Mahayana Mind Transformation (3 August 2007)

0:00 So Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:11 just a reminder that all of our problems have as their root cause, right, the two inner enemies are self-grasping ignorance, the ignorance that believes that there's some solidly existing self and independently existing self that exists separately from others, right? Report an error in the passage at 0:11 Highlight the passage at 0:11

0:39 And then as a result of that, then we cherish ourselves as being more important than others. Our happiness is more important than others. Getting our needs met is more important than getting others' needs met. Getting what we want is more important than giving others what they want. Report an error in the passage at 0:39 Highlight the passage at 0:39

1:02 And that's the cause of all of our problems, not all the external circumstances. But if we get rid of our ignorance and our self-cherishing, then we won't have any suffering anymore. It's like getting rid of our buttons and then we'll be okay with everything. Report an error in the passage at 1:02 Highlight the passage at 1:02

1:25 So real happiness comes from cherishing others and we can see this with the bodhisattvas who are working solely for the benefit of others and they're so happy, they're so courageous, they're so strong. Report an error in the passage at 1:25 Highlight the passage at 1:25

1:43 So if we keep practicing, we'll get there slowly, slowly. Report an error in the passage at 1:43 Highlight the passage at 1:43

1:54 I put this quote up last week, but I really liked it, so I put it up one more time. From self-cherishing comes the wish to further oneself, even at others' expense. This causes all the killing, stealing and intolerance that we see around us. It is responsible for every conflict, from family problems to international wars and for all the negative karma thus created. Report an error in the passage at 1:54 Highlight the passage at 1:54

2:28 So we had as our homework to try to identify the self-cherishing mind in our own minds as it arises. So do people do this homework? Report an error in the passage at 2:28 Highlight the passage at 2:28

2:51 How does the mind feel when the self-cherishing comes up? Is it small and narrow or is it spacious and vast? What did people notice? Report an error in the passage at 2:51 Highlight the passage at 2:51

3:14 Oh yeah, we're a microphone group because it's being recorded. Yeah, when things seemed to be spinning out of control, there was... A little bit of self-cherishing there. I kind of noticed that, like, when there were, I don't know, when stuff started kind of going crazy in my mind, it was kind of self-cherishing oriented. Report an error in the passage at 3:14 Highlight the passage at 3:14

3:34 Kind of self-cherishing oriented? Well, just that there was, I was very focused on my problems as opposed to thinking about what other people needed. There's a lot of self-absorption going on there. Yeah, yeah. You're the only one. Yeah, definitely. Report an error in the passage at 3:34 Highlight the passage at 3:34

3:51 Yeah. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 3:51 Highlight the passage at 3:51

4:03 Anybody else? Report an error in the passage at 4:03 Highlight the passage at 4:03

4:07 I noticed that, you know, it's just so deep. I mean, the self-cherishing is just so solid that I think I'm going to notice it and whatever, and I notice it for about five minutes, and then I start hearing, well, Report an error in the passage at 4:07 Highlight the passage at 4:07

4:34 things aren't changing. It's like the self-cherishing wants to defeat whatever I want to do, you know, really quickly. Report an error in the passage at 4:34 Highlight the passage at 4:34

4:46 If the problems that have arisen that I can see come from self-cherishing haven't resolved themselves because I've given it, you know, five minutes or a half an hour's effort, then I'm like ready to throw in the towel to get past, you know, a few minutes of effort. Report an error in the passage at 4:46 Highlight the passage at 4:46

5:12 Okay, Betty? minutes of effort. Report an error in the passage at 5:12 Highlight the passage at 5:12

5:15 You know, when you do the short Vajrasaf practice, in the first part it says almost every action I do is motivated by worldly concern. And I think of that, I think, you know, literally it is. And although I feel very blessed because when I do go to work, I'm focused on me, except for when I go to that patient's bedside, I don't know, I'm able to put that aside. Report an error in the passage at 5:15 Highlight the passage at 5:15

5:38 I am for a brief, tiny moment able to put that aside and realize that this person is in much worse shape than I am. And so I know that there's a small little hint there of just putting self-cherishing aside. And I do know that when I am able to do that at work, then the problems that I have become much less, much, much less. Report an error in the passage at 5:38 Highlight the passage at 5:38

5:59 I don't care what problem, you know, in comparison to somebody dying or very sick in that bed, it's much, much less for me. Yeah, it puts things into perspective. Yeah. And it's so wonderful to see that because that proves that we are capable. Of going beyond the self-cherishing, right? We just need to slowly, slowly grow those moments where we're cherishing others. I think I'm the only mother in this room. Report an error in the passage at 5:59 Highlight the passage at 5:59

6:25 And that's safe to say. Right. Report an error in the passage at 6:25 Highlight the passage at 6:25

6:35 Yeah. Right. And that's such a great start, right? In our practice, we start, you know, we can overlay, you know, someone that we cherish so much, that we love so much. We can overlay all of the other. Well, we can overlay that being onto all other sentient beings and then they become inseparable so then gradually we can develop that same level of love for everyone. Report an error in the passage at 6:35 Highlight the passage at 6:35

7:03 Slowly, slowly. Report an error in the passage at 7:03 Highlight the passage at 7:03

7:10 Anybody else? Robert. Oh, Report an error in the passage at 7:10 Highlight the passage at 7:10

7:18 I confess I had girlfriend problems again this week. I realized that if I made self-cherishing a part of a relationship, Then I felt like I was the exploiter. Yes, even the rapist, whatever. And I just released and set myself aside completely. And guess what? I still have a girlfriend. And it just all worked out for the best. If everyone just gives, well then it doesn't look to say, even risking losing the relationship, just to keep giving. Report an error in the passage at 7:18 Highlight the passage at 7:18

8:00 And that really worked. And so this helped me this week a lot. And it helped equally well in my school business this week, just simply to be thinking of others before one thinks of oneself. And it's amazing how I end up with a growing school, and things work out better for myself, and I'm able to give more money to the Dharma too, all because I set aside myself, set aside my own self-interest. Report an error in the passage at 8:00 Highlight the passage at 8:00

8:31 I've got such a big ego. This is so difficult. Report an error in the passage at 8:31 Highlight the passage at 8:31

8:37 It's so difficult for all of us. Yeah. Okay. Well, I mean, that's the ironic part, right? The bodhisattvas aren't concerned about their own happiness, and so they end up being more happy than the rest of us. Report an error in the passage at 8:37 Highlight the passage at 8:37

8:56 So that's the side benefit. Report an error in the passage at 8:56 Highlight the passage at 8:56

9:05 So what do you guys think? Is the self-cherishing mind small? cult. Report an error in the passage at 9:05 Highlight the passage at 9:05

· · · silence, 1 minute

9:09 Or is it vast? Is it sometimes small and sometimes vast? Report an error in the passage at 9:09 Highlight the passage at 9:09

9:21 Have you ever heard of the word inflated ego? Inflated ego, I think it makes itself bigger than it really is. Report an error in the passage at 9:21 Highlight the passage at 9:21

9:37 Yeah, so that's kind of an interesting thing, right? Because the self-chair, well, you know, the inflated ego, the pride, the puffed-up-ness, it's kind of larger than we actually are. But the mind is still pretty small. It's narrowly focused on my own self-interest. So the more we cherish others, the vaster our mind gets and the more relaxed it is as well. Report an error in the passage at 9:37 Highlight the passage at 9:37

10:09 Because the tense mind is a small, narrow mind. It's narrowly focused on... Getting what I want and being afraid of not getting what I want and being afraid of losing what I have. So the more we make our mind more and more spacious, then the more relaxed and happy we are. Report an error in the passage at 10:09 Highlight the passage at 10:09

10:38 So when I look at my self-cherishing mind, I see a lot of different layers of subtlety. They're the gross... Self-cherishing when I'm having problems, when I'm having strong afflictions. I'm really focused on me, what's going on with me, and almost oblivious to others. And I think that's a very gross level of self-cherishing. And then it goes down to very subtle, where it seems like we're doing for others. Report an error in the passage at 10:38 Highlight the passage at 10:38

11:14 But then there's this small degree of... wanting something for myself, you know, I'm helping them because it makes me feel good about myself, or helping them and I'm expecting something small in return, something big in return, right, at least expecting them to be kind to me. So we have talked in the past about the self-cherishing mind and how kind of deceptive it is. Report an error in the passage at 11:14 Highlight the passage at 11:14

11:48 How kind of insidious it is. It seems to be there most of the time. Report an error in the passage at 11:48 Highlight the passage at 11:48

12:02 So do you think self-cherishing is an affliction? Is it a mental affliction? Is it always a mental affliction? Report an error in the passage at 12:02 Highlight the passage at 12:02

12:21 Don't everybody jump in at once? Okay. So we noticed actually in the... Do you want to say something? Okay. Yep. Don't be shy. It has to be an affliction if it's always there. But as we get more familiar with it, that it eventually gets easier to deal with. But that fits the affliction category, I think. Report an error in the passage at 12:21 Highlight the passage at 12:21

12:54 I Report an error in the passage at 12:54 Highlight the passage at 12:54

12:58 think the mental affliction, I mean, I think self-cherishing tends to always be there when we have an affliction. But self-cherishing can be even more subtle than a mental affliction. A mental affliction necessarily disturbs the mind. And the self-cherishing doesn't necessarily, I think, disturb the mind. Report an error in the passage at 12:58 Highlight the passage at 12:58

13:20 We can just be going along. My idea, we can just be going along trying to get happiness for ourselves and not thinking about others without an affliction arising. I think we do this a lot. I think I do this a lot. Going to the store and buying food. There's no particular affliction arising, but the mind is just focused on my food, my meal. Report an error in the passage at 13:20 Highlight the passage at 13:20

13:54 So actually, so on the Hinayana path, the Arhats, they get rid of all the mental afflictions, but they still have some self-cherishing left. Report an error in the passage at 13:54 Highlight the passage at 13:54

14:11 And on the Mahāyāna path, it's said that we don't let go of our self-cherishing or we don't abandon our self-cherishing completely until the eighth Bodhisattva ground. We have to realize emptiness directly first and then work with that, familiarize ourselves with the direct realization of emptiness again and again and again and then gradually. Report an error in the passage at 14:11 Highlight the passage at 14:11

14:32 The self-cherishing mind will abandon. Report an error in the passage at 14:32 Highlight the passage at 14:32

14:41 Jay, do you have a comment? All Report an error in the passage at 14:41 Highlight the passage at 14:41

14:47 right. Report an error in the passage at 14:47 Highlight the passage at 14:47

14:52 That's it. Anybody else have anything else about the self-cherishing? When you talked about spacious or narrow, what I thought of is I've noticed whenever I'm in a situation where I'm afraid, like I get afraid if the airplane is bouncing around. That's always my example. Report an error in the passage at 14:52 Highlight the passage at 14:52

15:16 And the only way I can deal with it is like expanding, like expanding my perception of who I am, like reminding myself that I'm not just this little body because ultimately I use it as a way to realize that I'm going to die somehow anyway. And that there's, I can't, I can't control that, I can't hold on to that. You know, trying to let go, let go of that little thing. Report an error in the passage at 15:16 Highlight the passage at 15:16

15:43 So I don't know, it's just... A comment. It definitely helps for me to deal with fear to expand my feelings about who I am and how I relate to others. Report an error in the passage at 15:43 Highlight the passage at 15:43

16:02 So I think it kind of relates to this. No, very much. That's kind of the wisdom aspect that starts to undercut the self-cherishing. I think we need to do all different kinds of Practices in order to get rid of the self-cherishing. It isn't just a matter of deciding that I want to get rid of my self-cherishing and then being able to do it. Report an error in the passage at 16:02 Highlight the passage at 16:02

16:30 So examining the self and how it exists is really the ultimate antidote. Report an error in the passage at 16:30 Highlight the passage at 16:30

16:41 So checking who is it that's afraid? Is it my body that's afraid? Is it my mind that's afraid? Is it this moment of my mind? It was in my mind five minutes ago. You know, just searching, you know, and then you search and you search and you can't find anything and, you know, so some of the afflictions and some of the fear starts to dissipate because you don't have that kind of solid ground to hold on to. Report an error in the passage at 16:41 Highlight the passage at 16:41

17:11 And the self-cherishing really has as its basis some solid, solidly, permanently existing self. Report an error in the passage at 17:11 Highlight the passage at 17:11

17:32 Was that a difficult exercise to watch the self-cherishing mind? Report an error in the passage at 17:32 Highlight the passage at 17:32

17:42 Uncomfortable maybe. Report an error in the passage at 17:42 Highlight the passage at 17:42

17:46 I agree with Robert. Unfortunately, it's 24-7. It really is. Now I think I'm deep into the Dharma now. I cannot not look at my thoughts and not look at this self-chairing. Every action almost. Who am I doing this for? And it's always for me. If I planted some flowers out front, they're for other people too. Report an error in the passage at 17:46 Highlight the passage at 17:46

18:09 Right. There was a man walking down. Loved the flowers. It was nice. Right, right. And that's where we start, right? We do it for me and for others. Yeah. Yeah, and even a bodhisattva, right? To get enlightenment, you attain enlightenment both for your own purpose as well as for others' purpose. It's not just for others. Report an error in the passage at 18:09 Highlight the passage at 18:09

18:38 Janet? Report an error in the passage at 18:38 Highlight the passage at 18:38

18:44 It seems like, you know, when you look at people that are in some way helping others or doing... Some kind of virtuous activities to try to alleviate others' suffering or something. Report an error in the passage at 18:44 Highlight the passage at 18:44

19:02 A lot of times, I mean, you know that it makes you feel good. That may not be the primary reason, but it's underlying it. Report an error in the passage at 19:02 Highlight the passage at 19:02

19:14 Because whenever you do a virtuous activity, it's always going to be pleasant compared to doing a non-virtuous activity like that. Yelling and screaming at somebody that did something that you didn't like, which I did this week, which is unpleasant. So it's like you almost don't even have to think about it. So where do you decide that you're doing it, like say the virtuous activity, you're doing it to benefit that person to really try to help out? Report an error in the passage at 19:14 Highlight the passage at 19:14

19:57 Or, you know, because the side effect is, you know, it's a pleasure to do it. You enjoy doing it. So, I mean, how does that self-cherishing, is that any time that you think or that you have a realization or you recognize that it gives you pleasure also, that can't possibly be self-cherishing, is it? Report an error in the passage at 19:57 Highlight the passage at 19:57

20:25 If you just realize that. Well, like you said, you just know. When I help other people do this thing, I really feel... Report an error in the passage at 20:25 Highlight the passage at 20:25

20:37 But that's not the reason you're doing it. Like I say, even if you're doing it and someone doesn't appreciate it, you know that you're doing something that's worthwhile and you're doing your best. So that makes you feel better. Yeah, if you're not doing it... I mean, if you're purely doing it for the other... Report an error in the passage at 20:37 Highlight the passage at 20:37

20:58 And you're not expecting anything in return, then maybe there's no self-cherishing there. Because you know you're going to feel good. I mean, you know, you can't help it. When you do virtuous activities, it's joyful. So where would you, I guess we all have to exist. Yeah, I think so. Yeah, we have to just check in our minds and see if we do have some sort of expectation. Report an error in the passage at 20:58 Highlight the passage at 20:58

21:28 Dalai Lama say something like be wisely selfish yeah if we're going to be selfish practicing virtuous activities Report an error in the passage at 21:28 Highlight the passage at 21:28

21:46 Okay, Report an error in the passage at 21:46 Highlight the passage at 21:46

21:54 we'll go to the text then. Report an error in the passage at 21:54 Highlight the passage at 21:54

21:59 Verse 72. Turning away from the gateway to liberation, I wander in remote places. Despite acquiring the precious jewel of a human body, I wind up in hell. Roar and thunder on the head of the destroyer, false construction. Mortally strike at the heart of the butcher, the enemy, ego. So turning away from the gateway to liberation, I wander in remote places. Report an error in the passage at 21:59 Highlight the passage at 21:59

22:27 So this is referring to people who come to the Dharma for a while and then leave to pursue something else, just deciding that they just stop practicing the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 22:27 Highlight the passage at 22:27

22:44 Despite acquiring the precious jewel of a human body, I wind up in hell. So here this is referring to this incredibly precious opportunity that we have, this precious human rebirth, that often we take for granted, right? We have the Dharma. We have our health. We can see. We can hear. We've met these lamas. Report an error in the passage at 22:44 Highlight the passage at 22:44

23:10 We have this incredible, incredible opportunity. And if we think about it, Like all of the beings around the world, how many beings actually have this opportunity? How many beings in Africa? How Report an error in the passage at 23:10 Highlight the passage at 23:10

23:30 many beings have met the Dharma and have the leisure to actually listen to it and practice it? It's so rare, right? Even in this country, you know, where people have a lot of affluence, you know, have enough to eat, but still don't have a precious human rebirth because All sorts of people just aren't interested in the spiritual path, or they might even meet a Lama and not feel anything. Report an error in the passage at 23:30 Highlight the passage at 23:30

24:08 So this could be us, right? This could be us. And this was us in this life until we met the Dharma, right? When I think about it, I met the Dharma in my early 30s, so I didn't have a precious human rebirth until then. And I just was wandering around and finding life meaningless and we could be there again. Report an error in the passage at 24:08 Highlight the passage at 24:08

24:36 So now we have this incredible opportunity and so we should use it. Really practice. And we don't know how long it's going to last. Any of us could die today even. Report an error in the passage at 24:36 Highlight the passage at 24:36

24:58 So we need to remind ourselves of that again and again. We tend to think that we have plenty of time. Report an error in the passage at 24:58 Highlight the passage at 24:58

25:11 So despite acquiring the precious jewel of a human body, I wind up in hell. So this is referring to people who have met the Dharma, who practice for a while, they leave and just pursue making a lot of money and creating a lot of negative karma. Which caused them to be reborn in the lower realms and particularly in the hell realms. So we need to constantly watch our minds and watch our actions so that we don't create the causes for the lower realms. Report an error in the passage at 25:11 Highlight the passage at 25:11

25:52 And even if we do, then we need to purify it. Because we've all created the causes to be born in the lower realms. Report an error in the passage at 25:52 Highlight the passage at 25:52

26:12 And oftentimes I think we come to the Dharma because we're having a particular problem. Experiencing suffering. And then maybe we practice for a while and life gets pretty good. And then that's when I think it's risky to leave. I mean, that's when a lot of people leave. Report an error in the passage at 26:12 Highlight the passage at 26:12

26:29 Tenzin Choki was saying that, you know, she was in retreat for almost seven years, right? So she went into retreat and she was down at Vajrapani before she went into retreat, right? And then she came out of retreat and she noticed that all of the people were different. There were very few people that were the same. So people were coming to the teachings for a while. And all the people who were coming to the teachings before she went in retreat, they just weren't around anymore. Report an error in the passage at 26:29 Highlight the passage at 26:29

27:05 And I think that's because we're not really remembering death and remembering the press of human rebirth. And as long as we keep reminding ourselves of that, then we really want to use this life to practice. Report an error in the passage at 27:05 Highlight the passage at 27:05

27:36 Verse 73, putting aside the particulars of spiritual development, I engage in business. Leaving my guru's school, I idle about the town. Roar and thunder on the head of the destroyer, false construction. Mortally strike at the heart of the butcher, the enemy ego. Now, actually, I left out the most important part of verse 72. Report an error in the passage at 27:36 Highlight the passage at 27:36

28:00 So the reason we do this, right, the reason we leave the Dharma, the reason we create. The cause is to be reborn in the lower realms is the self-cherishing mind. It's the mind that wants happiness now, that's pursuing pleasure now, that's wanting to make money and enjoy it now and not willing to practice for a higher goal. Report an error in the passage at 28:00 Highlight the passage at 28:00

28:36 Back to 73. We leave aside the transformation Dharma brings and engage in trade and profit. We cast aside our Guru's instruction and roam other cities and countries. Dance on the head of this ruinous conception. Slay the heart of this slaughtering enemy self. Report an error in the passage at 28:36 Highlight the passage at 28:36

28:55 Okay, so this verse is similar, right? Putting aside the particulars of spiritual development, I engage in business. So we leave aside the spiritual path and we really focus on making Report an error in the passage at 28:55 Highlight the passage at 28:55

29:14 money through business, profit. etc. Then leaving my guru's school, I idle about the town. Then the other translation is saying, we cast aside our guru's instruction and roam other cities and countries. So here we ignore our guru's advice, the teachings that our gurus give us, and we waste time and wander here and there. Report an error in the passage at 29:14 Highlight the passage at 29:14

29:49 And this, once again, is because of the self-cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 29:49 Highlight the passage at 29:49

30:07 Verse 74, abandoning my own livelihood, I plunder others' property. Forsaking my parents' food, I rob others of sustenance. Roar and thunder on the head of the destroyer, false construction. Mortally strike at the heart of the butcher, the enemy, ego. We hoard what we have, never willing to use it, and leech all our food and clothing from friends. Report an error in the passage at 30:07 Highlight the passage at 30:07

30:32 We leave aside wealth from our father's inheritance. Taking from others as much as we can. Tramplem, tramplem, dance on the head of this treacherous concept of selfish concern. Tear out the heart of this self-centered butcher who slaughters our chance to gain final release. Report an error in the passage at 30:32 Highlight the passage at 30:32

30:50 So here this is talking about giving up our own job and using others to get money, food, clothing, etc. Report an error in the passage at 30:50 Highlight the passage at 30:50

31:10 And forsaking my parents' food, I rob others of sustenance. So this is where we have money, perhaps from our parents, and yet we put it aside and pretend we don't have it, and then pretend that we're poor and seek things from others. Report an error in the passage at 31:10 Highlight the passage at 31:10

31:34 And this is, once again, because of the self-cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 31:34 Highlight the passage at 31:34

31:54 Verse 75. Aha! Although my endurance for meditation is small, my precognition is sharp. Though I have not realized even the beginning of the path, I run around to no purpose. Roar and thunder on the head of the destroyer, false construction. Mortally strike at the heart of the butcher, the enemy ego. Oh, we have little perseverance in meditation, but are keen for higher perception. Report an error in the passage at 31:54 Highlight the passage at 31:54

32:21 We have not attained the various paths, but meaninglessly rush about. Dance on the head of this ruinous conception. Slay the heart of this slaughtering enemy self. Report an error in the passage at 32:21 Highlight the passage at 32:21

32:33 Okay, so this is a situation where, let's say, we really want to develop some sort of mystical powers, some sort of clairvoyance, and yet we're not really willing to put in the effort in meditation. So to develop clairvoyance, Report an error in the passage at 32:33 Highlight the passage at 32:33

32:56 You need at least a basis of calm abiding, which takes a lot of effort to achieve. Though I've not realized even the beginning of the path, I run around to no purpose. So here is if we're so focused on developing something like clairvoyance and we're not willing to go through the entire path and do the practices of the lower middling and higher scope. Report an error in the passage at 32:56 Highlight the passage at 32:56

33:26 And this is because of the self-cherishing mind. We're wanting these powers now, and we're not really willing to do all of the different practices that may not be so exotic or exciting. Report an error in the passage at 33:26 Highlight the passage at 33:26

33:46 Any comments or questions so far? Report an error in the passage at 33:46 Highlight the passage at 33:46

33:54 Pretty straightforward. Report an error in the passage at 33:54 Highlight the passage at 33:54

34:10 Verse 76. When someone gives me useful advice, my hostile mind takes that person for an enemy. When someone deceives me, I... Pay that heartless one with kindness. Roar and thunder on the head of the destroyer, false construction. Mortally strike at the heart of the butcher, the enemy, ego. Report an error in the passage at 34:10 Highlight the passage at 34:10

34:31 Someone gives us advice from the depths of his heart, which is for our own good, but is harsh to our ears. And with anger we view him as if he is our foe. Yet when someone without any true feelings for us deceitfully tells us what we like to hear, without taste or discernment we are kind in return. Trample him, trample him, dance on the head of this treacherous concept of selfish concern. Tear out the heart of this self-centered butcher who slaughters our chance to gain final release. Report an error in the passage at 34:31 Highlight the passage at 34:31

35:03 Okay, so this is a situation where someone really cares about us and gives us some advice that we don't want to hear. Maybe tries to help us see something that we're doing. Maybe it's not so constructive. And we get angry at that person or we reject what they say. Report an error in the passage at 35:03 Highlight the passage at 35:03

35:34 Whereas if someone who doesn't have our best interests at heart just flatters us falsely, maybe trying to get something from us, then we actually like this person. We may take this person as our friend. Report an error in the passage at 35:34 Highlight the passage at 35:34

35:53 Because they tell us what we want to hear. Report an error in the passage at 35:53 Highlight the passage at 35:53

35:59 And that is because of our self-cherishing mind as well. Rejecting the people who are trying to help us and embracing people who just tell us what we want to hear. Report an error in the passage at 35:59 Highlight the passage at 35:59

36:24 Verse 77, I tell my intimate friends secrets to their enemies. I shamelessly take advantage of my acquaintances. Roar and thunder on the head of the destroyer, false construction. Mortally strike at the heart of the butcher, the enemy ego. Report an error in the passage at 36:24 Highlight the passage at 36:24

36:43 When others rely on us as family, we disclose their heart's secrets to their enemies. When others are constant friends, lacking consideration, we take everything from them. Dance on the head of this ruinous conception. Slay the heart of this slaughtering enemy self. Report an error in the passage at 36:43 Highlight the passage at 36:43

37:01 So this is where others who are close to us tell us their deepest secrets and we reveal them to someone else. Even out of concern for that person, we tell somebody else the secret. Report an error in the passage at 37:01 Highlight the passage at 37:01

37:29 So the Lama say that we should never do that, right? Because if we tell one person the secret, you know, oftentimes you hear people say, okay, I'm supposed to keep this a secret, so I'm just going to tell you, you know, and don't tell anybody else, right? But then as soon as you tell that secret to one person, you have no control anymore, you know? Then it may just get around to more and more and more people, right? Report an error in the passage at 37:29 Highlight the passage at 37:29

37:58 So it's better to... Not even tell that one person. Then we're creating a more trusting relationship. And Report an error in the passage at 37:58 Highlight the passage at 37:58

38:13 then we're also creating the karma so that others don't do that to us in the future. Report an error in the passage at 38:13 Highlight the passage at 38:13

38:25 And then I shamelessly take advantage of my acquaintances. So this is, or in the other translation is, when others are constant friends, lacking consideration, we take everything from them. Report an error in the passage at 38:25 Highlight the passage at 38:25

38:39 So this is when we have a very good friend who is always kind to us, who is always helpful, and yet we're not loyal to them, we don't treat them very well, we may even hurt them. Report an error in the passage at 38:39 Highlight the passage at 38:39

38:56 And this, once again, is because of our self-cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 38:56 Highlight the passage at 38:56

39:10 The energy seems to be pretty low in here right now, so why don't we take a break, and then we'll come back and continue. Report an error in the passage at 39:10 Highlight the passage at 39:10

39:20 Because that's the Monday class, right? There's a really good book on it. Verse 78. My frustration is intense and my thoughts are coarser than everyone else's. I'm hard to get along with and I continually provoke others' bad character. Roar and thunder on the head of the destroyer, false construction. Mortally strike at the heart of the butcher, the enemy, ego. Our jealousy is strong and whatever is said, we are always skeptic. Report an error in the passage at 39:20 Highlight the passage at 39:20

39:52 Oh, what did I do here? Report an error in the passage at 39:52 Highlight the passage at 39:52

39:59 Yeah. Our jealousy is strong in whatever is said. We are always the skeptic. We doubt what is meant. We are fussy, bad-tempered and hard to get along with, inflicting obnoxious behavior on others. Trample him, trample him, dance on the head of this treacherous concept of selfish concern. Tear out the heart of the self-centered butcher who slaughters our chance to gain final release. Report an error in the passage at 39:59 Highlight the passage at 39:59

40:24 So here this is, we have a very jealous, Skeptical, mistrustful kind of a personality. We don't trust others and we don't trust the teachings. We don't trust what's being said. Report an error in the passage at 40:24 Highlight the passage at 40:24

40:45 Or we're mistrustful. Oftentimes when we listen to teachings we don't know whether or not we believe it. And that's not what they're talking about here. It's not talking about the healthy skepticism. It's talking about... A strong skepticism where we're always doubting and we're bad-tempered, we're fussy and hard to get along with, inflicting our obnoxious behavior on others. Report an error in the passage at 40:45 Highlight the passage at 40:45

41:15 So here we're easily annoyed by others. We have a bad temper. Even small things annoy us. Even the way somebody looks might annoy us. And this is, once again, because of the self-cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 41:15 Highlight the passage at 41:15

41:54 Then verse 79, when someone seeks my assistance, I ignore him and secretly cause him harm. When someone agrees with me, I won't concur but seek quarrels even at a distance. Roar and thunder on the head of the destroyer, false construction. Mortally strike at the heart of the butcher, the enemy, ego. When someone requests us to do something for him, we are never obliging. Report an error in the passage at 41:54 Highlight the passage at 41:54

42:17 but think up instead clever, devious methods to do him some harm. When others concede and agree with our viewpoint, we do not acquiesce. We argue still more. Trample him, trample him, dance on the head of this treacherous concept of selfish concern. Tear out the heart of this self-centered butcher who slaughters our chance to gain final release. Report an error in the passage at 42:17 Highlight the passage at 42:17

42:41 So this is a situation where someone's needing our help and asks us and... Not only do we not help them, we ignore them, but we may even think of ways to hurt that person. Report an error in the passage at 42:41 Highlight the passage at 42:41

43:02 And then we love to argue, so even when someone agrees with me, we don't acquiesce, we still continue to argue. And this is because of the self-cherishing mind once again. Report an error in the passage at 43:02 Highlight the passage at 43:02

43:25 Okay, so... Any questions on today's material? Okay, Report an error in the passage at 43:25 Highlight the passage at 43:25

43:38 because we've just run out of the material that I've prepared. I way underestimated how much we would cover today. Does anybody have any questions in general that they want to bring up? Report an error in the passage at 43:38 Highlight the passage at 43:38

43:54 Janet? Good question, but it's just like looking at these things, I could see myself doing all of them. That's very honest. At the same time. But the thing is, it's like just, you know, trying to stay mindful and really watching and catching it. And then even after you know you're doing it to get yourself to stop, it's really a challenge. Yeah, because sometimes it has a power of its own and you're just watching it and you see, I shouldn't be doing this. Report an error in the passage at 43:54 Highlight the passage at 43:54

44:38 It's like the power of the habit. Report an error in the passage at 44:38 Highlight the passage at 44:38

44:44 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 44:44 Highlight the passage at 44:44

44:52 Rationalizing to yourself why self-cherishing is okay. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's really common. Yeah. Well, you know, it's okay. You know, I mean, in this situation. It wasn't self-cherishing last time, but this time's okay. Right. Exactly. Report an error in the passage at 44:52 Highlight the passage at 44:52

45:17 I have a problem because, you When I'm at work, I feel like I give a lot. And as a mother, I feel like I give a lot. And there are times when I don't want to anymore. I've given my number out to patients who I've bonded with, and they'll call up and leave. I can tell that they've called the house. I don't want to call them. But I feel like I have to create a negative thinking in my head to justify not calling them. Report an error in the passage at 45:17 Highlight the passage at 45:17

45:26 you know and people will either Report an error in the passage at 45:26 Highlight the passage at 45:26

45:46 Reaching out or doing something like that. I want my time. You know, I want to be, and that's self-cherishing, I know, but... Well, I mean, it may or may not be. No, I mean, I think that's where, I mean, I notice that in my own mind, too. You know, when I've reached my limit and somebody asks for more, I can start feeling, like, resentful and trying to justify my... Report an error in the passage at 45:46 Highlight the passage at 45:46

46:18 Not giving them. But what I find really works much better is accessing that wisdom. Okay, well, I'm just not capable of giving all the time now. You know, this is just, realistically, this is my limit. And in order for me to be able to keep giving more and more, I do need to take some time for myself, take care of myself. Report an error in the passage at 46:18 Highlight the passage at 46:18

46:46 So that I can keep giving more. And then that's not self-cherishing. But the problem is, I think, is the guilt that comes in and the shoulds that come in. I should be able to do more. And then we get kind of annoyed and angry. Yeah, I do a separation thing. I put up a barrier of anger. Report an error in the passage at 46:46 Highlight the passage at 46:46

47:10 Right. Microphone. Report an error in the passage at 47:10 Highlight the passage at 47:10

47:19 One mic. Yeah. There you go. Report an error in the passage at 47:19 Highlight the passage at 47:19

47:31 Because you're the center of the universe. No, but I'm the center of the universe. Okay, Jay. I think one thing about that, well, there's a self, there has to be some aspect of compassion for self there for one thing. But also it's easy to somehow think of the need to, or the lack of the capacity to be able to help people constantly as somehow it's easy to think of that as somehow different. Report an error in the passage at 47:31 Highlight the passage at 47:31

47:58 The fact that you need to sleep, you know what I mean? And Lama Zopa doesn't have to sleep, but that's because he's so much farther along the path than we are. But when you're fully sort of conscious, you think to yourself, well, I should be doing things for people, you know what I mean? So it's like sleep is this unnatural thing that comes over us, and we tend to think, well, that's acceptable, but to need this time for myself, you know what I mean? Report an error in the passage at 47:58 Highlight the passage at 47:58

48:21 And it's just our silliness that separates those two kinds of things that we might need. And admit that we're not currently able of, capable of not sleeping or not constantly helping people 24 hours a day. I don't know. It's just, you know what I mean? It's something we put in this very different category and we shouldn't. Report an error in the passage at 48:21 Highlight the passage at 48:21

48:47 Janet and Robert. Report an error in the passage at 48:47 Highlight the passage at 48:47

48:51 I think last week you mentioned that it's really good, I mean I think it was you, to set boundaries and to know where your boundaries are and to look at what would true... Report an error in the passage at 48:51 Highlight the passage at 48:51

49:07 In the case of just giving and giving and giving, maybe at that moment being exhausted and needing a break, what would be most beneficial, like what you said earlier today too and last week, is to look at what's most beneficial and what would help the most. And at that time it may be just sitting back and reading a book or just sitting and doing nothing, have a cup of tea. Report an error in the passage at 49:07 Highlight the passage at 49:07

49:38 Not make the phone call. Report an error in the passage at 49:38 Highlight the passage at 49:38

49:42 Because I know you mentioned that last week. Yeah, and that I think is, in my mind, is the measure. Again and again, it goes back down to what is most beneficial in this moment. And oftentimes we think that cherishing others means that we need to do something for others. And I think that cherishing others is so much more... Report an error in the passage at 49:42 Highlight the passage at 49:42

50:10 It's more subtle than that and requires a lot more wisdom and skillfulness, wisdom of our own limitations, wisdom of emptiness is really helpful, wisdom of knowing what's the most beneficial thing to do in each circumstance. So it's not a matter of helping others and neglecting ourselves. It's not about... Report an error in the passage at 50:10 Highlight the passage at 50:10

50:41 Always, always doing others and making everybody else happy except myself. Because that's a formula for burning ourselves out and then not wanting to help anybody. So we're sentient beings too and we need to take care of ourselves as well. And it just comes down to the motivation again and again. I'm not going to return this phone call because I need to take care of myself so that I can be of more benefit. Report an error in the passage at 50:41 Highlight the passage at 50:41

51:15 Because if we don't have a happy mind, we can't make anybody else happy. Report an error in the passage at 51:15 Highlight the passage at 51:15

51:25 So I've been thinking a lot about this, actually, because in the teachings, it's talking about giving up the self-cherishing mind again and again and again. Report an error in the passage at 51:25 Highlight the passage at 51:25

51:37 But it's not very specific about what does that mean to get rid of the self-cherishing mind. And for me, I think that I've made, personally in my mind, My life, like all of the different mistakes, thinking that self-cherishing means that I should be self-sacrificing. There's guilt. There's been guilt involved. It's running myself down. And none of that, none of that I think is giving up self-cherishing. Report an error in the passage at 51:37 Highlight the passage at 51:37

52:08 So I think we need to use our wisdom as much as we can. Report an error in the passage at 52:08 Highlight the passage at 52:08

52:17 And also people, and I think we've even talked about it in this class. Sometimes think that letting go of self-cherishing means being a doormat. And it doesn't mean that at all. Report an error in the passage at 52:17 Highlight the passage at 52:17

52:32 It's not beneficial to anyone to let others take advantage of us to treat us badly. So we need to have the strength, too, to stop somebody if they're mistreating us. Report an error in the passage at 52:32 Highlight the passage at 52:32

52:55 But I think it requires a lot of clarity. And we need to really work through our guilt stuff, I think, our guilt stuff and our should stuff. Report an error in the passage at 52:55 Highlight the passage at 52:55

53:14 I started a list in my own mind, I mean, things that I thought of, of what does it mean to give up self-cherishing and what does it not mean? And so maybe we can discuss it. I mean, I don't want to give it to you as this is the way it is. Yeah. Yeah. yeah, but things, things I thought, but. But maybe at some point, maybe today or maybe another time, I can throw some of these things out and see what you guys think. Since we're talking so much about giving up the self-cherishing mind, it would be really good if we're really clear what that means. Report an error in the passage at 53:14 Highlight the passage at 53:14

54:00 Well, that's a good idea. Report an error in the passage at 54:00 Highlight the passage at 54:00

54:10 I'll work on that one. Jay should Report an error in the passage at 54:10 Highlight the passage at 54:10

54:26 that Report an error in the passage at 54:26 Highlight the passage at 54:26

54:34 Robert? I suppose that I have a philosophy of hair question. A philosophy of hair, okay. In other words, I keep getting a, to what extent is there a lay path as well as a path towards becoming a monk? Because I keep feeling like if I followed this philosophy, it would lead me to the barbershop. Report an error in the passage at 54:34 Highlight the passage at 54:34

55:04 Is having property, is having a school, is having a girlfriend or wife, is all of that a self-cherishing distraction? Or is there any way to be completely pure as a layperson? Completely pure meaning not having any self-cherishing? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 55:04 Highlight the passage at 55:04

55:28 I guess I'm wondering if there are two paths or if there really is only one path. It's just a very difficult path to follow. Well, actually, there are an infinite number of different paths for the different dispositions of being. Report an error in the passage at 55:28 Highlight the passage at 55:28

55:50 It doesn't mean that if you get ordained, then you're a real practitioner. And if you don't get ordained... Then you're not a real practitioner. It all comes down to what's going on in our minds and our practice. Our practice is really about training our minds. And this tradition, especially the Galupa tradition within Tibetan Buddhism, is very historically monastic, which is why a lot of the texts really have that flavor. Report an error in the passage at 55:50 Highlight the passage at 55:50

56:19 And certainly it's a wonderful way to practice monastic and it's more simple and, you know, you have a lot more time as a monastic, hopefully. Report an error in the passage at 56:19 Highlight the passage at 56:19

56:31 Yeah, I was just going to say, in theory, in theory. Report an error in the passage at 56:31 Highlight the passage at 56:31

56:42 Yeah, so, you know, and it's a wonderful thing to take those vows and keep those vows. But we all have to find the path that's most appropriate for us. Report an error in the passage at 56:42 Highlight the passage at 56:42

56:52 When you say, is it possible to be a lay practitioner and be completely pure? I mean, we'll have self-cherishing. I mean, if we take robes or not, we're going to have self-cherishing until well longer. It's the path of Vamalar Kirti, a path that's venerated within the Gelub tradition. I know I just took some teachings on that and think of him as the great layperson who had the wisdom and compassion at that time, even though he didn't take robes. Report an error in the passage at 56:52 Highlight the passage at 56:52

57:22 There are many, many great practitioners that didn't take robes. Milarepa was lay. Report an error in the passage at 57:22 Highlight the passage at 57:22

57:31 So I think we just find the path that works most effectively for our minds now. know so Report an error in the passage at 57:31 Highlight the passage at 57:31

57:40 now, you know? If, like… If we decided, oh, the only way to get enlightened was to be ordained and we all decided to get ordained now, many of us would end up disrobing very quickly. Report an error in the passage at 57:40 Highlight the passage at 57:40

57:57 And maybe we generate a negative mind and maybe we wouldn't even practice well. So we have to see which way we practice the best. Report an error in the passage at 57:57 Highlight the passage at 57:57

58:13 I don't know, Janet mentioned something about, I guess, being... More meritorious if you're Saṅgha, doing actions? I mean, I'm sorry, I just can't see Paulette being more meritorious than I am, both of us practicing nursing. Report an error in the passage at 58:13 Highlight the passage at 58:13

58:31 Actually, what I meant was that any service, this is from Lama Zopa, any service that you do for a Dharma center to promote the functioning and the spreading of the Dharma. It creates huge, huge amounts of merit. He says as much merit as doing the Vajrasattva retreat. It purifies and creates a bunch of merit. Report an error in the passage at 58:31 Highlight the passage at 58:31

59:00 And so Lama Zopa has said that the greatest service that you can do is to volunteer or to do some kind of work for a Dharma center. And so that's what I was referring to because I was thinking of the monastics here that are working for the center, helping the center to... For the Dharma to be spread as creating huge amounts of merit. That's what I meant when I made that statement. Report an error in the passage at 59:00 Highlight the passage at 59:00

59:31 Because Report an error in the passage at 59:31 Highlight the passage at 59:31

59:35 you're keeping the value. It's like when you take refuge, for every moment that you don't heal something, you're having the virtuous karma. As opposed to not having the vows, and then only when you, at that moment, you decide not to kill something, you have that virtuous karma. So the merit you're creating, virtuous karma creating, is greater with the vows. Report an error in the passage at 59:35 Highlight the passage at 59:35

1:00:10 Right. Yeah. So just, I mean, you look puzzled. But yeah, I mean, that's the teaching, is, you know, if you take the vows and you keep them, you're creating much farther. Much more merit than if you refrain from doing those same activities, but you've never taken a vow. And if we think about, in our minds, it is so much more powerful to decide, okay, I'm never going to kill an insect ever again in my life. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:10 Highlight the passage at 1:00:10

1:00:47 You know, you've made that conscious decision to never kill again, and then we don't do it. It's much more powerful for the mind than if we just don't. You know, if we just refrain from killing. And so that's the concept of the vows and why it's so beneficial to take vows. And even one day vows, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:47 Highlight the passage at 1:00:47

1:01:05 Why we take eight Mahāyāna precepts on special days and things. Okay, somebody else? You want a comment? I just wanted to add something about the merit being equal to a year of Vajrasava practice and working at the Dharma Center that I think Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Venable Rene and Vajrapani I'll mention a quick fact. The problem is the reason why we don't get so much benefit from working at Dharma Center as much as a year-long Rajasai retreat is because we don't realize the merit that we're actually accumulating. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:05 Highlight the passage at 1:01:05

1:01:37 We don't rejoice? We just don't pick up on it. We're not quite aware of the merit we're creating. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:37 Highlight the passage at 1:01:37

1:01:50 I can't remember the words they used, but it was along the lines that we're just not quite aware of how much merit is there. and just kind of like gets. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:50 Highlight the passage at 1:01:50

1:01:57 And what we're doing with it, we're not really doing anything with it. That's right in line with what they're saying about the vows. I think if you're sweeping this room and you are saying to yourself, just as I sweep this room out, you know, may all mother sentient beings lose their obscurations, and you're doing it with the absolute understanding that by doing this, the more people will get better use out of this room, as opposed to just, we're hired to come in and sweep the place. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:57 Highlight the passage at 1:01:57

1:02:23 I think that there's most definitely probably a difference. But at the same time, there's definitely those people who would be hired to come in and sweep the place are very fortunate because they would get merit. It's just, I agree with you, it would be a much more powerful merit if you... I think that's probably just like the vows, just like the vows angle, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:23 Highlight the passage at 1:02:23

1:02:50 Yeah, and the motivation. Again and again, it comes down to the motivation. You can be doing the same activity, which is just the motivation of getting my job done, and so I can go home and pick up my paycheck. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:50 Highlight the passage at 1:02:50

1:03:04 Or... You know, thinking I'm doing this for, you know, the benefit of others so that I can give the Dharma, you know, so more people will have access to the Dharma, etc., etc., and that creates so much more merit. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:04 Highlight the passage at 1:03:04

1:03:17 That's why we try to set a motivation again and again as much as possible throughout the day and dedicate the merit. I still have a question, your question, that I need to ask Hillary's question about dedication to ask Shantideva. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:17 Highlight the passage at 1:03:17

1:03:38 Okay. Any other questions? Things people want to bring up? Report an error in the passage at 1:03:38 Highlight the passage at 1:03:38

1:03:49 Tim and then Robert. So back to self-cherishing, is there an element of kind of taking on other people's perspectives? So like you were saying, it's not necessarily helping people. They're doing something, but kind of an aspect of at least understanding their perspective, of kind of seeing things from their view and kind of validating that as a valid perspective and not so much perspective. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:49 Highlight the passage at 1:03:49

1:04:20 Yeah. Also an element of it? Yeah. Yeah, that's a really important point. I think that's huge. We're usually going around just seeing our own perspectives. And when we do help others, oftentimes we're giving others what we think that they need or what we think they should have. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:20 Highlight the passage at 1:04:20

1:04:48 Right. Exactly. So it's about us, right? But as soon as you take others' perspective, it's just everything, you know, trying to give, trying to think about what they need, you know, and oftentimes what they need is for us to just be there and not do anything and not give them advice. Usually they don't really want our advice, our words of wisdom, right? So that's huge. And then just... Report an error in the passage at 1:04:48 Highlight the passage at 1:04:48

1:05:21 Just in general, in our bodhicitta practice and cherishing and remembering the kindness of others and remembering that others are just like ourselves and wanting to be happy. I think it's really about putting ourselves into the other person's place, imagining what it's like to be them and taking their perspective and feeling compassion and love for them. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:21 Highlight the passage at 1:05:21

1:05:45 As opposed to this kind of intellectual, oh that person wants to be happy, oh that person wants to be happy, that person wants to be happy. It's not an intellectual thing, it's a heart thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:45 Highlight the passage at 1:05:45

1:05:57 Yeah, so thanks for bringing that up, that's a really good one. And whenever we have anger or annoyance at someone, it's such a great antidote to really put ourselves into that other person's. And imagine what they're experiencing and why they wronged us or slighted us or whatever. Yeah, yeah. If we can, it's really powerful. And usually, you know, usually I find when I do that, they probably weren't even thinking of me at all. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:57 Highlight the passage at 1:05:57

1:06:39 It had nothing to do with me. They were just busy doing whatever they were doing, right? Yeah, they just didn't think about it. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:39 Highlight the passage at 1:06:39

1:06:50 It's not that they did something against me as my story, you know, likes to build up as. It's, you know, why that person didn't respond to my email. You know, usually it's just because they were busy with something else or their computer crashed or they never got it when their spam folder, you know, so many different things, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:50 Highlight the passage at 1:06:50

1:07:14 Or thinking, yeah, what did I do wrong? What did I write? Da-da-da-da-da-da. Yeah. Exactly. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:14 Highlight the passage at 1:07:14

1:07:26 Yeah, and remembering karma. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:26 Highlight the passage at 1:07:26

1:07:41 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:41 Highlight the passage at 1:07:41

1:07:46 Thanks, Robert. I just wanted to know what the Gelub tradition thinks of the virtue of simplicity that I've learned from Quakers and even the Zen practice is simpler than here because it seems like the Dharma that they teach is very complicated to take. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:46 Highlight the passage at 1:07:46

1:08:06 many classes, a ritual can Report an error in the passage at 1:08:06 Highlight the passage at 1:08:06

1:08:21 I think I never hear people say, well, Report an error in the passage at 1:08:21 Highlight the passage at 1:08:21

1:08:28 is that lost in tradition? Is part of it a necessary part of the path? A necessary part of the path. Would they say simplicity is a virtue then in Gelub or is it just not considered virtue? Report an error in the passage at 1:08:28 Highlight the passage at 1:08:28

1:08:51 Well, I think it depends on mean simplicity in what sense I mean to live of by simplicity. Right. Right, well. How best did this Report an error in the passage at 1:08:51 Highlight the passage at 1:08:51

1:09:07 I appreciate that special insight The Quaker would say just be quiet and listen for the inner light. The inner light will just come forth. You don't need a lot of preaching. The Zen practitioner would say just... Just sit there and meditate, and they'll have silent meditation and not say anything, and some kind of life is supposed to come out of that, some kind of insight. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:07 Highlight the passage at 1:09:07

1:09:32 And I don't see quite as much of that here. Maybe I'm in the wrong place or something, but I don't think so. But is that because I like to be complicated? Is that because this tradition values? Report an error in the passage at 1:09:32 Highlight the passage at 1:09:32

1:09:47 The intricacies of the path, a very elaborate path. Well, I can just give you my perspective and just take it as my perspective. But I think the Galukpa tradition is very full in terms of it offers so many different things for so many different types of people. And it's known as being... The study tradition out of the four Tibetan schools. So this is the tradition where the monks go to the monasteries for 20, 25 years to get their Geshe degree, etc. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:47 Highlight the passage at 1:09:47

1:10:27 So there's a lot of emphasis on study. Studying and then practicing. Traditionally the monks would study for 20 years and then go off and do retreat for many years. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:27 Highlight the passage at 1:10:27

1:10:46 But there are practices within this tradition that are simple as well, like the Mahamudra is simple. So there are different practices for different types of people. And in my mind, I think it also points to the difference, for example, between seeking your own liberation and developing bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:46 Highlight the passage at 1:10:46

1:11:21 And seeking complete enlightenment for the benefit of others. So I think it's easier to just sit down and focus on your own practice and just sit and do calm abiding meditation and things and get blissed out and Report an error in the passage at 1:11:21 Highlight the passage at 1:11:21

1:11:43 become attached to just your own bliss. It's much easier to do that, I think, than to... Give up the self-cherishing mind. To cherish others is more important. To give up our own individual liberation so that we can gain complete enlightenment, so that we can be beneficial to all beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:43 Highlight the passage at 1:11:43

1:12:09 And to give up the self-cherishing mind requires so much practice over a long period of time, in many different ways. It's not just a matter of sitting on the cushion. I can sit on the cushion and cherish others, but as soon as I get up and someone bugs me, it might not be so helpful. So there's a lot of emphasis on service in this tradition. There's a lot of emphasis on meditating on the Lamrim, which is really the basis for developing bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:09 Highlight the passage at 1:12:09

1:12:47 Are you suggesting? Suggesting that lengthy study and more elaborate ritual will lead one to be better at service. Well, Report an error in the passage at 1:12:47 Highlight the passage at 1:12:47

1:13:04 I think that it helps. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:04 Highlight the passage at 1:13:04

1:13:08 Well, I mean, some of it I think is Tibetan culture. But then all of the merit creating, you know, there's a lot of in the ritual, there's a lot of merit that we're creating, you know. And in order to attain enlightenment, we need a lot more merit than to just get liberated yourself. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:08 Highlight the passage at 1:13:08

1:13:28 So there's mandala offerings, there's water bowl offerings, there's doing guru puja, there's all kinds of things that help us get enlightened and enlightenment is the best way to serve others. Only when we're completely enlightened do we have the wisdom, the omniscience, to know exactly what will benefit others. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:28 Highlight the passage at 1:13:28

1:13:54 Until then, we're just guessing. Doing our best. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:54 Highlight the passage at 1:13:54

1:14:02 I mean, I love it. I guess I'm a natural analytical. I totally take to this tradition. But I don't know quite how to answer my girlfriend when she says, well, in our tradition we have almost no theology, but the Quakers are very strong on service without any theology. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:02 Highlight the passage at 1:14:02

1:14:24 And with very simple ritual. Extremely simple. How do we explain that? Which makes us better at bodhicitta? Elaborate ritual or very simple ritual? Elaborate theology or simple theology? It depends on the person. It just depends on the person. In the teaching it sometimes says that there are certain people who need fewer Fewer words in explanations. Some people need elaborate explanations. I'm personally a person who needs elaborate explanations, which is why I chose this tradition. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:24 Highlight the passage at 1:14:24

1:15:09 But for some people it's much more effective to follow the Quaker religion or Zen or the Muslims. So I don't think it's a matter of... Better or worse, it's what's most effective for us, our personality, our interests, our disposition, etc. So that's my comment on it. And other people, please feel free to say something. Yeah, basically I would agree with you. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:09 Highlight the passage at 1:15:09

1:15:45 Different paths for different people. I read for a long time before I dared step foot into any kind of center or anything. I, um... Report an error in the passage at 1:15:45 Highlight the passage at 1:15:45

1:15:59 I didn't want to make any sort of commitment. Bodhicitta seemed totally impossible. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:59 Highlight the passage at 1:15:59

1:16:08 So I was attracted first to Zen and then within Tibetan Buddhism more to, I thought, Kaguya kind of thing, because I thought, oh yeah, I just want to meditate. But when you said about simple, what struck me was I'm finding that the... The teachings are what make it more simple to me. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:08 Highlight the passage at 1:16:08

1:16:37 Very gradually, I feel like I'm getting a little more of an understanding, very gradually. And so that's what simplifies it. The galupa tradition is so good at absolutely defining everything, questions that I didn't know that I had, so that when a question comes up, someone has really... Thought it through and whatever. So in a sense it seems to be what I needed though I didn't think so. It's got all that and then you go somewhere to meditate. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:37 Highlight the passage at 1:16:37

1:17:12 I mean for some people they could maybe go and meditate and without instructions I think they probably had it from a previous lifetime but I've heard Geshe-la go like well a donkey can go and sit. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:12 Highlight the passage at 1:17:12

1:17:28 But anyway. I guess I'm just saying it's like, I'm beginning to think that for me, having more instructions does simplify it. You know, if I don't understand the rituals, I just kind of put it on the shelf and whatever. But somehow, well, I'll leave it at that. That was really our type of You really nailed it. No, Report an error in the passage at 1:17:28 Highlight the passage at 1:17:28

1:18:08 about the sort of or worse thing, too, which nobody's necessarily leveling up, but I think... Sometimes I think, Report an error in the passage at 1:18:08 Highlight the passage at 1:18:08

1:18:18 I always feel that way and found this tradition, but somebody, you know, like some of those people in the Quakers, you might think, could be somebody who went through this in a previous life and really all they need now is the time to sit and be quiet, you know what I mean? So you never know who's where and what they've done previously. And so really it's just, this is the kinds of lessons we need now. I mean, it really is different strokes for different folks and I think it's because we wander, we've learned all so many things in our past lifetimes or perhaps nothing. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:18 Highlight the passage at 1:18:18

1:18:45 Maybe just by burning our feet. But when we wander up to the thing that is just enough Dharma that we can understand it, you know, or whatever, then we latch on to it. It's really all it is, I think. And it's just because we can, it's just the right sentence, the amount of sentences for us. And so sometimes I think, and I say this with all affection, that we are the really dumb ones, you know what I mean? Report an error in the passage at 1:18:45 Highlight the passage at 1:18:45

1:19:10 Because we really need this stuff over explained to us, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:10 Highlight the passage at 1:19:10

1:19:17 Yeah. And I think that it changes, you know, even for one person in one lifetime, you know, what we need. You know, sometimes I find, you know, I just want, I need to just have something, a really simple practice and just meditate. You know, sometimes it's just calm abiding, you know, and other times need a lot of study, you know, and then other times, you know, needing to do more ritual stuff, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:17 Highlight the passage at 1:19:17

1:19:44 So that's one. The thing that I think is wonderful about this tradition is that it accommodates our different needs too. Sometimes too much in the head, you need to do more prostrations, just be more in the body. So it's good to just see that it's constantly evolving and our needs are constantly evolving, our practice is constantly evolving based on where our minds are. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:44 Highlight the passage at 1:19:44

1:20:22 Anything else? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:22 Highlight the passage at 1:20:22

1:20:26 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:26 Highlight the passage at 1:20:26

1:20:30 Okay, well, we've filled up the time pretty well. Yeah, sure. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:30 Highlight the passage at 1:20:30

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:21:23 Okay, whoops. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:23 Highlight the passage at 1:21:23

1:21:28 All right. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:28 Highlight the passage at 1:21:28

1:21:32 Okay, dedication prayers, page six. We'll do the first two and then the long life prayer for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:32 Highlight the passage at 1:21:32

1:21:42 Through the merits of these virtuous actions, may I quickly attain the state of a Guru Buddha and lead all living beings without exception into that enlightened state. May the supreme jewel bodhicitta that has not arisen arise and grow, and may that which has arisen not diminish but increase more and more. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:42 Highlight the passage at 1:21:42

1:22:03 In the land encircled by snow mountains, you are the source of all happiness and good. All-powerful Chin Reze, Tenzin Gyatso, Please remain until saṃsāra ends. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:03 Highlight the passage at 1:22:03