KARMA, NATURE OF MIND, EMPTINESS, COMPASSION, THE SIX PERFECTIONS, AND HOW TO TRANSFORM PROBLEMS ON THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT

KADAMPA CENTER RALEIGH, NC NOVEMBER 2–25, 2012 WITH VEN. ROBINA COURTIN

2 Contents

1. Songs of Experience 5 2. Karma: Cause and Effect 13 3. The Ten Non-virtues 21 4. Unraveling Negative Emotions 23 5. Using Problems to Destroy Self- cherishing 33 6. The Six Perfections 41 7. You Cannot Find the I Anywhere 57 8. Purification: The Practice of Vajrasattva in the Context of the Four Opponent Powers 73

3 Produced in Raleigh, NC, for use by the students of FPMT’s Kadampa Center for teachings with Ven. Robina Courtin, November 2–23, 2012.

kadampa-center.org

With gratitude to Wisdom Publications for the use of “Cherishing Others” and “Using Problems to Destroy Self- Cherishing” from Door to Satisfaction.

wisdompubs.org

And to Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive for “You Cannot Find the I Anywhere.”

lamayeshe.com

Cover painting of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. Artist unknown.

4 1. Songs of Experience 4 I prostrate to Atisha, the keeper of the Je Tsong Khapa treasury of the teachings, Whose faultless abridgment of its essential points, The Lamp for the Path, Summarizes and synthesizes for the first

time since the Prajnaparamita Sutras of 1 the Buddha I prostrate to Lord Buddha, the head of The two main paths of the Mahayana – the Shakya clan, the profound insight of emptiness and Whose body is the product of ten million the vast action of bodhicitta – virtues and the two perfect In their proper lineages from Buddha to accomplishments of the realization of Manjushri to Nagarjuna on the one emptiness and the attainment of side, bodhicitta, And from Buddha to Maitreya to Asanga Whose speech fulfills the needs of endless on the other. numbers of sentient beings by teaching

them the Dharma, 5 And whose mind, being omniscient, sees I prostrate with great reverence to my all phenomena as they really are, that is gurus, who, motivated by loving as empty. kindness,

Make the Dharma clear by teaching it 2 with skillful means, I prostrate to Maitreya and Manjushri, the Who are the best bridge for crossing over two chief disciples of the peerless the ocean of samsara to liberation for teacher Shakyamuni Buddha, those fortunate enough to receive their Whose incarnations manifest themselves teachings, in countless worlds, And who are the eyes for their disciples to Having taken on the responsibility to see the meaning of all the profound further the action of the speech of the scriptural texts. Buddha by teaching the Dharma to

help liberate all sentient beings from 6 samsara. The stages of the path to enlightenment

have been transmitted in their correct 3 order by the proper lineages, from I prostrate to the feet of the Two Jewels of Nagarjuna and Asanga, the Southern Continent, Nagarjuna and Who are the crowning jewels of all the Asanga, famous throughout the three erudite Indian scholars, and the banner realms, of whose fame is resplendent Whose commentaries explain as it really is throughout the three realms. The most difficult to fathom Mother of the Because the lam-rim can fulfill the two Buddhas, the Prajnaparamita Sutras basic aims of the nine kinds of beings,

It is considered the Power-granting King

of all the precious teachings.

5 And because it combines the streams of Therefore you should think about the thousands of scriptural texts, it is proper way to teach and study this text indeed an ocean of excellent and And about the benefits of actually doing correct explanation. so.

7 9 You will receive four great benefits from Zealous and pure devotion with your studying the lam-rim as taught in thoughts and actions to your guru, Atisha’s Lamp for the Path: who shows you the path to First, you will understand that there are enlightenment, when properly done, is no contradictions in all the teachings. the root cause of the fulfillment of Second, you will be made aware that all whatever virtuous aims you pursue for the scriptural texts are to be taken as this and future lives. sound advice, as there is no Once you have seen that this is so, contradiction between scripture and You should please your guru by offering practice. him your practice of complete Third, you will then easily discover the obedience concerning the path to significance of the three principal enlightenment, which you would not aspects of Buddha’s teachings: abandon even at the cost of your life. renunciation, bodhicitta and the correct I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing view of emptiness. exactly that. And fourth, you will be protected from If you also seek liberation, please cultivate the abyss of the great mistake. guru devotion in the same way. Because the study of the lam-rim has these four benefits, what intelligent person 10 among the erudite scholars of India The human rebirth endowed with the and Tibet would not have their heart eight freedoms for Dharma study is and attention stolen away by this best superior to the wish-fulfilling jewel. of teachings, Only a perfect human rebirth, so difficult Which has been studied by many to obtain and found just this once, fortunate ones gives you the opportunity to achieve And is taught according to the three levels enlightenment, of motivation. An opportunity that can easily be lost, passing in a flash like lightning in the 8 sky. There is much merit to be gained from Thinking about how easily this can listening to or reciting even once this happen at any moment, abridgment of Atisha’s summary of the And understanding that all activities of main points of all the scriptural texts. this samsaric world are like threshed And it is certain that you will amass even husks of grain in that they don’t take more waves of merit if you actually the essence of the human body, that is, teach and study the pure Dharma use it as an instrument for contained in it. enlightenment,

6 You must try to take advantage of the Likewise, it is vital that you strive to essential significance of having remove from the three doors of your obtained such a rebirth, all of the time, body, speech and mind the karmic day and night. obstacles that would prevent such a I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing rebirth. exactly that. As your three doors have been polluted If you also seek liberation, please cultivate by the foul odor of the imprints of your yourself in the same way. past non-virtuous actions and of your breaches of samaya, 11 You should always have great respect and After death, you have no certainty that esteem for the four opponent powers, you will not be reborn in one of the which can completely purify you of three unfortunate states; having to experience the results of Yet it is certain that the Three Jewels have these negative karmas. the power to protect you from the fears I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing of these lower realms. exactly that. For this reason, your faith in taking If you also seek liberation, please cultivate Refuge should be firm and you should yourself in the same way. never let your Refuge commitments become lax. 13 Your success in doing this depends upon If you don’t make an effort to think about properly fulfilling what is to be the First Noble Truth of suffering and practiced and what is to be abandoned, that it’s the result of your past non- Which, in turn, depends upon thinking virtuous actions, thoroughly about the white and black You won’t be properly motivated to types of karma. achieve liberation from suffering. I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing If you don’t make an effort to think about exactly that. the Second Noble Truth concerning the If you also seek liberation, please cultivate causes for your continued rebirth into yourself in the same way. the sufferings of samsara, You won’t know how to cut the root of 12 samsara, which is ignorance. The basis most conducive for successful Therefore you must develop a complete practice of the Mahayana path is the abhorrence for suffering and a pure perfect human rebirth fully endowed renunciation of samsara, with the eight favorable qualities, And thus you must know well the factors which are the fruits of your past that bind you to this cycle of rebirth. virtuous actions. I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing Because your practice won’t advance by exactly that. the fullest of strides unless you have If you also seek liberation, please cultivate such a rebirth, you should practice yourself in the same way. those virtuous actions that will cause you to obtain one in the future.

7 14 If you also seek liberation, please cultivate Bodhicitta is the framework of the yourself in the same way. Mahayana path and the foundation for the great waves of enlightened activity 16 of the bodhisattvas. Morality is the water that washes away Bodhicitta transforms all actions of merit the dirt of the non-virtuous actions and insight into causes for And is the ray of moonlight that cools the enlightenment, just as the alchemist’s heat of the delusions. elixir transforms all metals into gold. With this type of discipline, you stand Thus bodhicitta builds up a great treasury above the masses of sentient beings, of merit, which is the accumulation of glorious as Mount Meru, numberless virtuous actions. And by its power you can influence others Knowing this, the brave bodhisattvas, without effort. who fear neither the obstacles of the Knowing this, the wise masters protect the delusions nor the imprints of rules of discipline, which they have ignorance, vowed to keep purely, as preciously as Hold the precious bodhicitta as the very they would their eyes. heart of their meditations. I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing exactly that. exactly that. If you also seek liberation, please cultivate If you also seek liberation, please cultivate yourself in the same way. yourself in the same way. 17 15 Patience is the best adornment for the Generosity is the wishfulfilling jewel with mighty ones to wear which you can fulfill the hopes of all And is the best means of endurance for sentient beings. those tormented by the suffering of the It is the best weapon for cutting the selfish delusions. knot of miserliness. It is the high-soaring garuda in that it is It is the basis of the enlightened activity of the enemy of the snake of anger; the bodhisattvas in that it develops the It is the strongest armor against the selflessness and undaunted courage to weapons of abusive language. lead all sentient beings to Knowing this, the wise masters habituate enlightenment, themselves with the practice of And it is the reason for your good patience, the very best of all armors. reputation to spread in the ten I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing directions. exactly that. Knowing this, the wise masters teach the If you also seek liberation, please cultivate path of giving away to others your yourself in the same way. body and wealth and the merit from your virtuous actions. 18 I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing Once you have developed resolute and exactly that. unfluctuating enthusiastic perseverance, your knowledge of the

8 scriptural texts and insight into their It is the treasury of knowledge praised in meaning will increase like the waxing all the scriptural texts moon. And is well known as the lamp that All your actions will become causes for eliminates the darkness of closed- your Buddhahood mindedness. And whatever you undertake will Knowing this, the masters who wish to produce its results just as you had attain liberation exert great effort to wished. progress along this path. Knowing this, the bodhisattvas exert great I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing waves of enthusiasm, which eliminates exactly that. all obstacles. If you also seek liberation, please cultivate I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing yourself in the same way. exactly that. If you also seek liberation, please cultivate 21 yourself in the same way. I do not see how you can cut the root of samsara with single-pointed 19 concentration alone. Concentration is the king that rules over Nor do I see how you can turn away from the dominion of the mind. the delusions by examining them with If you focus it on one point, it stays there, wisdom alone, without calm abiding. immovable as Mount Meru; Therefore the masters mount wisdom, And if you project it, it can fix on any which cuts all doubts about the way virtuous object you choose. things exist and about what is to be It leads to the great exhilaration and bliss practiced and what is to be abandoned, of always having your mind at On the horse of calm abiding meditation, attention and under your control. which trains the mind never to wander. Knowing this, the yogis, who have gained In this way the masters expand their control over their minds and are above comprehension of emptiness with the the power of the delusions, all-encompassing wisdom that Always devote themselves to single- examines things according to the way pointed concentration, which conquers they exist. the enemies of mental wandering and Armed thus with the sharp weapon of the dullness. logic of the Middle Way, devoid of I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing extremes, exactly that. They destroy all traces of the If you also seek liberation, please cultivate misconception that phenomena exist yourself in the same way. truly, in and of themselves, independently of causes and 20 conditions. Wisdom is the eye for seeing the meaning I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing of emptiness exactly that. And is the method for cutting ignorance, If you also seek liberation, please cultivate the very root of samsara. yourself in the same way.

9 22 Thus uniting the skillful means of loving Having developed single-pointed kindness, bodhicitta and the six concentration through calm abiding perfections, at the conventional level, meditation, with the wisdom that understands You should direct it towards an analysis emptiness, at the ultimate level, of the nature of all mental You will perfect the activities of the constructions by examining them with bodhisattva and thus attain the full the wisdom that understands enlightenment of Buddhahood – an emptiness. accomplishment that is highly praised. Eventually you will develop a very firm Fully comprehending how important and concentration focused unwaveringly necessary it is to follow a path that upon the actual way that things exist. unites the two levels of reality, Keeping in mind how admirable all efforts And not being satisfied with paths that are to establish the union of calm lead in directions other than this, abiding and penetrative insight, you You should exert great effort to follow should first offer as many prayers and such a path, thus emulating those who aspirations as possible to achieve it. have been fortunate enough to attain I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing Buddhahood already. exactly that. I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing If you also seek liberation, please cultivate exactly that. yourself in the same way. If you also seek liberation, please cultivate yourself in the same way. 23 Having achieved the union of calm 24 abiding and penetrative insight, The Mahayana consists of the two paths of You should focus your concentration on Paramitayana and Tantrayana. emptiness according to the two levels Success in your practice of Paramitayana of reality. qualifies you to practice Tantrayana; First, ultimately, emptiness is like space in Success in your practice of Tantrayana is that it is all-extensive and everywhere the result of having mastered utterly free of all obstructions arising Paramitayana. from ignorance; Renunciation, bodhicitta and the correct It opposes the mistaken view that view of emptiness, the three principal anything can exist truly, in and of itself, aspects of Lord Buddha’s teachings, are independently of causes and stages shared by both Mahayana conditions. vehicles. Second, conventionally, phenomena are Having studied these three in the course like illusions in that although they do of perfecting the activities of the not exist truly, in and of themselves, bodhisattva, as outlined above, independently of the minds that You should now develop even more believe in them, nevertheless they do insight into them by boarding the function. vehicle of Tantrayana and sailing Having familiarized yourself with these across the great ocean of the four two levels of reality in turn, classes of tantra.

10 This you should do by depending upon a Translated by Alex Berzin et al, 1973, skillful navigator, a fully qualified and first published by the Library of tantric master, as your guide. Tibetan Works and Archives, In short, you should take the essence of Dharamsala, India. this precious human rebirth by totally A revised version, edited by Robina relying upon the complete oral Courtin, was produced for the students of tradition of the explanations of a tantric the weekend course at Namgyal master, Monastery, Ithaca, NY, March 12-14, From the beginning of the path, guru 1999. devotion, up to your attainment of This revised version was produced for Buddhahood, the level of no-more- the participants in the First Chasing learning. Buddha Pilgrimage to the holy places of I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing Lord Buddha in Nepal and India, October exactly that. 6-29, 2001. If you also seek liberation, please cultivate yourself in the same way.

25 By virtue of my easy-to-understand explanation of the complete path pleasing to the Buddhas, Which I have written to habituate my own thinking with the teachings as well as for the benefit of those who are fortunate enough to meet a true guru and practice the pure Dharma, I pray that all sentient beings may never be separated from this pure path, which combines the three principal aspects of Lord Buddha’s teachings. I, a yogi, have had the experience of doing exactly that. If you also seek liberation, please cultivate yourself in the same way.

This concludes Songs of Experience, the Main Aspects of the Practice of the Lam- rim, compiled in brief so that they may not be forgotten. It has been written at Geden Nampar Gyalba Monastery on Riwoche Mountain in Tibet by the Buddhist monk Losang Dragpa, Je Rinpoche Tzong Khapa, a meditator who has heard many teachings.

11 12 2. Karma: the Law of Cause is motivation – and let’s face it, 99% of the time that we kill it’s with a negative and Effect motivation. Then there is the object, the ant Robina Courtin has to be there, alive. Then there is the action of killing; and finally the completion of the action, the death of the ant before oneself. If this karma is left in the mind, Everything every sentient being does, says from the very moment it is planted, just or thinks is necessarily a karma, an action, like any seed, it will expand, get bigger. which will necessarily ripen in a result in Even after a few days, it is huge, which the future. Negative actions ripen as means the fruits will be many. suffering and positive actions ripen as So, it’s left in the mind and is not happiness. If the seed is planted, it will purified. Eventually it will definitely ripen ripen as a fruit; and if the fruit has as a future rebirth in a lower realm (which ripened, necessarily a seed was planted. realm depends on many conditions). But And all seeds expand in that they bear not just one rebirth; one seed gives rise to many fruits. many fruits. Karma ripens in four ways: There’s this woman I knew at Kopan. 1. The Fully Ripened Result, which is She came to my room one day crying after the type of rebirth our consciousness will hearing Rinpoche teach about the lower take when it leaves a previous body at the realms. Her dear son had died five years time of death. beforehand at the age of 29. He’d been a 2. The Action Similar to the Cause: all professional fisherman, and he died while the words, thoughts and actions we do in scuba diving. I suggested she talk to any one life are due to the habit of having Geshe Lama Konchog about it. done them before. Surprisingly, he told her exactly where 3. The Experience Similar the Cause: her son was now (the lamas rarely do that, all the things that other people or beings so it must have been beneficial for her to do to us, or all the things that happen to hear it). She just mentioned his name and us. he said, “First he was born in the animal 4. Environmental Karma: even the way realm, and now he’s in the hell realms.” the world is for us: polluted, beautiful, So, there he was, this nice man: good, earthquakes, etc; all this is due to the kind, intelligent, moral. But he had the collective karma of the sentient beings karma to kill thousands of fish and to not who experience that environment. see that he was harming sentient beings. For the Fully Ripened Result, the And that’s the point about karma: From “throwing” karma that is the main cause killing in past lives he had been born in for this life’s body, there have to be four the lower realms. That karma got finished conditions in place at the time of the eventually and his karma to be born action for it to become the karmic action human ripened again. But the problem is that “throws” us into the next life. Let’s that the karma of killing left the say there is the negative karma of killing: propensity to kill still in his mind, and first, there is the intention to kill that ant, even though he got a good rebirth again, and within intention there are several he was attracted to killing fish. His mother other points, the most important of which

13 said he always loved the river and even those karmic seeds to murder and rape use to call himself Salmon. The habit to Muslims to ripen. kill was still there. And killing in the past So many times when people kill, they caused him to die young in this life. don’t really mean to, and it’s not because This is one of the worst aspects of they’re “bad” people. It’s just conditions. karma. Due to past actions, the propensity The karmic seed was there on their minds to keep doing the same actions is there; (and they don’t know about it), and one and we can’t even see that they are day a person comes into their life whom negative. Because of the habit, the feeling they have the karma to kill because that that the doing of the action brings in our person had harmed them in a past life, mind is pleasure, so of course we think it and boom, killing happens. They are as is good. That’s what is so terrible. We surprised as everyone else that it really are locked in the vice of karma. We happened. They didn’t plan it. Karma can see how miraculous it is for good ripened, that’s all. karma to ripen. So: killing causes a lower And another aspect: I remember rebirth. It leaves imprints in the mind to hearing in a teaching by Rinpoche that the keep doing the same action. It causes us to Kalachakra Tantra describes the intimate be killed or to die young. relationship between external activity and The karmic cause for the next rebirth internal karma. Because everything is ripens at the time of death. Whichever caused by karma: that earthquake is the seed is strongest is the one that ripens karmic result of the sentient beings who first. Which is why it is so vital to die experience it; they caused it. That airplane peacefully, without regret, with crash; that war. Everything. Rinpoche said awareness, with acceptance. The majority that basically the entire external universe of people die with fear, mainly because is made up of the four elements: earth, air, they have never thought of death. So even fire and water: this body, the mountains, for this reason alone, it is likely that a the flowers, whatever. They are just negative seed will ripen, because fear is a different quantities of the four, if you like: function of ignorance, and ignorance is the ocean is mostly the element of water the main delusion, and delusion activates whereas the mountain is mostly earth, negative karmas to ripen. and so on. Anyway, when the mind is And there are literally countless karmic disturbed – deluded – this disturbs the seeds sitting there in our mind now, balance of the body elements, which latent, waiting for the appropriate causes the body to be sick. And this in conditions to activate them. Which is why turn causes the imbalance of the external conditions are so vital. If you’d told a elements: floods, volcanoes, the Serbian man, for example, five years ago environment, whatever. They call this that he would become a multi-rapist and environmental karma. Of course, it all murderer, he would have laughed at you. happens over eons. But you can see how There he was, living in Bosnia, delusion now is a condition for karma to surrounded by Muslims, but leading his ripen. Equally, if sentient beings are life the best he could. But one day, war purifying, this can be a condition for a starts, and becomes the condition for karma to be averted or to ripen less severely.

14 Literally, everything is our karmic contacting an object through our senses appearance. We cause it all. There is not (and in response to thoughts, too) an atom of this universe that is not the We see a scorpion, for example: result of the karma of the sentient beings immediately an unpleasant feeling arises. who experience it. Nothing exists out That unpleasant feeling – fear, revulsion, there, from its own side. Everything the wish to kill it, whatever – is a result of depends upon sentient beings’ minds. As the past harm we did that particular Lama Yeshe said, hell is not some place scorpion during a past life. Even more out there where this heavy guy is saying, specifically, that unpleasant feeling is the “Ha, ha, I’m waiting for Thubten Yeshe.” fruit of our own seed planted in the mind No, it is made up by our own minds; our at the time of some interaction with that previous actions create it. sentient being. So, quite literally, our own You can see how understanding karmic action can be said to be the main emptiness helps understand karma. cause for our own suffering now. It looks It can be said that there is not one like the scorpion is the main cause for the single event in the universe that is fear, the revulsion, but it’s not; it’s only a random; everything has to do with condition. sentient beings’ karma. And every being The second of the Four Noble Truths is we meet, every human, ant, dog, bird, that the causes of samsara are 1. karma whatever – that is not random either. We and 2. delusion. The action of harming the have met each of them before and scorpion (when it was our mother, a experience at that moment the karmic friend, an animal, whatever) in a past life result of a particular past association. is the cause of even meeting that scorpion And, of course, each feeling we experience now and the cause of the unpleasant in relation to each sentient being we meet feeling; that’s the karma part. And the is the direct result of a past action towards ignorance, attachment, aversion and the that sentient being. rest in our mind that compelled the action Each of our moments of mental are the delusion part. experience in one day, for example, would Which shows us there are two things to be labeled either pleasant, unpleasant or do: 1. purify the karmic seeds, and 2. get indifferent, wouldn’t it? There are no rid of delusion. Practice consists of both, other choices. We either have a happy of course, but the main thing we must do, experience, an unhappy one or an because karma is so extensive and deep indifferent one, and every instant would and its ripening so unexpected, is work on be covered by these three. Well, the getting rid of delusion. If we can do that mental factor (as the various states of then we can really purify karma quickly. mind are called) that experiences So there you are in prison, which in pleasure, pain or indifference is called conventional terms (and karma is simply “feeling.” In the teachings about mind, convention) gives rise to unpleasant “feeling” is one of the so-called always- feelings, is called suffering. This is due to present mental factors: every moment we your past karma and you can’t have much are always experiencing some feeling or control over that now. But how you deal other, and each of them is in response to with it, whether with delusion or with

15 virtue, this is definitely within your suffering, not more pleasure, which is control. And that’s what really purifies. what the mind thinks. So, practice is to cut So, we can see how fortunate we are to the karmic appearances, to stop believing have virtue within our mind as an option in the real object out there existing in and in the face of suffering. Suffering is of itself as a cause of our pleasure. coming all the time, to all sentient beings, Rinpoche has said that it’s bad enough so nothing special about that. But having that, due to karma, someone appears self- virtue in the mind as a way of dealing existently beautiful to our mind, our with that suffering: that is so fortunate. senses; the real problem is that we believe Rinpoche said in a teaching one time: a that picture to be true. That’s what keeps person who has totally uprooted anger, us bound in samsara. for example, from their mind would not A person who is able to see a beautiful see an enemy. In other words, when you person and know that they do not exist as are totally free of aversion, gone from inherently beautiful, that that appearance your mind completely, upon meeting the is simply due to karma, is a person who is scorpion there would be no aversion in qualified to use the pleasure that arises in the mind. You would not label it enemy. their mind on the path to enlightenment. You would know it was a scorpion, you Which is why Lama would say, “The would know it would sting you, you more pleasure, the better, dear!” (Lama would feel the sting, but you mind would was famous for calling everyone “dear.”) not label enemy. Enemy is a fabrication of But it’s obvious that this is the most our own mind. You would see a suffering difficult practice, isn’t it? To even begin to sentient being, an object of compassion. distinguish between the pleasure and the Which is why Ribur Rinpoche, for attachment is unbelievably difficult. example, was able to “transform suffering into pure joy.” It is very interesting, this evolution of So, having met a person before causes species. The Buddhist explanation of it is us to meet them again. How we treated most interesting. I remember in particular them in the past causes us to see them as one program about nature by an friend or enemy now. And having Englishman, Attenborough, who is very attachment and aversion in the mind now well known in England. He was perpetuates it. This is the wheel of discussing a particular group of ants in samsara. Which is why it’s vital to stop Africa and their habitat, their anthill, and believing in our karmic appearances. explaining how amazing they were. For Because two people have been kind to example, he pointed out, their home, each other in the past, they see each other which was maybe ten feet tall, had many as nice now. But attachment is usually levels, where different ants did different what instantly takes over after the arising things; how skillful they were. And how of the pleasant feeling, and then it builds their basement, if you like, was kept at a up its story, its fantasy about the beautiful very precise temperature for this reason person and is convinced that the person is and that. He said that these ants had the cause of the pleasant feeling. The more evolved in their sophistication over the pleasant the feeling, the stronger the years and was truly awestruck at their attachment, which becomes the cause of talents.

16 The Buddhist view could be, in a sense karmic seed that ripened at the time of the – big deal! Ants in their nature do not previous death of that sentient being – is have the mental capacity to calculate necessarily a non-virtue. The various technological things, but the fact that they other things that happen to the ant and seemed to do these things by instinct what it does, its tendencies to kill or build shows that the karmic imprints to do them temperature-controlled basements, etc., all are strongly in their minds – and that come from previous imprints in its these imprints are from human lives, consciousness, created when it was when that mental capacity was evident. human/animal/spirit, whatever. These busy creatures, all following their So, you could say that insects are instincts, were simply reincarnated evolving, becoming more sophisticated – humans who obviously had developed human traits, if you like; and we can also very sophisticated technical skills – look at say that humans are degenerating, today’s world! – but because these skills becoming more violent, angry, deluded, had been developed and carried out as attached, etc – lower realm traits. humans in conjunction with huge The real meaning of evolution, in attachment and grasping and the rest, Buddhist terms, is in terms of the these delusions had caused them to be development of kindness, wisdom, born as lower creatures who nevertheless patience, compassion, and the rest. An kept the imprints of their technical intelligent mind is not one that merely can training. There were these birds too, for do technological things, but is one that example, who did this elaborate dance for can distinguish between right and wrong 8 or 9 hours, non-stop, in order to attract a and can, eventually, perceive the true mate: all I could see was highly skillful nature of reality. dedicated dancers overwhelmed with We can see how karma operates attachment, no thought of altruism. similarly with humans: due to Attachment and anger and the rest, extraordinarily virtuous past actions, the and the actions done on the basis of them karmic imprint that ripens at the time of – designing buildings, dancing, etc – are the previous death was necessarily a the causes of lower rebirths, according to virtue, which causes the being to go to a Buddha. But the same actions done from human womb. But look at some of the the perspective of wanting to benefit tendencies of us humans: negative, others, of altruism, would leave virtuous violent, angry, destructive, etc. We can see imprints in the mind that would cause a that many of these could even be called human rebirth, or even enlightenment animal-like – from much habituation these itself if they’re done on the basis of tendencies are carried into the human life, bodhicitta. just like the human tendencies – an ability So, according to this scenario, we can to achieve things technologically, or see how certain species would evolve – kindness, whatever – are carried into the but the real point, from Buddhism’s life of an animal. perspective, is that they’re not really There is what the lamas call throwing “evolving”: again, big deal, so an ant can karma, which is the seed that ripens at the do clever things. Cleverness in itself is no time of death that “throws” the being into virtue. The cause of an ant life – the their next womb/egg/whatever; and then

17 the other karmas that ripen in terms of karmic creation of the minds of all the habits, on the one hand, and experiences, beings labeled human; ditto animals, on the other. Past killing, for example, if spirits, etc. ripening as a throwing karma, causes The Dalai Lama has said that, sure, the rebirth as an animal, a suffering spirit, a big bang makes sense in Buddhist terms, hell being. Then, if one has the throwing but there must have been infinite big karma to be born a human, other karmas bangs, not just one, because you cannot can ripen in that life from past killing as posit a beginning of everything; this is an experience of being killed, and as the literally an impossibility. Because habit to continue to kill. everything is cause and effect, then no So, killing, for example: 1. ripened matter how far back you go with your result: a lower rebirth, “thrown” by the memory – 47 eons, let’s say – and say, ah karma ripening at the time of death, 2. the ha, there was the beginning. No, how can experience similar to the cause: being that be? Because if 47 eons ago there was killed or dying young or being sick or something, then it necessarily had to come unhealthy; and 3. the action similar to the from something the moment before. cause: the habit to kill; and 4. Chicken and egg. environmental result: food and medicine The Buddhist view is that the universes etc. that cause ill-health not health. are made up of physical matter – which There’s the lion, for example, who has boils down to the four elements – and the ripened result of a lower rebirth, and mental consciousnesses. And there is a within that rebirth the habit to continue to very subtle wind energy that is the basis kill and, most likely, the experience of of all the four elements, which is what all being killed. That’s the story of most physical matter are made of. This subtle animals’ lives, in fact! Or the human, who wind energy exists and then, due to the has the ripened result of virtue, but within collective karma of sentient beings, it will that life has the habit to kill or experiences begin to form into a particular universe, being killed. Look around. There’s hardly this one, let’s say. This universe is the a human on this planet who doesn’t kill karmic creation – over eons and eons – of something. the collective karma of all of us who All this is why the purification practice experience it. And it will eventually cease, known as the Four Opponent Powers is so again according to the collective karma of important for a Buddhist. It’s in the humans. context of the practice called Vajrasattva. There is nothing in any universe that is The various realms that Buddhism not created by the karma of the sentient asserts, such as spirit and hell, are beings that experience them. They don’t basically different dimensions; you can’t exist from their own side, by the power of just climb on an aeroplane and go there. their own physical elements, and nor are But if you were to die now as a human they creations of some superior being. right here, say, due to karma, the next All of which is why, for a Buddhist, the split second our consciousness could be in physical universe, although indeed totally a hell realm. A realm is a mental fascinating and amazing, is secondary to experience, mentally created by our own the inner universe. When we discover the minds. This human realm is the collective nature of our consciousness we will

18 discover the nature of the universe – and conjoined with the very subtle mind, after that is not meant as a trite cliché but a it’s left the body of the past life, will profound truth. manifest as the body and mind of a hell being, a scorpion, a human, a spirit, Other than the consciousnesses of whatever, each in their appropriate, countless beings – superior beings, those karmically created external universe. who have gone beyond samsara, and Nothing exists from its own side; ordinary beings, those who are in samsara everything is created by the mind. – there is no other conscious force, according to Buddhism. What holds Excerpted from advice to various things together in harmony is, quite Buddhist practitioners in prison, by literally, the past karma of virtue. What Robina Courtin causes the elements to explode apart and cause chaos – whether it’s wars or volcanoes – is, quite literally, the past karma of non-virtue. If we want to find a “creator” then it’s the karma of sentient beings. Of course, there are the consciousnesses of enlightened beings, who have been ordinary at some point and have now gone beyond samsara. They pervade the universe; are omniscient, all compassionate, all powerful. But they don’t create universes. Universes are the polluted creation of the karma of ordinary beings. If we were all enlightened there would not be an atom of anything physical; there would not need to be because there would be no suffering sentient beings, because universes are the abodes of sentient beings, created by their past karmic actions. (Sentient beings are ordinary, deluded beings, locked into the cycle of rebirth and suffering; enlightened beings are those who have gone beyond suffering and cyclic existence). If we want to find a creator, it’s our own mind. Everything is made up by our mind, Lama Zopa says, including the physical universe. As Lama Yeshe said, “Hell is the manifestation of our own past delusions.” The very subtle wind energy

19 20 3. The Ten Non-virtues and PHYSICAL ACTIONS Their Results 1. KILLING

Experience Similar to the Cause You get

killed; your life is short; you get sick

easily, and have little energy. There are four ways that karma ripens in Environmental Result Food, drink, future lives: medicine, and crops are scarce, always 1. The Fully Ripened Result, which is inferior and low in nutrition or potency; the type of rebirth our consciousness will they are hard to digest and cause disease; take when it leaves a previous body at the most beings around you die before time of death. reaching the full life span. 2. The Action Similar to the Cause: all the words, thoughts and actions we do in 2. STEALING any one life are due to the habit of having Experience Similar to the Cause You done them before. don’t have enough to live on or make 3. The Experience Similar the Cause: ends meet; what you do have is all just all the things that other people or beings common property with others. do to us, or all the things that happen to us. Environmental Result Crops are few and 4. Environmental Karma: even the way far between, have no power to remove the world is for us: polluted, beautiful, hunger, spoil, or never come up; dry earthquakes, etc; all this is due to the spells stay on too long; it rains too much: collective karma of the sentient beings crops dry up or die off. who experience that environment.

3. SEXUAL MISCONDUCT All positive and negative actions of body, Experience Similar to the Cause The speech and mind bring all four results people who work around you are (not necessarily at the same time). unreliable; you find yourself having a lot Here is a summary of the ten non- of competition for your partner. Your virtuous actions that one should refrain relationships, all kinds, don’t last. from, and their karmic results.

The Fully Ripened Result of all non- Environmental Result You live in a place virtuous actions is rebirth in one of the where there is urine and feces all round, three lower realms: animals, spirits, hells. and mud, dirt, filth; everything stinks, and The Action Similar to the Cause is the everywhere seems unpleasant and habit to continue to do each action. The distasteful. Experiences Similar to the Cause and the

Environmental Result differ for each VERBAL ACTIONS action.

4. LYING

Experience Similar to the Cause No one

believes what you say, even when you are

21 speaking the truth; others are always MENTAL ACTIONS deceiving you. 8. CRAVING/COVETING Environmental Result Your work in Experience Similar to the Cause Your cooperation with others fails to prosper personality is dominated by desire; you and people don’t work well together, are never satisfied with what you have everyone generally is cheating one another and is afraid, and there are many Environmental Result Every good thing things to be afraid of. you manage to find starts to get worse, decreases as seasons, months, days pass. 5. DIVISIVE TALK Experience Similar to the Cause You 9. ILL-WILL easily lose friends; people around you are Experience Similar to the Cause Your always fighting one another; people personality is dominated by anger; you around you have an undesirable always find yourself without help, or character. never find the help you need; you are Environmental Result The ground where always hurting others, or always being you live is covered with obstacles like hurt by others. fallen tree trunks, thorns, stones, sharp Environmental Result You live in a world broken glass; it is rough, dreary, and there of chaos, diseases spread, evil is are no streams or lakes or water springs; everywhere; there is plague, conflict, and the earth is parched and poisoned, you have fear of your country’s or others’ burning hot, useless, threatening; a place external military; there are dangerous where there are many things to fear. animals, and you are surrounded by harmful spirits, thieves or muggers, and 6. IDLE TALK the like. Experience Similar to the Cause No one listens to you. No one respects what you 10. WRONG VIEWS say; no one thinks your speech has value. Experience Similar to the Cause Your personality is dominated by stupidity; Environmental Result Fruits don’t grow, you become a person who keeps harmful or grow at the wrong times, seem ripe views (like “an eye for an eye”); you when they are not, have frail roots; there become a deceitful person. are no leisure places like parks, glades, pools of cool water; and many things Environmental Result You live in a world around make you afraid. where the single highest source of happiness is steadily disappearing from 7. HARSH SPEECH the earth, where people think that unclean Experience Similar to the Cause You will and suffering things are actually nice and always hear distressing words. happy; where there is no place to go, no one to help, nothing to protect you. Environmental Result you will be born in a desert country. From teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

22 4. Unraveling Negative This is okay, and necessary, but not enough. Our parents, our genes, the Emotions boyfriend, the boss, the external Robina Courtin environment – they are merely catalysts for our experiences, not the main event. The main thing is our own mind, our own emotions, characteristics, personality The Buddhist view is that we’ve all got traits, tendencies: our own very being extraordinary potential to cultivate our itself. minds, our consciousness. It’s not some Investigating, unravelling, and special gift that only some people have; transforming this is the Buddhist it’s innate within all of us. approach to psychological work. But potential for what? Not something holy, like heaven in the sky, or next life, BEING OUR OWN THERAPIST but potential to eliminate entirely fear, According to this model of the mind, depression, anxiety, neediness, low self- psychological states fall into three esteem and to fully develop love, categories: positive, negative, and neutral. contentment, compassion, clarity, courage Leaving aside the neutral, the positive and the other qualities we want so badly. states, which are at the core of our being, That’s the meaning of nirvana. are necessarily the cause of own wellbeing It is something very earthy, so tasty, and happiness, and the basis of our not something vague and mystical. capacity to benefit others. The negative, This potential exists, simply, in our which are not at the core of our being and minds, our consciousness. Therefore we thus can be removed, are necessarily the need to learn how to access our own cause of our unhappiness and the basis of mind. Sounds simple enough, but it’s not our harming others. a job we’re educated to do. It is not our The key job, then, is to develop the skill habit to look inside, much less know to look inside, to be introspective, in a deeply and well what’s going on there. clear and disciplined way, so that we’re then qualified to do the actual job of WHAT IS THE MIND? changing our emotions, of distinguishing From the Buddhist point of view, the between the positive and negative. To word “mind” covers the entire spectrum become our own therapist, in other words, of our inner experiences: thoughts, as Lama Yeshe puts it. feelings and emotions, unconscious, sub- Not an easy job. First of all, we’re not conscious, intuition, instinct, even what educated to look into our minds. Second, some might call soul – all of this is our we only notice we’re angry, for example, consciousness. And this, as Lama Zopa when the words vomit out of the mouth; Rinpoche puts it, is where the workshop or that we’re depressed when we can’t get is. This is what we have to become deeply out of bed one morning. Third, even if we familiar with in order to cultivate our do look at our feelings, often we can’t tell marvelous potential. the difference between the positive and Mainly what we’re familiar with, what the negative: they’re mixed together in a we run to in order to understand our big soup of emotions – and a puréed soup lives, is the outside world, the past – the at. people and events and objects – which And one of the biggest obstacles is that we’re convinced are the main cause of our we don’t think we can change them: happiness and suffering. they’re so concrete, so real: “I’m born this

23 way, what can I do about it?” We so Disturbing Even though we can see fiercely identify with the neuroses, that anger is disturbing to oneself – just believing that they’re the real me. We look at an angry person: they’re out of even think they’re physical. And anyway, their mind! – we fiercely live in denial of who wants to look into their mind? “It’s it; or we deflect it, so determined are we not my fault, is it? I didn’t ask to get born! to believe that the external catalyst is the This is how we all are! What am I main problem. My friends on death row supposed to do about it?” in Kentucky told me that they receive Everything conspires against our doing visits from an old Catholic man who, after this job. thirty years of grief and rage after his daughter was murdered, finally realized NEGATIVITY IS NOT INNATE that the main reason for his suffering was To give ourselves the confidence to even his rage, his anger. start, we need to think about how the Delusional The other characteristic negative states of mind are not at the core that these unhappy states of mind possess of our being, they do not define us, they is that they’re delusional. We’d be are not innate, and thus can be removed. offended if someone accused of that, but This flies in the face of our deeply held that’s exactly what Buddha is saying. The assumption – one that’s reinforced by all extent to which our minds are caught up contemporary models of the mind – that in attachment, anger and the rest is the the positive and negative have equal extent to which we are not in touch with status; that they’re natural; they just are reality. He’s saying that we’re all who we are. If you ask your therapist for delusional, it’s just a question of degree. methods to get rid of all anger, jealousy, In other words, anger, attachment and attachment and the rest, they’ll think the rest are concepts, wrong concepts. It you’re insane! seems like a joke to say that these We can be forgiven for thinking the powerful emotions are based in thoughts, negative, neurotic, unhappy emotions are but that’s because we only notice them at the core of our being: they certainly feel when they roar up to the surface as like it! We identify totally with them, emotion. follow them perfectly, truly believing this Perhaps we can see the disturbing is who I really am. This is the irony of ego. aspect of them, but rarely the delusional. They are distorted assessments of the NEGATIVE STATES OF MIND ARE person or the event that we are attached to DISTURBING AND DELUSIONAL or angry with; they’re elaborations, So, if the negative, neurotic emotions are exaggerated stories, lies, misconceptions, the source of our pain and the positive fantasies, conceptual constructions, ones the cause of our happines, then we’d superstitions. As Rinpoche puts it, they better learn to distinguish them. This is decorate on top of what is already there the very essence of the job our being our layers upon layers of characteristics that own therapist. are simply not there. Bad enough that we What are negative states of mind? They see things this way; the worst part is that have two main characteristics (which the we believe that these stories are true. This positive ones necessarily lack) and these is what keeps us locked inside our own are indicated by two commonly used personal insane asylum. synonyms: “disturbing emotions” and Understanding this is the key to “delusions”. understanding our negative states of mind and, therefore, how to get rid of them.

24 ATTACHMENT AND ANGER COME think and feel and say and do and TOGETHER experience. The delusion that runs our lives is And the main voice of this I is “I want.” attachment. It’s a profound dissatisfaction, Why? The vivid sense of a separate, lonely neediness; a primordial sense that I manifests as a deep sense of missing something is missing, of being bereft, something, not being enough, not having lonely, cut off. It’s just there, all the time, in enough. And that is the irony of ego – we the bones of our being. actually feel empty, bereft. And so that And this is where aversionx, anger, the neediness, that bottomless pit of yearning, exact opposite of attachment, comes into that hunger: that’s attachment. And it’s play. The split second that attachment is the main voice of ego, it is constantly thwarted, doesn’t get what it wants – and there, moment by moment; not just that’s a thousand times a day – aversion occasionally there, but constantly there. arises. Then this is expressed externally as This attachment, this desire, being a anger or internally as despair and misconception, makes the mistake of depression. Attachment and aversion are believing, a million percent, that that utterly linked. Being a fantasy, attachment delicious person, that gorgeous taste, that is not sustainable; the bubble has to burst, lovely smell, that nice feeling, that idea – and it has nowhere to go but aversion (or that when I get that, when I have it inside ignorance, which manifests as boredom, me, then I’ll feel full, then I’ll be content. indifference, uncaring). That is what desire thinks. In our never-ending efforts to keep the This is so hard to see how desire is panic at bay, we hungrily seek the right deluded. And it is not meant to be a sounds, smells, tastes, feelings, thoughts, moralistic issue. As soon as we hear these words, but the split second we don’t get words we feel a bit resentful, “What do them, aversion arises, exploding outwards you mean – I’m not allowed to have as anger or imploding inwards as pleasure?” That’s how we feel. But as depression, guilt, hopelessness, self-hate. Lama Yeshe has pointed out: we’re either completely hedonistic, and grasping and DELUSIONS ARE LIARS shoving everything in, or we’re At the root of this, as Buddha calls it, is completely puritanical. And the irony is ignorance: marigpa in Tibetan: that they are both coming from a unawareness: a fundamental unawareness misunderstanding of desire; they both of how we actually exist. The function of come from ego. this “ego-grasping”, as it’s called, is to Buddha is not being moralistic. He is isolate and concretize this universe-big not saying we should not have pleasure – sense of self, a deluded sense of “I”, a the reality is he is saying we should have totally fabricated sense of I, whose nature masses of pleasure, joy, happiness, but is fear: paranoid, dark, cut off, separate, naturally and appropriately, and, alienated, and overwshelming. incredibly, without relying upon anything This instinctive, pervasive sense of an external. This is our natural state when independent, self-existent, real, solid, we’ve depolluted our minds of the definite me-ness, totally pervades neruoses, in fact. everything – there is not an instant when Right now, because of the it is not there. It’s at the deepest level of misconception that desire has, we have assumption, beneath everything. It is got the wrong end of the stick. Desire always there, informing everything we thinks that the delicious chocolate cake, that gorgeous thing is out there, vibrating

25 deliciousness, demanding that I eat it – is the job we need to do in knowing the nothing coming from my side at all. We way delusions work and therefore how to don’t think out mind plays any role at all. get rid of them. We think that it’s all happening from the cake’s side, all the energy is coming from ATTACHMENT IS THE VOICE OF THE the cake. VICTIM Another characteristic of attachment is OUR MIND MAKES IT UP that it is the voice of the victim. We truly And the thing is that we don’t see this feel we have no control – cake is this process! The fact is we are making up the incredible powerful thing, and I just have cake – attachment has written a huge to have it. What choice do I have? That is story about cake and what it will do for attachment talking. Attachment gives all us. It is a complex conceptual the power to the outside object. Which is construction, an invention, an elaborate why we feel like a baby. That’s the victim view, an interpretation, an opinion. mentality. And victim mentality, the one We’re like a child, as one lama said, of hopelessness, the one of no control, who draws a lion, and then becomes that’s the voice of attachment. Literally. afraid of it. We invent everything in our That’s exactly how attachment functions. reality, and then we have all the fears and Attachment is giving all the power to that the paranoia and the depression and the object. It sees this truly delicious divine grasping. We’re too much! thing, which in reality our mind has made But we make up that cake, we make up up, and then we believe it and then blame the enemy – we made them up ourselves. it. This sounds pretty cosmic, but it is literally true. This doesn’t mean there is ATTACHMENT IS NOT A FUNCTION no cake there – there is. And it doesn’t OF THE SENSES mean that Fred didn’t punch you – he did. “We make the body the boss,” as Lama We need to distinguish between the facts Yeshe would tell us. We totally follow and the fiction: that’s the tricky part. what the senses feel. We assume the It is hard to see this, but this is the way delicious cake is an object of the senses – delusions function. And basically they are of course, it is; but what we think we see liars. What attachment is seeing is simply isn’t what’s there. What appears to the not true. What attachment is seeing sense of sight, for example, is not a simply does not exist. delicious cake but simply the shape and There is a cake there, but what we colour of the thing. “Delicious cake” is a think is cake and what cake actually is are story made up by the mental hugely different. This is interesting. And consciousness, specifically attachment. because this is hard to understand This is a crucial point. indicates how ancient it is within us. Let’s analyze. What is being What we’re seeing or experiencing, experienced in relation to that cake? What what we are grasping at – delicious cake are the states of mind? One of them is the from its own side that will make me senses indeed – we smell it in the kitchen, happy – is a total lie. It doesn’t exist like so there’s our nose sense. Then there’s the that at all. There is a cake there, it is touch, the sight, we see the shape and brown, it is square: that’s valid. And this color when it comes to the table; then we is what’s hard to distinguish – the touch it, the hand feels it, then there’s the correctness, and the incorrectness. What is taste consciousness, the one we’re actually there and what is not there. That wanting the most. So four of the five

26 senses are involved in the experience of a practical one. The aim is to get as happy that cake. as possible. This is the aim. The senses are like dumb animals. Our tongue doesn’t experience the hunger for NOTHING WRONG WITH PLEASURE! the cake, it doesn’t leap out of our face This happiness, this pleasure, is not and grab the cake desperately; even our deluded. If pleasure were deluded, we hand doesn’t, although it looks like it. The might as well give up now. Pleasure, hand goes out to the cake, but not from its happiness, joy are totally appropriate. own side. So what does? It’s propelled by So where’s the problem? Why do we the neurotic need to get the cake in the suffer? Why are we frantic and anxious mouth. The mental consciousness, in other and desperate, fantasing about the cake words. The thought. It is the story about before it’s even there, then shoving two what is chocolate cake, and I need pieces in when it comes, and then being chocolate cake, all the stuff about depressed when we eat too much? Why chocolate cake that is chattering away in all this rubbish? Because we have these the mind. That is where the delusions delusions. Suffering doesn’t come from exist. Attachment is not a function of the pleasure, it doesn’t come from the senses. taste. It is simply not possible. How can it It comes from neuroses in the mental be? Our tongue doesn’t feel neurotic. Our consciousness. But right now it’s virtually tongue doesn’t feel grasping, our tongue impossible for us to have pleasure doesn’t feel, “I want to have more cake,” it without attachment. is just a doorway through which this bunch of thoughts, these concepts, this ATTACHMENT TO A PERSON sense of “I” grasps at the experience, isn’t It’s the same with people. Let’s look at the it? That is all. So the senses do not person we are attached to, the person we experience attachment. It is a logical fact. are in love with – even more dramatic. Again, this soup of emotions, which we WE ARE JUNKIES never analyze, never deconstruct. So of course for aeons we have had the I can say, “I love you”. That means I mistaken assumption that satisfying the wish them to be happy. Totally senses is the way to get happiness. So appropriate. Unbelievable, virtuous. The right now, we are totally dependent on more of this the better. We will only get sensory objects. We are all junkies, it’s just happiness if we keep thinking that. “I a question of degree. We can’t imagine want you not to suffer”, that’s called having pleasure unless we get that fix. compassion. Generosity, maybe you’d like That fix is any one of the objects of the five to give the person something. Generosity, senses. Which makes it sound quite in its nature is a virtue, necessarily the brutal. cause of happiness. But unless we can start to look into this So, love doesn’t cause suffering, and cut through this whole way of compassion doesn’t cause suffering, the working, we will never break free of senses don’t directly cause suffering, suffering, we’ll never becomes content, happiness can’t possibly cause suffering – satisfied, fulfilled. Ever. Which is why, the so what does? The cause of suffering is the basis of practice, the foundation of all attachment, first of all, the neurotic sense realizations, is morality. Discipline. It of an “I”, a hungry “I” that sees this means literally practicing control over the person, grossly exaggerates their value to senses. And it is not a moralistic issue; It’s me, gives too much power, puts the power “out there” in that person, just like

27 the cake, which implies that we are view of attachment, ignorance and devaluing the power of ourself. We’re aversion. giving all the power to this person, like Right now we assume it is normal that it’s all out there, this person, vibrating, so when a person is mean to me, I don’t like delicious, so gorgeous, this is exactly how them. So we call them enemies. And we it feels. So attachment is hungry and assume it is normal that when a person is empty and bereft and lonely. And is nice to me, we call them friend. And when completely convinced that having that a person is doing neither, they are called person is going to make me happy. stranger. That’s the reality of the entire What attachment does is exaggerate the universe, isn’t it? We need to go beyond beautiful qualities of the person, it is this one. exaggerating our sense of an “I” that needs that person, because attachment WHAT IS ANGER AND WHAT IS thinks that if I don’t get that person then I ANGER NOT? am not happy; because we don’t believe A perfect question. And the perfect we can be happy inside, we have to have answer, which I heard from a lama, is: an object. Sttachment then starts to “Anger is the response when attachment manipulate this person, expects massively doesn’t get what it wants.” But what is it that this person will give me happiness. not? It’s the same with the person we loathe. Anger is not physical. Anger is part of We really believe that that person, from our mind, and our mind is not physical. It out there, from their own side, exists in dependence upon the brain, the independently, definitely, is an awful genes, the chemical reactions, but is not person, as if ugliness is coursing in their these things. veins along with their blood. We hear When anger’s strong, it triggers huge their name, it appears awful, we see their physical symptoms: the blood boils, the face, it appears awful. The discomfort in heart beats fast, the spit comes out the our mind is huge. We think the mouth, the eyes open wide in panic, the discomfort, the unhappiness, the hurt, the voice shouts. Or if we experience aversion anger, the pain, we actually think and as depression, the body feels like a lead believe they are doing it to us. weight; there’s no energy, a terrible But it’s a lie. It’s our own anger that inertia. And then, when we boost our causes the person to look awful, the anger seratonin, the body feels good again. that makes us so miserable. But these are just gross expressions of what, finally, is purely thought: a story GOING BEYOND ENEMY, FRIEND, made up by our conceptual mind that STRANGER exaggerates the ugly aspects of the person Usually the only person we wish to be or event or oneself. happy – that’s the meaning of love – is the Recent findings prove what is person we are attached to. And the only explained in Tibetan Medicine: that what person we are attached to is the person we goes on in the mind affects the body. love. So we assume because they come Anger is not someone else’s fault. This together, they’re the same thing. It is just doesn’t mean that the person didn’t punch not accurate. We need to start going me; sure they did. And it doesn’t mean beyond those limits, which is so scary. that punching me is not bad; sure it is. But When we start practicing equanimity, we the person didn’t make me angry. The analyze: enemy, friend, and stranger – we punch is merely the catalyst for my anger, try to cut through this narrow self-centred

28 a tendency in my mind. If there were no have it; that it gives perspective to life. It’s anger, all I’d get is a broken nose. a bit like thinking that in order to Anger does not come from our appreciate pleasure we need to know parents. We love to blame our parents! pain. But that’s obviously ridiculous: for Actually, if Buddha is wrong in his me to appreciate your kindness, you first assertion that our mind comes from need to punch me in the nose? previous lives and is propelled by the Anger is not at the core of our being. force of our own past actions into our Being a delusional state of mind, a lie, a mother’s womb; and if the materialists are misconception, it’s logical that anger can right in asserting that our parents created be eliminated. If I think there are two cups us, then we should blame them. How dare on my table, whereas there is only one, they create me, like Frankenstein and his that’s a misconception. What to do with monster, giving me anger and jealousy the thought “there are two cups on my and the rest! But they didn’t, Buddha says. table”? Remove it from my mind! (Nor did a superior being – but we dare Recognize that there is one cup and stop not blame him!). They gave us a body; the believing the lie. Simple. rest is ours (including our good qualities). Of course, the lies that believe that I’m Anger isn’t only the shouting. Just self-existent, that delicious objects make because a person doesn’t shout and yell me happy, that ugly ones make me suffer, doesn’t mean they’re not angry. When we that my mind is my brain, that someone understand that anger is based on the else created me – these lies have been in thought called aversion, then we can see my mind since beginningless time. But the we are all angry. Of course, if we never method for getting rid of them is the look inside, we won’t notice the aversion; same. that’s why people who don’t express What’s left when we’ve removed the anger experience it as depression or guilt. lies, the delusions, is the truth of our own Anger is not necessary for innate goodness, fully perfected. That is compassionate action. His Holiness the what’s natural. Dalai Lama responded to an interviewer who suggested that anger seems to act as PRACTICE IS PAINFUL a motivator for action, “I know what you Real practice is painful – real practice. mean. But with anger, your wish to help Until it is painful, it is not practice, we’re doesn’t last. With compassion, you never just playing safe. We’re just keeping our give up.” nice comfort zone. Practice has to threaten We need to discriminate between good something – it has to feel painful. Just like and bad, but Buddha says that we should when we are overweight, we decide we criticize the action, not the person. As are going to get thin and beautiful, and we Martin Luther King said, it’s okay to find start doing push-ups. It has to be painful fault – but then we should think, “What at first. We know that if the second we can I do about it?” start feeling pain from doing pushups we It’s exactly the same with seeing our stop, we will never benefit from doing own faults, but instead of feeling guilty them. We can always pretend “Oh I did we should think, “What can I do about my pushups this morning”, but if the it?” Then we can change. Anger and guilt second they started being painful, we are paralyzed, impotent, useless. stopped, we know that if our muscles Anger is not natural. Often we think don’t hurt, they will never get strong – it we need anger in order to be a reasonable is logic. Giving up attachment is like that human being; that it’s unnatural not to – it has to be painful.

29 Until then, we are just being in our The first thing is to think “I want to walk comfort zone – we’re playing safe, out that door”. thinking that being spiritual means So every day, you’re saying “I want to smiling and being holy and having a be compassionate, I want to be beneficial”. pleasant manner. It is just not so. Until we You’re aspiring, and then you’ll act. It is stretch, until we go beyond our limits, we no mystery. That’s how we become won’t get better at doing anything. We pianists, footballers, a cook – or a happy, really get our body strong when we go beneficial person. It starts with the beyond our limits every day. How do we thought, the motivation, the aspiration. become an accomplished pianist or So we just start our practice with anything? We have to go beyond our powerful sincere motivations. We are limits. That’s what spiritual practice is – sincere, after all; we do want to be these we have to stretch our limits. things, loving, compassionate, etc. This means we have to be facing our Genuinely wanting, seeing the attachment every day, feeling the pain of reasonableness of having a compassionate it, seeing it. And then, the second we start thought, seeing the reasonableness of to do that, somehow we become fulfilled, turning around a negative thought. Not satisfied. That is what is interesting. When thinking that thought doesn’t matter. we start to give up being a junkie, we start What we are is the product of our to become happy. We begin to taste our thoughts. It is simply a fact. This is what own potential. As long as we continue to karma is saying. No one else made us into follow attachment, which is so deep, we anything, we made yourself. As Lama will never be happy. Zopa says, we can mould our mind into any shape we wish. Practice starts with motivation Practice is, in the beginning, every day, So how to begin? It all comes from is motivation, motivation, motivation. I motivation. We can start the day by want to do this, I am aspiring to that. deciding we will begin, be very When we start every day, we wish “May I courageous. It starts from the thought. We be useful, may I not shoot my mouth off tend in the West to dismiss thoughts. We to too many people”, etc. Even this is so say, “It’s only in the mind”, we give no profound. We have to value the thought, value to the mind, even though we are value the mind, it is so powerful. Like the caught in it. We give no value to just Dalai Lama says, we are then on the right thought. track for the rest of the day. Don’t The point is, that if we really underestimate that. If we really got that, understand this fundamental, and easily we would be so content, knowing we provable, truth that every thought were sowing the seeds for future crops of programs us into what we will become, happiness. It is like we had a big open we would be so happy to have positive field, and we are sowing seeds for the thoughts, and be content with them. future. That’s practice. That’s how we Because of two things; first, everything start. that we do comes from the thought that We shouldn’t fret, “I’m hopeless, I’m we think. If I am going to get up and walk useless”. We are too concrete in our out the door, what is the first thing that thinking. So we start with the motivation, has to happen? My legs don’t just jump start with the thoughts, and we go into the up and walk out, my mind has to say “I day, and bring that awareness with us. want to walk out that door”. So what does Watch our mind, be careful of the rubbish, that mean? How do we walk out a door? try not to shoot our mouth off too much,

30 try to be a bit useful, rejoice in the good stuff. At the end of the day, we look back, we regret our mistakes and rejoice in our efforts, and then go to bed with a happy mind. That’s one day of practice. One day at a time. It is organic, and it’s humble. We start one day at a time, and slowly, something develops.

From teachings by Robina Courtin

31 32 5. Using Problems to Realizing that miserable conditions come from the superstitions of their own Destroy Self-cherishing unsubdued minds, Dharma practitioners Lama Zopa Rinpoche use these conditions to destroy their own superstitions. You don’t have to accept what self-cherishing thought gives you. You can take the sufferings and problems of others upon yourself. Instead of EXCHANGING SELF FOR OTHERS blaming someone else so that you can feel The thought of bodhicitta is unbelievable. happy and comfortable, instead of letting It makes everything other than working someone else experience the suffering, for sentient beings boring and loss, unhappiness, hardships, bad unsatisfying. There is no real interest or reputation, criticism, punishment or enjoyment in life apart from this. whatever, you take all these difficulties Anything else is meaningless, empty, upon yourself and give the victory to the essenceless. other person. This is the very practical Real happiness and satisfaction start Mahayana teaching of exchanging self for when you live your life for others. You others, renouncing the self and cherishing retreat for others, practice Dharma for others. others, study for others, work in the office Here, you give all the problems given for others, cook for others. When your to you by your self-cherishing thought attitude is transformed so that you do back to the self-cherishing thought. Like everything for others, to pacify their this, you use your problems to destroy the suffering and obtain their happiness, there origin of your sufferings, your own is real satisfaction and peace in your heart. delusions and superstitions. As it says in When you are cherishing yourself, Lama Chöpa: “Please bless me to see that thinking only of yourself - “How can I be this chronic disease of cherishing myself is happy? How can I be free of problems?” - the door to all sufferings, and bless me to there is no happiness in your heart, only put all the blame on the self-cherishing worry and fear. You see only problems, thought in order to destroy the great and your mind is not relaxed. But in the demon of self-cherishing.” next moment, when you change your Self-cherishing is the source of all object of concern to another sentient being undesirable experiences and obstacles: - even if it is only one other sentient being disease or failure in business, education or - suddenly your heart is released from Dharma practice. Following self- self-cherishing, like limbs released from cherishing thought brings only problems chains. and failure. Instead of blaming some As soon as your object of concern outside condition or harboring in your changes from yourself to someone else, heart all the harms given by the self- your heart is released from the bondage of cherishing thought, use them “to destroy self-cherishing thought. As soon as you the great demon of self-cherishing.” Not change the object of your cherishing, there only do you put all the blame on the self- is suddenly peace in the very depths of cherishing thought, but on top of that you your heart. Right in the very moment that even give the problems back to it, using your mind changes from self-cherishing to them as the medicine to cure the chronic cherishing others, there is liberation, disease of self-cherishing, superstitions freedom from the tight bondage of the and delusions. selfish mind.

33 USING PROBLEMS TO DESTROY mean your experiencing sufferings in the SELF-CHERISING hells for many hundreds of lifetimes. In order to achieve ultimate happiness, we Instead of seeing anything that harms must destroy our delusions. The Dharma, your self-cherishing thought and worldly the path, the Buddha, the guru, for concern as negative, look at it as positive. example: all these are meant to destroy Use it to destroy your delusions and to your delusions, to hurt your self- achieve liberation and enlightenment. In cherishing thought and to subdue your this way, whether there is a cure for your mind. problem or not and especially if there is Receiving criticism, disrespect or bad no cure – you can make your problem treatment also hurts your self-cherishing worthwhile while you are experiencing it. thought, your thought of worldly dharma. As mentioned in one thought This is not bad, but good. Therefore, transformation teaching, “Suffering is the hurting your self-cherishing thought and broom that cleans away negative karma worldly concern is Dharma practice. and obscurations.” Your experiencing Normally in our daily life we interpret problems is the broom, the vacuum someone treating us badly as negative, cleaner, that cleans away negative karmas, but actually it is positive. It becomes a that cleans away the cause of problems. remedy for our selfish mind and worldly The teaching also says, “Disease is also concern. The person who treats us badly is the broom that cleans away negative helping us to destroy our delusions, our karma and obscurations.” Disease is just self-cherishing thought, worldly concern used as an example – this can apply to any and desire, just like the Dharma does. By problem. Life’s problems can become the doing something opposite to our wish, the teaching of the Buddha. If you look at person interferes with the comfort we are problems as positive, you can use them to seeking out of worldly concern, so they destroy your self-cherishing thought. harm our worldly concern. This is exactly In the practice of chöd, you purposely the same as Dharma. Their action becomes create a terrifying situation and invoke the real medicine to cure the real inner terrifying spirits in order to slay the ego. disease that we have had from For the highly realized practitioners who beginningless time – the chronic disease of are successful at chöd, it is very easy in the three poisonous minds. such a situation to see clearly the object to It is the same with any problem or be refuted, the truly existent I. The more miserable condition that you experience, quickly you recognize it, the more quickly such as having cancer or AIDS, which is you are able to realize the ultimate nature, the result of having followed self- the emptiness, of the I, the aggregates and cherishing thought and the three so forth. poisonous minds in this life or in previous However, you don’t have to depend lives. These diseases are not wanted by upon chöd to create a situation in which the self-cherishing thought; again they are you can try to realize emptiness. Any like medicine, the path, the Dharma. miserable situation - being ill, being Seeing as negative the people who criticized or harmed by someone - is badly treat you or miserable conditions exactly the same. The people who bother such as disease doesn’t help you at all; you in your everyday life are the same as this only harms you and others. Look at the spirits you ask to disturb you when them as positive, as purification. This you are practicing chöd. Instead of using helps you to exhaust now the heavy these difficult people to develop your negative karma that would otherwise anger or jealousy and create negative

34 karma, you can use them to recognize the and achieve enlightenment? This person is object to be refuted and realize emptiness. unbelievably precious, just like guru, You can use the everyday situations that Buddha and Dharma. There are infinite you are already experiencing to realize reasons why you should cherish such a emptiness and to practice bodhicitta, person. which means destroying self-cherishing. Since people who bother you destroy OTHERS ARE NUMBERLESS your self-cherishing and other delusions, You are just one person. Even if you are just as the Dharma, the Buddha and the reborn in the hells, you are just one person guru do, they are actually not harming - nothing much to be depressed about. but helping you. Like a mirror, they show Even if you achieve liberation from you your mistakes and thus help you in samsara, you are just one person – the most essential way. By showing you nothing much to be excited about. All of your delusions and helping you to the numberless sentient beings - those eliminate them, by destroying your who are called “others” – are just like you delusions and worldly concern in this in wanting happiness and not wanting way, they are giving you ultimate suffering. Their wishes are exactly the happiness. same as yours, and they are numberless. By destroying your self-cherishing, Each one is as important and as precious these people give you enlightenment, as you think you are; and these others because the main obstacle to achieving who are so important and so precious are enlightenment is self-cherishing thought. numberless. You, just one person, are And the main obstacle to achieving completely insignificant. You are nothing liberation is desire, which ties you to when compared to the numberless others samsara. In terms of subduing your mind, who are so precious and so important. the person who destroys your worldly You are nothing precious, nothing concern is as great and as precious a important. teacher as Buddha. Through causing you If there are two people in addition to to generate the path within your mind, you, those two people are greater in they make it possible for you to achieve number than you and thus more enlightenment. This person is as precious important. It is like the difference between as Buddha, as Dharma. one rupee and two rupees: two rupees is To be precious and kind like this, the more valuable than one rupee. And 100 person doesn’t have to have a motivation rupees is more valuable than one rupee; to benefit you. For example, your wisdom 1000 rupees is much more valuable than realizing emptiness helps stop your one rupee. Given the choice between delusions, but this wisdom doesn’t have taking one rupee or two rupees, you any motivation to help you. Medicine is would choose two rupees. If the choice is also precious because it cures disease, but between one rupee and 100 rupees, of it doesn’t have any motivation to help. course you would take the 100 rupees. If You do not cherish yourself because you had a choice, it would be silly to take you are kind to yourself. That is not your the one rupee. You would naturally reason. Therefore, cherishing someone choose the larger amount. Like this, when else doesn’t have to involve their being you compare yourself with one hundred kind to you either. Why not cherish others or one thousand or one million people, or in the same way you cherish yourself? numberless sentient beings, you are Why not cherish your enemy, who helps nothing precious, nothing important. you to practice Dharma, generate the path

35 Compared to all other human beings, discrimination, it encompasses every who are uncountable, you are living being. insignificant and unimportant. Also, each This altruistic thought to achieve of the god, demi-god, animal, preta and enlightenment for all sentient beings is an hell realms contains an uncountable incredible attitude. When you generate number of beings. The number of ants bodhicitta, you include everybody in your alone is uncountable. So, between you and thought to benefit. No matter what them, they are more important. In one problem they have, no matter where they dark room - even in one corner - there are are - the East, the West, the Middle East, so many mosquitoes; they are more another world - everybody is included. precious, more important. Think in detail Not even one sentient being is left out. of each realm, of each type of creature. There are so many beings just in the WHY WE NEED OMNISCIENT MIND animal realm: butterflies, worms, flies. If Each sentient being has a different level of you think in detail, it is incredible. Just on mind and different characteristics, and this earth, even in one country, there are you have to know the exact method to fit so many. each one. You should be able to say one Just like you, all these beings want word at the same time to millions of happiness and do not want suffering. people and suit each one. Each one will There is nothing more important in your hear something different according to life than working for sentient beings, their different level of mind, their pacifying their suffering and giving them different karma; but at the same time, happiness. There is nothing more according to their karma, what they hear important than this. Anything other than should guide them on the right path, to living your life for other sentient beings is liberation and to enlightenment. meaningless, empty. However, right now we cannot see What we call “I” is completely even one sentient being’s level of mind, insignificant when compared to the one sentient being’s karma. To be able to numberless human beings, the guide all sentient beings perfectly, numberless animals and the numberless without the slightest mistake, and benefit other sentient beings. Each time that we them extensively, we need to know generate bodhicitta, thinking “I am going everything about each one’s level of mind to achieve enlightenment for all sentient and characteristics. beings,” this includes all those beings, all Also, to lead even one sentient being the mosquitoes and ants. Think of how gradually to enlightenment, we need the many suffering creatures, such as worms foundation of knowing the whole path. and flies, there are on one mountain; the We cannot reveal just one method; one bodhicitta we generate includes all of method cannot suit everyone. There have them. It includes all the fish, and all the to be various methods in accordance with animals that eat the fish. It includes every the levels of beings’ minds. For example, single one of the numberless creatures in by telling Makyeda, who had killed his the water, big and small, that eat each father and mother, “Father and mother other. Each time that we generate are objects to be killed,” Guru bodhicitta, the altruistic wish to obtain Shakyamuni Buddha made him feel happiness for others, it encompasses happy. In his depression and anxiety, it without discrimination all the different was helpful for Makyeda to hear this. It human races, every type of creature in the actually helped him to realize the two water, on the ground, in the air. Without selflessnesses, of persons and of

36 aggregates, and to understand that the happiness. Achieving enlightenment is the two ignorances were to be eliminated. most meaningful thing one can do to These words became the cause for benefit oneself and to benefit other Makyeda to actualize emptiness. Instead sentient beings. of getting stuck on the literal meaning, Makyeda understood that the words WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL meant that the two types of ignorance, SENTIENT BEINGS apprehending the I and apprehending the You can understand the idea of highest aggregates as truly existent, were to be happiness from an everyday example. eliminated. Given a choice, even animals will choose To say that everything is truly existent the most delicious food and leave other suits the minds of some people. Hearing food that is not so interesting. Even a dog this helps them to practice better and does this. And when shopping or doing leads them to happiness. Though there is business, people try to get the most not even one atom of true existence, to profitable deal they can by buying the best that particular person with no capacity to quality, longest-lasting goods. Even understand that there is no true existence, though they may not know that they can one would teach that Buddha said there is achieve such a thing as enlightenment, in true existence, because this instruction their daily lives everyone wishes to get would become the means to lead that the best. Unless extremely poor, everyone sentient being gradually to liberation and tries to get the best of everything, to build enlightenment. the best, longest-lasting house. Even To lead sentient beings gradually to though there may be no knowledge of happiness and enlightenment, one has to enlightenment, there is a concept of see every single karma, every level of peerless happiness. It is only because of mind and characteristic of every sentient lacking the Dharma wisdom-eye that being, and all the various methods that people are not aware that enlightenment are suited to each of them. And that is the main thing missing in their lives, comes only with omniscient mind. Even and is what they need to achieve. arhats, who have infinite psychic powers, Just as you are always trying to get the cannot see every single karma. Though most in terms of happiness, so too is every free of disturbing-thought obscurations, other sentient being. What everyone needs arhats have still not removed the subtle is the peerless happiness of full obscurations to omniscience, so they enlightenment, the state free of all cannot see subtle karma or the secret obscurations and complete in all actions of the Buddhas. Arhats cannot realizations. perfectly guide sentient beings, even Having received a perfect human though they themselves are free of rebirth, met a virtuous teacher to lead us samsara. on the path to liberation and Therefore, to work perfectly to benefit enlightenment, and met the all sentient beings, one has to achieve the Buddhadharma – especially the state of omniscient mind - no matter how Mahayana teachings – each of us has the many eons it takes, no matter how hard it opportunity to free all sentient beings is. There is no other method. Until one from all obscurations and sufferings and achieves omniscient mind, the realizations lead them to the fully enlightened state. of one’s own mind are not complete, and We have this opportunity to help because one cannot give sentient beings what they we have received all the necessary need, which is the highest, longest-lasting conditions to develop our mind, to

37 generate the graduated path to SACRIFICING YOURSELF enlightenment and to achieve omniscient Concern for other sentient beings brings a mind, with great compassion for all natural wish to give them happiness and sentient beings and the capacity to guide not harm them. You don’t want to lead them. Therefore we are responsible for them to suffering. Remember the story of freeing all sentient beings from all the bodhisattva captain who, by killing suffering and its causes, the obscurations, that one person who was planning to kill and for leading them to the fully the five hundred traders, sacrificed enlightened state. himself completely. In order to save that I often use this example: If you saw a person from creating negative karma, the blind person walking towards a cliff, you bodhisattva captain was willing to be would immediately grab them before they reborn in the hells. But instead of fell over the precipice. It wouldn’t matter becoming negative karma and cause of whether they asked for help or not. If you rebirth in the lower realms, his action of have all the necessary conditions - eyes to killing shortened his time in samsara by see, limbs to grab, voice to call - then you 100,000 eons. By generating bodhicitta are capable of helping the blind person. and cherishing this one sentient being, by Simply by having these, you are exchanging himself for this one sentient responsible for helping the person who is being, the bodhisattva captain in danger of falling off the cliff. accumulated incredible merit and came While having the capacity to help, if closer to enlightenment. someone saw the situation and didn’t There is also a story about Asanga. For help, this would be very cruel and twelve years he tried to achieve Maitreya shameful. Somehow it wouldn’t fulfill the Buddha in his meditations, but for all purpose of having eyes and limbs, which those years he was unable to see Maitreya is to use them to help others. If such a Buddha. One day when Asanga was thing happened, how pitiful it would be returning to his cave, he saw a wounded from the side of the blind person about to dog full of maggots. He felt such fall off the cliff, and how terrible from the unbearable compassion. First he cut flesh side of the person who had all the from his own leg and spread it out on the conditions necessary to help, but didn’t. ground so that he could put the maggots How very cruel and harmful it would from the dog’s body onto it. And then, so be, if now while we have all the necessary as not to kill the maggots by removing conditions, we don’t practice bodhicitta, them with his fingers, he bent down to the essence of Buddha’s teachings, pick them up with the tip of his tongue. especially the Mahayana teachings; if we As he leaned forward to do this, with his don’t develop this ultimate good heart; if eyes closed, he found that he could not we don’t develop the capacity to guide reach the dog. Asanga opened his eyes sentient beings; if we don’t achieve and saw Maitreya Buddha right there, enlightenment in order to work perfectly instead of the dog. Sacrificing himself for for sentient beings, but always live our life what he saw as a wounded dog became with self-cherishing, thinking of nothing powerful purification; only after this did other than our own happiness. How Asanga see Maitreya Buddha. selfish and cruel this would be. In reality, There are many other stories like this. we are completely responsible for leading Sacrificing yourself to protect even one all sentient beings to enlightenment. sentient being from suffering and to lead them to happiness is powerful purification. Not only does it purify many

38 eons of negative karma, but it accumulates much merit, bringing you closer to enlightenment. The fact that you can achieve enlightenment quickly by sacrificing yourself for even one sentient being is one reason to cherish others. Cherishing yourself is an obstacle to the development of the mind, to the generation of realizations of the path. If you cherish yourself, there is no enlightenment, but if you cherish even one sentient being, there is enlightenment. Cherishing even one sentient being makes possible the achievement of enlightenment. So, there is a big difference. With self- cherishing thought, there is no hope of enlightenment; but cherishing one sentient being, which purifies obscurations and accumulates extensive merit, leads you to enlightenment. From these stories and reasons, the conclusion is that even one sentient being is much more precious than you. Without considering how precious sentient beings are due to their great number, you can see that even one sentient being is unbelievably precious. There is no way to finish explaining the value of this sentient being, all the benefits you can gain from this one sentient being. What is called “I” is the object to be abandoned forever; what is called “others” - even one sentient being – is the object to be cherished forever. This is why living your life for others – dedicating your life to even one sentient being - gives the greatest enjoyment and the most interesting life. Real happiness in life starts when you cherish others. Living your life for others, cherishing them with loving kindness and compassion, is the door to happiness, the door to enlightenment.

From Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Door to Satisfaction, Wisdom Publications.

39 40 6. The Six Perfections of the wisdom there and you’d finish that. But here it’s taught as the last two perfections Bodhisattva of the bodhisattva. Robina Courtin 1. GENEROSITY So the first one, generosity, is very interesting. Lama Tsong Khapa, the The first of these six, in the most advanced fourteenth century lama, says in one of his stage of the practice of the bodhisattva, is lovely lam-rim texts, very poetic little called generosity; the second is called verse text called Songs of Experience, and morality; the third is called patience; the he says, “Generosity is the wish-fulfilling fourth is called enthusiasm or jewel with which you can fulfill the hopes enthusiastic perseverance, or joyful effort; of all sentient beings. It’s the basis of the the fifth is called concentration, the sixth activity of the bodhisattvas in that it one is called wisdom. So let’s go through develops the selfless and undaunted these. courage to lead all sentient beings to So you can say that the first four are enlightenment.” That seems like a lot for where you finally perfect the compassion generosity. So what does it mean? It wing; it’s all the work you do in relation means that it’s the doorway to connecting to others. The compassion wing is totally with others. Giving. to do with working with others. You can Because right now we don’t give much do this in your meditation as well, in the at all. We only give anything to people mountains, but the focus is others. In the we’re close to, and then usually only what wisdom wing the focus is yourself. In the we don’t want, or what’s easy to give. So wisdom wing you are not thinking about what we’re doing here is a major way to others, you’re thinking about yourself, but smash the I, you think about it, break in a really healthy way. Taking down the barriers between yourself and responsibility, stopping blaming others, others. Really have this very profound you’re backing away from others, you’re sense of responsibility to give sentient looking at your mind, you’re knowing it beings what they need. According to your very deeply, you’re becoming your own ability of course, but you keep developing therapist, you’re controlling your body this. and speech, all for your own benefit. So So there’s different levels of giving. the focus is I, necessarily, the correct way Giving material things Then there’s a to see it. And it’s for your benefit. The second level, which is more profound but second one, the focus is others. You’re often for us we find it easier, is giving thinking of others, they’re the reference advice, giving spiritual advice. We love point for everything your thinking: others. doing that. We are great at doing that. This is the compassion wing. We’ll give anybody advice! But give five So the first four are where your dollars? Not so sure. perfecting the compassion wing, the last So giving is this way, when you. . . two are actually you perfecting the practice seeing others and seeing what wisdom wing. It’s taught in this way here. they need and, if you can, you give. And If you were just doing the wisdom wing you practice it, you consciously practice only, you’d do the concentration and

41 giving. And it’s a powerful way to break money in the bank and not investing down the barrier between self and others. more. Because being generous creates It’s powerful. . . Because attachment, one more seeds for you to continue to get. of the functions of attachment, of course, Okay, you don’t do that only for that is what we call possessiveness: this is reason, but when we understand that we mine. And we identify that thing, that would be sad not to give, because we are person, that house, those possessions, that just using it up, using up our merit. How money in the bank, it’s like an extension sad. They say bodhisattvas when they of me, isn’t it? It’s the nature of give something they feel like we feel when attachment, it’s what it does. So of course, we get something. So happy to give. So I’m not going to give “mine” away. If I’ve giving, it’s obvious, is a major way to got extra of it, fine. If I’ve there’s anything open your eyes and connect with others, left over – we think in terms of money – if and then to have a sense of responsibility. there’s anything left over at the end of the The commonest way we think about month after I’ve paid my phone and paid homeless people, we’d rather avoid them. my cable and bought my food and bought We have this long thought, “Maybe this and been to the movies and done that they’re junkies, and maybe they’ll buy and have a massage and given money to alcohol, maybe they’ll buy guns, maybe my friends and this and that, then I might they’ll buy heroin. . .” If we do give give something. That’s how we think. money, we want them to buy what we But maybe the way we ought to think – want them to buy, like a banana or giving money is very hard for us in the something. We practically want a contract west because we concretize it so with them before we give them anything. powerfully. One Tibetan Lama said once, They might not do what we want! How “You’re very generous in the West but not dare they! with money.” Very curious. So money is Well maybe you have an open mind the thing we know so well. We reconcile and you decide in advance, before you go everything at the end of the month. If we downtown, you bring, not your dollars, reconciled our good and bad karma every excuse me, not even your fives, maybe a month, we’d be Buddha by now! We have few tens: fives would have been twenty no clue how many negative karmas we’ve years ago, hundred years ago, fifty years created, or positive. We all know how ago, would have been generous. But you many cents we’ve spent or how many just decide. we’re owed. It’s the thing we can get our Budget Giving Into Your Life So first head around, the numbers. of all, one of the attitudes to have is you Money is the Fruit of Generosity Well, budget giving into your life. You don’t money is a name we give to the fruit of wait until, “If I have enough left. . .”; you generosity from past lives. That’s all. just decide, like the Mormons, they give That’s it. It’s the name we give to the fruit ten percent. I think it’s very powerful to of generosity. It’s having the resources to do this. You just decide, “I’m going to do things for ourselves; and all of that is give something.” Like anything, it’s the fruit of generosity. So when we even painful and the beginning, of course it is. understand this we will be sad not to give, But you start. You factor it into your life, because all we’re doing is using up the “Okay, I’ll decide I’ll give fifty a month to

42 homeless people,” whatever I want, just they’ve got credit because they have a decide. It’ll be nervous in the beginning, good reputation. So they can afford to be but be practical, but really see your living in ten, twenty, fifty thousand resistance to it, really see the pain it causes dollars worth of debt. Homeless people you, the panic that comes. We all feel so have no debt. But they can’t even get poor. We all feel so poor. credit. That’s how come they’re on the Happy to Pay Our Debts Another street. I’m not on the street because of the point that I think is amazing to practice kind Visa company, because of the kind generosity – and this is not talked about in bank, for whatever reason they trust me. the Buddhist teachings because there were You should be weeping in tears of probably a few debt collectors then, but gratitude to the bank, to these people, you look at our lives now, everything is these institutions, for trusting you enough based on debt, isn’t it? Everybody has to lend you their money. You should be so credit cards, everything we do you pay happy to pay this debt plus their twenty- with credit cards now. You get your two percent, whatever they want. I’m service and at the end of the month you serious. pay for it. Your cable, your phone, But you check our mind, resentful, everything, all your utilities, everything paying our bill. Resentful to pay the you do is paying at the end of whatever it phone bill, resentful, we hate paying bills, is. So I think an amazing way to practice because we are not generous, because we generosity, before you even begin to give don’t like giving. We’re happy to take extra, you start practicing – and I’m their service; the phone, the T-mobile, serious – being happy to pay your debts. their company, their thing, their this, their It’s an amazing way to start changing that, we’re happy to have all this, it’s our your attitude. I’m not even asking you to human right, but we don’t like to pay our give more. I’m asking you to really debts. I mean, excuse me, no wonder develop the habit of thinking, “I’m so we’re miserable, no wonder we’ve got happy to pay my Visa bill.” Aren’t these poverty mentality, no wonder we don’t people kind, they’ve given me the get any money. I’m not even asking you to opportunity for one month, they’ve given give more, just be happy to pay what you me credit for one month. Of course, owe every month: your mortgage, your they’re making money out of it, but from this, your that, be happy to pay it, your point of view, isn’t it marvelous that generous, so grateful. I tell you, that alone you can get money just like that. I know is amazing practice. You begin to relax when we need money for the prison now and start to give more. Because it’s project, I’ll use my credit card. I’m so our mind that is the problem; it’s our happy I can borrow five thousand dollars, mean, tight, greedy, grasping, poverty- borrow two thousand dollars. Aren’t they mentality that’s the problem. We all think generous? we’re poor. It’s unbelievable. Poor homeless people, how come Generosity Opens Us To Sentient they’re on the street? Why they’re on the Beings So generosity is an attitude, and street is because they have no credit. No it’s a way to open yourself to sentient one trusts them. Most people live in far beings. Because we think about money all more debt than most homeless people. But the time, but for myself, only for myself,

43 for me and mine, that’s it. Not being mean 2. MORALITY about it, I’m only talking from my own So the next one is called the practice of experience, that’s how I can say it. morality. Well actually, from day one all Oh by the way when you’ve perfected we’re talking about is morality, but there generosity, we’ve just talked about one are two kinds of morality. There’s the kind, when you’ve perfected generosity morality of the wisdom wing, which is you can give your life for another. Blink of refraining from harming others, and an eye. That’s the level of generosity that that’s the main emphasis on the wisdom they’re really talking about. When your wing. Refraining from harming others in own life, easy, falling off a log. As Kirti the very first scope and then, in the Tenshab Rinpoche, he’s teaching over at second scope, learning to know deeply Vajrapani right now, said one time: “The about the causes of suffering and so action of cutting off their hand for a refraining from the delusions. Refraining person who’s this developed, for a from those, that’s the first level and that’s bodhisattva, is as inconsequential as a leaf already stunning. falling off a tree.” Now that’s insane, isn’t The second one, in compassion wing, is it? actively benefiting others. So already just One, because they’ve practiced all this refraining from harming, like I said, that’s compassion; but two, because they’ve got a pretty stunning prasctice. When you wisdom. There’s no way in the world, if stop killing, you’re helping yourself you’re still grasping at I, and you haven’t because you’re not creating negative realized emptiness, that you could do this. karma, but my goodness, the lucky rats With ego, compassion’s got a really low and roaches get their lives. Cheers all ceiling. Beyond ego, compassion can soar around. limitlessly. That’s the level to which we So here we’re talking mainly now the can develop giving, generosity. Even this practice of morality, continuing to do this body is meaningless, who cares because of course, but now actively benefiting there’s no longer an identity; ego- others. So whom do you benefit? Well you grasping, I: finished. benefit the poor, you benefit the sick, you There’s a story of one of the past lives benefit those in prison, you benefit the of the Buddha where he saw a starving crazy, you benefit whoever needs to be tiger, and the tiger Mummy, she was benefited. That’s called helping others. It’s about to eat her babies, she was so very simple. hungry. And he gave his own body to the So like with generosity, you don’t have tiger because he had such compassion for to panic and think, “Oh my God, I’ve got her, for the negative karma she would to give everything away, I’ve got to give create by killing her own babies. Without away all the things I can’t give.” No, you a second thought he gave his entire body. start where you are, but you begin to Many stories in the lives of the great think differently; you think it first. You’ve saints, the great bodhisattvas, of giving got to train in your mind first before you their bodies completely, not a problem. So do something, same with giving. gone beyond ego, so gone beyond self- So like with generosity also, how about cherishing, this is the level of which factoring in, how about budgeting in some Buddha says we can develop. morality time, some helping time into

44 your life. Again we will always say, Mostly now I think what we mean by “When I’ve done this and I’ve done that patience is what we really mean by and had a massage and my meals and irritation and frustration, kind of waiting done this and paid this and gone to work, for that horrible thing to go away. That’s then if there’s any time left, I might help not patience, that’s irritation. Patience is somebody.” Budget it into your life. really a very powerful state of mind, a Helping a Stranger, Helping a Friend very courageous state of mind, believe And of course, we love to help our me. friends; we love to help our lovers, and What’s Impatience Let’s look at our friends and our families and all that. impatience, let’s look at anger, even just That’s okay, but like with generosity, as aversion or impatience or anger or one lama said, “Giving a hundred dollars irritation or annoyance, all these to your best friend or giving five rupees to variations. Let’s look at those. Really look a smelly beggar – giving five rupees to a at it carefully and you’ll see that it’s the smelly beggar is an infinitely superior response to something that you just can’t action, because it was difficult for you.” bear. So really, it’s like panic mode comes, Helping your friend is great. Well how you just can’t bear this thing. This thing’s about helping strangers? How about going to destroy me if I have it. It’s like a helping enemies, if you can? big fear, the red light, “Oh my God, this But meanwhile, start where you are. red light, I can’t stand it!” Or the person Reach out of yourself, that’s what all of being mean, not to mention things like these are about; reaching out of the self- being tortured, forget that one; we’re just cherishing to see others. The generosity is talking ordinary little baby daily about that and the morality is about that: examples. helping others. You decide a certain So you think like this, you look at amount you do every week or every day, ordinary daily life: a thousand times a day or you keep your eyes open and you see you’re going to meet something that you who needs helping, you notice and you don’t want: the red light, the mean reach yourself out of yourself, and you do person, the unkind thing, the ugly noise that. That’s it, practice it, practice it, the husband makes when he eats his practice it. Morality, benefiting others. breakfast. I mean, baby, baby little things, we’re not talking big major things yet. 3. PATIENCE And just notice your response, and we The next one is patience, and this is very never even really think of this. We’re interesting. In fact, there’s a whole level of always getting irritated, getting annoyed, practice in the exchanging self for others and that means in the mind, “Oh this stuff, back at tong-len, there’s a whole wretched thing, why is it like this, it approach to practice called transforming shouldn’t be this way, who does he think problems into happiness. We can talk he is?” We mightn’t be expressing big about it here because it really is the anger, but we don’t think it’s anything practice of patience. So let’s look freshly at terrible. We just say, “Oh well, it’s just patience, because we have such normal life.” We’re doing it a thousand misconceptions about it. times a day. That’s called anger. It’s the opposite to patience.

45 What’s Patience? So what’s patience? Putting Up With the Pain I think this Patience is not just gritting your teeth, attitude of transforming problems, it’s just waiting for that mean thing to go away. like Lance Armstrong, it’s like all these Patience actually is a really brave, amazing sports people. Lance Armstrong courageous attitude that welcomes that loves problems, he loves the high thing; that doesn’t just put up with it, mountains, he loves the pain. He’s not a “Oh, all right then,” passively, which is masochist. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be a how we think about patience. “Be patient, good cyclist. You see my point here? If he come on!” Put up with something. No, no, didn’t welcome that tough pushing no it’s an active, active state of mind that against his muscles, which is called pain, says, “Great! Great!” You welcome it. it’s very simple, if he didn’t welcome that Why? Very simple. Not because you’re a and see it as a good sign, if he resisted it masochist, but because it’s the most and hated it, he would be insane and he powerful way to purify attachment. wouldn’t even be a cyclist. He wouldn’t Because attachment is the neediness to get go that far, he’d stop. Are you seeing my that green light, get what you want. point? So welcoming the opposite, welcoming Emotional Pain We understand this the carrot cake when you ordered when it comes to things like achieving chocolate cake, not just putting up with it, being a cyclist or I read about years ago in and cursing under your breath, actually San Jose, this group of young guys who actively greeting it, going into it, were getting ready for their IPO (Initial welcoming it, being happy it’s there. This Product Offering), of their start-up. They is amazing, as Lama Zopa says: it’s like worked for nine months, eighteen hours a we need to learn to like problems like we day, seven days a week. That was called like ice cream. Not just putting up with it, pain, that’s called being tired, exhausted, actively welcoming it. I mean, it sounds a worried, anxious, that’s extreme suffering. bit crazy but it’s a very profound and it’s But they were happy to do it because they the quickest way to change your mind. It’s knew the result would be fantastic. Lance the quickest way to really be happy. I Armstrong was happy to have that pain. I mean it, it’s amazing, it’s amazing. remember reading in the New Yorker If we can be brave enough, once a day, about the level of pain that he try it. Not just put up with it, welcome it. experienced, an article about him; Because the fact is, remember, aversion, amazing. It would be like torture. He irritation, annoyance, upset, all these welcomed it, he didn’t just put up with it. things, anger – are all responses to He went into it and was glad. Why? thwarted attachment. So if attachment, as Because it was countering his weak Buddha is saying, is the real source of our muscles, which is why he couldn’t be a suffering, and we talked a lot, enough cyclist so he needed that pain to go up about it before, then we should be so against in order to be a better cyclist. It’s happy when we get an opportunity to so simple. purify it. And you purify it when you Welcome the Problems So here we are don’t get what attachment wants. It’s very talking emotional pain. Now this is the simple. It’s so simple. one we can’t bear. We’re like babies in response to what we don’t like. Then we

46 get angry, we blame other people, we sue, eighteen hours a day, seven days a week; we do all these things. We’ve just got to you get used to it. learn to welcome the problems. Now And then really, you become brave. So Buddha has a wonderful saying – it is a brave attitude, it’s a very Shantideva says it I think, “If you can courageous attitude. Welcoming change something, hey, change it, no problems, dealing with problems: the worries; if you can’t, why bother? Give problems that come from people being up, why care?” So if you can change mean to you and the problems that come something, you don’t have to sit there and from obstacles in your life. We have all be a masochist and have pain, if you can these. We don’t need to ask for problems, change it, great. But if you can’t – and I they come on our head like rain every tell you much of the time we can’t; the red day. It’s a very profound state of mind, light is a simple example. If you could just patience. It’s amazing. with some magician mind go click and The Sign of Having Accomplished turn it to green, please do so, don’t worry, Patience So they say in one of the texts do it. But we mostly can’t, so then you that you’ve accomplished patience – this might as well be patient for that two is again pretty insane level – you’ve minutes. And that’s not – like we think of accomplished patience, you’ve perfected it in the world, as I said – passively patience, when “in the face of even putting up with it. That’s a weak mind. everyone on this earth harming you, lying It’s delighting. to you, stealing from you, even killing Okay, if you don’t even notice the red you, you happily work in response to that light because you’re busy chatting away, harm for their benefit.” That’s the test. you have no practice to do, it doesn’t I mean just even think of one person, matter, there’s no problem. But if you see the person as it says in the Eight Verses, yourself getting all tight – and that’s why that person to whom you’ve been so kind by the end of the day we are so exhausted to, when their mean to you, when you can because we’re going from the attached bear that and be happy knowing you’ve mode to the aversion mode a thousand purified your karma, and it’s made you times a day. So we’re resisting, and we stronger and wiser, and you welcomed it. curse, and we hold on, and we try not to That’s amazing I tell you, incredible. get angry, and then we’re kind of tight So much of our daily suffering is from and tight and tight. No wonder we’re so much anger, no patience in the way exhausted by the end of the day! Our we’re talking here. No brave mind, we’re mind is doing all this nonsense. not brave, we’re like children. And then So we have to practice first seeing the because we have the victim mode we thoughts and then reversing, changing the totally get into the suing, blaming mode. thoughts, just changing the words. In the So we’re full of so much anger and ill-will, beginning you don’t believe the words: not just impatience, anger and ill-will, that you’re happy that the light is red. But wanting others to suffer. It’s terrible, look eventually you will, believe me, if you say at the world, so shocking. it often enough. It’ll be something that Cognitive Therapy So we’re talking you get good at, you get courageous at. here mental, we’re talking here mind, Like the tough cycling, like working we’re talking here thoughts, we’re talking

47 here cognitive. This is cognitive therapy trees, and go away for the weekend and we’re talking here. Huge. go trekking, because you can’t bear the thought of being tired. 4. ENTHUSIASM, JOYFUL EFFORT I mean excuse me, check when you’re So the fourth one is called enthusiasm, really attached to somebody, when you’re joyful effort, enthusiastic perseverance. younger, into drugs and having parties all This is very interesting this one. And it’s a night: you went all night spacing out, really interesting to look at it in the dancing, smoking, exhausted in the context of the opposite states of mind: and morning but really happy, right? Your this is simply called laziness. This is quite body was exhausted but your mind was surprising, but you’ll understand it when happy. It just proves what you can do. So I talk about it. those guys ended up tired, exhausted, but So okay, enthusiastic perseverance, somehow part of their mind was happy what’s that? The opposite is laziness so because they knew they were achieving let’s look at the three kinds of laziness. their result. That’s enthusiasm. So who a. The Gross Laziness: Can’t Be cares tired? Bothered The first one is what we all I used to do kung fu, our Chinese mean by laziness: can’t be bothered, too teacher. We would do pushups on our much effort, got to have a sleep, got to knuckles, practically dying on your have a rest. Let’s look at those guys who knuckles. He said, “Relax! It’s just your worked eighteen hours a day, seven days body. Relax! It’s just your body.” Because a week. If they had this first kind of when your mind is strong, the body is just laziness, they wouldn’t have made their this: so it gets tired, who cares? It’s not IPO in time. So they had to go against your mind that gets tired. Okay, your their deep impulse to have to sleep. So mind, because it depends upon the body, because they were so focused on their if your body’s exhausted, of course our goal, they bore the suffering, which is mind is spaced out. It’s true. But if you patience, but they persevered through the really can train and be happy with it, and tiredness. They didn’t give up, they kept really train your mind to stay focused, going even though they were exhausted; and be happy even though your body’s they kept going and kept going and kept tired. going, dragging themselves out of bed Slaves to Our Bodies You see, we’re every day – in other words, such slaves of our bodies, the moment we enthusiastically doing it, because they have a pain, we have a mental could see the benefit. That’s enthusiasm. breakdown, the moment we have Even the first kind of laziness, we can tiredness, we have a mental breakdown, see we have that one so deeply, because because we’re so terrified of pain, which is we’re such children, we’re such babies: as attachment, desperately wanting to feel soon as we feel a bit tired, we have a good. But if we’re really courageous, mental breakdown. Really, we almost Lance Armstrong, don’t tell me he didn’t collapse. We panic, we’re going to have feel exhausted. He had enthusiasm. He stress and anxiety, and we’re going to joyfully made effort to go against the burn out. We’ve got to relax and have a tiredness and the exhaustion because he massage, and be calm and look at the wanted the goal.

48 So it’s clear, if your mind is strong your Vajrayogini practice, from two in the body will do anything. So this is the morning until eight at night. A few attitude to develop. Like I said of those breaks, I suppose, in between. And then IPO guys, if they just gave into their need from eight at night until two in the to sleep every night, “Oh I have to have morning he would prostrate. So he didn’t my eight hours sleep, otherwise forget it, sleep. they’ve wouldn’t have made their IPO, He Lived on the Energy of the Air they would have been a failure. So they And, there’s this practice: the Tibetan had no choice, they had to go without doctors make this type of medicine, they sleep. So if you really want to achieve call it chu-len, they get all the essence something, then you will do that. from the rocks, and the flowers, and all So the point we’re talking here is the in those things and they mix it, and it’s the context of the great bodhisattvas, who especially blessed and all this, and the have enormous compassion for sentient great yogis especially live on these. You beings, and so for whom the thought of just eat this stuff; “taking the essence” it sleep is, as I said before for Lama Zopa means. You drink it with water and that’s Rinpoche, a disgusting waste of time. it. You’re very skinny but very strong. He Because every time their sleeping they’re didn’t even live on that chu-len, he lived not doing anything to help sentient on wind chu-len, he was able to live on beings. I know it sounds like a joke, but the essence of the air. So he ate the air, they have that level of compassion. sort of thing. Geshe Lama Konchog Now there’s a So he didn’t eat and he didn’t sleep. I great yogi, Geshe Lama Konchog, and I’ll mean, it’s insane in our ordinary terms. tell a couple of stories about him. He was That indicates for him the level of his an amazing practitioner from the time he realizations: the level of his bodhichitta, was a kid. Just an extraordinary being. the level of his compassion, and therefore, And then he went off to the mountains without doubt the level of his enthusiastic and meditated for twenty-five years. For perseverance not to mention patience, not years he didn’t eat and he didn’t sleep. to mention morality, not to mention Now this is possible. First of all these guys generosity, not to mention all the wisdom who are so highly developed, they’ve got wing. Step by step. So it’s really good, I such control over their subtle energies and think, for us to really look at what we can their mind, plus so full of enormous achieve. Sure we can’t do it yet, but don’t compassion, bodhichitta, a high being panic. The five-year-old kid who goes to basically, gone beyond ego, incredibly see Michael Jordan or whoever the latest developed in all these things we’re talking basketball star is, is totally inspired. He about. can’t even bounce a ball yet, but he holds So for him, his first few years in this that vision of his potential and he never little cave up in the mountains, six feet of gives up. That’s enthusiasm. That’s snow in the winter, where Milarepa used enthusiasm. So that’s the third one in this to meditate, didn’t even have a front on it sense, and I’ll talk about it later. was so small, only four feet high, couldn’t b. Too Busy; Procrastination The stand up in it. He did his own meditation second kind of laziness is real scary, it’s practices on his particular deity, really depressing. “Oh, I’m too busy. I

49 can’t do it, I’m too busy.” In other words, stick, they don’t care, they know they can it’s procrastination. And I think we are all do it. masters of procrastination. And what do They persevere through the gross kind, we procrastinate? Forget about spiritual they learn to practice, to focus, to go practice; look at our daily lives. We put off against the tiredness; they learn to put it doing the things we don’t like to do, that first, they don’t procrastinate, they don’t take too much effort. We go towards the put it off, they keep doing it, believing things we prefer to do. Bone lazy they can do it. That’s the three kinds of basically, but this is a subtle level of laziness conquered. laziness. The other kid goes to the gym for a You might work really hard. In terms while, gives up. Can’t be bothered, too of spiritual practice. . . You might not much effort, need a sleep, no time. And have the first level of laziness, you might then he says I’m too busy at school, I can’t work really hard, but you’re doing things do it. And then he’s really saying, “Oh, I you want to do, you’re doing the things of can’t do it, I can’t be like Michael Jordan, eating, sleeping and going to the toilet that’s just Michael Jordan.” Well, excuse and making money and doing all of this. me, we recognize these don’t we? The “Oh, my practice? I’m too busy; I’ll do it three kinds of laziness. when I have time.” We’re talking in terms Therefore conclusion: no enthusiasm, of our spiritual practice now. It always no perseverance, no effort, no joyful effort. comes last. That’s the second kind of We’re desperate to stay in our comfort laziness. But in general, we recognize it as zone. It’s too scary for us to move. We’d procrastination. And what do we rather just be comfortable, which is procrastinate about? The things we don’t basically attachment. Desperate to be want to do. So we’ve got to really watch comfortable, to have a nice comfy money our minds. This is a real subtle kind of in the bank, do a few nice things, and laziness. Because you will never achieve think a few nice thoughts, and maybe go the goal, ever, if you have that. to a class if I feel like it every now and c. I’m Not Capable The third one is again, and maybe meditate when I feel even more sneaky, even more subtle, comfortable, maybe read a book every more pervasive and it’s the one that truly, now and again, and maybe give a few deeply ingrained in the ego believes, “Oh, people something, only when it’s I can’t do that.” We almost think of it as a comfortable, only when it’s comfortable. virtue. It’s like two kids go to the We’re desperate to not get outside our basketball, they see Michael Jordan, comfort zone. amazing basketball, wow amazing, Go Beyond Our Comfort Zone But amazing, or whoever it might be, your practice, by definition, is going beyond great hero, Tiger Woods or somebody, your comfort zone. Practicing anything, he’s golf, and you watch and you watch, basketball, cycling, practicing Dharma. and you think amazing, and you go home Going beyond the status quo. and one kid says, “I’m going to become And the trouble is we’re so wicked, we like that, I can do it.” They can’t even lie to ourself. It’s like going to the gym. . . bounce the ball, can’t even pick up a golf we say, “Oh, I did my practice.” But it’s like going to the gym and you decide you

50 want to do pushups, because someone 5. CALM ABIDING says you’re going to get really fit and Let’s look at the fifth one: concentration, a healthy if you do pushups. So you start little bit at the method for how to develop doing pushups, or you go on the thing at single-pointed concentration. The process the gym, and then as soon as it gets is described in nine stages. It’s this uncomfortable, you stop. “Oh good, I gradual process of developing, as I said, a went to the gym. Yeah, I went to the gym very sharp, focused awareness. today.” But in fact, you know perfectly Awareness is the word that’s really used well if you stop doing pushups the to refer to the function of your mind. So moment it hurts, your muscles will never, the word “awareness,” the word ever change. “cognition,” or the word “to be aware,” Well that’s what we’re like with our “to cognize,” “to know,” these words are practice. So no wonder we don’t make all the same meaning. And that’s the job progress, no wonder we still get angry of the mind. So when you define a cup: and jealous and neurotic, because we it’s made of clay and its job is to give you don’t push against the stuff. We don’t tea; when you define mind: it is clear, push up against our junk and go beyond meaning it’s not physical, and its job is to it. We don’t test ourselves really. We don’t be aware. That’s its function, it’s function taste the pain, because we’re terrified, It’s non-physical and its function is to because we’re lazy in these three ways. cognize, to be aware. Finally, to be aware You understand? We all recognize. In of what? That which is actually existing; other words, we hold ourselves back. not the fantasy. Right now through the Therefore we have these terrible medium of attachment, anger, pride, regrets. Our head is full of ideas, what we jealousy all the way down to the deepest want to do, but we just can’t put it into ignorance, we are aware of things that practice because of these three kinds of these minds are making up; we’re not laziness. The putting off one especially, aware of the truth. This is how Buddha is and the one most of all: “Oh, I can’t do it saying. anyway. It’s just not possible.” Single So in concentration meditation, you’re pointed concentration? “No, I can’t do developing this awareness to be that.” We’re such babies. Practice is going absolutely clear, sharp and still – and I’m beyond what we can do already to talking as I’ve said many times – to a something we can’t do. It’s just nature, it’s degree that we don’t even posit as existing what it means. in our Western culture. It’s uncharted We love to say all the prayers: “Oh territory for us. But let’s hear the words, may I become a Buddha to benefit all it’s interesting. sentient beings.” It’s so easy to say this. Excitement and Dullness So the But when it comes to being patient or process of developing this, as I said, is doing a little job for somebody that we described in nine stages. One simple way feel we can’t do: “Oh, no I can’t do that.” to describe it is in the context of lessening Then we say our prayers: “Oh, may I the two main problems: the problem of benefit all sentient beings.” the mind that is the over-excitement, That’s enthusiastic perseverance when the mind is over agitated, over anyway. thinking, over conceptual, blah, blah, blah,

51 excited mind. And you could say, in a Calm Yet Clear So the quality of calm way, that’s attachment energy, speaking abiding, which is the final point when very loosely. The mind when it’s very you’ve achieved this concentration, is sharp, in day to day life, when you’re very when the mind on the one hand is up, you’re very up, your mind’s really absolutely still but absolutely sharp and sharp, really focused, really clear, isn’t it, clear. and you rush about. You understand When you’re doing the practice, it’s a what I’m saying? It’s a good quality, constant thing of bringing the mind back actually, but because it’s so much linked from being over-excited, and then as soon with us to over-exaggerating and as you do this you get the mind to be attachment, it eventually goes berserk. calm. But as soon as you get the mind And then we go crashing down – into calm, the mind becomes dull. Then you what mode? Into the mind that is dull, have to bring it back from being dull, and depressed. We understand these two as soon as you do this, the mind’s over modes in our daily life. excited. So it’s constantly bringing the In meditation, these are the two main mind to find this invisible spot between obstacles. The excitement one is simply these two. It’s a very colloquial way of the mind that’s over-agitated, you can’t talking about it, what concentration is. keep it quiet; we all know that. The other And so when you’re doing very extreme in meditation, you sit down and purposely this type of meditation to get you close your eyes, and you try to this concentration, it takes enormous meditate, and within three minutes you’re effort. asleep. That’s the other extreme, that’s the Venerable Rene, if any of you have a really gross level of what they call chance to go to his teaching, he is resident dullness. Are you hearing what I’m over at Vajrapani, and he’s a meditator, saying? The mind is all dull and spaced has been for twenty years. I remember out and it’s not clear about anything. interviewing him years ago in Mandala That’s a disaster, that’s useless; it’s the magazine about his meditation; he did a opposite to awareness. But when the mind year and a half retreat one time, basically is over-bright and sharp and going all he’s a professional retreater, since the over the place here and there, and can’t eighties he’s been doing this. He’s a very keep still, it’s insane, you can’t keep it special person, very holy, very humble. I quiet. It’s like a busy kid. So the whole think he’s a really holy being. Venerable process of developing concentration is the Rene: he’s based at Vajrapani, he’s process of going between these two. teaching quite a bit, more and more these Bringing it away from all the crazy over- days. So really check out his stuff please, excited to make it become quiet, and he’s very special to go to. He leads bringing it away from the dullness to be retreats, he’s very humble. sharp. Happiness is Our Natural State So it’s interesting, look at the good Anyway, the point is we interviewed him quality of the over-excited mind. It’s sharp years ago, fifteen years ago, ten years ago, and clear, isn’t it; very sharp, very bright, maybe eight, and I remember there he very clear. Now look at the quality of the described that he was in this retreat trying dull mind. It’s very still. to get this single-pointed concentration.

52 It’s a good interview to get: I don’t know stuff. If you really could slow-motion if you will find it on the web. Anyway, your mind down, you’d be able to see the I’ve got it if anyone wants it, you can character of each of those thoughts. And it always e-mail me. One of the things that’s always has to do with the I and all those very interesting about this, it’s just an worries, you understand. interesting point to make, you know how But when your mind is getting more all the time talking about how Buddha focused, and he said even he maybe just says our good qualities are our natural got to the fifth of the nine stages, and he state. That’s who we really are, they’re at said there’s no question, and I’m the core of our being and that they have a paraphrasing, that the bliss, the joy, the natural relationship with happiness. So contentment, whatever words you want, Buddha is really saying we’ve got to the that his mind experienced, even at that potential to be really phenomenally level, was infinitely superior to any happy, peaceful, joyful, content, fulfilled, pleasure he’d ever experienced through whole, whatever words you want to use. his senses. So all that points to is when the This is just something very natural to mind, even temporarily in meditation, is mind, Buddha says. free of all the neurotic thoughts, it’s So this is what’s interesting: happy extremely peaceful and blissful. mind, happiness, in the sense we’re This is technical, it’s not some hit and talking here, of being a peaceful mind, is miss thing. So what Buddha is saying is the extent to which your mind is not when you’ve gone beyond all delusions, caught up with anger, attachment, fear, you will never have neurosis again, it neurosis, worry, all the dramas. And so truly is gone completely, this is what he’s we can see that even when our mind is saying we have the capability to achieve. quite peaceful, it’s still this residual But even just saying temporarily, if you anxiety there. We don’t really feel very have a good focused meditation, with a peaceful states of mind, because the mind person like that it’s not a hit and miss is always there with the over conceptual thing. When you’ve really accomplished nonsense, right. So this is the point I’m single-pointed concentration, you go to making here. Venerable Rene pointed this that one every single time. You’ve got it. out in his meditation, and you can read it It’s not like you just get it sometimes. many times, but it’s nice to have a person Advantages of Concentration They say you know who experienced this. They talk the advantages of even having developed about when your mind gets more subtle just single-pointed concentration – not in meditation what you’re just necessarily even describing realizing emptiness yet, doing is you’re subduing all the crazy we’re not even describing getting rid of all thoughts. You literally get to a point in your delusions yet – we’re simply saying your concentration meditation when having developed to this level of mind, there’s no such thing as a thought just already, as Lama Yeshe puts it, you have arising spontaneously like we do now. an extraordinary sense of well being. And Crazy stuff just constantly comes, doesn’t it’s not that kind of deluded attachment it? We just think it’s natural and it’s one, it’s a very genuine one. You really always attachments or fears or worries or have gained control over the delusions to anger or jealousy or resentment, all the a huge degree. You can put your mind

53 exactly where you want, how you want, you’re worried about everyday things of really down to the tiniest thought. It’s like course it’s a joke, you can’t. You’ve got to this effortless thing that you’ve be way beyond all that. accomplished which is a stunning idea. You’ve got to have an environment It’s an amazing idea actually. But this is where it’s really peaceful, very pure, the what Buddha is saying we can achieve. water is clean, and the food is good and And even just from single-pointed you’ve got good support of friends who concentration, as Lama Yeshe puts it: your can cook for you and support you, body feels extraordinary. There’s an because it’s the best you focus just on your extraordinary relationship between your meditation. Best, they say, to be in a place body and mind, everything feels very that’s been blessed by the presence of comfortable, very light. You know when holy beings, been blessed by the presence you’re feeling miserable, your body feels of other great meditators. It gives so heavy and anxious and everything’s something at a more subtle level, tight, you understand? This is just meditators really are aware of this, it something that’s the result of single- makes a very big difference to the place. pointed concentration. Blessed By the Presence of Holy So the point here is the aim of it isn’t Beings I remember again Venerable Rene, just to get the pleasure, but it’s just he said in his interview that . . . when I showing and reiterating this point that interviewed him I was interviewing him Buddha is talking about our mind, it’s not at our monastery in Nepal in Kathmandu, just some religious experience but in the valley there, and it’s up on a hill. something very, very real. And it’s relatively peaceful but it’s quite Prerequisites So there’s a whole series busy really and you can hear the stuff, of prerequisites to indicate to yourself that can’t you. Down in the valley you hear all you’re ready to go to the mountains to do the Hindus waking up in the morning this, speaking metaphorically – well, it with their four-, five-thirty prayers. And usually is going to the mountains, because you hear all the monks chanting, you hear then you can have a really conducive lots of noise, you hear stuff going on. But environment. They say one of the things he did his year-and-a-half retreat at our to be even ready to go off to do single- center up in the mountains near Grenada, pointed concentration, and it could take a in Spain, where Lama Ösel was born. It’s a couple of years, it depends on the person, holy place, His Holiness the Dalai Lama you’ve got to be really already well has blessed it and everything. But he said practiced in all the stuff we’ve been when I interviewed him at Kopan, he said talking about so far. Really subdued your his mind more easily could become more delusions, really comfortable with subtle at Kopan, more easily. Because it’s whatever you’re given, have no society said to be a very holy place. That’s responsibilities, not care what food you something you mightn’t see an obvious eat, not care what clothes you have, really level; you look at Kathmandu, it’s a totally very content. You have an unbelievably polluted place, but they all say, the holy content mind, with no worries about food beings say it’s a very blessed, special place or this or that. Because if you’re sitting up even though it’s polluted. At a subtler in the mountains trying to meditate and level it’s very, very potent with blessings,

54 it’s hard to see that sometimes. This is something very interesting. So they say especially if it’s a place where lots of meditators have been before it’s a really perfect place to do some practice. So I think that will do about concentration.

From Discovering Buddhism Module 3, Presenting the Path, by Robina Courtin.

And now let’s turn to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teachings to understand the sixth perfection: the wisdom of emptiness.

55 56 7. You Cannot Find the I In exactly the same way as in this example, when you say “I,” instead of Anywhere pointing here [at your chest], point at this Lama Zopa Rinpoche table; label I on this table. So now, you have labeled I on the table, but where is that I on the table? You cannot find I on the table. Even though you label I on the table, you Let’s concentrate for a few moments on cannot find it anywhere, on any corner of what I’m saying. [Silence.] We believe, “I the table, inside the table, above the table am here, in this building.” We believe, “I – you cannot find I anywhere. Not only am in America, Soquel, Land of Medicine that, but this corner of the table is not I, Buddha, Land of Medicine Buddha, Land this other corner is not I – no part of the of Medicine Buddha! I’m in this gompa, table is I. Even all the parts of the table I’m in Vajrasattva retreat, I’m on this together are not I. cushion, I’m in pain! I’m tired! I’m sleepy! So now, like this, it’s exactly the same, I’m exhausted from a long day! What is he exactly the same, even though our mind talking about? What is he mumbling constantly labels I on this association of about?” Anyway, thinking like that. body and mind [Rinpoche pointing to his We think there’s a real one, a real I, a chest], constantly, twenty-four hours a real me, here doing Vajrasattva retreat, or day, labels I on this association of body listening to teachings. Here, sitting on this and mind, exactly as in the example chair, or on this cushion – a real me where your mind labels I on the table – listening to teachings. Now, I is your even if you label I on the table, you cannot label; me, I. find I on the table – the table is not I, nor is You point to your body and label it I: “I I on the table, inside the table, or am going out.” You don’t pick up a book anywhere else; you cannot find I on any and point to it and say, “I am going out!” part of the table, and even the whole thing No. You point to your body and apply the is not I – in the same way, I cannot be label, “I am going out.” found anywhere on the association of And as your mind does the activity of body and mind. If you look for your I, you thinking, you label, “I am thinking.” cannot find it, from the ends of your hair As your mind meditates, “I am to the tip your toes – your little toes, your meditating.” By first thinking what kind big toes – nowhere can it be found. You of activity your mind is doing – for cannot find your I anywhere. It is neither example, it’s wandering – you say, “I am inside your nose nor on the tip of your wandering. I am not meditating.” “Are nose! I’m joking! you meditating now?” Anyway, I is nowhere to be found, not “No.” You check the mind, then you even inside your body. say, “I am wandering,” or, if it is Normally you believe I to be inside, but meditating, being transformed into virtue even if that’s what you normally believe, by analytical or fixed meditation, you say, apprehend – that there’s a real I inside the “I am meditating”; you call, or label, it, “I body, there’s a real me inside the body – if am meditating.” you look for it, you cannot find it. When

57 you start to analyze, it cannot be found. these aggregates are not I. Where is it exactly? Look for it. Where is it Without going through the exactly, inside the body? Where is it Madhyamaka or lam-rim analyses of exactly, inside the chest – the part of the emptiness – for example, if the aggregates body where we normally believe the I to are I, then what happens, what illogical reside? It’s somewhere there, within the consequences arise? If the body is I, what body. We don’t think that the I is outside illogical consequences arise? If the mind is – we think that it’s inside, inside the chest. I, what illogical consequences rise? – But if you try to identify exactly where the without going through all those detailed I is located, it cannot be found. There is no analyses, what I have just mentioned particular location. You can’t find it. If gives you an idea of how the aggregates you look for the I, you cannot find it or its are not I. From that, you can understand, particular location. or get the idea of, the rest. Even though you normally believe that the I is there, somewhere inside your SUBJECT & OBJECT CANNOT BE ONE body, inside your chest, if you really Even this association of body and mind is check inside where it is, its exact location, not I. As the texts state, the aggregates – you cannot find it. this association of body and mind – are what is received. SUBTLE DEPENDENT ARISING They are what is received, and I is the When you think that the nature of the I is receiver. I received these aggregates this dependent arising, subtle dependent time; I is the receiver. I is the subject who arising, the real I that appeared to you at receives these aggregates, who has the beginning and that you apprehend, received, or taken, them. The I is the disappears. It immediately becomes receiver. Can you say “taker,” that I is the empty. It becomes empty, as it is empty in taker? Like take-away food! I is to be reality. If that real I that appeared to you taken away, like take-away food! I is to be were true – that you believed at the taken away. Anyway, I’m joking...well, beginning to really be there – if that were there is a way in which this can be true. true – according to the way in which it In Tibetan, we say nye-wa lang-cha lem- appears, the way in which you believe – if pa-ko. Nye-wa lang-cha: what is to be taken, that were true, then even after analysis it the aggregates. The aggregates are what is should still be there. Even after your to be taken, and I is the taker, who takes analysis of its dependent arising, it should them. I is the subject and the aggregates remain. You should be able to find it. But are the object, what is to be taken. I is the it is not there. taker of the aggregates. Nye-wa langcha, Even when you meditate on the and lem-pa-ko; lang-cha is what is taken chakras, a real I seems to exist, but there is and lem-pa-ko is the taker. no real I existing in this body the way it So, there are two. The I created the appears to exist, the way you apprehend, cause of these aggregates; the continuity or believe, it to exist. That I is not there, of this I created the cause of these neither on the body nor inside the body. aggregates, this samsara. Then this I has The body is not I; nor is the mind. Even received, or taken, these aggregates. So the association of body and mind is not I; the aggregates are what is to be taken and

58 I is the taker. Subject and object. body and mind, is the base to be labeled, Therefore, they are not one. Therefore, the and I is the label to be applied – what the aggregates are not I, cannot be I, the base is to be labeled with. Again in subject. Tibetan, I is dagchö, the label to be Because aggregates are what is to be applied, and the aggregates are dag- taken – the object. I is the taker of that shir,what is labeled, the base to be labeled. object. So they cannot be one. The aggregates are the base to be labeled, Similarly, an ax and the tree it cuts and I is the label, what is labeled on the cannot be one. One is the object, the other base. Thus again here, one is the base, the is the subject, so they cannot be one. The other is the label. Two totally different cutter – the ax – and what is to be cut – the phenomena; two totally different wood – cannot be one. The wood that is to phenomena. They don’t exist separately, be cut is not the cutter, the ax. but they exist differently. If they did exist separately, it would POSSESSOR & POSSESSION help a lot if you were a criminal! CANNOT BE ONE It would help a lot. Because then you In that way, there’s one reason. The other could say, “It wasn’t me that did it; it was reason is similar. [We say] “My the body. I didn’t do it”! Or you could aggregates, my aggregates, my say, “This mind did it, not me”! You could aggregates.” Even from the common, have many arguments! In court! You language point of view, “my aggregates” could argue in court, “I didn’t do it – the shows that the aggregates are the body did it; the mind did it.” If what you possession, and my, or I, is the possessor. did was criminal or something for which “My aggregates, my mind, my body.” you’d get punished, you could say, “The Even normal language shows that these body did it; the mind did it. I didn’t do it.” two are completely different; two But if it was a situation where you had completely different phenomena. They are something to gain, then you could say, “I not one. They are totally different did it”! phenomena. “My aggregates, my body, Say your body did something that my mind” shows that they are normally brings millions of dollars, but possessions, and from that it follows that nobody saw it. If your I had no relation to my, I, is the possessor. your aggregates, you could say, “I did it”! Again, through that reason, you can Since doing the action that brings millions see that there’s no way in which the of dollars didn’t depend on the body or possession, that which is possessed, can the mind doing it, you could take the be the possessor, I. credit, “I did it. I should get the money”! There is no way. The two are totally You could argue like that. If there were different phenomena. They don’t exist something good to gain, something that separately, but they exist differently. you like or want to acquire, you could say, “I did it.” But if what you’d done were THE LABEL & THE BASE CANNOT BE criminal or subject to punishment, you ONE could say, “It wasn’t me”! Perhaps another thing to mention is this. Anyway, I’m saying that if the I existed The aggregates, the association of the separately from the aggregates, it could be

59 very helpful. You could do that. Maybe differentiate between the base and the you could still argue, “I didn’t do it label. After this analysis, you are able to because I cannot find the I anywhere. I differentiate what is the base and what is cannot see the I, so how could I have done the label I. it?” I’m joking! Before, it was unclear to your mind; What I’m trying to say is that since the these two things were unclear. His aggregates are the base to be labeled and I Holiness the Dalai Lama would say those is what is labeled on them – the two are mixed up, as if the table were aggregates are the base and I is the label – mixed into the base, as if the table were they are two totally different phenomena. inside the base. Therefore, they are not one; the aggregates His Holiness Ling Rinpoche used to are not I. say that the definition of the object to be refuted is the appearance of the base and THE MIND IS NOT THE I the label as undifferentiable. Similarly, the mind is not I. It’s the same – For your mind, in your view, the base you can use all those reasons that I and the label – for example, the base to be mentioned regarding the aggregates, with labeled “table” and the label “table” itself the mind, to understand that the mind is – are undifferentiable. His Holiness Ling not I. Your mind is not you. My mind, Rinpoche explained during a commentary your mind – that shows it is not you. Your on the Seven Point Thought mind is not you; my mind is not me. Transformation at Drepung Monastery If something that the I possessed had to many years ago that this is the object to be be I, were the I, then everything you refuted. possessed would be you. Your car would You are unable to differentiate between be you. Your kaka would be you! the label and the base. Your mind is very It’s exactly the same with the table, as I confused. Your mind is in a state of mentioned before. You can find the I confusion. What appears to your view is nowhere on these aggregates. Neither are that these two – the base, the aggregates, the aggregates the I. and the label, I, are undifferentiable. Now, Exactly the same. Even though you through this analysis, you can see clearly label I on the table, you cannot find I on that they – the label, I, and the base, the the table. The table is not I. Exactly as you aggregates – are two totally different cannot find your I on the table even phenomena. though your mind labels the table I, exactly like that, even though your mind WHEN THE REALIZATION OF labels I on the aggregates, you cannot find EMPTINESS OF THE I IS REAL, IT IS I anywhere on the aggregates. Neither SO POWERFUL that, nor are the aggregates I. Now, even if you have one hundred When you get a feeling that the percent understanding, or recognition, aggregates are not I, when you cannot that the base, the aggregates, is not I, that find I on the aggregates, this the I exists nowhere, I would not call that understanding makes very clear what is having realized emptiness. In other the base and what is the label; you are words, you understand through the four- able to differentiate. Now you are able to point analysis, the analysis of the four

60 vital points, that if the I is inherently totally non-existent. existent, it should exist either as oneness There’s nothing to grab onto, nothing with the aggregates or as completely to hold onto. Suddenly, it’s totally non- separate from them; it has to be pervaded existent. Nothing of what you have been by being either oneness with the holding onto, cherishing as if it really aggregates or existing separately from the exists, is truly there. Nothing of what, so aggregates. But simply understanding far, you have never had any doubt about, that the inherently existent I is neither have been grasping at continuously, oneness with the aggregates nor does it holding onto like a cat grabbing a mouse – exist separately from them – having a all its claws clutching tightly together – clear idea that the aggregates are not one nothing of that I exists. Suddenly, that with the I but also don’t exist separately about which you have never had any from the I – this awareness alone, the doubt since beginningless rebirths – even ability to distinguish between label and since this morning or since you were born base, is not the realization of emptiness. into this life – suddenly, it doesn’t go Even if you had this awareness – the anywhere. Suddenly, there’s nothing ability to distinguish label from base – there. Maybe it’s gone to the beach! Or to even if the difference between the base the mountains! To a retreat center! and the label had become clear for your Anyway, it doesn’t go anywhere. mind, still I would not say that you had Just there! Suddenly! You realize there realized emptiness. is nothing there. Suddenly, it is not there. When you realize emptiness – not just You realize that it’s totally non-existent. that there is no I, not just the feeling that Totally non-existent. there is no I – you should feel something There’s nothing to hold onto. It’s lost. very intensive. It should be very much Totally lost. Just right there – where it more than that. Your understanding was – totally lost. Not that it’s gone should be something very intensive. Not somewhere, but right there, it has become just the feeling that there is no I. The totally lost. There’s nothing to hold onto. feeling should be something very deep; You feel something very intensive – not the feeling “there is no I” should be very space, but empty, like space. During that intensive, very deep. You should feel as time, there’s no dual view, there’s no “this you would if you’d had a vision that you is I and that is emptiness”; no “here is the had received a million dollars, that subject, perceiver, realizer and there is the somebody had put a million dollars into object, emptiness.” It’s not dual; non-dual. your hands, and you had totally, one At that time, the view that should appear hundred percent believed that you should be non-dual, not “this I is actually had all that money – and then meditating on emptiness, seeing suddenly realized it was just a emptiness. Oh, that is emptiness.” hallucination! It’s gone! Like that, Instead, there should be a very suddenly you realize that it’s not there, it intensive understanding, seeing very has totally gone. intensively that . . .the I is empty. It’s not What you have believed, were one just thinking that there’s no I; it’s not just hundred percent convinced of, and so that. It’s not like, after searching for the strongly clung to, grasped at, is suddenly, table, the labeled table, the general table –

61 not the inherently existent table but the your heart. A very deep fear. The other general table, the labeled table – looking fear is not fear of losing the I – something to see if any part of the table is the table – is going to happen to this I, but it’s not it’s not that – or if perhaps the whole losing the I. The ordinary is fear that this collection of parts together is the table – real I is going to receive some harm, but it’s not that either – and only after all that, here, something that you’ve believed in – then thinking that the table does not exist. not only from birth but from It’s not that kind of experience. Nor is it beginningless rebirths up until now – like analyzing the body to find if the I is something that you’ve believed in one inside the body or on the aggregates, or hundred percent, only now, only now you understanding that the aggregates realize that it’s not there. Only now you together are also not the I, then, after all realize that it’s totally nonexistent. that analysis, at the end, coming to the This can cause an incredibly deep fear conclusion that there’s no I. to arise. Because you cannot find it, thinking As I often say, even when you recite that there is no I. It’s not just that. The Heart Sutra, when you say the words, “No ear, no nose, no tongue...no ice WHEN YOU SEE EMPTINESS, THERE cream! No coffee, no chocolate, no IS EITHER UNBELIEVABLE JOY . . . cigarettes, no drinks...!” – if fear comes The right way of perceiving that the I is into your heart when you say “no this, no empty is an extremely deep, intensive that,” if fear arises, that’s a good sign. Fear experience, but there are basically two arising means your recitation of The Heart kinds of experience you can have. You can Sutra, The Essence of Wisdom, is hitting, feel incredible, that you have discovered or touching, the root of samsara, hurting the most precious thing, such as a wish- it. Your recitation of The Heart Sutra has granting jewel. Or like a person who has touched the root of samsara, ignorance; been looking for or waiting to meet a dear has hit it. friend for many, many years – praying, Your recitation of The Heart Sutra, your wishing, to meet that person for many way of thinking when you recite The years – and then, after all these many Essence of Wisdom, is fitting – like an arrow years, suddenly meeting that friend. Or or a bomb. As an arrow hits its target, as a like you’ve been waiting to get a billion bomb or a torpedo hits its target, the dollars for a long time and then suddenly enemy at which you aimed, like that, your you get the money. In other words, when recitation of The Heart Sutra, those you see emptiness, you feel unbelievable teachings on emptiness, your way of joy; incredible joy that makes you cry. thinking, your meditation, has hit its target, the object of ignorance, the . . . OR UNBELIEVABLE FEAR inherently existent I – the I that is The second kind of experience is one of apprehended by simultaneously-born unbelievable fear, incredible fear. Not just ignorance. You have hit the target you’re any kind of fear. Not just the fear of being supposed to hit. The target that you are attacked by somebody; not that kind of supposed to hit with the arrow or bomb of fear. It’s a very deep fear; something deep your recitation of the words of The Heart inside your heart, in the very depths of Sutra and thinking on their meaning is the

62 object to be refuted, the inherently existent Because there is always continuity of I. consciousness. Even after enlightenment, Fear in your heart means that you have the consciousness continues forever. hit the target. Even though the body might change – The texts explain that it is highly one body stops, another body is taken – intelligent practitioners who have the the continuity of consciousness is always experience of incredible, blissful joy, tears there, even after enlightenment. running down their cheeks, and feel as if Therefore, the continuity of the I never they’d found an unbelievably precious ceases. It always exists because the base, jewel, and less intelligent practitioners the continuity of consciousness, always who feel fear when they realize emptiness. exists. At that time, you should not try to escape Therefore, thinking, “I’m going to from this fear – trying to do so is your cease, I’m going to become non-existent” greatest obstacle to realizing emptiness. is totally wrong. Instead, you must realize that this is the When that feeling arises, the one time, the one opportunity, to realize appearance of losing or having totally lost emptiness – the only wisdom that can your I, you shouldn’t be worried that that directly cut the delusions, the root of appearance means you’re falling into samsara, the gross and subtle defilements, nihilism. Because of that appearance, you bringing liberation from samsara and full should not be worried that you are falling enlightenment. Knowing this, you must into nihilism – just as you should not be go through the fear; you must complete worried that the I is becoming non- your experience. Go through the fear like existent. There are two things – one is the crossing a river. fear of falling into nihilism; the other is Otherwise, if you block your own the worry, “I am becoming nonexistent.” progress the one time that you have the You should not be scared of those opportunity of realizing emptiness, if you things. If you do get scared, you’ll block run away from that, like running away yourself from realizing emptiness; this from teachings, from meditation courses, one opportunity to realize emptiness will especially my meditation courses – of have arisen and you’ll have blocked it course, those are good to run away from! yourself. – if you run from the fear that arises when A very clear commentary on the you realize emptiness, that is no good at Mahamudra by Ketsang Jamyang (I’m not all. hundred percent sure that’s his name), which is regarded as a very effective BUT DON’T BE AFRAID THE I WILL teaching, explains why this appearance of DISAPPEAR; THERE IS ALWAYS the self becoming non-existent happens. It CONTINUITY OF THE LABEL I happens because it has to happen. However, you never have to worry about Furthermore, it is a sign that there is no the I ceasing, because the I never ceases. inherent existence on the I, the merely The I that is the label never ceases. The I labeled I. There is no inherent existence on never stops, never ceases. Why is there that I, and the experience of its becoming always continuity of the I, the label? Why non-existent shows, proves, that. When is there always continuity of the self? you have this experience, you see the

63 Middle Way, the Madhyamika, view. You the aggregates, exists. In the same way, see the Middle Way, devoid of the two the base, the aggregates, which are merely extremes of nihilism and eternalism. imputed, exists, but it doesn’t exist on the gathering of the five aggregates; it doesn’t REALIZING EMPTINESS IS THE FIRST exist there. The merely labeled aggregates STEP TOWARDS LIBERATION exist, but they don’t exist on the collection I would say that realizing that the object of the five aggregates. They don’t exist of ignorance – the concept of the there; they cannot be found there. So inherently existent I – is empty, realizing that’s clear. The merely labeled aggregates the emptiness that is the negation of the cannot be found on the collection of the object to be refuted, is the first step five. They don’t exist there. towards liberation. In exactly the same way, for each I’m not saying that by that alone you aggregate – for example, the aggregate of have entered – of the five paths to form, the general aggregate of form – it’s liberation – the path of merit. I’m not exactly same. The same logic applies. The saying that. But it’s like you’ve taken a merely labeled aggregate exists but it step towards liberation, because that doesn’t exist on that base. Empty. It wisdom is the main thing that directly doesn’t exist there; it’s not there, not ceases the defilements. existent on this base. The aggregate of form does not exist on the collection of the CONCLUSION: THE I EXISTS BUT limbs, either in all their parts or on the NOT HOW WE THINK IT DOES whole collection together. So there’s no Just to conclude now – before we all go to question about the inherently existent, sleep! – as I mentioned before, how when real aggregate: it doesn’t exist anywhere. you label I on the table, it’s not there – in The real one appearing from there – the exactly the same way, when the mind aggregate, the general aggregate of form – labels I on these aggregates, it’s not there exists nowhere. Similarly, if you go to the either. The aggregates are not the I; the I is parts of the limbs, to the arms, head, legs, not there. I exists, but it’s not there. The I stomach, and so forth, all those merely that is labeled by your mind exists, but it’s labeled ones exist, but they don’t exist on not there. Even that is not there. Even that. their own bases. Even the merely labeled Besides the real I that you believe to reside head cannot be found on the collection of in the heart, inside your body, not being its parts, the brain and everything else. If there, even the I merely labeled by your you look for head, it cannot be found mind, which does exist, is not there either. there. I’m not saying it’s not here [in this room], Like that, it’s the same for the arms, the I’m saying it’s not there [on your legs, the main body – everything down to aggregates]. the atoms – that which is merely labeled So now, the I that is merely labeled by exists, but it doesn’t exist on its own base. the mind exists. That is here, that exists, Even the merely labeled atom exists, but it but even that cannot be found on these doesn’t exist, cannot be found, on the aggregates, on the base of the aggregates. collection of the particles of the atom. And It doesn’t exist on these aggregates. The it’s the same for even the particles of the merely labeled I exists because the base, atom – they can’t be found on their own

64 base either. compounded phenomena, labeled that, Thus, everything from the I down to but that aggregate cannot be found on the particles of the atoms, or, from the that base. general aggregate of form down to the Finally, it’s the same with the particles of atoms, which appears as aggregate of consciousness. Merely something real, is not there. It’s totally labeled consciousness exists, but it cannot empty; every single thing is totally empty. be found on its base, like a carpet on the What appears to your view, your floor. The merely labeled consciousness hallucinating mind, seems to be doesn’t exist like that. The mind, which something real, from there – but it’s not knows phenomena, which does the there. function of continuing from one life to the Starting from the real I down to the real next, perceiving merely the essence of the particles of the atoms, what appears is not object, that knowing phenomenon, she-pa, there; it’s totally empty – not space, but because that mind exists, your mind labels like space; totally empty, non-existent. it nam-she, consciousness. But using the That was form. How about the same analysis I mentioned before, neither aggregate of feeling, that which is labeled that consciousness nor the split seconds of on the thought, the mental factor that consciousness can be found on their experiences pleasure, indifference and respective bases. suffering? It’s the same with the aggregate Therefore, starting from the I down to of feeling – the merely labeled aggregate the split seconds of consciousness, each of feeling exists, but cannot be found on aggregate – form, feeling, cognition, its base. It’s also the same with the compounded phenomena and aggregate of cognition, which consciousness, down to the split seconds discriminates phenomena as bad or good, of consciousness – everything that as this and that, as friend and enemy, fat appears to our mind, to our view, as real, and skinny, long and short, and so forth. as something real existing from there, is The merely labeled aggregate of cognition totally non-existent. Normally, after exists – because its base exists – but it making all this analysis, you should doesn’t exist on that base. So that’s the meditate on this emptiness; let your mind same. Then, if you analyze the pleasant dwell in it for a while. Looking at feeling, the suffering feeling, the everything as empty, let your mind stay in indifference, you cannot find those that state of emptiness for as long as feelings on their base. Similarly with the possible. That’s extremely good, very aggregate of cognition – you can do the effective. same analysis, but neither can cognition be found on its base, even though merely DWELL IN THIS EMPTINESS OF NON- labeled cognition exists. EXISTENCE FROM ITS OWN SIDE It’s also the same thing with the So that’s reality; that’s how things are. aggregate of compounded phenomena. This is reality, so let’s place our minds in It’s also labeled, merely imputed, this state for a while. Concentrate for a because its base exists. Subtracting feeling little bit on this conclusion that the whole and cognition from the fifty-one mental thing is totally empty. Everything – from factors, the rest are called the aggregate of the I down to, and including, the particles

65 of the atoms and the split seconds of mental continuum, projects on to these consciousness – is totally empty from its aggregates the appearance of an own side. inherently existent I and then believes it to [Long meditation.] be true; the ignorance that believes this The final thing is that it’s totally non- inherently existent I is true, that it really existent – from its own side. It’s totally exists. non-existent, but non-existent from its This particular root of samsara – the own side. So the second part of that ignorance that apprehends the I, which is expression makes the way of thinking or merely labeled by the mind, as existing the experience correct – seeing it as not from its own side, as not merely labeled just empty, non-existent, but empty, non- by the mind – can be cut only by this existent, from its own side. specific wisdom, only by this right view, Like this, the nature of everything else this wisdom, this right view. Only by in existence – forms, sounds, smells, generating that can you be totally tastes, tangible objects, hell, liberated from samsara, from the entire enlightenment, samsara, nirvana, ocean of sufferings of samsara, which are happiness, suffering, life’s gains and divided into three – suffering of pain, losses, virtue, non-virtue, everything – is suffering of change and pervasive, totally empty, non-existent. But, non- compounded suffering. Within samsara, existent from its own side. there are the specific sufferings of each realm and the general sufferings of WHILE EVERYTHING IS EMPTY, samsara, such as the six, the four and the THEY DO EXIST – MERELY LABELLED three. BY MIND The specific sufferings of the six realms So, while things are empty – everything is include those of the eight hot hells, the totally empty from its own side – they eight cold hell sufferings and the six or exist. They exist in mere name, by being four neighborhood sufferings. merely labeled by the mind – which also The sufferings of the hungry ghosts – exists in mere name. Things exist as the heavy suffering of hunger and thirst, merely labeled by the mind, which itself and on top of that the suffering of heat, also exists in mere name. Everything is cold and exhaustion. The animal unified with emptiness and dependent sufferings – extreme stupidity, being eaten arising, as Guru Shakyamuni Buddha by one another, being tortured, heat and realized and Lama Tsongkhapa praised cold. Human beings’ eight types of highly. Lama Tsongkhapa himself also sufferings – the sufferings of rebirth, old actualized this emptiness – which is age, sicknesses and death; the inability to unified with dependent arising, subtle find desirable objects; even if found, the dependent arising – this right view, this inability to find satisfaction in them; and wisdom, which is the only one that can on top of that, the fear and worry of cut the one particular root of samsara: the separating from them; and finally, the five ignorance, the hallucinating mind that – types of sufferings of the aggregates. The while there’s no I on these aggregates, sufferings of the sura and asura realms including the inherently existent I – include the heaviest sufferings of the through negative imprints left on the devas – the five signs of impending death,

66 always fighting with and getting enlightenment. controlled by other, more powerful, devas and getting banished. Teachings of Lama Zopa Rinpoche given It is only with this wisdom, this during a Vajrasattva retreat at Land of particular right view, the Prasangika Medicine Buddha, California, in 1999. view, that you can be totally liberated from the oceans of samsaric suffering – all the specific sufferings of each samsaric realm, and the three, four and six general sufferings of samsara. By ceasing the cause – delusion and karma – you can achieve the sorrowless state of total liberation from samsara, and only with this wisdom, the Prasangika view, can you also eradicate the subtle defilements, achieve full enlightenment and be able to do perfect work for all sentient beings, leading them to enlightenment as well. I’d better stop here, otherwise we won’t finish until tomorrow morning! To escape from this hallucination, to be liberated from this hallucinating mind, we take refuge and keep precepts. Refuge is the very foundation of the Buddhadharma, the gate through which we enter the Dharma path. We take refuge and vows to make certain that we practice, to make sure that we devote ourselves to actually practicing Dharma. That is the fundamental reason for taking refuge and vows. In order to liberate others from the hallucinating mind, ignorance, first we ourselves have to be liberated from the hallucination, from the hallucinating mind, from all these sufferings that we have been caught in since time without beginning, for beginningless lifetimes. Thus, refuge and precepts are the basic means, the very foundation of the path, for liberating both ourselves and others from the hallucination, from the hallucinating mind, from all suffering, and gaining the ultimate happiness of the highest, full

67 68 8. Purification: the Practice purify all this negative karma immediately, without a second’s delay.” of Vajrasattva in the The reason to regret is based on the Context of the Four logic of karma: We experience everything Opponent Powers due to our past karma, our past actions; so having harmed others we ourselves will necessarily experience suffering in the future. Thus we cannot bear the thought of the future suffering that we ourselves will experience. And who wants that? We There is no negativity that cannot be know from the present suffering that we purified. The purification process is do not want it, so the logic is, therefore, to basically a psychological one. As Lama remove the karmic seeds before they ripen Yeshe says, it is our mind (and on the as future suffering. basis of that our actions) that create the Go through the three non-virtuous negativity and it is our mind that action of the body and four of the speech, transforms it by creating positive energy. regretting those we remember and those Although we rely on Buddha’s methods we don’t, in other words all the harm we for the purification, it is not as if it is have ever done to any sentient being since Buddha purifying us or forgiving us; we beginingless time. ourselves do the purifying. If we have taken vows, then we must We purify by applying, the Four regret having broken them specifically: Opponent Powers. pratimoksha vows, bodhisattva vows, tantric vows. THE PRACTICE For all of these, think like this: “I regret Prostrate three times then sit. Bring your from the depths of my heart having mind to a quiet state. harmed others, broken my vows, etc., because I do not want the future suffering. 1. The Power of Regret I am sick of suffering.” Sincerely regret, from the depths of your Then think, “What can I do about it? heart, anything you have done to harm Whom can I turn to?” any living being, on this day, in this life, in all past lives. 2. The Power of Reliance As Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, “Not Refuge only that, but continuously I have also We rely upon, turn to, the Buddha, the been breaking my pratimoksha, doctor, who has the methods that we can bodhisattva, and tantric vows. Worst of use the purify. It’s not that we need all, I have created the heaviest of negative Buddha to forgive us; we purify ourselves karmas in relation to my virtuous friends by relying upon his methods.. – getting angry at them, generati ng Visualize Vajrasattva above the crown wrong views, having non-devotional of your head. He is your guru manifesting thoughts towards them, harming their in this aspect for your benefit. holy body, and disobeying their advice. He is in the bodhisattva aspect, radiant, “Having these negative imprints on blissful white light. He is adorned with my mental continuum is unbearable. It’s jewels and silken clothes. He’s sitting as if I’ve swallowed a lethal poison. I must cross-legged on a white lotus, which practice the antidote right away and although born out of mud is untainted by mud, just like our enlightened potential,

69 which is born out of our delusions but is Think in particular of people you have untainted by them. His face is radiant and harmed recently; and in the past; and beautiful. His eyes are long (horizontally) then, in general, all beings we have ever and peaceful and full of love and harmed since beginingless time. compassion for you. His mouth is red and Then remember those who have very sweet. His hair is black and held up harmed you: have compassion for them in a top knot. because they will suffer as a result of the Guru Vajrasattva’s right hand, holding harm they have done to you. a vajra, which represents compassion and Make the strong aspiration to do this bliss, is at his heart; his left, holding a bell, practice of purification for the sake of all which represents the wisdom realizing these sentient beings. “I must purify for emptiness, is resting in his lap. their sake.” On a moon disk at Guru Vajrasattva’s heart stands a HUM encircled by a garland 3. The Power of the Remedy of the hundred-syllable mantra. This is the actual medicine, the doing of Think: “Vajrasattva is my root guru, the actual practice of purification. There the holy mind of all the buddhas, the are three stages to the meditation, and it dharmakaya, who out of his unbearable consists of visualization and recitation of compassion, which embraces me and all mantra. other sentient beings, appears in this form to purify me and all others.” a. Purification of body Now invite the wisdom beings to Guru Vajrasattva very compassionately merge with your visualization, the sends powerful white nectar, like coming commitment being: imagine light goes out out of a hose very forcefully, from his of from the HUM at Guru Vajrasattva’s heart. It arcs around and enters your heart to all the ten directions and hooks crown and pours into your entire body, the energy of the body, speech and mind filling you completely. It keeps coming of all the enlightened beings of the and it forces out of your lower orifices all universe. This light comes back and the harm you have ever done to any living dissolves into the heart of Guru being with your body in the form of inky Vajrasattva, who now embodies all their liquid, which pours out of you and energy. He is even more brilliant and disappears into space, not one atom left. blissful than before. Feel completely purified. Now, say a prayer of refuge: Recite the mantra as you visualize (3 or 7 or as many as you wish): To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANU I go for refuge until I am enlightened. PALAYA / VAJRASATTVA DENO PATITA / By this practice of meditating on Guru DIDO MAY BHAWA / SUTO KAYO MAY Vajrasattva BHAWA / SUPO KAYO MAY BHAWA / May I reach Buddhahood so as to ANU RAKTO MAY BHAWA / SARWA benefit all sentient beings! SIDDHI MEMPAR YATSA / SARWA KARMA SU TSA MAY / TSITAM SHRIYAM KURU b. Compassion In order to develop HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BHAGAWAN / compassion, we need to rely upon other SARVA TATHAGATA / VAJRA MA MAY MU beings, the very beings we have harmed TSA / VAJRA BHAWA MAHA SAMAYA and who have harmed us, by developing SATTVA / AH HUM PHAT! compassion for them.

70 Then be delighted that all the harm you laser light from his heart chakra, which have ever done to any sentient being with arcs around and enters your crown chakra your body is completely purified. And and fills your entire being – just like, as think that there is no way you could do Lama Yeshe says, when you turn on a anything but benefit others now with your light in a room the darkness is instantly body. dispelled. So, just as the light hits your heart chakra, the darkness of the b. Purification of speech negativity of your mind – all the Again, Guru Vajrasattva very happily attachment and neediness, the anger and sends powerful nectar from his heart violence, the depression and resentment chakra. It arcs around and forcefully and jealousy and bitterness, etc. – all enters your crown, filling your entire instantly dispelled, not one atom left. body, this time forcing up to the top of Recite the mantra as you visualize this. your body all the negativity of your speech, which overflows and disappears OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANU into space, not one atom left – just like, as PALAYA / VAJRASATTVA DENO PATITA / Lama Yeshe says, when you turn on the DIDO MAY BHAWA / SUTO KAYO MAY tap in the sink and fill the dirty glass, all BHAWA / SUPO KAYO MAY BHAWA / the junk in glass comes to the top and ANU RAKTO MAY BHAWA / SARWA overflows. SIDDHI MEMPAR YATSA / SARWA KARMA So imagine that all the gossip and SU TSA MAY / TSITAM SHRIYAM KURU harsh speech and useless speech and lying HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BHAGAWAN / and talking badly about others behind SARVA TATHAGATA / VAJRA MA MAY MU their backs – all this is purified by the TSA / VAJRA BHAWA MAHA SAMAYA powerful nectar filling you. SATTVA / AH HUM PHAT! Recite the mantra as you visualize this. Again, be delighted that all your OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANU delusions, which are the source of our PALAYA / VAJRASATTVA DENO PATITA / own suffering and the cause for why we DIDO MAY BHAWA / SUTO KAYO MAY harm others with our body and speech, BHAWA / SUPO KAYO MAY BHAWA / are totally purified, gone, finished. ANU RAKTO MAY BHAWA / SARWA Think: there is no space in your heart SIDDHI MEMPAR YATSA / SARWA KARMA now for anything but love and kindness SU TSA MAY / TSITAM SHRIYAM KURU and forgiveness and wisdom and bliss HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BHAGAWAN / and compassion. SARVA TATHAGATA / VAJRA MA MAY MU TSA / VAJRA BHAWA MAHA SAMAYA d. Purification of even the imprints of SATTVA / AH HUM PHAT! negativity of body, speech and mind This time imagine that Guru Vajrasattva Again, feel so happy that your speech is sends light again and it fills you now completely purified. And imagine completely and eradicates even the that it’s not possible that you could do subtlest imprint of negative energy from anything but benefit others with your your mind. (It’s like once you removed speech. the garlic from a jar, you still need to remove the smell.) Again recite the c. Purification of mind mantra. Third, Guru Vajrasattva now very compassionately sends powerful beams of

71 OM VAJRASATTVA SAMAYA MANU CONCLUSION PALAYA / VAJRASATTVA DENO PATITA / Guru Vajrasattva is delighted with us. DIDO MAY BHAWA / SUTO KAYO MAY Wanting to merge with your mind, he BHAWA / SUPO KAYO MAY BHAWA / melts into white light and absorbs into ANU RAKTO MAY BHAWA / SARWA you through your crown. Think: “My SIDDHI MEMPAR YATSA / SARWA KARMA guru’s body, speech and mind, SU TSA MAY / TSITAM SHRIYAM KURU Vajrasattva’s body, speech and mind, my HUM / HA HA HA HA HO / BHAGAWAN / own body, speech and mind: same thing.” SARVA TATHAGATA / VAJRA MA MAY MU “Union-oneness,” as Lama Yeshe would TSA / VAJRA BHAWA MAHA SAMAYA say. Meditate on this. SATTVA / AH HUM PHAT! Next, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche Now feel you are completely purified, recommends, meditate on the emptiness not one atom of negativity left in your of the three circles: “In emptiness, there is mindstream; even the subtlest no I, creator of negative karma; there is no obscurations to omniscience have been action of creating negative karma; there is removed. no negative karma created.” Place your mind in that emptiness for a little while. 4. The Power of Resolve In this way, look at all phenomena as The fourth step in the purification process, empty – they do not exist from their own and such a crucial one, is the side. determination not to harm with our body, speech and mind again. Without this, we DEDICATION PRAYERS keep doing the same old things. The Finally, dedicate all the merit, the positive determination, the aspiration, to not harm energy, you have created by doing this again is like a beacon that guides our purification to all living beings: body, speech and mind in new directions. Remember, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, As a result of the three-times’ merits of “Everything exists on the tip of the wish, myself and others, the aspiration.” May bodhichitta – from which the If you have taken vows, then think, “I happiness of all sentient beings will never break my pratimoksha vows. I comes – will never break my bodhisattva vows. I Be generated in the minds of self and will never break my tantric vows and other sentient beings without delay, commitments.” even for one second. As for our other old habits, if we can’t And that which has been generated, commit to never do them again, then may it increase. don’t lie to ourselves, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche says. So think carefully and then As a result of the three-times’ merits of decide to refrain from them for a year, a myself and others, month, a day, even a minute – whatever is May emptiness be generated in the realistic. Then in general vow to make the minds of self and others sentient effort to avoid the others. beings, without delay, even for one This determination not to do again is second. what gives us the strength to change. And that which has been generated, may it increase.

72 As a result of the three-times’ merits of THE MEANING OF THE MANTRA myself and others, May I, who am empty form my own OM the qualities of Buddha’s holy body, side, speech, and mind; all that is auspicious Achieve Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s and of great value enlightenment, which is empty from its own side. VAJRASATTVA the being who has the And lead all sentient beings, who are wisdom of inseparable bliss and empty from their own side, emptiness To that enlightenment, which is empty from its own side, SAMAYA a pledge that must not be As quickly as possible, by myself, trangressed alone. MANU PALAYA lead me along the path you Whatever dedication the Victorious took to enlightenment Ones Gone to Bliss Of the three times have admired as VAJRASATTVA DENO PATITA make me best, abide closer Vajrasattva’s vajra holy mind I shall also perfectly dedicate in the same way all these roots of virtue DIDO MAY BHAWA please grant me a firm So that I may perform good works. and stable realization of the ultimate nature of phenomena Because of the past, present, and future merit created by me and by the SUTO KAYO MAY BHAWA please grant me Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and sentient the blessing of being extremely pleased beings, with me May I, my family, students, and all sentient beings SUPO KAYO MAY BHAWA bless me with the Be able to actualize completely in this nature of well developed great bliss very lifetime Lama Tsong Khapa’s path of unified ANU RAKTO MAY BHAWA bless me with sutra and tantra, the nature of the love that Which is pure like refined gold. leads me to your state May this pure teaching of Lama Tsong Khapa SARWA SIDDHI MEMPAR YATSA please Spread in all directions and flourish grant all powerful att ainments forever. SARWA KARMA SU TSA MAY please grant all virtuous actions ------TSITAM SHRIYAM KURU please grant your glorious qualities

HUM the vajra holy mind

A HA HA HA HO the five transcendental wisdoms

BHAGAWAN one who has destroyed every

73 obscuration, attained all realizations, and 4. The power of the resolve or passed beyond suffering determination not to do again purifies the action similar to the cause, which in a sense SARVA TATHAGATA all those who have is the worst result: it’s the habit to keep realized emptiness, knowing things just as killing, which propels one back into the they are lower realms.

VAJRA MA MAY MUTSA do not abandon me By Robina Courtin, based on the VAJRA BHAWA the nature of indestructible teachings of her lamas, Lama Thubten inseparability Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

MAHA SAMAYA SATTVA the great pledge being; the great being who has the pledge, the vajra holy mind

AH the vajra holy speech

HUM the transcendental wisdom of great bliss

PHAT! clarifying the transcendental wisdom of inseparable bliss and emptiness and destroying the dualistic mind that obstructs it

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THE FOUR TYPES OF KARMIC RESULTS THAT THE FOUR OPPONENT POWERS PURIFY

1. The power of regret purifies the experience similar to the cause, which, let’s say for killing, is to get killed, to die young or to get sick.

2. The power of reliance, Refuge and bodhicitta purify the environment result, which for killing is living in a place where the food and medicine are not conducive to good health.

3. The power of the remedy, in this case the visualization and recitation of mantras – or whatever action one does as the actual antidote – purifies the throwing karma that causes birth in the lower realms.

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