Mahayana Mind Transformation (13 July 2007)

0:04 Thank you. So remembering not to blame the person who's ungrateful, but remembering to blame our own previous actions, our own previous ungrateful behavior. And then once again, it's always good to do Tonglen. Report an error in the passage at 0:04 Highlight the passage at 0:04

0:29 Verse 46. Report an error in the passage at 0:29 Highlight the passage at 0:29

0:37 In short, when calamities befall me, It is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me like a smith killed by his own sword. From now on I shall be heedful of my own sinful actions. So this one's really general. When any calamities befall us. So maybe we get sick or we have some financial problems or those close to us die or there's so many, you know, so many. Report an error in the passage at 0:37 Highlight the passage at 0:37

1:08 Kind of disasters that can happen to us. This verse is a reminder that whatever happens to us is a result of our own previous actions. Like a smith killed by his own sword. So a smith makes a sword and then ends up being killed by the sword that he made. And similarly, we create an action, we do an action. Report an error in the passage at 1:08 Highlight the passage at 1:08

1:39 And then we end up getting hurt, you know, or we experience suffering as a result of our own actions, right? So one of the laws of karma is that it's impossible for us to experience a result that we didn't create the cause for. Report an error in the passage at 1:39 Highlight the passage at 1:39

1:58 And it's impossible to experience the result of an action that was done by somebody else. So that's the main point of this. Yeah, Janet. Report an error in the passage at 1:58 Highlight the passage at 1:58

2:16 You mentioned like someone close to us dying would be a result from our side because people are around us, Report an error in the passage at 2:16 Highlight the passage at 2:16

2:35 or would it be more necessarily a calamity? It's that particular kind of situation. I Report an error in the passage at 2:35 Highlight the passage at 2:35

3:00 mean, I was... I was thinking more of the example where, you know, there's some people, you know, let's say when they're young, a lot of their loved ones die all at the same time and they're left alone. Report an error in the passage at 3:00 Highlight the passage at 3:00

3:15 Right, right. And, I mean, there's this one great teacher, what, Deepa Ma. She came to the Dharma because, like... I'll be more. Report an error in the passage at 3:15 Highlight the passage at 3:15

3:25 Her husband dropped dead suddenly one day and then her kids one by one died very quickly and she was just really miserable. So I was thinking more in terms of that kind of situation where all of these horrible sufferings are occurring that aren't just the normal. Report an error in the passage at 3:25 Highlight the passage at 3:25

3:45 Yeah, exactly. But that's a good point. I'm glad you clarified that. Report an error in the passage at 3:45 Highlight the passage at 3:45

3:56 I think, you know, like what you're describing is the heavier karma, but even, I mean, just if you took rebirth not, you know, because you willingly came back like a bodhisattva, then at least you're still, and that's part of why you're experiencing the people around you die. And, I mean, for most of us, if you're close to that person, there is some sadness there or something, you know, so it's still something of your... Report an error in the passage at 3:56 Highlight the passage at 3:56

4:26 A negative karma, I think. Or, you know, I mean, yeah, a result of just that you returned in a human form and have to have that kind of suffering around you. You know, you may not perceive it as great suffering if you've advanced a lot, but it's still, it seems like there's still some of your karma brought there. Report an error in the passage at 4:26 Highlight the passage at 4:26

4:54 Yeah. Well, Report an error in the passage at 4:54 Highlight the passage at 4:54

5:01 I think if we experience it as suffering, then it's a result of negative karma. And I suppose that if you are advanced enough on the path where you don't perceive it as suffering, then there's no negative karma ripening there. It's just the nature of saṃsāra. I suppose. Right. Report an error in the passage at 5:01 Highlight the passage at 5:01

5:31 That's what I think about that. What do you think, Janet? Report an error in the passage at 5:31 Highlight the passage at 5:31

5:45 Yeah, it's kind of a hard question because in a sense, Hillary was right in that because we haven't reached a level of realization, we're kind of doomed to be reborn and fortunate enough as a human. And, you know, just by that nature, we do have all these different sufferings. but you I think to me when I hear calamity, I think calamity to me just the word used for this particular paragraph is a little greater than just the normal sadness that one might feel like when a teacher or a pet, a parent or someone else we might be close to passes. Report an error in the passage at 5:45 Highlight the passage at 5:45

6:37 To me a calamity is something a little bigger, but then... You know, when I hear myself saying these things, right away my mind is refuting it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, I think that's just the translation here because let me read you the other translations for this verse. In The Wheel of Sharp Weapons, it's in short, then, whenever unfortunate sufferings we haven't desired crashed upon. Report an error in the passage at 6:37 Highlight the passage at 6:37

7:13 Crash upon us like thunder. So whenever anything occurs that we don't want. So it may be like what in the eight sufferings of saṃsāra, there's the suffering of encountering what we don't want and not getting what we do want. So in one of the commentaries it talks about those two sufferings specifically related to this verse. Report an error in the passage at 7:13 Highlight the passage at 7:13

7:43 So encountering what we don't want, which can include so many different things, and not encountering what we do want. Report an error in the passage at 7:43 Highlight the passage at 7:43

8:05 And so from now on, I shall be heedful of my own sinful actions. So just the general advice here is to not create non-virtue. So anything, actually, we know about the ten non-virtues of the three of body. The four of speech and the three of mind. But also any of the afflictions are non-virtuous. So all attachments are non-virtuous. Report an error in the passage at 8:05 Highlight the passage at 8:05

8:36 All anger is non-virtuous in the desire realm. Except ignorance. Some ignorance is non-virtuous and some is neutral. So any mind of attachment even is a non-virtuous action. Report an error in the passage at 8:36 Highlight the passage at 8:36

8:52 In Report an error in the passage at 8:52 Highlight the passage at 8:52

8:57 this text it's Wheel of Sharp Weapons by Geshe Nagwan Darge. Report an error in the passage at 8:57 Highlight the passage at 8:57

9:04 In the second paragraph of commentary on this verse, it says, if we never try to train our mind, it will become oversensitive, too easily swayed to joy and too easily depressed. The slightest change can be overwhelming. And so maybe they are talking about any kind of changes that we consider as being, you know, as... Report an error in the passage at 9:04 Highlight the passage at 9:04

9:30 bringing sadness or unhappiness or unwanted. Yeah, because if we look at this verse, I mean this is a very general statement that it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me. So that's true of any suffering that we experience. It's a result of our previous actions and our previous karma. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 9:30 Highlight the passage at 9:30

10:03 I was kind of wondering whether a calamity or an unfortunate. like what you're saying. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 10:03 Highlight the passage at 10:03

· · · silence, 1 minute

10:09 Unfortunate action is unfortunate because of karma or because we're self-cherishing. I mean, if something is unfortunate it's because I'm cherishing myself because I see it that way. And so therefore then is it my karma that I see it that way? Because if I didn't see it that way it wouldn't be a calamity. It could be an opportunity for purification or something. Report an error in the passage at 10:09 Highlight the passage at 10:09

10:34 I don't know. But it could be a number of things. Yeah. Well... I think it's both. I think it's both. In that we experience suffering as a result of our karma. But then we can use that experience to transform our minds. We can use mind training to try to use that, maybe practice Tonglen or try to remember how others are suffering the same way and try to take on their suffering and develop a joyful mind. Report an error in the passage at 10:34 Highlight the passage at 10:34

11:13 But remember there's two different kinds of suffering. There's physical suffering and mental suffering. So we may have physical suffering, which is a result of our previous negative actions, negative karma. But then we can train our minds so that we don't experience mental suffering. Report an error in the passage at 11:13 Highlight the passage at 11:13

11:35 I think so. But if good things happen, that's just as... It's just as self-cherishing if we experience them as good, because they're all, good and bad are both empty, inherently empty, so that they're neutral. Report an error in the passage at 11:35 Highlight the passage at 11:35

11:51 If we don't cherish ourselves at all and recognize our own non-self-existence or the non-existence of the self, then nothing is either a calamity, nothing is either fortunate or unfortunate. Well, when we get there, when we've realized emptiness and gone beyond self-cherishing. Won't happen for a while on the path. It's really the eighth bodhisattva ground that we're completely free from self-cherishing. Report an error in the passage at 11:51 Highlight the passage at 11:51

12:23 And then at that point you probably don't experience suffering the way we experience suffering. But in the meantime, I think we can expect to still have a self-cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 12:23 Highlight the passage at 12:23

12:40 And Betty? Report an error in the passage at 12:40 Highlight the passage at 12:40

12:58 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 12:58 Highlight the passage at 12:58

13:04 Did I address your question? Report an error in the passage at 13:04 Highlight the passage at 13:04

13:12 So verse 47. When I experience suffering in the wretched states of existence, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me like a fletcher killed by his own arrow. From now on, I shall be heedful of my own sinful actions. So this verse is similar, except for here they're talking specifically about suffering of the lower realms when we're reborn in the lower realms. Report an error in the passage at 13:12 Highlight the passage at 13:12

13:39 That also is a result of our own previous actions, like a Fletcher killed by his own arrow. And I didn't know what a Fletcher was, but a Fletcher apparently is an arrow maker. And so there's this story about a Fletcher who made sharp arrows with poisonous points so as to kill the enemy more effectively. Report an error in the passage at 13:39 Highlight the passage at 13:39

14:05 But then he was... Struck and killed by his own poisoned arrow. Report an error in the passage at 14:05 Highlight the passage at 14:05

14:15 So similarly, all of our sufferings in the lower realms, our rebirth in the lower realms, is a result of our negative actions, our previous actions. And we tend to not really want to think about the fact that we could be born in the lower realms, but the texts say we've all created the causes to be reborn in the lower realms. Report an error in the passage at 14:15 Highlight the passage at 14:15

14:41 And so it's really, really good to purify those. Because maybe we think of only in terms of this life of, well, I haven't done anything really bad in this life. Report an error in the passage at 14:41 Highlight the passage at 14:41

14:55 But, you know, I mean, killing insects is creating causes to be reborn in the lower realms. And in previous lives, you know, we've been in cyclic existence since the beginning of this time and we don't know what we've done in the past, right? So it's good to do that purification. Report an error in the passage at 14:55 Highlight the passage at 14:55

15:23 Something cheerful to think about. Report an error in the passage at 15:23 Highlight the passage at 15:23

15:33 And so also from now on I shall be heedful of my own sinful actions. So once again, being very careful about our own avoiding negative actions. Report an error in the passage at 15:33 Highlight the passage at 15:33

15:56 So in one of the commentaries it says, Hereafter we should scrupulously avoid all the causes of sufferings in the lower realms. We should be really afraid of evil, for it is the cause of all misery. When the fifth Dalai Lama was asked of what he was most afraid, he replied, wrong actions or negative karma. Report an error in the passage at 15:56 Highlight the passage at 15:56

16:28 Verse 48. When the sufferings of the householder befall me, it is the weapon of my own evil deeds turned upon me, like parents killed by their cherished son. From now on, it is right for me to leave worldly life forever. Report an error in the passage at 16:28 Highlight the passage at 16:28

16:49 So here this verse is talking about householders. And so Geshusopa says that that usually refers to a lay person who is devoted to worldly activities, who has a family, raises children and has a secular job. Or sometimes it can even apply to ordained monks or nuns who have the same mentality as a householder, getting caught up in business deals, politics and day-to-day worldliness. Report an error in the passage at 16:49 Highlight the passage at 16:49

17:18 So there are certain sufferings that are unique to householders, those of us who have a family, those who have a house. There's a lot of sufferings associated with just having things, just having stuff. Then we have to worry about it and it breaks down. Our house needs to be repaired. Report an error in the passage at 17:18 Highlight the passage at 17:18

17:45 If we have children, we can put a lot of... Effort and love into our children, but then in return they may resent you in the future or in this verse they're talking about even the parents can be killed by their children. Report an error in the passage at 17:45 Highlight the passage at 17:45

18:26 Hello? That last sentence from now on is right for me to leave worldly life forever. That's like impossible for a mother. Report an error in the passage at 18:26 Highlight the passage at 18:26

18:36 Right, so that's where you make, right, right, exactly. Report an error in the passage at 18:36 Highlight the passage at 18:36

18:50 So then you make prayers for in the future to be able to lead, to become ordained or lead a life that's... Yeah, without the suffering. Because that's the point they're trying to make here, is that when we are householders, there are certain sufferings that are inevitable and we can do things with the best intentions, but they don't necessarily turn out well, right? Report an error in the passage at 18:50 Highlight the passage at 18:50

19:23 You know, and then you have to worry about all sorts of things. Go ahead. Well, actually, I was wondering about something just like this week. In regard to like in a monastery because it seems that there's politics of sorts and there's a hierarchy and people are supposed to do certain things and if they don't they get admonished and they're watched if they break their vows perhaps they'd be expelled so maybe there's some intrigue and drama so I wonder if we're ever really ever able to escape that in this saṃsāra that the politics of living be we householders or monastics. Report an error in the passage at 19:23 Highlight the passage at 19:23

20:04 Maybe that I'm wrong. There's no politics in a monastery. All right. Well, I mean, that's true. We can't escape these things, I mean, unless you go in a cave and go and retreat, you know, all by yourself. But then you have to deal with your own mind, right? So, like there's this book by John Kabat-Zinn called Wherever You Go, There You Are. Report an error in the passage at 20:04 Highlight the passage at 20:04

20:30 Right, so... So we can't escape our karma. And even living in a monastery, there are politics and things associated with that. But still, when you live a more simple life, then there are certain sufferings that won't occur. Like if you don't have children, you won't have the problem of your children resenting you. Report an error in the passage at 20:30 Highlight the passage at 20:30

20:58 right? Or if you've Particularly if you've renounced a lot of worldly pleasures, then you don't have a lot of the worries. You don't have financial worries if you've renounced having stuff. If you've renounced what other people think of you or needing family close to you, then you don't have those worries of family, etc. Report an error in the passage at 20:58 Highlight the passage at 20:58

21:28 But then there are certain sufferings that just go along with being in cyclic existence that we'll still experience. Report an error in the passage at 21:28 Highlight the passage at 21:28

21:40 So there are kind of two interpretations of this. From now on, it is right for me to leave worldly life forever. Geshe Sopa talks about the fact that it's good to lead a life of spiritual practice that can be of great benefit to ourselves and others. So having a life focused primarily on spiritual practice. And then Samlo Geshe Kelsang talks about how we should pray to become a monk or a nun, how actually being ordained is a good way to go. Report an error in the passage at 21:40 Highlight the passage at 21:40

22:39 So verse 49. Report an error in the passage at 22:39 Highlight the passage at 22:39

22:44 So verse 48 marks the end of the karmic causes and karmic results section of this text. So that... Report an error in the passage at 22:44 Highlight the passage at 22:44

22:54 Since that's the way it is, I seize the enemy. I seize the thief who ambushed and deceived me, the hypocrite who deceived me, disguised as myself. Aha, it is ego clinging without a doubt. So here the enemy, as we've been talking about again and again, are the self-grasping and the self-cherishing minds. Report an error in the passage at 22:54 Highlight the passage at 22:54

23:16 And here there's an emphasis on how this enemy... It deceives us. It disguises, our self-cherishing mind in particular, disguises itself as being concerned about our welfare, concerned about our happiness. And so again and again we think that it's good to have a self-cherishing mind. It's good to pay a lot of attention to my comfort and my temporary happiness. Report an error in the passage at 23:16 Highlight the passage at 23:16

23:55 And not really seeing that that is a cause of my suffering. That attachment to my own happiness is a cause of suffering. And Report an error in the passage at 23:55 Highlight the passage at 23:55

24:28 so I think it's really important to try to recognize the self-cherishing and the self-grasping in our minds as they arise. Report an error in the passage at 24:28 Highlight the passage at 24:28

24:40 I mean, I notice it's easier to identify the self-grasping, like the ignorance that's solidifying. The self, then to identify the self-cherishing, because I think the self-cherishing, wishing for my own happiness, has been so pervasive. It's always there, so that you don't even really recognize it when it arises. It's just kind of a normal way of being. Report an error in the passage at 24:40 Highlight the passage at 24:40

25:12 And so it's hard to recognize something. Unless we've been without it, right? It's like asking a fish to describe water. We've always been with the self-cherishing and so it's really hard to notice it, I find. Report an error in the passage at 25:12 Highlight the passage at 25:12

25:37 I go, yeah, it's normal. I'm going to the movies because I want to be happy. I'm going out with my friends. I'm going to the Dharma teaching because I want to be happy. Report an error in the passage at 25:37 Highlight the passage at 25:37

25:50 so it's this constant. His Holiness says again and again, we all want to be happy. That's commonality with all of us. Report an error in the passage at 25:50 Highlight the passage at 25:50

26:05 And there's nothing wrong with wanting to be happy as long as we're not focused on our own happiness alone or our own happiness as being more important than others. If we can expand that out and try to remember to... Report an error in the passage at 26:05 Highlight the passage at 26:05

26:26 Work for the benefit of others instead Report an error in the passage at 26:26 Highlight the passage at 26:26

26:33 of denying our own happiness. We do need to experience happiness along the path in order to be able to continue, I think, on the path. Report an error in the passage at 26:33 Highlight the passage at 26:33

26:45 Betty, go ahead. I know I've asked this question before the classes and probably this time I can hear the answer a little differently, but seeing how we've been at this for beginningless time and we've had the seeds of karma that have been planting on our... Minds like the clouds in the sky kind of thing. And they're ripening over countless eons. But where did it come from in the first place? Report an error in the passage at 26:45 Highlight the passage at 26:45

27:09 If we have been pure from the beginning, Buddha nature, the whole thing, where did self-cherishing ever arise? Where did the seeds ever get there from? Report an error in the passage at 27:09 Highlight the passage at 27:09

27:20 Well, first of all, there's not a beginning. So we are primordially pure. In the sense that the afflictions, the self-cherishing, ignorance, etc. aren't intrinsic to our minds. So our minds are fundamentally pure. But that doesn't mean that there was a time when we were pure and then ignorance arose and self-cherishing arose. Report an error in the passage at 27:20 Highlight the passage at 27:20

27:54 The teachings say that we've always had ignorance. We've always had the self-cherishing. We've Report an error in the passage at 27:54 Highlight the passage at 27:54

28:01 It's not as if it arose at some point for the first time. It's always been there. Which is so hard to wrap your mind around. I think it's so hard to wrap our minds around beginningless time. Well, if it's always been there, then how can we get rid of it? Because it's not intrinsic to the mind. It's always been there, but it's like the clouds in the sky. We can get rid of them. Report an error in the passage at 28:01 Highlight the passage at 28:01

28:32 But that's why it's so, the fact that it's always been there is why it's so difficult to remove, why we need to practice and practice and practice and practice for three great countless eons. Report an error in the passage at 28:32 Highlight the passage at 28:32

28:53 And I think we can get glimpses of that, of the purity of our minds, you know, when there are plenty of moments in our minds where we are free from afflictions in that moment. And so we can see that those afflictions aren't. intrinsic to the mind. They arise and they go and they arise. It feels Report an error in the passage at 28:53 Highlight the passage at 28:53

29:25 like Report an error in the passage at 29:25 Highlight the passage at 29:25

29:40 I've wasted my whole life sometimes just doing whatever I wanted. Report an error in the passage at 29:40 Highlight the passage at 29:40

29:56 That's very honest. Yeah. Janet? Report an error in the passage at 29:56 Highlight the passage at 29:56

30:06 as far as it's actually... Recognizing the self-cherishing mind, that happens maybe on an occasion, especially when it's a very strong one. But if it's just the normal day-to-day, it's like my mindfulness is just vacant. And so I don't even think of it. It's just like on autopilot. But I think it seems like with... Report an error in the passage at 30:06 Highlight the passage at 30:06

30:40 That what we need to do is just kind of to change not so much of what we're doing or the little bits of things that give us pleasure in this life, the temporary pleasures of this life, like a nice lunch or a meal or a cup of tea, whatever, but to change our mind about our motivations and that kind of thing. Report an error in the passage at 30:40 Highlight the passage at 30:40

31:08 you know. Report an error in the passage at 31:08 Highlight the passage at 31:08

31:15 Yeah, I was just thinking that I think for me at this point, I have to almost like use the self-cherishing in order to make any progress because I was thinking, like David said, to think of giving up, you know, like all pleasures or something. I mean, in the sense of sort of a cool view of, oh, I'm going to do all this. Report an error in the passage at 31:15 Highlight the passage at 31:15

31:46 That comes crashing down. It doesn't work. So I have to like scratch and scratch and spend lots of time thinking about how this thing others fits me. Report an error in the passage at 31:46 Highlight the passage at 31:46

32:02 You know, I mean, I think it's only when I do that that it'll make a little, Report an error in the passage at 32:02 Highlight the passage at 32:02

32:15 but anyway, I'm thinking that's, I have to see the benefit in it or I think I get real, Skeptical of what might happen. Sometimes I do get afraid of, like, I'm going to just chuck the Dharma out because, gee, if I can't, you know. I mean, yeah. It's an old misinterpretation, I think, of what renunciation is and stuff. So I have to constantly re-examine what those things mean for me. Report an error in the passage at 32:15 Highlight the passage at 32:15

32:50 Yeah. So I have to get real selfish in a way. Yeah. Well, I mean, I think that's... Really normal and part of the path is that at the beginning, we use our self-cherishing to help us along the path. Report an error in the passage at 32:50 Highlight the passage at 32:50

33:08 We use our self-cherishing, our desire for our own happiness. That's why we go to teachings in the first place, because we want more happiness. And then throughout the Lamrim, again and again, we're meditating on the advantages. Of doing this and the disadvantages of not meditating on the advantages of getting rid of the self-cherishing mind and the disadvantages of not. Report an error in the passage at 33:08 Highlight the passage at 33:08

33:35 So that's just normal and I think it is really easy to misinterpret the teachings and think okay I need to get rid of all of this temporary happiness and then just live this really miserable austere life. Report an error in the passage at 33:35 Highlight the passage at 33:35

33:55 Maybe that's not really what the teachings are saying. So, you know, and we look at the Lamas, you know, and we look at advanced practitioners and they're all really joyful, right? They're not, they don't have these long faces and all of that. So we take it step by step. And we, you know, I think one point that the teacher that taught me Lamrim, First was Venerable Neil Houston. And he mentioned a really, really good point about renunciation. But renunciation is not about giving up the things that you really want and need. Report an error in the passage at 33:55 Highlight the passage at 33:55

34:37 It's about progressing along the path. Actually, I shouldn't quote him because I'm probably not quoting him right. But as you progress along the path, you naturally see that those things aren't. You know, causes of happiness anymore. And so you naturally want to give them up. You know, so it's not this, oh, I have to get... Report an error in the passage at 34:37 Highlight the passage at 34:37

34:58 And I was thinking about this just the other day about, it's like, I think as we grow up, you know, there are certain things that made us happy when we were kids. You know, playing with our toys and we naturally renounced those as we grew up because we knew that those... Weren't making us happy anymore. And I think it's similar on the spiritual path. Okay, well, like when I was in my 20s, I loved to go out to the bars and go drinking and stay up late. Report an error in the passage at 34:58 Highlight the passage at 34:58

35:35 And now that doesn't sound like fun at all. So it's not as if renouncing that was painful. It was just, okay, well, that doesn't bring me any happiness anymore. And that just brings suffering. So I think that... That that's going to be true with our attachments as well as we let go of those. Report an error in the passage at 35:35 Highlight the passage at 35:35

35:58 And then as Janet said, instead of giving up all of these pleasures, but expanding our motivation, developing more bodhicitta motivation and trying that out and seeing how that makes us happier. Report an error in the passage at 35:58 Highlight the passage at 35:58

36:16 And then letting go of the focus on our own happiness. Because then we see... When we focus on our own happiness, then we end up suffering, right? Because we're not getting what we want and people aren't treating us the way we want. And then we're suffering. And then if we can let go of our self-cherishing, then we experience more happiness. So it's not a matter of taking it on faith, I think, as much as trying it out and seeing in our own experience that it's making us happier. Report an error in the passage at 36:16 Highlight the passage at 36:16

36:47 So Janet, you had your hand up. Okay, Anna and then Janet. How's that? Well, earlier when you started to speak about this, I was confused about ignorance and ego clinging. And I may not be completely clear yet, but in terms of the ignorance, as you were saying, sometimes we do believe certain things make us happy. Report an error in the passage at 36:47 Highlight the passage at 36:47

37:10 But it's really an ignorance because in the end... They really don't make us happy. They really bring us a lot of suffering. But you usually won't know that unless that kind of ignorance is kind of cleared away. And it gets cleared away as you are on the path and you're learning about the teachings. I mean, it was the Buddha who said, you know, basically saṃsāra is suffering. Report an error in the passage at 37:10 Highlight the passage at 37:10

37:39 I mean, if you tell that to anyone out on the street, you know, it's hard to accept. So part of that getting rid of the ignorance is going on the path. And as you're saying, becoming aware, oh, those things really don't give me happiness. So you naturally almost outgrow them, as you were saying, like a child. And then the ego clinging, it is true because it's so pervasive that it's difficult to distinguish when we're doing that. Report an error in the passage at 37:39 Highlight the passage at 37:39

38:14 And sometimes you can catch yourself, though. You know, again, though, as you become more attuned with the teachings, you know, listening to things. I remember one of the nuns was saying, oh, I was so unhappy because I was stuck in the back of the car and I was so impatient. She said, then I realized it's because I wasn't getting my way. Report an error in the passage at 38:14 Highlight the passage at 38:14

38:35 And, of course, I realize that now, too, every time I'm in my car and I have problems. It's really, oh, well, it's just me not getting what I want right now. So it seems to be a, you know, a thing of... Learning and outgrowing and becoming more conscious. But it won't come unless you really do have the access to the teachings. Report an error in the passage at 38:35 Highlight the passage at 38:35

38:57 Otherwise, I think it would be very difficult. Report an error in the passage at 38:57 Highlight the passage at 38:57

39:04 Yeah, and I would also emphasize it's important to listen to teachings and it's also really important to reflect on the teachings and to meditate as well. And the more we do that, the more we can really see it. You know, if we just go to teachings, On some level, it stays at the intellectual level. But the more we really reflect on it and meditate on it, then it kind of sinks in more and more, kind of into the body, into the pores, into the heart. Report an error in the passage at 39:04 Highlight the passage at 39:04

39:38 And then eventually, you just live it, like the llamas. They just live it, and they just don't believe that self-cherishing is the way to happiness anymore. But for most of us, we still believe. Report an error in the passage at 39:38 Highlight the passage at 39:38

39:58 Also, with regard to ignorance, specifically in this text when it talks about the two inner enemies, it's talking about the self-cherishing, which is what we've been talking about. But the ignorance aspect is talking about perceiving ourselves as being this solid entity existing from its own side, which I don't really want to get into a lot of. Report an error in the passage at 39:58 Highlight the passage at 39:58

40:29 The emptiness right now, we're going to get into that at the end of this class. And then in the Heart Sūtra, we'll talk a lot more about emptiness because it's such a profound subject. Report an error in the passage at 40:29 Highlight the passage at 40:29

40:57 And so Samalo Geshe Kelsang says, in order to achieve Buddhahood, there's no other way than to eradicate the self-cherishing attitude and to cherish others more dearly than oneself. When we find it difficult to accept that self-cherishing is the real enemy, it is due to our very own self-cherishing attitude. Report an error in the passage at 40:57 Highlight the passage at 40:57

41:34 There's liberation and there's complete enlightenment. The liberation from cyclic existence and then there's complete enlightenment or Buddhahood. Report an error in the passage at 41:34 Highlight the passage at 41:34

41:48 It's said that... um, so, right, so the, the Report an error in the passage at 41:48 Highlight the passage at 41:48

41:49 Ignorance grasping at inherent existence is the primary obstacle to liberation. But it's the self-cherishing that is the primary obstacle to Buddhahood. Report an error in the passage at 41:49 Highlight the passage at 41:49

42:17 So it's the ignorance grasping at... Inherent existence or true existence that is the main obstacle to liberation and it's the self-cherishing that is the main obstacle to Buddhahood or complete enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 42:17 Highlight the passage at 42:17

42:44 So if we just get rid of the ignorance but we don't get rid of the self-cherishing then we can only attain liberation. We can't attain Buddhahood unless we get rid of our self-cherishing. And that's the whole reason of attaining Buddhahood is so that you can benefit others. Report an error in the passage at 42:44 Highlight the passage at 42:44

43:02 I mean yourself as well, but primarily to benefit others. Otherwise, why not settle for solitary liberation? You know, your own bliss forever. Report an error in the passage at 43:02 Highlight the passage at 43:02

43:21 So the advice in these texts is to really try to recognize the self-cherishing and self-grasping in our own minds and then strongly try to counteract them. If we don't... Strongly try to counteract our self-cherishing, we'll continue to be driven by our self-cherishing again and again and again. So reminding ourselves again and again of the disadvantages of self-cherishing, Report an error in the passage at 43:21 Highlight the passage at 43:21

43:56 that the self-cherishing is a cause of all of our suffering, that we'll never be able to achieve Buddhahood, we'll never be able to really benefit others as long as we have self-cherishing. Report an error in the passage at 43:56 Highlight the passage at 43:56

44:11 So I was given the advice by one of my lamas to begin every day strongly resolving to not allow self-cherishing, but to not be strongly influenced by self-cherishing for that day. Really, really making that determination at the beginning of the day. And then at the end of the day, reviewing the day and purifying. And then the next day, once again. Report an error in the passage at 44:11 Highlight the passage at 44:11

44:41 Not just at the beginning of the day, but at the beginning of each practice. But we need to do that again and again, reminding ourselves, because our self-cherishing doesn't want to be abandoned. It just wants to stay there. Report an error in the passage at 44:41 Highlight the passage at 44:41

45:02 Okay, so why don't we take a break? Report an error in the passage at 45:02 Highlight the passage at 45:02

45:19 I think it's really hard for me to talk about the disadvantage of the self-cherishing mind because my self-cherishing mind kind of goes, like my mind goes blank when I want to start saying something. My self-cherishing mind doesn't want me to think about that. It's very interesting because I look, I read and I look and I think about it again and again, but I lose it again and again. Report an error in the passage at 45:19 Highlight the passage at 45:19

45:44 It's like the mind, like I have. Like I'm senile or something. It's like I can't keep it in my mind. And I think it's just the self-cherishing, trying to preserve itself. Report an error in the passage at 45:44 Highlight the passage at 45:44

45:58 Yeah, that too. Report an error in the passage at 45:58 Highlight the passage at 45:58

46:10 Oh, I wanted to read you something from the commentaries. Report an error in the passage at 46:10 Highlight the passage at 46:10

46:19 This one's from Samlo Gishikilsang because he says it a lot better than I do. So we have to understand that the self-cherishing attitude is the real enemy. Normally when the thieves come to steal, they sneak in or come discreetly. Likewise, the self-cherishing attitude comes in the same manner to steal away our merits. Report an error in the passage at 46:19 Highlight the passage at 46:19

46:43 So today I have come to recognize it. Report an error in the passage at 46:43 Highlight the passage at 46:43

46:49 Also, I recognize that the liar is the self-cherishing attitude who has been cheating us since beginningest lifetimes, causing us all our sufferings encircling in saṃsāra. Self-cherishing is like a robber who robs things as well as like a thief who steals discreetly. It is also a liar who deceives us by pretending to be friendly and then would steal all our virtues. Report an error in the passage at 46:49 Highlight the passage at 46:49

47:16 It acts like a part of us such that sometimes it seems like it is benefiting us, Report an error in the passage at 47:16 Highlight the passage at 47:16

47:25 as when we spend all our effort to earn lots of money and neglect our Dharma practice. So in these ways, The self-cherishing attitude deceives us and steals our wealth of virtuous actions. Report an error in the passage at 47:25 Highlight the passage at 47:25

47:42 So the text, it encourages us now that we see the enemy, now we can do something about it. So this aha is like this exclamation of surprise. Oh yeah, now I know what the enemy is. I'm Report an error in the passage at 47:42 Highlight the passage at 47:42

48:09 scared because tendon chokies and my self Report an error in the passage at 48:09 Highlight the passage at 48:09

48:20 -cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 48:20 Highlight the passage at 48:20

48:30 I thought at this point in the text we could talk a bit about the four opponent powers and purification, since we talked a lot as we went through all of these verses about karma, about this is the particular circumstances, this is the karmic cause, and now we need to purify, and now we need to do this. Report an error in the passage at 48:30 Highlight the passage at 48:30

48:52 So we'll just talk. At least briefly about these four opponent powers. I mean, some of you have gotten a lot of teachings on these, I think, in the past. But maybe it's always good to refresh our memories. And some of us, yeah, and some of us haven't. So purification, purifying our karma, really the guts of purification is applying these four opponent powers. Report an error in the passage at 48:52 Highlight the passage at 48:52

49:22 As we talked before, it's not about visualizing a deity above your head and visualizing and being purified without these four opponent powers. We need all four in order to completely purify. The first power is called the power of reliance. Also, sometimes it's translated as the power of the object or the... Report an error in the passage at 49:22 Highlight the passage at 49:22

49:53 And this is taking refuge and generating bodhicitta. So Pabongka Rinpoche says that all of our negative actions are done in relation to either sentient beings or the three jewels. So then to counteract that, we're taking refuge in the three jewels and then generating bodhicitta. For the benefit of sentient beings. So that's the first power. And then the second power is the power of regret. Report an error in the passage at 49:53 Highlight the passage at 49:53

50:31 So this is the most important of the four opponent powers, to genuinely regret what you've done. So purification doesn't work if we do whatever we want and then at the end of the day we sit down and say, oh, you know, I'm doing my purification practice. And then we just do whatever we want the next day again. We have to genuinely regret what we have done. And this is regret with some level of wisdom in terms of knowing that the action that you've done will create suffering for you in the future. Report an error in the passage at 50:31 Highlight the passage at 50:31

51:17 That you've created some negative karma that will bring about suffering in the future. It's not guilt. It's not I'm bad. It's just this kind of clear understanding that what you've done will bring about suffering in the future. Report an error in the passage at 51:17 Highlight the passage at 51:17

51:46 And then I think I've mentioned the example of the poisoned food before. Maybe some of you haven't heard it. is story of the three people sitting at the table eating. A meal, and the first person keels over, and then the second person keels over, and then the third person generates regret for eating that poison food because they know that they're going to suffer, right? Report an error in the passage at 51:46 Highlight the passage at 51:46

52:19 And it's the same thing, right? So there's no guilt. It's not about I'm bad. It's I really wish that I hadn't eaten that food because I'm going to keel over myself. Report an error in the passage at 52:19 Highlight the passage at 52:19

52:32 And similarly with the purification, I really regret doing that because I'm going to suffer in the future. And also regretting, I really regret that because I really hurt others. Report an error in the passage at 52:32 Highlight the passage at 52:32

52:59 And then the opposite of generating regret is when we do something negative and we think, oh, that's not so bad, or justifying it, rationalizing it as, oh, well. That just happens. I just have these faults. And not genuinely regretting it. Because I think regret, when we study mind and mental factors, the mental factor of regret is associated with mental unhappiness. Report an error in the passage at 52:59 Highlight the passage at 52:59

53:29 So going through and really seeing the negative actions that you've done and regretting them is not a happy mind. It's, oh, I wish I... Didn't do that. And so we can have resistance, I think, sometimes to generating regret. It's easier to think, oh yeah, well, everybody does that. Everybody cheats on their taxes. There's nothing wrong with cheating on my taxes. Everybody lies a little bit. No, there's nothing wrong with a little white lie here and there. Report an error in the passage at 53:29 Highlight the passage at 53:29

54:03 And when we justify it, then we're not able to purify it, right? And actually, we're reinforcing it. It will grow even stronger when we justify it. So it's so important to generate regret. Report an error in the passage at 54:03 Highlight the passage at 54:03

54:22 Then the third power is the power of restraint or the power of determination. Geshe Loden in his book Path to Enlightenment calls it the power of commitment. So this is where we make a determination to not... Do that negative action again. If we can. If it's something like, let's say, killing insects that we know that we can avoid doing in the future, at least intentionally, then determining that I never want to do that again. Report an error in the passage at 54:22 Highlight the passage at 54:22

55:02 Or for certain things that we do again and again very often, then it's recommended to set a time. Report an error in the passage at 55:02 Highlight the passage at 55:02

55:15 So for the next 24 hours I promise not to tell a lie. For the next 24 hours I promise not to say anything bad about anybody. For the next 24 hours I promise not to engage in idle gossip. And so 24 hours is said to be kind of a skillful amount of time because then We can try to keep a high level of mindfulness during that time. And then we can purify at the end of the day. Report an error in the passage at 55:15 Highlight the passage at 55:15

55:54 So at the end of the day, we do our purification practice. We resolve not to do that action, for example, for the next 24 hours. And then the next day, when we do our purification, we can review that day and see, okay, have I done? What have I done? you know, have I, know, that's, uh. What kinds of negative karma have I created? And to purify those. And then once again, developing another determination for the next 24 hours, for example. Report an error in the passage at 55:54 Highlight the passage at 55:54

56:28 Or for certain mental afflictions, we may not be able to last 24 hours, like I promised not to get annoyed at anybody. know? Well, you know, maybe we could decide, you know, I promise not to get annoyed at anyone for the next, you know, minute or something like that, you know. Report an error in the passage at 56:28 Highlight the passage at 56:28

56:57 Or, you know, I always wonder about the self-cherishing mind, you know. I promise to not engage in, you know, my self-cherishing mind for the next, you know, microsecond or something, you know. That one's a hard one for me. Report an error in the passage at 56:57 Highlight the passage at 56:57

57:16 But anyway, we can set a time limit that's realistic. Otherwise, we'll break it again and again. And then it's useless if we just keep breaking it again and again. Report an error in the passage at 57:16 Highlight the passage at 57:16

57:31 So the power of restraint is so important because it's regretting your non-virtuous action and then really trying to not... Do it again. That really helps, you know, that's really the purification and really helps us to change our minds. Otherwise, if we just go through the motions of purification at the end of the day, oh, I regret all the negative actions I've done. Report an error in the passage at 57:31 Highlight the passage at 57:31

57:58 I'll try to be better tomorrow. It's not so helpful. We need to be very specific in what are the specific things that I tend to do again and again and really try to counteract those. Report an error in the passage at 57:58 Highlight the passage at 57:58

58:17 And I find for myself that I try to work on too many different things at once and then it's not so effective. I'm trying to work on my idle gossip and I'm trying to work on my self-cherishing and I'm trying to work on my ignorance. I'm trying. And then... I'm not able to maintain mindfulness on all of those things throughout the day. And so I find it's useful to concentrate just on a few big ones and try to keep mindfulness on that, like really trying to avoid negative speech, for example. Report an error in the passage at 58:17 Highlight the passage at 58:17

58:53 And if you really know that you are focused on that, then you can maintain the mindfulness and then you can see. I think then we can really see progress, but if we're trying to do everything at once, it's really hard to make progress on any of them, I think. Report an error in the passage at 58:53 Highlight the passage at 58:53

59:16 And it's also really good to write them down, I think. Write down those few things that you're working on. Like right now, one of mine is the judgmental attitude that pops up all the time. And just when I really, really focus on that, then when it pops up in my mind, I can immediately recognize it. Oh yeah, there's that judgmental attitude. Report an error in the passage at 59:16 Highlight the passage at 59:16

59:45 And then I can let it go when it's one of the 50 things I'm working on that I don't even notice it when it comes up. And then it's really effective at the end of the day to write down, okay, I'm checking on my judgmental attitude and how did I do today? What did I do? Report an error in the passage at 59:45 Highlight the passage at 59:45

1:00:07 What did I do badly in association with that? And then when you have to write it down, it's painful, but you remember it more, I think. And you have that reminder every day, okay, this is what I'm working on. Because sometimes we make that determination in the morning and then we don't remember until we're purifying at night. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:07 Highlight the passage at 1:00:07

1:00:31 Oh yeah, that's right, that's what I'm supposed to be working on. So that's the power of restraint. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:31 Highlight the passage at 1:00:31

1:00:50 And then the last one is the power of the remedy or the opponent force. What are we doing to kind of make up for the negative action that we've done? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:50 Highlight the passage at 1:00:50

1:01:07 And so the common ones are to do vajrasattva, to do prostrations and reciting the names of the 35 Buddhas. But also it's like other ones are like reciting sutras, reciting the Golden Light Sūtra, reciting the Diamond Cutter Sūtra, meditating on emptiness, thinking about emptiness, studying emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:07 Highlight the passage at 1:01:07

1:01:33 Those are all really, really, I mean that's said to be the most powerful opponent force to meditate on emptiness or to study emptiness or to even read a page on emptiness is really helpful. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:33 Highlight the passage at 1:01:33

1:01:54 Oh yeah, Anna. Yeah. About the reciting the sūtra, is it just as effective to maybe listening to the sūtra on a CD? Is Report an error in the passage at 1:01:54 Highlight the passage at 1:01:54

1:02:09 it just as effective? I don't think so. I think there's something, and other people can please chime in if they've heard something different, but it's said that there's something very powerful about reciting. Actually reciting, like in the prostrations to the 35 Buddhas, we're supposed to recite out loud the names of the 35 Buddhas, and as many times as possible. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:09 Highlight the passage at 1:02:09

1:02:41 That makes it powerful. Just listening to the sūtra, I don't think it doesn't have the same power. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:41 Highlight the passage at 1:02:41

1:02:53 Yeah, Janet. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:53 Highlight the passage at 1:02:53

1:02:58 No, it's also good. It's not the same. I haven't heard particularly... About that in a Report an error in the passage at 1:02:58 Highlight the passage at 1:02:58

1:03:12 class, but what I have heard, and it does make sense, is that when you recite something out loud, like say if you're reading a sūtra and you're saying it out loud, you have more of your senses involved with what you're doing. As opposed to just listening, you have only your ears sense, you know, and then of course the mental. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:12 Highlight the passage at 1:03:12

1:03:41 The more senses that are involved with the activity, the deeper it can go in too. And I don't know if that's true or not, but it kind of makes sense because you're more engaged in it. More of your ears can hear it. The mouth says the words. You see it. Yeah. Less likely to be distracted. Well, it depends who that is. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:41 Highlight the passage at 1:03:41

1:04:12 I think you're more engaged in it, too, that way. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:12 Highlight the passage at 1:04:12

1:04:19 Yeah, I think so, too. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:19 Highlight the passage at 1:04:19

1:04:23 Hillary? And then Keith? Report an error in the passage at 1:04:23 Highlight the passage at 1:04:23

1:04:31 Each is one of the three doors, so, I mean, if you're reading something, I mean, in a sense, in Report an error in the passage at 1:04:31 Highlight the passage at 1:04:31

1:04:46 doing that, meaning, I've heard that in Tibetan or something, this might be a little wrong, but prostration entails, A kind of a wish to be something. So when you're, you know, using those words, you're like committing yourself to, you're aspiring to something verbally. So it seems like that that would be more effective if you're actually using your own speech as an imprint at the least. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:46 Highlight the passage at 1:04:46

1:05:26 I Report an error in the passage at 1:05:26 Highlight the passage at 1:05:26

1:05:29 haven't heard anything. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:29 Highlight the passage at 1:05:29

1:05:34 For me anyway, I think it depends more on my... A state of concentration, like if I'm concentrating in some kind of meditation and I listen to a sūtra, that's very helpful, much more so than if I just am driving and I listen to something. And I think it's the same way with everything that I do. It really depends more upon my concentration than it does on what or how I'm doing it. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:34 Highlight the passage at 1:05:34

1:06:01 It's a mental thing, for me anyway. Yeah, the concentration is very, very important. Yeah, the teachings, they say, if our distracted mind, anything we do with a distracted mind isn't very beneficial. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:01 Highlight the passage at 1:06:01

1:06:21 Yeah, Janet. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:21 Highlight the passage at 1:06:21

1:06:27 I have a question, and this has come up in my mind before hearing about the four opponent powers, is generally, at least in the practice that I do, The power of restraint is at the end, where after you've done your remedy and then you make some kind of a vow not to do a particular thing for X amount of time or forever or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:27 Highlight the passage at 1:06:27

1:06:55 And I've always heard it kind of taught in this order. Why is that? Do you have any idea? I don't know. I mean, I've seen it in different orders. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:55 Highlight the passage at 1:06:55

1:07:09 Actually, I was going to hand out this little daily purification bodhicitta booklet if people want it. The power of the restraint is at the end. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:09 Highlight the passage at 1:07:09

1:07:21 I haven't seen it in a different order. I'm sure that it probably can go in a different order. That's why I was always confused by this presentation and then having most of the practices that I see in a different order. So Report an error in the passage at 1:07:21 Highlight the passage at 1:07:21

1:07:38 I've actually never really thought that much about the order of this. Yeah, I don't know. Because, yeah. I mean, yeah, I saw another order where it put the restraint at the end, you know, like we do in the practice. So maybe at the end of class, people can take one of these if they want one. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:38 Highlight the passage at 1:07:38

1:08:09 Okay. You know, other remedies that are... Very practical, you know, besides just doing, well not just, but besides doing, you know, the standard practices, it can be very helpful to do something specific about, that pertains to that particular action that you've done. Like if you've done a lot of killing, like I've done a lot of killing of insects in my life. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:09 Highlight the passage at 1:08:09

1:08:42 you know it's good to maybe go and Save, you know, liberate animals, right? Save the lives of animals, right? And then you're actually putting into action, right, your respect for others' lives. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:42 Highlight the passage at 1:08:42

1:09:04 Sometimes I find that that's more powerful than going and just reciting my mantras at the end of the day that I'm not even thinking about, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:04 Highlight the passage at 1:09:04

1:09:18 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:18 Highlight the passage at 1:09:18

1:09:23 So that is... Purification. I mean, I thought that, I mean, we have 15 minutes left. And do people want to go through and do the purification practice together? Because I think, I mean, some of you already do like Vajrasafra at the end of every day, but some of you I think maybe haven't done it before. And it's, I'm not looking specifically at you. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:23 Highlight the passage at 1:09:23

1:09:47 My eyes are just, happen to be in that direction. And so it's useful to do the practice in a group the first time. I think that kind of helps us understand what the practice is about. So if you want to spend the next 15 minutes and do that together, we can do that. And if people don't want to do it, they can leave, I suppose, because they don't need to do purification. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:47 Highlight the passage at 1:09:47

1:10:19 Okay, so we'll do it. Actually, 15 minutes is probably a good amount of time. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:19 Highlight the passage at 1:10:19

1:10:31 And you can just keep these. These are free little booklets. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:31 Highlight the passage at 1:10:31

1:10:44 Okay, thanks. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:44 Highlight the passage at 1:10:44

1:10:51 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:51 Highlight the passage at 1:10:51

1:10:55 So on the cover is the Vajrasattva along with the consort. So you can do this practice with that visualization or with Vajrasattva just alone, which is the tanka in the back of the room. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:55 Highlight the passage at 1:10:55

1:11:17 That's Vajrasattva alone. Yeah. Which is a little easier to visualize one daddy than two. But either way, you know, we can decide. And we can use this practice with either visualization. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:17 Highlight the passage at 1:11:17

1:11:39 So, okay. So let's start on page nine. And we can... And this is kind of an... There's some extensive prayers in here. Because this is a Lama Zopa Rinpoche practice. But it's good. It's great to do. So maybe we just restart on page nine and recite together. I forever take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. I take refuge in all the three vehicles, in the Dakas and Dakinis. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:39 Highlight the passage at 1:11:39

1:12:20 In the heroes and the heroines, goddesses and goddesses, and in the bodhisattvas of the ten boomies. But most of all, I take refuge in my holy guru forever. I forever take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. I take refuge in all the three vehicles. In the dakas and dakinis of secret mantra yoga. In the heroes and heroines, the gods and goddesses. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:20 Highlight the passage at 1:12:20

1:12:46 And in the bodhisattvas of the ten Bhumis. But most of all, I take refuge in my holy guru forever. I forever take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. I take refuge in all the three vehicles. In the dakas and dakinis of secret mantra yoga. In the heroes and heroines, the Haggadans and Goddesses. And in the bodhisattvas of the ten Bhumis. But most of all, I take refuge in my holy guru forever. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:46 Highlight the passage at 1:12:46

1:13:19 Then I'll just read. This part. First recall the definition of negative karma, any action that results in suffering, usually an action motivated by ignorance, attachment or aversion. And Report an error in the passage at 1:13:19 Highlight the passage at 1:13:19

1:13:40 we can all recite this prayer or whatever this quote. Almost every action I do, 24 hours a day, is motivated by a worldly concern, attachment to the comfort of this life. It is like this from birth to death in this life and has been like that from beginningless rebirths. Nearly every action I have ever created has been non-virtuous, the cause of suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:40 Highlight the passage at 1:13:40

1:14:09 Not only that, but continuously I have also been breaking my prati moksha, bodhisattva and tantric vows. Worst of all, I have created the heaviest of negative karmas in relation to my virtuous friends, getting angry at them, generating wrong views, having non-devotional thoughts towards them, harming their holy body and disobeying their device. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:09 Highlight the passage at 1:14:09

1:14:33 Having these negative imprints on my mental continuum is unbearable. It's as if I've squalled poison. I must practice the antidote right away. And purify all this negative karma immediately without a second's delay. In this way generate strong feelings of urgency and regret. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:33 Highlight the passage at 1:14:33

1:14:55 So this is the first, well this is the opponent power of regret. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:55 Highlight the passage at 1:14:55

1:15:06 And generally it's good to go through our day kind of step by step and think about the negative actions that we've done. So let's take a few minutes and do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:06 Highlight the passage at 1:15:06

· · · silence, 2 minutes

1:17:19 Actually since we're running out of time. We'll just skip over the remembering impermanence and death. No, actually, let's just do it. Many people my age or younger have died. It's a miracle that I'm still alive and have this incredible opportunity to purify my negative karma. Death is certain, but at its time it's most uncertain. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:19 Highlight the passage at 1:17:19

1:17:43 If I were to die right now, I would definitely be born in the lower realms. Because I could not practice Dharma there, I would remain in the lower realms for countless eons. Therefore, how unbelievably fortunate I am to be able to purify my negative karma right now without even a second's delay by practicing the Vajrasattva meditation recitation. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:43 Highlight the passage at 1:17:43

1:18:07 Next Report an error in the passage at 1:18:07 Highlight the passage at 1:18:07

1:18:13 is the power of dependence or the power of reliance. But I am not practicing this Vajrasattva purification for myself alone. The purpose of my life is to release all hell beings, pretas, animals, humans, asuras, suras, intermediate state beings from all their suffering and its causes and lead them to unsurpassed enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:13 Highlight the passage at 1:18:13

1:18:38 In order to do this, I must first reach enlightenment myself. Therefore, I must purify all my negative karma immediately by practicing the Vajrasattva meditation recitation. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:38 Highlight the passage at 1:18:38

1:18:56 Maybe I'll just read this visualization to you and you can just do it. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:56 Highlight the passage at 1:18:56

1:19:06 So, above the crown of my head, seated upon a lotus and moon seat, are Vajrasattva father and mother. Their bodies are white. Each has one face and two arms. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:06 Highlight the passage at 1:19:06

1:19:23 just a visual Visualize as best we can. We don't need to have all the details perfect right now. He holds a dorje or vajra and a bell. She holds a curved knife and a skull cup. They are embracing each other. The father is adorned with six mudras, the mother with five. He sits in the vajra posture, she in the lotus. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:23 Highlight the passage at 1:19:23

1:19:55 Vajrasattva is my root guru, the holy mind of all the Buddhas. The Dharmakaya, who out of his unbearable compassion, which embraces me and all other sentient beings, appears in this form to purify me and all others. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:55 Highlight the passage at 1:19:55

1:20:13 In this way your mind is transformed into guru devotion, the root of all blessings and realizations of the path to enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:13 Highlight the passage at 1:20:13

1:20:23 On a moon disc at Vajrasatva's heart stands a whom encircled by a garland of the hundred-syllable mantra. A powerful stream of white nectar flows from the home and the mantra garland and I am cleansed of all sickness, spirit harm, negative karma and obscurations. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:23 Highlight the passage at 1:20:23

1:20:49 So as we recite the mantra we can visualize ourselves being purified by this white light or this white nectar. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:49 Highlight the passage at 1:20:49

1:21:05 Three different visualizations that we can do and I thought that they were in this little booklet but they're not. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:05 Highlight the passage at 1:21:05

1:21:15 Maybe I'll just Report an error in the passage at 1:21:15 Highlight the passage at 1:21:15

1:21:22 describe them briefly. So one of the visualizations that we can do is visualizing the white nectar or the white light entering into our crown and filling our bodies and our negativities exit through the lower part of our body in the form of either dark liquid or... Report an error in the passage at 1:21:22 Highlight the passage at 1:21:22

1:21:51 Scorpions or spiders and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:51 Highlight the passage at 1:21:51

1:22:18 Maybe we'll just stick with that visualization instead of me describing all three of them to you right now. So then as we're visualizing that, then we can recite the mantra and we'll just do it three times since we don't have much time. But in general, it's recommended that we do it 21 times at the end of the day. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:18 Highlight the passage at 1:22:18

1:22:42 Or at least 21 times. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:42 Highlight the passage at 1:22:42

1:22:48 Om Vajrasattva Samaya Manupalaya Vajrasattva Denopatita Dito Mebhava Suto Kayo Mebhava Supo Kayo Mebhava Anaracto Mebhava Sarva Siddhi Me Paryasat Sarva Karma Susame Sittam Sriyam Guru Ha Ha Ha-ha Ha-ha-ha-ho Bhagawan Sarvatata-gata-vadramame-musa Vajra-bhava-mava-samaya-sattva-ahum-pe Vajrasattva Samaya Manupalaya Vajrasattva Denopatita Didomebhava Sutto kayo me bhava, suppo kayo me bhava, anarakto me bhava, sarva siddhi me parya sab, sarva karma susa me, sitam sriyam guru, ha ha ha ha ho, bhagawan. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:48 Highlight the passage at 1:22:48

1:24:01 Sarva Tathāgata Vajra Mame Musa Vajra Bhava Mahasamaya Sattva Ahumpe Om Vajrasattva Samaya Manupalaya Vajrasattva Denopatita Dido Me Bhava Suttokayo Me Bhava Suttokayo Me Bhava Suttokayo Me Bhava Anurakto me bhava, sarva siddhi me parasa, sarva karma susame, sitem sriyam kruhum, ha ha ha ha ho, bhagavan, sarva tatha gatha, vajra mame musa, vajra bhava maha samaya sattva ahumpe. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:01 Highlight the passage at 1:24:01

1:25:03 Okay, page 16. From Report an error in the passage at 1:25:03 Highlight the passage at 1:25:03

1:25:10 the crown of my head. Guru Vajrasattva says, Son of the race, your negativities, obscurations and broken and damaged pledges have been completely purified. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:10 Highlight the passage at 1:25:10

1:25:23 So Report an error in the passage at 1:25:23 Highlight the passage at 1:25:23

1:25:31 here it's good to really imagine that you have actually purified these negativities. The Report an error in the passage at 1:25:31 Highlight the passage at 1:25:31

1:26:02 power of refraining from creating negativities again are the power of restraint. Before Guru Vajrasattva, I vow never again to commit those negative actions from which I can easily abstain and not to commit for a day, an hour, at least a few seconds, those negative actions from which I find it difficult to abstain. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:02 Highlight the passage at 1:26:02

1:26:24 So let's just take a minute and develop this power of restraint or determination. Then Report an error in the passage at 1:26:24 Highlight the passage at 1:26:24

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:27:39 Guru Vajrasattva is extremely pleased with your pledge. And then visualize the Vajrasattva father and mother. They melt into light and dissolve into you. Your body, speech and mind become inseparably one with Guru Vajrasattva's holy body, speech and mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:39 Highlight the passage at 1:27:39

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:28:33 We'll do the dedication. The first part of the dedication is a reminder that it's good to remember the emptiness of the... What's called the emptiness of the three spheres when we do our dedication. The emptiness of ourselves. The emptiness of the action itself. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:33 Highlight the passage at 1:28:33

1:28:54 And then the emptiness of the karma itself. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:54 Highlight the passage at 1:28:54

1:29:03 In emptiness there is no I creator of negative karma. There is no action of creating negative karma. There is no negative karma created. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:03 Highlight the passage at 1:29:03

1:29:18 So let's just think about that for... A minute, place your mind in that emptiness for a little while. In this way, look at all phenomena as empty. They do not exist from their own side. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:18 Highlight the passage at 1:29:18

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:30:10 And then with this awareness of emptiness, dedicate the merits. Due to all the merits of the three times collected by me, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and all other sentient beings which appear to be real from there but which are empty. May the I, which appears to be real but is empty, achieve Guru Vajrasapha's enlightenment, which appears to be real but is empty, and lead all sentient beings who appear to be real but are totally empty to that enlightenment which appears to be real but is empty, by myself alone which appears to be real but is also totally empty, non-existent from there. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:10 Highlight the passage at 1:30:10

1:30:55 May the precious bodhicitta, the source of all happiness and success for myself and all other sentient beings, be generated within my own mind and in the minds of all sentient beings without even a second's delay. And may that which has been generated be increased. May I and all other sentient beings have Lama Tsongkhapa as our direct guru in all our lifetimes, never be separated for even a second from the pure path that is greatly praised by the conqueror of Buddhas, and actualize the complete path, the three principal paths and the two stages of the highest yoga tantra, the root of which is guru devotion within our minds as quickly as possible. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:55 Highlight the passage at 1:30:55

1:31:39 Just as the brave Manjushri and Samanta Bhadra realize things as they are, I dedicate all these virtues in the best way that I may follow after them. Whatever dedication the three-time victorious ones gone to bliss have admired as best, in the same way I also perfectly dedicate all these virtues so that I may... Report an error in the passage at 1:31:39 Highlight the passage at 1:31:39

1:32:02 I Report an error in the passage at 1:32:02 Highlight the passage at 1:32:02

1:32:15 think we don't need to do the dedication prayers in here as well. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:15 Highlight the passage at 1:32:15

1:32:27 So the next section of the text will talk a lot more about the self-cherishing mind and all of the trouble it causes us. So maybe by the end of this class we'll really believe that self-cherishing mind is the enemy. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:27 Highlight the passage at 1:32:27

1:33:07 a long I know I haven't used it. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:07 Highlight the passage at 1:33:07