Mahayana Mind Transformation (8 June 2007)

0:23 So you've seen the slide before, just a reminder that all of our problems have as its source the two inner enemies, the ignorance, grasping at the self, and the self-cherishing mind. Cherishing ourselves as being more important than others. So true happiness comes from cherishing others, and we can see that in bodhisattvas, that they're not concerned with the worldly pleasures like we are. Report an error in the passage at 0:23 Highlight the passage at 0:23

0:55 They actually willingly take on the suffering of others and they're always happy. Report an error in the passage at 0:55 Highlight the passage at 0:55

1:07 So I wanted to add this slide in due to a question that Jay asked last time about karma because I thought, oh, I should have given some kind of a review of karma before we started. And then I found this quote in Geshe Loden's book, Path to Enlightenment, about karma, which says, Report an error in the passage at 1:07 Highlight the passage at 1:07

1:29 Their experiences of happiness and suffering and the very environments they live in are created by karma. So in Buddhism there's said to be no other creator. So all of us are created by karma. San Francisco is created by karma. This earth is created by karma. Report an error in the passage at 1:29 Highlight the passage at 1:29

1:52 As well as our experiences of happiness and suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:52 Highlight the passage at 1:52

2:03 So this is actually very profound. Everything that we perceive, everything that we experience is a result of our karma. Report an error in the passage at 2:03 Highlight the passage at 2:03

2:20 And then Geshe Loden goes on to say that all exists as a direct result of the individual and group karma of living beings. So our unique mind, body, personality, happiness, suffering and circumstances of each being is the result of our individual karma. So the karma we individually created give rise to. Report an error in the passage at 2:20 Highlight the passage at 2:20

2:44 The body that we have, the mind that we have, the personality that we have, as well as our life circumstances and the happiness and suffering that we experience. So all of the actions that we've done in the past are creating our current reality. Report an error in the passage at 2:44 Highlight the passage at 2:44

3:03 So karma goes hand in hand with emptiness. Things don't exist the way we think that they do. They don't exist out there objectively. effectively, everything that we perceive as a result of. The actions that we've created with our body, speech and mind in the past. Report an error in the passage at 3:03 Highlight the passage at 3:03

3:26 So nothing that we think, nothing that we do is free. In terms of everything that we do and everything that we think and everything that we say will have a karmic result in the future. Report an error in the passage at 3:26 Highlight the passage at 3:26

3:40 And everything that we're experiencing now is a result of something we've said or thought or done in the past. Report an error in the passage at 3:40 Highlight the passage at 3:40

3:56 So our being in this room together means that we've created some kind of... A collective or group karma in the past for this to happen. So the shared experiences and environments are a result of group karma. So all the realms of cyclic existence and all the world systems or universes within those realms arise due to the group karma of the beings inhabiting them. Report an error in the passage at 3:56 Highlight the passage at 3:56

4:26 Yeah, Anna. I'm Report an error in the passage at 4:26 Highlight the passage at 4:26

4:32 a little confused about the definition of group karma. Does it mean that it's a group that shares or that... Each of the individuals has a particular karma. Report an error in the passage at 4:32 Highlight the passage at 4:32

4:50 Well, I have to say that I don't know a lot about group karma. But my understanding of group karma is that it's something that we've collectively done together. So let's say we all get together and do a puja together. Then we'll all in the future be creating some sort of a group karma to experience together. Report an error in the passage at 4:50 Highlight the passage at 4:50

5:17 That same group of minds will come and experience a particular result. And similarly, I read somewhere about the Iraqi war. So everyone who supported the war, so it's not just the people who have gone to war, it's not just the people who made the decisions to go to war, but everyone who supported the war, all of those beings together are creating a group karma. Report an error in the passage at 5:17 Highlight the passage at 5:17

5:50 To experience war in the future. To be as a group. Report an error in the passage at 5:50 Highlight the passage at 5:50

6:01 So it's important that we don't rejoice in others' negative actions. Because when we do, then we're also creating the karma to experience that suffering in the future. Become Report an error in the passage at 6:01 Highlight the passage at 6:01

6:21 part of that group. Okay, Keith. Report an error in the passage at 6:21 Highlight the passage at 6:21

6:31 Then am I correct in saying that everything that I respond to is a result of karma. Not liking turnips or liking chili pepper. That's a result of my karma, the fact that I like it. Report an error in the passage at 6:31 Highlight the passage at 6:31

6:46 Or it's something that puts me in a bad mood, maybe a certain, I don't like a certain piece of music. I don't like rap, for instance, that's a result of my karma. That kind of music, but I like classical music or certain kinds. Report an error in the passage at 6:46 Highlight the passage at 6:46

6:59 Yeah, I would say that's a result of your karma as well. That's definitely a result of past karma. Nothing happens by accident. It's not an accident that I like that. It's my karma right there. Yeah, and it doesn't mean that we can't change it. But our experiences of liking things and not liking things are a result of our karma, feeling pleasure. Report an error in the passage at 6:59 Highlight the passage at 6:59

7:25 Our feelings in particular, our feelings of pleasure and pain are a result of karma, are a direct result of virtuous and non-virtuous actions. And if we have a pleasurable feeling, then we like it. And if we have a painful feeling, then we don't like it. And that's because of our karma. That's because of our karma. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 7:25 Highlight the passage at 7:25

7:55 Anna? The microphone. I'm a little confused about that too because how does having a pleasure or pain to something, I like blue, the color blue, or I like chocolate. I mean, how does that have anything to do with karma? I don't understand how it works. Well, I mean, one of the four, what do they call it, four aspects of karma. Report an error in the passage at 7:55 Highlight the passage at 7:55

8:25 Or laws of karma. I don't remember the exact word. Is that karma is definite in the sense that if you perform a virtuous action, it will definitely give rise to a pleasurable feeling. Report an error in the passage at 8:25 Highlight the passage at 8:25

8:41 A virtuous action always gives rise to a pleasurable feeling in the future. A non-virtuous action always gives rise to an unpleasant feeling or a painful feeling. Report an error in the passage at 8:41 Highlight the passage at 8:41

8:58 It's impossible for us to create virtue and experience a painful feeling as a result of that karmically and vice versa. It's impossible for a pleasurable feeling in the future to arise from a non-virtuous action. Report an error in the passage at 8:58 Highlight the passage at 8:58

9:21 So that's exactly how karma works is a particular... Action gives rise to a particular feeling. A virtuous one gives rise to a pleasant feeling. Non-virtuous gives rise to an unpleasant feeling. Report an error in the passage at 9:21 Highlight the passage at 9:21

9:41 Keith says he likes chili peppers, so he did something good in the past, so he has this pleasurable feeling. I don't like chili peppers, so I did something negative, so I don't have the benefit of the pleasure. It doesn't matter what the object is, necessarily. Report an error in the passage at 9:41 Highlight the passage at 9:41

10:01 Yeah, and in the Lom Rim, it says, A cool breeze on a hot day is a result of a virtuous action we've done in the past. Even something small like that. Report an error in the passage at 10:01 Highlight the passage at 10:01

10:20 We'll move on. So verse 25. When all my kin become my enemies, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for harboring evil thoughts. From now on, I shall reduce my deceit and guile. Okay. So the situation is that the people who are close to us, all of them, our friends, our family, our co-workers, etc., they turn against us, they think negatively of us. Report an error in the passage at 10:20 Highlight the passage at 10:20

10:52 And the karmic causes of this is harboring evil and spiteful thoughts and holding grudges inside with secret plans to cause others pain. So this is where we have negative thoughts toward people. But we hide them. We're pleasant to them. They don't even know that we're angry at them or we don't like them. Report an error in the passage at 10:52 Highlight the passage at 10:52

11:23 We're pleasant to them and we pretend to be fine with them. We pretend to be friends. We pretend that the relationship is fine. When all the while we're kind of secretly holding a grudge and secretly planning to get back at them in some way. Report an error in the passage at 11:23 Highlight the passage at 11:23

11:44 And then one of these commentaries says that we cause this by our past unsympathetic attitude and negative feelings toward others. Such behavior stems from selfishness, lack of empathy and insensitivity to others. Report an error in the passage at 11:44 Highlight the passage at 11:44

12:05 So we're judging others, holding certain Report an error in the passage at 12:05 Highlight the passage at 12:05

12:14 things against them that they've done in the past. And that's because of our lack of compassion, our lack of understanding, our own selfishness. Report an error in the passage at 12:14 Highlight the passage at 12:14

12:37 And so the antidotes to this would be to abandon or at least reduce our deceit and dissimulation. So abandon or at least reduce our pretending that we possess qualities that we do not. So that's deceit, pretending to possess qualities that we do not or pretending to like someone when we don't. And then also reducing our dissimulation, which is... Report an error in the passage at 12:37 Highlight the passage at 12:37

13:08 Hiding our faults from others. So stop pretending that we have qualities and that we don't and stop hiding our faults from others. Report an error in the passage at 13:08 Highlight the passage at 13:08

13:26 Also, when people turn against us, we shouldn't blame them. Report an error in the passage at 13:26 Highlight the passage at 13:26

13:34 But remembering that this is a result of our past actions, we need to blame ourselves and be compassionate and patient with others because they're controlled by their inner enemies. Don't react to anger with anger and criticism with criticism, etc. So everything that other people do to harm us, to hurt us, is a result of their afflictions. Report an error in the passage at 13:34 Highlight the passage at 13:34

14:05 So their minds are under the control of afflictions. It's not that they're kind of wanting to harm us as much as their minds are consumed with a particular affliction and then they can't help it, then they want to harm us. Report an error in the passage at 14:05 Highlight the passage at 14:05

14:36 Verse 26. When I am sick, and I put two different translations for this verse. When I am sick with consumption or edema, I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing that correctly. It is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for unlawfully and indiscriminately stealing others' wealth. From now on, I shall renounce plundering others' wealth. Report an error in the passage at 14:36 Highlight the passage at 14:36

15:04 Actually, Betty, can you tell us what edema is? Swelling. Report an error in the passage at 15:04 Highlight the passage at 15:04

15:24 Hi. Okay. The medical term is swelling, fluid basically going out of the veins into this tissue, so basically puffing up, swelling up, edema. Okay. David. Report an error in the passage at 15:24 Highlight the passage at 15:24

15:47 In that little orange book, they translate it as gout. Yeah, so that's this next. This next, here I'll read this translation and then, so, okay, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Let me just read this verse and then Betty can give us a commentary. When we suffer from sickness and such interference, especially when gout has swollen our legs, this is the wheel of sharp weapons returning full circle upon us from wrongs we have done. Report an error in the passage at 15:47 Highlight the passage at 15:47

16:25 Till now, without shame and with no self-control, we have stolen or misused what others have given. Hereafter, let's never take anything offered to the three jewels of refuge as if it were ours. Okay, Betty, what's gout? Report an error in the passage at 16:25 Highlight the passage at 16:25

16:49 It's buildup of uric acid in the blood, and basically it causes a lot of swelling in the legs and the lower extremities and a lot of pain, a tremendous amount of pain. Report an error in the passage at 16:49 Highlight the passage at 16:49

17:05 I didn't know that. Report an error in the passage at 17:05 Highlight the passage at 17:05

17:21 I think Report an error in the passage at 17:21 Highlight the passage at 17:21

17:35 that's the hardest part about being in the healthcare profession and also being a Buddhist is that I'm taking care of people that obviously their karma caused them to be in that position. If you believe that karma is the creator of everything. Yet at the same time, you can't do the blame thing. You have to do the compassion, understanding, bodhisattva, Tonglen and all of that. Report an error in the passage at 17:35 Highlight the passage at 17:35

17:57 Yet at the same time, you'd like to get them to have a shift in perception to see that they do have more control over what their situation is than not. And I think there is alternative healing coming out there that's really getting people to explore that idea. Anyway, but it's a hard one. Report an error in the passage at 17:57 Highlight the passage at 17:57

18:18 Yeah, because the thing is that we all do that, right? It's not just that that person is doing it, is creating their own suffering. We're all creating our own suffering, so it makes it easier to have compassion for others. And then when we look at our own minds and think about how difficult it is for us to change, then we can have more. Report an error in the passage at 18:18 Highlight the passage at 18:18

18:43 Patience with others as well. You know, we can have compassion for ourselves for not being able to change so easily. And then we can have compassion for others because they have the same difficulties that we do. It just might be a different object. Report an error in the passage at 18:43 Highlight the passage at 18:43

19:08 Okay, so the current situation, right, is we're experiencing Gishisopa's serious chronic illnesses such as edema. So it's not just the swelling. It's not just the fluid. It's not just the gout. But he was saying it's serious chronic illnesses, as Report an error in the passage at 19:08 Highlight the passage at 19:08

19:35 well as interferences. Notice in the second translation, when we suffer from sickness and such interference. Report an error in the passage at 19:35 Highlight the passage at 19:35

19:49 And in Tibet, it was very common for people to think in terms of spirit harms. And so that's what... It's being referred to here in terms of interference. I mean, our culture, I don't think it's very widespread that people believe in spirit harm. I mean, some people do. But that's what this interference is referring to. Report an error in the passage at 19:49 Highlight the passage at 19:49

20:19 So is it usually, seems like it's the case where when we've done harm to spirits, then... Things like swelling, like people I know who've had kidney problems, Rinpoche said, was because of spirit harm. I wonder even myself, the different health issues I've had, is some kind of interference or harm we did to maybe nagas or petas or any kind of interferers in our past, or maybe youngs ago? Report an error in the passage at 20:19 Highlight the passage at 20:19

20:47 It's hard to say, huh? Yeah, yeah. That's where most health issues come from, really, in reality, right? Well, I don't know about most health issues, but some, you know, the Lamas say, you know, when you're experiencing, you know, sometimes when people are experiencing some real difficult health issues, some of the Lamas sometimes say, well, this is a result of harming the spirits. Report an error in the passage at 20:47 Highlight the passage at 20:47

21:18 When I was at Osaling, one of the retreat huts, one of the really nice retreat huts was closed because they said there were spirits in this retreat hut and they think it was caused from using the wood of a tree without asking permission to the spirits who were living in there. Report an error in the passage at 21:18 Highlight the passage at 21:18

21:42 And so now they can't even use this hut because it really disturbs people's minds. So the best thing to do is just to offer... Probably to do pujas, things like that. Yeah, you can make offerings and do pujas. I think it's good to check with a Lama to figure out what's actually happening. That it's not just my imagination. Yeah, it could be that. And I personally have difficulty thinking in terms of spirits. Report an error in the passage at 21:42 Highlight the passage at 21:42

22:13 My mind doesn't think in terms of that. But if a Lama tells me, this is what... What you need to do, this is what you've done in the past and this is what you need to do to help purify that. So the Report an error in the passage at 22:13 Highlight the passage at 22:13

22:39 karmic causes would be, so without shame and with no self-control, we have stolen or misused what others have given. So others have given offerings and we've taken them or misused them in some way. Report an error in the passage at 22:39 Highlight the passage at 22:39

22:59 And in particular, improperly taking the property or offerings made to the three jewels, the Buddha Dharma and the Saṅgha. Report an error in the passage at 22:59 Highlight the passage at 22:59

· · · silence, 1 minute

23:39 So when people give offerings to an altar, when people take things from the altar, or people have offered something to an ordained person and you take it, that would be creating this karmic cause. Report an error in the passage at 23:39 Highlight the passage at 23:39

24:02 In this Wheel of Sharp Weapons, Geshinavang Darge mentioned that a karmic cause is having worn out morality. So I'm not exactly sure what he's referring to there, but I wanted to include that because it's in his commentary. Report an error in the passage at 24:02 Highlight the passage at 24:02

24:21 And so the antidotes, right, so once again instead of feeling sorry for ourselves or we need to blame our illness on our past negative actions which were caused by our selfish and egocentric attitudes. Report an error in the passage at 24:21 Highlight the passage at 24:21

24:41 Then resolve never again to take the property of the three jewels and to take upon ourselves the illnesses of others. So doing Tonglen and helping others who are sick. Report an error in the passage at 24:41 Highlight the passage at 24:41

25:02 When my body is suddenly struck by contagious disease, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for committing acts that corrupted my vows. From now on I shall renounce non-virtuous acts. So in this case, This is when our body is suddenly struck by some sort of illness or disease. In the translation it says contagious disease, but in the commentaries it doesn't seem to be limited to just contagious diseases. Report an error in the passage at 25:02 Highlight the passage at 25:02

25:40 Geshe Sopa in his commentary mentions that here we're dealing with acute diseases or acute illnesses like a sudden migraine. Or suffering a stroke or something, you know, rather than chronic illnesses. Report an error in the passage at 25:40 Highlight the passage at 25:40

26:02 So the previous verse refers to chronic illnesses and this one refers to sudden illness. Report an error in the passage at 26:02 Highlight the passage at 26:02

26:20 So the karmic causes of this is having violated our vows and our pledges. So we've taken vows in the past and we haven't. We haven't respected them. We haven't taken care. We haven't bothered to learn what they are. We take bodhisattva vows and maybe we don't even know what they are and then we just kind of continue to go along without being mindful of them. Report an error in the passage at 26:20 Highlight the passage at 26:20

26:50 Also we make commitments. Maybe teachers ask us to do particular practices or we make commitments to do particular practices. If we take an initiation. Report an error in the passage at 26:50 Highlight the passage at 26:50

27:03 Oftentimes there's a commitment to do a certain number of mantras, to do succession guru yoga, or to do a particular retreat within a particular number of years, or to do a daily practice. So we're recreating the karma for this sudden illness when we break those commitments, when we don't follow through. Report an error in the passage at 27:03 Highlight the passage at 27:03

27:37 So the antidotes. In the verse it says, from now on I shall renounce non-virtuous acts. So that's pretty broad. To abandon or at least reduce our non-virtuous actions. But in particular in this verse we're referring to avoid violating the vows and commitments that we have made and to do purification. So when we have... Report an error in the passage at 27:37 Highlight the passage at 27:37

28:13 Violated our vows and commitments to purify that. And some of the practices, the Samaya Vajra, I wanted to mention Samaya Vajra because that one's a practice in particular that's to purify the broken commitments we've made to gurus, our lamas. Report an error in the passage at 28:13 Highlight the passage at 28:13

28:35 And I mention that too because there's going to be a Samaya Vajra retreat. Being done for three weeks down at Vajrapani, led by Venerable Rene, I think the end of November and beginning of December. And so that's a very powerful practice. So that retreat is going to be a Samaya Vajra along with a Lamrim retreat. Betty, you had a question? Report an error in the passage at 28:35 Highlight the passage at 28:35

29:04 Microphone? A Samaya Vajra? Report an error in the passage at 29:04 Highlight the passage at 29:04

29:19 Let me check. I may have the sadhana somewhere. But definitely a Vajrapani, they'll have it. But maybe email me and remind me. I'll check. And then there's the Vajrasattva purification practice, prostrations, etc. Report an error in the passage at 29:19 Highlight the passage at 29:19

29:44 And the other key thing, right? So in order to keep our vows, we need to know what they are first, right? So to study our vows, really know what they mean, and then to review them again and again. Because sometimes we read them and we put a lot of effort in right after we take a vow. And then after some time we kind of get lazy and we forget about it. So it's good to review them frequently. And that's one of the reasons why we do six session guru yoga every day for people who've done highest yoga tantra initiation because then you're reading the vows every day. Report an error in the passage at 29:44 Highlight the passage at 29:44

30:21 So they become foremost in your mind. Yeah, Keith. Report an error in the passage at 30:21 Highlight the passage at 30:21

30:28 Well, if it comes to mind, say, like I'm working on meditations to go way back, maybe 40 years, and it comes to mind something, What I did was non-virtuous. There were many things. You're not alone. When you're the older you get, the more... Anyway, Report an error in the passage at 30:28 Highlight the passage at 30:28

30:52 does that respond to purification? I mean, is that something that you should then purify that? If you keep that in your mind for a purification, then that might help. Report an error in the passage at 30:52 Highlight the passage at 30:52

31:04 Yeah. Because even though you hadn't taken vows yet, it would still count as bad karma. Yep. Exactly. Yeah, I mean, it doesn't matter how much time has passed, we can still purify it. The thing is, we need to purify, in general, it's good to purify things as soon as possible, because the karma increases the longer that we wait. Report an error in the passage at 31:04 Highlight the passage at 31:04

31:28 So it's like, the example they give is like an oak tree, right? It starts with the... A little acorn, but then it can become this huge tree. And similarly with karma, when we first create that negative or positive karma, the result isn't as big as if we keep waiting and waiting before we purify it and regret it. Report an error in the passage at 31:28 Highlight the passage at 31:28

31:53 So it's never too late to purify it. And being young is really no excuse. Being young? Being young, like 10 years old, maybe you did something at 10. No. It's the same as if you did it at 60. Report an error in the passage at 31:53 Highlight the passage at 31:53

32:19 It's good. I mean, the more specific we are when we purify, the better. You know, if we just say, oh, I regret all the negative actions I've ever done. Report an error in the passage at 32:19 Highlight the passage at 32:19

32:30 It's not very powerful, you know. It's not as powerful as if I think, oh, I regret killing those mosquitoes. Oh, I regret. Killing those ants, you know, and really trying specifically to protect mosquitoes and ants in the future and not kill them and not harm them in the future. Oh, I really regret yelling at my brother. Well, that can be depressing, so it's good to, when you remember, to just purify it. Report an error in the passage at 32:30 Highlight the passage at 32:30

33:07 And then, you know, when you purify it, because purification practice can become really heavy, thinking, oh, I did that. Oh, yeah, I did that. Oh, I did that. I did that, too. But to really, after you purify it, to really feel like, oh, it's really purified, and to rejoice. Report an error in the passage at 33:07 Highlight the passage at 33:07

33:27 It's so important in spiritual practice to rejoice, you know, to feel happy about the good things that we're doing. Otherwise, it can be heavy. Because I've had some things that I thought were totally purified. I need to get out of the microphone. No. Report an error in the passage at 33:27 Highlight the passage at 33:27

33:41 Thanks Jay. I've had some things I thought were totally purified and then they come up over and over and over again. Maybe I'm not rejoicing enough or maybe there's just some things that have to be ultra purified, you know, where you do Vajrasattva and it's not just gone. It takes like 50 Vajrasattvas to purify. Is that out of the ordinary? Report an error in the passage at 33:41 Highlight the passage at 33:41

34:04 No, I mean, we do have to purify again and again and again and again, yeah. Because remember, we've lived for countless lives, right? So it's not as if we do a three-month Vajra Safra retreat and we've purified everything we've ever done. We need to keep doing purification again and again, and we need to do the daily purification right at the end of every day, as well as doing purification retreats sometimes. Report an error in the passage at 34:04 Highlight the passage at 34:04

34:35 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 34:35 Highlight the passage at 34:35

34:44 Well, it's 25 after, so why don't we take a break and then come back and go on that. Yeah, I hand it the next time so if people didn't get it, I have more up here. We're back. Oh, and I didn't... Yeah, I didn't give one to Betty. Report an error in the passage at 34:44 Highlight the passage at 34:44

35:09 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 35:09 Highlight the passage at 35:09

35:17 Yeah. Okay. I can get it back later. Okay. you hit on M? Oh yes. Report an error in the passage at 35:17 Highlight the passage at 35:17

35:15 e-mailed us today? Yep. Yep. And I already had a copy. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 35:15 Highlight the passage at 35:15

35:25 When is the doctor next week? Okay. Well, if we get through all those verses, but just do what we've covered, basically. I was a little optimistic thinking that we'd get through verse 33, but we'll see. Report an error in the passage at 35:25 Highlight the passage at 35:25

35:43 Okay, verse 28. When my intellect is blind toward all that is worth knowing, It is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for claiming as the Dharma what ought to be put aside. From now on I shall cultivate the wisdom that comes from study, examination and meditation. Report an error in the passage at 35:43 Highlight the passage at 35:43

36:05 So the situation is that whenever we try to study anything, but particularly religious things, particularly Dharma, our mind becomes unclear, dull or blocked. Report an error in the passage at 36:05 Highlight the passage at 36:05

36:22 No matter how many times our teacher explains to us, we don't understand. And we're not able to meditate and we're not able to memorize. So we try and try and try and things aren't sticking in our minds. We're not able to memorize something. We're not able to understand the teachings. Report an error in the passage at 36:22 Highlight the passage at 36:22

36:46 So the karmic causes of this is having put off our Dharma practice for mundane activities. So for worldly activities, we had prioritized our worldly activities above the Dharma. So we get busy and the first thing that we let go of is our Dharma practice or going to Dharma teachings. Report an error in the passage at 36:46 Highlight the passage at 36:46

37:11 And we've all done this, right? Report an error in the passage at 37:11 Highlight the passage at 37:11

37:22 So this friend of mine, when His Holiness was in town, She went to the Dharma teachings. Actually, I shouldn't even say this. And then the public talk. She had a wine tasting. So she went to the wine tasting instead of the public talk. But we all do these things, right? Oh, we have this party to go to. Or my friends invited me over for dinner, so I'll skip that Dharma teaching that I really want to go to. Report an error in the passage at 37:22 Highlight the passage at 37:22

37:58 And if we think about it... Oftentimes we prioritize entertainment over the Dharma. But entertainment, we get some temporary pleasure, and then it's over forever. Report an error in the passage at 37:58 Highlight the passage at 37:58

38:16 But with the Dharma, we're creating causes for happiness in the future when we practice the Dharma, when we go to Dharma teachings, etc. So the long-term benefit of the Dharma is great. the long-term benefit of Going to the party is... Exactly. And there might be a harm if we engage in a lot of drinking and smoking and carousing. Report an error in the passage at 38:16 Highlight the passage at 38:16

38:57 So, something to think about. And then underestimating the other karmic cause, underestimating the importance of Dharma practice. Report an error in the passage at 38:57 Highlight the passage at 38:57

39:16 So to determine if it's a mundane activity, like I had that come up recently where it was like a very important teaching versus a baby shower for a dear friend. And so it was like, okay, that's not a mundane activity. To benefit her, of course I want to be there for a baby shower, but I also needed to get the teaching, you know. Report an error in the passage at 39:16 Highlight the passage at 39:16

39:43 So how do you... I mean, I just went with what was most beneficial, which was to go to the baby shower, you know. But how do you really decide? I mean, it's difficult sometimes to weigh out when you're trying to benefit others, not just yourself. And you might do something that's considered mundane or whatever for the sake of a sentient being. Report an error in the passage at 39:43 Highlight the passage at 39:43

40:10 Then it's kind of like there's loopholes, I guess. Report an error in the passage at 40:10 Highlight the passage at 40:10

40:17 Well, I agree. I think it's really difficult to weigh, okay, well, what is more beneficial? Like you were saying that the baby shower was more beneficial. But is that really true? You know, if your friend would have been really upset with you for not going, then maybe it's important to go. But if your friend doesn't really care so much... Report an error in the passage at 40:17 Highlight the passage at 40:17

40:45 Then it's good to go to the Dharma event. Right, right. Yes. Like, I mean, I think that we have this, like I have this with my, you know, with my mother. How much time do I spend with my mother versus, you know, I had this dream for a long time to do long-term retreat, but it would really disturb my mother's mind, you know. Report an error in the passage at 40:45 Highlight the passage at 40:45

41:08 So, you know, even though the long-term benefit of doing retreat is great. But it doesn't mean that I should do it at the expense of somebody. So somehow trying to find this kind of balance, right, to be able to do retreat, maybe in a way that she could feel okay about it. Because I ended up doing a long retreat, but then writing her letters and she was okay, you know. Right, right. Report an error in the passage at 41:08 Highlight the passage at 41:08

41:38 So trying to find a middle way and try to access our wisdom as much as we can. Report an error in the passage at 41:38 Highlight the passage at 41:38

41:48 But yeah, but that's something that we deal with all the time, right? I mean, even when it comes to working for Dharma, it's hard to weigh out, like, you know, work versus am I going to work too much and miss a teaching? You know, even that can become mundane in a way. I mean, I love to work for the Dharma, but I'm saying even that can become, if you're not making your commitments and stuff like that, then it can... Report an error in the passage at 41:48 Highlight the passage at 41:48

42:18 Degenerate you, I would think. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then that, I think that's a really common one, you know? Yeah. Working versus going to teachings versus doing your own practice. Right. Right? And so we, yeah, our commitments, our meditation and things. Because working for the Dharma, you know, feels like there's immediate benefit there. Report an error in the passage at 42:18 Highlight the passage at 42:18

42:39 You know, you're working for Liberation Prison Project and you're benefiting these prisoners. And so that's wonderful. But if our minds aren't developing, if we're not improving, transforming our minds, then the long-term benefit isn't so great. So we also need to do our practice and we also need to go to Dharma teaching so we understand the Dharma. So trying to find that balance is tricky. Report an error in the passage at 42:39 Highlight the passage at 42:39

43:08 But I think it's important to not just be consumed with just... You know, the working aspect or just going to Dharma teachings because if we just go to Dharma teachings, it can be about me, you know, wanting to learn about the Dharma and forget about other sentient beings. Yeah, it seems like it's from one extreme to the other and I need to find a way to make sure to meet my own sanity, not Report an error in the passage at 43:08 Highlight the passage at 43:08

43:36 peace of mind. Without my sadhana, I'm not who I need to be. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, Jay, you had something to say? Report an error in the passage at 43:36 Highlight the passage at 43:36

44:06 Right, so the antidotes. Instead of spending a lot of time on mundane activities, we should spend more time on Dharma practice. Report an error in the passage at 44:06 Highlight the passage at 44:06

44:17 Even when we do need to go and do what seem like mundane activities on the outside, to please our loved ones, we can still practice Dharma in our minds at least. Report an error in the passage at 44:17 Highlight the passage at 44:17

44:35 Also cultivate the three types of wisdom. So the wisdom from hearing, reflecting and meditating. And this one's important in that oftentimes we just go to Dharma teachings and we hear a lot of Dharma and we kind of just leave it at that. Report an error in the passage at 44:35 Highlight the passage at 44:35

44:54 But we need to cultivate the other two types of wisdom, actually reflecting on the teachings, doing the meditation, the analytical meditation, doing, trying to develop concentration and ultimately calm abiding. Then we can actually affect some. Real change in our minds, some lasting change in our minds. And when we just go to Dharma teachings, oftentimes the knowledge just stays on the intellectual level. Report an error in the passage at 44:54 Highlight the passage at 44:54

45:27 We know a lot of Dharma, but it comes right down to it. We're not really transforming our minds and we're not transforming our hearts. So it's really through the meditating that we transform our hearts. Report an error in the passage at 45:27 Highlight the passage at 45:27

45:52 And then lastly... To reflect on the shortcomings of cyclic existence and impermanence in death and how only the Dharma can help us at the time of death. So the shortcomings of cyclic existence. So all of these worldly pleasures that we engage in have no lasting benefit. And so remembering that. And actually oftentimes we're creating negative karma when we're... Report an error in the passage at 45:52 Highlight the passage at 45:52

46:26 Kind of indulging in our samsaric pleasures. And so to have that kind of long-term view, right, that, okay, this may be a lot of fun right now, but maybe I'm creating the causes to suffer in the future. Report an error in the passage at 46:26 Highlight the passage at 46:26

46:46 Or at least I'm wasting a lot of time. You know, we have, you know, just our being in this room, we were talking, David, is... It means that we've created this incredible karma and it can end at any moment. It can end tonight. Report an error in the passage at 46:46 Highlight the passage at 46:46

47:12 But we could die and we could be reborn in Iraq. We can be reborn as an animal or in any other kind of rebirth. We kind of take for granted because we're kind of in this incredible pure realm here. We have Geshe Dagpa here, we have Sechen Ling, we have these wonderful teachers. Down at Vajrapani and Land of Medicine Buddha and Gila Gyatso. And it seems like the Dharma is all around and it's always going to be there. Report an error in the passage at 47:12 Highlight the passage at 47:12

47:47 But it's very possible that our next rebirth, we won't have the Dharma. And if we think about the six billion people on this planet, how many of them have even heard of the Dharma? Report an error in the passage at 47:47 Highlight the passage at 47:47

48:04 How many of them have the freedom to practice, to learn? To practice, you know, without even thinking about all of the other, you know, all of the animals and all of the other beings. Report an error in the passage at 48:04 Highlight the passage at 48:04

48:24 So we tend to think that death will, I mean, we know that we're going to die at some point, but we tend to think that it's going to happen sometime later, you know, maybe when I'm 90 or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 48:24 Highlight the passage at 48:24

48:42 Or sometimes His Holiness the Dalai Lama comes and people think, oh well, I won't go this year, but I'll go next time. But there might not be a next time. Report an error in the passage at 48:42 Highlight the passage at 48:42

48:58 So it's important to remember again and again that we can die at any moment. Report an error in the passage at 48:58 Highlight the passage at 48:58

49:09 And then at the time of death, the only thing that will help us is the Dharma, is our state of mind at the time of death that we've cultivated. Report an error in the passage at 49:09 Highlight the passage at 49:09

49:24 If we've cultivated a virtuous mind throughout our lives, then it's a virtuous mind, a calm mind. Then at the time of death, it's likely that we'll have a virtuous and calm mind. Report an error in the passage at 49:24 Highlight the passage at 49:24

49:37 But if we've cultivated a mind of a lot of attachment or anger in our lives, then it's most likely that that state of mind will predominate at the time of death. Report an error in the passage at 49:37 Highlight the passage at 49:37

49:52 And the state of mind that we have at the time of death is a strong determinant in Our next rebirth. So it's so important to have a calm and virtuous state of mind at the time of death. Report an error in the passage at 49:52 Highlight the passage at 49:52

50:17 And also what will help us is the karma that we've created throughout this life. So if we've created predominantly virtuous karma, we don't have much to worry about. Report an error in the passage at 50:17 Highlight the passage at 50:17

50:32 But if we haven't, it's good to get started. Report an error in the passage at 50:32 Highlight the passage at 50:32

50:46 Yeah, exactly. Well, not exactly, but thinking about the long-term future, not just indulging in our current pleasures, but thinking about what is the long-term benefit. Report an error in the passage at 50:46 Highlight the passage at 50:46

51:06 And this is so critical. In this culture, being busy is so valued. There are so many things to do, and we need to do it all. Report an error in the passage at 51:06 Highlight the passage at 51:06

51:19 But most of them have no benefit at all. Report an error in the passage at 51:19 Highlight the passage at 51:19

51:26 I used to be a huge newspaper news junkie. I'd read the New York Times and I'd read the San Francisco Chronicle and I had all these magazine subscriptions. Report an error in the passage at 51:26 Highlight the passage at 51:26

51:39 And I'd be stressed out because all these magazines would be piling up and I didn't have time to read all of them. And what is the benefit? You know, what is the benefit of knowing everything that's happening in the news? You know, maybe other people will think, ooh, you know, she's really smart or, you know, she's really aware of what's going on. Report an error in the passage at 51:39 Highlight the passage at 51:39

52:02 But that's just ego stuff, right? There's no, you know, there's no benefit to spending so much time, you know, and you're like a hamster. It's like you're running, running, running and you're not getting anywhere, right? So we can let go of those things that don't have much benefit. And then I went the opposite way and I didn't read any newspapers and things for, you know, ten years. And maybe that wasn't the best way to go either. Report an error in the passage at 52:02 Highlight the passage at 52:02

52:33 Let's know what's happened in the last ten years. Yeah, exactly. And then you come back and you think, okay, well, everything's the same. You know, the names have changed. Oh, there's a war going on in Iraq instead of, you know. not reliable. Yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 52:33 Highlight the passage at 52:33

52:51 or whatever, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 52:51 Highlight the passage at 52:51

52:58 The famous people, they look the same as the other famous people from ten years ago. They just have different names. Report an error in the passage at 52:58 Highlight the passage at 52:58

53:10 So it's good to really look at our lives and how we're spending our time and think about what we can let go of that doesn't have a benefit. We can't let go of everything right now all at once. Slowly, slowly we can try to simplify our lives and Report an error in the passage at 53:10 Highlight the passage at 53:10

53:32 spend time just reflecting. At the end of the day, reflecting on what we did that day, rejoicing in the good things that we did, purifying the things that weren't so good, Report an error in the passage at 53:32 Highlight the passage at 53:32

53:49 reflecting on the Dharma, reflecting on our minds, just trying to understand how our minds work. Why did I do that? Why did I... Why do I make that sarcastic comment to my co-worker? Usually we don't spend the time to think about it. We just do it and then we move on and we regret it. But then we do it again and then we do it again and then we do it again. So it's good to actually spend some time and think about, okay, well, why did I do that? Report an error in the passage at 53:49 Highlight the passage at 53:49

54:23 What was going on in my mind and how can I change that? Report an error in the passage at 54:23 Highlight the passage at 54:23

54:39 I also have a... Report an error in the passage at 54:39 Highlight the passage at 54:39

54:44 A sheet on the nine-point death meditation that Choki put together for her class. It's really, really useful. So if people are interested in it, it's really, you know, the llamas recommend that we meditate on death every day. And some say if you don't meditate on death in the morning, then you waste your morning. If you don't meditate on death at midday, then you waste your afternoon. Report an error in the passage at 54:44 Highlight the passage at 54:44

55:09 If you don't meditate on death in the evening, then you waste your evening. Report an error in the passage at 55:09 Highlight the passage at 55:09

55:16 Maybe that's hard to do, but at least remembering again and again. We need to remind ourselves again and again that, yeah, I could die. I could die tonight. I might not even wake up tomorrow. We just don't want to think that way, and we forget, and we think we have all of this time, but we may not. Report an error in the passage at 55:16 Highlight the passage at 55:16

55:43 I'll pass it out at the end of class, so remind me in case I forget. Report an error in the passage at 55:43 Highlight the passage at 55:43

55:59 Verse 29. And these verses, these coming verses are related. When I am overcome by sleep while practicing Dharma, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for piling up obscurations to the holy Dharma. From now on, I shall undergo hardship for the sake of the Dharma. Okay. So here the situation, the situation may sound a little familiar. Report an error in the passage at 55:59 Highlight the passage at 55:59

56:33 We become sleepy when we listen to teachings. Or do some sort of spiritual practice like when we meditate or recite prayers or mantras or we try to study the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 56:33 Highlight the passage at 56:33

56:52 Karmic causes? Having disrespected the Dharma scriptures in the past. So the teachings talk about how our Dharma books, anything with the Dharma on them, it's important to respect them, treat them with respect. Report an error in the passage at 56:52 Highlight the passage at 56:52

57:15 Don't put them on the floor. Don't step over them. Don't scribble on them. Report an error in the passage at 57:15 Highlight the passage at 57:15

57:27 Don't put other things on top of them. We have such a habit of putting things on top of books. I'll put my cup of tea on top of my book or put my glasses on top of my book. It's good to really respect the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 57:27 Highlight the passage at 57:27

57:46 Because this is our key to happiness, right? These books contain our way out of the cycle of suffering and bring us to ultimate happiness, everlasting happiness. Report an error in the passage at 57:46 Highlight the passage at 57:46

58:07 So what can be more valuable than that? And when we really value something, then we really treat it well. Report an error in the passage at 58:07 Highlight the passage at 58:07

58:18 Like we don't scribble on the walls of our house. Because we value our house. Report an error in the passage at 58:18 Highlight the passage at 58:18

58:32 So similarly with the Dharma books, it's good to take care of them and put them in a high place, you know, not stick them on the floor with a bunch of things on top of it. But, you know, to put it on the top shelf, just for our minds, you know, for our minds to remember, oh yeah, I need to respect this because this is my key to enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 58:32 Highlight the passage at 58:32

59:00 Do you still get the same, like before I knew all these rules, like six years ago when I first got into the Dharma and I didn't respect things the way I should have, whether it be a statue or having it turned the wrong way or a book, do you, it seemed kind of back to what he said, whether you're ten years old or not, if you disrespected it, you disrespected it whether you didn't know or not, ignorance doesn't change it, right? Report an error in the passage at 59:00 Highlight the passage at 59:00

59:27 It doesn't get you off the hook, right? But it is, I mean, the severity of the karma is different if you do it intentionally or if you do it just out of ignorance, right? So if you know, you know, if you've received the teachings that it's good to respect the Dharma books and you think, ah, you know, what do they know? Report an error in the passage at 59:27 Highlight the passage at 59:27

59:54 That's just a bunch of dogmatic BS. And then you mistreat them. Then the karma you're creating is more serious. Anna. Report an error in the passage at 59:54 Highlight the passage at 59:54

1:00:12 I was reading, I think it was an interview of His Holiness, and he was even cautioning about putting your mala on top of a Dharma text. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:12 Highlight the passage at 1:00:12

1:00:29 Yeah. But he mentioned it, not even to do that. And so then my question was, how about when we stack our books? Our Dharma books, one on top of the other. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:29 Highlight the passage at 1:00:29

1:00:48 It's okay to stack your Dharma books, I think. I mean, I haven't heard anything. But the Mala, yeah, I've heard that and read that in various places. Because a Dharma book is more valuable than a Mala. A Dharma book contains the instructions, the teachings. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:48 Highlight the passage at 1:00:48

1:01:15 Yeah, exactly. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:15 Highlight the passage at 1:01:15

1:01:21 Right, and just imagine if we lost all of the Dharma books. You know, when the Chinese invaded Tibet, you know, destroyed thousands and thousands of Dharma texts. And the reason that we have them today is because the monks memorized these texts. And so when they came out, they remembered them and wrote them down. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:21 Highlight the passage at 1:01:21

1:01:45 But imagine if they were all lost. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:45 Highlight the passage at 1:01:45

1:02:00 Okay. So the Dharma jewel, the three jewels, the Buddha, the Dharma and the Saṅgha jewel. The Dharma jewel has two aspects. There's the Dharma of scripture and the Dharma of realization. So the Dharma of scripture are the Dharma texts and the Dharma teachings. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:00 Highlight the passage at 1:02:00

1:02:24 And the Dharma of realization are the realizations in the continuum of the beings who have them. Actual realizations of emptiness, the realizations of bodhicitta, the Dharma realizations. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:24 Highlight the passage at 1:02:24

1:02:41 So in this verse, the karmic causes of being sleepy during teachings and practice is having disrespected either of those Dharma jewels, either the scriptures or the people who have realizations. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:41 Highlight the passage at 1:02:41

1:03:01 So having looked down upon or otherwise disrespected those who had realizations or vows. You know, there's a story about Talopa, this ancient master Talopa who was the guru of Naropa. And Naropa was the greatest scholar of his time at Nalanda University back in India many, many years ago. And Naropa was the... Report an error in the passage at 1:03:01 Highlight the passage at 1:03:01

1:03:32 He could defeat anybody in debate in the monasteries. He was the one everybody went to to ask their questions. One day this old woman appeared to Naropa and she said something like, it's wonderful that you know all of these scriptures and you know all these teachings, but it's too bad that you don't have them. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:32 Highlight the passage at 1:03:32

1:04:02 In your heart, you don't have realizations. You don't have real understanding of them. And he was kind of devastated by this. And so he decided to leave the monastery and search for a teacher. And he was told about Talopa. And he went to the village where Talopa was supposed to be. And he asked the people around for Talopa. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:02 Highlight the passage at 1:04:02

1:04:31 The Lama or, you know, the spiritual guru. And people said, oh, you know, I don't know about, you know, a spiritual guru, but there's this fisherman named Talopa down at the creek. And so Talopa, you know, and so Naropa found Talopa and he was just this raggedy, he looked like, you know, a homeless person, you know, with rags on him and dirty long hair. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:31 Highlight the passage at 1:04:31

1:05:01 And he was killing the fish, killing the fish and eating them. And so all the people around thought that the Dalai Lama was nothing. But he was this great, great master. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:01 Highlight the passage at 1:05:01

1:05:24 And I tell that story because similarly, any of the people around could have, could be bodhisattvas, they could be Buddhas, the homeless people on the streets. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:24 Highlight the passage at 1:05:24

1:05:36 The people that we have no respect for, the people that we look down upon, any of them can be Buddhas or bodhisattvas. And so it's important to try to remember that and try to never treat anyone with disrespect. Because we can't know another person's mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:36 Highlight the passage at 1:05:36

1:05:59 We just see the external appearance and we think, oh yeah, look at that person, he's dirty and smelly. So, right, right. Exactly. Different political views than me or President Bush or whatever. You Report an error in the passage at 1:05:59 Highlight the passage at 1:05:59

1:06:22 want to put that on the microphone? Report an error in the passage at 1:06:22 Highlight the passage at 1:06:22

1:06:28 Right. So it's important not to disrespect those people, to treat everyone with respect. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:28 Highlight the passage at 1:06:28

1:06:41 So the antidotes, right? So to respect all the Dharma texts and the beings who have realizations and hold vows. Yeah, I know. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:41 Highlight the passage at 1:06:41

1:06:49 Oh yeah, I didn't mention the whole vows part, but like monks and nuns, for example, it's good to respect them for their vows. Even if we don't, you know, even if we think that they're not practicing well, you know, that's just the projection of our minds, right? We don't know. So it's good to respect all the monastics. And then Geshe Sopa says to show great respect and interest toward the teachings. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:49 Highlight the passage at 1:06:49

1:07:20 Progressively gaining more understanding and ridding ourselves of barriers to our comprehension of them. So continuing to attend Dharma teachings and reflecting on them and meditating on them. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:20 Highlight the passage at 1:07:20

1:07:38 And the last is to make special effort and willingly endure any hardship in practicing the Dharma. And we read the stories of the old... Indian masters and the old Tibetan masters. They underwent so many hardships for the Dharma. Like Marpa. Marpa lived in Tibet and he traveled to India, I think, if I remember, three times by foot, which took many, many, many months. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:38 Highlight the passage at 1:07:38

1:08:19 Many, many hardships. And each time he went to India, he was going to India to bring the Dharma back to Tibet so he could benefit other beings. And each time he went, he was risking his life. Each time he went, he didn't know if he'd come back. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:19 Highlight the passage at 1:08:19

1:08:40 And for us, we have the Dharma everywhere around here. And sometimes we can get spoiled and think, oh, well, you know, Vantrapani, that's two hours away. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:40 Highlight the passage at 1:08:40

1:08:53 That'll take all day. You know, I can't go to that teaching. But if we put it into perspective, we have this opportunity now and we may not have it in the future. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:53 Highlight the passage at 1:08:53

1:09:08 The llamas are getting old. They might not be around much longer. We could die any moment. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:08 Highlight the passage at 1:09:08

1:09:23 I feel like I'm on a soapbox. Hey, Report an error in the passage at 1:09:23 Highlight the passage at 1:09:23

1:09:32 Robert, microphone. I can give you a difficult question. That would help. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:32 Highlight the passage at 1:09:32

1:09:40 Difficult for a couple reasons. I gave a compliment to a nun then and said, gee, thank you for some wonderful teaching today. And someone in the crowd tried to one-up me and said, thank you for keeping your vows. And then I've been thinking, which is a greater compliment, teaching well or keeping one's vows? Report an error in the passage at 1:09:40 Highlight the passage at 1:09:40

1:10:09 And does it matter? Where is respect the greatest? I think we don't need to compare. I think both are really beneficial. Teaching well and really benefiting others. Keeping vows, really benefiting others as well. And how does that person know she's keeping the vows? You, you. Does it matter? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:09 Highlight the passage at 1:10:09

1:10:40 Well, there you go. So, you were right. I don't know. I don't know what that's in your spare time. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:40 Highlight the passage at 1:10:40

1:10:57 Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 1:10:57 Highlight the passage at 1:10:57

1:11:03 it's our dualistic mind that's constantly trying to think, well, what's better? That's better. That's better. That's better. That's better. They're both good. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:03 Highlight the passage at 1:11:03

1:11:23 And it's very good to compliment. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:23 Highlight the passage at 1:11:23

1:11:28 If it's sincere, of course. Okay, we'll move on. When I delight in the afflictions and am greatly distracted, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for not meditating upon impermanence and the shortcomings of cyclic existence. From now on, I shall increase my dissatisfaction for cyclic existence. So this is similar. So here, we are fond of the objects of our afflictions and are easily distracted. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:28 Highlight the passage at 1:11:28

1:12:01 With no time to practice the Dharma. So here we're getting, like we talked about before, we're getting so busy, so caught up in the things going on in our lives, caught up in painting our house or improving our home or planning our vacations. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:01 Highlight the passage at 1:12:01

1:12:30 And then we put off our Dharma practice. I have put up my Dharma practice before to sit and worry. Like, I've literally thought, you know, I can't do that right now. I've got to sit and worry about this. You know what I mean? There's just no time for that. It's better if I sit here and be jittery. There's a plan for that. That's how tricked you get. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:30 Highlight the passage at 1:12:30

1:12:52 Yeah. It's so easy to do that. I mean, it's so, I mean, I can see it so clearly when I'm sitting down and I try to do, you know, my calm abiding meditation each morning. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:52 Highlight the passage at 1:12:52

1:13:05 I am constantly distracted by my thoughts, like just mundane little thoughts. Oh yeah, I need to remember to do my laundry this morning. Today I need to do my laundry. Maybe it's more important to develop concentration than do my laundry. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:05 Highlight the passage at 1:13:05

1:13:33 I kind of like thinking about doing my laundry. It's like my mind constantly wants to be entertained. It's too hard to just sit there and focus and concentrate. Even though when I do, I feel this great benefit. But I'm kind of looking forward to a distraction. Oh yeah, I need to send that email out. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:33 Highlight the passage at 1:13:33

1:14:02 And so that's an obvious sign that I'm not really thinking about the benefits. The calm abiding meditation. I just want to be distracted. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:02 Highlight the passage at 1:14:02

1:14:20 So that's kind of the second point, right? We become so distracted by objects of desire, hatred and ignorance that we are unable to keep our minds on our prayers, our mantras, the object of meditation or on our studies. Where Report an error in the passage at 1:14:20 Highlight the passage at 1:14:20

1:14:41 the mind just circles and you would think you're going into a long retreat, your mind shouldn't be distracted, but mind just circles and circles. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:41 Highlight the passage at 1:14:41

1:14:53 No, I just want to offer up that you notice it more when you're in a retreat. You know what I mean? That's one thing. Like I sometimes when I get into a quiet, into meditation or a retreat or something like that, is when I start to really notice there's a constant tape playing in my head. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:53 Highlight the passage at 1:14:53

1:15:08 Just a thought. That was not helpful at all, though. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:08 Highlight the passage at 1:15:08

1:15:20 Well, just to remind you, I was wondering today that if we were really able to develop mindfulness the way... Buddha taught it and not totally control all our distractions. Would that be enough? Enough for what? To really realize emptiness and understand or reach some form of enlightenment. Because that seems to be the major issue is it's just the constant distractions. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:20 Highlight the passage at 1:15:20

1:15:49 The mind doesn't work the way it needs to work. Yeah, we can't focus. Yeah, and that's not enough, you know, developing calm abiding. When we develop calm abiding, you know, that is, you know, we can stay on the object of meditation for, some texts say, for as long as you wish, some texts say, for four hours. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:49 Highlight the passage at 1:15:49

1:16:12 But basically, you know, so you're not being distracted. But that's only a basis. Like, it's only a basis. And then with that basis, then we need to realize emptiness. Then we need to realize bodhicitta. But just concentration alone isn't enough. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:12 Highlight the passage at 1:16:12

1:16:43 Mindfulness isn't calm abiding, I don't think. Mindfulness would be the key. Mindfulness would be more than that. To be really awake, really being able to control all the... Report an error in the passage at 1:16:43 Highlight the passage at 1:16:43

1:17:00 It would seem to be beyond calm abiding. Well, we need mindfulness in order to attain calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:00 Highlight the passage at 1:17:00

1:17:15 Well, you know, mindfulness, at least in this tradition, mindfulness is talked about in terms of remembering the object. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:15 Highlight the passage at 1:17:15

1:17:27 Remembering the object of meditation or remembering to think about your vows or remembering to watch your mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:27 Highlight the passage at 1:17:27

1:17:41 In the Dharma, it's talked about the three higher trainings. Ethics, we need to keep our vows, we need to practice virtue. Concentration, which is the calm abiding. And then wisdom. And wisdom, understanding emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:41 Highlight the passage at 1:17:41

1:18:02 Understanding reality. And in order to realize emptiness, we need to study and meditate. And so with the basis of... Calm abiding. Then we start doing the emptiness meditation and then we can actually realize emptiness with a basis of calm abiding. So mindfulness is considered the way to get to concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:02 Highlight the passage at 1:18:02

1:18:34 Perhaps the mindfulness that you're talking about is different from what I just described? Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:34 Highlight the passage at 1:18:34

1:18:46 Yeah. Lama Zopa Rinpoche often talks about how it's not, I hate to put words in his mouth, but it's more beneficial to develop bodhicitta than it is to develop concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:46 Highlight the passage at 1:18:46

1:19:02 This concentration, if we just develop concentration and nothing else, the benefit is not that great. So we'll learn to concentrate. And then maybe we'll be reborn in the form realm or something. And then that karma will finish and then we'll fall back into this realm or to the lower realms. And we won't have gotten any further along the path. And sometimes you hear in teachings they say, we've all developed calm abiding and the different levels of concentration in previous lives. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:02 Highlight the passage at 1:19:02

1:19:39 And where has that gotten us? We haven't developed bodhicitta in our previous lives. Well, maybe some people have, right? But just developing concentration isn't enough and it's not even particularly beneficial. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:39 Highlight the passage at 1:19:39

1:19:56 We need to develop bodhicitta and we need to realize emptiness. Those are the two that will really help us. But we need a basis of concentration to be able to really penetrate the subject and really Report an error in the passage at 1:19:56 Highlight the passage at 1:19:56

1:20:13 Have a stable understanding and really affect change in our minds. Otherwise it's just kind of superficial and sometimes we remember and sometimes we don't. And it doesn't make a huge change in our day-to-day life. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:13 Highlight the passage at 1:20:13

1:20:33 Did I see another hand? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:33 Highlight the passage at 1:20:33

1:20:41 You look like you're about to say something. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:41 Highlight the passage at 1:20:41

1:20:49 So the karmic causes of the fact that we keep following our afflictions, right? no, I was just like crazy, I thought everybody else was going. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:49 Highlight the passage at 1:20:49

1:20:58 We can concentrate. We keep following our afflictions. It's because, once again, we haven't meditated on impermanence and death, or we haven't meditated on it enough, and we haven't meditated on the shortcomings of cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:58 Highlight the passage at 1:20:58

1:21:16 We keep thinking that these distractions and these pleasures are important, and we keep thinking that we have plenty of time in our lives. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:16 Highlight the passage at 1:21:16

1:21:32 So the antidotes to meditate on impermanence, How time is short. Geshe Soppa says, death is looking right over our shoulder and is ready to take us at any time, separating us from all we love and sending us on to the next birth. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:32 Highlight the passage at 1:21:32

1:21:54 The other antidote, to meditate on the shortcomings of cyclic existence and how at the time of death only the Dharma will help us. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:54 Highlight the passage at 1:21:54

1:22:15 So we could try to cover one more verse. Oh, Anna, you have a question? Report an error in the passage at 1:22:15 Highlight the passage at 1:22:15

1:22:22 I'm not sure how it is that not meditating on these two. Subjects is a karmic result. Oh, the karmic cause. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:22 Highlight the passage at 1:22:22

1:22:39 Well, it's a cause, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:22:39 Highlight the passage at 1:22:39

1:22:46 Yeah, this one seems to be more about this lifetime. You know, we're not meditating on impermanence and not meditating on the shortcomings of cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:46 Highlight the passage at 1:22:46

1:23:05 Yeah, I don't, yeah. So this one might, yeah, this one doesn't seem to be referring to a previous life. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:05 Highlight the passage at 1:23:05

1:23:19 But nonetheless, it's useful, right? It's useful to know that, okay, this is what we need to do. We're constantly distracted because we haven't meditated enough on death. We haven't meditated enough on the shortcomings of cyclic existence. And so it's good to do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:19 Highlight the passage at 1:23:19

1:23:43 And the more we meditate on death, then the more we'll really use this life well. The less likely we're going to waste time. Right? Or spend time on useless activities. And the less likely we'll have regrets at the time of death. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:43 Highlight the passage at 1:23:43

1:24:18 So we'll try to cover one more verse. When things get worse, no matter what I do, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for disparaging moral causality and dependent origination. From now on, I shall strive to accumulate merit. Okay. So this is a situation that no matter how much we practice, no matter how much we try to improve our concentration, our qualities degenerate, our practice degenerates. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:18 Highlight the passage at 1:24:18

1:24:53 We're not able to study, our mind becomes more and more dull, we're less and less able to concentrate. So that's from a spiritual perspective and from a worldly perspective, whatever we do simply falls apart. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:53 Highlight the passage at 1:24:53

1:25:10 Our business ventures fail. We lose money in the stock market instead of gaining money. So whatever we do, Report an error in the passage at 1:25:10 Highlight the passage at 1:25:10

1:25:25 we get a result that's opposite from what we want. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:25 Highlight the passage at 1:25:25

1:25:33 The karmic causes was having disrespected and disregarded the law of karma, the law of cause and effect in the past, and therefore did whatever we want and performed non-virtuous actions and harmed others. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:33 Highlight the passage at 1:25:33

1:25:55 For example? Just like maybe drug abuse years ago, would that be in the same category as harming others? Report an error in the passage at 1:25:55 Highlight the passage at 1:25:55

1:26:09 Like I've been in recovery Report an error in the passage at 1:26:09 Highlight the passage at 1:26:09

1:26:15 because it's non-virtuous, so it seems like it would fit in there. Yeah. Or is it less karmic consequences of yourself versus somebody else that you're harming? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:15 Highlight the passage at 1:26:15

1:26:29 No, actually I haven't heard a teaching on that, what the karmic consequences if you've... Do it to yourself versus to others. There is this teaching that the object that you're performing a negative action toward really determines the severity of the karma. So if you're insulting a Buddha, you're creating much heavier negative karma than if you're insulting an ordinary being, for example. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:29 Highlight the passage at 1:26:29

1:27:02 But in terms of self versus other, I haven't heard anything. Has anybody else heard anything? I haven't heard anything, but there's always, there is this, it just seems to me that there's the precious human rebirth thing, so you're wasting that, A, but also you are doing to others in a very specific way because it is your job to work for others, and when you're not doing that, it seems to me that there is some harm being caused to others. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:02 Highlight the passage at 1:27:02

1:27:30 I mean, that's just my interpretation of it, but obviously it's not a direct harm. But it's just like the thing we were talking about before about how going to the baby shower or doing the other thing. And I think it is important to do things to make one happy, but the best thing one can ever do is to work for others. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:30 Highlight the passage at 1:27:30

1:27:45 And the best way to work for others is to work towards enlightenment quickly, which was the thing I was going to say then about the teaching versus the baby shower. But baby showers are important, I feel sure. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:45 Highlight the passage at 1:27:45

1:28:00 And Hillary, did you have something? Report an error in the passage at 1:28:00 Highlight the passage at 1:28:00

1:28:10 I remember hearing, it's not exactly that, Suicide was considered as bad as killing someone else. That's how I remembered it. But then I was going to say more or less what Jay just said too, in terms of since that's what you want to be doing primarily is attaining enlightenment for the sake of other beings, that if you're kind of throwing away the opportunity, then that's got to be. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:10 Highlight the passage at 1:28:10

1:28:42 That's that much longer that they have to suffer. Yeah. Really, I think this could get into too long of a debate, but I mean, the unsuffering I was going through years ago when I got into that could have caused me to kill myself. So, I mean, that could get complex. I think that's complex karma. Because, I mean, I don't know, it's hard to really, yeah, sure, I should have been benefiting others five, six years ago when I was screwing up, but at the same time... Report an error in the passage at 1:28:42 Highlight the passage at 1:28:42

1:28:46 yeah, I just... Report an error in the passage at 1:28:46 Highlight the passage at 1:28:46

1:29:15 I didn't know how to do that, so yeah, it's a tough one to really, I don't think I really got an answer, yeah. Yeah. Because the harm would have been greater to myself, maybe I'm answering it myself now, the harm would have been greater to myself if I would have killed myself due to depression and I would have never found the Dharma through the struggles of the hardships or, you know, so I guess I kind of answered my own question, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:15 Highlight the passage at 1:29:15

1:29:47 Janet has something in the back. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:47 Highlight the passage at 1:29:47

1:29:53 From teachings on karma, if I recall correctly, they said that there is a bit of karma that you experience in this life that's the result of causes from this life, but generally what you're experiencing in this life... Now is the result of your past karma from previous lives. So what you're creating right now with your actions doesn't directly influence the way karma is working now. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:53 Highlight the passage at 1:29:53

1:30:26 Maybe just occasionally a little bit of it will ripen, but basically will go into the future lives. Right, in general, but they say there are specific karmas that we can create that are particularly strong that will ripen in this life, and so that's on a positive as well as negative. In general, and so the majority of what we're creating, you can figure, will actually be influencing future lives as opposed to this life. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:26 Highlight the passage at 1:30:26

1:30:58 You know, it's kind of questionable, well, is that result actually because of what I did in this life or was it because of a past life? And see, if you did the similar actions, which are habituated, which of course you could do the same actions now, the results from those actions of a previous life now manifest as the same actions in this life producing a result, which is actually a result from the previous actions, which... Report an error in the passage at 1:30:58 Highlight the passage at 1:30:58

1:31:25 We can't project into the next life's actions to be similar unless we break this cycle. So, you know, it's like this one, that one is kind of... Yeah, yeah. And only a Buddha can tell you exactly what was the karmic cause for a particular thing that's happening to you right now. But what Janet was saying is, yeah, in general, that's what the teachings say. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:25 Highlight the passage at 1:31:25

1:31:57 In this verse, the main point about the karmic cause of why our practice keeps degenerating and why things keep failing is that we've disregarded the law of cause and effect. We've thought that there's no consequence to what we're doing. We thought that we could do whatever we wanted. And that's the main thing. And so the antidote is to really respect and abide by. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:57 Highlight the passage at 1:31:57

1:32:25 The law of karma. To be kind to others, be patient, to do virtuous actions. And then to understand the first two noble truths, the true sufferings and the true origins. That all of our suffering is a result of karma and afflictions. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:25 Highlight the passage at 1:32:25

1:32:50 And then lastly, to endure all hardships for the sake of the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:50 Highlight the passage at 1:32:50

1:32:57 Okay, so time is up. So I'll dedicate. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:57 Highlight the passage at 1:32:57

1:33:08 And before you leave, I have this nine-point death meditation for people. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:08 Highlight the passage at 1:33:08