Discovering Buddhism - Developing Bodhicitta (13 March 2008)

0:22 thinking Sandy, sorry. Report an error in the passage at 0:22 Highlight the passage at 0:22

0:47 For those who were here last week, you had a homework assignment. Does anyone want to tell me about their experience doing the homework? Report an error in the passage at 0:47 Highlight the passage at 0:47

1:01 Well, there were three different things. The first one was to go... We were talking about friend, enemy, stranger and how our minds project all these kinds of things all the time by habit and by experience. Report an error in the passage at 1:01 Highlight the passage at 1:01

1:18 So one exercise was to take a look at someone we liked, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:18 Highlight the passage at 1:18

1:27 Try to dissect that paper part. Then it was someone we didn't like. And then we were just supposed to spend five minutes doing a tally on the book. Just as people went by to see whether we had initial like or dislike or neutral. So anyone? Report an error in the passage at 1:27 Highlight the passage at 1:27

1:57 That's okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:57 Highlight the passage at 1:57

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2:44 Disturbing your piece. Not making you. But I did, I was really surprised that in that five minutes of Report an error in the passage at 2:44 Highlight the passage at 2:44

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2:35 I was in this great park, and there were these really loud groups of people, and they sounded obnoxious, and I was like, that immediate Report an error in the passage at 2:35 Highlight the passage at 2:35

2:47 Right, exactly. And um, attraction. Attraction. I realized afterwards someone who I really strongly identified with. Maybe there's a girl out there. Report an error in the passage at 2:47 Highlight the passage at 2:47

3:02 Hey. Hey. Oh, it's interesting because there's, I don't know, Mary should be coming to class because she has 20, I'm not sure where she was talking about. We were talking before and she was talking about some aversion arising and she recognized it was some of the qualities she herself has. That she was identifying with these people. The qualities she doesn't like in herself. Anyone else? Report an error in the passage at 3:02 Highlight the passage at 3:02

3:35 aversion for me qualities that aspired to felt insecure about in my own life and I would see people, it was almost like an enemy Report an error in the passage at 3:35 Highlight the passage at 3:35

4:12 I think I looked at a lot of they wear them right, I mean if they're comfortable on them. So the only actually... The type of, not only the one person with it was, he was dressed, not at his age. I mean, he was trying to do something he wasn't. Report an error in the passage at 4:12 Highlight the passage at 4:12

4:39 But anyway, he was probably the only one, and as for other people, they were fine. And I just went beyond that too. I tried to analyze beyond what they have on, the person, the energy they get on. But when that person spoke, when I saw him, and then he opened his mouth, I couldn't hear him, but I saw his expression. He was like a nice person. Report an error in the passage at 4:39 Highlight the passage at 4:39

5:04 You could feel, oh then, what was on the outside, what he had on. At least from your view. Yeah, yeah. From what I could see. Yeah, yeah. I mean, this is the point, to remember that everything we're experiencing here is from our view, how we see something. But from our view, and that's colored by so many previous moments of experience, habits, things like that. Report an error in the passage at 5:04 Highlight the passage at 5:04

5:33 So it's really, really important to identify that. You know, the clothes. I mean, it's true for me, too. I mean, definitely when I ride Muni, sometimes I get on the bus and I just watch my mind. And it's, you know, I look at the clothes they're wearing, and it determines whether, you know, They're just, maybe how much, whether they're poor, they're rich, they're snotty, so snotty, whatever. There's all kinds of things that the mind just does, you know. Report an error in the passage at 5:33 Highlight the passage at 5:33

6:10 Maybe I'm not trusting my age. I don't know. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, no, I mean, but there's things there, you know, I mean, yeah, definitely. You know, you see a lot of things, you know, so it's... It's a really good exercise to really open up because you remember that you're the one listening, making all these suggestions. And that is true with every moment, every relationship you have. Report an error in the passage at 6:10 Highlight the passage at 6:10

6:36 You're identifying friends, enemies, strangers, I like this person, I don't like them. And it all reflects back to you about whether they make you happy or whether they don't make you happy. It could be just as superficial as the clothes, which is... You know, when you're talking about strangers, that's something in itself. But that also, the clothes is very culturally conditioned, isn't it? You know, I mean, it's, and they work that. Report an error in the passage at 6:36 Highlight the passage at 6:36

7:04 I mean, this is the whole thing about these companies have both trendsetters and things like that to try to figure out what the next year's fashions are going to be, you know, and how to induce, you know, images and things like that into your audience. Report an error in the passage at 7:04 Highlight the passage at 7:04

7:23 So, I mean, these are tools used, but because they work that way, I mean, we do value, place value on these things. I think the important part, though, is to recognize what's happening, because as we began last week, everyone wants to be happy just like us. There's not one bit of difference between you and the next person. Anyone Report an error in the passage at 7:23 Highlight the passage at 7:23

7:54 else want to contribute there? Yeah, it was quite... It was frightening for me. I didn't do it in a cafe, but I was thinking while I was on uni every day and just watching myself and seeing exactly how many, it was almost all aversion towards people. Report an error in the passage at 7:54 Highlight the passage at 7:54

8:13 And I thought, how unfair. I'm not even giving them a chance. I mean, I have no idea who these people are. This happens to you. It's not, I mean, don't feel, I mean. Yeah, no, I was really happy to hear Christ talking about it. Especially in an urban environment, sometimes you just get desensitized, I think, with so many people and this and that, and you start to lose the identity that these are people and they want to be happy. Report an error in the passage at 8:13 Highlight the passage at 8:13

8:46 And they have families and they have lives and things like yours, you know, and there are ups and downs and difficulties and transitions and all kinds of things. It's just that. You happen to know some of them, and they make you happy, so they're usually drawn at the notes. But it's not, you know, I mean, it's moment by moment, and it's not, it's always changing, you know. Report an error in the passage at 8:46 Highlight the passage at 8:46

9:13 One, when Mary was there, she'd wait until she comes to class. But she was also mentioning, like, how she was sitting in the cafe and she was noticing the aversion arising. And she had gone, was going around the room and stuff. And then by the time she went around the second time, she'd notice how feelings had shifted. She wasn't, they weren't as strong, you know. Report an error in the passage at 9:13 Highlight the passage at 9:13

9:37 She was kind of like something, you know. And that should happen, I think, over time, by trying to do the textual. This is really, I mean, Report an error in the passage at 9:37 Highlight the passage at 9:37

9:52 doing as much as possible. Or even when you're driving. Oh, especially when you're driving. As soon as you get in the car. Get out of my way. Stupid. Jerk, why are you turning better? You're not supposed to. Yeah, just look at all the cars that go by. Each one of them, you know, they're all kind of stories. They're on their way somewhere. Shopping, we'll see that. Report an error in the passage at 9:52 Highlight the passage at 9:52

10:15 they're just trying to be happy. Just like us. Report an error in the passage at 10:15 Highlight the passage at 10:15

10:21 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 10:21 Highlight the passage at 10:21

10:29 I'm just trying to stay out of the way. Of course. That's what you feel. Yeah, I was going to say. But I feel I'm a terrible driver. I don't know. I'm just seriously trying to stay out of here. So equanimity. Equanimity. Friend, enemy, stranger. Everyone wants to be happy. These are the points to remember really. Developing this kind of leveling the playing field in your life. Report an error in the passage at 10:29 Highlight the passage at 10:29

11:02 It's actually really going to be a benefit to you because you find, you know, your happiness is really directly related to how disturbed your mind is. Report an error in the passage at 11:02 Highlight the passage at 11:02

11:17 So if you build up all of these images of people with all kinds of qualities because they're not, you know, that's why you're going to be disturbed. Report an error in the passage at 11:17 Highlight the passage at 11:17

11:29 You're going to be disturbed. Report an error in the passage at 11:29 Highlight the passage at 11:29

11:38 Different antidotes to use for different things, you know. Amen. Report an error in the passage at 11:38 Highlight the passage at 11:38

11:44 Like if someone's really, you Report an error in the passage at 11:44 Highlight the passage at 11:44

11:50 know, the attachment, if they're really drawn to someone, they start peeling away the layers of skin and think of what they look like, you know, underneath the skin, the bones and the blood moving around and things like that. It's one meditation they do. With jealousy, you can try rejoicing in how fortunate these people are and the qualities and the happiness they have. Report an error in the passage at 11:50 Highlight the passage at 11:50

12:23 The idea is really to try to level that playing field. And it first comes from the awareness that you have to get to that what's happening moment by moment. You're just automatically seeing people in a certain way. And it's really your story. Report an error in the passage at 12:23 Highlight the passage at 12:23

12:47 You have to admit to that. You have to become aware of it. Report an error in the passage at 12:47 Highlight the passage at 12:47

12:54 It's not unusual. It's going to continue, meaning... You know, you work with people and over time you just kind of, but you always kind of try to step back from that and say, you know, it's like a dream, you know, it's not so solid as I think it is. It's changing from moment to moment. It's my projections. It's like my movie, you know, and this is how I'm casting it. Report an error in the passage at 12:54 Highlight the passage at 12:54

13:24 And a lot of it really, when we get to it, is really just a reflection of our own mind. Report an error in the passage at 13:24 Highlight the passage at 13:24

13:36 it's really kind of, once you start becoming aware of it, you can actually start to shift it quite remarkably. Because you know, if you're tired, you're going to see people in a more negative way. Report an error in the passage at 13:36 Highlight the passage at 13:36

13:50 if you have, know, if it's a nice sunny day and everyone's out walking, people are in a good mood, aren't they? Report an error in the passage at 13:50 Highlight the passage at 13:50

14:04 Bodhicitta, self grasping, selflessness, most important practice. So last week we started with this we started with a bit too loud and it's an empty. So once we do that, we then work our way into the seven cause and effect series. Report an error in the passage at 14:04 Highlight the passage at 14:04

14:28 Six causes and one effect, or seven cause and one effect, which leads you to the development. This is one method for developing bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 14:28 Highlight the passage at 14:28

14:56 How do you define conventional bodhicitta? Well, first you start developing bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 14:56 Highlight the passage at 14:56

15:09 level, then you go to the ultimate level. two kinds of other teeth? There is one conventional and one conventional. so six causes and one effect are conventional. We also talked last week about aspiring bodhicitta and actual bodhicitta. Inspiring bodhicitta is where most of us are at that are trying to be practicing Ayana Buddhists and actual bodhicitta is when it... Report an error in the passage at 15:09 Highlight the passage at 15:09

15:40 When bodhicitta rises spontaneously. Okay. Tonight I'll at least give you the six causes and one effect in a list form, but then we're really going to mostly spend the class on the first one. Report an error in the passage at 15:40 Highlight the passage at 15:40

16:00 The first one is all beings have been your mother. Report an error in the passage at 16:00 Highlight the passage at 16:00

16:11 All beings have been your mother. Report an error in the passage at 16:11 Highlight the passage at 16:11

16:19 Number two, remembering their kindness. Report an error in the passage at 16:19 Highlight the passage at 16:19

16:25 Number three, the wish to repay the kindness. Report an error in the passage at 16:25 Highlight the passage at 16:25

16:38 Affectionate love, loving kindness. Report an error in the passage at 16:38 Highlight the passage at 16:38

16:44 Five, great compassion. Report an error in the passage at 16:44 Highlight the passage at 16:44

16:50 Six is altruism, the wish to help, do something, to take action. And that leads, those lead to the effect which is bodhicitta. There's Report an error in the passage at 16:50 Highlight the passage at 16:50

17:15 two different ways of which we've talked about methods that the text described for developing bodhicitta. This is one. The other one is... Exchanging self for other. And then there's a way in which they combine these two meditations. But we're going to focus, at least in the next few weeks, on this one. Report an error in the passage at 17:15 Highlight the passage at 17:15

17:35 Then we'll talk about exchanging self for other, which is a little bit easier. Maybe a little bit easier. I don't know. Let's see. So, just remembering all beings having been your mother. This is going to take a little bit of effort here for some of us. How many people really believe in reincarnation in this room? You can raise your hand. Report an error in the passage at 17:35 Highlight the passage at 17:35

18:05 How many people maybe? How many people absolutely not? Absolutely not. Maybe? Okay. Report an error in the passage at 18:05 Highlight the passage at 18:05

18:21 This does work on the premise of reincarnation and Report an error in the passage at 18:21 Highlight the passage at 18:21

18:42 how much time we get to spend on it if it doesn't really sit well with you. Because the first very important part is to recognize Report an error in the passage at 18:42 Highlight the passage at 18:42

18:52 That we've had countless lifetimes. This isn't the only one. And Report an error in the passage at 18:52 Highlight the passage at 18:52

19:08 in each of those lifetimes, we've had a mother. Report an error in the passage at 19:08 Highlight the passage at 19:08

19:25 Time. Many, many, infinite number of lives. Report an error in the passage at 19:25 Highlight the passage at 19:25

19:35 I have had the opportunity to be your mother. You have the opportunity to be my mother. It's kind of as simple as that. Report an error in the passage at 19:35 Highlight the passage at 19:35

19:52 Kind of have to get to this idea that we've had more than one life. Because otherwise it's hard to digest, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 19:52 Highlight the passage at 19:52

20:09 What makes it difficult to accept more than one life? Report an error in the passage at 20:09 Highlight the passage at 20:09

20:16 It's okay, Debbie, you know, you're going to be honest here. I mean, it's okay. What makes it difficult? Speak up. Report an error in the passage at 20:16 Highlight the passage at 20:16

20:33 No, I've never had. For me, I've always felt like, well, I had it. Report an error in the passage at 20:33 Highlight the passage at 20:33

20:51 You haven't seen it. Yeah. Did you see the band on the moon? That I believe he was there. You do believe he was there, don't you? Report an error in the passage at 20:51 Highlight the passage at 20:51

21:06 Doubt. This is a doubt. Doubt's okay. I want to. I want to. That's what gets frustrating. It's like how to break through the doubt. Anyone else? Where does the doubt, where does the doubt hinge on? It's valid. I mean, a lot of people, this isn't one. Because you can't prove it supposedly, then, or because I can't see it or I can't experience it, therefore I don't accept it. Report an error in the passage at 21:06 Highlight the passage at 21:06

21:36 But that doesn't really hold for many things because... We actually believe in a lot of things that we don't personally witness, personally experience, that we take for granted every day. We Report an error in the passage at 21:36 Highlight the passage at 21:36

21:55 don't really quite understand where electricity actually comes from, how it comes to be electricity. Many of us, some people do maybe, but we accept it, don't we? We accept the fact that when we plug in that to the socket, we're going to have light. We don't really understand how it works. Report an error in the passage at 21:55 Highlight the passage at 21:55

22:18 But we accept it. So there's a lot of things. And the Man of the Moon is another good one. And some people would even say, as far as the Twin Towers goes, there's a whole theory about that one, too. Report an error in the passage at 22:18 Highlight the passage at 22:18

22:29 Okay? Because, you know, there's definitely... And there's no prior to doubt. Anyone else? And is there anything else, you know, what people doubt in China? Report an error in the passage at 22:29 Highlight the passage at 22:29

23:01 Okay, that's a whole other thing. We'll get there, too, because we'll talk about that. Okay, that's where my, that's where that kind of starts. Yeah. Well, it's a little bit much to think, yeah, I agree. I think of all those answers in their memory. But there's a way we can approach that one, too. Mostly it's just this thought of having more than one month. Report an error in the passage at 23:01 Highlight the passage at 23:01

23:23 More than one month. Report an error in the passage at 23:23 Highlight the passage at 23:23

23:30 I imagine, you know, way back when, way, way, way back. You know, humans have to face this Report an error in the passage at 23:30 Highlight the passage at 23:30

23:42 logical well, what if they came up with this concept that... Report an error in the passage at 23:42 Highlight the passage at 23:42

23:53 my brain, you know, my logical brain says, and I could apply this to anything, you know, rebirth. It's like, it's human beings facing this concept of death. Report an error in the passage at 23:53 Highlight the passage at 23:53

24:10 No, I understand what you're saying. i think if i may kind of reiterate here is like we're talking about heaven and hell we're talking about reincarnation and these are just ways that you know in which we approach this kind of finality and there are some philosophies out there that just you know it's just existence and don't buy into any of that And one, of course, can never be sure because as we remember with our friends, enemies and strangers... Report an error in the passage at 24:10 Highlight the passage at 24:10

24:42 It's all about our view. Report an error in the passage at 24:42 Highlight the passage at 24:42

24:47 Even our view on reincarnation is being projected from our own side. But, having said that, there is a purpose here. It is a little bit important. I mean, our teachers, we're living in a conventional global world. So, Report an error in the passage at 24:47 Highlight the passage at 24:47

25:12 there are ways. Are there any other ways? I mean, the people who have resistance or doubt... Where is it coming from? Is it just because it can't be proved? Is it just because you're not completely certain? For me it has to do with the proof part and also the part about faith. And that whole word has a lot of connotations to me. And I was brought up Catholic and there was a lot of importance in putting faith in what they were saying. Report an error in the passage at 25:12 Highlight the passage at 25:12

25:50 and in a way I need that proof to see if I could put my faith in it. It's Report an error in the passage at 25:50 Highlight the passage at 25:50

26:07 a tough one, isn't it? Okay. I'll tell you what works for me. I'm not here necessarily going to be able to convince any of you or all of you. So we're going to try to work through this a little bit because I want to at least challenge you to think about it and contemplate and maybe it falls a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 26:07 Highlight the passage at 26:07

26:31 I have five brothers. Grew up, was born on a farm in North Dakota in the middle of nowhere in a Catholic family, five brothers. Report an error in the passage at 26:31 Highlight the passage at 26:31

26:47 So we all have the same physical kind of parents, not exactly the same sperm and egg with the same gene stock. So how does that account for the differences in our attitudes as brothers? Report an error in the passage at 26:47 Highlight the passage at 26:47

27:11 And this goes back to my childhood growing up, not just as the years go on and we've taken different directions in our lives, but how even as a child growing up were we so markedly different and had different attitudes and different things like that? Report an error in the passage at 27:11 Highlight the passage at 27:11

27:32 How do you explain it? Report an error in the passage at 27:32 Highlight the passage at 27:32

27:48 Without reincarnation or what are you talking about? Oh, with. Okay, well let's just kind of, let's go as if there is no without. God made you unique. God made you get elite. Report an error in the passage at 27:48 Highlight the passage at 27:48

28:07 That's a stretch Report an error in the passage at 28:07 Highlight the passage at 28:07

28:21 for me. Report an error in the passage at 28:21 Highlight the passage at 28:21

28:32 That's all Report an error in the passage at 28:32 Highlight the passage at 28:32

28:43 the Report an error in the passage at 28:43 Highlight the passage at 28:43

28:57 different gene combinations of my parents. just limited to physical, that's why I'm Report an error in the passage at 28:57 Highlight the passage at 28:57

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29:03 everything I do, eat and sleep and think is... Report an error in the passage at 29:03 Highlight the passage at 29:03

29:11 completely relied on my gene color. No. Report an error in the passage at 29:11 Highlight the passage at 29:11

29:39 factors that might Report an error in the passage at 29:39 Highlight the passage at 29:39

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30:17 child squishes bugs and the other one doesn't. In the Buddhist explanation of things, it comes from inference. It comes from previous moments, just like today comes from previous moments. Just like this moment comes from the moment before the three, one before, before the one before that. And in Buddhist philosophy, you can't, you don't find, you just keep going back. Report an error in the passage at 30:17 Highlight the passage at 30:17

30:47 I mean, from the moment of birth, there was a moment before that, and there's a moment before that, and a moment before that. It's just like getting up in the morning. You think of all the moments that have been since you woke up this morning. Report an error in the passage at 30:47 Highlight the passage at 30:47

31:02 I don't necessarily know that I'm proving anything here, but I certainly want you to think about it because I want you to doubt some of the things you may currently hold on to. Report an error in the passage at 31:02 Highlight the passage at 31:02

31:12 But they talk about moments. Every moment. In order to have this moment, you need the one before. What I always find interesting is how sure we are that we're the same person that went to sleep last night. We put absolute trust in that, Report an error in the passage at 31:12 Highlight the passage at 31:12

31:31 don't we? Report an error in the passage at 31:31 Highlight the passage at 31:31

31:36 You know, you went to bed last night. And you're the same person that woke up tonight, this morning. You believe that, right? Don't you? Can you prove it? Report an error in the passage at 31:36 Highlight the passage at 31:36

31:52 Meaning, from the moment you lost consciousness to the moment you regained your consciousness, you had a series of moments that were one continuous stream. This Report an error in the passage at 31:52 Highlight the passage at 31:52

32:06 is the Buddhist theory. But in this theory where you're trying to prove something, how can you just... Be certain that when you woke up this morning, that everything you came into this day with was just something you came into this day with. And it was all just some memory. It wasn't actually true. You can't prove that, can you? It was all just a dream. Report an error in the passage at 32:06 Highlight the passage at 32:06

32:46 You woke up and this is the life you're in. And tonight you go to sleep and who knows what you'll wake up tomorrow. Sounds a little far-fetched, but... Report an error in the passage at 32:46 Highlight the passage at 32:46

32:58 You lose consciousness every night, right? At least at a gross level. When you go into these states of sleep and then you wake up and you believe you're the same person just continuing on with your life. Report an error in the passage at 32:58 Highlight the passage at 32:58

33:14 And everything that you, all these memories you have of the day before and who you're married to and all those things you just take with absolute certainty that you're just picking up where you left off. Report an error in the passage at 33:14 Highlight the passage at 33:14

33:27 Right? We're accepting that, right? We do. Reincarnation is not so much different than that. It's just a different body. Report an error in the passage at 33:27 Highlight the passage at 33:27

33:43 Well, you usually get a body. You usually get some kind of a body every time. Report an error in the passage at 33:43 Highlight the passage at 33:43

33:51 I guess what I'm getting to is here is don't take for absolute certainty that what you believe in is so hard and more difficult to believe than what the Buddhists are proposing. Report an error in the passage at 33:51 Highlight the passage at 33:51

34:04 When you take it apart, you know, I mean, you see Matrix. Report an error in the passage at 34:04 Highlight the passage at 34:04

34:25 I mean, it's almost like, you know, is there some, you know, this is my theory of God sometimes, like, you know, there's somebody in a big room that has all these, this was in the age of VHS, I guess, has all these VHS tapes, and they just plug in this tape, and that's how, when I get up in the morning, that's how I'm going to see this reality. Report an error in the passage at 34:25 Highlight the passage at 34:25

34:50 You know, this one big VHS movie. And then I fall asleep at night, and who knows what tomorrow's movie will be. And there's no way that I can be any more certain that that isn't true. Report an error in the passage at 34:50 Highlight the passage at 34:50

35:17 I mean, that's the thing. It's like, just, you know, what do we hang on to in our belief systems here? The Buddhist theory is, and this gives, there's some point to actually following this through. The Buddhist theory is that there's one moment preceded by the previous moment. You see it about the previous moment and the previous moment. And you go back in time. Report an error in the passage at 35:17 Highlight the passage at 35:17

35:45 And there was a moment before the moment of birth, before you came out of the birth canal. There was a moment before that in the mother's womb. And there was a moment before the parents got together. And you conceived. And it's a moment before that. It's really actually not any different. Report an error in the passage at 35:45 Highlight the passage at 35:45

36:09 It's just because... because of habit, because of identifying with this body, we kind of really carry this body around very heavily, saying that this was my body yesterday and this is my body today. And we actually believe with certainty... It's not the Report an error in the passage at 36:09 Highlight the passage at 36:09

36:33 same body, is it? It's absolutely impossible to be the same body. It's now a function of what you had for breakfast. Report an error in the passage at 36:33 Highlight the passage at 36:33

36:43 You know, it's always changing from moment to moment. So that's in and of itself, it's like, you know, don't believe that, you know, you hold on to this solid view of who you are. But, the point of this discussion really is to kind of question our thoughts about reincarnation, continuity, because it's absolutely part Report an error in the passage at 36:43 Highlight the passage at 36:43

37:10 of the Buddhist philosophy. Report an error in the passage at 37:10 Highlight the passage at 37:10

37:30 There is absolutely no contradiction there, because we're still evolving, Report an error in the passage at 37:30 Highlight the passage at 37:30

37:43 you know, we're evolving, It is said in the Buddhist philosophy, for example, there was one point where there was no solid food. We didn't eat food at all. And then we evolved into these creatures, you know. But it happens very, very subtly. So there's no contradiction because what they... To be a sentient being is just a matter of having consciousness. So the body that we particularly have and the shape and the kind of things like that. Report an error in the passage at 37:43 Highlight the passage at 37:43

38:11 The other thing is that there are in the Buddhist... There are kinds of different types of beings and human is not the only one. Human or animals are really the ones in which we can perceive with our particular senses. Report an error in the passage at 38:11 Highlight the passage at 38:11

38:29 they're not the only ones and there are parallel universes I can't prove this because I don't have the realizations. I just know what my teachers taught me, and I actually kind of over time, yeah, I can probably, you know, maybe it's just a view, but it's, yeah, it's a view, but it seems to hold together, Report an error in the passage at 38:29 Highlight the passage at 38:29

39:01 it seems valid, you know, but in the end, yeah, I mean, it's just a view, but so is yours, just a view, and everyone's just a view, and if it works, it makes you happy, brings some happiness for others. Let's try to figure it out. Report an error in the passage at 39:01 Highlight the passage at 39:01

39:32 Usually animate. Report an error in the passage at 39:32 Highlight the passage at 39:32

39:43 The other thing, and I'm going to just, in terms of reincarnation, because this is really the basic sort of discussion here for a moment before we move on to all beings having been your mother. Report an error in the passage at 39:43 Highlight the passage at 39:43

40:02 I'm sharing my own personal experience of having come into this life and by the age of five or six years old, knowing very clearly... Report an error in the passage at 40:02 Highlight the passage at 40:02

40:23 even disagreeing with the Catholic Church. view that killing in war was okay, but killing outside war was not. could never, I remember at a really very, very young age having this kind of confusion over how one was right and one was wrong. It was just like killing was, you know, taking life was wrong. Report an error in the passage at 40:23 Highlight the passage at 40:23

40:44 The other thing that I really remember is wanting to be a monk. Of course I didn't have a Buddhist for having been born in North Dakota of all places in the 1950s. Report an error in the passage at 40:44 Highlight the passage at 40:44

41:06 I wouldn't have necessarily been able to identify much of these imprints. time, but going back to my childhood. It all seems to fall into place. I certainly was attracted to the Catholic faith because it's just filled with just as much ritual as the Tibetan. You know, it's not much different in many ways. Report an error in the passage at 41:06 Highlight the passage at 41:06

41:38 They use frankincense. The Tibetans don't use frankincense so much. But, you know, these only can make sense in terms of inference. They don't really hold true, and I don't feel that they're valid in terms of just genes. Maybe some scientists would put that hypothesis out there in terms of previous moments. Report an error in the passage at 41:38 Highlight the passage at 41:38

42:11 And I have very, very, very, very clear impressions of places I've not been to in this life that I know that are very familiar or places I've been that I hadn't been before. I'm Report an error in the passage at 42:11 Highlight the passage at 42:11

42:36 not saying I'm realizing this is not even a point here. It's just more that it doesn't make sense in any other ways. And I think if we really kind of think about it for ourselves, we kind of... Can find, think about it and think that there are some ways in which there were things. Report an error in the passage at 42:36 Highlight the passage at 42:36

42:58 Yeah. At one point in my life, kind of figured what I would be doing later Report an error in the passage at 42:58 Highlight the passage at 42:58

43:09 my life by just looking back into how I was growing up I was experiencing that left strong weakness. And they did match up as I was growing up. Report an error in the passage at 43:09 Highlight the passage at 43:09

43:22 they were performing, they did that into that were, you know, that were exposed to you as a child, so, the imprints you're talking about. Report an error in the passage at 43:22 Highlight the passage at 43:22

43:50 don't smoke it, don't smoke it. Yeah, I mean, is that that... Report an error in the passage at 43:50 Highlight the passage at 43:50

43:59 blocks. that something you sort of work with? I think you know you're going to always have Report an error in the passage at 43:59 Highlight the passage at 43:59

44:11 You're always meant to have some doubt. Report an error in the passage at 44:11 Highlight the passage at 44:11

44:17 There's different levels of doubt. Some is actually beneficial and some is not. And I'm not really trying to force you, and I don't think it would be realistic for me to expect any of you to convince you in this one lecture tonight. But the point of it is to kind of check up on what you actually hold to be so true and valid. Report an error in the passage at 44:17 Highlight the passage at 44:17

44:15 actually some... Report an error in the passage at 44:15 Highlight the passage at 44:15

44:43 And question that, because to me, it's not any more valid than anything else. I think it does grow, I mean, over time, if you follow this, I mean, it starts to, you know, this is where I think, you know, from my own personal experience, and I've been doing this in this tradition for 15 years now, so I've had some time to reflect on this stuff, because I, you know, I didn't accept this overnight either. Report an error in the passage at 44:43 Highlight the passage at 44:43

45:14 And I wouldn't, you know, I wouldn't expect you to, I would expect you to kind of really deeply contemplate these things. And to think, go back and check, you know. Doesn't make sense. One moment to the previous moment to the previous one. Doesn't make sense. Can you be absolutely convinced? How am I so convinced that the same person I went to sleep to last night and the same person I woke up in the morning, how can you be absolutely convinced of that? Report an error in the passage at 45:14 Highlight the passage at 45:14

45:47 are, we are, we are, we are, we are. Report an error in the passage at 45:47 Highlight the passage at 45:47

45:53 So it's just stretching the concepts just like we talked about with Friend, Enemy, Stranger. Stretching our minds a bit, making a little bit more space. Because if we realize our own, how much of our own kind of habits and ways of seeing things kind of just keep seeping in and color and experience the way we see the world, then we also see the potential for changing. Report an error in the passage at 45:53 Highlight the passage at 45:53

46:23 And for creating a different world, a different experience. And this is what the tools are. These are the tools. And this, from my experience, is what works. From my teachers. I mean, I just have very good examples of some teachers. Okay? So, with these examples of teachers, I can say, look at them and say, gosh, how did they get to be like that? Report an error in the passage at 46:23 Highlight the passage at 46:23

46:57 And even though... I can't necessarily buy in 100 % at the beginning of everything they tell me. I remember the first time going to hear Geshe teach about, I think it was something about creation or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 46:57 Highlight the passage at 46:57

47:17 Anyway, but there are valid techniques that led to them to have the qualities they have. And that's what they're giving us in teaching. That's what I'm trying to then give you here in some of the teaching. Report an error in the passage at 47:17 Highlight the passage at 47:17

47:35 But of course, it is a view. And in the end, you know, I mean, you're never going to be able to absolutely prove anything, even that view. Report an error in the passage at 47:35 Highlight the passage at 47:35

47:50 But it doesn't mean you necessarily discard it, because of course, we have views all the time. It helps us get through day to day in life. Report an error in the passage at 47:50 Highlight the passage at 47:50

48:07 It's a view. It's a view. No, but I mean, you get my point, don't you? Report an error in the passage at 48:07 Highlight the passage at 48:07

48:16 Well... Report an error in the passage at 48:16 Highlight the passage at 48:16

48:19 I mean, to be able to expand the mind to understand these concepts, it's not, that helps me a lot for you to say because I get very frustrated and think over Report an error in the passage at 48:19 Highlight the passage at 48:19

48:36 time. I find that some of the greatest progress comes when you just relax. Sometimes it comes with confronting problems, of course, Report an error in the passage at 48:36 Highlight the passage at 48:36

48:51 confronting problems, facing problems, having difficulties, you have to, there's a lot of potential with problems. It's not always easy, but it can help actually shift things. Okay. It also seems like, Report an error in the passage at 48:51 Highlight the passage at 48:51

49:22 you know, it's sort of like a really big... Yeah, no, no, I know, that one's a hard one too. Because it kind of gets, I mean, it gets to the point of uncertainty, really. If you go out there and think of, you know, just in San Francisco, there's 700,000 maybe people. That's 700,000 lives. Yeah. With mothers. Report an error in the passage at 49:22 Highlight the passage at 49:22

49:47 And that's just San Francisco, that's not even the Bay Area. And then you think of the United States or California, you know, it just keeps saying, I mean, that's a lot of lives. The way I approach that one is a little bit more simple, given that I've had at least more than one lives, at least more, and probably a few, maybe not 400,000 or 700,000, I don't remember, but I've definitely had a few. Report an error in the passage at 49:47 Highlight the passage at 49:47

50:23 be sure you weren't, my mother. At some point somewhere, but, you know, it's like a lot of lives. I know, but just the one in front of you, we're worried about the one in front of you. We're not worried about trying to figure out all 700,000 people in San Francisco right now. Report an error in the passage at 50:23 Highlight the passage at 50:23

50:47 No, no, no. I know what you're saying. It is overwhelming to think about it in terms of trying to think of 700,000 people all having been your mother. Report an error in the passage at 50:47 Highlight the passage at 50:47

50:59 That is very, very difficult. I still would have to meditate on that for another countless lifetimes before I get it. But one thing I do get is the possibility, the possibility that you were my mother. That this person in front of me was my mother. It's very, very conceivable that they were. And they were trying for me. Report an error in the passage at 50:59 Highlight the passage at 50:59

51:33 You Report an error in the passage at 51:33 Highlight the passage at 51:33

51:38 cannot deny that. The possibility is there that the person in front of you, and that is in of itself quite a good fit to do, to work with. You don't have to figure out about all the rest of them. You just have to worry about the person in front of you. Report an error in the passage at 51:38 Highlight the passage at 51:38

52:08 So I guess since you're all facing me, that's me. Report an error in the passage at 52:08 Highlight the passage at 52:08

52:18 I don't think you're all my children in the same way. Report an error in the passage at 52:18 Highlight the passage at 52:18

52:24 But, maybe? Report an error in the passage at 52:24 Highlight the passage at 52:24

52:35 It's possible, isn't it? It really is possible. If you can get your mind to accept more than one line, it is very, very possible because you put the person in front of you, it was your mind. It's possible. no. Report an error in the passage at 52:35 Highlight the passage at 52:35

· · · silence, 1 minute

52:53 I mean, I can't imagine countless lifetimes. Most of our lives, we're focused really on this one. And most of us as Buddhists are trying to practice for the next one to make sure that we get a good one. And if we're really good Buddhists, we're focused on bodhicitta. But we're focused on just beyond that lifetime. Report an error in the passage at 52:53 Highlight the passage at 52:53

53:18 We're trying to focus on actually getting off the cycle altogether. And then we're trying to focus on saving all the center of beings in the process. Report an error in the passage at 53:18 Highlight the passage at 53:18

53:29 But it's very, very difficult because, you know, 99.99 % of our time is spent on, focused on this lifetime. What we're trying to achieve in this lifetime, what foods we eat, what foods we work. You know, and I'm convinced, at least, you know, for my teachers, that some of the efforts I'm making is going to benefit me in the future. Report an error in the passage at 53:29 Highlight the passage at 53:29

53:54 So, I'm at least convinced that it's not going to harm me. Report an error in the passage at 53:54 Highlight the passage at 53:54

54:03 I'm not so convinced that I can see with absolute certainty. Report an error in the passage at 54:03 Highlight the passage at 54:03

54:16 I just don't have that big of a view yet. I can't be completely convinced five, six times down the road. I do think more that when I die that it's not going to be just this life. I'm absolutely convinced that it's not just about this life. But I can't conceive. ...perceived of anything beyond the next step. Report an error in the passage at 54:16 Highlight the passage at 54:16

54:45 that's just And that's fine, because it's even a stretch to conceive of that. And I'm absolutely convinced of previous lives, and I could say at least a few, because I think some of these places I feel a connection with, it was not just in the last life, it was probably several hundred years ago. But, you know. Report an error in the passage at 54:45 Highlight the passage at 54:45

55:18 But it's difficult. It's difficult. You Report an error in the passage at 55:18 Highlight the passage at 55:18

55:25 can at least, you know, there's at least a few lives out there. All beings have been your mothers. All beings have been your mothers at the time. But let's focus just on the one in front of you. Focus on the one in front of you. Because, you know, when you stop to think about it, it's, you know, in any given moment, it is just about the one in front of you. Report an error in the passage at 55:25 Highlight the passage at 55:25

55:53 You know, whether it's on beauty or whether it's at work. It's the being that's right in front of you. In a very split second of a moment, you only really have the bandwidth of that one being. Want Report an error in the passage at 55:53 Highlight the passage at 55:53

56:19 me to take a break? Okay? Report an error in the passage at 56:19 Highlight the passage at 56:19

· · · silence, 1 minute

56:56 Okay. I'd really go through this six clauses in effect in a meditation if, um, it's okay. We'll just, we'll actually move to changing stuff for others because that's actually another question to take. But, you know, we should... At least spend tonight thinking about the mother. Report an error in the passage at 56:56 Highlight the passage at 56:56

57:26 Anyone, you know, it certainly must be challenging your thinking. Does anyone want to talk about it? Report an error in the passage at 57:26 Highlight the passage at 57:26

57:36 That Report an error in the passage at 57:36 Highlight the passage at 57:36

57:50 was probably your enemy as well. Well, the point of it really is to focus that on someone who is closest to us in terms of the love we have. yeah. Report an error in the passage at 57:50 Highlight the passage at 57:50

58:09 And usually, at least in the Tibetan culture, this has been identified with as the mother. It's always in such a regard. In our culture, it's not always necessarily the mother, but it can be someone else. But the idea really is to start taking away this concrete view that we have of putting everyone into these categories and really opening that up to the fact that Yes, this person could have been my mother, and if they were my mother, they were kind to me, much like if I remember back in this life how kind my mother was. Report an error in the passage at 58:09 Highlight the passage at 58:09

59:03 What should arise out of that is this wish to repay, once you remember the kindness, is the wish to repay that kindness, Report an error in the passage at 59:03 Highlight the passage at 59:03

59:17 at some level. Report an error in the passage at 59:17 Highlight the passage at 59:17

59:27 Well, we first, no, not necessarily, I think that we really start practicing with remembering based on our own experience. We challenge ourselves first to think of, first we clear, try to clear the love playing field to be level, and then we challenge ourselves to thinking about everything having been our mother. Report an error in the passage at 59:27 Highlight the passage at 59:27

59:51 And when we catch some kind of inkling that this is possible, it would shift. How you see people. Report an error in the passage at 59:51 Highlight the passage at 59:51

1:00:06 And then we remember the kindness of the mother. And if you remember the kindness of the mother, I mean each one of these steps you could spend a year meditating on, you know, every day. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:06 Highlight the passage at 1:00:06

1:00:23 But if you spend some time remembering the kindness of the mother, what should arise is kind of this wish to repay the kindness. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:23 Highlight the passage at 1:00:23

1:00:36 Kind of arise kind of naturally. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:36 Highlight the passage at 1:00:36

1:00:41 And then out of that is this kind of affection, much like the affection the mother has for her child, and Report an error in the passage at 1:00:41 Highlight the passage at 1:00:41

1:00:54 then also compassion. The mother's kind of feeling of not wanting her child to suffer. So now you're starting, but you're trying to start to identify with your own experience of these things, but then also carrying it to others that you don't. You want others to be happy, you have the same type of affection that you would have for your mother for this being in front of you. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:54 Highlight the passage at 1:00:54

1:01:23 You would have the same feeling, just like a mother wouldn't want her child to suffer, you would try to have the same feeling for the being in front of you. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:23 Highlight the passage at 1:01:23

1:01:34 At first it's becoming familiar with those feelings and the way they work and how they arise and then it's trying to transform themselves. But then... Report an error in the passage at 1:01:34 Highlight the passage at 1:01:34

1:01:45 The compassion and then actually the altruism which is actually doing some action so that they don't suffer, taking some course of action and deciding I will do something so that they don't suffer, so that they do have happiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:45 Highlight the passage at 1:01:45

1:02:05 And then the ultimate level of this of course is to realize that what can you do to Report an error in the passage at 1:02:05 Highlight the passage at 1:02:05

1:02:16 help others who have been kind to you in the past, within your mother. What can you actually do? Report an error in the passage at 1:02:16 Highlight the passage at 1:02:16

1:02:26 Can you give them food? Yes. You can give them food. Can you give them all food? Probably not. Can you give them food? Probably yes. Will that food make them happy? Maybe until they go hungry again. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:26 Highlight the passage at 1:02:26

1:02:51 So, you sit and analyze like that. What is it that you can do? Report an error in the passage at 1:02:51 Highlight the passage at 1:02:51

1:03:02 realisation you come to this... is the way it's taught, and it's somewhat understandable, if you sit and analyze it, but it does take some time to work with it, is that realistically the only thing that's really going to be beneficial in the long run is for you to have the realizations to know how to best benefit others, which is really kind of leading you to an enlightened Buddhist state. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:02 Highlight the passage at 1:03:02

1:03:37 If only the enlightened Buddhist state is really method with which you can really truly benefit us. And that gives you tremendous powers in terms of understanding what's going to be most beneficial for an individual being. And you work selflessly. Along the way there are different things we practice, but that's kind of the end result. This wish to become a knight, and we talked about that last week, bodhicitta is not just the loving kindness, the good heart. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:37 Highlight the passage at 1:03:37

1:04:09 It's the wish to be enlightened so that you can benefit, the Report an error in the passage at 1:04:09 Highlight the passage at 1:04:09

1:04:25 kindness of the mother, all beings having been your mother. How are we with that? Yes? At the very lowest level, when I think of that, I give people a lot more legal to do things to me, I guess. One morning I was meditating, I was doing Tonglen toward the people that I would encounter. on the street, riding my bike, that number two. And because I had done that, because I had pictured everyone as my mother, people sort of cut me off whenever, and I was like, oh, babe. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:25 Highlight the passage at 1:04:25

1:05:12 My own experience is such that I certainly don't have what we call bodhicitta, but all these are valid techniques that have helped. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:12 Highlight the passage at 1:05:12

1:05:29 my own personal practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:29 Highlight the passage at 1:05:29

1:05:36 anything, you know, just being... Report an error in the passage at 1:05:36 Highlight the passage at 1:05:36

1:05:42 In Report an error in the passage at 1:05:42 Highlight the passage at 1:05:42

1:05:46 the process, I've learned how to deal with my own stuff and how to sum up to it as my own projections, and it's given me some space with which to work with that, some tools with which to work with that, so I don't necessarily jump to the first conclusion that my mind is. Thanks in terms of when I meet someone, I think I have a little bit more space, but I don't see it so solidly or so fixed as I used to. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:46 Highlight the passage at 1:05:46

1:06:20 A Report an error in the passage at 1:06:20 Highlight the passage at 1:06:20

1:06:25 little bit more of a level playing field than there used to be. There's Report an error in the passage at 1:06:25 Highlight the passage at 1:06:25

1:06:33 still friend, enemy, stranger. It's not going to completely go away, but you'll find it's not as solid as it used to be when you start applying these things. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:33 Highlight the passage at 1:06:33

1:06:50 All beings have been your mother. I mean, what have I gotten out of that? Yeah, I'm not absolutely convinced that I can look around and think that everyone in this planet has been my mother, no. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:50 Highlight the passage at 1:06:50

1:07:04 But I'm not so convinced that the person there wasn't my mother and who was and who wasn't my mother. So to me that's a pretty good step actually. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:04 Highlight the passage at 1:07:04

1:07:26 And remembering their kindness, I mean I have to be quite fortunate. I think I had a pretty decent mother in this lifetime, a similar experience. But I can easily remember the kindness of my mother. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:26 Highlight the passage at 1:07:26

1:07:49 She had six voids. That says something right there. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:49 Highlight the passage at 1:07:49

1:07:59 But she was very strong. Even to this day, she's 75 years old and she's out as a home health aide taking care of old people. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:59 Highlight the passage at 1:07:59

1:08:09 Old people. She's 75 years old. And some of them are younger than her. like you know it's like somebody's 60 And that's the work that gives her joy. So I really can admire that, you know, and I can remember the kindness. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:09 Highlight the passage at 1:08:09

1:08:28 So it's these kind of things. And this is just this mother. But it's not such a far stretch when you really kind of think about it Report an error in the passage at 1:08:28 Highlight the passage at 1:08:28

1:08:39 that others haven't been kind to you. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:39 Highlight the passage at 1:08:39

1:08:47 You may not remember. You may not remember. But there's a lot of things we don't remember. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:47 Highlight the passage at 1:08:47

1:09:00 Do Report an error in the passage at 1:09:00 Highlight the passage at 1:09:00

1:09:08 you remember your first day of your fourth year of grade school and how many kids were in your class? Do you remember your teacher from your fourth grade? Report an error in the passage at 1:09:08 Highlight the passage at 1:09:08

1:09:21 I think maybe I do, but I'm not convinced it was that one or my third grade. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:21 Highlight the passage at 1:09:21

1:09:32 But you can remember the kindness of people, haven't you? Not just the mother, but the people who have been kind to you. And you can kind of stretch your imagination to be really thinking that, well, you know, just because I don't remember doesn't mean that they weren't kind. You can focus on that. A Report an error in the passage at 1:09:32 Highlight the passage at 1:09:32

1:09:56 lot of that is a wish to repay that kindness. A wish to repay the kindness. And I think, you know, for many of us, I mean, these aren't such a far stretch. We do have these within our capacity. They can rise naturally. I mean, I think, you know, I mean, taking care of our parents. And as they get elders, it's a form of repaying the kindness, it's alright, the kindness they've shown us, Report an error in the passage at 1:09:56 Highlight the passage at 1:09:56

1:10:29 you know, repaying the kindness, the wish to repay the kindness. And when others have been kind to us, maybe not today, but maybe sometime before, maybe not this time, but maybe another one, they have been kind. Why wouldn't you want to repay that kindness? Why not? It's simple to Report an error in the passage at 1:10:29 Highlight the passage at 1:10:29

1:10:58 repay that kindness. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:58 Highlight the passage at 1:10:58

1:11:13 Yeah? About what? I'm trying to, sort of trying to understand that it's enlightened through this state to understand how you can best get to others because this is exactly what I'm going through right now, taking care of the parents as they become constantly daily, trying to resolve how I can do Report an error in the passage at 1:11:13 Highlight the passage at 1:11:13

1:11:43 that for them while I'm maintaining my own. But Report an error in the passage at 1:11:43 Highlight the passage at 1:11:43

1:11:54 in the state in which I can best give. No, Report an error in the passage at 1:11:54 Highlight the passage at 1:11:54

1:12:04 it is a big one. I think that it comes. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:04 Highlight the passage at 1:12:04

1:12:12 You know, all these things too, remember, there are different moments. Like this moment having this friend, person that was a friend, now it's now an enemy. There's one moment when they're a friend and one moment when they're an enemy. There's going to be one moment when it's a difficult path to take care of your parents and there's going to be another moment when there's a lot of spaciousness and loving kindness there. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:12 Highlight the passage at 1:12:12

1:12:34 So it's just... Stabilizing the ones that are more positive and moving beyond the ones that are more self-cherishing, the ones that are going to bring more suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:34 Highlight the passage at 1:12:34

1:12:49 But again, it doesn't happen overnight. It just keeps reminding ourselves that these are valid techniques. They do work. But yeah, I mean, getting in line, that's a really far stretch. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:49 Highlight the passage at 1:12:49

1:13:10 And I can be convinced of that even after 15 years. I can't quite imagine what it's like to be enlightened. I can imagine what it's like, what kind of life must be like. What I imagine my teachers to be like and the qualities they possess, that's about as far as I can get. But I'm probably wrong about actually how I see them. Because I'm not inside their minds, but you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:10 Highlight the passage at 1:13:10

1:13:43 Because, of course, they're in a very physical body, this and that. Yeah, I mean, they have exhibit qualities that I very much admire, and so it's enough to convince me to keep going. But none of this is going to be overnight. You're going to have a good moment. But these techniques, they really, really do work. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:43 Highlight the passage at 1:13:43

1:14:06 And you can meditate on each one of these. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:06 Highlight the passage at 1:14:06

1:14:12 Just remembering the kindness of your mother. I mean, I've Report an error in the passage at 1:14:12 Highlight the passage at 1:14:12

1:14:23 never been pregnant. But it can't be an easy thing. It really can't. And not even talking about giving birth, I'm just talking about waking up in the morning and, you know, there's something growing in there like you're nauseous and you're just, you know, and you've got to change your life because of somebody else coming into it. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:23 Highlight the passage at 1:14:23

1:14:49 It's like it's no longer just about you anymore. You know, there's a lot of stuff there and just even being sick, you know, and nobody likes to be sick. Now they like to be uncomfortable. And then this thing keeps growing and it's stretched out. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:49 Highlight the passage at 1:14:49

1:15:10 And it starts kicking. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:10 Highlight the passage at 1:15:10

1:15:19 It wasn't always pleasant. mean, Report an error in the passage at 1:15:19 Highlight the passage at 1:15:19

1:15:37 it was just kind of like, the beginning, right? Oh, great. I don't know. I'm still not convinced, but yeah. I mean, I've been around pregnant women before. It's uncomfortable. It's not comfortable. It's uncomfortable. You know, the foods they have to eat sometimes. I don't know. What's he talking about? I don't know. Those, you know, the combinations of things. Well, you've got to know if you have cravings. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:37 Highlight the passage at 1:15:37

1:16:11 Great watermelon ice cream. And then you have to sit on a bubble. I don't know. Anyway, I just, like, and then the thought of giving birth. Yeah, even the thought of if you can get an epidermal where they stick a needle up your spine. You don't have to do that. You don't have to do it, but even, I mean, that's supposed to give you some relief, but, I mean, think of what our mothers went through. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:11 Highlight the passage at 1:16:11

1:16:50 And that was just so we could, you know, be alive. And they didn't have to, you know, they didn't have to do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:50 Highlight the passage at 1:16:50

1:17:05 Well, it is a matter of choice. But there's still a choice involved. Karma isn't just absolute, you know, from moment to moment, there's both causes and conditions going along. But it's not destiny. It's dynamic. It's moving as it goes. Decisions are being made. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:05 Highlight the passage at 1:17:05

1:17:27 It's not fixed. Don't ever think of karma as being fixed. You're going to be way off base then. There is karma, but you have the power to change from moment to moment. Your reality, your experience changes from moment to moment. You have absolute power to change that. It's not fixed. It's not written in stone. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:27 Highlight the passage at 1:17:27

1:17:51 Don't ever think of karma as just destiny. I guess I just didn't think. Yes, there's choice of you. pregnant or I just didn't think of it in Report an error in the passage at 1:17:51 Highlight the passage at 1:17:51

1:18:07 mean, yeah, I mean, yeah, that's just mine. I don't know what options were available in my mother's time, but she was definitely from a Catholic family, so that wasn't in the 50s, probably wasn't much of an option at all. But yeah, I don't know. And then even after I was born, she had to carry me around all the time. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:07 Highlight the passage at 1:18:07

1:18:43 You know, I Report an error in the passage at 1:18:43 Highlight the passage at 1:18:43

1:18:48 do it, I couldn't do Yeah, you know what my brothers did, yeah, I mean. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:48 Highlight the passage at 1:18:48

1:18:59 your story isn't much different, is it? No. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:59 Highlight the passage at 1:18:59

1:19:08 the time your mother spent with you. teach you how to read, you know, speak, talking to you. If you hadn't had any of those things, where would you be? Report an error in the passage at 1:19:08 Highlight the passage at 1:19:08

1:19:25 Where would you be? Report an error in the passage at 1:19:25 Highlight the passage at 1:19:25

1:19:39 I mean, to me, there's a point, really, that even if you had the most awful mother that, you know, was a, which Report an error in the passage at 1:19:39 Highlight the passage at 1:19:39

1:19:53 some people do have a very difficult relationship with their mother, there's still some kindness out there. You Report an error in the passage at 1:19:53 Highlight the passage at 1:19:53

1:20:08 just have to kind of go through some of the stuff of where they might have been coming from and what was going on for them in their lives and why it was difficult, necessarily, to be a good mother. And the expectations sometimes we place on our parents to be good mothers, be perfect, you know? We do have a lot of projections on mothers. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:08 Highlight the passage at 1:20:08

1:20:29 Well, I mean, you know, I mean, I, you know, but it doesn't, you know, I mean, it's just the kindness of the mother. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:29 Highlight the passage at 1:20:29

1:20:50 Wouldn't you want to just give that kindness, show that kindness right back? If you could, wouldn't you want to do the same thing? Take care of them, take care of the mother? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:50 Highlight the passage at 1:20:50

1:21:05 You wouldn't want to see your mother suffer, would you? Not at all. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:05 Highlight the passage at 1:21:05

1:21:33 So there's two things that arise, you know, there's this, well, there's a wish to repay the kindness, which kind of arises, but there's this loving kindness thing, this affectionate love, shall we say. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:33 Highlight the passage at 1:21:33

1:21:50 I don't like a mother has for a child, Report an error in the passage at 1:21:50 Highlight the passage at 1:21:50

1:21:58 like maybe I am for my teacher. It's Report an error in the passage at 1:21:58 Highlight the passage at 1:21:58

1:22:13 just something you can't quite, you know, but it's there. You just want them to be happy. Do anything you can. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:13 Highlight the passage at 1:22:13

1:22:26 Now, what you can do and can't do sometimes is difficult because you really have to make choices, of course. But also this compassion, this compassion, not wanting them to suffer. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:26 Highlight the passage at 1:22:26

1:22:46 Just focus on the mother of the one. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:46 Highlight the passage at 1:22:46

1:23:02 Love and kindness, the wish for them to be happy and the wish for them not to suffer. These kind of come very close, come close together. What Report an error in the passage at 1:23:02 Highlight the passage at 1:23:02

1:23:19 we call altruism, really, the wish to act. To do something. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:19 Highlight the passage at 1:23:19

1:23:32 This altruism. Take action. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:32 Highlight the passage at 1:23:32

1:23:38 Maybe to go have your parents move in with you. Maybe to go live where your parents are. You know, there's all kinds of things, but in this particular case, we're stretching it further than that. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:38 Highlight the passage at 1:23:38

1:23:51 We're not just talking about your mother. We're talking about all sorts of beings here, but we're talking about the one in front of you. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:51 Highlight the passage at 1:23:51

1:24:03 And then you realize also, of course, in the next step, you realize the limitations that we have. In our current capacity. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:03 Highlight the passage at 1:24:03

1:24:18 Even if I could be with them 24 hours a day, even if I had all the physical resources and all the... It's not necessarily going to keep them particularly happy. It's not necessarily going to believe all of their suffering. And Report an error in the passage at 1:24:18 Highlight the passage at 1:24:18

1:24:36 you have to come to terms with that. And that's not just the mother in front of you, but that's all sense of beauty. It's kind of like, you know, Report an error in the passage at 1:24:36 Highlight the passage at 1:24:36

1:24:50 it is really very, very difficult. Even the Buddha couldn't do it. Otherwise he would have done it. Jesus couldn't do it either. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:50 Highlight the passage at 1:24:50

1:25:06 Couldn't believe in suffering. Couldn't bring complete happiness to everyone else. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:06 Highlight the passage at 1:25:06

1:25:18 Doesn't mean you can't have the aspiration to do so. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:18 Highlight the passage at 1:25:18

1:25:37 And there are various levels to this. There's a Buddha that's just acting selflessly, that has no self-cherishing whatsoever. And maybe it's in human form. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:37 Highlight the passage at 1:25:37

1:25:51 You know, I think there's different levels of this. Of course we talk about this Buddha with the three Kais and all these kind of different terms and abstract concepts. But let's just talk about the problem of self-cherishing, grasping at self. The problem is the wrong view. But these Report an error in the passage at 1:25:51 Highlight the passage at 1:25:51

1:26:17 are the things that make us suffer. So if we can get beyond that, then maybe we'll have some valid ways of benefiting others. But if we're so self-absorbed, it's much more difficult to help anyone else, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:17 Highlight the passage at 1:26:17

1:26:40 Very, very difficult. So we've got to cut through that ignorance grasping at ourselves. We have to get in there. It's the ultimate. Along the way, there's some wonderful things that happen. You know, if you're really putting in a little effort, you have amazing realizations. You don't even have to talk to somebody and you know what they're thinking. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:40 Highlight the passage at 1:26:40

1:27:11 If you want us to benefit them, you know exactly how to do it. It's Report an error in the passage at 1:27:11 Highlight the passage at 1:27:11

1:27:21 going to benefit them. It might not always be an easy thing. And you might have some ways along the way of realizing some qualities that are actually going to bring you certain resources and facilities to benefit others at a bigger scale. That's why we have different leaders who actually try, some of them very benevolently, to try to benefit others. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:21 Highlight the passage at 1:27:21

1:27:47 Of course. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:47 Highlight the passage at 1:27:47

1:27:50 They don't all do it, but some do. So Report an error in the passage at 1:27:50 Highlight the passage at 1:27:50

1:28:00 there are different levels of which you can benefit others, but the idea here really is to get this enlightened and to get rid of the self-cherishing. And it's going to benefit you, it's a by-profit, really, in this process. Your own mind is much happier, much more happier when you get rid of the self-crashing, especially your mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:00 Highlight the passage at 1:28:00

1:28:24 It's amazing. You know, we can all have moments of it. We all have had moments of it. When Report an error in the passage at 1:28:24 Highlight the passage at 1:28:24

1:28:35 we do think selflessly, we're just flowing, no resistance, just fluid movement, as if there's no solid walls, nothing, just easy. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:35 Highlight the passage at 1:28:35

1:29:03 We've got to keep the mind in ourselves over and over and over again, because of course the habit is there, the habit is there to see this person. As the person I see every night on the TV that has all these bad qualities. The habit is not there to see that this person is possibly being my mother. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:03 Highlight the passage at 1:29:03

1:29:29 So we're just exchanging our habits with these techniques. The habit to recognize that maybe this person was kind to us before. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:29 Highlight the passage at 1:29:29

1:29:44 Recognizing that this person wants to be happy. Recognizing that this person doesn't want to suffer. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:44 Highlight the passage at 1:29:44

1:29:56 Recognizing that this person is somebody else's mother, Report an error in the passage at 1:29:56 Highlight the passage at 1:29:56

1:30:03 whether it relates directly to me is not so, so pivotal based Report an error in the passage at 1:30:03 Highlight the passage at 1:30:03

1:30:18 on me, but it is a technique because we can identify from our experience and that's where we need to go with these things. We need to go back to our own experience and reflect on more of the positive things that are going to actually shift our mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:18 Highlight the passage at 1:30:18

1:30:37 And let go of some of the native habits that actually hold us back, bind us down, Report an error in the passage at 1:30:37 Highlight the passage at 1:30:37

1:30:50 make us believe in this concrete reality, so instead Report an error in the passage at 1:30:50 Highlight the passage at 1:30:50

1:30:57 of seeing it as it really is. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:57 Highlight the passage at 1:30:57

1:31:06 Oh, questions. Homework. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:06 Highlight the passage at 1:31:06

1:31:35 Take three people, other than your mother, that Report an error in the passage at 1:31:35 Highlight the passage at 1:31:35

1:31:42 have been in your life, other than your children, Report an error in the passage at 1:31:42 Highlight the passage at 1:31:42

1:31:52 other than your partner, Report an error in the passage at 1:31:52 Highlight the passage at 1:31:52

1:32:03 and write a paragraph about the Titus. that they have shown me. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:03 Highlight the passage at 1:32:03

1:32:21 stay away from family or say we're not your children or mother? Stay away from family. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:21 Highlight the passage at 1:32:21

1:32:31 think that'd be good. It's easy to come up with family, but want you to stretch yourself a little bit more you can. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:31 Highlight the passage at 1:32:31

1:32:48 not a workout. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:48 Highlight the passage at 1:32:48

1:33:04 Next week we do have class. The following week... We do have class Report an error in the passage at 1:33:04 Highlight the passage at 1:33:04

1:33:28 on the 20th. We do not have class on the 27th. We do have class on the 3rd. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:28 Highlight the passage at 1:33:28

1:33:39 So we only missed one week. We do have class on the 20th? Yes, not the 27th. Okay, so like this was wrong. Okay, that could be wrong. I don't know if they print. It said no class. It said no class next week? I'm sorry about that. I should have brought to your attention earlier. But there is class next week. I think it wasn't clear back and maybe just didn't get changed when I was leaving for India. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:39 Highlight the passage at 1:33:39

1:34:11 I didn't have my ticket yet. So you're leaving now? I leave the next day. I leave on the 21st. So you're leaving now? Yeah, it's a short trip. I'll be back on the second. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:11 Highlight the passage at 1:34:11

1:34:29 Yeah, we'll see. Okay, and then there might be another change in the schedule, but I'll announce that next week. We're looking at April 24th as well. What did I Report an error in the passage at 1:34:29 Highlight the passage at 1:34:29

1:34:56 give you last week? The first reading. Yeah, read The Kindness of the Mother, Report an error in the passage at 1:34:56 Highlight the passage at 1:34:56

1:35:07 age 19. And Report an error in the passage at 1:35:07 Highlight the passage at 1:35:07

1:35:17 remember what I told you about your... Daily practice? How many have been doing the daily practice? Setting your motivation for the morning when you wake up? Spending a few moments at the end of the day with regret and rejoice? Report an error in the passage at 1:35:17 Highlight the passage at 1:35:17

1:35:40 What? Regret and rejoice? Yeah. So, the morning, you set your motivation when you wake up. I'm not asking you to do, you know, get into all this Buddhist thing. You don't even have to visualize the Buddha yet if you don't want to. I'm asking you to set your motivation when you wake up in the morning that may whatever you do and your actions of body, speech and mind may bring happiness to others and not create any suffering for others. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:40 Highlight the passage at 1:35:40

1:36:09 So just set that motivation. That's it. Just imagine for a few seconds that this is the kind of day I want to have for everyone else out there. And then at the end of the day, you... Take a few moments to regret those actions that you've had during the day that maybe did harm them when somebody got upset because of something you said or the way you said it or even with yourself. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:09 Highlight the passage at 1:36:09

1:36:37 Maybe the way you got upset about something when you got emotional because you were tired and it was a long day and it was just things were going crazy and you just were stressed out. Just regret that you had that happen. And that next time you might try to be a little bit softer and a little bit easier. But then also rejoice. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:37 Highlight the passage at 1:36:37

1:37:02 Spend a few moments rejoicing over those activities that brought joy to others. Happiness, laughter. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:02 Highlight the passage at 1:37:02

1:37:20 Rejoice, and in your case, rejoice at all those wonderful activities of all those people that you were envious of. Rejoice in it, really. You'll notice there's a big shift when you rejoice in it. Because it's okay. Really, rejoice in it. But rejoice in it, rejoice. Okay? You don't even have to think of Buddha yet. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:20 Highlight the passage at 1:37:20

1:37:49 Okay? So, just a moment to say we have taken this time today, last couple hours. Even though it may not be so apparent because we're more perplexed or maybe we just have to contemplate a little bit more, but everything we've done by questioning, the way we see things and questioning, the way we kind of automatically think about things, does have some benefit here. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:49 Highlight the passage at 1:37:49

1:38:25 A little space in our lives, in our hearts, to be able to benefit others. To bring a little bit of peace and harmony. Even if it's just within ourselves, that our spirit is reflected out from ourselves through our own actions upon its future mind to those around us. So if everyone had just a little bit of this, the world could become a much different place. So we just have to kind of remind ourselves that this planet, this world, is nothing more than a bunch of us individuals trying to be happy. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:25 Highlight the passage at 1:38:25

1:39:10 one separate, maybe perhaps so clear. I Report an error in the passage at 1:39:10 Highlight the passage at 1:39:10

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:39:47 don't know what the rules Report an error in the passage at 1:39:47 Highlight the passage at 1:39:47

1:39:59 are here. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:59 Highlight the passage at 1:39:59