Taking Refuge - Discovering Buddhism (22 February 2008)

0:01 Yeah, I said it up before. Report an error in the passage at 0:01 Highlight the passage at 0:01

0:14 Are you afraid I'm going to jump back up again? I'm going to go add a few more points to Michelle. And then in conclusion, we actually hired somebody to be education director this week, which is going to sort of split my job into two. We're trying to figure out what to call me. I think I still may be spiritual coordinator. So we got together with her today, and I thought it was going to be like a one-hour meeting. Report an error in the passage at 0:14 Highlight the passage at 0:14

0:43 It was literally. That's why I had to take that walk around the block. I saw David check his watch when I came in. He's like, where's she coming from? I need a little break. But I'm very excited. She actually is somebody who used to work here seven years ago. She was working here when I first started here when I was the director. She was my office manager. Report an error in the passage at 0:43 Highlight the passage at 0:43

1:04 So she's a good buddy and she knows a lot about Buddhism and the center and blah, blah. So I think she'll be great energy. Report an error in the passage at 1:04 Highlight the passage at 1:04

1:13 And I'll have more energy. Report an error in the passage at 1:13 Highlight the passage at 1:13

1:18 So that I can give you guys more energy. All right. So I was thinking to start, what a surprise, with the meditation. And I'm going to do, I think the one that you guys were doing last week going on Shakyamuni Buddha. But just sort of, maybe it isn't, I can't remember what you had last week. Report an error in the passage at 1:18 Highlight the passage at 1:18

1:40 But the one just where we visualize Shakyamuni Buddha and do his mantra a little bit. So just take a few moments to kind of let yourself come to rest on your cushion. Karen's going to come in, by the way. She's going to come in late. Report an error in the passage at 1:40 Highlight the passage at 1:40

2:03 Hey, Charlie, can I ask you, before you get too comfy, would you mind closing the doors? Because I think the Thursday night class, more than anything else, everybody else is off. So there's that sort of feeling in the house that everyone's going in and out the doors and stuff. Report an error in the passage at 2:03 Highlight the passage at 2:03

2:18 Poke the button. And the little thing pops out. There you go. It's sort of the exciting Edwardian swinging door. It's very cool, actually. And that's the side that doesn't squeak. Yeah, that's good. That's great, yeah. Then she'll feel welcome. Well, hopefully we won't still be meditating. Report an error in the passage at 2:18 Highlight the passage at 2:18

2:44 So I just do a body scan. If you feel like taking some nice deep cleansing breaths would help. Letting go of whatever else you've been doing today. You've been working. Report an error in the passage at 2:44 Highlight the passage at 2:44

3:00 Had any tension in your life at all, even parking? Try to use your breath to release that tension. Breathing is really good for that. Report an error in the passage at 3:00 Highlight the passage at 3:00

3:22 And then review your posture, your Report an error in the passage at 3:22 Highlight the passage at 3:22

3:29 shoulders to relax and go back, your spine to extend. Report an error in the passage at 3:29 Highlight the passage at 3:29

3:49 Or just focus on the breath for a moment. So either at the level of your belly, your chest or your nostrils, just use it to calm your mind. Try counting to 10. Report an error in the passage at 3:49 Highlight the passage at 3:49

· · · silence, 1 minute

5:05 Just begin with imagining yourself surrounded by all beings. Imagine sort of a sea of humanity around you. Imagine them in the form of humans. Report an error in the passage at 5:05 Highlight the passage at 5:05

5:22 And try to see how they're the same as you in wanting happiness. Imagine the types of happiness. And also in wanting to avoid suffering. Report an error in the passage at 5:22 Highlight the passage at 5:22

5:35 And imagine the kinds of suffering that they're facing. Report an error in the passage at 5:35 Highlight the passage at 5:35

5:47 At least that low-level dissatisfaction dukkha. It just runs through all of us. Or maybe they're having pain, fear, anxiety, but Report an error in the passage at 5:47 Highlight the passage at 5:47

6:06 at the same time they also have hopes and dreams just like us. Report an error in the passage at 6:06 Highlight the passage at 6:06

6:22 In this way they're exactly like us, so try to really feel that connection with all of them, even if you don't know them, even if you don't like them. Report an error in the passage at 6:22 Highlight the passage at 6:22

6:50 And now invite all your teachers here and imagine that they all merge together and take on the aspect of Shakyamuni Buddha himself. Report an error in the passage at 6:50 Highlight the passage at 6:50

7:02 Made of glorious golden light. Report an error in the passage at 7:02 Highlight the passage at 7:02

7:11 Imagine that his essence is the energy of pure, unconditional compassion and loving wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 7:11 Highlight the passage at 7:11

7:27 And if you don't have anyone that you consider a teacher right now, you can still know that your future teachers are embodied in him. Report an error in the passage at 7:27 Highlight the passage at 7:27

7:38 They might know who you are, even if you don't know who they are yet. They're just waiting. Report an error in the passage at 7:38 Highlight the passage at 7:38

7:50 Imagine that his face is peaceful and smiling. And then he radiates love out to you and to everyone, all the sea of humanity around you. Report an error in the passage at 7:50 Highlight the passage at 7:50

8:05 He's seated on a lotus on top of a disc representing the sun of wisdom and a moon of bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 8:05 Highlight the passage at 8:05

8:27 His lotus rests on a golden throne and it's adorned with jewels and supported by snow lions. Report an error in the passage at 8:27 Highlight the passage at 8:27

8:48 The Buddha's wearing the robes of a monk. He's sitting cross-legged. And the palm of his right hand rests on his right knee in earth-touching mudrā. And his left rests on his lap in meditation mudrā, holding an alms bowl filled with nectar. Report an error in the passage at 8:48 Highlight the passage at 8:48

9:13 Imagine that pure light shines from every pore of his body and radiates out, sending his love and compassion to all beings in all directions, as far as your mind's eye can see. Report an error in the passage at 9:13 Highlight the passage at 9:13

9:38 Even if all you can feel is a sort of dazzling presence of... Embodying these qualities, that's good enough. Report an error in the passage at 9:38 Highlight the passage at 9:38

9:53 And then try to generate a mind of refuge, remembering what it is that we fear. We fear this kind of continual suffering that we find ourselves in. Report an error in the passage at 9:53 Highlight the passage at 9:53

10:09 Continually being born, getting sick, aging and facing death. Ourselves over and over we've been through this. All different forms, all different lifetimes. Report an error in the passage at 10:09 Highlight the passage at 10:09

10:28 But even in this life we've already suffered so much. Even just all the heartbreaks, loss, separation and that dissatisfaction, that dukkha running through us. Report an error in the passage at 10:28 Highlight the passage at 10:28

10:49 We don't want to keep running after pleasure life after life and creating more and more suffering for ourselves out of ignorance. Report an error in the passage at 10:49 Highlight the passage at 10:49

10:59 We don't want to be afraid to die. We don't want to fear what follows death. Report an error in the passage at 10:59 Highlight the passage at 10:59

11:14 And part of our refuge is thinking about what it's possible for us to become. What we all have the potential to become, a fully enlightened being, Report an error in the passage at 11:14 Highlight the passage at 11:14

11:30 able to help others effortlessly, without thought, in ways that are perfect for their minds, their karma, Report an error in the passage at 11:30 Highlight the passage at 11:30

11:44 simultaneously. Report an error in the passage at 11:44 Highlight the passage at 11:44

11:50 So generate this mind of trust in the refuge objects as we already begin to know them, the Buddha, his teachings, sincere practitioners on the path, and trusting him. Report an error in the passage at 11:50 Highlight the passage at 11:50

12:14 And then think about the suffering of all the beings around you. And think for a moment that their happiness depends on you. Report an error in the passage at 12:14 Highlight the passage at 12:14

12:25 And take some responsibility for that. Making this wish to develop your own mind, your own capacity so that you can help them. Report an error in the passage at 12:25 Highlight the passage at 12:25

12:40 We do this meditation, we do this class for them. And as Lama Zopa Rinpoche would say, we live this day for them. We live this life for them. Learning to expand our mind out that way, thinking about others. Report an error in the passage at 12:40 Highlight the passage at 12:40

13:11 So think about a quality that Shakyamuni Buddha has that you want to develop and bow down to that quality in your mind with that aspiration to achieve it yourself. Report an error in the passage at 13:11 Highlight the passage at 13:11

13:27 So maybe it's that amazing quality to be able to manifest in whatever form is needed without effort, without thought, spontaneously and Report an error in the passage at 13:27 Highlight the passage at 13:27

13:40 simultaneously for as many beings as necessary. Report an error in the passage at 13:40 Highlight the passage at 13:40

13:48 Or maybe it's any of the qualities that we talked about last week. Report an error in the passage at 13:48 Highlight the passage at 13:48

14:08 And then make offerings in your mind. What would you give to attain that quality? To actually have limitless compassion. Report an error in the passage at 14:08 Highlight the passage at 14:08

14:22 To be tireless in your energy working for others. To have this capacity to help others in these amazing ways. Transforming your own body into whatever they need. And Report an error in the passage at 14:22 Highlight the passage at 14:22

14:39 then imagine skies and skies and skies filled with that offering. So it can be jewels, light offerings, flowers. Fireworks. Report an error in the passage at 14:39 Highlight the passage at 14:39

15:00 They say that there was a great disciple of the Buddha, Samantabhadra, who would start with one image and then just almost imagine it like mirrors coming out on all sides, expanding it, filling the whole sky. Report an error in the passage at 15:00 Highlight the passage at 15:00

15:23 And then confess any mistake or regret, anything you regret from today maybe or Report an error in the passage at 15:23 Highlight the passage at 15:23

15:37 this week. Anything that's not in line with what you want to do with your life. What you want to do with your practice, what you want to do with your mind. Maybe getting impatient with somebody else or yourself. Report an error in the passage at 15:37 Highlight the passage at 15:37

15:55 Maybe not using speech in a way that's beneficial. Report an error in the passage at 15:55 Highlight the passage at 15:55

16:05 And then just regret it with some determination to not repeat it as much as you can for as long as you can. And Report an error in the passage at 16:05 Highlight the passage at 16:05

16:30 then rejoice in all the amazing goodness of yourself. Everything that you've done. Just being here now. Report an error in the passage at 16:30 Highlight the passage at 16:30

16:40 Any time this week that you've actually remembered to apply any teaching of the Dharma at all. To change your mind, to not hold on to anger, disappointment, discouragement and Report an error in the passage at 16:40 Highlight the passage at 16:40

16:57 just deeply rejoice. Sometimes the changes come in tiny steps but we have to rejoice. Report an error in the passage at 16:57 Highlight the passage at 16:57

17:15 And then request Shakyamuni Buddha and all your teachers to stay in your life and to teach you in whatever way you need, whenever you need it, however you need it. Report an error in the passage at 17:15 Highlight the passage at 17:15

17:28 Maybe to help you recognize it as a teaching. And also to stay. To not pass away into Paranirvana, Report an error in the passage at 17:28 Highlight the passage at 17:28

17:40 to always stay connected to you Report an error in the passage at 17:40 Highlight the passage at 17:40

17:46 until you gain enlightenment yourself. Report an error in the passage at 17:46 Highlight the passage at 17:46

17:56 Dedicate the energy of this prayer to all those suffering beings around you. Then Report an error in the passage at 17:56 Highlight the passage at 17:56

18:14 you make a heartfelt request to Shakyamuni Buddha to bless your mind, to eliminate all your negative minds and obstacles on the path, especially misunderstandings, misconceptions of the teachings, and Report an error in the passage at 18:14 Highlight the passage at 18:14

18:36 to help you generate all the realizations you need. To progress on the path. Report an error in the passage at 18:36 Highlight the passage at 18:36

18:47 And then ask for a blessing within your mind stream right now with whatever you need, whatever kind of help you need. Report an error in the passage at 18:47 Highlight the passage at 18:47

19:01 If you need more courage, if you need more determination, if you need help blocking or eliminating laziness, fear, worry, Report an error in the passage at 19:01 Highlight the passage at 19:01

19:15 mindfulness, whatever it is, ask for that right now from Shakyamuni Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 19:15 Highlight the passage at 19:15

· · · silence, 1 minute

19:52 And then imagine Shakyamuni Buddha smiles. And then he comes to the crown of your head, shrinking to the size of a tiny bird's egg. And then he stays. Report an error in the passage at 19:52 Highlight the passage at 19:52

20:11 And as we recite his mantra, you can imagine light pouring from him into you, pervading your entire body, speech and mind with his blessings and purifying you of whatever obstacles, hindrances, blocks, Report an error in the passage at 20:11 Highlight the passage at 20:11

20:33 eliminating everything you don't need and bringing you everything you need. To be able to help others, to be able to progress, to be able to work on your mind, to be able to become everything that you have the potential to become. Report an error in the passage at 20:33 Highlight the passage at 20:33

20:59 Thaya, Tha, Report an error in the passage at 20:59 Highlight the passage at 20:59

21:05 maha munaye soha tayata om Report an error in the passage at 21:05 Highlight the passage at 21:05

21:17 Mahamunaye Soha -ya-ta-oh. Report an error in the passage at 21:17 Highlight the passage at 21:17

21:33 Taya Tao. Report an error in the passage at 21:33 Highlight the passage at 21:33

21:50 Maha Munah Esau Report an error in the passage at 21:50 Highlight the passage at 21:50

22:13 Mahamuna Really Report an error in the passage at 22:13 Highlight the passage at 22:13

22:28 try to feel that his blessings, his inspiration. I've filled you with everything that you need, everything you need in your practice that Report an error in the passage at 22:28 Highlight the passage at 22:28

22:40 you need to progress on this path. Report an error in the passage at 22:40 Highlight the passage at 22:40

22:46 And then imagine that Shakyamuni Buddha melts into golden light and that stream of light enters your crown and moves down into your heart, entirely filling you with his blessings, including his heart instructions and advice, all his realizations, all his qualities. Report an error in the passage at 22:46 Highlight the passage at 22:46

23:13 Imagine that your body, speech and mind become completely one. With his enlightened body, speech and mind. And Report an error in the passage at 23:13 Highlight the passage at 23:13

23:35 then imagine that you yourself are now transformed into a body of golden light. Report an error in the passage at 23:35 Highlight the passage at 23:35

23:44 A being abiding in this world solely for the purpose of benefiting others. Report an error in the passage at 23:44 Highlight the passage at 23:44

23:54 This is your true potential. Report an error in the passage at 23:54 Highlight the passage at 23:54

23:59 Imagine what this would really feel like. And Report an error in the passage at 23:59 Highlight the passage at 23:59

24:17 so we set our motivation for tonight's class to be able to put whatever we learn into practice in some way. So that we can get closer and closer to reaching that true potential. Report an error in the passage at 24:17 Highlight the passage at 24:17

24:35 And that one day we will be able to benefit all those beings surrounding us. And Report an error in the passage at 24:35 Highlight the passage at 24:35

24:46 as Lama Zopa Rinpoche always says, by the way, we'll also become happier. We'll also be able to find lasting happiness and eliminate all of our suffering. Report an error in the passage at 24:46 Highlight the passage at 24:46

25:01 And may this class tonight become the direct cause for that to happen for each one of us. Report an error in the passage at 25:01 Highlight the passage at 25:01

25:21 When you're ready, you can end your meditation. We'll start with the opening prayers. Report an error in the passage at 25:21 Highlight the passage at 25:21

25:48 So we'll start on page 7 with the refuge and bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 25:48 Highlight the passage at 25:48

25:59 What did we do? We started with English, didn't we, last time? I go for refuge until I am enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I am enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 25:59 Highlight the passage at 25:59

26:31 SANGYE CHURANG SOGI CHUNAM LAJANG SHUT PAR DU DAG NI KAP SU CHI DAG GI CHUN YANG GI PASO NAM GI DRO LA PEN CHIR SANGYE DUPAR SHO Report an error in the passage at 26:31 Highlight the passage at 26:31

26:55 If you want to look really official, then that's what you can do. And then we'll do His Holiness actually. 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. Report an error in the passage at 26:55 Highlight the passage at 26:55

27:27 As long as space remains, as long as sentient beings remain. Until then, may I too remain and dispel the miseries of the world. That's good. Take a deep breath. Report an error in the passage at 27:27 Highlight the passage at 27:27

27:44 Great. So does anybody have any questions or comments either about the meditation that we just did or about any of the things that we talked about last week or any of the homework that you've been doing? David's already ready. Can I ask, actually, would anybody mind, I forgot to get water, just a regular cup of water. You know, they have that water pitcher in the cafe, just one of those would be great. Report an error in the passage at 27:44 Highlight the passage at 27:44

28:13 Thank you, Charlie. I'll tell you what David says. Or just talk really slowly. Yeah, that's right. Take a nice beer. Report an error in the passage at 28:13 Highlight the passage at 28:13

28:28 It concerns little D Dharma, big D Dharma, little B Buddha, big B Buddha. And just a little S Saṅgha, a big S Saṅgha. The Dharma Jewel versus the Saṅgha Jewel. Yeah, the Jewel versus the relative. And the jewels are pretty high standards. They're incredible goals to shoot for, to say, may I become enlightened to help myself and other sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 28:28 Highlight the passage at 28:28

29:01 But it doesn't happen every day. I fall short. You're not enlightened yet, David? No. Come on, the rest of us are like, huh. It's like Geshe-la during puja sometimes, he sits back and starts doing this. Report an error in the passage at 29:01 Highlight the passage at 29:01

29:17 And so I guess it's trying to reconcile reality with the goal. Yeah, I think Lama, I mean, His Holiness the Dalai Lama always says you have to have both the short term of like, I got to go for it now, I got to use every moment and then also long term knowing it could be many, many lifetimes. And that's okay. And knowing that and just being okay with that. Actually, the whole idea of reincarnation should be kind of a breath of relief in some way of like, just keep pointing the right direction, doing your best and like kind of like that, but knowing that. Report an error in the passage at 29:17 Highlight the passage at 29:17

29:55 You never know. I was going to say it won't happen tonight, but you never know, actually. Karma ripens in a funny way that we just can't always know. It's not like it's the steady uphill. It's kind of like... You just don't know how it's going to... I was indicating a graph that kind of looks like the stock market. Report an error in the passage at 29:55 Highlight the passage at 29:55

30:21 But it is like that. You just don't know when you'll be meditating on precious human rebirth, for example, and it'll just suddenly be like, whoa, you know, and you'll get some meaning that you've read the same exact meditation even, not even just a new meditation, but something will click. That's what I mean about you just don't know how your karma is going to ripen. But to not expect that, to not count on it even, except with some sort of... Report an error in the passage at 30:21 Highlight the passage at 30:21

30:50 Deep trust in the whole process. It's just a balance. It's a balance. So yeah, balancing that really big thing of like, what the heck is enlightenment for all sentient beings without exception? I mean, it almost is like too big. But the more you say it and the more you trust that it actually exists, the more your mind can begin to open to it. Report an error in the passage at 30:50 Highlight the passage at 30:50

31:14 We're just kind of used to being like this, you know, it's like, it's like the autistic, we're like the autistic children and we're, somebody's finally like going, look honey, there's a whole playground, you know, and that's kind of, so we just, first we got to take off the goggles and the helmet and kind of look around a little bit and just open, open and all of these, you know, these meditations, the whole idea of dissolving your body and suddenly being made out of light is like. Report an error in the passage at 31:14 Highlight the passage at 31:14

31:41 Part of letting go of all those limitations, self-imposed limitations, you know, all of those, the whole offering. You know, a lot of times people don't want to do the preliminary stuff, but the whole idea of offerings is for us. They don't need all that. They don't need, you know, what are they getting out of that? Except joy that we're trying to do it, but it's all about opening our hearts and our minds and getting vaster and vaster in our vision and, you know, the whole idea of even attempting. Report an error in the passage at 31:41 Highlight the passage at 31:41

32:09 To cultivate bodhicitta, even having a wish to benefit all beings. I mean, you know, I can't, you know, I can't even benefit one being. I can't even take care of myself right now. But just that idea of every day, getting up, going through the motions, it's like you fake it till you make it. Buddhism is all about you fake it till you make it. And that's okay. Report an error in the passage at 32:09 Highlight the passage at 32:09

32:34 And then when people make it, they don't tell you, so you don't really even know who's made it or not. They could still look like somebody acting out, and they're just trying to do it to help you. So you just focus on yourself and just be like, okay, one foot in front of the other. And when you fall down or whatever, it's the practice, the real practice is, you know, we do all screw up. Report an error in the passage at 32:34 Highlight the passage at 32:34

32:58 We do fall short. Every one of us falls short. And then it's just like figuring out what's going to get you back on the horse. Maybe it's going to be talking to somebody. Maybe it's going to be reading something. Maybe it's just going to be sitting, watching your breath a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 32:58 Highlight the passage at 32:58

33:13 Whatever it is, getting back on that horse. And just over and over and over again. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there's no magic to it, really. What we're doing is like rehearsing it. And we act it more and more and more until finally we become it. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 33:13 Highlight the passage at 33:13

33:34 Does that help? You need like a little bodhicitta cheerleader. Actually, that's true. I think a lot of the teachers become our bodhicitta cheerleaders. A lot of their quotes, a lot of their books, and then of course them in person. It's like you begin really having faith that it does exist and that it looks different than you might think it's going to look. Report an error in the passage at 33:34 Highlight the passage at 33:34

33:58 They don't always look holy. They certainly aren't all quiet. Not everything's composed. And just, I don't know, you just have to keep getting back on the horse. Report an error in the passage at 33:58 Highlight the passage at 33:58

34:13 That's all I've ever figured out anyway. Is there a question? I see the brow furrowed. The hands on the mouth. Report an error in the passage at 34:13 Highlight the passage at 34:13

34:32 It's a great question. I think this is, you know, really that... The daily practices, it's so much that mindset. And I do think, you know, myself, I find, you know, I'll sit in these meetings and I'm kind of doing like my fake Tonglin practices with all these people and really thinking about, okay, how are my actions and where does it stretch from? Report an error in the passage at 34:32 Highlight the passage at 34:32

34:55 But it does, the side is, it seems like that's like a couple moments, but then I asked Rabina this question and then suddenly just this, you know. Other person slips in and then I'm back to this speech and it kind of almost feels like it diffuses the thought. It seems like there's a lot of really interesting thoughts of kind of bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 34:55 Highlight the passage at 34:55

35:17 I mean, it just seems like a thought. It doesn't seem like... It's all bodhicitta really is. Actually, bodhicitta is conceptual. But ultimately it becomes non-conceptual. But we get there. It's like with our understanding of emptiness. Ultimately it does become non-conceptual. But it is a thought. Love is a thought. Compassion is a thought. Is it better to think, well there is no better, but is it what you just said is emptiness? Report an error in the passage at 35:17 Highlight the passage at 35:17

35:45 So is it conceptually is kind of practicing or looking at an individual, thinking about them being empty of inherently existing this way or being beautiful or imperfect or rude or not? Or is it, it seems like that more cuts at the root versus bodhicitta. Well, but you can't ever get enlightened without bodhicitta. So you need both. I mean, that's what Rubina is always calling the two wings of the bird, you know. You need both. Report an error in the passage at 35:45 Highlight the passage at 35:45

36:12 You can't get enlightened without bodhicitta. It's completely impossible. You can gain nirvāṇa and then get stuck there for eons, blissed out. So you can actually cut the root of, you know, you can actually get out of saṃsāra. So you can eliminate all your mental afflictions. But ultimately you will need to develop bodhicitta in order to gain full enlightenment and get rid of those last subtle obscurations. Report an error in the passage at 36:12 Highlight the passage at 36:12

36:38 So you do need both. And actually you need to develop them simultaneously or you will just get sidetracked by the sort of bliss of eliminating the mental afflictions and just kind of working on your own mind for a while. It does become the deeper and deeper states of meditation. Are said to be incredibly blissful and all that and people do just kind of get sidetracked. So in this tradition we just start out talking about bodhicitta all the time so it just infuses everything. Report an error in the passage at 36:38 Highlight the passage at 36:38

37:04 So you never forget that that's why you're going for gold, you know. Yeah. So you're always remembering them. And it becomes second nature to you too so that when you're in the bardo, when you're dying, those kind of things will just come to you. You know, so it becomes second nature, so you don't have to start over from scratch next life, you know. That'll just be like, you know, I gotta keep going for the benefit of all beings, I gotta keep doing this, you know. Report an error in the passage at 37:04 Highlight the passage at 37:04

37:34 I gotta find my teacher, you know. That's why I said, you know, when you're asking and you're calling on your teacher, and sometimes when you get to the line where you're asking them not to leave, now I actually, when I do that, I usually also say, just, you know, don't let me be separated. Because of course they have to... Report an error in the passage at 37:34 Highlight the passage at 37:34

37:51 Leave this body, you know, because they're manifesting. And if you believe that they're enlightened, which I actually do with mine, if I believe that they're enlightened and they're manifesting in this form, but they're manifesting in an imperfect form so that they can reach us, you know, so that that form will pass away. Report an error in the passage at 37:51 Highlight the passage at 37:51

38:10 But I am praying to continue that connection. So if I die first, that I continue to stay connected and I don't have to look for you again, you know, and that. You know, if you pass first, did I just never, did I just latch on to you? They always say, the hook of your compassion, you know that line, the hook me with your compassion, which I thought was such an odd phrase. Report an error in the passage at 38:10 Highlight the passage at 38:10

38:30 I was like, but it's a little like a shepherd, I think. You know, that kind of a hook. And often they'll say that about Lama Zopa Rinpoche. They'll be like, ah, he hooked you, did he? You know. And it is like that. It's like, oh. Actually, you see that Rubina do that too when she's like a new volunteer or something. You know, she's like, oh. Report an error in the passage at 38:30 Highlight the passage at 38:30

38:49 It's like, oh, she's got another one. Yeah, so that's kind of what I'm thinking of sometimes when I'm doing that particular part of the prayer. It's like, you know, let me just stay connected so I don't have to start over. But if we don't do these kind of prayers a lot where we're trying to really imagine, first of all, our connection with all beings, that they're all exactly like us, and that, you know, that we're doing this in order, any kind of, any... Report an error in the passage at 38:49 Highlight the passage at 38:49

39:16 Thought of enlightenment is only for them. Enlightenment is only for them. That's just the best way to be able to help them from their suffering. But if we aren't constantly kind of reminding ourselves of that, I think we lose sight of it. And that also helps us in the world, you know. And because if you're working on your compassion at the same time as you're working on your wisdom, then it'll help you when you're at your job and somebody's being annoying or, you know. Report an error in the passage at 39:16 Highlight the passage at 39:16

39:41 Something doesn't get delivered on time or whatever because you're remembering that this is a sentient being. Sentient beings aren't all those beautiful faceless beings around you. It's that really annoying guy in front of you in line in the bank or whatever. It's like those are sentient beings too. So working on bodhicitta now actually should help you in your interactions with other people. Report an error in the passage at 39:41 Highlight the passage at 39:41

40:05 The wisdom stuff is really about working on your own mind at this point. Self, working on your mind. But you've got to do them simultaneously. It's not like you can do all of it one side and then go do the other side. I don't know if that helps, but it just gives you more to think about. Report an error in the passage at 40:05 Highlight the passage at 40:05

40:32 Any other questions for now? Report an error in the passage at 40:32 Highlight the passage at 40:32

40:39 One of the things that we're going to talk about tonight are starting to go through the formal refuge commitments. When you decide to take refuge, when and if I should say, Geshe-la is going to give refuge on the 20th of April. Report an error in the passage at 40:39 Highlight the passage at 40:39

40:57 And so I thought it would be good to go through it. I also just wanted to talk a little bit more about refuge in general. Report an error in the passage at 40:57 Highlight the passage at 40:57

41:10 But one of the things that I'm going to give you guys tonight, actually I think that meditation that we just did. Yeah, you're going to do that. That'll be your homework this week, that same meditation. And I forgot now, who's in the daily practice? I know David is. Is anybody else in daily practice? Did you recognize parts of that one? Yes. Yeah. You better say yes. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 41:10 Highlight the passage at 41:10

41:34 Yeah. Dang, straight. But I also thought I'd go ahead and give you a list of the... At least the one line version of the refuge commitments and what we're going to do is actually go through what that really means. Because sometimes they sound kind of like, whoa, what's that? And so it's useful to go through what they actually mean. Report an error in the passage at 41:34 Highlight the passage at 41:34

42:00 So again, if we're thinking about the Buddha as being basically, remember I think we talked about the Buddha being a definition of, or enlightened mind being a definition of perfected mind. mean, Report an error in the passage at 42:00 Highlight the passage at 42:00

42:14 It's eliminating everything harmful and negative and perfecting everything that's positive. So it's sort of the highest level of mental development possible. You could look at it that way. I think especially that fits our culture, our kind of worship of the mind. And the Dharma is what leads us to that state, which we get there through gaining these insights. Report an error in the passage at 42:14 Highlight the passage at 42:14

42:44 Strengthening these insights into actual full realizations along the path. And then the Saṅgha really prove the usefulness of these teachings through their practice and through their realizations and through their guidance. We can see how it all sort of works, whether they are our teachers. You know, or whether or not they are practitioners within the community. Like Karen was saying, how important it was for her to have a sort of wider view of the Saṅgha as being other practitioners, Dharma buddies, basically, you know, which I also think is really, really useful. Report an error in the passage at 42:44 Highlight the passage at 42:44

43:29 I don't think you can, I mean, it's amazing how important Dharma friends are. And over a lifetime, over a Dharma lifetime, they can be incredibly useful, even if it's an email relationship with somebody, to just have somebody to bounce something off of. Like, I'm really struggling with this. Somebody who would be able to kind of challenge you a little bit and keep you on the straight and narrow if you're on the path. Report an error in the passage at 43:29 Highlight the passage at 43:29

43:56 Without just kind of agreeing with you like a normal friend might. Sounds like a crazy place, just quit. Rather than how you might be able to work with that situation in a way that might strengthen your mind. Report an error in the passage at 43:56 Highlight the passage at 43:56

44:11 And you can also read the life story of some of these great yogis like Milarepa or Lama Zopa Rinpoche. His biography is in there too. Seeing how somebody might... With Lama Zopa Rinpoche it's kind of harder because he was born, he was recognized as a reincarnated lama early in his life. But with Melarepa I think it's a really good story that way because he started out so messed up. He's a little bit more like us. And I think that's why, I mean, the prison project really uses him a lot for the prisoners because there's such a feeling that once you've ended up in prison. Report an error in the passage at 44:11 Highlight the passage at 44:11

44:54 Everybody is reinforcing this idea that you were just totally lost. And so this idea that somebody could have not only, you know, been deluded and confused and all that, but killed people, like lots of them, through his own power and for intentionally, you know, and still turn around and gain enlightenment in one lifetime is actually incredibly inspiring. Report an error in the passage at 44:54 Highlight the passage at 44:54

45:18 So just reading about a master's like that is incredibly inspiring. And I think part of it also is just to keep reminding ourselves that these aren't just stories, these are actual, these are like guides to show us that it is possible. And sometimes it's hard because you look at, you know, these stories like, you know, if you know, if you've met the lamas, like Lama Zopa Rinpoche or Riba Rinpoche, Van Morbina is doing a biography of Geshe Lama Konchok, who is a great... Report an error in the passage at 45:18 Highlight the passage at 45:18

45:50 Lama in our lifetime who's just passed away, one of my teachers, at least for a minute, he was one of my teachers. I got the chance for him to yell at me. Report an error in the passage at 45:50 Highlight the passage at 45:50

46:00 Made that connection. She's writing this amazing, she's read us parts of it, you know, it's like bedtime stories where we'll come into the kitchen late at night and all of a sudden she'll be like, listen to this, you know, and she'll read it. And she's got this great, I told her she should put it on CD and raise money for... Report an error in the passage at 46:00 Highlight the passage at 46:00

46:15 You know, for LPV, yeah, because it's just so, her reading voice is great too. You know, she's like got all the drama and, you know, and drops to a whisper in part. It's so perfect. But we have to keep reminding ourselves that they really did start like us and that they became great. And it wasn't always easy. We see this sort of finished result in a way with some of these great masters like Shun Rinpoche. It's hard to imagine him ever as sort of this, you know. Report an error in the passage at 46:15 Highlight the passage at 46:15

46:45 Kind of messed up person like me, you know, but I have to believe that it was, you know, but sometimes you can over time see other students and see the change in them. I know we have a student who is doing, has been doing three-year retreat up in Northern California and he came back by just for a visit. Report an error in the passage at 46:45 Highlight the passage at 46:45

47:06 It was really wild to see. The changes in him, just with my limited, you know, lack of wisdom and everything. And I was like, it was crazy. I was running an event or something as usual. But I could see the changes in him, just sort of the clarity in him and the kind of differences of retreat. And my friend who's done a lot of long retreat, I mean, she was already pretty amazing, but just to see the changes within. Report an error in the passage at 47:06 Highlight the passage at 47:06

47:33 My relationship with another student to see that. And that's so inspiring because you begin to gain more faith that the method really works. And that's where I think Saṅgha can be incredibly inspiring to us. Because sometimes I think if we're always just comparing ourselves to the teachers, it's hard, especially when they're like Tibetan Llamas or Rinpoches or something. Report an error in the passage at 47:33 Highlight the passage at 47:33

47:57 It just feels like they've always, they just emerged like that, you know. And that's not so helpful because I think we can use it as a little bit, you know. Actually, Rubina yesterday morning at Puja was saying that Lama Yeshe said that he was at a teaching when he was 21. I forgot which teaching it was now. I wrote it down. You're always like scrambling, you know. It's like 7 in the morning. Report an error in the passage at 47:57 Highlight the passage at 47:57

48:26 With a pencil! But he said that he was at this teaching when he was 21 and he finally got it that he could do this too. He had to do this himself. Like he couldn't just keep relying on the lamas outside, the external lamas or the external Buddhas, that it had to be an internal. The work had to happen within. He had to do this with his own mind. And I think each of us have to reach that point. It's taking me a little bit longer than 21. But, you know, it's okay. Report an error in the passage at 48:26 Highlight the passage at 48:26

49:00 Maybe 41. Maybe 50, actually. 81. Report an error in the passage at 49:00 Highlight the passage at 49:00

49:09 We'll get there by 81, Charlie. But that's it. I mean, so much of what they're here for is just to keep inspiring us. 81 Report an error in the passage at 49:09 Highlight the passage at 49:09

49:19 And knowing that actually it's not just people in the hills of Dharamsala, you know, there are people in California meditating right now, going for it, you know. Report an error in the passage at 49:19 Highlight the passage at 49:19

49:28 And I know somebody right now, Shina Lama, she's just going for it, you know, she's doing the best she can. So they're all, and they're working hard. When you're in retreat, that kind of retreat, you're just like, you're up, you know, there's no refuge. I mean, there's no rest for the weary. Report an error in the passage at 49:28 Highlight the passage at 49:28

49:47 You take refuge at the bed is what you do. It's just hard work. They're in and out, working hard on their mind day in and day out. And they're doing it, you know. And that we can gain inspiration from, too. So some of the ways that we practice in relationship with this idea of the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. Report an error in the passage at 49:47 Highlight the passage at 49:47

50:12 And the biggest one, I think, is... Trying to keep harmony. This one comes up a lot. Trying to keep harmony with all of our, with the relative saṅgha, with all of our Dharma brothers and sisters. And it gets, you know, of course it's especially hard when you're living and working with them. This is one that Venerable Vena does bring up a lot. Report an error in the passage at 50:12 Highlight the passage at 50:12

50:35 There was a center in England that was an FPMT center many, many years ago. She just had a lot of conflict that arose at one point and finally divided into two centers. And she said it was the hardest experience of her entire life, and she's really lived with it. She said it was like a war zone. And she said that Lama Zopa Rinpoche said that it was the result of having broken this one vow of not keeping harmony with your, in that case, your brothers and sisters. Report an error in the passage at 50:35 Highlight the passage at 50:35

51:08 It's a tantric vow. That that's the karmic result. It's what happened in that situation. And that's such a hard, or just finding fault with, I think is actually the way the bow is read. So it's not even fighting with each other, it's simply constantly finding fault with each other and talking about each other behind each other's back and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 51:08 Highlight the passage at 51:08

51:30 So really, really trying to keep harmony with each other is a huge, huge way of putting the Dharma into practice, actually. Report an error in the passage at 51:30 Highlight the passage at 51:30

51:43 And also they say to making offerings, making offerings to the Three Jewels. And it's hard to say that. I think in the West it's kind of hard because it always sounds like, especially, you know, I'm a center employee, so it sounds like I'm like, you know, hey, I get an idea. Report an error in the passage at 51:43 Highlight the passage at 51:43

52:01 But it's not like that at all. It's simply, they actually say that it's really, really important for us to remember as we're setting up our own altars, to really remember that they are manifestations of the Buddha's body, speech and mind. He's living, he's right here with us. So he's just manifesting in these forms that give us, you know, inspire our minds and allow us to make merit by prostrating to them or placing offerings on the altars or things like that. Report an error in the passage at 52:01 Highlight the passage at 52:01

52:28 So these, if we had the karma, we could actually see that these are, like when you see, when Rinpoche enters Agampa, he's just immediately, I mean, he sees them in a really different way. I'm bowing down and placing my hands together. So he does this every time. It's like he's in the presence of his teacher. When he sees His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he's just immediately like this, you know. Report an error in the passage at 52:28 Highlight the passage at 52:28

52:52 He's not like us where we're like, you know, look at me. He's down immediately because he's seeing them as enlightened objects. So it's really important that we don't, when we're setting up our altars at home, that we don't just think of it as like an art thing. Or a decoration that we really try to remember that they're manifestations of those actual Buddhas and that they're there to inspire our minds. Report an error in the passage at 52:52 Highlight the passage at 52:52

53:19 And so that's what we're trying to do. But also that there are ways for us to gain merit by... Again, making these offerings which allows our minds and hearts to open, our generosity to increase. And we need to accumulate merit to be able to gain realizations. Often it's easier to think about, if you think about purifying and accumulating merit as being ways of, you know, fertilizing the field, preparing the field so that the seeds can actually take root. Report an error in the passage at 53:19 Highlight the passage at 53:19

53:57 Hey, come on in. Report an error in the passage at 53:57 Highlight the passage at 53:57

54:02 If in doubt, choose left. Report an error in the passage at 54:02 Highlight the passage at 54:02

54:08 We do need to, we constantly need to purify our mind of all these obstacles and we constantly need to create merit in order to strengthen and gain realizations. And it's just like we have to keep constantly doing that. That's why we make those kind of prayers, you know, we do that one heartfelt request. Really thinking about removing the blocks that we have. Report an error in the passage at 54:08 Highlight the passage at 54:08

54:31 And it's very much like removing the weeds and the rocks and the like. And then the merit is very much like the fertilizer, you know, the good water system, irrigation system or whatever like that. Making sure that your quality of seeds is good and things like that. Because otherwise it's almost like our mind just stays sort of hard and solid and blocked and we just keep reading this stuff and we're like, this stuff doesn't make any sense at all. Report an error in the passage at 54:31 Highlight the passage at 54:31

54:58 And it's simply because we haven't accumulated merit. We haven't prepared the field, basically, and we're wondering why. And a lot of these practices, like when we go through the seven limb prayer, like we just did before the meditation, taking that time to really soften the mind before we do a meditation really makes a difference. Report an error in the passage at 54:58 Highlight the passage at 54:58

55:22 Otherwise, it's just like it just keeps hitting this sort of solid rock, filled with the rocks of our sort of... You know, the delusions like pride or like ignorance, really dense ignorance where just nothing makes sense. Or aversion, even worse, where we just kind of like turn our minds off. And we also need, they say we need the blessings of our teachers. And really the blessings of our teachers is just talking about the inspiration of our teachers. Report an error in the passage at 55:22 Highlight the passage at 55:22

55:55 Often the word blessings is used in this kind of mystical way that sounds like they're going to drop fairy dust on your head. And I think it's just a way of sort of visualizing it. But the true blessing that our teachers give us is inspiring us, helping us see that it's possible to do, inspiring us to do it, having faith in us when we don't have faith in us, which is a huge one. Report an error in the passage at 55:55 Highlight the passage at 55:55

56:18 I mean, they have faith in us way before we do. They know what's possible for us to do. They actually see our karmic potential in a way that we just don't. And so they can give us faith in ourselves a lot of times. Report an error in the passage at 56:18 Highlight the passage at 56:18

56:33 And an easy way to make merit is to make offerings to these images of the Buddhas. Actually, some of the thangkas are built with these things at the bottom of... You can see these different, as my lovely sister is showing me, yeah, this is actually, these are supposed to be jewels. So it's actually built in as a way of always having offerings being made to it. Report an error in the passage at 56:33 Highlight the passage at 56:33

56:58 And some of the tankas are like that. Actually, often that one, the forearm chenresic also has it. This one here, the Vajrasapha also has it. Probably these ones with multiple images do, but I can't see it because they have all these other images going on there. But definitely the solitary ones almost all have it, which I think is very interesting that that's like that. But otherwise, anyway, so that's another way of creating merit. Report an error in the passage at 56:58 Highlight the passage at 56:58

57:27 It's just offering these bowls or offering incense or flowers or anything. Report an error in the passage at 57:27 Highlight the passage at 57:27

57:34 So this is another example of where we talked about enlightened activity of the Buddha. And this is... Another way of thinking of that enlightened activity, the Buddhas actually manifest these images and even though we can't see them directly, we are able to see a reflection of them in these images and that's inspiring to our minds. Report an error in the passage at 57:34 Highlight the passage at 57:34

57:54 And even a reflection of that purity and that power can be this incredible inspiration to our minds. And it actually helps us create merit. It creates merit in our mind. It creates merit in our mind. Report an error in the passage at 57:54 Highlight the passage at 57:54

58:15 The way that Dharma works, of course, is much more practical in a way. I mean, I suppose you can make offerings to Dharma books. Really, we increase our merit in relationship with the Dharma by actually applying it. Report an error in the passage at 58:15 Highlight the passage at 58:15

58:30 It's much more like that. Even the tiniest practice. Report an error in the passage at 58:30 Highlight the passage at 58:30

58:37 Venom Rubina is always saying, especially the harder the practice is, like if you really resist doing it or you don't want to do it, you don't want to get up at 5 o 'clock. I guess should I get up at 4 o 'clock so I could do my practice before we did precepts. And I kept remembering Venom Rubina always saying, You know, especially if you don't want to do it and you do it anyway, that you really purify a lot and you gain more merit. Somebody yesterday at the Pooja said, remember Lee, Lee said, sounds really Calvinistic. Report an error in the passage at 58:37 Highlight the passage at 58:37

59:08 Maybe you weren't there yet, actually. Like, sounds kind of Protestant. I actually feel like there's something to that, though, because it's almost like... Lately, my big inspiration is G.I. Jane. I think it's very much like G.I. Jane. It's like you're just pushing through the bigger obstacles. I keep telling Karen about it. I'm like, Karen, you've got to watch G.I. Jane. She's the greatest inspiration for us Dharma practitioners. Well, you can't just watch the abusive part. Report an error in the passage at 59:08 Highlight the passage at 59:08

59:39 Although she does get through that abusive part really well. Don't watch it with Max either. He's just going to turn your mind. Report an error in the passage at 59:39 Highlight the passage at 59:39

59:51 Actually, one of my teachers first started that. He was like, go out and watch G.I. Jane. It's perfect. But anyway, yeah, it's just something about reminding us of just pushing through the really, really hard stuff. Because usually it's our mind. It's not our body. I was like, how have Report an error in the passage at 59:51 Highlight the passage at 59:51

1:00:11 Our body doesn't care. And often, like, you know, I mean, and I'll think about that when the alarm goes off. I'll think about that and I'll just be like, actually, by 9 o 'clock, you're just the same, basically. You know, it's like you're not that much more. I was tired last night, you know, by the end of the day. And I was, all right, I was a lot of it. But for the most part, she's like, yeah, yeah, she was, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:11 Highlight the passage at 1:00:11

1:00:34 Yesterday was Day of Miracles. So I don't know if I mentioned that. So it was a holy day. So we were, like, making a lot of merit. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:34 Highlight the passage at 1:00:34

1:00:42 But, you know, really, honestly, it's just a mental block. It's just like the mind's going, I don't want to. But in reality, it's not. The body doesn't care. The body's kind of like, OK, it's time to go in the shower now. You know, it's not really going to fight you so much on it. It's just getting past this mental obstacle of thinking. So they say even the tiniest practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:42 Highlight the passage at 1:00:42

1:01:06 You know, of attempting to apply the teachings. Whatever we know of the teachings increases our good qualities, even a tiny bit. And every tiny bit helps. And you don't know when one of those tiny bits is going to be this huge, huge thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:06 Highlight the passage at 1:01:06

1:01:19 They also say, this one I hate doing because I happen to be a monastic, but they do say that making offerings and showing respect to monastics is a way of creating merit. And what I'm... I feel uncomfortable because I am one, but the point is that it doesn't matter. A lot of times people will be able to, for example, make offerings to Geshe-la, but they would never make the same offering to Manlam because they might see in Manlam some ordinary qualities or something. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:19 Highlight the passage at 1:01:19

1:01:51 The point is that you're offering simply because somebody has dedicated their life to the Dharma. You're not making any judgment about... How they're living their life or whether or not they've attained a certain quality because we can't tell that anyway until we gain clairvoyance, right? Somebody can be, you know, manifesting much wrath and be incredibly highly attained and we have no idea. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:51 Highlight the passage at 1:01:51

1:02:17 Somebody can be totally sweet and kind and be a real mess, you know. It's not for us to decide what you're... What you're doing when you make an offering to the robes and the vows basically is honoring that unbroken lineage all the way back to Shakyamuni Buddha who felt like this way of living, living as a monastic in this particular, really devoting your life to the Dharma was a good way to protect our minds and a good way to practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:17 Highlight the passage at 1:02:17

1:02:50 Hang on one quick second. And they also say it's really good to support communities and monastics. And an example of that is Lama Zopa Rinpoche does what's called the Sarah Jay Food Fund. And so he has this fund that provides breakfast to about 3,000 monks at Sarah Jay every day, every single day. And they're trying to create it so it's like a self-perpetuating. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:50 Highlight the passage at 1:02:50

1:03:16 One, but then whenever they get it to that point, a bunch of new monks come in. And what are they going to do? Not serving breakfast? So, you know, and Geshe-la also was trying to do, he's trying to, they've run into a lot of bureaucracy in India about it, but he's trying to get this tofu making machine to Sarah J. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:16 Highlight the passage at 1:03:16

1:03:33 So something like that where it's going to serve like the whole, you know, monastic university is enormous merit, actually. It's like contributing to things like that. And you might know that Malam is now the director of the IMI, which is the International Mahāyāna Institute, which is the Western monks and nuns within the FPMT worldwide. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:33 Highlight the passage at 1:03:33

1:03:58 And I don't know how many there are, actually, I should ask them, but there's like about probably 300 monks and nuns. There's not much in the way of support for Western monks and nuns, except those of us who happen to live and work at centers. you know, I live and work in a center, but if somebody's doing retreat, for example, they don't really I think it's just above Big Sur. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:58 Highlight the passage at 1:03:58

1:04:36 It's in that general area. It's called the Land of Calm Abiding or Shinae Land. And it's for a long retreat. That's where she did, yeah. And Pemo is there. Yeah, she's been there for years and years and basically is in retreat for the rest of her life. She comes out for teachings and things and then goes back in. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:36 Highlight the passage at 1:04:36

1:05:00 They're actually building another long retreat land in Washington, I think, right now as we speak. But anyway, those monks and nuns gain support. From the IMI. So it's an incredibly good thing to do because it allows people to basically give their life to gaining realization, which is great, or to serving, you know, or to being able to study, you know, things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:00 Highlight the passage at 1:05:00

1:05:28 And they say that that's just really big merit. It's sort of like thinking about what's the way to get the biggest return. It sounds a little funny, you know, some people call them brownie points, but if you're thinking about if your goal is to gain enlightenment so that you can benefit all beings, Report an error in the passage at 1:05:28 Highlight the passage at 1:05:28

1:05:45 you know, even if our goal is tainted with our own ego at this point, which it is, but still to have that aspiration that you want to get enlightened so that you can benefit all beings, you know, it's sort of like it's how you get there, the faster you can get there, the more beings you can help, the faster. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:45 Highlight the passage at 1:05:45

1:06:03 So it's actually... It's not like you're trying to get enlightened so that you can have a really cool light buddy and impress your friends. So your motivation is really good to try to ease the suffering of others. So it's sort of like just figuring out how the whole karma works so that you can use it to get enlightened faster. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:03 Highlight the passage at 1:06:03

1:06:25 Karen, why don't you ask your question? Report an error in the passage at 1:06:25 Highlight the passage at 1:06:25

1:06:33 I just had a quick question. I know that we're in Buddha days right now. Because I bought that lunar calendar and there's a B on all the days? Well, it just ended, well, yesterday. Well, I think it ended today, actually. But yesterday was the day of America. Because this is still a precept day. Yeah, we had a lunar eclipse, I think, as part of what made it a precept day, too. I know I didn't take precepts today, but yesterday was just too much. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:33 Highlight the passage at 1:06:33

1:06:59 My little Google calendar sent me an email. I'm like, yeah, well, I don't care. I don't want to hear about it. Yeah, between Losar and Day of Miracles. It's a two. Yeah, yeah. Did you do it for the whole time? Well done. Round of applause. Yeah, that's good. I only managed to do like a week of it, I think. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:59 Highlight the passage at 1:06:59

1:07:23 Yeah, yeah, yeah. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, like if there's not another holiness. Well, there are actually. don't know. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:23 Highlight the passage at 1:07:23

1:07:33 Saki treason and things like that. Okay, so it's cool to say that. So anyway, he asked us to make, you could make some promises like to be a vegetarian the rest of your life or to be a vegetarian for so long. And so I said a year on the precept days, thinking, oh, yes, you know, it's like one a week or, you know. And then you hit February. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:33 Highlight the passage at 1:07:33

1:07:56 Then I hit February. And there's like 16 days in the world when my husband is dying because he's the cook. How many ways can we have garbanzo beans? And he doesn't feel like it's food unless there's meat. Right, right. So he's like going out for lunch. Yeah, yeah. So this is like, and I've been craving fish. It's weird. I've never craved like any flesh, but I don't need it. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:56 Highlight the passage at 1:07:56

1:08:20 Yeah, yeah. So it's, actually it's kind of tough because you switch back and forth with the precept day things. But you didn't take it yesterday. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:20 Highlight the passage at 1:08:20

1:08:30 Yeah, I did, but it's not precepts like your precepts, it's just being vegetarian. Oh, I see. I was like, man. Because we went upstairs and requested Geshe-la to do a teaching, and Geshe-la offered us cookies, and we were like, no, no, all of us have done precepts. And Kara was like, I agree. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:30 Highlight the passage at 1:08:30

1:08:53 Which I was also proud of you. I was like, what? I didn't know it was vegan. If I had known it was vegan. Don't regret it. Okay, good. Anyway, no, that's cool. Precept, do people know what precept means when we say precept? Okay. There are eight, there's a Mahāyāna precept ceremony you can do, which we did yesterday morning at 5.30. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:53 Highlight the passage at 1:08:53

1:09:19 That Geshe-la, the first time you have to take it from Lama and then after that you can do it on your own if you want. So, where you agree to take eight. Vows for a 24-hour period from before, actually slightly more than 24 hours, it's before sunrise to after sunrise the following day. And one of those is not to eat what are called black foods, which are foods that are said to affect your meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:19 Highlight the passage at 1:09:19

1:09:50 And then one of those is meat. One of those is eggs. One is onion, garlic, radishes. I think that's the biggest part. And then also not to eat after midday. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:50 Highlight the passage at 1:09:50

1:10:04 Not to eat after midday until the following morning after sunrise. And then depending if you're doing them several days in a row like that. So you just basically pack it all in between sunrise and midday. And then it's like no killing, no intentional killing, no stealing, no sexual conduct actually, sexual conduct rather than misconduct for the days that you're on that. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:04 Highlight the passage at 1:10:04

1:10:32 Yeah, Max would really be pissed about that one. Sorry, honey, it's 15 days. I think I'd get a call at that point. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:32 Highlight the passage at 1:10:32

1:10:47 Don't you? Well, yeah. Well, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:47 Highlight the passage at 1:10:47

1:11:05 that That seems pretty clear. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:05 Highlight the passage at 1:11:05

1:11:11 And then there's all these other ones about not listening to music or singing or dancing and things like that, unless it's related. Geshe always goes into this long thing about if you were doing something to do with the Dharma, and I'm thinking, really? We're going to go Lama dancing or something, but you never know. But he also mudras, he says, you know. Yeah, I know, I know. Well, and we've all seen the tipa thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:11 Highlight the passage at 1:11:11

1:11:35 Have you seen tipa when they perform? Actually, Michelle does it really well. And then there's all these ones like adorning yourself. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:35 Highlight the passage at 1:11:35

1:11:48 Remember, there's like no makeup and jewelry and things like that. And when you're at Copa, there's a book you can write. Yeah, so there's all these things like that. Because your main thing is like when you're on precepts, you usually do it like in retreat. Um, but, um, um, Report an error in the passage at 1:11:48 Highlight the passage at 1:11:48

1:12:04 You know, you're just like, it's like a way of, they say that actually it's the way that holy beings just naturally live. And for us, it's like we struggle all through it and we, you know, come out the other side panting heavily. But actually, the more you do it, I find the easier it is. Then you're kind of like, I noticed yesterday having had done it, like it wasn't such a big deal. Of course, she did see me lead the charge out of the Medicine Buddha Pooja to make sure. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:04 Highlight the passage at 1:12:04

1:12:29 But I was mostly really concerned about Janet because that was... The one day that she was doing it and she was really, you know, but it does kind of break your attachment to food and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:29 Highlight the passage at 1:12:29

1:12:41 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyway, so. Yeah, so yesterday was a big holy day. So we did that and we did a few pujas and things like that to gain merit, to purify negativities. Yeah, when I woke up not feeling so great today, I was like, actually, I shouldn't be surprised. I did like amazing things all day yesterday and I really asked to purify and then I'm surprised when I have purification. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:41 Highlight the passage at 1:12:41

1:13:08 Oh, yeah, it does work that way. Anyway, so. Taking refuge in Dharma means applying it. It means practicing it as much as we can. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:08 Highlight the passage at 1:13:08

1:13:24 So this is a good question. If we practice the Dharma and we still have problems, does this mean that the Dharma isn't valid? No. It means that basically we still have karma that we haven't purified that's still bringing us a result that's a painful result. you know, we, Report an error in the passage at 1:13:24 Highlight the passage at 1:13:24

1:13:43 In fact, considering the fact that we've lived limitless lifetimes, according to the Buddha, there's going to be a lot of it coming at us. The way we change it is how we react to that stuff that's coming at us. And trying to remember at those moments to apply the Dharma. And actually what I find with the vows, with all the vows, including the precepts that we... Report an error in the passage at 1:13:43 Highlight the passage at 1:13:43

1:14:04 Hopefully we'll get to. But these 20, these refuge precepts, I mean, these 24-hour vows really are about bringing mindfulness of what it is that you're sort of taking refuge in normally anyway. And I noticed when I first started taking them, you know, 12 years ago, at Copan especially, you do two weeks of it. Most of us have never taken it before, and so there's this kind of... Report an error in the passage at 1:14:04 Highlight the passage at 1:14:04

1:14:31 It's insane. The desperation for the final square of chocolate before you stop eating and, you know, that kind of craziness. And you begin to, at that point, yeah, totally, totally. It's right before Fat Tuesday, right? Yeah. There's that kind of desperation. Everybody's at the cafe, you know, you're like trying to get that last bar of chocolate or something before. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:31 Highlight the passage at 1:14:31

1:14:52 You stop eating. But you notice how many times you're singing to yourself and you catch yourself doing that one, which I still actually notice and I don't even listen to music anymore and suddenly some song will come into my head. It's kind of interesting. And definitely taking refuge in food and taking refuge for people who, I'm celibate so I don't have that one anymore, but taking refuge in sex or sexual relationships. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:52 Highlight the passage at 1:14:52

1:15:19 We take refuge in a lot of different things and it kind of just, Brings a spotlight on it and you're kind of like, huh, isn't that interesting? So I actually really find that that's what they're about is to try to help us. They're like training wheels. We're like looking at it. It's not to beat ourselves up that we aren't perfect and we can't keep them perfectly. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:19 Highlight the passage at 1:15:19

1:15:38 Or to get discouraged, it's basically like, oh, isn't that interesting? So there's a lot, and there's this mantra that you can recite, and you hear that all the time. It's like, Lynn kept singing these songs, and we'd be like, oh, Mom, oh, good, Sheila. And she'd be like, oh, oh, my. So we just all start chanting it together. Go ahead, Charlie. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:38 Highlight the passage at 1:15:38

1:16:02 I'm trying to remember what my question was. Concerning, it's a little bit tangential, but... uh, Report an error in the passage at 1:16:02 Highlight the passage at 1:16:02

1:16:09 You brought up something about if you're not getting the Dharma that it's your own karma and that something is blocking you. Your own delusions are blocking you. But one of the things that it's always said is the Buddha said that you take his teachings and if... If they don't make sense to you, then you drop them. I was going to get to that next, actually. I find that one of the best advices I've ever gotten is if you hit a teaching that you don't understand, shelve it. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:09 Highlight the passage at 1:16:09

1:16:49 Just put it in the back shelf and don't think about it for a while until you have more information or more understanding. Because a lot of our first reaction is... To criticize or to have aversion towards, like that one's too weird, you know, like that's just whoa, you know. And often it's because we either aren't understanding it entirely or we have a block like that and that karmic block moves. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:49 Highlight the passage at 1:16:49

1:17:17 So when His Holiness says that, ultimately His Holiness wants you to get enlightened. So He's not saying drop it forever. He's simply saying shelve it. I like that term shelve it because it actually does sound like you're basically sticking in it in a back room on a shelf somewhere. And at some point you might pick it up again and kind of open it and kind of go, oh, wow, yeah, okay, now I get it. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:17 Highlight the passage at 1:17:17

1:17:39 And it made me more sense. And it may be 50 years from now. It may be next life, you know. Yeah, yeah. Not necessarily, not necessarily. You might have one of those huge chasm leaping moments, you know. You know, we'll all be like sitting at his feet, receiving a teaching going, remember that class where he was like, yeah, one of his big panda hats on. Is that so hard to believe with Charlie? Report an error in the passage at 1:17:39 Highlight the passage at 1:17:39

1:18:18 Anyway, Report an error in the passage at 1:18:18 Highlight the passage at 1:18:18

1:18:22 I do find that doing sort of Dharma experiments is kind of good. It's kind of like you just try. is it really? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:22 Highlight the passage at 1:18:22

1:18:28 You know, try out some things and see how it works. I think doing the precepts is like a Dharma experiment in a way. It's like sort of instantly making an ordinary day unordinary. Like instantly you've done something really different with your day for the benefit of all beings, even though it's hard to get our mind around what that means. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:28 Highlight the passage at 1:18:28

1:18:49 There's no other purpose to put ourselves through that. And it's kind of cool to do that every once in a while. And somehow I think it's even cooler to do it on a weekday. And everything else is normal. And you're just, you've sort of tinged it now with this sacredness or something. It's very interesting to do. It's like a way to sort of make the day special. So I was going to go through the beginning, at least, of the formal advices about precepts. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:49 Highlight the passage at 1:18:49

1:19:23 And the way that they're divided up, and actually when I just give these to you, so at least you'll have that. Refuge commitments, refuge. Yeah, they aren't considered actual vowels. And if you ever say that they are, it's just one sheet. They are not actual vowels. Geshe is always really clear about that. Does anybody need to take a quick break, actually? Does anybody need caffeine? Report an error in the passage at 1:19:23 Highlight the passage at 1:19:23

1:19:52 Potty break? Yeah, go for it then. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's okay. I just saw Sakya out there. Sakya, Sakya. I keep calling him Sakya. Wait. Oh, he's going to talk about going to the bathroom? Report an error in the passage at 1:19:52 Highlight the passage at 1:19:52

1:20:10 No. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:10 Highlight the passage at 1:20:10

1:20:16 Here we go. A friend's daughter is 13 and she's very interested in Buddhism. She almost went to class this last week. She's probably going to go this Friday. no. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:16 Highlight the passage at 1:20:16

1:20:27 She wanted me to ask you about a good book for teenagers, a beginning book on Buddhism. I saw there's a book out there that's written by teens. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:27 Highlight the passage at 1:20:27

1:20:38 Blue Jean Buddha, I think, is actually like 20-somethings. But I actually gave it to my niece when she was about 14, and she really liked it, if that's right. I can't remember. There's a couple of them. There's Blue Jean Buddha, and that one's... Yeah, Awake. I know that. Which one? But... Report an error in the passage at 1:20:38 Highlight the passage at 1:20:38

1:21:00 Yeah, maybe, do you mind getting them and just sort of... Report an error in the passage at 1:21:00 Highlight the passage at 1:21:00

1:21:08 Yeah, I think one of them was like written for teens. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:08 Highlight the passage at 1:21:08

1:21:20 Oh, okay. It's a woman actually, Sumi something or other. Okay. Okay, so that one I haven't read yet. But the Blue Jean Buddha one I think was also stories by... Teens. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:20 Highlight the passage at 1:21:20

1:21:20 the guy who did Blue Jean Buddha. Oh, okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:20 Highlight the passage at 1:21:20

1:21:37 They're actually 20-somethings, but they're about when they were younger, how they got to, how they kind of met Buddhism, or if they were raised in Buddhism, how they decided it was still okay. Because you always reject what your parents have, whether it's Christianity or whatever, in this case Buddhism. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:37 Highlight the passage at 1:21:37

1:21:58 It seems like somehow it might be called, it's Diana Winston, like Google Diana Winston. It might be like awake somehow, gosh. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:58 Highlight the passage at 1:21:58

1:22:09 I can't remember. We're talking about books for teens on Buddhism. There's not so many, but there's just starting to be some. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:09 Highlight the passage at 1:22:09

1:22:23 But there's one, and I can't remember the title of it, but Diana Winston's one I liked because she talks to them like they're people. But there's this other one that's a little more condescending, and it just didn't hit me as well. I didn't like it as much, and I'd have to look. Yeah, if you can remember to shoot me an email, that would be better, actually. Yeah, and then I can look and I'll just think about it. But I remember liking Diana Winston's. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:23 Highlight the passage at 1:22:23

1:22:58 She's been around a long time, but she's done a lot of work with teen camps and things like that. And I liked Sumi Loudon's one, which I think was Blue Jean Buddha or whatever her first one was that were stories by... But when I read it, they actually were older. I got it from my niece and like I said, I read it on the plane going out there and I really liked it. I thought, wow, this is actually good and I actually knew some of the people. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:58 Highlight the passage at 1:22:58

1:23:24 So it was kind of cool. And then I gave it to my niece and she actually like read it cover to cover and she really liked it. But of course, because I think actually, you know, now teen somethings are like, there's so much, they go through so much more that we would have thought was too old for them even. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:24 Highlight the passage at 1:23:24

1:23:40 Ten years ago, it's like what they're already exposed to and stuff isn't so shocking. So they're all kind of like, yeah, whatever. Yeah, but I'll look. Yeah, send me an email. That's a good, that's good. So the way these are divided up is sort of like what to avoid and what to take up and then general, the general precepts. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:40 Highlight the passage at 1:23:40

1:24:02 And so we're going to try to talk about at least beginning what to avoid and what to take up. So the first one is not... Maybe we should tell Karen that we started again. Not seeking refuge in worldly objects and deities once you've taken refuge in the Buddha. I don't know if I have this phrase the same way on yours. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:02 Highlight the passage at 1:24:02

1:24:21 Is that the way it's phrased? Okay, good. And this one, not so many of us at this point take refuge in worldly deities the way that they often did in Tibet. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:21 Highlight the passage at 1:24:21

1:24:34 And so I'll sort of talk about it in two different ways. One is sort of the more traditional approach, and then one is sort of how we can kind of open it up to, Things that we take refuge in a lot now. So you could also say other types of teachings and teachers. And so it doesn't mean that we can't continue to have other teachers in our life and we can't attend other teachings and things like that. But once you take this step of taking refuge, Report an error in the passage at 1:24:34 Highlight the passage at 1:24:34

1:25:06 It's committing ourselves to the Buddhist path in a way that it becomes our main refuge. And Geshe-la often will talk about this. It's sort of like, what are we relying on most? Were you able to find anything? There's one book out there that actually I'd seen before. Oh, okay. Yeah, maybe Wide Awake. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:06 Highlight the passage at 1:25:06

1:25:25 It's called Wide Awake. I had to wake up a little before I could remember that. That's Diana Winston's one, and I liked that one. And that's written for them, and it has exercises and all sorts of things. Yeah, I know. It's great. Maybe we could just do a bulk order of it. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:25 Highlight the passage at 1:25:25

1:25:48 It's great, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:48 Highlight the passage at 1:25:48

1:25:53 Oh, so that he could just start closing up. Yeah, go ahead. That's good. Yeah, yeah, that's good. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:53 Highlight the passage at 1:25:53

1:26:08 Really? Oh, really? it. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:08 Highlight the passage at 1:26:08

1:25:49 told none of us were going to purchase anything, Report an error in the passage at 1:25:49 Highlight the passage at 1:25:49

1:26:10 Oh, yeah, could you? Yeah, that would be great, because I'd like to know, too, for the teen group. Yeah, because it's like, how do I? I never know. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:10 Highlight the passage at 1:26:10

1:26:27 Wow, cool. Go SOMO. Yeah, okay, or even to class next week. That's good, yeah. So, yeah, so, I mean, it really is a step. When you decide to take refuge, I think sometimes people do. I have to admit, I leapt into taking refuge. Probably sooner than I knew what I was really doing. But I was ready karmically. Like karmically, it was almost like my mind knew I was ready before the intellectual part of my mind caught up with it. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:27 Highlight the passage at 1:26:27

1:27:01 Actually, next week, did I ever tell you that story of when I took refuge? Report an error in the passage at 1:27:01 Highlight the passage at 1:27:01

1:27:08 Should I tell you that story now? I don't know if we have time. I'll tell you really quick. I got a call from Tenzin Shoki, otherwise at that point known as Petra. The one who did all the long retreat and everything. Now she's a nun, Tencent Chokyi. She called me up and said, I'm going to see this Lama, and I just had this really strong feeling you should come along, that it would make a really difference in your life. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:08 Highlight the passage at 1:27:08

1:27:29 And I was like, okay. I totally trust her, still do. She's been a friend for almost, like, well, more than 25 years now, before either of us met the Dharma. So I was like, okay, that sounds good, let's go. I had no idea. So she goes, so I was just thinking if you like this Lama, if you connected with him and you felt like you wanted to take refuge, then go ahead. And she sort of gave me a really, really vague idea of what it was. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:29 Highlight the passage at 1:27:29

1:27:51 And I had been taking, I had taken one class here. The only class I ever took here was a 1995 John Landau, Tibetan Buddhism from the ground up. Started well with a good teacher. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:51 Highlight the passage at 1:27:51

1:28:04 And I had been reading about it for probably about five years. And I had been going, she was the director of Ajrapani and I was going down there. And, you know, so I had been doing some stuff. It wasn't totally out of the blue. But in retrospect, I really knew what I was doing. So we went and it was sort of the end of a weekend retreat and they had asked him to give refuge. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:04 Highlight the passage at 1:28:04

1:28:24 And so they had all been there all weekend. And then all of a sudden I show up. So we're like sitting there and I like. You know, it's Geshe Zeppel, who's now the abbot of Ganden Monastery, an amazing being. Karmically, how I ended up taking refuge with him, I still don't get. No, Zeppel, Geshe Zeppel, based in West Covina, Pasadena, but now in South India, Ganden. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:24 Highlight the passage at 1:28:24

1:28:48 So he was talking, he's through a translator, he's talking and everything, and I'm like, you know, I really like him. All right, I'm going to do it. So I'm like, okay. And so he starts giving the precepts and everything and I'm like, okay. And I'm repeating and all of a sudden it just shot up and I have to cover this. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:48 Highlight the passage at 1:28:48

1:29:06 The swear word that came into my mind. All of a sudden my intellectual mind got wind of what was going on. What the are you doing? And I just was like... And I totally panicked. It just like shot up me. And he stopped and he just looked and he started in English and said, now some of you are wondering if you should take this step. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:06 Highlight the passage at 1:29:06

1:29:30 And I was just like, he goes, and I say, better to try and to not do so well, but to try anyway. And he just kind of looks at me with this tall smile. And I was like, Report an error in the passage at 1:29:30 Highlight the passage at 1:29:30

1:29:45 Okay. And then he goes back to Tibetan. He went through the rest of the time in Tibetan. And Denzen Chokyi, who was Petra at that point, she goes, I knew he was talking to you. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:45 Highlight the passage at 1:29:45

1:29:55 So then at the end, we all go up and we're all meeting them and he's like meeting everyone and he's like, who are you? And of course I felt all special and so afterwards I thought, they were all dressed in white. I'm just like Report an error in the passage at 1:29:55 Highlight the passage at 1:29:55

1:30:08 And I was, of course, from the city. I was completely dressed in black. And I was like, you know, like this one kind of weirdo who just showed up on the last day. But he did. He was like, who are you? Where are you from? You know, he's asking all this stuff. Then's a joke. He's like totally buttering me. She's like, he really connected with you. But he did cut through that. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:08 Highlight the passage at 1:30:08

1:30:27 He totally saw. Because I almost, my intellectual mind almost blocked me from taking this step. And that's what I mean. Sometimes I do think. It's almost like your thinking mind can actually trip you up sometimes because I think it's very good to think things through. I think it's very good to shelve things that you don't understand. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:27 Highlight the passage at 1:30:27

1:30:48 I think it's very good to debate things until you feel confident. But sometimes I think you can do too much of it and you can block yourself and that I think it can be a block. My sister used to say I could think my way through all of my emotions. So I think sometimes some of us have that particular delusion of overanalyzing things a little too much. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:48 Highlight the passage at 1:30:48

1:31:07 So that's my refuge story. It all worked out just fine though. So it's not like we can't continue to attend other teachings and reflect on them and think about them, especially to think about them in relationship with our Buddhist practice. And this has come up in the daily practice class, remember, where somebody was asking about having teachers from other traditions on your altar and things like that, which I still think is okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:07 Highlight the passage at 1:31:07

1:31:33 Despite what other people say. But I do think that once you hit a certain point in your practice, and refuge is usually that point, you decide on the path that you're going to try to master. It's like we only can really master one spiritual tradition. Now it doesn't mean that, yeah, if that, if we're lucky, that. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:33 Highlight the passage at 1:31:33

1:31:59 It doesn't mean I can't still gain. I actually really enjoy Christmas and things like that. I don't have negative feelings about it. And so there are certain, and I definitely am inspired by Christ and many of the saints and things like that. But the path I chose is specific, really specific. It's not just Buddhist even. It's Galukpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism because I kind of have... Report an error in the passage at 1:31:59 Highlight the passage at 1:31:59

1:32:21 Half a chance, maybe a quarter of a chance of getting somewhere on that path if I narrow it down. And we do that with our worldly life. Like if I know I really want to play concert piano, I'm not going to be taking the banjo. I might play those other instruments. I might gain happiness with them. But the one I'm going to sort of get the most serious about and find a teacher in and things like that is the concert pianist because that's what I want to master. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:21 Highlight the passage at 1:32:21

1:32:49 So that's really what it's more about. It's kind of committing yourself to what's going to get us enlightened, even if the thought of being enlightened seems beyond us. But what I like to think about, too, is like, what is it that I'm taking refuge in when I'm facing difficulties? Like food, like TV, like, it doesn't mean, again, you can't do these things, like sex, like drugs, like rock and roll, or the blues. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:49 Highlight the passage at 1:32:49

1:33:16 You know, but it's just like looking at those and thinking, That's like a way of also seeing, of taking refuge in worldly objects and deities, I think. Oh, we have a new student. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:16 Highlight the passage at 1:33:16

1:33:32 This is Pema. This is Pema, yeah. No, it's not Bodhi, Bodhi's scared of her. She's like, what are you doing? Pema is Sarah's. She's just moved in about a month ago. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:32 Highlight the passage at 1:33:32

1:33:49 So it could be, yeah, maybe it could be being addicted to the news, which is like a later addiction than I've just had where I'm checking out BBC online all the time. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:49 Highlight the passage at 1:33:49

1:34:00 What? You know, what's that about? It's like a way of not looking at what's going on in your mind and it's a way of not, you know, like working on your mind basically. So looking at that. So number two, distractions or gaining comfort. That one I think is more of a distraction. I think when you take refuge in food or other things, sometimes it's more than that. It's like you're trying to find some comfort, some rest, some respite, some safety net kind of there. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:00 Highlight the passage at 1:34:00

1:34:34 But yeah, a lot of times they're just huge distractions is really all they are. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:34 Highlight the passage at 1:34:34

1:34:42 Okay, go for it. So I'm concerned because it says not seeking refuge in deities? Because I definitely do with Tara. Oh yeah, but she's a Buddha. Okay, cool. Yeah, you're right. It's more talking about, you know, and sometimes people do, like there are wealth practices and things with Sambhala, who's really a worldly deity. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:42 Highlight the passage at 1:34:42

1:35:07 And if we, like we as a center actually, Lama Zopa Rinpoche told us to do certain practices, but we have to remember to cultivate the mind of bodhicitta. And we have to be doing it for the Senate to be able to benefit beings and things like that. If we're just doing it... Hi. If we're just doing it, you know, to try to... Report an error in the passage at 1:35:07 Highlight the passage at 1:35:07

1:35:26 Here, you can get up here. That's all right. You just teach from now on. If we're just doing it for our own wealth, you know, and people can do that. People get really into just doing wealth practices. I mean, Shugden actually is a little like that. Then you get totally off track, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:26 Highlight the passage at 1:35:26

1:35:45 So yeah, that's the kind of worldly deities that they're talking about. And there are a lot more of those practices in sort of ancient India and Tibet than we are that into now. But there's still the problems with the whole shikdhan controversy and stuff. Not harming any living being once you've taken refuge in the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:45 Highlight the passage at 1:35:45

1:36:02 And this is actually, I think, in all of my studies, this is actually the most important one. This is the most important of all of your precepts. Whenever you talk about, like today when I was saying, you know, I had to have my printer. I don't have the right cable now for the new computer. So I had to take it downstairs and have Amy print it. I didn't discover it until today. But anyway. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:02 Highlight the passage at 1:36:02

1:36:27 so. So Amy and Claire and one of our new employees, Jen, were asking, you know, what are these precepts? You know, how am I going to tell them in two and a half minutes? And I said the basic one is not to intentionally harm any living being once you've taken refuge in the Dharma. That's the main one. Or as His Holiness always says, or, you know, what does he say? Report an error in the passage at 1:36:27 Highlight the passage at 1:36:27

1:36:50 Best to help and at the absolute least, at least not to harm. You know, to try not to harm. So best, you know, ultimately with bodhisattva vows, we're actually getting to trying to benefit others. And here we're just trying not to continue harming. And they say, you know, once you've actually formally taken refuge, you become what's called an inner being. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:50 Highlight the passage at 1:36:50

1:37:13 You know, someone who's trying to really work on what's virtuous, trying to transform your mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:13 Highlight the passage at 1:37:13

1:37:24 not just to And trying to control your mind so it's not just running wild with all of your delusions and uncontrolled mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:24 Highlight the passage at 1:37:24

1:37:37 Wait, pass him the mic. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:37 Highlight the passage at 1:37:37

1:37:45 Just a really simple one. Just killing karma in relation to eating. Sorry. No, it's just, I mean, I understand the motivation of non-harming, but, you know, eating meat or... You know, that's basically saying don't eat meat. Well, it's a big question, actually. With meat, I mean, when you're eating the meat, you're actually trying to get, especially if you're trying to do it mindfully, you're actually trying to eat something that will strengthen your body. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:45 Highlight the passage at 1:37:45

1:38:26 So your intention is not to harm. And when we eat vegetables, we actually harm many, many, many beings. We actually, Lama Zopa Rinpoche actually says when you walk through the world and you go like this, you harm beings. There's just so many beings that we don't see. So it's more about really, I mean, attachment to food can actually be quite harmful. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:26 Highlight the passage at 1:38:26

1:38:47 So if you're not seeing it as just a medicine for your body, which most of us don't have the purity to do, but for the most part, What you eat is up to you in this particular tradition. It's basically to try to watch where your attachment is going and if it's just kind of out of control. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:47 Highlight the passage at 1:38:47

1:39:12 She's demonstrating how it can often be. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:12 Highlight the passage at 1:39:12

1:39:19 Just David, of course. The rest of us were completely single-pointed on the Dharma lecture. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:19 Highlight the passage at 1:39:19

1:39:26 It's too bad, David. Sorry. But, you know, it's often what I find in terms of the whole vegetarian question. Yes, it would be, I think, ideal for everyone to be vegetarian and not everyone can be yet. And so as far as I'm concerned, then each person has to work with their own mind and make up their own decision based on their health and their own. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:26 Highlight the passage at 1:39:26

1:39:27 yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:27 Highlight the passage at 1:39:27

1:39:52 I think if we start trying to, you know, and a lot of times people do start trying to make what they think is right apply to everyone. And I think what you can do is actually create a version in people's minds and become incredibly militant about it. And then that just makes people actually less likely to want, and you don't know what people's story is. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:52 Highlight the passage at 1:39:52

1:40:15 I personally was a vegetarian for many, many years and then have recently had to go back to meat and I keep praying that it won't be forever. Yeah, and I just, so I still have a lot of like, I have mixed feelings about it. I don't like the fact that I eat meat and I feel mixed about it. And so when someone comes in and starts giving attitude about it, then all it does is add your kind of like... Report an error in the passage at 1:40:15 Highlight the passage at 1:40:15

1:40:38 I'm a horrible person kind of feeling. It doesn't make me change my mind because I still think ideally it would be better for all beings to not eat meat. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:38 Highlight the passage at 1:40:38

1:40:48 But we're in saṃsāra and sometimes it doesn't work that way. For me right now, I have various health issues and I have various food allergies. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:48 Highlight the passage at 1:40:48

1:40:59 I'm not supposed to eat soy, I'm not eating dairy, I'm not eating wheat. I'm not, is there's like a, yeah, it's just, so. Yeah, and part of it is just energy and stuff. But I don't see it as forever. I think it's just a particular patch. So, I mean, it's not saying this particular priesthood isn't saying that you will never harm anyone again, because we will, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:40:59 Highlight the passage at 1:40:59

1:41:25 We'll just walk out. Actually, right now, we're probably sitting on the poor Sandian being that we just didn't even notice, you know, when we sat down. It's saying, basically, at least attempting. Um... Report an error in the passage at 1:41:25 Highlight the passage at 1:41:25

1:41:36 To not intentionally harm another living being. But now think about it, non-harm is also applying to our speech. It's applying to our thoughts, how I think about you. So it's actually kind of, it's bigger than just saying I'm never going to, it's not even saying I'm never going to kill again because this isn't what the vow is. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:36 Highlight the passage at 1:41:36

1:42:00 It's simply saying to try to live in a way of non-harm. That's what this training wheel is trying to get us toward, is this way of non-harm, this way to be in the world where we sort of create this safety field around us because we are no longer trying to be harmful with our speech or with our thoughts or with the way we act with people. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:00 Highlight the passage at 1:42:00

1:42:24 And it's a way of getting there. It's our training wheels. Bama says, okay, I'm done. I've rolled around all over the floor. I'm ready to move on to the next room. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:24 Highlight the passage at 1:42:24

1:42:34 Isn't she? She looks like a panda. I know. So I'm trying. From this moment on, I will consciously try not to harm others with my body, speech, and mind. And they say, again, that this is basically the way the Buddha is anyway. And we're getting to try it on for size, you know? Report an error in the passage at 1:42:34 Highlight the passage at 1:42:34

1:42:56 The third is not associating closely with those who don't believe in the path once you've taken refuge in the Saṅgha. And this is the one that people get totally freaked out by, I think, because it sounds like basically, sign here for the cult. You'll never see your family again. It's like when Michelle first moved into the house and we were making jokes about when her friends would call, we'd say, there's no Michelle here. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:56 Highlight the passage at 1:42:56

1:43:22 She's changed her name. So So this has more to do with people. So it isn't like rejecting all of our friends. It's simply those people that might still have an influence on us if they really are negative, maybe not to hang out with them as much, especially, again, if they're negative about your path and you've decided that this is your path, which, of course, if you have taken refuge, that is what you're deciding. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:22 Highlight the passage at 1:43:22

1:43:51 So it's more those people that are, We're incredibly negative and also have an influence on us. If somebody's just negative and you work with them, say, you can't exactly not talk to them again, but they aren't going to have an influence on you. You just know that they're a cranky guy at work or something. So that's different. If it's somebody now, this often comes up, what if that negative person is my brother or something? Report an error in the passage at 1:43:51 Highlight the passage at 1:43:51

1:44:14 And I'm not saying that it is. So I think you can kind of figure out, hi. Don't mind this or this. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:14 Highlight the passage at 1:44:14

1:44:30 Yes, we have a very fuzzy kitty who has decided that my lap is a good place to be and that she'd like to teach this course, I think. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:30 Highlight the passage at 1:44:30

1:44:40 I know, she's not so sure about this one, actually. They're not associating closer with those who don't believe. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:40 Highlight the passage at 1:44:40

1:44:49 And it's basically to strengthen our own mind. It's sort of like if our mind isn't so strong and then we hang out with these old friends who are just kind of like, why on earth do you need to go home early and do your practice? Or why do you need to get up and do precepts tomorrow? What a weird idea. That sounds weird. I don't think you should do that one anymore or something. If those people are people who influence us, then it could affect our minds as baby Buddhists. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:49 Highlight the passage at 1:44:49

1:45:15 And that's really, I think, what it's more about. It doesn't mean we reject them. It's just, you know, we just do things to protect our practice. And then after, actually, as we get stronger and stronger in our practice, it makes it easier. We get more confidence in it. And then it's easy to go, you know, no, I'm really happy having dinner with you. That's great. But then I got to go home, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:15 Highlight the passage at 1:45:15

1:45:36 And you have more confidence. You can kind of phrase it in a skillful way so it doesn't sound so woo-woo. I have to get up at dawn to take these eight vowels in front of a Tibetan Lama. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:36 Highlight the passage at 1:45:36

1:45:49 And I can't eat any radishes tomorrow. I mean, even I understand that that sounds bizarre. And I'm totally committed to it. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:49 Highlight the passage at 1:45:49

1:45:59 So you can figure out more skillful ways to put it. Yeah, it's all just about... You know, what's going to actually strengthen my mind? What's going to actually strengthen my path? And also what's going to be of more benefit to them? Because if I say things in a way that creates aversion in their mind, they may never come around to Buddhism, you know? So actually what I find more and more sort of as I've been in the path for a long time, and especially as a monastic. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:59 Highlight the passage at 1:45:59

1:46:34 Now if somebody wants to do something, I often am thinking, is that a benefit to them? I'm not so much thinking, yeah, it would be really fun to go to the movies. I'm sort of thinking, I wonder if it would help them if I went and hung out with them. I'm really thinking about it completely in a different way, which is kind of unusual. So, you know, anyway. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:34 Highlight the passage at 1:46:34

1:46:56 So it becomes a different way of interacting with other people. It's less about what I want to do. And more about what they want to do. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:56 Highlight the passage at 1:46:56

1:47:09 And what to take up or practice also has three. The first one is considering any representation of the Buddha. And we kind of talked about this a little bit. Regardless of the quality of its artistry or material, as though it were the Buddha himself. And that's what we were talking about when you first came in. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:09 Highlight the passage at 1:47:09

1:47:26 To really not think about, oh, this is a gorgeous tanka. Isn't it really beautiful to put in my front hallway? You know, which people do now. People start thinking of this as just art and they hang it up in their house as art. And actually it's really good wherever it is to remember that it's the representation of the Buddha himself. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:26 Highlight the passage at 1:47:26

1:47:45 And actually, you know, Lama Zopa Rinpoche would say it actually is a manifestation of the Buddha. It's an actual holy being in this form to inspire us and that we can make merit by making offerings to it or prostrating to it or whatever. And so to remember that rather than... Just thinking that it's a really beautiful thing. It is a beautiful thing, but that beauty can inspire us. And then we have to be really careful when we're, say, in the bookstore and you're looking at two different statues and you're like, oh, this is really ugly. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:45 Highlight the passage at 1:47:45

1:48:13 Just be careful of that because it's not just a simple statue. It's sacred art and that it represents the Buddha's body. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:13 Highlight the passage at 1:48:13

1:48:22 Like that. And I think you can phrase it in a way to say, perhaps the artist of this one is not so good. So you can say something about the artist, but be careful about saying it about the image itself. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:22 Highlight the passage at 1:48:22

1:48:49 Oh, the satsas. Okay, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:49 Highlight the passage at 1:48:49

1:48:55 And consecrated often, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:55 Highlight the passage at 1:48:55

1:49:03 Still, like Geshe-la said, it needs to come up. Like originally it was just on the thing and I had asked Betty to go get something for it. But it was just sitting there. It was actually Sarah's too. She brought it when she moved in. It's really pretty, I think. And he was like, yeah, it has to be up. It's a holy image. And a lot of times people use them as like doorstops and things like that. I remember one woman in our group at Copan, discussion group at Copan. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:03 Highlight the passage at 1:49:03

1:49:27 That's how she first, when she was a little kid, her mom had a Buddha doorstop. We're all like, but you know, people don't know. I mean, you look through garden magazines, you're right. People have them out. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:27 Highlight the passage at 1:49:27

1:49:39 Oh, yeah, I had to, my sister too, yeah, yeah. Isn't that wild, yeah. Or a Buddhist magazine in the bathroom, which also isn't so great. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:39 Highlight the passage at 1:49:39

1:49:54 Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 1:49:54 Highlight the passage at 1:49:54

1:50:08 so really, really to just cultivate this respect anytime you see any representation of the Buddha's body. Sorry, Bob, I didn't mean to hit you in the head. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:08 Highlight the passage at 1:50:08

1:50:18 And to remember that they are there to inspire us and to respect them for that reason. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:18 Highlight the passage at 1:50:18

1:50:31 They say, and so this kind of gets back to that quality that I've talked about because it's my favorite quality of the Buddha, actually, that Buddhas can manifest in whatever form is necessary. Why not manifest in this form? you know um Report an error in the passage at 1:50:31 Highlight the passage at 1:50:31

1:50:45 And be in this form for a hundred years. If you had a billion limitless bodies to hand out, why not use one for something like this? And then decide not to, if the Chinese were coming, okay, time to manifest in a different form. They say that when the first level, when a bodhisattva directly perceives emptiness for the first time, so they become an Arya bodhisattva. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:45 Highlight the passage at 1:50:45

1:51:12 That's the first of the ten levels of being a bodhisattva. At that point, they are able to manifest 100 bodies simultaneously. I mean, whatever kind of body is needed, but 100 bodies. And then each level is timed by another 100 bodies. So it's not by another 100. So it goes all the way up to 10,000 bodies and goes up to each level, goes more and more and more. And you can manifest as a clock. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:12 Highlight the passage at 1:51:12

1:51:44 You can manifest as a fuzzy kitty. You can manifest as a flower if looking at that flower suddenly makes me get impermanence in some way, or the impermanence of my life in some way, or the impermanence of Pema's life in some way, or lightens up a situation. Or you have to nurse her as she dies. Why not manifest in some form like that? Report an error in the passage at 1:51:44 Highlight the passage at 1:51:44

1:52:10 So there's like all sorts of ways that they can manifest that we might not even think about. It's not even all human. They could honestly be, they say like a bridge or a tree that you pass every day on your way to work and you look at it in some way and it gives you some, gets you closer to some realization that you need, whatever that is. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:10 Highlight the passage at 1:52:10

1:52:28 What were you going to ask? Is that why they have a human form when you say that they can manifest or is that in meditation? When you say an aria being so they reach the boomy grounds. So they basically, when they're sitting in front of you, they could also be... Yeah, when they come out of meditation, you mean? Well, I was confused because... Report an error in the passage at 1:52:28 Highlight the passage at 1:52:28

1:52:47 When they come out of meditation, they're still an Arya being. They still are, you know, they've... But they can do it while they're just out of meditation or in meditation or just... They can do it, yeah. I don't think they have to be in meditation in order to do it. I think they just then have that ability. And it's not... Report an error in the passage at 1:52:47 Highlight the passage at 1:52:47

1:53:05 Again, it's not like you even have to think. So it's not like they even have to think, Morgan really needs a cat to walk through his house right now. It just happens because of karma, your karmic connection with that particular bodhisattva, which is why I made that joke about... Geshe Lama Konchak, that at least I made the karmic connection with him before he died because he yelled at me. So I made that karmic connection and they say even having a high level bodhisattva yell at you creates that karmic connection so that then he's able to help me in his next reincarnation. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:05 Highlight the passage at 1:53:05

1:53:38 So do you look at, just yourself, maybe I shouldn't ask you this, but do you look at kind of Lama Zopa or Ruba Rinpoche or these folks as, you know, bodhisattvas? Report an error in the passage at 1:53:38 Highlight the passage at 1:53:38

1:53:51 I see them as Buddhas, actually. I see them as Buddhas, yeah. But, you know, even just being able to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama as an amazing being, I think is really great karma. I mean, it's just, you know, the more I see my particular teachers and both of those who you mentioned are my gurus. They're already at that level for me. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:51 Highlight the passage at 1:53:51

1:54:17 I see them. As actual enlightened beings, manifesting in an ordinary body, in ordinary form, looking ordinary and acting ordinary and talking in ways that are ordinary just so that we can relate to them, doing it out of kindness so that we can relate to them in that form. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:17 Highlight the passage at 1:54:17

1:54:39 But yeah, when you go through all these different levels and at each level you are able to create more and more thousands of bodies without any kind of Thought about it. And then by the time you actually get to Buddhahood, it's like limitless. Why not manifest as these forms that might cause inspiration? Report an error in the passage at 1:54:39 Highlight the passage at 1:54:39

1:55:02 When His Holiness speaks and Tibetans are in the audience, they're like this the whole time. And you often see that even with Geshe-la, especially with Tibetans, they'll come and they'll just be like this the whole time. There's, Report an error in the passage at 1:55:02 Highlight the passage at 1:55:02

1:55:17 They'll never stop, you know. And I think that it's because they really see Him as a holy being in a way that we don't quite get, you know. We might be all, when He comes in, but the same way that I was saying that Lama Zopa, He just immediately is like this, you know, just in awe, that kind of awe. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:17 Highlight the passage at 1:55:17

1:55:36 Um... But part of it is, I think, to protect our critical mind. You know, our critical mind is constantly finding faults. So, you know, immediately we're just like, and I find myself doing it and you just catch yourself where you're just like, you know, wow, you know, that head is like too big. And you're like, whoa, you know, you're like trying to like, it's just that it's just a habit that we have of finding the fault, whether it's with. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:36 Highlight the passage at 1:55:36

1:56:05 Yeah, I don't know. I don't know where it comes from. I think there's some, I just think it's just this mental habit that we've probably had from lifetime to lifetime. And we do it with ourselves too. You know, we find fault in everything that we do. And we find fault in the way we look. You know, nobody likes the way they look in this culture. I think it's probably really big in the West. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:05 Highlight the passage at 1:56:05

1:56:24 But I don't know, maybe it's big in other cultures too. I just happen to know this one. But we do it with holy objects too. And so it's almost to just protect our minds. It's just like, don't do that. No, Charlie, stop. And you just, because otherwise, I mean, I'm looking at the certified Buddhas and I'm like, this one's bigger than that one. Immediately, like my mind just finds fault and I'm like, oh no. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:24 Highlight the passage at 1:56:24

1:56:45 So I think it's really like that. It's kind of like, that's why you have those training wheels to just protect your mind from the stuff that we normally do. It's like that a lot. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:45 Highlight the passage at 1:56:45

1:56:56 And again, you know, they say, you know, so. It's not so great to put Dharma books on the ground. And actually, this is the next one. Considering any written material at all from a single letter on up as though it were the Dharma itself, once you've taken refuge in the Dharma, really honoring your Dharma text because that could be what gets you enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:56 Highlight the passage at 1:56:56

1:57:24 That could be when that shift happens. You're just reading that line. and you know And you're able to gain that insight. It's kind of hard. In Tibet, most of the people learned written language when they went to the monasteries. So that's a little where this one came from, too. There's often that thing with spiritual teacher. We talked about it in the spiritual teacher class. Really honoring the teacher who taught you the alphabet. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:24 Highlight the passage at 1:57:24

1:57:58 As much as you do your other lamas. Well, you know, I'm like thinking about Mrs. White, you know, and she, you know, it's kind of hard to put her in my guru tree and I'm not probably going to do that. Actually, my mom is probably my guru tree. She's probably really the one who taught me how to read and write. But it does sort of, we can at least honor them as helping. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:58 Highlight the passage at 1:57:58

1:58:21 If we didn't know how to read, we wouldn't be able to read the Dharma. So you could protect that. Rubina really does that with, she's like, well, why do you have more respect for that than you do for the New York Times? You know, like, it can all be Dharma if you really look at it that way. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:21 Highlight the passage at 1:58:21

1:58:37 And then you take your image in the New York Times and People magazine. Yeah, I mean, at this point, we're really, it's kind of amazing that there's just so much Dharma available for us. Even just 30 years ago, there wasn't. Nearly as much Dharma being translated constantly for us. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:37 Highlight the passage at 1:58:37

1:59:00 Everything is changing, but just like in Tibet, you know, Tibet went through this heyday where everything was available and it was all, you know, 90 % of the population were practicing, you know, one, what's it, like something like one-tenth of the population was monastic and so forth. Hey, Saki? He's turning off all the lights and everything. Oh, well. I need to tell that to do that because then it feels like everybody just has to go to sleep afterwards. Anyway. Yeah, so that won't always be the same. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:00 Highlight the passage at 1:59:00

1:59:34 So right now, actually, we're in a heyday where everything is more available to us and everything is being translated. But we could also enter real dark ages again really quickly and suddenly we can't get anything. And so... Really to be aware and to honor and respect our Dharma books when we touch them, when we use them, to just be aware. And they say to put them on higher shelves, to not put them on the bottom shelf of your bookcase and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:34 Highlight the passage at 1:59:34

2:00:06 Trying to create the causes, to respect them because they actually could become the cause of your enlightenment. And also to be aware if you're selling Dharma text, to really be aware that, you know, whatever it is that you're using the money for is not like just making profit, you know, that you're going to use that money for something special. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:06 Highlight the passage at 2:00:06

2:00:29 We have to keep really careful bookkeeping for the bookstore that the Dharma is only used for more Dharma. So we can use it in certain ways to either buy Dharma for the center, you know, Dharma. materials or holy objects or things like that but we can't use it for just like we can do We have to be really careful and has to be kept really careful records and things like that because it's really negative karma to do that. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:29 Highlight the passage at 2:00:29

2:01:03 So I think, why don't we stop with that? We'll do, well, one last thing. This is actually a pretty short one. Considering even a single scrap of the saffron robe as though it were the saṅgha itself, once you've taken refuge in the saṅgha. And this is just really respecting, like I was talking about, monks and nuns, mostly because that's the relative saṅgha, mostly because of what they represent. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:03 Highlight the passage at 2:01:03

2:01:24 So whether or not you feel like a certain monk or nun. Doesn't live up to whatever your standard is as a monk or nun. And I don't think, a lot of Westerners don't do this so much. I think actually I ran into this problem more with Eastern Buddhists who have really, really high expectations of what nuns and monks will be. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:24 Highlight the passage at 2:01:24

2:01:44 And then if you don't live up to that, then there's like a lot more attitude. I think Westerners, we just don't know. I mean, clearly if somebody is really all over the place, then they might have an opinion. But for the most part, they don't even really know what monks or nuns are supposed to be like. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:44 Highlight the passage at 2:01:44

2:02:01 So they don't have as much of a holy attitude. Or people from a Catholic background. You might get a little bit more of that because they're expecting you to be more like a Catholic monk or nun. Roland used to do that one a lot, and I would be like, no, wait. That'd be the Catholic monk or nun. That's not really what I am. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:01 Highlight the passage at 2:02:01

2:02:20 But you have to really be careful. It's that whole idea that we just don't know what somebody else's mind is unless we have clairvoyance. And so to be really, really, really careful and to just honor them for trying to hold the vows, whether you think they're doing a good job or not. But they often say, actually, and I remember thinking about this when I was hiking to Laudo. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:20 Highlight the passage at 2:02:20

2:02:42 I actually saw, because we don't have that many monks or nuns around here, so it's not like you see that many scraps of saffron. But there I actually did see, and every time I would actually place it to a higher place because I thought Lama Zopa does that whenever he sees a little piece. He actually picks it up and puts it in a high place, like just a little piece of saffron or a little piece of maroon cloth or something like that. He'll actually place it into a higher place as a form of respect. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:42 Highlight the passage at 2:02:42

2:03:11 And they actually say, you know, that it's not good to like. There's a seat cover. Part of our robes is a seat cover that we actually use to protect the cushions of Dharma centers. And sometimes at big teachings you'll see, I don't know if you've seen monastics. I usually don't bring it out because of this reason. I don't bring mine on purpose because I don't want people to create this negative karma. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:11 Highlight the passage at 2:03:11

2:03:32 But stepping over that is a negative thing. So I actually feel like if it's a huge, crazy, general teaching, People are going to sit over it, so why even bring it? I just never even bring it. But some people are, of course, much more formal, and they do bring it. No, the Zen. This is the Zen. It's a Dingwa. I wasn't even going to go there, if you want to know. It's a Dingwa. Oh, right, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:32 Highlight the passage at 2:03:32

2:03:58 It was the one that's on the bottom. Yeah, yeah. It's the Dingwa. It's our seat cover, yeah. Yeah, but stepping over them is supposed to be negative karma. And that's the reason, because it's like you're stepping over the Dharma, which is, of course, also not good. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:58 Highlight the passage at 2:03:58

2:04:17 Okay, any last questions? And then we'll just finish this next week. Any other? Pema's also accepting questions, if you have any. I have an off question. You mentioned, you talked about Manlon's group with the monastics, and you mentioned something that you said. The IMI. Yeah, you said it's very hard for monastics to be supported in the states, and I've kind of heard this multiple times, and it's somewhat confusing why. Report an error in the passage at 2:04:17 Highlight the passage at 2:04:17

2:04:48 I think it's just because Westerners don't really have this idea of monasticism yet. I think it's just a matter of time and education. But there's not really any, you know, in the East they have monasteries and nunneries and things like that and people are used to seeing monastics and so the lay population supports the monastics. Report an error in the passage at 2:04:48 Highlight the passage at 2:04:48

2:05:08 They'll bring food or they'll bring money or whatever to the monasteries and nunneries and things like that. Here it's not really, people don't really do it. And so the IMI was an organization that was founded to support Western monks and nuns, especially, because it is more common, actually, that Eastern monks and nuns, and actually this came up when Reverend Rubin actually brought it up once. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:08 Highlight the passage at 2:05:08

2:05:34 She was like, we'll totally honor Tibetan and even some Chinese monks and nuns, but the Western ones will sort of still think should go out and get a job. You know, there's still that kind of idea. They're a little too much like me. And so the IMI, especially the way Muslim's doing it, he's really just approaching it like reminding people of the worth of having people take these vows and doing practice or doing service or doing study or whatever it is that they're doing with their life or teaching or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:34 Highlight the passage at 2:05:34

2:06:07 But really approaching it from the standpoint of doing fundraisers. I mean, he's so organized. you know, doing um um These emails where he helps us stay in contact with each other, you know, because we're spread out. There's 300 people spread out worldwide, you know. And educating people's minds through advertising, you know, putting an ad in Mandala magazine. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:07 Highlight the passage at 2:06:07

2:06:35 That's Malam doing that, you know. It's great, actually, that he's doing that because it just raises awareness. So a lot of his job, I think, is really fundraising, of course, but also raising awareness of why it would be a useful thing to have somebody. In robes, what that means. So I think that's really what it's about. You know, Buddhism is pretty new in this country. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:35 Highlight the passage at 2:06:35

2:06:56 And a lot of people say monasticism, I mean I wouldn't say a lot of people, some people say monasticism will die out. I don't think it can. The Buddha himself said that you have to have fully ordained monks and nuns. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:56 Highlight the passage at 2:06:56

2:07:09 But I don't think it's going to be the way of the future. I think there will always be a minority of us. I don't think it's... I think Buddhism will change when it hits this culture just like it did in Tibet. And there will be more ways for lay practitioners to practice. But there will always be monks and nuns, I think. So that's, I think, that's what I meant by that. Were you going to say something? Report an error in the passage at 2:07:09 Highlight the passage at 2:07:09

2:07:36 Wait, pass him. Talking stick. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:36 Highlight the passage at 2:07:36

2:07:42 I sometimes think that the pendulum of materialism has swung about as far as it can. Well, it also could Report an error in the passage at 2:07:42 Highlight the passage at 2:07:42

2:07:50 It's possible that things will swing back the other way, that other forms of life will be valued more. It's true, it's true. I just can't maintain at this current, yeah, it's possible, it's true, that there could be a real spiritual. Or we could just not be a superpower anymore and we could just become, I remember actually when I was in England like 20 years ago, 25 years ago, Report an error in the passage at 2:07:50 Highlight the passage at 2:07:50

2:08:18 And there is a group campaign for nuclear disarmament, CND, which is possible in England. Like, it didn't seem possible in the U.S., but in England, it would be possible. They aren't a major superpower. And I just remember thinking, what an interesting thought, that you could just totally decide to opt out of the whole thing and that you might even have that option. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:18 Highlight the passage at 2:08:18

2:08:37 And I suppose at some point it could be possible for us, too. We have this whole image of ourselves as having to have this role in the world. But that's new, too. That's only been in the last less than a century, really. So that can all change, too. And then we could even divide up and become different countries. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:37 Highlight the passage at 2:08:37

2:08:56 And some of those countries could become more spiritual than others and things. But I think if people saw more, you know, the problem is we're all spread out. Most people who see us don't really know what the heck we are. You know, I even look in a mirror and I'm like, oh, I do the kind. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:56 Highlight the passage at 2:08:56

2:09:14 No wonder everybody in the mission is staring at me. And I'm one. So it's just you don't see large groups of us. It was really fun, actually, not that long ago. Well, I think I told you guys when we did the tour. That was the IMI. So he was doing a conference of delegates. He was trying to hit all the regions of the world. He had them flown here. He actually used money and got support to fly them all here. Report an error in the passage at 2:09:14 Highlight the passage at 2:09:14

2:09:42 Because most people don't. Most of these people don't have any money of their own. And so they took them all around and took us all out on this bus. And it's actually really fun because you don't know what it's like to be in a group of 20 monks and nuns. I mean, think of Tibet. Remember what Ninja was saying? Sarah Jay University was like 10,000 monks at the time of the fall. Report an error in the passage at 2:09:42 Highlight the passage at 2:09:42

2:10:04 Now it's 300. I mean, huge. I mean, still, it's huge in South India. It's like 3,000. It was enormous in Tibet, and that was only one of, like, you know, how many have been destroyed? What did I say? 6,000 monasteries have been destroyed, and each one of those having thousands and thousands? It's hard. It just boggles the mind, you know. Entire cities of monastics, mostly monastics, mostly monks, I would have to say, probably. Report an error in the passage at 2:10:04 Highlight the passage at 2:10:04

2:10:33 But still, and we just don't see that, you know. It's really cool to see two. And to have them all in one house is like amazing. Yeah, so it's just, I think it's just time and education too. But you're right, nothing. Report an error in the passage at 2:10:33 Highlight the passage at 2:10:33

2:10:50 What was that? Report an error in the passage at 2:10:50 Highlight the passage at 2:10:50

2:10:54 She's on it. She's on it. Okay, good. It could have been a mile. Oh, yeah, I think it was a mile. It could have also just been a flower or something releasing. Anyway, okay, let's dedicate before we think of more questions. Report an error in the passage at 2:10:54 Highlight the passage at 2:10:54

2:11:12 Although I don't have anything else to do. So we've planted some seeds just in the amount of time that we've been here, just thinking about this, mulling it over, contemplating, meditating, talking, discussing. And all of that's planting seeds in our minds. And then may those seeds now grow so that each one of us is able to reach our potential. Report an error in the passage at 2:11:12 Highlight the passage at 2:11:12

2:11:39 To actually gain enlightenment is reaching our full potential. And it's so hard to get our minds around, but it is possible. If not this lifetime, then the very next. If not that one, then the very next. Report an error in the passage at 2:11:39 Highlight the passage at 2:11:39

2:11:55 But the seeds are there. The seeds are planted. So we dedicate those. And we dedicate that to being able to, right now, being able to help more and more and more beings in our lives, both humans and cats. Report an error in the passage at 2:11:55 Highlight the passage at 2:11:55

2:12:11 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 2:12:11 Highlight the passage at 2:12:11

2:12:16 You goofy. You're goofy. Like Report an error in the passage at 2:12:16 Highlight the passage at 2:12:16

2:12:28 a bunny. I think she looks like a bunny. She's got a bunny face. She doesn't run when we play the cymbals and stuff. Yeah, she's pretty fearless. She's just like, yeah. She's not skittish at all. Bodhi is like totally skittish. And she chases Bodhi too. I know. I know. She was in the... You know what? Yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 2:12:28 Highlight the passage at 2:12:28

2:12:45 Yeah, I know. Report an error in the passage at 2:12:45 Highlight the passage at 2:12:45

2:12:55 Three and three? What we don't do now, you've got to do later. This morning we had somebody in a chair now too. I did want to tell you guys... Report an error in the passage at 2:12:55 Highlight the passage at 2:12:55