Discovering Buddhism: The Spiritual Teacher (11 April 2013)

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8:50 out a little bit if you need to. can hold inside the slant lower your shoulders, pinching your shoulders. Take Report an error in the passage at 8:50 Highlight the passage at 8:50

9:03 some nice deep breaths and let go of your day. Report an error in the passage at 9:03 Highlight the passage at 9:03

9:09 to let go of any conversations. Report an error in the passage at 9:09 Highlight the passage at 9:09

9:17 testing him in a steep glass and imagine him just your mind like smoke from a child. Report an error in the passage at 9:17 Highlight the passage at 9:17

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10:24 visualize in the space above. Report an error in the passage at 10:24 Highlight the passage at 10:24

10:45 it's not clear, just know that it's clear. Report an error in the passage at 10:45 Highlight the passage at 10:45

11:05 Imagine that that sphere of white light contains or represents all universal goodness, all the good qualities of enlightenment, love, compassion, wisdom, skillful means, concentration, Report an error in the passage at 11:05 Highlight the passage at 11:05

11:29 the fulfillment of your own perfect, complete potential. Report an error in the passage at 11:29 Highlight the passage at 11:29

11:48 Imagine that it begins to decrease in size and Report an error in the passage at 11:48 Highlight the passage at 11:48

11:56 dissolves into just... It enters you through the clinical head, coming down into your heart center. And it begins to expand your Report an error in the passage at 11:56 Highlight the passage at 11:56

12:17 whole body. And Report an error in the passage at 12:17 Highlight the passage at 12:17

12:25 imagine as it comes into contact with any solid part of your body, imagine it just dissolving and becoming light. So all your bones, your organs, blood vessels, tissue, even your skin. Report an error in the passage at 12:25 Highlight the passage at 12:25

13:04 can put all your problems and worries and negative states in mind will also dissolve into a Report an error in the passage at 13:04 Highlight the passage at 13:04

13:34 new thought that arises and distracts you and you're going to dissolve it into world. Brilliant. Report an error in the passage at 13:34 Highlight the passage at 13:34

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14:50 receive each one of This one Report an error in the passage at 14:50 Highlight the passage at 14:50

15:00 doesn't Report an error in the passage at 15:00 Highlight the passage at 15:00

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15:46 have any... Page number. So I apologize if anyone else has gotten this one. It does have page six. Nicely noted in red. And that's it. Okay, so it's on page seven, if you've got a seven. It says Saturday morning prayers at the top. And in the bottom of the first column, we'll do refuge in bodhicitta. And we'll do it again. Report an error in the passage at 15:46 Highlight the passage at 15:46

16:13 First time in English and then two times in Tibetan. Report an error in the passage at 16:13 Highlight the passage at 16:13

16:20 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 sanctity beings. Report an error in the passage at 16:20 Highlight the passage at 16:20

16:35 CHADAN SOGY CHA NAM JANG SHU BAR DU DAG NI KYAPSU CHI DAG GI CHUN YANG DIPHESA NAM GYOLA PEN CHIR GANG DE DRU PASHA SANGYE CHADAN SOGY CHA NAM John John Shun. Shabbat did I need Thank you. Jan-yang-gyi-pe-san-an-hi Dro-lap-en-chir-san-gyi-ju-karsho And then on the next page, I'll pray with His Holiness. With the wish to free all beings, I shall always go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha until I reach full enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 16:35 Highlight the passage at 16:35

17:31 Inspired by wisdom and compassion, today in the Buddha's presence, I generate the mind of full awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings. As long as space remains, as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain and dispel the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 17:31 Highlight the passage at 17:31

18:00 I always leave the gold books out because I never know when I'm going to get inspired to read something else, so it's just easier to have them. All right, does anybody have any questions or anything that they have? Let's switch sides of the room. Anybody have any questions or anything that they want to bring up from their week? Report an error in the passage at 18:00 Highlight the passage at 18:00

18:27 Some people are doing that thing you do in class but not making eye contact. Don't let her call on me. Paul, how did you do it? No, I'm kidding. Report an error in the passage at 18:27 Highlight the passage at 18:27

18:37 We have had teachers like that. Marcella? You're like, okay. I always figure if people want to talk, they raise their hand. Every once in a while, I will call. But only after a couple of classes, so don't worry. So tonight we're going to go through... Marcella? Report an error in the passage at 18:37 Highlight the passage at 18:37

18:59 Some kind of traditional text, I would say very traditional text, where we're going to go through one for sure and we'll see how we are with time for the second one. Report an error in the passage at 18:59 Highlight the passage at 18:59

19:11 And we're also going to go through a little bit from Liberation, in the palm of your hand, Havana Rinpoche's commentary on the lamrim, where he talks about how to serve the Lama. Report an error in the passage at 19:11 Highlight the passage at 19:11

19:28 With your thought and with your actions. So he sort of condenses it into four steps, how to serve a teacher, how to serve a Lama. Some we've already covered and some we still have to cover. So first he talks about the advantages and the disadvantages. Those are one and two and so we've done those. Giving you at least some idea of some of the advantages and some idea of some of the disadvantages of not serving them. So then the last two are serving them in thought, how you do it with your mind, mental process. Report an error in the passage at 19:28 Highlight the passage at 19:28

20:13 And that's the whole gist of these two texts that we're going to look at. So we'll do that second. And first we're going to talk about serving them in action, how we rely on them in our practice. What do we do with our physical work? You know, sort of physical actions. In some ways, that's easier. What we do with our mind is a little harder. In some ways. Report an error in the passage at 20:13 Highlight the passage at 20:13

20:43 And with any of this stuff, you know, I'm hoping that as I'm going to keep sort of checking in, especially I'll like watch your faces and if I see some sort of like, you know, or especially Terry, I'm always calling you because you embody it so well. Report an error in the passage at 20:43 Highlight the passage at 20:43

21:00 And some of them, you know, people want to kind of just dismiss and say, well, maybe these were outdated, you know, maybe they're ancient texts and they don't really have any place in our culture. And that remains to be seen, I think. I think it's really important to think about the spirit of, you know, like what was behind, what is sort of the essence. Report an error in the passage at 21:00 Highlight the passage at 21:00

21:19 And so when we're talking about the 50 verses of Guru Devotion, that's what I'm going to try to do. If you were receiving actual commentary, like if Geshe-la were teaching on the 50 verses of Guru Devotion, he would probably take, oh, I don't know, six months probably, don't you think? Report an error in the passage at 21:19 Highlight the passage at 21:19

21:37 Easily, easily. Fifty classes maybe. Report an error in the passage at 21:37 Highlight the passage at 21:37

21:44 So there's a lot of, they're dense, you know, and they sound sort of simple, although again, not so much to practice. But some of them, there's a lot to them. We don't have that kind of time. And to be honest, probably none of us are at that place that we can actually practice some of that level. So I'm just going to do an overview. Report an error in the passage at 21:44 Highlight the passage at 21:44

22:05 And I've sort of pulled the essential points out. And so we'll talk about those. And then the second text is the Practicing Guru Devotion with the Nine Attitudes. And that's another one like that. That one is a little, it's also dense, but because it's shorter, we can kind of go into them like a little bit. So, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 22:05 Highlight the passage at 22:05

22:31 And with the 50 verses, it actually becomes a requirement once you enter tantra. It's one of those sort of hidden ones. Like after, you know, you get home, maybe the next day you're looking through and you're like, oh, what did I just agree to? And then somewhere on page 30 in fine print, you're like, ooh. Report an error in the passage at 22:31 Highlight the passage at 22:31

22:52 Really? So it's kind of like I'm telling you this now. It's actually one of the few of the tantric commitments that is not secret. A lot of tantra is very, very secret, mostly to protect our minds, I think. But this one's not, and so it's kind of like eyes wide open so you have an idea before. So when everyone's sort of galloping to the next empowerment, you might... Report an error in the passage at 22:52 Highlight the passage at 22:52

23:22 You might think about the fact that right now it's sort of just training wheels. You can look at them, you can kind of aspire to them, you can kind of move toward them, you know, like you're steering a boat, heading in that direction. But at that point, then they become a requirement. So, okay, so I've given the advertisement for that before I've done the first part. Report an error in the passage at 23:22 Highlight the passage at 23:22

23:44 So now we're going to talk about how to serve a teacher through our actions. And the way this is taught is in three, another list, right? Wouldn't be a gloop at teaching about it. Going from lesser to greater, so least valuable, but in a sense sort of least important to most important. So the first one is to offer him or her material things like gifts. Report an error in the passage at 23:44 Highlight the passage at 23:44

24:19 So they don't need anything, right? The reason we would offer them something is actually to build our own heart. To develop our own, you know, our own mind and our own generosity. And to create merit. They are, once, you know, all of these, I should have, I should backtrack a little bit. Sorry, it's tax season. My brain has been doing many, many, many taxes for the last few weeks. So I'm a little bit, ooh. Report an error in the passage at 24:19 Highlight the passage at 24:19

24:51 So we back up. All of the things that we're talking about tonight are once you spent years. Checking up, you know, doing other things we've talked about in the classes so far. So you guys actually, your teacher and you have been mutually checking up and now you've decided, he or she has decided that you are ready for this and you've decided you're ready for it too. Report an error in the passage at 24:51 Highlight the passage at 24:51

25:14 And you have decided that this is the teacher that you want to be your Lama. So all of that, this is the prerequisite. This is assuming that you already have a guru that you're then trying to figure out how to serve to the best karmic advantage. And is that a selfish thing? No, because if your ultimate goal is to get enlightened for the benefit of all sentient beings, how do you get there quickly? Report an error in the passage at 25:14 Highlight the passage at 25:14

25:46 You have to create a lot of positive karma. Who is the strongest object in your life? It's your Lama. It's your Lama. He or she is a hugely important object of your giving, for your practicing giving on. It's really great for me to give to Marcella or to give to Lisa or something like that. That's really good, especially if I'm stingy, to practice. Report an error in the passage at 25:46 Highlight the passage at 25:46

26:17 But then we can go up an object. They say that our parents are very strong objects, no matter what our relationships in this life are with our parents, because they gave us a human body that we can practice Dharma with. And so that's why they're considered a strong object. The Lama's obviously are strong objects because they take us to enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 26:17 Highlight the passage at 26:17

26:44 So that's really, really, really huge. That's why they're considered. So what do we give them? We can give them flowers. When we go to see Geshe-la off at the airport, we sometimes give him flowers, although I always think it's funny to give him flowers when he's leaving because he just dumps it in the trash on the way. Report an error in the passage at 26:44 Highlight the passage at 26:44

27:00 He probably gives it to Jabotinli, actually, or Rinpoche for that matter. We can give offerings of cash, for sure, especially at the airport because they can always use cash, even just for the trip, buying lunch in Frankfurt or something. Report an error in the passage at 27:00 Highlight the passage at 27:00

27:17 You can give them something beautiful for their altar. You know, sometimes something really beautiful will hit you, you're in a store and you're just like, oh my gosh, that's so beautiful. They may have 7,000 of them. It doesn't matter. Don't think it through too much. If you're hit with this desire to give something, just give it. Because the other aspect is they may give it to the next student behind you. Report an error in the passage at 27:17 Highlight the passage at 27:17

27:39 So when you give it, give it with your whole heart, without any thought of anything and know. Like Tammy could come out of the same meeting with your little precious lotus. And it's happened. It's definitely happened. And you just kind of have to just laugh and, you know, get through it. Because they're trying to work on our egos, right? We're all proud. We just got that special, you know, crystal lotus. You can get them like simple things, you know, like a scarf. Report an error in the passage at 27:39 Highlight the passage at 27:39

28:08 If you see something in burgundy and you're like, um, tea. You might see some sort of really beautiful tea. Whether they like it or not, again, you could overthink it and try to think. Tsampa is always a good thing for Geshe-la. Traditional Tibetans really like Tsampa. And there is a place in Berkeley that has organic Tsampa, so that's kind of fun. But don't overthink it too much, because honestly, they will just give it to the next student. Report an error in the passage at 28:08 Highlight the passage at 28:08

28:40 If you think it's beautiful and precious, that's the most important thing. Incense. Incense actually represents morality, so that's nice. But be creative. 7,000 sticks of incense later, I'm sure. I did find out at one point that he absolutely loves Japanese incense, and so I started warning people because I just thought, you know, he probably doesn't need a billion boxes of Tibetan incense. Report an error in the passage at 28:40 Highlight the passage at 28:40

29:13 Although, then again, you see all these students coming out from meeting with him with their little boxes of Tibetan instruments. So that's sort of the lowest way of serving our Lama through action. The second lowest is to give ourselves up to their service. In other words, they have a project or a center that needs help and we volunteer. Report an error in the passage at 29:13 Highlight the passage at 29:13

29:37 This is actually really hard. It's not necessarily going to be fun, but it's a practice. Working at the center is practice. Working on an event is practice. When Rinpoche comes to town this summer, we're going to need helpers. Working in the library, working in the bookstore. By the way, we do need volunteers if anybody is interested in that. They should talk to Palma on the break. It doesn't have to be becoming the director of the SBC of a center for years. Report an error in the passage at 29:37 Highlight the passage at 29:37

30:10 It can be working on a small project that's going to take two days. X amount of hours per week or something like that. Any kind of way that you're actively providing service. And there's a lot of merit involved. I remember at one point said that because Lama Zopa Rinpoche's bodhicitta was so strong that any of us serving in his centers and projects, we sort of get some of the merit of that bodhicitta, which is kind of interesting. Report an error in the passage at 30:10 Highlight the passage at 30:10

30:46 He's sort of known for his bodhicitta in the Lama circuit. I mean, because a lot of Lamas went through the very traditional Geshe system. And Lama Zopa Rinpoche didn't. He's not even Tibetan. He's Sherpa. He's from the Mount Everest region in Nepal. So he's sort of just gotten where he is because of the strength of his bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 30:46 Highlight the passage at 30:46

31:20 So the third one is to take what they've taught us and to actually try to put it into practice in our spiritual life, which makes sense, right? That's what they really want to see us do. Now it doesn't mean that you aren't doing that when you're giving them a gift. It might be a spiritual practice for you. Report an error in the passage at 31:20 Highlight the passage at 31:20

31:39 It might be a spiritual practice. Hopefully it is a spiritual practice if you're helping with a project or a center too. But definitely if they are teaching us year in and year out, whether directly in person or in classes or books or whatever, if we're taking that and trying to put it into practice to change our mind, that's the biggest compliment. Report an error in the passage at 31:39 Highlight the passage at 31:39

32:03 They say the biggest compliment is that. So that's putting the teachings of the Buddha in action. And they say, just like what I was just talking about with giving a gift, Report an error in the passage at 32:03 Highlight the passage at 32:03

32:18 All of this is to help us train our minds. It doesn't benefit them in any way, you know, although I'm sure it pleases them when they see us progressing on the path or we're just a little bit wiser, you know, one year after the next or something. We don't make the same silly mistakes that we did at first or something like that, just like with any teacher, right? Report an error in the passage at 32:18 Highlight the passage at 32:18

32:43 So if you're studying carpentry and you don't hit your thumb all the time with the hammer or something like that, they're pleased. So it's very much the same. And they say it's very much like when a farmer prepares a field for planting seeds, it's really for the farmer's benefit, not the field's benefit. Report an error in the passage at 32:43 Highlight the passage at 32:43

33:06 Because when they've done all that work, then the seeds will take and then they'll grow and then they'll have a better crop. And so all of this is kind of to train our minds so that then all the seeds, all of our karmic seeds can take root and all of the teachings take root and then we get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 33:06 Highlight the passage at 33:06

33:26 So they say that it's really good if we have taken all this time to study up, to check each other out and so forth, that we should do whatever is asked. It's difficult or whether it's exhausting or whether it's unpleasant to do or so forth, you know, staying up all night to find an event. I remember some stories, you know, you hear all these stories over time and after a while you live the stories, you know, and then you're like, oh yeah, we talked about that in class. Report an error in the passage at 33:26 Highlight the passage at 33:26

34:06 But I remember a story at one time when, I think it was Lama's Opa Rinpoche was doing, I think it was A Long Life. I think it was a long life event for Riba Rinpoche. This was years and years ago in New York when Riba Rinpoche was still living. Report an error in the passage at 34:06 Highlight the passage at 34:06

34:25 And it was, of course, as Lama Tsongkhapa tends to do, sort of suddenly at the last minute kind of a thing. And Tenza Chokyi, I was probably saying this wrong, so I'm sorry, Tenza Rinpoche. Report an error in the passage at 34:25 Highlight the passage at 34:25

34:40 But she was there. And it became this issue where they had to make those little, if anybody's gone to Dharam Cellar and they make those little long life pills, which are really these gigantic balls of dough. So they had to make like 4,000 of them suddenly. And it was already like 11 at night or something. And Tenzin Chokyi just suddenly thought... Report an error in the passage at 34:40 Highlight the passage at 34:40

35:03 This is a merit multiplying thing. I'm just going to do it. So of course you're just like, okay, I'll do it. So then they're up all night. And then they were at the event the whole next day. Report an error in the passage at 35:03 Highlight the passage at 35:03

35:15 And it happens like that where you just kind of have to decide, okay, I'm just going to do this. I'm just going to jump in and do it. I remember actually Venerable Charles, who is now leading 108 Nunez at Institute Lama Tsongkhapa. like probably Report an error in the passage at 35:15 Highlight the passage at 35:15

35:30 I mean, sorry, the Institute of Agio Ghigni in France. I remember at one retreat that I was at, and everything that Rinpoche wanted to do, he was always the first in line. And then on the breaks, he'd be helping make bread in the kitchen. He never was resting. And then he said, when Rinpoche goes, the French accent, when Rinpoche leaves, then I rest. When Rinpoche's here, then I move. Report an error in the passage at 35:30 Highlight the passage at 35:30

35:54 And I thought, oh. Okay, that's the way to do it. That's what we do. We can always rest later. We have them here. We're going to just go for it. So it's a lot like that. We spent the time to find them. Why not go for it when you have a chance? It doesn't happen all the time. And you realize it doesn't happen all the time after a while. Report an error in the passage at 35:54 Highlight the passage at 35:54

36:16 You realize how rare those times are that you actually have a chance to do that. Again, obviously... As long as nothing morally wrong is being asked of you. You might not understand making the little dough balls, but if you know that there's a purpose for it and you want to be a part of that purpose, just go for it. Report an error in the passage at 36:16 Highlight the passage at 36:16

36:39 And what do we mean by serving a teacher? Again, really if we have spent the time checking up and they have spent the time checking up and feel like we're worth the effort, it means to surrender ourselves to them. So there's this level of trust that has to develop over time. And you can't will it and you can't force it. Report an error in the passage at 36:39 Highlight the passage at 36:39

37:05 But once you have it, then again, go for it. You know, kind of like that. You can't pretend to have it even if everybody else in the room has it. You know what I mean? So don't get into that group mentality, too. People can often, in thinking the Dharma, get into sort of a pack mentality. You know? It's like... Report an error in the passage at 37:05 Highlight the passage at 37:05

37:25 Everyone is running out to greet Rinpoche when you're like, okay, but you don't really have any relationship with him yet. So just tread warily but respectfully. Report an error in the passage at 37:25 Highlight the passage at 37:25

37:37 It's different if it really is your teacher, but be careful of just imitating what you see in others. Let it develop if it's going to develop on your own. And you might have absolutely no relationship with any of these teachers that I've mentioned. You may find your own. Report an error in the passage at 37:37 Highlight the passage at 37:37

37:53 Try to take everything they do as a teaching. There may be something that they're trying to get across to you particularly. So it's kind of like if anybody has any experience in Zen, which I have absolutely no experience in Zen, but it's like a koan, but your own personal koan. So they may say something that's kind of like, what do they mean by that? Report an error in the passage at 37:53 Highlight the passage at 37:53

38:15 Just contemplate, just contemplate. It might become clear to you in a few days, a few weeks, a few years, and suddenly you'll be like, Report an error in the passage at 38:15 Highlight the passage at 38:15

38:26 Ooh. Or ooh. You know, something might click, you know. But if they are who we think they are, nothing is wasted. So they're trying to give us teachings in all sorts of ways through how they act but also things that they may say to us, even on the side, you know, a little thing on the side. As you're getting up to leave, they may be like, you know, what? You know, and then all of a sudden it's like, you know, you have to spend the next three days. Report an error in the passage at 38:26 Highlight the passage at 38:26

38:57 What did you say? It's useful. And always remember how karma works. This is always about transforming our minds. It's not really, I mean, if they are already enlightened or if they are already very, you know, highly advanced, this is all for our benefit. Report an error in the passage at 38:57 Highlight the passage at 38:57

39:20 He is or she is who we create them to be through our good deeds, if karma works. Through our actions, through our speech, through our thoughts and so forth. They don't exist out there in some absolute way. They are empty of that kind of existence. So my positive karma creates how both I perceive that person but also how they actually are according to the higher teachings by the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 39:20 Highlight the passage at 39:20

39:51 So ultimately everything comes back to how we train our own minds. And if our minds are... are very open and very well-trained, like we're sort of a well-oiled disciple. Then one of my teachers said it becomes sort of like popcorn. Your practice sort of takes off like popcorn. Everything sort of click, click, click, click, click. There's just a lot happening and it all sort of happens at once. Report an error in the passage at 39:51 Highlight the passage at 39:51

40:24 But we have to lay the groundwork. We have to plant that field. Fertilize the field. We have to get it all ready. Otherwise, they don't really have anything to work with. We might have a lot of enthusiasm, but we don't have anything else to offer. So we need a little bit of our own wisdom. We need a little bit of our, we definitely need some knowledge, you know, just learning knowledge, Report an error in the passage at 40:24 Highlight the passage at 40:24

40:48 sitting in classes for a certain number of hours. Report an error in the passage at 40:48 Highlight the passage at 40:48

40:54 Okay, so now we're going to talk about the 50, are there any questions about those, those ways to serve the Lama through our actions? Did you miss any of those? There's only three, so. Report an error in the passage at 40:54 Highlight the passage at 40:54

41:10 have any questions about any of these? Report an error in the passage at 41:10 Highlight the passage at 41:10

41:17 So we're going to talk about the 50 verses of Guru Devotion, which is really this ancient text that is how to cultivate a proper relationship with a Guru. Report an error in the passage at 41:17 Highlight the passage at 41:17

41:29 You know, like sort of guidelines as a student and then guidelines in your relationship with your spiritual teacher. So it sort of covers a lot of Dharma etiquette. Report an error in the passage at 41:29 Highlight the passage at 41:29

41:39 And at times, like I said, it can be a little dense and it can be a little heavy and it can seem a little outdated. And so just sort of trying to pull the main points out of it so that we get something out of it instead of just going, oh, that's something from 2,000 years ago. That doesn't relate to anything now. To just try to hear it with an open mind. Report an error in the passage at 41:39 Highlight the passage at 41:39

42:07 So the first one is once you have a guru or Lama, we're supposed to prostrate to them every day. We haven't talked about prostrations in here. We talked about them in the last class. And we talked about them in that special Saturday class where we talked about sort of what they represent. That idea in Tibetanist Chakselo that I want what you have. So it's that. Report an error in the passage at 42:07 Highlight the passage at 42:07

42:33 That respect, that honor, honoring whatever it is you're prostrating to. So in this case, honoring the teacher. This counts as a prostration, too. So those of us who are lazy, you know, I go to bed, you know, or I get up in the morning, oh, okay, you know. You can do the ones like I did just now, which just counts as a half prostration. Report an error in the passage at 42:33 Highlight the passage at 42:33

42:55 They called it a partial prostration. You may have seen the full prostration. where people get all the way down the flat on the floor. Report an error in the passage at 42:55 Highlight the passage at 42:55

43:04 But we're supposed to do one in the morning and one at night, even if they aren't there. So it's sort of how you wake up in the morning and how you go to bed at night. And like I said, often they'll be like, oh, I forgot. Okay. And I'm sure. Maybe I'll talk for four hours at the next empowerment on frustrations. Report an error in the passage at 43:04 Highlight the passage at 43:04

43:26 Or make everyone get up and do them, which it's been known to do too. Everyone's suddenly getting up from their seats and we're doing 35 kudos. If your guru is lower than you, I remember what I said. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 43:26 Highlight the passage at 43:26

43:36 In terms of ordination or if they're lay and you're ordained or something like that, you don't need to prostrate to them in public. This is the next one. But you need to prostrate to them in your mind. Now this was at a time, remember in Tibet, where social standing was really clearly defined. Actually a number of these sort of are, you have to bear that in mind. But I suppose it could still happen. Report an error in the passage at 43:36 Highlight the passage at 43:36

44:02 If I'm ordained and my teacher is a lay person or something like that, I have a guru like that, but I might. And so just sort of technically speaking, it would be an odd thing. I'm not supposed to prostrate to lay people, not because you all aren't wonderful, but I think it's just not done usually. But I could still prostrate to them in my mind. But there are times also, like say it's a public scene in the airport or something. Report an error in the passage at 44:02 Highlight the passage at 44:02

44:32 You might want to prostrate to them in your mind, but not get down on the floor or something like that. Although, like I told you in one class, Geshel always runs right up and prostrates on the floor. And I've seen students, you know, Venerable Sarah has gotten down on the floor in the airport. So you can prostrate to them in your mind, or you can do the two poems together, counts. Report an error in the passage at 44:32 Highlight the passage at 44:32

44:57 I think that's true, actually, even for teachers who aren't your gurus. I remember thinking about that with Venerable Charles when he was just happily making bread at 3 a.m. with the staff of Ajapani in the kitchen, and I just thought, wow. He's just like that tirelessness. Who is this? Who is this little French monk in their ratty clothes? Report an error in the passage at 44:57 Highlight the passage at 44:57

45:22 you know, so... So that prostrating to somebody in your mind is useful at those times. Report an error in the passage at 45:22 Highlight the passage at 45:22

45:32 Always show respect when they enter a room. Show them their seat if they don't know. I mean, obviously, if you're the only one there, and this happens sometimes in retreat where you're just like sitting there trying to finish your session and all of a sudden Lipshake comes in the room and you're like, oh God, you know. Report an error in the passage at 45:32 Highlight the passage at 45:32

45:47 But usually somebody else is showing them. But if you're the only one there and you know and they don't know, then definitely show them their seat. Report an error in the passage at 45:47 Highlight the passage at 45:47

45:58 Again, if they tell you something, then obey what they say. And they say no matter what their position is relative to yours. Again, that's talking about the social standing thing that was in Tibet. Not so much in our culture now. But always showing respect when they enter a room and showing them their suit and so forth are useful. Report an error in the passage at 45:58 Highlight the passage at 45:58

46:26 It says, in order for the words of honor of neither the guru nor the disciple to degenerate, there must be mutual examination beforehand. This is what we're talking about. You're checking each other up. Even if it seems like they have four billion students and there's no way that they've noticed you, they are checking up. If they are who you think that they are, they are checking up. Report an error in the passage at 46:26 Highlight the passage at 46:26

46:50 This has been my experience. You think you're just some little spot in the back of the room, but they notice. And it says to see if each can brave a guru-disciple relationship. So they're admitting that it takes bravery. It takes a certain amount of courage. And then the text goes on to list a lot of qualities of the guru and what the guru should be and what the guru should not be. Report an error in the passage at 46:50 Highlight the passage at 46:50

47:18 Starting with what they shouldn't be. A disciple with sense. We're printing it back on our heads. A disciple with sense shouldn't accept as his guru, his or her, someone lacking compassion or who is angry, vicious, arrogant, possessive, undisciplined, or boasts of his knowledge. So we're trying not to choose somebody who's kind of haughty and like, I'm the super duper Lama. Report an error in the passage at 47:18 Highlight the passage at 47:18

47:49 They always make jokes because I guess in Tibet they would have these... They would start wearing bigger and bigger. Each side would wear bigger and bigger hats. That was their big thing about how to prove that they had the most skills and stuff. So they made all the jokes about the different hats. In ours, I think we just do better websites, bigger centers, maybe the first thing that comes up when you Google something. Report an error in the passage at 47:49 Highlight the passage at 47:49

48:12 We have other ways to kind of show off. Prettier posters. I like that. Report an error in the passage at 48:12 Highlight the passage at 48:12

48:20 Part of the same ones. I sort of condensed some of them together. A guru should be stable in his actions. I'm going to say his or her if I think of it, but sometimes I'll forget. Report an error in the passage at 48:20 Highlight the passage at 48:20

48:31 A guru should be stable in his or her actions, cultivated in his or her speech, wise, patient and honest. He or she should neither conceal their shortcomings nor pretend to possess qualities that they lack. They should be an expert in the meanings of Tantra and its ritual procedures. They should have loving compassion and a complete knowledge of the scriptures. Report an error in the passage at 48:31 Highlight the passage at 48:31

48:55 So there's like a ton there. Basically they should be, this is not just looking for somebody who might be an interesting speaker. So that's where it crosses that line between instructional or informational to somebody who has mastered their stuff. Report an error in the passage at 48:55 Highlight the passage at 48:55

49:15 Again, remember that this comes out of tantra. So a lot of these are even more advanced than a sūtra teacher would be. Because there really are all these different things of measurements and they have to know how to create a mandala and which kinds of mandala are used for different empowerments and things like that. Report an error in the passage at 49:15 Highlight the passage at 49:15

49:35 So there's all this sort of technical stuff that they're supposed to know too. And they shouldn't pretend to know it if they don't know it, obviously. Well, how do you know that? Report an error in the passage at 49:35 Highlight the passage at 49:35

49:45 If somebody's saying that they know something, they probably don't know it. I guess that's the bottom line. If they're a really good teacher, then they're humble too. Report an error in the passage at 49:45 Highlight the passage at 49:45

49:55 They should have the full expertise in both ten fields. This is talking about the list of ten that we went through. But then there's a separate list of ten qualities that are needed for Tantra. Skilled in drawing the mandalas, full knowledge of how to explain the tantra, supreme pure faith and their senses fully under control. And it's not enough for them to be able to do these superficially. Report an error in the passage at 49:55 Highlight the passage at 49:55

50:21 They have to actually have done their retreats and have some sort of connection with the deities and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 50:21 Highlight the passage at 50:21

50:31 Then there are a number of verses devoted to what happens if you despise your guru or disturb your guru's mind or disparage them or scorn them, as we discussed last time. None of it is good, so we're not going to spend a lot of time on it. The basic idea is not to do that. Once you decide your guru is your guru, it's really good to guard your mind and guard your speech, too. Report an error in the passage at 50:31 Highlight the passage at 50:31

51:00 The speech is a reflection of the mind, but to try at least if the thought enters the mind to not take it to the next step. To blah, blah, blah if you don't know what you're talking about. Even if you do know to be skillful. If you show disrespect to your guru through a lack of mindfulness, present an offering and seek forgiveness. Report an error in the passage at 51:00 Highlight the passage at 51:00

51:25 You might think that nobody noticed. It's still better. It's still better. You know, like, whenever... We're doing something like offering, making a request to Geshe-la to teach in a certain way. I always try to do the three frustrations. And he always tries to stop. And I always try to do them anyway. Because from my side, I want the merit. Not for myself, but to get enlightened as quickly as possible. Report an error in the passage at 51:25 Highlight the passage at 51:25

51:51 But I want to do it properly. And from their side, they don't want you to do it for the wrong reasons. They don't want, you know what I mean? They're being humble. That doesn't mean we don't do it. So, for example, I remember too, just on a lesser scale, and this has nothing to do with the teacher, but I just remember Geshele teaching us this in the lamrim, the first time that he went through the whole lamrim for the basic program. Report an error in the passage at 51:51 Highlight the passage at 51:51

52:17 And he said, if during a class you have to get up and go to the restroom, ask, you know, request permission in your mind, do frustrations, leave, come back in, apologize in your mind. And do pressurations. And so that's the way I always try to do it. I always try to do it like that. Hopefully I don't have to get up. But sometimes he goes two and a half hours without a break. Report an error in the passage at 52:17 Highlight the passage at 52:17

52:42 So yeah, I try to follow that guideline because he took the time to teach us. It's like that. So you're doing that in your mind. Again, it's training our mind, right? you know, so, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 52:42 Highlight the passage at 52:42

52:54 So I'm not going to just get up every two and a half seconds because who would want to go through all that? It's only going to be in an absolute emergency that I'm going to do that. But then I'm going to try to do it properly so that my own mind is trained and so that I'm trying to follow my teacher's advice. Report an error in the passage at 52:54 Highlight the passage at 52:54

53:14 This one's big. You should be willing to sacrifice everything for your guru if necessary. Okay, this is a big one. In Nepal, they say slowly, slowly. So we kind of think that way. Slowly, slowly. We aim toward it. We're sort of spinning the boat in that direction. A lot of these are more like lifetime practices that we grow into. But why? Report an error in the passage at 53:14 Highlight the passage at 53:14

53:43 If we think of the background, again, we've taken the time to check up. They've checked us up. They think we're ready. We think we're ready. And we think they are ready. We are skilled enough to take us all the way to enlightenment. So why not do what they advise us to do? Nothing in our life compares to this, so it's kind of hard to put it into context. This isn't a boss. This isn't a school teacher or a university teacher. Report an error in the passage at 53:43 Highlight the passage at 53:43

54:17 This isn't somebody that we're having a relationship with in that sense. So it's not somebody like that. It's not an ordinary relationship in any way. And that's why they advise us to take a number of years to do this. Report an error in the passage at 54:17 Highlight the passage at 54:17

54:38 When you make offerings on your altar to the Buddhas, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, like the water bowls or flowers, you put flowers on, also do it to your own guru. Try to remember them at the same time. They actually say our Guru is more precious to us than all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas because they're helping me, Chokyi, get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 54:38 Highlight the passage at 54:38

55:04 You know what I mean? So the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are sort of helping us in a generic sense, and thank goodness they exist, but this particular Guru is helping me get enlightened. So they are the most precious. So try to remember them when we remember all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Report an error in the passage at 55:04 Highlight the passage at 55:04

55:24 And to bear them in mind so that when we're making those offerings, we're also making them to them. That might be also why we have other pictures. Report an error in the passage at 55:24 Highlight the passage at 55:24

55:38 Also keep your word to your guru if you promise to do something. Which is also like don't promise if you're not going to. We'll talk about that in a second. Report an error in the passage at 55:38 Highlight the passage at 55:38

55:49 Do it as well as you can. If you promise to do something and it doesn't get done. We have pictures of our and our Report an error in the passage at 55:49 Highlight the passage at 55:49

55:56 This is, again, just our online training. Report an error in the passage at 55:56 Highlight the passage at 55:56

56:03 And we talked about this a second ago, but what kind of offerings do you make? You make whatever you find most pleasing yourself, whatever you think is precious, it doesn't matter whether somebody else thinks. I remember one time we had a refuge ceremony, and I always advise anyone that's taking refuge to make an offering of some sort, whether it's... Report an error in the passage at 56:03 Highlight the passage at 56:03

56:28 know, incense or whether it's offering of cash for their projects or their monastery or something like that. And this person showed up with a 55 pound bag of rice, which is actually so useful. And they thought it was great. So I mean, why isn't it great? Geshe will use rice almost every day. So it's actually incredibly wonderful. And so he's sustaining Geshe's life in that sense. So it's actually a very cool karmic connection. Report an error in the passage at 56:28 Highlight the passage at 56:28

56:53 And that's the only reason. That we would make an offering anyway is to have that karmic connection to the Guru. So how great. So don't like compare. Report an error in the passage at 56:53 Highlight the passage at 56:53

57:05 Oh shoot man. Don't do that. It's not good for the mind to contrast and compare. The object again is so powerful that whatever we offer with a full open heart is going to be good. So that's great. And they don't need it. Although I'm ready to use that rice. Although knowing him, we probably gave it to Chud Rinpoche. Report an error in the passage at 57:05 Highlight the passage at 57:05

57:34 Sometimes the most beautiful things we ever gave Geshe-la you see, you know, in Chud Rinpoche's room when you go in to make requests. Report an error in the passage at 57:34 Highlight the passage at 57:34

57:44 He immediately, or he saves them. Like you give him a really beautiful, beautiful cup that you've spent a long time trying to find something that looks really different than all his other cups. And then you see he has it set aside. and then the bishay comes and he can offer his tea. Report an error in the passage at 57:44 Highlight the passage at 57:44

58:03 So then the text gives some of the qualities of the disciple again, that we should have compassion, we should have generosity. Will we have it immediately? No. These are ones that we, you know, words to grow on. We should have moral self-control, or develop it, I should say. We should have patience. Report an error in the passage at 58:03 Highlight the passage at 58:03

58:27 Never think of your guru as different from Vajradhara. And this one we're going to talk about in a later class, but this is basically trying to see him or her already as the Buddha, which is a tall order and a lifetime practice as well. Report an error in the passage at 58:27 Highlight the passage at 58:27

58:46 Never tread on your guru's shadow. And I remember the first time I heard this when I thought, you know, this will never happen, so I don't have to worry too much about that. Well, it did. Report an error in the passage at 58:46 Highlight the passage at 58:46

58:59 And it says, and no need to mention, never stepping on or over his or her seat or shoes. Interesting, right? You're thinking, this one doesn't pertain to me, you know. It happens. I remember actually one time that I was following Rinpoche a little bit too closely, and it was like a group of us, and I was following a little too closely, and I suddenly realized I was about ready to step on his shadow. Report an error in the passage at 58:59 Highlight the passage at 58:59

59:24 I was like, oh, God, you know, and suddenly the words came back, you know. So again, this is just keeping them, they aren't your buddy, you know, so it's like keeping them, keeping this mind of awe and respect all the time and how we deal with them. Report an error in the passage at 59:24 Highlight the passage at 59:24

59:42 I remember this happening once too. There were a group of us, there were three of us that had done Vajra Safra retreat together at Tushita Dharamsala and at the end of that retreat we knew that, all three of us knew that we wanted to get ordained. So we... We had met with Kirti Sinsha Rinpoche in Dharamsala, but we wanted to meet with Lama Zopa Rinpoche because we were all students of Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Copan that fall. Report an error in the passage at 59:42 Highlight the passage at 59:42

1:00:10 So we requested and requested and then finally we got the knock on the door at like 3 a.m. So we went and we met with them and we were able to ask our questions and all that. And then he got up and he wanted us to circumambulate. He has this sort of tower of which those of you who go down to his house will see. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:10 Highlight the passage at 1:00:10

1:00:28 The amazing ways that we can make merit in this holy being's presence. But he has a travel kit as well. It kind of looks like Mary Poppins' bag, but it's all filled with relics and things like that. So then he sets it all up. And so you're sort of trotting around this at 5 a.m. or whatever time it was at that point. And you're a little out of it as well. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:28 Highlight the passage at 1:00:28

1:00:49 And you're also just kind of overwhelmed by it all. And you just suddenly realize that... You started out behind him, but suddenly you're in front of him. You're like, oh gosh, you're trying to go faster because it's only so far around and there's three of you, you know, and so you're doing this thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:49 Highlight the passage at 1:00:49

1:01:04 So just to try to be aware, it's this constant mindfulness that we're trying to develop. And you think, like I said, you think these will never apply to you, and they will. They will, believe me. So trying not to see them as ordinary and trying to keep that mind of respect and all. Again, a disciple having sense should obey the words of his guru with joy and enthusiasm. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:04 Highlight the passage at 1:01:04

1:01:34 If you lack the knowledge or ability to do what he or she says, this is what we talked about last time, explain in polite words why you can't comply. If you have a good reason why you can't do something, just speak up. It's better than saying, oh, yes, yes, yes, Rinpoche, and then going, well, I can't do that, and then walking out of the room. It's like we do our best. If we can't do something for some reason, oh, I'm going to Spain tomorrow, or my left leg won't work, or just something. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:34 Highlight the passage at 1:01:34

1:02:05 If there's some reason that you know that you can't do a particular thing that he's asking you to do, just say something. It's not like we have to go, yes, and then not do it. It's much worse karma. Better to just speak up. If you don't immediately have the joy and enthusiasm, I think that's a reminder. We develop that too. Comes and goes and starts. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:05 Highlight the passage at 1:02:05

1:02:30 Make wholehearted effort never to transgress your guru's advice. Always remembering what comes from it. These higher attainments, higher rebirths, all happiness, enlightenment, all these great things come from following our guru's advice. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:30 Highlight the passage at 1:02:30

1:02:46 Trying our best to do what they say. Guard your Guru's belongings like your own life. Treat your Guru's family like you would him or her. Treat those close to him or her like your own dearest kin. And single-mindedly think this way at all times. So again, you might think that this won't come up like when you're going to be hanging out with the Guru's family, but it happens. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:46 Highlight the passage at 1:02:46

1:03:15 I went to Laudo at one point, which is where Rinpoche was born. In his last life, he lived and did meditation retreat there for 20 years, and he was born nearby. And who runs the center but his sister. So then you have, and she's way down home, calling you in for tea, making you potatoes. You're like hanging out with the sister. And I was trying the whole time, and she's talking about the cows. She's great. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:15 Highlight the passage at 1:03:15

1:03:43 She's talking about which cow gave birth and all this stuff. So you're just kind of like really down to earth and I just had to keep being, this is Rinpoche's sister, this is Rinpoche's sister. You know, so trying to keep my mind respectful, you know, so that I didn't just take her for granted either. And the same with their attendants. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:43 Highlight the passage at 1:03:43

1:04:03 Their attendants, some are in a really difficult position sometimes and this is true, I think, especially for teachers that are so busy like... Report an error in the passage at 1:04:03 Highlight the passage at 1:04:03

1:04:17 But treating their attendants respectfully. If they are saying, I'm sorry, but your appointment's been cut because of time, to try not to get really angry, you know, don't take it out on them. They're trying to protect that guru's life as much as they can on a conventional level. So they're in a difficult position with a lot of... Report an error in the passage at 1:04:17 Highlight the passage at 1:04:17

1:04:38 Or they may have just gotten somebody who's like dying of cancer and needs to talk to them immediately, you know, or something like that. So they're trying to handle sometimes almost the impossible. And so trying to respect our, trying to keep our minds respectful towards them as well. And I think their students, our gurus, other students, our sister and brother Dharma students of the same teacher, how we treat them should also be respectful. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:38 Highlight the passage at 1:04:38

1:05:04 And they count as family. So we can think of them as family. We can think of each other as family. So treating all of everybody respectfully. Maybe that's just the best bottom line. Just treat everybody respectfully. But you can step on my show. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:04 Highlight the passage at 1:05:04

1:05:23 Never sit on the same seat or bed as you grew. Bed they mention because a lot of times, for example, if you go in and talk to Geshe-la here, it's like a twin bed. And that's just what they sit on all the time. So it's not like you're out in their room. We're not getting into that in this class. No, it's just like you're going in there and they're sitting there. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:23 Highlight the passage at 1:05:23

1:05:42 They might, you know, not in that situation, but they might like at the airport. I know a lot of times this happens where guests will be like, you know, he'll like pat, you know, like come, come here. I'm always horribly, I feel like completely awkward when that happens. And a lot of times it's because I happen to meet the senior nun or they know I'm sick or something like that, you know, they're trying to be polite. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:42 Highlight the passage at 1:05:42

1:06:02 But I always just sort of just, unless I have something I want to talk about with him. I let somebody else run forward. I think it's better for our minds to be a little more humble, you know? And there's always somebody willing to run over there and ask him about something or just, you know, use that time to sort of grasp onto him. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:02 Highlight the passage at 1:06:02

1:06:22 So it's kind of, again, about just sort of watching your mind. If you have something that you want to talk about with him, that's different. These are kind of interesting ones, but I've mentioned these before in sort of the Dharma etiquette of that Saturday class that we did. Which of you came to that? But not wearing your hair in top knots at teachings? That's the same way as not wearing hats. And you often see Western students wearing hats. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:22 Highlight the passage at 1:06:22

1:06:50 They just don't know. So any of these, if you see somebody doing it, don't gasp loudly and then point at them or something like that. You know, just like after and when there's some, if you have the opportunity and you can correct them in a really nice way, then you could. But don't, you know, don't make them feel bad. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:50 Highlight the passage at 1:06:50

1:07:07 You're not supposed to carry weapons to teachings. That's probably a good one to do. You're not supposed to wear your shoes. Again, because we usually in meditation halls, we don't wear our shoes inside, but you're not supposed to especially at a teaching. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:07 Highlight the passage at 1:07:07

1:07:24 You're not supposed to touch their seat before they sit down. I think it's different if you're the one who is fixing it. You're making sure that everything's all set up. I don't know what other reason you'd have for judging it, so probably better not to. I don't know. Maybe it's getting familiar or something. I don't know what that's about, so I would just say don't do it. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:24 Highlight the passage at 1:07:24

1:07:44 It says don't proudly put your hands on your hips or ring them before them. I don't know what that one's about either, but I think probably not so respectful probably is what it's about. I don't know, certainly. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:44 Highlight the passage at 1:07:44

1:08:04 But yeah. Don't sit or recline if your guru is standing. Well, that would make sense. That would make sense. Or lie down if he's sitting, unless you're sick. We'll watch a film on the second to last class. So that's not this. Next class is the last full class, and then the class after that will be a partial class, and we're going to watch a film called Mystic Tibet. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:04 Highlight the passage at 1:08:04

1:08:29 And there's a scene in there where Rinpoche is visiting a sick monk. Who's expected to die, actually. And the monk actually tries to get up. He actually tries to get up because he's been well trained. And Rinpoche, of course, is like, no, no, no. So easy out if you're sick. But if not, then it's better to be respectful and to stand up or to at least sit up if they're sitting. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:29 Highlight the passage at 1:08:29

1:09:00 Again, the little airport visits, and I mention these because a lot of people don't realize how incredibly fun these airport visits are. If you go when Rinpoche is coming and going because he happens to have the house in Aptos, we get a lot of these, which is kind of a neat way to see him. Sometimes he'll give a teaching. I remember at one time it was like 3 in the morning and there was not that many of us, maybe like 20 or something. He just started giving a teaching on the floor of the airport. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:00 Highlight the passage at 1:09:00

1:09:26 We're all sitting on the floor, you know, and he's just kind of just talking. So you just never know what's going to happen. But even if that doesn't happen, you just have this sort of sweet little intimacy of having tea with the Lama. Whether it's Geshe-la coming home from India after he's been for two months or Rinpoche getting ready to take off or something like that. It can be very nice. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:26 Highlight the passage at 1:09:26

1:09:48 But you have to always kind of remember that, you know, to not, you know, hang. I remember actually at one point, for example, When Chodron Rinpoche was leaving and they did one of those whole body check things, which is always just mortifying when they do it for these really high Lama's, you know. But from their point of view, it's obviously a religious weirdo, you know. I mean, they do it for me all the time, every time I've ever traveled just about. I remember one time they didn't and I was shocked. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:48 Highlight the passage at 1:09:48

1:10:19 I was just kind of like, wow. So I was standing there and I was like, oh no, they're putting him in that little thing where they blow up the skirt and stuff. And I'm like, oh no. And then I suddenly realized that Lama Zopa was standing right next to me and going, they're not putting him in that little thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:19 Highlight the passage at 1:10:19

1:10:34 And suddenly I was like this student with another student and I was kind of like mortified. I was like, oh, Rinpoche. But it was like because we were both students of children of the show, it was a very interesting experience. So you have to be careful at this. airport visits because they can be really fun and they can be really sweet but then suddenly you're like shoulder to shoulder with them and they're like oh no they're putting him in the little thing. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:34 Highlight the passage at 1:10:34

1:10:58 Anyway. Do not spit in front of your guru. Hopefully this one won't come up. But if you have to sneeze or cough, good to cover the mouth. They also say that about yawning too. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:58 Highlight the passage at 1:10:58

1:11:15 Don't stretch out your feet towards him. This one I've mentioned before in other classes, and it won't come up if your guru is not a Tibetan or an Easterner. But for Western teachers, they may not notice that one. It comes from that tradition, but it's like the lowest part of your body. That's kind of what it's about. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:15 Highlight the passage at 1:11:15

1:11:36 And the dirtiest, if you think about at the times when you would mostly be barefoot or in sandals. So just kind of knowing that. Since a lot of our high lamas are Tibetan, then it's good to respect that particular. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:36 Highlight the passage at 1:11:36

1:11:56 You're not supposed to pace back and forth during a teaching. Again, I'm not really sure what that's about, but never argue with him. I would hope not. But I think a lot of these are kind of like just watch your manners. It's sort of like watch your manners. Don't massage your limbs in his presence. I don't know what that one's about either. Every once in a while I'll catch myself if I'm like, oh man, oh no, you know, like if my hand hurts or something. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:56 Highlight the passage at 1:11:56

1:12:24 I'm not sure what that would be except maybe it's just you're not being mindful of the teaching or you're not, I don't know what it is. Yeah, so maybe just don't give yourself a foot massage at that moment. Don't sing, dance or play instruments unless they're Dharma. I know, it's sort of like... You know, this may not be the time, you know. I think it's, again, it's trying to make us be more mindful. Never chatter idly or speak in excess or too loudly in range. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:24 Highlight the passage at 1:12:24

1:12:53 This, again, comes up with the airport. People get so excited. You know, we've been waiting for like an hour or whatever for the plane to land and it's getting like sort of louder and louder and then even when the guru's sitting there, everyone's like... You know, there's still that kind of energy and it's like sometimes I just kind of pull away and just kind of try to be mindful because you can just kind of start acting really silly and not in my home. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:53 Highlight the passage at 1:12:53

1:13:16 And it might be an opportunity that he or she would give you a teaching, you know, if the energy is there or they might give you a teaching, you know, specifically. So like sort of the more together you can be, just in case, the better not to be all goofy and silly and stuff. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:16 Highlight the passage at 1:13:16

1:13:37 Again, when your guru enters the room, getting up and bowing your head slightly, sitting respectfully. If you are in the position where you're traveling with them or maybe you're escorting them somewhere, then that's different. You can walk in front of them or you can walk closer to the traffic and have them on the inside or something like that because you are protecting them in that sense. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:37 Highlight the passage at 1:13:37

1:13:59 And you've seen, for example, some of you may have seen when a High Lama arrives, We'll escort them with incense. That's purifying the air before them. That's what that means. So you have to walk in front of them when that happens. I remember one time when we took Geshele down to, I think we took him actually out to Alcatraz, which is funny. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:59 Highlight the passage at 1:13:59

1:14:24 I think it was a liberation prison project kind of a trip, but there was a group of us that went, including Venerable Rabina, and I remember when we were getting off the boat and she... She stepped in front of him and she said, I'll take the bullet. And you knew at that moment she would. If anybody messed with Geshe-la, they'd have to deal with her first. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:24 Highlight the passage at 1:14:24

1:14:47 She actually, by the way, was one of the first bodyguards for His Holiness when he came to the West in the mid-80s. So you don't mess with her. So she sort of stepped into that role and I thought, okay, so this is exactly what this particular... it. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:47 Highlight the passage at 1:14:47

1:15:03 guideline is talking about like if you're in that position and I remember Venerable Amy who traveled a lot with Kyrgyz Sintra Rinpoche about that too like she would step into that position if she you know like on the streets of New York or something and he was like so tiny and stuff and she just kind of So there are times when you do have to take on that role to protect them in a conventional sense. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:03 Highlight the passage at 1:15:03

1:15:33 Don't sit twisted up. I don't know. Casually leaning against a pillar or wall. This happens a lot at Copan. You see that one a lot where everyone's like leaned up against. Every pillar in the room has somebody in front of it. We're not really supposed to. And we talked about that at the Saturday class too. Again, I think it can make you sleepy too. I think even if you're sitting in chairs, it's actually good to not lean back because you can just get a little bit too relaxed. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:33 Highlight the passage at 1:15:33

1:16:04 We're not supposed to crack our knuckles or clean our nails. Again, I think it's respect. Just respect. When you're attending to him or her personally, washing them, shaving them, or so forth, proceed and end with three frustrations. Again, I thought, this will never happen. Well, when I was living at the center, Geshe-la called me in one day to cut his hair, and I was mortified. And I, of course, try to remember, oh, God, you know, so I did the little three frustrations. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:04 Highlight the passage at 1:16:04

1:16:32 He's like, okay, yeah, enough, okay. And I was terrified I was going to cut his holy head, you know, like the whole time. He never asked me again. He was like, this one's too nervous. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:32 Highlight the passage at 1:16:32

1:16:45 But I remember people being asked to do like Rubina's. I remember Michelle doing Rubina's hair and stuff. So you never know when they may call you in and have you do something like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:45 Highlight the passage at 1:16:45

1:16:56 Proceed and end with three frustrations. Again, they're going to say, no, no, no, no need, you know, but just to do them really, really fast. That's why you see attendants, they do them so fast. That's what that's from. It's like you try to sneak them in before they tell you not to do them. Use honorifics when you refer to him, even in his presence. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:56 Highlight the passage at 1:16:56

1:17:15 We don't have honorifics in English. So it ends up sounding very clunky. But if you've ever heard anyone, for example, when I talk to Geshe-la, when I talk to Rinpoche, I always, it's like a third person. Would we ever say like a cup of tea? You know, like that. They're used to that because they've heard it. Western teachers, that would be really weird, I think, if you were just saying, you know, this is Tensichoki. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:15 Highlight the passage at 1:17:15

1:17:36 But Tensichoki, like a cup of tea should be like, yeah, I guess so. But we don't have them, and that's what they're used to, and so it's kind of like we're trying to create them. It's another way of remembering this isn't my playmate, this isn't my buddy, this is somebody who's special. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:36 Highlight the passage at 1:17:36

1:17:58 But yeah, it gets a little bit clunky, and I hear loads of people don't do that. But that was, I remember years and years ago when I first entered the Dharma at Tenzin Chokyi, who happens to be an old friend of mine, before we ever met the Dharma or became nuns. And she said, you know, this is what we do with Lamas, is we speak to them in this kind of honorific sense, and this is what this comes from. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:58 Highlight the passage at 1:17:58

1:18:23 How are people doing? Do people want a break? Do you want to talk about a break? Do you want to do a few more? Report an error in the passage at 1:18:23 Highlight the passage at 1:18:23

1:18:32 Yeah, yeah, let's do a break. How about five minutes? Are you good with that? Report an error in the passage at 1:18:32 Highlight the passage at 1:18:32

1:18:47 So you're trying to find baby. It was funny. It was funny right before you emailed me. Lama mentioned that. She was probably trying to find babysitting. And like two seconds later, you emailed me back. And you were like, I've got to check about the babysitting. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:47 Highlight the passage at 1:18:47

1:19:12 That's fine. That's fine. I sort of have a better feel now for how many. But we still have about... Four or five that are maybes. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:12 Highlight the passage at 1:19:12

1:19:26 Confirmed? It's a small, six including me. So four for my class. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:26 Highlight the passage at 1:19:26

1:19:45 Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:45 Highlight the passage at 1:19:45

1:19:58 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:58 Highlight the passage at 1:19:58

1:20:09 Well, and the other thing is, you have been, you have been to Rinpoche's Hospital. Yeah, so it is, so at least you have been. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:09 Highlight the passage at 1:20:09

1:20:26 Yeah, so that's why I wanted to get a handle on it so that the... probably 8.1. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:26 Highlight the passage at 1:20:26

1:20:30 Some people, I've asked people who have cars to step forward, so we have a few. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:30 Highlight the passage at 1:20:30

1:20:41 Well, I think at this point we have, we have three cars that hold forward without almost even driving. So I think we're fine, we'll just use the smaller cars. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:41 Highlight the passage at 1:20:41

1:20:52 And two people are saying if they do, two or maybe, if they do go, they'll probably just drive separately. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:52 Highlight the passage at 1:20:52

1:21:03 So maybe, I guess we'll just sort of see where we are next weekend with you. If not, then that's fine. There'll probably be another opportunity. I'm going to teach the refuge class in the summer, later in the summer. I had already mentioned it to Lisa and Mary Ellen, too, actually, that if we go again, yeah, then some of the people who couldn't go this time, I can put it out to them. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:03 Highlight the passage at 1:21:03

1:21:50 Yeah, yeah, yeah. But don't stress. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:50 Highlight the passage at 1:21:50

1:22:08 Prostate, yeah. right. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:08 Highlight the passage at 1:22:08

1:22:23 like this. I will be private. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:23 Highlight the passage at 1:22:23

· · · silence, 2 minutes

1:24:42 class is complete without ringing the bell. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:42 Highlight the passage at 1:24:42

1:24:49 There's a few more of these left. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:49 Highlight the passage at 1:24:49

1:24:55 After doing whatever your guru has told you to do, report back what you've done politely. So how do you do that with really busy ones? I usually send an email. Through one of his attendants, you know. It's like Rinpoche told me to do this, this and this and this. I had this and this and this done. I did this and this. I, you know, I'm still doing this. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:55 Highlight the passage at 1:24:55

1:25:17 I stopped doing that. You know, just kind of like this is a report back, you know. Or if I have a chance to actually meet with them, I might, you know, bring my little daily practices and be like, you know, Rinpoche told me to do this and this and then I, you know, just kind of like that. You know, I just figure. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:17 Highlight the passage at 1:25:17

1:25:32 Let them know that you're at least trying. I'm still doing my 100,000 frustrations Rinpoche, something like that. But at least they know that you're acting on it and you haven't just completely tossed it into the trash. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:32 Highlight the passage at 1:25:32

1:25:49 If you wish to receive a certain teaching, request three times with your palms pressed together while kneeling before him or her on your right knee. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:49 Highlight the passage at 1:25:49

1:25:58 It just happened recently where a group of us was requesting Geshe-la to do a certain teaching. And again, we were trying to do our frustrations and he was the whole time, no, no, no, okay, stop, what? No, he does this one, what? Why? Report an error in the passage at 1:25:58 Highlight the passage at 1:25:58

1:26:17 Whenever Michelle and I would do that, we were going to ask him for something for the center, you know, we'd start frustrations, he'd look up, what? Why? Why? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:17 Highlight the passage at 1:26:17

1:26:27 We're going to request something. Wait, wait, wait. He's like, no, no, no. Okay, why? But from our side, we're trying to do it correctly. So even if they say no need, that's good to know. When you serve him, don't have an arrogant mind. And this is, I think, one of my favorite lines. Instead, be like a newlywed bride, timid, bashful, and very subdued. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:27 Highlight the passage at 1:26:27

1:26:56 Remember this is Indian bride. Remember this is, and you know, how long ago, 2000, actually unfortunately, there's probably quite a few that are still like that. But what it means, again, don't being all chatty, you know. So, you know, you can actually say things, it doesn't mean you don't speak to him or her, but don't assume that just because you happen to be bringing him or her tea. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:56 Highlight the passage at 1:26:56

1:27:23 That you can just be like, yo, how are things, you know? They may do that to you, which is often just to kind of calm you down because you're like shaking and nervous or something. Or like, you know, when we would have like Rinpoche at the center and we spent all that time like doing the offerings and then we would take turns with different people doing the offerings and part of it was just to have that opportunity to do the offerings. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:23 Highlight the passage at 1:27:23

1:27:51 But some of it was... He would always talk to you, you know. Lama Tsongkhapa, especially Lama Tsongkhapa Rinpoche, will always talk to you and always be like, you know, so do you come to session often or where are you from? Yeah, where are you from, you know. Even if he's asked you that 7,000 times, it's just so that you have something to answer so that you can kind of begin to calm down, you know. But sometimes he's like chatting about, you know, the neighborhood or, you know, whatever, too, if you happen to live or work at the center, too. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:51 Highlight the passage at 1:27:51

1:28:21 So he's just kind of making that small talk. But from our side, we shouldn't assume. But just because we're filling the water bowls, we can chit chat with him. But from his side, he can, of course, chit chat with us. It also says, in his presence, in his or her presence, don't act conceited or coquettish or flirty. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:21 Highlight the passage at 1:28:21

1:28:40 Don't boast of it with others. So I guess it's kind of like, don't be that goofy. Just don't be all silly and all that stuff. To try to be mindful. If you're serving him tea or bringing up his luggage or something like that, don't be all goofy and all that stuff. And don't boast of it. I got to take Rinpoche's luggage up or something like that. Just to try to remember, again, it's just service. You're just doing service. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:40 Highlight the passage at 1:28:40

1:29:08 So just to try to chill. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:08 Highlight the passage at 1:29:08

1:29:15 So then there's a series of ones. Once you become a teacher, and you still have your teacher. If you're requested, this Report an error in the passage at 1:29:15 Highlight the passage at 1:29:15

1:29:21 What's the proper behavior? If you have become a teacher with students and disciples, how are you in front of your teacher? You're actually not supposed to be a teacher as a teacher in front of your teacher. So, for example, and this is important for us to know for how Geshe-la or Lama Zopa are when they are in His Holiness' presence or Shantideva's presence. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:21 Highlight the passage at 1:29:21

1:29:46 We're not supposed to run up and offer them. We're not supposed to run up and go, oh, Rinpoche, you know, like that. They're just one of the, it's like him standing shoulder to shoulder as we watch Rinpoche go, the other Rinpoche go through security. We're students at that point together. I can't forget it, but from his side, he's just trying to be very, you know, low-key about it. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:46 Highlight the passage at 1:29:46

1:30:12 People always forget and we're not supposed to, we're really not supposed to. So, for example, if we're doing a long-life puja for Chodron Rinpoche, we're not really supposed to give offerings at that moment to Lama Zopa or to Geshe-la. We're not supposed to, and they don't want us to, but they're used to the fact that Westerners just don't know any better, and we do that kind of stuff. At first, I did notice that Rinpoche would be kind of wrathful. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:12 Highlight the passage at 1:30:12

1:30:41 You know, he'd kind of look away or whatever. But people still just come up anyway, and after a while now he's just kind of like, you know, he'll just sort of look away, but he just sort of smiles, you know. But at first it would be like, no, you're not really supposed to. A lot of people just don't know. In the presence of his guru, don't act like a guru to your own disciples. So for example, whenever we would have Chodron Rinpoche in residence, we would cancel all of Geshe-less classes. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:41 Highlight the passage at 1:30:41

1:31:10 Yesula did not want to be teaching while this guru was up above him. It just didn't make sense to him and so we would just cancel all of his classes when Rinpoche was in town. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:10 Highlight the passage at 1:31:10

1:31:22 We're also supposed to, if we get offerings for doing particular rituals like painting, there's this one that Rinpoche always does because of course he's quite an artist. Not many of us are going to get this job, but you never know. Painting the eyes on a statue is called opening the eyes. So you get like an offering and you should share it with your teacher. If I get offerings for teaching, then I share it with my teacher. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:22 Highlight the passage at 1:31:22

1:31:47 I kind of just do that. It's kind of that same idea. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:47 Highlight the passage at 1:31:47

1:31:54 If you do make an offering or receive something from your guru, we're supposed to kind of do it with both hands. Again, very respectfully. So if he's like handing you, you know, then he usually does it with two hands. So that sort of reminds you, because they're always mindful, right? And instead of kind of just like picking up the water bowl pitcher and like walking out, just to kind of take that moment, you know, to kind of take it respectfully, whatever it is. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:54 Highlight the passage at 1:31:54

1:32:24 Be diligent, mindful, you know, stuff like that. If you do notice, like I said, if you notice that somebody's... Transgressing what's considered proper behavior, correcting them in a friendly way, not in a mean way, not gasping loudly, not making them feel bad, don't be jealous of each other, don't compete with each other. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:24 Highlight the passage at 1:32:24

1:32:48 I got to spend 15 minutes with him and you only spend two. I mean it sounds silly but at some level there is that sort of competitive personality thing that comes out and the guru is in residence or in... Report an error in the passage at 1:32:48 Highlight the passage at 1:32:48

1:33:04 In the building and so that's sort of like, yeah, it isn't always a lovely thing. So just constantly like pull back from that and just be like learning to rejoice for each other too. You know, for example, I know, you know, if I know Mary Ellen wanted a chance to chat with them and she got a chance to chat with them, be happy. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:04 Highlight the passage at 1:33:04

1:33:23 Even if you never got the chance. I remember one time when I was at SBC and Rinpoche was there and doing like, it was right before he left and so everybody who had ever wanted to come was coming and there were like appointments after appointments after appointments. And I was just like, it's fine. I'm just like helping them get their appointments. I was just like... Report an error in the passage at 1:33:23 Highlight the passage at 1:33:23

1:33:43 You get off on it in a way. It's like, oh, she really wanted to meet with him. Oh, he got to, I mean, I'm just thinking about it. I'm getting a little chills. It was like, oh, they finally got, or he got to hear who's going to get ordained or, you know, whatever. Everybody's really excited. And then all of a sudden, Polly was like, he said, he can see you after everybody. I was like, oh, God, you know, because I just assumed there just wouldn't be any time, you know, so you just never know. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:43 Highlight the passage at 1:33:43

1:34:07 So best to just keep in mind, no competition, no jealousy, no comparison, just. We're all in this together kind of thing. Try to please your guru with all the actions of your body, speech and mind. Well, that's in general, obviously. We have to remind ourselves that they know what we're thinking. And we don't always believe that right now. But if they are who we checked up and all that stuff, then they do. And so we try to please them. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:07 Highlight the passage at 1:34:07

1:34:41 Doesn't mean we aren't going to screw up, right? But how do we handle the screw up? That's the best we can do at our level. We get back on the horse and we purify whatever negativity we've done and just do our best. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:41 Highlight the passage at 1:34:41

1:34:59 After taking refuge, the very last one, after taking refuge and developing some form of bodhicitta, a disciple should take this text to heart and learn how to relate to his or her guru. By studying this and all the trainings of guru devotion, you'll become a suitable vessel for pure Dharma, including tantra. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:59 Highlight the passage at 1:34:59

1:35:25 I'm never sure if this is a great text to teach at this level, but it's actually supposed to be part of the class plan, so I just figured this was the best way for me to teach it, is to just kind of pull out some of the main points, because otherwise you're just kind of like, you know, and you just, it would take classes and classes, you know, this is a really condensed way, and that still took quite a long time. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:25 Highlight the passage at 1:35:25

1:35:49 Any questions? Report an error in the passage at 1:35:49 Highlight the passage at 1:35:49

1:35:55 Any answerable questions on any of them? Yeah, there we go. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:55 Highlight the passage at 1:35:55

1:36:09 think you have to hold it. Hold it a little bit. In terms of the prostrations in front of your guru and him being humble and saying, oh no, don't. But you continue doing it. For lack of a better word, is that like disobeying? No, because your intention is to be really respectful. So I guess it depends on what your intention is. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:09 Highlight the passage at 1:36:09

1:36:41 But if your intention is to be really respectful, even if they don't want you to be respectful, it's still better to err on the side of being respectful. That's my feeling. So yeah, I don't think that's going against their advice. They're just trying to be humble. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:41 Highlight the passage at 1:36:41

1:37:01 And that happens actually sometimes with like Venerable Renee or Venerable Sarah or Venerable Rubina where they'll come in and they'll be like, sit down, sit down. Well, that's Rubina. Sit down if it's Renee. But there are just, you know, there are a lot of people that have just walked off the street. So if they were to go, you know, and just like let us all prostrate, some of those people that are just off the street are going to be like, what is this? Report an error in the passage at 1:37:01 Highlight the passage at 1:37:01

1:37:26 I don't know. So they're like, sit down because, you know, There's a lot of people in the room who are going to be weirded out and won't know the background of a prostration. For those of us who know what a prostration is, I'm not going to miss the chance to prostrate to Renee or to Rubina or to Tensichoki or to some of the Westerns. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:26 Highlight the passage at 1:37:26

1:37:44 So they'll do it too. And part of it is humility, but part of it is this knowledge that there's a lot of people in the room who don't know what the heck's going on. And it's not going to bother if 13 people in the room are new and... The three of us still prostrate even though he or she said they won't care. In the red outfits, it's okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:44 Highlight the passage at 1:37:44

1:38:18 I'm kind of confused between the terms guru and Lama because you had said in an earlier class that your guru could be any number of people on those various levels of teachers or something. yeah, but good question. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:18 Highlight the passage at 1:38:18

1:38:35 But a Lama is a specific attainment, isn't it? No, Lama is the Tibetan and Guru is the Sanskrit. So they're the same. Yeah, they're the same. But they are both an advanced level. So you might have a teacher that you were attending classes with, but they hadn't become your Guru or your Lama yet. For example, if you come on Sundays to Gesho's classes, you might just see him as a teacher. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:35 Highlight the passage at 1:38:35

1:39:03 the center. Gesche is an earned title, where they have attained this 20 year program or something like that. They say it's like a doctorate, but I don't think we have any doctors that are 25 years. The last time I checked, and you might take several, but a very advanced doctorate. So that's like something that's earned. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:03 Highlight the passage at 1:39:03

1:39:27 then Rinpoche Which you didn't ask about but I'll just toss it in here. Rinpoche is a Tibetan term that basically means precious one and it usually is talking about a tulku or a reincarnated Lama. So they've attained a certain level in their last life and then they pass away and then they're recognized. Like the Dalai Lama is like one of the biggest or sort of better known examples of that where they have like a whole system in Tibet where they... Report an error in the passage at 1:39:27 Highlight the passage at 1:39:27

1:39:59 Try to test these kids and figure out if they really are the reincarnation of so and so. And often they are recognized by Lama. Often they are not recognized, especially as Tibet began to break down and had to leave. And if they were women, often were not recognized, you know, just because of sexism in the culture, you know, ancient Asian culture. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:59 Highlight the passage at 1:39:59

1:40:23 But, you know, so they didn't get recognized. So they may not be recognized as a tulku or as a Rinpoche, but that doesn't mean that they aren't somebody incredible. We have somebody now who's very connected with Rinpoche, Kadrola, who has an incredible presence, and I have heard some of her teachings. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:23 Highlight the passage at 1:40:23

1:40:44 She hasn't taught that much in America yet, but she's taught a lot at the monastery in France. She's actually a fairly youngish woman, a woman. I think she's only in her 30s. She came out of Tibet just a few years ago and immediately came to His Holiness to offer service and has been recognized as an oracle. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:44 Highlight the passage at 1:40:44

1:41:08 And they checked up very, very deeply to make sure, you know, profoundly just to make sure that she really had these abilities and they sort of, you know, and like Rinpoche and His Holiness. No problem, because they don't have a sexist bone in their body. But some of the other llamas are kind of like, who's this? But she has this completely pure presence that she just eventually sort of began to win them over. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:08 Highlight the passage at 1:41:08

1:41:37 So His Holiness sort of assigned monks to be her attendants and all that stuff. So that's another situation where, and she's just recently come out of Tibet, but she... I think people around her sort of knew something was different, but she was never formally recognized, you know, just because of the system. Well, now she sort of has been, but she was in her late 20s at that time. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:37 Highlight the passage at 1:41:37

1:42:03 But yeah, so that's a tulku and a Rinpoche are sort of similar. Rinpoche is like the honorific that we would call them, and a tulku is kind of the way they're referred to in monasteries. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:03 Highlight the passage at 1:42:03

1:42:15 They take less time for the Geshe program, for example. They have like a lot more, a lot more. More intensive training once he recognizes it. Because you sort of consider that you already know it and they just have to kind of reawaken it. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:15 Highlight the passage at 1:42:15

1:42:32 Any other questions on any of the 50 verses? Report an error in the passage at 1:42:32 Highlight the passage at 1:42:32

1:42:43 We've got a little bit of time so I'm going to go ahead and attempt to cover in the final 20 minutes of the class. Practicing Guru Devotion with the Nine Attitudes. This one actually came from the Buddha. It's from a sūtra called the Array of Stalks Sūtra. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:43 Highlight the passage at 1:42:43

1:43:03 The Array of Stalks Sūtra. I don't know what it refers to, but who knows. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:03 Highlight the passage at 1:43:03

1:43:13 But again, it's just about training your mind once you have recognized a guru, once you've entered into this relationship. Because, you know, like I said in one of the classes, a lot of these teachings on guru devotion, it's sort of like the first half is figuring out, like, how you prepare your own mind, how you find a teacher, what you're looking for, the qualities of life. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:13 Highlight the passage at 1:43:13

1:43:35 Then the second half, which is really the rest of your life, is once you've entered into that relationship. How to train your mind. So these are part of that second half. Once you've entered into that relationship, how do you train your mind? Report an error in the passage at 1:43:35 Highlight the passage at 1:43:35

1:43:52 Be like an obedient child. Act exactly in accordance with the Guru's wishes. Some of these are, we used to, when we would do the Guru Pooja every morning at the center, we would read this one sometimes. This is actually a favorite. It's difficult. A lot of these are really, really intense. This is a really intense one. Submit yourself to the Lama. But again, when the Buddha was teaching this, he wasn't teaching it to people who would come in off the bus to the first class that was offered. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:52 Highlight the passage at 1:43:52

1:44:29 He was teaching it to people who were already in it. They knew they had already given up. Most of them were monastics, right? They had already given up their... you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:29 Highlight the passage at 1:44:29

1:44:38 Their lay life, you know, so he wasn't teaching this to people who were sort of doing it half-heartedly or part-time. He was doing this to people who wanted to get enlightened. So he was teaching from that perspective. For us, we start where we are. You know, we start where we are. It takes time. Just remembering slowly, slowly. That one comes in handy all the time. Slowly, slowly. Number two, even when maras and evil friends and the like try to split you from your guru. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:38 Highlight the passage at 1:44:38

1:45:08 Be like a Vajra, inseparable forever. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:08 Highlight the passage at 1:45:08

1:45:18 Let nobody come between you. No relatives, no friends. It's hard, right? Because we have our feet in both camps. We have family and friends who might not understand this whole system and so forth. But at some point, you might have to make this decision. At some point, it may never come up for you. It totally depends on the person. I've never really had any problems with my family. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:18 Highlight the passage at 1:45:18

1:45:44 I've heard of people, for example, in relationships where one person's not, that's hard, one person's not Buddhist, or they're Vipassanā or something, something just completely different, and then the other person's like, Tabaten, you know, so they're going for it. And that can be really hard. I think that can be hard. And so you just kind of have to weigh it out and choose your battles, I guess. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:44 Highlight the passage at 1:45:44

1:46:11 But this one is actually really speaking too about, for example, if people are the favor of the world sort of turns against your guru. If that really is your guru, Report an error in the passage at 1:46:11 Highlight the passage at 1:46:11

1:46:30 staying with them, being like a vajra. What does a vajra mean? You see the sign of a vajra. You see often like with doji sempa, vajrasattva. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:30 Highlight the passage at 1:46:30

1:46:41 He's holding a Vajra. Vajra actually represents this sort of steadiness or solid like a rock, kind of like that. And that's what we're trying to attain, being like a Vajra. It's kind of like being really, really inseparable from the Guru. Inseparable forever. And what are Maras? What are they talking about with Maras? Maras could be... Report an error in the passage at 1:46:41 Highlight the passage at 1:46:41

1:47:09 Negative influences from outside, but it can also be our own wimpiness, our own self-pity mind, our own doubts, things like that can also be maras. And those kind of minds can keep us from practicing really strongly, too. She said, speaking from experience, so be like a patra. The third one, whenever the guru gives you work, be like the earth, bear it all. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:09 Highlight the passage at 1:47:09

1:47:41 Trying to willingly accept whatever task the Lama gives you. Sometimes they're just trying to test you and see whether you're actually going to say, I have so much to do, I can't do this, or I have to work for the next five weeks, I can't do this, or I'm about to go insane, I can't do this. So it might be a test. Are you going to actually have a boundary? Or they might be just trying to push you. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:41 Highlight the passage at 1:47:41

1:48:11 Past where your boundary is. And you don't know until you're in that position. And so it's just kind of like you have to kind of decide. It's like a pop quiz. Can you stay up all night and make those 4,000 little balls? We had this one woman who became a nun and is still a nun. But she used to just do this really beautifully at the center. Tiziana, her name was, Joma now. Where she would just... Report an error in the passage at 1:48:11 Highlight the passage at 1:48:11

1:48:41 Always, no matter what was asked, she would always do it with this happy mind. It was such a pleasure, because then it kind of influenced you. You'd be like, oh, okay. You'd get kind of inspired. You'd be like, well, she's happy. Okay, I can do it. And she's still like that. I mean, I think it's just she had the good fortune to sort of be born that way. But it's such an inspiration to work with somebody like that, because it reminds you of that enthusiasm and joy. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:41 Highlight the passage at 1:48:41

1:49:11 The fourth one, when devoting yourself to the Guru, whatever suffering or trouble occurs, be like a mountain, immovable. Learning to endure for a larger goal. Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it's hard. It's not always easy. If anybody's read the story of Melarepa and Marpa, he was unshakable. He never was angry at Marpa. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:11 Highlight the passage at 1:49:11

1:49:39 He didn't understand sometimes. He wanted to get into those teachings and he got kicked out on his ear a couple of times. And he would burst into tears. That's not to say he wasn't discouraged, but his faith and his trust in the Guru was unshakable like a mountain. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:39 Highlight the passage at 1:49:39

1:50:02 So we can't become that instantly, but we can stop the constant whining and complaining. That's the mind we can work with now. So maybe we aren't Milarepa, maybe we're not ready to rebuild, take down stone by stone the tower and build it back up again when Marva changes his mind about the location or take it down again and then again and then again and again without our faith shaking in any way. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:02 Highlight the passage at 1:50:02

1:50:28 But we can start with not complaining about making little balls all night or whatever, whatever the task is. Even if you're given all the difficult tasks, be like the servant of a king, performing them with an undisturbed mind. You can see this actually in the attendance. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:28 Highlight the passage at 1:50:28

1:50:52 After the empowerment that goes on until 3 a.m. is over, their job kicks in. That's when the 33 people will have appointments and they just kind of, the ones who last. attendance, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:52 Highlight the passage at 1:50:52

1:51:07 Just have this really undisturbed mind. It's just sort of like, this is what's happening and we're going to go through it as methodically as we need to and so forth. It's a certain type of mind that you just have to develop. And so the servant of the king, I would assume, is like that too. You know, the king has lots of visitors, the jobs are endless, and you just kind of like, there you go. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:07 Highlight the passage at 1:51:07

1:51:29 Again, not comparing, not being jealous of each other, not... You know, not wondering why he got in and I didn't, or whatever, you know, like that, that sort of mind. As Vena Rubina says, none of that is your business. Your business is working on your mind. I'm just always like, well, that's none of your business. And we don't know. We don't know. Like I said, you know, that person may have cancer, so that's why they got in. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:29 Highlight the passage at 1:51:29

1:51:55 That person, you know, maybe has been serving Lama's for lifetimes, you know, so they're just like, their karma just, you know. kicked in you know so it's just like it's better to just in your own mind The sixth one is Abandon Pride. Be like a sweeper. Hold yourself lower than the groove. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:55 Highlight the passage at 1:51:55

1:52:22 This one's really big. This one's really big. And it's hard. I remember actually when I stepped down from being the director of the center and I was, I no longer, you know, I went from knowing everything to knowing nothing. And like how to just work on your mind so that you can just serve, keep serving. Because the whole idea is keeping the center going and keeping the Dharma out there flowing, keeping the Dharma flowing. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:22 Highlight the passage at 1:52:22

1:52:51 So it's like that. Sometimes they try to build up your confidence. Sometimes they just chop it down, that ego. And they may do it in the same moment, the same day, in the same year. And that's what they're there for, is to help us get enlightened. And to get enlightened, we don't need pride. We need confidence. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:51 Highlight the passage at 1:52:51

1:53:16 And number seven, no matter how difficult or heavy the burden, be like a rope. Hold the guru's work with joy. Delight in the service. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:16 Highlight the passage at 1:53:16

1:53:28 It's actually an incredible thing to be able to serve a guru, to be able to serve the Dharma in any way, to work within the mandala and to remember that sometimes while it's hard. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:28 Highlight the passage at 1:53:28

1:53:44 Number eight, even when the guru criticizes, provokes or ignores you, be like a dog. Never respond with anger. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:44 Highlight the passage at 1:53:44

1:53:57 Rubina used to say this was her favorite one because she does get angry. But also, you know, like that dog, we can't be seeking pets. Sometimes they're like this. Sometimes they literally are like this. Good, good, good, good, good. But you can't want it. The minute you want it. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:57 Highlight the passage at 1:53:57

1:54:19 That look. agree. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:19 Highlight the passage at 1:54:19

1:54:16 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:16 Highlight the passage at 1:54:16

1:54:22 And it often happens, I see it, if you watch it too with other people, and Rinpoche I think is sort of the king of this one, but I've seen others do it. But, you know, you work really hard and so you think you're going to get the petting. And then that look will come up. And it's to, again, chop the ego. You know, chop the ego. If you actually knew what everybody else in the room had done, you wouldn't be thinking you were so special, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:22 Highlight the passage at 1:54:22

1:54:49 Sometimes you hear their stories later. You know? Report an error in the passage at 1:54:49 Highlight the passage at 1:54:49

1:54:55 People like Peter Kedge, who's been trying to get the Maitreya Project built against all odds for decades. You're just like, wow. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:55 Highlight the passage at 1:54:55

1:55:09 They do that thing, like I mentioned, with that one friend of mine who, she just got so used to it. Every time that she was in his presence, he'd always manifest not knowing her name. He'd be like, so-and-so, and she'd be like, Amy. Amy Rinpoche, Amy Rinpoche. And then all of a sudden he named her director. You know what I mean? It was just out of the blue and she'd be like, I didn't even know who he knew me. She was so used to stepping forward and going, Amy Rinpoche, Amy Rinpoche. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:09 Highlight the passage at 1:55:09

1:55:37 And then suddenly of course he knew who she was, but it was just a chop. And then the ninth one, be like a boat. Never be upset or complain to come and go for the guru at any time. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:37 Highlight the passage at 1:55:37

1:55:53 Even if it upsets or interrupts your retreat. I've seen Rinpoche do that before. Somebody's trying to finish their session. Could you get my text? Could you go get my text? Report an error in the passage at 1:55:53 Highlight the passage at 1:55:53

1:56:06 Let me just finish this, Rinpoche. Maybe go get my text. And I'm thinking, oh no, this is the ninth one. She's not doing it. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:06 Highlight the passage at 1:56:06

1:56:20 Yeah, even if it upsets whatever you had in mind to do, just doing it without complaint, without whining. Never forgetting that they are trying to take you beyond your wildest dreams to this state that you can then benefit all living beings. I mean, it's just beyond our wildest imagination. So get up and go get the text, you know. Do whatever it is. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:20 Highlight the passage at 1:56:20

1:56:48 So those are the nine. Did anybody miss one that they needed repeated? Report an error in the passage at 1:56:48 Highlight the passage at 1:56:48

1:56:57 Even if you're given all the difficult tasks, be like the servant of a king, performing them with an undisturbed mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:57 Highlight the passage at 1:56:57

1:57:13 Anybody else? Report an error in the passage at 1:57:13 Highlight the passage at 1:57:13

1:57:20 Some quick announcements before we dedicate. So as I said, that next week is our last full class, and then on the 25th we'll have like sort of a partial class and then we'll watch Mystic Tibet, which is a film really about a pilgrimage that Lama Zopa Rinpoche led in I think 2002 to Tibet, but it has a lot about Guri devotion. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:20 Highlight the passage at 1:57:20

1:57:49 You see people trying to figure out what's going on with the Holy Being. And then the final class, which is the second, is a film called Words of My Perfect Teacher about Tsongkhapa Rinpoche, who is also a filmmaker himself who did The Cup, Report an error in the passage at 1:57:49 Highlight the passage at 1:57:49

1:58:12 which name I forgot, but he's sort of like a modern guru. And again, you see the students trying to figure out. What's up? And that was kind of interesting because, so Words of My Perfect Teacher was actually created by one of his students. And so there's like three students that are going through this, and it's real, I mean it's just a documentary. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:12 Highlight the passage at 1:58:12

1:58:35 And it's quite interesting to watch that relationship in the modern world. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:35 Highlight the passage at 1:58:35

1:58:49 That's the next few classes. And then... how guru manifest. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:49 Highlight the passage at 1:58:49

1:58:52 I think I am starting to get an idea on the number of people that are going on the field trip on the 20th. We've still got about four people who are maybes. So if I could get those people who are maybes to give me an answer like maybe by next week, and I can go ahead and tell Venerable Holly where we are. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:52 Highlight the passage at 1:58:52

1:59:17 I'll just be like a range of people. about where I think us to be and then if people could give me an answer by next week, that would be great. And then I'll give them the final count. And then also I just want to mention again, there's a couple of things happening at Vajrapani. I keep mentioning them just in case maybe the seed will go in and someone will be like, oh, I can do it that weekend now. Mindfulness and Reality with Venable Tenzing Chokyi on meditation and that's May 17th through 19th. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:17 Highlight the passage at 1:59:17

1:59:47 There's a longer retreat. Teaching retreat, the weekend of Memorial Day weekend, actually, the 23rd through the 27th with Tenzin Chokyi, Emily Xu and John Landau on emptiness, karma and emptiness, which promises to be great. I think it'll be really good. It's kind of what they do is they take turns teaching different parts and then they sit in on each other's teachings and they've all just been teaching forever. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:47 Highlight the passage at 1:59:47

2:00:15 They're all incredibly capable of teaching, but they teach completely differently. Like, I mean, you couldn't choose any three more different teachers. And they have this really kind of sweet inner relationship, so that's fun. And then Tesuchoki's going to teach again in the fall on bodhicitta, big love. They're having a big love day, which is a different thing. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:15 Highlight the passage at 2:00:15

2:00:37 That's more of an event. But this retreat is called Big Love, Experiencing the Mind of Bodhicitta. And that's where she'll get into what bodhicitta is and how it is. And that's in October 11th through the 14th. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:37 Highlight the passage at 2:00:37

2:00:54 And the next Discovering Buddhism class will be Saṃsāra Nirvāṇa and Venerable Palmo is going to teach it. It's going to be our first Discovering Buddhism class. We don't have a date yet, but it'll be sometime mid to late May. So we will announce that in the next class. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:54 Highlight the passage at 2:00:54

2:01:19 Not to mention to learn about Saṃsāra Nirvāṇa and how you create them. All right, so let's just take a moment to dedicate all the merit of this class. Even just hearing this text is so rare in the West. It's so, so rare. A lot of people just spent the evening watching TV or going out with friends or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:19 Highlight the passage at 2:01:19

2:01:50 And you were given... You know, some incredibly profound teachings on guru devotion that are so rare. And so may whatever insights or understandings or seeds are planted, may they help you find and recognize your own teachers and serve them and follow them to enlightenment so that you too can also benefit from all of it. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:50 Highlight the passage at 2:01:50

2:02:39 Yeah, and if we could pick up. Tables and cushions and so forth, that would be great. Oh, there's a garage sale on Saturday, right? It's this Saturday, right? What time does it start? Report an error in the passage at 2:02:39 Highlight the passage at 2:02:39

2:02:53 Okay, 9 o 'clock here. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:53 Highlight the passage at 2:02:53

2:03:13 I just realized which t-shirt you have on again, Marcella. I love your t-shirt of the evening. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:13 Highlight the passage at 2:03:13

2:03:33 Oh, yeah, they changed it, I think, because of all the stuff for the sale. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:33 Highlight the passage at 2:03:33

2:03:40 But you could put it on the one next to it, too. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:40 Highlight the passage at 2:03:40

· · · silence, 2 minutes

2:05:44 Carol just said, make an offering. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:44 Highlight the passage at 2:05:44

2:05:52 know, it does look heavy. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:52 Highlight the passage at 2:05:52

2:06:01 anybody offers, I'm always like to do it. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:01 Highlight the passage at 2:06:01

2:06:09 yeah, and if you are interested in Report an error in the passage at 2:06:09 Highlight the passage at 2:06:09

2:06:24 this is just the Buddha. Scrub. Yeah, yeah. Oh my god, oh my god, quick. Grab those kids on the street. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:24 Highlight the passage at 2:06:24

· · · silence, 1 minute

2:07:30 thought you were going to get through? Report an error in the passage at 2:07:30 Highlight the passage at 2:07:30

2:07:45 everyone in the description. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:45 Highlight the passage at 2:07:45

2:08:01 Well, I think that's Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:01 Highlight the passage at 2:08:01