Discovering Buddhism - Transforming Problems (26 June 2008)

0:08 might be picking it up from you standing on the floor. No, even when I was over there, I would tap my mic, I couldn't hear, but it was sitting at noon. It's not projecting out of the picture, Report an error in the passage at 0:08 Highlight the passage at 0:08

0:26 never changed that one before. Report an error in the passage at 0:26 Highlight the passage at 0:26

0:50 Yeah, I know. Report an error in the passage at 0:50 Highlight the passage at 0:50

0:57 Oh look, this one's doing it now. So this one's alright. Hello. Hi. Report an error in the passage at 0:57 Highlight the passage at 0:57

1:05 So yeah, that was it. See? I told you. She'll never live it down. We'll add that to your job description. Report an error in the passage at 1:05 Highlight the passage at 1:05

1:30 Hello. We have liftoff. Report an error in the passage at 1:30 Highlight the passage at 1:30

1:39 Do you have any of those left? Of those eight verses? Report an error in the passage at 1:39 Highlight the passage at 1:39

1:47 Because we have an extra person. No, but Saki's not here, so. Oh, okay. That's okay. Do you know where the copier is? Yeah, well why don't you guys just share for, yeah, and then on the break I'll run down and do another one. I may have just left the original down there actually, that could be what I did. Report an error in the passage at 1:47 Highlight the passage at 1:47

2:09 Wouldn't be surprised. So let's just start with a short meditation on the breath and motivation and then we'll go into the opening prayers including this new one. Report an error in the passage at 2:09 Highlight the passage at 2:09

2:22 So just check your posture, especially making sure that your spine is extended. Shoulders relaxed and back, Report an error in the passage at 2:22 Highlight the passage at 2:22

2:38 breathing relaxed and unforced, unchanged. Report an error in the passage at 2:38 Highlight the passage at 2:38

2:48 And you might also take some nice deep cleansing breaths and let go of all the conversations in the hallway as well as the conversations in your mind. Report an error in the passage at 2:48 Highlight the passage at 2:48

3:08 Imagining each in-breath is bringing fresh awareness, concentration, presence and each out-breath is dissolving all your distractions, sluggishness. Report an error in the passage at 3:08 Highlight the passage at 3:08

3:23 Anything that might keep you from being here. Report an error in the passage at 3:23 Highlight the passage at 3:23

3:40 And then we just start with a short meditation on the breath. So just find a level of the breath that you want to focus on with your mind's eye. So either the level of your abdomen as it fills and empties with each breath. Or the level of your chest as your lungs fill and empty. A Report an error in the passage at 3:40 Highlight the passage at 3:40

4:04 little patch of skin inside your nostril as Report an error in the passage at 4:04 Highlight the passage at 4:04

4:10 the air passes over it, coming in and going out. Report an error in the passage at 4:10 Highlight the passage at 4:10

4:18 Just try to focus on just the breath itself, not subduing any thoughts but not giving them any energy either. Just trying to focus your full awareness. It's almost like you are the breath. The breath isn't something separate from you. It's like you're riding the breath in and out of your body. Report an error in the passage at 4:18 Highlight the passage at 4:18

· · · silence, 1 minute

6:09 And then as your mind kind of comes to neutral, Report an error in the passage at 6:09 Highlight the passage at 6:09

6:16 just take a moment to set your motivation for tonight's class. Report an error in the passage at 6:16 Highlight the passage at 6:16

6:25 As Lama Zopa Rinpoche always says, everything exists on the tip of a wish. Our motivation is like this. It's like the arrow point, keeping our mind and our life going in the same direction. Report an error in the passage at 6:25 Highlight the passage at 6:25

6:44 So we might have this motivation to learn to work with these teachings, to bring ourselves happiness, to bring ourselves peace of mind. Report an error in the passage at 6:44 Highlight the passage at 6:44

6:57 And that's a great place to start. And then from there we sort of expand outward, knowing that Whatever happiness we have ultimately comes from others and helping others become happy is actually a sure route to our own happiness because we're all interconnected. Report an error in the passage at 6:57 Highlight the passage at 6:57

7:27 So we can do this class tonight so that we'll become more and more able to bring others happiness. Report an error in the passage at 7:27 Highlight the passage at 7:27

7:37 And by the way, as Lama Zopa also always says, we make ourselves happy that way too. Report an error in the passage at 7:37 Highlight the passage at 7:37

7:53 And then when you're ready, You can end your meditation and open your eyes and we'll start with the evening prayers. Report an error in the passage at 7:53 Highlight the passage at 7:53

8:05 So in the White Prayer Book, on page 8, Report an error in the passage at 8:05 Highlight the passage at 8:05

8:12 we'll just do this once, generating the mind of enlightenment, and then we'll read through the 8 verses. And this is going to be our root text for this class. This is a very short root text. Although you'll see it's pithy. With a wish to free all beings. I shall always go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha until I reach full enlightenment. Inspired by wisdom and compassion, today in the Buddha's presence, I generate the mind of full awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 8:12 Highlight the passage at 8:12

8:50 As long as space remains, as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain and dispel the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 8:50 Highlight the passage at 8:50

9:02 With the thought of attaining enlightenment for the welfare of all beings, who are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel, I will constantly practice holding them dear. Whenever I am with others, I will practice seeing myself as the lowest of all, and from the very depth of my heart, I will respectfully hold others as supreme. Report an error in the passage at 9:02 Highlight the passage at 9:02

9:23 In all actions, I will examine my mind, and the moment a disturbing attitude arises endangering myself and others, I will firmly confront and avert it. Whenever I meet a person of bad nature who is overwhelmed by negative energy and intense suffering, I will hold such a rare one dear as if I had found a precious treasure. Report an error in the passage at 9:23 Highlight the passage at 9:23

9:47 When others, out of jealousy, mistreat me with abuse, slander and so on, I will practice accepting defeat and offer the victory to them. When someone I have benefited and in whom I have placed great trust, hurts me very badly I will practice seeing that person as my supreme teacher short I will offer directly and indirectly every benefit and happiness to all beings my I will practice in secret taking upon myself all their harmful actions and sufferings. Without these practices being defiled by the stains of the eight worldly concerns, by perceiving all phenomena as illusory, I will practice without grasping to release all beings from the bondage of a disturbing unsubdued mind and karma. So basically the rest of the class is going to be trying to figure out what this means and how to work with it. Report an error in the passage at 9:47 Highlight the passage at 9:47

10:45 So we're going to take, we'll start with the first two verses tonight and then we're just going to take a verse or two each night. But I wanted to start with checking in and seeing how it was going with the meditations and any of the reading that you guys might be doing. See if anybody had any questions or if anybody came up with why the four preliminary topics might be the four preliminary topics for this. Report an error in the passage at 10:45 Highlight the passage at 10:45

11:13 We had meditation or contemplation a little bit more on the four things that Geshe Chekwa felt were preliminary to us even getting into the Lojong teachings. And so I was wondering if anybody had an idea on why they thought it was important for us to study karma and refuge, precious human rebirth and death and impermanence. Report an error in the passage at 11:13 Highlight the passage at 11:13

11:44 I don't have an answer. I don't know if anybody knows the true answer. I just have a supposition. Report an error in the passage at 11:44 Highlight the passage at 11:44

11:51 Any thoughts? Report an error in the passage at 11:51 Highlight the passage at 11:51

11:57 Nary a clue. Report an error in the passage at 11:57 Highlight the passage at 11:57

12:01 Calm down, not anybody at once. Report an error in the passage at 12:01 Highlight the passage at 12:01

12:05 We'll have some caffeine brought in. Jane, do you want to pass through the mic? Report an error in the passage at 12:05 Highlight the passage at 12:05

12:14 I don't think you can go wrong, you know what I mean? I don't know exactly how to explain it, but they just seem like they're foundational to this unbelievable eight verses. I mean, how can you even go there if you don't understand that we are so... We're fortunate to be here and have this precious human rebirth. We have the capacity to do that. Report an error in the passage at 12:14 Highlight the passage at 12:14

12:49 We're not here forever. And to be ready and willing to go to the Dharma as our refuge, you need all of that to even go there because this is so huge. It is. You see why I kept using that word radical, right? Yeah. It's quite radical, actually. I know that doesn't explain it, but somehow it makes sense in my mind that you need this as a foundation before you can even go there. Report an error in the passage at 12:49 Highlight the passage at 12:49

13:30 Does anyone else have any more reason why? I mean, I think you're touching on it. I think you're touching on it. Cindy, are you having a thought? I can't form the label. Mm-hmm-hmm Report an error in the passage at 13:30 Highlight the passage at 13:30

13:48 I think, yeah, I'll tell you what I think. I think it's sort of like, it's what I think you were getting at. I think it's sort of like you have to get to this point where you're willing to take a bit of a leap. And I think in order to get to that point, you have to get it that you're not going to live forever. Report an error in the passage at 13:48 Highlight the passage at 13:48

14:07 I think you have to get it that you only have this at this point. We only know we have this one opportunity. We know that we're going to come back at something, but we don't necessarily know it's going to be human with this great center with pretty good health and some interest in the Dharma. We've got a lot of things set up. You have to sort of understand, like you said, like with understanding karma, that karma is completely changeable and that we can become enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 14:07 Highlight the passage at 14:07

14:33 And getting how karma works, we can work with it. And get what we want. I mean, that's really how the law of cause and effect works. And then, you know, we have to already... Refuge is pretty advanced, actually. A lot of times people think, and it is considered the gateway of the path, but for us to get to the point where we literally are relying on the teachings, it's actually pretty advanced, you know. Report an error in the passage at 14:33 Highlight the passage at 14:33

14:56 It's not... I think it actually requires all of those three before you even get to the point where you even want to go for refuge. Because if we don't want to follow the Buddhist teachings, then we aren't going to follow them. You know, we're just going to keep collecting more information. So taking refuge is when you kind of do it, like Geshe always says, from the depth of your heart. Report an error in the passage at 14:56 Highlight the passage at 14:56

15:19 So it's already a leap. And then from that platform, then we start with these verses trying to figure out how do I live like this? This is pretty wild. And why would I want to? I mean, it's so out there. It's like you already have to be out there a little bit yourself. I think you do. I think a lot of times Buddhism is sold a little short. Report an error in the passage at 15:19 Highlight the passage at 15:19

15:51 I think it's kind of seen as a bit more comfortable. I mean, Christianity really actually was pretty radical when Christ... He presented it. He didn't say, come to church on Sundays and if you're nice, then you'll have a nice house or something like that. That wasn't his teaching at all. It was like, leave everyone and come with me. Love the worst. Every time you love the worst, you're loving me. Report an error in the passage at 15:51 Highlight the passage at 15:51

16:15 So actually, he was pretty radical too. Buddhism is a 180 from our current culture in America anyway. so... I think you're right. I mean, I think it's just like we have to get some sort of basic platform. So we can kind of pretend that we've already gotten that platform because to get to this platform actually is several years, if not more. Report an error in the passage at 16:15 Highlight the passage at 16:15

16:42 But we're going to pretend that we already have this strong refuge and this strong understanding and belief in karma and at least some gut level feeling that we don't have forever and that we have this great chance. Just pretend. And then we can go forward together and start looking at the verses. And I think that's fine because actually originally these verses, we wouldn't have even learned about them. Report an error in the passage at 16:42 Highlight the passage at 16:42

17:10 We wouldn't have been able to study with the great masters unless we not only had this platform, but actually had already generated bodhicitta that was uniquely strong, like the strongest from all of, you know, like... There's 50 disciples and we've got the strongest one, right? Because we're getting the teaching. So already we're making a leap. So not only do we have this great platform of these four, but we've already done a bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 17:10 Highlight the passage at 17:10

17:37 So we're on our way. So we've kind of already, I think the idea before we even begin to study them is just thinking that we already are like, wow, I'm going to go for it. And so there's that kind of, Feeling that when we pick up these verses and start studying them, we've already done that. So we can fake it till we make it. Which is actually what Buddhism is about all the time. Report an error in the passage at 17:37 Highlight the passage at 17:37

18:03 Tantra is like that. Tantra is totally fake it till you make it. Pretend. I mean, we use words like visualization, right? But imagine that you are already a deity. How would you live? Would you be screaming at that guy? Would you wake up in a cold sweat? Report an error in the passage at 18:03 Highlight the passage at 18:03

18:21 It's not to say that we're bad if we do, but it's just sort of like, hey, if I'm a Buddha, would I be acting like this? How would I act with enlightened conduct? That's actually one of the lines when you take bodhisattva vows, is treating everyone with enlightened conduct. What does that mean? Do I do it? Just constantly thinking like that. Report an error in the passage at 18:21 Highlight the passage at 18:21

18:39 So it's faking it till you make it. Um, so. So that's what I think. I think it's sort of getting us to that platform where we're willing to just sort of like go a little bit further out on the limb and find out what the great masters ahead of us did to become great. Because these Lojong teachings are actually sort of a, I don't want to say a shortcut, but in some ways they were. They were like a really fast track path to enlightenment, but still within the sūtra. Report an error in the passage at 18:39 Highlight the passage at 18:39

19:14 We haven't entered Tantra yet. They're sort of the radical bodhicitta teachings. Report an error in the passage at 19:14 Highlight the passage at 19:14

19:23 And up until now, the way that we tend to go through life is with these blinders of this self-absorption or self-cherishing mind. And so we'll talk a little bit more about self-cherishing mind or self-absorption. Report an error in the passage at 19:23 Highlight the passage at 19:23

19:42 And, you know, It's taught that actually every single being is motivated by this on the base level all the time. So even the people that are doing great things, like even when we do great things, until we actually not only generate genuine bodhicitta, but actually have the direct perception of emptiness, we have this underlying self-cherishing mind, like it's still there. Report an error in the passage at 19:42 Highlight the passage at 19:42

20:08 Even when we're doing good things, it's sort of like... I hope Jane notices that I'm doing this really nicely for Cindy. You know, like there's still some, and you might be irritated by it, but it's hard to cut off because it's been lifetime after lifetime after lifetime of that being a motivating factor. Report an error in the passage at 20:08 Highlight the passage at 20:08

20:26 And that's those of us who are trying to do virtue. Most of the beings on the planet are simply trying to survive or they're just trying to... You know, live their life. They're watching TV and they're wanting the new car or whatever. You know, they're wanting whatever is being advertised. So these blinders make it impossible for us to truly develop compassion and without compassion we can't develop bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 20:26 Highlight the passage at 20:26

20:52 And we can't even connect. We can't even really truly connect. Because Cedric's trying to tell me the story of his problem and I'm just like, he's going on a long time. I've got to go to bed. I've got to get up early in the morning. You know, again, that mind of, Taking care of number one is kicking in. And even though I'm trying really hard to be present with them, it's kind of like, I'm hungry, you know, I wish we would just shut up a little. Report an error in the passage at 20:52 Highlight the passage at 20:52

21:16 And that's how it works. It's not like it flashes up in neon, self-cherishing mind. It's like just the self starts coming into our mind and starts pushing his needs and his problems out. So I can't really hear him. And they say that that's our underlying, sort of the underlying... motivation all the time so even no matter what kind of actions we're Even if I kill somebody, it's coming from this mind of trying to take care of myself, trying to make myself happy. Report an error in the passage at 21:16 Highlight the passage at 21:16

21:57 even if I, you know, Shoot up or whatever. I'm trying to keep this mind happy. I'm trying to be happy. I'm not doing a good job of it, but that's what that motivating force is. It's this constantly 24-7 desire to take care of me at all costs. And the more pronounced it is, actually, the more destructive you are. Report an error in the passage at 21:57 Highlight the passage at 21:57

22:19 Because then you can't see anybody, right? But it may just start with, you know, just... Grabbing the last of the cake or something, even though I know Jane's running down the stairs to get some of you. It's large and small. It's everything from the last of the cake to shooting somebody. And everything in between. It's all motivated by this self-cherishing thought. Report an error in the passage at 22:19 Highlight the passage at 22:19

22:47 And the thing that's interesting is that the great masters, the great practitioners say, like I mentioned in the motivation, The actual way that we gain lasting contentment and happiness is actually caring for others, which we never think is going to be the case. But when you think about, that's why I kind of have tried to encourage you to think about times that you've put yourself aside and cared for others for whatever, whether it was caring for a sick child or whether it was a dying friend or somebody giving birth. Report an error in the passage at 22:47 Highlight the passage at 22:47

23:21 I used to be a midwifery student, and you do, you have to put aside your whole life because nobody's going to time that baby. That baby's coming when it's going to come. But when you have those experiences, you get some feeling of how actually putting aside your needs makes you really high. It's like you really feel happy. Even when you've helped somebody die, and it's hard to explain that to somebody, how it can feel really good. Report an error in the passage at 23:21 Highlight the passage at 23:21

23:50 To help somebody have a good transition. But it does. Because what you've done is, that's the ultimate gift. I mean, man, I want somebody with me. You know, I want somebody there to help me through that. And so it's actually like this incredible happiness for just having put that self-cherishing mind aside. Of course you're thinking about what you're going to eat during the night and stuff. Report an error in the passage at 23:50 Highlight the passage at 23:50

24:12 I mean, it's still there. You might need a nap or something. Because we can't cut it off completely, but it is amazing how cherishing others actually can bring us happiness. It's a surprise. I mean, who is it? His Holiness always says it's being wisely selfish. You know, being wisely selfish is actually taking care of others. Report an error in the passage at 24:12 Highlight the passage at 24:12

24:38 I can see why we stopped using this mic. Poor Geshe-la, it's like falling off of his ear all night. so This is sort of our big enemy, this mind of self-absorption or self-cherishing. And this comes up throughout these verses, you know, this self-cherishing mind. When you do the meditations to develop bodhicitta, for example, when you guys who did the bodhicitta class... Report an error in the passage at 24:38 Highlight the passage at 24:38

25:14 You did one that's called Exchange Yourself for Others, right? Where you ended up with Tonglen. We'll do Tonglen meditation in here and some of you may be familiar with it. And the whole goal of Tonglen meditation, although you are developing compassion and bodhicitta, the way you do it is to get this self-cherishing mind, this I'm only going to take care of me, me, me, me, me, me, me mind. Report an error in the passage at 25:14 Highlight the passage at 25:14

25:37 Because all it does is just keep us really tiny, limited. limited, um, and, Report an error in the passage at 25:37 Highlight the passage at 25:37

25:46 contracted rather than expansive. It's like the opposite of what we want to be. Report an error in the passage at 25:46 Highlight the passage at 25:46

25:54 So the first Report an error in the passage at 25:54 Highlight the passage at 25:54

26:18 verse, with the thought of attaining enlightenment. stick it up so it catches my attention. Report an error in the passage at 26:18 Highlight the passage at 26:18

26:21 For the welfare of all beings who are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel and will constantly practice holding them dear. You see a lot of different translations of this text. We're working with a particular one that was actually a first translation by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. He's since changed it, but I love this one, so you guys get this one. Report an error in the passage at 26:21 Highlight the passage at 26:21

26:42 I'll also give you another translation a little later, too. I always think it's useful to see different translations because people have different... You resonate differently with different translations. And you gain something, I think, out of each translation. Until we can translate it ourselves, we're kind of stuck with it going through somebody else's mind. Report an error in the passage at 26:42 Highlight the passage at 26:42

27:03 And so it's sort of the one that makes the most sense to us. So it begins with this idea, the thought of attaining enlightenment. So that's bodhicitta. The thought of attaining enlightenment for the welfare of all beings is a definition of bodhicitta. This is developing this mind that says, I am going to become a Buddha because it's the best tool for me to be able to help every being, without exception. Report an error in the passage at 27:03 Highlight the passage at 27:03

27:29 Not just the ones I like. So it's assuming, so here we go, we're starting out assuming that this is already the motivation for our life. We have to already, we're starting with that. That's the very first line in the text. So this is assuming that we've already meditated on bodhicitta and we've already attained at least some level of aspiring bodhicitta. At least we are interested in the idea and at least we think there's some possibility that we can become a Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 27:29 Highlight the passage at 27:29

28:00 So that's what it's assuming already in that very first verse. Although loads of people read this verse without realizing that that's what it's saying. So why are other Sinti beings so precious to us? Report an error in the passage at 28:00 Highlight the passage at 28:00

28:14 This gets into this whole idea that actually our happiness depends on others, which goes completely against this American idea that we create our own happiness, we're independent, everything we get comes from me. I worked for this, so I got this car and this house. The Buddha actually taught, no, actually everything, all of our spiritual, All of our qualities, period, and all of our spiritual progress and everything depends upon others. And the reasoning is threefold, actually. Report an error in the passage at 28:14 Highlight the passage at 28:14

28:54 One is that it's based upon this bodhicitta motivation, and bodhicitta motivation is totally dependent upon others, right? A bodhicitta motivation means... I want to become a Buddha so that I can benefit all living beings. If there weren't all living beings, then you wouldn't become a Buddha, you wouldn't have the wish. Report an error in the passage at 28:54 Highlight the passage at 28:54

29:19 Like none of that would make any sense. And you're doing it on the basis of all living beings. You're not leaving a single one out. So our becoming enlightened, our spiritual path. Period is dependent upon this wish, and so this wish is based on all beings. Report an error in the passage at 29:19 Highlight the passage at 29:19

29:44 It's dependent upon others that allows us to increase the good works or the virtues that we create on the path. We have to have an object. Like, for example, in order to practice Dharma, period, we have to have an object. If we want to practice generosity, we have to have somebody to give something to. Report an error in the passage at 29:44 Highlight the passage at 29:44

30:08 If we want to practice ethics, we have to have somebody that we at least refrain from harming if we don't help them. At least we have to have an object that, you know, if we want to practice patience, if we were going to get angry, we would have to have somebody that we were going to get angry at and then decided, no, I'm not going to get angry at this person because I want to practice patience. Report an error in the passage at 30:08 Highlight the passage at 30:08

30:29 So there has to be another human or another, I should say, another sentient being. It could be an animal. I suppose if you have clairvoyance it could be a spirit or something like that too. Report an error in the passage at 30:29 Highlight the passage at 30:29

30:40 So we need others. And then based on these things, karmically speaking, these are the basis practicing the virtue in a past life allows us to have, for example, if we practice giving it allows us to have abundance in this life. If we practice ethics it actually allows us to have They say that it creates a beautiful human body. It creates beauty. I'm sorry, it actually creates a human body, period. Report an error in the passage at 30:40 Highlight the passage at 30:40

31:15 The patience is actually what creates the beauty or the handsomeness, the attractiveness of our person that makes... Others draw unto us, which is useful if you want to teach, if you want to reach people, to not have a really ugly demeanor. It always sounds kind of funny, but when you think about it, it's not like His Holiness is classically handsome, but there's something incredibly beautiful about Him, right? Report an error in the passage at 31:15 Highlight the passage at 31:15

31:43 And they say that that's from past practice of patience. Report an error in the passage at 31:43 Highlight the passage at 31:43

31:49 And it's independence upon others that we actually are able to achieve high levels of attainment all the way to Buddhahood. And again, I think this comes down to our motivation, having this bodhicitta motivation. So the high levels of attainment are us going through the various stages of the levels of bodhisattva, levels of calm abiding, all of our practice because it's based on this bodhicitta motivation. Report an error in the passage at 31:49 Highlight the passage at 31:49

32:18 Liberation and enlightenment, period, isn't possible without other sentient beings because we need them to practice and we also need them to fulfill our wish to become a Buddha for their sake. It's sort of this catch-22 or interconnection-22. Report an error in the passage at 32:18 Highlight the passage at 32:18

32:38 But also, I mean, I don't know how much time anyone's ever spent thinking about it, but just in a mundane level, Other beings are kind to us and that's how we get everything that we need and everything that we use. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is always talking about how if you just stopped and thought about, you just stop and think about what went into the making of this tea. Report an error in the passage at 32:38 Highlight the passage at 32:38

33:03 And he'll often just spend like an hour talking about everything that went into the tea and the tea plant itself and the place where it was. know um Report an error in the passage at 33:03 Highlight the passage at 33:03

33:13 The ground was cleared and all the beings that were killed in the clearing of the ground and then the tea was planted and the people that worked there and how hard that work is actually. Report an error in the passage at 33:13 Highlight the passage at 33:13

33:25 Plant and harvest tea and dry the tea and then the people that took the tea to the market and then the people that prepared the tea and the packaging for the tea. And all of this is still on the tea, right? We haven't gotten to anything else that I've happened to put in the tea. And all the people involved with shipping the tea here into this country. Report an error in the passage at 33:25 Highlight the passage at 33:25

33:46 And then once it gets here, it might be separated into different batches, the really high quality, medium quality and the lower quality teas. Of course, it would only have the high. And then I add soy milk to mine, which is much more complicated than regular milk. But either way, there are beings involved, the people who grow the soybeans and then harvest the soybeans and then put that together. Report an error in the passage at 33:46 Highlight the passage at 33:46

34:10 And there's actually quite a few ingredients within soy milk alone. Or you can have the real milk and you have the cows that were involved and how somebody came and took their milk and bottled it. I pasteurized it and took it to market. And then the sweetener that I used, I think I used sugar this time. So then you have the sugar plantations and all the people that work there and the beings that were killed in the making of it because there always are beings killed in the making of everything because there's so many insects. Report an error in the passage at 34:10 Highlight the passage at 34:10

34:43 And all of this just went in for me to have this cup of tea and this is probably like my sixth cup of tea today. And that's not even thinking about. The people in our kitchen who cleaned the cups, put them away for me, bought the cup, you know, the people who filled the water urn, the people who take care so that we even have water in this city, like all the beings that get killed with us to even have water in the city and have that be purified and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 34:43 Highlight the passage at 34:43

35:15 So you can really go on and on forever and it's all, it just gets... The interconnection between all of those beings gets huger and huger and you just realize how incredibly kind all these beings are so that I can have this cup of tea, which I'm not going to drink. Report an error in the passage at 35:15 Highlight the passage at 35:15

35:32 That tastes so amazing. And you can do that with a sandwich. You can think about all the beings that went into your sandwich, all the beings that went into your doll, you know, whatever it is that you're eating or want to eat, your coffee, you could do the same thing. Report an error in the passage at 35:32 Highlight the passage at 35:32

35:51 And it just, it's mind-boggling, actually. It's just, it's a really, really powerful meditation to do. And that's just with your food. You could also do it with your clothing. You know, you think about all that went into these clothes that I have on, which I've had this set of robes. For many years, but they originally came from Nepal, and so the cotton was grown, the people grew the cotton, then it was dyed, and I'm sure it was like some sort of a plant dye that went into it, and the people that had to make the dye and package the dye, and the people that made the thing, you know, you can go on forever, the people that made the thread that went into it and cut it, and I'm sure it was like sort of a small little... Report an error in the passage at 35:51 Highlight the passage at 35:51

36:39 Factory on the corner of Bodineff Square, you know, where the tailor would cut it all and put it all together. Maybe it was some monk at Copan, I don't know. Report an error in the passage at 36:39 Highlight the passage at 36:39

36:49 All just so that I could have this set of robes, you know. And you can do that with every level. And I didn't even mention my socks, which probably came from some place with about 4,000 people involved in the making of them. it's It's mind-boggling, actually. And that's true for every single thing. I mean, think about women involved in this box of Kleenex you can do with everything that was involved in the making of this table or this room. Report an error in the passage at 36:49 Highlight the passage at 36:49

37:17 The people that were involved in the making of this house were long since gone, but there's no reason not to be grateful to them, you know. Days and months and years, probably, in the making of this house. All the things in this house and all the places where they all came from, the artists involved and the people who made the fabric again at the level of the cloth and the thread and so forth, and the people who brought them to us, like Venerable Mullum and Stephen Butler and all. Report an error in the passage at 37:17 Highlight the passage at 37:17

37:46 So it's just, you can go on and on and on forever. And that's, all it is simply doing is simply opening your mind to... How every single thing that you use for your sustenance or for your entertainment or for your education or for your spiritual practice, for your work, driving, think of other people involved in your driving, whether it's your car, your bike, the bus, you know, and not even just currently living, but some of the people who may have already passed, who built the road or the bridge or whatever that you pass over. Report an error in the passage at 37:46 Highlight the passage at 37:46

38:29 And so it's this enormous net of all of these living beings who we develop this sort of feeling of gratitude for. And the reason this is one of the meditations that you do to develop bodhicitta is you develop this mind where you just feel incredibly grateful to those beings. And of course, then you're more willing to work for them, right? If you're feeling really... Report an error in the passage at 38:29 Highlight the passage at 38:29

38:57 This mind and this heart of like, wow, thanks guys, you know. Then it's like you're connected, you realize that connection, you feel that connection and of course you want their happiness. They're all like they're slaving away for you to have your cup of tea and wear your clothes, you know. So it's like it begins to narrow. Report an error in the passage at 38:57 Highlight the passage at 38:57

39:19 The world for you, you begin to think of the world as a much smaller place than we tend to think of it. We tend to think of it as sort of huge and disconnected. But the reality is actually that we're all completely connected all the time. Report an error in the passage at 39:19 Highlight the passage at 39:19

39:39 And then you think about on your spiritual path, all the... um... Report an error in the passage at 39:39 Highlight the passage at 39:39

39:43 Teachers that you connect with, you know, great and small and all the people who have spent their entire lifetimes actually at this point translating these texts for us, more and more and more and more each day actually. Report an error in the passage at 39:43 Highlight the passage at 39:43

39:58 Sometimes annoyingly so, changing translations. All the people that are involved just keeping this center going, you know, which is really hundreds, literally hundreds of people. Giving either body, sweat, tears money to keep this center going or supporting the teachers of the monastics or so forth. Keeping us going. And then again all the people that have given us the beautiful things that inspire our minds that are here too. So I mean everything that we have and we use or we eat or we... Report an error in the passage at 39:58 Highlight the passage at 39:58

40:41 use for entertainment or for communications or anything all comes through the kindness of others. The term all sentient beings tends to sound really kind of dreamy and romantic and there's a way that it is that in terms of the fact that if we say all living beings without exception it's almost like so big and dreamy and romantic that it's easier to keep it at that place. Report an error in the passage at 40:41 Highlight the passage at 40:41

41:08 But the reality is that it's both large and small. It's you guys all two to each other, you know. So if the person next to you is kind of annoying and kind of like, you know, slapping their hand or something or the guy next to you at work is on the phone all the time, that's your sentient being, you know. Report an error in the passage at 41:08 Highlight the passage at 41:08

41:25 So it's like at that level too. It's this vast level of interconnection and then it's also the person behind you on the bus who's singing under their breath, you know. And like all those people that, you know, you're a housemate. Or your neighbor who keeps complaining about your dog. So it's like the people that you love all dreamy-eyed and it's also the people that totally irritate you on a daily basis. Report an error in the passage at 41:25 Highlight the passage at 41:25

41:53 Those are your personal sentient beings. So that term sentient being simply means anything with a mind. So it's anything with a mind. It's almost more than we can imagine. Report an error in the passage at 41:53 Highlight the passage at 41:53

42:08 It's good to also bring it home to our personal sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 42:08 Highlight the passage at 42:08

42:17 Because I think otherwise if we leave it at that kind of large, dreamy place, that's when you have the situation where you have these really powerful meditations on bodhicitta and then you go out and yell at the cab driver. Report an error in the passage at 42:17 Highlight the passage at 42:17

42:29 You have a great retreat and then you come home and scream at your wife or something. And this kind of thing happens all the time. People seeing... The Dharma experience is something separate from everyday life. And it is everyday life, actually. So we have to just train our minds to remember who all sentient beings are and how precious they are to us. Report an error in the passage at 42:29 Highlight the passage at 42:29

42:59 Because it's that guy who sits behind you and sings to himself. I actually had this experience once, riding on a Greyhound bus. From Los Angeles. I finally got off in Nashville. I wasn't in Chokyi, but I couldn't stand it any longer. He sang the same, like, three bars for three days and nights. Three very, very long days and nights. I wasn't a Buddhist at the time, but I finally got off in Nashville because I had family nearby, and I was just like, you have to please take me in for at least a night. Report an error in the passage at 42:59 Highlight the passage at 42:59

43:32 I need to just let that bus go. LAUGHTER Those are the sentient beings that can help us develop patience. And without patience, we can't become enlightened. So if we get to the point where we actually want to become enlightened, we begin to value those beings more and more. And at first it's kind of funny. You can kind of say it in a kind of funny manner, but the reality is it's true. We actually do want to develop, you know, compassion. Report an error in the passage at 43:32 Highlight the passage at 43:32

43:59 We do want to develop patience. And so when these different, you know, Venerable Chosang used to actually say, she used to call people special cases. When special cases show up, then why not remember this and go, oh yeah, I want to develop patience and compassion. So this person is important to me. This person does matter to me. This is my sentient being. Okay, my sentient being just showed up. Cindy, do you want to pass, Cindy, without encircling Cedric? Report an error in the passage at 43:59 Highlight the passage at 43:59

44:38 That incident on the Greyhound bus, what would you do now? Report an error in the passage at 44:38 Highlight the passage at 44:38

44:46 Probably do as much. I think I'd probably, yeah, I think the answer is, well, I would work with it for sure. I think then I just tried to make it go away in my mind. You know, I played music and, you know, I had a little Walkman and all that. That was quite many years ago. Report an error in the passage at 44:46 Highlight the passage at 44:46

45:03 I might have even tried to change seats and things like that. I don't... I think now I would do the best I could to work with it and to remember and to maybe do prayers or something like that for that person. But there's also a limit as to how much you can do and I think it's okay for you to know what your limit is too. Report an error in the passage at 45:03 Highlight the passage at 45:03

45:23 I think that that's okay. We had a case recently where there's a really, not inherently from our own side, but there is definitely a special case living here. And it was not living in terms of a regular resident, but she was a guest. And I made the determination that I was going to just go out of my way each day to be kind and to do something, but I wasn't going to do it for 24 hours a day. Report an error in the passage at 45:23 Highlight the passage at 45:23

45:52 I knew kind of how much I could do, and that I would push that, and I would try to push what I thought was my limit, so I'd push through, but I wasn't going to do it for like, I'm not a saint, you know, so I wasn't going to like push it to the point. For one thing, I don't think... One thing, I didn't have the time, unfortunately, because I work a lot. But the other thing is I didn't want it to get to the point where I lost my temper or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 45:52 Highlight the passage at 45:52

46:16 So I wanted to push it enough so that I was applying my practice, but not so far where I did anything I regretted. So I kind of just set my own boundaries, and that was kind of what I vowed to do each day, and that's kind of the way I did it. Report an error in the passage at 46:16 Highlight the passage at 46:16

46:36 Okay, so if... But you probably get like 25 different answers if you ask 25 different people. If, let's say, approach a person and say, you know, you whistle beautifully, but it's been, you know, you've done it so many times. I mean, you know... Oh, like, is it okay to try to change? He had been drinking, so I don't know that I would necessarily... Yeah, and in fact, he was constantly drinking through that period. Report an error in the passage at 46:36 Highlight the passage at 46:36

47:01 So I didn't feel so much like I could have a negotiation session with him. As a single woman, I think that felt a little funny. But, I mean, yeah, I mean, yeah, it's totally fine to try to, if it seems like the person might be open, he might not have even noticed, like if he was on the bus or something, he might not even notice that he's doing it, and so then that's different. Report an error in the passage at 47:01 Highlight the passage at 47:01

47:20 Or if it's a friend even who's doing it who can also be annoying, you could probably say, you know. I don't know if you know. that you're singing under your breath that's it you know you might bring it up in some nice way yeah that would be possible in this case the guy was drinking so i don't know if i would have taken him I think it's totally fine to change a situation. Report an error in the passage at 47:20 Highlight the passage at 47:20

47:52 Yeah, because karma, it was my karma that he sat behind me. But that's not fate. And that's a really important difference to point out. Karma is not fate. Karma is totally changeable. I might not be able to change it in the moment. You know, depending on how strong that karma is, I can change how I respond to it. And if I can keep anger from arising, then I can shift it a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 47:52 Highlight the passage at 47:52

48:18 So how I react to it will determine sort of where that karma goes from here. but there's nothing about it Any of the teachings on karma that say lie down and be a doormat at all. And so that's really important. Because I think in the West, the idea of karma and destiny and fate are all kind of a little mixed up. Report an error in the passage at 48:18 Highlight the passage at 48:18

48:38 And the teachings on karma, to me, feel really clear that it's like, I created the causes to have this annoying guy behind me, but that doesn't mean that I can't try to do something to change it. Report an error in the passage at 48:38 Highlight the passage at 48:38

48:52 And I might not be successful, and then I have to just work on my mind. Because that's the one thing I can work on, right? I mean, that's definitely I can work on my mind. How do I respond to it? But I can also try to physically change it. If me moving to another seat or talking to him or something like that might change it, then there's nothing, no problem. Report an error in the passage at 48:52 Highlight the passage at 48:52

49:10 I actually had an email from a student this week talking about a case of harassment and wanting to know if it was okay for her to do something about this harassment or if it was her karma. And I said, absolutely, go for it. There's nothing that says lie down and take it like a dog. Not at all. You get where it comes from, so you're seeing it with wisdom, and then you're doing everything in your power to change it. Global warming is our particular karma right now. Report an error in the passage at 49:10 Highlight the passage at 49:10

49:43 We have this collective karma, but that doesn't mean we don't change it. So we've got to do everything in our power to change it. I think Gina had a question or a comment. Report an error in the passage at 49:43 Highlight the passage at 49:43

49:55 Usually is, right? No, not for you. I mean, everybody. It's okay. Yeah, I think it's helpful, even though we're just kind of dipping a toe in and starting with the first verse, to hear something like that because, I mean, I've heard that in some of your other classes and lectures too, that, you know, taking a Buddhist approach or trying to focus on... Report an error in the passage at 49:55 Highlight the passage at 49:55

50:16 The well-being of others is not about being a doormat and it's not about being passive. But I think I also have to try to learn this with an open mind because, especially from some of the readings when they were talking about the self-cherishing eye and self-absorption, to me, it's so ingrained in how I operate that I don't even think of it as... Report an error in the passage at 50:16 Highlight the passage at 50:16

50:41 Something I'm doing, I think it's just by design, it's just how things are. So I can recognize that that's not the approach we're taking and that's not what I'm trying to learn. But I find it very interesting that even in looking at the verses or in some of the readings, that my reaction is also so automatic and so Western and so American to say, well... Report an error in the passage at 50:41 Highlight the passage at 50:41

51:03 That can't be right because that means that they win. That can't be right because that means that I'm putting someone else above me and it also ties into a little bit of what you were saying before. When it's people you like, it's much easier to do some of these things, but when it's people that you don't think deserve it or that you don't like it. So it's just really bringing a lot to mind for me of how deeply ingrained that kind of... Report an error in the passage at 51:03 Highlight the passage at 51:03

51:31 negative approach is for me. So I think it's going to be really interesting to see how I learn this and to try to be open-minded about Yeah, because you can see now why I took a couple of classes before I even got into it, right? I mean, a lot of times people are kind of like, well, you know, will she shut up? Report an error in the passage at 51:31 Highlight the passage at 51:31

51:47 Can we just get started? But I really feel like our first reaction, if we read these verses the very first night, you know, some people might not have returned. Because it really is a radical thought. And it's very important for us to remember that it's not saying that we have to be a doormat. It's not saying that we have no further choices. In fact, this is a huge choice. We're deciding, if we so decide, we're deciding that I want to become a Buddha and I want to get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 51:47 Highlight the passage at 51:47

52:21 And so the way I get enlightened is by... Getting rid of this very mind that has convinced me that it's my closest friend, which is self-cherishing mind. There's this almost like a fear of getting rid of that self-cherishing mind. And that comes up. You'll definitely face that a lot in this class because it's like... Report an error in the passage at 52:21 Highlight the passage at 52:21

52:40 For lifetime after lifetime after lifetime, this mind has convinced us that if you don't listen to me and if you don't work for me, basically. How dare you insult me? Yeah, because I'm the one who protects you if somebody puts you down. I'm the one who stands up for your honor. You know, I'm the one that, you know, gets you the job or I'm the one that, you know, gets you that tax return. You know, whatever it is. It's very what about me. Report an error in the passage at 52:40 Highlight the passage at 52:40

53:07 It's very what about me. Yeah. And it also kind of reminded me of your earlier question about the four meditations to kind of do as the fundamentals before you start thinking about this. And it kind of reminds me of karma in the sense that if you don't study it. and apply it you don't get it and it can sound very you know la-di-da and lofty and vague and greeting cardish yeah yeah but to me those four i like that greeting cardish it sounds so sweet and lovely and that's just not me In terms of the four different meditations from last week, what it brought out for me is that I think that Those are specific areas where it's very clear that a Buddhist approach is very different from the Judeo-Christian approach that at least I was raised with. Report an error in the passage at 53:07 Highlight the passage at 53:07

53:56 And so I can understand why those would be the fundamentals to get here because if you're not in that type of conversation, then this, like I said, it just seems like fluff. Or inflammatory one or the other. Yeah. No, it's very, very true. It's very, very true. That's a good point. Anybody else? Anybody else have? Mary? Well, I would just like to add that as I'm paying attention, it feels like that dismantling of the ego, and it's a little disconcerting because if you've kind of operated so much in that way, then... Report an error in the passage at 53:56 Highlight the passage at 53:56

54:40 And we all have, not just for this life, but for many, many lifetimes. It's kind of a really lost feeling because it's like, well, who am I? And that's the thing that we have to keep reminding ourselves is that that self-cherishing mind is not me. It's simply an attitude that I've used as an armor and that actually has limited what I'm capable of. Report an error in the passage at 54:40 Highlight the passage at 54:40

55:01 I mean, this is what the great teachers are telling us, that as long as we hide behind this self-cherishing mind, we can't have this mind of bodhicitta. We can't open our hearts in this way. But it is disconcerting and it is a little uncomfortable. And that's, you know. Report an error in the passage at 55:01 Highlight the passage at 55:01

55:20 I know what we've done in the bodhicitta class. We did the friend, stranger, neutral. And when you really start paying attention to that, it's like really mind-boggling. I mean, in my personal experience of like, you know. Describe, describe what, because I know you guys had like a homework assignment, right, where you had to go out and. Right, or you make, or you just want. Report an error in the passage at 55:20 Highlight the passage at 55:20

55:41 But just describe, describe it because those people who didn't, haven't done that meditation before. So what were you looking for in yourself, in your mind? Well, it was like to watch for. What you had an attraction to, what you had an aversion to, and then what was neutral. In terms of people? In terms of people. So it was like, go sit in a cafe and just observe your mind and your reactions and responses. Report an error in the passage at 55:41 Highlight the passage at 55:41

56:03 And, you know, I kind of like to think of myself as... pretty open-minded and all of a sudden you when you really really observe your mind you're going or I'm really observing my mind oh I'm going like wow I'm really making a lot of judgments here yeah I remember having this one interaction where, you know, I was kind of actually... Report an error in the passage at 56:03 Highlight the passage at 56:03

56:28 being sort of friendly towards someone and then they just kind of seemed a little standoffish and then I thought well then I saw my mind make up this whole story oh they don't like me they don't like women or whatever and then I heard a story that they were having a difficult problem right right yeah That's the blinders. That's the blinders. It wasn't all about me. I know. Isn't that interesting? Report an error in the passage at 56:28 Highlight the passage at 56:28

56:51 They had something personal going on in their lives. And then the interesting thing, I know kind of... Going off a tangent here. But then I ran into him again, but I found myself still being a bit guarded, which was really interesting to me. Even though I knew that it really wasn't about me and they had this whole separate thing going on, I found myself just being a little guarded because I was afraid of being rejected. Report an error in the passage at 56:51 Highlight the passage at 56:51

57:15 Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it was still somehow labeled rejection in your mind. Yeah. It's very interesting and that really shows how it keeps us from connecting with each other, you know, because it's like... my mind make this whole story about this person. I know, and we do that all the time. The thing that this is just simply doing is just shining a spotlight on it. It's not like it's making it any worse. Report an error in the passage at 57:15 Highlight the passage at 57:15

57:40 There's this tricky period which probably lasts about, actually probably seven lifetimes, but it probably lasts a chunk of years from the time that you begin working with the Buddhist teachings in depth, like really engaging with them. Report an error in the passage at 57:40 Highlight the passage at 57:40

57:55 And so you're just simply bringing this awareness to all your crap. It's really uncomfortable. And it's horrible, actually, really for a long time. I mean, you do see improvements, but, you know, I'm a nun. And I'm, like, judging people. Or I'm getting wounded. You know, like, all those things again. And all it is is, like, somebody, like... Report an error in the passage at 57:55 Highlight the passage at 57:55

58:16 You know, lost your job. And I'm just like, you know, I mean, you just go into it because we're human and we have, you know, flawed minds. I mean, that's the thing. We have flawed perceptions of reality is what it gets down to. And we base it all on this self-cherishing mind. And that's really what it comes into. I think it's really important not to judge yourself. To be kind. I know, because then you get discouraged and you're going to get up the whole thing. It's like, no, no, no. Report an error in the passage at 58:16 Highlight the passage at 58:16

58:42 It's kind of like, I'm not going to get this, especially with Report an error in the passage at 58:42 Highlight the passage at 58:42

58:47 how pervasive it is. I know, yeah, yeah. That's why in all the great texts they use these incredibly, and actually it's almost like overwhelming, these war-like terms, you know, because it's like, that's your enemy. That's your enemy. And that's, you know, we always look outside of ourselves for these, you know, who's causing my problems for me, and it's always coming down to this self-cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 58:47 Highlight the passage at 58:47

59:12 And it's just this, I mean it's almost like you personify this self-cherishing mind, but the reality is it's just this filter that we just see everything through. It's not even properly defined as a delusion in and of itself. It's like this filter that we... All of our delusions have come up around, like I'm not going to get mad at you unless I see something perceived threat to me, right? So there's always this thought of me, me, me, me, me, and that's just my overall filter all the time. Report an error in the passage at 59:12 Highlight the passage at 59:12

59:42 And then all the other crap that arises is almost based in that. But yeah, you have to see it before you realize there's even some problem there. And if you don't see it, then... Then you don't realize there's any kind of problem. Then you don't realize that there might be some other way of being. So it's like you have to be patient through this process of digging through the crap. Report an error in the passage at 59:42 Highlight the passage at 59:42

1:00:08 I don't know how to phrase that, but it's like, yeah, it's a discomfort zone. It's like entering a discomfort zone. Well, it's like Dharma, it certainly stirs things up. It does. That's why I keep saying the thing. I think there's this... Misperception out there that Buddhism is to make us feel all calm and happy and peaceful all the time. And it's not. It's hard work. Yeah, I know. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:08 Highlight the passage at 1:00:08

1:00:30 It's really hard work. I remember actually one time somebody asked a question to Venmo Rinne about meditation. And I'll give you guys a break actually. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:30 Highlight the passage at 1:00:30

1:00:41 And they said something about how, you know, what if you were doing concentration meditation and like all the time went really fast. He said, then you're probably not doing concentration. He said, if you're really doing concentration meditation, it's really hard work. Like, you're really aware of the time. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:41 Highlight the passage at 1:00:41

1:01:02 And you kind of are like that for a long time. Like, there's a long time before it becomes blissful. And that's kind of the way it is. It's like you kind of are taking these steps and you have to, Geshe-Lo was saying last night, you have to take steps in order. You can't try to bypass the hard work and get to the... Report an error in the passage at 1:01:02 Highlight the passage at 1:01:02

1:01:19 The gooey stuff in the middle, like we can't go straight for the cream puff, you know. We have to kind of slog through the stuff first. Because it's sort of seeing this, we realize that's a form of suffering. And we're doing it to ourselves. But if we don't see that as a form of suffering, how can we see it in everybody else and want to help them? Report an error in the passage at 1:01:19 Highlight the passage at 1:01:19

1:01:42 This filter that we constantly are working with, this self-cherishing mind, it's actually a form of suffering. And we create it ourselves and we actually strengthen it ourselves. But until we recognize that there's any problem with that, we have no desire to get rid of it. At this point, it's convinced us. Even after this class, watch it tonight. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:42 Highlight the passage at 1:01:42

1:02:01 Actually, Lama Zopa Rinpoche once said to start it, it's a do-a-journal of all the time self-cherishing mind rears its head. Well, you wouldn't have time to do anything. You wouldn't have time to go to work. I mean, you must be thinking that you have, it must be in retreat or something. A self-charging mind retreat. No, that's an idea. Where you are just simply noting how often it arises and it's constant. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:01 Highlight the passage at 1:02:01

1:02:23 Like you get off of the cushion and you're immediately thinking, I'm going to have some tea. Like it just immediately just rears its ugly head, you know, or there's some loud sound and you immediately are protecting yourself. You know, like there's just... Throughout the moments of every day, you're just constantly this self-cherishing mind. It's just a habit. It's a mental habit. And we've just gotten used to it. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:23 Highlight the passage at 1:02:23

1:02:45 At this point, we aren't truly convinced. Even though I see heads nodding, we aren't truly convinced that it's a problem. We aren't truly convinced it's a problem. We're open to the idea. So anyway, why don't you guys take a little break and go feed that self-cherishing mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:45 Highlight the passage at 1:02:45

1:03:08 And then come back. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:08 Highlight the passage at 1:03:08

1:03:21 Who are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel, which is the final, well actually the final line is I will always practice holding them dear, or constantly practice holding them dear. Second to the last line is who are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel. You hear this a lot in Tibetan Buddhism. There's always this reference to this. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:21 Highlight the passage at 1:03:21

1:03:43 Mythical, wish-fulfilling jewel. It's a lot like Aladdin's lamp. It's sort of like this thing that will bring you all this worldly happiness. If you own this, which you have to have karma to get anyway. So they kind of work with karma on this guy. But you have to have it. And once you have it, it'll bring you everything you could possibly want. But only on a worldly basis. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:43 Highlight the passage at 1:03:43

1:04:06 It's not going to bring you enlightenment or generation of bodhicitta or direct perception of emptiness. But it might bring you a really nice house to do it all, or something like that. So they always are referring to this, and in this case they're saying that other beings are being compared to this gem. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:06 Highlight the passage at 1:04:06

1:04:30 In other words, that all other beings are more precious to us than this amazing thing, because this wish-or-filling gem stops with our happiness of this life. You know we might be able to get like amazing clothing or amazing house or amazing car or like a really great dinner or something like that out of this wish-fulfilling jewel or a bunch of riches or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:30 Highlight the passage at 1:04:30

1:04:56 But we aren't going to be able to get enlightenment and sentient beings actually allow us to get enlightened. So they are more precious to us than a wish-fulfilling jewel. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:56 Highlight the passage at 1:04:56

1:05:08 And of course they just bring us happiness. this along the way. And then it ends with, I will constantly practice holding them dear. And this is the mind training bit. This is where we're deciding, okay, I'm making this determination through familiarizing myself with this idea that I rely on these sentient beings not only for my happiness or for my simple cup of tea or for my sandwich or my clothes or my computer. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:08 Highlight the passage at 1:05:08

1:05:38 I actually rely on them. For all of the realizations on the path and enlightenment itself. And so I will practice, I will constantly practice holding them dear is like remembering that. And boy is that hard. And it's not just when they're being really nice to you. You know, it's all beings and it's this constant determination. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:38 Highlight the passage at 1:05:38

1:06:06 I mean this is why His Holiness reads these eight verses every morning. Because it's this constant reminder of like, oh yeah, these beings are precious to me. And it's at the exact moment when you don't want to remember it. That's why these things are great to memorize. It'll come back and haunt you. The third verse is my absolute favorite. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:06 Highlight the passage at 1:06:06

1:06:29 And sometimes if I don't have time to read the whole eight verses, I'll just read the third verse. And it's... was Report an error in the passage at 1:06:29 Highlight the passage at 1:06:29

1:06:33 It'll just come back in your own voice to haunt you at the exact moment that you're not doing it. Which is actually better than the voice of Charlton Heston or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:33 Highlight the passage at 1:06:33

1:06:45 It's like your own voice. I mean, this happens more and more as I teach too. As I tell you guys, I'm like, oh yeah. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:45 Highlight the passage at 1:06:45

1:06:55 So it's not saying this is going to be easy. It's just saying... This is your reasoning and then you familiarize your mind with the reasoning and then you make this determination to try to remember why they're precious to you. And that's really hard, but that's simply what the line is saying. It's like, you know, I'm going to try to work on this determination and I'm going to try to act on this determination. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:55 Highlight the passage at 1:06:55

1:07:23 And that's how that ends. So there are three ways that we can... Read this verse. The first one is, it's completely inconceivable, even though intellectually we can talk about enlightenment, it's completely inconceivable to us to imagine being a being of light, having the capacity of a Buddha, having a mind constantly filled with bliss and love and compassion for all beings, having a mind that knows. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:23 Highlight the passage at 1:07:23

1:07:57 The mind of all beings simultaneously, limitlessly and without end and the ability to help them all. It's beyond our conception. It's completely beyond our conception. So anything that can bring us to that state, of course it's more precious than a wish-filling jewel. And the only thing that can bring us to that state is... Report an error in the passage at 1:07:57 Highlight the passage at 1:07:57

1:08:23 The relationships that we have with the people around us right now, those sentient beings, our very own sentient beings, that's actually what allows us, this is from A, that's Z, or hopefully C, maybe it won't be the entire alphabet, but probably will, to get from where we are now. To where we have the potential to be, according to the Buddha, all of us have the potential to become these amazing beings of light who have all of these amazing capacities. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:23 Highlight the passage at 1:08:23

1:08:59 The way we get there is through every interaction with every being that we meet. There's no shortcut. So that's why they're so precious to us. That's actually how we get there. And of course the only reason we even want to get there is for them. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:59 Highlight the passage at 1:08:59

1:09:17 There's that interconnection of that. So to become a Buddha, we have to actually challenge ourselves. We actually have to be around difficult people, special cases. We have to be around special cases. We have to develop all of our best qualities and the way we develop those qualities is based on being around others. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:17 Highlight the passage at 1:09:17

1:09:39 And it doesn't mean at our level that we're going to go out and like, you know, you know. Have a relationship with the worst abuser in the world or anything like that. It doesn't mean that we go seeking extra problems and extra difficult people. We have them anyway. You guys don't need to go out of your way to find somebody who's difficult. It's like they're already here. But what it's just saying is actually we can use those people who are already in our lives, who are already difficult. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:39 Highlight the passage at 1:09:39

1:10:11 To develop these qualities that we want. And then so we begin to then change our view of them. Instead of seeing them as a difficult person, we begin to see them as a precious jewel because that's really what they are. So it's changing our mind. So whenever we have this transforming problems, whenever we see transforming difficulties on the path, really what we're doing is transforming our mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:11 Highlight the passage at 1:10:11

1:10:36 We're really transforming how we see whatever the difficult thing. person situation is in front of us. sorry, I'm sorry. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:36 Highlight the passage at 1:10:36

1:10:53 I'd like to make this real to me. If that difficult person is, let's say, your son your husband. Usually it will be, yeah, yeah. you don't want to use anger. You don't want to be angry, but yet if Sometimes you have to use wrath. Okay, that is destructive in their life. How do you... Wait, that's destructive. If their behavior is... Yes, yes, yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:53 Highlight the passage at 1:10:53

1:11:21 If their behavior, you have this love. I mean, the love is not the issue. It's how you handle... Right. So if you have a two-year-old that wants to wander into the street, you're going to have to be incredibly strong with that. But you're doing it out of love, right? So that's what I consider. That's what I call wrath rather than anger. We have to be really careful. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:21 Highlight the passage at 1:11:21

1:11:41 Because I think sometimes our minds will be angry. But that's a different kind of, there are times that you have to apply wrath and it's actually the most skillful thing that you can do. If somebody's doing substance abuse or something like that, sometimes you have to be tough. You have to be strong. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:41 Highlight the passage at 1:11:41

1:12:01 And that's not the same as getting pissed at them. Because you don't want them to keep harming themselves. And that's actually true in a situation where, Report an error in the passage at 1:12:01 Highlight the passage at 1:12:01

1:12:12 You know, somebody is receiving harassment, like in this case that I was talking about, or somebody is being abused. You want that person to stop doing that for their sake as well. You don't want them to keep harming themselves, and that's huge. Because usually, I don't want to keep being harmed. That's the first way that we look at it. But there's a bigger way to look at it, and that bigger way is like, I don't want, even if, That person to you at that moment is your abuser. Your reason for ending that relationship is actually to help protect them. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:12 Highlight the passage at 1:12:12

1:12:49 Why should they keep getting more negative karma because of their own ignorance? So you want to end that situation for their benefit too. And that's a flip. So I also have another question about self-cherishing. So who am I then? That's a bigger question. Am I an I? That's going to be a bigger question. We are going to get into it. The final verse deals a lot with emptiness, and so we are going to get into emptiness. Yeah, yeah. And it won't be answered, but it'll be opened. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:49 Highlight the passage at 1:12:49

1:13:23 You'll have more questions, and then it'll lead nicely into the wisdom of emptiness, which is the next class. Yeah, bodhicitta and emptiness from now on are like your two friends, and they're going to keep coming with us on all the rest of the classes. Yeah, that, the Report an error in the passage at 1:13:23 Highlight the passage at 1:13:23

1:13:38 So, um... So the other point is just, so I said there are three ways to read this verse. And the first one is just that we can't imagine how amazing Buddhahood will be and that these are the beings that will get us there. And it's actually more likely for us to be the beings that we have to make effort. So it's not necessarily our best friends. If we're patient with our best friends, it's completely different than if we're patient with somebody who's like... Report an error in the passage at 1:13:38 Highlight the passage at 1:13:38

1:14:06 We actually, you know, means either nothing to us or has been just a thorn in our side since we met him, you know. It's actually almost more effort. It's hugely more effort to be patient with somebody like that. If you're being patient with your wife, it's great that you're being patient with your wife, but you also love that person. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:06 Highlight the passage at 1:14:06

1:14:25 That person takes care of you and you get some reciprocal action going on there. But it's different than... Being patient with somebody that is behind you on the bus for three days. I have heard stories of masters who would put themselves in really trying situations to test themselves because you can think that you are much more patient than you are. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:25 Highlight the passage at 1:14:25

1:14:51 So they would put themselves into incredibly crazy chaotic markets or something just to see if... If their patience with people had developed, they can handle the jostling and stuff like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:51 Highlight the passage at 1:14:51

1:15:08 So the people themselves are more precious than a wish for a filling jewel in that first way of reading it. The mind of bodhicitta is the second way that the mind of bodhicitta itself is more precious than a wish for a filling jewel because it's the only mind that gets us enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:08 Highlight the passage at 1:15:08

1:15:26 And then the final way of reading it is that Buddhahood itself is more precious than a wish for a filling jewel. And to be honest, it's like all of those readings are accurate. So we'll start with verse 2 and then we'll just continue with verse 2. Verse 2 reads, Whenever I am with others, this is like a great one to end with because you just get to get slightly irritated by it. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:26 Highlight the passage at 1:15:26

1:15:58 I mean, actually, I've seen really strong reactions to this one. Whenever I am with others, I will practice seeing myself as the lowest of all. And from the very depth of my heart, I will respectfully hold others as supreme. So this verse, I should just point right out, is not about being a doormat. This one comes up for all of them. This is not about being a doormat. This has to do with the affliction of pride. Afflicted pride. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:58 Highlight the passage at 1:15:58

1:16:27 Not confidence, but afflicted pride. So this inflated sense of a self. I'm more important than you, therefore I don't respect you. I don't listen to you. You're not really that important to me. So the antidote to this kind of a mind, and we'll talk about why you would even want to apply an antidote, is respecting others and developing genuine humility, not putting yourself down. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:27 Highlight the passage at 1:16:27

1:16:59 The difference between humility and putting yourself down are really different, so we'll get to that. Just like the difference between afflicted pride or puffing yourself up is really different than having a strong self-confidence. So there's a true difference between them. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:59 Highlight the passage at 1:16:59

1:17:16 Whenever I'm with others is the way it starts out. And that means whenever you're with anyone, there's a danger of screwing up. It's kind of like that. It's like there's always this danger of... of committing a non-virtue the minute you move off your cushion and out into the world, once you start merging with traffic. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:16 Highlight the passage at 1:17:16

1:17:48 Whenever you're with friends, whenever you're with strangers, whenever you're with people that you work with, whenever you're with the people on the bus, you start... Doing the judgment thing that Marian mentioned, you start thinking, you know, what do they know? We start judging people by their, you know, how they, whether or not they speak English, how they appear to me, how they look, what their education is, you know, whatever my various biases are, like pop into action. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:48 Highlight the passage at 1:17:48

1:18:21 And this is where pride is based on that. those misconceptions of other people and this misconception of myself as well because not only am I focusing on their faults or failings but I'm also focusing on this puffed up unrealistic view of myself as not having any of them so if I see a problem with your English I must be thinking that my English is really good that I can just speak so well and so clearly all the time So, puffed up pride. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:21 Highlight the passage at 1:18:21

1:18:53 Actually, it's considered pride. The Tibetan Buddhist approach to the mind is incredibly, it's like a catalog. You know, they spent centuries and centuries just looking at the mind. And there's this whole section of teachings that's called Lo Rig. This is called Lo Jong, right? So Lo is still mind. And Rig is like how the mind is categorized, what it's made up of, how it works. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:53 Highlight the passage at 1:18:53

1:19:22 and so Mind and mental factors is often how it's translated. Pride is actually defined as a mental factor that has the aspect of puffing up the mind. I love that. Upon observing a basis for puffing up. Did you hear when Emily did? Hello, Rick. She went through. It's just like tons of these. Definitions. You're just memorizing all these various definitions. Upon observing a basis for puffing up, for instance, one's own wealth, qualities and so forth, but it's not a realistic assessment of one's qualities. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:22 Highlight the passage at 1:19:22

1:20:05 So I'm not having a really realistic view of myself, but I'm using this unrealistic view of myself to make me feel superior to you. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:05 Highlight the passage at 1:20:05

1:20:15 Its function is twofold. It acts as a support for disrespect and suffering and it obscures any new attainment of the Dharma due to its disrespect for those who possess, who actually possess excellent qualities. So I make myself see that I puff myself up based on thinking I'm so smart or I'm so eloquent or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:15 Highlight the passage at 1:20:15

1:20:45 And then I see that you aren't, so I see the superiority thing happen, so I no longer respect you. And actually, you could be fully enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:45 Highlight the passage at 1:20:45

1:20:56 You could be a total, you know, like there's all these stories about when everyone comes out and they're all waiting for this great master to arrive, you know, to the monastery. And this little monk kind of goes wallowing by and nobody knows it's him. Because they're all expecting this great master with the big hat and the big... Report an error in the passage at 1:20:56 Highlight the passage at 1:20:56

1:21:14 You know, they were really into beings. You know, the big entourage and all that stuff. And he just kind of was like, oh, what are you guys waiting for? You know, he's kind of waiting with them. And then it turns out that he's them. He's the one that they're all waiting for. And I think pride was like a really big thing in Tibet because this comes up all the time. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:14 Highlight the passage at 1:21:14

1:21:31 But they say that it is the absolute biggest block for us ever learning the Dharma, being able to practice the Dharma. Because we think we already know it. It's worse than doubt or disbelief or not fully buying into karma or incarnation or something like that. You think you already have something that works. So you're much more, it's like you've already got this block. And in fact, I just might not listen to you because I think all I can see is, well, she's not so smart. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:31 Highlight the passage at 1:21:31

1:22:07 I've seen her outside of here and she's kind of normal. Because all I'm doing is I'm focusing on what's puffing me up and feeling superior to you so I no longer can hear you. And so that completely cuts me off from anything she could teach me or anything any of you guys could teach me. So it's that puffed up, puffing up aspect. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:07 Highlight the passage at 1:22:07

1:22:28 And it's really, really important to distinguish between Afflicted pride, which is why I'm calling it afflicted pride and self-confidence, because we all absolutely need self-confidence on this path. How could you even take this path without self-confidence? It's actually really huge. I sometimes wonder why Lama Zopa Rinpoche, for example, will suddenly out of the blue name somebody as a director of a center, which happened to me. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:28 Highlight the passage at 1:22:28

1:23:00 And I really do think it happens. I was the director a few years before Michelle. And we're both pretty much in the same lineage where you fall on the floor crying when you get that call. But I think it's because you have to, at some level, deep down, get this self-confidence. And if you don't have it, then you have to get it. Because how are you going to become a Buddha without self-confidence? Report an error in the passage at 1:23:00 Highlight the passage at 1:23:00

1:23:27 You have to help self-confidence. So you have to have a healthy sense of self-esteem, but not at the basis where I'm putting any of you guys down and not listening to you and dismissing you. So there's that difference between a healthy sense of... What I'm capable of doing and what I'm not yet capable of doing. So that's an assessment, an honest assessment of my qualities. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:27 Highlight the passage at 1:23:27

1:23:56 And then there's this one that has this false assessment of my qualities which then makes it impossible for me to hear the teachings and actually put them into practice. So they say that pride is, this afflicted sense of pride is the biggest obstacle. Because it keeps us from ever learning from even the great masters who, you know, like the Dalai Lama, much less all the little secret teachers who pop in and happen to be posing as students in your class or guy on the bus or the really sweet person who's working in the bookstore or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:56 Highlight the passage at 1:23:56

1:24:35 Like you would totally miss all those opportunities because you'd have this puffed up sense of yourself. So the antidote is this next line, I will practice seeing myself as the lowest of all. This doesn't mean that we then practice low self-esteem. That's not what it's saying. What it's saying, we don't see ourselves as bad. What it's saying is that we have to generate this genuine humility. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:35 Highlight the passage at 1:24:35

1:25:06 And what we try then to do is to see the best qualities in everyone around us. Which is really hard. I mean, what you said is absolutely perfect. I like to think of myself as a really nice person, but the reality is that I'd be enlightened if I didn't have these negative mental habits that I still need to work with. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:06 Highlight the passage at 1:25:06

1:25:32 And these are just simply the methods to work with them. So this one is trying to see... The best qualities in the other person, whoever that other person is. Try, like, how is it that, um, Venom Rubina always is saying, look for the potential. Don't look at the faults, look for the potential. She's always looking for the potential. And like the rest of us have long since given up on this person. She's always looking for the potential in somebody and not seeing the obstacles to that, which is really... Report an error in the passage at 1:25:32 Highlight the passage at 1:25:32

1:26:11 Amazing practice to do. It's so much easier to give up on people. It's not going to work out. And the whole point is that we have to do this little by little with the people around us. And first you have to see that you're not doing it. First we have to see that we're not doing it right now. It's much easier to see the faults in everyone than to start seeing their strengths and then to speak to those strengths. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:11 Highlight the passage at 1:26:11

1:26:41 But think about how that makes you feel when somebody speaks to your strengths and your qualities. If somebody sees your quality and speaks to that, even if you just screwed up on something and you're feeling like your lowest, and they're like, well, but at least you really said this, right? And it really helps. You're at your lowest, and they're able to raise you up just by seeing. And it's not a lie. They're just simply seeing the good. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:41 Highlight the passage at 1:26:41

1:27:09 And so this is like asking us to do the same thing. So we're appreciating whatever their knowledge is or their skills or whatever, and we're avoiding disrespecting them. It doesn't mean that we can't help them if they need help improving themselves, but we don't necessarily always need to point it out. And we don't need to hold it against them either. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:09 Highlight the passage at 1:27:09

1:27:34 I remember actually this nun that used to... Chosung said that one of the best qualities for living and working in a community has to be forgiveness. We're all screwed up, you know, like we all are screwed up and so the only thing we can do is like forgive each other and just keep going. And if you block that, like, you know, there's no room for any kind of improvement. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:34 Highlight the passage at 1:27:34

1:28:06 So trying to really rejoice in others' accomplishments, seeing their qualities, trying to recognize that we have faults too, you know, so not only seeing our own, especially if we have very low self-esteem, sometimes it sort of manifests in this puffy pride, actually. Sometimes it manifests in us thinking that we're absolutely horrible, but sometimes it actually manifests in, you know, really Report an error in the passage at 1:28:06 Highlight the passage at 1:28:06

1:28:36 Strong people who declare war and so forth actually have a really horrible view of themselves. They just are acting it out really horribly. So it's sort of like it can manifest in all these different ways. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:36 Highlight the passage at 1:28:36

1:28:53 The important thing for us to remember with all of these delusions are these mental afflictions like pride, like this sort of puffed up sense of pride, is seeing that it's just simply thoughts. It's like a construction that I have of these various thoughts and it's not me. Just like the self-cherishing mind is not me, it's simply a point of view. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:53 Highlight the passage at 1:28:53

1:29:16 It's like a mental habit. And the thing I think that we do the most often that makes it hardest to change is we identify constantly with these deluded states of mind or these afflicted states of mind where we think, oh my God, I'm so horrible. Because I have this. And then I get discouraged and then I don't do anything. And actually they say that's a form of self-cherishing in the end. Because it's a way out, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:29:16 Highlight the passage at 1:29:16

1:29:43 Well, look, clearly these teachings weren't meant for me. I'm like way too big a mess. So, you know, I'm just going to give up. And that's really just like, look who wins, you know? You get to just kind of kick back and put your feet up and watch TV, you know? So that's just another form of self-cherishing actually in the end. And it's a hard one to break. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:43 Highlight the passage at 1:29:43

1:30:02 Because there's that balance between genuine humility and putting yourself down. You really have to be careful of that. So, I Report an error in the passage at 1:30:02 Highlight the passage at 1:30:02

1:30:22 think I'll skip that. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:22 Highlight the passage at 1:30:22

1:30:27 When we think again about the whole meaning of the words Lojong, mind training, what are we training our minds to do? What are these verses training our minds to do? Report an error in the passage at 1:30:27 Highlight the passage at 1:30:27

1:30:38 Basically, we're training our minds to take every problem that arises and to use it as this incredible opportunity to practice. So we're changing our mind about it. We're training our mind to look at it, every single thing that arises in our lives, which will come to us based on our karma. So it's not like we're seeking it out. We're already going to... Report an error in the passage at 1:30:38 Highlight the passage at 1:30:38

1:31:01 We don't have to go looking for problems. We just change our opinion or we change our point of view about what actually is arising. So each, and honestly I'm not being facetious, I'm not being like a goody two-shoes about it, but basically it really is this amazing opportunity to practice if we can only remember that it is. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:01 Highlight the passage at 1:31:01

1:31:29 That kind of an opportunity. So it's really simply changing our minds and it becomes moment by moment, day by day, by day, by day. I mean, it's, you know, this is a lifelong practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:29 Highlight the passage at 1:31:29

1:31:41 But this is actually how you get enlightened. It's not necessarily, I mean, this particular practice of Lojong you can do perfectly, actually, in office jobs and at school and living in group situations and writing. It's actually perfect for that. It's actually easier to do this practice in the city than it is in, you know, a retreat hut. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:41 Highlight the passage at 1:31:41

1:32:05 This is one that, common biting is better in a retreat hut. Lobsang is better in the city, which is why we always keep asking the great teachers whenever they come to teach these verses more and more, because these are verses that we can actually take and use right now. In fact, the more problems we have, the better it is. Like it's actually this sort of, this, this, Juicy field of possibility. Living and working in the Dharma Center is perfect for that, actually, too. So these teachings are actually even more powerful to be done with our busy lives the way they are. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:05 Highlight the passage at 1:32:05

1:32:43 And it's not like we can immediately shift our point of view so that if we walked into a doctor's office tomorrow and got a diagnosis of cancer that we could immediately... Go, oh, this is a great opportunity to practice. I mean, none of us could do that. I mean, none of us could do that. It would be fake. We'd be faking it, which I suppose wouldn't be the end of the world if we were faking it and we were trying. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:43 Highlight the passage at 1:32:43

1:33:05 But the reality is that we start with little things. So we start with it in the way behind us on the bus, and we start trying to shift our mind a little bit about that. We try with the guy who cuts in front of us and gets our parking space. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:05 Highlight the passage at 1:33:05

1:33:20 We try with little things that happen first, and then the more we practice with little things, then we can practice with the next bigger ones and the next bigger. And then by the time we get to the really big ones, which will happen, they'll happen. I mean, we try to pretend like they don't happen, but the reality is that all of us will face big things, whether it's for our own lives or whether it's people that we love. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:20 Highlight the passage at 1:33:20

1:33:43 Then we'll have some tools because we've practiced it. So the point is to start practicing with the little stuff. And then the big stuff gets easier. So we'll start next week with getting into this idea of equalizing self with others and what that means. I think equalizing self with others is the most radical It's sort of what lies beneath the whole Lobsang teachings. And it's this radical idea. I mean, according to Master Shantideva, who wrote Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, our entire view of ourselves is ending with this body, Report an error in the passage at 1:33:43 Highlight the passage at 1:33:43

1:34:40 you know, this particular, my skin, and deciding that this is all I'm going to protect is completely arbitrary. And we know that when people become moms, They immediately extend it to one other being, right? Or two or three, depending on how many they have. And sometimes people extend it to a sister or a mother as well. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:40 Highlight the passage at 1:34:40

1:35:04 They'll just begin to expand what they think of as me. And they would do anything for those beings. So we can already begin thinking of times that we have... I've extended this sense of who is important and who I protect above all else. And so if it's happened with just a few, Master Shantideva is like, why not keep going? Report an error in the passage at 1:35:04 Highlight the passage at 1:35:04

1:35:26 If it's completely arbitrary, why not keep going and why not protect all beings because they're suffering and why not try to stop their suffering the way you do for yourself? That's what equalizing self and others is about. So we have to explore that one a little bit because it's completely opposite to looking out for number one. So that's what we'll start with next time. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:26 Highlight the passage at 1:35:26

1:35:54 Let me do announcements and then if anybody has a quick question and then we'll end with a dedication. Where's my announcements? So next week, which is July 3rd, so it's the day before July 4th, we will have class. But the following week we won't. So July 10th, we won't have a class. And I will try to get the books in stock for you guys so that you can, you know, when you have your holiday, you can have more time to read. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:54 Highlight the passage at 1:35:54

1:36:24 This Saturday, Vinamur Bina is going to teach a class on Introduction to Tantra, and it's totally open to all levels of student. And it's a great class, actually. Are you still here for that one, actually? Oh, good. Oh, good, good, good. Yeah, yeah. It's 10.30 to 4. With a lunch break in the middle. And yeah, so that one's open for anybody. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:24 Highlight the passage at 1:36:24

1:36:48 So if you can only come for the morning as well. It's great to let the office know that you're going to come so we'll have enough lunch. Lunch is prepared because lunch will be available on the break. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:48 Highlight the passage at 1:36:48

1:37:01 His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday is coming up on the 6th of July. And so actually we're going to do two celebrations. Depending on your schedule. We're going to do a morning celebration and that'll be me. I think Haley's going to be there as my greeter. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:01 Highlight the passage at 1:37:01

1:37:21 And we'll just do the Sunday service kind of based on him. I'll have to make it up before then. I'm not sure what we're going to do. But I know we're going to have birthday cake. So that's going to be there. um, uh, Report an error in the passage at 1:37:21 Highlight the passage at 1:37:21

1:37:34 And then in the evening, Geshe-la, because Geshe-la's gone that morning because there's a long-life puja for Chidna Rinpoche. And so Geshe-la's going to go to that. And then he'll come back. And then in the evening on the 6th, which is a Sunday, he'll lead us in some prayers and practices for the long life of the Dalai Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:34 Highlight the passage at 1:37:34

1:37:53 So we'll do those together. We'll have another cake. So I like to use lures, you know, draw people in. Good cakes. We'll make sure they're good cakes. Ice cream, maybe some ice cream too. See, that's what it took. It took the ice cream and then Jane's there. The Sunday morning service is always at 10.30, 10.30 to noon. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:53 Highlight the passage at 1:37:53

1:38:14 And then the evening one I think will be 6.30 to 7.30 or something, probably. Something like that. Also, I wanted to announce that the Relic Tour is coming. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:14 Highlight the passage at 1:38:14

1:38:29 I think this is like the... Fourth time that we've hosted it. There's a group, a collection of relics that Lama Zopa Rinpoche has gathered. It's getting bigger and bigger and bigger because more teachers give him relics that they have smuggled out of Tibet and things like that. The collection actually includes relics of Shakyamuni Buddha as well as beings that we've talked about like Shantideva, Atisha. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:29 Highlight the passage at 1:38:29

1:39:01 I think actually Geshe Cheko Almighty would be in there. It's interesting. We'll have to look. It's amazingly powerful actually to be in the presence of these relics and we'll host them the weekend of the 15th, 16th and 17th of August. It'll be all day, all three days. And it's quite powerful. And we try to allow at least some space in the room. It's usually right here in the gampa. And we try to allow some space in case people just want to sit and meditate, you know, just take some time and just see what it's like, you know, or just take your time going around and look because they're all really well labeled. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:01 Highlight the passage at 1:39:01

1:39:42 You can kind of see. And there are people that come on the tour who know lots about the relics and can answer your questions. And there's also a film that they bring that we show downstairs. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:42 Highlight the passage at 1:39:42

1:39:53 And, of course, for that we'll also need volunteers. So if anybody is going to be around for that and would like to help, then I'm the volunteer coordinator in my spare time. And that's it. And the only other thing I wanted to mention, just because I noticed, on the bottom of your syllabus, you got a syllabus, right, Jane? I gave it to you. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:53 Highlight the passage at 1:39:53

1:40:14 It mentions two upcoming retreats. No, it's okay. I think I got it. Maybe I didn't. Maybe I should read it from there. Transforming Your Mind. It's on Transforming Your Life on Eight Verses of Thought Training. I think that was my title, actually. I almost stole it. Anyway, that's Ephemeral Morbina. And it's on the same weekend as the relics are here. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:14 Highlight the passage at 1:40:14

1:40:24 Transfer Report an error in the passage at 1:40:24 Highlight the passage at 1:40:24

1:40:39 But it's a weekend, which is kind of nice if people can't take off time from work. I think it's a Friday, Saturday, Sunday. And she's also really great about if you can only come for Saturday, then just come down for the day. And then she doesn't get upset about people coming in and like that. The other one is a much bigger commitment, and that's from October 31st through November 9th. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:39 Highlight the passage at 1:40:39

1:41:04 Tenzin Chokyi, not to be confused with Lozang Chokyi. People always get confused. She's been here a couple times. She's a really great teacher, really inspiring, and also happens to be a friend of mine for like the past literally 26 years. She's leading Copan West, which is, she's going to go through the entire Lamrim in that amount of time, and she's going to lead you in some explanation of it, and I'll show you how to meditate on it. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:04 Highlight the passage at 1:41:04

1:41:34 So it's this great... Leaping in and just immersing yourself in the lamrim. And that's going to be that 10-day period, I guess it is, and that's at Vajrapani. So the first one's at Landa Medicine Food and the second one's at Vajrapani. I like to put it in your ear a little bit early so that it can kind of, you know, percolate, cook, and then you suddenly like wake up one night and you're like, oh my God, I have to go. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:34 Highlight the passage at 1:41:34

1:42:01 So that's my role. Any last questions and then we'll dedicate. Yeah. Oh, you got to use the mic. The talking stick. When you were talking about pride and the puffing up and you were defining pride, and then you said there were two things afterwards, and the first was that it acts as a support for disrespect and suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:01 Highlight the passage at 1:42:01

1:42:26 Okay. And then I missed the second prong. It was after you talked about it not being a real issue. Oh, and it obscures any new attainment of the Dharma due to its disrespect for those who possess excellent qualities. Can Report an error in the passage at 1:42:26 Highlight the passage at 1:42:26

1:42:47 you pass your mic to Jane? I mean, not your mic, but the mic. I Report an error in the passage at 1:42:47 Highlight the passage at 1:42:47

1:42:56 just wanted to ask, what are relics exactly? That's a good question. Are you the plant? Report an error in the passage at 1:42:56 Highlight the passage at 1:42:56

1:43:04 Relics are remains of holy beings. And they often say, you know, so sometimes it may be something as obvious as like a part of their robe or, you know, a part of their body. In other words, like a fragment of bone or something like that. And then they often say that after... Somebody is cremated. For example, Geshe Lama Kunchuk, who I think is on, when you, at the end you can get up, he's in the green frame back here. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:04 Highlight the passage at 1:43:04

1:43:37 And he was a monk who manifested in a quite ordinary way. I was terrified of him, so something said to be there, I think. But he sort of was kind of this grandfatherly figure to many, many monks. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:37 Highlight the passage at 1:43:37

1:43:53 Kopan in Kathmandu. But he apparently had this amazing secret life as a yogi that Vena Rubina is actually doing his biography now. And when she's read us sections, it's just, I can hardly wait, actually. I can hardly wait. And I keep telling her, too, she should record it. Because she, of course, makes it so dramatic. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:53 Highlight the passage at 1:43:53

1:44:14 She's like telling the story. Um, and it, Report an error in the passage at 1:44:14 Highlight the passage at 1:44:14

1:44:16 So in his early life, he would just literally go and meditate, literally under a tree, and I'm not even exaggerating, for five years. I mean, not even in a cave in Tibet. You know, he'd just plop himself down. He'd be sort of in a little bit of an outgrowth of the tree, and he would just meditate. And he was this completely wild guy, and the people in the villages were scared of him and stuff, because he was like, his hair was long, and he had like little... Report an error in the passage at 1:44:16 Highlight the passage at 1:44:16

1:44:41 You know, rag of robes or something. So that was in his early days, but by the time most of us knew him, he was kind of this grandfatherly guy who's a little rough, and it don't cross him, manifested much wrath, at least toward me. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:41 Highlight the passage at 1:44:41

1:44:59 But then when he passed away, you know, he actually, he was one of those ones that during the dying process he was able to say to his attendant, This is where I am in the dying process. You better get ready and this is what you should do. Like he talked his attendant through this is what's happening and this is what you should do and you need to contact these people and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:59 Highlight the passage at 1:44:59

1:45:17 Just like he was going away on retreat or something, you know, which I am always so impressed by. And so then when he was cremated and they went to open up the cremation chamber, like tons of these relics. And manifested like pearls and everything, which they say usually will do if somebody is enlightened or is a really, really highly attained being. So then everybody's like, oh my God, you know, who was this guy? Report an error in the passage at 1:45:17 Highlight the passage at 1:45:17

1:45:40 And that's when all these stories started coming out. And so she actually began investigating all those stories. And she like, you know, he wasn't so old that a lot of people who had seen him at those times where he was like meditating on the tree weren't. We're all still living. So she was able to find people and interview them and gather those stories. So relics are these things that manifest, that they say enlightened beings leave for us to develop our faith, to inspire us, our minds. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:40 Highlight the passage at 1:45:40

1:46:12 So this collection of relics is sort of like what they left behind for us because they've already taken rebirth again. They've already manifested in some form and they're still teaching us. But they left these relics and the people that are on the tour tell these amazing stories of people's reactions to these relics and the relics themselves actually multiplying on the tour. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:12 Highlight the passage at 1:46:12

1:46:39 They'll leave with this money and they'll come back and be like, oh wow, what happened here? Just kind of wild stories. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:39 Highlight the passage at 1:46:39

1:46:49 We have found it just to be a really, really... So, you know, I was offering Report an error in the passage at 1:46:49 Highlight the passage at 1:46:49

1:46:55 Amazing thing to be able to host. And so we just told them we want to have them back every year. And eventually this collection will be housed in the Heart Shrine room of the Maitreya Project statue. So the big statue that Lama Zopa Rinpoche is building in near Bodh Gaya, 500 foot statue is going to have a heart shrine. And that's what it's called, the Heart Shrine Relic Tour. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:55 Highlight the passage at 1:46:55

1:47:20 They'll be housed there. Usually that's what happens with relics. Usually you put them in stupas or statues or something like that and people can't see them. So many people like in Tibet and so forth have never seen them. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:20 Highlight the passage at 1:47:20

1:47:33 But all these people like the Dalai Lama, Geshe-Lama Kuncak, various high masters, when they left Tibet they brought them out with them. And then protected them with their life. And then Lama Zopa is sort of, the word's getting out now that he's building this and so people are contributing. So people are coming forth with these relics and they have the story behind them. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:33 Highlight the passage at 1:47:33

1:47:57 So like relics of the Karmapa and things like that. It's one of those woo-woo things from Tibetan Buddhism. I brought my son here at the last tour. I think you were the one who blessed him. and we're after we're after we're after we're after Report an error in the passage at 1:47:57 Highlight the passage at 1:47:57

1:48:16 Yeah, I know. It's amazing, actually. Yeah. I mean, you know, it's all... Yeah, I mean, I totally am one of those that I'm a skeptic, you know, but it's just, you just go and you see, you know. I feel like it's just your karma, whatever your reaction is. I've heard people who are not wild people at all having these really strong reactions, and so I was just kind of like... Report an error in the passage at 1:48:16 Highlight the passage at 1:48:16

1:48:43 Actually, I was able to bring my mother to see it before she passed. It came really close to where she was living and my friend's children was on the tour and so we arranged this whole thing and it ended up, we pulled in, it was a Vietnamese temple that was housing it, but it was really a barn in a field. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:43 Highlight the passage at 1:48:43

1:49:01 She was in a wheelchair and it was raining and I thought, oh my god, I'm so insane, I can't believe I did this. All the Vietnamese men came running out, Picked her up and her wheelchair and brought her. She was kind of weirded out. But then everyone just like, you know, it was like this total respect for old age in that particular culture. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:01 Highlight the passage at 1:49:01

1:49:23 And so everyone gathered around here. They brought her tea. They set her by the heater. You know, she like warmed up a little bit. Then Chudrin, my friend who was on the tour, took her around and personally explained each relic, what they were, you know, and it was just amazing. That was the last trip she ever took. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:23 Highlight the passage at 1:49:23

1:49:39 Out of her, where she was living, which is an assisted living place. And I just am so thankful that she got this chance to see it. I don't know what she got out of it, except for that it made her mind really happy. And I believe that she got some sort of imprint, because I believe in karma and reincarnation, but I don't know how much she understood, but the whole thing, just like she was over the top, and she remembered it for days, which she couldn't do normally. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:39 Highlight the passage at 1:49:39

1:50:05 She just was like, that was really great. What was that thing? So I don't know. People have different reactions to it. It's definitely one of those kind of woo-woo things and just come and, you know, I mean, what's an extra blessing at a time like this? Just come, just see. Anyway, all right, let's take a moment to dedicate. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:05 Highlight the passage at 1:50:05

1:50:34 So with all of this information that's sort of like filtering through, And any insights that we may have gained or even new questions that we may have formed. It's all like bubbling up inside us, percolating. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:34 Highlight the passage at 1:50:34

1:50:53 And let's just dedicate this to each one of us being able to realize these teachings. How amazing to actually realize these teachings so that they become us, we become these teachings. There's no space, there's no gap between our mind and the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:53 Highlight the passage at 1:50:53

1:51:15 So we're able to really, really use this life to benefit others. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:15 Highlight the passage at 1:51:15

1:51:37 So Marianne, if I give these teachings, I have to figure out what I didn't cover. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:37 Highlight the passage at 1:51:37