Discovering Buddhism - Transforming Problems (31 July 2008)

0:15 Oh gosh, I totally forgot lozenges. Well, we'll see how it goes. Let's just see how it goes. So far so good. Somebody, kindly, who brought me this? Mary, yeah. It's the good kind for coughing, so it could actually be enough. Report an error in the passage at 0:15 Highlight the passage at 0:15

0:35 I am halfway through a two-day, very intensive workshop at Zen Hospice Project. If I feel, if I seem as though I'm in an altered state, I am in an altered state. Like Karen Vianoy was taking it with me and I looked at her and I said, okay, now I'm going to go teach. Report an error in the passage at 0:35 Highlight the passage at 0:35

0:57 So I'm kind of like, ah, just climbing through a lot of stuff about death and grief and impermanence and all of those good things. So it's kind of where I am. Report an error in the passage at 0:57 Highlight the passage at 0:57

1:18 I'm wondering if on the break, if you wouldn't mind copying this. Have you ever used a copier before downstairs? That's pretty straightforward. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:18 Highlight the passage at 1:18

1:31 No, just for you. And then each one will go. Each person will go down and do their own. Report an error in the passage at 1:31 Highlight the passage at 1:31

1:43 Yes, one for everybody. By then we'll know how many everybody is. So let's start with a meditation on the last verse that we discussed. Report an error in the passage at 1:43 Highlight the passage at 1:43

1:54 Verse 6 of our 8 verses. Report an error in the passage at 1:54 Highlight the passage at 1:54

2:03 So we'll just start with taking some nice deep cleansing breaths. Letting that in-breath just wash away everything. Just wash away all the sluggishness, all the emotions, the conversations, the conceptual thinking. Report an error in the passage at 2:03 Highlight the passage at 2:03

2:30 You can always pick up some ideas later on your way out. You can just leave them for now. Report an error in the passage at 2:30 Highlight the passage at 2:30

2:39 And imagine that each in-breath is just bringing you more and more into this room, into this class. More Report an error in the passage at 2:39 Highlight the passage at 2:39

2:50 attention, awareness, focus. Report an error in the passage at 2:50 Highlight the passage at 2:50

3:00 And we'll just start with a short meditation on the breath, either at the level of your belly or your chest, or find a little patch of skin inside your nostril. Report an error in the passage at 3:00 Highlight the passage at 3:00

3:14 And just focus on that sensation of the breath coming in and going out. Report an error in the passage at 3:14 Highlight the passage at 3:14

3:24 Tenzin Palmo says, it's not like you're watching it or observing it. Like it's something different from you. You're actually one with that breath. So try to experience what that might mean. Report an error in the passage at 3:24 Highlight the passage at 3:24

· · · silence, 2 minutes

5:38 Just contemplate the sixth verse and just think. Report an error in the passage at 5:38 Highlight the passage at 5:38

5:49 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. So Report an error in the passage at 5:49 Highlight the passage at 5:49

6:06 maybe think about an incident where somebody you love very much or you've cared for. Betrayed that trust. Report an error in the passage at 6:06 Highlight the passage at 6:06

6:17 Maybe they turned on you in some way. Report an error in the passage at 6:17 Highlight the passage at 6:17

6:23 Maybe they were just simply ungrateful. Report an error in the passage at 6:23 Highlight the passage at 6:23

6:32 So how might we look at this differently? Rather than with blame, pain, resentment, anger. Report an error in the passage at 6:32 Highlight the passage at 6:32

6:48 What might that person be teaching you about your own mind? Report an error in the passage at 6:48 Highlight the passage at 6:48

6:57 Maybe we were doing whatever act of kindness it was with this expectation and Report an error in the passage at 6:57 Highlight the passage at 6:57

7:06 they sort of poked a hole right in that expectation. Maybe Report an error in the passage at 7:06 Highlight the passage at 7:06

7:21 they're just trying to teach us patience. Report an error in the passage at 7:21 Highlight the passage at 7:21

7:26 Kids do this to parents all the time. Report an error in the passage at 7:26 Highlight the passage at 7:26

7:43 What if these annoying or hurtful people are actually giving us private teachings? Teachings, the very teachings that we need to get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 7:43 Highlight the passage at 7:43

8:07 If nothing else, we can remember that we karmically created this situation, whatever it is. Just to remember karma, to remember that this person doesn't exist in some absolute way separate from me and my... Having created the karma for this to happen. It's not about blame, but just about wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 8:07 Highlight the passage at 8:07

8:38 We have to figure out where the things bad and good in our lives come from. We Report an error in the passage at 8:38 Highlight the passage at 8:38

8:51 have to figure out where these bad people, these so-called negative people, problems, situations come from. Report an error in the passage at 8:51 Highlight the passage at 8:51

9:05 Because this is the only way that we can change how we constantly react to them. Report an error in the passage at 9:05 Highlight the passage at 9:05

9:14 This is really the only way that we can cut this never-ending cycle. This is what wisdom is. Report an error in the passage at 9:14 Highlight the passage at 9:14

9:38 And you'll never get enlightened unless you figure out why bad things happen to you and how to keep them from happening. Report an error in the passage at 9:38 Highlight the passage at 9:38

9:50 And you'll never be able to create a Buddha paradise unless you know how. And it all hinges on karma. Report an error in the passage at 9:50 Highlight the passage at 9:50

10:02 And this is the real goal of Buddhism. So Report an error in the passage at 10:02 Highlight the passage at 10:02

10:17 if you don't want people treating you badly, then you have to look at how you treat others. Report an error in the passage at 10:17 Highlight the passage at 10:17

10:27 The more ethically we live, we stop seeing these negative people. We get less and less of them in our lives. Report an error in the passage at 10:27 Highlight the passage at 10:27

10:47 Lama Zopa Rinpoche says that problems are just another form of teaching. Report an error in the passage at 10:47 Highlight the passage at 10:47

10:55 This problem is a teaching. It's teaching me that if I don't like problems, I have to abandon their cause. And that's my own non-virtue. So Report an error in the passage at 10:55 Highlight the passage at 10:55

11:15 we can see that difficult person as a teacher. Our teacher. Teaching us about our own mind. Teaching us about karma. Teaching us how to practice patience. Report an error in the passage at 11:15 Highlight the passage at 11:15

11:32 And if we have us... A spiritual teacher, we could see them as a manifestation of that teacher. Report an error in the passage at 11:32 Highlight the passage at 11:32

11:51 Once we find a teacher, they pop up everywhere. We start seeing them in the print, magazines, newspapers, we see them on TV. Not them physically, but their teachings. Report an error in the passage at 11:51 Highlight the passage at 11:51

12:09 They start popping up in the nice people and they start popping up in the bad people. Report an error in the passage at 12:09 Highlight the passage at 12:09

12:20 The biggest thing our teachers do is show us our own minds. So anyone who does that for us becomes... So Report an error in the passage at 12:20 Highlight the passage at 12:20

12:41 let's motivate to being able to remember this with the next difficult person or negative situation that happens for us. So Report an error in the passage at 12:41 Highlight the passage at 12:41

12:58 at least once we can experience what it feels like to cut that thread, that endless stream of habit we've had since beginning this time to keep causing our own suffering. Report an error in the passage at 12:58 Highlight the passage at 12:58

13:19 And may this class be the cause of that so Report an error in the passage at 13:19 Highlight the passage at 13:19

13:26 that we can quickly benefit all beings. Report an error in the passage at 13:26 Highlight the passage at 13:26

13:41 time, when you're ready, you can end your meditation open your eyes. Report an error in the passage at 13:41 Highlight the passage at 13:41

13:52 we'll do an opening prayer. Report an error in the passage at 13:52 Highlight the passage at 13:52

14:00 is on page 8 in your white prayer book. With Report an error in the passage at 14:00 Highlight the passage at 14:00

14:12 the 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. As long as space remains, as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain and spell the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 14:12 Highlight the passage at 14:12

14:45 With the 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. 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 14:45 Highlight the passage at 14:45

15:17 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. 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 15:17 Highlight the passage at 15:17

15:58 So how did people do with that last week? Thinking about that verse or any of the reading that you've been doing or thinking about anything that we talked about last week about the teacher. Report an error in the passage at 15:58 Highlight the passage at 15:58

16:25 Hopefully somebody's thinking about this stuff. Report an error in the passage at 16:25 Highlight the passage at 16:25

16:34 It was all crystal clear and you got it immediately and were able to put it immediately into practice with everything that arose. Report an error in the passage at 16:34 Highlight the passage at 16:34

16:45 But first Report an error in the passage at 16:45 Highlight the passage at 16:45

16:52 you have to create a macrame wall hanging. Wall hanging. Report an error in the passage at 16:52 Highlight the passage at 16:52

17:02 Yeah, there you go. I found out that through this practice I'm noticing a lot more problems in my life. But that doesn't mean that they're easier a little bit. There's more space around my mind, I think, seeing them. But I'm noticing more of them. I think instead of just reacting right away and just trying to get away from them, like usual, it's more like I'm able to... Report an error in the passage at 17:02 Highlight the passage at 17:02

17:32 Take time with them a little bit more, I think, or at least I believe I'm doing that. That's great. But yeah, it's interesting, and especially after reading Lama Zopa Rinpoche's book that we were prescribed for this class, it's really kind of mind-blowing in a way to try to keep every time a problem arises where it really strikes me, to instead of see it as a problem, see it as, you know. Report an error in the passage at 17:32 Highlight the passage at 17:32

18:04 It's a positive thing as like gold or as like this is part of like the teaching and like, yeah, I mean, there's so many problems, you know, it's like every time that happens, it almost like seems like you're going crazy a little bit. But then long term after it starts to like work out a little bit, it starts to feel like it's like a weird way of noticing. Report an error in the passage at 18:04 Highlight the passage at 18:04

18:22 Like, I mean, you notice more problems, but in this like radical thing happening, but you also looking in the long term of things, it's like it's not so like fiery. Very cool. Report an error in the passage at 18:22 Highlight the passage at 18:22

18:43 Anybody else? Report an error in the passage at 18:43 Highlight the passage at 18:43

18:50 I thank God for it. Report an error in the passage at 18:50 Highlight the passage at 18:50

18:55 Because it just gives you hope. I think in a way, before having realized that this existed, this way of thinking, that I might have actually thought that this might be a way on my own. Or I thought of for it. Report an error in the passage at 18:55 Highlight the passage at 18:55

18:59 not... Report an error in the passage at 18:59 Highlight the passage at 18:59

19:15 And this just reinforces it. And it just gives you so much hope. It doesn't have to be this negative, you know. Report an error in the passage at 19:15 Highlight the passage at 19:15

19:30 But it does, what Saki was saying, you realize that there's just so many of them. And I think that actually has been good for me because I have the tendency of denying that there are difficulties. Report an error in the passage at 19:30 Highlight the passage at 19:30

19:50 So to just allow them to be difficulties and to work with them helps me get closer to them. And just letting myself experiencing it for what it is and try and figure out, that's the hard part, is trying to figure out why and how I've actually gotten to that state. Do you mean what the karmic cause might be? Yeah. Yeah, which is done more in analysis rather than in the moment. Yeah. Yeah. So I'll wait for that. Report an error in the passage at 19:50 Highlight the passage at 19:50

20:27 I'm happy that I can just realize that I'm at the state that I'm in. Should I contact you when we sign up, when we set up the next karma class so you can fly down for it? Report an error in the passage at 20:27 Highlight the passage at 20:27

20:40 Yeah, I'm still on the email. Okay. We'll make a room available so you can come down for two months. Report an error in the passage at 20:40 Highlight the passage at 20:40

20:52 I think it's kind of like when you first start meditating and you just realize what a mess your mind is. I think it's like that. So it's not like your mind suddenly became a mess because you started meditating and you just, you just, it's just that you're just, you just have more awareness. Report an error in the passage at 20:52 Highlight the passage at 20:52

21:09 But the good news is, you know, it's taught that with this awareness of how it all works and we have to constantly become aware. We have to constantly remind ourselves. Unfortunately, we have loads of problems, so we have all this ample opportunity to remind ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 21:09 Highlight the passage at 21:09

21:33 But the more that we can actually apply the teachings of karma, the more we can stop reacting in our habitual way of just responding to criticism with criticism, anger with anger. Then we stop creating the causes for it. And the more powerfully we practice, we can start seeing that in our lifetime. We can start seeing that now. So those annoying people do become less and less. And in that way, actually, they become even more precious. Report an error in the passage at 21:33 Highlight the passage at 21:33

22:15 Because right now we just have so many problems, it's just trying to remember to apply these teachings. But actually... The more purely we are practicing, the less of these problems we are creating. Because we are creating, I should say, the less of these problems we experience because we are not creating the causes for them anymore. Report an error in the passage at 22:15 Highlight the passage at 22:15

22:41 So they begin to drop away. So then this person becomes even more of a supreme teacher and more of a guru because we have few of them to pop up. Right now it's sort of like, well, why on earth would they be so darn precious? Because it's like we see them every five and a half minutes, you know? But they become more precious to us because we aren't creating so many of them anymore. Report an error in the passage at 22:41 Highlight the passage at 22:41

23:02 Some become less. But, yeah, I think there is a similar thought out there in sort of new age thinking that, you know, problems are opportunities. So it's not a completely new idea. What's the radical aspect of it is that we're going to get into more of the radical aspect tonight. But it's this whole idea of why we're doing it and not just to repress and not just to deny that it is a problem or try to say that the pain that's being caused by the dentist isn't really happening. Report an error in the passage at 23:02 Highlight the passage at 23:02

23:42 And that's actually a really sweet and wonderful experience. You know, that's not that at all. The Buddha is saying, yeah, I mean, actually the Buddha's first teaching, right? The wheel turning day is coming up. His very first teaching, the very first line is, there is suffering. He's not saying that the suffering doesn't exist. These teachings on karma and emptiness are simply trying to explain to us how it exists, which is different than the way that it feels like it exists. Report an error in the passage at 23:42 Highlight the passage at 23:42

24:08 So he's not saying it doesn't exist. He's not saying that in the moment we can say it's something that it isn't. He's saying the opposite. He's saying, see it for what it is. And that in that is our freedom. So that's why it's so hopeful, even though I have yet to see it totally as ice cream or gold or jewels. Report an error in the passage at 24:08 Highlight the passage at 24:08

24:33 But, you know. Some things that somebody from the outside without this training would see as a really horrible situation, I have experienced as an incredibly meaningful or rich experience. And I think that's a step towards the ice cream. I have yet to see a really, really difficult problem as much as I would enjoy a bowl of ice cream. Report an error in the passage at 24:33 Highlight the passage at 24:33

24:59 So I think I still have some work to do. But I'm getting there. I'm getting there. And I think it's just... Yeah, I think it's just time, training, practice. And you do start seeing it. I mean, there are life situations that, for example, this workshop that I'm doing right now, at the end of the day, we were all talking. Report an error in the passage at 24:59 Highlight the passage at 24:59

25:22 We were all, you know, just saying one adjective to describe it. And the leader of the workshop said, it was fun. You know, most people would not say that this was fun. And I totally got it. I totally knew what she was talking about. Because it's real. And it's rich. And it's like completely, you know, it's human life. And it's practice. Report an error in the passage at 25:22 Highlight the passage at 25:22

25:48 You know, it's like everything. It's a rich mix. A reality that we kind of don't come into contact with a whole lot in our lives, especially in the West. We kind of try to keep it a little bit at arm's length. And actually, there is something fun about it. It's very odd to say. So I know what she meant. Report an error in the passage at 25:48 Highlight the passage at 25:48

26:10 You do start feeling a little schizophrenic. There's definitely a disconnect between a seriously practicing Buddhist and the rest of American society. So, you know, just get ready for that. So we're going to start with verse 7. And this is actually, this is getting into the practice of exchange of self with others, which I think is the most radical of all the teachings. Report an error in the passage at 26:10 Highlight the passage at 26:10

26:49 And sort of, Report an error in the passage at 26:49 Highlight the passage at 26:49

26:54 it's really, really hard to practice. That's really, really hard to practice. And it's really, really cool when you can practice it, when you can actually remember it. It's really exciting when you can do it. So verse 7. In short, I will offer directly and indirectly every benefit and happiness to all beings, my mothers. Report an error in the passage at 26:54 Highlight the passage at 26:54

27:16 I will practice in secret, taking upon myself all their harmful actions and sufferings. So this is talking about developing compassion. Which is taking and love, which is giving. And we'll talk about what that means, this practice of taking and giving. Report an error in the passage at 27:16 Highlight the passage at 27:16

27:40 Compassion is defined again in Buddhist thought as wanting to remove the suffering of another. Wanting to remove the suffering of another. And love is defined as wanting another's happiness. Wanting another's happiness. Report an error in the passage at 27:40 Highlight the passage at 27:40

28:02 And the direct cause for bodhicitta to arise in our minds is this mind of great love and great compassion. So that's not just my wanting Charlotte to be happy and wanting her suffering to be removed. Because that's, you know, we do that already with our kids or moms, you know, our best friends or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 28:02 Highlight the passage at 28:02

28:24 This is wanting to remove the suffering of... All living beings without exception and to bring happiness to all living beings without exception. It's totally insane. It's been what we would say. And there's this added component of and I, as Lama Zopa always says, and I will do this by myself alone. He always says by myself alone. In other words, you know, I'm going to make this happen. Report an error in the passage at 28:24 Highlight the passage at 28:24

29:01 I mean, that's a big enough wish to even encompass that I would want all these. And it's not even talking about just humans. It's saying all living beings. It's just, it's insane. So this is the direct cause for bodhicitta to arise in our minds because bodhicitta, again, is defined as the wish to become a Buddha so that I can take away the suffering of all beings. Report an error in the passage at 29:01 Highlight the passage at 29:01

29:34 And bring happiness to all beings. It's the best tool. But the desire for that is what gives rise to it. So the main cause is, I mean, the main purpose of Buddhism is compassion. It's wanting to remove the suffering. Buddhahood itself is simply the best tool to do that. It's like the most, you know. Skillful means to do that. Because once we're enlightened, we have this capacity that nobody else has. So this step of compassion and love, these are steps on, we've been talking, the class right before this on Thursday nights was a class called Developing Bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 29:34 Highlight the passage at 29:34

30:23 And in the course of that class, I'm assuming that you learned that there were two methods, three methods, and this is the second method. This is the method that came through Shantideva. So this is the method of exchange of self with others. The third method combines the other two methods, and that's Lama Tsongkhapa's method. Report an error in the passage at 30:23 Highlight the passage at 30:23

30:51 So these methods are actually very straightforward descriptions of meditations that you just do repeatedly until these minds are generated in your mind, until they pervade your mind. And then you just keep meditating on them, strengthening them, sort of shoring them up. So this particular one of exchange of self with others, this is... Report an error in the passage at 30:51 Highlight the passage at 30:51

31:21 This is the big one and this is what this verse is about. This is how you generate compassion and love. Report an error in the passage at 31:21 Highlight the passage at 31:21

31:33 So usually when we see somebody suffering and we know that they want happiness, you know, we often start the class with that, just thinking about how all the sounds that we hear on the street are connected to people. Wanting to be happy and wanting to avoid pain. But for the most part, we don't know how to do anything about that. Report an error in the passage at 31:33 Highlight the passage at 31:33

31:59 They don't know how to do anything about it. They don't understand that you have to abandon the causes for that suffering to arise, which is why we went into karma last week. Report an error in the passage at 31:59 Highlight the passage at 31:59

32:13 Things don't randomly arise. According to the teachings of karma, we create the causes for them. So if we are experiencing pleasure, we've created a positive cause. And if we are experiencing suffering, we created a negative cause. And if we want to experience pleasure, then we have to create a positive cause and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 32:13 Highlight the passage at 32:13

32:39 So in short, getting back to this verse, in short, this term means this is the conclusion. You know, he's coming up to the conclusion of these verses. We haven't hit verse 8, like covers a billion things. We're going to talk about that next week. But he's the essence of this whole practice is in this verse. Report an error in the passage at 32:39 Highlight the passage at 32:39

33:02 I will offer directly means in this life and also helping in sort of more obvious and overt ways. That's directly and indirectly means in future lives, but also the secret practice, what was once a very secret practice of Tonglen. And that's what we're going to talk about, this meditation on Tonglen, which some of you hopefully are familiar with, but all of you will get a chance to practice it this week. Report an error in the passage at 33:02 Highlight the passage at 33:02

33:31 It's such a powerful practice and such a simple practice too. Simple to learn, I should say. Every benefit in happiness. Report an error in the passage at 33:31 Highlight the passage at 33:31

33:43 This refers to both the... The cause and the result of temporal benefit and happiness now and in the future, as well as ultimate benefit and happiness, which is nirvāṇa and enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 33:43 Highlight the passage at 33:43

33:58 So I want to offer all of that to all beings, which we were just talking about, without any bias or discrimination, but also without being attached to the results. You know, so we were just talking about when you do things for people, but you have this expectation that they're going to be grateful to you and kind to you and, you know, become your best friend, stay with you in your marriage or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 33:58 Highlight the passage at 33:58

34:30 And my mother's, this is referring to the first of the two types of generating bodhicitta. there is a A meditation to develop bodhicitta where we contemplate the thought that all beings have at one point, if we all have indeed lived limitless lifetimes and in limitless forms and had limitless types of rebirths, at one time or another the chances are incredibly high that every single being has been our mother, which is a really hard one to get your mind around. Report an error in the passage at 34:30 Highlight the passage at 34:30

35:06 And actually His Holiness the Dalai Lama says between the two meditations in order to generate bodhicitta that that one's the hardest one for Westerners and that this one of exchange of self for others is actually easier for us to get our minds around. I think he's just trying to be... He's trying to puff up our pride because in the teachings in Pennsylvania he was talking about how the one, the first... Report an error in the passage at 35:06 Highlight the passage at 35:06

35:36 It's called Seven Part or Seven Causes and One Effect. That meditation on bodhicitta is said to be for those of duller mind and that one of exchange itself for others is supposed to be for those of us with very keen, sharp minds. I think he's just trying to make Westerners feel better. So my mother's is referring to that step where you're thinking over and over again that every time you've ever... Report an error in the passage at 35:36 Highlight the passage at 35:36

36:05 Been born in every lifetime. You've always had a mother and that mother cared for you with the same care and concern that the mother of this life. Report an error in the passage at 36:05 Highlight the passage at 36:05

36:16 And often more. In some lifetimes, you know, that mother has had to give up her life for you. You know, if you can really use your imagination in this meditation, that mother has been, you know, willing to protect you with her. Or even just her body over time working around the clock for you and so forth. And so you just do this meditation where you are developing this huge gratitude for all beings with that same feeling that they've all done this for you at one point or another. Report an error in the passage at 36:16 Highlight the passage at 36:16

36:53 So that's the mind that you're generating in that particular step. Report an error in the passage at 36:53 Highlight the passage at 36:53

37:00 Then the next line is, I will practice in secret taking upon myself all their harmful actions and sufferings. And so this is talking about Tonglen. And we're going to do this together. I'm going to lead you guys in the meditation tonight so that those of you who haven't ever done it before will have a taste before you try to do it on your own. Report an error in the passage at 37:00 Highlight the passage at 37:00

37:22 And this will be your homework. Report an error in the passage at 37:22 Highlight the passage at 37:22

37:26 So this Tonglen means literally taking and giving. In Tibetan. And its purpose is actually to destroy this nasty old enemy of self-cherishing mind that we've talked about before. So it really helps. This is why this is considered an advanced practice because it's really quite helpful if we already believe that self-cherishing mind is, you know. Report an error in the passage at 37:26 Highlight the passage at 37:26

37:57 The source of all of our suffering. If we don't, and we're just sort of doing it on theory, I've taught this at all different levels, you know, in the meditation, drop-in meditation, I can teach it, you know, you can teach it to somebody who's not a Buddhist. There are a lot of ways to teach it, but the way that it's the most powerful is if you are using it to destroy the self-cherishing mind, which then frees your ability to, To care for others, you know, because at this point, the self-cherishing mind, the selfishness, the self-absorption that we tend to go around with blinders on, worrying me, me, me, me, me, keeps us from loving others and from really caring for others. Report an error in the passage at 37:57 Highlight the passage at 37:57

38:45 And this is the reason why we need to put it, you know, behind us. So in the Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, which I think is one of the, probably the greatest book ever written. Report an error in the passage at 38:45 Highlight the passage at 38:45

39:00 He uses these terms about it. Basically, we're going to war with this mind. Now, this mind doesn't inherently exist. You know, nothing does. This mind is not absolute, just like we've talked about everything else. This table's not absolute. Cindy's not absolute. Chokyi's not absolute. Report an error in the passage at 39:00 Highlight the passage at 39:00

39:19 But in conventional terms, this state of mind of total self-absorption and selfishness that we tend to just go through our life. Report an error in the passage at 39:19 Highlight the passage at 39:19

39:30 Living by according and pampering and feeding causes us to do every negative act we've ever done. So it's not a delusion in and of itself, but it causes all the other ones to arise. Because if I'm like so obsessed with my own comfort, I'm much more likely to like just steal your cushion while you're gone or you know what I mean? Report an error in the passage at 39:30 Highlight the passage at 39:30

39:51 Like I'm much more likely to do a negative act because I'm trying to take care of me, me, me, me, me. So it's the basis for all this other crap to arise. And so that's why they say that it's, you know, the root of all of our suffering because based on it, we allow these negative afflicted states of mind to arise. Report an error in the passage at 39:51 Highlight the passage at 39:51

40:10 And then based on those afflicted states of mind, we harm others, we steal, we scream, we punch, we kill, we, you know, take other people's partners. We do everything else, which... According to the laws of cause and effect, then creates karma, which then ripens, which then causes our suffering. And so if we didn't have this mind, we could spend our time in other ways. So that you often, all of the writings about it are like, you know, kill the demons, slay the foe. Report an error in the passage at 40:10 Highlight the passage at 40:10

40:48 You know, it's like really, really violent terms. And at first you're kind of like, what are we talking about here? I thought we were going to develop compassion. You're not developing compassion for this little devil, because this is the little devil that's gotten us into trouble all the time. This is basically a state of mind, but the state of mind has so much power over us that we've been serving it for lifetime after lifetime. Report an error in the passage at 40:48 Highlight the passage at 40:48

41:12 And actually, if you think about it, it's the cause for us having to take birth lifetime after lifetime, you know, in a huge sense. Report an error in the passage at 41:12 Highlight the passage at 41:12

41:23 So we're allowed not to have compassion for this one thing. It's a state of mind, basically. It's not a being. But it's personified in a lot of these descriptions because of its power over us. We give it power over us. It seems like it's actually an intelligent thing to listen to. It's sort of like when you decide, oh, you know, I'm going to go and do a retreat down at London Medicine Buddha because it sounds really great. Report an error in the passage at 41:23 Highlight the passage at 41:23

41:52 And then all of a sudden it's this... This little mind that's like, I don't know, Jane, that's sounding a little weird. That one, you have to push yourself pretty hard. And you work hard. Maybe it's not yet time. That's self-cherishing. It really is self-cherishing. But it sounds like an intelligent little mind. It's like the little guy in the white lab coat who suddenly steps in and is like, I don't know. Report an error in the passage at 41:52 Highlight the passage at 41:52

42:15 Maybe not this year, you know. So you have to be really, really careful because it... Doesn't always come out as like a slobbering monster. It's not so clear. Sometimes it sounds like you're being really wise. But sometimes, I mean, that same wisdom, right? If you're like sitting there doing your practice and all of a sudden you think, well, what's in the fridge? Report an error in the passage at 42:15 Highlight the passage at 42:15

42:36 That's self-cherishing, you know what I mean? It just sounds like a simple question, and then all of a sudden it starts getting really big, and then you just kind of break the practice and go run downstairs and check out what's in the fridge. So it can show up in a lot of different ways, but it almost always tries to take the form of your friend. And the point is that actually it's gotten us into trouble over and over and over again. Report an error in the passage at 42:36 Highlight the passage at 42:36

42:59 So Tonglen, the point of this meditation, it is yes to develop compassion. It is to develop love, but its ultimate purpose is to destroy this mind of self-cherishing because it blocks us from developing love and compassion. So it's sort of like seeing how this self-cherishing mind or this, however you want to call it, this self-absorption, this neurotic self-absorption that we all have, we all have it, it acts almost like this. Report an error in the passage at 42:59 Highlight the passage at 42:59

43:37 Heavy block on our heart. And the Buddha is like, you can just get rid of it. It's actually not serving you. You think it's been serving you. It acts like your friend. It tries to tell you that it's your friend. But actually all it's doing is getting you into trouble and it's not allowing you to live up to your potential. Report an error in the passage at 43:37 Highlight the passage at 43:37

43:59 So this meditation is all about that. Report an error in the passage at 43:59 Highlight the passage at 43:59

44:07 And this exchange of self for others. Exchange of self for others isn't talking about exchanging personalities with somebody. It's not talking about, you know, I'll go and sit there and then Saki can sit up here. It's not like that. It's not talking about exchanging anything physical. Report an error in the passage at 44:07 Highlight the passage at 44:07

44:28 It's talking about exchanging this mind of cherishing others. Exchanging the mind of cherishing myself with the mind that cherishes others. So it's exchanging a mind. It's exchanging this sort of worthless pain in the butt state of mind with something that's actually going to serve me much, much better. Report an error in the passage at 44:28 Highlight the passage at 44:28

44:57 The mind cherishing others is really just trying to think about others with the same amount of... Enthusiasm and interest, trying to make them happy with the same amount of enthusiasm and interest as we currently reserve for ourselves. Like normally we're just so focused. Sometimes it almost feels so natural to just have this underlying thought in the back of your mind all the time and the Buddha is actually pointing out you don't need to. Report an error in the passage at 44:57 Highlight the passage at 44:57

45:33 There are other ways to think. We can train our minds. It's totally possible to think in a different way. And the new way of thinking is actually going to make your heart bigger and bigger and bigger and can get you enlightened. So come on guys, let's go, is what the Buddha is saying. So it's not like, you know, I think most of the time when we hear this we aren't entirely convinced, but he's trying to point out that this is a method that... Report an error in the passage at 45:33 Highlight the passage at 45:33

46:03 It actually allows you to get enlightened really quickly if you can throw yourself into it. So first, and we aren't going to do this here, but in the steps on this particular meditation, you usually start out thinking about for some time actually contemplating the faults of self-cherishing and the advantages of... Report an error in the passage at 46:03 Highlight the passage at 46:03

46:25 The mind-cherishing others, which we aren't going to do here. So I've sort of given you the shortened version of why self-cherishing mind needs to be destroyed, needs to be eliminated, needs to be turned off, if we don't want to use such violent terms. Report an error in the passage at 46:25 Highlight the passage at 46:25

46:48 But if you are doing this practice as one of the steps to... Generating bodhicitta, you would definitely spend some time thinking about self-cherishing mind. And that's really, really powerful to do. Because that's really where you convince yourself that, wow, this thing has just been causing me trouble for lifetime after lifetime after lifetime. Report an error in the passage at 46:48 Highlight the passage at 46:48

47:10 And I've let it. I've like handed over the reins to this ridiculous state of mind that is just constantly obsessed with. Whether my tea is hot enough or whether or not I'm going to have the nicest seat when I go into the room. Report an error in the passage at 47:10 Highlight the passage at 47:10

47:33 It's just like all these incredibly petty little concerns that we obsess ourselves with all the time in day-to-day life. And sometimes worse. Sometimes it becomes then the cause of us getting into arguments or becoming violent or bigger, bigger. or whether or not I can, you know. Report an error in the passage at 47:33 Highlight the passage at 47:33

47:51 bigger harm that we can cause to others. So, the mind cherishing others, when you begin focusing on the benefits of generating that mind, this is a mind that is really wanting to care for others in the exact same measure that we currently care for ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 47:51 Highlight the passage at 47:51

48:22 this meditation on Tonglen, we actually use this. The suffering that we see in another, and we spend some time thinking about that suffering in some detail. So we're going to start with the object of our meditation being somebody that we already love enough and care enough about so that we know they're suffering to some degree. Report an error in the passage at 48:22 Highlight the passage at 48:22

48:43 You can do this with all different objects, but I think that's actually in some ways the easiest one to start with because we already have some tenderness for this person or being. It can be, you know, like an animal as well if you'd like. That you feel really, really close to, already love enough to want to remove their suffering and to give them happiness. So you don't have to generate that one from scratch. Report an error in the passage at 48:43 Highlight the passage at 48:43

49:05 It's just already there and you're just, you know, strengthening it. And so we're actually going to use that to destroy this self-cherishing. We're going to imagine that it destroys the self-cherishing, even though, of course, it won't in a single instant. Oh, wouldn't that be great? But in our mind, in our imagination, it'll eliminate it, just the same way that when you do purification practices, you imagine that every last bit. Report an error in the passage at 49:05 Highlight the passage at 49:05

49:36 Of negativity is gone from your mind. It's just to have the experience for an instant of what that might feel like. Of course it's not really, but you're having that visualization. This is in that same way visualizing that all the self-cherishing that we've carried with us for lifetime after lifetime is just gone. Report an error in the passage at 49:36 Highlight the passage at 49:36

49:56 And in its place, it's like freeze up this. This bodhicitta, this powerful love and compassion that's in our hearts. We have that potential. Every one of us has that potential in our hearts right now and it's just caked. It's like it's caked on with this self-cherishing mind. So it's putting it into really visual terms. This meditation is a visualization and so you'll actually imagine this happening in your own heart or mind which is the same. Report an error in the passage at 49:56 Highlight the passage at 49:56

50:31 Which frees your little baby bodhicitta to come out and help. So this meditation also really makes us very strong and brave. It's like a really strong, it's like a warm-up exercise to become bodhisattvas. And it really is like that. There's this element on that. That, um, um, The meditation to generate bodhicitta that involves Tonglen, where you just get really, you feel really, really brave. Report an error in the passage at 50:31 Highlight the passage at 50:31

51:10 Like you start just wanting to save all beings, which of course is the point. Because otherwise, bodhicitta just becomes this really weak, wimpy idea, concept in our minds. Bodhicitta is anything but we can want to be. Bodhicitta is the most courageous, powerful mind that can possibly exist, bar none. Report an error in the passage at 51:10 Highlight the passage at 51:10

51:38 And it is the direct cause to becoming a being of light that is capable of helping every single being without exception. And so it's sort of like, in order to get there... First of all, we have to even imagine what bodhicitta is and then we begin trying to cultivate it and it really requires us to be brave and strong. Report an error in the passage at 51:38 Highlight the passage at 51:38

51:58 I mean, that's why sattva, bodhisattva, bodhi is enlightened mind and sattva is warrior. It's powerful. This is big mind. This is powerful mind. This is not just, oh, wouldn't it be nice that beings are happy. It's not like that at all. It's totally like, yeah! You just get this really big open heart from doing this meditation. Report an error in the passage at 51:58 Highlight the passage at 51:58

52:24 So if it still feels really safe, you're probably not trying hard enough. If you're trying to keep it really safe, then it's probably not opening up your heart all the way. Report an error in the passage at 52:24 Highlight the passage at 52:24

52:40 And the cool thing is that when you get to the point where you're able to just let your heart open and you're just really wanting to give, which is the second part, and I'm going to talk you through it. You're taking, you're using it to destroy, and then all this love comes out of you. It's incredibly blissful. But it's like you kind of have to let go of fear to have that. Report an error in the passage at 52:40 Highlight the passage at 52:40

53:08 Brave bodhisattva warrior, you just have to be fearless. Because the fear is really self-cherishing. It's wanting things to kind of just say, great class, let's go home now. This is getting a little weird, let's go watch TV. It's just kind of like, let's just keep it really safe and go through yet another life not developing bodhicitta and becoming enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 53:08 Highlight the passage at 53:08

53:36 So don't listen to it. so So the first step is actually we actually begin exchanging ourselves with others in this meditation and we do this in the mind. Report an error in the passage at 53:36 Highlight the passage at 53:36

53:53 And we know, I mean, it's just a habit to even see ourselves as so separate from others. It's not the way we actually exist. We actually are completely all interdependent. We need each other. And we care for each other. And your happiness is totally important to me, you know. But we just train ourselves to think it's otherwise. Report an error in the passage at 53:53 Highlight the passage at 53:53

54:17 To think it, you know, like if Gina's suffering, that really doesn't have anything to do with me. So this meditation kind of begins breaking down those walls a little bit. And they're completely, we've just made them up. They don't actually exist that way. So this shift, it's like we mentally make this shift. Report an error in the passage at 54:17 Highlight the passage at 54:17

54:38 And we play with this in our mind, like, what if, even for one person, because we just practice first with one person, what if I could train myself to care enough about Jane, as much about Jane as I do about myself? Just one person. And then you kind of prove it to yourself that actually, if I can do it for one person, with a lot of training, I could do it for more and more and more people. Report an error in the passage at 54:38 Highlight the passage at 54:38

55:05 And actually, you know, People do it for one person all the time. Mothers do it for their babies. Mothers, many mothers and fathers. Report an error in the passage at 55:05 Highlight the passage at 55:05

55:18 But I'm thinking more about mothers just because of my own situation with my own mother. And so you can just insert the person of your choice. But there are times when a mother will look at her suffering child and want to take that pain. And they would literally do anything to take that pain away. So I think that's why that example exists in our mind. Report an error in the passage at 55:18 Highlight the passage at 55:18

55:45 But, you know, many of us have had that experience for another person or creature, you know, animal, literally wanting. If you could take that pain from them into your own body, you would do it. So if the Buddhist point is, hey, if you could do it for one, you can actually train yourself to do it for more than one. It's just that we usually try to limit. Report an error in the passage at 55:45 Highlight the passage at 55:45

56:11 It's like one, it's okay for the kid. Might be okay for even 14 kids. And it might be all right for the partner and it might be okay for Aunt Susie. But we just arbitrarily say, okay, but then that's it. It's just too much because I can't do it for... And I'm not going to do it for Chris in the back row. Like it's just, you know, it's just too much. And that's self-cherishing mind again. And it sounds like it's really this, again, the guy in the white lab coat, right? Report an error in the passage at 56:11 Highlight the passage at 56:11

56:40 It sounds like it's just not that that's getting crazy, Jane. I think it's time for you to go. She's going off a rocker again. It's just too much. But the Buddha is just saying that it's arbitrary. We set these boundaries. There are people who actually can love. Many, many, many, many beings equally, which is the cool thing about having people like the Dalai Lama in the world, where they can completely care for and love a brand new person with the same love that they have for an old friend or a mother, you know, and there's no difference and their concern for that person's well-being is the same. Report an error in the passage at 56:40 Highlight the passage at 56:40

57:22 So they sort of exist to show us how it's done. So what we are... Shifting in our mind is I'm trying to get to the point where I cherish Jane in the same way that I used to cherish myself and to care for her needs in the way that I normally care for myself and with the same sort of lack of concern. Report an error in the passage at 57:22 Highlight the passage at 57:22

57:50 You know, ignoring my own needs to the point that I normally just ignore hers. It doesn't mean that we have to just, you know, actually forget to eat or something like that. Like it's not telling us to actually disregard our own bodily functions or something. You know, to stop dressing yourself or something. It's just playing with how the mind works. Report an error in the passage at 57:50 Highlight the passage at 57:50

58:13 Seeing it, you know, bringing awareness to what we are already doing and questioning why we're doing it and trying to expand those boundaries a little bit. There's this attendant of a Lama in New Jersey that one of my teachers used to talk about. And his name is Jampa, which means affectionate love, a great love. Report an error in the passage at 58:13 Highlight the passage at 58:13

58:37 And he would... Do this thing where he would just, with anybody in the room, so not just the Lama that he was attending, but anyone who was visiting the Lama, for example, he would just sit in the background but totally be watching that person. And you almost barely even had the thought of, oh, I'd really like a cup of tea. And suddenly he'd have a cup of tea for you. Report an error in the passage at 58:37 Highlight the passage at 58:37

59:01 You know, he just would be waiting to serve and trying to figure out ways to make you happy, but completely unassuming and like sitting in the background. He would look like he's kind of doing this, you know, and then all of a sudden he'd be like, come and refill your cup and just kind of go down again and then sneak a cookie in, you know, just as you're like, well, this would be really good, but oh, okay, you know, and he would just kind of sneak. Report an error in the passage at 59:01 Highlight the passage at 59:01

59:24 And that's kind of the way we're supposed to do it. We're supposed to kind of be really secret. You're not so, you know, with a flourish, you know, like filling all of everybody's needs. But this is somebody who has, instead of sitting, you know, normally when we're sitting there visiting Lama, we're totally thinking like, what are Lama? Report an error in the passage at 59:24 Highlight the passage at 59:24

59:46 It doesn't have to be Lama. Visiting anybody when you're just life, you're just obsessing about your own needs. You know, it's like. This question is kind of painful. This tea is a little bit weird. I mean, it's just constant. We don't even realize that's the way our mind is working. It's kind of like, is he going to listen to me? Report an error in the passage at 59:46 Highlight the passage at 59:46

1:00:02 Oh, I forgot the questions I was going to ask. You know, it's just constant thinking. It's just me, me, me, me, me. And this is somebody who has turned that obsession around with how can I make all these people happy? With that same kind of obsession, but not in some kind of weird way where like the second... Report an error in the passage at 1:00:02 Highlight the passage at 1:00:02

1:00:22 He's not going to hold on to your ankles when you're leaving or something like that. He's not going to become like a stalker or something. He's just watching you really lightly and sweetly and trying to make you happy. And it's sort of like a teaching on how we could do it. But so this is sort of the ultimate version of putting yourself in another's shoes. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:22 Highlight the passage at 1:00:22

1:00:43 You know, that teaching of, you know, just putting yourself in somebody else's place. This is like the ultimate version of that. It's like an extreme. version of that. But The bodhisattva path is extreme. This is an extreme way of thinking, period. There isn't a difference between us. Our mind keeps creating separation and difference. It actually doesn't exist in that way at all. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:43 Highlight the passage at 1:00:43

1:01:17 It's simply for us to begin noticing how much our mind... It doesn't allow compassion and love to arise even when we have the opportunity for it. We sort of squash it down so that we can get the best seat or keep the best tickets or get the last cup of tea or something like that. Our normal way of thinking about me, me, me is actually forcing us to squash what little compassion we actually have. So this is just bringing awareness to that. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:17 Highlight the passage at 1:01:17

1:01:52 So the way it starts is we begin with we begin thinking about an object, a person, somebody that you really, really care about. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:52 Highlight the passage at 1:01:52

1:02:05 So you might think on the break a little bit about who you're going to use so that you don't have to sit. That's always the hardest thing. That's the hardest part of the whole meditation for me. It's like, who am I going to do it for today? And that can just take like 10 minutes, which is ridiculous. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:05 Highlight the passage at 1:02:05

1:02:21 So just pick somebody that you really, really care, that you already have a deep, deep love for, so that you don't have to generate that. It's already there. And then it begins with... Thinking about what their suffering is. So it really helps if it's somebody that you really care about because then you know they're suffering. You know what causes them pain in their mind or their body or their life or, you know, what their issues are. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:21 Highlight the passage at 1:02:21

1:02:50 And then generating this wish to remove that suffering is what compassion is. So then we generate compassion, which is just wanting to remove that, which also builds courage. Right. Because it's like, I want to take that off of you. I want that. I'll, I'll take it for you. I'll take the bullet. She stepped in front of Geshe-Lo once when we were out in the, out and about, out on the streets. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:50 Highlight the passage at 1:02:50

1:03:17 And she just like stood in front of him and like began, you know, kind of clearing the crowd. And she goes, I'll take the bullet. And it's true. I mean, that's like the bodhisattva attitude really. It's just like taking it on for all beings. She's actually, it personifies it quite a bit. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:17 Highlight the passage at 1:03:17

1:03:35 So this is where it starts. And then we use it and I'll describe it, you know, so you have the visualization. We'll use that suffering. We'll imagine it taking a physical form just so we can picture it. And then we'll use that to destroy our self-cherishing mind. And then we'll imagine this love and bodhicitta sort of welling up. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:35 Highlight the passage at 1:03:35

1:03:56 And that's what we'll use to sort of manifest into everything we want to give to that person to make them happy. You know, from everything from, you know, whatever, you know, like medicine for their illness, health, you know, a new job, you know, a new lover, whatever it is that would make them happy in a conventional sense, all the way up to full enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:56 Highlight the passage at 1:03:56

1:04:22 Like imagine that you had the capacity to just give them everything. And so this is when you can kind of just go crazy and then... And that's pretty much the meditation. But we do it on the breath. Actually, when you get to the point where you've practiced it quite a bit, you can actually do the whole meditation in one in-breath and out-breath. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:22 Highlight the passage at 1:04:22

1:04:48 And the bodhisattvas, really great, highly attained bodhisattvas, are just doing this all the time. Every breath is constantly taking on. Suffering of others and bringing them happiness. And that's just kind of how they live. Now, that requires more focus and familiarity with the practice than I think we can do. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:48 Highlight the passage at 1:04:48

1:05:18 But you can get to the point where you're actually doing it. You can do this, for example, say you're talking to somebody who's really, really struggling. You can do a mini version of it at that point. You know, so it doesn't have to be the full, complete visualization where you close your eyes and completely leave that person. You know, imagine if I was talking to Chris and you're explaining some really hard situation that you're going through in your life. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:18 Highlight the passage at 1:05:18

1:05:44 I could just in that sudden instant just think, let me just take this on for you. And just in my mind as I'm breathing, take it on. Practice being brave, taking the bullet, you know, and then. Giving you whatever I can see that you need at that moment. So he doesn't even know I'm doing it, for example. Most of the time that's the way it is. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:44 Highlight the passage at 1:05:44

1:06:07 So it's not like you suddenly have to be... And you're not like being all weird. So you're not making that person feel really weird and uncomfortable. Hopefully you're... Hopefully, I've seen people do it. Now that you're in on it, you'll know. If you see another Buddhist and they suddenly get all weird and start breathing funny, then they're probably doing Tonglen on you. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:07 Highlight the passage at 1:06:07

1:06:29 But if they're good actors, they can kind of keep it really, really subtle and just breathe deeply with you. They're just breathing. All you're noticing is that they're just more present. You know, hopefully they're doing it right. But this is a great thing to do if you're with somebody, for example, who is dying or somebody who's really, really sick and there's nothing you can do except be present with that person. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:29 Highlight the passage at 1:06:29

1:06:56 Why not use that time, you know, to just sit with them? Say somebody's in a coma or something like that. Or even if they're lucid and they're just at a point where they just don't want to speak or they, you know, they're just silent. They're just experiencing. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:56 Highlight the passage at 1:06:56

1:07:14 Their illness or their pain or whatever. And there's not anything that can be done, for example, and you're just sitting with them. This can be a practice that you can do that just allows you to be more present and not to just be like, oh God, this is heavy, I'm leaving. You know, which is what we want to do. Not only with our own suffering, but with somebody else's, you know. Bolt. You know, and this practice allows you to just kind of be like, okay, no. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:14 Highlight the passage at 1:07:14

1:07:41 I'm going to stick it out. I'm going to stay with this person. She's got a very puzzled look and a hand up. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:41 Highlight the passage at 1:07:41

1:07:50 Let's all breathe it in. When you were just talking about when someone's talking to you about a serious problem and doing a little secret tongue limb on them, it's really helping you, though. Isn't it really just you're working with your mind? It's not necessarily... I mean, I can understand how you said, like, maybe it helps you be more present for them. But for the most part, it's you and your mind that you're working on. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:50 Highlight the passage at 1:07:50

1:08:20 For the most part, what you are doing is trying to generate compassion and great love, which will be the direct cause of your bodhicitta, which will allow you to get enlightened, which will help you to benefit all beings. So it isn't just an exercise for your own mind. Because ultimately... It allows you to be able to benefit others. In that moment, can you take away that person's suffering? Possible. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:20 Highlight the passage at 1:08:20

1:08:45 The more you practice it, the deeper you practice it and the better your karma. They say, for example, the Kadampa Geshe's, you know, the forerunners of the Galupa school in the first class. I sort of talked a little about that lineage, those radical, my heroes. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:45 Highlight the passage at 1:08:45

1:09:06 They apparently got so good at this that people would come to them for healings because they were actually able to take on true sufferings, you know, like leprosy and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:06 Highlight the passage at 1:09:06

1:09:20 And I have actually even heard of people being able to take on their own suffering. In other words, like they have AIDS or cancer or something like that. And their practice is so sincere and so heartfelt because God, you know, if you're going to practice like your hair on fire, it's definitely when you have a terminal illness, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:09:20 Highlight the passage at 1:09:20

1:09:39 So it's like suddenly it doesn't matter what's in the downstairs fridge. Like you can really focus. So the power behind that has. has done what we would consider miracles. For the most of us, it is working on our minds, but that working on our minds might allow us to just love in that moment and not run away from their suffering, and that's huge. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:39 Highlight the passage at 1:09:39

1:10:07 So if you are just like in tears in front of me and it allows me to be there for you, even if that's all. And that's a huge gift because a lot of people can't be there, you know, and in fact wouldn't come back the next night to visit you, you know, because it just was too much. We don't do suffering very well in our culture. We're really heavily into distraction. This and I think part of that is I think the breathing, having it be on the breath is a way of really staying present. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:07 Highlight the passage at 1:10:07

1:10:46 And so it's sort of fighting that natural tendency to like run for the hills. In the face of suffering. So I feel like just working on your own mind really minimizes it because I feel like it can be an incredibly powerful way for you to be present for this person, even if you're not able to take away their suffering, which few of us have that capacity. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:46 Highlight the passage at 1:10:46

1:11:09 Thanks, that's really helpful because I actually had thought of it as something that just happens on the cushion, so to speak. Yeah. I didn't realize that you could, you know. It's so powerful, actually. Yeah, no, it pops up a lot. In fact, it popped up today when somebody was just really, really grieving deeply suddenly. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:09 Highlight the passage at 1:11:09

1:11:27 They hadn't expected either. And it's just like, you know, it happens. Of course, then I followed and I did the same thing. But, you know, it's just like it just wells up. Grief has this ability to do that. Just knock you off. And then and it was just like a way to be able to stay with him, you know, and and just. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:27 Highlight the passage at 1:11:27

1:11:49 You know, be there, which is like that's the human experience, you know, even without enlightenment and all the other stuff, just to be really, to be able to connect to somebody when they're in the worst possible pain. So even if that's all you got out of it, that's cool, you know. Anyway, I was going to say something else and it went out of my head, but anyway. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:49 Highlight the passage at 1:11:49

1:12:12 Did somebody else have a question? Did somebody else have a... Saki? Report an error in the passage at 1:12:12 Highlight the passage at 1:12:12

1:12:22 This is kind of in response to your question. One of the rare occasions that I had where I actually was able to catch somebody suffering in the moment and put it into practice, I was really thankful. It was kind of like after, I think, a teaching that I had recently on bodhicitta, and it was a work incident. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:22 Highlight the passage at 1:12:22

1:12:46 I got in a phone call of somebody out with a client that was like, prepare, this person's coming back in anger. So I was able to prepare and I was like, aha. So immediately it was like, and this person's anger was at one of the other counselors. So I was being put in the position of hear my pain. And this person came back and it was scary. It was like rage and it was being dumped on me. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:46 Highlight the passage at 1:12:46

1:13:16 And I was able to activate that in that moment, you know, and to be able to just sit there and like be like, aha, you know, thank goodness. Like for once I remember to do my homework on the spot. And I'm not saying that this happens to me all the time, but this is one of the rare occasions that did. And I was able to just look him in the eyes with all this raging fire coming at me and sit there and breathe. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:16 Highlight the passage at 1:13:16

1:13:41 You know, it wasn't like totally obvious. asleep. I was able to sit there and actually be like, wow, and let him acknowledge the fact that I was actually doing something at least, that I was sitting there breathing with him and just sitting with him and allowing him and kind of like opening up as like a well or like just a vase or something to like let him just pour it all in. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:41 Highlight the passage at 1:13:41

1:14:08 Right. And he did calm down quite a bit. I didn't say a word. And it often will go more that way where the person, because you are simply being calm, it allows that calmness. But it could also go the other way where they're just like, I hate it when you sit there like that. You're not doing that breathing thing on me again. So just to be ready for that. And that's the fine line. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:08 Highlight the passage at 1:14:08

1:14:39 At that moment, I was, you know, thank goodness I was able to be really like, and this, again, this does not happen all the time to me, but at this time it did. It was like having insight of like when I was just about to say something, I could almost feel his anger raise a little bit more and know not to say anything. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:39 Highlight the passage at 1:14:39

1:14:56 Yeah, which is another reason for presence, right? For just being present. Yeah, so being present, like you can get those subtleties and seeing like, you know, his... Because otherwise you were in the middle of screaming and you weren't going to notice any of that. This body language of like, well, say something and then, you know, then it's like, oh, if I don't say anything, then I'm going to get, you know, then I'm going to get more rage. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:56 Highlight the passage at 1:14:56

1:15:15 So it's like, wow, that must have really been hard for you. Right, right, right. Right, right. Right, right. So yeah, you can definitely. Definitely, I think. Right. I remembered actually what I was going to say too. Actually, Tonglin is something that you can totally do on buses and on streets and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:15 Highlight the passage at 1:15:15

1:15:33 And one thing that I like to do is if we hear tons of sirens, right? Every time you hear a siren, I can guarantee you that somebody is suffering. And whether it's a police siren or a... Or even if it's just like somebody's going to a false alarm and they're going to be really pissed off because they like go and they all run into the school or something. And then it's like yet again, some 12 year old thought it was really funny, like pull the thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:33 Highlight the passage at 1:15:33

1:16:00 So there's some tiny amount of suffering or more likely there's some large suffering. It's possible that somebody has died as well. So it's just like it could be huge suffering. So every time it's like the mindfulness bell that in some in some traditions and. Thich Nhat Hanh does like any kind of bell, you know, mindfulness to just come back. I do the Tonglen bell. So it's sort of like the siren becomes just remembering that no matter what's going on in our life, somebody somewhere is suffering and sometimes really profoundly, like intense, which is kind of hard. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:00 Highlight the passage at 1:16:00

1:16:37 Like you're just sitting there kind of, you know, reading the paper or something and it's like, and you hear it and you're just like, whoa, because it could be some really like somebody's. Child burned or, you know, partner killed somebody. You know, I mean, like huge suffering is happening right now, which is intense, probably within this block. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:37 Highlight the passage at 1:16:37

1:16:54 And we just are completely oblivious. And so it's just this way to remember, wow. And not to then go, whoo, God can't think about that. And like, you know, turn to the pink pages, but rather to go, okay, let me, let me help. You know, I want to help. So it's just kind of a way of. of connecting as well, and keeping that connection, even when it gets scary. And that's a good example of when it could get scary. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:54 Highlight the passage at 1:16:54

1:17:23 I think that kind of anger at you can be really, really scary. Yeah. Why don't we take a break and then we'll come back and we'll do the meditation together and then you guys can ask more questions if something's not clear. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:23 Highlight the passage at 1:17:23

1:17:52 Yeah, just leave it in there, but just maybe like a half a cup more hot water. Thank you, Jane. Okay, so let's do this meditation together. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:52 Highlight the passage at 1:17:52

1:18:08 And even if you've done Tonglen meditation before, it'll probably be different, unless you've done it with me before. And even then, I like to spice it up and change some of the visualization sometimes. But if you've done it with another person before, it'll probably be different. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:08 Highlight the passage at 1:18:08

1:18:26 So just kind of go with it instead of reacting like, oh my God, what's she doing here? You know, just be like, it's okay. Just go with the visualization and see what happens for you. And then we can have a little time for Q &A at the end. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:26 Highlight the passage at 1:18:26

1:18:49 So again, you just start with checking your posture and checking, you know, just letting your breathing kind of cleanse you from anything that's anything else that might distract you. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:49 Highlight the passage at 1:18:49

1:19:01 Just imagining it sort of flowing over you and just washing away any sluggishness. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:01 Highlight the passage at 1:19:01

1:19:19 And then just bring to mind somebody that you care about very, very much. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:19 Highlight the passage at 1:19:19

1:19:26 So it could be a really good friend or a sibling. For this purpose, make it a living person. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:26 Highlight the passage at 1:19:26

1:19:42 And make it be, again, somebody that you know well enough to really be able to imagine the kind of specific issues they have in their life. Because we'll get to that in a minute. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:42 Highlight the passage at 1:19:42

1:19:58 Just picture this person sitting in front of you. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:58 Highlight the passage at 1:19:58

1:20:05 And then begin in detail, as much detail as you can, picturing the kind of suffering that this person has. So if they suffer from pain or illness, depression, mental illness, substance abuse, issues. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:05 Highlight the passage at 1:20:05

1:20:29 If they've just had a really hard life, you know, whatever that entails. If they're undergoing specific problems right now, like they've lost a job, just try to imagine the specific problems that this person has. And Report an error in the passage at 1:20:29 Highlight the passage at 1:20:29

1:20:55 at the same time, just allow yourself to take five breaths in and out while you're contemplating. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:55 Highlight the passage at 1:20:55

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:21:35 And then in your heart, really try to feel strongly that you want to remove the suffering from this person. You want to take it away. And this is the meaning of compassion. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:35 Highlight the passage at 1:21:35

1:22:04 And then imagine this pain and suffering beginning to manifest in a physical form in this person's body and mind. Imagine it like black smoke. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:04 Highlight the passage at 1:22:04

1:22:19 And imagine that you're, with each breath, it's sort of being pulled from all the parts of their body and mind and all settling in about the location of their heart. Just a little puff of smoke at their heart. Just imagine. It coming from all parts and doing it on the breath as much as you can. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:19 Highlight the passage at 1:22:19

1:22:50 And don't leave anything behind. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:50 Highlight the passage at 1:22:50

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:23:22 And now make this conscious decision that you're going to remove this pain and suffering from this person that you love very much. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:22 Highlight the passage at 1:23:22

1:23:32 And you're going to use it to destroy your self-cherishing, your selfishness. And Report an error in the passage at 1:23:32 Highlight the passage at 1:23:32

1:23:45 if you need to, you can remind yourself of all the problems that that self-cherishing mind has caused you. And Report an error in the passage at 1:23:45 Highlight the passage at 1:23:45

1:24:03 now we just begin to breathe. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:03 Highlight the passage at 1:24:03

1:24:08 This black smoke from this person. So you can imagine with each of your breaths it's rising up from their heart and then up to their nostrils and then out of their nostrils and into the air between you. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:08 Highlight the passage at 1:24:08

1:24:32 And allow yourself time to do this. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:32 Highlight the passage at 1:24:32

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:25:13 So this suffering is like a little puff of smoke in the air between you and this person you love. And now for a moment think about your own self-cherishing. So try to imagine. Something very, very selfish that maybe you've done in the last couple of days. It can be really little. It doesn't have to be enormous. But try to be specific. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:13 Highlight the passage at 1:25:13

1:25:40 Maybe you just couldn't listen to somebody who was having a problem. Maybe Report an error in the passage at 1:25:40 Highlight the passage at 1:25:40

1:25:48 you just thought more about yourself than somebody else when you entered the room. You just used up the last of something without ever replacing it or even caring. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:48 Highlight the passage at 1:25:48

1:26:06 Maybe when you were talking to somebody, you didn't wait for them to tell their story. You just told yours and left. All the little things we do all the time. Just imagine one. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:06 Highlight the passage at 1:26:06

1:26:39 And then imagine that selfish mind taking the form of a cold black rock at your heart, because that's the way it feels, encasing your heart. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:39 Highlight the passage at 1:26:39

1:27:08 Now breathe in that black smoke, slowly, and imagine it beginning to encircle that black rock at your heart. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:08 Highlight the passage at 1:27:08

1:27:22 Take a few breaths to do that, bringing it in through your nostrils. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:22 Highlight the passage at 1:27:22

1:27:36 It encircles the black rock. In an instant, like a lightning bolt, it destroys that rock. It destroys that self-cherishing mind. And Report an error in the passage at 1:27:36 Highlight the passage at 1:27:36

1:27:53 that rock explodes. And you can sort of breathe easier, Report an error in the passage at 1:27:53 Highlight the passage at 1:27:53

1:28:00 deeper, and just feel your own relief. Then Report an error in the passage at 1:28:00 Highlight the passage at 1:28:00

1:28:18 out of that darkness, become aware that there's this white glowing at your heart that's getting stronger and stronger and stronger. And that's your compassion and your love. Your baby bodhicitta has been freed. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:18 Highlight the passage at 1:28:18

1:28:41 And at the same time, look into the eyes of this person that you really love and see the relief in their eyes for having removed all their suffering without even a trace. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:41 Highlight the passage at 1:28:41

1:28:59 And I feel really happy that you've done that. I Report an error in the passage at 1:28:59 Highlight the passage at 1:28:59

1:29:06 really feel happy about this glowing compassion at your heart and love at your heart. And Report an error in the passage at 1:29:06 Highlight the passage at 1:29:06

1:29:23 then if you have any understanding about emptiness, Just that things don't exist in any solid, absolute, permanent way that we tend to think of them. Do a little meditation on emptiness here, remembering that your self-cherishing mind also doesn't exist in that way. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:23 Highlight the passage at 1:29:23

1:29:47 We personify it to explain our selfishness, but it doesn't inherently or absolutely exist either. Any solid view that we have about ourselves as being unchangeable, unchanging, just imagine that dissolving also. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:47 Highlight the passage at 1:29:47

1:30:07 And a vast open space. And Report an error in the passage at 1:30:07 Highlight the passage at 1:30:07

1:30:13 then just rest in that vast open still space. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:13 Highlight the passage at 1:30:13

1:30:31 And then feel like you want to give this person everything to make them happy. This is love. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:31 Highlight the passage at 1:30:31

1:30:44 So we're going to start with giving them conventional things and we're going to go all the way up to giving them full enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:44 Highlight the passage at 1:30:44

1:30:56 So begin with imagining that glowing light at your heart. And again begin to breathe it out. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:56 Highlight the passage at 1:30:56

1:31:07 So imagine with each breath it goes a little bit further from your nostrils and you just keep breathing this sort of glowing white light of bliss, sort of like a cloud, imagining that it contains within it everything this person or animal needs to be happy, Report an error in the passage at 1:31:07 Highlight the passage at 1:31:07

1:31:33 good health, peace of mind, enough money, a new job. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:33 Highlight the passage at 1:31:33

1:31:44 You might imagine it containing all of your own. Qualities or skills or things that might help them. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:44 Highlight the passage at 1:31:44

1:31:57 Maybe you have confidence and they don't, for example. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:57 Highlight the passage at 1:31:57

1:32:14 And each out breath, it gets a little further, but it still stays connected to your heart for a few more breaths. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:14 Highlight the passage at 1:32:14

1:32:24 One teacher described it's really like silly putty. It's going out, but it's not disconnecting. It's like this cloud of radiant white glowing light. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:24 Highlight the passage at 1:32:24

1:32:46 And then finally imagine that person begins to breathe it in and for a few breaths you're sharing this glowing light of bliss and potential and love. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:46 Highlight the passage at 1:32:46

1:33:10 And then finally it disconnects and it goes into them and fills them up. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:10 Highlight the passage at 1:33:10

1:33:24 And imagine that they're completely happy and filled with peace. They Report an error in the passage at 1:33:24 Highlight the passage at 1:33:24

1:33:35 have everything that they need to not just be happy now but to always be happy. It's like a limitless spring of happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:35 Highlight the passage at 1:33:35

1:33:57 Imagine that you're able to actually fill them with all the teachings of the Buddha and that they're able to become a bodhisattva, that they're able to have a direct perception of emptiness, that they're able to become a fully enlightened Buddha themselves. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:57 Highlight the passage at 1:33:57

1:34:18 Imagine that they are completely transformed into a being of light. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:18 Highlight the passage at 1:34:18

1:34:29 I feel how happy you are that they're so transformed and they're so happy. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:29 Highlight the passage at 1:34:29

1:35:00 Meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:00 Highlight the passage at 1:35:00

1:35:07 You can dedicate it to their happiness and to your being able to use this meditation to become more courageous, more compassionate, more loving, so that ultimately it becomes a cause of your own enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:07 Highlight the passage at 1:35:07

1:35:41 And you can also use this meditation on yourself. You can visualize yourself, and especially if you're really in pain. And in fact, we have to start with ourselves in some ways. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:41 Highlight the passage at 1:35:41

1:35:58 Because we can never be compassionate for others if we can't be compassionate for ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:58 Highlight the passage at 1:35:58

1:36:07 You can also do this meditation for people that you don't know at all, people on the street, people at work that you don't know well, somebody that you hear about on the news, Report an error in the passage at 1:36:07 Highlight the passage at 1:36:07

1:36:26 a group of people that you hear about on the news, like prisoners that are being tortured, for example. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:26 Highlight the passage at 1:36:26

1:36:38 And you can do it for somebody who's harmed you. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:38 Highlight the passage at 1:36:38

1:36:45 Or wants to harm you. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:45 Highlight the passage at 1:36:45

1:36:51 Or somebody you don't like for any reason. Maybe just simple annoyance. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:51 Highlight the passage at 1:36:51

1:37:02 But it's better to start with somebody that you really, really love. Or yourself. And then to build your sort of compassion muscles before you take on the hard ones. Before you take on Hitler or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:02 Highlight the passage at 1:37:02

1:37:26 So does anybody have any questions about what we just did? Report an error in the passage at 1:37:26 Highlight the passage at 1:37:26

1:37:39 Yeah, I was wondering if this practice can also be considered a form of purification practice as well? Not traditionally, no. Why? Why did that come to you? Just because it feels like exchanging the karma, or not the karma, but exchanging the bad for the good is kind of like a way of purifying a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:39 Highlight the passage at 1:37:39

1:38:06 Yeah, I mean, I think karmically speaking, it creates the causes to generate the mind of bodhicitta, but it doesn't, I don't think it's so much of a purification practice. I think since it's such powerful, virtuous thought, it probably has purification in that sense, you know? Report an error in the passage at 1:38:06 Highlight the passage at 1:38:06

1:38:35 Yeah. And I think, too, I mean, because you're, especially when you're, the more, you know, You can do this practice, for example, if you're experiencing a certain type of physical pain or mental pain, which is, of course, the time you don't want to do it, but it's the most powerful time to do it. When you are willing at that time to just think, okay, so many other beings in the world are having the same pain right now, then let me just take it on for them. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:35 Highlight the passage at 1:38:35

1:39:16 Just having that thought at the time, because usually when we're sick, right, our self-cherishing is at its highest. It's like, you know, I mean, we have a cold and our self-cherishing like comes out in full force. So forget about something more serious. But shifting that is such enormous good karma that in that sense, I think it is purifying. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:16 Highlight the passage at 1:39:16

1:39:41 And that's why they say, we were talking a little bit on the break. Doing this practice at the moment of your own death, which, you know, I have news for you. You will never be able to if you don't do it while you're like everything's good. Like there's no way that at that moment you could suddenly, you know, I've got a great idea. I'm going to go practice Tonglen. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:41 Highlight the passage at 1:39:41

1:40:04 So you have to practice it all the time before then, which is true for POA too, actually. So, I mean, with POA. People talk a lot about doing Po practice at the time of death. You have to have practiced it a lot before that moment, before you try to do something like really advanced practices like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:04 Highlight the passage at 1:40:04

1:40:25 But Tonglen is one that we can train ourselves to do by doing it all the time in all these ways that we were just talking about. And it becomes second nature. And that's when you're going to be able to do it. So if you can train yourself to do it when you have a cold. Or when you're depressed. Or when you're discouraged. Or when you have a big loss. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:25 Highlight the passage at 1:40:25

1:40:50 Your car is stolen. You know, maybe start when your jeans are stolen or something first and then kind of work up. But, you know, if we can practice it with the little deaths, because those are all little deaths. Those are preparations. Things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:50 Highlight the passage at 1:40:50

1:41:05 Then it becomes second nature and then you're much more likely to be able to do it at the time of your death. And they say this is the most powerful practice that sort of ordinary people like us could do. And when I heard that I actually felt really heartened because I thought, okay, I could do this one. But you've got to practice it all the time to make it feel like second nature so that you want to do it. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:05 Highlight the passage at 1:41:05

1:41:27 So your mind can kind of slip into it more naturally. It's sort of like if you don't practice French, there's no way. That you're going to be able to speak French in any situation, you know, so it's kind of the same thing. We have to be able, it has to become second nature to us. So when you hit like really bad turbulence, you know, that's the moment to practice Tongue Latin, you know, especially if you see people around you that are scared, you know, like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:27 Highlight the passage at 1:41:27

1:41:57 But yeah, it's actually a way, it gets you out of your own thing, you know, like where. For me, it was quite useful, and it has been quite useful with physical pain, with migraines, endometriosis, like serious, serious pain to get you out of, like, oh, big pain. What is La Misha calls it? Self-pity mind? You know, self-pity mind where we're just completely encased in, you know, woe is me, you know, and we can't even think about anybody else to suddenly think. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:57 Highlight the passage at 1:41:57

1:42:33 Wow, can you imagine having this kind of headache pain and knowing that it wasn't going to let up until you died? I mean, and there are people like that tonight in the city experiencing pain like that. So it just immediately gets you outside of your own crap. But then it's also really, I found it really, really useful when I was grieving my mom's death especially, which was probably the biggest death. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:33 Highlight the passage at 1:42:33

1:43:02 The biggest experience of death that I have had, actually. I've had a lot of deaths in my life. What finally sort of opened it was doing Tonglen for everybody who's ever lost anybody and then limiting it to all those who had lost their mothers who really, really love their mothers. You know, just like picturing this group of people and all the really horrible, tragic ways that people lose their moms, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:02 Highlight the passage at 1:43:02

1:43:29 And just, and it was scary. To take on that willingly is so scary. And then what ends up happening is your heart just pours wide open. And then it's just like, then you're capable of bearing your own grief because it's no longer just your own. It's everybody's. It's sort of like you're all in it together. In reality, we all are in it together. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:29 Highlight the passage at 1:43:29

1:43:50 We just focus on me, me, me. And that's actually more painful. That's more painful to just focus on, you know. Oh, poor me, or I'm so lonely, or whatever. So anyway, any other questions about what we just did? Has anyone else ever practiced Tonglen before in any other capacity? Report an error in the passage at 1:43:50 Highlight the passage at 1:43:50

1:44:24 Not with me. Like with somebody else. Was it different? Was it a different experience? Report an error in the passage at 1:44:24 Highlight the passage at 1:44:24

1:44:34 Oh, I see. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oops, if you're going to say much, you've got to hold the talking stick. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:34 Highlight the passage at 1:44:34

1:44:47 I just, you know, like I said, it wasn't something formal, but something I learned and I did it on my own. And there was an incident where kate, kate, parakate came at the end. Which is the mantra from the Heart Sūtra? Yes. After the Tonga, it just came and all the beings just turned to light and disappeared. Wow. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:47 Highlight the passage at 1:44:47

1:45:10 That was fulfilled. Yeah, it's a really, I mean, it seems like a very simple meditation, and structurally I think it is, but it's so profound in how deep it can go. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:10 Highlight the passage at 1:45:10

1:45:25 And so just play with it. But yeah, I've had incredible experiences with this one, you know, and it's, they knew what they were talking about. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:25 Highlight the passage at 1:45:25

1:45:39 Anybody else? Report an error in the passage at 1:45:39 Highlight the passage at 1:45:39

1:45:44 Okay, so I want a couple of announcements really quick. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:44 Highlight the passage at 1:45:44

1:45:51 This meditation, remember, is like your little strengthening, your heart exercises. It's going to make you more courageous and bigger and get past this sort of limited little baby mind that keeps us back. So just every time that it gets scary, just sort of note that, you know. And try to realize that that means it's working. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:51 Highlight the passage at 1:45:51

1:46:22 That's actually a good sign. They actually say it's a good sign if it feels scary because that means that you're sort of pinpointing the self-cherishing and that, you know, remember that it's been the cause of not just your problems in this life but next life and that you can get tough with it, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:22 Highlight the passage at 1:46:22

1:46:46 You can get rid of it. It doesn't have to hold you back anymore. You have a chance now in this life to do something about this mind. Or you can think about its emptiness. It feels like it has this enormous power over us, but in reality it's simply just this selfish mind. It's just a mind. It's just a habit. A habitual way of thinking that has gotten us into trouble and we don't have to listen to it anymore. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:46 Highlight the passage at 1:46:46

1:47:13 So sometimes for me getting tough is like sort of works better. It's just like Tenzin Chokyi who is coming in two weeks I think to talk about emptiness. She said that's the only time in her retreat that she would swear is when she got a whiff of the self-cherishing mind or something like it. You know this term Māra. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:13 Highlight the passage at 1:47:13

1:47:41 Buddha did battle with Māra. Well, a lot of Māra are these negative, afflicted states of mind. And those are huge enemies, you know? So she would be like, I won't even say the word, but that's, she'd be like, sort of like, you know, forget it. I'm not going to listen to you anymore, you know? Like, I'm done with you, you know? Report an error in the passage at 1:47:41 Highlight the passage at 1:47:41

1:47:58 That's the kind of, it's that kind of attitude of just like, you know, forget it. I'm not going to do it, you know? I'm going to get rid of you. I don't need you anymore. You haven't ever helped me. In fact, you've been this huge hindrance to me. Because of you, I'm not enlightened and I'm done with you, you know, so it's just like getting really tough with it. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:58 Highlight the passage at 1:47:58

1:48:18 So the homework this week, which you guys already have, is to practice Tonglen. There's no reading assignment except whatever you haven't already read. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:18 Highlight the passage at 1:48:18

1:48:31 There's a couple of other required readings for people who are doing the class for credit, meaning... Going for the certificate, either for this class or for any of the classes. And one is to read Days 18 and 19 out of Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. So if you own that book and you care to learn more about this, it goes much more deeply into the Lojang practices in that book. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:31 Highlight the passage at 1:48:31

1:49:06 And there is another book that's called The Wish of Filling Golden Sun. And there's an excerpt from that. I am happy to make copies of either or both of these things if people want to read them. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:06 Highlight the passage at 1:49:06

1:49:24 But I would love to get a hand count. Hey, sweetie, how are you? Report an error in the passage at 1:49:24 Highlight the passage at 1:49:24

1:49:32 For the listener at home. Allison Hard just left the building. So if anybody would like the handout of the reading from Wish for Filling Golden Sun, raise your hand. I don't even know how long it is, but it's probably just a few pages. One, two, three, four, five, six. I saw a concern. I saw the look. I need a pen. Oh, thank you. Wish for Filling Golden Sun. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:32 Highlight the passage at 1:49:32

1:50:06 Such a great name anyway. Golden Sun. What did I say? Six? Report an error in the passage at 1:50:06 Highlight the passage at 1:50:06

1:50:15 And then who doesn't own Liberation in the Palm of Your Hands and would like me to copy days 18 and 19? That's a bit more copying. I don't know how long the chapters are, but I'm willing to do it or I'll get somebody to do it. I'll rope some volunteer into doing it. Would anybody like that? One, two, three. Sorry. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:15 Highlight the passage at 1:50:15

1:50:38 Well done, so everybody can raise their hands. Okay, so again, hands for liberation. Who wants liberation? One, two, three. Liberation, the palm of your hand is a commentary on the whole lamrim. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:38 Highlight the passage at 1:50:38

1:51:00 It comes from a teaching that was given in 1921 by Pabanka Rinpoche and then written down by his disciple Trijong Rinpoche. So it's just a really nice teaching on the entire path to enlightenment. And he does sort of different topics with each day. And there's a couple translations, but I think, I don't know which one. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:00 Highlight the passage at 1:51:00

1:51:19 We'll go with the one that's the least number of pages for Tsakish. So again, how many how many people want liberation? I just like saying that. One, two, three, four, five. Yeah, if you the book is great. And if you want to do several of these classes, you always have reading assignments from liberation. So once you it'll more than pay for itself by your liberation. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:19 Highlight the passage at 1:51:19

1:51:44 So I'm going to just do five. Wish of Filling Golden Sun isn't in print anymore. So it's it's easier for me. I just like to just make handouts of that one. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:44 Highlight the passage at 1:51:44

1:51:54 Okay, so we'll just do five for liberation. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:54 Highlight the passage at 1:51:54