Discovering Buddhism: The Spiritual Teacher (25 April 2013)

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2:17 All right, well I wanted to start on time because we have a lot to do with the film. So I'm going to start just like normally, like meditation, a little motivation, allowing a few more people to park and come in. And then I'm just going to talk a little bit about seeing, about how we see the guru from the tantric perspective. And then we're going to watch the film. Report an error in the passage at 2:17 Highlight the passage at 2:17

2:44 But it's movie time. Oh, Report an error in the passage at 2:44 Highlight the passage at 2:44

2:54 good. No meditation is complete without... Which symphony is this? I know it sounds jaunty, but I think it's actually like a symphony, isn't it? But I can't think of which. You'll yell it out in the middle of it. Report an error in the passage at 2:54 Highlight the passage at 2:54

3:20 Relax your shoulders, stretch your neck if you need to, or you can take some nice deep belly breaths. Report an error in the passage at 3:20 Highlight the passage at 3:20

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4:51 whatever or ideas or... Report an error in the passage at 4:51 Highlight the passage at 4:51

5:03 teaching part or people's Thank you. you're able to take those as seeds and make seeds. carry them in your mind ripen you find that you them. Report an error in the passage at 5:03 Highlight the passage at 5:03

5:22 working with your own spiritual teacher, whenever that might be, whomever that might be. Report an error in the passage at 5:22 Highlight the passage at 5:22

5:31 that when you come to town, you're not alone. Report an error in the passage at 5:31 Highlight the passage at 5:31

5:35 can reach full enlightenment, perfect your mind completely, and have a capacity to help just those people you love. Not just those people we're close to, but every living being. No exceptions. So Report an error in the passage at 5:35 Highlight the passage at 5:35

6:06 you flip and you can end the meditation and we'll start with the opening prayers. Report an error in the passage at 6:06 Highlight the passage at 6:06

6:22 So go to page 7. Again, we'll do refuge and bodhicitta on the bottom of the left-hand column. We'll do it once in English and then twice in Tibetan. And then we'll just do it there on the bottom. I go for refuge until I am enlightened. To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly, by the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 6:22 Highlight the passage at 6:22

6:58 Chodan Sokichanamla Jangshivardu Dainikapsuchi Dagichanyandi Pesonamhi Chola Penshir Samyedu Parshot Samye Chodan Sokichanamla With the wish to free all beings. Report an error in the passage at 6:58 Highlight the passage at 6:58

7:39 the wish to free all beings. I shall always go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha until I reach full enlightenment. Inspired by wisdom and compassion, today in the Buddha's presence, I generate the mind of full awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings. As long as space remains, as long as beings remain, until then may I too remain and dispel the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 7:39 Highlight the passage at 7:39

8:26 So, like I said, tonight we're going to talk a little bit about sort of an advanced topic, but it still felt like it was a nice way to end the teachings of it. It may be more advanced than most of us in the room can do, even those of us that have been attempting to practice tantra for a decade. But, you know, fake it till you make it. Report an error in the passage at 8:26 Highlight the passage at 8:26

8:49 That's the whole story of tantra, actually. We'll get into that in a minute. so So I wanted to talk, actually a number of the, a lot of the perspective I think of the whole Tibetan Buddhist lineage or whatever you can call the lineage, Tibetan Buddhist tradition, all the schools that came out of Tibet come from the tantric, you know, point of view actually. Report an error in the passage at 8:49 Highlight the passage at 8:49

9:17 So this is slightly, come on in. We didn't do a long enough motivation for you to come in during it. so. So this is not going to be much different than that. It just builds on it and it gives you a little bit, a couple of lists to go with it. Report an error in the passage at 9:17 Highlight the passage at 9:17

9:38 Yeah, so anyway, we'll just soldier on. So in the, there are three, I mean, there's really two main, if you look at Buddhism, there's two, you can sort of divide it into two over the last 2,500 years, or as Geshe would say. 2,648 years since the Buddha lived or passed away, manifested, passed away. They have different names. You can think about it in different ways. Usually it's called Hanayana and Mahāyāna. There are sort of problems with that labeling. Report an error in the passage at 9:38 Highlight the passage at 9:38

10:21 So I play with different ways to say it. Basically, it's like the individual path or the path of Nirvāṇa, you could say, would be what's sometimes called the Hinayana tradition. Only in the Mahāyāna is it called that. The Hinayanas don't like it. They would rather be called the Theravadins. And Geshe-la says, well, that's only one of them. But I think that's the one that survived and came. Report an error in the passage at 10:21 Highlight the passage at 10:21

10:47 west, and I think those are the ones who are not so happy with the term Hinayana. Hinayana means small vehicle, one could imagine would be slightly irritating if that was your vehicle. The other is what's called Mahāyāna, which is called great vehicle. But again, if we maybe use a little bit less loaded terminology, we might say the Bodhisattva path. Report an error in the passage at 10:47 Highlight the passage at 10:47

11:13 You might also say the universal vehicle. Sometimes people call it universal vehicle. I like the bodhisattva path. I like saying kind of the result. I mean that's like sort of the goal is to become a bodhisattva and to get fully enlightenment. Becoming a bodhisattva means that you have generated bodhicitta. If you've generated bodhicitta, again for those of you who might remember the definition, that just means having this strong motivation at all times to become a Buddha so that you can benefit others. Report an error in the passage at 11:13 Highlight the passage at 11:13

11:43 So you can't be a bodhisattva and not at some point become a Buddha. So they're connected. The same on the individual path, if your goal is nirvāṇa, which is by definition, again, it's really good for us to remember definitions, it's eliminating all of the negative states of mind. Report an error in the passage at 11:43 Highlight the passage at 11:43

12:09 I should say all the gross manifestations of negative states of mind. So it's actually this amazing accomplishment. You become an arhat. Report an error in the passage at 12:09 Highlight the passage at 12:09

12:20 And on the bodhisattva path, that's part of our path too. And then we go a little farther. I say we, even though, of course, I haven't generated bodhicitta, so I haven't actually gotten on to the Mahāyāna path. But it's still my school. Report an error in the passage at 12:20 Highlight the passage at 12:20

12:41 So we shoot for nirvāṇa and we keep on going kind of like that. It's part of the accomplishments of becoming a fully enlightened being is actually attaining nirvāṇa in a sense. Report an error in the passage at 12:41 Highlight the passage at 12:41

12:58 A lot of times people say three and then they say tantrayana or vajrayana. Vajrayana is actually one of the Mahāyāna. school Report an error in the passage at 12:58 Highlight the passage at 12:58

13:06 schools. So it's not separate from the Bodhisattva path. It's often considered separately just because the methods are so different, but it's still part of the So when we think about the ways that the teacher is seen in these different vehicles, in the Hinayana the teacher is actually seen as sort of the emissary or representative of the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 13:06 Highlight the passage at 13:06

13:37 And so you develop your respect for them based on that, based on them representing the Buddha or even embodying the Buddha, you know, like the way that they act and speak and their qualities and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 13:37 Highlight the passage at 13:37

13:55 In the Mahāyāna or in the Bodhisattva path, the teacher is considered to be the expression of the Dharmakaya or what's called one of the bodies of the Buddha, the wisdom body of the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 13:55 Highlight the passage at 13:55

14:11 So it's allowing this enlightened energy to be expressed in this form that we can interact with. But it's close, but it's not quite having to see them as a Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 14:11 Highlight the passage at 14:11

14:24 We're seeing that they're sort of the conduit for that energy, but we're not seeing them as the Buddha himself. Him or herself, I should say. Report an error in the passage at 14:24 Highlight the passage at 14:24

14:39 In Vajrayana or Tantrayana you see your guru as the Buddha, period. No ifs, ands or buts. The only ifs, ands or buts I think would be lower Tantra. It's not always entirely spelled out. There are different levels of Tantra and we actually get into some detail of that in the Discovering Buddhism class on Tantra. Report an error in the passage at 14:39 Highlight the passage at 14:39

15:04 But for your purposes now it's just important to know that... that there are lower tantras, and there are higher tantras, and then the higher tantras. Report an error in the passage at 15:04 Highlight the passage at 15:04

15:13 obvious reasons, you sort of start with lower and then you, it's like elementary school, then intermediate school, and then high school and highest yoga tantra is probably college or grad school although in As soon as you make this connection with Lama, during an empowerment highest yoga tantra empowerment you highest yoga tantra They are talking about bodhicitta before you take the empowerment because they want to make sure your motivation is only bodhicitta or as close as you can summon at an ordinary level. Report an error in the passage at 15:13 Highlight the passage at 15:13

16:07 it only for the benefit of others, not because you think it's really cool or you want to have six arms or you want to learn how to fly. Report an error in the passage at 16:07 Highlight the passage at 16:07

16:19 But they're also giving you, if you haven't already had them before, if you haven't had refuge before, which of course you should never ever do, but of course happens all the time in the West, so then they sort of throw that in too, just in case. Report an error in the passage at 16:19 Highlight the passage at 16:19

16:38 bodhisattva vows they'll give you bodhisattva vows everyone takes bodhisattva if you have taken them you get to retake them which is kind of nice and then they give you tantric vows so on all those levels they become your vow master they also introduce you to the deity they have some sort of relationship with the deity they They introduce you to the mandala and so forth and they bring you into the mandala and introduce you all around. So once that happens then part of our agreement, the contract is from that moment on we have to see them as a Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 16:38 Highlight the passage at 16:38

17:22 So my word to the wise is don't take this step any sooner than you have to or than you want to or that you feel. Really deep in your heart, it's the right step for my practice right now. And even then, it might be good to ask somebody. Preferably the teacher, if you can. Report an error in the passage at 17:22 Highlight the passage at 17:22

17:45 It's not always possible in the West, but I would say if it's not possible, it might be better to wait. Unless there's some extenuating circumstances that I don't know. I think a lot of times people do leave way, way, way too early. Report an error in the passage at 17:45 Highlight the passage at 17:45

18:06 And this isn't just some sort of Tibetan trip. It's actually listed in the scriptures that came from India that it is required. It is a requirement when you enter Tantra. Of course, remember, Tantra was grad school, right? People didn't even get into Tantra really to practice it. You know, I mean like the lower Tantras might be a picnic and the kids and food and stuff like that and kind of a crazy celebration with everybody coming. Report an error in the passage at 18:06 Highlight the passage at 18:06

18:36 But really the real empowerments were just done with very, very high level individuals. And in the old, old days they were very tiny. Like you'd just be like a few. I think the Sakyar tradition still is some really small amount like 20. Report an error in the passage at 18:36 Highlight the passage at 18:36

18:55 ago and actually they sent an email out about it too which I thought was funny they were like list is 20 once we get 20 nobody else can come so I'm thinking it's almost like you should have just done a phone tree you know what I mean like why do email but I was really impressed too I mean I thought that's great you know because I think most of the other traditions have gone way past that for other reasons I think our gurus and I'm going off way on a tangent here but It's I think our gurus see benefit to planting the seeds, even if we don't know what's going on, which is why I think His Holiness does these Kala Chakras too. Report an error in the passage at 18:55 Highlight the passage at 18:55

19:29 I mean, there's so much blessing to them that we can't understand. So even though he knows that, you know, that one old geshe in the front row is the only one that's really going to practice it, there's going to be like this profound benefit to our minds that we can't even understand. And they say that they bless the place as well. And that's true for all impairments. Report an error in the passage at 19:29 Highlight the passage at 19:29

19:51 So we don't know why they do it. We just know why we're there if we're there and whether we're ready if we're ready. So I'm telling you all this stuff so that you have some... some notes to go pull out. Report an error in the passage at 19:51 Highlight the passage at 19:51

20:09 comes, and it's going to happen on Saturday, you want to pull them out Thursday and Friday and contemplate and do some prayers and decide if you want to show up, or if you're going to go to the movies, you know, and it's totally, totally fine, whatever way you decide to do it, but I want you to think, you know, think about what it's going to mean for the rest of your life, as much as you can, who knows, you know, right, we don't know what we're going to be doing in years, 20 years, but make sure that you have some basic underlying refuge refuge. and bodhicitta before you take that step once you do it's like a whole other level of practice and that's great Report an error in the passage at 20:09 Highlight the passage at 20:09

20:50 take that step until you feel in some small part of your heart, at least. But remember, in the tantric path, and I say remember, and most of you may not know this, but in the tantric path, Report an error in the passage at 20:50 Highlight the passage at 20:50

21:06 We are trying to perceive, remember how I was talking about ordinary view and eliminating ordinary view is actually the main thing that happens in tantric practice. We're trying to see our whole environment as not ordinary, as pure, as celestial. Ourselves, which is almost bigger than anything else, right? Report an error in the passage at 21:06 Highlight the passage at 21:06

21:29 I mean some of us just get stuck there. Ourselves as the deity. Report an error in the passage at 21:29 Highlight the passage at 21:29

21:49 in with the whole practice. It's not like you're only seeing him or her as a date and everybody else is trash, right? At least we're not supposed to be. Report an error in the passage at 21:49 Highlight the passage at 21:49

21:58 I mean, really, to some degree, all levels of Buddhism were supposed to be holding at least profound respect, at least trying to see each other's Buddha nature, even when they're pissing you off. Report an error in the passage at 21:58 Highlight the passage at 21:58

22:11 Or doing heinous things, to remember that about, you know, the bombers and things like that, that they have Buddha nature too and their mind can shift too and they can get enlightened too and our enlightenment is to protect them too. Like that, you know. As well as that lady that you don't like at work. I usually, if anybody's ticking me off, then I make sure to include them in my dedications that night. Report an error in the passage at 22:11 Highlight the passage at 22:11

22:36 And smile sweetly when I say it. So, the other thing it's doing is to try to cut this overly critical mind that many of us have about everyone and everything, including ourselves. Which is why Lama Yeshe really felt that Tantra was... The practice for Westerners, you know, so many Westerners that he met hated themselves or had this really low self-esteem or hated each other, bickered, you know, constant bickering and were just completely overwhelmed by ordinary view. Report an error in the passage at 22:36 Highlight the passage at 22:36

23:16 And so he felt like it was like a really, really useful practice. Even if we never got beyond the lowest practices, you know, that's why he introduced Vajrasattva very early to his students and keeps, you know, that remains really true in the FBMT. At Kopan, for example, for the one-month lamrim course, every night you do Vajrasattva practice together as a group. Report an error in the passage at 23:16 Highlight the passage at 23:16

23:43 And nobody's, well, you know, there might be a few people that have taken the empowerment. it's not really at that level. You're just doing it as a visualization and purification practice because he felt like it was really great for us to do. it tries to cut that critical mind. It tries to cut that ordinary view. It also allows us to see the teacher in this way that's filled with awe. Report an error in the passage at 23:43 Highlight the passage at 23:43

24:11 I've mentioned that awe before, you know, awesome. I think it's gotten kind of... Tainted. But awe is like even more profound than respect, right? There's a little bit more distance. Because, again, this isn't somebody that you've chosen to show you how to ride a bike. This isn't somebody that you want to teach you Spanish, you know? This isn't somebody who's going to teach you in any kind of ordinary way. Report an error in the passage at 24:11 Highlight the passage at 24:11

24:38 This is somebody who's going to give you methods that you've never even heard of. And you're going to see... Once you actually put this stuff into motion, even if you do it badly almost, because there's so much power in the practice, you're going to see results that you can't even imagine. So this holy being, as Lama Zopa says, not just any guru but your guru, we hold them with a sense of awe. Report an error in the passage at 24:38 Highlight the passage at 24:38

25:09 And the way that we sort of keep them in that place is trying to remember that they're not ordinary. Now if you have somebody as a guru like Lama Zopa, he's not. Whatever your opinion is about his teaching style, whether you relate to him or not, whatever, there's very little about him that's just an ordinary guy. Report an error in the passage at 25:09 Highlight the passage at 25:09

25:32 It's hard to forget. But more and more people have gurus that are Western or that are not even ordained or that are American and they might even go to the movies with you and stuff. And we just have to... Report an error in the passage at 25:32 Highlight the passage at 25:32

25:59 you'll see Rinpoche and Rinpoche being Rinpoche. But next week's film you'll see Zongzi Kenzi Rinpoche, who's a younger llama. Report an error in the passage at 25:59 Highlight the passage at 25:59

26:09 And doing things like, you know, going to the movies and running around on trains and doing all sorts of, you know, wacky things in the West. And he is a wacky guru, too. I sort of purposefully picked that to show you that it looks different with every guru, too, right? So you might get a Geshelek-type guru and things are very, you know, conventional and steady and by the book and, you know, I think of him like the mountain. Report an error in the passage at 26:09 Highlight the passage at 26:09

26:37 Like you just... You're not going to be surprised by Geshe-la, you know. You might be surprised by Geshe-la. Sometimes he does surprise us. And he does have far more of a sense of humor than anyone on the outside would see. He can be quite amusing, actually. And we knew that at the beginning because even before he spoke enough English to include us, he would be in the back with all the Geshe sort of poking around and laughing. Report an error in the passage at 26:37 Highlight the passage at 26:37

27:00 And I remember Venerable Amy going, he must be really funny. Because he would always be the jokester. And then with us, he's like. Report an error in the passage at 27:00 Highlight the passage at 27:00

27:10 So he's just very steady and stable and solid. And then Rinpoche is Rinpoche. You'll see a little bit of Rinpoche. Rinpoche is almost like, I was actually having this conversation fairly recently with Tenzin Chokyi. He's almost a little wacky for the Tibetans. Like he's a Sherpa, you know? And he's more Nyingma in some ways than Gelugpa. Report an error in the passage at 27:10 Highlight the passage at 27:10

27:34 So the Gelugpas, they're kind of like... What is, what's he doing? You know, and they respect him, but it's kind of like, you know, that's, you know, that's certainly not a Sarah thing to do, you know. Report an error in the passage at 27:34 Highlight the passage at 27:34

27:48 I remember she said, yeah, Geshe Zopa was always like, what is he doing? Geshe Zopa is Lama Zopa's guru. He's like a 90-year-old, you know, very, very, again, like Geshe Zopa, kind of steady by the book guy. Report an error in the passage at 27:48 Highlight the passage at 27:48

28:06 And then you get Zongzi Kenzi Rinpoche and he's totally like a wild man out. What do they do? They're trying to manifest in a way that we need them to manifest, right? So not all of us have the same mind. So you're going to end up getting whatever your karma is and whatever is going to work for you to get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 28:06 Highlight the passage at 28:06

28:26 And it's going to be different. It's going to have a different face for all of us, you know, if we even stay in the game that long. so but But traditionally this idea of seeing them as a Buddha, it's kind of based on a number of things and I'll give you that in a second. But Pabongka Rinpoche teaches in Liberation, Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, he or she could be a Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 28:26 Highlight the passage at 28:26

28:53 So why not think of them as a Buddha? It's like Venerabhina used to say, behave as if. Behave as if. Because there's There's so many reasons why they could be a Buddha and why not then see them as a Buddha. And that for me is a little bit easier too to work with than immediately believing that they are 100%. Report an error in the passage at 28:53 Highlight the passage at 28:53

29:22 So there's four reasons why, if we look at reasoning, and Bhavanka Rinpoche presents these, why they could be a Buddha. And so we'll look at them. The first one is based on scriptural authority. And that's from Vajradhara. Vajradhara is actually the tantric version of Shakyamuni Buddha. So it's the same, it's like the tantric aspect. He said that he would return to us in the form of a teacher. Report an error in the passage at 29:22 Highlight the passage at 29:22

29:59 He actually said it point blank in the scriptures. So, I mean, we could be looking for one particular teacher, but the idea then is that any teacher. long as that teacher was a qualified, a fully qualified teacher, could be Bajidara. So why not think of them? And then the next three are using what's called inferential reasoning, and that's where, you know, you probably know enough of inferential reasoning. Report an error in the passage at 29:59 Highlight the passage at 29:59

30:33 Your gas tank. Gauge is showing that you're running out of gas, so you are going to assume it's right and go ahead and fill the tank up, even though you don't really know how much gas you have in your car. So these three are, the guru is the agent for all the Buddha's activities in the world. They say that the way that the Buddha acts, the strongest way that the Buddha acts is through teaching. Report an error in the passage at 30:33 Highlight the passage at 30:33

30:59 They can't, even though they're enlightened and they are... are Report an error in the passage at 30:59 Highlight the passage at 30:59

31:07 they are all knowing, remember that we can become this. They are not omnipotent the way the Christian God is considered to be or Hindu God is considered to be omnipotent. They can't get into our heads and fix us. We can pray all that we want to, but we have to actually do that. That's left for us to do. They can't take away our suffering, right? Because the logic of that is if they could, they would have a long time ago because they're filled with this overwhelming compassion and love for us. Report an error in the passage at 31:07 Highlight the passage at 31:07

31:48 So if they could, they would take away our suffering, no problem. They can't. We have to take it away. But the biggest way they can help us is to show us how. Report an error in the passage at 31:48 Highlight the passage at 31:48

32:01 And the Buddha said that. He said, you know, I've shown you everything. What you do with it is up to you. So the best way that they can show, that they can work in the world is actually through our teachers. Report an error in the passage at 32:01 Highlight the passage at 32:01

32:18 So it's kind of like our teachers, it's like they are the arms and legs and the voice of the Buddhas. Report an error in the passage at 32:18 Highlight the passage at 32:18

32:27 The second one of the inferential reasonings is that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas pledge to benefit all sentient beings and they've never stopped working for us. So it's not like, you know, it's like as they became enlightened, as they became, actually as they generated bodhicitta and then became enlightened, all their prayers were to help all sentient beings forever. Report an error in the passage at 32:27 Highlight the passage at 32:27

32:48 So it wasn't like once they got enlightened they're just going to kick back and watch TV, you know what I mean? Like they really are still trying. Just because we don't have the karma to see it doesn't mean it's not happening. And so that's important to know. And that's actually the third. Report an error in the passage at 32:48 Highlight the passage at 32:48

33:20 upon us by our karma and delusions. Our minds force us to see things in a certain way. Even if we just think about this in conventional ways, you can have an entire relationship with a person where neither of you actually sees each other. And I'm sorry, you know, I've done that one a few times. Whether it's a romantic one or whether it's any other kind, a friendship can be that way too. can have that same relationship with your boss and he or she with with you. Report an error in the passage at 33:20 Highlight the passage at 33:20

33:47 you. As Lama Yeshe said, and this is one of my favorite quotes, he was like, don't trust your senses. Don't trust what your senses tell you. Report an error in the passage at 33:47 Highlight the passage at 33:47

33:59 Because our senses are often skewed, are always skewed until we have a direct perception of emptiness and actually gain some high levels. Even high level bodhisattvas still have skewed perceptions and are still making mistakes. Sometimes you hear these stories in the scriptures at the time when the Buddha was living of really high level bodhisattvas. Report an error in the passage at 33:59 Highlight the passage at 33:59

34:24 There's the one story where the older... older guy wanted to get ordained and this really high level Bodhisattva said, no, you're too old. And he was just completely despairing and he went off to actually kill himself. Report an error in the passage at 34:24 Highlight the passage at 34:24

34:38 The Buddha saw that it was happening and went to him and said, I can see that in this life you have a lot of obscurations, but because of this ordination it will cut through some of those. And so there's every reason to ordain you. So he could see beyond what the ordinary high-level bodhisattva, which is like way beyond most of us, right? Report an error in the passage at 34:38 Highlight the passage at 34:38

35:02 So our perceptions are unreliable. Just because we don't see our Lama as a Buddha doesn't mean that they aren't. And I often think about that, even with the teachers that we really, really admire, like His Holiness the Dalai Lama, how everybody in the room... And I think about this while I'm watching him teach, how everybody in the room sees him so differently. And how I see him as just fantastic and over the top, but I don't see him as a Buddha totally. Report an error in the passage at 35:02 Highlight the passage at 35:02

35:31 I work on that and stuff, but I certainly don't see him as made of light and all that stuff. you know. But, you know, there's also like the people in the nosebleed section who maybe they just came because a ticket suddenly came open and they don't really have a relationship with him and they might just think of him as kind of a groovy guy and, you know, friendly and, you know, it'll be something to tell the grandkids, you know, I don't know. Report an error in the passage at 35:31 Highlight the passage at 35:31

35:54 You know, and then there's people who don't even bother to go when they hear he's coming. They're just pissed at traffic, you know. So, you know, so there's like all these different levels. And then you've got the people in the front row, the back dashi in the front row again, who's just like, whoa, there he is, you know. Report an error in the passage at 35:54 Highlight the passage at 35:54

36:07 And he's just like on the floor even though he's, you know, 100 and doing prostrations. So all of us have these different perceptions that are forced upon us by our karma and delusions. And the purer our mind is, the more purely we can perceive. And that's sūtra teaching. And tantra just takes it one more step by saying that even if you can't, then you act as if and you try to see purely as well as you can, see each other purely, see yourself purely and see your teacher purely. Report an error in the passage at 36:07 Highlight the passage at 36:07

36:42 Again, fake it till you make it. Like that. Not so much in a false way, but just trying all the time. then you mess up and you get back on the horse like that. Report an error in the passage at 36:42 Highlight the passage at 36:42

36:57 So we Report an error in the passage at 36:57 Highlight the passage at 36:57

37:06 did talk about, in the last class, we did talk about really contemplating the kindness of the Buddha. If we try with this pure mind to see them as already enlightened, we can still see, for example, when they manifest aging or illness and then manifest passing away. We have to... Put that into that context and think, and that's why we use those terms like manifest, because if they're enlightened, are they really suffering from cancer or dying, you know? Report an error in the passage at 37:06 Highlight the passage at 37:06

37:42 No, they aren't. And so we say that partly to protect our minds. For example, a number of years ago, one of my teachers, Kirti Sencha Rinpoche, manifested developing liver cancer. And he used it, well, and Lama Yeshe did this too. All of them do this. They use it as a profound teaching on impermanence, which is what the Buddha did too, right? Report an error in the passage at 37:42 Highlight the passage at 37:42

38:07 On impermanence itself, every moment, you know, not just the big moments like the final words or anything like that, but like waiting for the lab test, you know, like the way that Guruji Shantideva Rinpoche reacted when he was given the diagnosis, which was just a smile, just as happily as if he had gotten good news, you know, because it was completely all the same for him. Report an error in the passage at 38:07 Highlight the passage at 38:07

38:30 It was just simply like, oh, okay. And he did have this really amazing big smile. They said he was in Israel at the time teaching. And the doctor was just like, this is the most incredible thing I've ever seen. It was like, are you sure he understands? And he was just like smiling and making sure that the doctor had some tea. It was like nothing they had ever seen before. Report an error in the passage at 38:30 Highlight the passage at 38:30

38:53 And all the way along... The people that were traveling with them would send these emails out and we would just be blown away, just like today Rinpoche did this while we were waiting for the x-rays to come back, all the way along. If you had the karma to actually be there with them, those teachings are even more profound. But still, for all of us, we heard these. Those of us who never met Lama Yeshe hear these teachings about how he... Report an error in the passage at 38:53 Highlight the passage at 38:53

39:21 Manifested, you know, illness and then passing away at a very young age, 49. But the doctors had told him like 10 years before that he would die. And he just managed to keep going. And he died of an enlarged heart, which I always find so profound. And all the way along he used it to teach those that were close and then those that would, the story spread. Report an error in the passage at 39:21 Highlight the passage at 39:21

39:44 Dharma gossip in a good way. This is what he did today. I mean now of course it would go out on Facebook and everybody would know overnight. They do these things to manifest in a way that first attract us to them and secondly teach us in ways we can't even imagine. Report an error in the passage at 39:44 Highlight the passage at 39:44

40:07 So again when we find a teacher like this even if we are fortunate enough to be traveling with them or to live near them or whatever. They aren't a buddy, and to keep reminding ourselves they're not a buddy, and they aren't our therapist. I think a lot of times people in the West get involved with a teacher and think that they're going to kind of help you sort out your messed up mind or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 40:07 Highlight the passage at 40:07

40:34 They are, but in a really big way, not so much like that. Alex Berzin, who wrote the book that we were using with the different levels of a spiritual teacher, he said in all of his years translating for his root guru that he never once had a personal conversation with him. Never once. That's incredible, actually. Sometimes it can be years between personal interviews. Report an error in the passage at 40:34 Highlight the passage at 40:34

41:04 You get to meet with your teacher and kind of go through. What you're going to be working on, get your marching orders, so to speak, especially with somebody like Rinpoche. And then you might not be able to meet with them again. And then you suddenly might, you know, and then, you know. So you are working a lot on communicating with them when they aren't there, praying to them, talking to them. I mean, I just have flat out conversations, you know, with Rinpoche. Report an error in the passage at 41:04 Highlight the passage at 41:04

41:32 And then suddenly you hear from them, you know, again. Sometimes you've asked something and sometimes you haven't. Suddenly new marching orders come. So it's just completely different. They love you in this really, really different way than we're used to in ordinary love. There's not that, they don't, they aren't trying to, it's not that codependent love. Report an error in the passage at 41:32 Highlight the passage at 41:32

42:00 It's not like that. that it's like they love you in this sense that's bigger than any way that you've ever that you love yourself You can think about it in terms like if you were in Report an error in the passage at 42:00 Highlight the passage at 42:00

42:33 in the ocean and somebody jumped in, how grateful you'd feel, you know? And then again, if they jumped in and actually risked their own lives to save you, how grateful you'd feel. This is a good life that we have right now, but it allows us to see suffering. suffering in a way that we don't in some of the higher realms. But this repeated rebirth in psychotic existence, they are pulling you out of that if you're able to follow their advice. Report an error in the passage at 42:33 Highlight the passage at 42:33

43:18 follow the path all the way to enlightenment. And we will. may take lifetimes, but we will. So then quickly before we watch this film. What to do if you're in a guru-disciple relationship with somebody and things shift. Maybe you're no longer as pulled by that teacher. Maybe they're actually doing something that seems questionable. Maybe even wrong in some way. Report an error in the passage at 43:18 Highlight the passage at 43:18

43:51 The first step is just to take refuge and step back. So don't like get all like just step back. And that gives you some space to try to make some sort of a wise decision about it rather than just getting caught up in any kind of like maybe gossip in the tea room or whatever or with other students or even worse in the chat room. Report an error in the passage at 43:51 Highlight the passage at 43:51

44:16 Online is a really bad place to talk about gurus much less anybody else. Keep protecting your mind throughout your decision making. Remember that it could just be a shift of karma. I mean, really, it could just be a shift of karma. Even if there is some sort of perceived harm, you still have your discrimination so that you can kind of step out of that relationship, but do it with this respect for the teacher and for the benefit of all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 44:16 Highlight the passage at 44:16

44:50 So as much bodhicitta as you can, not just... Report an error in the passage at 44:50 Highlight the passage at 44:50

45:08 on or your own like deluded states of mind and this is true of course we're in a relationship right instead of stewing about it or yelling about it whatever sit with it sit back Go back to your original reasons for entering the path, refuge, bodhicitta. Why did I get involved in Buddhism? I want to help all sentient beings. What's my next step? You know, like that. Make prayers, you know. So sit with it. But keep that respectful mind, whatever you decide to do. Report an error in the passage at 45:08 Highlight the passage at 45:08

45:42 Sometimes it's just a matter of like one, you know, you sort of work with one Lama like riding one train and then it's time to disembark and get on another train. And you can still keep complete respect for the first train, so to speak. So just to watch your mind about it. Again, remembering Lama Yeshe's line, you know, do not believe what your senses tell you. Sometimes we just don't know what's going on and it's just time for us to work with another teacher for a while. Report an error in the passage at 45:42 Highlight the passage at 45:42

46:15 Maybe karma will shift and further on down the line we'll work with that teacher again. Maybe not, but... Really honor whatever that teacher has given you because they've given you something. There was something there. And so try to see that as positively as you can and think of them as your teacher. Report an error in the passage at 46:15 Highlight the passage at 46:15

46:33 If they reach the level of being a guru, keep them in your guru tree. Keep them on your altar. Have respect and step back. You know, that's okay. Stepping back. It's not like you have to continue, you know. Report an error in the passage at 46:33 Highlight the passage at 46:33

46:50 you feel like it's not really working. But again, really check your motivations as clearly as possible. Is it just because you thought it was gonna be easier and it's gotten really hard now? Is it because they're pushing your buttons? Report an error in the passage at 46:50 Highlight the passage at 46:50

47:04 know is it because you got bored you know so really be honest with yourself as much as you can be before you make that kind of a decision but if it really just feels like this isn't isn't where i want to be going and yet i'm really attracted to working with this teacher more closely and that karma feels really strong so i think i'll do that that that feels good as long as your motivation is really clear Report an error in the passage at 47:04 Highlight the passage at 47:04

47:28 any questions about any of that Even as simple as what was number three. Report an error in the passage at 47:28 Highlight the passage at 47:28

47:36 How do I get out of the contract? Is there a loophole? always a loophole. Our perceptions are unreliable. Okay, so I'll read them again. So Vajradhara, who is Shakyamuni Buddha in tantric aspect, declared in the scriptures that he would return to us in the form of our teacher. So it was written that he would. Number two, which begins the inferential reasoning part, the guru is the agent for all the Buddha's activities in the world. Report an error in the passage at 47:36 Highlight the passage at 47:36

48:11 Number three, the Buddha's and Bodhisattva's pledge to benefit all beings and they've never stopped working for us. Report an error in the passage at 48:11 Highlight the passage at 48:11

48:25 side. And number four is our perceptions are unreliable. Report an error in the passage at 48:25 Highlight the passage at 48:25

48:41 What else? Any other questions before we start watching a guru in Tibet and his students trying to figure out what's up? Report an error in the passage at 48:41 Highlight the passage at 48:41

48:58 It's nice to have films like this because we can kind of watch through a window. I so regret that I didn't go on that. Report an error in the passage at 48:58 Highlight the passage at 48:58

49:11 Anything else? Any other questions? Report an error in the passage at 49:11 Highlight the passage at 49:11

49:16 Okay, so... Just a reminder, next week we'll watch Words of My Perfect Teacher and then Saturday, day after tomorrow, so kind of strangely in the middle of these two classes is our practice day. Can I get, you know, not everybody who's coming is here, but it's a potluck, so I'm wondering if anybody that is here is coming and if people could bring something to eat. Report an error in the passage at 49:16 Highlight the passage at 49:16

49:43 Can we have like hands up? Yeah. 10.30 to like 3. Report an error in the passage at 49:43 Highlight the passage at 49:43

49:53 I'm so used to that because of the old center, you know, we had the morning meditation. So I just, I figure that's fine. There's not that many meditations from this class, so we'll just start with some meditations and then a little bit of discussion, then eat, and then the same idea. Then we'll our tea while we watch that little film, the Discovering Buddhism film on the teacher. And then... Report an error in the passage at 49:53 Highlight the passage at 49:53

50:16 And then we'll do the presentations. Did I hand out the presentations to people? Okay, so I just didn't send them to the people that were missing. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 50:16 Highlight the passage at 50:16

50:28 It's a pop quiz for the people who missed last week. You have to just come up with something on the spot. Okay, so then I did want to do one more push for Venerable Ninjie's little mini retreat on refuge and bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 50:28 Highlight the passage at 50:28

50:44 She gave us a little bit more information. She's an old, she's not old, but she's a long time Lama Yeshe student. She met Lama Yeshe when she was quite young. And she sort of personifies a lot of Lama Yeshe, that kind of, that open, you know, sort of old hippie style. So she's basing it a lot on this teaching that Lama gave on refuge in 1980 and kind of like commentating on it. Report an error in the passage at 50:44 Highlight the passage at 50:44

51:14 Commenting on it. So she will have some of his quotes as well as she might even have some of the recording of him actually teaching it to share. But most of it will be a little bit of explanation and then meditation because that's kind of who she is. She's a meditator. She's a very long time meditator. Report an error in the passage at 51:14 Highlight the passage at 51:14

51:34 And she did say too if individuals want to share problems that they're having in meditation, she's happy to talk with people. So it's kind of a rare opportunity for people to be able to bring questions like that to a good, solid meditator. We still don't have a date for when Saṃsāra Nirvāṇa is going to start. Report an error in the passage at 51:34 Highlight the passage at 51:34

51:55 The idea is sometime in May, but we don't know. So we'll let you guys know as soon as we know. Saṃsāra Nirvāṇa is usually like 7 or 8 or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 51:55 Highlight the passage at 51:55

52:12 Yeah, so it's just I don't know when it's going to start yet. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it could be. Yeah, it's still probably worth it, though, because with a longer class like that, you know, just like with this one, if you miss one or two, it's okay. I think you're fine. And then it just, it becomes problematic if it's like a four or five week one. Report an error in the passage at 52:12 Highlight the passage at 52:12

52:30 And it's like, might as well just not do. And I'm not going to mention the stuff that's coming up at Vajrapani. I would just say, please check their website. They've got great stuff coming up. And if you're, sorry, Vajrapani. Oh, yeah, I was like. yeah. Report an error in the passage at 52:30 Highlight the passage at 52:30

52:50 May 3rd and 4th. So it's not this weekend, but next weekend. And it's just the Friday night and Saturday. And she's actually going to end it around 3 also because she's going to lead us in a Vajrasattva soak afterwards, which is also cool. So if you can't make that retreat and you just want to come for the Vajrasattva soak, I would say come like 3.30ish. I don't know when it's going to be. It's going to be kind of when it ends and then we'll start into it. Report an error in the passage at 52:50 Highlight the passage at 52:50

53:16 It'll all be in English. And it's nice. It's like chanting in English, actually. She's got a beautiful voice. Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 53:16 Highlight the passage at 53:16

53:30 well, let's do vegetarian for sure. We would like it to be vegan. But, you know, I don't want to start getting into my special diet. We'll just bring cans of beans and add it to whatever. Lama's already used to that. Whenever she goes out with her mother, she just brings a can of beans. beans, you know. Report an error in the passage at 53:30 Highlight the passage at 53:30

53:50 But I can't do wheat either, you know, so it's like, it just starts getting crazy. But I think any kind of Buddhist thing that's being put on at the center, it would be nice if it's vegetarian. And everybody can just do vegetarian for a day, even if you're not. So that would be nice. I wouldn't worry so much about it being vegan. Report an error in the passage at 53:50 Highlight the passage at 53:50

54:11 There'll be enough. Just bring something. You know what, don't even tell me what you're going to bring. I just would request that one person at least bring something real. And then if there's like seven loaves of bread, it'll be all right. But if one person brings something real, and they always do, these things always work, you know, and it's nice to just be able to hang like it was last week. Report an error in the passage at 54:11 Highlight the passage at 54:11

54:42 All right, well, we'll do a dedication at the end of the movie. Now, if anyone has to leave early before the movie is done, I do own the movie, so I'm happy to loan it if people actually return it to me. Report an error in the passage at 54:42 Highlight the passage at 54:42

55:00 But anyway, so let's go ahead and watch this. If people need to take a wee break, go ahead and do. know it always takes a few minutes. Report an error in the passage at 55:00 Highlight the passage at 55:00