Discovering Buddhism - Transforming Problems (6 March 2014)

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0:51 A little bit wrong because of the Namo. Report an error in the passage at 0:51 Highlight the passage at 0:51

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1:31 Grammar, grammar. It's improper Sanskrit grammar. We definitely don't want to do that. we'll do Report an error in the passage at 1:31 Highlight the passage at 1:31

2:06 I'm out man she loves so much. my God. mind is empty, my mind is empty, my soul is empty. Report an error in the passage at 2:06 Highlight the passage at 2:06

2:25 way, I said that and told you to bother me first. Report an error in the passage at 2:25 Highlight the passage at 2:25

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3:05 and start again with some. Report an error in the passage at 3:05 Highlight the passage at 3:05

3:12 because the meditations that you've been doing for the homeworks are all analytical meditations. Lama Tsongkhapa The class was a little practice of concentration, or just focusing on the breath in whatever place is best for you, counting them, or in the belly, or the tip of the nose, following it going in and out, or a spot of light. Report an error in the passage at 3:12 Highlight the passage at 3:12

3:45 So we'll do that in about five minutes. Report an error in the passage at 3:45 Highlight the passage at 3:45

3:58 get ourselves into the room and so on. Report an error in the passage at 3:58 Highlight the passage at 3:58

4:07 almost pushed the 10-minute line, I mean the 20-minute line. Report an error in the passage at 4:07 Highlight the passage at 4:07

4:28 go through at the beginning, settling your body. Thank you for Report an error in the passage at 4:28 Highlight the passage at 4:28

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10:31 What I'd like to do is we'll do on the Sunday prayers, it's page 9, opposite the one that's the picture of the Dalai Lama. Some of you have that one, some don't. We'll do the refuge in bodhicitta three times. Report an error in the passage at 10:31 Highlight the passage at 10:31

10:53 We can do it twice in English, then we'll do once in Tibetan. And then for the four immeasurables... I think what we'll do today is just read the first line, but then after we read each line, we'll just stop and think. How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings would abide in agreement and be free from hatred and attachment and think. How amazing, how wonderful it would be. Report an error in the passage at 10:53 Highlight the passage at 10:53

11:24 It would be grand. It would be total peace. Everybody would be great. Report an error in the passage at 11:24 Highlight the passage at 11:24

11:35 So we'll stop at each one and think of how marvelous and how truly wonderful it would be and try to get a sense of it as a feeling, more than just of the words that we're reading off the page. So we'll just do the first line of each one of the verses and just take a moment to think about it. Report an error in the passage at 11:35 Highlight the passage at 11:35

11:58 In the Saturday morning, oh wait, Sunday morning service prayers. Report an error in the passage at 11:58 Highlight the passage at 11:58

12:09 is it the same? Where's Saturday? That one? Report an error in the passage at 12:09 Highlight the passage at 12:09

12:20 Up at the top? Report an error in the passage at 12:20 Highlight the passage at 12:20

12:27 see if it's in there. It kind of looks like this. Report an error in the passage at 12:27 Highlight the passage at 12:27

12:48 it doesn't have it in Tibetan? No, Report an error in the passage at 12:48 Highlight the passage at 12:48

12:59 Yeah, that would work too. then you'll have to, you'll be the one that has to adjust, have to adjust. I go for refuge until I'm enlightened. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I'm enlightened. To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly, by the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 12:59 Highlight the passage at 12:59

13:40 Sange charan saki charanam la, janshu bardhu dhagni khyap suci, dhagi chayangi persanam ki, pralap encher sange drupashot. Report an error in the passage at 13:40 Highlight the passage at 13:40

14:01 wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were to abide in equanimity, free from hatred and attachment. How Report an error in the passage at 14:01 Highlight the passage at 14:01

14:19 wonderful it would be if all sentient beings had happiness and the causes of happiness. How Report an error in the passage at 14:19 Highlight the passage at 14:19

14:40 wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were free from suffering and its cause. Report an error in the passage at 14:40 Highlight the passage at 14:40

14:58 How wonderful it would be if all sentient beings were never separated from the happiness of higher rebirth and liberation. That Report an error in the passage at 14:58 Highlight the passage at 14:58

15:32 would be pretty amazing. Report an error in the passage at 15:32 Highlight the passage at 15:32

15:37 So we're right down almost to the, we are at the end pretty much. So let's read through, we can read through the first seven verses together. Did Report an error in the passage at 15:37 Highlight the passage at 15:37

15:55 everybody have the page? Anybody need one? one? Is that okay? With a determination to achieve the highest aim for the benefit of all sentient beings, which surpasses even the wish-fulfilling gem, may I hold them dear at all times. Whenever I interact with someone, may I view myself as lowest amongst all, and from the very depths of my heart, respectively hold others as superior. Report an error in the passage at 15:55 Highlight the passage at 15:55

16:29 In all my deeds may I probe into my mind, and as soon as a mental or emotional affliction arises, as they endanger myself and others, may I strongly confront them and avert them. When I see beings of unpleasant character, oppressed by strong negativity and suffering, may I hold them dear, for they are rare to find, as if I had discovered a jeweled treasure. Report an error in the passage at 16:29 Highlight the passage at 16:29

16:57 When others out of jealousy treat me wrongly with abuse, slander and scorn, may I take upon myself the defeat and offer the victories. Report an error in the passage at 16:57 Highlight the passage at 16:57

17:09 When someone whom I have helped or in whom I have placed great hopes mistreats me in extremely hurtful ways, may I regard him still as my precious teacher. In grief may I offer benefit and joy to all my mothers. both directly and indirectly, may I quietly take upon myself all hurts and pains of my mother. Report an error in the passage at 17:09 Highlight the passage at 17:09

17:35 So Report an error in the passage at 17:35 Highlight the passage at 17:35

17:39 what I wanted to do this time is just to first check in with everyone and see how it went last week with the meditations or just with working with any of these verses. verses practices how you know there's so much that we've covered in the class then also like what i've been doing is kind of reviewing the verses and i'm kind of saying well some of the key points this is this Report an error in the passage at 17:39 Highlight the passage at 17:39

18:15 it would be nicer tonight if you told me. were some of the key features or points that have come out of these horses. Report an error in the passage at 18:15 Highlight the passage at 18:15

18:33 So who's ready to jump right in and start? Report an error in the passage at 18:33 Highlight the passage at 18:33

18:44 You may have to get the ball rolling. Maybe it wasn't too good of an idea. Report an error in the passage at 18:44 Highlight the passage at 18:44

18:56 Yeah, last week. But also, you know, because we have covered a lot of the verses, I mean, things may come up and, you know, we may incorporate something into our action or activity or in some way of restraining. Report an error in the passage at 18:56 Highlight the passage at 18:56

19:34 pride, reducing anger, more equanimous with all of people, you know, not being as afraid. Okay, so I'm doing it. See, just like that. You should be doing that. Report an error in the passage at 19:34 Highlight the passage at 19:34

19:52 Sharing is something like that. Report an error in the passage at 19:52 Highlight the passage at 19:52

20:01 hard. No, it's not hard at all. It's not a test. I was enough to be at Vajrapani over last weekend with Venerable Tenzin Choki. And it was about mindfully managing emotions. And so verse 3 about strongly confronting and averting negative states of mind has been something I've been looking at recently and really what I've been trying to work with is anger because that's definitely a... Report an error in the passage at 20:01 Highlight the passage at 20:01

20:44 A recurring seed that I've planted plenty of times and you know the more times that happens the more times it comes up in the future obviously. So I've had some successes recently with the big thing is while I'm angry it's maybe hard to deal with but I've been working a lot on the before and the after. Report an error in the passage at 20:44 Highlight the passage at 20:44

21:14 The before I've been focusing on when I start noticing some agitation in my mind which is going to lead me to anger. Then I take a different path with that and then the after is something we talked a lot about over the weekend and is very strong for me. Just focusing on in training. with having compassion for people and recognizing I think the biggest thing for me is recognizing that I'm not the center of the universe and that everybody isn't awake at night planning planning to get me so so yeah there's there's there's been some success in that in that realm so that's Report an error in the passage at 21:14 Highlight the passage at 21:14

22:06 And it's always amazing to go teaching with them. It's so good. I mean she spent a long time, I mean she did the three years retreats and lots of retreat time and meditation and so she practiced all of these things extensively. Report an error in the passage at 22:06 Highlight the passage at 22:06

22:33 My practice is small. Report an error in the passage at 22:33 Highlight the passage at 22:33

22:39 So that's great you were able to do that and it fits so perfectly with what we're doing here. For Report an error in the passage at 22:39 Highlight the passage at 22:39

22:56 me I think I'm... I'm focusing also on the second verse, Overcoming Pride with Humility, because I see a lot of different things coming out of pride or a desire for a good regard. And so that has been a big focus in my practice this past few weeks, actually. Report an error in the passage at 22:56 Highlight the passage at 22:56

23:29 Something else that I've been working on a project and something else that I've noticed is the use of the word mindfulness in general conversation and in the media and everything else and it's thrown around like the word organic or like any other kind of buzz word and I find myself becoming more and more irritated with that. Report an error in the passage at 23:29 Highlight the passage at 23:29

23:56 I was thinking about what Jay said last week about UK anger and irritation is just an indication that there's something wrong. So I've been trying to figure out why I feel that way and how to leave that. But just like that word has come up from every direction lately and it's used in a way that is not very mindful. Report an error in the passage at 23:56 Highlight the passage at 23:56

24:31 Thank you. Well, I mean, it's true about the use of the word. And I think in all these different ways that it's used, they all kind of mean a little bit different. And even from the point of view from our school of Buddhism to another school of Buddhism, there's a slight differentiation. you know, in the way that it's interpreted or how it's approached. Report an error in the passage at 24:31 Highlight the passage at 24:31

25:04 don't, you know, it's good that you've noticed that and you can look at it and... Report an error in the passage at 25:04 Highlight the passage at 25:04

25:14 There's always two couple options. Report an error in the passage at 25:14 Highlight the passage at 25:14

25:20 let go of it. It's true for Report an error in the passage at 25:20 Highlight the passage at 25:20

25:32 all of these things that we're dealing with. Report an error in the passage at 25:32 Highlight the passage at 25:32

26:04 take my whole body and move it out of the way. it somewhere else. Remove it from the object that I have as the object that's causing this to arise in my mind. Report an error in the passage at 26:04 Highlight the passage at 26:04

26:22 sometimes the antidote, you know, is just the situation. It may not be a mental thing right away. You might be mental in the sense that not doing well here. Report an error in the passage at 26:22 Highlight the passage at 26:22

26:46 any of those things, it is like the fears and the irritation and the upset, know, is not so strong. So you can probably do a little more analysis on it and look at it. I also even wonder if I am thinking of an important thing, maybe that's why I get angry at you. Report an error in the passage at 26:46 Highlight the passage at 26:46

27:08 I find myself in a group of people, and the world is just flying Thank around. you. And I just wanted to say, okay, if today starts again, could everyone just give up this world for the next 30 days? Because I think it's just... And then I thought, wow, where did that come from? Yeah, it's interesting. Report an error in the passage at 27:08 Highlight the passage at 27:08

27:31 You know, it's interesting. And when we start watching our minds, we'll see a lot more weird thoughts like that that come up for what seems like almost no reason. My mind just did. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 27:31 Highlight the passage at 27:31

27:45 Well, I mean, and that's really good what you said. Look what my mind just did. It was like it just comes up in your mind. It's not you, you know. It's not you that's angry. It's just that this comes up in your mind, you know. And that word, for some reason, you know, had this come up in your mind. This anger arose in your mind. It's like, okay, interesting. And you notice. That's the best part. You notice the thought. Report an error in the passage at 27:45 Highlight the passage at 27:45

28:12 You notice the feeling. Now you can work with it. know, most of the time we run around not even noticing. think reacting, not knowing what the thoughts are, what was it that triggered. Report an error in the passage at 28:12 Highlight the passage at 28:12

28:32 So it's really good, everybody I think making really good progress. Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 28:32 Highlight the passage at 28:32

28:50 I mean, a lot of what... What's already said, I've been going for myself too, but something that really struck me this week in addition to the Tonglin practice, which I guess there were two things that really struck me and I'll just go through them briefly. With the Tonglin practice, I had an experience that was actually kind of physical, which I had never had before, where I was... Report an error in the passage at 28:50 Highlight the passage at 28:50

29:21 It wasn't like I was doing anything particularly special or different than when I normally meditate or practice Tonglen, but I had the feeling of something breaking open in me for a second. And it felt like, you know that feeling when you hear music that's really moving or something and your eyes start to water, like a feeling wells up inside of you. Report an error in the passage at 29:21 Highlight the passage at 29:21

29:49 It felt like, oh, that's that compassion that this is helping me access, but that is normally I just don't have access to, but it was really amazing. Report an error in the passage at 29:49 Highlight the passage at 29:49

30:04 So that was kind of like a cool experience. It didn't happen again, it was just that one time. But then this thing that I've been struggling with all week, and this is with... time. Report an error in the passage at 30:04 Highlight the passage at 30:04

30:20 It's verse number six, when someone I've helped, so the short version of the story just basically is that these people that I've helped before were in a position to help me out later on this month with something that we're doing, one of the art projects, music projects that we're doing, and they politely declined, but in a way that felt like it was like a, Report an error in the passage at 30:20 Highlight the passage at 30:20

30:57 right and and been really interesting working with that feeling like idea that Report an error in the passage at 30:57 Highlight the passage at 30:57

31:12 a lesson in there and that really like My instinct is to go to, well I'll show them because this is going to be so successful and then they're going to regret not being involved in it. The storyline is intense and immediate and I have to stop. Literally stop. Say the word stop or whatever. It doesn't matter. Report an error in the passage at 31:12 Highlight the passage at 31:12

31:40 What really matters is that I'm... I'm doing something that's beneficial to my own happiness and as soon as I let ego get in the way, I hurt myself. That's the thing that's been so present. As soon as those stories start, I'm inflicting pain on myself and whatever they said and the response they had doesn't matter anymore. Report an error in the passage at 31:40 Highlight the passage at 31:40

32:08 It's not even what they said, it's the story that I'm barbed wire. So those have been my two things this week. yeah. The barbed wire, that's a good image. It's like you see the fence, so instead of just staying on that other side of the fence, you Report an error in the passage at 32:08 Highlight the passage at 32:08

32:44 I had a really good opportunity to do Tonglen this week. A little background, there's a person who used to be associated with the center who's had a lot of issues and for the last month or so has been leaving multiple phone calls a day. He's got some alcohol and addiction issues and he's got some mental issues and he's got a head injury. He's got a whole bunch of problems. You may know who it is. Report an error in the passage at 32:44 Highlight the passage at 32:44

33:09 And Carol and I had an opportunity to meet with him on Wednesday. And my thought was, up until now, my thought has been like, what are we going to do about this? He shows up and he's drunk and he wants to come and work here and he's got all these delusions about how he founded the center. My thought was always like, it's a problem for me. I've got to deal with this. I don't have enough to do. Now I've got to deal with this. Report an error in the passage at 33:09 Highlight the passage at 33:09

33:35 So we went to meet with him Wednesday and I kind of went in with that mindset of saying, don't come to the center and don't stop calling us and all that. After meeting him and realizing that he just wants to talk about, I mean, a lot of his stuff makes no sense. He really kind of gets off on little tangents, but he does actually have a lot of history. Report an error in the passage at 33:35 Highlight the passage at 33:35

33:53 I mean, he knew Lama Yeshe and to sit and talk with him and to be able to do Tonglan while we were all having our coffee and think, my God, he really has a lot of wonderful information. I mean, he still could potentially show up drunk and cause trouble here. I don't know that he will. I kind of don't think after meeting him that he will. I think a lot of it is just bravado on his part. Report an error in the passage at 33:53 Highlight the passage at 33:53

34:12 But it just changed my whole idea of him and who he was and it took away the feeling of like he's not a problem, he's someone to, he's a teacher, I mean he's got a lot of, and Carol actually said, Carol was going to be, you know, because we said we'll meet with him again. She said, I think we should bring a tape recorder the next time because although some of the stuff he says is a little, not quite right, there is a lot of element of. Report an error in the passage at 34:12 Highlight the passage at 34:12

34:51 one like well yeah that one and then and then you have the unpleasant character yeah to hear these stories that are like and i said to carol were those true she said yeah most of those stories are true Some of the details are a little, not quite right, but the majority of the information is really amazing. That was really eye-opening. We can use these things all the time. Report an error in the passage at 34:51 Highlight the passage at 34:51

35:20 It's like for all the busy people that don't do the meditations, that don't want to sit down and actually do the meditations, you can work with this stuff while you're walking around. Report an error in the passage at 35:20 Highlight the passage at 35:20

35:36 There's always different situations. Report an error in the passage at 35:36 Highlight the passage at 35:36

35:58 That's really good. And it's good that you thought about doing Tonglen too. Report an error in the passage at 35:58 Highlight the passage at 35:58

36:04 this to me yeah I gotta say It's been a bad week. I have not done much at all beyond self-cherishing and kind of getting all wrapped up in my own issues. I have been very distracted. There's just been enough going on and I guess one hopefully can learn from that. I've just been kind of in another plane. So I wish I had something good to say. Report an error in the passage at 36:04 Highlight the passage at 36:04

36:37 I mean that's one of the reasons I come to these classes is because it really helps me to recognize that I've been distracted Report an error in the passage at 36:37 Highlight the passage at 36:37

37:03 any of these they've been so far from my mind it's unfortunate But the positive, there is a positive and that's that you are noticed. First of all, you're noticing it. There's a whole bunch of positives actually when you look at it. First of all, you noticed it. You're being honest about it and you're being honest about what you did or did not do or what you felt like you accomplished or not accomplished. Report an error in the passage at 37:03 Highlight the passage at 37:03

37:29 There's no score keeping or judgment about it. You're going to get an F minus if you keep this up. F minus in Tonglen. Report an error in the passage at 37:29 Highlight the passage at 37:29

37:57 ready you'll do something when you're not you know I mean it's you know everybody works in different ways at different places Report an error in the passage at 37:57 Highlight the passage at 37:57

38:10 exactly. Report an error in the passage at 38:10 Highlight the passage at 38:10

38:14 I was also at Vajrapani this weekend and I thought it was very beneficial. The weekend I think was very helpful in me understanding verse number three and five. beneficial. Report an error in the passage at 38:14 Highlight the passage at 38:14

38:33 five and I have like issues, one of the exercises we did was to see an image of ourselves, what we think of ourselves, I an image of myself that I had thought I had rid of, put aside, I had totally resolved it from years of psychotherapy. then I realized that that. That image of myself was still inside of me and that it might be related to my anger issues now. And it seems like when someone says something in a certain way or says something even benignly, I take it personally. Report an error in the passage at 38:33 Highlight the passage at 38:33

39:28 And some of the antidotes that Venerable Tenzin Joki was mentioning was maybe... check your expectations. Report an error in the passage at 39:28 Highlight the passage at 39:28

39:45 I think those were really helpful suggestions because then I realized that maybe I was taking things a lot personally and things that people were saying that hurt me were not really what was intended and that I was just making up a story behind that. So it was quite an interesting weekend. And it fits, again, like I said before, all of it fits perfectly with the verses and with the work and the meditations and things that we've been doing. Report an error in the passage at 39:45 Highlight the passage at 39:45

40:30 Anybody else? don't have to have everybody share. I mean, if you don't want to share, it's okay, no problem. Report an error in the passage at 40:30 Highlight the passage at 40:30

40:47 I'm very touchy when it comes to my money, I have to pay you. Report an error in the passage at 40:47 Highlight the passage at 40:47

40:56 I have like five pages of notes. Report an error in the passage at 40:56 Highlight the passage at 40:56

41:16 My sense of security is something that challenges that. I get really defensive and very quick. So instead of basically retaliating, I found out the facts, gave it some time, did a little asking around and I can see where my own insecurities came into play and me placing my insecurities under somebody else will cause me to get everything stirred up and then I started thinking. Report an error in the passage at 41:16 Highlight the passage at 41:16

41:46 When she's dealing with a lot of other people, maybe one out of 200, going to be some mistakes. okay. So it was just, it was a result. Report an error in the passage at 41:46 Highlight the passage at 41:46

42:20 spite of how I tried to condense everything, somehow it just... It's just, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 42:20 Highlight the passage at 42:20

42:39 So verse 8, may all this remain undefiled by the stains of the eight mundane concerns and may I, recognizing all things as illusion, devoid of clinging, be released from bondage. Report an error in the passage at 42:39 Highlight the passage at 42:39

43:02 So, maybe, I don't know if you want to talk about this at all. I think probably there's a lot to it, but today I have so many notes I'm afraid that we won't go through it all. So maybe what we'll do, we'll talk about the first two lines and then take a little break so we can get up and stretch and get water and all that kind of thing. Report an error in the passage at 43:02 Highlight the passage at 43:02

43:26 And then we'll come back and we'll talk about the last two lines. Report an error in the passage at 43:26 Highlight the passage at 43:26

43:33 So basically, the first two lines, may all this remain undefiled by the stains of the eight mundane concerns. So the may all this basically refers to our spiritual practice and our mind training. And it particularly refers to the previous seven verses and the practices that are... Report an error in the passage at 43:33 Highlight the passage at 43:33

44:03 So what we want to do is when we engage in a spiritual practice is not to contaminate it by those worldly concerns. So we don't want to pollute it, contaminate it. Sometimes now this verse is translated mundane concerns, sometimes they say worldly concerns or worldly dharmas. Report an error in the passage at 44:03 Highlight the passage at 44:03

44:31 You see it translated in a lot of different ways. It all means the same thing. Sometimes we are tempted to practice out of self-interest in order to gain something or in order to avoid something. Report an error in the passage at 44:31 Highlight the passage at 44:31

44:50 When that comes into our practice, that incorporates one of the worldly concerns with it. A lot of times we do start. We think, oh, well, you know, if I start, if I do this meditation, I'll be happy, you know, which is true. And, you know, recognizing that a worldly concern is mixed with your practice is no reason to stop it. Report an error in the passage at 44:50 Highlight the passage at 44:50

45:22 It's just something that we need to begin to recognize and try to separate out. worldly concerns. Basically, the mundane concerns generally motivate all the actions of ordinary beings. So it's almost like we can't really separate ourselves completely from them right now anyway. But we're going to make an effort to observe them and watch it. Report an error in the passage at 45:22 Highlight the passage at 45:22

46:06 The first one is pleasure. So we want to come in contact with things that are pleasing to our senses. And the other one is displeasure or pain. The opposite, there's always a positive one, one that's going to make us happy, one that's not going to make us so happy. So the opposite, it would be displeasure. Report an error in the passage at 46:06 Highlight the passage at 46:06

46:30 And we go to any length, a great length, to try to avoid it. Report an error in the passage at 46:30 Highlight the passage at 46:30

46:38 Then we have gain, which is basically material gain. We want to acquire nice material things, a new car, a house. I'm not sure if you can count a relationship in that. Maybe, yeah. I guess, you know, a good relationship, whatever, something like that. And loss, we want to avoid losing those things or we feel bad because we didn't get what we wanted. Report an error in the passage at 46:38 Highlight the passage at 46:38

47:08 And then for praise, we all know that one. We like to have praise and admiration. Blame, we don't want to be slandered, blamed, scorned, any kind of criticized, any of those kinds of things. So then good reputation, we want to have a good reputation. Or if we think we have a good reputation or actually have some good reputation, we want to keep it. Report an error in the passage at 47:08 Highlight the passage at 47:08

47:37 Bad reputation, we don't want a bad reputation. Report an error in the passage at 47:37 Highlight the passage at 47:37

47:42 Or, if we have a good reputation, we don't want it tarnished. What happens when we put any of these into the whole mix, it begins to drive us to create negative actions in order to maintain these things. Report an error in the passage at 47:42 Highlight the passage at 47:42

48:11 maybe if you don't want to have blame you'll try to cover up a little roof that you made or you try to push it off to say you know well they really kind of do this thing i didn't really do it Report an error in the passage at 48:11 Highlight the passage at 48:11

48:34 covering some kind of negative actions that comes into play. If they're really strong, it could be a very strong negative action that comes into play, like killing somebody because we think that they're going to hurt us or something, and we don't want to be hurt or whatever it is. Report an error in the passage at 48:34 Highlight the passage at 48:34

48:58 So while we're looking at these, it's fine to feel happy when any of the positive ones occur, but we don't want to become unreasonably happy. Report an error in the passage at 48:58 Highlight the passage at 48:58

49:13 when the unpleasant ones happen, we need to be sure that we don't become really distraught. don't have to like everything. Report an error in the passage at 49:13 Highlight the passage at 49:13

49:33 we want to watch and be aware if our emotions swing too far one way or another. Because when emotions swing too far in either direction... We kind of lose that mental stability and that space, spaciousness. We kind of lose that. So there are things that we need to watch out for in regards to the eight worldly concerns. So chasing or grasping at the favorite ones or pushing away the unfavorable ones or running from the unfavorable ones. Report an error in the passage at 49:33 Highlight the passage at 49:33

50:12 That all comes from the deluded self-cherishing mind. So we want to make sure that our mind isn't overly happy or overly sad. So we want to try to catch ourselves when we start running or grabbing or whatever it is and try to recognize that it's a mental state and try to calm our mind. minds and keep ourselves a little more centered, more open, more clean and good, whatever it is. Report an error in the passage at 50:12 Highlight the passage at 50:12

50:50 are some homeless people in here that can't travel without me. Anyway, so another thing is we want to make sure that in our actions that we don't act without regard for others or at others expense. Report an error in the passage at 50:50 Highlight the passage at 50:50

51:10 And so any of those things are also motivated by Shalva. Anyway. Report an error in the passage at 51:10 Highlight the passage at 51:10

51:15 Self-cherishing and self-grasping. And these eight mundane concerns all come and stem from self-cherishing and self-grasping. Report an error in the passage at 51:15 Highlight the passage at 51:15

51:30 So we know we do that, we know we cherish ourselves, we know we have self-grasping because we haven't totally realized emptiness yet and cut that root that makes us think that we are a separate independent person. And so we have to be aware of that and we just have to be careful that it doesn't get out of our control. And it's a slow process. Report an error in the passage at 51:30 Highlight the passage at 51:30

51:57 We're going to make mistakes. Report an error in the passage at 51:57 Highlight the passage at 51:57

52:02 We shouldn't feel guilty if good things come to us and we shouldn't be distraught if bad things come to us. We should always remember that whatever occurs, whatever result comes... Report an error in the passage at 52:02 Highlight the passage at 52:02

52:24 so, if something good comes, can rejoice our good fortune, recognizing that we have created the karma for Report an error in the passage at 52:24 Highlight the passage at 52:24

52:48 You've created the karma in the past for the negative actions. So if something good happens, that's great. It's coming to me because I've created the cause for that. Something bad happens, you say, great, that's the karmic seed ripening and that's finished. I've created that cause, there it is, finished. Report an error in the passage at 52:48 Highlight the passage at 52:48

53:14 that's only one out of a whole bunch of seeds. We've got these big old packets of burpee seeds or something, you know? One seed, oh yeah, gone. But there's still a whole bunch. Report an error in the passage at 53:14 Highlight the passage at 53:14

53:43 It gets closer and closer to finishing. And it gets closer to finishing and we're not adding new seeds back into the bag. You throw away one on this side and you pick up one and you put it in here. You get nowhere. So learning to control our actions helps to cut that and recognizing how karma works and recognizing it in our lives every minute. Report an error in the passage at 53:43 Highlight the passage at 53:43

54:38 of that was what brought you that nice thing that was nice. Then you've got to engage in more virtuous actions. Plant the seeds you want, bring in the seeds you want, and get rid of the ones that you don't want. Report an error in the passage at 54:38 Highlight the passage at 54:38

54:53 Another thing is to remember that when things come up, everything is impermanent. Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing, it's not going to last. Report an error in the passage at 54:53 Highlight the passage at 54:53

55:10 Everything is unstable and constantly changing. Report an error in the passage at 55:10 Highlight the passage at 55:10

55:34 then either it pops or somehow they let go of the string and it flies away. then they're so miserable. like, I want to lose the pop. You know, it's just like that. It's like You know, just one minute you're happy, the next minute you could be miserable. And And you you just just never never know. know when Report an error in the passage at 55:34 Highlight the passage at 55:34

56:18 ripening doesn't another delusion to arise like say you do receive praise for something that you did job or action whatever it is you receive praise for something Report an error in the passage at 56:18 Highlight the passage at 56:18

56:43 of about this? Or like say you're blamed for something. You want to try to be careful that anger or irritation or trying to defend or explain yourself doesn't come out. This way you can keep a really stable mind and not fall into these worldly concerns, grabbing onto, trying to, you know. Report an error in the passage at 56:43 Highlight the passage at 56:43

57:36 still engage in our bodhisattva conduct basically working with these practices doing the meditations maybe any of those things we still want to engage in those things Report an error in the passage at 57:36 Highlight the passage at 57:36

57:54 So if you're feeling tired or ill, Tang Lin is a Report an error in the passage at 57:54 Highlight the passage at 57:54

58:12 still in some kind of a contemplation, time-lend, meditation, whatever it is. So we want to continue to in our practices that we're doing, even if we don't feel like it. Report an error in the passage at 58:12 Highlight the passage at 58:12

58:47 Anyway, I said it's soft, but I think they must be here. Report an error in the passage at 58:47 Highlight the passage at 58:47

58:56 just cut that part. Anyway, I don't think it's any big surprise. Report an error in the passage at 58:56 Highlight the passage at 58:56

59:06 Okay, so. Since the first two lines specifically relate to Dharma practice, what we want to do is we don't want to let our lojong practice or our thought transformation practice practice polluted by the eight concerns or mundane concerns so we want to make our best effort to try to keep our dharma practice as pure as possible. Report an error in the passage at 59:06 Highlight the passage at 59:06

59:36 The Lojong practices are taught quietly. Report an error in the passage at 59:36 Highlight the passage at 59:36

59:49 So we don't need to show off and be prideful or we don't have to do it with the thought of pleasing others. We can just work quietly with ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 59:49 Highlight the passage at 59:49

1:00:04 It's our mind. We don't need to splash it all over the front page of the local papers or something like that. Make a big show of it. Looking like a good Dharma practitioner. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:04 Highlight the passage at 1:00:04

1:00:21 So we might think, oh, if I do these practices right, I'll be happy, or I'll get a good reputation. I wonder if others think I'm a good student. Oh, if I do this retreat, people might think really highly of me. And then, you know, even as a teacher, you know, you think, like, oh, I wonder what people think of my talk. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:21 Highlight the passage at 1:00:21

1:00:52 they happy with this? Are they happy with me? Am I going to make a good reputation? Gee, I don't want to get a bad reputation. So, you know, the mundane concerns can pollute... Report an error in the passage at 1:00:52 Highlight the passage at 1:00:52

1:01:52 help you to subdue your ego to help others. it doesn't matter, you know, sometimes friends, old friends that we knew from pre-dharma times will think, oh gee, you know, doing that? may think it looks kind of foolish or, know, like that. They may not understand. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:52 Highlight the passage at 1:01:52

1:02:22 down and be, you know, not that you should tell them, but, you know. So you want to remember that the main goal that we're working for is much bigger than any particular moment. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:22 Highlight the passage at 1:02:22

1:02:38 And it's even bigger than this very life. So we can take a moment of happiness or lasting happiness. So you get to choose. Do I want a moment of happiness? May Report an error in the passage at 1:02:38 Highlight the passage at 1:02:38

1:03:06 I be gladdened when someone belittles me. whatever you decide will probably determine what your next action is going to be. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:06 Highlight the passage at 1:03:06

1:03:31 And may I not take pleasure when someone praises me. If I do not take pleasure in praise, then it immediately increases my arrogance, pride and conceit. Whereas, if I take pleasure in criticism, then at least I will open my eyes to my own shortcomings. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:31 Highlight the passage at 1:03:31

1:03:59 So that's an iconical way to defeat the praise and blame. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:59 Highlight the passage at 1:03:59

1:04:10 So let's take a little maybe five minute break. That's pretty much it. Anybody have any questions before we take a break on the really concerned? It's pretty straightforward. I think we're all really familiar with them. We've lived our entire life with them very well. They've appeared to be our friends, but they're really stabbing us in the back every move. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:10 Highlight the passage at 1:04:10

1:04:27 Well, I don't know. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:27 Highlight the passage at 1:04:27

1:04:37 so now we're going to just get them Any questions? Report an error in the passage at 1:04:37 Highlight the passage at 1:04:37

1:04:49 You're free. Five minutes. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:49 Highlight the passage at 1:04:49

1:05:14 I don't see, I wasn't on the computer too much, Thursday is Mother's Day. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:14 Highlight the passage at 1:05:14

1:05:26 Oh, that's okay. I'm glad that you were able to. I'm glad that you made it, though. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:26 Highlight the passage at 1:05:26

1:05:37 I Report an error in the passage at 1:05:37 Highlight the passage at 1:05:37

1:05:43 read a little bit of the article. I didn't have a video. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:43 Highlight the passage at 1:05:43

1:06:06 it's interesting. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:06 Highlight the passage at 1:06:06

1:06:16 It's interesting how much of the world doesn't think about any of that kind of stuff or doesn't recognize. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:16 Highlight the passage at 1:06:16

1:07:13 like the same kind of mind, only really really strong, and really limited into the truth. it's like it's basically the same type of mind, only really stronger. So it's like the universe is better than the universe. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:13 Highlight the passage at 1:07:13

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:07:54 I mean, a lot of times it's not even like a thought that there's anything wrong. It's like for me, when I was fishing, when I was a little kid, it's like there wasn't a thought that there was something. is interesting to me now, because it's like, wow, you know, this is, and it's like, it's a really deep covering, it kind of, it kind of, so like, the politicians have this, you know, all of, oh, all of us have Report an error in the passage at 1:07:54 Highlight the passage at 1:07:54

1:08:38 I think we still want to work on Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:38 Highlight the passage at 1:08:38

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:09:28 can't remember if I said something to Carol or Jordan. We were just going to speak. I said, yeah, I know. Did you say anything? Report an error in the passage at 1:09:28 Highlight the passage at 1:09:28

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:10:14 Steve, welcome back! Report an error in the passage at 1:10:14 Highlight the passage at 1:10:14

1:10:43 He had a problem, and so he was doing really well, and then the mentality came up again. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:43 Highlight the passage at 1:10:43

1:11:08 right. Yeah. But I mean, . Report an error in the passage at 1:11:08 Highlight the passage at 1:11:08

1:11:52 Well, you know, he probably misses having dharma connection and stuff like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:52 Highlight the passage at 1:11:52

1:12:01 And if he did come in, you know, I'm sure that... Report an error in the passage at 1:12:01 Highlight the passage at 1:12:01

1:12:49 know, I mean, but, but I mean, basically, I think it would be, no, I know, it would be like, you know, offering him a seat, giving him some tea, letting him listen, you know, if he came, you yeah, that's good, because that probably helps him boost his self-esteem, you know, and Report an error in the passage at 1:12:49 Highlight the passage at 1:12:49

1:13:38 So you're trying to, like, kind of do more... Report an error in the passage at 1:13:38 Highlight the passage at 1:13:38

1:13:46 Generosity to different things. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:46 Highlight the passage at 1:13:46

1:13:58 Is there something that they do in the neighborhood that you can support, whether it's food or some kind of something? Report an error in the passage at 1:13:58 Highlight the passage at 1:13:58

1:14:17 you add Monday's banter now? Report an error in the passage at 1:14:17 Highlight the passage at 1:14:17

1:14:30 Oh, great. Oh, great. Great. Oh, that's good. Oh, Report an error in the passage at 1:14:30 Highlight the passage at 1:14:30

1:14:39 great. Oh, that's good. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:39 Highlight the passage at 1:14:39

1:14:58 Okay. So, I Report an error in the passage at 1:14:58 Highlight the passage at 1:14:58

1:15:10 gotta tell you, I struggled with this, the last two lines because there's, well, because there's so many teachings and so much. And it's like, how do I fit something into this class? So the last two lines is, and may I, recognizing all things as illusion, devoid of clinging, be released from bondage. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:10 Highlight the passage at 1:15:10

1:15:46 So basically up to this point, up to these last two lines. All the verses have been talking about conventional bodhicitta. And conventional bodhicitta kind of refers to the method. Sometimes it's called method or skillful means. And by perfecting conventional bodhicitta through method, we achieve the perfection of form. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:46 Highlight the passage at 1:15:46

1:16:20 So when we become a Buddha, we have a perfect form. And the last two lines actually discuss cultivating ultimate bodhicitta, which could be wisdom, insight. It correlates with the perfection of wisdom. So we're perfecting its method and wisdom. It will be our perfect wisdom, our perfect form. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:20 Highlight the passage at 1:16:20

1:16:52 And then when you get into some of the tantras, you might be in the interest of tantra, you'll see how the two come together to make the perfect, you know, to manifest as a Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:52 Highlight the passage at 1:16:52

1:17:06 But we won't talk about that now. Just a little bit. So anyway, so cultivation of ultimate bodhicitta is going to be the antidote to all of the delusions. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:06 Highlight the passage at 1:17:06

1:17:26 And it's going to allow us to remain undefiled by the stains of the eight worldly concerns. Because through ultimate bodhicitta we're going to completely cut the self-grasping which is the core, which is our core problem. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:26 Highlight the passage at 1:17:26

1:17:49 Seeing ourselves as some truly existing person, thing, whatever you want to call yourself. When we recognize our ultimate or true nature, it cuts the permanent, inherently existing self-sufficient person and all of the other things that go with it. All of the delusions, all of the self-cherishing, everything comes from that. So it cuts the root delusion. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:49 Highlight the passage at 1:17:49

1:18:27 now it's hard for us to... move right in so we go oh great well i'm gonna do emptiness and then i'll cut that root delusion we'll be done the example that they gave in some of the texts was it's like know our minds are like this banyan tree so you have the trunk and then oh Report an error in the passage at 1:18:27 Highlight the passage at 1:18:27

1:18:58 down and grow into the ground. And so all these little pieces that come down and grow into the ground are all of our favorite afflictions. It could be anger and attachment and pride and jealousy and all of those. And they're all coming off of this big main trunk, off the branches of this big main trunk. So you want to take the tree out. You can't always start by cutting the trunk. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:58 Highlight the passage at 1:18:58

1:19:25 So that's why we're working on the beginning part of it, the first. I think for ourselves in our practice, the main focus will be on those branches. But I think it's also good to spend a little bit of time at least contemplating how we're going to get to the trunk and how we're going to cut down. Maybe we can start chipping away at it. But anyway, so when the ultimate nature of reality actually is taught, it distinguishes two specific periods. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:25 Highlight the passage at 1:19:25

1:20:25 One is the actual meditation session where you're in single-pointed echo poise on emptiness. And then the second one is when you arise from the meditation and you're actively engaged in the world. And these are both significant times in relationship to our understanding of the nature of reality. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:25 Highlight the passage at 1:20:25

1:20:50 So in the verse where it says recognizing all things as illusion, this refers to the post meditation time. So the last two lines actually... actually instruct us or guide us how to Report an error in the passage at 1:20:50 Highlight the passage at 1:20:50

1:21:12 recognize things as illusionary when we arise from our meditation on emptiness or the nature of reality. So it says like, okay, now while you're walking around, you want to see it this way. We say, you know, you don't want to be fooled by appearances. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:12 Highlight the passage at 1:21:12

1:22:07 It's a little bit of a, you know, it's not actually correct view. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:07 Highlight the passage at 1:22:07

1:22:18 So, you know, in the teachings they refer to, let's say, illusory. They say like an illusion, like a mirage, a dream, a reflection of a moon on a mountain lake, your reflection in a mirror. Different images will mean a little more to some people. But like a mirage, if you didn't know. You look out and you see this thing and you say, oh wow, there's water out there. You can see it shimmering. You go, wow, this is great. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:18 Highlight the passage at 1:22:18

1:22:50 I'll go over. Maybe I'll take a swim. You head off. You're really disappointed. There's no water there. It's just like how things appear. Things appear to be there, but they're really not truly the way that they appear. But it's not that they're not there. it's just kind of similar to these are similar similar anyway they're similar to a dream Report an error in the passage at 1:22:50 Highlight the passage at 1:22:50

1:23:22 we want to make sure that we don't think, well, okay, then they don't exist at all. So I'm skipping that one little bit. So the whole point on meditating on the ultimate nature of reality or emptiness. to ensure that we're not fooled by the appearances. when we get up from our meditation, it's still going to look the same. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:22 Highlight the passage at 1:23:22

1:23:55 then we know because we've Report an error in the passage at 1:23:55 Highlight the passage at 1:23:55

1:24:08 ruled by the influence of the mind. It's like they use the example of the magician. The magician conjures up a horse. So to the audience, it looks like a real horse. The magician, he sees the horse, but he knows that he's conjured it. He's made this little horse out of his magic, and so he's not fooled by it. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:08 Highlight the passage at 1:24:08

1:24:36 He knows that it's not a real horse, where maybe the audience would think, wow. how did you do this? You're a ghost. it's like that. So we're like the magician that conjures up these things to to the point where you can see it but you're not fooled by it anymore. basically that's... So it takes a lot of thought and a lot of practice because it doesn't look like that now. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:36 Highlight the passage at 1:24:36

1:25:19 Let's look at how things, how they appear to us now and how they actually exist. So now they appear fixed or solid in an unchanging way. And they're actually, and even those things that we say, oh, well, you know, things are changing and I'm getting older. But it's even more subtle than that. It's like changing moment to moment. It's like our... Report an error in the passage at 1:25:19 Highlight the passage at 1:25:19

1:25:54 The body that was here two seconds ago when I said I'm changing isn't the same body that's here now. It's completely different. And every time and as soon as I can think of a body, it's gone. It's not even there anymore. So it can be changing in very minute ways that we don't usually think about. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:54 Highlight the passage at 1:25:54

1:26:26 know, and that you can show by science, by, you know, atoms. don't know, everything's like me, the same, it's constantly changing, even more subtle than that, but that's a good enough for now, Report an error in the passage at 1:26:26 Highlight the passage at 1:26:26

1:26:42 They appear to exist substantially from their own side, as if they're findable on the basis of their parts. So this would be like a you know, or the mala, know, go, oh, of course this is a mala, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:42 Highlight the passage at 1:26:42

1:27:05 you have all the parts and this is findable on this. But if you actually under analysis start to look a mala, can't among any of the parts. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:05 Highlight the passage at 1:27:05

1:27:29 There's this one, you can take it apart, you should drink. So we think, so it doesn't exist substantially from its own side, separate from its parts or on the basis of its parts. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:29 Highlight the passage at 1:27:29

1:27:47 Anyway, so then the other way that things exist or that they appear to exist is by obvious character, independent of naming. for the by the observer. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:47 Highlight the passage at 1:27:47

1:28:13 characteristics. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:13 Highlight the passage at 1:28:13

1:28:20 soft, any of those kinds of things. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:20 Highlight the passage at 1:28:20

1:28:40 There's no solid and currently existing characteristics. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:40 Highlight the passage at 1:28:40

1:28:47 And then also we see things, they seem to exist in a true, non-deceptive way. So we think that they exist the way they appear. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:47 Highlight the passage at 1:28:47

1:29:02 And unless we actually do some deep analysis to look at these ways that we see things, they do appear that way. You know, which of course, you know, this is a pen. It's exactly like it appears. If we start to analyze it, take it apart, look at it, pretty soon we start to lose this pen. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:02 Highlight the passage at 1:29:02

1:29:31 You know, like the mala. If we took it apart, we would have like some string, a few round little beads and different things, but we wouldn't have a mala. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:31 Highlight the passage at 1:29:31

1:29:47 And so things appear inherently or truly existing. in an independent way without depending on other factors such as the causes or parts or implications. These Report an error in the passage at 1:29:47 Highlight the passage at 1:29:47

1:30:05 are all ways that we now hold of viewing things that are not in line with how they actually exist. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:05 Highlight the passage at 1:30:05

1:30:21 They take a lot of thought to begin to unravel. But if we analyze objects according to the teachings, then we can begin to understand how things exist in a very subtle way. They don't exist in a gross way the way they appear to us now. They exist in a very subtle way. And the Buddha taught the middle way that objects don't exist as they appear to an ordinary being and they do not exist in a very gross way. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:21 Highlight the passage at 1:30:21

1:31:22 when it says in the verse, of clinging. This is clinging to the I or to the me. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:22 Highlight the passage at 1:31:22

1:31:36 everything that comes with it. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:36 Highlight the passage at 1:31:36

1:31:41 could be the self-grasping, self-cherishing, all the afflictions, all of that. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:41 Highlight the passage at 1:31:41

1:31:54 conception of holding things as truly existent. His Holiness the Dalai Lama also includes that we become free from the attachment to this life. So we the wrong conception of everything being truly existent and we let go of the attachment to Now that sounds like it could be kind of bad, but it actually is extremely freeing because when you're totally free from attachment of this life and seeing things as truly existing. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:54 Highlight the passage at 1:31:54

1:32:36 Then you have absolute freedom. It's like the story I was saying about the Dalai Lama last week. When he was being attacked, he stepped forward. He had no fear. He had no attachment to this life. He wasn't concerned about his life, but he was concerned about the person coming to attack him. This is the result of having been released, say released from the... Report an error in the passage at 1:32:36 Highlight the passage at 1:32:36

1:33:07 The clinging, release, you know, let go completely. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:07 Highlight the passage at 1:33:07

1:33:18 so basically, through this training, we can annihilate the ego all of the notions of self-change. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:18 Highlight the passage at 1:33:18

1:33:35 The problem is we have to work with the other ones first before we can really get to it. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:35 Highlight the passage at 1:33:35

1:33:44 When we're working with the verses, it's good to remember that things aren't the way they appear. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:44 Highlight the passage at 1:33:44

1:33:55 We'll talk more about that after. So basically, devoid of clinging means that we're not going to be holding on to things that have been truly existent anymore and we lose our attachment even to this life. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:55 Highlight the passage at 1:33:55

1:34:12 And to be released from bondage... This is released from the bondage of saṃsāra. And now some of the verses are written so it sounds like they're talking about us being released from bondage. Some of them are that we help others to be released from bondage or saṃsāra. But basically when we're free from all self-cherishing and self-grasping, we are released. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:12 Highlight the passage at 1:34:12

1:34:43 released from the, you know, the worst prison in the world called Saṃsāra. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:43 Highlight the passage at 1:34:43

1:34:51 all of our emotions would be in check and we would stop responding to and to events and things that happen around us out of the karma and afflictions. we would be able to use our wisdom. would be fearless. We would have complete confidence. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:51 Highlight the passage at 1:34:51

1:35:16 we would reach Buddhahood. so releasing, if we release ourselves from bondage, we achieve Buddhahood. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:16 Highlight the passage at 1:35:16

1:35:48 And the way that you gain the skills to best help others is to free yourself first. Now there's debates that go on, you know, do you send people over first and then you follow them or do you do this and this? There's a lot of debates, but I think that basically becoming a Buddha, gaining all the skills that come with being enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:48 Highlight the passage at 1:35:48

1:36:17 which totally effortlessly helping others, others, the best way to go. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:17 Highlight the passage at 1:36:17

1:36:27 in fact, we really want to have done for others. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:27 Highlight the passage at 1:36:27

1:36:33 if we don't want to benefit others... Report an error in the passage at 1:36:33 Highlight the passage at 1:36:33

1:36:54 once we accomplish it, we have unlimited . Report an error in the passage at 1:36:54 Highlight the passage at 1:36:54

1:37:01 and facilities and faculties and wisdom to be able to So basically contemplations on emptiness, Nagarjuna taught that all phenomena are merely labeled an empty of inherent existence by the reason of dependent arising. Sometimes it's called dependent origination. And this is one of the Dalai Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:01 Highlight the passage at 1:37:01

1:37:31 This is one of the best ways to begin to understand emptiness and emptiness is that everything is interdependent. You have the interdependent nature of reality. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:31 Highlight the passage at 1:37:31

1:37:58 It also shows that everything is empty and lacks substantial existence. It's easy to see grossly how things are made up of parts and that kind of thing, but there's a more subtle level of it that's kind of more hidden that needs to be unraveled. And so by using this dependent origination... can help to unravel it and not unravel it too far. Because if you start meditating on emptiness, and you're saying, well... Report an error in the passage at 1:37:58 Highlight the passage at 1:37:58

1:38:58 And dependent arising helps to balance nihilism with permanence. Permanence is like being substantially existent, not based on causes and conditions, parts, imputation, just there. That's permanent. Nihilism is just non-existent. And so using dependent arising... Report an error in the passage at 1:38:58 Highlight the passage at 1:38:58

1:39:27 like a middle way between those two. it says, well, no, they're not substantial because they're based on their causes and conditions, and they're not Report an error in the passage at 1:39:27 Highlight the passage at 1:39:27

1:39:59 He continues to say that things are dependent and dependently originated. It didn't explain too much about it, but I kind of made up something. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:59 Highlight the passage at 1:39:59

1:40:19 If you think things are dependent, we can easily agree that things are dependent. dependent on causes and conditions, like you take a table, you know. Everything comes about due to causes and conditions. Somebody had the thought of it, and then they took the pieces of wood and they put it together, and you Report an error in the passage at 1:40:19 Highlight the passage at 1:40:19

1:41:01 Basically for ourselves and for what we experience in the world, the primary causes for everything in our life is karma. And the substantial condition is the afflictions. The afflictions kind of move the direction for karma to ripen, you know, for karmic seeds. It's like the earth and the water. It helps the seed to ripen. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:01 Highlight the passage at 1:41:01

1:41:31 And it also is like what will cause new seeds to be planted. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:31 Highlight the passage at 1:41:31

1:41:42 Anyway, so then when they say things are dependently originated, and he did say, he did explain this one. He said this means that things originate in relationship to others through a kind of complex matrix of dependently originating facts. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:42 Highlight the passage at 1:41:42

1:42:08 Let me say it again. Things are dependently originating. This means that things originate in relation to others through a kind of complex matrix of dependently originating facts. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:08 Highlight the passage at 1:42:08

1:42:27 What does that mean? It means that everything that exists does so in relationship to something else. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:27 Highlight the passage at 1:42:27

1:42:39 One way to look at it is... Report an error in the passage at 1:42:39 Highlight the passage at 1:42:39

1:42:49 you have this paper clip then you have the pen. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:49 Highlight the passage at 1:42:49

1:42:56 the pen wrong in relationship to the paperclip? then you have the pen. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:56 Highlight the passage at 1:42:56

1:43:18 This is how everything, and everything is kind of like that. Everything, all of the qualities, all of the conditions, all of these things that we think like, well, everything is like here and this is like this, is in relation to something else. Wrong and short, smart and dumb, you know, good and bad, you know, even Report an error in the passage at 1:43:18 Highlight the passage at 1:43:18

1:43:47 that is a relationship. So, and then also, Lama Tsongkhapa said, one of the examples that I like is like... It's an easy one. It doesn't even have to do with anger. It has to do with like a gift. So you have to have three things coming together in order to give a gift. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:47 Highlight the passage at 1:43:47

1:44:37 You have to have a giver. You have to have something that you're giving. And then you have to have someone to receive it. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:37 Highlight the passage at 1:44:37

1:44:49 So it's like three legs of a stool or like a three-legged stool. So if you take away any one of the parts, the entire thing falls apart. Does that make sense? Report an error in the passage at 1:44:49 Highlight the passage at 1:44:49

1:45:05 So like if you have a gift and a receiver but no giver, it kind of falls apart, any one of those pieces. And so the same thing is true of like words that cause us to become agitated or angry. We have somebody that's... some words, have words, then we have the person hearing the words. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:05 Highlight the passage at 1:45:05

1:45:39 we can the emptiness in Report an error in the passage at 1:45:39 Highlight the passage at 1:45:39

1:45:47 one, whole thing, falls apart. So we can work with it, like, with the emptiness of ourselves. can work on that. who is this eye that's getting so upset? Report an error in the passage at 1:45:47 Highlight the passage at 1:45:47

1:46:30 about the motion of this air of wiggling and came into my ear? Where is this Where is this insult? Do I find the insult in A in this word? So you can break that down. So pretty soon it's like all it is is words, empty words as a matter of fact. has really no meaning other than what we give Thank you. to it. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:30 Highlight the passage at 1:46:30

1:47:02 That's it. And the whole thing kind of crumbles. There's no insult anymore. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:02 Highlight the passage at 1:47:02

1:47:10 So it's like a great antidote to problems. You can start to begin to consider things in that way. So Yangtze Rinpoche, from Practicing the Path, summarizes dependent arising as follows. And there's two different kinds. There's a gross and a subtle. So gross dependent arising, he says, refers to... Dependent arising of phenomena on the level of cause and effect in terms of the interdependence of a thing's parts and its whole. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:10 Highlight the passage at 1:47:10

1:47:50 So gross dependent arising would be like the parts, all the string and the beads and everything coming together to make the whole. So it's dependent on all the parts. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:50 Highlight the passage at 1:47:50

1:48:05 And this particular type of dependence arising is kind of agreed on by all of the Buddhist schools. Even the lower schools will agree that this is empty of inherent existence, but they still think it exists truly. They'll say it's not inherently existing, but it does really exist separate. It's a separate, independent thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:05 Highlight the passage at 1:48:05

1:48:34 So that's the gross one. The Prasangika Madhyamikas go a little, well not a little more, a lot more subtle than that. And so subtle dependent arising, and this is just from Yancey Rinpoche's Practicing the Path, I took that out of, refers to the existence of phenomena in dependence upon the basis of imputation, the imputed label. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:34 Highlight the passage at 1:48:34

1:49:24 It's all imputed by the mind, it's all imputed by the mind, it's all imputed by the mind. sit there and I'm looking at a tree and I'm just like... Report an error in the passage at 1:49:24 Highlight the passage at 1:49:24

1:49:36 then I couldn't stop thinking about it. I mean, it kept me awake all night. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:36 Highlight the passage at 1:49:36

1:49:45 basically it is those three things in order for something to exist we have to have some basis. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:45 Highlight the passage at 1:49:45

1:50:06 This is really pretty subtle. Lama Zopa also says that what's actually there is so subtle that it's almost as though it didn't exist. Almost as though is the key word because he claims that there's something there. I don't know. I haven't been close. But it is another way of looking at things. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:06 Highlight the passage at 1:50:06

1:50:39 We don't have a huge amount of time, but fortunately the next module in the BB program is called Wisdom of Emptiness. You can see how they kind of follow in a particular order. One of the ways that we can use, and it wouldn't hurt five minutes in the morning or evening. You can just sit and do an analytical meditation to try to find the I. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:39 Highlight the passage at 1:50:39

1:51:21 And they always say that for the Prasangika Majjhimikas they say that the self is empty of inherent existence and all phenomena is empty of inherent existence. And they always say that... self-existent I, the I that's empty, or self that's empty of inherent existence, that permanent, solid I that we feel like is here, right here, sitting on this cushion. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:21 Highlight the passage at 1:51:21

1:51:58 focus on in your first meditations on emptiness. And once you can see how the I doesn't exist, then can work on phenomena. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:58 Highlight the passage at 1:51:58

1:52:11 phenomena does exist on some level. Well, we exist on some level, but it's not that solidized. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:11 Highlight the passage at 1:52:11

1:52:31 An eye that really truly doesn't even exist at all. There's no question about it. That one is a total fantasy. We've made it up. We've believed it for countless, countless lives. So it's so strong and innate, we don't even have to think about it anymore. It just is there. It just arises spontaneously. So what we have to do is, little by little... Report an error in the passage at 1:52:31 Highlight the passage at 1:52:31

1:53:01 Through our analysis and looking, we begin to break it down so it's not quite as strong. As we break it down and it's not quite as strong, you'll notice that the way that you react to things and you're chasing after your concerns and all these other things will gradually become easier. They'll subside. Your mind will become more spacious. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:01 Highlight the passage at 1:53:01

1:53:33 it's a slow process, and it takes a good bit of time, know, by on our concentration, we can begin to learn to focus more, and that'll come up in the next class. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:33 Highlight the passage at 1:53:33

1:53:59 Focus our mind to use the analysis. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:59 Highlight the passage at 1:53:59

1:54:05 See how things really exist and then when we get an insight into that we hold it with our concentration so that it becomes more real. And this is the way we're going to cut that root is by doing these kinds of practices. So it's really exciting that it's going to be coming up and we can start now by doing little bits. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:05 Highlight the passage at 1:54:05

1:54:30 So one of the really easy ones is you just sit. You just kind of scan your body. You can do it for a couple of minutes with me if you want. You just sit. So you get a sense of the I. If you have a particular incident, if you were particularly upset or even particularly happy when there's a really solid sense of this being, this core being that's in there. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:30 Highlight the passage at 1:54:30

1:55:01 then just, um... Look for who was that person. Where is that person? Where is that I who is so upset? And you can start with looking all through your body because if there is anything that truly exists, it has to be findable. So if there was really this I that we think is there, truly existing. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:01 Highlight the passage at 1:55:01

1:55:35 totally from its inside, we should be able to find it. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:35 Highlight the passage at 1:55:35

1:56:01 every of Report an error in the passage at 1:56:01 Highlight the passage at 1:56:01

1:56:22 me do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:22 Highlight the passage at 1:56:22

1:56:26 I think the eye is the mind. That sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Report an error in the passage at 1:56:26 Highlight the passage at 1:56:26

1:56:37 We look at the mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:37 Highlight the passage at 1:56:37

1:56:44 Thoughts, as Report an error in the passage at 1:56:44 Highlight the passage at 1:56:44

1:56:51 you look, is there anywhere in there, any thought, any place in the mind, anything that we can actually point to say, oh, this is the eye, for sure, this is it. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:51 Highlight the passage at 1:56:51

1:57:18 Consciousness is here. consciousness is here. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:18 Highlight the passage at 1:57:18

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:58:13 it does seem like it's something that's not good. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:13 Highlight the passage at 1:58:13

1:58:20 not the body, it's not the mind, but it really is something else. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:20 Highlight the passage at 1:58:20

1:58:31 be able to find it. You will be able to find it. You will be able to find it. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:31 Highlight the passage at 1:58:31