Mahayana Mind Transformation (22 June 2007)

0:04 Oh, I don't count. Yeah, yeah. And in the monasteries, the monks, sometimes they recite D as long as they can in one breath. Report an error in the passage at 0:04 Highlight the passage at 0:04

0:23 And longer. And they have a lot of fun with it. Report an error in the passage at 0:23 Highlight the passage at 0:23

0:34 Okay, so just a reminder that we write all of our problems. due to the two inner enemies, right? Our ignorance, particularly our ignorance conceiving of a solid inherently existent self and then cherishing that self as being more important than others. Report an error in the passage at 0:34 Highlight the passage at 0:34

1:02 And so lasting happiness, true happiness comes only from cherishing others. It doesn't come from feeding our own self-cherishing and feeding our own attachments. Which is why bodhisattvas are always happy, because they're not focused on just their own happiness. They're focused on the happiness of others, benefiting others. Report an error in the passage at 1:02 Highlight the passage at 1:02

1:24 And the reason why we have our ups and downs is because we have self-cherishing. If we don't have any self-cherishing, then we don't have ups and downs. Okay, verse 38. Report an error in the passage at 1:24 Highlight the passage at 1:24

1:41 And by the way, I sent out the homework this week, and I was going to copy it downstairs, but the copier's out of toner. If people can just print it themselves, that would be good. Otherwise I'll bring some next week if you're not able to print it. Report an error in the passage at 1:41 Highlight the passage at 1:41

2:02 Oh yeah, I won't bring it next week. I'll bring it in two weeks. Okay, verse 38. When my companions mistreat me for being ugly... It is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for venting my rage by erecting ugly images. From now on I shall erect images of the gods and be slow to anger. Report an error in the passage at 2:02 Highlight the passage at 2:02

2:29 So this is a situation where we're born with some sort of a defective body. Maybe we're missing limbs or maybe we're blind or we have an unattractive body. And then others. Treat us badly as a result of that, so we suffer a lot. Unfortunately, we live in a culture where people are very concerned about appearance. Report an error in the passage at 2:29 Highlight the passage at 2:29

2:59 So if we have a deformed body, we tend to suffer more. Report an error in the passage at 2:59 Highlight the passage at 2:59

3:11 So a lot of causes. So basically it's due to our past anger and hatred, having spoken harsh words. And displayed a hostile attitude toward others. So when we're angry, we're displaying a face that's unattractive. And then we're creating the causes to have an unattractive body in the future. And then in addition, out of our anger then we destroyed beautiful statues or temples or caused ugly things to be made. Report an error in the passage at 3:11 Highlight the passage at 3:11

3:57 So this happened in Tibet when the Chinese took over and destroyed the images of the Buddha, destroyed the texts, etc. And so they've created this incredibly negative karma for the future by destroying all of these Dharma statues and holy places. Report an error in the passage at 3:57 Highlight the passage at 3:57

4:24 Another cause is having made holy images and statues in an improper manner. In the monasteries, the monks learn the correct way to paint tankas, the correct way to make statues, etc. There are very specific dimensions and very specific features. It's not something that we should haphazardly just try to draw a Buddha image and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 4:24 Highlight the passage at 4:24

4:49 According to the texts, it's important to create images in a proper way. Also, The texts tell us that we shouldn't criticize tankas or statues. Even if we think that they're not well made, we shouldn't express that. We shouldn't judge them and criticize and compare statues and images saying, oh, this one's no good, this one's good, but this one's no good. Report an error in the passage at 4:49 Highlight the passage at 4:49

5:26 Because they're all holy images, right? Images of the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 5:26 Highlight the passage at 5:26

5:36 Another cause is having shown disrespect to the scriptural texts, right? So throwing our Dharma texts on the floor, you know, mistreating them, sticking our cup of tea on the text, etc. Report an error in the passage at 5:36 Highlight the passage at 5:36

5:53 And the last one, I think I found this in one of the commentaries, maybe the Samlogishi Kelsang commentary. Saying that when our gurus and those who have taught us Dharma had various physical defects, we looked down on them. Report an error in the passage at 5:53 Highlight the passage at 5:53

6:21 So the antidote is what to do now to control our anger, to practice patience. Don't react in anger when others disparage us, when others make fun of us. But once again, rather see this as a result of our own previous actions. Report an error in the passage at 6:21 Highlight the passage at 6:21

6:44 So there are a lot of different ways that we can do this. A lot of different antidotes we can apply to try to not get angry. One way is to try to remember that everyone is pure. We can try to see others as being Buddhas. We can try to see others as being our mother. Or we can just try to have compassion toward others, realizing that they're trying to hurt us because they're suffering themselves. Report an error in the passage at 6:44 Highlight the passage at 6:44

7:25 If we're going to make images of Buddhas and things like that, of the deities, if we're going to paint tankas, to resolve to make beautiful images and then to respect, pay respect to all the statues and the texts. Report an error in the passage at 7:25 Highlight the passage at 7:25

7:55 Okay, verse 39. When lust and hate are stirred up, no matter what I do, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for hardening my malevolent evil mind. Report an error in the passage at 7:55 Highlight the passage at 7:55

8:10 Obstinacy, obstinacy, from now on I shall totally extirpate you. Report an error in the passage at 8:10 Highlight the passage at 8:10

8:21 Yeah. So I included another translation. When attachment and anger disturb and upset us, no matter how much we may try to suppress them, this is the wheel of sharp weapons returning full circle upon us from wrongs we have done. Till now we have held on to the improper outlook, stubbornly cherishing only ourselves. Hereafter, let's uproot self-interest completely. Report an error in the passage at 8:21 Highlight the passage at 8:21

8:53 That's a little more familiar English. Report an error in the passage at 8:53 Highlight the passage at 8:53

8:59 So the situation is that, right, despite all our efforts to dispel our afflictions, particularly of attachment and anger, they keep arising even more strongly. So we keep trying to apply the antidotes, we keep trying to practice, but it seems like not only are the attachment and anger not decreasing, but they're even increasing more. Report an error in the passage at 8:59 Highlight the passage at 8:59

9:28 The causes are having previously allowed our self-cherishing attitude to run rampant. So we haven't... Applied the antidotes to attachment and anger in the past and we've allowed the afflictions to stubbornly remain in our mind. So this is going to be a theme actually of today. The self-cherishing mind is very prevalent in these coming verses. Report an error in the passage at 9:28 Highlight the passage at 9:28

10:03 So I think this can happen even if we... Try to practice the Dharma. Maybe we do a sadhana every day. Maybe we recite prayers and things. But if we're doing it with the wrong motivation, if we're doing it out of a self-cherishing mind, if we're doing it focused only on our own happiness or our only success, maybe we want to become a better person so other people will like us more, or we want to have some sort of success. Report an error in the passage at 10:03 Highlight the passage at 10:03

10:38 When we're focused mostly on Our own success, our own happiness, then that won't help us decrease our attachment and anger, right? Because our self is still the primary focus, right? So if other people make fun of us, if other people treat us badly, we'll still get irritated, we'll still get angry. Report an error in the passage at 10:38 Highlight the passage at 10:38

11:05 So we can use the Dharma to increase our afflictions. So that's something to be very careful about. Report an error in the passage at 11:05 Highlight the passage at 11:05

11:19 So what to do now is to resolve that from now on we will totally uproot self-cherishing from our minds. And then, I mean, I think in order to do that, it's really important to really think about the disadvantages of the self-cherishing mind. Because the self-cherishing mind is so, you know, we've had it since beginningless time, right? So it's so natural to... Report an error in the passage at 11:19 Highlight the passage at 11:19

11:46 To have a self-cherishing motivation again and again and again and again. So in order to really uproot it, we need to sincerely think about what the disadvantages of self-cherishing are. Report an error in the passage at 11:46 Highlight the passage at 11:46

12:06 And in this culture, self-cherishing seems to be so much valued, like in looking after number one, taking care of yourself, and that's the way to be happy, etc. So we need to really, really think about what are the disadvantages of self-cherishing in order to really want to uproot it. Report an error in the passage at 12:06 Highlight the passage at 12:06

12:50 So verse 40, Report an error in the passage at 12:50 Highlight the passage at 12:50

12:57 when none of my practices reach their goal, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for internalizing a pernicious view. From now on, whatever I do shall be solely for the sake of others. Report an error in the passage at 12:57 Highlight the passage at 12:57

13:13 And then in the Wheel of Sharp Weapons, the translation says, When success in our practices always eludes us, this is the Wheel of Sharp Weapons returning full circle upon us from wrongs we have done. Till now, deep within, we have clung to our ego, fully immersed in self-cherishing ways. Hereafter, let's dedicate all of the virtuous action we do so that others may thrive. Report an error in the passage at 13:13 Highlight the passage at 13:13

13:44 this is, uh, Report an error in the passage at 13:44 Highlight the passage at 13:44

13:48 Similar to the previous one in that it's focused on the self-cherishing. So the current situation is that we keep practicing no matter how much we try to practice, no matter how much we try to meditate on emptiness or bodhicitta, etc. and doing other practices. We're not able to have any success and we don't make progress. Report an error in the passage at 13:48 Highlight the passage at 13:48

14:19 So the causes here are... Well the main cause is a wrong view that exists deeply in our minds. So the wrong view in this context is the self-cherishing mind of seeking worldly pleasures or even of working towards spiritual goals but only for one's own sake rather than for the benefit of others. Report an error in the passage at 14:19 Highlight the passage at 14:19

14:47 So we have some sort of a self-cherishing view that's deeply ingrained. That we still believe on some deep level that cherishing ourself is the way to be happy. We still believe in some deep level that perhaps our career success is the way to be happy. Or focusing on my own happiness is the way to be happy. Report an error in the passage at 14:47 Highlight the passage at 14:47

15:27 So would that mean that heniyana was intrinsically a dangerous thing to practice? If you were just... Trying to attain nirvāṇa and not for everybody else, not in a Mahāyāna way, would that be a karmic cause of anger and attachment? I don't Report an error in the passage at 15:27 Highlight the passage at 15:27

16:00 know how to answer that question. Can Report an error in the passage at 16:00 Highlight the passage at 16:00

16:09 I ask mine? Oh, you're asking a different question? I'm asking a different question. Okay, before you do that. Report an error in the passage at 16:09 Highlight the passage at 16:09

16:18 Well, I mean, the Hinayana path is a path that removes the afflictions. So it's not that practicing the Hinayana path will increase your afflictions. Any Report an error in the passage at 16:18 Highlight the passage at 16:18

16:39 other comments on that? Report an error in the passage at 16:39 Highlight the passage at 16:39

16:47 I think that's a reasonable assumption to make when you read this, but I think that just as they say, even only those of us who are Buddhas... The ones completely without obscuration and completely pure. So it stands to reason that anybody on any path still has impurities. And it is the lower scope, so to speak. Report an error in the passage at 16:47 Highlight the passage at 16:47

17:13 You know what I mean? I would guess that there would be a rate at which some of us are collecting bad karma that is much different than others. You know what I mean? So that the lowest, the Hinayana path is certainly a much better path than one any of us is on. Report an error in the passage at 17:13 Highlight the passage at 17:13

17:30 But I'm thinking they're just obviously talking about Mahāyāna here. I mean, or you know what I mean, the opposite of, which is to say that's the one path that will really get you all the way. I think it just feels like some sort of negative comment on Hinayana, which I'm sure it's not intended to be. Report an error in the passage at 17:30 Highlight the passage at 17:30

17:50 Yeah, I mean, I tend to think that the Hinayana path gets kind of a bad rap. don't know. I don't know. Report an error in the passage at 17:50 Highlight the passage at 17:50

18:03 You have to practice all three paths at once, especially people like us. So it does get a bad rap, but it's not. I mean, the Lama's will turn right around and say, yeah. And it gets a bad rap from Westerners. Doesn't it? Because we found our way to Tibetan. Report an error in the passage at 18:03 Highlight the passage at 18:03

18:28 but... Report an error in the passage at 18:28 Highlight the passage at 18:28

18:32 Like the, you know, terrible. Theravadan practitioners, like really good Theravadan practitioners, it's not as if they're focused on only their own benefit. There's so much love and compassion coming from true practitioners of any path. It's just that they're not focusing on bodhicitta, but that doesn't mean they're only focusing on their own benefit. Report an error in the passage at 18:32 Highlight the passage at 18:32

19:00 okay? So... Report an error in the passage at 19:00 Highlight the passage at 19:00

19:14 Well, bodhicitta is something that we need to really make effort to cultivate. But there's a big difference between having a lot of compassion and having bodhicitta. All spiritual practitioners have a lot of love and compassion, but bodhicitta requires an extra step taking responsibility for other people's happiness. Report an error in the passage at 19:14 Highlight the passage at 19:14

19:43 Or the happiness of other beings and then foregoing your own solitary liberation and seeking complete enlightenment. So that you can... But that's a really nice way to say what you said. Wait, wait, wait. Report an error in the passage at 19:43 Highlight the passage at 19:43

20:05 Only that what you say there, that's the much nicer way to put it. But that's the comment on the hinting on here. It's not a terribly negative shoot at it thing, I don't think. But you say it perfectly, I think. That's just how... So in that context, I think in some way perhaps the answer to David's question is yes, that we are still collecting these. The wheel of sharp weapons can still come back on us when we're not practicing bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 20:05 Highlight the passage at 20:05

20:31 I don't know, I feel that that answers it without it having to be a negative comment on Hiniana specifically speaking. Report an error in the passage at 20:31 Highlight the passage at 20:31

20:44 I was glad to see that also in Wisconsin, the sessions will begin with... Vacation from all the traditions, the Pāli, the Chinese, and showing respect. And in either case, you're moving forward. Report an error in the passage at 20:44 Highlight the passage at 20:44

21:06 I'm sorry. Report an error in the passage at 21:06 Highlight the passage at 21:06

21:10 You're only allowed to talk if you have the microphone in your head. Right. Right, so, yeah, so this is not, this is not. Meant to be sectarian, yeah. And the Hinayana path is the basis for the Mahāyāna path, which is the basis for the Vajrayana path. So it's not as if they're contradictory at all. Report an error in the passage at 21:10 Highlight the passage at 21:10

21:34 Okay, Betty. I just had this idea when self-cherishing came at me was as... Normal human beings that are not on the path to enlightenment or even if they're on the path to enlightenment, we need self-cherishing for self-preservation. I mean, if we didn't have it, where would we be? So what does self-cherishing mean to you? Taking care of myself. Report an error in the passage at 21:34 Highlight the passage at 21:34

22:01 Right. I mean, making sure I'm fed, making sure I get sleep, making sure I do all the necessary things to keep my body going. Go out and get a job, put the roof over the head. I mean, all of that could be considered self-cherishing, self-preservation. And if I didn't have it, where would I be? Would I be on the gutter? Would I take care of myself? Right. So that's a very good point in that we do need to do those things. Report an error in the passage at 22:01 Highlight the passage at 22:01

22:30 We do need to take care of ourselves. But that's not considered self-cherishing. Self-cherishing is... Being focused on our own benefit as being more important than others. It doesn't mean that we shouldn't take care of ourselves. It doesn't mean that... But then it comes, you know, the thought that comes to mind is that, you know, like when you're in the airplane and the stewardess is there and she's telling you when the little oxygen thing pops down, you put it on yourself first before you put it on somebody else, and that is the reason is if you don't have any oxygen, you can't help anybody. Report an error in the passage at 22:30 Highlight the passage at 22:30

23:06 So if you don't take care of yourself, you can't help anybody else. It's like, you know what I mean? Right, right. And Maslow's triangle back in my psychology days, you know, the very bottom was survival. And if you couldn't, you know, take care of yourself, you couldn't get to that self-actualization part at the peak, you know? So and that's... Report an error in the passage at 23:06 Highlight the passage at 23:06

23:28 Right. So the Mahāyāna is not telling us that we should not take care of ourselves. It's saying that we shouldn't do it at the exclusion of others. We shouldn't value ourselves as being more important than others. But we do need to take care of ourselves. I mean, the whole concept of the bodhisattva path is that we need to attain enlightenment ourselves so that we can benefit others. Report an error in the passage at 23:28 Highlight the passage at 23:28

23:56 But I can still see that this is the fine line kind of a thing where you have to take care of yourself because, I mean, I can see the codependent life coming in to where, oh, I'm going to give to everybody and not take care of myself and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Report an error in the passage at 23:56 Highlight the passage at 23:56

24:10 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 24:10 Highlight the passage at 24:10

24:14 I think the question would be when you're doing those things, what's the motivation behind it? Is it solely for your happiness now or is it? So that you can be here for a while, do practices, do your work which is beneficial to others and try to gain some realizations so that when you die you can have a better rebirth and come back and maybe be a teacher or pursue, continue on your way to enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 24:14 Highlight the passage at 24:14

24:50 I mean you've got to check your motivation for doing the things and then that makes the difference of whether it's more self-cherishing. Report an error in the passage at 24:50 Highlight the passage at 24:50

24:59 Directed towards benefiting others, even if it's a long-range plan, like many, many, many lifetimes. Yeah, that's a very, very good point. That's such an important point. It may be a fine line when you're close to it, but I'm real familiar with indulging myself like a little king, you know, and I know what they're talking about. Report an error in the passage at 24:59 Highlight the passage at 24:59

25:25 For me, it's not a matter of whether I take care of myself. It's a matter of whether I indulge myself spectacularly with the bounty of the 21st century, you know. You may be nicer than me already. Report an error in the passage at 25:25 Highlight the passage at 25:25

25:41 But Report an error in the passage at 25:41 Highlight the passage at 25:41

25:51 I think that is an important point, Betty, that it can be this whole emphasis on cherishing others is more important than ourselves. We can misinterpret it. And think, oh, okay, well, I need to not even take care of myself and just focus on others and then become codependent and all of that. And that's not what the path is talking about. Report an error in the passage at 25:51 Highlight the passage at 25:51

26:17 I think for me it means more that all my non-virtuous moods, such as anger, envy, depression, spin out of self-cherishing. I can blame all my ill nature fundamentally on self-cherishing. So that when I get that way, then I can say, well, I'm cherishing myself. But anyway, I don't really think of... Tangible goods outside myself. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, that's such, yeah, our afflictions are such a sign that, oh, there's some self-cherishing happening somewhere. Report an error in the passage at 26:17 Highlight the passage at 26:17

27:06 Checking to see if there are any more comments. So, right, so the antidotes are to see the disadvantages of self-cherishing and then apply the antidote in order to eliminate it. And then from now on, to cherish others is more important than ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 27:06 Highlight the passage at 27:06

27:29 Not in the way that Betty was talking about. Report an error in the passage at 27:29 Highlight the passage at 27:29

27:36 Or at least to cherish, His Holiness says, if we're not able to do that, at least to cherish others as being as equal in importance to ourselves. Because we are sentient beings as well, so we need to act. right, but, Report an error in the passage at 27:36 Highlight the passage at 27:36

27:52 For the benefit of all sentient beings, not all sentient beings except me. Report an error in the passage at 27:52 Highlight the passage at 27:52

28:01 Resolve that whatever virtues we may perform from now on shall be motivated by not a fraction of selfishness, but solely by the wish to benefit others. So this is a strong statement, but as much as we can to look at our own self-cherishing mind and try to set a motivation to not... Just benefit ourselves, not just for our own temporary happiness, as Janet was saying. But, you know, at least to have happiness ourselves so that we can benefit others. Report an error in the passage at 28:01 Highlight the passage at 28:01

28:48 You know, one thing about that, too, is that I feel that way sometimes. I get confused like that, you know, and feel like I should be doing all these things. Report an error in the passage at 28:48 Highlight the passage at 28:48

29:04 But it's easy to forget what you're after, and you forget your own. goal if you're trying to follow this path and that's that it's no if you were to burn out like that and just to give your money away and things like that all you're really giving others is temporary happiness so you're really giving away the very thing know and giving it to other people that you don't that you're trying not to cherish so bad yourself you know what i mean so it only behooves you to take care of yourself It's just no good to give people ice cream. I mean, that you could. And that is nice to see people happy, but that's not really... Report an error in the passage at 29:04 Highlight the passage at 29:04

29:35 You're not really working after what it is you think you believe in if that's all you do. And so to give away your possessions and all of that kind of thing or just quit your job at your own expense, I don't think that you could really benefit people that way. You could somewhat, but you know what I mean. It's just something worth thinking about sometimes. Report an error in the passage at 29:35 Highlight the passage at 29:35

29:57 Well, also, you know, with life, it's a moment-by-moment thing. Driving down the car, and I've got $1 bills in my little thing there, and if I see a street person, I give them a dollar, you know, and it's a moment-by-moment thing. I don't, you know, and if I, and I, you know, that's how I, I guess, deal with everything. I mean, I don't, yeah, I do have long-range plans, that's why I'm coming here and that kind of a thing, but I still deal with it moment-by-moment. Report an error in the passage at 29:57 Highlight the passage at 29:57

30:22 And when I deal with my patients at the hospital, I mean, talking about giving, I mean, that's exactly, I mean, they need it. But I give it in such a way that I don't think I subtract from myself. I don't demean myself. I don't take away from myself. I think it's a Tonglen bodhicitta kind of a thing, or at least that's what I'm trying to do. Report an error in the passage at 30:22 Highlight the passage at 30:22

30:43 I think it's a really important point to give to others out of a feeling of inner strength. but I don't know, just, anyway. Report an error in the passage at 30:43 Highlight the passage at 30:43

30:58 We're happy to give because we want to give, because we want, or because we want to create, you know, the karma to receive in the future at least, right? But as opposed to if we're giving because we have, we think that we're not worth anything because we're not, that we, Report an error in the passage at 30:58 Highlight the passage at 30:58

31:27 yeah, right, Report an error in the passage at 31:27 Highlight the passage at 31:27

31:35 so it's, I think it's important to distinguish between Giving out of a sense of low self-esteem and feeling of worthlessness, that's not going to help. But if we're giving out of a sense of strength, out of a sense of happiness, then... Report an error in the passage at 31:35 Highlight the passage at 31:35

32:04 If I'm rolling down the window and I look at a guy and I just feel bad about giving him a dollar, it's in the moment. Do you know what I mean? Report an error in the passage at 32:04 Highlight the passage at 32:04

32:14 It's in the moment. I have to deal with the moment in terms of giving. While I'm constantly giving, like at work, it's constantly giving. Constantly. Whether it be a doctor, patient, whatever the case may be. That's all you do all day long, almost. Report an error in the passage at 32:14 Highlight the passage at 32:14

32:28 But in that, you don't even think about, almost. You just do. Report an error in the passage at 32:28 Highlight the passage at 32:28

32:42 Right, so in the Dharma, they talk about two different motivations. You keep talking about in the moment. But there's two different motivations. There's a motivation in the moment, and then there's a... A causal motivation. So the causal motivation is what we're trying to set again and again in the Mahāyāna, to attain enlightenment for the welfare of all sentient beings, the bodhicitta motivation. Report an error in the passage at 32:42 Highlight the passage at 32:42

33:11 So that's kind of the direction as a Mahāyāna practitioner, that's the direction we're trying to aspire to in our practice. And then in a particular moment, we may have a particular motivation in the moment to help that person who needs some money or to help that person who's sick, etc. Report an error in the passage at 33:11 Highlight the passage at 33:11

33:38 But yet, you know, I find this whole self-cherishing thing tricky in my own mind. Report an error in the passage at 33:38 Highlight the passage at 33:38

33:50 I find in my own practice that there's a fine line again and again. Report an error in the passage at 33:50 Highlight the passage at 33:50

33:59 So that's probably why I'm not very clear. I think it's not so clear in my own mind. Report an error in the passage at 33:59 Highlight the passage at 33:59

34:24 Okay, do we want to move on or is there any more comments? Report an error in the passage at 34:24 Highlight the passage at 34:24

34:34 Verse 41. Report an error in the passage at 34:34 Highlight the passage at 34:34

34:39 When I cannot control my own mind, even though I engage in religious activity, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for concentrating on my own aggrandizement in the present life. From now on, I shall concentrate on the desire for liberation. Report an error in the passage at 34:39 Highlight the passage at 34:39

34:58 And then there's the other translation, when our mind is untamed, though we act with great virtue, this is the wheel of sharp weapons returning full circle upon us from wrongs we have done. Till now we have engaged in those worldly ambitions that aim at success for ourselves in this life. Hereafter, let's work with pure one-pointed effort to nourish the wish to gain freedom's far shore. Report an error in the passage at 34:58 Highlight the passage at 34:58

35:27 So here... This verse is also very similar in that no matter how much we practice the Dharma, no matter how much we practice engaging in virtue, practice giving, practice ethics, etc., we still can't subdue and pacify our minds. So instead we still have more afflictions, we become more angry, we have more attachment, and we continue to have a rough and hard. Report an error in the passage at 35:27 Highlight the passage at 35:27

35:59 Mind. Report an error in the passage at 35:59 Highlight the passage at 35:59

36:03 Okay, so our minds don't seem to be getting any better. And so once again, we sought only the success and happiness of this life in the past. We're focusing on the eight worldly concerns. Do people know what the eight worldly concerns are? Report an error in the passage at 36:03 Highlight the passage at 36:03

36:25 Yeah, right, the eight worldly Dhammas, right? Being concerned about, you know, being attached to gain and not wanting loss, wanting fame and not wanting... Disgrace or a bad reputation. Wanting to be praised and not wanting to be blamed. Being concerned with pleasure and avoiding pain. Report an error in the passage at 36:25 Highlight the passage at 36:25

36:51 So this is the way most of us live, constantly, constantly, constantly trying to have comfort, trying to avoid pain, trying to get other people to not blame us, etc. Report an error in the passage at 36:51 Highlight the passage at 36:51

37:08 So these are the eight worldly concerns and these are the cause of this verse of not being able to tame our minds if we still keep focusing on the eight worldly concerns. Report an error in the passage at 37:08 Highlight the passage at 37:08

37:27 Or when we did perform virtuous actions, we did them for our own worldly selfish purposes. Report an error in the passage at 37:27 Highlight the passage at 37:27

37:41 So the antidote to set a strong motivation of bodhicitta. So as much as we can, it's such a huge focus in the Mahāyāna path to always set your motivation. Set your motivation at the beginning and dedicate at the end. Otherwise our actions can again and again become more causes for saṃsāra. We can be helping others but creating more causes for saṃsāra. So if we can set a strong motivation of seeking, To get out of saṃsāra, seeking complete enlightenment for the benefit of others, that's the best motivation. Or if we're not able to do that yet, then at least, the texts say again and again, at least to set a motivation beyond the happiness of this life. Report an error in the passage at 37:41 Highlight the passage at 37:41

38:35 To set a motivation at least for the happiness of a future life at a minimum. Otherwise, like Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, that we're not really practicing Dharma unless we're... Practicing for a future life at a minimum. If we're just practicing for the benefit of this life, then Lama Zopa Rinpoche would say that we're not practicing the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 38:35 Highlight the passage at 38:35

39:10 And then resolve to not let the mind be distracted toward temporary benefits. So we should try to abandon the eight worldly concerns and dedicate ourselves solely to liberating all sentient beings from cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 39:10 Highlight the passage at 39:10

39:28 So for most of us, we will be driven by the eight worldly concerns again and again. But it's important to try not to make that a strong driver in our lives, to try to set this bodhicitta motivation again and again as much as we can and try to let go of our concern for others, appreciation, concern for our comfort, etc. Report an error in the passage at 39:28 Highlight the passage at 39:28

39:52 As much as we can. Report an error in the passage at 39:52 Highlight the passage at 39:52

39:57 Another antidote is Tonglen, which is... Applicable for any of these situations. Report an error in the passage at 39:57 Highlight the passage at 39:57

40:11 And then think about the fact that if we're practicing the Dharma with a motivation of happiness for this life only, if we're focused on our own reputation, our own fame, our own status, wealth, etc., then our minds won't improve and we're not going to create the causes to get out of cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 40:11 Highlight the passage at 40:11

40:36 So we're going to continue to create causes for suffering if we're focused on just the happiness of this life. Report an error in the passage at 40:36 Highlight the passage at 40:36

· · · silence, 1 minute

41:14 Okay, verse 42. When I despair as soon as I've sat down and reflected, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for shamelessly flitting about from one new friend of high status to another. From now on, I shall be serious about my friendships with everyone. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 41:14 Highlight the passage at 41:14

41:42 Okay, so I... I'm not very sure about what this situation is when I despair as soon as I've sat down and reflected. In different commentaries it mentions some different things. So I put the two main different situations that I found. So according to Geshe-Sopa in Pico, Peacock and the Poison Grove. He says, we have difficulties in spiritual practice. For example, we may go into retreat and sit down to practice some special meditation, but as soon as we do so, we realize that things aren't going right and we feel despair. Report an error in the passage at 41:42 Highlight the passage at 41:42

42:33 And to be honest, I'm not very clear about what that situation is. I think oftentimes we feel bad when we look at our own minds and we see all the afflictions that we have. But I don't think that that's what this verse is referring to. Robert? Report an error in the passage at 42:33 Highlight the passage at 42:33

42:57 That verse resonated with me because it seemed to me that if you flip about from one relationship to another, one friendship or another, you're not developing any true friendships. You have no stability in your relationships. So of course when you sit down and you reflect, you'll think, what have I done with my life that I haven't loved and no one loves me? Report an error in the passage at 42:57 Highlight the passage at 42:57

43:21 You're alone, you're isolated in a place like that, and so meditation would be scary for you. Report an error in the passage at 43:21 Highlight the passage at 43:21

43:33 Yeah, it could be. Report an error in the passage at 43:33 Highlight the passage at 43:33

43:46 In Samlogishi Kelsang's commentary, he talks about a situation where we do our practice. We do our daily practice, we do retreat, we do any kind of Dharma practice. And even after a long time... We're not able to gain any positive results. We're not able to subdue our minds. Then we despair. Then we start doubting the effectiveness of the practice. We doubt the effectiveness of the Dharma. And then we regret having practiced the Dharma over the years. Report an error in the passage at 43:46 Highlight the passage at 43:46

44:29 So this is a situation where we've done the practices, we haven't seen the results. And then we start doubting the path. And then we regret practicing. Which is creating such a negative karma. When we've really practiced and then we regret. We've tried to practice, but perhaps we haven't practiced well. Report an error in the passage at 44:29 Highlight the passage at 44:29

44:58 We haven't really practiced to uproot our afflictions. And so we don't see any results. And then we regret the Dharma, practicing the Dharma. And when we regret practicing the Dharma, then you're kind of abandoning the possibility for becoming free from saṃsāra, right? If you reject the path, it gets you to liberation. Report an error in the passage at 44:58 Highlight the passage at 44:58

45:33 So that's what I could glean out of the two different, well, out of the various commentaries, or these kind of two different interpretations of the current situation. Report an error in the passage at 45:33 Highlight the passage at 45:33

45:44 And the cause was in the past we shamelessly changed our minds about teachers or other friends. We abandoned relationships when we thought we found someone else more important and spoke badly about former teachers, friends and associates. So we kept going from friend to friend or teacher to teacher, kept going to, oh, well, this teacher has a good reputation, let's go to him. Report an error in the passage at 45:44 Highlight the passage at 45:44

46:09 Or, oh, I've heard about this. Teacher and then go to that person. Then you've heard about that teacher and go to that person and keep rejecting the previous teacher. Report an error in the passage at 46:09 Highlight the passage at 46:09

46:22 Or we have previously been fickle where we've practiced eagerly at the beginning but then we became tired soon and then we've said derogatory things about our previous actions. Report an error in the passage at 46:22 Highlight the passage at 46:22

46:55 So basically we've done practices without accomplishing the real point. And have not transformed our minds. We've attended teachings or done practices only because they were on lofty subjects. And we haven't paid attention to the main essence of the teachings in this situation, right? So we may sit down and do some practices, but we're not really focusing on uprooting our afflictions. We're not really focusing on transforming our minds. Report an error in the passage at 46:55 Highlight the passage at 46:55

47:26 We're not really focusing on benefiting others, right? Cherishing others. Right. And you see this a lot, you know, maybe with Kalashakra, people run to go to Kalashakra because that's supposed to be, you know, some great high practice. Or, you know, running from, you know, to different empowerments because there are great Lamas giving them, but not really practicing. Right. Report an error in the passage at 47:26 Highlight the passage at 47:26

48:01 Or wanting to skip doing some of the lower scope practices. Right. Skip. Skip meditating on impermanence and death. Skip meditating on the lower realms and only wanting to focus on emptiness, for example, because emptiness is high. Report an error in the passage at 48:01 Highlight the passage at 48:01

48:21 Okay, Report an error in the passage at 48:21 Highlight the passage at 48:21

48:27 Hannah. Could that be a danger for folks who, I guess, take monastery vows and then disrobe that kind of situation? Report an error in the passage at 48:27 Highlight the passage at 48:27

48:42 Could you elaborate a little bit more on what you're thinking? Report an error in the passage at 48:42 Highlight the passage at 48:42

48:47 Just as in the previous, the result, which was you don't seem to be able to get anywhere with your practice. And so then, you know, obviously you kind of, I guess you either quit or you turn away. And I'm wondering if that's a situation that might occur when people take vows and then later they decide, you know, it's not for me. Report an error in the passage at 48:47 Highlight the passage at 48:47

49:16 Is that analogous to the situation, do you think? I mean, I don't know why people do that. Yeah, well, I mean, I think that when people do take vows and give them back, I think the situation tends to be much more complex than that. There are a lot of different reasons why it's very difficult to maintain monastic vows, particularly in this country. So it's not necessarily that when... Report an error in the passage at 49:16 Highlight the passage at 49:16

49:52 People give up their vows, that they're giving up the path. Most of the people I know who have given up their vows are still extremely strong practitioners. They just found that practicing as a layperson was more appropriate for where they were. So I don't know anyone actually who's given up their vows, who has given up the path completely. Report an error in the passage at 49:52 Highlight the passage at 49:52

50:24 I tend to think this situation or the people I know who I think of in this situation are people who maybe aren't practicing so seriously and who are expecting immediate benefit and they don't get it so then they go off and do something else. Report an error in the passage at 50:24 Highlight the passage at 50:24

50:44 Kind of spiritual shopping kind of thing. Report an error in the passage at 50:44 Highlight the passage at 50:44

50:55 Did anybody else have a question or comment? Report an error in the passage at 50:55 Highlight the passage at 50:55

51:04 Yeah, Anna. Report an error in the passage at 51:04 Highlight the passage at 51:04

51:08 In terms of being able to be, I don't know, I guess you could call it successful in practicing, one of the things that we need is apparently purification, right? So you get purification by doing various things, I think also by making the attempts at practicing. Report an error in the passage at 51:08 Highlight the passage at 51:08

51:31 So I don't understand why we have so many problems here with folks actually being able to. And getting somewhere if they're making that effort to do so. And within that, you know, having purification happening to them. Report an error in the passage at 51:31 Highlight the passage at 51:31

51:58 So your question is why are these situations coming up where people aren't having success even though they're practicing? They are practicing and they're making attempts, obviously. I understand that they have these past obscurations. Report an error in the passage at 51:58 Highlight the passage at 51:58

52:14 then where does the where's What's the role of the purification then in the practice? Which may be a totally different subject, but I'm kind of confused about that. Report an error in the passage at 52:14 Highlight the passage at 52:14

52:29 Yeah. Well, I mean, I think that we can do any kind of practice. If we're doing it with the wrong motivation, we're not going to get the results. You know, our mind won't benefit if we're, or it won't improve. If we're constantly doing things with the wrong motivation. So if we're, let's say, doing prostrations because we want to try to do as many prostrations as possible, we want to show others how many, you know, I can do 800 a day. Report an error in the passage at 52:29 Highlight the passage at 52:29

53:04 I mean, you see that kind of thing happening sometimes, you know, in Bodh Gaya where there's a lot of people doing prostrations and it's like a competition. Let's see who can do more prostrations. You know, so maybe when you're doing that, you're not purifying your mind so much, right? Because it's not about humility. Report an error in the passage at 53:04 Highlight the passage at 53:04

53:23 It's about proving, you know, yeah, achieving. Competitiveness and doing better than others, right? So it comes again and again down to our motivation. If we're doing it out of some kind of a selfish concern, out of our own desire to be better than others, etc., then our mind isn't going to improve, right? Report an error in the passage at 53:23 Highlight the passage at 53:23

53:50 So it's not just like if you do Vajrasapha and you just... If you just sit there and visualize a Buddha on top of our heads and do the visualization, that itself is not what's creating the purification. What's purifying your mind is applying the four opponent powers, is truly regretting the negative actions that you've done, truly trying to not repeat that negative action in the future. Report an error in the passage at 53:50 Highlight the passage at 53:50

54:21 And then applying, taking refuge in bodhicitta. We'll talk about that and then doing something to kind of atone for what you've done. But if you try to do some purification without regretting what you've done, let's say you just kind of purify at the end of the day because that's the thing you do. You do whatever you want all day long and then let's purify it because that'll cover me. Then that's not going. Report an error in the passage at 54:21 Highlight the passage at 54:21

54:50 That's not going to actually purify anything, right? So we have to sincerely regret and resolve to not perform those negative actions again. Report an error in the passage at 54:50 Highlight the passage at 54:50

55:02 Does that make sense? Okay. Jay? I was just going to say that I have done some practices with... prostrations and sometimes for regular periods of time and it really dawned on me one day that i was doing a whole lot more push-ups than i was prostrations you know what i mean so i mean like no I'm an expert at the difference between practicing and not practicing. Report an error in the passage at 55:02 Highlight the passage at 55:02

55:47 I mean, in my own experience, too, studying in Italy, there were many times when I know my motivation was to get a good grade on the exam, you know, or not making a fool out of myself by not knowing as much as the others. Report an error in the passage at 55:47 Highlight the passage at 55:47

56:01 That certainly wasn't helping improving my mind. Report an error in the passage at 56:01 Highlight the passage at 56:01

56:08 Okay, Report an error in the passage at 56:08 Highlight the passage at 56:08

56:15 why don't we take a break, and then we'll come back. Okay, so I'm going to read this about motivation. Report an error in the passage at 56:15 Highlight the passage at 56:15

56:25 So he says, if we practice with the motivation for this life, for example, not to fall sick, to gain property, etc., these practices, though they are not non-Dharma, they are not perfect Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 56:25 Highlight the passage at 56:25

56:42 In order to practice perfect Dharma, we need to set the motivation at least for the benefit of next life. From then on, slowly we can extend our motivation. To gain liberation, to be free from saṃsāra, and later we develop the motivation to gain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Thus we extend our motivation in this way. Sometimes when we do our daily prayers, if we are not able to set any motivation, that is we are neutral, neither negative nor positive, though they are virtuous in Dharma actions, they are not perfect. Report an error in the passage at 56:42 Highlight the passage at 56:42

57:25 Therefore, in order to perform perfect Dharma, it is thus very important to set motivation. By setting motivation, we accumulate merit. If we set our motivation for the sake of all sentient beings, it becomes perfect Dharma. The merit we gain will be more than the merit we gain from having set a motivation to be liberated from saṃsāra. Report an error in the passage at 57:25 Highlight the passage at 57:25

57:49 If we set the motivation for the benefit of next life, we gain less merit. There are thus three types of motivations we can set when practicing the Dharma, which will result in a different amount of merit. If two people who recite mantra, one recites one mantra and the other recites a hundred mantras, if the former one has a proper motivation, he will perform perfect Dharma compared to the other one. Report an error in the passage at 57:49 Highlight the passage at 57:49

58:32 So it's a good reminder to try to set as... Positive a motivation as we can before we do any activity, then we create much more merit. Report an error in the passage at 58:32 Highlight the passage at 58:32

58:47 Yeah. I've been trying to figure that out. How do you set motivation? Or how do you ask for the blessings to set the correct motivation? Report an error in the passage at 58:47 Highlight the passage at 58:47

59:04 How do you set the motivation? Well, if you sit down, I mean, we all have a motivation when we walk in the door, right? Let's say for coming to class. And it may be, I just want to go to the Dharma teaching and improve my mind. Report an error in the passage at 59:04 Highlight the passage at 59:04

59:25 Or I want to learn something. But then we can sit down and try to remember, let's say, other sentient beings. Remember that all sentient beings are suffering. All sentient beings want happiness just like we do. And think about how, Report an error in the passage at 59:25 Highlight the passage at 59:25

59:46 Maybe I can try to not only improve my own mind, but use that in order to be able to help others. And so just sitting there and meditating and try to expand our motivation in that way. Report an error in the passage at 59:46 Highlight the passage at 59:46

1:00:01 Because I was thinking that it would just be so great to every morning, you know, be able to set one's motivation for the day and one's work. We all have jobs and kind of dedicate that. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:01 Highlight the passage at 1:00:01

1:00:17 I'm just not sure how to set the motivation. How to set it mentally, you mean? Yes, how does one say, okay, I'm going to have this day and my actions during the day. I want to, at the end of the day, be able to dedicate them as merit. Prepare yourself at the beginning, it seems, in terms of the motivation. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:17 Highlight the passage at 1:00:17

1:00:44 Yeah, it's good to try, you know, to sit down and... Try to do some practice first thing in the morning and try to set our mind in a positive direction for the day. Trying to think about various aspects of the Dharma and think about what kind of positive motivation you can sincerely set for the day. But then it's good to try to set the motivation again and again throughout the day because what happens for most of us is we don't have the mindfulness to keep it throughout the day. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:44 Highlight the passage at 1:00:44

1:01:18 So it's good again and again to try to reset that motivation. Even if we sit down and we eat to try to think about all of the sentient beings who participated in that food being put on the table. All the farmers who grew it, etc., etc. We can think about the starving people in the world or the hungry ghosts, all the beings who need food and we can offer it to them as well as offering it to the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:18 Highlight the passage at 1:01:18

1:01:58 When we take a shower, we can think of other sentient beings. So in every action that we do, We can try to think about others and we can try to set a motivation, a positive motivation. Going to work to set a motivation, eating lunch to set a motivation, etc. Then we'll remind ourselves again and again of trying to set a good motivation instead of just kind of going through the day kind of unconsciously and just doing. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:58 Highlight the passage at 1:01:58

1:02:36 what we normally do. And I personally, I forget to set a motivation all the time, you know, and I think I, There are Report an error in the passage at 1:02:36 Highlight the passage at 1:02:36

1:02:50 times Report an error in the passage at 1:02:50 Highlight the passage at 1:02:50

1:03:07 when my practice in the morning can be beautiful, totally beautiful. There's times Report an error in the passage at 1:03:07 Highlight the passage at 1:03:07

1:03:10 Gorgeous, tears come to my eyes, that kind of thing. But like this morning, my mind kept going. I think I restarted the Heart Sūtra like five times. I mean, because my mind was out the door. And it's like I'm sitting there saying to myself, well, I'm here doing the practice even though my mind's wanting to leave. At least I'm here doing the practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:10 Highlight the passage at 1:03:10

1:03:29 It's best that I do it. Even though it's not the best of motivations, it's not perfect Dharma, it's better than not. And I'm guessing it's better than not. Yeah. Regardless. Yeah. I mean, that's just the reality. Sometimes something, our practice is going to go well and we're going to feel inspired and other times we're just going through the motions. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:29 Highlight the passage at 1:03:29

1:03:52 And that's just the reality of our minds right now. But it's good to do it anyway. Yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:52 Highlight the passage at 1:03:52

1:04:04 I mean, I remember when I was in a retreat, I was amazed at how much my mind would change just throughout the day. I could feel so inspired in the morning and I could feel really annoyed in mid-morning. It's this constant up and down and just trying to not grasp to any of it. Just trying, okay, well that's what's happening now. Just do our best. Don't expect anything. Just do our best. Just do my best. Do my best. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:04 Highlight the passage at 1:04:04

1:04:36 Try to set a good motivation. Do my best. Let go, let go, let go. Otherwise, the mind can get really heavy and we can get really down on ourselves and really up and down if we need our practice to be perfect all the time. Because it won't be. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:36 Highlight the passage at 1:04:36

1:05:00 I know for me, I have trouble getting through the day at work without being motivated by basically getting in trouble. It's like getting a good grade, doing well. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:00 Highlight the passage at 1:05:00

1:05:11 And that seems to motivate, and I don't want to be motivated that way, but it just seems to happen naturally. And sometimes I wonder if I was able to go to a retreat, maybe then I would still be motivated by getting in trouble, not doing the retreat right. And so maybe the issue is to really figure out how not to be motivated by this fear of getting in trouble or doing it wrong. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:11 Highlight the passage at 1:05:11

1:05:35 Yeah. Well, I mean, but that happens slowly, right? Because that's... Probably a long habit. And I find that at least if we don't have a perfect motivation now, but that our imperfect motivation can propel us to do virtuous actions, wanting to not get in trouble. At least you won't harm others, for example. So it's not a perfect motivation, but it can be beneficial until we can change our motivation. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:35 Highlight the passage at 1:05:35

1:06:13 But like this passage that I just read was talking about, you know, we need to expand our motivation gradually. It's not as if we can suddenly have this perfect bodhicitta motivation, right? We just try as much as we can to think about at least the next life or at least think about some other sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:13 Highlight the passage at 1:06:13

1:06:36 And then slowly, slowly we can let go of what you're talking about, which is just, you know, the eight worldly concerns. Right. I think, yeah, and I think, I think for me anyway, the antidote is to meditate on impermanence because eventually through impermanence everything is permanent. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:36 Highlight the passage at 1:06:36

1:06:59 The impermanence seems to, not understanding impermanence seems to be the root of my problem anyway. Wanting to get good grades and do well and not get in trouble. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:59 Highlight the passage at 1:06:59

1:07:10 Right. Okay. Yeah, there's so many different antidotes and we just have to see which one's most effective for our minds. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:10 Highlight the passage at 1:07:10

1:07:21 Yeah, I have a lot of that kind of motivation too, not wanting people to get angry at me, not wanting people to yell at me. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:21 Highlight the passage at 1:07:21

1:07:38 So we were on verse 42. So this was the situation where we have difficulties in our practice. So the antidotes to resolve to be very careful in the way we interact with our teachers, friends and associates. And take our friendships and our relationships with the teacher seriously and not go jump from one to another. And then practice the Dharma sincerely, gradually and steadily. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:38 Highlight the passage at 1:07:38

1:08:16 So here, I mean this is kind of what Betty was talking about. Keep doing your practice steadily, steadily, steadily, day after day after day. Right. And. Don't practice really well for a week or a month and then don't do anything. We need to practice very steadily and think about the long term and not expect quick results. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:16 Highlight the passage at 1:08:16

1:08:47 I think I heard His Holiness say once to think in terms of decades to see if you've made progress in the last decade rather than, well, haven't I made progress in the last week? You know, we won't, we won't. I don't see much effect from day to day or week by week, but over the course of a decade. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:47 Highlight the passage at 1:08:47

1:09:14 My mind is much better than it was five minutes ago. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:14 Highlight the passage at 1:09:14

1:09:25 And then also to practice according to our own capacity. Don't do practices above our level just because they're exotic or lofty. right. So, um, So sometimes the reason why people aren't able to stick with their practices is because they're doing something above their level. It's like highest yoga tantra. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:25 Highlight the passage at 1:09:25

1:09:50 A lot of people want to practice highest yoga tantra and maybe don't even have the basis of the sūtra teachings yet. And there's just not much benefit to practicing highest yoga tantra unless you have the foundation. We need the renunciation, the bodhicitta and the emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:50 Highlight the passage at 1:09:50

1:10:17 Okay, Report an error in the passage at 1:10:17 Highlight the passage at 1:10:17

1:10:29 verse 43. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:29 Highlight the passage at 1:10:29

1:10:45 Actually, let me read Report an error in the passage at 1:10:45 Highlight the passage at 1:10:45

1:10:53 some more from Samlo Geshe Kelsang's commentary because I think it's helpful. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:53 Highlight the passage at 1:10:53

1:11:02 He says, we should first try out with a smaller load, and then when we have the strength to carry a heavier load, then we should try. The point is we should go step by step. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:02 Highlight the passage at 1:11:02

1:11:17 So similarly, before doing the Mahāyāna practices, we should try to practice properly the small and medium scopes. Then slowly we will progress in our spiritual practice. Otherwise, if we pick a Dharma practice simply because we adore its sanctity without ever considering our own skills or capacity in doing such practices, we will not receive any benefit even after vigorously practicing it for a long time. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:17 Highlight the passage at 1:11:17

1:11:50 What we are trying to say here is that we must be very careful when we practice Dharma. We must try to practice the Dharma gradually according to our own capacity. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:50 Highlight the passage at 1:11:50

1:12:03 If we do not have the skills yet, and we practice them anyway, simply because we have heard of or are attracted to these famed practices, then there is the danger that instead of making progress in our practices, our spiritual growth will degenerate, and then after a while we will regret it. engaging in Dharma practices all together. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:03 Highlight the passage at 1:12:03

1:12:24 I Report an error in the passage at 1:12:24 Highlight the passage at 1:12:24

1:12:47 noticed this also. For me, I took a long time before I took tantric vows, before I took any highest yoga tantra initiation. And there's a lot of pressure around me. Everybody was taking highest yoga tantra. So there's this, you should practice highest yoga tantra and you should take tantric vows. And it's important not to follow. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:47 Highlight the passage at 1:12:47

1:13:14 If we don't feel ready to take vows, then it's better to not take them. It's better not to take Highest Yoga Tantra until we're really ready to do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:14 Highlight the passage at 1:13:14

1:13:32 If we take vows and we break them, the karma is much worse than if we don't take them at all. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:32 Highlight the passage at 1:13:32

1:13:47 Verse 43, when I am deceived by others' cunning, It is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for increasing my selfishness, pride and insatiable greed. From now on I shall markedly reduce all of them. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:47 Highlight the passage at 1:13:47

1:14:03 Or when we are deceived by the deceit and pretense of others, it is through pride and having excessive desire. This is the weapon of negative action returning. Now I shall lessen my desire for everything. So the current situation we're deceived by the deceit and pretense of others. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:03 Highlight the passage at 1:14:03

1:14:26 So we are cheated. Gishisopa says this verse concerns people who are deceptive and secretive, who hide their bad qualities and pretend to virtues they don't have. So when such a devious person, perhaps even a friend, relative or teacher, takes advantage of you, it is because we've had strong pride, arrogance, conceit and greed in the past. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:26 Highlight the passage at 1:14:26

1:14:57 And so out of that motivation, we've deceived others. We had thought ourselves to be the cleverest, most handsome, and so on. And out of greed, we continued only to take from others. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:57 Highlight the passage at 1:14:57

1:15:16 So we've had a lot of arrogance, thinking that only I can do certain things. I'm the most suitable for this kind of a job, etc. Or we've been motivated by strong greed. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:16 Highlight the passage at 1:15:16

1:15:32 Focusing on what we can receive as opposed to what we can give. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:32 Highlight the passage at 1:15:32

1:15:39 The antidotes. So if a person cheats or deceives us instead of fighting back or confronting the person who cheated us, we can use the opportunity for mind training. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:39 Highlight the passage at 1:15:39

1:15:54 We can practice Tonglen and Report an error in the passage at 1:15:54 Highlight the passage at 1:15:54

1:16:00 then to try to have less greed and arrogance and to cultivate contentment. So have a contented mind, you know, not... Constantly grasping it more and more. Be content with what we have. But then Samala Kishi Kalsang says, but don't be content with the qualities that you have. Dharma, always strive more and more. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:00 Highlight the passage at 1:16:00

1:16:52 Here he says, what do we need to do in order not to experience these results? We need to have less desire and less greed on the prosperity of saṃsāra. We need to be content. What is the prosperity of saṃsāra? It refers to wealth, fame and gain, etc. We need to practice less greed and more contentment towards all the worldly riches, which are the causes of all problems. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:52 Highlight the passage at 1:16:52

1:17:20 If we are not satisfied and do not feel content, our desire will only grow stronger and stronger, which will bring about all sorts of problems, and then there will be no end to our suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:20 Highlight the passage at 1:17:20

1:17:35 For this reason we need to have less desire and greed and be more content. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:35 Highlight the passage at 1:17:35

1:17:52 Okay then, verse 44. When I am sidetracked by attachment or aversion while studying or teaching, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me for not considering my own devilish faults. From now on I shall examine these impediments and abandon them. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:52 Highlight the passage at 1:17:52

1:18:14 So this is a situation where we are either teaching the Dharma, where we're listening to the Dharma or studying the Dharma. And the teaching itself brings up attachment or aversion by becoming a cause of the afflictions rather than a cause of liberation. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:14 Highlight the passage at 1:18:14

1:18:34 Or we may become jealous of the teacher or envious of the teachings that other people receive or maybe our arrogance will increase thinking that we could teach better. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:34 Highlight the passage at 1:18:34

1:18:47 So if we're studying or listening to the Dharma or teaching the Dharma, And our afflictions are increasing. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:47 Highlight the passage at 1:18:47

1:18:59 So in the past, we have not examined the faults in our own minds, and particularly the self-cherishing mind, as well as the ignorance grasping at self and the other afflictions. So we haven't really examined our own minds. We haven't examined all of the afflictions occurring in our own minds, and particularly the self-cherishing and the self-grasping. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:59 Highlight the passage at 1:18:59

1:19:31 We are not mindful of our faulty intentions and actions, which is any action that obstructs the practice of the Dharma. So we can go about and recite the prayers and doing the meditations without ever really looking at our own minds. So it's important to look at our own minds and look at our motivations and look to see what's kind of driving us. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:31 Highlight the passage at 1:19:31

1:19:58 Is it the eight worldly concerns that's driving us? Happiness for this life? Is it to try to be respected by others? Etc. Or is it truly for the benefit of others? Or is it truly to attain liberation? Report an error in the passage at 1:19:58 Highlight the passage at 1:19:58

1:20:20 And then lastly, we have not thought truly about the disadvantages of our being possessed by the self-cherishing attitude. And on the contrary, we're cultivating self-cherishing. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:20 Highlight the passage at 1:20:20

1:20:35 You know, and I noticed this happened. To me, for a long time, I never sat down and really meditated on the faults of self-cherishing. You know, you hear about it again and again. Oh yeah, the self-cherishing is the cause of all problems. Yeah, the self-cherishing is the cause of all problems. But I hadn't really sat down. I mean, it took me years actually before I actually sat down and really contemplated the faults of self-cherishing. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:35 Highlight the passage at 1:20:35

1:21:00 And I thought that was really, it was really powerful once I did. But I thought that was really interesting that I, Kind of put that one off for a long time. And I think that's easy to do. Or maybe I'm the only one. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:00 Highlight the passage at 1:21:00

1:21:24 Janet and Anna. I think we all do it. I certainly do. And I think it's the results of the self-cherishing mind trying to perpetuate itself. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:24 Highlight the passage at 1:21:24

1:21:37 A good point. Not wanting to destroy itself. So you have to, I think we all, you know, like I would have to do a lot of work already. To kind of whittle away little bits of it before I could really sit down and, you know, really examine and be willing to completely let go of it. Because if you think about it, it becomes terrifying. Because for one thing, we're familiar with it, so familiar with it, that it's like you don't know who or how or what you would be without it. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:37 Highlight the passage at 1:21:37

1:22:18 Oh, I don't know. I think it takes lots of... Long time to even get to where you were. Well, no. Because I haven't meditated. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:18 Highlight the passage at 1:22:18

1:22:40 Go ahead, Anna. Venerable Choki Tenzin. Tenzin Choki. Tenzin Choki. She was here a couple of weeks ago, and she focused on that. She said that actually it wasn't until she went on her, I think it's a three-year retreat that she did, and then she started. Looking also at the self-cherishing and how it had been the cause of all her problems and unhappiness. She was really quite struck by it too. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:40 Highlight the passage at 1:22:40

1:23:15 I'm not implying at all that I have any kind of experience with it. Just sitting down and meditating on it was really strong. It was really powerful. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:15 Highlight the passage at 1:23:15

1:23:38 I think it's useful. Day by day to see, okay, well, I have this, I have a growly mind at the moment, you know, what is the cause of that? Oh, yeah, that's my self-cherishing because that person didn't appreciate what I did. Okay, if I didn't have my self-cherishing, then I wouldn't have a growly mind. Or, you know, whatever, I'm really irritated right now. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:38 Highlight the passage at 1:23:38

1:24:04 Or, oh, I'm, you know, feeling really stressed out right now. What is the cause of that? Oh. There you go. There's my self-cherishing and my attachment. You know, I'm attached to, you know, succeeding in and getting recognition in whatever, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:04 Highlight the passage at 1:24:04

1:24:25 I mean, I notice just preparing for these teachings, I get this buzz, like, you know, I don't want to make a fool of myself up here, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:25 Highlight the passage at 1:24:25

1:24:36 You know, it's like, okay, well, there's my self-cherishing mind, there's my attachment, you know. So it's useful even if we can't sit down and contemplate all of the disadvantages of self-cherishing, but just seeing as the suffering arises. Okay, well, what is the source of that? It's useful. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:36 Highlight the passage at 1:24:36

1:25:02 Yeah. And as Janet was saying, I think that was a really good point. We do have this resistance to thinking about it, to contemplating the disadvantages of self-cherishing because we want to... We don't want to get rid of our self-cherishing. Our self-cherishing mind doesn't want to destroy itself. So we have to really make an effort to do it. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:02 Highlight the passage at 1:25:02

1:25:29 Otherwise it's just like, yeah, yeah, yeah, self-cherishing. Yeah, yeah, that's the problem. Yeah, yeah. And then we continue to do whatever we do. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:29 Highlight the passage at 1:25:29

1:25:41 Because this is so contrary to the whole entire direction of society. Getting rid of the self-cherishing mind. I mean, not just the direction of society, Report an error in the passage at 1:25:41 Highlight the passage at 1:25:41

1:25:54 The way we've always lived in all of our lives. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:54 Highlight the passage at 1:25:54

1:26:07 I think it's great to not want to be respected and loved. And somehow I tie that in with my self-cherishing mind so that if I turn the victory over and get rid of my self-cherishing mind, will I still be respected and loved? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:07 Highlight the passage at 1:26:07

1:26:33 Well, I mean, yeah, that does have a basis in the self-cherishing mind because I want to be respected and I want to be loved. you know, and... So yes, there's an attachment right there. And if we truly give up the self-cherishing, then we won't care if we're respected or loved. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:33 Highlight the passage at 1:26:33

1:26:56 And that's, to me, a really high level, to not care about that. It is scary. But I think that as... People progress on the path, they have so many qualities inside them, then they don't need that external. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he doesn't need it. He has bliss all the time, so he doesn't need this external love and respect. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:56 Highlight the passage at 1:26:56

1:27:34 But he is, which is the byproduct, which is the interesting thing. Right, exactly. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:34 Highlight the passage at 1:27:34

1:27:46 But I think if we try to... Let go of all of those things without having the inner qualities. And I think we can be really miserable. I mean, I've tried that myself. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:46 Highlight the passage at 1:27:46

1:27:59 You know, trying to give up too much and then just not having enough externally to keep me happy because my mind wasn't happy enough internally yet. So we need to practice where we are and not pretend to be beyond where we are. And then gradually it will increase. I Report an error in the passage at 1:27:59 Highlight the passage at 1:27:59

1:28:28 was just going to make a comment about how it's so terribly tricky about what Janet was talking about, how that self-cherishing mind protects itself. Because it seems to me that there have been times where, as if dealing with my own mind, where it almost sort of says to me, as if it were a separate object, where it's just like, oh, okay, if you want to do this Buddhism, think, yeah, we can do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:28 Highlight the passage at 1:28:28

1:28:47 It sort of lulls you into this horrible thing where you think you're doing so great. And then it's there. You're being so lazy. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:47 Highlight the passage at 1:28:47

1:28:56 What I'm trying to get to here is that I really realized once why they Report an error in the passage at 1:28:56 Highlight the passage at 1:28:56

1:29:05 get scared. You can lull yourself into this place where you think you're not really grasping, you're feeling all wonderful. It happened to me once when some car kind of scared me or something and I realized, oh man, I'm so not where I thought I was because it just scared the crap out of me. And really I was just probably... Report an error in the passage at 1:29:05 Highlight the passage at 1:29:05

1:29:25 I had too much Benadryl or something, you know what I mean? But I mean, it's just such a tricky thing. I mean, I just appreciate what Jana's saying about that. Yeah, I agree. Sometimes the very self-cherishing mind convinces me that I'm doing really well, you know? Yeah, I agree. I mean, there's the story of Atisha, right, who brought, when he came to Tibet, he brought... Report an error in the passage at 1:29:25 Highlight the passage at 1:29:25

1:29:54 A really, really kind of obnoxious person with him to help his mind, right? Because if we're surrounded by kind people all the time, we can think, oh yeah, I'm doing pretty well, I'm not getting angry. I mean, this is very much the case in my life. I live with really nice people. Here I come and I get to sit in class with all of these really nice people. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:54 Highlight the passage at 1:29:54

1:30:23 Nobody yells at me. So I think, yeah, I'm doing pretty well. But then wait, you know, wait until, you know, and then if somebody doesn't appreciate me, then I get irritated and I think, okay, well, I guess I've got a long way to go. But, yeah, but we need, you know, we need those wake-up calls every once in a while. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:23 Highlight the passage at 1:30:23

1:30:55 And it's good to kind of go out of our comfort zone, I think. Again and again, if we stay in our comfort zone, then we can really think, oh yeah, I'm doing pretty well. It's like thinking, I think, that you've become immune to fire, you know, like I could not possibly be burned because it hasn't happened to me in months, you know, even though you've been nowhere near a fire, you know, that it's just like I must be magic, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:55 Highlight the passage at 1:30:55

1:31:16 Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I remember when I was in Italy, you know, studying, you know, then we'd go, you know, during the breaks, we'd all go off, you know, and go see our families, you know, spend some time with our mothers. And we would take, you know, go, okay, now this is our test. You know, this is our test to see if the mind has changed at all yet, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:16 Highlight the passage at 1:31:16

1:31:40 And so those people who push your buttons, they're really a good test. You know, go and spend some time with them for a while, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:40 Highlight the passage at 1:31:40

1:31:54 That's right. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:54 Highlight the passage at 1:31:54

1:32:10 The bathtub. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:10 Highlight the passage at 1:32:10

1:32:26 So here's some of the antidotes. So determine that from now on we will fully examine our selfishness and mental afflictions and sincerely try to abandon them. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:26 Highlight the passage at 1:32:26

1:32:40 Really honestly look at our minds and really look at our self-cherishing and our afflictions. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:40 Highlight the passage at 1:32:40

1:32:47 Practice Tonglen. Tonglen is such a great antidote to the self-cherishing mind. If we're truly trying to take on the suffering of others and give way happiness, it turns the self-cherishing on end. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:47 Highlight the passage at 1:32:47

1:33:02 But of course then we sense a lot of resistance when we do that. There's the self-cherishing mind not wanting to take on any suffering. I find that I kind of... Avoid feeling it. You know, I mean, there's so many ways to practice it without kind of really doing it fully. So that's the self-cherishing mind trying to kind of protect itself. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:02 Highlight the passage at 1:33:02

1:33:33 Yeah, I want to come in like, you know, focusing on giving out the happiness. You know, I like that, but the taking on the suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:33 Highlight the passage at 1:33:33

1:33:46 With regards to tonglen, when you're actually trying to practice it, Are you visualizing taking these problems on? Are you trying to take them on in a future life? You know what I mean? I can breathe out happiness and visualizations for people very easily. But when I'm trying to take it in, I kind of have a harder time even just trying to figure out what I'm doing exactly, honestly. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:46 Highlight the passage at 1:33:46

1:34:11 Is it just a visualization? Is it a feeling in the moment? Is it two lifetimes from now? I hope to take on his pain. Something like, you know, I just, I'm still working on that one. Yeah, I suppose you could do it for the future, but generally it's, you know, you're visualizing, you know, actually taking on the suffering, you know, in the form of black smoke or black liquid, and there are different visualizations. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:11 Highlight the passage at 1:34:11

1:34:40 But you're visualizing taking that on, and oftentimes it's described that you're putting it in the heart, you know, destroying the self-cherishing. And then breathing out happiness and etc. in the form of white light. And then you visualize that person or being actually being free from that suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:40 Highlight the passage at 1:34:40

1:35:06 So you're actually ideally taking on that suffering. You're actually feeling like you're taking on that suffering away from that other being and then giving the happiness. Ideally. One person who I've met before, so I've used him when I practice, he's in a wheelchair and he has, I don't know what it is, but when your muscles just completely clench up and you can't, you just physically cannot relax them. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:06 Highlight the passage at 1:35:06

1:35:35 So I often imagine what his physical pain must be. And it's not really the same as breathing in the dark heavy smoke, but I find. I mean, is there... Does it matter if I do it that way? Is it less helpful, do you think? Oh, well, it's really good if you can imagine what their pain is like. So that's the fundamental basis of compassion, actually trying to feel the suffering of others, not keeping it on some intellectual level, but actually trying to feel what it would be like. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:35 Highlight the passage at 1:35:35

1:36:11 To be that person and to suffer like that, yeah. And I generally end up shuddering and... Yeah, yeah, exactly. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:11 Highlight the passage at 1:36:11

1:36:24 Yeah, there's a lot of good ones out there, yeah. Or I don't know about good ones, but strong ones, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:24 Highlight the passage at 1:36:24

1:36:36 Yeah. And we just do the best we can, you know, I mean, to truly take on, you know, visualizing taking on suffering of others is very... Exactly. find a good one, it's Report an error in the passage at 1:36:36 Highlight the passage at 1:36:36

1:36:48 I think it's a high practice, but we try. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:48 Highlight the passage at 1:36:48

1:37:11 Thanks Janet, I keep forgetting. Yeah, so we start by visualizing it and then over time we can do more and more to actually put ourselves into suffering situations for the benefit of others. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:11 Highlight the passage at 1:37:11

1:37:29 Then you have tremendous courage because you're not afraid of suffering when we get there. And Report an error in the passage at 1:37:29 Highlight the passage at 1:37:29

1:37:51 then lastly, rather than increasing our afflictions, When giving or listening to a Dharma talk, then we use these opportunities to subdue our minds by rejoicing in the merits of those who are giving the Dharma teachings and those who are attending them. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:51 Highlight the passage at 1:37:51

1:38:13 On that note, time is over. Maybe we just take, before we dedicate, we take a moment, a minute and rejoice. Rejoice in being here, rejoice in trying to practice, in trying to change our minds. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:13 Highlight the passage at 1:38:13