BP: Mind and Cognition (20 October 2014)

0:07 I didn't want to say anything, actually. But tell me who your hairdresser is. Report an error in the passage at 0:07 Highlight the passage at 0:07

0:17 So aside from... Anything exciting or dramatic or even mundane? Wouldn't that happen in the course of the week? Yeah, please. That's Report an error in the passage at 0:17 Highlight the passage at 0:17

0:49 great. That's fantastic. Report an error in the passage at 0:49 Highlight the passage at 0:49

0:54 Yeah, I know. Report an error in the passage at 0:54 Highlight the passage at 0:54

1:20 If it's not too intrusive... What kind of differences were you aware of? Did you notice? Report an error in the passage at 1:20 Highlight the passage at 1:20

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2:17 Acceptance. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 2:17 Highlight the passage at 2:17

2:28 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 2:28 Highlight the passage at 2:28

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4:12 That's nice. It's encouraging, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 4:12 Highlight the passage at 4:12

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5:44 Good. Good. Report an error in the passage at 5:44 Highlight the passage at 5:44

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6:38 Great. Report an error in the passage at 6:38 Highlight the passage at 6:38

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7:31 Yeah, there is some purpose behind all of this. It may not be apparent at times. It's not an end in itself. Thank you. Anybody else? Report an error in the passage at 7:31 Highlight the passage at 7:31

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9:09 Yeah. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 9:09 Highlight the passage at 9:09

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10:32 Yeah. Yeah, direct Report an error in the passage at 10:32 Highlight the passage at 10:32

10:43 perception week or something. Report an error in the passage at 10:43 Highlight the passage at 10:43

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12:27 How are you able to stay with that? What kind of strength? What Report an error in the passage at 12:27 Highlight the passage at 12:27

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13:34 have you found that worked for you in terms of kind of washing some of that off? Report an error in the passage at 13:34 Highlight the passage at 13:34

13:55 I mean, it's extremely admirable what you're doing. I mean, very few people would enter into that kind of work to begin with, but to stick with it as you do is really quite something. Which Report an error in the passage at 13:55 Highlight the passage at 13:55

14:21 way? I mean, what way do you feel fortunate? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 14:21 Highlight the passage at 14:21

14:37 Yeah? Report an error in the passage at 14:37 Highlight the passage at 14:37

14:44 So you're a good communicator. Yeah. A Report an error in the passage at 14:44 Highlight the passage at 14:44

14:59 lot of sandpaper. Report an error in the passage at 14:59 Highlight the passage at 14:59

15:09 How Report an error in the passage at 15:09 Highlight the passage at 15:09

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15:54 do you measure success? Report an error in the passage at 15:54 Highlight the passage at 15:54

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16:54 Fantastic. Yeah, that's one Report an error in the passage at 16:54 Highlight the passage at 16:54

17:02 person. Fairly Report an error in the passage at 17:02 Highlight the passage at 17:02

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18:11 personal, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 18:11 Highlight the passage at 18:11

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19:12 The reasons, you know, I was a monk for, most of you know, for about 16, 17 years. And, you know. Becoming a monk, some kind of a major decision like that. Usually the motivation behind that can be quite mixed, different forces at work. Aside from maybe a few positive forces, I know one of the forces that was at work was I was so miserable at relationships. I thought, well, I'll put this big iron fence around me and I can avoid that whole area of dysfunction in my life and I can go straight to... Report an error in the passage at 19:12 Highlight the passage at 19:12

19:50 Enlightenment without having to pass through that. That was my thinking back then. Report an error in the passage at 19:50 Highlight the passage at 19:50

19:59 I was in an absurd consciousness. So there's Report an error in the passage at 19:59 Highlight the passage at 19:59

20:13 lots of ways of feeling about having difficulties in relationships and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 20:13 Highlight the passage at 20:13

20:36 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 20:36 Highlight the passage at 20:36

20:47 Do you do any, keep a diary, do any journaling? Report an error in the passage at 20:47 Highlight the passage at 20:47

20:59 Saturday. Really? Report an error in the passage at 20:59 Highlight the passage at 20:59

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22:09 were going to... Report an error in the passage at 22:09 Highlight the passage at 22:09

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22:52 that was one of my many announcements. Report an error in the passage at 22:52 Highlight the passage at 22:52

22:58 I mean, so there. Just keep in mind there will be class next week. There will be. There will be. Okay, that's the 27th. It's Report an error in the passage at 22:58 Highlight the passage at 22:58

23:34 nice to hear some of the things about each other, I think. It's nice to hear your stories. Report an error in the passage at 23:34 Highlight the passage at 23:34

23:53 You know, amongst the three, you know, we talk about the refuges. Amongst the three refuges is the refuge of Saṅgha, the spiritual community, where we talk about difficult truths, difficult truths amongst... Like-minded people. So I think it's very important. There's a sūtra, a discourse by the Buddha, where he says he was asked by Ananda about the importance of spiritual community. Report an error in the passage at 23:53 Highlight the passage at 23:53

24:31 And Ananda said something of the sort, do you think that the spiritual life is 50%, that the spiritual community, the Saṅgha, is 50 % of the spiritual life? And the Buddha said, no. Amanda, don't say that, don't say that. It's 100 % of the spiritual life. So we need each other in ways that perhaps aren't so obvious to ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 24:31 Highlight the passage at 24:31

25:00 We are social beings and we find meaning through one another. Part of our self exists in relationship to others. So the path is not simply a matter of gaining... Realizations and isolation from the world around you, as if that were the way to develop mental health, that is finding some way to be in this world in a meaningful way in a social context of others. Report an error in the passage at 25:00 Highlight the passage at 25:00

25:37 So we think in the ways that maybe we don't have a chance to interact in a lot of ways, but nonetheless. Just by our showing up and being here together and a few remarks and so forth, the work that we're doing together I think contributes not only to each of ourselves individually, but I think to ourselves as a whole. Report an error in the passage at 25:37 Highlight the passage at 25:37

26:08 I Report an error in the passage at 26:08 Highlight the passage at 26:08

26:12 have a sense, and I don't mean to make it mystical or otherworldly, but there's much more going on than our intellect or our rational mind can quite comprehend. Report an error in the passage at 26:12 Highlight the passage at 26:12

26:28 And a part of that going on is coming together as we do. So Report an error in the passage at 26:28 Highlight the passage at 26:28

26:38 I appreciate you. Report an error in the passage at 26:38 Highlight the passage at 26:38

26:42 So if you'd like to recite the verse of refuge together. Report an error in the passage at 26:42 Highlight the passage at 26:42

26:49 I go for refuge until I am awakened to the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha. Through the collections of merit and wisdom created out of generosity and the other practices, may I become a Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I am awakened. to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha the collections of merit and wisdom created out of generosity and the other practices. Report an error in the passage at 26:49 Highlight the passage at 26:49

27:15 May I become a Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I am awakened to the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha through the collections of merit and wisdom created out of generosity and the other practices. May I become a Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings. May all sentient beings of happiness and the causes of happiness. May all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. Report an error in the passage at 27:15 Highlight the passage at 27:15

27:44 May all sentient beings be inseparable from the joy that is without sorrow. May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from attachment for some and aversion toward others. Report an error in the passage at 27:44 Highlight the passage at 27:44

28:10 When we, some of you were present for, went through the seven-point mind training together. And there are two, with regard to mind training, there are two core practices. One is the bodhicitta, the awakened heart, and the other is the awakening mind, understanding the deeper nature of the way things exist. Report an error in the passage at 28:10 Highlight the passage at 28:10

28:35 And so we went through that in fairly great detail. And in the development of an awakened heart, there were two meditative traditions. One is called the seven cause and effect instruction and the other is called equalizing and exchanging self for others. And in equalizing and exchanging self for others, it's made up of five parts where you first try to develop a sense of equality of self and others. Report an error in the passage at 28:35 Highlight the passage at 28:35

29:09 From the point of, you know, most basically, most simply put, we all want to be happy, none of us want to suffer. I mean, whatever the... Superficial differences that we may focus upon beneath all those, whether the gender, economic background, educational background, whatever, beneath all of that. We all commonly share in the fact that we all want to be happy and don't want to suffer as equal. So developing that attitude. Report an error in the passage at 29:09 Highlight the passage at 29:09

29:48 And then in building upon that, we then go on to look at the disadvantages. Self-centeredness, advantages of other-centeredness. Then we go on to look at the actual way of exchanging self with others. We develop the ability to empathize, as you mentioned, be able to put ourselves in somebody else's shoes, even though they might be pretty, not too pleasant, but the willingness and the ability. Report an error in the passage at 29:48 Highlight the passage at 29:48

30:17 And then finally, this culminates, is all consummated in the practice of Taking and giving. So I'd like to, you know, I've always emphasized the fact of mindfulness, and I think that's extremely important, fundamental. Report an error in the passage at 30:17 Highlight the passage at 30:17

30:37 But in addition, as has been pointed out, we could also look at, you know, some of this can be very, our studies can become very intellectual, you know, and we have to also concern ourselves with the heart qualities. Report an error in the passage at 30:37 Highlight the passage at 30:37

30:55 And so in addition to our mindfulness practice, I like to begin to, you know, from time to time, not regularly, I want to stay with mindfulness, but from time to time, to introduce the practice of taking and giving. And even though we haven't had all the prerequisite building up to it, I don't think, you know, maybe we can fill that in as we go along. Report an error in the passage at 30:55 Highlight the passage at 30:55

31:21 But nonetheless, this practice in and of itself, I think, is... A great value. It can be very useful for ourselves and how we relate with others, which we're all practicing trying to work out for ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 31:21 Highlight the passage at 31:21

31:36 And as I said, I'm not very good at it, or at least I'm getting better, I feel. And I think this is one practice which I have found extremely beneficial and I'd like for us to begin to share together. So from time to time I'm going to introduce. Some elements of this practice, some background to it. But the practice in itself, we can begin to have a simplified approach to it, okay? Report an error in the passage at 31:36 Highlight the passage at 31:36

32:05 It can be a very elaborate detail. Maybe it doesn't need to be all that elaborate and detailed. We can work with it in a very essential manner. I want to read, there's a sutta. So this is coming from, I want to use the word sutta. That means it's coming from the Pāli Canon. The Pāli Canon is the collection of the Buddhist discourses, which are mainly extant in the Pāli language, which is made use of in the southern Buddhist countries, for example, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 32:05 Highlight the passage at 32:05

32:49 So there's a particular sutta, which I think is really relevant. it, I think. It makes a lot of sense. I just like to, as a way of introducing this idea of taking and giving, as I said, we'll talk a little bit about it from time to time over our classes together, but just to begin to introduce it, to put it in some kind of perspective. Report an error in the passage at 32:49 Highlight the passage at 32:49

33:18 The Buddha once asked a student, so this is the sutta, okay? It's called Salata, Salata, Salanta. S-A-L-L-A-N-L-A-T-H-A, Sutta, Salata, Sutta. Report an error in the passage at 33:18 Highlight the passage at 33:18

33:37 The Buddha once asked a student, if a person is struck by an arrow, is it painful? The student replied, it is. The Buddha then asked, if the person is struck by a second arrow, is that even more painful? The student replied, again, it is. The Buddha then explained, in life... We cannot always control the first arrow. However, the second arrow is our reaction to the first. This arrow, this second arrow is optional. Report an error in the passage at 33:37 Highlight the passage at 33:37

34:13 So shit happens. We can expect, that's the human condition. I don't know if you've noticed it or want to notice it. Report an error in the passage at 34:13 Highlight the passage at 34:13

34:27 We can expect problems. That's the first arrow. How does it Report an error in the passage at 34:27 Highlight the passage at 34:27

34:32 That is inevitable. Report an error in the passage at 34:32 Highlight the passage at 34:32

34:39 It's not very nice to talk about it. Report an error in the passage at 34:39 Highlight the passage at 34:39

34:44 But to condemn, to judge, to criticize, to deny, to resist, or to hate that first arrow is like being struck by a second arrow, which serves only to compound the problems both in the present and into the future as well. Report an error in the passage at 34:44 Highlight the passage at 34:44

35:00 So the first arrow is our present painful experience. And more than not, it is out of our control. We only have limited control. I don't know if you've ever noticed that. We like to believe. We have this arrogance about ourselves, this hubris. I'm in control. Not to a very limited extent in most areas, arenas of our life. Report an error in the passage at 35:00 Highlight the passage at 35:00

35:24 We do have some, for sure. And we can begin to develop greater control. But nonetheless, it's limited. The first arrow is our present painful experience. It's out of our control. That is what is happening now. But the second arrow is our reaction. Report an error in the passage at 35:24 Highlight the passage at 35:24

35:49 And we do have control of that if we exercise control. If we don't take, you know, otherwise we're simply compounding our problems. So it's in this sense that we can, so this is just by way of introducing this notion. So the very first teaching that the Buddha gave, you know, I think sometimes we talk a lot about all the various commentaries and great Buddhists. Report an error in the passage at 35:49 Highlight the passage at 35:49

36:18 Tibetan Buddhist masters and so forth. And we'd study many texts. But sometimes we overlook what the Buddha actually taught. And he was quite a genius. I mean, maybe we don't really emphasize that enough. Report an error in the passage at 36:18 Highlight the passage at 36:18

36:36 He saw very deeply into the nature of the human dilemma and how to work with it in a very skillful manner. I think sometimes we forget that. That this is our teacher. And this is what... From whom we're trying to learn to help us to work with our own life. Report an error in the passage at 36:36 Highlight the passage at 36:36

37:00 And he said that in his very first teaching he had a transformative experience, which we call awakening or enlightenment. I'm not quite sure what that is, but it was transformative for him. And in his very first teaching he set out the overall structure. Report an error in the passage at 37:00 Highlight the passage at 37:00

37:23 Of his teaching, of his insight, which he would spend the next 45 years of his life expanding on. And he called that the Four Noble Truths. Sometimes I don't think we put enough emphasis on that, the very basis of it. But these are my hangups, okay? Political. And the very first truth, he taught for 45 years. Report an error in the passage at 37:23 Highlight the passage at 37:23

37:50 What was the first thing he talked about? That's right. Shut up. He didn't talk about awakening, enlightenment, transcendent, you know, these ethereal states. He talked about what was going on in the nitty-gritty of our life. Report an error in the passage at 37:50 Highlight the passage at 37:50

38:10 The truth is shit. It's the truth of suffering. I shouldn't be too flippant about it. And he said, with each of these noble truths, they're noble because they are nobleness. Report an error in the passage at 38:10 Highlight the passage at 38:10

38:30 They help us to see things from a very lofty perspective. We're no longer kind of caught up in the mud. We can begin to have some kind of discernment around what's happening for ourselves. Maybe we can begin to see options and make wiser, more skillful choices rather than feeling, you know, being overwhelmed and being lost. Report an error in the passage at 38:30 Highlight the passage at 38:30

38:58 He assigned a task to each of these four truths. And the task he assigned or he suggested with regard to the noble truth of dukkha, Report an error in the passage at 38:58 Highlight the passage at 38:58

39:10 or suffering, which is normally translated as suffering, but it's not quite adequate, but it's good enough, dissatisfactoriness, whatever, is that we are to, sometimes it's said, use the term to recognize or acknowledge. But I think we could actually go a bit further than that. We could say almost to embrace. And we're not masochists. Report an error in the passage at 39:10 Highlight the passage at 39:10

39:41 When I say embrace suffering, there's nothing like, oh, there's flame, I think I'll stick my hand in it. That's not the point. But when suffering is occurring, when it's a present state of our existence, rather than denying, rather than criticizing, Report an error in the passage at 39:41 Highlight the passage at 39:41

40:01 Judging or resisting or distracting all the strategies that we've developed in order to numb ourselves out, to desensitize ourselves, to turning the television to another station, going to the refrigerator, having sex, having another drink. We have all our various subtle and gross ways of diverting our attention from the actual state of our being. Report an error in the passage at 40:01 Highlight the passage at 40:01

40:33 To the extent that we numb ourselves out, that we desensitize ourselves, we lose the ability to find out what is really hurting ourselves and thereby to really gain some insight into what is bringing about that hurt through understanding our problems and our wounds more deeply. Report an error in the passage at 40:33 Highlight the passage at 40:33

40:52 We never really look. So the Buddha said, maybe embrace or at least develop the ability to stay with and tolerate. To some extent, we shouldn't be masochists. If it's overwhelming, by all means, divert your attention. Go for a walk. Do something else. That would not be wise or that would not be self-caring. But to some degree, can we embrace our difficulties and be with it and try to understand it? Report an error in the passage at 40:52 Highlight the passage at 40:52

41:25 Develop some ability to be with difficult mind states and painful feelings. And then maybe there's a possibility to learn, to gain insight. Otherwise, it's just going to keep happening one way or another. So this is one of the, yeah, I don't want to, yeah, as I said, we can talk more about this. But what I want to do is, so this practice in Tibetan is called Tong Lin. Report an error in the passage at 41:25 Highlight the passage at 41:25

42:03 Tong means to send. Lin means to take. So taking and giving, taking and giving, taking and giving. So we compassionately take on suffering and lovingly give away happiness. Report an error in the passage at 42:03 Highlight the passage at 42:03

42:20 So as I said, I'd like to expand upon all of this. But tonight I just want to begin to practice it with ourselves. in a very Report an error in the passage at 42:20 Highlight the passage at 42:20

42:38 We're not. We take on, we get in touch with our suffering. Maybe it's our present. Maybe we're undergoing something in the present. Report an error in the passage at 42:38 Highlight the passage at 42:38

42:54 Maybe it's something from the past that's left unhealed, some wounds. And I think if, you know, I'm not saying we are to pick off the scabs and poke your finger around it. Report an error in the passage at 42:54 Highlight the passage at 42:54

43:14 That doesn't serve us very well. But I know for myself, I'm still dealing with it. And I had a very, I don't know, I won't judge. I'm rather in a middle class upbringing. I wasn't deprived. Many of the people were in the prisons now and so forth. I really can't complain. But nonetheless, nonetheless, nonetheless, nonetheless, there's still some noise. Report an error in the passage at 43:14 Highlight the passage at 43:14

43:48 There's those that hurt that I still carry with me, that get triggered, that get stimulated, my buttons. I was thinking, I'm getting off the subject here, yesterday, unless we really work with our own stuff, we really can't be there for others. Report an error in the passage at 43:48 Highlight the passage at 43:48

44:12 We can want to be, but our own stuff is always going to be getting in the way. It's always going to be re-stimulated. It's always going to be an obstacle. We're not going to be able to see clearly how we can be there for the best ways. Report an error in the passage at 44:12 Highlight the passage at 44:12

44:29 Even if we want to be, and I think everyone here at various times to lesser and greater degrees wants to be there for others, wants to grow in love and compassion. I think we're sincere in that. And even wanting to be that is extremely admirable, really inspiring. And I think we have to do our homework and work with our minds to the degree that we work through our own stuff. Report an error in the passage at 44:29 Highlight the passage at 44:29

45:01 We will have that much ability to be able to help others to do the same. If we don't do that, then it's kind of artificial. It's kind of laying on an idea. It's like a top-down rather than a bottom-up approach. Report an error in the passage at 45:01 Highlight the passage at 45:01

45:19 As we begin to work through our own problems and heal our own wounds, it's quite natural that we begin to, I think it's a natural evolution. I don't think we have to make any artificial effort that we begin to be there for others in more meaningful and greater ways. I think it's a natural evolution. Report an error in the passage at 45:19 Highlight the passage at 45:19

45:45 So we begin. Anyway, I do. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 45:45 Highlight the passage at 45:45

45:48 With the process of embracing our own suffering, taking, getting in touch. We have to have, we have to develop compassion for ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 45:48 Highlight the passage at 45:48

46:05 We have to learn how to love ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 46:05 Highlight the passage at 46:05

46:11 Otherwise, how can we sincerely love others? Have compassion for them. Knowing our own circumstances directly with our own experience. All we can know about other situations is vicariously, second-handedly at best. Report an error in the passage at 46:11 Highlight the passage at 46:11

46:28 I can't quite know what exactly their experience is. I do know, I can know if I'm willing to live it and be with it, my own experience. So in this practice of taking and giving, we begin with ourselves. And we get in touch with suffering, this first noble truth. And we can be a present situation, something that's going on in your life. It could be something from the past, and I guarantee you there's a lot from the past that could be looked at, I know for myself. Report an error in the passage at 46:28 Highlight the passage at 46:28

47:08 Or it could be an anticipated suffering, something that's coming up in the future. The point that I'm making here is we drop beneath our habitual reactions to suffering. Report an error in the passage at 47:08 Highlight the passage at 47:08

47:25 We drop the stories that we usually construct around and we simply be with how does it feel? How does it feel to be helpless or alone, overwhelmed? Are you willing to feel that, the human condition of yourself? And then, so you be with that, you embrace that. Does that make sense? Report an error in the passage at 47:25 Highlight the passage at 47:25

47:53 But at a certain point you notice... There's not just suffering, but there's somebody who's suffering. There's just not the experience. There is somebody who is undergoing that experience. Report an error in the passage at 47:53 Highlight the passage at 47:53

48:09 Maybe you've never really noticed. Maybe there was a little boy, a little girl who was undergoing that suffering. Or maybe it's this present person that's undergoing that suffering. There's somebody there, there's a human being there who doesn't want to suffer. Maybe we've never really thought about that, about ourselves. Report an error in the passage at 48:09 Highlight the passage at 48:09

48:30 Our younger self or our future self. There's a real person who doesn't want suffering just like everybody else. We're equal in that regard. So maybe some kind of compassion begins to naturally arise for that person, Report an error in the passage at 48:30 Highlight the passage at 48:30

48:48 that little boy or that present woman, your future self, whoever. And you willingly breathe in that suffering, just taking in that suffering out of compassion. Report an error in the passage at 48:48 Highlight the passage at 48:48

49:03 know, it's... I'm going to help you. I'm going to do something. There's a courageous attitude at work here. We're willing to be with somebody and they're suffering. In this case, it happens to be you. That's the first arrow. You're willing to really, really, how does it feel? And you're willing to experience it fully. And then you're willing to connect with that person in their isolation, in their fear, whatever they're going through. Report an error in the passage at 49:03 Highlight the passage at 49:03

49:38 And maybe you'll begin to notice that there's some, maybe if you're aware enough, maybe you'll notice there's some natural compassion begins to rise. Compassion is most simply the wish that someone not suffer. Report an error in the passage at 49:38 Highlight the passage at 49:38

49:52 It's not the wish that someone not suffer. There's a person suffering and you willingly, you open your heart as best you can to that suffering. We shut down, don't we? We protect ourselves. We armor ourselves. We defend ourselves against our own and other suffering. Report an error in the passage at 49:52 Highlight the passage at 49:52

50:21 We don't want to fear. We hear this. We're acting in a way which is clean, clear, contrary to that habitual way of reacting to suffering. We're trying to open our heart and keep it open as much as possible to that suffering. And we willingly choose to take on that suffering. So we breathe it in, again and again, breathing in that suffering. So there are visualizations that go with this, but it's not that secondary. Report an error in the passage at 50:21 Highlight the passage at 50:21

50:54 The feeling of willingness to take on that suffering. But suffering is only part of the human condition. There's healing. There's joy. There's beauty in life as well. And we're willing to... It seems like in life, if you're... Report an error in the passage at 50:54 Highlight the passage at 50:54

51:17 you're, if you're... It's necessary to take both sides of the coin if you're going to have either at all. If you're going to deny suffering, if you're going to resist suffering, I think to a large extent, if you're going to desensitize, numb ourselves to suffering, you're going to desensitize and numb yourself to joy and the beauty of life as well. Report an error in the passage at 51:17 Highlight the passage at 51:17

51:40 And you're going to find some normality, some moderation, some comfort zone. Maybe that's the way to live. It's possible. It's not all that we could be. How we could experience our life. So we get in touch with that. Report an error in the passage at 51:40 Highlight the passage at 51:40

52:00 That part of life which we wish was all that was there. The healing, the beauty, the joy, the pleasure. Something about life itself. And we give that out. Lovingly. Lovingly. We send that. And love is simply the wish that others be happier. Report an error in the passage at 52:00 Highlight the passage at 52:00

52:23 Get in touch with a sense of delight, a feeling of well-being, of aliveness, of optimism. There's something good about life, just being alive. You forget about that, don't you? Report an error in the passage at 52:23 Highlight the passage at 52:23

52:36 Our happiness is so much dependent upon conditions. What about simply the unconditioned joy of being alive? Report an error in the passage at 52:36 Highlight the passage at 52:36

52:47 Sometimes we experience that, don't we? Report an error in the passage at 52:47 Highlight the passage at 52:47

52:54 And so then we breathe that out. We send that. Report an error in the passage at 52:54 Highlight the passage at 52:54

53:01 We're not going to hold on to it, cling to it, make it another possession, wring the life out of it. I've got this little crumb of happiness. I'm going to hang on to it. I'm going to give it. I'm going to let go. Even those to ourselves. And then we make that person happy. Report an error in the passage at 53:01 Highlight the passage at 53:01

53:20 We send them healing. Report an error in the passage at 53:20 Highlight the passage at 53:20

53:24 What does this person need? In this case, it's you, isn't it? Your childhood self, maybe it's your present self, your future self, anticipated self. What do they need? You know, we really have to answer that question. What would heal their wounds? What would make them, bring them consolation? Report an error in the passage at 53:24 Highlight the passage at 53:24

53:52 Answering that question, Report an error in the passage at 53:52 Highlight the passage at 53:52

54:04 we share empathetically in their well-being. So, I didn't mean, I talked a lot, didn't I? I didn't know. Anyway, I want to talk more about this meditation. But I thought we'd try it. Okay? A little bit. Is that understandable? A little bit. So I thought we'd from time to time do this taking and giving as well. So if you'd like to stand up and stretch, we're going to sit for a while. Report an error in the passage at 54:04 Highlight the passage at 54:04

· · · silence, 1 minute

55:07 So taking a comfortable but firm posture. We Report an error in the passage at 55:07 Highlight the passage at 55:07

55:21 usually do getting in touch with our bodies, relaxing our bodies. So I invite you to bring your awareness to the crown of your head. Report an error in the passage at 55:21 Highlight the passage at 55:21

55:34 Begin by feeling or simply imagining the wrinkles in your brow. And your forehead, smoothing out, Report an error in the passage at 55:34 Highlight the passage at 55:34

55:52 the pressure in and around your eyes, diminishing, Report an error in the passage at 55:52 Highlight the passage at 55:52

56:24 your tongue is soft, Report an error in the passage at 56:24 Highlight the passage at 56:24

56:28 the jaw relax, Report an error in the passage at 56:28 Highlight the passage at 56:28

56:33 and bringing your awareness to the back of your neck, perhaps gently turning your head to each side a few times, loosening, stretching the muscles of the back of the neck, Report an error in the passage at 56:33 Highlight the passage at 56:33

56:57 and bringing your awareness to your upper back and shoulders, and perhaps drawing your shoulders up toward your ears. Circling them to the back, Report an error in the passage at 56:57 Highlight the passage at 56:57

57:31 eventually returning your shoulders back up toward your ears and allowing them to drop comfortably to the sides. And with that, the feeling of some kind of burden or weight that you may have unknowingly been carrying around on your back over the course of the day, moving down and through your body into the ground, as if some burden has been lifted from your shoulders, a feeling of relief. Report an error in the passage at 57:31 Highlight the passage at 57:31

58:10 And bringing your awareness. All the way down to your hands. Your hands are soft and loose. Report an error in the passage at 58:10 Highlight the passage at 58:10

58:41 Your chest is at ease or Report an error in the passage at 58:41 Highlight the passage at 58:41

58:55 space in the chest. Report an error in the passage at 58:55 Highlight the passage at 58:55

59:24 And releasing the tension that we often hold on our stomach muscles. Just allow your belly to go soft. Report an error in the passage at 59:24 Highlight the passage at 59:24

59:56 Keeping your trunk erect. Relax your lower back muscles throughout Report an error in the passage at 59:56 Highlight the passage at 59:56

1:00:25 the pelvic area. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:25 Highlight the passage at 1:00:25

· · · silence, 2 minutes

1:01:57 Reach out breath and feeling some kind of release. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:57 Highlight the passage at 1:01:57

· · · silence, 3 minutes

1:04:57 The sensation is natural, Report an error in the passage at 1:04:57 Highlight the passage at 1:04:57

1:05:03 in and out of it. It's clear and obvious. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:03 Highlight the passage at 1:05:03

· · · silence, 8 minutes

1:13:13 Now we're going to practice taking and giving. And tonight we're going to work with ourselves. So I invite you to get in touch with perhaps some present difficulty in your lives. We want to go back to some earlier experience, all the reps back to your childhood, some anticipated future suffering, something that is yet to happen but scheduled to happen. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:13 Highlight the passage at 1:13:13

1:13:51 We want to try to drop beneath the storyline. The narrative, whoever is to blame, whoever is to fault, first Report an error in the passage at 1:13:51 Highlight the passage at 1:13:51

1:14:09 arrow. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:09 Highlight the passage at 1:14:09

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:15:07 In a gentle way, stay with what you're feeling. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:07 Highlight the passage at 1:15:07

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:16:27 Notice that there isn't just suffering, but there's somebody who's undergoing the suffering. Maybe that was your former self, maybe it's your self at the present, that Report an error in the passage at 1:16:27 Highlight the passage at 1:16:27

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:17:17 suffering, that Report an error in the passage at 1:17:17 Highlight the passage at 1:17:17

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:17:57 they be free of that suffering. I'm a tendency to reaching out to that person. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:57 Highlight the passage at 1:17:57

1:18:13 What Report an error in the passage at 1:18:13 Highlight the passage at 1:18:13

· · · silence, 2 minutes

1:20:00 do I need? What does this person need? It's Report an error in the passage at 1:20:00 Highlight the passage at 1:20:00

1:20:10 a material object, maybe it's an emotional need, a person, a situation that Report an error in the passage at 1:20:10 Highlight the passage at 1:20:10

1:20:21 would heal their suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:21 Highlight the passage at 1:20:21

· · · silence, 2 minutes

1:22:02 Now get in touch with a sense of delight, of feelings of well-being, of optimism, the pleasure, the joy of just being alive. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:02 Highlight the passage at 1:22:02

1:22:18 Something which doesn't particularly depend upon any conditions or any situations or any possessions. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:18 Highlight the passage at 1:22:18

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:23:46 finally just-heartedly. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:46 Highlight the passage at 1:23:46

1:23:53 yourself and feeling of well-being. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:53 Highlight the passage at 1:23:53

· · · silence, 3 minutes

1:26:59 answer is to quiz six. Let's do that together. I hope Report an error in the passage at 1:26:59 Highlight the passage at 1:26:59

1:27:14 you Report an error in the passage at 1:27:14 Highlight the passage at 1:27:14

1:27:22 don't mind. I took up quite a bit of time with that. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:22 Highlight the passage at 1:27:22

1:27:40 We're going to look at note 3 as well. We're going to talk about that. See how far we can go together. So we're looking at this epistemological model of mind. Epistemology is a study of the way that we know. And in this particular division, there are seven, beginning, as has been noted, all the way from, I guess, the most accurate and the most valid and authoritative. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:40 Highlight the passage at 1:27:40

1:28:12 That's a good word. A type of knowing is direct perception all the way up to the least authoritative with wrong consciousness, okay, and all the various consciousnesses between. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:12 Highlight the passage at 1:28:12

1:28:27 So the division into seven. So we're looking at some of the non-valid or non-authoritative types of consciousnesses, beginning with awareness to which an object appears but is not ascertained. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:27 Highlight the passage at 1:28:27

1:28:45 Okay, everybody on the same page? It begins with the definition. So there's a couple of these. It's couched in debate language, so sometimes debate language is obscured at best. I know that is a common locus, so something which is both. Common locus is that which is shared by, in this case, both A and B. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:45 Highlight the passage at 1:28:45

1:29:21 Equality of A and equality of B. A here is having a clear appearance of a specifically characterized phenomenon. So clear appearance means it's a non-conceptual consciousness as opposed to conceptual consciousness which makes use of a mental image. A non-conceptual consciousness directly apprehends the object as a clear appearance. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:21 Highlight the passage at 1:29:21

1:29:48 And it talks about a specifically characterized phenomena. So these are some technical terms. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:48 Highlight the passage at 1:29:48

1:29:58 They're useful, but I wouldn't get too hung up on them. And I try to, on note three, make a little bit of an explanation about. try. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:58 Highlight the passage at 1:29:58

1:30:09 two, one. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:09 Highlight the passage at 1:30:09

1:30:18 What are called specifically characterized phenomena and generally characterized phenomena. So there are numerous ways we can divide up existences or phenomena. Impermanent, impermanent and functional and non-functional. Here we can divide up all phenomena and tables, houses, chairs, space, people, everything. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:18 Highlight the passage at 1:30:18

1:30:42 We can divide them into two categories. One is called specifically characterized phenomena. It's called generally characterized phenomena. So this definition mentions specifically characterized phenomena. What is a specifically characterized phenomena? Report an error in the passage at 1:30:42 Highlight the passage at 1:30:42

1:31:04 A phenomena, so this is in italics is the definition, and then there's something of an explanation which we'll go through. Hopefully it'll be helpful. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:04 Highlight the passage at 1:31:04

1:31:16 A phenomena which is established by way of its own character without being imputed. By a term or thought consciousness. So remember that in all of our discussions we're coming from, it's all being discussed within the context of a particular school or a philosophic school, what we call the tenet. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:16 Highlight the passage at 1:31:16

1:31:38 Do you remember what the tenet system here is? Report an error in the passage at 1:31:38 Highlight the passage at 1:31:38

1:31:47 Translated as the sūtra school. So it's a, you know, the four main philosophic schools are tenets. And this is what... Sometimes we might turn the second up through the fourth. So for them, things exist. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:47 Highlight the passage at 1:31:47

1:32:09 A specifically characterized phenomenon or impermanent phenomenon, which are synonymous with a permanent phenomenon or a functional phenomenon, they exist from their own side. What they are does not depend upon their mind. A table is a table by way of its own nature. It's not quite the same in the higher schools. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:09 Highlight the passage at 1:32:09

1:32:32 But it is in this school. So we can talk about phenomena from two points of view. One is that how do they exist by way of their own nature? A table is that which has a specific nature. It doesn't depend upon our thinking of it as such. We have this idea of beauty is in the eyes of the holder. Beauty is not in the eyes of the holder. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:32 Highlight the passage at 1:32:32

1:32:57 A table is not merely our idea of it. It exists out there. As opposed to... Without being imputed by terms or thought consciousness, there are other types of phenomena which do not exist from their own nature. They're simply creations of the mind. And we'll talk about those in the second paragraph where it says generally characterized phenomena. So a specific characterized phenomena exists by way of its own nature. Report an error in the passage at 1:32:57 Highlight the passage at 1:32:57

1:33:27 The inherent nature of fire is hot and burning. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:27 Highlight the passage at 1:33:27

1:33:35 We don't have to. It doesn't depend upon our minds conceiving it as such. Whether you conceive it as such or not, you're still going to get burnt. That's its nature. Whereas other types of phenomena, for example, any type of permanent phenomena is simply a product of the mind, a creation of the mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:35 Highlight the passage at 1:33:35

1:33:58 It exists, but it exists as a creation of the mind. It doesn't have its own nature from its own side. It depends upon our mind for its existence. So let's look at this. Specifically, this first paragraph. Specifically, is it really beginning somewhere? Okay. Let me know. Just wave your hands and all. Specifically, characterized phenomena are explicitly known by direct perceivers. Report an error in the passage at 1:33:58 Highlight the passage at 1:33:58

1:34:28 Okay? So my eye consciousness sees a table. That's what directly perceives. That's a direct perceiver. It knows... And this is where it's getting this name. Specifically, my eye consciousness is able to take in all the details of the table. Maybe this particular table has a particular pattern. Maybe it has a scratch here. It's not like other tables. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:28 Highlight the passage at 1:34:28

1:34:55 It's very specific and unique. It has a scratch here. Maybe it's a bit wobbly here. It's a particular size, shape, and so forth. Specific. Report an error in the passage at 1:34:55 Highlight the passage at 1:34:55

1:35:08 The sense consciousness can take in all the richness of all the details of the object. For example, a pot is apprehended by an eye direct perceiver. It appears to the eye consciousness with all of its specific characteristics, colors, shapes, textures, scratches, cracks, as well as being impermanent. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:08 Highlight the passage at 1:35:08

1:35:27 All of the distinct features appear to the eye consciousness as opposed to a generally characterized phenomenon such as The mental image of a pot. So we're going to talk a lot more about mental images tonight, hopefully. I really lost track of time here, I'm sorry. Appears to the thought conscious apprehending a pot only in a general way. So, you know, we use the word meaning, mental image, don't we? In Tibetan, it's dunji. Report an error in the passage at 1:35:27 Highlight the passage at 1:35:27

1:36:00 Actually, a more literal translation would be meaning generality. Or the generalized object. It's a generic object. Generic means it's generalized. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:00 Highlight the passage at 1:36:00

1:36:18 Like a generic medicine. There's specific brands and then you can buy the generic brand. It doesn't have a specific name. It's just a general product. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:18 Highlight the passage at 1:36:18

1:36:35 Let's contrast that with the second. Generalized. so, so, so... Report an error in the passage at 1:36:35 Highlight the passage at 1:36:35

1:36:39 Generally characterized phenomena. What is the definition? A phenomena which is merely imputed by a term, very good, a term or thought consciousness, and is not established as a specifically characterized. So it's not established from its own side with all its specific characteristics, but it's simply a generalization that the mind creates. Those are called generally characterized phenomena. Report an error in the passage at 1:36:39 Highlight the passage at 1:36:39

1:37:11 Generally characterized phenomena are permanent phenomena that are not established by way of their own character, but they're imputed. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:11 Highlight the passage at 1:37:11

1:37:21 They're designated creations of consciousness. This does not mean that they don't exist, just that they are not established from their own side. So, you know, I don't know. I made up this example about the parkings. You know, when you're parking your car, dude. Report an error in the passage at 1:37:21 Highlight the passage at 1:37:21

1:37:43 What do you see? What does your eye consciousness see? Actually, does it see the space? Report an error in the passage at 1:37:43 Highlight the passage at 1:37:43

1:37:57 Do you see an absence of the car? Report an error in the passage at 1:37:57 Highlight the passage at 1:37:57

1:38:03 So the eye consciousness, it only apprehends colors and shapes. So you're seeing the colors and shapes of a car that's further down, and you're seeing the color and shape of the curve. yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:03 Highlight the passage at 1:38:03

1:37:59 or what did what did what Report an error in the passage at 1:37:59 Highlight the passage at 1:37:59

1:38:16 You're seeing the color and shape of the street. And then from that, you infer. Your mind creates, ah, there's an absence of car there. There's space there for my car. You don't see the space. The eye consciousness doesn't see the space. The mind, the eye consciousness apprehends the car further behind the curve, the street, and then infers. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:16 Highlight the passage at 1:38:16

1:38:40 It leads to a conception of, ah, there's an absence of car there. Big enough for me to put my car in. So that absence of car, that's a mental image. That's a creation of your mind. It's a permanent phenomenon. Report an error in the passage at 1:38:40 Highlight the passage at 1:38:40

1:39:00 It depends upon thought consciousness, unlike a pot, for example. Okay, so that's a generally, when you think, it's hard to, you see what happens is, like think of a tiger. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:00 Highlight the passage at 1:39:00

1:39:20 And when you think of a tiger, you have a sense that, well, you're really knowing a tiger in a way. But then you say, well, how many stripes does that tiger have? Report an error in the passage at 1:39:20 Highlight the passage at 1:39:20

1:39:35 What does it smell like? Report an error in the passage at 1:39:35 Highlight the passage at 1:39:35

1:39:41 So we are creating a generality in our mind. We don't have a specific tiger in mind. We're going to talk more about this. So we're just taking a generic image that's appearing to our mind. That's what we're using to think about. That's a generally characterized phenomenon, that image of the tiger. A real tiger has a specific number of stripes, has a specific smell, makes a specific roaring sound. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:41 Highlight the passage at 1:39:41

1:40:14 But we think we know tiger, and we do, in a way of speaking. Okay, so I just, if that helps. So it's a specific, having a clear appearance of a specific characterized phenomenon as an object of engagement, being unable to induce ascertainment with respect to that. So what it means to induce ascertainment, to be able to say it, to induce ascertainment, is to be able to remember. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:14 Highlight the passage at 1:40:14

1:40:47 We've talked about, you know, it's like if you're really watching television. And maybe your partner or somebody says something to you. In a couple of minutes, did you say something to me? Something like that. You had a sense that somebody was talking to you, but you were inattentive to what they were saying. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:47 Highlight the passage at 1:40:47

1:41:08 Your attention was being drawn to what was on the television. So this is what we're getting by, what we mean by... Awareness to which an object appears but is not ascertained. You can't remember what they said. You can't ascertain it. You have a sense that somebody said something. Or you read a page in a book and then what was that all about? I can't remember. I think I just read. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:08 Highlight the passage at 1:41:08

1:41:38 That happens to me a lot, actually. So that's the notion of what we're getting at when we talk about... An awareness to which an object appears but is not ascertained. So we can go through the – is it okay so far? Yeah, Report an error in the passage at 1:41:38 Highlight the passage at 1:41:38

1:42:06 object of engagement. So the Report an error in the passage at 1:42:06 Highlight the passage at 1:42:06

1:42:17 object of engagement is more or less the actual object. To Report an error in the passage at 1:42:17 Highlight the passage at 1:42:17

1:42:26 be an object of engagement, there would have to be some, I would say some degree of attention, but the majority of the attention is not there. It's there. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:26 Highlight the passage at 1:42:26

1:42:39 Yeah, that's a good question. So the dominant, the majority of our attention is being placed elsewhere. But there is a sense. If we had no engagement, then we wouldn't know it. We wouldn't be able to say, did you say something to me? We wouldn't have a sense that we were being spoken to. So there is some, there has to be some slight attention. But the predominance of our attention is on another object. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:39 Highlight the passage at 1:42:39

1:43:33 So you were engaged in Yavi, but you can't recall it. So it's not able to be ascertained. You can't induce ascertainment. So in looking at that definition, a knower is basically a consciousness and awareness. Clear appearance indicates that it's a non-conceptual consciousness. We just went through more or less what is specifically characterized phenomena. So a phenomena which is established from its own side, this table. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:33 Highlight the passage at 1:43:33

1:44:05 so forth. And unable to induce ascertainment. Unable to induce a later ascertaining conscience that knows that one saw the object. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:05 Highlight the passage at 1:44:05

1:44:17 So having read something and saying, what did I just read? And so forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:17 Highlight the passage at 1:44:17

1:44:28 Okay, let's look at number three. Awareness to which an object appears but is not ascertained is necessarily conceptual? Yes or no? No. it's, it's. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:28 Highlight the passage at 1:44:28

1:44:44 So it's no. It's necessarily non-conceptual? Probably, yes. How about just yes? Okay. So it's a direct perceiver. It's a direct perceiver. Okay. It's non-mistaken? Report an error in the passage at 1:44:44 Highlight the passage at 1:44:44

1:45:17 Okay. So let's Report an error in the passage at 1:45:17 Highlight the passage at 1:45:17

1:45:26 look at the definitions and we can discuss it and see if there's any questions. Look at number four. Giving examples. An awareness to which an object appears but is not ascertained that is a direct perceiver. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:26 Highlight the passage at 1:45:26

1:45:41 So a sense direct perceiver apprehending blue that induces the doubt. And I wonder, did I just see blue or not? Did you just say something to me or not? Report an error in the passage at 1:45:41 Highlight the passage at 1:45:41

1:45:54 Actually a lot, a lot, a lot. We have a lot of awareness to which an object appears but is not ascertained. A lot. As a matter of fact, it's going on most of the time. I hate to break the news to you. But when we're going to look at this more, the factor of mindfulness, as that begins to increase, this particular state of consciousness decreases. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:54 Highlight the passage at 1:45:54

1:46:25 We are able to remember. Mindfulness just means memory. We are able to remember more and more what we... Previously just remained an awareness to which an object appeared but was not ascertained. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:25 Highlight the passage at 1:46:25

1:46:49 So the mind can be trained in that way. As our mindfulness increases, this particular awareness will decrease in its frequency. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:49 Highlight the passage at 1:46:49

1:47:01 But we spend a lot of time in that such a state. An awareness to which an object appears but is not ascertained that is a mental direct perceiver. So this is a rather technical one. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:01 Highlight the passage at 1:47:01

1:47:19 For an ordinary person, all mental direct perceivers are awareness to which an object appears but is not ascertained. So we have a... For example, we have an eye consciousness which sees a piece of paper, apprehends a piece of paper. Maybe you look at the sheet of paper for 15 seconds. So there's a continuum of an eye consciousness apprehending the paper. At the end of that continuum, there will be an instant of a mental direct receiver apprehending the paper. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:19 Highlight the passage at 1:47:19

1:48:03 It's just an instant. It acts like the interface. Between conceptual consciousness, for example, which might think about the piece of paper. So at the end of this sense direct receiver, this eye direct receiver apprehending piece of paper, at the end of that continuum is one moment, an instant of a mental direct receiver. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:03 Highlight the passage at 1:48:03

1:48:29 But that mental direct receiver, it doesn't register. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:29 Highlight the passage at 1:48:29

1:48:38 Perception requires time. We have to have so much data, a certain quantity of data in order for us to apprehend an object. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:38 Highlight the passage at 1:48:38

1:48:50 I remember when they used to, I don't know, there was this big idea back in the 50s, I think, before your time, about the subliminal messages. You know, these things flashing on the screen, and you didn't pick it up. It was a bunch of nonsense, actually. But anyway, the idea is there. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:50 Highlight the passage at 1:48:50

1:49:20 Something caught this. The idea was that they were actually invading. You weren't aware that it was there, but it was getting through nonetheless. So the mind can be trained. I mean, they've done a lot of research with it. you didn't you weren't Report an error in the passage at 1:49:20 Highlight the passage at 1:49:20

1:49:38 Yogis and so forth, they'll flash an image on a screen. How long do they need before they're able to actually apprehend that they're the object? And through training, they need less and less time. It might take, I'm just throwing out figures for you. It is said that there are 65 mind moments in the snap of a finger. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:38 Highlight the passage at 1:49:38

1:50:05 And we need so many mind moments. of data in order for it to register, to be apprehended. But as one's mind is trained, we need less and less moments. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:05 Highlight the passage at 1:50:05

1:50:18 us, that one moment of mental direct perceiver at the end of the continuum. I don't know if that makes sense. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:18 Highlight the passage at 1:50:18

1:50:39 an awareness to which An object appears but is not ascertained as a self-knower. So the self-knower, we talked about self-knowers a little bit. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:39 Highlight the passage at 1:50:39

1:50:55 In this Report an error in the passage at 1:50:55 Highlight the passage at 1:50:55

1:51:06 particular system, this particular school, they posit what's called a self-knower, that there is a consciousness which is aware of. The consciousness. There's an awareness which is like I have an eye consciousness apprehending a piece of paper. There is another consciousness which is aware of my eye consciousness apprehending a piece of paper. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:06 Highlight the passage at 1:51:06

1:51:29 Why do they posit that consciousness? They say it's necessary in order to have memory. When I see the piece of paper, I can say, well, I saw that piece of paper. How do I know I saw that piece of paper? Well, there's another awareness which tells me I had an eye consciousness which apprehended the paper. Otherwise, how would I know I saw the piece of paper? Report an error in the passage at 1:51:29 Highlight the passage at 1:51:29

1:51:57 I don't know. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:57 Highlight the passage at 1:51:57

1:52:07 So they posit, in order to have a memory, I had a delicious lunch. There must have been some awareness of your tongue consciousness apprehending the flavors of your meal in order to be able to say I had a delicious lunch. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:07 Highlight the passage at 1:52:07

1:52:27 Otherwise, there's nothing which is able to maintain the continuity, which was around, which knows that you were experiencing delicious flavors. There's something there which knows, oh, you experienced delicious. Your tongue conscious will really experience a delicious flavor at lunch. Without that, huh? Report an error in the passage at 1:52:27 Highlight the passage at 1:52:27

1:52:49 It would just be experience and then it would be gone. That's right. You don't have to be. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:49 Highlight the passage at 1:52:49

1:53:01 Okay, so they posit this self-knower. So this self-knower which is apprehending this moment of mental direct procedure. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:01 Highlight the passage at 1:53:01

1:53:16 Okay, I'm sorry we'll continue, okay? Report an error in the passage at 1:53:16 Highlight the passage at 1:53:16

1:53:24 I have to find my little cheat sheet. I have a little piece of paper here somewhere, which I have all my important messages. I'm Report an error in the passage at 1:53:24 Highlight the passage at 1:53:24

1:53:52 glad somebody's done. Awareness to which an object appears, but it's not necessary. You see? Report an error in the passage at 1:53:52 Highlight the passage at 1:53:52

1:54:03 Okay, so you've got your books. We're going to begin to look at minds and mental factors. I think you'll find this quite an interesting area. Maybe it's more relevant and we can work with all these various mental states and begin to recognize them in our everyday life. see. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:03 Highlight the passage at 1:54:03

1:54:29 There will be class on October 27th. I was going to ask you to do some reading. You could begin to look at the minds and mental factors. We haven't quite finished the awarenesses and knowers yet. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:29 Highlight the passage at 1:54:29

1:55:05 I'm Report an error in the passage at 1:55:05 Highlight the passage at 1:55:05

1:55:11 sorry. I feel like I rushed through quite quickly. We'll finish. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:11 Highlight the passage at 1:55:11

1:55:20 the seven knowers, and we'll spend some time with an overview, and then we'll begin minds and mental factors. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:20 Highlight the passage at 1:55:20

1:55:36 Dedicate the positive energy we have created together. May Report an error in the passage at 1:55:36 Highlight the passage at 1:55:36

1:55:50 all beings everywhere, plagued by sufferings of body and mind, attain an ocean of happiness and joy by virtue of my merits. May no living creatures suffer, commit evil or fall ill. May no one be afraid of a little with a mind weighed down by depression. May the blind see forms and deaf hear sounds. May those whose bodies are worn with toil be restored on finding repose. May the naked find clothing, the hungry find food. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:50 Highlight the passage at 1:55:50

1:56:22 May the thirsty find water and delicious drink. May the poor find wealth, those weak with sorrow find joy. May the forlorn find hope, constant happiness and prosperity. May there be timely rains and bountiful harvests. May all medicines be effective and wholesome prayers bear fruit. May all who are sick and ill quickly be freed from their ailments. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:22 Highlight the passage at 1:56:22

1:56:47 Whatever diseases there are in the world, may they never occur again. May the frightened cease to be afraid and those bound be freed. May the powerless find power and may people think of benefiting each other. as long as space remains, for as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain to dispel the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:47 Highlight the passage at 1:56:47

1:57:12 these skillful actions may I quickly become an awakened spiritual master. May the supreme jewels of the awakened heart and mind that have not arisen arise and grow. And may those that have arisen never diminish. Increase more and more. In the land encircled by snow mountains, you are the source of all happiness and well-being. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:12 Highlight the passage at 1:57:12

1:57:40 Powerful Chenrizi Tenzin Gyatso, please remain the end of cyclic existence. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:40 Highlight the passage at 1:57:40