Discovering Buddhism - Taking Refuge (1 September 2009)

0:00 We're going live. All right. So we're going to start with just a quiet little meditation. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:13 Kind of quick one to boot. Yeah. Okay. Let's start. Report an error in the passage at 0:13 Highlight the passage at 0:13

0:25 Let's have some nice deep breaths. Let go of your day. Report an error in the passage at 0:25 Highlight the passage at 0:25

0:41 Releasing any tension in your body, in your shoulders, your neck, anywhere that you're holding tension. And Report an error in the passage at 0:41 Highlight the passage at 0:41

0:53 just breathe it out into the night. Same with any distractions. Any worries, anxiety. Report an error in the passage at 0:53 Highlight the passage at 0:53

1:07 And then with the in-breaths, imagine just cleansing everything away and breathing in fresh awareness, concentration, brightness, presence. Report an error in the passage at 1:07 Highlight the passage at 1:07

1:38 Then we'll just start with a short meditation on the breath, just a really short one, just maybe a couple rounds of ten. Just trying to park your attention at the level of your belly or your nostrils and just focusing on the air as it enters. It exits your body. And every time your mind wanders, just gently bring it back. Report an error in the passage at 1:38 Highlight the passage at 1:38

2:04 Try counting to 10 or 21 or whatever works for you. And then just start over. The Report an error in the passage at 2:04 Highlight the passage at 2:04

· · · silence, 2 minutes

4:09 more that we get into the subject of refuge, we just keep reminding ourselves that it always ends up with Report an error in the passage at 4:09 Highlight the passage at 4:09

4:20 what Buddhism is all about. Report an error in the passage at 4:20 Highlight the passage at 4:20

4:25 We may take refuge in the Buddha and everything he did to get enlightened in all his qualities, but ultimately for us to repeat that takes each of us. Doing the work on our own, Report an error in the passage at 4:25 Highlight the passage at 4:25

4:42 learning how to meditate regularly, studying the teachings of the Buddha, and really putting effort in. It's not handed to us, and nobody's going to come save us. But the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are out there. They want to help us get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 4:42 Highlight the passage at 4:42

5:11 The effort has to come from it. Report an error in the passage at 5:11 Highlight the passage at 5:11

5:21 Whatever we gain from this class, tonight and in the next few days, become the seed for each of us. Developing stronger and stronger and stronger refuge, especially in the law, cause and effect, karma. So Report an error in the passage at 5:21 Highlight the passage at 5:21

5:43 that we can reverse this cycle of suffering that we find ourselves in and learn the secrets of becoming happier and happier and happier. Ultimately so that we can help others become happy too. Report an error in the passage at 5:43 Highlight the passage at 5:43

6:05 And then when you're ready, one more time you can end your meditation and we'll do the opening prayer. Report an error in the passage at 6:05 Highlight the passage at 6:05

6:15 I have to be the sound person. With Report an error in the passage at 6:15 Highlight the passage at 6:15

6:31 the wish to free all beings, I shall always go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha until I reach full enlightenment. Inspired by wisdom and compassion, today in the Buddha's presence, I generate the mind of full awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings. As long as space remains, as long as sentient beings remain. Report an error in the passage at 6:31 Highlight the passage at 6:31

6:56 Until then may I too remain and dispel the miseries of the world. It's Report an error in the passage at 6:56 Highlight the passage at 6:56

7:13 my clock too. Oh, there's several cups on the back. Oh no, not at all. I'll just leave it here just in case. You never know. Report an error in the passage at 7:13 Highlight the passage at 7:13

7:28 We need refuge in beverages tonight. It's weird to teach with shoes on. So I wanted to start, I was going to start with talking about the refuge ceremony and I was going to ask if people are not. you know, had any feedback on it, but really the only person that was here is Chris, and we can find out how you felt, because Chris re-took refuge, so, um, so just a little bit of feedback from you, if you want to, if you'd I really enjoyed it. It was great. And getting my endowment name. Report an error in the passage at 7:28 Highlight the passage at 7:28

8:13 What name did you get? Report an error in the passage at 8:13 Highlight the passage at 8:13

8:17 Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Getting my Dharma name really helps too in my practice because it just kind of officiates it in my mind. Report an error in the passage at 8:17 Highlight the passage at 8:17

8:32 When you have a new name, you kind of really don't have any solid excuses not to. you know? And, um... Report an error in the passage at 8:32 Highlight the passage at 8:32

8:44 practice, because it's kind of like signing a contract in a way, you know, and it's publicly. It was different than the ceremony that I had taken in Thich Nhat Hanh's tradition and I'm really happy I did it because I feel it really connected me to the lineage. Report an error in the passage at 8:44 Highlight the passage at 8:44

9:14 I feel at home now. It's really feeling like I came home. Oh, that's so great. That's so cool. Yeah, it was an interesting ceremony for me. I have attended, I don't know, I probably have attended 20, maybe more, refuge ceremonies with Geshe-la presiding, and he was fierce. He was fierce. He told us all if we kept giggling and we had to leave, we went like this. Report an error in the passage at 9:14 Highlight the passage at 9:14

9:42 yeah. And the whole room just, he said, this is Dhamma. And then at the end he said, okay, now if you want to get a laugh, you can laugh. But it was just, yeah, because I mean, everybody had just come through this whole retreat and there was this whole energy and I think that that was a lot of it. Even Steve was giggling and I think he sort of did a trance at him. So that was kind of interesting because we were all just kind of like, ah, ah, ah, hope. Report an error in the passage at 9:42 Highlight the passage at 9:42

10:11 But it was good then. It was just like every single person, I would say most people in the room thought he was talking to him when I talked about him and talking to them. So we all just kind of went, and then it was just kind of like seriousness. And the other thing that was unusual is I had expected, as he's done with every other refuge ceremony I've ever, ever been to, he usually just asks, is there anyone here who wants to take lay vows? Report an error in the passage at 10:11 Highlight the passage at 10:11

10:36 And he includes that, he must. And all these people wanted to take lay vows, and one in particular had come specifically to take one vow Report an error in the passage at 10:36 Highlight the passage at 10:36

10:45 So that was really disappointing for her. I think most of the people were just kind of like, but she was really disappointed. So that was just kind of an interesting energy too that that didn't happen. Report an error in the passage at 10:45 Highlight the passage at 10:45

10:59 But I thought it was really powerful. Report an error in the passage at 10:59 Highlight the passage at 10:59

11:03 It was great to have Steve translate because I felt like so much clarity came in. Report an error in the passage at 11:03 Highlight the passage at 11:03

11:13 You know what, until this year it's been done like quarterly almost. But then because of our translation issues, that's why I did it was just because of Steve. The minute I booked him for the retreat, I tacked on it. Report an error in the passage at 11:13 Highlight the passage at 11:13

11:28 Now we actually have a good translator on Sundays, and so it would be easier, but she hadn't committed until this point. So now I think it would be easier. Report an error in the passage at 11:28 Highlight the passage at 11:28

11:40 But no matter what, whether we have Nima on Sundays or whether we are able to get Ziggy as planned, we will plan. Report an error in the passage at 11:40 Highlight the passage at 11:40

11:52 Is that a hand going on? Commitment. She's ready for the Kool-Aid. I the difference for tonight Report an error in the passage at 11:52 Highlight the passage at 11:52

12:07 I've only seen one ceremony. Report an error in the passage at 12:07 Highlight the passage at 12:07

12:12 she did the people took lay vows and to me it was just part and parcel I actually never Well we are going to talk about the commitments of refuge and then we also talk about the lay vows. So the commitments of refuge there are twelve, the lay vows there are five. You can do one without the other. And you can do one without the other. And actually traditionally you would do refuge separately and then lay vows. Report an error in the passage at 12:12 Highlight the passage at 12:12

12:40 And then somewhere along the way in Tibet they did start being combined. And sometimes people will take one or the other. Sometimes everybody takes all of it. But it's not required. The lay vows are definite vows for life. I mean, you are taking a commitment to become a Buddhist for life, so that is there. But they're literally called precepts or commitments. So it's a little less of a jump. Report an error in the passage at 12:40 Highlight the passage at 12:40

13:12 Vows, you become a vow holder. Sometimes they're more serious. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 13:12 Highlight the passage at 13:12

13:23 But yeah, you don't have to take... When I took refuge, I didn't take lay vows. Report an error in the passage at 13:23 Highlight the passage at 13:23

13:35 So we'll talk about those commitments. Report an error in the passage at 13:35 Highlight the passage at 13:35

13:45 You have to take refuge first. And refuge becomes like the first level of the foundation. And then the five lay vows can be taken one, two, three, four, or five at a time. And there's like a separate name for each one. Like a one vow holder, a two vow holder. three or several vow holders. and so yeah Report an error in the passage at 13:45 Highlight the passage at 13:45

14:09 just talking about, she had already taken Report an error in the passage at 14:09 Highlight the passage at 14:09

14:16 all llamas do it that The llama that I took, that I passed was like all or nothing. but Lama Zopa also does it this Report an error in the passage at 14:16 Highlight the passage at 14:16

14:39 so they were really happy to take four out of five bouts but they're like It's always that one, yeah. She's like, yeah, it's okay. Just don't say anything. When I get to that part, don't say anything out loud. It's always that one. They're not going to leave out killing. Report an error in the passage at 14:39 Highlight the passage at 14:39

14:58 So when are we going to have a vow? I have to talk to him. I kind of wanted to give him a little space. I don't want to go roaring up there and go, you know, but I figured with Nima that probably on Sunday what I'll probably do is arrange it. you know? Report an error in the passage at 14:58 Highlight the passage at 14:58

15:18 after lunch on a Sunday. coming up in the next, it has to be this month because he leaves. Report an error in the passage at 15:18 Highlight the passage at 15:18

15:32 to work. Yeah, so I'll just talk to him and I'll just email you, took down everybody. Report an error in the passage at 15:32 Highlight the passage at 15:32

15:43 Of course there will be somebody who can't come, but you know, they'll probably be that same person. Report an error in the passage at 15:43 Highlight the passage at 15:43

15:50 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 15:50 Highlight the passage at 15:50

15:54 That's Olivier. Can Report an error in the passage at 15:54 Highlight the passage at 15:54

16:04 I come into refuge? Sure. Yes, everybody, this is Olivier. He's too late to go into meditation, so he's going to take refuge instead. Report an error in the passage at 16:04 Highlight the passage at 16:04

16:19 Olivia, you've already taken refuge, right? You took refuge last year, a year ago. Report an error in the passage at 16:19 Highlight the passage at 16:19

16:33 You can lay down on the couch too. Report an error in the passage at 16:33 Highlight the passage at 16:33

16:39 So if everybody's okay with the thing about the retreat day, I think what I will do is at the end of the class on Thursday, to kind of end the class, we will watch the video together. So that'll be kind of nice. Report an error in the passage at 16:39 Highlight the passage at 16:39

16:55 Is everybody thinking about doing, I guess that's the question too, is everybody planning to do the next DB class, which starts the 24th of September? Report an error in the passage at 16:55 Highlight the passage at 16:55

17:07 The teacher, spiritual teacher. Report an error in the passage at 17:07 Highlight the passage at 17:07

17:13 No, just Thursday. I mean, I can't say never, but yes? I want to, but that's the same Thursday, if all goes well. I'm just never doing it on Tuesday. Report an error in the passage at 17:13 Highlight the passage at 17:13

17:29 that I'll be flying down to Longby. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. That's a really good point. You can give us a little report back. Hopefully I'll get to go. On His Holiness' teachings. That's great. Yeah, he's teaching in Long Beach. That's great. That's exciting. Okay, well, I appreciate. Thank you. I just started thinking that probably there wouldn't be such a huge turnout and kind of felt like more energy than I personally could summon. Report an error in the passage at 17:29 Highlight the passage at 17:29

18:17 Because not only did we do this enormous retreat or it felt really, really big, but... As everybody knows, LPP also has been moving out throughout the retreat, which actually somehow went surprisingly all right. And then on top of that, then of course Mary moved, left on Sunday, and then Katie left today. Report an error in the passage at 18:17 Highlight the passage at 18:17

18:34 So it's just like, emotionally it's been really draining too. So kind of just need a little bit of like, time. Of course it'll be open on Saturday and I'll be doing meditations. You can come in and sleep. Report an error in the passage at 18:34 Highlight the passage at 18:34

18:52 So we're going to keep talking about the qualities, the refuge qualities. I want to like curl up. My knee just doesn't want to work. Report an error in the passage at 18:52 Highlight the passage at 18:52

19:10 Yeah, maybe. One there. Report an error in the passage at 19:10 Highlight the passage at 19:10

19:14 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 19:14 Highlight the passage at 19:14

19:19 I'm one of those people that never really sat in chairs. I always like kind of curled up and hung off and did all this stuff and so my legs are kind of like, why are we sitting like this? It's boring. Report an error in the passage at 19:19 Highlight the passage at 19:19

19:32 So last time we were talking about the qualities of the Buddha, and so we're kind of continuing with that, and so we're going to talk about the qualities of the Buddha's enlightened activity. So it's the actions of the Buddha. And then we're going to talk about the Dharma and then the Saṅgha. Report an error in the passage at 19:32 Highlight the passage at 19:32

19:49 So for us ordinary beings, we create karma or action in Sanskrit. It's karma, and in Tibetan it's called le, L-A, with a little umlaut. Report an error in the passage at 19:49 Highlight the passage at 19:49

20:06 And the Buddha also acts, but his acts are actually enlightened activities, and that's called Chinle, Chinle in Tibetan. Report an error in the passage at 20:06 Highlight the passage at 20:06

20:17 They never can have a negative result. They never can result in any kind of suffering or confusion or ignorance. They can only bring positive results of happiness for himself and for everyone. It's sort of like that, I think I've said this a couple of times, it's sort of like no matter how hard a Buddha tries. Report an error in the passage at 20:17 Highlight the passage at 20:17

20:38 They have to experience bliss because that's all they're creating the causes for. Report an error in the passage at 20:38 Highlight the passage at 20:38

20:47 And it's interesting to think about, too, I think this idea of Buddhas having this completely non-conceptual way of act to think about how Pristine today or 15,000 billion other people, it's just they spontaneously are able to have Report an error in the passage at 20:47 Highlight the passage at 20:47

21:12 the capacity that's most needed at that time and then spontaneously can... Change gears, which I can never do. This is one thing I really appreciate. Report an error in the passage at 21:12 Highlight the passage at 21:12

21:29 And it's effortless. So it's like without thought, conceptual thought, and without thought. They just are able to manifest. And one of the things that they can do is just send all these different emanation bodies, but they can also manifest as inanimate things. Report an error in the passage at 21:29 Highlight the passage at 21:29

21:53 So there are stories and sutras of them, like a bridge or something, if it would help you on the river, and then you're crossing over and somehow crossing. The bridge gives you that end of the past, and Report an error in the passage at 21:53 Highlight the passage at 21:53

22:15 there's a tree for you to hide behind. They can manifest as something inanimate too, which I think is often, so it's not just the crazy lady on the bus, or the co-worker, or the mom. Report an error in the passage at 22:15 Highlight the passage at 22:15

22:31 But the most direct way that they manifest is as teachers, as Dharma teachers especially, not qualified Dharma teachers, not. Report an error in the passage at 22:31 Highlight the passage at 22:31

22:43 But, like these, the actual masters and... In the class on the spiritual teacher, we'll talk about the different qualities that we should look for in a qualified spiritual teacher, what gives them that, what makes somebody a qualified spiritual master even. And you know how Geshe-la said, at the beginning of the service, those of you who have a Dharma relationship with me call me this thing, and those who don't call me this. Report an error in the passage at 22:43 Highlight the passage at 22:43

23:11 And at the end he said, now all of you have a Dharma relationship with me, so now you call me. And there's kind of like this formality to that, which is quite like... It's moving, actually, even just talking, because you enter. Report an error in the passage at 23:11 Highlight the passage at 23:11

23:30 So you want to make sure that that person will teach you before you enter into that kind of relationship with them. But Buddhas actually can manifest asters, and that's the way, because those are the beings that we see and we get inspired by and we learn from and we, you know, we get encouraged by either one-to-one or by just, like, seeing, you know, the Dalai Lama in Long Beach or on CNN or in Time Magazine or something, just... Report an error in the passage at 23:30 Highlight the passage at 23:30

24:01 Reading about him can inspire our mind, you know. And so that's how the Buddhists can reach us because I personally don't have the time to see them, you know, looking like one of these holy beings, you know. Report an error in the passage at 24:01 Highlight the passage at 24:01

24:13 I'm really thankful that I live at the time of the Dalai Lama, but I, you know, some people haven't lived at the time where Lama has taught and they don't necessarily see the Dalai Lama as anything special. Report an error in the passage at 24:13 Highlight the passage at 24:13

24:27 But, you know, it would be also very, very cool to have seen him at the Buddha teach. Maybe I did as a bug or something. Received some little tiny imprint that grew and grew and grew and grew. So that's really the most powerful and direct way that they can help us. Report an error in the passage at 24:27 Highlight the passage at 24:27

24:52 But they can't force us, like I said in the motivation, they can't force us to act. They can't even really, I mean I guess they could remind us to act, but he used to always remind me to act. She would remind me. And, um... Report an error in the passage at 24:52 Highlight the passage at 24:52

25:08 One-on-one, and actually Lama Zopa has two, and Geshe-la has two. But, you know, we have to practice. Report an error in the passage at 25:08 Highlight the passage at 25:08

25:19 But they can benefit us in other ways. They can show up when we need to. They can also say things like Geshe-la says in these teachings, these things that seem to be a direct teaching to me, but then you talk to everybody else in the room and they thought it was fun. This happens a lot at big teachings, too. If you talk to people after His Holiness is teaching, you're going to end up with ten people all thinking... Report an error in the passage at 25:19 Highlight the passage at 25:19

25:44 It was a personal teaching, which I think is very, very interesting. It's the skill of the Buddha's speech, actually. So Lama Tsongkhapa, actually, in the lamrim, advises us to just keep contemplating these different qualities of their enlightened activities and their body and speech and mind over and over and over again. Report an error in the passage at 25:44 Highlight the passage at 25:44

26:10 We talked about the curl last week. Sorry, I knew that one was a big one for you. Report an error in the passage at 26:10 Highlight the passage at 26:10

26:20 We have new people living here now, so it's like we should have badges. The minute Katie left, Sandra moved in. Report an error in the passage at 26:20 Highlight the passage at 26:20

26:33 Qualities of the Dharma. So again, Dharma, the Dharma jewel, you know, we think about these texts being the Dharma. This is the relative Dharma. The actual Dharma is the realizations within the minds of highly realized beings, you know, beings who are serious practitioners who have gained these cities or attainments, you know. Report an error in the passage at 26:33 Highlight the passage at 26:33

27:00 Mostly, mostly the direct perception of emptiness and beyond. Mostly that. And why that? Because the direct perception of emptiness is the beginning of the end of all of ourselves. One of my teachers used to say, when you have a direct perception of emptiness, you know when you're going to get enlightened, how long it will take, what it will look like and where it will happen. Report an error in the passage at 27:00 Highlight the passage at 27:00

27:26 You know all these details. You have this clairvoyance about that. It still may be seven lifetimes. It won't necessarily be in that lifetime unless you use Tantra, but you get that clarity of vision about it. Report an error in the passage at 27:26 Highlight the passage at 27:26

27:43 So the actual Dharma is, the Dharma jewel is that. Report an error in the passage at 27:43 Highlight the passage at 27:43

27:50 And why is that one the most important? It's because that's our misperception or our misunderstanding of reality is what causes all of our pain. And every time that you have any kind of interaction with anyone that's not smooth, which we had just a few this week, And I, of course, focus mostly on those rather than all the incredible bliss and wonderful things that happen. But whenever you're tired or whatever and something happens and you go back later and you analyze that and you realize how it all comes down to this misperception of reality. Report an error in the passage at 27:50 Highlight the passage at 27:50

28:27 Seeing that person in some way or that person seeing you in some way and based on that misunderstanding all this other stuff happens, you know, whether it's... Misspoken words or misacted actions, that somehow it's all based on this faulty understanding of reality. If we could just get how things actually exist, our own, like everything that's built up this huge misunderstanding of reality that we've built castles upon, you know, it's like this enormous... Report an error in the passage at 28:27 Highlight the passage at 28:27

29:07 Everything that we've ever believed is true, completely dissolved in an instant. So if we can have that understanding, all of our suffering and all the suffering we have, then we have that practice, share it with everyone. Report an error in the passage at 29:07 Highlight the passage at 29:07

29:29 Again, just like I Report an error in the passage at 29:29 Highlight the passage at 29:29

29:38 read in the book. So it's quite a powerful, that's the real Dharma. That's the most amazing thing. And that's really, and taking refuge in that is actually just remembering to apply whatever you know about any. Report an error in the passage at 29:38 Highlight the passage at 29:38

29:57 I mean, that's really what taking refuge in the Dharma is. And what is that? That's like remembering at the moment that your boss is screaming, this is karma, this is karma. Report an error in the passage at 29:57 Highlight the passage at 29:57

30:11 You're knowing how to react or not react. Sometimes not reacting is a really powerful thing, you know, when your car gets stolen or not. Report an error in the passage at 30:11 Highlight the passage at 30:11

30:22 And you react in a way where you understand that it's karma. It doesn't mean you can't then call the pound to see where it is, you know. Begin to act on it, but you have less fear, anxiety, and all those things coming up, so you have less suffering just because you understand reality, even in a tiny way, just understanding how karma works. Report an error in the passage at 30:22 Highlight the passage at 30:22

30:48 So, yeah, so this is the most profound refuge. That's why they actually say that the deepest refuge or the most profound refuge is actually Lama. This is what's really going to change our life. Even if we don't fully understand emptiness, we have to keep studying it instead of studying it. And meditating on it. But this is what's chipping away. Report an error in the passage at 30:48 Highlight the passage at 30:48

31:15 It behooves us to keep studying it. And I'll just put in a quick pitch. Just because I was sending out the E-news moments before class. Report an error in the passage at 31:15 Highlight the passage at 31:15

31:27 Tenzin Chokyi is coming. And she's going to do a workshop for beginners. Based on the Four Noble Truths. The first weekend in October. And it's for all levels. But it's really beginners. How to understand Buddhism. Report an error in the passage at 31:27 Highlight the passage at 31:27

31:46 At the end of the month, the 23rd and 24th, Report an error in the passage at 31:46 Highlight the passage at 31:46

31:52 I think it is here, she's definitely going to talk about emptiness and how to work with it really practically, according to the Heart Sūtra, which is a really short, but very, very dense, profound, but she's just really accessible, and I highly advise you, Report an error in the passage at 31:52 Highlight the passage at 31:52

32:20 because if you don't understand emptiness at all, you'll come out and say, hey, yeah, come on in. You'll come out of that workshop definitely with so much better grasp of emptiness than you have from any of my rambling. So everybody, this is Teva. Teva lives here now. We're having several special guests tonight. See, we just had to move into a different venue and more people... Report an error in the passage at 32:20 Highlight the passage at 32:20

32:49 So we were just talking about the colleges of the Buddha, the colleges of the Dharma, and we're moving on to the colleges of the Saṅgha. Remembering, of course, that the Saṅgha are those... People or beings who have had a direct perception of emptiness or above. Like the actual Dharma jewel is that. Report an error in the passage at 32:49 Highlight the passage at 32:49

33:08 It is great to Report an error in the passage at 33:08 Highlight the passage at 33:08

33:13 the monks and nuns, but really the qualities that we're looking at here are those who have attained the path of seeing, those who have had a direct perception of emptiness or above. Report an error in the passage at 33:13 Highlight the passage at 33:13

33:28 What? Report an error in the passage at 33:28 Highlight the passage at 33:28

33:31 The path of seeing? Direct release emptiness or above. She's so logical and near. I know, it's true. Or Realization 2.0. No, I know, it's true. Who would be above? Who would be somebody who would be above an Arya being, like, beyond, like, a higher Realization than, would Report an error in the passage at 33:31 Highlight the passage at 33:31

33:58 I guess? Never sure. I'll change this. Aya, Arha, Bodhisattva, Buddha. Well, you can be a Bodhisattva and do all the levels. You can be what's called a Bodhisattva Arya. Yeah, so you can actually have a bodhisattva is somebody who has had a generation, like a genuine generation of bodhicitta. And when I say genuine, I mean not the kind that we have, like when something really profound happens, like we go through the death of our mom or something and we think, you know, we think we've changed, but then maybe we don't really love people that much. Report an error in the passage at 33:58 Highlight the passage at 33:58

34:34 So they call that one actually sugar cane bodhicitta. It's like it feels really real, but it doesn't last. didn't. Report an error in the passage at 34:34 Highlight the passage at 34:34

34:42 But if you've had genuine bodhicitta, then you become a bodhisattva. However, then there are all these ten levels of being a bodhisattva. In the Mahāyāna paths, it's sort of assumed that you would generate bodhicitta earlier. So before you enter the path of accumulation, the path of preparation, and the path of seeing, you actually would already be a bodhisattva. But you hit on it when you said arhat. Report an error in the passage at 34:42 Highlight the passage at 34:42

35:11 So an Arhat, any idea on what an Arhat is? Who's an Arhat? You guys don't have to raise your hand. What is an Arhat? Report an error in the passage at 35:11 Highlight the passage at 35:11

35:27 Yes. I haven't done that before. Sorry, I hardly ever ask questions like that. But with some of you, I know you know, so I'd just like to say. Report an error in the passage at 35:27 Highlight the passage at 35:27

35:38 The worst that would happen is I'd be like, almost. I'm not going to go, no. Yeah, really. Report an error in the passage at 35:38 Highlight the passage at 35:38

35:48 Yeah, somebody who's attained nirvāṇa. And Nirvāṇa basically is you have left psychic existence. Are you enlightened? Not in this tradition. Some of the so-called lesser traditions or lower traditions on the Hanayana path, that is considered enlightenment. But that's not considered full enlightenment according to our tradition. Report an error in the passage at 35:48 Highlight the passage at 35:48

36:14 Because you still have some subtle mental afflictions and the worst of which is... This subtle self-grasping, this belief in a self. So you still have some subtle mental afflictions. And the worst of which is just this idea that you're not dedicating yourself to believing and suffering and well-being. So that's why the Buddha comes up and taps you on the shoulder and says, okay, come on Gina, you've been blissed out in ether space for eons, it's time to get to work. Report an error in the passage at 36:14 Highlight the passage at 36:14

36:49 So it's not quite the level of full enlightenment. So here we're talking about somebody who's attained the path of seeing, which is basically the direct perception of emptiness. It's the Arya. The Arya, yeah. Or above. That's a Saṅgha Jewel. And because of that, they know the way out of suffering. It's just simply because they've done it. It's just like somebody, you know, baking a cake. Report an error in the passage at 36:49 Highlight the passage at 36:49

37:18 Because they bake the cake, then they know how to show you how to get out of your own suffering. That's why they become these guides that are worthwhile. So from our standpoint, we can say that they are just really serious practitioners. That's kind of why, and then usually they say, you know, people who are monastics or other serious practitioners, you know, I actually really love to hold up examples of... Report an error in the passage at 37:18 Highlight the passage at 37:18

37:44 Really serious lay practitioners, because I think a lot of times people think that they can only become a very serious practitioner if they are monastic, and I don't feel like that's true. I think that Galupas are really keen on monasticism, but I think as it comes more into the West, I think we have to figure out ways for very serious practitioners to remain lay, or just won't. Report an error in the passage at 37:44 Highlight the passage at 37:44

38:10 It won't work. I think there will always be a place for monastics, but I don't think it will be the bulk. Or even, like, what was it in Tibet? Something like every tenth kid was shipped off to the monastery. You know, they didn't even have a choice necessarily. Of course, they all had big families, so that didn't work. Yeah, so actually I used to hold up. Report an error in the passage at 38:10 Highlight the passage at 38:10

38:32 Tenzin Chokyi is my example of a really serious lay practitioner that she got ordained. I mean, I was really happy for her, but I was like, oh. But there are actually quite a few people in our community as well. But also when you look at the community that makes up Vajrapani, there are a lot of married couples that are in that community. Report an error in the passage at 38:32 Highlight the passage at 38:32

38:53 They have been married for a billion years. They actually helped build Vajrapani. They're still married and they're still practicing really hard. So there are a lot of good examples. And the people that run our study group out in Marin, Jack and Judith, who would... just die if they heard me say their names, but are also good examples of practitioners. Report an error in the passage at 38:53 Highlight the passage at 38:53

39:21 But that's how they inspire us. We see them, we watch them over time in our lives and we get inspired. Or because they know how to do it, they can show us how to do it. That's how they can inspire us. Sometimes I think it's kind of odd that they get used in that analogy where The Buddha is the doctor and the Dharma is the medicine. The Saṅgha ends up being the nurses. And I love nurses and actually Sangmo and Betty, you know, Michelle's mom are all nurses and Diva's actually a nurse. Report an error in the passage at 39:21 Highlight the passage at 39:21

39:55 But I always, it kind of sounds a little funny to me. I don't know why. I'm not saying anything against nurses because I think you guys work probably harder than the doctors. It just always sounds a little bit funny to me, but I think it just means those guides maybe as like guides and protectors in a way, because nurses definitely are advocates, at least in our culture. Report an error in the passage at 39:55 Highlight the passage at 39:55

40:18 But anyway, they are definitely guides, and I think in that sense, but maybe not as much of a guide as the Buddha. Maybe that's why they're calling them that. Anyway, we'll see. see. Report an error in the passage at 40:18 Highlight the passage at 40:18

40:33 So I wanted to read, the reason I brought this is because I wanted to read you guys a little quote. This series, which is still in the works, there are a couple of, I had to keep an eye on the time, there are a few versions of, there's one version of the actual root text of the lamrim chenmo by Lama Tsongkhapa, which is the great, chenmo means great, or large lamrim. Report an error in the passage at 40:33 Highlight the passage at 40:33

41:04 And that is a three-volume set that was put out by Snow Lion. Everything else is actually a commentary, which is fine. I think a lot of times people text is the best, and everything else falls short. So there are one-volume commentaries, Liberation being a good example of that, Liberation, the Palmer commentary on the lamrim. Report an error in the passage at 41:04 Highlight the passage at 41:04

41:29 There's one by Yangtze Rinpoche, that's right there. That's also, that's a modern comment, Hexi Rinpoche. Report an error in the passage at 41:29 Highlight the passage at 41:29

41:40 He teaches up in Portland, Tibetan, but he also has a fairly young Rinpoche. This is one by an older, very older, close to 90-year-old Rinpoche by the name of Geshe Sopa, S-O-P-A-Z, but it's the same Tibetan word. Report an error in the passage at 41:40 Highlight the passage at 41:40

42:08 This is, he wants it to be a five. He wants it to be a five-volume set, and he's on the fourth volume. And we're just praying that he is able to set. So, I mean, people, there's a monk up there now working translation. They're really trying to churn it out because we're losing time. But I love it. This is actually my favorite of all of them. It's just dense. You know, if you're going to own five of these volumes, you're going to have to be pretty committed. But it's great. Report an error in the passage at 42:08 Highlight the passage at 42:08

42:41 It's actually, I like the way he words things. I had to try to read this without my glasses. Report an error in the passage at 42:41 Highlight the passage at 42:41

42:51 So I wanted to read you a little bit on the good qualities of the Saṅgha. The Saṅgha teach the Dharma, practice the Dharma and think about the Dharma. They are a field of the Dharma. They hold the Dharma and they rely upon the Dharma. They venerate the Dharma. They engage in the activities of the Dharma. The Dharma is their sphere of activity and they are the wonderful practitioners of the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 42:51 Highlight the passage at 42:51

43:16 They are naturally honest and naturally pure. Compassion is their subject and they are endowed with compassion. They always embrace solitude. They are always absorbed in the Dhamma. They always perform virtuous actions. This is how you should think of the Saṅgha. So you can see that as much as we try, we may not fit that bill. Report an error in the passage at 43:16 Highlight the passage at 43:16

43:39 They're talking about Arya beings. That's what they're talking about. He's talking about it actually. This is coming from Saṅgha. Report an error in the passage at 43:39 Highlight the passage at 43:39

43:53 So this quotation presents some of the Saṅgha's pure qualities at the Arya level, but more generally, he says, this is Kishisoppa, is explained in the basket of Vinaya and various Hanayana and even in some Mahāyāna Sutras that ordinary practitioners who truly follow the teachings of the Buddha are the Saṅgha. Report an error in the passage at 43:53 Highlight the passage at 43:53

44:11 In other words, the Saṅgha are those individuals who fully commit their lives to attaining emancipation or enlightenment. To achieve their goal, these people strive to keep pure ethical conduct. Report an error in the passage at 44:11 Highlight the passage at 44:11

44:24 These are people who understand the teachings and practice them seriously. The primary example of such individuals are, of course, fully ordained monks and nuns, but not to the exception of. I like the way he says that. The primary examples of such individuals are, of course, fully ordained monks and nuns, but that's just one of. So I like that. Report an error in the passage at 44:24 Highlight the passage at 44:24

44:48 So serious practitioners. I usually use that term. Serious practitioners. And there are people... When you're in Dharamsala, it's kind of cool because there are people literally in huts in the mountains who have been meditating, trying to get enlightened in this very life. There are people in these mountains, here in California, that are there. I mean, I personally know several that are just there for life or until they gain realization. Report an error in the passage at 44:48 Highlight the passage at 44:48

45:17 So Americans are trying to do it too. We may not have done it yet, but we don't even know that. I don't know that I would necessarily hear about it on the news if somebody gained enlightenment. It's pretty cool though because it's not something that was only done long ago. I really feel like it's important for us to know that it's still being done. We're still doing it. We're still doing it for ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 45:17 Highlight the passage at 45:17

45:45 Any questions on any of that? Report an error in the passage at 45:45 Highlight the passage at 45:45

45:58 It's really talking about the three types of teachings of the Buddha. You're going to get me there. Vinaya being one of them, I believe it's, it's not, I believe it's actually Sūtra Abhidharma and Vinaya and I don't know, I can't remember why the tantrum is not considered one of those. I think it's just not in that specific, you know, that particular, I think that term comes from the sūtra teachings. Report an error in the passage at 45:58 Highlight the passage at 45:58

46:35 So I think that that's what they're talking about. And the sūtra in that aspect is talking about the teachings of the Buddha. Vinaya being the code of discipline, mostly for monastics, but not only. And then Abhidharma is where we got a lot of our teachings from karma. So, thank you. Warn me next time you're going to sit down. Report an error in the passage at 46:35 Highlight the passage at 46:35

46:51 Remember the Abhidham Hikosha? Report an error in the passage at 46:51 Highlight the passage at 46:51

47:06 How do we practice in relationship with all this stuff? So this is, you know, it's like we learn about this, we learn about this, how does it all fit together? How do we, you know, take these teachings in sort of everyday life? And then we'll take a break. Report an error in the passage at 47:06 Highlight the passage at 47:06

47:27 Obviously, we receive a lot of information, a lot of teachings, especially in the karma teachings on how to behave, you know, how not to behave, how to restrain ourselves and how to purify what we mess up. Um... Report an error in the passage at 47:27 Highlight the passage at 47:27

47:40 And that's really a lot of what we do. I mean, we catch ourselves, we screw up, speaking of one, who knows. But the point isn't to kick yourself and think, well, then I can never be enlightened. They must have screwed up billions and billions of times and they just kept getting back up again and going forward. So the way that we practice in relationship to the Triple Gem is... Report an error in the passage at 47:40 Highlight the passage at 47:40

48:07 When we set up our altar, for example, and we set up images that inspire us, they inspire us to keep going. They inspire us to practice when we don't feel like it. Because, I mean, that's practice. That's what early practice is. I remember somebody raising their hand at one of the, I think it was actually the drop in meditation, asking if, yeah, they're just getting ready to break up. Report an error in the passage at 48:07 Highlight the passage at 48:07

48:33 Asking if they, if you had to, if it was a good idea to meditate if you were sick. And I had to say, I mean, you know, of course I don't do it 100 % of the time, but yeah, I mean, it is really, really good for us to do because that's how we get the practice when we're dying. Or if we have to meditate in really adverse conditions, you know, we don't feel good. Actually, can I tell how you meditate? Report an error in the passage at 48:33 Highlight the passage at 48:33

49:00 He's got two little kids, seven and eight, seven and nine? Eight and nine, no, yeah. So sometimes the way that Olivia can meditate in the morning is to... Fake it that he's still asleep. And even if they come running in, he keeps his eye closed until he finishes his meditation. Report an error in the passage at 49:00 Highlight the passage at 49:00

49:22 Yeah, you do what you have to do. And that's, I think, actually that's really good practice to do because it's like it may be the only chance you're going to get. Report an error in the passage at 49:22 Highlight the passage at 49:22

49:34 I know that for a long time I kept thinking that if the conditions weren't perfect, then meditation. And you just have to let go of that one. It's getting I have to say, but Report an error in the passage at 49:34 Highlight the passage at 49:34

49:43 Now, just let it go. Part of what develops your sense of refuge is just getting started with it. Report an error in the passage at 49:43 Highlight the passage at 49:43

49:56 But remembering when we set up our altars to meditate or for our practice, if you do, that all the images on them aren't just decorations. You know, when you buy images here or in a Tibet shop or whatever, they're there to inspire our mind. And they actually say, and Peter and Louis are the kings of this, they keep bringing over boxes and boxes. Report an error in the passage at 49:56 Highlight the passage at 49:56

50:20 of their thanks for Geshe-la to consecrate. Consecration. Consecration ceremonies are actually bringing the Buddha into, so after that moment, the Buddha is said to actually reside in that, the Buddha is there. So when you sit down, the Buddhas are there. And remembering that, that's a way of Report an error in the passage at 50:20 Highlight the passage at 50:20

50:45 really starting to try to work on your, that they aren't there. I'm not just looking at it. It's big for me too. Sometimes, Sometimes I think that they're there too much, and then sometimes it's like, oh yeah, I'm not alone. And it's actually like a really strong feeling when you're feeling just completely at the end, completely like nobody else. Report an error in the passage at 50:45 Highlight the passage at 50:45

51:17 And then to remember that actually no, they're everything, and they're all around us. I'm fortunate that I've met my teacher, and so a lot of times when I visualize, for example, visualize the Report an error in the passage at 51:17 Highlight the passage at 51:17

51:35 Refuge Committee, Report an error in the passage at 51:35 Highlight the passage at 51:35

51:40 Did you forget? It's a process, it's a process. But a lot of times I'll just imagine Rinpoche's face. He laughs a lot, and so he's like always in this state of bliss, and so I just, he's not always something to manifest wrath to, but that's his face I kind of imagine. But they're all, they're all around it. Some of the times that we feel completely cut off from them, it's just our own obscurations. Report an error in the passage at 51:40 Highlight the passage at 51:40

52:17 So that's just something to remember too. Having an altar and using it to inspire your mind is a great way of practicing your relationship. Report an error in the passage at 52:17 Highlight the passage at 52:17

52:32 And especially the more we can train, it really is like mind training, to train our mind to see those images as not just representative of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, but actually some form. Report an error in the passage at 52:32 Highlight the passage at 52:32

52:47 And of course... Practicing a relationship with the Dharma is the easiest to understand because practicing a relationship with the Dharma just means actually remembering to apply the teachings, even in the tiniest way. And at first I actually find, I mean even now, I find it so exciting if I can actually remember to apply the teachings. I mean we can receive teaching after teaching after teaching, we can read book after book after book, but it doesn't change our life at all unless we remember. Report an error in the passage at 52:47 Highlight the passage at 52:47

53:17 To practice it when something's happening, when you're facing a huge loss, when you're, and it's really best if it comes from you. You know, yes, other people go, well, it's all impermanence, you know, but if you think of it and then you remember and you remember how, you know, other people are experiencing vast, much more horrifying impermanence or something, then it changes your mind in a way that, you know. Report an error in the passage at 53:17 Highlight the passage at 53:17

53:44 That nothing else does. If you remember when you're experiencing some sort of pain, for example, that it's a recognition of the problems of saṃsāra. If you remember anything at all from the last class that you took and it somehow affects your mind tonight or tomorrow when you need it, that's taking refuge in the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 53:44 Highlight the passage at 53:44

54:08 That's really all it is. So it doesn't have to be you being holy in any way. It doesn't have to be you. Creating some even beautiful altar. It's just you and the world remembering what you know. That's really all it is. How do we remember what we know? That's why we take all the classes and we sit and we meditate and we read and we study and we talk to each other and you talk to me and things like that. So that it starts going in and in and in and in and then it's there when you need it. Report an error in the passage at 54:08 Highlight the passage at 54:08

54:35 And then you are literally doing refuge because then it becomes part of your... Emotional makeup. Report an error in the passage at 54:35 Highlight the passage at 54:35

54:45 So you can also say, you know, taking refuge in the Dharma or increasing your relationship with the Dharma can also be supporting the Dharma, like supporting translation of the Dharma, not just our translator, but translation of texts or like Lama Yeshi Wisdom Archives. In fact, I'll mention it just... Report an error in the passage at 54:45 Highlight the passage at 54:45

55:13 Because she's coming, she's a good friend of mine, Tenson Chokyi. When her dad passed away, she took some of the money that he left her and she helped republish the book on the precepts that we use. That's actually, she helped pay for that and that's why the picture of her mom and dad is in the front. And she dedicated it to them. Report an error in the passage at 55:13 Highlight the passage at 55:13

55:38 Therefore, of course, also helping them notoriously, names, but also just keeping that rent. They can only do a limited amount of copies. But I was really inspired by that. I was like, oh, that's such a great, really practical thing to do. She just took X amount of money and gave it for that. So then in my little mind of what I would do if I won that. Report an error in the passage at 55:38 Highlight the passage at 55:38

56:06 But yeah, so just supporting the Dharma in that sense. There are a lot of different translations going on right now. There's a huge conference. I was just reading about a magazine. There's a huge conference, translation conference. The first of its kind. in the world in terms of internationally speaking Report an error in the passage at 56:06 Highlight the passage at 56:06

56:32 and, uh, He was really saying that we have X amount of time to really translate this stuff well with both Sanskrit and English in this way of having studied and gone. Report an error in the passage at 56:32 Highlight the passage at 56:32

56:52 And that we're losing a lot of the masters that had the much longer. And so he really was setting down some sort of challenges. Report an error in the passage at 56:52 Highlight the passage at 56:52

57:09 These texts are actually all the teachings of the Buddha and all the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa. And they usually say that there are, what is it, I think it's the Tenggir and the Kanggir. I think the teachings of the Buddha, a lot of them have been translated, but this other body of work, he was really challenging them to go ahead and translate within the net. Report an error in the passage at 57:09 Highlight the passage at 57:09

57:39 So they set these really strong guidelines. Trying to translate everything. Report an error in the passage at 57:39 Highlight the passage at 57:39

57:49 So supporting something like that is really, really strong karma. And of course support, Report an error in the passage at 57:49 Highlight the passage at 57:49

57:59 because as long as there are monks and nuns in the world, or IMI, which we just happen to have it, monks and nuns, as long as there are monks and nuns in the world, they say actually fully ordained monks and nuns, but as long as there are monks and nuns in the world, there are people trying to live the teachings, even if we aren't. Report an error in the passage at 57:59 Highlight the passage at 57:59

58:25 We're still trying. And the Buddha actually said as long as there exist monks and nons. So we actually have a really powerful reason for supporting the monks. Report an error in the passage at 58:25 Highlight the passage at 58:25

58:42 So, yeah. So I think that's it. Oh, and then one last thing I did want to say before we take a break, and then at the end we're just going to go through these different commitments of refuge as far as we can get tonight. Report an error in the passage at 58:42 Highlight the passage at 58:42

58:57 Sometimes we do hit teachings that don't make sense to us. And I think I mentioned this in the karma class too. The advice I always got was if you read something or somebody says something in class, if you have enough information to ask, but if it just feels like that one doesn't make sense to me right now, shelve it and come back to it in a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 58:57 Highlight the passage at 58:57

59:28 Like maybe put it aside, you might even write it down and put it on your altar or something or stick it in the back of your notebook of all the things that you don't understand. But come back to it then and see if it makes more sense when you have studied it a little bit more or you've read a little bit more or you've worked on it. Report an error in the passage at 59:28 Highlight the passage at 59:28

59:45 Sometimes when you come back to things the second or third time around, it actually does make sense. Rather than rejecting it, rejecting it you can get yourself into trouble because especially if you can sort of violently reject it and you may just not, that's just a cautionary thing. Report an error in the passage at 59:45 Highlight the passage at 59:45

1:00:09 Just watching your own mind instead of assuming that you know everything. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:09 Highlight the passage at 1:00:09

1:00:18 So just to kind of watch your mind a little bit, that if you don't understand something, that actually quite a few people have followed this path to enlightenment. And we are encouraged not to accept anything at face value and to do experiments and to try to study it ourselves and meditate on it ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:18 Highlight the passage at 1:00:18

1:00:38 But you won't understand everything. I think especially teachings between us are like this. So things may make more sense further on down the path. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:38 Highlight the passage at 1:00:38

1:00:57 Okay, why don't we take a break. It is 8.14, so why don't you take a seven minute break? Seven minutes? Seven exactly. And then we're going to just see how far we can get with these refuge commitments. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:57 Highlight the passage at 1:00:57

1:01:19 Yeah, they aren't boxes, they're actually Tibetan texts. Oh, no way. Yeah, they're Pecha style, so they're these long pages like this that are written on front and back and read it like that. Somebody was asking about that. I was wondering. Yeah, and they aren't for sale. We just don't have proper shells from the other room. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:19 Highlight the passage at 1:01:19

1:01:42 Should I pause this? Just in case you say something really personal. We skipped all those you're supposed to avoid. Maybe I should repeat them. Not all of them, but I could just repeat the three. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:42 Highlight the passage at 1:01:42

1:01:54 Whoever was taking notes. The first one, you guys had these two. Not seeking refuge in worldly objects and deities once you've taken refuge in the Buddha. Not harming any living being once you've taken refuge in the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:54 Highlight the passage at 1:01:54

1:02:08 And not associating closely with those who don't believe in the path once you've taken refuge in the saga. Sorry, those listeners at home. I forgot to turn it back on again. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:08 Highlight the passage at 1:02:08

1:02:21 Thank you for joining us. Any questions? I just want to say I'm really happy that we had our little Friday discussion because I was a little nervous with my roommate being here, you know, because he's Catholic. Yeah, yeah. The guy that was sitting next to me. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:21 Highlight the passage at 1:02:21

1:02:42 And, you know, he's always been really supporting, but he always tells me how he believes that God is speaking to me through Buddhism. And in Buddhism, we don't advocate a sense of God. And then the way that the refuge commitments are worded, where, you know, not taking, the way Geshe-la said it, you know, you're not going to go to any other religions. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:42 Highlight the passage at 1:02:42

1:03:09 And so I was kind of like, look it out of the corner of my eye, like, yeah. How does he take of that? And then that other one about not associating closely, Report an error in the passage at 1:03:09 Highlight the passage at 1:03:09

1:03:23 I was phrased, but if I wouldn't have had that, Report an error in the passage at 1:03:23 Highlight the passage at 1:03:23

1:03:34 I'd be good with it because I knew that if questions afterwards. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did he? No, no. When I got home, he gave me a big hug and he said, I'm so happy for you. It was great. That's good. I thought of him immediately. I'm like, oh. But I wasn't sure if he'd be up for a hug for me. From a nun, especially. Gina, did you have a question? Maria, did you have a question? Maybe it was you. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:34 Highlight the passage at 1:03:34

1:04:10 The hand looked like it was coming over there. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:10 Highlight the passage at 1:04:10

1:04:17 How strict is it? Because say you know, like, you know, I'm a vegetarianist, but I know, like, I'm, I mean, I try to take most by the food outside, but, you know, I know that there are certain bugs. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:17 Highlight the passage at 1:04:17

1:04:34 Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, that one actually is killing, yeah. But the... The one about vegetarianism in this particular tradition, it's not considered killing. It is, as we talked about in the karma class, I think there is heavy karma involved, but I think it's the individual has to kind of decide where they are, whether it's a medicinal thing for them or they need it or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:34 Highlight the passage at 1:04:34

1:05:01 But you're not, if you're taking refuge, you're not necessarily giving up meat in this particular tradition. It is true in some traditions. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:01 Highlight the passage at 1:05:01

1:05:10 So... So there are some Tibetan Buddhists who do feel really strongly and they do give it up. We talked about this one on Friday night too. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:10 Highlight the passage at 1:05:10

1:05:22 And then there are those, I actually at this point, after many years of being vegetarian, I'm eating meat again and the way I'm kind of dealing with it is trying to wean myself off. So I'm like four days a week, I'm vegetarian and three days not or something like that. And eventually shifted like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:22 Highlight the passage at 1:05:22

1:05:40 But I think it ends up having to be an individual decision that each person kind of makes up at their time. But in terms of the bugs... Yeah, so maybe... I think you do. I mean, this actually came up. There was one woman in the group, and she really went up all over the place all the weekend, and she had... Report an error in the passage at 1:05:40 Highlight the passage at 1:05:40

1:06:03 A consultation, we talked in the group, and then I also talked to her one time separately. She also talked to Lama one time separately, and in the end she ended up taking refuge. But her biggest concern was, as they have, she and her husband is not, which I think is our difficulty. She's a, or she's like already a number two difficulty. For three months and they're just basically eating home. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:03 Highlight the passage at 1:06:03

1:06:27 And she's just not sure what's going to happen with that situation, but in the end she just decided to go for refuge anyway and to try to just deal with it as it came up because she didn't want to miss the opportunity. She just felt strong enough that she wanted to make that decision. And in her heart I think she's already made that decision anyway, so it was just like making it official. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:27 Highlight the passage at 1:06:27

1:06:49 It'll remain to unfold how that... But, you know, ultimately... It is intentionally harming another if you decide to kill them. And so what ends up happening is you just end up having to just be more careful. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:49 Highlight the passage at 1:06:49

1:07:10 I mean, it is. But if you just decide, it's sort of like, if you just decide that that's no longer an option, then it's actually kind of amazing what things, you know, the kind of things that you can spray or you discover that sort of deter rather than kill. There's a lot of information out there. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:10 Highlight the passage at 1:07:10

1:07:32 People who are vegan have figured out loads of things, and even if you don't subscribe wholeheartedly to everything that they say, it is useful to find out that cinnamon might dance or something like that. There are ways that you can do things. You can also do the really wacky things that sometimes work, and Janet swears by it, where she'll just have a really strong conversation with, for example, all the ants in the house and ask them to leave very forcefully. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:32 Highlight the passage at 1:07:32

1:08:05 She's had time and time again where they actually do. Yeah, I mean, you know, and then I've also had, I had this one teacher that used to talk about, he was in New York and he would talk about his guru, patiently getting them all up at like two in the morning, going into the kitchen and finding that they would put a cookie in the floor. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:05 Highlight the passage at 1:08:05

1:08:25 They put a cookie in the middle of the kitchen floor and the cockroaches would gather. They'd turn on the lights and they'd grab those that were still there who didn't get away and they'd take them. To New Jersey or something, I don't know where they came from. And then, you know, the next night they do the same thing, and they did it like for months, and he just thought, oh my god, we have to do this over and over, and then they just left. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:25 Highlight the passage at 1:08:25

1:08:46 And I remember that one time, actually, I was in retreat in Dharamsala, and we had bed bugs, and it was so intense, it was just so horrible. And, you know, everyone's giving you advice on how to deal with them, there's really not a whole lot you can do. Everybody was like, put your mattresses in the sun, and it turns out they live in the wood, you know, it doesn't... Report an error in the passage at 1:08:46 Highlight the passage at 1:08:46

1:09:03 Do a dang thing to put your mattresses in the sun. So I started doing that thing. I mean, there were a lot of things that happened, actually, but this was at the end of the time. I finally started doing the thing of getting up in the night, when I got up anyway, and then those I could find, because they're kind of red, taking them outside, and I would just do that over and over and over again, and eventually they did just go. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:03 Highlight the passage at 1:09:03

1:09:27 But it was... After pure hell for three months or two and a half months. So it's difficult. It's not an easy thing. It's actually better that you really think it through and don't jump into it because you want to be fortified if that situation arises and at some point it probably will. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:27 Highlight the passage at 1:09:27

1:09:50 If it no longer is an option though, it's kind of interesting what happens. Your mind just becomes more creative. You know what I just thought of? There's a product called Ridex that you plug into the wall and it sends some type of signals out through the wall. Yeah, it doesn't always work. We tried it with the mice. Really? Yeah. It worked for my mom when we had it. Well, it didn't completely. It worked for the most part, but we eventually moved because the cockroaches took over again. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:50 Highlight the passage at 1:09:50

1:10:17 Right, right, right. But for a while at least it was working. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe it depends, yeah. It didn't really work for us with the mice, but you know, there's karma too. Yeah. I mean, there's karma just with anything. There's karma, so, you know, there's karma with the Riddix. Yeah, I had like a bunch of those in my room when we had mice really, really bad, like really, really bad, because I just, that's like, there's like a couple things that freaked me out, and rodents are one of them. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:17 Highlight the passage at 1:10:17

1:10:42 I think because of living in D.C. for years. There are rats in the streets and things like that. They eat babies and stuff like that. It's just like too much. So just like the thought of them being in my room, I got like billions of them. I ordered like 10 of them. And I got used to the sound, but they make this like... And I remember actually Tenzin Chokyi came home from India and she was sleeping in there. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:42 Highlight the passage at 1:10:42

1:11:06 She was like, what's that noise? It was very funny. I had to turn them all off. but I don't know. I don't think it ever really worked. But the cat smell definitely did. So that's something that you can actually buy cat urine from the zoo. Oh, cool. Big cat urine. Put it down. Talk about creative. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:06 Highlight the passage at 1:11:06

1:11:33 Was that Gina's face? Were you making a face about the cat urine? Well, maybe it's just the glasses. I don't know. It just looked like cat urine. That was just her regular look, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:33 Highlight the passage at 1:11:33

1:11:46 What to take up or practice. So those are the three we give up, these are the three that we take up. We just talked about this one a little bit. Considering any representation of the Buddha, regardless of the quality of its artistry or material, as though it were the Buddha himself. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:46 Highlight the passage at 1:11:46

1:12:05 Considering any representation of the Buddha, regardless of the quality of its artistry or material, as though it were the Buddha himself. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:05 Highlight the passage at 1:12:05

1:12:14 This is where we really have to try to train our minds to not see them as just like art and to not then judge them as art, you know. Well, this one's really pretty. That one's, ugh. You know, it's just like, again, it's like mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:14 Highlight the passage at 1:12:14

1:12:33 Because they inspire our minds and actually, you know, according to the teachings, once they are conscious, like they not just represent the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:33 Highlight the passage at 1:12:33

1:12:52 But it's also about protecting our minds and that gets into a... A tantric commitment that we end up, we'll talk about if you guys make an introduction to tantric class, where we really try to protect our mind from that critical mind, period. That constant, like, you know, not just about our images, but about each other. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:52 Highlight the passage at 1:12:52

1:13:18 Oh, I should have done that, or I wish she wasn't wearing that, or, you know, that kind of critical mind that we just constantly, they call it ordinary appearance, seeing things in terms of ordinary. And the way Geshe-la described it is, as long as you're seeing fault, so as long as you're just constantly still seeing the faults and things. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:18 Highlight the passage at 1:13:18

1:13:39 It's kind of like when he said that all of us were like, because it was just, we all still see faults all the time, starting with myself. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:39 Highlight the passage at 1:13:39

1:13:49 So that's something further down. Now we're just focusing on the images of the Buddha. Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 1:13:49 Highlight the passage at 1:13:49

1:14:01 so then 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. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:01 Highlight the passage at 1:14:01

1:14:11 This is one we talked about on Friday. It's kind of hard. What do you decide is Dharma? I mean, I usually pick out words like, you know, Measur Safra Retreat, which we happen to have signs up. Names of my teachers, you know, Gishatakpa, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Words like karma become Dharma. So actually when we talked about in the karma class, when we talked about the self-assessment tool of the six-time book, The book that we write down, kind of checking up in our minds throughout the day, that book at the end becomes a Dharma book. I can't just toss it in the trash. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:11 Highlight the passage at 1:14:11

1:14:53 I actually have to get rid of it the way I would get rid of Dharma, which is actually burning it. At first I used to get all these really kind of beautiful handmade paper and vow books, and now I just get the ones that are going to burn really nicely, but now they're going to have a spiral for me to have to pull out at the beach and things like that, because that becomes Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:53 Highlight the passage at 1:14:53

1:15:16 But this is from a single letter on up. And this is really, you know, in Tibet, people learn to read at the monasteries. Most people in Tibet didn't know how to read. Once it became monks, especially monks, they learned to read. And so that's why they often will talk their first alphabet as the Lama, because that person probably was a monk and probably opened the door. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:16 Highlight the passage at 1:15:16

1:15:48 I mean, for us, our second grade teacher... Mine particularly, unless she was a wrathful manifestation, you know, was not necessarily a Lama, although she might have been one of those teachers that taught me in a really scary way. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:48 Highlight the passage at 1:15:48

1:16:05 But, and I can honor her for that, actually, although she didn't teach me how to read, my mom did, but a lot of people were learning how to read. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:05 Highlight the passage at 1:16:05

1:16:14 But do I think of Dick and Jane as, which a lot of you younger people don't even probably read anymore, but... Adventures with Dick and Jane was the book that I learned how to read. Do I think of that as Dharma? I don't. You know, I remember getting into this discussion with Venerabina and she was like, well, what makes this newspaper not Dharma? Report an error in the passage at 1:16:14 Highlight the passage at 1:16:14

1:16:34 You know, whenever I would say something like, you know, People Magazine, which I actually love to read on a flight, she would say, it's just about sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:34 Highlight the passage at 1:16:34

1:16:45 It's just the Dharma. So at what point does something become Dharma? You guys, I'd leave that to you. But if we do think about the Dharma itself, how we care for it becomes really important. Like once we really get that this book could be the one that gets me enlightened, then it's like we do take care of it. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:45 Highlight the passage at 1:16:45

1:17:07 That's why we sell things like to cover your Dharma. You just take a scarf and cover your Dharma book when you put it in your bag. And why we give you actually the binders in binder covers so that you can put your papers in them and not put your papers on the floor and things like that. It has to do with respect and getting it that these teachings could be the ones that get me enlightened. And even if it doesn't come directly from this book, they could plant the seeds. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:07 Highlight the passage at 1:17:07

1:17:36 So respecting them in that way becomes huge. Would that happen with People Magazine? I don't think so. So that respect. And then the sixth one, considering even a single scrap of the saffron robe as though it were the saṅgha itself once you've taken it. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:36 Highlight the passage at 1:17:36

1:17:57 This is talking about really respecting the Saṅgha for being Saṅgha, not for being the one nun that you like and not the nun that you don't like, or the monk that you like and the monk that you don't like. Again, not looking at criticizing them for their faults, but respecting them for trying to live this life, even if we might not like them as individuals. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:57 Highlight the passage at 1:17:57

1:18:26 They use this expression of a single scrap. You know, we often don't see scraps, you know, partly because we don't like walk around through the bramble bushes. Actually, you do see it when you're in India and in Nepal. I remember finding a little piece of saffron robe in the, I say saffron, but it was actually maroon in the bushes. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:26 Highlight the passage at 1:18:26

1:18:49 And I remember hearing Rinpoche, stories about Rinpoche, when he would find him like placing it really, you know, he would find it on the ground. ground or something, place it really So I did that, you know, placed it really high. we don't have that so much. You might, you might see it because you're living in the house with Saṅgha. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:49 Highlight the passage at 1:18:49

1:19:09 So if you see like my, my robe falls off the washing machine or something like that, then you can place it up high. It's mostly about holding it with respect. We Report an error in the passage at 1:19:09 Highlight the passage at 1:19:09

1:19:25 were talking about Report an error in the passage at 1:19:25 Highlight the passage at 1:19:25

1:19:32 refuge with the vows before. You said lay vows were a lifetime pledge, so to speak. This is two. This is two. Yeah. It's just kind of a little bit more like guidelines. I mean the way they call them precepts or commitments rather than vows. They don't use the same term. So it's a little less heavy. But it's still a lifetime. But it's still a commitment. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:32 Highlight the passage at 1:19:32

1:20:02 And the lay vows are also a lifetime commitment and then they say with bodhisattva vows and tantric vows it's... Limitless lifetimes until you get enlightened. And the difference between a commitment? Same. Sometimes they use the word pledge. I mean, they're all kind of synonymous, I think. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:02 Highlight the passage at 1:20:02

1:20:32 All right. So I'm going to wait and just do these last ones at the beginning of the next class. They're all pretty short. And then we'll end with... There's a preliminary practice of going for refuge. One of the... When I say preliminary practices, I'm talking about the preliminary practices before you do the higher teachings, especially on Tatra, like prostrations, waterfall practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:32 Highlight the passage at 1:20:32

1:21:09 There's a practice of refuge like that. And I'll just sort of describe it for your information and questions. And then I don't know that any of you are at that point yet in your practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:09 Highlight the passage at 1:21:09

1:21:22 But it just sort of gives you that information. I didn't know so much about it before I went and did that practice. And so I just think it's you. It's a practice where you really contemplate all these things I just covered. You spend some time doing that. Usually a retreat. Sometimes with these preliminary practices, the numbers are over what teachers give you. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:22 Highlight the passage at 1:21:22

1:21:54 What they're really trying to get you to do is to take some time in class. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:54 Highlight the passage at 1:21:54

1:22:03 So they'll often give you the numbers to try you to take the time. Like 100,000 Vajrasattva. 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras is usually about three months. And what really happens is, during that three months, you have to work with it. The Vajrasattva is just a skillful means to keep you seated, keep you coming into the Ganpa every day, keep you chanting. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:03 Highlight the passage at 1:22:03

1:22:26 But the real thing that you're doing is working with your mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:26 Highlight the passage at 1:22:26

1:22:33 Same is true for any last question. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:33 Highlight the passage at 1:22:33

1:22:45 they haven't now. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:45 Highlight the passage at 1:22:45

1:22:51 So next, so Thursday's our last class, and we'll finish those two things and then we'll just watch the film, the Discovering Buddhism video, which is about 25 minutes. We'll watch that too, so we'll be in here again. You're welcome to come. And then that's it, and then the next Discovering Buddhism class starts on the 24th of September. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:51 Highlight the passage at 1:22:51

1:23:22 Spiritual teacher. And that's where we're going to really talk about what you're looking for in a teacher and how you create a teacher like that and how you prepare yourself to be a good student because that's the part that people get. We're not the only ones shopping. They're checking us out too. So there's loads for us to do if we haven't found our teacher yet. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:22 Highlight the passage at 1:23:22

1:23:48 We get quite a bit of preparing ourselves for that teacher and what happens. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:48 Highlight the passage at 1:23:48

1:24:02 That's what that class is a lot of. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:02 Highlight the passage at 1:24:02

1:24:07 Alright, so let's dedicate all the merit that we created. When we came through these doors, we had completely different minds, completely different bodies. We planted a lot of seeds in that garden, and so we want to dedicate them to each of us being able to realize these teachings, even if all it means is the next time we get... Report an error in the passage at 1:24:07 Highlight the passage at 1:24:07

1:24:35 If we're angry or scared or worried, we are able to apply some of what we're learning in that moment to relieve some of that suffering. Even if that's all we're able to do, that's huge. And then ultimately, if we're able to keep doing that so that we can progress on the path and end our own suffering, ultimately by getting enlightened, we'll have the most incredible tools to be able to help others do the same thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:35 Highlight the passage at 1:24:35

1:25:05 Look at the tiny goal and the big goal. Thank Report an error in the passage at 1:25:05 Highlight the passage at 1:25:05

1:25:13 you very much. See you Thursday. Now that Mary's gone, I just wanted to remind you. Check the window. Yeah, check the gamba and it was unlocked. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:13 Highlight the passage at 1:25:13