, you know, a few minutes of this or just do a little bit of this or whatever. And his general advice doesn't work that way, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:50 Highlight the passage at 1:40:50

1:41:16 So general advice, my impression is he kind of wants you to create as much virtue as possible, right? But then, you know, if it's general advice, then we take it and we fine-tune it to what we can realistically do and then aspire to be able to do all of that. Because I think if you went to him personally and said, I can't do all of this, he'd give you personal advice and say, well, you don't have to do it all right now, kind of thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:16 Highlight the passage at 1:41:16

1:41:48 It's like a friend of mine was given 3,000 yung nays, or 1,000 yung nays, or something like that, 1,000, I think, yung nays. But it was something like 10 straight years of doing new nays. But this particular person was happy about it. But the point was like Lama Zopa said, this doesn't mean you have to do it tomorrow. This is your lifelong practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:48 Highlight the passage at 1:41:48

1:42:28 You only have to use 10 years of your life to do new nays. Yeah, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:28 Highlight the passage at 1:42:28

1:42:33 So, you know, we generally think, oh, you know, I have to do all of it now, but we need to work up to it. It's like, you know, Lama Tsongkhapa's instruction about don't give away your body if you're not ready for it. It's like going from doing no practice to, you know, eight hours a day of practice will probably freak us out to the point where we'll just develop aversion toward the practice and then never want to do it. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:33 Highlight the passage at 1:42:33

1:43:03 Never want to see your meditation cushion again. Never want to see water bowls again. So we need to avoid that. We need to be realistic and add on when we feel ready. And add on when we feel happy about it and not like this is a huge burden for me to add to all the other stuff I have to do. So I found that in my retreat, I would... Report an error in the passage at 1:43:03 Highlight the passage at 1:43:03

1:43:31 I was trying to do everything, and I got lung, and I realized that Rinpoche, or at least my conclusion was Rinpoche was being really skillful and making me think for myself and really realize what my own limitations were and then adjusting it according to what my capabilities were. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:31 Highlight the passage at 1:43:31

1:44:16 And then once again we practice joyous effort with the other six perfections, like all the perfections. So the generosity of joyous effort is practicing joyous effort yourself and then helping others practice joyous effort. And then et cetera, Report an error in the passage at 1:44:16 Highlight the passage at 1:44:16

1:44:37 ethical discipline of joyous effort, practicing ethical discipline with a joyful mind and with perseverance, et cetera. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:37 Highlight the passage at 1:44:37

1:44:51 So joyful effort, joyous effort, joyous perseverance, clear? Report an error in the passage at 1:44:51 Highlight the passage at 1:44:51

1:45:05 So then I'm going to cover the whole perfection of concentration in 15 minutes. Do you get it? Report an error in the passage at 1:45:05 Highlight the passage at 1:45:05

1:45:18 Because we're going to spend a whole module on calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:18 Highlight the passage at 1:45:18

1:45:38 Concentration. Concentration is perfection. A mind that abides single point. it? Report an error in the passage at 1:45:38 Highlight the passage at 1:45:38

1:45:44 poignantly on any suitable virtuous So the mind that can stay on the object as long as it wishes. So the first four perfections are important, right? Generosity, ethical discipline, patience, perseverance. But none of those by themselves are getting us out of cyclic existence. In order to get out of cyclic existence, we need the wisdom realizing emptiness. In order to have the wisdom realizing emptiness, we need to have a stable, powerful mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:44 Highlight the passage at 1:45:44

1:46:25 With a monkey mind that's jumping all over the place, we're not going to be able to realize emptiness. So with concentration, we're developing the power of the mind so that when we meditate on emptiness, we can really penetrate that subject. And realize it and eliminate our mental afflictions, right? Destroy the seeds of our mental afflictions. So I heard a quote and I'm not going to get it quite right. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:25 Highlight the passage at 1:46:25

1:46:57 But Lama Yeshe said something like meditating, you know, for 10 minutes on calm abiding is like, with calm abiding is like meditating for 100 years without. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:57 Highlight the passage at 1:46:57

1:47:19 So. So it's useful to get calm abiding. And calm abiding is really the basis for getting all realizations. We can get good experiences in the Dharma and all of that without calm abiding, but if we actually want to get the powerful realizations to get us out of saṃsāra, then we need calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:19 Highlight the passage at 1:47:19

1:47:45 So with concentration, we're eliminating the distracted mind. The mind that's jumping all over the plate and developing the power of the mind. And then it also, as a side benefit, it suppresses the mental afflictions, right? Because the mental afflictions are thoughts. When you have calm abiding, you're able to abide without thoughts for as long as you want. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:45 Highlight the passage at 1:47:45

1:48:19 So no mental afflictions, right? So you can have a super peaceful... Relaxed mind, no anger, no attachment, no, well I shouldn't say no attachment, no gross attachment, no attachment on our level. You might get attached to the bliss of your concentration, but we're not quite there yet. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:19 Highlight the passage at 1:48:19

1:48:47 So we'll talk a lot more about the benefits of concentration when we go into calm abiding, but that's it in general, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:48:47 Highlight the passage at 1:48:47

1:48:59 I love this quote. When our minds are distracted, it is like being in the mouth of an alligator. From such a position, we will easily be eaten. If we are distracted, it is very easy for negative thoughts to arise, even while we are engaging in virtuous activities. So we notice this with our minds. You're doing something virtuous, and suddenly negative thought can arise. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:59 Highlight the passage at 1:48:59

1:49:27 It's Report an error in the passage at 1:49:27 Highlight the passage at 1:49:27

1:49:31 so useful to get concentration. With concentration, then we have mindfulness. in order to develop concentration we have we have developed The power of mindfulness so that you know when the negative thought arises, you can immediately let it go. Instead of getting carried away by the thought, the negative thought, the worried thought, the attached thought, the desirous thought that we can easily get sucked into and spin. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:31 Highlight the passage at 1:49:31

1:50:01 I noticed today I got sucked into my worrying thoughts because a friend of mine is going through a really hard time. And so just thinking about it, thinking about it, thinking about it, let go, let go, let go, and then going in the shower and thinking about it more and thinking about it more and just noticing how these thoughts, they just spin and you're not getting anywhere, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:50:01 Highlight the passage at 1:50:01

1:50:31 You're just thinking about the same thing. It's like playing a tape recorder in your mind and you're just getting more and more worried or more and more agitated or more and more angry or more and more. Obsessed about something, right? So with concentration, you know, we're learning to develop that power of mind to just let that go. Like, you notice a thought? Report an error in the passage at 1:50:31 Highlight the passage at 1:50:31

1:50:50 Let it go. Instead of, you know, spinning, spinning in that thought. So it's that spinning in the thought that really causes the mental suffering, right? If it's just a thought that you can let it go, you know, there's not time to really suffer. It's like, that's a thought. There's another thought. There's another thought. You can just dissolve it like a soap bubble. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:50 Highlight the passage at 1:50:50

1:51:25 So then there are different divisions of concentration. And I won't go into these in detail because we have nine minutes. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:25 Highlight the passage at 1:51:25

1:51:39 So the divisions of concentration by way of essence. So they're mundane concentrations and super mundane concentrations. We have. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:39 Highlight the passage at 1:51:39

1:51:46 So, um... We can develop a concentration for mundane purposes for the happiness of this life. Like, you know, develop more peace of mind and mental stability and all of that. That would be mundane concentration. Or we can develop a concentration, right, in order to realize emptiness. Which is a super mundane concentration. So the super mundane concentration gets us out of cyclic existence. Mundane concentrations are only for happiness within cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:46 Highlight the passage at 1:51:46

1:52:24 And Report an error in the passage at 1:52:24 Highlight the passage at 1:52:24

1:52:31 then by way of class or object, there's calm abiding, there's special insight, and then the class that is the union of calm abiding and special insight. So calm abiding is staying on an object. Without analysis, so you're focusing on the image of a Buddha or on your breath or whatever it is. So that's in order to concentrate, right? Concentrate your mind. Then special insight includes analysis, so that's wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:31 Highlight the passage at 1:52:31

1:53:07 So in this tradition, we develop each of these separately. First, You learn to concentrate your mind, and then you develop special insight where you're analyzing, for example, emptiness or impermanence. And then you develop a union of that focused mind and the analytical mind, the stabilizing mind and the analytical mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:07 Highlight the passage at 1:53:07

1:53:39 And then the third way to divide concentration is by way of function. So the concentration that causes one to abide in physical and mental happiness in this life, the concentration that manifestly accomplishes good qualities, and the concentration that brings about the welfare of sentient beings. So this first one, the concentration that causes one to abide in physical and mental happiness in this life. Lama Tsongkhapa says the first of these is the concentration that generates physical and mental pliancy if one places the mind in meditative equipoise. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:39 Highlight the passage at 1:53:39

1:54:20 When we develop calm abiding, we develop what's called physical and mental pliancy. Physical pliancy is where your body feels really light, like a ball of cotton, so you don't have any more back pain or neck pain or knee pain. Your body just feels really light and it'll do whatever you want it to do. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:20 Highlight the passage at 1:54:20

1:54:45 Within reason. So you don't feel that heaviness of body, of, oh, I need to sit down and creak, creak, creak, right? You don't have all of that with the physical pliancy. And then the mental pliancy is the mind, right, being happy and light and not feeling resistant to sitting down and meditating, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:54:45 Highlight the passage at 1:54:45

1:55:10 Not the, oh, gosh, you know, it's time to meditate. I don't really feel like it. With mental pliancy, you're just really happy to sit down and meditate. So you have no resistance mentally and you have no resistance physically. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:10 Highlight the passage at 1:55:10

1:55:28 And then the concentration that causes one to abide in physical and mental happiness in this life really is using concentration to have happiness now in this life or a more peaceful mind, as I was saying before. right, so Report an error in the passage at 1:55:28 Highlight the passage at 1:55:28

1:55:45 So there's a lot of that, you know, like mindfulness-based stress reduction kind of stuff, you know, to reduce your stress. Or Alan Wallace, you know, a lot of what he does is really, you know, to develop emotional balance in this life. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:45 Highlight the passage at 1:55:45

1:56:04 So that's this first kind of concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:04 Highlight the passage at 1:56:04

1:56:11 And then there's the second is the concentration that manifestly accomplishes good qualities. So these are accomplishing good qualities that are shared with the Shravakas or the Heirs or the Hinayana path, so not just Mahāyāna, such as clairvoyances, complete liberations, totalities, masteries. So I won't explain all of those. But developing concentration is the basis of developing certain kinds of powers, like clairvoyance of reading others' minds. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:11 Highlight the passage at 1:56:11

1:56:47 Remembering past lives and being able to manifest bodies and things like that. So this is this division of concentration that helps you not just get some peace in this life, but you can develop these super qualities that help you along the path. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:47 Highlight the passage at 1:56:47

1:57:18 then the third, oops, the third. It's a concentration that brings about the welfare of sentient beings. So Lama Tsongkhapa says this is a concentration that accomplishes the welfare in 11 ways by means of concentration. Or another way of saying this is the concentration that enables you to help others in different kinds of beings and in various ways. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:18 Highlight the passage at 1:57:18

1:57:47 So this would be a concentration. Let's say... Developing a clairvoyance to read others' minds so that you can help others better. Or the clairvoyance of being able to emanate bodies in order to help others. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:47 Highlight the passage at 1:57:47

1:58:12 Yeah, so one of these, enacting the welfare of those who lack necessities such as food, drink, possessions and so forth. So you can manifest food and drink in order to help somebody who's starving or thirsty. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:12 Highlight the passage at 1:58:12

1:58:30 So that's one of our problems as ordinary beings who are trying to help others. We're very limited in how much we can help others. We don't know what to say or we don't know what would help them. So developing these clairvoyances. Bodhisattvas are encouraged to develop these clairvoyances to help others. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:30 Highlight the passage at 1:58:30

1:58:52 Not to make yourself revered and wonderful. And so you can, you know, develop, you Develop, you know, have all kinds of people, you know, following you, but in order to be able to benefit others in a more powerful way. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:52 Highlight the passage at 1:58:52

1:59:11 Okay, so that's, those are the divisions of concentration. And the advantages and disadvantages, the advantages of cultivating concentration, et cetera, will be explained in the chapter on calm abiding. So we'll cover that in January. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:11 Highlight the passage at 1:59:11

1:59:32 And then we practice concentration with the other six perfections, et cetera. So the generosity of concentration is to practice concentration oneself and then also establish others in it, right? Help others develop concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:32 Highlight the passage at 1:59:32

1:59:51 Okay, I'm sorry. I went through that so quickly. Did you get anything out of that? Yeah. Okay. So are you going to teach us how to be clairvoyant in general? I'll teach you that. Whenever, if ever I get there. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:51 Highlight the passage at 1:59:51

2:00:11 That would be really nice. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:11 Highlight the passage at 2:00:11

2:00:17 First I have to... Yeah, really. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:17 Highlight the passage at 2:00:17

2:00:27 Huh? Women won? You'll never know that. That's the hardest thing to know. It's an extremely subtle phenomenon. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:27 Highlight the passage at 2:00:27

2:00:49 All right. So... really. be nice. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:49 Highlight the passage at 2:00:49

2:00:37 coming. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:37 Highlight the passage at 2:00:37

2:00:51 Yeah, I don't like going through things that fast, but anyway, that was of necessity. So next time we'll cover the perfection. In two weeks is our last class, and we'll cover the perfection of wisdom very briefly, actually, because we'll go into wisdom much more extensively later. And then we'll go through the four means of gathering disciples. Okay, so I sent you the homework. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:51 Highlight the passage at 2:00:51

2:01:20 And then the practice homework is to continue on the... Developing your joyous effort. So reflecting on the various obstacles to joyous effort to see if you have any of them. And then determine what your biggest obstacle is and then apply the antidotes to increase your joyous effort, decrease your laziness. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:20 Highlight the passage at 2:01:20

2:01:41 So it's useful to think about death. You know, not very fun, but useful to think about death. Everyday useful to think about really what... What do you really want? What is really the greatest that's going to bring yourself and others the greatest happiness beyond this life? Report an error in the passage at 2:01:41 Highlight the passage at 2:01:41

2:02:03 Slowly, slowly, making more and more effort in that direction. Not going out and quitting your job tomorrow and becoming homeless. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:03 Highlight the passage at 2:02:03

2:02:16 Well, if you're ready for that, great. But that's maybe not the wisest move. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:16 Highlight the passage at 2:02:16

2:02:26 So that's the practice homework. And I think I have a few hard copies of the other homework if people want it. So I've been printing out the hard copies less and less just in order to not waste paper. Actually, and that's not even the right one. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:26 Highlight the passage at 2:02:26

2:02:56 Never mind. I don't have it. Sorry. So Report an error in the passage at 2:02:56 Highlight the passage at 2:02:56

2:03:06 we'll dedicate. we'll dedicate, we'll dedicate choki. Chokey's health and successful operation tomorrow, Shane's good health. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:06 Highlight the passage at 2:03:06

2:03:20 May all Report an error in the passage at 2:03:20 Highlight the passage at 2:03:20

2:03:30 beings Report an error in the passage at 2:03:30 Highlight the passage at 2:03:30

2:03:55 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. May the naked find clothing, the hungry find food. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:55 Highlight the passage at 2:03:55

2:04:28 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 2:04:28 Highlight the passage at 2:04:28

2:04:54 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 pine power. And may people think of benefiting each other for as long as space remains, for as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain to dispel the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 2:04:54 Highlight the passage at 2:04:54

2:05:18 This Report an error in the passage at 2:05:18 Highlight the passage at 2:05:18

· · · silence, 1 minute

2:06:43 is really good. This is my favorite. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:43 Highlight the passage at 2:06:43