Discovering Buddhism - Wisdom of Emptiness (21 August 2008)

0:01 Take it off, pause. Okay, so moving. Anyway, this is Discovering Buddhism on emptiness. We'll meet, I think, around for eight weeks, seven or eight weeks. There might be a shift in one of those weeks, but I'll let you know that coming up. Report an error in the passage at 0:01 Highlight the passage at 0:01

0:25 This is part of the Discovering Buddhism series, which are with the practice. I think there's 14 different modules from Mind, Meditation, Presenting the Path, Spiritual Teacher, Refuge, Karma, Saṃsāra, Nirvāṇa, Report an error in the passage at 0:25 Highlight the passage at 0:25

0:50 Bodhicitta, Transforming Problems, Emptiness and Tantra, Introduction to Tantra. So it's basically different subject areas within the Buddhist philosophy. And it's kind of introductory level. Report an error in the passage at 0:50 Highlight the passage at 0:50

1:05 It doesn't get into the very highly defined points of Buddhism. It just gives you kind of more of an experiential approach. So we'll talk about emptiness pretty much on the basis of which we can try to apply some of the principles within our own life. Report an error in the passage at 1:05 Highlight the passage at 1:05

1:29 Before we get started, let's go around the room and get everyone's name. I'm not so good at remembering names, but eventually we'll get to know each other. And there are a couple of familiar faces, but I'll let you start. Report an error in the passage at 1:29 Highlight the passage at 1:29

1:48 Say it loud enough so everyone else can hear, not just me. Report an error in the passage at 1:48 Highlight the passage at 1:48

1:55 Yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:55 Highlight the passage at 1:55

2:03 What? Doris. Report an error in the passage at 2:03 Highlight the passage at 2:03

2:08 Yutaka. Davy. Okay. How many of you have been here before? How many of you have taken a Discovering Buddhism class before? How many of you know something about emptiness? Report an error in the passage at 2:08 Highlight the passage at 2:08

2:30 Oh good, because then I can say anything and you'll believe me, right? What do you know about emptiness? Yeah, well, yeah, it's okay, either way. Report an error in the passage at 2:30 Highlight the passage at 2:30

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3:17 Yeah, okay, okay. So we might not get much further than that anyway in this class, but we'll see. Report an error in the passage at 3:17 Highlight the passage at 3:17

3:26 Mostly readings, but have you taken teachings? Okay. Report an error in the passage at 3:26 Highlight the passage at 3:26

3:36 There is a book I'm going to pass out. It is actually a free book. Report an error in the passage at 3:36 Highlight the passage at 3:36

3:44 So I just have to make sure we order enough copies to replace. I took them from the LPP. Report an error in the passage at 3:44 Highlight the passage at 3:44

3:56 It's one of my favorite books on emptiness by Geshe Gelson, who is a resident teacher down in Long Beach, California. but... Report an error in the passage at 3:56 Highlight the passage at 3:56

4:10 It's actually emptiness and a very kind of approachable from a Western point of view. He has a lot of experience teaching. So each can get a copy of this and Lama forms and what the basis of it. And your name is? Kevin. Kevin. Okay, welcome. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 4:10 Highlight the passage at 4:10

4:38 So should we begin with some meditation? Report an error in the passage at 4:38 Highlight the passage at 4:38

4:50 Back straight, neck and shoulders relaxed. This will be a guided meditation. We'll do an analytical. Meditation. Report an error in the passage at 4:50 Highlight the passage at 4:50

5:04 Back straight, neck and shoulders relaxed, chin tucked in slightly, Report an error in the passage at 5:04 Highlight the passage at 5:04

5:15 eyes directed to the ground about three feet in front of you, Report an error in the passage at 5:15 Highlight the passage at 5:15

5:27 right hand placed on the left with the thumbs touching, this is one position for the end, it's not the only one. Tongue is on the upper palate behind the front teeth, resting chin, just relaxed at the mouth, but it's good to have the tongue on the upper palate, lips slightly pursed together. Report an error in the passage at 5:27 Highlight the passage at 5:27

5:53 And we'll just begin by following the breath. Keep the attention focused on the rising and falling of your abdomen as you breathe in and out. Report an error in the passage at 5:53 Highlight the passage at 5:53

6:11 Breathing naturally. Report an error in the passage at 6:11 Highlight the passage at 6:11

6:39 Let go of all of today's activities, all this mental activity. Just quiet the mind. Keep the attention on the breath. Report an error in the passage at 6:39 Highlight the passage at 6:39

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7:59 Keep the attention on the breath. Report an error in the passage at 7:59 Highlight the passage at 7:59

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12:26 Bring the attention back to the breath. Report an error in the passage at 12:26 Highlight the passage at 12:26

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13:28 Let's begin with our body. Think of its many parts. The skin. Report an error in the passage at 13:28 Highlight the passage at 13:28

13:41 The bones, Report an error in the passage at 13:41 Highlight the passage at 13:41

13:46 muscles, hair, Report an error in the passage at 13:46 Highlight the passage at 13:46

14:00 eyes, nose, ears. Report an error in the passage at 14:00 Highlight the passage at 14:00

14:08 Probe these with your mind, their texture, shape. Report an error in the passage at 14:08 Highlight the passage at 14:08

14:17 Get a sense of your own body and its many parts. Report an error in the passage at 14:17 Highlight the passage at 14:17

14:41 Tongue, teeth, Report an error in the passage at 14:41 Highlight the passage at 14:41

14:47 neck, shoulders, fingernails, fingers, elbows. Report an error in the passage at 14:47 Highlight the passage at 14:47

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15:59 Now try to get a sense of your body at work. Report an error in the passage at 15:59 Highlight the passage at 15:59

16:05 Your breath, feeling your lungs filling with air Report an error in the passage at 16:05 Highlight the passage at 16:05

16:14 and emptying again. Report an error in the passage at 16:14 Highlight the passage at 16:14

16:21 The beating of your heart, Report an error in the passage at 16:21 Highlight the passage at 16:21

16:37 moisture traveling from your mouth down your esophagus. Report an error in the passage at 16:37 Highlight the passage at 16:37

16:50 Your body in motion, Report an error in the passage at 16:50 Highlight the passage at 16:50

16:56 blood coursing through your veins. Report an error in the passage at 16:56 Highlight the passage at 16:56

17:07 Lunch slowly making its way through your system, being absorbed, breaking down. Report an error in the passage at 17:07 Highlight the passage at 17:07

17:18 Your body at work. Report an error in the passage at 17:18 Highlight the passage at 17:18

17:31 Your brain sending signals throughout the body and back again. Report an error in the passage at 17:31 Highlight the passage at 17:31

17:44 Yes, this body, the one you're sitting with right now, all this activity in motion, Report an error in the passage at 17:44 Highlight the passage at 17:44

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18:28 moment by moment, in motion, this body. Report an error in the passage at 18:28 Highlight the passage at 18:28

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19:10 Now let's take it to an even more subtle level. Report an error in the passage at 19:10 Highlight the passage at 19:10

19:17 Your body composed of cells Report an error in the passage at 19:17 Highlight the passage at 19:17

19:24 reproducing, Report an error in the passage at 19:24 Highlight the passage at 19:24

19:30 moving about, dying and disintegrating. Moment by moment. This body, the one you're sitting with right now, countless cells in motion, Report an error in the passage at 19:30 Highlight the passage at 19:30

19:51 changing from moment to moment, Report an error in the passage at 19:51 Highlight the passage at 19:51

19:57 reproducing in Report an error in the passage at 19:57 Highlight the passage at 19:57

20:05 motion, Report an error in the passage at 20:05 Highlight the passage at 20:05

20:09 dying and disintegrating. Report an error in the passage at 20:09 Highlight the passage at 20:09

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20:50 This body, the one you're sitting with, Report an error in the passage at 20:50 Highlight the passage at 20:50

20:55 countless cells in motion, Report an error in the passage at 20:55 Highlight the passage at 20:55

21:04 moment by moment. Report an error in the passage at 21:04 Highlight the passage at 21:04

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21:51 Begin to extend your awareness to the cushion you're sitting on. Report an error in the passage at 21:51 Highlight the passage at 21:51

21:59 Hit two. Although appearing to be solid, it's composed of countless particles at Report an error in the passage at 21:59 Highlight the passage at 21:59

22:13 a very subtle level, in motion, Report an error in the passage at 22:13 Highlight the passage at 22:13

22:19 even the cushion you're sitting on. Countless particles in Report an error in the passage at 22:19 Highlight the passage at 22:19

22:28 motion at a very subtle level. Report an error in the passage at 22:28 Highlight the passage at 22:28

22:52 Although appearing to be solid, static, in motion, the cushion you're sitting on, Report an error in the passage at 22:52 Highlight the passage at 22:52

23:09 changing from moment to moment. Report an error in the passage at 23:09 Highlight the passage at 23:09

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23:52 Begin to extend your awareness. To the floor, the carpet, the walls. Report an error in the passage at 23:52 Highlight the passage at 23:52

24:02 Again, although appearing to be static, unchanging, are actually composed of countless particles in motion from moment to moment at a very subtle level. Report an error in the passage at 24:02 Highlight the passage at 24:02

24:23 The floor, the walls of the room, the objects in the room, in motion at a very subtle level. Report an error in the passage at 24:23 Highlight the passage at 24:23

25:03 Now expand your awareness. As far as you want. The trees, the buses, the cars, the ocean. It's all in motion. The mountains, the desert, the animals, Report an error in the passage at 25:03 Highlight the passage at 25:03

25:24 the buildings, Report an error in the passage at 25:24 Highlight the passage at 25:24

25:28 the people. Changing from moment to moment. Go anywhere you want with your mind. It's all in motion. Changing from one moment to the next. Go anywhere you want. Report an error in the passage at 25:28 Highlight the passage at 25:28

26:05 Nothing remains the same from one moment to the next. Report an error in the passage at 26:05 Highlight the passage at 26:05

26:26 Go any way you want. It's all in motion. Report an error in the passage at 26:26 Highlight the passage at 26:26

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27:15 Everything changes from moment to moment. Report an error in the passage at 27:15 Highlight the passage at 27:15

27:26 When pleasures arise, there's no sense in hanging on. Inevitably, they will change. Report an error in the passage at 27:26 Highlight the passage at 27:26

27:39 When difficulties arise, they too. No sense getting upset. They too will change. Report an error in the passage at 27:39 Highlight the passage at 27:39

27:53 Everything's in motion, Report an error in the passage at 27:53 Highlight the passage at 27:53

27:59 moment by moment. Report an error in the passage at 27:59 Highlight the passage at 27:59

28:18 Okay. Let's bring your awareness back. Report an error in the passage at 28:18 Highlight the passage at 28:18

28:35 Did anyone get a feeling of lightness through this meditation? Anyone feel a cushion disappear from under them? No? Report an error in the passage at 28:35 Highlight the passage at 28:35

28:51 Uh-oh. We better do it again. Report an error in the passage at 28:51 Highlight the passage at 28:51

28:57 The idea is to get somewhat of a feeling that the solidity that we take for granted isn't quite there. Report an error in the passage at 28:57 Highlight the passage at 28:57

29:23 Yeah, no, it is. Because think of what happens when something arises in our life, right? We hang on to it. The basis of all of our suffering is coming from what? Hanging on to something that's actually in motion. Report an error in the passage at 29:23 Highlight the passage at 29:23

29:48 So from experiential's point of view, yeah, we see things as kind of, we're kind of inclined or shall we say, Report an error in the passage at 29:48 Highlight the passage at 29:48

30:02 it's almost innate but it's not really innate. This seeing things as being self-existent, unchanging. Solid, existing from its own side. So to kind of get Report an error in the passage at 30:02 Highlight the passage at 30:02

30:23 beyond that, it takes some thinking and meditating. So emptiness, this is what they call the ultimate teaching of the Buddha. Because everything else the Buddha taught, from doing prostrations to the Four Noble Truths, bodhicitta, karma. It all is to get us to the realization of emptiness. So this is kind of the ultimate teaching. Report an error in the passage at 30:23 Highlight the passage at 30:23

31:02 There's what we call conventional bodhicitta and ultimate bodhicitta. Conventional bodhicitta is this mind that wishes to be enlightened. Ultimate bodhicitta is the true nature of reality. And basically it comes down to quite a simple thing. Report an error in the passage at 31:02 Highlight the passage at 31:02

31:30 We just don't see reality, we don't experience reality in the same way it exists. Report an error in the passage at 31:30 Highlight the passage at 31:30

31:39 So the teachings of emptiness are really to try to get us to see things as they truly exist. And that has to be at some level, beyond a conceptual understanding, it comes to some level, at some point, it becomes what we call a direct experience of emptiness. A direct realization. But for the most part, most of us are going to be just trying to apply a conceptual understanding and taking apart somewhat this solid way we have of seeing things because Report an error in the passage at 31:39 Highlight the passage at 31:39

32:36 in some ways it forms the basis of all of our experience but it's also the basis of all of our suffering. Report an error in the passage at 32:36 Highlight the passage at 32:36

32:50 Does anyone know the Four Noble Truths? Report an error in the passage at 32:50 Highlight the passage at 32:50

32:55 Yes? Report an error in the passage at 32:55 Highlight the passage at 32:55

33:20 So there's suffering and then there's a cause of suffering. Then there's the understanding that there's, well there's actually three kinds of, they talk about three modes of suffering. But suffering is one noble truth, just the nature of suffering, that there is suffering, that everything is in the nature of suffering. Then the second one is that the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering and then the path to cessation of suffering. Report an error in the passage at 33:20 Highlight the passage at 33:20

33:51 So we have suffering now, and we look at that. Then we look at why is it that we're suffering. Then we look at if we are suffering, is there a way that we can be without that suffering, which is the cessation of suffering. And then the path is the way in which we get there. And again, these are related to cause and effect. Report an error in the passage at 33:51 Highlight the passage at 33:51

34:19 The cause for the suffering is grasping at self-existent I. Report an error in the passage at 34:19 Highlight the passage at 34:19

34:29 And that's the nature of our suffering. The cessation of suffering, the cause for the sensation of suffering is actually the path, following the teachings of the Buddha in terms of the path. So all of the Buddha's teachings are there to get us beyond this self-existent I, grasping at true existence. Report an error in the passage at 34:29 Highlight the passage at 34:29

34:59 So what do these terms mean? How familiar are you with these? When I say true existence, When I say emptiness, are these terms you understand? Should we go over them? What is your understanding? Report an error in the passage at 34:59 Highlight the passage at 34:59

35:16 What do you think is true existence? Report an error in the passage at 35:16 Highlight the passage at 35:16

35:25 Any thoughts? Report an error in the passage at 35:25 Highlight the passage at 35:25

35:37 No self. What is no self? Report an error in the passage at 35:37 Highlight the passage at 35:37

35:44 Non-duality. Report an error in the passage at 35:44 Highlight the passage at 35:44

35:53 This particular school of Buddhism wouldn't completely say that that's completely ultimate truth, but it goes quite a bit in that direction, that's for sure. Report an error in the passage at 35:53 Highlight the passage at 35:53

36:14 What do you understand about emptiness? I need to hear from you because I need to kind of gauge from you whether these terms are making any sense so then I can explain them a little bit easier. Report an error in the passage at 36:14 Highlight the passage at 36:14

36:28 Maybe? Report an error in the passage at 36:28 Highlight the passage at 36:28

36:33 Emptiness is form, form is emptiness. Okay. What do you think emptiness is? Report an error in the passage at 36:33 Highlight the passage at 36:33

37:08 Divided as many times. Report an error in the passage at 37:08 Highlight the passage at 37:08

37:22 My body being divided in many parts but still have the shape and form. I didn't need to imagine myself spread out. in little pieces, but still have the same form. And then I take that to my sense of self. Who am I? Where am I? In my ear, trying to find myself in my Report an error in the passage at 37:22 Highlight the passage at 37:22

37:47 Okay. Okay. That's good. That gives me some clue. Kevin? Report an error in the passage at 37:47 Highlight the passage at 37:47

37:56 The fact that we don't have any self is... independent, completely independent of every other thing out there, that who we are and what we are is dependent upon our perception of ourselves, circumstances. Report an error in the passage at 37:56 Highlight the passage at 37:56

38:25 It's okay. You don't have to be right or wrong. There's no right or wrong. It's just kind of trying to get a grasp of people's understanding of this subject. Report an error in the passage at 38:25 Highlight the passage at 38:25

38:46 the oneness of everything. Report an error in the passage at 38:46 Highlight the passage at 38:46

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39:26 Created by many causes and conditions. back to Big Bang. Oh, okay. Report an error in the passage at 39:26 Highlight the passage at 39:26

39:42 Well, there would have had to be something before that, but yeah. Report an error in the passage at 39:42 Highlight the passage at 39:42

39:57 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 39:57 Highlight the passage at 39:57

40:12 That's good. Go ahead. What's your name again? Doris. Doris, Doris, Doris. It takes me a while with names. When you say, you know, for any of this to exist, Big Bang had to happen maybe Report an error in the passage at 40:12 Highlight the passage at 40:12

39:51 is that thing because we have that we've sort of imputed, know. Report an error in the passage at 39:51 Highlight the passage at 39:51

40:05 it up and maybe it's not a thing anymore. Report an error in the passage at 40:05 Highlight the passage at 40:05

40:19 So please bear with me. Report an error in the passage at 40:19 Highlight the passage at 40:19

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41:04 That's when I Report an error in the passage at 41:04 Highlight the passage at 41:04

41:18 touched on here, isn't it? Okay, now I know. Single? Report an error in the passage at 41:18 Highlight the passage at 41:18

41:28 Impermanence. Report an error in the passage at 41:28 Highlight the passage at 41:28

41:36 Your name again? Sandy. absolute slide, don't you normally about that, I know that it exists, but I know how long to see this Report an error in the passage at 41:36 Highlight the passage at 41:36

40:56 so to Report an error in the passage at 40:56 Highlight the passage at 40:56

41:01 Okay, I think so. Report an error in the passage at 41:01 Highlight the passage at 41:01

· · · silence, 1 minute

41:46 thinking of there. think that's where it gets confusing, because Report an error in the passage at 41:46 Highlight the passage at 41:46

41:58 you're perceiving is Report an error in the passage at 41:58 Highlight the passage at 41:58

42:05 you're seeing is not really... Okay. Report an error in the passage at 42:05 Highlight the passage at 42:05

42:17 Ed? Report an error in the passage at 42:17 Highlight the passage at 42:17

42:22 was Report an error in the passage at 42:22 Highlight the passage at 42:22

42:26 experienced just a nanosecond of awareness I wasn't entirely sure where ended and my breath began. this kind of awareness of breathing in what was around me, and so I became that. So for me, the idea of emptiness is... Report an error in the passage at 42:26 Highlight the passage at 42:26

42:53 to the realization that Report an error in the passage at 42:53 Highlight the passage at 42:53

42:59 isn't separation. That goes back to what she was saying. Non-duality? Okay. Report an error in the passage at 42:59 Highlight the passage at 42:59

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43:46 Yeah, no, it's a tricky one, yeah. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 43:46 Highlight the passage at 43:46

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44:27 Empty right now. Report an error in the passage at 44:27 Highlight the passage at 44:27

44:31 Well, I feel like there's an intellectual understanding of emptiness, which is, yeah, everything is separate from its causes of its own side, and causes and conditions are what kind of created a reality, but then there's the actual understanding of emptiness, which to me is like a continuum of... know. Report an error in the passage at 44:31 Highlight the passage at 44:31

44:56 The self-cherishing mind is no longer so present. It is easy to intellectually understand, I think, emptiness. It's a basic science, but when we're going through our day-to-day life, our self-cherishing mind is constantly hitting us, so it's like that continuum. So I guess maybe the bliss, feeling of bliss when you feel emptiness, even though it doesn't happen that often for me. Report an error in the passage at 44:56 Highlight the passage at 44:56

45:28 The idea of it, or the idea of understanding it, is like, I think, like a principle. Report an error in the passage at 45:28 Highlight the passage at 45:28

45:41 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 45:41 Highlight the passage at 45:41

45:45 If we go Report an error in the passage at 45:45 Highlight the passage at 45:45

45:51 with Lama Tsongkhapa's view, which eventually we'll get to, and we'll explain as we go along in these next few weeks, but emptiness is dependent origination, dependent origination is emptiness, so some of you were pretty close, but what does that mean? We're all touching upon it because if we're looking, we're kind of looking at our experience and we're kind of seeing that things don't exist exactly the way they appear to exist. Report an error in the passage at 45:51 Highlight the passage at 45:51

46:19 Things are interdependent. That relationship, we're getting kind of all kind of agreeing with some of that. We're also bringing up these points of this, maybe this lack of separation between what we call Report an error in the passage at 46:19 Highlight the passage at 46:19

46:39 Subject and object, perceiver and object of perception. That's one level of it actually, but it's actually not the full realization of emptiness, but it is one level. It's helpful in getting our understanding of that. This lack of separation between that which is perceiving and that which is being perceived. Report an error in the passage at 46:39 Highlight the passage at 46:39

47:15 It's quite interesting because as Westerners in our education system, most of these concepts that you've expressed, Report an error in the passage at 47:15 Highlight the passage at 47:15

47:29 we do kind of grasp fairly simply. And I think for me personally, I would say also that these are the things that kind of kept me connected with Buddhism because I didn't really come in here for all of the tankas and the prostrations and all of that stuff. It was teachings on emptiness that kind of held me in here long enough to kind of eventually, I guess, become a monk. But it Report an error in the passage at 47:29 Highlight the passage at 47:29

48:12 seems, though, that if we have such an understanding, which isn't so far removed from what they actually talk about in the text, then there's still this other problem of, well, what does that actually mean in our daily lives? And what are the implications? of the realization of emptiness in our lives. Report an error in the passage at 48:12 Highlight the passage at 48:12

48:42 So I'm not just going to give you a bunch of answers here as much as I'm going to try to get you to think because it seems that we're not so far removed from what we understand of emptiness, you know, dependent origination. Report an error in the passage at 48:42 Highlight the passage at 48:42

49:00 But yet, I think most of us are fairly removed from how that applies in day-to-day situations. Report an error in the passage at 49:00 Highlight the passage at 49:00

49:17 Do we have suffering in our lives? Report an error in the passage at 49:17 Highlight the passage at 49:17

49:27 So then how does it apply? And that's what we need to explore. Report an error in the passage at 49:27 Highlight the passage at 49:27

49:37 We will talk a little bit about the meanings and different things like that and the understandings to try to get some clarity around what we mean by dependent origination, what we mean by emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 49:37 Highlight the passage at 49:37

49:49 But let's first look at how do things exist? And what do we mean by dependent Report an error in the passage at 49:49 Highlight the passage at 49:49

50:06 existence? Report an error in the passage at 50:06 Highlight the passage at 50:06

50:11 Or what would we mean by independent existence? Report an error in the passage at 50:11 Highlight the passage at 50:11

50:18 Quite simply, analytically, logically, independent existence would mean that it would exist without any dependent causes and conditions or without any dependence upon anything else. Report an error in the passage at 50:18 Highlight the passage at 50:18

50:36 Right? And it doesn't take much of a stretch to kind of figure out That in fact, it doesn't exist that way. Report an error in the passage at 50:36 Highlight the passage at 50:36

50:53 We kind of get the dependent bit. Yet, Report an error in the passage at 50:53 Highlight the passage at 50:53

51:03 we think of, we have this natural kind of tendency to see something as if it exists independently, don't we? This book is out there, separate from us. Report an error in the passage at 51:03 Highlight the passage at 51:03

51:29 By nature, I mean really by nature, by habit, by force of habit. That's how we perceive this book, separate from us. Self-existent, independent book, right? Report an error in the passage at 51:29 Highlight the passage at 51:29

51:55 Do you perceive it that way? Report an error in the passage at 51:55 Highlight the passage at 51:55

51:59 But yeah, when we analyze it, it's easy to say dependent. It's dependent upon the causes and conditions, which means what? It means you have a writer, you have a publisher, you have the paper, you have all of the... You have the trees, you have the earth, you have the water, you have the sun, you have the ink. Report an error in the passage at 51:59 Highlight the passage at 51:59

52:27 Yes, it also requires that look. Report an error in the passage at 52:27 Highlight the passage at 52:27

52:36 So that's bringing us to this one of the other things I wanted to look at is how do things exist? We automatically kind of think of them independently. Existing out there. Just like I kind of sit here in front of you and I see all these different independent beings existing separate from me. Report an error in the passage at 52:36 Highlight the passage at 52:36

52:59 But how do things truly exist? How do things exist? Not truly exist. How do things exist? Report an error in the passage at 52:59 Highlight the passage at 52:59

53:14 Well, there's three ways in which we kind of accord. They exist in dependence upon causes and conditions. Report an error in the passage at 53:14 Highlight the passage at 53:14

53:26 They exist in dependence upon parts and they exist in dependence upon labels or designation. Report an error in the passage at 53:26 Highlight the passage at 53:26

53:46 But that when you try to identify, you can't find true existence. In some ways, emptiness is as simple as that. It's not a stretch for most of us. We all have pretty good backgrounds from our education systems. Report an error in the passage at 53:46 Highlight the passage at 53:46

54:07 This part is not so hard to grasp. It's the implications, Report an error in the passage at 54:07 Highlight the passage at 54:07

54:17 moment by moment, because the mind is trained the moment you see this, to think that this exists separately out there. Report an error in the passage at 54:17 Highlight the passage at 54:17

54:31 The mind is trained to think that I am my body. Report an error in the passage at 54:31 Highlight the passage at 54:31

54:40 That's who I am. I am my life story. I am all these things. It doesn't see things as lacking that true existence, lacking that independent existence. Report an error in the passage at 54:40 Highlight the passage at 54:40

54:59 We kind of perceive things. And that's where the problem comes in, because it's really second nature to see things as being truly existent, which is not in accord with the way they truly exist. Report an error in the passage at 54:59 Highlight the passage at 54:59

55:15 We understand it, right? Report an error in the passage at 55:15 Highlight the passage at 55:15

55:25 Yes? Report an error in the passage at 55:25 Highlight the passage at 55:25

55:45 wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 55:45 Highlight the passage at 55:45

55:52 But if the body were truly existent, Report an error in the passage at 55:52 Highlight the passage at 55:52

55:57 it would have independent existence. Report an error in the passage at 55:57 Highlight the passage at 55:57

56:04 If the body were truly existent, it would mean it would be independently existing, but we know it's not. Report an error in the passage at 56:04 Highlight the passage at 56:04

56:33 Things exist in dependence upon causes and conditions. They exist in dependence upon parts, and they exist in dependence upon labels. Report an error in the passage at 56:33 Highlight the passage at 56:33

56:58 That includes you. Most importantly, that includes you, me, myself and I. Report an error in the passage at 56:58 Highlight the passage at 56:58

57:10 That's the only way I exist. Report an error in the passage at 57:10 Highlight the passage at 57:10

57:17 What are the implications of that? Report an error in the passage at 57:17 Highlight the passage at 57:17

57:27 It's all like a movie. It's all one big hallucination. All of this. Going to work every day. All your friends. Your home, your apartment, your car. Report an error in the passage at 57:27 Highlight the passage at 57:27

57:50 It's all one big hallucination. Report an error in the passage at 57:50 Highlight the passage at 57:50

58:02 It doesn't feel that way, does it? Report an error in the passage at 58:02 Highlight the passage at 58:02

58:08 All the meaning we give it. Even this. This is one big hallucination. Buddha. Buddha doesn't exist independent from labels, from causes and conditions, from parts. Even Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 58:08 Highlight the passage at 58:08

58:31 There's no Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 58:31 Highlight the passage at 58:31

58:35 Independently existing Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 58:35 Highlight the passage at 58:35

58:44 So why would we do prostrations, huh? Report an error in the passage at 58:44 Highlight the passage at 58:44

58:55 What are the implications in your life? Anyone got some thoughts? Report an error in the passage at 58:55 Highlight the passage at 58:55

59:11 There is conventional existence. Report an error in the passage at 59:11 Highlight the passage at 59:11

59:16 So that's what we call, I mean, there's ultimate reality and there's conventional reality or conventional existence and ultimate existence. Conventional existence is the existence we refer to as that which we all agree upon, that this is a book, this is a computer, Report an error in the passage at 59:16 Highlight the passage at 59:16

59:33 I have a life, you're a person, I have a job, I go to university, I do this, I do that. That's conventional existence. We agree upon certain common terms and certain ways of perceiving things and we accord them conventional existence. Report an error in the passage at 59:33 Highlight the passage at 59:33

59:54 But when we get to exploring, which we're not going to do so much tonight, we don't really find they have true existence. Report an error in the passage at 59:54 Highlight the passage at 59:54

1:00:10 I can kind of tell at least either you're really completely like zoned out or you're really kind of thinking. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:10 Highlight the passage at 1:00:10

1:00:27 When was the last time you got annoyed with someone? Today? Today? Yesterday? An hour ago? Was it when I walked into the room? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:27 Highlight the passage at 1:00:27

1:00:50 Who was it that got annoyed? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:50 Highlight the passage at 1:00:50

1:00:57 And what is annoyance? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:57 Highlight the passage at 1:00:57

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:01:50 Who is getting angry? Report an error in the passage at 1:01:50 Highlight the passage at 1:01:50

1:01:57 But does that person exist? Truly exist? Conventionally, yes. And these are the two extremes we have to identify as well. The two extremes of permanence is everything being truly existing, meaning independently, permanently, not changing. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:57 Highlight the passage at 1:01:57

1:02:26 The other extreme is that they don't exist at all. And quite honestly, I'll tell you that for most of us, I think there's more of a danger of the not existing at all kind of extreme. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:26 Highlight the passage at 1:02:26

1:02:47 Because if it is one big hallucination... Which I'm telling you, it is, then why would you care? Whatever happened? It Report an error in the passage at 1:02:47 Highlight the passage at 1:02:47

1:03:04 wasn't so important for me, it was me. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:04 Highlight the passage at 1:03:04

1:03:14 So that's by habit. But behind that anger is this belief in a truly existent I. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:14 Highlight the passage at 1:03:14

1:03:28 It wasn't important, but it was behind that, in order for that to arise, Report an error in the passage at 1:03:28 Highlight the passage at 1:03:28

1:03:40 this sense of an I. Because there's no anger without a sense of an I. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:40 Highlight the passage at 1:03:40

1:03:57 You can let go, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:57 Highlight the passage at 1:03:57

1:04:07 So, I Report an error in the passage at 1:04:07 Highlight the passage at 1:04:07

1:04:17 think with training, it seems to me, you know, and I don't have any realizations here, I'm just kind of, you know, the next step you have in having studied it just a little bit longer than you, that I can sit up here and try to explain this, but it seems to me that how you'd apply it in your life is maybe just to... Report an error in the passage at 1:04:17 Highlight the passage at 1:04:17

1:04:42 See all these events and people and things and stuff is just a stream of events and people and things. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:42 Highlight the passage at 1:04:42

1:04:55 And they all have causes and conditions by which they appear to you at a particular time and place. And that you have some relationship with that and you have some way of, but even that you that I'm talking about, it's not truly existent. But that's all just in motion and the difference between subject and object. It's really, really, it's kind of interesting because it's very, very subtle. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:55 Highlight the passage at 1:04:55

1:05:32 It's not as solid as it appears to be. So what happens, I think, with time is things don't have that sense of solidity that they do. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:32 Highlight the passage at 1:05:32

1:05:52 And I think, Report an error in the passage at 1:05:52 Highlight the passage at 1:05:52

1:05:56 at least my experience is that sometimes... Do you know when you're so focused or just doing some action and it just seems like you're going... It's almost like it's going through you. I mean, you're just... Things are just... There's no sense of self. And at the moment there's a sense of self arises, then there's a solidity there. Do you ever get that sensation? Do you know what I'm talking about? Report an error in the passage at 1:05:56 Highlight the passage at 1:05:56

1:06:35 Let's say you're taking care of somebody or doing some... focused task, and you're just focused on doing it, and you lose all sense of the distinction between doing and the person doing. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:35 Highlight the passage at 1:06:35

1:06:51 the moment something annoys you, there's a sense of I that arises and then it becomes very solid and like, I don't want to be here. I mean, Report an error in the passage at 1:06:51 Highlight the passage at 1:06:51

1:07:06 I'm just putting this out there for us to kind of see how would we apply this? What would the implications be in our life? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:06 Highlight the passage at 1:07:06

1:07:16 Of course the ultimate implications are for us to kind of get on the Buddhist path and try to get enlightened where we don't have any of this kind of cycle of going from life to life over and over again. But I think given our kind of doubting minds, inquisitive minds, searching minds, we need a little bit more substance before we go on that path. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:16 Highlight the passage at 1:07:16

1:07:55 We need to make it real for us in our own experience. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:55 Highlight the passage at 1:07:55

1:08:10 So things arise in dependence upon causes and conditions, in dependence upon parts, in dependence upon labels or designation. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:10 Highlight the passage at 1:08:10

1:08:26 Okay. Can you go back to maybe your first day of school? Report an error in the passage at 1:08:26 Highlight the passage at 1:08:26

1:08:40 And the teacher wrote on the board these three lines. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:40 Highlight the passage at 1:08:40

1:08:49 Before that moment, well this might not be true anymore because it probably wasn't the first day in school, but before that moment there was no such thing as the letter A. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:49 Highlight the passage at 1:08:49

1:09:04 It did not exist. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:04 Highlight the passage at 1:09:04

1:09:12 And it's only those three lines and the designation that that is the letter A, that that came into being. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:12 Highlight the passage at 1:09:12

1:09:26 But we don't see it as such, do we? Now we become... Through habit. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:26 Highlight the passage at 1:09:26

1:09:50 In your mind, it would have been just three lines, maybe, if even that. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:50 Highlight the passage at 1:09:50

1:10:11 Well, the point of it is, once it was labeled, then your mind became to believe in that being truly existent, A. That that's A and it exists as A. Truly existent, A. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:11 Highlight the passage at 1:10:11

1:10:26 You saw the lines before. Then they wouldn't have had that designation. They wouldn't have had that meaning, would they? Just like, Report an error in the passage at 1:10:26 Highlight the passage at 1:10:26

1:10:41 there's one example that I know. there's the... Report an error in the passage at 1:10:41 Highlight the passage at 1:10:41

1:10:49 What is this? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:49 Highlight the passage at 1:10:49

1:10:55 How much do we go after this? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:55 Highlight the passage at 1:10:55

1:11:01 What is this? Paper with ink. But yet in our mind it means a lot more than that, doesn't it? Just think of how much effort we put into every day to get some of these. It's even more absurd when you think of it electronically in terms of digits in our bank account. We don't even see the paper. We just see zeros. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:01 Highlight the passage at 1:11:01

1:11:32 On a computer screen. And it gives us a sense of feeling that we're either rich or poor. And all the feelings that arise from that. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:32 Highlight the passage at 1:11:32

1:11:49 All designation. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:49 Highlight the passage at 1:11:49

1:11:55 One big hallucination. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:55 Highlight the passage at 1:11:55

1:12:03 Try to find the border between Mexico and America. Where does the actual border... Is it there? Or is it just there? You'll never find it, will you? Yet, conceptually... There's a big border there. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:03 Highlight the passage at 1:12:03

1:12:35 What is this for a dog or a cat? What meaning does this have for a dog or a cat? Not much. That's what we're meaning when we talk about emptiness. Do you guys need a tea break? Report an error in the passage at 1:12:35 Highlight the passage at 1:12:35

1:12:58 No? Yes? I heard a couple of yeses. That's good. So go have a tea break. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:58 Highlight the passage at 1:12:58

1:13:11 You can pause the recording. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:11 Highlight the passage at 1:13:11

1:13:19 Like I said, We'll get into a little bit more of the structured way of presenting this in the beginning next week. Mostly I want to throw out terms so we get a little bit of understanding that we're using. There's conventional truth and ultimate truth. Conventional truth is the more mundane way in which we... Report an error in the passage at 1:13:19 Highlight the passage at 1:13:19

1:13:46 Relate with the world, calling this a book that we all agree that when our mind perceives this, it commonly identifies it as book. And we agree on that term, we agree on that label. That's conventional existence. But that ultimate truth would say that there's no independent, inherent existence from its own side. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:46 Highlight the passage at 1:13:46

1:14:14 It doesn't exist independently. So then there's the ultimate truth of how it actually exists. It ultimately exists empty of inherent existence. So there's emptiness, voidness is another term. This was an early translation of the term of emptiness called voidness. It's not used so much anymore, but you will kind of hear it or see it from time to time. Dependent arising. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:14 Highlight the passage at 1:14:14

1:14:48 Dependent origination, dependent arising, those are used kind of interchangeably. Dependent arising, it arises in dependence upon causes and conditions, in dependence upon parts, in dependence upon labels. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:48 Highlight the passage at 1:14:48

1:15:07 I, person, self are all synonymous terms. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:07 Highlight the passage at 1:15:07

1:15:15 We also have something called the five aggregates. I think in some traditions, probably in spirit rock, they call them the skandhas. Maybe the five skandas. We call them the five aggregates. And I'm not sure if they are exactly the same, but we call them form, feeling, compositional factors, discrimination and consciousness. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:15 Highlight the passage at 1:15:15

1:15:54 Those are the five aggregates. Are they referred to in the same way in the five skandas? Same ones? Report an error in the passage at 1:15:54 Highlight the passage at 1:15:54

1:16:05 Yeah, I think they would be fairly close, but sometimes, especially feeling and discrimination, those are also called mental factors, so they, I don't know, sometimes there's some question about why they're grouped in with the 5A. Do we know what we mean by compositional factors? I Report an error in the passage at 1:16:05 Highlight the passage at 1:16:05

1:16:42 think it's like a Report an error in the passage at 1:16:42 Highlight the passage at 1:16:42

1:16:47 year is composed of 365 days, Report an error in the passage at 1:16:47 Highlight the passage at 1:16:47

1:17:00 like things like that. Week is seven days. It's kind of because it's not a form, it's just a concept. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:00 Highlight the passage at 1:17:00

1:17:15 We couldn't include parts of forms. It's more like concepts. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:15 Highlight the passage at 1:17:15

1:17:29 No, no. Forms are physical forms pretty much. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:29 Highlight the passage at 1:17:29

1:17:39 Feelings. Discrimination is, another word that's used for discrimination is discernment. It's not discriminating in terms of judgmental, in terms of like this is goodness. Well, in some ways it is kind of discerning between this and that. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:39 Highlight the passage at 1:17:39

1:17:58 But discernment is probably a better word, at least a little bit more appropriate. I mean, discrimination also could be used, discriminating between this and that. But not that one is better than the other one, it's just discriminating that this is this and this is that. So discernment is another word I think that's used. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:58 Highlight the passage at 1:17:58

1:18:25 And consciousness. Consciousness, mind, awareness, these are interchangeable. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:25 Highlight the passage at 1:18:25

1:18:39 In Buddhism we don't think of mind as the brain, but that's a whole other class. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:39 Highlight the passage at 1:18:39

1:18:51 We will look a lot at identifying the eye. What do we mean by the eye? How does it arise? Report an error in the passage at 1:18:51 Highlight the passage at 1:18:51

1:19:00 Permanence and nihilism, existentialism, nihilism, these are kind of considered extreme views. Permanence is the other extreme, or eternalism is another word that's given to that. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:00 Highlight the passage at 1:19:00

1:19:22 If something is truly existent, it couldn't change. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:22 Highlight the passage at 1:19:22

1:19:29 It would be eternal. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:29 Highlight the passage at 1:19:29

1:19:36 This is where it gets really tricky with the Christians. Something Report an error in the passage at 1:19:36 Highlight the passage at 1:19:36

1:19:39 who believe in a theistic... Those who believe in a theistic God, a truly existing God. And it just depends on how you label these terms. But in most Christian traditions, if you define God as a truly existing God, independently existing God, then it would fall short in the analysis, under analysis, because then something that... Report an error in the passage at 1:19:39 Highlight the passage at 1:19:39

1:20:09 Is able to, is truly existing, independently existing, could not have any effect on anything else. Could not create, because then it would be a dependent relationship. Meaning the object of creation would depend upon the creator. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:09 Highlight the passage at 1:20:09

1:20:29 So it would be independent, it would be a dependent. God would have to be a dependent arising. Couldn't be a permanent, eternal entity. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:29 Highlight the passage at 1:20:29

1:20:41 It doesn't mean we don't have gods, it just means that they couldn't be truly existing gods, just like we can't have truly existing Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:41 Highlight the passage at 1:20:41

1:20:52 So eternalism, permanence, that's one extreme. Nihilism, existential is the other extreme. Inherent existence, true existence, existing from its own side, these are also terms that are somewhat used interchangeably. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:52 Highlight the passage at 1:20:52

1:21:10 So you'll see those in different readings and they will pretty much refer to the same thing. Truly existing, inherently existing, existing from its own side. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:10 Highlight the passage at 1:21:10

1:21:35 No. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:35 Highlight the passage at 1:21:35

1:21:39 Because even emptiness is dependent upon a label, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 1:21:39 Highlight the passage at 1:21:39

1:21:48 The emptiness of the book only comes into existence at the moment the book comes into existence. There is no emptiness of book without book, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:21:48 Highlight the passage at 1:21:48

1:22:12 So there's no truly existing emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:12 Highlight the passage at 1:22:12

1:22:19 Inherently existing emptiness, emptiness existing from its own side. It couldn't be. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:19 Highlight the passage at 1:22:19

1:22:28 Usually when we talk about, especially in, well, there's, we call emptiness, there's selflessness, and these terms, selflessness of person and selflessness of phenomena. And selflessness sometimes gets equated to be emptiness. But it depends there, it depends upon which school of Buddhist philosophy you're talking about, because there are four major philosophical schools that have hold to different philosophical tenets. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:28 Highlight the passage at 1:22:28

1:23:09 There's the Vaibhashika, the Saptantrika, Chittamantra and Majamika. And even within those there are sub-schools, and these are just the ways in which we classify them, but the school, the philosophical school that we are purporting is... Based on the teachings of Nargajuna, which is the Majamika, Prasangika actually, Majamika Prasangika. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:09 Highlight the passage at 1:23:09

1:23:35 And what they call some of the other schools, and sometimes they're referred to as the lower schools because everyone views their philosophy as the most correct. But anyway, it doesn't matter really that part. But they actually have different ways of classifying what it means to be selfless as a person, selfless as a phenomena. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:35 Highlight the passage at 1:23:35

1:23:59 They... I guess if I get myself prepared, we can go into some of those distinctions, but they're not so critical at this point. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:59 Highlight the passage at 1:23:59

1:24:11 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:11 Highlight the passage at 1:24:11

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:24:48 Yeah, pretty much. I would agree with that. I'd have to think about that from the way you're trying to present it. But yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:48 Highlight the passage at 1:24:48

1:25:08 Like I said, it's all one big hallucination. Even emptiness does not have true. It's not an ultimate. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:08 Highlight the passage at 1:25:08

1:25:22 The implications of that are pretty profound. It's kind of hard sometimes because, of course, we're dealing with everything at a conceptual level. We will for the remainder of this class. If you sit on it in some cave for a number of years and develop single-pointed concentration, you might have a realization, a direct realization of emptiness, which means it's non-conceptual. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:22 Highlight the passage at 1:25:22

1:25:47 It's a direct perception. But for the most part, Other than maybe a few teachers, I don't think I've met anyone who I would even imagine has had a direct perception of emptiness. But I could be wrong. I should assume everyone has maybe. That would be a bit off. So there's a selfness as a person and selflessness as a phenomena. When we talked about I, person, self are all interchangeable. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:47 Highlight the passage at 1:25:47

1:26:18 And then we have also we then refer to things, phenomena, book. Computer, table, room, house, all these other things, those are phenomena. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:18 Highlight the passage at 1:26:18

1:26:34 And we make that distinction in some because in some philosophical schools they actually, I think they do purport an existent self, almost like a soul I guess. That's the other thing, that's a little bit, soul is a, we don't assert a soul, truly existent soul. In Buddhism, Report an error in the passage at 1:26:34 Highlight the passage at 1:26:34

1:27:08 we don't have a truly existent God. We don't have a truly existent soul. We don't have a truly existent anything. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:08 Highlight the passage at 1:27:08

1:27:22 So why are we all here? Report an error in the passage at 1:27:22 Highlight the passage at 1:27:22

1:27:27 Because of dependent arising. Because emptiness is also dependent arising. You don't have dependent arising without emptiness. You don't have emptiness without dependent arising. Dependent arising, dependent origination. These terms are pretty interchangeable. Something comes into existence. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:27 Highlight the passage at 1:27:27

1:27:49 It arises, your experience arises of a particular object, independence upon causes and conditions, independence upon parts, independence upon designation. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:49 Highlight the passage at 1:27:49

1:28:03 For example, now I have an experience of Chris because I have a label to associate with those bits and pieces over there, or Doris. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:03 Highlight the passage at 1:28:03

1:28:18 It's just a bunch of molecules, but in that particular clump we have a label. And then we give it all kinds of other things based upon our own karmic appearances. I like you and I don't like you. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:18 Highlight the passage at 1:28:18

1:28:39 You annoy me, you attract me. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:39 Highlight the passage at 1:28:39

1:28:46 Karmic appearances, dependent arising, causes and conditions. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:46 Highlight the passage at 1:28:46

1:29:06 Consciousness? Report an error in the passage at 1:29:06 Highlight the passage at 1:29:06

1:29:10 Well, the five skandhas are referred to, Report an error in the passage at 1:29:10 Highlight the passage at 1:29:10

1:29:16 five skandhas, five aggregates referred to the I. The I. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:16 Highlight the passage at 1:29:16

1:29:25 I perceive the skandis, but I am also made up of the skandis, aren't I? That's what I think, but they aren't. We'll get to explore that one a little bit when we do the four-point analysis. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:25 Highlight the passage at 1:29:25

1:29:40 Now, have I discouraged anyone from participating in this discussion past today's class? Report an error in the passage at 1:29:40 Highlight the passage at 1:29:40

1:29:49 That's good, because in some ways, it seems a little bit confusing and overwhelming. But actually, I... I think in some ways it is understandable. It's just really, again, like I said, trying to apply it into our lives. Because when you see it as a dream, a mirage, a drop of dew, a bubble, a flash of lightning, a mirage, a hallucination, Report an error in the passage at 1:29:49 Highlight the passage at 1:29:49

1:30:37 almost anything is possible. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:37 Highlight the passage at 1:30:37

1:30:45 And you don't necessarily, you won't suffer as much, it seems to me. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:45 Highlight the passage at 1:30:45

1:30:58 The basis of the suffering is all much based on the existence of this I. I want this, I want that. I designate this as important. I designate this as wrong and right, big and small, Report an error in the passage at 1:30:58 Highlight the passage at 1:30:58

1:31:20 good-looking, ugly, Report an error in the passage at 1:31:20 Highlight the passage at 1:31:20

1:31:27 good-tasting, yucky, gross, attractive. Without an I, there aren't any of those things, are there? So all of our suffering has to stem from this sense of I. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:27 Highlight the passage at 1:31:27

1:31:57 And the more suffering we have, the more we're grasping it than I and a true existence. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:57 Highlight the passage at 1:31:57

1:32:11 So our job is to suffer less, Report an error in the passage at 1:32:11 Highlight the passage at 1:32:11

1:32:20 be happy. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:20 Highlight the passage at 1:32:20

1:32:26 It doesn't happen overnight though. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:26 Highlight the passage at 1:32:26

1:32:31 Even if it appears to be empty, you still have to wake up and go to work tomorrow. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:31 Highlight the passage at 1:32:31

1:32:39 Causes and conditions. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:39 Highlight the passage at 1:32:39

1:32:43 Become accustomed. Causes and conditions, it's very, very subtle. But it could be, and I think sometimes another allegory uses maybe like a river, that our experience is nothing more than a river of moments. It's Report an error in the passage at 1:32:43 Highlight the passage at 1:32:43

1:33:18 just emotion. And there's really no I there. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:18 Highlight the passage at 1:33:18

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:33:54 Well, of course, we could talk about the Mahāyāna. We get enlightened for the benefit of all sentient beings, which Report an error in the passage at 1:33:54 Highlight the passage at 1:33:54

1:34:12 might go a little bit further than just getting rid of our own suffering, but in some ways I think they're intertwined anyway, because I don't think you get out of your own suffering without developing compassion and bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:12 Highlight the passage at 1:34:12

1:34:38 Yes, Report an error in the passage at 1:34:38 Highlight the passage at 1:34:38

1:34:44 but also realizations of emptiness, even conceptually, Report an error in the passage at 1:34:44 Highlight the passage at 1:34:44

1:34:52 also will help you to... Learn how it's designated will also help you to develop compassion because if you realize emptiness and then, I mean, it's got to be overwhelming when you think of everyone that's believing in all of this stuff and getting so pumped up by it Report an error in the passage at 1:34:52 Highlight the passage at 1:34:52

1:35:21 because they think it's truly existent. Just turn on the television. They believe in it, don't they? Report an error in the passage at 1:35:21 Highlight the passage at 1:35:21

1:35:34 And they do a lot, there's a lot of actions based on that belief in it. And we're all, I mean, we all share that culturally, we have cultural karma. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:34 Highlight the passage at 1:35:34

1:36:11 Well, you'd see people attached to a lot of things. And when you start to understand emptiness, you kind of, you can see how futile that is because it only kind of continues the cycle. Because there's a sense of grasping. As soon as there's, I mean, if you go into the 12 links, for example, as soon as there's consciousness in contact, you know, there's an I, or consciousness. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:11 Highlight the passage at 1:36:11

1:36:41 It comes into contact, that's before it's even identified this is a this and that is a that. So it comes again into contact, and then it has to discriminate and discern. This is this and that is that. And then it has a feeling, I like this or I don't like that. These are the chain reactions of the consciousness, as the mind, as it comes into. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:41 Highlight the passage at 1:36:41

1:37:13 And this is what creates the continuity, the cycle to go over and over again. It's kind of like it started with the first moment of consciousness where, well it didn't start with the first moment of consciousness, but you have the consciousness, yeah, it just goes in a loop here. So there's this moment of consciousness that comes into contact with the form, it likes or dislikes, basically, it distinguishes first between this and that, then it likes or dislikes, and on the basis of like and dislike it has... Report an error in the passage at 1:37:13 Highlight the passage at 1:37:13

1:37:49 It grasps towards that or pushes that away and then you have actions which then yield results which then bind you into further experiences of suffering, old age and death and birth again. So you have that cycle going continuous and it all stems from this first moment of consciousness. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:49 Highlight the passage at 1:37:49

1:38:22 So in order to kind of Report an error in the passage at 1:38:22 Highlight the passage at 1:38:22

1:38:28 realize emptiness, Report an error in the passage at 1:38:28 Highlight the passage at 1:38:28

1:38:35 Most of it we just have to think about, I guess. Because initially we can develop some conceptual understandings. In fact, I think most of you from your descriptions maybe were a little bit off in different ways, but there is some familiarity with the concepts and the terms. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:35 Highlight the passage at 1:38:35

1:38:57 It's just now trying to figure out, what does this mean in my life? Trying to get a little bit more clarity around it. Meaning that your mind is a little bit more sharp in terms of fooling itself from no longer believing in this stuff, as it appears. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:57 Highlight the passage at 1:38:57

1:39:25 It's a fairly far stretch and it's not going to happen overnight. You know, because we're reinforcing this. It's like second nature. It's second nature. You know, you're going to wake up in the morning and you're going to go in, you're going to take a shower and you're going to look at yourself in the mirror and you're going to believe you exist and you're going to brush your teeth and all those things and put on your clothes and go to work and, you know, you're not going to see it as empty of inherent existence. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:25 Highlight the passage at 1:39:25

1:39:58 Maybe if you sit there in the morning and you think about it for five minutes, you might have some doubt arise in your mind that it exists the way it appears to exist. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:58 Highlight the passage at 1:39:58

1:40:10 And that doubt is a good start because as you experience in your meditation tonight, there is no I that you can point to. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:10 Highlight the passage at 1:40:10

1:40:27 This body is changing from moment to moment and we identify strongly with this body. This body is the one that's going to work every day. This body is the one that's putting clothes on, going to work, feeding itself, putting all this effort into this body. When in fact it's changing from moment to moment, there's no solid body there to identify with. It's all one big label. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:27 Highlight the passage at 1:40:27

1:40:57 Hallucination. But we believe in it. And the belief isn't going to go away overnight. But at least doubting it, doubting in the way in its appearance is a start. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:57 Highlight the passage at 1:40:57

1:41:15 Okay. Now is there anyone that's taking this class for credit? There's something called Discovering Buddhism series where you can take it for credit. Was anyone interested in that? You are. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:15 Highlight the passage at 1:41:15

1:41:33 Okay. Can you talk, do you know Chucky? Talk to Chucky. I guess basically I have to look and see what to make sure that I give you certain things, including a teacher interview at some point. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:33 Highlight the passage at 1:41:33

1:41:55 Okay. Any questions? Report an error in the passage at 1:41:55 Highlight the passage at 1:41:55

1:42:04 How much time do you guys have to practice every day? Five minutes? What? Hmm, that's not bad. I wish I had all day, but I didn't. Actually, I do have all day. Believe me, there's ways in which you can practice on everything you do. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:04 Highlight the passage at 1:42:04

1:42:30 Yeah, does people have established daily practice where they sit? Report an error in the passage at 1:42:30 Highlight the passage at 1:42:30

1:42:53 Okay, good. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:53 Highlight the passage at 1:42:53

1:42:57 So just try to find that eye. When you're sitting on the cushion. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:57 Highlight the passage at 1:42:57

1:43:10 That's your homework for next week. Okay. We should spend a moment to dedicate. I also like to spend a moment to what I call rejoice and regret. We've had the opportunity today in many moments of existence. Not true existence, but dependent existence. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:10 Highlight the passage at 1:43:10

1:43:43 Where we might have benefited someone with our thoughts, our words, our actions. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:43 Highlight the passage at 1:43:43

1:43:55 We might have said something kind. Or maybe someone else did and we just noticed someone else doing something kind. So let's take a moment and rejoice in those things. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:55 Highlight the passage at 1:43:55

1:44:17 Those become very positive karmic seeds for future results. So rejoice in all of that. All the actions of being here tonight, just even questioning, questioning true existence or Report an error in the passage at 1:44:17 Highlight the passage at 1:44:17

1:44:47 questioning existence at all is so much further than most people's sense of reality. So it's a really important step and you wouldn't get enlightened, you won't realize your own potential, all those things. You won't be free of this cycle without realizing Report an error in the passage at 1:44:47 Highlight the passage at 1:44:47

1:45:10 emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:10 Highlight the passage at 1:45:10

1:45:13 You've taken quite a few steps towards your ultimate goal, just in doubting and becoming aware and pondering and investigating. So rejoice in all of that. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:13 Highlight the passage at 1:45:13

1:45:35 We've also maybe ourselves or others witnessed some less fortunate situations today. We might have said something that we didn't mean to say, hurt someone's feelings. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:35 Highlight the passage at 1:45:35

1:45:55 Got angry about something. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:55 Highlight the passage at 1:45:55

1:46:02 I noticed someone else doing something. So regret those things. When people have gotten hurt, people have suffered. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:02 Highlight the passage at 1:46:02

1:46:17 And in our own behaviors, have that regret. And perhaps next time I Report an error in the passage at 1:46:17 Highlight the passage at 1:46:17

1:46:30 can do better. Maybe give it a little space. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:30 Highlight the passage at 1:46:30

1:46:43 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:43 Highlight the passage at 1:46:43

1:46:52 Now we dedicate all this effort. For the happiness of all human beings, animal beings and other beings throughout this planet and all other universes, may they be free of suffering, may they realize the true potential of happiness and full enlightenment as quickly as possible. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:52 Highlight the passage at 1:46:52

1:47:18 May I lead them to this perfect understanding of emptiness, this perfect enlightenment by myself alone, each and every one of them. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:18 Highlight the passage at 1:47:18

1:47:32 Thank you. All can come and take a copy of this book. There's some good reading material here on emptiness. It's fairly understandable terms. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:32 Highlight the passage at 1:47:32

1:47:45 Come up and get a copy. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:45 Highlight the passage at 1:47:45