Discovering Buddhism - Developing Bodhicitta (8 May 2008)

0:00 Who can tell us what the six perfections are on the bodhisattva path? In order. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:13 Generosity. Report an error in the passage at 0:13 Highlight the passage at 0:13

0:21 Okay. What is the mind of generosity? Report an error in the passage at 0:21 Highlight the passage at 0:21

0:32 Giving without any sense of loss. The mind of patience? Report an error in the passage at 0:32 Highlight the passage at 0:32

0:46 Undisturbed mind, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 0:46 Highlight the passage at 0:46

1:01 Oh, number two, yeah, I forgot. What is number two? Report an error in the passage at 1:01 Highlight the passage at 1:01

1:11 What is the mind of ethics or morality? Report an error in the passage at 1:11 Highlight the passage at 1:11

1:21 Joyous effort. Report an error in the passage at 1:21 Highlight the passage at 1:21

1:34 So that leaves us with meditative concentration and wisdom, Report an error in the passage at 1:34 Highlight the passage at 1:34

1:42 which most texts go into great detail on because they're very, very detailed presentations. Report an error in the passage at 1:42 Highlight the passage at 1:42

2:01 Developing concentration, meditative concentration, and this is a virtuous mind. Report an error in the passage at 2:01 Highlight the passage at 2:01

2:14 That focus is single-pointedly in concentration, meaning nothing else disturbs that concentration, that focus. Single-pointed. Report an error in the passage at 2:14 Highlight the passage at 2:14

2:29 Not so easy. But when you get there, there's some nice things. You get both physical and mental bliss. Physical pliancy. But most Report an error in the passage at 2:29 Highlight the passage at 2:29

2:48 of us have what we call excitement and dullness. Mine's very excitable, which is actually probably more, especially in kind of an urban environment, we're more excited. Or dullness is the other extreme, very lethargic. Report an error in the passage at 2:48 Highlight the passage at 2:48

3:15 But these, and single point concentration is not just taught in the Buddhist tradition, it's also taught in some of the other traditions as well. Report an error in the passage at 3:15 Highlight the passage at 3:15

3:24 Here, well that's why we say a virtuous object, but here there's a motivation for doing so. Report an error in the passage at 3:24 Highlight the passage at 3:24

3:33 And this is for us to attain, really, the motivation is for us to attain this path of seeing, which is one part of the path along which we progress to become, to Buddhahood. Report an error in the passage at 3:33 Highlight the passage at 3:33

3:50 Seeing. Report an error in the passage at 3:50 Highlight the passage at 3:50

3:57 And this ties into wisdom of empty, or the wisdom, okay. So. Report an error in the passage at 3:57 Highlight the passage at 3:57

4:06 There are various levels of meditative concentration, different absorptions, most of which we don't even touch in this life. Report an error in the passage at 4:06 Highlight the passage at 4:06

4:18 If we can even develop single point of concentration in this life, it's said that you can do it in six months if you have the right conditions. However, having the right conditions could take you many years. Report an error in the passage at 4:18 Highlight the passage at 4:18

4:36 And they talk about... For those conditions, you know, being in a place where the water's not too loud, you're supposed to have a friend around, actually, somebody who can look after you so you don't get too isolated, things like that. It's not supposed to be too... You're not supposed to have the sound of running water. Report an error in the passage at 4:36 Highlight the passage at 4:36

5:02 You're not supposed to have too many creatures around that create fear. But you're not supposed to have someone who can kind of look after you so you don't have to be... Distracted with worldly affairs like going to get your rice and things like that. So it's Report an error in the passage at 5:02 Highlight the passage at 5:02

5:24 not very clear if there's anyone who's developed single point in concentration in the West yet, but it certainly was the experience of many in the East. There are many examples of people developing single point in concentration. When you develop single-voin concentration, your mind can stay on the object of meditation. And that can be any object, but it can stay on that object indefinitely. Report an error in the passage at 5:24 Highlight the passage at 5:24

5:57 Days, weeks, months, and the mind does not get disturbed. It's on that object. It's amazing, huh? Imagine. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 5:57 Highlight the passage at 5:57

6:13 a microcosm of happens to Report an error in the passage at 6:13 Highlight the passage at 6:13

6:38 I guess that's a good question. I never really considered that one before, but I imagine, I mean, probably, well, I could give you this one, the Buddhists kind of knock you out of it. Report an error in the passage at 6:38 Highlight the passage at 6:38

6:58 No, and the only reason why I say that, and I'm somewhat joking here, of course, but there is something called a, and this is one approach to what we call the Buddhist path, when they talk about attaining nirvāṇa, Versus enlightenment, the way they distinguish between those two. When you attain nirvāṇa, it means you no longer have any afflictive obscurations. Report an error in the passage at 6:58 Highlight the passage at 6:58

7:34 Meaning you're not under the power of your delusions, your mental departments. But you still have what we call some mental obscurations. Report an error in the passage at 7:34 Highlight the passage at 7:34

7:47 And this becomes a little bit abstract for most of us because even having studies like trying to distinguish between what's a delusion and what's a mental obscuration. It's more like the latencies. But really what they're saying, the way they describe it, is that at that point you're no longer bound by karma to take rebirth. Report an error in the passage at 7:47 Highlight the passage at 7:47

8:08 And what they say is that some of these beings are actually in this... There's a kind of meditative state called formless absorption. There's no form, it's just pure energy. But it's a formless realm, so it's kind of hard to kind of wrap our minds around this. But it's also not permanent. They're not enlightened. So they can supposedly be in this formless absorption state, in this formless realm, for... Report an error in the passage at 8:08 Highlight the passage at 8:08

8:46 Long, long time, eons, whatever you want to call it. And this is what they say when you achieve nirvāṇa in the arhat. This is what's purported, at least asserted. Report an error in the passage at 8:46 Highlight the passage at 8:46

9:00 But at some point they have to awaken from that due to karmic conditions. It seems similar to what you were asking. It's like, how do you, you know, and so there could be some karmic condition. kind of Report an error in the passage at 9:00 Highlight the passage at 9:00

9:15 That arises for them to awaken from that state. I don't know. It seems a little bit, I mean, would an earthquake disturb them? I don't know. It would be, yeah, I mean, it's a good question because if you have single point in concentration on an object, you think just even the objects in this room, if you just think if you're having single point in concentration on one of them so that the other ones you're just totally... Report an error in the passage at 9:15 Highlight the passage at 9:15

9:43 Oblivious of all the other ones, it's got to be quite an amazing mental achievement. And a single point in me, meaning my mind does not waver. Report an error in the passage at 9:43 Highlight the passage at 9:43

9:54 Yes? Report an error in the passage at 9:54 Highlight the passage at 9:54

10:18 Well, Report an error in the passage at 10:18 Highlight the passage at 10:18

10:22 that's what I was wondering too, because in some ways when they talk about bodhicitta, for example, and then you talk about these amazing beings like some of the lamas were around who have some very heightened states of awareness to be sure and concentration. trying to single putting my meditation on Report an error in the passage at 10:22 Highlight the passage at 10:22

10:34 And they might be meditative. And somebody was pointing out the example of Richard Gere being quite shocked because this Lama is meditating and somebody comes up and disturbs them, but the Lama is not disturbed. Report an error in the passage at 10:34 Highlight the passage at 10:34

10:48 They're very happy to be of benefit because it's in the sense of being. And the sense of being is using... Just imagine you if you're in this meditation state and somebody comes up and... You might be a little... know Report an error in the passage at 10:48 Highlight the passage at 10:48

11:04 So it kind of is, you know, I mean I'm sure part of it too is maybe because that physical separation isn't so real as we seem to imagine. So maybe I would think that they would be much more sensitive too. So what's the point of single point concentration? Report an error in the passage at 11:04 Highlight the passage at 11:04

11:35 So when we talk about the path of seeing, and this is kind of the point of, okay, because... When you develop single-point concentration, at that point, there's this, how do you describe it, non-duality, where your mind and the object, there's no separation. Report an error in the passage at 11:35 Highlight the passage at 11:35

12:01 You know how like now, for example, I'm the subject, you're the object. So there's this feeling that we're separate. Report an error in the passage at 12:01 Highlight the passage at 12:01

12:14 And for you, I'm the object and you're the subject. And there's a feeling of separation, right? Conjoining those. Report an error in the passage at 12:14 Highlight the passage at 12:14

12:33 Is this making any sense? Report an error in the passage at 12:33 Highlight the passage at 12:33

12:51 So for example, Report an error in the passage at 12:51 Highlight the passage at 12:51

13:06 the separation between you and I, Report an error in the passage at 13:06 Highlight the passage at 13:06

13:12 how real is that? Report an error in the passage at 13:12 Highlight the passage at 13:12

13:18 It's based on depth perception which is based on visual, right? That's one part. The other thing is how I see you in particular is based upon all these different kinds of labelings that happen quite fast. That put things into certain kind of frames of reference by which I call you a name with a certain come to identify. Report an error in the passage at 13:18 Highlight the passage at 13:18

13:47 So that process, so that already is kind of bringing those things together, right? Just the fact that that separation between them, like it's not that you're out there separate from me. Report an error in the passage at 13:47 Highlight the passage at 13:47

14:05 It's also my projection and based on my senses. You know, my visual form and touch and things like that kind of give me this sense, a mental sense, that you're way over on the other side of the room. Report an error in the passage at 14:05 Highlight the passage at 14:05

14:25 But even being on the other side of the room is a mental concept. Report an error in the passage at 14:25 Highlight the passage at 14:25

14:36 So when you start breaking things down, it's not necessarily the way it appears. Report an error in the passage at 14:36 Highlight the passage at 14:36

14:47 It's just moments of experience. And it's labeling. It's labeling that you're on the other side of the room. And it's labeling that there's something called the other side of the room. And it's labeling that there's some distance between us. Report an error in the passage at 14:47 Highlight the passage at 14:47

15:06 It's subtle. I mean, it's... But Report an error in the passage at 15:06 Highlight the passage at 15:06

15:13 is there really such a separation between subject and object? Report an error in the passage at 15:13 Highlight the passage at 15:13

15:29 Well, we do. That's when we get to emptiness. We would say the object does not exist the way it appears to exist. It does exist. Report an error in the passage at 15:29 Highlight the passage at 15:29

15:38 There's a conventional and an ultimate mode of existence. It exists based on the labels, based on the interpretive mental concepts. It exists. They do talk about a basis of designation, meaning that... That's a little trickier, but we'll get into that. Let's stick with concentration for a moment. So your mind joins... Report an error in the passage at 15:38 Highlight the passage at 15:38

16:15 Single-pointedly on this object where there's, it's kind of like it's, at Report an error in the passage at 16:15 Highlight the passage at 16:15

16:25 that point in time there's really no concept, is there? There's no mental conception, is there? When it's conjoined, is there? Can't be, really. Report an error in the passage at 16:25 Highlight the passage at 16:25

16:38 Can there? Report an error in the passage at 16:38 Highlight the passage at 16:38

16:42 I'm just posing these somewhat theoretically. Report an error in the passage at 16:42 Highlight the passage at 16:42

16:49 Well, Report an error in the passage at 16:49 Highlight the passage at 16:49

17:08 I guess I'm leading up to this path of seeing. And what they call direct perception. And Report an error in the passage at 17:08 Highlight the passage at 17:08

17:21 when you call direct perception, there is no Report an error in the passage at 17:21 Highlight the passage at 17:21

17:30 concept. It's direct. There's no mental cognition. I mean, there's no conceptual, like... It's kind of, you know, how do I describe it? And they talk about, I don't know, did some of you take the mind? Report an error in the passage at 17:30 Highlight the passage at 17:30

17:56 You took Mind and Mental Factors, right? Emily's class. No, but you took the Mind one of this series. Did anyone else take the one on Mind? Report an error in the passage at 17:56 Highlight the passage at 17:56

18:08 Well, Report an error in the passage at 18:08 Highlight the passage at 18:08

18:16 so what are three things that you need for a moment of consciousness? You need the object in order to have an experience, a visual experience. Report an error in the passage at 18:16 Highlight the passage at 18:16

18:34 You need the object, you need the visual sense consciousness and you need a previous moment. Report an error in the passage at 18:34 Highlight the passage at 18:34

18:46 So, kind of what happens, and I'm trying to think of what's a good thing, is the visual sense comes in contact with an object. Report an error in the passage at 18:46 Highlight the passage at 18:46

19:04 And for a split second there's a direct perception, but then immediately the mental concept takes over. And identifies this as clock. But all the visual sense is capable of perceiving is shape and color. Report an error in the passage at 19:04 Highlight the passage at 19:04

19:32 And then mental consciousness kicks in and designates a certain shape. Report an error in the passage at 19:32 Highlight the passage at 19:32

19:44 Are you following me so far? Yes? Report an error in the passage at 19:44 Highlight the passage at 19:44

19:53 Well, it's somewhat along those lines, but I'm talking about mental processes, actually. Because if we really slow down the mental process to which we could kind of watch it happen, you know, like break it down into its component pieces, you would notice these things. You would notice that, you know, you have contact with an object. You have this visual sense that only distinguishes form and color and shape. Report an error in the passage at 19:53 Highlight the passage at 19:53

20:31 And then you have a mental consciousness, a mental, which is another type of consciousness, which is dependent upon the previous moment of consciousness, which was the visual perception. Report an error in the passage at 20:31 Highlight the passage at 20:31

20:42 And the reason why I'm saying this is the visual, you know, this direct perception is like there's no, it's merged when you have the direct perception, there's no. Report an error in the passage at 20:42 Highlight the passage at 20:42

20:55 Some way, some ways, maybe. So the maybe's mind might be going all over the place, but yes. Report an error in the passage at 20:55 Highlight the passage at 20:55

21:17 They would have imprints. They might have imprints of it. Report an error in the passage at 21:17 Highlight the passage at 21:17

21:50 Yes and no. I think I'd be careful. I know what you're saying. I guess what I'm trying to do, first of all, is just break down this mental process to distinguish between the first moment of visually coming in contact with an object and then the second moment where the mental consciousness kicks in. Because they're two separate consciousnesses. We believe that they're one and the same most of the time. Report an error in the passage at 21:50 Highlight the passage at 21:50

22:22 We think what I'm seeing is what I'm seeing. And we don't identify all these other mental concepts and processes that have happened. It's the same thing like, for example, seeing my face. You usually identify as Monlam. You don't see all of me. Report an error in the passage at 22:22 Highlight the passage at 22:22

22:47 You don't see what you're really calling Monlam, do you? Just on the basis of a face often. Is this Monlam? If you just saw this peeking around the corner, would you call that Monlam? Report an error in the passage at 22:47 Highlight the passage at 22:47

23:06 Anyway, the point of it really is to really step back and say, okay, this process that happens on a mental basis, and it happens with sound, it happens with touch, it happens with taste. Report an error in the passage at 23:06 Highlight the passage at 23:06

23:27 But it's very, very, and then it can't handle consciousness. So having a direct perception means that there's no mental consciousness involved at all. Yeah, imagine that. Report an error in the passage at 23:27 Highlight the passage at 23:27

23:41 But it is kind of, I think sometimes, at least in my, you know, and I might not be giving the most orthodox view here, but it seems to me like sometimes in my experience, there are some times when we're totally engaged. And the mental activity is stopping. We're just doing. There's no sense of who's doing, what you're doing. Report an error in the passage at 23:41 Highlight the passage at 23:41

24:09 You're just in the process of doing? I mean, I'm thinking there must be something like that. And I'm not saying that this is something that I'm presented with from an orthodox kind of point of view. It's just how I'm kind of trying to conceptually identify. Report an error in the passage at 24:09 Highlight the passage at 24:09

24:30 What I've been hearing from the teachings in my own experience. Because there are times when you're just engaged. Report an error in the passage at 24:30 Highlight the passage at 24:30

24:48 And the moment you start to think about what you're doing... So I think we have... I'm thinking that this is kind of a glimpse of what it must be to have what we call this direct perception. Report an error in the passage at 24:48 Highlight the passage at 24:48

25:16 And I think, you know, concentration, you can develop this. You can develop these states. And if, you know, it's interesting because I'm not a very good meditator. Report an error in the passage at 25:16 Highlight the passage at 25:16

25:34 I can't sit still. Report an error in the passage at 25:34 Highlight the passage at 25:34

25:39 And I usually have a lot of excuses not to sit down and meditate. Report an error in the passage at 25:39 Highlight the passage at 25:39

25:46 And so I can't ever see where I've been doing this long enough to have developed any skill at it. But there are times, sometimes, and I don't know why, but when I sit down and it just comes together and you slow down the thought process and everything and you can have glimpses or feelings of what this might be like. Report an error in the passage at 25:46 Highlight the passage at 25:46

26:11 But other than that, yeah, I mean, it's hard to say. Like sometimes it's... Report an error in the passage at 26:11 Highlight the passage at 26:11

26:26 In one of the schools of philosophical thought they talk about the everything is mind. It's called the, not Report an error in the passage at 26:26 Highlight the passage at 26:26

26:40 the Majamika, the Chinamanta school, a philosophical school of Buddhists. There are four major philosophical schools according to the way the Tibetan Buddhists have categorized them. It doesn't mean that there's four schools. But one of these asserts what they call mind only. They do assert that mind exists, or consciousness, mind, consciousness, to be the same thing here. Report an error in the passage at 26:40 Highlight the passage at 26:40

27:15 But they assert that, and this is not the ultimate view that this... Particular lineage asserts, actually we assert the Prasangika Machimika point of view, philosophical point of view. But it is helpful for you to kind of understand some of this stuff. Because what they're saying is mind exists but nothing else exists. So the fact, and this is helpful I think because it gives us some security here. Report an error in the passage at 27:15 Highlight the passage at 27:15

27:46 But it's kind of like this is a movie. And it just so happens. That for some reason, the way I'm playing my particular movie and the way I've created this movie and wrote the story, you happen to be in my movie at this particular time. And it happens to be a little bit beyond what we see most Hollywood movies, meaning this one's very three-dimensional. Report an error in the passage at 27:46 Highlight the passage at 27:46

28:16 And it doesn't always have a happy ending either. But it's like a movie. It's mental. It's all state of mind. They assert this. And this is one of the highest views, actually. It's, you know, that it's all a mind. Report an error in the passage at 28:16 Highlight the passage at 28:16

28:42 But they assert that mind exists. But this is only my concept of a tanka on that wall. And that's a mental concept. Report an error in the passage at 28:42 Highlight the passage at 28:42

29:06 Well, it's a little bit different. They assert that there's minds, or they assert that there's... Report an error in the passage at 29:06 Highlight the passage at 29:06

29:14 The Prasangika and Majamika actually assert that there's a basis for designation, and this is tricky for me even, because I think, whereas the Chittimantras assert there's no basis for designation. Report an error in the passage at 29:14 Highlight the passage at 29:14

29:36 Conventional? In the Chittimantra view? I guess they must have, yeah, they do have conventional, but it's different, it's defined differently. Report an error in the passage at 29:36 Highlight the passage at 29:36

29:54 I'd have to go back to my notes to really explain some of this stuff so I don't want to get into it too deeply because I'll lead you down the wrong path and then you'll never get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 29:54 Highlight the passage at 29:54

30:09 Anyway, but I guess, you know, the point of it is, I think one of the things with that view that helps me, it helps me understand this non-duality, what Report an error in the passage at 30:09 Highlight the passage at 30:09

30:27 that might be like if I'm starting to think of this all-being mind. Report an error in the passage at 30:27 Highlight the passage at 30:27

30:38 It's not so physical anymore, is it? It appears, but the only reason it's appearing that way is because of all the mental concept, the mental activity that's going on. Report an error in the passage at 30:38 Highlight the passage at 30:38

30:53 I know some of you are looking a little bit perplexed here, but it's okay to look perplexed. It's just... Report an error in the passage at 30:53 Highlight the passage at 30:53

31:04 That's because you have something called hands and those hands have tactile feelings but the mind is still interpreting those tactile feelings, isn't it? So where does one end and the other begin? Report an error in the passage at 31:04 Highlight the passage at 31:04

31:35 I mean this is a nice introduction into the next concept which is wisdom of emptiness anyway. But do you guys need a tea break? Report an error in the passage at 31:35 Highlight the passage at 31:35

31:56 Okay, go have a tea break. Report an error in the passage at 31:56 Highlight the passage at 31:56

32:03 The point of this class of course is just to get you to question. When you're not going to have all the answers because you have to study, you have to check up and look and investigate. But it should question kind of your views. Report an error in the passage at 32:03 Highlight the passage at 32:03

32:19 You should really think about some of the kind of the normal habitual way of perceiving the mundane conventional world because it is, it really, really is dependent arising. Report an error in the passage at 32:19 Highlight the passage at 32:19

32:41 Anyway, go have your tea. Report an error in the passage at 32:41 Highlight the passage at 32:41

33:10 So he's saying, why do you remember anything? Report an error in the passage at 33:10 Highlight the passage at 33:10

33:23 So he's Report an error in the passage at 33:23 Highlight the passage at 33:23

33:40 afraid by not following thoughts that he would have no memory. Report an error in the passage at 33:40 Highlight the passage at 33:40

33:59 No, you won't forget everything because every moment has imprints. Report an error in the passage at 33:59 Highlight the passage at 33:59

34:10 Yeah, because imprints are being made on the consciousness, but still, yeah, how would I answer a ten-year-old? I mean, I'm trying to think of an analogy, you know, because, I Report an error in the passage at 34:10 Highlight the passage at 34:10

34:28 mean, it's hard for me because I don't remember everything. In fact, I remember very little. Report an error in the passage at 34:28 Highlight the passage at 34:28

34:36 And the question is, does he, what he remembers, is it actually what happened? Report an error in the passage at 34:36 Highlight the passage at 34:36

34:49 Yes, but... Hold on, and I'm going to take the liberty here to argue this point though. If you think, just even in this split second, of all the objects in this room, all the people in this room, in what position, their hands, eyes, ears, nose, everything is in, in one split second, and all the objects in this room, which is part of your awareness. Report an error in the passage at 34:49 Highlight the passage at 34:49

35:24 Can you remember what it was five seconds ago? Report an error in the passage at 35:24 Highlight the passage at 35:24

35:30 Although you have an image in your mind of what it was five seconds ago, because it's not so far removed from the image that's here now, but most people would say that my memory is what actually happened or what actually was. And we go to war over these things. But if you really investigate... It's not so clear that the memory is the actual. And you get this. I mean, it's very interesting, like even between me and my brothers and my mother, we all have similar but different and some very, very different views of some things that happened when we were growing up, Report an error in the passage at 35:30 Highlight the passage at 35:30

36:25 you know, because of the way we were seeing them at the time, but also because realistically, Although we think we're perceiving, I mean we are perceiving things, but what we're capable of really recalling is not much of anything. Certainly not what happened five seconds ago. But we believe we do know. We'll believe it. And your son probably does have good memory, but he's also conditioned to believe that that's what happened. Report an error in the passage at 36:25 Highlight the passage at 36:25

37:05 Well, of any particular event. You know, but was he aware of every, every factor that was there at that particular moment? Because this is one thing for me, it's like, there's no way. Report an error in the passage at 37:05 Highlight the passage at 37:05

37:20 Five seconds ago, I mean, I couldn't tell you whether you were smiling or, you know, frowning. If I think of everyone in the room, my capacity is not such. Report an error in the passage at 37:20 Highlight the passage at 37:20

37:33 But I believe that I have a memory of something. Buddhists would tell me that I had an awareness, so I would probably at some point develop a certain level of concentration where I could recall that. But I'm not going to assume that what I remember is 100 % accurate. Report an error in the passage at 37:33 Highlight the passage at 37:33

37:59 I remember people saying things or people doing things, but it's very good too because it's kind of like, remember that it is from your viewpoint how you perceived it in that moment. Report an error in the passage at 37:59 Highlight the passage at 37:59

38:14 And this is what we're saying with friend, enemy, stranger. It's how you're perceiving it, how you're experiencing it. And you think it's out there separate from you. You don't think you even have anything to do with it. The mind only would say it's all your mind. The Prasangika Majumika would say it's a dependent arising. But there is a basis of designation and there is a conventional reality. Anyway. Report an error in the passage at 38:14 Highlight the passage at 38:14

38:52 It's both, yeah, part of it. It's also what's coloring your perception, but then it's also what's going to create the odds for the next. Report an error in the passage at 38:52 Highlight the passage at 38:52

39:04 The fact that you even have a perception is a dependent arising. Report an error in the passage at 39:04 Highlight the passage at 39:04

39:13 Yeah, that's a dependent arising. Report an error in the passage at 39:13 Highlight the passage at 39:13

39:20 That's very much related to karma. And this is why I think when we were talking the other day about ill will and fear. The dependent arising coming from ill will is fear. The dependent arising coming from loving kindness and compassion is fearlessness. Report an error in the passage at 39:20 Highlight the passage at 39:20

39:50 Very strong. I mean, it's so simple in some ways, but... Report an error in the passage at 39:50 Highlight the passage at 39:50

40:05 Yeah, I know, I mean... Report an error in the passage at 40:05 Highlight the passage at 40:05

40:20 Yeah, no, we don't... Report an error in the passage at 40:20 Highlight the passage at 40:20

40:45 Well, I think the one thing, you know, the big thing with karma anyway is to... I think the biggest shift that happens is taking responsibility for your experiences. Report an error in the passage at 40:45 Highlight the passage at 40:45

41:05 I think when you start understanding, like in these last teachings, because then I was thinking about the sexual misconduct, I was like, oh, I haven't, you know, and then I was thinking, oh, oh, you know, I mean, there's these subtle layers of, well, that could be considered sexual misconduct, and though at the time you wouldn't be thinking that was that, you know, maybe that really was, you know, I mean, it sort of, or even a thought, I mean, without even acting, you know, the thought, I mean, then I'm going like, oh. Report an error in the passage at 41:05 Highlight the passage at 41:05

41:36 I mean you know I don't even know I don't know but I I think we're talking about just cause and effect here, but we're talking about psychologically how mind, in terms of interrelated with this stuff, because that's what then we call as our perception of the experience that comes back. But I think the one thing, you know, is... Report an error in the passage at 41:36 Highlight the passage at 41:36

42:05 For me, at least, it's just like, and I don't do this always. I don't accept responsibility for what I'm experiencing. I don't always, but I've gotten much better about it. Meaning that sometimes you say, oh, this is my karma ripening. Well, you know, sometimes I just hear that too often. Or you're purifying. Report an error in the passage at 42:05 Highlight the passage at 42:05

42:24 I mean, I'm just tired of just like everything that happens. Sometimes it's just too proud of an answer, right? I have to, and... Report an error in the passage at 42:24 Highlight the passage at 42:24

42:42 No, but I mean, I'm being a little bit out of the box here, for sure. But that's the way I kind of also need to work with these teachers. Because, you know, just giving the dog blood that this is, you know, purification every time something bad happens isn't necessarily looking sometimes at some other ways of... Report an error in the passage at 42:42 Highlight the passage at 42:42

43:09 Changing the situation or in some ways, I think, for example, I think I hear sometimes in other teachings is response instead of react. You know, what is the emotional part? But it doesn't mean that you don't respond and do something maybe constructionally, you know, rather than just saying it's my purification and therefore anything can happen to me. Report an error in the passage at 43:09 Highlight the passage at 43:09

43:37 It's kind of like there's sometimes there's a little bit, you know, not always, It depends on how you use it. But sometimes I hear this, especially in the Dharma community. You mean like something's going on and is it, oh, it's just purification? Just purification. It's all purification. And to a certain, I mean, it's not like it's non-purification, but that's not the answer you always need to hear. Report an error in the passage at 43:37 Highlight the passage at 43:37

44:01 Well, isn't it having to reflect on like what's happening and thinking about like, okay, what's happening? Well, discerning, yeah. And the other thing for me, really, is when I think of some of the stuff even now that I'm going through, for example, the conflict and stuff like this, what's important for me to remember is that I have full responsibility for this experience, Report an error in the passage at 44:01 Highlight the passage at 44:01

44:29 that it's unfolding this way, is something that I've created the causes for, somehow down the line. And how do I change that experience? Maybe I can find ways in which... By looking at the results, I can go back to what the cause of that result is. For example, divisive speech or idle gossip is a lot of times a problem because we're so loose with our words and we get talking and then we build up stories in our minds and in our stories that if we just shut our mouths, we'd be much better off. Report an error in the passage at 44:29 Highlight the passage at 44:29

45:06 But even behind that, I mean... There's even just those thoughts. And so it feels like you really have to... But the thoughts at least, but I mean initially you start with the... Yeah. The thoughts are going to change over time. The thoughts are, that's why I'm motivation to remembering the kindness of others. I mean this is true, like even in conflict. Report an error in the passage at 45:06 Highlight the passage at 45:06

45:31 One of the tools I'm using now is to remember that the people on the other side of the table here who are not agreeing with me want to be happy. And from their side they think what they're doing is right and good and beneficial. From my perspective it's not. Report an error in the passage at 45:31 Highlight the passage at 45:31

45:51 And I may not, but it doesn't, there's no value in the... In just criticizing because they don't have this more big view. The idea, of course, is for me to find the skillful means to get them to see something else. And maybe I don't and maybe it's just going to be their karma. And if it is, then this is my karma to have to deal with this the way it is and to accept it rather than fight it. Report an error in the passage at 45:51 Highlight the passage at 45:51

46:27 she also... Like the part about bringing compassion to the situation, with that thought, does that create more space for potential understanding? Yes, yeah, I think so. I think one of the things, I think, you know, and I think this is really true for most of us. When we think of some of the difficulties we have in relationships and things like this, or even communications, you know, and I think of China, for example, and Tibet. Report an error in the passage at 46:27 Highlight the passage at 46:27

47:04 One of the things that comes up is so much when I think of conflict is, you know, I have these stories of how I'm thinking of this person based on email communications and stuff like this, and how I'm perceiving their actions over different communications. It's not necessarily that all of them are wrong, but over time you just keep building through, and you're selected in your process, meaning you only have... Report an error in the passage at 47:04 Highlight the passage at 47:04

47:32 certain kind of emails or certain kind of stories that you've heard or people talked about that you are basing your interpretation on. You're not seeing all the communications or all the way they're acting from moment to moment to moment. You just have some select group of it and on the basis of that you're making a judgment. Report an error in the passage at 47:32 Highlight the passage at 47:32

47:54 What I'm very familiar with is that a lot of those projections... melt away very, very quickly when you're face to face with another Report an error in the passage at 47:54 Highlight the passage at 47:54

48:10 I think you have, I think that don't you think you need to have sort of the intention to not hold that because I think sometimes you, well for myself, like you know when you're unconscious, you have this limited experience of something and then you kind of make, well you make a judgment and then that sort of solidifies that and then if you're wanting to Report an error in the passage at 48:10 Highlight the passage at 48:10

48:36 You might have to, you have to apply more than one means, but... I mean, I think you have to, I mean, you have, if you have that awareness of this narrow view... If you get into the, yeah, I mean, if you put them across the table and you have holding on to this one view and the only thing you see is it's coming up for you with anger, then of course it's not going to work. Report an error in the passage at 48:36 Highlight the passage at 48:36

48:58 But I think in some ways, though, with skill, and sometimes it takes a mediator... Sometimes it takes a mediator. I've been in situations where it should have taken a mediator, it never happened actually, but where a mediator would have really resolved a lot of issues because all it did was take, and a lot of times it's just being heard, Report an error in the passage at 48:58 Highlight the passage at 48:58

49:29 a method for being heard when you're feeling you're not being heard. Report an error in the passage at 49:29 Highlight the passage at 49:29

49:41 You know, when I think about it, and this is my whole reason for going to Portland, it's just to be down in the same room, in the same space with these people, and to know, you know, that they don't have to be afraid of me. Report an error in the passage at 49:41 Highlight the passage at 49:41

49:57 We're all trying to do something together, and I have to learn to get over my hang-ups about them, because I know that they're trying to work, but we have different views. It's just this... Report an error in the passage at 49:57 Highlight the passage at 49:57

50:10 contact is somehow in a full world. Ivor Venus says I have to seduce her I mean I know exactly what you're saying Report an error in the passage at 50:10 Highlight the passage at 50:10

50:31 it's under the pillow I don't think it's being heard maybe it is that one can Actually, what's funny, what's her name? Elise? She was here. she had a discussion one break and she didn't know it was recording and she came to me and she goes could you please edit this that's what I did I figured out Report an error in the passage at 50:31 Highlight the passage at 50:31

50:52 Okay, Report an error in the passage at 50:52 Highlight the passage at 50:52

51:00 we were talking about karma and perception here and mind in the break. It's interesting because I'm teaching a karma class up in Marin, which Marion is one of my most faithful students coming to both of my classes. Report an error in the passage at 51:00 Highlight the passage at 51:00

51:25 And one of the main things I like to teach, one of the main things I like to teach when we get to the karma class is something we talked about last, on Tuesday was, it's cause and effect, but for me when I look at the way they present the ten non-virtues, killing, lying, stealing, stealing, all these things, sexual misconduct, to me, and this is... Report an error in the passage at 51:25 Highlight the passage at 51:25

51:52 I have to look at kind of an experiential point of view, like how does this relate? I'm not going to accept the fact that somebody says, maybe it's just because I grew up with the Ten Commandments, don't do this, don't do that, and I'm not just because somebody said so. God, whoever that is, said so. It doesn't have any meaning for me. What has to have meaning for me is it has to relate to why. Report an error in the passage at 51:52 Highlight the passage at 51:52

52:16 Why not kill? Report an error in the passage at 52:16 Highlight the passage at 52:16

52:22 why not have... Ill will. Why is having ill will bad? Report an error in the passage at 52:22 Highlight the passage at 52:22

52:31 And so it makes you really go in and you use your experience. Why not lying? Lying to me is one of the easier ones. Why not lie? Report an error in the passage at 52:31 Highlight the passage at 52:31

52:43 What happens? People don't stop believing you. I mean, it doesn't take long. Everyone believes everyone initially, generally, not always, but generally, you're believed. But it doesn't take more than a little while. There are always some people who like to always believe you because they need someone to believe. Report an error in the passage at 52:43 Highlight the passage at 52:43

53:10 Or they're seduced by you. I don't know. I have a niece. I hate to say this, but you can't believe anything she says. Report an error in the passage at 53:10 Highlight the passage at 53:10

53:21 She's in her 20s now. I thought she'd get over it, but she hasn't. It's sad because I think she's going to destroy most of the relationships in her life, really, what happens, and she doesn't see it. So she's very charming. Report an error in the passage at 53:21 Highlight the passage at 53:21

53:40 She's beautiful, charming. But what happens is her relationships, of course, don't last except in those who kind of have unconditional love for her, like her mother. but... And her father, but it's difficult because, you know, people don't believe you. And so you lost the trust and credibility. So she has trouble hanging on to jobs. You know, that's what happens when you lie. To me, I mean, it's so, so easy to see this one. Report an error in the passage at 53:40 Highlight the passage at 53:40

54:23 So easy to see this one. It's hard for some people to see it, though. You know, if you're in it and you kind of think that you're getting... I always think for me it's always like... In my experience of probably having told maybe some white lies, I think what becomes difficult is keeping track of what the lie is when the truth is so much easier to keep track of. Report an error in the passage at 54:23 Highlight the passage at 54:23

54:50 If you start telling stories, then it's kind of like, oh, what story did I tell that person? It doesn't work, does it? But anyway, we were talking about one of the... It's ill will or malice, having ill will or malice, which one is the three mental factors. And I think this is not too far off this topic here anyway, and it's one of the most important things I teach in the karma class, I think, because the result of ill will is fear, Report an error in the passage at 54:50 Highlight the passage at 54:50

55:36 harmful intent towards others. Report an error in the passage at 55:36 Highlight the passage at 55:36

55:41 And, you know... At first, you have to think about this one, okay? It's like, think of your fear. And especially when we think of like 9-11 and terrorists and all these things, right? And Report an error in the passage at 55:41 Highlight the passage at 55:41

56:04 your enemies. Report an error in the passage at 56:04 Highlight the passage at 56:04

56:08 And if you think about it from a psychological standpoint of view, and this is, okay, kind of, what I'm kind of reporting here is that what you paint. The picture you paint in your mind is that what's reflected back at you. If you think that you have ill will, meaning that everyone is mean and ugly, these people are mean and ugly, dark and sinister, evil, whatever you want to call all these terms, the labels we give them, Report an error in the passage at 56:08 Highlight the passage at 56:08

56:45 doesn't at some point turn into something to be afraid of, Report an error in the passage at 56:45 Highlight the passage at 56:45

56:55 these people that you paint? So it's kind of like... If you're seeing all these people out there as being evil, then of course you're going to be afraid. Report an error in the passage at 56:55 Highlight the passage at 56:55

57:12 The direct antidote is loving, kindness and compassion. Report an error in the passage at 57:12 Highlight the passage at 57:12

57:21 So if, on the other hand, you're seeing people as beautiful and loving and kind and something to be loved and kind and be worthy of having happiness and things like this. Report an error in the passage at 57:21 Highlight the passage at 57:21

57:34 I mean, just the feeling in and of itself is very spacious and open. So you now see something quite beautiful. So there's nothing to be afraid of, Report an error in the passage at 57:34 Highlight the passage at 57:34

57:50 is there? What is really to be afraid of? Report an error in the passage at 57:50 Highlight the passage at 57:50

57:59 It's difficult in some ways because, of course, culturally we're conditioned over and over and over again. From the news we see and hear every day, we come to think of these are our enemies, these are our enemies, these are our enemies. And in our mind... You know, a certain kind of profile is something to be concerned about. Report an error in the passage at 57:59 Highlight the passage at 57:59

58:29 And it's usually racial. But it could be, you know, I mean, even really, I mean, it can be everything. And I'm not just talking about terrorists and things, but those are the greatest sources of our view. Report an error in the passage at 58:29 Highlight the passage at 58:29

58:42 So what happens is we start to create a mind that's afraid. Report an error in the passage at 58:42 Highlight the passage at 58:42

58:50 So if you don't want to be afraid... Report an error in the passage at 58:50 Highlight the passage at 58:50

58:55 If you don't want to have any fear, develop loving kindness and compassion. It's amazing. It really works. It really does. And you look at fearless people, there's nothing to be, you know, I mean, it's because they've developed loving kindness and compassion, what's to be afraid of? Report an error in the passage at 58:55 Highlight the passage at 58:55

59:19 I mean, there are secondary fears of, but where are they coming from? It's because in your mind you've created this, you know, like... The example the other night was a person who has to lock the door in order to sleep at night. And if she didn't lock the door, she doesn't think she could sleep. Now, I would investigate that because is she even more safe because she locks the door? And who is she afraid of? Is it going to come in the door? What kind of mental image does she have of somebody coming in the door? Report an error in the passage at 59:19 Highlight the passage at 59:19

59:52 And I'm not saying it doesn't have any sense of reality here, meaning... There aren't cases where people have people coming into their lives very violently and sexually and all those other things. But to have fear of it is a different aspect. Report an error in the passage at 59:52 Highlight the passage at 59:52

1:00:20 And you have to kind of analyze it to whether or not the fear is justified or beneficial, shall we say. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:20 Highlight the passage at 1:00:20

1:00:36 And where's that fear coming from? Where is it coming from? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:36 Highlight the passage at 1:00:36

1:00:51 Most of us have fears about security, jobs, possessions. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:51 Highlight the passage at 1:00:51

1:00:59 Not always people, but a lot of people are very afraid. And, you know, I mean, I have to admit, and I mean, that's why I say in some ways, just you have to keep on reflecting over and over because it's true that culturally we are conditioned by getting the images, you know, and... Michael Moore in his movie The Column Mine, as an example, talked about some of the profiling, how many images there are about, was it black, on the nightly news. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:59 Highlight the passage at 1:00:59

1:01:34 Yet at the same time, the actual statistics were going down. But the belief that crime was going up, the belief in people's minds, the fear in people's minds was going up. But the actual statistics were going down. But it was directly related to how, I mean, it was these images. And we can kind of see this. I mean, luckily we're in San Francisco, so we kind of learned to live with each other a lot, you know, accept each other a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:34 Highlight the passage at 1:01:34

1:02:09 So I think there's a lot less fear here. And you feel that. I actually do think you feel that, you know. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:09 Highlight the passage at 1:02:09

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:02:57 I can never... I can never figure out for the life of me where somebody who grew up in California would go in the rest of America to live. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:57 Highlight the passage at 1:02:57

1:03:16 Especially San Francisco. I feel sorry because it's always a nice thing when you get out of high school and go to college and try to expand and travel and see other ways of living and stuff like this as part of growing up. I think it's a very nice step into adulthood. was like, Report an error in the passage at 1:03:16 Highlight the passage at 1:03:16

1:03:34 But I always feel sorry for the people who grew up in San Francisco because their options about the world out there are somewhat limited. At least that's my perspective. I'm a little bit joking, but I'm a little harsh and biased. So concentration, developing concentration, and then the idea, and going back to the path of seeing. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:34 Highlight the passage at 1:03:34

1:04:00 We talked about direct perception because this is the higher level states of concentration where there's direct perception, no longer this mental concept going on. When we talk about wisdom, wisdom is seeing reality. The path of seeing is when you have a direct perception of emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:00 Highlight the passage at 1:04:00

1:04:28 Direct perception meaning there's no mental concept whatsoever. So wisdom is the sixth. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:28 Highlight the passage at 1:04:28

1:04:41 So we've gone from the fifth, which is concentration, on to the sixth, because they're kind of really related. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:41 Highlight the passage at 1:04:41

1:04:54 Emptiness. No, the path of seeing is the direct perception of emptiness. When we talked about the path of seeing, and that's kind of what we're working towards with concentration. In other words, you have to conjoin the levels of concentration. That are developed with this wisdom realizing emptiness. For most of us, for example, when we talk about emptiness, which is kind of ultimate conventional reality discussion, it's a certain view that we can at least kind of begin to grasp a little bit conceptually. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:54 Highlight the passage at 1:04:54

1:05:32 But what we're saying here is in order to really enter the Buddhist path of seeing, to be on the path of seeing, which is to cut the root of this cyclic existence, you have to have this direct perception of emptiness. Meaning it can't be just a conceptual game in your mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:32 Highlight the passage at 1:05:32

1:05:55 The path of seeing is... The path of seeing is the moment you have the direct perception and it only lasts as long as you are in that meditative session. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:55 Highlight the passage at 1:05:55

1:06:08 As soon as you get up from that meditation session, but that session could last a while, meaning you've developed a single point of concentration, so you've had a direct realization of emptiness. It could last for seconds, it could last for weeks, but once you get up from that session, Then you're on the path of meditation. It's a very short path. It's the shortest one of all, actually, probably. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:08 Highlight the passage at 1:06:08

1:06:39 Anyway, so when Report an error in the passage at 1:06:39 Highlight the passage at 1:06:39

1:06:45 we talk about wisdom, there are three divisions. There's the wisdom realizing ultimate nature, there's wisdom realizing relative, and the wisdom realizing that acts for welfare of others. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:45 Highlight the passage at 1:06:45

1:07:11 Wisdom realizing ultimate nature of reality, wisdom realizing relative. Ultimate truth, relative truth, and wisdom realizing that acts for the welfare of other sensitive beings. That last one is just the six perfections altogether again. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:11 Highlight the passage at 1:07:11

1:07:33 So wisdom is really being able to discern, discriminate between this and that, Report an error in the passage at 1:07:33 Highlight the passage at 1:07:33

1:07:46 between different objects, into the nature of something. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:46 Highlight the passage at 1:07:46

1:07:58 And in this case, Report an error in the passage at 1:07:58 Highlight the passage at 1:07:58

1:08:02 When we talk about the wisdom, when we talk about the ultimate, it's the wisdom realizing subtle selflessness of person and subtle selflessness of phenomena. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:02 Highlight the passage at 1:08:02

1:08:16 Now, that's a mouthful. We're not going to get very far on this one in ten minutes. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:16 Highlight the passage at 1:08:16

1:08:27 Realizing selflessness of person and selflessness of phenomena. Selflessness of person and selflessness of phenomena. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:27 Highlight the passage at 1:08:27

1:08:44 It also can be said it's the wisdom realizing emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:44 Highlight the passage at 1:08:44

1:08:52 Wisdom realizing relative truth is more of our conventional existence here. It's like the sciences and terms that we give things. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:52 Highlight the passage at 1:08:52

1:09:11 For example, we have a common agreed upon clock that we label this. Now if somebody called this rabbit, they wouldn't have wisdom realizing relative. They would have a non-valid cognition. But we have a valid, so as long as we agree to. So that's kind of what it's about. But it's also sciences and grammar, language, logic, reasoning, crafts, medicine, things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:11 Highlight the passage at 1:09:11

1:09:51 So it's just kind of the wisdom. Related to our conventional reality. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:51 Highlight the passage at 1:09:51

1:10:03 And then the wisdom of how to act for the benefits of other scented beings. That's just the wisdoms to be able to help others in their activities. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:03 Highlight the passage at 1:10:03

1:10:19 Helping those who are deluded by knowing how to skillfully help them with their delusions to get beyond them. So it's different ways of benefiting, helping them from a state of fear. So it's kind of this... Report an error in the passage at 1:10:19 Highlight the passage at 1:10:19

1:10:36 It's kind of some of the other things we've already talked about. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:36 Highlight the passage at 1:10:36

1:10:47 I don't need to go into a lot of detail about Wisdom of Emptiness because there's a whole class devoted on this one. I think of eight weeks. Is it coming up next? No. There's Transforming Problems is coming up next, which is the Lojong teachings. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:47 Highlight the passage at 1:10:47

1:11:07 Then I don't know. I'm not sure about the timing. I haven't checked with Chucky. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:07 Highlight the passage at 1:11:07

1:11:19 But the wisdom of emptiness is a Report an error in the passage at 1:11:19 Highlight the passage at 1:11:19

1:11:26 course, so you'll get to go into more detail on there. But just to give you a glimpse here, because I think it's a little bit unfair to introduce it without talking about it a little bit, but when we talk about the selfness as a person, what we come to identify as person is basically me, Monlam, I. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:26 Highlight the passage at 1:11:26

1:11:56 All these things that I come to identify with, this body, all my memories of this life, those are all person, right? It's all this, I have this identity around this person. What we call emptiness of that is that it does not appear the way it exists, I mean it does not exist the way it appears. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:56 Highlight the passage at 1:11:56

1:12:21 And what we mean by that is that it appears to be self-existent, existing from its own side. But what happens when I investigate, for example, is I think that this monlam is very solid and real and exists and there's something I can point to. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:21 Highlight the passage at 1:12:21

1:12:46 Can you point to monlam? Report an error in the passage at 1:12:46 Highlight the passage at 1:12:46

1:13:01 Is the monlam that you pointed to still there? Oh, that's interesting. Really? No. No. Can't be. The one you pointed to is not there, is he? Report an error in the passage at 1:13:01 Highlight the passage at 1:13:01

1:13:19 Can't be. Impossible. Because I know my stomach is growling, moving around, I'm breathing, my heart's beating, all these cells are moving about, so what she pointed to five seconds ago is not the same thing that's here now. Of course, visually we can't tell the difference, but intellectually we do know that it's not the same. And so there's never anything that I can point to that... Report an error in the passage at 1:13:19 Highlight the passage at 1:13:19

1:13:47 Realistically, it's called Monlam because it's already changed. And so Monlam is only designated on the basis of a body and a series of moments in that body. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:47 Highlight the passage at 1:13:47

1:14:05 And before Monlam became a monk, he was somebody else, Report an error in the passage at 1:14:05 Highlight the passage at 1:14:05

1:14:12 labeled something else. So it's only on the basis of the label. So the way we understand things, things exist in dependence upon parts. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:12 Highlight the passage at 1:14:12

1:14:27 Things exist independent upon causes and conditions and things exist independent upon labels, terms. So when we talk about emptiness, we're saying that things do not exist independently. Everything exists independent on something else. But we have a... Habitual way of perceiving things as existing independently. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:27 Highlight the passage at 1:14:27

1:15:10 So I exist separate from you, independent of you. Couldn't possibly be, could it? Report an error in the passage at 1:15:10 Highlight the passage at 1:15:10

1:15:23 I exist in dependence upon parts. I exist in dependence upon causes and conditions. The causes and part of the causes and conditions are for you to perceive me, first of all, and on the basis of designation. You have something you've come to identify as monlam that you label monlam. And you believe it's the same monlam who was here last week, but it's absolutely not. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:23 Highlight the passage at 1:15:23

1:15:51 There's a lot that's happened in the last week in my mental consciousness, a bunch of moments. Some have been good and some have been bad. And the body's certainly not the same, but yet we have a generic image or an image of monlam that we come to identify with. That we think and believe that it's the same. And all emptiness is saying is it's not. There's nothing you can point to. When you look, you try to point to what you... Report an error in the passage at 1:15:51 Highlight the passage at 1:15:51

1:16:20 There's nothing there. You can't. There's nothing findable. That's what it's saying. The same is true for table. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:20 Highlight the passage at 1:16:20

1:16:37 This table is made up of a bunch of atoms zinging about at a very subtle basis. It's also something we use that has a certain shape and certain function. It has a top, it has a base. But these are concepts. The good one, one that they use, I've heard this one teacher use, like pen, for example. Take the parts of the pen apart. Is it still pen? And then pen, for us, functions as a tool to write with. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:37 Highlight the passage at 1:16:37

1:17:15 But for a dog, it's a chew toy. So it depends on your perspective. So when we call it emptiness of phenomena, subtle selflessness of phenomena, we're referring to objects other than person. So person is person and everything else is phenomena. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:15 Highlight the passage at 1:17:15

1:17:41 It gives you something to think about. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:41 Highlight the passage at 1:17:41

1:17:47 It's a paid commercial for the next class because Report an error in the passage at 1:17:47 Highlight the passage at 1:17:47

1:17:57 I can't explain it in five minutes. But I can give you a taste of it. And why? Why? Do we need to know this? Because we're caught in believing in this I, which is the cause of all of our suffering, all of our ignorance, and so is everyone else. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:57 Highlight the passage at 1:17:57

1:18:23 Through understanding this, through understanding the dependent nature of things, things and people, persons, we realize that we're all caught up in this, and our motivation is to end. This cycle for all of us. And to put the Buddha's teachings into practice to realize the bodhisattva path where we actually achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:23 Highlight the passage at 1:18:23

1:19:01 So the idea is to cut through all this ignorance. All this ignorance. Because day by day, our lives are filled with believing in everything. Very solidly. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:01 Highlight the passage at 1:19:01

1:19:23 What? Report an error in the passage at 1:19:23 Highlight the passage at 1:19:23

1:19:30 Because what's your biggest problem that happened today? Report an error in the passage at 1:19:30 Highlight the passage at 1:19:30

1:19:47 We can make something up. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:47 Highlight the passage at 1:19:47

1:20:12 So who is getting hurt? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:12 Highlight the passage at 1:20:12

1:20:18 Marion. Who is I? You're saying I was attached. So who is this I that's getting hurt? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:18 Highlight the passage at 1:20:18

1:20:32 When you say my, who's the my? Who's the I? Who's the my? Where is that my? Where is that my ego's I? Where is it? Point to it. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:32 Highlight the passage at 1:20:32

1:20:52 Where's the eye that doesn't know? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:52 Highlight the passage at 1:20:52

1:21:06 It's a subtotal of everything. So it is dependent on all those parts coming together. So let's take away your arm. Is there still a Chad? Let's take away two arms. Is there still a Chad? Let's take away the ears. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:06 Highlight the passage at 1:21:06

1:21:34 No, I mean, that's... Report an error in the passage at 1:21:34 Highlight the passage at 1:21:34

1:21:42 Yeah, I mean this is tricky. You get to explore it a little bit more in detail. But the point of it really is if this I that seems to exist so solidly Report an error in the passage at 1:21:42 Highlight the passage at 1:21:42

1:21:54 is nothing more than a series of moments that you come to identify and label in a certain way, then the reason why you're getting upset, you can look at and say, well, what's the point of getting so upset about it? Because... If it's not so solid as it appears to be, then who's getting upset? What's the upsetness they're getting? Report an error in the passage at 1:21:54 Highlight the passage at 1:21:54

1:22:26 So you apply the emptiness principles to this and then you realize that it's kind of all just made up. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:26 Highlight the passage at 1:22:26

1:22:38 It doesn't appear to be that way, but when you analyze it, it's hard to take it apart. where's that you know i mean what's Report an error in the passage at 1:22:38 Highlight the passage at 1:22:38

1:22:46 it's not that it's completely Report an error in the passage at 1:22:46 Highlight the passage at 1:22:46

1:22:55 Well, I'm looking at you to kind of say, well, wait a minute, where is the Merion? Because it's no different than where is the Monlam that Jane pointed to. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:55 Highlight the passage at 1:22:55

1:23:07 It's not... You Report an error in the passage at 1:23:07 Highlight the passage at 1:23:07

1:23:16 want to... I know, this is the troubling... No one's saying that there's no experience. No one's saying there's no experience. But you have to recognize for what it is. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:16 Highlight the passage at 1:23:16

1:23:36 It is an experience. That's labeled an experience on the basis of Marian, who's labeled on the basis of a bunch of parts, on the basis of causes and conditions coming together that we have a Marian, on the basis of designation, meaning there's a basis that we come to call Marian. But it does not exist independent in and of itself, this Marian that you come to have, that has this experience which exists in and of itself. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:36 Highlight the passage at 1:23:36

1:24:22 Why would that be beneficial to know that? I mean, because I feel like... Report an error in the passage at 1:24:22 Highlight the passage at 1:24:22

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:25:06 Kind of. Kind of. It's supposed to give some space to it, for sure. Because it's not something that you need to identify so strongly with. It's moment by moment, it's dependent arising. So the more identification you have with it, the more struggle you also have with it. The more suffering that comes because you're hanging on to something that's not in accordance with reality. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:06 Highlight the passage at 1:25:06

1:25:43 It's just a different, it does not exist the way it appears to exist. Right now what appears to exist is a Marian who came into the teachings and all these things, or like a Monlam that Jane pointed to. That is what appears to be existing right now, but it's not existing the way it appears to exist. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:43 Highlight the passage at 1:25:43

1:26:06 I am not the same Monlam that Jane pointed to me, how well now, ten minutes ago maybe? I can't possibly be the same Monlam, yet I believe and everyone in this room believes it is, don't we? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:06 Highlight the passage at 1:26:06

1:26:18 You don't see anything different up here, do you? But it's impossible. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:18 Highlight the passage at 1:26:18

1:26:28 And our belief in that reality is what's causing our ignorance, is our ignorance. Our belief in that that's... Those appearances is our ignorance. And that's what's creating our suffering. And when you start to apply this in relationships into Report an error in the passage at 1:26:28 Highlight the passage at 1:26:28

1:26:54 little daily activities of our lives, the fact that I need a car. Well, what's a car? And what's this need? And who's the I that needs? And who's the I that identifies car? I mean, you know, this is... I'm not expecting to get this overnight, but I'm trying to really, like... Stick a little sticky widget in your mind so you can start to unravel some of your concepts because we do live in a conventional reality. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:54 Highlight the passage at 1:26:54

1:27:31 We do, definitely. We have to live in a conventional reality. Nobody's denying we live in a conventional reality. That is what we call dependent arising. The fact that you have a car is a dependent arising. It's nothing more than a dependent arising. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:31 Highlight the passage at 1:27:31

1:27:52 But it is not... It's a car. And you have created the conditions and causes to have, you know. But don't believe it to be so solid. So when it disappears, it's not so threatening. When it changes, it's not so threatening because it's changing. The monlam that was here ten minutes ago is not the same monlam that is here now. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:52 Highlight the passage at 1:27:52

1:28:18 It's just, I think part of it is just this solidity that we kind of identify with everything because we need to hang on to something. It's very just kind of unsettling and it should be unsettling. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:18 Highlight the passage at 1:28:18

1:29:00 Good, good, good, good, good. That's good. That's very, very good. You're on the right path. You're going there. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:00 Highlight the passage at 1:29:00

1:29:13 Very, very good. Is anyone else either completely confused, discouraged? Wants to run away because if you want to run away, I'm afraid that I didn't do a very good job. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:13 Highlight the passage at 1:29:13

1:29:30 Because I'm not supposed to scare you away from emptiness. But one of the things is that I actually, to me, it's the whole purpose of the Buddha's teachings. are really to help us see this. And it's difficult. It's very, very subtle. It's so very, very subtle. And most of us just get a mental kind of concept of this after some time of playing with it, with our mental constructs. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:30 Highlight the passage at 1:29:30

1:30:05 But it does dismantle a lot of the belief in the solid kind of existence we come to believe in. And that is what we need to do because the fact that we label, what Report an error in the passage at 1:30:05 Highlight the passage at 1:30:05

1:30:30 is this? How important is this in the rest of the world? Less so now, but still. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:30 Highlight the passage at 1:30:30

1:30:50 Well, actually in India it's been going up, believe it or not. Yeah, it's 41 something now. than it was since we're getting Report an error in the passage at 1:30:50 Highlight the passage at 1:30:50

1:30:57 And I guess I'll get it. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:57 Highlight the passage at 1:30:57

1:31:04 But look in our minds what we've identified with. This is nothing more than paper. A piece of paper with a bunch of ink on it. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:04 Highlight the passage at 1:31:04

1:31:19 Is it? Report an error in the passage at 1:31:19 Highlight the passage at 1:31:19

1:31:23 Yeah, I know. I know. I know. That's the difference between the conventional and the ultimate. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:23 Highlight the passage at 1:31:23

1:31:44 I'm glad you guys are getting this because it's like it's going to give you something to stay awake tonight. Maybe. But the point of it, really, I mean, and I've got to bring this back to bodhicitta because bodhicitta is very, very integral into helping you realize this. It's through the practice, the bodhisattva practice. And I think, one, the more you realize kind of even conceptually about the emptiness and you realize more about the law of cause and effect. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:44 Highlight the passage at 1:31:44

1:32:22 It makes much more sense. And you also realize, I think, how so much of our suffering we create. And some of it is created through our mental constructs. And out of that develops a sense of compassion. Because if you are doing that and others are doing that, I mean, if you look at the wars, the conflicts, the suffering in the world. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:22 Highlight the passage at 1:32:22

1:32:52 Even this insecurity. I mean, when I think about, you know, my own kind of sometimes insecurity about financial stability or, you know, because as a monk, of course, you don't have a lot, but then, you know, is there such a thing as a security? Report an error in the passage at 1:32:52 Highlight the passage at 1:32:52

1:33:21 Is there? I mean, what would it be? Would it be $50,000 in the bank? Would it be a home? Okay, let's say I have $100,000 in the bank and a nice home in San Francisco, but then tomorrow I get cancer and it goes to the hospital, including my nice new home. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:21 Highlight the passage at 1:33:21

1:33:44 Is there any security? I believe it, but really, that's a concept. It's tough stuff to, I mean, you know, I'm really just giving you stuff to really reflect on. But it's not so solid as it appears to be. It's not so solid. It's changing from moment to moment. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:44 Highlight the passage at 1:33:44

1:34:11 We think that the Monlam Jane pointed to is the same Monlam, but it's not. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:11 Highlight the passage at 1:34:11

1:34:20 Just like the same you that walked into this room is the same you that's going to go out of this room. It's literally impossible when you analyze it. Yet conventionally, yes. Conventionally, we're not arguing that point at all. But the moment you hang on to so solidly all these views, it's also the cause of all your suffering and the cause of everyone else's suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:20 Highlight the passage at 1:34:20

1:34:44 And that's what we're trying to mitigate here and put into practice. And the bodhicitta, I mean, to me is also like that ideal of exchanging yourself for others, where that big self, that big concept of I, Report an error in the passage at 1:34:44 Highlight the passage at 1:34:44

1:35:12 you start to... Not give it so much power. There's got to be an effective method to letting go of the biggest problem we have, which is the eye. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:12 Highlight the passage at 1:35:12

1:35:32 Grasping at the eye, the second noble truth, is the cause of all of the problems. Grasping at a self-existent eye, that's the cause of all the problems. So the bodhisattva method is the solution. That and wisdom have to be both. They have to be. So I need to leave you with this thought that we have to develop them both. And the bodhisattva idea, working selflessly. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:32 Highlight the passage at 1:35:32

1:36:05 And I think it's like, you know, it's kind of that thing with that example, like when you're absorbed, completely absorbed in an action, there's no sense of self. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:05 Highlight the passage at 1:36:05

1:36:16 And that's the bodhisattva. There's no sense of self. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:16 Highlight the passage at 1:36:16

1:36:23 Generosity. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:23 Highlight the passage at 1:36:23

1:36:35 How do you know it's not serving someone else? You don't. You don't. You may not have a mental motivation when you engage in the activity, but it doesn't mean it's, you know, what you call motivating or benefiting somebody else is still also a mental construct. Just even calling somebody else another self isn't benefiting others. Anyway, we can go on and on. The point of it is, is really how to understand how integrated this bodhicitta path is. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:35 Highlight the passage at 1:36:35

1:37:13 Into realizing emptiness, into realizing enlightenment. So it's not just we say for the benefit of others, but it's really also our path to realize our own enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:13 Highlight the passage at 1:37:13

1:37:30 It is a path. We can't do it without it. It's impossible. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:30 Highlight the passage at 1:37:30

1:37:48 You learn with time, you get wisdom, and even then you second guess. Look at me. I'm trying to help you guys. I think maybe... But you know what? I could be going completely. I don't know what's best for you individuals. I'm trying to use the wisdom I have. And I'm not saying my motivation is certain. But you know what? Maybe the best wisdom for you is just to go to the Buddhist center down the street because that's the one that you're going to connect with. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:48 Highlight the passage at 1:37:48

1:38:18 I couldn't tell you that. Or maybe it's just doing something completely different. I don't know for sure. But also... You know, I do realize that sometimes, you know, there are skillful methods that you can apply. And I will tell you that the meditation you all did at the beginning of this class, that was a very skillful method of mine. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:18 Highlight the passage at 1:38:18

1:38:41 I don't know that I would have thought of it beforehand, but somehow it really, you know, it puts you to work where something, you know, something moved for each one of you at some level. And you haven't lost it. You won't lose it. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:41 Highlight the passage at 1:38:41

1:39:00 So there's some value there. And that's, we just, you know, it's experience, it's wisdom, it's kind of like this, you know. I mean, that's one thing I appreciate in growing old. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:00 Highlight the passage at 1:39:00

1:39:13 You get some wisdom, you know, you take distance from things because you don't, they're not so. Anyway, I know we're getting late here and it's the last class so I wanted to make sure I didn't leave anyone in a really confused state of mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:13 Highlight the passage at 1:39:13

1:39:31 thank you for everything. I really appreciate spending this time with you. I hope to see some of you back. I probably won't be teaching again at least until August because I think I'm traveling quite a bit in the next couple months. But we'll see each other on June 7th. Hopefully I got a roster or something. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:31 Highlight the passage at 1:39:31

1:39:51 Make sure I have your email. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:51 Highlight the passage at 1:39:51

1:40:06 Anyway, Report an error in the passage at 1:40:06 Highlight the passage at 1:40:06

1:40:14 we should dedicate. We definitely have... We've definitely cut through quite a bit here, looking at this stuff, putting it into practice in our own lives. I think we can rejoice in that. Still, we've got some work to do, for sure. But we're building a foundation, and certainly going through the Bodhisattva path is really amazing. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:14 Highlight the passage at 1:40:14

1:40:41 If we look at the examples of our teachers who really do... Work selflessly for the benefit of others, tirelessly, you know, trying to benefit others in so many ways, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:41 Highlight the passage at 1:40:41

1:40:57 And it's not just the Buddhists who have this one, you know. But the Bodhisattva path is very, very beneficial. So we should rejoice in all of our activities of these last few weeks and dedicate it for peace and harmony in this world. It's a very, very difficult period of time. God knows there's going to be a lot of fear-mongering before this presidential election, so let's please, please, please dedicate for peace and harmony and for really what's beneficial for the planet as a whole and not for us as individuals, even as Americans, but as human beings on a planet that has to share with other living beings. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:57 Highlight the passage at 1:40:57

1:41:48 All the resources in a responsible, sustainable manner for future generations. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:48 Highlight the passage at 1:41:48