Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life After All

SHANTIDEVA’S Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life An oral explanation of Chapter 8: Concentration

Kyabje Gelek Rimpoche Teachings 2004 Ann Arbor, Michigan

Jewel Heart Transcript

Jewel Heart Transcripts are lightly to moderately edited transcriptions of the teachings of Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche and others teachers who have taught at Jewel Heart. Their purpose is to provide Rimpoche’s students, as well as all others who are interested, with these extremely valuable teachings in a way that gives one the feeling of being present at the teachings.

JEWEL HEART 1129 Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA Phone (1) 734.994.3387 www.jewelheart.org

Acknowledgements

This book is a moderately edited transcript of oral explanations given by Kyabje Gelek Rimpoche on Chapter Eight of Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacharyavatara, A Guide to the Bodhi- sattva’s Way of Life. Rimpoche gave these teachings on Tuesday nights in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from February to October 2004. Rimpoche’s teachings on Shantideva’s text have continued to the present. Transcripts of Chapters Nine and Ten will be issued in separate volumes as they are completed. The transcripts on Chapters One through Seven are already available through Jewel Heart. Throughout this transcript, Rimpoche uses the English translation by Stephen Batchelor, published by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. Since Rimpoche frequent- ly makes reference to Tibetan words and phrasing, the Ti- betan translation of the Sanskrit original is included in Wylie transliteration in the Appendix. Rimpoche did not introduce a traditional extensive outline in giving this teaching. For those interested, an outline of this sort may be found in Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s Meaning- ful to Behold. The headings, subheadings and footnotes in this present volume have been added by the editor for ease of reference, and to help delineate changes of topic. A brief bibliograpy is included. For a glossary, see the transcript on Chapters One through Three in this series.

The transcription of these teachings from recordings was done by Hartmut Sagolla. It has been my great good fortune to be able to work on this volume. Errors in this transcript are solely due to my carelessness or lack of knowledge. Please let me know about any you may find in order that we may improve future editions. May this work be of great benefit to all who read it or even hear about it!

Jang chub sem chog rin po che May the precious bodhimind Ma kye pa nam kye gyur chig Not yet born arise and grow. Kye pa nyam pa may pa yang May that born have no decline, Gong nay gong du pel war shog But increase forever more.

Anne Warren Cleveland, Ohio June 2008

Contents

MEDITATION

INTRODUCTION 5

VERSE 1-8 15

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 30

VERSE 9-16 32

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 49

VERSE 17-24 52

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 61

VERSE 25-40 66

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 90

VERSE 41-70 95

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 117

VERSE 71-108 135

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 197

VERSE 109-187 199

APPENDIX I: TIBETAN TRANSLITERATION, CHAPTER EIGHT 277

APPENDIX II: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 301

NOTES 303

I Introduction

This chapter contains Shantideva’s teaching on meditation. Jewel Heart has two parallel programs on this topic. First is this transcript of oral teachings on Chapter 8 of the Bodhi- sattvacharyavatara, the longest chapter in the text, which talks about which topics to meditate on. Then, in addition, I taught the meditation chapter of Tsongkhapa’s Lam rim chen mo, which covers the structure of meditation.1 Both are on the same subject, but based on different texts. When you combine these two together, you get both the structure and what to think, a very comprehensive meditation course. Putting them together makes it work better.

What kind of meditation are we talking about? Before I begin the chapter itself, I would like to briefly talk about what meditation is. This afternoon I, flying in from Miami, I was thinking about the many different uses of the term meditation in Tibetan and English. In Tibetan, the type of meditation we are going to talk about here is zhi ne2. It is almost the ultimate meditation. The word zhi is peace or harmony, and ne is remaining, so together it means ‘remaining in peace and harmony.’3 I don’t know whether the English word ‘meditation’ conveys this. I am not a native speaker of the language so can’t say for sure, but I don’t think it does.

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What is peace and what is harmony? The word in Ti- betan is nyam par zhak pa4 or nyam zhak for short. Nyam means equal and zhak means remain. Here equalized means balanced; you remain balanced, not off-balance or unbalanced. You bring your mind into harmony. As we pray in the Four Immeasurables, may all beings be free from attachment and hatred; don’t let obsession and hatred take place so much. Try to remain balanced. Don’t have too much of an extreme of anything: that is unbalanced. Meditation here, zhi ne, means the same, remaining in peace and harmony. We are definitely working with our mind to bring peace, joy and harmony within our mind. We have so many struggles within ourselves, extreme struggles that are somehow sparked up by certain conditions in our lives, financial problems, health problem, family problems, political or social issues or whatever. These spark up and our mind is dragged through this struggle. We drag our mind and never let it be at peace. Sparking or conditions are external causes. They are always there, but we run with them and make our mind as miserable as possible. On the other hand, sometimes we are too extremely happy. We either go high up here or way down there. Med- itation’s job is to make sure you remain neither too high, too much haha-yana, nor too much zoom-doom-yana at the other extreme. Bringing your mind closer to a peaceful state, closer to what the term zhi ne means is one effect of meditation. Even so, this is merely a short-term goal of meditation, not the long-term goal. The Sanskrit word for it is shamatha, but I don’t know whether that gives you the same message as the Tibetan. It is sometimes important to keep this vocabulary in mind. That doesn’t mean that you have to learn Ti- betan, but these terms give you a tremendous message. Do you know when I learned the word zhi ne? When I was a kid, probably about 4 or 5 years old. It didn’t mean anything to me for a long time. When I think about the English word ‘meditation’ and wonder how to explain this,

6 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE it is difficult. In Tibetan, when you think about it, the meaning of zhi and ne gives you a message. Therefore it is important, even before we begin this chapter, to know that the word zhi ne really means: bringing our mind into peace and tranquility.

Meditation from two angles. How did Buddha bring peace and tranquility to his disciples? He brought it from two angles. One angle is focusing, concentrating and being mindful. The other angle is analyzing, understanding and getting deeply into the subject you are looking at, cutting through the misinformation and misunderstanding, cutting through the mystery of our whole life, our total existence. From these two angles, Buddha brought peace and harmony. Now the question remains: are both these ways necessary? Are they relevant to me, an individual looking for a better spiritual life in downtown Ann Arbor, minding my own business, drinking a cup of coffee at Zingerman’s or at the Co-op? Is this something relevant for me or not? Why is it relevant? These are the questions. To me, the answer remains that if you are looking for a spiritual path, for development, even just for the betterment of your situation in this life, both these angles are necessary. Our biggest problems are actually not external - although our president irritates us every day! The more he does anything, the more we get irritated. Just today he made a public statement that he wants to introduce a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriages. In the 200 years of our constitution, there have been just 17 amendments. Why do we need one for this? Take this as an example. This is irritating, to be sure, but the irritation happens in our mind. George Bush is trying to ban gay people from getting together through a constitutional amendment. It irritates us, because we have a picture of what we want in our mind already. We don’t necessarily want to be gay, or to get married to someone of the same sex, but we want things to be fair and open for everybody.

Gelek Rimpoche

When that is completely ignored and bulldozed by right- wing extremist ideas, then we get irritated. We provide the condition within our own mind. George Bush provides the external condition and we provide the internal condition, so we get into trouble with irritation.

The source of problems. Where do these internal conditions of ours come from? It is very funny. You can say they come from hatred and from all kinds of emotions, but if you look deeply inside, most of them are caused by obsession. Alt- hough hatred is very vivid and horrible and makes you mad and mean, it is not the root cause. Behind it is obsession. I don’t want you just to believe me. Think and analyze this and find out if that is true. Even hatred itself comes from obsession. This amazes me, really. Hatred is so hot, anger is so burning and terrible, but deep down inside there, obsession is the cause. When that gets threatened, or when fear develops, that brings hatred. We are now accusing George Bush of lashing out with pre-emptive strikes. It is true, but we do the same thing. When our obsession gets threatened, the first weapon we pick up is anger and hatred. Obsession is desire. It is not offensive enough to protect itself, so you immediately produce anger and that is offensive. If you don’t take care of the anger, it becomes hatred and that can carry on throughout our life. Sometimes it goes on for generations. But deep down, if you look, there is obsession. The moment I talk about obsession, you probably think that this is obsession with somebody or something else. I am not talking about that. I am talking about our obsession with our own ego. It is there, believe me. Whoever you may be, it is there. All the different characters we show are just a kind of ego protection. That problem is causing us unhappiness. We go to extremes, either too happy or too sad. We don’t have that equalizing, that nyam par shak. We are unbalanced. As long

8 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE as we lose our balance, we will constantly and continuously have problems. Even if we are on the spiritual path, if we are totally dedicated, good church-going people, or as in our case, good Dharma talk attending people, we have that same problem. Sometimes, we have it even worse than those yuppies or other kinds of people. Buddhists are not necessarily better people than others, certainly not. There is no reason Buddhists are better than Christian, Jews or Hindus. It totally depends on the individual. Being a Christian, Jew or Hindu is not necessarily better either. Being a good person is what counts, for sure. Buddhism is a method, a technique and so are Christianity and Juda- ism and so forth. Nothing is wrong with the traditions, everything is wrong with the corruptions of those traditions, including when that occurs within Buddhism. It depends on the individual people. From person to person, you will definitely see a difference. Every person has to help himself or herself. True, you can find help from others, but it is also true that you are the only one who can really help you. Nagarjuna, a great Indian philosopher, teacher and Buddhist scholar, is called the person who carried Buddha’s banner, the standard-bearer. This extremely important Indian master said: You are your own leader. How can anyone else be your leader? No one can lead you. If you make it, that is because of your leadership. If you fail, it is because of your leadership. Nobody else’s. You can get help, you can get suggestions, but no one can really do the job for you. You have to do it yourself. There- fore, just being a religious person, whether Buddhist or Catholic or anything else, doesn’t guarantee that you are a good person. Every one of these traditions has its own wonderful qualities. I am sure that many of you have been

Gelek Rimpoche to Catholic schools. The influence from that is that you try to do everything right. If you do the slightest thing wrong, you have to feel a little guilty. That is the influence of that tradition and it is really great. Every tradition can give you that kind of influence. However, traditions are just traditions and individuals are individuals. All the problems we are facing today are not the fault of the traditions but the fault of the individuals. Yes, corrupted traditions contribute a lot to our problems. We can’t deny that, but even then, in any case we have to help ourselves.

We need to be able to focus. The way to help ourselves is to bring our mind up, to raise it above obsession and hatred. We have to bring balance to our minds. We are not only talking about obsession and hatred. Especially when talking about meditation, we also have to have a balance between wandering mind and sinking mind. At the moment, we are unable to focus on anything because we cannot hold our mind steady. Try to think about just one little thing. Try it. You will find you can’t stay with one thing for longer than 2 or 3 seconds. You realize you are already thinking about something else. I have to tell you a funny story. A lot of experiences in my life are so strange! In the 1960’s, a really good healer who was an absolutely crazy guy invited me to Texas. He could heal almost everybody who came to him with the gift of healing power. He brought me from India to give him an initiation and I was happy to do it. At that time I didn’t know much English at all. Whatev- er people asked me, I would say, ‘Yes, yes, yes.’ This guy was talking to me about meditation, but I didn’t know what he meant by that. I told him, ‘I don’t know anything about meditation.’ He kept on saying, ‘You know it, for sure,’ but I really didn’t. If he had talked to me about zhi ne or nyam shak or even gom5, I would have understood, but ‘meditation’ did not mean anything to me.

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So he proceeded to show me meditation. He lit some incense and told me to watch the smoke and check how long I could sit with it. I watched the smoke and began to realize that I was thinking about all kinds of other things, mainly, ‘What is he trying to tell me here? What is this all about?’ My mind was absolutely busy, trying to figure this out. He had told me to watch the incense until it had burned down about an inch or so. That to him was a good meditation. The idea really is how to hold your mind on one single point. What does that do if you can hold and focus your mind? This not only gives you sharpness of mind, it helps you to penetrate much deeper into any subject you decide to think about. You understand far better and your understanding won’t be superficial. As I said in my example, when I heard so many times about zhi ne and about ‘meditation’, the difference was that with zhi ne I knew the meaning and with meditation I didn’t, so my mind was getting deeper into that. Just like that, your mind will go deeper and you will gain much better understanding and knowledge.

Balancing your mind balances your energies. Not only do you get better knowledge, but because your mind can focus for a long time on one point, it becomes peaceful and balanced. If your mind is peaceful and balanced, your energy and thoughts will be balanced. The Tibetan tradition says that there are energies or airs (Tib. rlung) that travel through our channels and chakras. These are balanced by zhi ne, and because of that balance you develop joy in body and joy in mind. The combination of that physical and mental joy enhances whatever you are focusing on. You may be looking for the absolute meaning, for spiritual development or anything else. Whatever your focal point may be will be enhanced. We all know that there are many ways to bring mental and physical joy. The tantric Vajrayana way of bringing that

Gelek Rimpoche about is something fantastic but also quite drastic. Concen- trated meditation can also bring joy. The kinds of joy developed in Vajrayana and that developed in zhi ne are two different things; both the mental and the physical joy are different. However, through meditation, you can bring a joy which is extremely helpful. Actually, without it, you can’t really move forward. The principle of the formula of Vajrayana and that of zhi ne is basically the same, but the techniques are different. The basic formula is this: by holding the mind, you can hold the energies. By balancing the mind, you can balance the energies. By balancing the energies, you can bring harmony. By bringing harmony in the body, you get bodily joy. By experiencing joy in the body, you can bring joy to the mind. Sexuality is an example: Physical sexual joy brings happiness to the mind, at least for a couple of seconds! The principle is the same here. One condition affects the other. Here we are really talking about the body-mind relationship. First you have to work at holding the mind. That will bring balance and harmony to the mind. That will bring joy to the body and that will bring harmony to the mind and that will bring joy to the mind. It is a tremendous zig-zag relationship.

The goal of this chapter. We are trying to reach this level. I will tell you the best of whatever I know, as well as using this treasure of knowledge that is the Bodhisattvacharyavatara. I am going to continue in the same way as previous chapters, reading as well as explaining each verse, but I wanted to first introduce the purpose. My job will be to read the text with you and give you the information. Your job will be to experiment by yourself. Try to sit and put a little time in. Don’t sit too long. Five minutes a day will be good. This chapter has 187 verses and if I go at the same pace as I did with the other chapters it is going to take a hell of a

12 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE time. We spent 6 or 7 years on the first seven chapters and judging from that it could take a long time to finish this chapter, but I am not going to take too long. I have two choices. Yes, I can finish easily and soon, no problem, but would I do a disservice to the future generations who will read the transcripts? On the other hand, we don’t want to go on endlessly and never finish. Then on top of that, I talk too much, and that’s one reason why has been taking so long.

Resources for learning this material. Several different translations of this text are available. Stephen Batchelors’s is called A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. One by Vesna and Al- len Wallace is also called A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. The Bodhicaryavatara by Kate Crosby and Andrew Skil- ton is in the Oxford Classics Edition. Then there is Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s The Bodhisattva’s Way of Life and another one called The Way of the Bodhisattva by the Padmakara Translation Group. Of the various translations, I think the one by Allen Wallace should be really good. I haven’t read it but apparently it is based on both the Sanskrit original and the Tibetan, plus Allen knows Tibetan very well. Further there are two commentaries in English, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s Meaningful to Behold, and A Flash of Light- ning in the Dark of Night by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.6 If you are serious about studying this material, read this transcript, but also compare several of the translations and look into the commentaries. Try to develop your understanding, and then next time, when you look at the short verses of the root text all the important points should pop up in your mind. That is how you can help yourself.

II Meditation

VERSE 1 Having developed enthusiasm in this way, I should place my mind in concentration; For the person whose mind is distracted Dwells between the fangs of disturbing conceptions. According to the Tibetan commentary I normally use, in the first verse, Shantideva is saying, ‘Up to now I have explained generosity, morality, patience and enthusiasm. Before that, there was also the chapter on conscientiousness and the first two before that, all in all seven chapters. Now we need a strong focusing point: I should place my mind in concentration. If you don’t have balancing, a good samadhi, the meditative level, you will never be able to be free yourself from the extremes of obsession and hatred, the fangs of disturbing conceptions.’ Why is important to have focus? Focusing helps take your mind away from points that you don’t want to focus on, from things that you don’t want to think about. Even if you have very good enthusiasm, even if you are kind and compassionate, generous, with perfect morality, if you cannot focus, you won’t be able to gain power over your negative emotions. You can’t get away from the fangs of the fearful

15 Gelek Rimpoche samsaric animals. That is why you need meditation. I talked in some detail about this in my introduction.

Another commentary adds more. You need to balance your mind. Buddha himself has said, Yes, you have to have patience and you have to learn, but then you have to sit in the forest and meditate. You have to use your knowledge of generosity, morality, patience and enthusiasm in order to move yourself forward. You have to meditate on impermanence, the importance of this life and the other spiritual points. These words tell us two things, what we need to do and what we need to discard. We need to develop patience, collect information and have enthusiasm. We need to focus and develop wisdom. What we have to discard is our mental wandering or distraction and our wasting of time, and we have to challenge our ignorance. Being careful about wasting time and distracting oneself is extremely important, particularly for people in the United States. It is very easy to waste time. The biggest friend for wasting our time is right in our living room, the TV set. For me, at one time it was the greatest help. I learned all my English through listening to the radio and watching TV. At the same time, it is the biggest time-waster. You can keep watching different programs and especially on holidays you can spend hours and hours watching the box. You won’t know where the time has gone, then suddenly the holidays are over. The United States has the best time wasting services available of all countries! Everything is focused commer- cially on how to keep people from being bored, how to capture their minds, how to capture their interest. From the business point of view, they are doing a very good job, but from our point of view they are depriving us of the best opportunity to develop spiritually.

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What wasting time really is. The definition of wasting time is that our mind is captured by unimportant things. We watch commercials, politics or anything. For us, who want to have this beautiful harmony of body and mind we were talking about, all these things are distractions. For society in general, it may not be considered a distraction. A lot of it is information and you need that as a job requirement, but for this purpose here, it is a waste of time, depleting our energy, grabbing our mind. It is bad for us. Can we really avoid it? No, we would end up being na- ïve, stupid people who don’t know anything that is going on in the world. The question really comes, ‘How can we manage this 21st century baggage?’ From what I have seen, you are doing very well in this country. People are very good at dividing their time, willingly or because you are forced to do it. You may have to, because you have to manage job and family, pay your bills and so on. The important thing is to choose your priorities right and really keep the divisions of the time that you are putting in place properly. Otherwise, the danger is that the first things we sacrifice in our life are our spiritual activities. For most people, that is the first thing to go, because there is no bill collector following us. The only bill collector is death, which only comes once and then when it comes it is too late. Nobody will call you, remind you, send you notices in the mail or email or leave you phone messages. When death comes, it is too late, so you have to be your own leader. You have to lead yourself properly. There is nobody else. Yes, friends can help, but you can’t rely on them. Friends may remind you two or three times, but then that is the end of it, so we have to help ourselves. If you don’t help yourself, who else is going to do it? Remember what Nagarjuna said: You are your own leader, your own protector. No one else can help you. Nagarjuna was a great Mahapandit and Mahasiddha, one of the 84 Mahasid- dhas. When you shrink the list of great Buddhist teachers

Gelek Rimpoche down to the most important thirty-five, he is in that group. When you shrink that to seventeen, he is there, when you shrink it down to eight, he is still there, when you shrink it down to six, he is there, and even when you shrink it to two, he is there. Nagarjuna is the source of all the wisdom teachings of the Buddha and Asanga is the source of the compassion teachings. That’s why when you boil it down to the two most important, it’s them. That is who is telling us this!

Why enthusiasm is important. This verse starts by saying having developed enthusiasm, because the previous chapter was about enthusiasm, one of the important things to develop in our life. If we have no enthusiasm, nothing can be done, honestly. You have no interest; you are forced to do it, whether you like it or not. Tibetan teachers give a funny example: When you do something good, you behave like a dead-tired donkey carrying a heavy load, climbing a high mountain. If you are a donkey, they will beat you and push you from behind. Feeling like we are being beaten and driven is the example of what not to do; what we should do is have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is necessary in everything, in your life, your profession, your compassion. Without it, whatever you do is not that good. Even if you don’t have enthusiasm, you must at least have interest. If you don’t have interest, you will drop out. You are going to lose it and discontinue your work, and whatever you do, won’t help at all. Interest makes you build positive karma and makes you work better. Enthusiasm increases whatever you do tremendously. Because you are interested and enthusiastic, you won’t give up easily. You will be persistent. For every effort you put in, you will get a result. Enthusiasm alone is not enough. You need everything that has been talked about earlier in the text. For example, if I have enthusiasm but I don’t know what to do, then how can I help you? What can I do for you? These are

18 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE good questions. What are you going to answer? ‘I don’t know?’ That is a very good way to build your interest and enthusiasm. If you have interest and enthusiasm, you must focus immediately, through focusing meditation: Having developed enthusiasm in this way, I should place my mind in concentration.

Why do we have to meditate? Generally, meditation gives you force and understanding. Particularly, Buddha’s way is to meditate to overpower our negative addictions or disturbing conceptions, such as obsession. First we have attraction. That will build up and become attachment, then that will become stronger and become obsession. When you become obsessed with something, you will do all kinds of funny, negative things. We know that from our own life, so that’s not good. We need a direct antidote, something to directly contradict obsession. In Thailand, sometimes in the monasteries they even keep dead bodies in water. In the old style, they didn’t know how to embalm bodies or keep them in mortuaries. Plus it is very hot in Thailand, so they used to put the dead bodies in water. People could look at the dead bodies in the water tanks in the monasteries and really see this. You may think it is a horrible thing, but on the other hand if you have tremendous obsession, this is very helpful in cutting it. In true reality, our bodies are in the nature of this horrible- ness and that is what we are obsessed with! Especially self-cherishing is a problem. We are talking about the Bodhisattva’s way of life, how we can function like a Bodhisattva, so all the self-cherishing and ego- boosting harms us a lot. Sometimes, when you first look, self-cherishing and ego-boosting don’t seem so bad. Espe- cially in American culture we teach ourselves how to boost our egos! But I will say no, we are not really trying to develop our ego but our self-esteem. Self-esteem is important, but we are not encouraging people to boost their ego.

Gelek Rimpoche

When you meditate, when you focus, when you concentrate, these are our problems, the points to meditate and focus on. I am still talking about the first verse. If you don’t focus, you won’t be able to get to the bottom of the problem. If you don’t get to the bottom of it, you won’t be able to solve the problem. It is almost like you are living in the jaws of the shark of negative emotions with its fangs ready to chew you. To protect ourselves, we have to develop focus, we have to develop zhi ne. The purpose of learning is to help ourselves. We have to be able to utilize what we learn. The way to utilize is to focus and meditate on it. During this teaching, I am going to talk about meditation, what to meditate on and how to do it. I have to quote Buddha here, Learn patiently and learn a lot. After learning one must remain in quietness. Quietness and solitude in the forest. Buddha literally says remain in the forest. At that time in India, if you wanted quietness you would run into the forest and remain there where it was really quiet, unless you came across some snakes or croco- diles or something. While the old way of explaining says to go to the forest, it doesn’t literally mean that you have to run into a forest. You could remain in the middle of downtown Manhattan, in Canal Street in Chinatown, and maintain internal quietness. Quietness is in the mind and not out there in the street, but traditional teachings will tell you to go into the forest. A great Tibetan teacher said, One can obtain liberation within the home, like the great Marpa, founder of the Kagyu tradition, for example. Marpa was a great Tibetan master who remained at home as a family person, a farmer. By doing his farm work he developed himself and became the founder of one of the out- standing traditions.

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Liberation does not require you to literally go into the forest, although that is what many old texts will say. You are going to hear it in this text a million times, too, but every time it says go to the forest that means maintaining quietness and awareness, which is something you can learn and do in your own home and in your everyday life. We need that in today’s 21st century world. We cannot go into the forest and even if we went there, the forests in Michigan, for example, are fully polluted anyway! All the Canadian garbage is filling up all our forests. We are still lucky not to have taken the nuclear waste from some other state. So it won’t work to run to the forest!

An Owner’s Manual for our life. What is really needed? Pa- tience and enthusiasm are necessary. If you are interested you can look back at Chapter Six, so many pages about patience. Then learning is also important. I don’t mean that you have to be a scholar, but if you have no learning you are very limited, believe me. I just did some DVD recordings for the Odyssey to Free- dom study course. If you don’t have the manual with you and the recording equipment doesn’t work, all you can do is wait and see what happens when you press this or that button. With limited knowledge, you cannot do that much, so a minimum amount of learning is necessary. Learning has tremendous qualities. Buddha’s works have huge bun- dles of texts about learning. For example: Learning is the light that eliminates the darkness of not knowing, ignorance and confusion. It is the best wealth that thieves cannot steal from you. It is your best friend that will never let you down, now matter what poor, low or difficult conditions you may face. It is the best weapon for you to destroy your ignorance. It is your best friend to give you suggestions or ideas. This is all true. Buddha is not lying here. Learning is so important. I am not encouraging you to become a scholar, but

Gelek Rimpoche you have to know at least what to do, how to think, what should function. You have to know what result you will get if you do something or don’t do it. Otherwise, why you should you meditate for nothing? Why do I meditate? What happens if I meditate on this point? What happens if I meditate on that point? If I do this, what will happen and if I do that what will happen? You don’t have to just experiment, but you can learn and get this information. Getting information is like learning from a manual. These days, if you buy anything electronic, you get a big, thick Owner’s Manual along with it, right? Without that, you won’t know what to do. That’s what you have to build within yourself. Unfortunately nobody has made manuals for us! That is what I mean by learning and that is necessary. If you haven’t learned what to do and just sit down and try to apply it, you will face problems but won’t know what to do or how to fix them. Therefore, getting the information is one of the requirements for meditation.

VERSE 2 However, through solitude of body and mind No distractions will occur; Therefore, I should forsake the worldly life, And completely discard distorted conceptions. This verse gives you a brief general idea of what you have to get rid of, what obstructs you, without going into much detail. Not only do you need to maintain quietness of mind but from the physical angle you also need quietness: solitude of body and mind.7 Physical quietness means not sitting in a noisy place. Earlier I said that it is possible to meditate in the middle of Canal Street in downtown New York. However, at the be- ginner’s level, if we were thrown into the middle of Canal Street and tried to meditate, the cars would run over us

22 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE from right and left. There would be nothing left of us to meditate! At the beginning level, it is important to have a nice, quiet place, where at least your body is not experiencing any disturbances or distractions. Otherwise, somebody around you will say, ‘Hey!’ Something else will say, ‘Beep, beep, beep,’ and so on. Not just other people disturb you, also the telephones and cell phones we all have. All these ‘beep, beep, beep,’ sounds mean that we don’t have the quietness of body. Body quietness is not enough. Mind quietness is also important. If you do not have quietness of mind, even sitting locked in a closet is the same as sitting in the middle of Canal Street. To lock yourself up is then just unnecessary suffering! In the long run, when you know how to maintain the mind quietness, then no matter where your body is, even in the middle of Canal Street, you can remain quiet. The mind that learns how to maintain quietness helps the body and dictates to the body how to maintain quietness. This is possible, but for us not now. What disturbs our mind? All the everyday worldly stuff, ‘I need this, I need that,’ all that stuff and all the things we do and go to, the things we say, get and pay for, what we play, listen to, talk about, and so on. In short, all kinds of subtle or gross thoughts, all kinds of positive or negative emotions, our distorted conceptions (Tib. nam tok8) can be disturbing. For the purpose of concentrated meditation, even positive thoughts can be disturbing. Not necessarily, but they can be, because we have to learn how to focus. That’s what verse 2 tells us.

VERSE 3 Worldly life is not forsaken because of attachment (to people), And due to craving for material gain and the like; Therefore I should entirely forsake these things, For this is the way in which the wise behave.

Gelek Rimpoche

Our biggest mental disturbance is obsession, attachment, desire. We cannot maintain mind quietness, because we have strong desire, strong attachment and even obsession for everything, toward people and for material gain and the like. Honestly speaking, we have obsession for so many things! We have obsession for people – don’t make me spell it out - we know it very well. We do have obsession with things, and to name and fame. In this Western culture, almost all our life is geared towards building something to be obsessed with! Everybody wants to be the best in their profession. I don’t mean that that is always bad. It has its advantages, but if you want to pick up concentrated meditation power, this will be one of the main difficulties, making you unable to maintain focus. One of the biggest obstacles to having control over our own mind is obsession and desire. We have tremendous desire and attachment to our fame and name, to every material thing we have. People here may say, ‘I don’t have that much desire, I am okay.’ That’s true to a certain extent, but even those who claim not to have any desire have it very strongly, believe it or not. De- sire can go both ways, positive and negative. We know negative desire can be a problem. Here I have to point out even positive desire can be a problem. Let’s say you like to eat health food. You have a strong desire for healthy food. You won’t eat anything else. You don’t want to wear anything that has synthetic fibers. You want pure cotton, pure wool and so on. That is a desire to be pure. I don’t mean that is bad, but it is desire. This is how your life is pulled by desire, for healthy food, for 100% cotton clothes free of synthetics. I am not criticizing this. I am just pointing out that there is desire there. Even though it is good desire, healthy desire, good for you and the environment, even then it is desire. Desire is not necessarily bad, but it draws your attention away from what you are focusing on. This is what this 3rd

24 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE verse is telling us, saying that we should free ourselves from all these desires. The author chose to call those who are able to do that intelligent, learned, wise. If you read along in the text you will know where I am going. How do you become a learned intelligent person who knows how to build knowledge of not having desires which draw your attention away from your focusing point? If that is the problem, how do I handle it? What sort of antidote should I apply? The next verse is about that.

VERSE 4 Having understood that disturbing conceptions are completely overcome By superior insight endowed with calm abiding, First of all I should search for calm abiding. This is achieved through the genuine joy of those unattached to worldly life. The first antidote you apply to desire is the mind that remains in peace, zhi ne, here translated as calm abiding, free of obstacles. Such a meditative state should be free of both wandering and sinking mind, the two biggest problems for meditation. If you don’t focus, the mind wanders. The other problem, called sinking mind, is getting drowsy or falling asleep when you try to focus and hold the object. Free from sinking and wandering, the mind must be focused on positive virtues. With such a peaceful mind of calm abiding you must then specially see the source of the problem, negative emotions, the addictions and their roots. You must see them clearly through lhak tong, Sanskrit vipasyana.9 First, build a stable mind, second, a sharp mind; first of all I should search for calm abiding. Zhi ne, the first stage, is a completely concentrated mind, focusing without so much thinking. The second stage should be analyzing; the ultimate form of analyzing is superior insight, superior seeing, lhak tong, Sanskrit vipasyana. When you are trying to build a

Gelek Rimpoche stable mind, if you keep on analyzing then, that will take a lot of time and you will not be able to focus much, so the first thing is to develop focus. That is why the 5th paramita, concentrated meditation power, is considered to be the pre-requirement or prerequisite for the 6th paramitas or wisdom. Without wisdom, we can do nothing, and we cannot get wisdom without focusing. Buddha himself said, If you have a clear focusing mind it will be like the autumn sky free of clouds where the moon can be clearly seen. Autumn is mentioned for a special reason. Tibet is very dusty. During the summer, the rainfall settles all the dust, so that autumn is the clearest period. Poets also talk about the autumn moon because of that. With no clouds in the sky, the moon will automatically be revealed to you. Like- wise, if you have a stable mind, wisdom will be revealed to you. (That doesn’t mean that you don’t have to put any efforts in!) Why? Because focusing through concentrated meditation actually reduces and even suppresses all the negative emotions. Then wisdom eliminates the imprints or the roots or the seeds of the negative emotions. That is why you need these two and why focusing must come first.

The different levels of concentrated meditation. At this point I should introduce something else, a little bit of a philosophical point, but if I don’t say it, you will have no way of trac- ing where we are going. There are six different stages or levels of concentration, traditionally called samadhis or meditative states. There are four form stages, simply called first stage, second stage, third stage, fourth stage, and four formless stages which have different names. There is a prerequisite stage for form stage one, and then stage one itself is also divided into actual stage one and special actual stage one.

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So there are stages one, two, three and four, and the first one has a prerequisite stage before it and also the special actual stage after it. That makes six. This is just to give you an idea that there are various layers. You can see where you are going, in what category you are moving into. This gives you a point of reference. Right now a lot of people in the United States are meditating, but many of them just sit down, try to clear all their thoughts out and think nothing. A lot of people are also beginning to think about different subjects, like meditating on compassion, impermanence, emptiness, wisdom, but they have no way of knowing whether they are doing right or wrong or in what direction they are going, because they lack any point of reference. That is why I wanted to introduce these six different points of reference. In the commentary I am using, at verse 4 this comes as an aside. Verse 4 says first of all I should search for calm abiding. The commentary says that the word calm here means these six stages. By the word ‘calm’ alone you have to know that.

VERSES 5-7 Because of the obsession one transient being Has for other transient beings, They will not see their beloved ones again For many thousands of lives. Not seeing them, I am unhappy And my mind cannot be settled in equipoise; Even if I see them, there is no satisfaction And, as before, I am tormented by craving. Through being attached to living beings I am completely obscured from the perfect reality, My disillusionment (with cyclic existence) perishes And in the end I am tortured by sorrow.

Gelek Rimpoche

These verses tell you that in addition to avoiding obsession to anything, you should particularly not have obsession to beings, human beings, living beings, anyone. We do have a lot of obsession to beings, tremendously! It is not that we cannot have love and affection, but from the particular point of view of focusing, building the calm, quiet of the zhi ne level, all of these are distractions and obstacles. This is important. Let’s say you have obsession for somebody who doesn’t want you around and doesn’t even want to talk to you. What can you do? Here they tell you how to avoid it, but we can use that for this purpose. If I have obsession for a beautiful, young chick or whatever, how do I deal with my mind? These verses tell us, ‘What you are obsessing about is impermanent, silly! It looks nice today, but it can be horrible tomorrow. Go see the dead bodies in a Thai monastery! How stupid I am, seeing something impermanent and transient like this as something that is very permanent!’ In addition, because of that I will have to go through tremendous torment. We all happily go through this torture, don’t we? But there is more. Torment for a short period would be fine, but it will lead you down to the hell realms where it will torture you for a thousand lifetimes! Be- cause of our obsession, our strong desire will rise. We can’t fulfill it, so anger comes up. We cannot handle that, so it becomes hatred and all kinds of negative mental states, and we do all kinds of negative actions. That process gradually leads us not only to short-term suffering, but also to suffering for many thousands of lives. We also have the problem of not seeing them, not meeting the ones we are obsessed with. Then we cannot meditate, we cannot focus and think, we cannot be settled in equipoise, because we have to see and meet that person, but even if we meet them once, we are not satisfied, there is no satisfaction, we want more, right? The same thing we have done once, we have to repeat. Would I like to be such a

28 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE silly person, wasting my life, my opportunity, my capability, my opportunity, my human value, for such a thing only to be tortured by sorrow at the end?

Appreciate, but do not hang on. Because of that, I should train myself to appreciate but not to hang on. Do you hear my words? Appreciate, but do not hang on! Allen Ginsberg used to quote William Blake, He who binds to himself a joy Doth the winged life destroy. But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity’s sunrise. Because of attachment, obsession, hanging on, we will never be able to develop our focusing point. Without that focus, that zhi ne, we will not develop the special seeing lhak tong and the wisdom: I am completely obscured from the perfect reality. Thus we will have unhappiness and our mind will always be captured by this unhappiness, sadness, sorrow. That is how we torture ourselves. We shouldn’t do that.

VERSE 8 By thinking only of them, This life will pass without any meaning. (Furthermore,) impermanent friends and relatives Will even destroy the Dharma (which leads to) permanent (liberation). When desire and obsession constantly occupy your mind, you create all kinds of negativities just to fulfill that desire. By the time you realize it, your life is gone. It is impermanent: life will pass without any meaning. This thinking only of them will not only destroy your life, but also your spiritual path, your Dharma, completely.

Gelek Rimpoche

Why should we be the losers? We should not be, yet we always make very strong black and white decisions, looking at people and saying that some are enemies and some are friends. Because of that decision, we develop hatred and also attachment. Because of that, we will not see the true perfect reality which leads to permanent liberation. Yet, friends and enemies are not certain, they change all the time, they are impermanent, they are unreliable. Why should we put all our life’s efforts into something that gives us all kinds of difficulties and troubles? That is the conclusion of verse 8. This chapter puts more emphasis on the problems of strong attachment or obsession rather than hatred. When it comes to hatred, we don’t have to talk about it, since we all know how bad it is. We already talked a lot about hatred during the chapter on patience, Chapter 6. You have to bring that in here and meditate and tell yourself what you should and should not be doing. That’s it!

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Student: Does zhi ne mean calm abiding? Rimpoche: That’s what this translation we are using says. I can’t say whether this translation is correct or not. I translate zhi as peace, which means free of mental addictions, remaining calm. Ne means to remain in that, to maintain that. Shamatha is the same word in Sanskrit. You can also translate it as quiescent tranquility or mental quiescence. There are all kinds of translations, and I can’t say what is right or wrong. What I know is the Tibetan word and from there I can say it means ‘remaining in peace’. Not the usual meaning of peace of mind, as we usually say, but much better than that, reaching and maintaining a state free of all addicted mental disturbances. A really dedicated person can achieve zhi ne in six months time, not just two half-hour sessions a day over six months, but really six months total time. If you put all

30 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE hours together over six months then even the most stupid person can achieve it. It is not very hard at all. We are not talking about enlightenment or a life-long business, but something comprehensible within a year or two. Zhi ne is also nothing unique to Buddhists, but is common with the Hindus and a lot of other traditions.

Student: You mentioned the fault of viewing irritations as coming from the outside. You gave Bush’s action propos- ing an amendment to prohibit gay marriage as example. Then you said that it is the conditions of our mind, thinking that things should be fair, which creates the irritation. Is it the two working together? Should we just observe that? You can’t remove desire for fairness to eliminate the irritation, nor can you get rid of Bush’s ideas, so what is there to do then? Rimpoche: I would like to raise two different points here: 1. the point of working to develop zhi ne, and 2. the point of everyday life. For the purpose of developing zhi ne, you should really just notice and let it go. Don’t ever let yourself be bothered. But from the point of view of our every day Dharma life, it is not that easy to let it go. If things are not fair, we should do whatever we can. The easiest thing we can do is take advantage of this election year. The great American quality is that no matter how powerful the president may be, every four years he has to face the people. The people have the power to do, to say, to express whatever they want to. In the East, where I come from, we don’t have that. In Tibet we didn’t need it, since the Dalai Lama was great, but when Tibet became part of China, we didn’t have that at all. Everywhere it just was all, ‘Chairman Mao, Chairman Mao, Chairman Mao.’ Whatever he did was wonderful, including his shit was valuable diamonds! America is different.

Gelek Rimpoche

Sometimes you don’t even have to wait. Remember a few months ago; the governor of California was removed one or two years after taking office. That is the greatness of this country, individual freedom and individual rights. That is valuable. That is why a person like me loves America, not because of the green dollars, definitely not, but because of individual freedom and individual rights. No single person, no matter how powerful or matter how wonderful remain in power forever; even then the clock ticks. We have said good-bye to Reagan, to Bush senior and to Clinton and now we are about to say good-bye to another Bush! That is the everyday life part of being American. If there is something you don’t like, you can do something. Then, on the spiritual path, on the Bodhisattva path, if you don’t like something you can express and exercise your rights, too. Yes, you can carry banners and walk through the streets and shout. That is a great thing; however, it doesn’t really move the other person that easily. It takes a long time, but on Election Day you don’t have to do much. You just push your voting card in the machine. That is provided the machine works!

VERSE 9 If I behave in the same way as the childish, I shall certainly proceed to lower realms, And if I am led there by those unequal (to the Noble Ones), What is the use of entrusting myself to the childish? The Odyssey to Freedom meditation chapter tells you very briefly what sort of facilities and companions you should have for meditation. Here, this text it tells you what sort of companionship not to keep. That is how it really works.

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What childish or ordinary means. This verse talks about behaving in the same way as the childish. This translator uses the word childish. Sometimes the word ordinary is also used. This text is a Sanskrit text, over 1000 years old, translated into many languages. The Tibetan term is so so kye wo10). It can be translated as ordinary, common, childish, or non- special. I like this translation by Stephen Batchelor since it is a straightforward translation, not a commentary, although it is a little bit too long with a few too many words. Many translations don’t just translate but are actually more like commentaries. This phrase literally means: kye wo: person, so so: separate-separate. That will mean nothing to you. Separate- separate people are controlled by separate karmas and takes separate different births, according to karmic functioning. This is the understanding we get from the Tibet- an. We live like this. For example, we here have the common karma to be together right now, but we are all going to follow different routes, because of our different karma. Some will take rebirth as samsaric gods, some as human beings, some as dogs and some as hell realm beings. Eve- rybody will go completely separately. Because of karma, we experience separate things. In English, that is hard to translate directly. It wouldn’t make sense. That’s why it is translated as childish, ordinary, and so on. Also, this term so so kye bu gives you the sense of not being somebody superior, being common, regular like all of us. We all are not superior. We would like to be and it doesn’t mean that we are not good people, but we are not-superior persons.11 None of us are, unless there are some with hidden qualities that they don’t reveal. That is very possible, but otherwise we are all not-superior persons, nothing to be surprised about. That doesn’t mean that we are inferior either!

Gelek Rimpoche

There are several ways of looking at non-superior persons. One other term is chi ba12, meaning child. The Hindu tradition uses similar terms. A Hindu teacher I saw on the Cable Access Public Community Channel was giving a talk in Hindi with a written translation provided as he spoke. He was saying in Hindi, ‘You are all children,’ and the written translation was coming up, ‘Children, children, children.’ He was saying, ‘I don’t blame you people, because you are all children.’ This is the Sanskrit system, calling the non-superior persons children. That is completely a language thing. There are three different ways to understand the word child. From my perspective as a 60 year old, somebody who is seven years old or even a teenager is a child. From the perspective of a brilliant person, a not so brilliant person is a child. Then, learned people will look at their students and disciples as children. You will hear very often descriptions like ‘spiritual son’, ‘spiritual daughter’ and so on. Here, childish people are those who have lesser understanding, called children by those who have better understanding. It has nothing to do with inferior or superior. It is the ancient Indian Sanskrit culture. I have to say this here because many of the following verses will continuously talk about ‘the childish.’ It is better if I mention that here in the beginning rather than explain it in the middle somewhere.

The importance of role models and companions. All the following verses through 24 or so talk about the importance of role models and companionship. For people who want to meditate, it is extremely important to have good role models as well as good companionship. Usually in Western culture we don’t have role models as companions. We like to keep them separate. We all like to have great role models and inferior companions! We think, ‘I have to be the most important person, so I am able to make the right decision and guide him or her!’

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That is normal Western culture, no big shock, nothing fancy about it. Here, Shantideva is talking about both role models and companions. We want to copy what our role models do. We look at how they behave and function and try to function the same way.

The guru as role model. Tibetan Buddhism and particularly Vajrayana Buddhism always talks about the importance of the guru. Hinduism does, too. The guru is considered to be very important for many reasons. One is that the guru acts as role model. Whenever I have difficult decisions to make, I think, ‘If this teacher of mine were here, what would he do?’ Then I will get some perception and try to function on that basis. Whenever I have a problem, dealing with addictions and delusions or anything, I do that. Sometimes people seek my advice, especially in Asia, where they ask you everything, particularly in Southeast Asia. People come to a spiritual teacher when they have a difficult decision, so then I have to advise them. Business people, bankers and so on ask me for advice on business decisions. I have no economics background whatsoever. I don’t even know what the Dow Jones and the NASDAQ are all about. I only know when the arrow points up or down on the television screen. These business people ask me, ‘Should I buy this?’ or ‘Should I sell that?’ or ‘Should I pick this business?’ I try to avoid these questions all the time, but sometimes I am caught right in the middle and can’t do anything. Let me give you one example. Some years ago, I was in Singapore and the person I was staying with asked me, ‘There is a house on the mar- ket. Should I buy it?’ I tried to avoid the conversation completely. I managed that a number of times, but then one day he didn’t go to the office. I thought, ‘Oh, now they are probably making the decision about the house.’ He came up to me and said, ‘Excuse me Rimpoche, would

Gelek Rimpoche you mind coming with me for a short look at that house. Other people are also making offers. If I want to get it, I have to get it now.’ So what could I do? I just sat in the car and went with them. I am sharing this with you, because I had no idea what commercial real estate value that house had. I did know that it was in a very expensive area. That’s all I knew. So I was thinking, ‘If Kyabje Trijang Rimpoche was alive, what would he do in this situation?’ I was looking for my role model. Then the funniest thing happened! We saw this nice big house and climbed up some steps. Suddenly I saw the appearance of Trijang Rimpoche’s attendant and he said, ‘Kyabje Rimpoche says, ‘If this person buys that house there are no physical, mental or emotional illnesses here. From the business point of view I know nothing. You should know better.’’ Now I had an answer! We went through the house, upstairs and downstairs. Other buyers were looking, too. My friend there was looking at me, so I told him, ‘You are not going to have any illnesses or anything. There is not going to be any misfortune or bad luck. From the financial point of view, I know nothing.’ When you have a spiritual teacher as a role model and you are in a fix, there is always some help coming in. The guru as a role model is important. The value of having a guru is something else again. This is just about guru as role model.

Companions as role models. It is actually also important that our companion is a good role model. The companion’s influence on us is very strong. Even if you try to do something great yourself, the companion can easily influence you and turn you 180 degrees around. That is why all the following verses talk about this. If you don’t have good companionship, you will behave like your companions and do the same old things again and again. That is not going to lead you anywhere better. Per-

36 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE haps it will even to lead you downwards. Instead of liberating yourself, you can be led further into samsara and even into the lower realms. That is why you need good companions.

VERSE 10 One moment they are friends, And in the next instant they become enemies. Since they become angry even in joyful situations, It is difficult to please ordinary people. Childish companions are not good to be around. They change minute to minute. One minute you show them a nice face and say something and they are very happy. The next minute when you say something else, they get mad and let you have it! Not only in a small way, but sometimes they even change extremely: a friend can become an enemy, just because of a mere word. This is absolutely true. Look into your own life. When you get together with somebody, it is all nice and happy, a joyful situation. Then suddenly they become angry and you break up. When you look carefully at the point of breaking, you see that it is just a simple, dry word, just a dry, meaningless word or simple act that you don’t like. That is why they call us childish, behaving worse than children. For us, it seems so important, but in reality it is worse than what children would do. We are supposed to guide our children in their lives, bringing them up and we ourselves behave in that manner. Just a simple, dry word can change the individual from one minute to the next! Not only that: if we tell someone, ‘You shouldn’t do this or that,’ they will probably get very upset. Instead of helping them, they feel harmed and hurt: It is difficult to please ordinary people. That is the reason why we should not have the companionship with separate-separate ordinary persons.

Gelek Rimpoche

VERSE 11 They are angry when something of benefit is said, And they also turn me away from what is beneficial. If I do not listen to what they say, They become angry and hence proceed to the lower realms. If such people tell us something, they will probably give us mostly wrong advice: they turn us away from what is beneficial. In our normal character or habit or addiction we always try to present ourselves as better than others. We think about how we can benefit ourselves financially and by making ourselves look better than others. Our selfish self-interest is always in our character, almost in our blood. Therefore, if anyone gives good advice, something of benefit from a spiritual point of view, people may get very upset and angry about it. Not only does good advice not help them, but they will also advise you in the wrong way. That is true. We hear people telling someone, ‘If I were you, I would do this and that.’ That’s what we do, don’t we? When the other person doesn’t listen to us, we get upset. We say, ‘I gave sincere advice, but that person never listened! Now look, they got the consequences from not having listened to my advice!’ That’s one of the reasons why we shouldn’t have such companions.

VERSE 12 They are envious of superiors, competitive with equals, Arrogant towards inferiors, conceited when praised,

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And if anything unpleasant is said, they become angry; Never is any benefit derived from the childish. Such companions also have tremendous jealousy towards people who are superior. They feel tremendous competition towards people who are equal to them. They will look down and ignore and be arrogant towards inferiors, as the text says. They will also be conceited when praised. Now, if it is true praise, that is fine, but often, praise is something made up in order to butter up the person. Be- ing conceited means that when somebody butters you up, you are happy to accept the praise, even though you don’t have any quality to deserve that.

The differences between Dharma and ordinary life. It is funny how when you look into the spiritual path, sometimes it is very much against the usual norms of ordinary life, really. In Tibetan we have the saying, ‘The functioning of everyday society and that of spiritual life are quite separate, quite different.’ On the other hand we also hear that the everyday life and spirituality has to go together and so on. That explanation is also available. Dharma is a treasury where you can pick up everything. This level is quite different from normal life. Normal- ly, what we want is praise. Everybody would like to be praised, and then we are happy. If someone says to me, ‘Your book is good,’ then I am happy. When somebody says, ‘Your book is okay,’ then that’s not so good. I have another book coming out called The Tara Box. Today I was happy when I heard that when you search for The Tara Box on Google, Wal-Mart shows up. That means Wal-Mart may be carrying my book, so I was happy. That is the normal reaction, right? But this teaching tells you, ‘Don’t do that! If Wal-Mart sells the book, fine, let them do it. If you get royalties from that, fine. Put them in your pocket, but don’t be too happy, and don’t

Gelek Rimpoche have such pride and don’t work for that as a result. If you do so, you are wasting your time.’ Actually, for zhi ne, for concentrated meditation, this would be considered a waste of time. For that, you are not supposed to do anything else except focus, focus, focus, focus, on the points that are important for us. That is why Shantideva says that if you want to focus, you shouldn’t have a companion who influences you in a different direction. He is telling us about the bad qualities or disqualifications of companions. A companion who is so jealous towards someone better than them, so competitive towards someone equal to them and who looks down so arrogantly on the weaker section of society is not a good person. That’s true, but we think that it is good to have jealousy and competitiveness. Maybe not jealousy, but we really look for competitiveness. This is one of the things that drives our American life, but according to Dharma, that is not great. You have to know the difference. You don’t have to follow the Dharma 100% only. Af- ter all, we don’t meditate all the time. If we meditate, it is something like 40 minutes a day. It is important to follow but you have to make your own decisions as well. You can’t have a life that is completely flat. You do need some excitement. Competitiveness can sometimes give you a force to do something, but in this context it is not considered to be a good quality. If someone praises you, particularly if it is not true, you may feel very happy about it. The happiness is not the problem, but that pride or conceit- edness is.

VERSE 13 Through associating with the childish, There will certainly ensue unwholesomeness, Such as praising myself, belittling others, And discussing the joys of cyclic existence.

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If people praise you all the time even though you don’t have the qualities that they are praising, and you keep on thinking, ‘Yes, I am doing great,’ then you could end up in a similar situation to Saddam Hussein. That’s exactly what happens. In the old, great Chinese dynasties where emperors were praised all the time, when the revolution was taking place, the officials closed the doors of the Forbidden City and told the emperor that everybody was happy and everything was wonderful, right up to the moment when the door was broken down and people came running in with weapons. That is a big problem. In history it happened to the old dynasties and to many dictators and now today it happened to Saddam Hussein. He was praised by his followers and didn’t know his faults, so finally he had to hide in a hole. Of course by the time he came out of the hole he was completely mentally unbalanced. He’s got to be, judging from how he was caught. When you are praised all the time, you start to believe that praise. I once met a person in Kathmandu called China Lama. I don’t know whether he was Chinese or whatever. I was with an American friend on a mission from the American Library of Congress to procure certain Tibetan books that were coming out of China during the Cultural Revolution. I was selecting books in his library. As this friend of mine, the director of the Library of Congress, was talking to this China Lama, he was telling him, ‘I am the highest Mahayana priest in the world!’ I looked at him and it was clear that he really believed that. He told that to everybody and believed it himself. His knowledge was probably next to nothing. As for his qualities, he was a very funny person. He didn’t realize that I was Tibetan. He brought two other monks in and told them in Tibetan, ‘Please prostrate, please prostrate, I will give you money!’ He wanted

Gelek Rimpoche to impress the director of the Library of Congress by having these two monks come up and prostrate to him, and these silly monks actually prostrated for him! I don’t know how much they got for that, probably 50 cents or 10 cents or a wooden nickel! But he believed that he was the highest Mahayana priest in the world! If a fool is praised in that way, he really believes that. You don’t have to look very far: Saddam Hussein is the example. If you see such a person who likes being praised without having any qualities, it is a clear indication that we should not have them as a companion or role model or have them meditate with you. In other words, this gives you the Sangha qualities. Most of you are Sangha members. You have to check with yourself whether you have those bad qualities with you or not. If you have them, discard them. Make yourself a better person, fit to be a precious Sangha member. As a Sangha member, you are not only a member but a companion of all the people meditating together. You have to be fit to be a companion for this great group of people. You have to look for that individually by yourself. No one here will tell you, ‘You shouldn’t do this or that.’ If they do so, you could get angry, as we have heard in the verse above. That is our character, it is in our blood. Things like this tell us how we can improve ourselves, as well as what kind of companions to avoid. The conclusion here is that if you have such a companion, not only is he or she not going to help you, but instead they will hurt you and harm you. You cannot contribute anything to that sort of a person. Then, not only that, because we have strong attachment to samsara, we really like people to praise us. We really like people giving us things.

VERSE 14 Devoting myself to others in this way Will bring about nothing but misfortune,

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Because they will not benefit me And I shall not benefit them. This verse concludes, If you have such a companion and spend time with them – not necessarily being devoted, as the text says, but just spending time – then instead of helping each other you are going to hurt each other. This is the example of the non-virtuous friend. Traditional lam rim teachings tell you that non- virtuous friends don’t come with fangs in their mouth and horns on their heads, saying, ‘I am your non-virtuous friend!’ That’s what we project through movies and our normal projection when we think of the devil. We picture this little guy, with horns and a tail, who says, ‘I am the devil!’ That’s what we identify as ‘devil’. Traditional Buddhist teachings tell us that there is no such person as a devil with horns, fangs and tail, who says, ‘I am your non-virtuous friend.’ A non-virtuous friend will say, ‘I like you, I love you, I care for you. Hey, you are wasting your life. This is not the way to do it. You should make money, you should cheat these people. Here is your opportunity. Do this, do that.’ Right? There are all these political games. That is referred to as non-virtuous and gradually leads the individual out of a perfect spiritual practice into some imperfect life. ‘It is wonderful to have a little wine. It is not going to hurt you. It is medicine. One glass doesn’t do any harm.’ You have one glass, then the non-virtuous friend tells you, ‘Have another one. You know you can take it. It is no big deal. I know you can handle it.’ Through that, gradually, in the end you will become an alcoholic and will have a great deal of difficulty going through the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous to get out of that habit. That is how the non-virtuous friend works. Alcohol is an easy example to point out. Cigarettes are another example. ‘Hey, one cigarette is not going to kill you. It doesn’t matter. It gives you a kick. Let’s sit outside

Gelek Rimpoche together and smoke.’ Finally, you have to sit outside even in the middle of winter during a snowstorm, so that you can have a few drags on your cigarette. That is addiction, not to mention the illnesses that it brings with it, cancer and all these things.

Conclusion to these verses. These are the reasons why you should have companions who don’t make you indulge in those things. Verse 14 tells you in conclusion that these childish people don’t help each other to produce positive karma, but help each other to build negativities. There is a great story during the Buddha’s lifetime. It is about two people called Pa kye bo and Ma la ne. After every teachings Buddha gave, this Pa kye bo would go around insulting Buddha and saying what Buddha had said was wrong. Ma la ne would say, ‘You’re right!’ He was like the cheerleader for the other one. I haven’t seen this for 50 years, but in the end, I think Buddha predicted one day, ‘This guy (Pa kye bo) will burn to death within 7 weeks.’ Pa kye bo heard that and said, ‘So he doesn’t like me. I am going to prove that I will not die by fire.’ The two of them decided to build a house on an island in the middle of a lake. That way they thought there was no way to die through fire, but since they used some kind of glass as building material, somehow the so- lar energy went through the glass and things inside started catching fire and they burned to death. Those two com- plimented each other in building negativity. Verse 14 concludes how important it is to have good companions. If you have bad companions, they are going to destroy you. You are not going to help them and they are not going to help you; they will not benefit me and I shall not benefit them. The next verses add up on that. In the Tibetan, one line of verse 14 goes into verse 15. There it says to get away from such childish companions.

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VERSE 15 I should flee far away from childish people, When they are encountered, though, I should please them by being happy. I should behave well merely out of courtesy, But not become greatly familiar. When you meet these childish people, when they are encountered, you should please them by being happy. If you have strong attraction and you see them, you will be very happy. ‘So nice to see you, you are wonderful, you are beautiful and great.’ How many times do we have to say that? Then you are happy and they are happy. There is nothing wrong with being happy to see them and saying ‘Good to see you.’ If you can leave it there, happy to see a good friend, that is wonderful. But if you can’t, if you want to go more inside and become greatly familiar, if you want to develop more attachment, more attraction, more obsession, then we begin to develop the distinction of ‘mine’ and ‘yours’ and that will bring these two powerful emotions of obsession and hatred. That brings us a lot of difficulties.

VERSE 16 In the same way as a bee takes honey from a flower, I should take merely (what is necessary) for the practice of Dharma, But remain unfamiliar, As though I had never seen them before. This verse focuses more on monks and nuns, rather than us laypersons. Originally, monks and nuns were supposed to be totally dependent on their benefactors and the society and the monasteries for their food, clothes and shelter, and so therefore received what they needed from them. That

Gelek Rimpoche was true during Buddha’s lifetime, but not thereafter. It was not true in Tibet. Many of the tremendous number of monks and monasteries in Tibet had huge businesses. The monasteries were among the biggest owners of irrigated land in Tibet, believe it or not. Unfortunately, they were also the biggest exploiters of the poor farmers and villages. It was terrible. That was the culture. There was corruption. Buddhism is great, but if you don’t practice what you preach, these problems come. This is true almost everywhere in the world today, including Southeast Asia. Those of us who know monks in Southeast Asia will know. I am not criticizing monks. Don’t misunderstand. As Sangha, they are objects of refuge, but a few individuals are there who don’t behave well. I once talked to a monk in Kelantan in Malaysia. He said, ‘According to the Vina- ya rules, monks can’t touch money.’ That is true. The Vi- naya rules say that, but he was happy to accept cash or checks by putting his hand inside his robe and through that he took everything. He took everything through the robes! He said, ‘I am not touching it. My robe is taking it.’ That is one individual example, but it is also unfortunately true for monasteries and temples. Look at India: the temples there are the biggest money collectors. All the poor people go there and throw whatever they have in the hope of getting some good returns. The same thing happened in Tibet. Traditionally, if monks and nuns go after gifts, they are not fit to be companions, not fit to be Sangha. I am not going through verse 16 in detail but I want to talk about the essence. Buddha himself made a beautiful statement. He said, When honeybees get nectar from flowers, they neither harm the color, nor the smell, nor the flower itself. They just take whatever essence they need and then fly away.

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Just like that, whenever you need to touch any worldly, material things, use it, but have no hangover. Just fly away. Remember how Allen Ginsberg always quoted Wil- liam Blake in that regard. Not only the 2600-year-old Eastern tradition, but the Western tradition as well says this, but we can’t do it. We would like to take from the flower until it is destroyed. We like to take everything, so nothing will be left, and we will have a hangover. We cannot let it go. That is the quality that verse 16 tells you not to have.

Overcoming obstacles to concentration. The main point Shantideva is making so far is what prevents you from concentrating well. First we talked about why we should have concentration or focused meditation. Tsongkhapa’s lam rim chen mo says the first obstacle to concentration is laziness. How do I overcome laziness? Is there an antidote? Yes, there is. The physical joy and mental happiness you get from concentration is the actual antidote to laziness. If that is the case, and if I don’t yet have this physical and mental joy or shin jang13 what do I do? Physical joy and mental happiness are the result of enthusiasm that you put into your meditation. If you don’t have enthusiasm, you won’t get the result. Enthusiasm, again, is based on having an interest. If you don’t have the interest yet, this will be developed if you begin to see what this practice can do for you by learning about the benefits of zhi ne. You learn that you can get this physical and mental joy and that you will be able to use your mind for whatever you want, as much as you want. Your mind will no longer act as if it had its own mind! When you hear and read and think about this, it will spark your interest and confidence,14 and then you build up on that. This is the antidote to laziness at our level, confidence bringing interest and that should bring enthusiasm. That in turn should bring the result of physi-

Gelek Rimpoche cal and mental joy. This is how it is presented in the lam rim chen mo. Here, in the Bodhisattvacharyavatara we come from another angle. One of the kinds of laziness we have is that we lose our attention. We are attracted to something else.

How to deal with material distractions. All these verses tell you about the different attractions and distractions you can get. We have a lot of attraction to material things. Material things draw a lot of our attention. We have to take care of these things, spend time and energy, look after them and so on. That is a fact. We all know that. The question then arises: ‘Can I use material things at all?’ In the sixties and seventies many people thought, ‘We cannot take and enjoy any of those things. If we do this, it is taking it away from somebody else or misusing somebody else’s and it is wasted and we shouldn’t do that.’ A lot of people even felt guilty about having a good job, thinking that they were taking it away from somebody. This may only make sense to you who lived through this: you will remember. There was this idea if you take and enjoy good things it is not right. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, where there are vows of celibacy and vows of poverty, that may also be true. You want to remain poor. That is fine. Even Buddha and Shantideva tell you to be satisfied with what you have. This doesn’t say that you can’t have extra things, but you shouldn’t spend extra time and energy trying to get these things. Your mind should not be controlled by desire. You should not be the slave of desire, rather, you should use desire as your slave. It is interesting. Buddha’s teachings never say that his followers have to be wealthy, but the vow of poverty is also not emphasized at all. In addition, it is interesting to look at history of how Buddhism really came to develop in India in the beginning. Buddha was always dealing with

48 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE royal families. The kings and queens invited him; it came from that level down. You can follow this throughout. The sutras themselves often start with ‘There were the gods, humans and ghosts, this king and that king and this queen and that queen and all these monks among the 30,000 who attended.’ That is how it usually goes in the Buddhist teachings. We in particular, who are not monks and nuns, can learn from this. (Though monks and nuns do want the best they can.) The teachings tell us that you can use any materials you find, no matter how good they are. If you have them, you can definitely use them, without wasting your energy and so on, but make sure that they don’t use you! Remember what I told the wealthy businessman in Hong Kong? I said, ‘As long as you drive the Rolls Royce, it is fine. But as soon as the Rolls Royce drives you, you are in trouble!’ This is also the example in this verse 16: bees take the essence of flowers and fly away. They neither destroy the flower nor create difficulties for themselves. There is a very similar example in the Western tradition, too, remember. Allen Ginsberg used to quote William Blake and I memorized the quote, he who kisses the joy as it flies, lives in eternity’s sunrise. What is the difference between verse 16 and Blake’s quote? They are exactly the same. You can use the material world, but make sure it doesn’t destroy you! All these verses tell you what makes you lose. Which joys are you binding to yourself? If you do bind yourself to a joy, you are going to destroy the winged life.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Student: This is a question regarding your talk in New York last Thursday. Someone asked you about taking wisdom as the focal point for zhi ne. I am now quoting from the transcript. You responded,

Gelek Rimpoche

If you find the point of seeing the lack of true existence and you focus on that, the conclusion would be the lack of true existence. Maybe there is no mental picture, but there is a subject point. If you find that, it means that you are focusing on the wisdom point. My question is: Could you talk about, when that time period of focusing increases, say from 2 to 3 minutes, does your perception of the focal point change as time period increase? Rimpoche: The perception of the focal point may or may not change as the time increases, but what changes is the ability to focus. That increases. The perception doesn’t change much if the time increases by a few minutes. When it reaches to the vipasyana or lhak tong level, then the perception will completely change. I remember I gave this explanation from the angle of needing zhi ne first and lhak tong later. If I had a power point presentation, I would have put that outline up. The reason to have concentration first and vipasyana later is that concentration gives you stability. Even though you concentrate on your understanding of the subject emptiness, you are going to gain the power of stability more so than the power of penetrating the point. That is what I meant. So I don’t think it will change the perception at first, but rather the stability. Later, when it becomes very stable, you don’t change your major focal point, no matter what happens. Then your focal point will be more penetrating. You will go deeper inside and find how and why there is no solid existence. You will do that without losing stability and that will lead you to achieve the combination of shamatha and vipasyana together. Even then, first comes shamatha, then vipasyana and then the combination. Actually, that is not quite true. It goes like that: first shamatha and then the combination of shamatha and vipasyana comes together.

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Student: Can you talk a little about the difference of giving unnecessary praise to somebody and giving encour- agement when they lack self-confidence? Rimpoche: To build your self-confidence, nothing is wrong with reasonable praise. Also, if somebody says to you, ‘Hey, you are my king or my queen,’ that’s fine. Nothing wrong with that, but if someone tells you, ‘You should have been a PhD doctor, because you really have all these qualities! You have so much knowledge!’ If you don’t really have that, but you think you do, then that will hurt you. If I accept that praise, I am a fool.

Student: You talked last Thursday about the joy that can come from concentration. Is there any way that such joy or energy could be disturbed by anything other than your own mind? I am thinking about instinctual forces that can overpower your mind, like sexual attraction. Is it always only mind that causes afflictions? Rimpoche: If I understand your question, of course there are all these emotions. Whether you consider them as part of mind or separate from mind is a question. These emotions will always overpower us until our mind becomes strong. Focus and concentration makes our mind really strong so that these emotions cannot overpower us. Some people think that emotions are part of mind. To me, they are mental faculties, not mind itself. They do overpower our minds constantly. This is the reason why we need focus and quietness.

Student: Is concentration and focus a mental faculty as well? Rimpoche: Concentration or focusing is part of the mental faculties. Concentrating helps mind to stay and not move. When that happens, mind has power through its own nature without another mental faculty telling you to sit and think and focus or another mental faculty that is watching whether your mind is moving around or not or another mental faculty that is following. We have to play

Gelek Rimpoche all these games because our mind doesn’t stay. These mental faculties do contribute to being able to focus. The focusing mind is pushed by several mental faculties, particularly two most important ones: remembering and watching, also called mindfulness and awareness dren pa and she shin. These two push. Earlier I said that concentration is part of the mental faculties.

VERSE 17 ‘I have much material wealth as well as honor, And many people like me,’ Nurturing self-importance in this way I shall be made terrified after death. This verse tells us that we are attracted to material wealth, as well as to people liking me. That also builds pride or self-importance. I think that I am somebody. People should come and give me gifts, praise me, respect me. I have to be popular and so on. You want fame or honor and wealth. If you don’t have it, there is no problem, but if you have a little bit, you can get into trouble. You want it bigger, better and stronger. We all do. For Buddha, there was no problem, no matter how many kings and queens came. Buddha gave them the ap- propriate acknowledgment: when they came, he wel- comed them and when they left, he said good-bye. If they didn’t come, he didn’t work for getting them to come and see him. He did not bind himself to fame or wealth. If he had done so, his teachings would not be useful today, almost 2600 years later, across the oceans, here on the other side of the world. Nobody would pay any attention, because it wouldn’t do anything for us. Because he didn’t bind to himself to a joy or name or fame, we find his teachings useful today. If you do bind yourself to anything, this is obsession, attachment. If you bind yourself to name, wealth and fame, if you work for that, it will create tremendous fear for you,

52 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE fear that you will have to suffer the consequences after your death: I shall be made terrified.

Thinking about short term and long term consequences. We worry about the consequences in our life today. ‘Am I going to be deprived of wealth, opportunity, health, family? Will I be lonely, will I be sick, will I be miserable, will I be crying, will I go crazy?’ These are our fears today, but when Buddha talks about fear, it goes beyond that. It is just like on the positive side, when he talks about generosity, morality, and so on, that go beyond the everyday level. In the same way also, the fears go beyond the fears we normally entertain. When we talk about misery we are just looking at a tiny, little thing, compared with the misery that the whole world goes through. There is a big difference between our own, individual misery and what so many others are going through. This is not because we are Americans and are protected by George Bush! The suffering in general is huge. Individual sufferings are less. We do not experience much direct suffering here, but in the world today there is tremendous suffering. Even in Iraq, the sufferings that the country is going through and the suffering that individuals have there is different. Iraq as a whole has tremendous pain, misery and problems and agony. People are fighting, losing their lives, getting wounded and tortured. People worry about it. Some people like to watch the movie The Passion of Christ, but some don’t, because there is so much torture in it. It is depicted there very graphically, but otherwise people who die in the war today have very similar tortures, maybe not for 12 hours, but some people have actually even more. They may not experience somebody whipping them, but they experience the same kind of pain. When Buddha talks about fear it goes beyond all of this to the fear of samsara in general and particularly the hell realms. Those of you who went through the lam rim teach-

Gelek Rimpoche ing before you have heard about the different hot and cold hell realms. These are reality. We may say we don’t care whether there is a hell somewhere else, that we still have the hell even in the human realm. Iraq is a hell right now. You can say that and it is correct. But when you really talk about the actual hell realm suffering, it is much more, no comparison whatsoever. I’ll give you one little example why suffering as a human being differs from suffering as a hell being. In the human realm, no matter how much torture your physical body receives, after a while you cannot take any more and you die. In the hell realm you don’t. That body is made somehow different, almost like it is made by God to suffer. You get tortured and you suffer so much, but you don’t die. On top of that, if a piece of your flesh is cut off or if some blood drops down on the ground, which in the hell is a charcoal- burning ground, until the blood is totally dried up and evaporated, you still experience the pain of it boiling on the ground, even though it has gone out of your body, until it disappears. Have I seen this? No, I haven’t, but that is what the teachings say. That is why I say that everything in Bud- dha’s teachings goes beyond. The good and the bad both go beyond! We have to think about all the attractions we have, the time we waste, and the consequences we have to expect. These are the consequences. These two last sentences of verse 17 indicate that. Why do we suffer these consequences? Because we have too much attraction, attachment, obsession. We bind ourselves too much to material wealth as well as to honor. In other words, we are stupid. We have to have a dialogue with our own mind and say, ‘Hey stupid mind! This is attraction. You bind yourself to that desire. Don’t you realize the consequences that is going to bring you?’ If we look in our life, the desires we have for material things are the real causes of our sufferings. From the teaching tradition, we can tell you here that if we didn’t have ob-

54 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE session and attachment we wouldn’t have any suffering. That is true. Obsession and attachment are worse than anger and hatred. Anger and hatred are a little more wrathful, fierce and hot. Attraction and obsession are cool, smooth and soft, a little more peaceful, but more harmful. Without attraction and obsession, there will be no anger or hatred. Think about it. Anger and hatred come because our desires are not fulfilled. Why do we dislike somebody? Because that person didn’t fulfill what we expected of them, no other reason. That shows that attachment is a deeper problem than hatred. Yes, hatred is very bad, we all know, but that’s what it is.

VERSE 18 So, you thoroughly confused mind, By the piling up of whatever objects You are attached to, Misery a thousand fold will ensue. If you are a wise person, if you are not stupid, if you are not a confused person, then you should not entertain your obsessions. Never entertain your obsessions! Atisha, the great Indian teacher who came to Tibet and purified all the misunderstanding of the earlier Buddhism in Tibet by bringing the perfect teaching to Tibet in the 1100’s said, Obsession is the biggest problem. Avoid obsession completely and remain without it. It will never give you joy, happiness or any good thing. Not only that, it kills your liberation. Obsession kills your liberation. That’s why traditional teachings tell you that attachment is like glue. It glues you to suffering. You can’t pull away. The winged life will be destroyed.

Gelek Rimpoche

VERSE 19 Hence the wise should not be attached, (Because) fear is born from attachment. With a firm mind understand well That it is the nature of these things to be discarded! Can we cut off our attraction, obsession and attachment? No, we cannot. Right now, we are not capable, because of our heavy addictions. If you force an extremely heavy drinker to stop drinking immediately or if you make a heavy smoker stop smoking immediately, the huge problem of withdrawal symptoms will almost kill you, if you don’t know how to handle it. We have eyes, ears, nose, feelings. Our eyes will see something else, our ears will see something else, our nose will smell something else, our body will touch somewhere else and we cannot cut the addiction. We want to enjoy. So what do you do? A lot of people say, ‘Oh, that’s your karma. You can’t help it.’ People accept that, but I think it is stupid, absolutely stupid. Who made the karma? Every karma I experience is karma that I made. Every karma that you experience is karma that you have made. I am responsible for my karma and you are responsible for your karma. If you and I have made karma together, we are responsible together. Who can do and undo this? Nobody, except ourselves. It is our own creation. Until it has started giving a result, we have got every right, opportunity and possibility to correct this. The fact that it is karma doesn’t mean that you can do nothing. It means that you can do something.

What to do about obsession. What can you do about obsession? Think that whatever I am after is impermanent. I am impermanent. With a firm mind understand that it is the nature of these things to be discarded. Let’s say you have a huge obsession for an antique crystal glass. You real-

56 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE ly want it and do everything to get it. If you get it, then what do you do with it? Honestly, you cannot use it. It is too expensive and precious. You better wrap it in nice little tissues, put it in a box and hide it, and then what is the use? On the other hand, if you use it, it could break. It will fall off the table and break. Its nature is such that it is impermanent. It will go. Not only that, I will go too. If I go and the glass is still there, who knows who gets it after me? Perhaps someone who doesn’t know anything about it. They might pick it up and think, ‘What a funny looking thing,’ and throw it in the garbage. You never know. It is true. A few years ago something similar happened. I went to the New Jersey Tibetan Learning Center, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in this country, founded by a Mongo- lian geshe called Geshe Wangyal, the teacher of Robert Thurman and Jeffrey Hopkins. He was a very nice geshe who knew the value of a lot of things. He had this very nice, old excellent quality Russian brocade from White Russia during the tsars’ period, way before the revolution. Geshe-la kept this brocade rolled up in a bag and kept it in a cupboard near his bed. Then, when he died, all his possessions went to the New Jersey Learning Center that was then run by his main disciples, Joshua and Diana who are still running it today. They probably had no idea that Geshe-la had kept that brocade there. Then another ex-abbot of Loseling came, another very good geshe. Besides being a good geshe he is also a very good tailor. He took great interest in the banners that are put up in Tibetan temples. He started cutting up this brocade and by the time I got there, I heard that this Khen Rimpoche had made some banners. When I looked at the banners I noticed that on the outside he had used brand-new cheap Indian brocade, but in the inside he had put that nice, old so-expensive Russian brocade. I asked Joshua and Diana, ‘Where did you get this brocade?’ They said, ‘We didn’t know he had that. He had kept it in

Gelek Rimpoche his bag. Now we cut it into pieces and used it for the banners.’ I am quite sure Geshe Wangyal originally got this brocade in Russia. You couldn’t get it outside of Russia, since this was the kind the Russian royal family used. Geshe-la went as a refugee from Russia to China and from there he came to Tibet. Then from there he came to India and from there finally to the United States. He must have carried this brocade with him all the way. At the end of all that, another geshe came and cut it all into pieces and patches it into something else! Again, this shows the impermanent nature. Still, it is lucky, because a geshe came and used it for making a temple banner and offering material. From that point of view, it is good. Now, from my point of view, what do I do with this? Do I rejoice, or do I say, ‘What a waste’? That is my choice. If I rejoice that it has been made into a temple banner, then I can get the benefit. If I say, ‘What a waste,’ then I get disadvantages. I probably got both! If you are very obsessed with something, that kind of thing happens. That goes for everything, including people. This verse tells to remember that all these are impermanent and we are too. So far, we mentioned impermanence in the sense that things break, people throw them out or cut them up, but, even if nobody does anything to them, by their own nature everything decays. We have tremendous obsession with our body. Who doesn’t have attachment and obsession towards their own body? We do, no matter how ugly it might be. If we are fat, we are attached to being fat. If we are thin like a chopstick, we are attached to being a chop-stick. We all have that, but our body is decaying by nature. We can all see it, day by day, in our own face. We can see it in our own eyes, because we have to wear glasses, in our own ears, because we have to wear hearing aids sooner or later. We can see it in our hair. Of course we can color it, but otherwise it is going to be salt and pepper. But then, salt and pepper can be nice!

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So, even if nobody breaks or destroys something, by its nature it decays.

VERSES 20 TO 22 Although I may have much material wealth, Be famous and well spoken of, Whatever fame and renown I have amassed Has no power to accompany me (after death). If there is someone who despises me What pleasure can I have in being praised? And if there is another who praises me What displeasure can I have in being despised? If even the Conqueror was unable to please The various inclinations of different beings, Then what need to mention a malicious person such as I? Therefore I should give up the intention (to associate with) the worldly. So what do we do? You may say, ‘I agree with not being attached to materials things, but to me it is important that people like me, that they say good things about me, praise me.’ So what? Some people may say good things about you, but others will say bad things about you, or even despise you. Even Buddha, the Conqueror, couldn’t make everybody happy. Even God cannot make everybody happy. If God and Buddha could make everybody happy, they would be without a job! It is not because they are not doing anything, but because it is not possible. They can’t, because human beings are such that we have so many different inclinations. Every person will have a different viewpoint. Everybody will have different arguments. Our minds have different capacities. The same thing could

Gelek Rimpoche appear to one person as ugly and to another person as beautiful. To some it is great, to some it is horrible. On the opposite side, it is no point trying to please everybody. Even Buddha cannot. Sacrificing yourself, your own time, your own opportunity, to try to please somebody is not right if it is too extreme. Particularly in this case, when you are trying to develop zhi ne, the concentration power, it is absolutely not a good thing. Trying to please other people is a big problem. If you don’t care about pleasing anybody else and just be what you want to be, that is another problem. You really need to balance.

VERSES 23 AND 24 They scorn those who have no material gain And say bad things about those who do; How can they, who are by nature so hard to get along with, Ever derive any pleasure (from me)? It has been said by the Tathagatas That one should not befriend the childish, Because, unless they get their own way, These children are never happy. These verses tell us about the kind of laziness that makes us engage in so much entertainment. We need to chit- chat. That is one way laziness comes in. Trying to please other selfish or childish people is very hard. If they achieve something of their needs or wishes, if they get their own way, they will be very happy. If they don’t, they will be very upset. It is very difficult to deal with these non-Arya, ordinary people. On the other hand, it also tells Sangha members how good you should be in order to qualify as Sangha. This is explained from the opposite point of view, since here you hear about the disqualifications such as never being happy unless you get your own way, and being hard to get along

60 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE with. When you see yourself in that mirror, you change yourself. When you look at others, think, ‘Why should I spend so much time trying to please everybody? I will never be able to anyway.’ That is not your fault. It is the fault of the childish. In conclusion, the verses up through 24 show us how to stop laziness. We make excuses like ‘I have to do this first,’ ‘I need to talk to this person,’ ‘I have to do this job first,’ ‘I have to entertain this person first, after that I will do it.’’ The Bodhisattvacharyavatara is rather extreme in regard to what you get at the end of it: obsession gets you nothing. Even if you get something, it is impermanent in nature and has to go. You go, they go, all things go. Nothing will be left. This is telling you, ‘Stop fooling around. Just do what you need to do. Try to develop zhi ne.’ That’s what it is.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Student: I am grieving for the loss of my sister. I seem to be fine, but the sadness is just under the surface, and then it comes up and I cry and cry, because I loved her so much. I am wondering about my attachment to her creating negativities. Should I feel less attached? Rimpoche: This is an important and difficult question. In general, any attachment is not right. It is difficult, not good for you and not good for the departed soul. I think we have to look very carefully at what you mean by attachment. If you mean appreciation of the person, that is a great thing. One should not hesitate to see the greatness of the person and have appreciation and grati- tude always. But on the other hand there are these feelings, ‘Why did you leave me?’ ‘Why did you go?’ ‘I am so sad you are gone. I want you to come back. I want you to be here.’ All of these are bullets of attachment that will hit no one but ourselves and sometimes might even spark off

Gelek Rimpoche and hit the departed person. Therefore, it is something one shouldn’t carry out. You have to see it clearly. Sadness is sadness. It is not necessarily a negativity by nature at all. However, if you cannot leave it, then it becomes very heavy and harmful to the individual and then it becomes negative, because you are hurting yourself. How do you handle this? You appreciate the person, their life, their work and how they were as a person. Ap- preciate and rejoice and then let it go. Remember, when Allen Ginsberg’s father died, he talked to Trungpa Rim- poche, who told him, ‘Let your father go. Please continue celebrating your life.’ This advice made Allen write the poem ‘Father Death’. So you may like to write a poem called ‘Sister Death’. You are an artist and can express your feelings through art. Any form of art can do that, but don’t hold on to it.

Revisiting some points from verses 20-24. We are talking about the stages of developing zhi ne, concentrated meditation or shamatha, which this translator calls it calm-abiding. These last verses have been talking about what not to do, particularly to try not to deal so much with childish people, referring to us as childish people. We spent the last two sessions talking about childish people and what not to do. I would like to revisit verses 20-24. We should not entertain other people’s opinions all the time. Verse 21 talks about praise and criticism. It’s not so great if people praise us. If someone praises you, a lot of people also will criticize you. If someone criticizes you, why should you be upset? Another handful of people will say you are great. In this context, I almost overlooked something. The commentary says here, ‘Don’t deal with so many people. Don’t try to play diplomatic games or politics.’ For zhi ne that is absolutely true. Playing diplomatic games and politics is the biggest obstacle to developing zhi ne, because

62 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE you will be putting a lot of efforts into pleasing people. Shantideva concluded in verse 22, If even Buddha didn’t manage to please everybody, how can you expect to? There are just too many people around with too many ideas and thoughts; it will just not tally. That is something we have to remember carefully. We are in the habit of wanting to make everybody happy and making lots of efforts to do so. Maybe it is the democratic principle, but in this case we are not encouraged to do that. We are trying to develop calm, quiet equipoise. If we try to please everybody this is one of the bases to develop the laziness that spends too much effort on useless things. Then the question rises, ‘If that is the case, should I give up helping all sentient beings? As bodhisattvas we have the commitment to help all beings and serve them the best way we can. Am I now to give them all up and just work for myself?’ That is a very important question we have to deal with. On the one hand, I am told to work for the benefit of all beings. On the other hand, I am told not to bother too much, not try to please everybody, that even Buddha couldn’t please everybody. Bodhisattvas in general should never consider themselves more important than all sentient beings for even a single moment. That is true. You never give that up, but there are people who would like you to, because of the power of their attachment, hatred and jealousy. If you have to deal with them overly much, too much, you are not only not going to help them, but instead, it may also make it more difficult for you to help them or others. In that case, never have the mind of giving them up; however, in action try not to deal with them. In your mind, you have the desire to help, but in action, don’t deal with these people. This is very practical advice. It looks like it is against the principle of love and compassion though it is not. If, in order to make one person happy, you have to

Gelek Rimpoche spend too much time, in that case, do not give up the mind of helping, but in action, do not spend time dealing with these types of people. Let me quote from the Bodhisattvacharyavatara commentary: Even though you cannot help them, recognize that, yet don’t give up the mind of helping. Because of having that mind, you are not breaking your vows and commitments. Maybe that is the wise way to act. This is a very tricky point that I actually didn’t forget, but last time I tried not to bring this point up. For the last two days now I have been thinking that perhaps it is important to bring this up. If I don’t, it may not be right. It is quoted in all four different commentaries on the Bodhisattvachar- yavatara. This is what happens in practical situations. I need to conclude briefly what was said in these last few verses. Buddha himself has made the conclusion. He said, Do not entertain attachment, obsession, or hatred. Yogis must give up the accumulation of people. Put all efforts in not having too many people around you. If you do, you will lose your practice. Yes, occasionally, you do have to make jokes, you have to laugh, but on the whole, all these things create a lot of funny thoughts. Whoever engages in meaningless gatherings is an example of a childish person. These childish people will develop their obsession, their hatred and their multiple thoughts, all just because they gather too much.

To attain zhi ne, stop wasting time Avoiding accumula- tions or gatherings of people doesn’t mean you don’t talk to people. Here it means sitting round, chitchatting, gossip- ing, doing nothing. All this is not great. Buddha emphasized for his disciples and followers to live in solitude and meditate.

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One of the biggest time-wasters for us is entertainment. We all now know that. The sutras are worded the way they are because at that time there were no movies, television, MTV, or soap operas. In another time, even art, poetry, medicine, astrology, and all of them were included in wasting time. Buddha did not object to poetry, astrology or art, but for the purpose of developing zhi ne, at that period, it is not great. Tibetans give a very funny example of how certain things are sometimes helpful, sometimes not. I don’t know if it is going to make any sense to Westerners, but anyway, I’ll try. Tibetan doctors use certain principles of Tibetan and Aryuvedic medicine. If you have a fever, the doctors will give you particular herbal medicines that are not so strong and don’t have all these strange side effects that our tiny, little pills have today. You can eat mountains of these herbal medicines and still have no effect for whatsoever! So, when you are eating them, at that time they recommend not to eat meat, but remain vegetarian and wait for the fever to come down. It used to take time to bring a fever down, since at that time they didn’t have aspirin which cuts down the fever immediately. When the fever broke, the doctors would recommend eating meat, particularly meat soup. The time changes the advice whether or not to eat meat given by one doctor to one patient for one illness. It is done based on the time where it is needed or not needed, and therefore, it is not contradictory advice.

Buddha encourages us tremendously to engage in art, but when you are trying to develop single-pointed concentration, everything else is out. It is almost like you are ‘grounded’: you almost cannot talk on the phone, watch TV, or listen to the radio. In the old days wasting time was about talking with people. Today we only have to turn the TV or radio on to waste one, two or more hours,

Gelek Rimpoche depending on the person. So whenever the old texts tell us not to do certain things, we have to remember that in today’s world it also means to avoid these modern entertain- ments. We are good at ignoring this point. When we go on retreat, in the breaks we watch TV, listen to the news, read the New York Times and call a hundred different people, telling them, ‘I am in Michigan!’ ‘What are you doing in Michigan, in the middle of nowhere?’ ‘I am on retreat!’ You do have to take breaks, but you also have to be mindful during the breaks, especially if you are training yourself in developing zhi ne level meditation. You cannot use the breaks for entertainment activities. If you do, all the sessions you put in are not so effective. We are easy on beginners, telling them that it is important to pay attention during the sessions and that in between the sessions they can do whatever they want to do, but if you go really into the tradition carefully, that is not right. Okay, let me leave it there - no more! Let’s look at the next verse.

VERSE 25 When shall I come to dwell in forests Amongst the deer, the birds and the trees, That say nothing unpleasant And are delightful to associate with? Sometimes we like to do that. Many of us like to keep dogs and cats, because they don’t say anything, and certainly say nothing unpleasant. It is the same with birds, except birds like Simon, the parrot! So all your companions don’t say anything that you don’t like or want to hear about, nothing unpleasant. Sometimes this is important, especially for this type of meditation. It can be difficult if your uninvited mother comes visit- ing and tells you, ‘You can’t do this, you can’t do that, you

66 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE can’t eat that, this is not good for you, that is not good for you.’ During this period, you don’t want this. Remember, when you choose companions for the time you meditate on zhi ne, you need good friends who agree with you. It doesn’t say people who disagree with you. Sometimes we think we know better than other people. We like to tell them, ‘You shouldn’t eat that. It is not good for you. You can’t see this, you shouldn’t say this.’ This may be helpful and wonderful, but at this moment you have to say, ‘Thank you, but no thank you.’

VERSE 26 When dwelling in caves, In empty shrines and at the feet of trees, Never look back – Cultivate detachment. This verse now talks about the place where you meditate. I talked about what this verse says in the teachings based on Tsongkhapa’s very organized lam rim chen mo.15 We did talk about the right place, where there is no danger to your life, where you can find food easily and so on. This verse now tells us not to look back. What does looking back here mean? When you cannot let go, you are looking back. We all try to leave something behind that we can look back on. We die, looking back and cannot let go. We have beautiful names for that, like legacy. We build up institutions, beautiful monuments and all kinds of things. Gedun Chöpel, a great Tibetan poet of the 20th century, wrote about that. He was actually the person who composed the words for the national anthem of Sri Lanka (Cey- lon). He is also the author of The Tibetan Arts of Love.16 He was a monk early in life, then gave up the robes and tried to sleep with all kinds of men and women in different countries and categories and wrote about it in great detail. It is a very funny book.

Gelek Rimpoche

When he went to Ceylon, he wore monks’ robes, because there they respect the monks’ robes. He went with three Indian monks, one of them a senior monk with quite a good name. He was asked to compose the Sri Lankan national anthem. Since this monk was not good as a poet, he asked this guy Gedun Chöpel and he wrote it and put his own name on it, instead of this big guy’s name! Gedun Chöpel also wrote a colophon for a book by Mongolian scholar, the first alphabetical Tibetan dictionary. Before that, there were dictionaries, but, since none of them were alphabetical, it was difficult to look up anything. This guy put it all in alphabetical order in the 1920’s or 1930’s. If you look at the traditional Tibetan teachings, they are so difficult to look up. In order find something, you have to read 10 volumes! In the colophon that he composed on behalf of this Mongolian guy, Gendun Chöpel17 wrote, Some people try to look back by building monuments, images, institutions. Some people leave kids, wives and family behind. Some leave disciples and institutions behind. Some build monasteries. Here am I, a Mongolian scholar who has neither money nor knowledge, a beggar without any wealth. I ate so much human food in the human land. To pay for this, I would like to leave this little book here18. We do that all the time. We even consider it important and great to leave a legacy. Nobody will say that a legacy is something bad, but if you are a really true spiritual practitioner, what do you want with a legacy? By the time that actually materializes, you are gone, far, far away, five hundred lives beyond! That is what looking back in verse 26 means. In other words, don’t choose a meditation place that you develop attachment for. Attachment is such a thing. It doesn’t have to be to something great at all. Excuse me, I cannot help it

68 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE but I have to tell you this Tibetan saying, ‘Some people have a strong attachment to the donkey’s asshole.It is meant in the sense that it is so valueless. Nobody wants it. The human mind is such that we can develop attachment and obsession for anything. That is why this verse is saying never to look back, but cultivate detachment.19

VERSE 27 When shall I come to dwell In places not clung to as ‘mine’, Which are by nature wide and open, And where I may behave as I wish, without attachment? I have told you about the confession ceremony monks and nuns have to go through every fortnight. It is not like in the Judeo-Christian tradition where you have to talk to one individual about everything you did. In the Tibetan tradition everybody stands up together and confesses all the wrong doing together. For that confession ceremony, somebody has to have memorized and relays to everyone a teaching from a sutra called Self Liberation Sutra. In that sutra, Bud- dha recommends that every spiritual practitioner have enough information. Without information you can never do good. The Buddha’s disciples called themselves mang tu töpa20, those who heard well. If you make it a little more elaborate, you could say those who are well informed or the learned ones. Buddha recommends for them to remain in the forest, peacefully, joyfully. Why does Buddha recommend the forests? Actually, in central Tibet, there are no forests, so we used to go meditate in caves. In India and Southeast Asia there are lots of forests. Forests are good because there is nothing but birds, animals and trees that don’t bother you, as long as you make sure that there are no snakes or lions. This tells us to try to be simple. Be satisfied with what you have. Satisfaction with what you have is the greatest

Gelek Rimpoche gift you can receive. If you have dissatisfaction, you will never be satisfied, no matter whatever you may get.

The poorest of the poor. During the Buddha’s lifetime, a beggar happened to find a bag full of gold. He was a beggar whom nobody wanted to let into their house, just a beggar, outside. The moment this beggar found all that gold, he also found so many uncles and aunties, nieces and nephews that he never had before! So he said, I never had uncles before. Now I have a great many uncles. Therefore gold, I prostrate to you! This beggar was a nice guy, maybe a highly developed, a very special person. He said, ‘Gold has no purpose for me. I would like to give it away to the poorest person in the land.’ He requested the king to gather all the people. Here, when we think of gathering all the people we may think of everybody from California to New York or from Maine to Florida, but in that case it was more like a village with a chieftain. Chieftains were all called kings at that time. So the king gathered everybody together, including himself, and this beggar guy walked in and walked up and down, looking at everybody. Every poor person was hoping to get the gold. He looked up and down and up and down and finally he gave the gold to the king! He said, ‘You are the poorest person in this land!’ The king said, ‘I am the king! How dare you tell me I am the poorest?’ The beggar replied, ‘You are poorest person in this land, because you are never satisfied, no matter how much you get.’ Whether you are rich or poor depends really on the mind of the individual. Yes, of course, you need enough to manage. Beyond that, it really depends on the individual’s mind. This is true.

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VERSE 28 When shall I come to live without fear Having just a begging bowl and a few odd things, Wearing clothes not wanted by anyone, And not even having to hide this body? Buddha goes still further. He recommends keeping just a begging bowl. It seems that Shantideva here must be talking to monks and nuns, who originally were supposed to live by begging. They don’t take a vow of poverty, however, they live on what comes into their begging bowls. Sometime later, it all became such fancy stuff! A nice begging bowl today could cost $1000! That’s why the commentaries on this verse talk about begging bowls made out of mud. Buddha really had to em- phasize that. The Bodhisattvacharyavatara itself is not a running commentary, but is kept in short poetry form. The words are numbered by the meter of each verse, so there is no room to say anything more than begging bowl. Shan- tideva can’t say begging bowl made out of mud, but the commentaries specifically talk about that, and meeting whatever your basic needs are: a begging bowl and a few odd things. If you have no attachment, if you are not obsessed, then whatever you have, no matter what, it is great, it is all fine. You can have everything; it doesn’t matter. But if you do have obsession, if you spend time and energy for that, then it is better to be simple, as simple as possible. Also this verse says to wear clothes not wanted by anyone, and not even having to hide this body. If you have wealth, you have to hide your body, because you are afraid that thieves may come. You have to have locks upon locks, security on top of security. How much security do we need today? It is becoming an issue. There is so much security that we lose our freedom.

Gelek Rimpoche

Now, when you take a plane, you have to take your shoes and socks off. Remember, John Dingle had to take even his pants off. We saw him on TV, in the airport, with pants down and shirt off, wearing only his under- wear. That’s where we are. If there is too much security, that’s what we get. On the other hand, we can’t help it. Buddha is saying that if you don’t have any valuables, no one will bother you and you don’t have to hide your body. The others do have to hide, not their bodies as such, but themselves and actually their wealth. That’s what it is. There is a lot more in here, but I don’t have time to go into more detail. This is the most important thing: just remember, with anything you utilize make sure that you don’t develop attachment and obsession for it. If you already have it, you may not have so much obsession for it, but then you have attachment.

VERSES 29 AND 30 Having departed to the cemeteries, When shall I come to understand That this body of mind and the skeletons of others Are equal in being subject to decay? Then, because of its odour, Not even the foxes Will come close to this body of mine; For this is what will become of it. How can I overcome my attachment to my body? To overcome this, you must meditate. People do have a lot of attachment to their bodies. I am not here to tell you to dislike yourself: you have to like yourself. If you don’t, you have no chance of having any spiritual practice at all. Spiritual practice 101 has to be that you appreciate yourself. Remember, we begin the lam rim with embracing your life, your precious human life. That is the beginning.

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However, sometimes we have overly strong attachment rather than appreciation. Attachment is sticky stuff. It is obsession. A lot of people have attachment and obsession with their bodies, and a lot of people have hatred towards their bodies. Both show a lack of spiritual groun- ding. I could definitely say, ‘This body is horrible, too fat, blah blah blah, whatever I do, the weight doesn’t go down, blah blah blah.’ I could say that, but I like my body, no matter how fat it might be. I like my body when it is fat and I liked my body when it was thin. I like both. I am not just saying that. I don’t have a strong attachment though to either my fat body or my thin body. Actually, when I was thin, I wanted to be fat, because at that time I was in a culture in which to be fat was considered great. I used to stuff a lot of extra clothes into my clothes to make me look fatter! Now that I am fat, I’d like to be thin, because I am in a culture where thin people are appreciated. Maybe that is the nature of samsara. These verses tell you about the meditations you require if you have obsession to your body. If you go to the cemeteries,21 you will find all kinds of bones and broken body pieces that animals and birds have been chewing on and don’t want to chew any more. These leftovers lying round show the nature of impermanence. We should look at our body that we are so attached to in that way. Does this body of mine have anything in common with the pieces thrown around in the cemeteries, the skeletons of others? You may say, ‘Certainly not! This is my body and that is somebody else’s dead body!’ Verse 30 tells me that one day my own body not only will be a dead body, but will rot. Not only that, it will smell so terrible, that even the foxes and other meat eating animals won’t want to come close. It can happen, why not? Something could happen after we die and are buried. We see in movies how some court case goes on, a couple of lawyers demand that the body has

Gelek Rimpoche to be dug up, and everybody stands there holding their noses. Who are they looking at? At somebody’s body, just like ours, so why are we obsessed with this body? Yes, we have to look after our body. It is the basis for our life, but when it is dug up, that is exactly what we are looking at. This will happen to me. A couple of months after death, if somebody decides to dig up the grave, everybody has to cover their noses, no matter how many people are around. That body is not a different body from what I have now, but just the continuation of this particular body: this is what will become of it. Is there anything to be obsessed about?

VERSE 31 Although this body arose as one thing, The bones and flesh with which it was created Will break up and separate. How much more so will friends and others? These verses address the attachments that block us from achieving the wonderful samadhi state. Attachment is something you don’t want to develop towards anybody or anything, not even your own family, friends and others. You can have love, but not attachment. Why? Our body itself goes to pieces, it will break up and separate. The bones, flesh, everything, goes to pieces. We are born with this body, but still, in time it will go to pieces. There is no point in being attached to anyone or anything, not even our body. Buddha has something additional to say: Don’t look for too many things. Take this body. By the time we die, it will be like clay. People make things out of clay and sell them; every piece they make will go all over the world.

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You don’t have any beautiful thing you can keep. Like that, everything goes. The body that was born with us, the bones and flesh will separate and I don’t have the power to hold even a piece. My karma forces me to run away from it into a new birth. Why should I create negativity for the sake of that body? Buddha adds up from another sutra, At the time the Lord of Death calls us, nothing matters except our positive and negative karma. Everything else goes away. Nothing will accompany you, nothing will follow. Please, acknowledge that and function accordingly. This is how you cut all your attachments.

VERSE 32 At birth I was born alone, And at death, too, I shall die alone; As this pain cannot be shared by others, What use are obstacle-making friends? In Tibetan, this verse is beautiful. I am not sure if the translation is perfect. The Tibetan says for the last two lines, No one takes my share of suffering; what use are obstacle-making friends? I think we are hitting home here. We have to worry so much and do all kinds of things. These are the beautiful things that we are concluding with.

VERSE 33 In the same way as travelers on a highway (Leave one place) and reach (another), Likewise, those traveling on the path of conditioned existence (Leave) one birth and reach (another).

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We are just like travelers who happen to meet for one night at a motel. We get together at a motel just for a night. Should we blow off everything we worked for our whole life for one single night in a motel? Just like that, throughout our lives we all have been looking for a strong spiritual development. Each and every one of us did this, otherwise, we wouldn’t have this beautiful opportunity in this beautiful life. Throughout our lives we have been working for spiritual development. We are now trying to develop our focusing, our concentrated meditation power, seeing inside and trying to become free of all suffering. We all do want this, but obsession, hatred and attachment block us, so why do we blow off our efforts of lifetimes for a night in a motel?

Learning meditation. I would like to urge you all to read this transcript along with the GOM transcript and try to keep them together. You will have a lot of information. Whether you want to meditate or not is your choice. No one can force you to meditate or not. The material I am giving you here is this and if you would like to meditate, you can either meditate by yourself or go to a Jewel Heart center where there are meditation courses and open meditation sessions. You are reading the material here and then you have to do some practice. You can meditate sitting on chairs, too. It doesn’t matter. As Allen Ginsberg said, Sit on the ground and if the ground’s not there, sit on a chair. In a group meditation, somebody should lead the session. The person leading should not talk continuously and should not just sit. The meditation leader should be able to hold the meditation for 5 minutes or so. First, that person should recommend for people to create a perfect motivation, saying, ‘Kindly generate a perfect, good, wonderful motivation,’ but after that do not keep on talking. You are not there to give a lecture. Re- mind them to have a perfect motivation, then set a time, a

76 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE maximum of five and minimum of two minutes. Then ring a bell, relax people for a few seconds. Then start again. That should be again a maximum of five minutes and minimum of two. In between that, make sure that people don’t move and they should think the right thing. That’s how you lead. If you want a bigger break in between, you could have that. When you eventually finish, make a bigger sound. As for the sound, the bell should sound from the lower voice to the higher. You don’t want a loud bang when people are coming out of their meditation. The next few verses cover some interesting points.

VERSE 34 Until the time comes for this body To be supported by four pall-bearers While the worldly (stand around) stricken with grief, Until then I shall retire to the forest. Up to here we have been talking about the problems of pollution: noise pollution, pollution from too many thoughts, and the mental, physical and emotional pollution problems of gathering together with too many people too often. What can you do to avoid these pollutions? This text recommends going to the forest, since it was written in ancient Indian. Actually, it recommends avoiding everything that causes you to develop attachment. In this case, it is more attachment than obsession. People are bound to develop attachment and then obsession to their own place, their country, birthplace, fellow citizens, people, friends, teachers, family, loved ones and so on. All that will prevent you from retiring to the forest.

Be yourself right now. Today we don’t literally go to the forest: we are talking about being able to be quiet and to

Gelek Rimpoche be yourself. There is nothing wrong with being yourself. You must give yourself the opportunity to think by yourself, to breathe, to collect yourself, to think things through. Forget about meditation! That’s a little far off right now. Meditation, particularly zhi ne, the subject we are talking about here is a little too far for us because of our current mind situation. In the Bodhisattvacharyavatara, Shantideva goes through this in extreme detail, sometimes referring to us as childish or samsaric or worldly people. I am glad he hasn’t referred to us as stupid yet! But he refers to us so many times by so many names, saying that we are always worrying so much about losing what we love and also afraid of meeting with anything that we don’t really want. These fears continue for as long as we are alive. Shantide- va says, ‘Don’t think about that. If you really want to be yourself, you have to be yourself right now. You have to give yourself the opportunity to think, breathe and be yourself.’ Today we can’t go to the forest, so be yourself! Try not to get bullied by anybody, no matter whoever they may be. They could be your loved ones, your family, perhaps friends. Maybe you feel obligated. Maybe it is your spiritual master. So, if I bully you, bully me back! I am joking. Remember, in the GOM transcript I talk about where you meditate, what kind of place you need, that it has to be a place without dangerous animals and so on. This corresponds to that.

Be satisfied with what you have. The most important of the requirements for meditation is not to have too many desires. We want this and want that. Our mind wants everything that is beautiful and wonderful. Everything and everybody is beautiful, but we can’t have everything and everybody. If our mind were not in that nature we wouldn’t

78 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE have so many problems, but it is. We so have so many desires. How can we handle these desires? Be satisfied with what you have. If you are not, your desires are going to grow more. As the good old American saying goes, ‘Be happy with yourself, with who you are and with what you have.’ Don’t you say that? Being satisfied and happy will eliminate many activities we are caught up in. We do too many things. We like to poke our noses into things and leave our names. We like to be board members in so many corporations, and we want to get paid by all of them - except the Jewel Heart board members, who not only don’t get paid, but instead of that they have to pay! But all members of any other board get paid. It is important not to have too many activities. By cutting down on them, your morality will be positively affected. It helps you to have pure morality, and as a result of that, the many crazy thoughts in your mind will be reduced. These are all interlinked. When we hear that we should go to the forest, we have to understand everything this means. The next verses tell us more about the benefit of going to the forest.

VERSES 35 AND 36 Befriending no one and begrudging no one, My body will dwell alone in solitude. If I am already counted as a dead man, When I die there will be no mourners. And as there will be no one around To disturb with their mourning, Thus there will be no one to distract me From my recollection of the Buddha.

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If you are able to be yourself, what will you have less of? Read the verses. They tell you that you will have much less baggage when you have to travel. Remember the earlier verses about not having so many friends and enemies. A few verses ago we heard how if a handful of people tell you that you are great, that doesn’t mean that you are great. Another handful of people will tell you that you are horrible. Vice versa, if a handful of people say that you are horrible, that doesn’t make you horrible. Another handful will tell you that you are great. Neither friends nor enemies mean much. By not being so involved with them, the benefit is that you won’t have so much hatred and so much attachment, so we should go to the forest before we die. Why before we die? I could walk away from all this now, this moment! The reasons why we can’t be ourselves will continue until we die. Think about it: If you say, ‘I want to be myself, I don’t want to have so many obligations,’ a zillion different reasons will come up why you should have all these obligations. If you go to the forest, all these obligations are gone. If you could be yourself, you wouldn’t have to go through many of the traumatizing problems we have, our usual difficulties. You may say, ‘If I give up everybody, nobody will even know if I am dead.’ In the lam rim teachings they tell you You will lose the level of a human being. You will gain the position of the animals. You will obtain enlightenment. That’s why Shantideva says here, ‘It doesn’t matter if nobody worries about you. You don’t have to worry about them either!’ That will give you time to think for yourself, collect yourself and be yourself. You can even meditate. You could meditate on Buddha, on recollecting the Bud- dha.

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Recollection of the Buddha. As I covered in the GOM transcript, there are a number of possible objects to use for meditation. Buddha is one object of meditation. Medi- tating on Buddha’s image is recommended for all sorts of reasons, but it is only a recommendation. It is absolutely your choice what you want to meditate on. Nobody else can tell you. The American character is interesting. People will sit there and wait until somebody tells them, ‘Hey, you should think like this!’ You really do that here. Don’t do it! Traditionally, no one will come and tell you, ‘Now you sit down. Now you breathe in, now you breathe out.’ We don’t want to do that. If we start that, then everybody will say something else. The courses here give you information which will enable you to choose what you want to do. I can only, on the basis of the teachings, suggest that you meditate on Buddha’s image, but you could meditate on cow dung or yak’s horns or on your girlfriend’s moon, it doesn’t matter. It is your choice. No one can tell you what to do - except George Bush may tell you what to do and John Ash- croft may tell you how to walk and how to breathe and who to talk to and what you say to them. Can you imagine four more years of that? Better work it out now. If you meditate on the Buddha you will get the benefit of remembering Buddha. As verse 36 says Thus, there will be no one to distract me from my recollection of the Buddha. What are the benefits of meditating on Buddha? There are tremendous benefits. Let’s think about this. You can meditate on a Buddha’s image or on the image of any great being like Jesus or even to the extent of Ma- hatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama. If you meditate on a great being, you gain benefit. If you don’t like the term benefit, say that it develops virtue or positive karma. On the other hand, if you meditate on George Bush or Saddam Hussein, you get the opposite effect. These

Gelek Rimpoche two go together in history anyway. You will not only not gain any positive karma, but meditating like that helps to develop hatred, anger or other negativities. It would be the same, for that matter, if you meditated on a person or subject that increases your attachment or obsession. These are the pros and cons. The choice is yours. Nei- ther I nor anyone else can tell you what you should meditate on. My job is to tell you if you meditate on certain objects you develop good karma and if you meditate on certain other objects you will develop bad karma. If you don’t believe in karma, too bad! Whether you believe in it or not, karma is just there. You cannot avoid it. Hitler has karma, Saddam has karma, and the Chinese Chairman Mao has karma. We all have karma. Like it or not, it is really there. I will tell you one more benefit: when you meditate on Buddha, then, when you are in difficulty, you will think of Buddha. Just like when a mother protects her children well, then any time the children are in difficulty, they will say, ‘Mom!’ Whether mom is around or not, they will say, ‘Mom!’ That is how our mind gets affected. Similarly, when we meditate on Buddha, then in difficult times, we will remember and say, ‘Hey, Buddha!’

Helping ourselves and others at time of death. What is the most difficult time in our life? When we die. If you can think of Buddha when you die, that is great. We take refuge in Buddha because we want his protection. The biggest protection is when you remember Buddha. Then the mind is fully occupied by thinking of him, or if not fully, you will think of the name of Buddha, or his physical shape. For that matter, it works the same with Jesus or any great being of any tradition, as long as it is an authentic one. It could be Buddha or also any of your yidams. What does that do to think of that at the time of death? Buddha himself says,

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When you are sick, suffering and when you die, if you remember the Buddha, you will not be overpowered by suffering. You will be able to overcome all suffering. Of course, here we are talking from the background of reincarnation. Some people believe dying is like when a candle burns out, that when the wax is exhausted then the light is gone and that’s it. That may be your belief. It is your job to find out whether that is true or not. It is your problem. Let me quote: If, when you die, you remember Buddha radiating light and think like that, you will be happy. At the time of death you not only take refuge, but on top of that, it helps if someone at that time talks to you about Buddha and about refuge. Then you will receive the light of the Buddha when you die. In the Tibetan tradition, we often show Buddha images to people who are dying. This is for people who think positively about Buddha. But if you have broken refuge vows, seeing a Buddha image can even give you trouble. Re- member, I told you a story about a Nepali art smuggler who died in Delhi? He had visions of Buddhas jumping out of the walls at him and sitting on his chest so he couldn’t breathe. That can also happen. Also, talking about Buddha may not be that great for people who have been conservative Christians or something all their lives! If you try to force an image of Buddha on that person, even if they are family members or friends, that will become a disservice. I want you to remember that. For that person, instead of talking about Buddha, talk about Jesus, about God. This is what we call skillful means. Whether it is skillful means or not, it really means not being stupid. I was talking to Timothy O’Leary just before he died, because Allen Ginsberg called me from

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Kansas, saying, ‘Timothy O’Leary is dying, could you talk to him?’ I said, ‘Sure,’ but I didn’t know what to say to him. I was trying to think and it was after lunch and I had had some wine. Suddenly I get this big, heavy voice on the telephone and somehow I said, ‘OM MUNI MUNI MAHA MU- NIYE SOHA.’ I kept on saying that for a while. He said, ‘Why?’ and then I had an idea. A few days before that I saw a beautiful TV automobile commercial talking about a beautiful space, a wonderful place given by God and that if you had a job then could drive this car and the sky was the limit and so on. So I talked to him about that and this time he said, ‘Why not?’ So that was exactly what he wanted, a beautiful space where he could go. Throughout his life he was a very wonderful, open- minded person, but he was never really convinced that Buddha was the right answer, so I was stupid to push the MUNI mantra on him. Luckily, I found that beautiful space and all that and that probably helped him to think the right way, to think at least of a place where he could go. If you know about Buddha and can think of him, it is one of the easiest and best ways that we ourselves can go and also help our friends to go. Then, of course, Vajraya- na has a special way of doing it. Yes, there are methods like the transference of the soul or consciousness and all kinds of rituals, but what makes the actual difference is if you as the person concerned can really take it. Then it can be a wonderful thing. Doing it yourself is even better than depending on a second or third person. But in any case, thinking about Buddha is not difficult. Thinking about God and Jesus is not difficult for us. I think I talked enough about that. Let me talk more about what it means to go the forest, to be yourself, to be quiet. The real essence of what it means is in the next two verses.

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VERSES 37 AND 38 Therefore I shall dwell alone, Happy and contented with few difficulties, In very joyful and beautiful forests, Pacifying all distractions. Having given up all other intentions, Being motivated by only one thought, I shall strive to settle my mind in equipoise (by means of calm abiding) And to subdue it (with superior insight). Going to the forest doesn’t just mean to move there. It also doesn’t just mean to be in a quiet place mentally, but also physically. Verse 37 itself says: to be happy and contented…pacifying all distractions. To be happy and contented is very important. These are mental activities that have an effect on your physical being. If mind is not happy, if we are not contented, the signs of that show up physically in our face and in our body as a whole. The Tibetan original reads differently from the Eng- lish translation. The translation says in very joyful, beautiful forests. The original says, Not only is the place joyful and beautiful, but the person who remains there will have a nice, beautiful physical appearance. Your face is shiny and majestic. You have to get that. That is what the Ti- betan says. If you are joyful, you will be radiant. Even a sick person, if they are happy, will have happiness radiating out of their face. I have seen many of them like that. They were about to die, but radiant. It is a sign of happiness and one must get that. These two verses are telling you how you can go to the forest and what it means to go to the forest. Try to maintain the radiating face, the happy signal. Normally, we say that if you are happy and jolly you can make oth-

Gelek Rimpoche ers happy and jolly, but here you are talking about yourself. You have to have it. Verse 37 also says You dwell alone. That does not just mean that there is no one around. Even in the forest there are trees and insects, birds in the top of the trees and ants at the roots of the trees, and maybe snakes, too, who knows? But being alone means being alone by yourself with your mind. Do not bring your baggage of attachment, obsession and hatred along. Being alone and quiet in the forest really means to keep your mind happy and quiet and with fewer thoughts, less desire, less delusion. Verse 38 tells you to let all these thoughts go. Keep the great one mind, only one thought, either bodhimind or the mind of peacefulness, zhi ne, equipoise or calm abiding as verse 38 says.

VERSE 39 Both in this world and the next Desires give rise to great misfortune: In this life killing, bondage and flaying, And in the next, the existence of the hells. In order to make your body physically quiet, you may run away a little bit from the cities or from so many activities, but the most important thing is to keep quiet, calm abiding or equipoise, in your mind. Remember, the lam rim teachings tell you Even if you remain in the family or household, you can very easily attain liberation. Both the great early Tibetan kings as well as Marpa Lot- sawa, the founder of the Kagyu tradition, are given as examples. Marpa was a family man. When Milarepa first went to find Marpa, he met a farmer who was working with his yaks sowing seeds in the field. The farmer shared a jar of chang (Tibetan beer) with Mila. Milarepa didn’t recognize

86 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE him and asked, ‘Is there a great teacher called Marpa somewhere around here?’ Marpa answered, ‘Yeah, I think he is up there somewhere.’ He had to say that. Real quietness means that the mind remains quiet. There is this little haiku-style comment about meditation: Too many people they fight and never agree. With just two, there will be competition. Therefore, remain alone. This is just like the ornament of a beautiful woman. If only one woman wears a particularly beautiful jewel ornament, it is beautiful. If two women wear the same thing, it is not that great! Nowadays there are so many duplicate things, since it is all multi-production. Anyway, this is what verse 39 tells you. If you go into the forest and remain quiet, what do you do there? Two things: Think and meditate. You need the two minds of compassion: the relative and absolute mind of compassion. We have talked withdrawing from physical and mental attractions. We also have too many thoughts. In previous lives, in this life and in future lives we have too many thoughts. What do we do about all these? They come to us because we have tremendous desires for anything and everything, things, articles, clothes, jewelry, our households and for men and women. We have all kinds of desires, for animals - like pets. Don’t think of funny things when I am talking about desire for animals! These desires sometimes force us so strongly that we almost become crazy. We will even kill people, torture them, cut off their hands and legs, engage in killing, bondage and flaying. This is what this old text is talking about, but we can see the same thing happening today. Desire does that and hatred does that. We have just seen two days ago what happened in Iraq when those contractors were captured and killed. Even CNN, which is quite conservative, called them ‘civilian contractors doing dangerous military work’. They

Gelek Rimpoche were killed, their bodies cut up, their intestines taken out and exhibited, their bodies hung up on the bridge at the en- trance to the city. We just saw that two days ago. This was done through nothing but hatred. Human beings do this through the two powerful forces of attachment and hatred. Attachment and obsession sometimes makes people do that, too. Remember that woman who killed her own children? She did it out of obsession, thinking, ‘These children are never going to survive, they are going to suffer exactly like I suffer, so I better kill them.’ And then God comes in and tells her to kill them or whatever. In other words, the delusion kicks in. I mean, unless you are crazy, you wouldn’t do this.

What makes us lose all the time. Only two forces, attachment/obsession and hatred force people into these actions. We provide the ego-ignorance basis and these two emotional forces of obsession and hatred kick in. If we are not strong, all these powerful forces can drive us crazy, up and down. We are not established within ourselves. It is not an accident that Buddha calls these three things the three poisons. Traditionally, the first one is called ignorance, in the sense that we are not strong within ourselves, we are not established, we are not who we really are. We don’t know what to do and we are waiting for somebody else to tell us what to do. This lack of self-confidence can manifest as over ego-boosting. It is not true self-confidence, but really ignorance. Then the powerful emotional forces of hatred and attachment can force an individual human being whose basic nature is love, compassion and kindness to do miserable, horrifying things. That makes us lose all the time. We lose in the spiritual field, we lose our normal human behavior, and we lose our future lives. We create tremendous negativities. We actually kill our spirit completely. That is what I mean by losing. We not only lose in this life, but we are also lost in our future incarnations because of these heavy negativities; they give

88 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE rise to the existence of the hells. I do not believe that the suicide bombers are going to heaven where seventy virgins are waiting for them. It is very funny. In one way, the great religious traditions are so good. On the other hand, so many wars have been fought and are now being fought on the grounds and basis of ideology and religion. If this trend keeps on we will have a terrible time, particularly with those radicals, not only Muslim radicals, all radicals. If this continues, we will have terrible problems. In verse 40 and the following verses, you will see a lot of ‘body bashing’. We are not yet there, but it will come in those verses a bit further down.

VERSE 40 For the sake of (women) many requests Are first of all made through go-betweens, All forms of transgression and even notoriety Are not avoided for their sake. There are two ways of interpreting this verse. One way is exactly as it is translated here, mentioning go-betweens. The other interpretation, which is not translated into Eng- lish says, For the sake of the young ones, male and female. But again, this text was written a thousand years ago in the ancient Indian culture. Women’s faces were covered by veils until death and then the vultures would pick off the veils in the cemeteries. Verses 40-56 or so will continue on that one point. Actually, these verses are trying to hit obsession and attachment. According to traditional Indian culture, these verses tell you that you don’t even see each other’s faces but still have tremendous obsession and attachment and by the time you are dead your bodies are moved to the cemeteries where the vultures will come and pick off the cotton cloths that are covering the faces. It is old, old Indian cul-

Gelek Rimpoche ture. Men and women did not see each other’s faces. Even at night their faces were covered. We see that to a certain extent in Muslim tradition today. At least they only do it when they are going outside, but in the old culture the faces were covered day and night, so you had really no idea what your partner looked like! Yet you still have strong attachment. You spend money and try to meet each other. After spending so much money and energy, when finally you meet, you don’t see the other person anyway! The other one won’t look at you anyway, because they are shy and the culture makes them wear this cotton cloth until they die and the vultures remove it in the cemeteries!

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Student: I found an interesting quote about Bodhisattvas. It says, They have unselfish affection and the ability to remain cheerful at all times. I was wondering how you develop that. It sounds so good! Rimpoche: That is a beautiful description. This is what we are trying to gain, not so much self-interest, but unselfish affection for ourselves and for others. All our teachings, all our practices are geared toward individuals being able to do this. You have to have affection for yourself and others, yet you shouldn’t have attachment and obsession for yourself or others. The next ten or so verses will talk about how horrible our body is, because our body is one of the bases for us to develop obsession. People who have no idea about the spiritual path have attachments and obsessions about material things. Of course, Donald Trump’s obsession is, ‘You are fired!’ but people with interest in spirituality know that material things are not good enough, so you draw your attachment and

90 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE obsession away from the external to the internal. The moment you do that, your attachment will go to your physical aspects and then to your mental aspects, in other words, to your body and mind. That is why the following verses hit on the attachment to the body, saying that it is terrible and so forth. These verses really tell you how horrible the body is. They tell you the body is the source of all kinds of horrible things. They say for example that you throw up and even the ground is made dirty by it and where does it come from? From inside of you! All kinds of things like that are there. Actually the Bodhisattvacharyavatara is a fantastic book. It really hits obsession and attachment on the head. We already dealt with hatred in detail during the chapter on patience and anger. This chapter is hitting more on attachment.

Distinguishing between attachment and pure love. The beauty of pure, wonderful love we are talking about goes beyond hatred and obsession, not focusing on our physical basis or on the mind but on the being itself, the wonderful person. In our usual life, we don’t see love as pure love, but as attachment. We see attachment drawn out of attraction and the attraction itself drawn out of the physical appearance of an individual. This is the reality, like it or not. Many people are able to go beyond that. They can maintain a love for the being, looking beyond the body. They can maintain love and relationship very well, but many people cannot and then they go through so many changes. I am not talking about anybody in particular, but think about what happens in the world today. We normally don’t make a big distinction between attachment and love, and attachment comes through attraction. That is the source of all our problems. True love cuts through and goes beyond all this. True love is free of attraction. True love is free of attachment.

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True love is free of jealousy. True love is free of hatred. True love maintains dignity. True love maintains the pres- tige of people. True love respects and honors everyone. Isn’t that interesting? That brings us back exactly to what you said in your statement and question: how to develop unselfish affection toward yourself and to all others and how to gain the ability to stay cheerful at all times. Student: Last Thursday, you spoke about Tsongkhapa’s description of the two types of mental clarity. The first is clarity of the mind as it is focusing, the other is that of the subject on which you are focusing. How does being yourself tie in with those two qualities? Rimpoche: I think it is a little bit geared towards that. Last Thursday, I gave an example with 3 aspects: A pure, stainless, clean-clear crystal glass, filled with unpolluted, clear water, exposed to the cloudless sunshine, all three together. That is the example of clarity of the subject, the mind or observer. The clarity of the object you focus on is like this: If you focus on a pillar, you are not only able to see all details of the pillar, but even each and every molecule. I think that is a very high level with quite good clarity of both subject and object. You can do this, when you collect yourself. Your mind will be absolutely clear, like crystal glass, faultless, with not so many thoughts and prefabricated expectations. You know how we always say, ‘This should be this and that.’ That is a prefabricated mind. If you have that, you get a lot of surprises, which you won’t like. You have to be free of that. When we try to collect ourselves, instead of collecting ourselves, we normally collect all our problems, thoughts, emotions, upsets, and all of them together. That is what I mean by bringing in our prefabricated thoughts and ideas. A clean, crystal glass-like mind is free of that

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A mind like water with no pollution is free from the doubts and fears of what will happen. It is almost like the nature will come out. Doubts and fears are not like a stain on the glass, but a stain on the water itself. Then you should have cloudless sunshine. The mental observer should not be wearing dark glasses or red or green glasses or it will not be cloudless sunshine. Yes, we wear sunglasses, so greens look more yellow or green depending on the color of the lens you wear. This is not a high level of concentration meditation, but simple collecting ourselves. That means you will be able to hold yourself alone with you. That is the basis of taking rest, giving yourself an opportunity to breathe. We sometimes show people who have occasional emotional challenges how to watch the sunset standing with their legs together, lifting their heels up and saying goodbye to emotional problems, ‘I don’t want to see them tomorrow. I want to see only the sunshine!’ If at that time, you take also these three qualities of stainless glass, pollution free water and cloudless sunshine, it will be icing on the cake.

Learning to cut down mundane desires. In order for us to have a good zhi ne meditation, we need to completely avoid any external wrong thoughts and conceptions. In order to absolutely clear all external thoughts, we have to find out which kind of thought draws our attention the most. We will find that what draws our attention most is desire. It may seem sometimes that this is not the case for us. We think we don’t have so many desires, but if you look carefully you will find all kinds of different desires, desires for comfort, for sex, for certain articles and sometimes even for nothing. Some people are attached to and have a very strong desire for completely useless stuff! In short, the key here is that anything that draws our desire is a cause of suffering. Shantideva goes on verse after verse, continuously adding up so many points in that direc-

Gelek Rimpoche tion. He is trying to tell us that all those desires are causes of suffering. They bring suffering, not joy. Then he says to go to the forest, or rather to maintain quietness of the body and of the mind, of the environment and even the inhabitants. That will give you the opposite effect: instead of sadness and sorrow and sourness, you will get joy. We have said that desire brings suffering. Yes, it is suffering, but very specifically desire brings you the sufferings of sadness, sorrow and sourness. This text tells us to maintain a forest life, which means to maintain simplicity and satisfaction. This will give you the opposite effect. Many people may say, ‘I am maintaining simplicity, but that is not enough for me. I am still suffering a lot.’ Obvi- ously, there are degrees of simplicity. One person’s simplicity can be somebody else’s luxury and somebody’s luxury can be somebody else’s simplicity. It is not black and white, but totally depends on the individual. It becomes complicated. In American life, the cutoff point where the middle class ends and the wealthy class begins is put at $200,000 income. Above that you are considered wealthy, in terms of taxes. With the business of desire, you cannot really draw a line that way. It really differs from person to person. Certain individuals have some hobbies and some don’t. In order to cut that desire, Shantideva says, ‘Whatever desire you have, you have to meditate and convince yourself that these desires bring you sadness and sorrow.’ Under that PowerPoint type of heading he also tells us that even if such a desire is fulfilled, we remain full of fear. Whatever result we get, we remain full of fear, not in the sense of being frightened, not because someone is threatening us, but with the fear of losing, of being unable to maintain what we obtained, of not being able to continue. The result of fulfilled desire will be fear. When you look closer, you will see that whatever desire we have is desire for bodily comfort. It could be desire for comfort, sexual desire, desire for articles and things we ac-

94 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE cumulate. Although we think they are for our mental happiness, we are really doing it for physical happiness. Therefore our biggest source of desire stems from the physical body which we consider to be absolutely wonderful and clean. Particularly if you are in the medical or healing professions, you are trained to think that the body is absolutely clean. If you cut the body and look inside, it must be absolutely clean. If your body is not, you are sick, you have problems or diseases. As long as you are healthy, your body is supposed to be absolutely clean on the inside. We do believe that. On the other hand, Buddha tells us that the body itself is absolutely filthy inside, not clean. This is a big contrast. I have given the teaching on the Four Noble Truths a number of times, and I even said that the truth of suffering seems to directly contradict medical science. According to science, the body is absolutely clean. Ben Shapiro attended one of my teachings on that subject at a retreat and after- wards he came and talked to me. He said, ‘You are absolutely right. As a medical person, as a doctor, I used to think that the body is absolutely clean. But if it is, then where does cancer come from? We mostly find cancer inside the body, not so much outside. The body is really not clean, it is filthy.’ So now the top medical scientists are making statements like this, which gives me a little more confidence to say it louder!

VERSES 41 AND 42 I engage in fearful deeds for them And will even consume my wealth. But these (very bodies of theirs), Which I greatly enjoy in the sexual embrace, Are nothing other than skeletons, They are not autonomous and are identityless. Rather than being so desirous and completely obsessed,

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Why do I not go to the state beyond sorrow (instead)? Buddha says that the body is absolutely filthy and the number one reason he gives is that the body is the source of pain and suffering, illness and disease. Buddha and a number of non- Buddhist masters had a difference of opinion and clashed on this point. Some Hindu masters said that the being’s body is clean, joyful, permanent and self-existing. Buddha says it is the other way round: impermanent, suffering, dependently arising and filthy. Many of the following verses deal with these points. The suffering brought by obsession for our body doesn’t end here. Because of desire, because of our obsession to fulfilling our desires, we will have tremendous problems, not only in this life, but even in future lives. Shantideva further intensifies this message by talking about meditating on the cemeteries, comparing the bodies there with ours.

VERSES 43 AND 44 In the first place I made efforts to lift (her veil), And when it was raised she bashfully looked down. Previously, whether anyone looked or not, Her face was covered with a cloth. Yet now, why do I run away Upon directly beholding This face, which disturbs the mind As it is being revealed to me by the vultures? Because of the cemetery situation, we can see the faults of the bodies that we are going to experience ourselves. Six points are made in that regard in the following verses: 1. Our lives are very similar to the cemetery situation in the way we experience the result. 2. In the end, there is nothing left but what you find in the cemetery.

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3. We cannot protect our physical body by stinginess or being a miser. 4. Even if we decorate the body, it doesn’t help. 5. This body is very fearful and frightening. 6. This body is simply just covered up. We can wear beautiful clothes that cover up the body and make it look good, but in reality, it is just pieces of bones and muscles, covered up with the drywall of skin. In that sense, the body is just like a building whose construction materials consist of all kinds of funny wooden parts, all filled up with insulation made from all kinds of torn, dirty, rotten pieces of material. Finally it is covered up with drywall and painted. Then it looks nice. When we look at our body, that is exactly what is happening. The body that we are so attached to and so obsessed with does not necessarily have to be the female body. It can be any physical body that draws our attraction, attachment and obsession. We enjoy touching and hugging this body, but it is nothing but a collection of bones. You have to think, ‘I did not have that body from the beginning. I didn’t need it. It has no value whatsoever.’ With that mind, my desire for such a body should be reversed. I hope you get what I mean. I already mentioned last time that in old India people didn’t even see each other’s bodies. They were completely covered with cotton cloths, yet they thought this body is wonderful. Finally, the vultures will remove the covers in the cemeteries. Why should one worry about the body and have such obsession for it?

VERSE 45 (Previously) I completely protected (her body) When others cast their eyes upon it. Why, miser, do you not protect it now, While it is being devoured by these birds?

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Our attachment can be so much. If someone looks at your girlfriend, you get so jealous and want to protect her body, but this body will be eaten by vultures and other animals! Why am I so touchy that I even don’t want others to look at it? This verse addresses point 3 (out of the above list of 6). We shouldn’t have such stinginess for this body, either our own body or another’s, that we don’t want to share it with anybody.

VERSE 46 Since vultures and others are eating This pile of meat that I behold, Why did I offer flower garlands, sandalwood and ornaments To that which is now the food of others? Why should we try to protect such a body by wearing so much jewelry, flower garlands and so many ornaments? One should not be strongly attached and have obsession for the body. Why is there so much focus on the body? We don’t like to say it, but most of our obsession is drawn from the physical body. This is true for many people. A few people may have gone beyond that level, but in the beginning all our attachments and obsessions are drawn on the physical body, so we like to decorate the body with all kinds of ornaments and jewels. This verse tells us that this body is just a collection of flesh, nothing but the food for others, vultures and jackals or coyotes. Why should I decorate some animal’s food with flowers, sandalwood, gold and precious jewels? These are all simply meditations you can use to cut attachment.

VERSE 47 If I am frightened by the skeletons I see,

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Even though they do not move, Why am I not frightened by walking corpses Which are moved around by a few (impulses)? This verse deals with point 5. This body is something very frightening. It is just a collection of bones, a skeleton. If we see a collection of bones moving around, we will be extremely scared. We are scared of looking at dead bodies, but while we are alive, our bodies are like zombies or walking corpses moved by mind. Why are we not afraid of the living zombies? This is the body that we so appreciate and take every effort to take care of and protect. We put cream and makeup on it. We decorate it with jewels. Shantideva com- pares this body with a dead body, which is nothing but the food for vultures and coyotes. We are afraid to touch a dead body, we are afraid to be with a dead body, so why are we not afraid of living with the living zombies?

VERSE 48 Although I am attached to it when it is covered (with skin), Why do I not desire it when it is uncovered? Since I have no need for it then, Why copulate with it when it is covered? Much of our attraction has been enhanced by the clothes that we put on. Is this body worth developing all these desires for? This is the situation of life and death. Even in life, if you don’t have a spiritual practice within you, the body will be totally useless. So this is the comparison between the spiritual developments that we can obtain and the attractions that we have in our body. In this regard there are a further 5 points. The next verses are going to tell you about this.

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VERSE 49 Since both excrement and saliva Arise solely from food, Why do I dislike excrement And find joy in saliva? Point 1. We like the body because we like to touch it. Certain things come out of the body, from one source, from one person, but we like some of them and not the others. How wrong is that?

VERSES 50 AND 51 Cotton, too, is soft to the touch, But while I find no (sexual) delight in a pillow, I think that (a woman’s body) does not emit a putrid odour. Lustful One, you are confused as to what is unclean! Thinking that they cannot sleep with this cotton Although it is soft to the touch, Confused, negative and lustful people Become angry towards it (instead). Yes, touch is great, because it is soft and wonderful. So why not touch a nice, little pillow? Our mind will say no, no! The verse mentions the reasons: they cannot sleep with this. Shantideva calls that stupid. He says stupid, confused, negative and lustful people will reject that and will get angry. The reasons you know. They are stated here.

VERSES 52 AND 53 If I am not attached to what is unclean, Then why do I copulate with the lower parts of others’ bodies Which are merely cages of bones tied together with muscles,

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Plastered over with the mud of flesh? I myself contain many unclean things Which I constantly have to experience; So why, because of an obsession for uncleanliness, Do I desire other bags of filth? These verses tell us that our bodies are not clean, that we are full of filthy unclean things. We live in a bag of filthy substances. It says if I am not attached to what is unclean, then why do I copulate with the lower parts of others’ bodies? The translation is even worse than the Tibetan! It talks about cages of bones tied together with muscles.

Point 2. This is all trying to tell us that just because something feels great to touch is not a good reason to indulge in attachment.

VERSES 54 AND 55 But it is the flesh that I enjoy - If this is what I wish to touch and behold, Why do I not desire it in its natural state Devoid of any mind? Furthermore, any mind that I may desire Is unable to be touched or beheld, And whatever I am able to touch will not be mental; So why indulge in this meaningless copulation? Point 3. You may answer: ‘But I like the flesh. I am happy with it. I can touch it and look at it.’ Yes, you can look and touch, but what you touch and behold is only flesh that doesn’t have mind. It is like a dead body, since you can’t see or touch the mind. So then, why don’t you want to touch a dead body?

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You have this dialogue between yourself and you, in order to cut obsession. You have to remember that, otherwise it is a little too gross here! You may say, ‘I am not really attached to the flesh and feeling the skin. I like the mind.’ But you cannot touch or see somebody’s mind, so, then why are you doing useless stuff like touching bodies when you actually want to see and touch the mind? Why are you to uching something else? This is telling you that body and mind are two separate things. You cannot justify attachment to the body by giving the mind as a reason.

VERSE 56 It is not so strange that I do not understand The bodies of others to be of an unclean nature, But it is indeed strange that I do not understand My very own body to be by nature unclean. Point 4. Maybe it is no surprise to see that other people are unclean, but it is a big surprise that you yourself are also full of unclean stuff. When you realize that, it is interesting. All the faults we have identified about other bodies are also true for ourselves. It is my body, my insides, me who is in that condition. Therefore, I should not have obsession for my body.

VERSE 57 Having forsaken the young lotus flower Unfolded by beams of sunlight free from cloud, Why, with a mind craving for what is unclean, Do I revel in a cage of filth? Point 5. You may say, ‘It looks nice, it has a nice shape. That’s why I have strong attachment.’ Yes, beautiful sun-

102 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE shine looks nice. A beautiful lotus opened by the sunshine looks nice. Yet you leave all that aside and instead want to have obsession for unclean stuff! Up to here the argument is made that the body is actually filthy and therefore, one should not develop obsession and attachment to that body.

VERSES 58 AND 59 Since I do not wish to touch A place that is smeared with excrements, Then why do I wish to touch the body From which that (excrement) arose? If I am not attached to what is unclean, Why do I copulate with the lower parts of others’ bodies Which arise from the unclean field (of a womb) And are produced by the seeds within it? From the reasoning point of view, you should also not have attachment to physical bodies. The physical body is a source for all unclean things coming out of it. I am sure I don’t have to read this verse to you. Basically, the body is filthy, because the things coming out it make even the pure ground dirty. Furthermore, the physical body is the result of something unclean and therefore, our physical body itself is unclean.

VERSE 60 I have no wish for a small, dirty maggot Which has come from a pile of filth, So why do I desire this body which by nature is grossly unclean, For it too was produced by filth?

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Our body is a collection of impure materials; it is grossly unclean. We don’t like anything like worms or maggots that come out of an unclean place. We feel they are dirty and filthy. We want to run away or destroy them. But our own body is actually a collection of 326 dirty materials, as the commentary says. Don’t let me count! I don’t even know what they are.

VERSE 61 Not only do I not disparage The uncleanliness of my own body, But because of an obsession for what is unclean I desire other bags of filth as well. Not only are we ourselves bags full of filth but we desire more filth from others as well!

VERSE 62 Even attractive things such as savory foods, Cooked rice and vegetables, Make the ground dirty and unclean, Should they be spat out after being in the mouth. You say, ‘Even though it may be filthy, I can put on nice perfume, so it looks and smells good.’ Yes, the smell may be great but whatever that great smell is, if you swallow it and throw it up again, see what happens then! Therefore, even though you may apply smells, that is no valid reason to have attachment to the body.

VERSE 63 Although such uncleanliness is obvious, If I still have doubts I should go to the cemeteries And look at the unclean bodies (of others) That have been thrown away there.

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By now we know that the body is absolutely filthy. If you still have doubts, go back and look in the cemeteries, where the animals have eaten the bodies and their leftovers are lying around.

VERSE 64 Having realized that, when their skin is rent open, They give rise to great deal of fear, How will such things as these Ever again give rise to joy? When we think about opening our skin, we will be very afraid, for ourselves and others. We know what is in there. But when your body or the body of a young, beautiful woman is covered up by skin, we will have strong attachment, again and again. So remember, when you open the skin of that body, you will run away. Therefore, all physical bodies that draw our attraction are just like the bodies we see in the cemeteries. It is not worth it for us to suffer for the sake of bodies like that and develop trouble.

VERSES 65 AND 66 The scents with which someone’s body is anointed Are sandalwood and the like, but not that of the other’s body. So why am I attached to other’s (bodies) Because of scents that are other (than theirs)? Since the body has a naturally foul odor, Isn’t it good to be unattached to it? Why do those who crave for the meaningless things of the world Anoint this body with pleasant scents?

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Point 6. We could put nice ointments on the body. Can that change the body into something pure? No. The smell of the body does not change. Even if you put nice sandalwood perfume on, that smell belongs to the sandalwood, not to the body, which has a naturally foul odor. It is not the body’s smell, but the smell of flowers, incense or sandalwood. Therefore, even though the smell is nice, it just doesn’t belong there.

VERSE 67 And furthermore, if it is the pleasant scent of sandalwood, How can it come from the body? So why am I attached to others’ (bodies) Because of scents that are other (than theirs)? The pleasant attractions that draw us have no connection with the body, which is naturally decaying. Nice, beautiful things shouldn’t decay.

VERSES 68 AND 69 Since the naked body (left) in its natural state Is very frightening due to its long hair and nails, Its yellowish foul-smelling teeth And its being coated with the odour of dirt, Why do I make such an effort to polish it Like (cleaning) a weapon that will cause me harm? Hence this entire world is disturbed with insanity Due to the exertions of those who are confused about themselves. The body is of decaying nature. The hair and nails grow longer. The gums and teeth get dirty. All that is the reality

106 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE of the body, and therefore it is in the nature of fear; it is very frightening. Since it is very harmful to ourselves, why do we go out of our way to create more harm?

VERSE 70 When my mind rises (above worldly concerns), Through having beheld nothing but skeletons in the cemetery, Will there be any joy in graveyard cities Which are filled with moving skeletons? Here we are talking about skeletons again, meaning ourselves. This is similar to what I said earlier. We reached verse 70. In this Tibetan text the verses are not marked by numbers. Tibetan texts don’t number the verses; with Tibetan books we are lucky to have page numbers and the pages themselves are also loose.

Drawing the conclusion to these verses. Why can’t we develop shamatha or zhi ne or proper meditation? Our mind cannot focus, because it is preoccupied by all kinds of thoughts. The number one preoccupation is attachment, which is extremely difficult for us to get rid of. Attachment is something we enjoy. We get a feeling of comfort from it, a cool feeling or a feeling of emerald green light. It doesn’t feel hot or difficult. We enjoy these samsaric delights, but as a matter of fact they cause us even more harm than hatred and anger. Hatred and anger are hot. We see and feel this. When people get angry, their bodies shake. We can clearly and easily see that this is not good, but attachment and obsession don’t look that bad. Attachment doesn’t make you mad. It makes you feel cool, but has a long-lasting and harmful effect. We don’t realize this and we don’t want to. We enjoy certain parts. We think it brings a little comfort in the midst of total misery and we enjoy that comfortable feeling.

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In a way, it is true. An immediate nice feeling is there, but that happiness lasts only a few seconds. For the rest of the time, we have to go through more pain and suffering related to it. Many of us enjoy and endure even those pains for the sake of something that we consider to be comfort, but that comfort becomes weaker and weaker and shorter and shorter and instead there is more and more dissatisfaction. That is the nature of reality, the nature of emotion itself and the nature of the physical body itself. In other words, physical comfort or physical joy alone cannot satisfy our needs at all, yet, we have very strong attachment for it and put ourselves through a tremendous amount of torture for its sake. In the long run, attachment is even more harmful for the individual than ignorance, confusion or hatred. Buddha didn’t say without reason that attachment is the glue of samsara. Samsara or suffering continues for the individual because attachment makes sure it remains. That’s why, when beginning to meditate, it is so important to deal with attachment. That is why Shantideva spends over 40 verses on this, just simply attacking the subject point on which we develop attachment. No one likes to hear this. No one enjoys this, because everybody thinks that attachment is joy. We think it is wonderful, but when we really look into our personal experience, that wonderful feeling is just a tiny, little portion of the experience. The major part, 99.9 % of everything, is physical, mental and emotional suffering. You know it if you look yourself. Review your life. We all have experience with this, except little babies who haven’t gone through it yet, but they will later, too. We all know this. There is nothing mysterious about it. It is just something we don’t like to hear about. We enjoy persisting with it. Spiritually this is where we go wrong, because of the reasons I have given you today. That doesn’t mean one shouldn’t have love and affection and relationships. What it does mean is that attach-

108 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE ment shouldn’t overpower all your needs. It is just a tiny, little portion of your needs. Your major needs are your spiritual needs. Not only do you have to balance that, but you have to manage well. Otherwise, attachment will completely overpower you and you will become its slave. That is how attachment makes us lose our freedom. That’s why Buddha made the point about what is traditionally called renunciation, but we like to call seeking freedom. We have to claim freedom from our attachment and hatred. Attachment uses us like a slave. Why do we get attached? You don’t need any descriptions more graphic than what we just heard! If we are not careful, somebody may say that this is pornography! But pornography actually works in the opposite direction, building up desires; we are going backwards rather than forward in that respect. Spirit- ually, we are going forward. That is the difference between the spiritual and the material world. That is the level on which we hope to give you the material to meditate.

Meditating on mind. In the GOM course, I explained how meditate on the mind as object of concentration. It was short and sweet and quite good, although my English is so terrible. It gives you a good introduction to the relative mind. Please make sure you read it and understand the introduction of mind. I emphasized that this is the introduction to the relative mind, not the ultimate mind, although many traditional Ti- betan masters have said that this is the ultimate. They say that you see this and keep on watching it and you will be liberated. I emphasized that no, this is simply the introduction to the mind. Once you know your mind, you still have to investigate the reality of that mind, the wisdom part of it. That’s why you need both zhi ne and lhag tong. You can develop zhi ne or focusing on the basis of the mind.

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Generally it is recommended to use Buddha’s image as object of zhi ne, but the mind is also recommended. The mind meditation has been given a little lower profile. I gave you the reasons for the benefits of meditating on Buddha’s image. Actually, the mind meditation is quite simple. I mentioned the state of NBB, short for nang wa ben bun22. This is classic, old Tibetan language for what modern language would call it nyö nyö bun. It means that somehow your mind is already in a sort of drunken state, almost drunk with joy and happiness. At that level you begin to see, without any correction or suggestion; you leave it there and observe. By observing, you will see some kind of clear, lucid nature, quite obviously clear. That is the introduction of the relative mind. I don’t want to go too much beyond that. If I say more about that, it may affect somebody else’s teaching. Therefore I have to leave it there.

Summary of material covered to this point. I would like to summa- rize what we have done in these last eight weeks. We introduced meditation. Up to this point, the Bodhisattvacharyavatara and the Lam rim chen mo teachings have covered two major points. What is meditation all about? And out of all these meditations, what is shamatha or zhi ne meditation? What do the words zhi and ne stand for? Directly translated word by word, it comes to the point of ‘remaining in peace.’ It is an extraordinary meditation that brings the individual into a state of peace and joy. In what we have covered so far we talked about what zhi ne is, where you can meditate, who can meditate, what the individual person needs to do to become fit to use this meditation and what is the purpose of this meditation. As for the purpose, we have introduced two things, a shorter and a long term goal. The shorter goal is to bring harmony, peace, joy, relaxation physically and mentally, to the individual. I discuss the long term goal below. Concerning the place for meditation we have introduced the quality of the place where we should meditate. It has to be a good, peaceful place, with good friends, where the meditator

110 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE can sustain their life easily, which is environmentally correct. The qualities of the companions and friends have been mentioned and then we presented what meditation really means, what purpose it has, why we need it. Do we really need this meditation? Is it just one additional extra thing to do? People say, ‘I have yoga classes and all kinds of things to go to and that is now another thing I have to do, another additional problem.’ No you don't. No one is forcing you to do anything; we are simply sharing so many techniques available from the Eastern traditions. Meditation is not only in the Eastern tradition, but comes from so many places. Of course, it is meant for the individual to reduce stress and bring about joy. However, any method you try to accomplish anything involves some hardship in the beginning. You are facing a challenge. That is always there. Is meditation then necessary? You have to ask yourself that question and you are the only person who can answer it. If you ask me, I will say yes. I am not saying that because the teachings and textbooks say so and not because others do it, but simply because it is a fact that without it you truly get nowhere. Yes, you can do purification, you can do circumambulations, you can do prostrations, and you can do some accumulation of merit. All these will produce wonderful spiritual results. However, without meditation it is not good enough. The purpose of spiritual practice from the Buddha's point of view is to liberate the individual completely, once and for all, from the sufferings of samsara, the physical, mental and emotional pains that we go through. We want to be liberated from the continuation of the pain of samsara that we go through. To be liberated from that you need meditation. Without meditation nothing can be done at that level. Yes, you can collect positive karma, but to liberate yourself you do need meditation. Not only do you need meditation, you also need wisdom. How do you develop wisdom? This is a learning process, however, learning alone does not develop wisdom, but rather knowledge. On the basis of that knowledge, that education, you have to meditate or practice, and then you develop wis-

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Gelek Rimpoche dom. That is spiritual gain, not just knowledge or information. That is only possible if you have a stable mind, so mental stability is the real purpose of shamatha or zhi ne meditation. Maitreya Buddha says, One looks for liberation and sees that wisdom liberates the individual. That only develops when one has a very stable mind. Therefore the wise develop stable shamatha and then gain wisdom. In other words, if the aim of your spiritual practice is to uplift yourself from the present ordinary level to an extraordinary level of freedom from negative emotions and their negative consequences, then meditation is necessary. If our purpose is just to feel good, to have love and light, just haha-yana, then meditation is not needed. If you just want to build positive karma, then meditation is not absolutely necessary. If your purpose is beyond that, then you do need meditation. I have been in the United States since 1987. Before that I came twice to visit. In all that time I haven’t talked that much about meditation, just here and there. It is not that I did not learn about or haven’t been instructed by my teachers, but my purpose has been to talk to people who really want to get into a spiritual path, who want to help themselves. I really brought up the people here on the basis of the example of a great many spiritual teachers who went through the very comprehensive stages of a spiritual practice. I tried to introduce these in a very abbreviated manner, relying on the shortest possible texts available, such as the Three Principles, the Foundation of Perfections, Lines of Experience, then the complete Lam Rim, then again in a slightly different way the Odyssey to Freedom, then the Mind training, developing compassion and all different ways. After more than a decade of teaching in the US, however, this is the first time that I am doing a comprehensive meditation course. A number of meditation courses are running in the US, and there are a number of meditation masters. Every- body knows how to meditate, everybody has their own ver- sion of meditation, but after talking to a number of people, I

112 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE really think that even the eight weeks we have just completed, have been among the most comprehensive courses that have been given in the US from any tradition, including Zen and all other traditions. I am not alone in making that statement. People who went through this course are telling me that, the same people who had experience with other traditions, who have even edited books on it by different meditation masters. Mostly, they will introduce you to just sit and think, but don’t really introduce you in any detail. From what I intend to cover in this teaching I haven’t even gone further than the first 5 per cent. Even then, it has already been quite comprehensive. I also introduced the different objects of meditation. You can meditate on anything from a yak’s horn up to the recommendation to meditate on an image of the Buddha. I gave you the reasons why. Then I introduced the meditation on mind and on how to look into one’s mind in six different ways. Then there are 7 different ways of meditative equipoise. All these points plus the 9 stages of shamatha through the 6 powers and 4 conjunctions, are covered in the GOM transcript. Here I am using the Bodhisattvacharyavatara by Shantideva, which is not presented in such an organized manner as Tsongkhapa’s lam rim chen mo or lam rim chung mo. In addition I used the commentary of the 1st Panchen Lama regarding the mind, based on one comment in the lam rim chung mo where it says that you can also use the mind as object of meditation. I emphasized very strongly that the recognition of the mind alone does not liberate you, although many Tibetan old masters claim that if you meditate on mind you can just sit there until you are liberated. The First Panchen Lama says that this is simply an introduction to the mind, a very good meditation on the mind, but that alone does not liberate you. Those among you who know, understand what I mean. I said that it is only the introduction to the relative mind. After that talk four different people came to me and said that they knew what I was talking about. I have to tell you that I cannot spell it out further and say it directly, but I have given you a very important and correct

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Gelek Rimpoche message here. No one gets liberated without wisdom. Simply seeing the mind does not liberate the individual. Here is why: When we pass away, each and every one of us does encounter our primordial mind. That does not mean that everyone at that point becomes enlightened. Otherwise there shouldn’t be any non-enlightened persons left. Everyone dies at one time or another, so it is really clear, without any doubt. One has to understand that. Without wisdom, no one gets really liberated. I am not even talking about enlightenment, just about liberation from samsara. Can that be done without meditation? No, it cannot, but meditation alone will not deliver the goods. Wisdom is necessary. Does wisdom and shamatha alone liberate the individual? No. You need purification and accumulation of merit. It is a multi-tasking job. Meditation can be on an image, or on the mind or on any [analytical] subject. The Bodhisattvacharyavatara, in the meditation chapter, covers almost all the lam rim subjects all over again. Whatever has been learned in the previous chapters is again repeated in a different order.

Making use of our human capacity. Buddha and all the great masters are telling us, ‘Here is your life. You have such a tremendous advantage, especially the advantage of mind.’ Mind has no limitations. We do have limitations, but it is not the limitation of the mind. The limitations have come along with the physical structure. When the mind is separated from the physical structure, those limitations are gone. When the mind is attached to a physical form, the physical limitations apply to the mind. It is very simple. Human beings have a tremendous ability to communicate. Although we have miscommunication all the time we have a capacity to communicate and to understand. When the same person enters into the physical structure of an animal such as a dog or a cat, the physical limitations of that animal then apply to that mind. No matter how intelligent my cat or dog might be, they will not be able to drive my car and buy my groceries, do my laundry or cook for me. From the window of reincarnation, it is the same mind which is locked in the

114 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE physical structure called ‘dog’ as was locked in the physical structure called ‘human being’ and the same mind can get locked into the physical structure of a bird. It is the same mind with different capacities. We all know this or even if you don’t know, you might have heard about it and you have to give it the benefit of the doubt. The limitation is not from the mind point of view, but from the point of view of the mind accompanied by the body. Otherwise, dogs, cats, birds, human beings and tigers are all beings, but they function differently. This is the physical limitation that is imposed on the mind. It looks nice if you look at birds flying in the air. There seems to be no limit. They keep on soaring everywhere, but when they try to communicate they can only say ‘chirp chirp’. Communication and understanding is a tremendous problem. Human beings on the other hand can understand and can make a difference. That’s why this life is precious and it is such a great opportunity for us to be in this life. We do have a tremendous capacity. Even though we have this tremendous capacity, we only use it in a very limited way. Scientists tell us that we only use a fraction of our mental capacity. To be able to enhance that capacity, make it 80 or 90 or 100 per cent, we need to use meditation. Meditation is the key that unlocks all the doors for the mind. That is why it is necessary and important. That capacity is available with us, but we are not using it. If we use it, we can make it. If we don’t use it in a comprehensive way but only focus on one thing, what happens to the mind? Instead of full usage of the mental capacity, all areas start shutting down and only one thing opens up. We can see that happening with the absent-minded pro- fessors. Some brilliant people who are exceptional on certain subjects can be quite bad on others, sometimes can’t even eat their own food properly. They drip. We see that everywhere. That is due to the lack of comprehensive usage of the mind. The variety in meditation subjects has not been provided just to have a variety. They are all necessary for the individual to be able to liberate themselves. They are given selectively.

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The reason why there are so many kinds of practice is not so that Buddha could show off his wealth of information. There is unlimited information available on anything, everywhere. We only want to pick up certain necessary things, yet it should be comprehensive and clear and lucid. The teachings tell us that this is the capacity we have. If we don’t utilize it, it will not last long. It is impermanent. One can never know what happens to anyone.

Maintaining our spiritual health. Now the question arises, what if I have tried my best, but I didn’t find enough time and suddenly it is time for me to die and I have achieved nothing. What should I do? Take refuge. There are tremendous numbers of things you can do but the simplest thing is to think of Bud- dha, of your yidam, of your guru. That is good enough. That is why the refuge is there. Then, if you have extra days, weeks or months left before you die, what can you do? First, honor your commitments. That is Buddhist ethics. I don’t mean your membership commitments with Jewel Heart, but your commitments and vows that we have taken, like the vow of not killing. That is ethics. That also includes our karma. We have to honor our karmic commitments. Is that enough? No. Buddha taught the Three Higher Train- ings of the mind. You not only need ethics, but also concentration. If you can’t focus you are just a good old jolly fellow, someone who is nice, but does nothing. Focus is meditation. That is mental balance, between excitation and laxity. That is mental health, mental balance. Meditation brings mental health. It is the equilibrium in the central level, on the basis of alertness and clarity and then you balance. That is the essence of meditation. Then you need wisdom. What does this do for the individual? Ethics cuts the poison of obsession and hatred. Men- tal health cuts the unhealthiness of mind, the emotional tortures we go through. Wisdom cuts the source of both of them, the ego. That is the way to maintain our life. In addition to that, we do whatever we have to do in order to make a living. Do

116 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE whatever you have to do, on the basis of these principles. For some people that may be simple, for some it may be a huge struggle, but do it with those forces. If you do, your daily activities will turn out to be different, better, easier, not only for this life but for future lives as well. That is called spiritual health and spiritual strength. When we have that, then we have to build compassion and love, all these spiritual goodies. That is what you do daily and that much is what I would like to talk about today. The teachings boil down to how you maintain your life every day, with motivation, action and how you conclude your activities. That is in general. For Vajrayana people in addition to the daily life you try to use the night as well. You use sleep as dharmakaya, sleep as sambhogakaya and the awakened state as nirmanakaya. With that we can fulfill the mission of his life.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Student: When you recognize attachment, what can you actually do? Rimpoche: Literally, truly, word by word, do what is written here: when you have to cut attachment, that’s what you have to do. I told you that in Thailand they keep dead bodies in water and show them to people, not only in order to bring home the nature of impermanence and dying, but also the nature of reality of the body, how it becomes rotten and so on. The only difference between our current body and that dead body is that one has mind and the other doesn’t. You may say, ‘I like the mind better,’ but then the body is not the mind and vice versa. So this is a technique to cut attachment. That doesn’t mean you should cut love. It is very hard to distinguish between love and attachment. It is very subtle. Love is pure. There are no thorns. Attachment comes with a lot of thorns that stick into you. Then you know that it is attachment and not love.

Student: Can you talk more about the NBB state?

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Rimpoche: NBB is a state of mind. It is mind. That state itself is the introduction to the mind, but then you take the mind at that level and focus on it by clearing all the thoughts. Clarity here means clear of all thoughts. Then the luminous, pure nature will be clear. You will see it. You eye doesn’t see it, but your mind does. It is a different thing to see with the eyes and to see with the mind. Tradi- tional culture uses the term ‘seeing’ for a reason. In Eng- lish, it may be better to say that you feel and understand the mind, but the words understanding and feeling will not give you the full value that the word ‘seeing’ gives you. That seeing doesn’t necessarily only relate to eye consciousness. Even with visual seeing there is a difference between knowing what we see and what we actually see. Just physically seeing means seeing things upside down and a picture that is projected twice on your retina and brain, so if you physically see it that does not mean you really see it. Reaching the NBB level doesn’t mean that you already know the mind. You still have to focus and clear all thoughts. In the GOM course, I introduced 6 different ways to do this, like sunshine free of clouds, like birds soaring in the air and so on. When you look into the mind in that way, you see its luminous nature. When you see it, you see it. I don’t know what else to say. When you don’t see it, you don’t see it.

Student: Recently you talked a lot of attachment and that we have to cut it and that it is like glue. But would it be also correct to think of dissolving the glue of attachment, rather than cutting it? Rimpoche: From the language semantic point of view I am sure you are right, but when I am talking about cutting attachment I am not thinking about the glue analogy. Sure it sounds much better to talk about dissolving the glue or un- gluing attachment. Is that the way to say it? Student: It is probably not desirable to come unglued.

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Rimpoche: That is right. The problem is the desire that always wants and wants more. Buddha says that this is what you don’t want.

Student: Can you describe a little more in detail what you mean by relative and absolute mind of compassion? Rimpoche: I think I talked mostly on the difference between relative and absolute mind. Let it be there. Let us not bring the compassion in at this point. Relative mind is the mind itself. Absolute mind means to bring wisdom in on top of that relative, naturally pure, original part of mind, so the true mind is the relative mind. Likewise, when you look at bodhimind, the ultimate love and compassion, the true bodhimind is the relative bodhimind. Absolute bodhimind brings wisdom on top of that.

All Tibetan Buddhism is Vajrayana Buddhism. We do meditations and all kinds of things that come from Tibetan Bud- dhism. However, we are not trying to make you and everybody into Tibetan Buddhists. That is not at all my mission, but what I present to you comes out of Tibetan Buddhism. Besides that I have nothing else to give you. I would like you to remember that. For those of you who would like to do a Tibetan Buddhist practice that is fine. You are welcome, but it is not a requirement. I would like to be of service to as many people as possible. I am trying to bring the most important points out of Tibetan Buddhism, trying to present them in a simple way so that people can benefit from them. That’s my mission. At the same time, for those who are really engaged in Tibetan Buddhist practice, I would like to make something clear. Maybe it is not funny to you, but it sounds funny to me. I was brought up in the old Tibetan culture. There we also do make a division between Vajrayana and non- Vajrayana practices. It is true, but that division is not that big. It is not a big deal at all. Vajrayana practice differs from

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Gelek Rimpoche non-Vajrayana practice, but we don’t look at the practitioners whether they are Vajrayana or non-Vajrayana. If we pick up a yidam, a teaching, a practice, we check what practice it is, whether we are doing it in the Vajrayana way or whether it is non-Vajrayana. We are only talking about the practice not about the persons. In the West, the distinction between Vajrayana and non-Vajrayana is becoming a big gap. Some people say, ‘I like the Vajrayana better,’ and some say, ‘I like the non- Vajrayana better.’ Yes, we all do. Even among people who practice Vajrayana, there are some who like Vajrayana practices better and some that like non-Vajrayana practices better. We do choose that all the time. When you seriously go into Tibetan Buddhism then it is all Vajrayana Buddhism, whether you are Vajrayana or non- Vajrayana. The gap is not that big in the practice. Some Va- jrayana-oriented practices are not permitted to be done by people who have not obtained a particular initiation. Oth- erwise the gap is not very big. In the West, I noticed that this big gap is coming up. Lochö Rimpoche this time reminded me, saying that he went to many places in the US this time, because the Drepung Loseling sent him everywhere. He also noticed that there was a big gap between the Vajrayana and non- Vajrayana groups and he was wondering how that happened. I also don’t know. It think it just comes as people get into certain practices and then say, ‘Now we are Vajra- yana and you are non-Vajrayana!’ I did not create that in- tentionally. I just want to make it clear. Tibetan Buddhism is Vajrayana, even the non-Vajrayana part! Whatever I am presenting comes out of Tibetan Bud- dhism, and besides that I have nothing else to say. That does not mean that people who come here to listen to these courses have to be Buddhist or Vajrayana Buddhist. You don’t have to be. We are only presenting certain important points that don’t have any restrictions.

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That again does not mean that you are not getting the real stuff. You are. Look at meditation. Even if you look at mediation, the Vajrayana does not have a different meditation structure than what we are doing here. This is it. This is meditation. There is no more profound meditation in Vajrayana. On the other hand, in Vajrayana as well as non- Vajrayana, we do have a lot of visualizations. Some people are not familiar with that. They cannot visualize or don’t know what is meant by that word. I was looking for a different word to express that; sometimes I use the word ‘imagine’. A lot of scientists these days are interested, particularly at MIT23. They are deeply into Tibetan Buddhism. They already have a name for visualization and call it ‘imagery’. You draw images out of your mind. At one recent scientific conference the theme was imagery. In that conference they went through a complete sadhana, a very deep Vajrayana practice. His Holiness was in attendance too. It was in MIT. They presented a complete sadhana practice and called it ‘imagery’. So when you are dealing with visualization and that becomes difficult, call it imagery! The scientists have people do that practice and then they scan their brain and see what the effect of the meditation is on the different physical aspects of the brain. Imagery is a part of meditation but what I am giving you here is totally the basic rule and basic structure of meditation. In other words, that is the pattern of the meditation and that is the same. The subject will change. Here we are going to talk about the pattern of meditation. First we have been talking about the obstacles. The Bodhisattvacharyavatara talks about meditation from the point of view of obstacles, which is what draws your attention away from the object and so on. Tsongkhapa’s lam rim chen mo meditation chapter has more structure. It tells you how to sit, where to sit, what not think, what to think. It is like a pattern of cloth for a dress. Something

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Gelek Rimpoche may be lacking in this particular textbook, but be there in the other one. If you put those two together, it makes a perfect set of meditation instructions for the individual.

The two types of meditation. Basically, what is meditation? You have to remember two things. Tibetan Buddhism is the only tradition that tells you that there are two types of meditation: focused concentration meditation on the one hand and analytical meditation on the other hand. This is a little surprise to people in this country. For one thing, in this country, some thirty or forty years ago, meditation was considered to be something crazy, not normal, something that only hippies would do. The Beatles then picked it up and later the Hollywood people. Now it has become more or less a fashion. Meditation and yoga are both very fashionable. However, the kind of meditation that has been well known so far is concentrated meditation. You sit tight and just keep your mind on one point. Physically you sit still and relax and mentally you focus on one point. This is very important, because otherwise our mind is so busy and so crazy. The old Tibetan teachers gave the example of letting a crazy monkey inside a beautiful temple. Imagine a wild, crazy monkey let loose in a temple. Particularly, the Tibetan temples are very different from the temples you see in the Zen tradition. In the West we have some Jewish temples and some Zen and Japanese temples. They are very neat and clean and there may just be one image and nothing much else. In Japanese and Chinese temples you see one or two beautiful offerings, like one little light burning, one beautiful plate of fruit and one for sweets. That much and it is neat and clean. Tibetan temples were not necessarily that clean, plus there were so many images, with so many beautiful hand implements and so on. The old Tibetan temples were always filled up with offerings, so many things to eat, sweet and sour, dry fruits, popcorn type of

122 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE things and everything, like a child’s paradise, so many beautiful, tiny, little things. If you let a monkey loose in such a temple, what will happen? The monkey will knock down the butter lamps, eat the sweets, throw things around, start playing with other monkeys, climb on the Buddhas’ heads and move things around. That is the example for the situation that our mind is in. That is completely true. Our mind is so crazy. We are thinking about our job, house, family, garden, about our bills that need to be paid, about cars, and everything. It is so busy and so crazy. On top of that we listen to the news and we are bombarded with information. Every minute of the day tremendous numbers of people out there want to get to you, politicians, interest groups, businesses. Everybody is trying to sell you something and is throwing information at you. Whenever we open our eyes and ears there are zillions of things attacking us, with the hope of selling us something. Politicians try to sell their policies and hope for your vote. Sales people try to sell their junk and try to get your money. It is all junk, absolutely, from Mercedes to Honda, nothing but junk. Television and all that is just junk, all impermanent stuff. Hand phones, remote controls and everything, just junk. They are trying to sell their junk to us and get our money and it is not just one or ten or even a hundred, but there are zillions of them just waiting to chew us and get us. Honestly, that’s what it is. The moment you turn your radio and television on, that's what you get. They give you a nice, little movie to watch. You have 30 minutes worth of movie and an hour’s worth of commercials. They do that all the time. That is drawing our mind, not letting our mind be, not letting us be what we are. My background is different. I was born in Tibet. We did not have television, not even radio or newspapers. It was a funny life. I did research for a history professor in Ohio. One of the biggest news items in Tibet in the 1930’s was

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Gelek Rimpoche the death of the 13th Dalai Lama. I did research to find out how long that information took to reach East Tibet. It took one month to get the information out there, so when I tell you about quietness you know what I am talking about. That quietness does not exist in this part of the world at all. Even if you go to a remote area of Canada now, you will get all the information chasing you by any means. There is no quietness here. We are in the midst of a huge storm of information. It is not only a flow. It is attacking us, trying to get our attention, our money, our vote, whatever we have to give. If they couldn’t get money out of it they wouldn't do that. They wouldn't spend a lot of money on the commercials to bombard us with. They are trying to get your mind.

First, learn to focus. All right, if you lose your money, that is your choice, your right, your privilege, but if you lose your mind, that is not great. It is your privilege to lose, but it is not great. If you don’t want to lose it, you have to protect it. Focusing meditation is extremely important for that purpose. Without it, you cannot protect your mind. So, first and foremost is learning how to focus. Now the scientists are picking up meditation, but it has been there before, for a long time. It is one the best tools the individual person can keep in their own mind, to learn to be what you want to be. It amazes me that no one has picked it up until now. It doesn’t have to be spiritual. If you know how to focus and you want to get into law, you are going to be great. In India, the lawyers are now studying meditation. They are learning both focusing meditation and dialectical meditation or debating. They are picking it up now. Corporate businesses are sending their CEO’s to learn meditation to make them more efficient, so that they can make more money. Even the LA Lakers, a basketball team, is using meditation to play better.

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I am amazed that until now, people didn’t pick it up. That tool has been available, but they didn’t discover it. Sci- entists are picking it up because they are interested in finding the truth and the best way of handling. It is starting in a small way. If the Lakers do well, soon all the basketball and football teams will pick up meditation. If they don’t do well, nobody is going to meditate. In reality, concentrated meditation is one of the best tools to enable you to be what you want to be. I am not even talking from the spiritual point of view. It is just helpful to make yourself efficient with whatever subject you want to handle.

Why we need analytical meditation. The second kind of meditation is analytical meditation. This is absolutely necessary for spiritual practitioners. In India, even lawyers are finding it useful. The best law school are picking up analytical meditation and teaching it as part of litigation law. The lawyers of one party will anticipate what the lawyers of the other side will say next. If they say this, then the lawyers will already be prepared to have an answer. If they have another thing to say, there will be an answer prepared for that too. This way they are trying to get the edge over the other side’s lawyers in litigation. Spiritual practitioners are seeking something beyond the material world. It doesn’t matter whatever tradition you are following, the Judeo-Christian, Hindu-Buddhist, East or West or whatever, the wisdom aspect of it is extremely important. Here is why: Samsara is where we are today. Buddha called that samsara. In Tibetan it is kor wa24. To be free from that is nirvana. In Tibetan samsara and nirvana in one word is kor de25. De means going beyond. I would like to talk to you from the perspective of the Tibetan term. I don’t know what the word samsara means etymologically since I don’t know Sanskrit. I don't even know what Buddha actually means; of course I know that Buddha is the wise, awakened state.

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That much I know, but the Tibetan for Buddha is sang gye26 I know exactly what that means. When we are talking about samsara we are not talking about the perfume! We are talking about our life. Kor means running, circling. De means beyond. Who is running? We are not at the races, but we are all running. What are we running from? We are running away from fear. Believe me, that’s what it is. Where are we running to? We are running around, we are circling, going in circles. We think we are running away, we think we are making pro- gress, but we are not. Why are we running away from fear? Because fear combined with confusion has created our structure or pattern of life. What we want we don’t get - exactly. What we don’t want we do get - exactly. We get exactly that. That makes us busy. We create our own problem and then we try to solve that problem and so we run and take on stress and get into more problems and have to deal with everything. Why are we running? Buddha has a funny answer: It is our karma. Well, our problems are coming from our karma. One of the great Indian masters, Vasubandhu, in Tibetan Yig nyen27, wrote a root text on metaphysics. There he says, ‘All the different things of this life come out of karma.28 Where does karma come from? From our emotions, whether they are negative or positive. Where do our emotions come from? From our confusion and fear combined. I like to call that ego. Traditionally, it is called ignorance. We are running away from that. Kor tells you how you got into that problematic existence. That covers the first two of the Four Noble Truths: The truth of suffering and the cause of suffering. The word kor alone tells you that. The word de gives you the second two of the Four Noble Truths: the truth of cessation and the truth of the path of cessation. In other words: what makes you get out of the circle and where you are landing. Therefore the combined term kor de not only gives you the whole picture of running around but also the Four No-

126 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE ble Truths. That is why I am saying that I don’t know what the term samsara really means. I don't know what sam means and what sara means exactly. In Tibetan I do know. It is the introduction of a practitioner’s goal and purpose. The purpose is to get out of what we are caught in. We are caught in that circle. We are trying to run away, but can’t get out of this tight system with the 6 realms linked by 12 different events, also known as the 12 links of interdependent nature. These links are totally tight. You can’t get out, except in one way. The only way out is to cut the root and then the whole chain of links opens. Inside of that circle we do have a lot of nice picnic spots. That is where we are now, in one of them, but mostly we don’t get what we want and we get what we don’t want. What we want is here but we don’t get it, so much so that we don’t even know what we want.

The purpose of spiritual practice. Many people do not know what they want. They are interested in spiritual practice, in something better than just materialistic achievements, but they don’t know what they want. This is really true. I am not criticizing or shouting. It is the reality. Why don’t we know? Because we don’t have good role models and examples to look at. The best examples we do have are the religious organizations. And we know that these are full of … – I better not use the word that is coming up on my tongue. I should say the religious organizations are full of problems and difficulties. You know what is happening in churches, temples and monasteries. Buddhism is not an exception. Every- where we see corruption and problems. We really don’t have good role models. That’s why we don’t know what we want. If I asked each and every individual, each person would say, ‘I want happiness and joy, something good,’ whatever that might be. We like the positives and not the negatives. That is our natural instinct or inclination. Because we are

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Gelek Rimpoche human beings we do have goodness and greatness in our nature. When you look deep down into yourself, you will see that goodness is there. But we don’t let it shine. We give the cold shoulder to everybody, because of our addictions and habits, our way of thinking and living. This is the reality. We don't know what we want. Buddha introduces kor de. De is nirvana. It is beyond samsara. It is peace. So just these two simple words will tell you what the purpose of spiritual practice is. It deals with what we want, where we want to go, what we want to achieve, what we are running away from. Our natural inclination is that when we suffer too much we want to run away from it. That is nothing we have to blame ourselves for. If you feel tortured at home as a kid you can’t wait to become 18, so you can leave. Some kids even run away before. Legally you can run away at 18, so you are waiting to be 18. Just like that we have been waiting to run away, because we are tortured, we have been burned. We want to get away from this. That’s why are running. We want to get out of the suffering nature circle or cycle. To do that, we have to cut the root link. Without wisdom that is not possible. No matter whatever else you try is not going to work. You could sit and meditate for eons, not just centuries, but without wisdom you can’t cut the cycle. When you don’t cut it you won’t get out. You will remain in there. Analytical meditation is really geared towards the wisdom part. That is the reason why we need two kinds of meditation. In the beginning these two meditations look contradictory. One will tell you to focus, the other will tell you to analyze. If you try to do them together and cannot handle them, one will cancel out the other.

First, learn to focus. First we should achieve what is the easiest and that is focusing. Learn to focus first. When you are used to it then you can handle the analytical one easily.

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It is like with anything. When you first learn to drive you have to be totally focused. You hold the steering wheel really tight and you can’t listen to anything else. You just have to go, right? After we learn how to drive perfectly, we can drive and talk on our cell phone at the same time. Then we can even drink our coffee and chew our hamburger on top of that. Not only that: you can talk to two people on the cell phone, by have one call waiting and switch back and forth between them! All of that you can do at the same time. It doesn’t contradict your driving. Yes, the danger levels increase, but we can do it. You can’t learn how to do everything all at once. First you just focus on one thing, the driving. Just like that, now we are spending a whole year talking about how to focus. The GOM transcript deals with the structure of that. Where you can meditate has to be a good place. This should be a place that is comfortable, a place that doesn’t make you sick. If there are toxins in the area, don’t sit and practice there. You will get sick. It should be a place without disturbances. It should be a place where you can think and feel safe. The bottom line is a place where you feel safe. Around here we don’t have wild animals, but we do have these monsters that bombard us with information. You also need good friends. You don’t want to be around people who irritate you all the time. You need friends that can help you, who you can trust. You should have friends that you can trust with your life. At least you don’t want friends that you have to worry about when you are away for a while. Then the necessary things should be easily available. You don’t want to go way out in the middle of nowhere, because in case you get sick, who is going to look after you? Where can you find a doctor? Buddhism does recommend going away into the forests or caves, however, if you look further into the instructions, it comes down to this: it also has to be place where you can find help easily. Go away, but don’t go away completely. You don’t want to go somewhere where you cannot find food - unless

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Gelek Rimpoche you are an extreme person. Then you are okay. Extreme people can even meditate on top of World War II left-over ammunition dumps! That might not be a good place, because these things can explode. Someone who did that earlier might have been lucky. You may not necessarily be that lucky all the time. It is very easy to say, ‘I want to meditate,’ and sitting alone anywhere might help you focus a little, but that is not good enough for you. I have told you the story of the lizard meditation. That is actually not meditation. When I was a kid I had a very nice, luxurious cave. Some of you may have seen it when you went to Tibet and visited that cave. It is a hole in the rock, but at the same time it has living rooms, bedrooms, storerooms, kitchen, and running water. It is warm in winter and cool in summer. There are lots of lizards near that cave, because it is a rocky area. One of my teachers one day called me, ‘I want to show you someone meditating.’ I went with him and he pointed out a lizard that was sitting on a rock, with open mouth. We call that ‘the lizard is swallowing air’. Actually the lizard is resting its stomach on the hot rock and when it gets too hot, is taking some air in through the mouth. So if you just sit there without thinking anything, that is what I call ‘lizard meditation’. You may be waiting for something to happen, but you can sit there till the cows come home. They are not going to come home anyway. That is why thinking is necessary. Sitting blank is not even going to help you to focus. It won’t do just to remove thoughts. You have to find something to actually concentrate on. I have no objection to removing your thoughts, but don’t leave it blank. In that case you have to find your mind as the object you are meditating on and it is not easy to catch the mind. Mind doesn’t have shape or color. You have to find mind beyond physical shape and color. That is where thoughts are projecting from, where they are coming from, where they are disappearing to again.

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If you look into a mirror and then breathe on it, there will be the moisture covering the mirror. Gradually it will disappear and you will see yourself clearly in the mirror again. In that way thoughts are coming and going. Some- how you have to find that mind. It is quite difficult. That is why in Tsongkhapa’s tradition, although meditating on the mind directly is also taught, the emphasis is on meditating on a figure, like the Buddha image. It creates positive karma and purifies negativity and is easier to find. If you can find the mind as an object you can use that. I have already done the teaching on that. There are six different ways of looking at the mind. I am not going to go into that now. Maybe I will time to revisit that later. You have to find something that you can la- bel as mind. My objection at this level is that some people think that meditating on the mind in that way is wisdom, but it is not. Je Tsongkhapa insists that the object in that case is just your ordinary, relative mind, which you can look at in six different ways. Any one of the six will do, but it tells you that it is not just a blank. In the West, the meditation that people try to do very often is just sitting blank. That is a problem. Blank produc- es blank. We don’t want to produce a blank. That can’t happen if you focus on a Buddha image. If we want to do that, it is great. I noticed that many of our practitioners carry photos of Buddha images and other deity images around and when they do their practice they like to look at these. That may be helpful for a short period, but it is the mind that we are concerned with, not the eye. We are not training our eye consciousness, but our mental consciousness. Whatever you focus on has to be either imagery or non- imagery, but it has to be something. A lot of modern artists draw wave type of patterns. Artists draw all kinds of never ending designs. They try to express something in physical form which cannot really be expressed. That doesn’t mean that mentally you cannot hold that. You have to do that any-

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Gelek Rimpoche way. Our first job therefore is to create the basis for the meditation.

Obsessions block our concentration. We have been talking here about concentrated meditation. Out of the 6 paramitas this is the 5th paramitas, the meditation part out of the activities of the Bodhisattvas. We spent a lot of time talking about why we need to meditate, what are the obstacles for meditation, how to avoid the obstacles and finally how to meditate. Why do we need to meditate? If we do not meditate en- thusiastically, if we let our mind be taken away by wandering mind, whether it is relaxing or too much sinking, our mind will be without any awareness, and that is like living in the mouth of some cannibal whose fangs are ready to eat our own spiritual life. Remember the first verse of this chapter? It tells us that if we don’t meditate our spiritual life will just be destroyed. Our ego will be ready to chew any living being. What prevents us from focusing? Our wandering mind. We can’t concentrate. What makes our mind wander? There are physical and mental aspects. Physically, when there is so much going on, when there is no awareness and no quietness, when physically things get wild and crazy, that is one aspect of losing concentration and focus. We have plenty of that in our lives. The other aspect is the mind. If the mind cannot retreat from all kinds of thoughts then we will lose focus and mindfulness and concentration. This is very true. Sometimes we even consider someone who has mental quietness to be not a very an intelligent person. On the other hand, we consider people who bring in all kinds of thoughts and emotions to be very wise and witty. But that is really against the concentration part of spiritual practice. We have spent so many verses in this chapter talking about this. Particularly it is important to avoid obsession of the inner mind and outer material. We have lots of obsession of the inner mind. We have all kinds of crazy and witty thoughts, particular material-oriented thoughts. ‘What is the best way I could make money?’ ‘How best could I make myself happy?’ We spend so much energy, time, opportunity just to create

132 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE that, because we fail to understand our own situation, which is impermanent. We do not realize impermanence; we do not understand reality, our own situation. We consider ourselves permanent and try to make ourselves happy materially or comfort-wise. Thinking on those lines and creating that situation is the obsession we have for inner mind and outer material. We have talked for verse after verse about those points. We showed how these are impermanent and what kind of problems we face. We are so obsessed with the material world and sexual activities - particularly sex. Everybody has obsession with sex. When you talk about sex, people become happy and even if they are supposed to listen here, instead they talk to each other and bring up some kind of happy joyful recollection or remark which is uncalled for. This chapter has been talking about the problems and difficulties if you are obsessed with sex. In the text it talks a lot about women doing this and that and we read page after page about that. It looks like women are being blamed. However, it is not women who are blamed. It is the problem of sex. When you are so taken over by sexual desire you can get no concentration, nothing. That is why the faults of sex are so much emphasized here and why it talks about where you get the sexual energy from. That is why women seem to be blamed. The writer happens to be a male, talking to a group of monks. Indian society 2600 years ago was a male-dominated culture, so that is why all of those very detailed, maybe theoretical remarks are made. But that is where you concentrate and focus and cut the real source of our difficulties. Actually it is quite simple. The real difficulties we face are either hatred and anger, or attachment and obsession. Yes, hatred is a big problem. We know what is happening today. Even this country is divided 50-50 pro-hatred and anti-hatred, pro-war and anti-war. Do you want to entertain hatred and violence or do you want to entertain non-hatred and non- violence? That is exactly where we are.

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Why sexual obsession is a problem. The other problem we face is the sexual one. It is not sex by itself, but it has something to do with sex. You may not get the right person, or the person you want does not like you or somebody else is taken him or her. Apart from financial and all other problems 50 per cent of our problems have to do with sex. Spiritual problems are also sex, because you are thinking about that, in relation to that. So then you don’t meditate, you don’t develop renunciation, you don’t develop bodhimind and wisdom. You don’t want to think that, because you only want to think about sex. That is why it is emphasized here so much, in verse after verse. If you develop sexual desires all kinds of problems arise. You get old, they won’t like you, it is just temporary, they will fight with you, you don’t like them, you will throw them out, you will face problems through them and so on. We talked about all that a number of verses. Mostly the women are blamed here, but that is only one half. The other half is the men, the males. Verse after verse explored the faults of obsession. That’s what it is about. It is simple for me to talk about attachment in relation to an antique china cup. When the cup breaks, it is over, but when you talk about human beings with their sexual desires it is not so easy, because in reality we are obsessed with sex. It is politically incorrect to say that these sexual things are not good, because everybody loves it. The same thing goes for hate. That is our problem. These verses are not saying that sex is not good or that sexual energy is not good, but they are saying that these things are happening with us, that we spend too much time to just fulfill that wish. We even have no idea what it really is. Today you think something and tomorrow you say, ‘Oh, my God, I made a big mistake. It is not this, it is that.’ Then the next day, ‘Oh my God, I made a big mistake. It is not this, it is that.’ That is why it is one of the biggest obstacles for spiritual development and also daily life. Forget about spirituality. Even in our material world, in your daily job which brings the bread and butter, which pays your bills, you won’t be able to concentrate, because your

134 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE mind is preoccupied with sexual ideas. It may not look like a sexual thing, but like something that somebody else has heard. It looks like somebody else did something which makes me happy, but the bottom line, what it boils down to, is sexual activity. That is why you get the problems of praise and blame. It is unreliably going from oneself to others and from others to oneself. It is going on and is all because of that. That prevents us from focusing, concentrating, and meditating. One of the main reasons why we cannot meditate is because of our obsession to physical appearance. We talked about that in great detail during the last verses. We are not talking about women or men, but about sexual things. No one would like to say it openly, because it is a funny subject.

VERSE 71 Furthermore, these unclean (female bodies) Are not found without paying a price: In order to obtain them I exhaust myself And (in future) will be injured in the hells. This says that you have to make money to pay for sex. That does not mean that you have to go some different area. It is very unwise to put (female bodies) in brackets here; it is not in the Tibetan. This verse says that if you are so obsessed with sexual things you are not going to be free. There is a price to pay. I believe it goes both ways with the paying, both in money and in future suffering in the hells or wherever.

VERSE 72 As a child, I am unable to increase my wealth, And as a youth, what can I do (being unable to afford a wife)? At the end of my life, when I have the wealth, Being an old man, what good will sex be then? As a kid you don’t make any money, then as you get older you make more money, but how much time are you spending and

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Gelek Rimpoche wasting to build up wealth? Then, when you are old, what to do: what good will sex be then?

VERSE 73 Some malicious and lustful people Wear themselves out by working all day And, when they return home (in the evening), Their exhausted bodies lie prostrate like corpses. I do not agree with the translation malicious and lustful people. The word used in Tibetan is dö den (‘dod ldan). That means lustful ‘not-good ones,’ but that doesn’t mean evil or malicious. Good people are not lead by sexual thoughts. People have minds with ideas and thoughts, but we mostly entertain sexual things in our mind. That’s why this book calls us ‘not-so-good people.’ What is a good person? A person whose mind is not led by either obsession or hatred is probably a reliable, sensible, good person, but people who have no control over their energy, thoughts and emotions, letting extreme emotions like hate and obsession take over, I think fit the definition of not-so- good people. You cannot rely on these people. You cannot trust them. Their basic personality is moved by strong emotions which are not so reliable. This is completely opposite to what society thinks today. Society considers that strong emotions are used to energize, whether it is anger or obsession. Even this election is going to be totally using either anger or obsession against Bush. That is going to be the issue of the election. I don’t think that Kerry is the issue here. I am sorry, but I think it is just Bush running against Bush. That is exactly what happens in our mind too. That is how we human beings are utilized by our emotions. That’s why Shantideva calls that being not-good persons. We want to make sure we don’t fall into that category. Being a good person means to rise above our emotions.

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Emotions are not the determination of who we are. We should be who we are rather than what our emotions indicate to us who we are. People who are guided by the emotions cannot be good meditators. They cannot develop shamatha, concentrated meditation, because their emotions are so strong. Some negative emotions are so strong that you will not be able to sleep or think. Sometimes you can’t even drink or eat. That is how emotions torture us. So Shantideva is right to call such people not-good persons.

VERSE 74 Some have the suffering of being disturbed with travel And having to go a long way from home. Although they long for their spouses, They do not see them for years at a time. This verse continues to talk about what happens if you have obsession for a subject of attachment. You have to work so hard to be able to afford them, that you won’t even be able to see the person. The bottom line is that you make yourself so busy going here and there, disturbed with travel, in order to make that person affordable, then, at the end you won’t even see them for years at a time. Why should you put yourself through too much torture because of this? Remember, this is the point where they are talking about the faults of the subject where you develop attachment.

VERSES 75 AND 76 And some who wish for benefit Due to confusion, even sell themselves for the sake of (women and the like): But not attaining what they wish, They are aimlessly driven by the winds of others’ actions. Some sell their own bodies

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And without any power are employed by others. Even when their wives give birth Their children fall at the feet of trees and in lonely places. Although you want to help yourself you don’t know how to because of ignorance. In order to fulfill the desire of our obsession we even sell our own bodies, yet we do not get what we want. You become some kind of slave of others. This is not so relevant to us today, but to a certain extent it is. This is talking in the terms of 2500 years ago, in the society of India, what happened at that time. Today it may not be relevant in that way, but it is relevant in another way. Whatever we do, we have to make money; we have to make a living. If you think about it: how do we make money? We are selling ourselves. It is not selling our bodies in the way we think of that now. That is something else, but selling ourselves today means getting a job and getting paid for it. This is selling ourselves. We are selling our knowledge, our time, our thoughts, our ideas or whatever. By selling ourselves, we want to get comfort, but we don’t get it. We sell ourselves and want to make a lot of money. In the end we look for something good that we wanted to do but by that time we are gone. Somebody else will take everything. If your children get your things it is fine, but sometimes some stranger from nowhere, who we have nothing to do with gets everything. We worked so hard for it, might have even gone to jail or whatever, and then somebody else who has nothing to do with us gets the result, even materially. We never have a chance to enjoy what we make, but instead create a lot of negativity, a lot of bad karma in the process. We accumulate a lot of money at the expense of other people. Though we don’t cheat, steal or anything, yet we accumulate wealth at the expense of others. All businesses work like that. They cut their opponents. Politicians do the same. You cut your opponent and you gain. Even in our daily life we have that problem. We cut another person out to get something better.

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These things really show the human character. When there is political, economic suppression, you see it. I am talking from the background of being under Communist control. During the Communist control of Tibet you see all these people who try to gain a little favor from the Chinese authorities. For a bowl of white rice they will say so many exaggerated things against their colleagues and peers. They will keep on doing that. It really shows the quality of human beings. There are equally good and bad qualities. We all have good sides and bad sides. The bad side is our problem and the good side is our asset. This meditation is trying to point out the bad side very vividly so we know that is really going on. It is beautiful that I can talk to a group like this. I am not talking to any individual at all. I am throwing this dirty, filthy statement in the air and whoever has been guilty, can pick it up and make the best use of it. I am not throwing that out there, just to tell you that you are guilty. No one is guilty. The guilty person can pick this up and change to become a better person tomorrow. That’s what practice is all about, that’s what meditation and concentration is all about. That’s really what it is.

VERSE 77 Some fools who are deceived by desire and, Wishing for a livelihood, think, ‘I shall earn my living (as a soldier);’ Then, although afraid of losing their lives, they go to war. Others become slaves for the sake of profit. This verse really calls us stupid people here. The translator is kind. He says, Some fools, not you fools. I think that Shantideva is really addressing us directly. We are all deceived by our desire. It is really true. We are. Do you realize that fifty percent of people will go through their life desiring, desiring, desiring and not getting it? Actually I think it is more like eighty percent. I don’t want to call it hoping, because hoping is good. It is desiring. Even on the day you die, you are still desiring something. That is how life is going to go.

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Eighty percent of all human beings have spent their life like this and we are spending it that way and eighty percent of future human beings will spend their life in that way. We are deceived by our own delusions and thoughts. This verse tells us: What is the desire of people? Longevity, health and wealth. But what method do you use? Go to war! These people go to war out of a desire to live. Can you believe it? That’s what we do too. The Bush administration is selling us this: We have to go to war in Iraq, because then we will not have terrorists in our land. When people are not really buying that they find one little bearded guy and accuse him of blowing up a shopping mall in Ohio. I saw that yesterday on TV and thought, ‘Oh give me a break!’ I mean I cannot say this could not happen. After all, Timothy McVeigh did blow up a whole building with people in it, but on the other hand it is impossible that one strange, bearded Middle Eastern guy will just go and blow up a shopping mall in Ohio. Then they show that person on TV and say ‘Here is the head. We got him. Vote for Bush.’ Then the Attorney General will continue and control us. That is the faulty logic here: We want to live long, so better go to war!

VERSE 78 Some lustful people even cut their bodies, Others impale themselves on the points of sticks, Some stab themselves with daggers, And others burn themselves - such things as these are quite apparent. This verse talks about lustful people cutting their bodies. This is not because of desire, but because of rubbing up against the wrong people and then they kill you.29 It is simple. You must think that the examples and metaphors in this text are from over a thousand years ago. It is like the cowboy mentality. You fool around with my spouse and I have nothing to say except cut you into pieces. Just like that, through desire you get yourself in a situation where you end up getting

140 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE cut up in to pieces. What you want is longevity, health and good life, but the method you apply results in getting cut up into pieces. Then some others impale themselves on the points of sticks. I don’t know why the translators translates that as points of sticks. It is about being killed by spears. This has two messages. One is that you get into fights and you can get killed by spears or other weapons. The other is that certain spiritual paths and practices were taught in India at that period that say if you get killed by jumping onto a holy trident you will be liberated. These are considered to be wrong teachings. It is like terrorism. They are promised that if they blow up so many people they will be received in heaven by 70 virgins. It’s exactly like that. If you can kill yourself by jumping on a holy trident you will be liberated. There are two messages here: the desire to be liberated can drive you to kill yourself if you have the wrong spiritual path. That’s the reason Buddha emphasizes non- violence so much. I am happy if people want to practice seriously. I am happy. I welcome it if people like to do it, but sometimes they empha- size so much and are so serious and especially with purification they get like that. They want to do Vajrasattva purification and circumambulations. That is all wonderful, but I am scared, because the idea of jumping on a trident and killing yourself is by some people considered to be a method of purification. That is why today we have so many extremists blowing themselves up. They are called suicide bombers and they are also suicide murderers. They think it is purification. Some wrong spiritual path can give you the idea that violence is justified. Any violence can be justified. One basic principle we have to remember is that the end should never justify the means. It is crazy when you watch television. People will say, ‘We go through with these difficulties, because then there will be no terrorists.’ That is a simple way, the beginning of the end justifying the means. No matter how much the civil rights and civil liberties are getting cut down, it does not matter, as long as there are no terrorists. And if not that, it is the communists. You can’t justify violence like that.

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In the same way, in some spiritual practice also violence is used in the name of purification, and that is really wrong. Verse 78 says, Others burn themselves. They burn themselves for purification, for a cause. That includes Buddhists. During the Vietnam wars Buddhist monks burned themselves. That is violence and against Buddha’s teachings and against Buddha’s experience. It is violence. You cannot go and hurt anyone. There is no justification whatsoever for doing that.

VERSE 79 Due to the torment involved in collecting it, protecting and finally losing it, I should realize wealth to be fraught with infinite problems. Those who are distracted by their attachment to it Have no opportunity to gain freedom from the misery of conditioned existence. This verse is talking about the problems we face if we are so obsessed with wealth and money: wealth is fraught with infinite problems and our attachment to it destroys the opportunity to gain freedom from the misery of conditioned existence.

VERSE 80 In the same way as animals drawing carriages Are only able to eat a few mouthfuls of grass, Likewise desirous people Have many disadvantages such as these and little (profit). If you are not mindful, if you don’t focus, you can get yourself killed. There is the example of the horse cart where a bundle of grass, a few mouthfuls, is held before the horse. The horse is trying to get the grass and jumps off the cliff.

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VERSE 81 And since even animals can obtain this (little profit), Those who are pained by their (previous) actions Waste these leisures and endowments so difficult to find For the sake of something trivial that is not so scarce. It is easy to find comfort in life. For such a little purpose, such a trivial thing, why should we waste the precious human life which is so difficult to find? It is a huge waste. We go through all these faults and faults and at the end we don’t realize that we are wasting our life, our opportunity, which is so difficult to find. The opportunity which we have is this opportunity of the precious human life, with its leisures and endowments. We all have different opportunities. Some have a great opportunity to make money. Some have great opportunity to suffer. Some have great opportunity to achieve the ultimate achievement. We are supposed to be in the last category. There is a big difference if we waste our life or if someone who only has the opportunity to have wealth or to suffer wastes theirs. Again this may be a politically incorrect statement. All human beings are supposed to be equal. In one sense that is true, but in another sense we are different. We have an opportunity to make our life and lives right for once. This once we have that opportunity. Many don’t have that opportunity. If we waste that for the sake of a minor, mundane man-made problem it is a huge waste. That’s what verse 81 tells you.

VERSE 82 The objects of desire will certainly perish

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And then I shall fall into hellish states. However, Buddhahood itself is attained With just one millionth of the difficulty. This verse tells you that those minor achievements, those objects of desire, are definitely in the nature of impermanence; they will certainly perish. That is their reality. Even if we achieve some mundane thing, if we become wealthy like Bill Gates, that is by nature itself impermanent. Also, you will have more enemies. Everybody would like to break you; so many hackers are trying to break through Microsoft PCs. By nature impermanent, computers break all the time. The consequences of just trying to get material gain will be semi-permanent sufferings in the hell realms for the individual. And at the end, any material gain is not even important. These are the 3 main reasons: 1. It is suffering in nature, 2. Its consequences are so heavy 3. In the end, it is not even important.

VERSE 83 Involved in continually exhausting myself For the sake of what is not very great. (Hence) the desirous experience greater misery than (those following) the Awakening way of life - But (for them) there is no Awakening. Such people take a tremendous amount of pains and problems, continually exhausting themselves, but forget about full enlightenment, they don’t even get nirvana or liberation: for them there is no Awakening. What is the use of doing that?

VERSE 84 When one has contemplated the miseries of hell, (It will be clear that) there is nothing comparable

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To the harm caused to desirous beings, Even by weapons, poison, fire, ravines and foes. By understanding all this, attachment and desire should be looked at as weapons, poison, fire, enemies and should be considered as one of the most important things that destroys our liberation. Up to here the faults of attachments were given. Verse 84 tells us what obsession does to the individual. Whoever is a desirous being, occupied by attachment or obsession, as a result can be expected to experience the hell realms, and so on. Obsession gives you rebirth in the hell realm and a tremendous amount of suffering. Therefore you should look at desire as a weapon that is trying to kill you, as a poison that kills you, as a fire that burns you, as a ravine or cliff into which you will fall, as a foe or enemy. Here Shantideva concludes how you can overcome your desires and obsessions.

How Shantideva teaches about meditation I would like to empha- size one more thing regarding the instructions on meditation; for the structure you should rely on other sources, like the GOM transcript. This text, the eighth chapter of the Bo- dhisattvacharyavatara, will soon switch to meditation on compassion. It began with the advice given to people to practice meditation and gain concentration. Up to now we have talked about the problems and obstacles, and how to clear them. Now we are going into the positive side, what is so good about meditation and then, at the end the actual meditation according to Shantideva introduces the meditation on compassion. Out of those points, so far we have talked about the obstacles to meditation. We introduced them in two ways: 1. Obsession to the inner mind 2. Obsession to the external articles Both are overcome by meditation on impermanence. Par- ticularly with regard to obsession to the inner mind a lot of

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Gelek Rimpoche impermanence meditations have been introduced. We have already covered these, but if you look at them as some kind of lecture that somebody is giving to you that doesn’t mean anything to you, then in fact it will never mean anything to you. The point is you have to use the teachings and lectures that have been done so far. The teachings tell you, ‘You have to meditate this way and that way,’ but they don't say it in the normal Western style. The Western way of teaching meditation goes, ‘You have to sit down, cross your legs, keep your backbone straight.’ But in the Tibetan culture I come from, they look down on that style of teaching. They tell you, ‘Who are you dealing with, cows or buffaloes?’ They even have that joke: A teacher who doesn’t know how to teach, and has nothing else to say, will get his book out and say, ‘This is the book wrapper, and this is called ‘book.’ The first sentence says, ‘In Indian language,’ the second sentence says, ‘In Tibetan language.’ This is a front page, this is a back page.’ When you do this, it is another example of not knowing how to teach. Since you don’t know what to say, you have to talk about what the book look like. On the other hand, if you overdo the teaching style that we are doing here, there can be problems too. Once there was a very nice, witty master who was giving an Amitayus long life initiation. He paid no attention to the tormas that were used in the initiation. During the initiation the attendant gives the torma offering for the obstructing spirits to the lama. This particular lama did not pay any attention to the torma. Probably he was too absorbed in his visualization. He didn’t check what torma the attendant gave in his hand. So he gave him the wrong torma, but he didn’t check and let the torma go out as an offering to the spirits. Then when it was time for the actual initiation, only the torma for the evils spirits was left. The lama now looked at the torma and immediately changed the words of the initiation procedure, saying, ‘The Amitayus went out to control the obstacles and I would like to give you now the initiation

146 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE of the King of Obstacles!’ So if you overdo it, this is an example of how wrong that is. The obstacles to meditation are, as we have seen, mostly obsession and attachment. There you also have the inner attachment to oneself and the attachment to external beings and things. The inner self-attachment is overcome by meditation on impermanence. Remember how much we talked about impermanence, dying, dead bodies, cemeteries, that your body and the body in the cemetery are no different, except that one has life and the other doesn’t. Aren’t you afraid of living inside a moving corpse? All of these meditations try to cut down the self-attachment, the inner self-attachment and the outer attachment to articles and beings. You have heard about the faults of the object of attraction. We have heard how impermanent it is and how unclean. Particularly the faults of attachment have been examined. You may say, ‘I have a lot of popularity with lots of people around me.’ The answer is, even if that is true, what will happen when you die? Are they are going to go with you?’ When a Chinese emperor died, 500 people would be buried with them, along with horses and all kinds of things. Archeologists are finding tombs here and there, with all this wealth, as well as men on horses, dead, buried as they were. The dead ministers are still sitting at a table outside the emperor’s room. They were just buried as they were, but that doesn’t mean that all those people went with the emperor. The emperor, once dead, does not have all his retinue with him, although they were buried together. Each one of them will find their separate paths. Nobody goes together, even if you are killed together. Another example is the early Indian culture. When the husband dies the wife was forced to be burned alive on his funeral fire. What happens to the individual after death? In case you fall into the hell realms, what is going to happen? The impermanence meditation gives you the unreliability of the object of attraction. We do not really need that lesson from

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Gelek Rimpoche the ancient masters. We have a better lesson. We see it every day. We change our mind about objects of attraction every day. You are here today with somebody and you are not there with that person the day after, but with somebody else. You know, it changes. Even hour to hour it happens. This is our experience. Also, praise and blame is not reliable. If you think that there are ten people who like you and think you are great, what a surprise! There are 20 other people who think that you are horrible and unreliable. All these verses give us material to meditate on, so we can overcome our obsessions. This is how our life goes. We have so much obsession, and obsession brings pressure and responsibility which then brings further pressure. I have been accused by one friend that I tried to tell him to think big and that everything has to be big, not so small. Of course, that person was listening to me, but now I have to tell the person, ‘Since you are thinking big, there is also bigger pressure. You have to realize that too. It all comes together, as a package.’ Big is great, happy and helpful, but it also brings an equal amount of pressure as well. All of these pressures we experience in our lives come because of our obsession to things, like money, wealth and material things. You get them, you accumulate them, and then you can’t even use them. You put them away somewhere. Then, one day when you empty your cupboards, you have a room full of things. You don’t even have a place left to put a glass of water! The things have been accumulated with attraction and attachment, but then they are no longer useful. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, always says, ‘What we really need is food in our stomach and clothes on our body and enough money in our pocket.’ Food is what we need most, but then, how much can you really take? Only very little, because the stomach can’t take any more. Nobody has a stomach as big as mine, but even then, how much can I take? Very little. But we do everything to fill our stomach.

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We are busy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, 10 years a decade, 100 years a century, just to fill this up. That’s what we do, but how much can you really take in? Just a tiny little quantity. For one thing, it shows us how much waste we produce, particularly here in the United States. Earlier, in the mid 60’s and late 70’s, when I was in the US, I was told that the waste of food in one day in New York City alone could feed the entire population of India. It is probably true. We waste so much. We take so much pressure to produce what we waste. Also the things we accumulate: We are not necessarily collectors, but when we see something nice we want to get it, but then how much do we use it? Maybe just a couple of days and then we are no longer attracted to that thing. It is old. You don’t want to throw it away. Many do and that is great, but mostly we just keep these things there. That’s how we accumulate things. There is some attachment there. We just don’t want to give them away. We want to keep them, but then, neither you can use them, nor do you allow anybody else to use them. These are the faults of attachment. That brings pressure, commitment, responsibilities. Finally, Shantideva recommends em ba30. That is solitude or quietness. Here is doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be single, not have company, not have this and that.

VERSE 85 Having in this way developed disillusionment with desire, I should generate joy for solitude. The fortunate ones stroll in peaceful forests, Devoid of disputes and disturbing conceptions. Why should we have quietness or solitude? Why should we enjoy that? Why should we not have all those funny things? This verse tells us that meditation is necessary and that what prevents us from meditating is attachment, desire, and

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Gelek Rimpoche our addiction to the material world and worldly comfort. Especially, as we have seen above, to sex and sexual activities. We have introduced the problems that come from these addictions, trying to convince us to reverse our game. Don’t drive towards sexual desire and all that, or at least don’t make yourself a slave of sexual desire. The object on which your desire falls is faulty. It is impermanent, the consequences are heavy and at the end it is not even important. Why waste your total life on it? Once you clear the desires you can have quietness and calmness. Put in an extreme way, it is solitude, but this quietness and calm is only possible if you can overcome the desire. In order to overcome it you should look at it as stated above: having in this way developed disillusionment with desire. Where does desire really come from? From not thinking properly, from getting together with people, and out of chit chat. Really true. It is all chit chat. If you are living alone, again, that does not necessarily mean you have to be all by yourself. If you are a disciplined person, you won’t have so much trouble cutting out smoking or drinking problems. But if you are gathered together with a number of smokers and drinkers it becomes much harder to cut either the drinking or the smoking or anything you are addicted to. The companionship encourages you to go along and not to stop and somehow encourage you to continue. That is why they bring that together along with desire. It is desire-building company. So when the verse says to maintain quietness and calmness and solitude, it doesn’t mean you have to remain alone, but to have the right company, not the wrong company. If you are a very angry person and you are in the company of a bunch of angry people you are in trouble. I remember, once I went with Sandy to an anger workshop. There were fifty angry women there. Lucky for me I had laryngitis. Sandy had to face all of them! That kind of company builds the anger stronger than normal. So when we talk about quietness and solitude we mean the right company.

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That is one of the reasons to have a Sangha. The Sang- ha is not there to influence each other to smoke, drink, eat meat, which I have been blamed for, which is not the case. However, the Sangha is there to encourage each other to do the right things, to be free from obsession and from the clutches of hatred. That is the job of the Sangha. The responsibility of a Sangha community to each other is that. There is no set rule, written down on paper. People always ask me, ‘What do you expect the Sangha to do?’ Discourage hatred, attachment and obsession, encourage love, affection, meditation, purification. These are the right companions. That is the Sangha responsibility, to be fit companions for calm abiding, quiet, nice, gentle persons. You have to work on yourself, until you change your mind from addiction to hatred and obsession to addiction to love and compassion. Once you like those and once you dislike how you used to be, you are going to find a life free of arguments. Verse 85 says that most arguments or disputes come because ‘you are taking my things.’ It is about me and you. That is what the fight is about. When you find that the focal point of your delusions is empty you will begin to find peace within you, devoid of disputes and disturbing conceptions.

VERSE 86 (They live) in joyful houses of vast flat stones, Cooled by the sandal-scented moonlight, Fanned by the peaceful, silent forest breeze, Thinking of what is of benefit for others. When you have such peace you are a fortunate person. You have a joyful house of flat stones. Isn’t that nice? Earlier I was using the longest commentary on the Bodhisattvacharyavatara. Now I moved to the shortest, because I do not want to have the teaching on this particular chapter to become too long.

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This commentary says that such a beautiful space should be fit to sit, lie down, stand up and walk on. There will be no noise that disturbs your concentration. It is like a sweet, soft, wonderful forest. This translation doesn’t say it, but in Tibetan it says that a cool effect is produced by being fanned by tree branches. They will also give you shade. Thus they protect you from the heat of the sun as well as from rain. That is the beauty of trees from the poetry point of view. In such a beautiful place you can think about helping others. This is the most important point. Your thoughts will be totally occupied by helping others. Your action should be normal, sitting, meditating, walking, lying down and functioning in daily affairs. Empty houses, caves and trees were the recommended places for meditation in olden times. Today it is our own sweet little place, a place that you can afford to have. If you can afford it you can have a mansion. It is not a problem. When you cannot afford it, even staying in a single room is a big problem. In other words, spiritual practitioners should be able to adapt to the life that is feasible and affordable to be able to function in. If you live a lifestyle that you cannot afford, you will come under tremendous pressure. You have no time. You have to work three, four or five jobs, like any Tibetan does who comes to the United States, except me. Now these Ti- betans are buying big houses. In one way it is good news, but in another way it is funny news. I went to Minnesota where I spent the night with the late Chödrak Tulku’s family. When he was alive, they used to live in a tiny, little place, but now they have got a huge house, a three storey house with five or six bedrooms and attached bathrooms, but his wife is working two jobs, his daughter does the same and only the son has only one job. In one way it is nice that they have a big house, but in another way it brings pressure. That’s why, when this text talks about peace and solitude, it doesn’t mean you have to be alone, but to be peace-

152 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE ful, to live in a place that you can afford, that is comfortable for you. In this verse they talk about flat stones. That has to be able to support four activities: lying down, standing up, sitting down and walking. These are necessary, even in the forest. You also have to have a roof, even if it is only made of leaves and branches of trees. Just like that we have to think.

VERSE 87 They dwell for as long as they wish In empty houses, at the feet of trees and in caves. Having abandoned the pain of clinging to and guarding (possessions), They abide independent, free of care. This verse further says that you should stay in such a place for as long as you want to. There is an emphasis that this is not something permanent. Regarding your place as something permanent brings additional pressure. You begin to think, ‘I have to fix this, I have to add that, I have to do this and that.’ In one way, the life of people who are not doing so well actually is wonderful. There is only reasonable economic pressure. You can’t be completely happy-go lucky, yet there is not so much pressure that you have to carry out three or four jobs every day. It is actually quite a good thing. Most importantly, what you are looking for is freedom. Why do we admire the wild animals? They are happy and joyful because they don’t depend on anything. They can have all the freedom they want to, with open air, and pure water. Oh, I almost forgot: it is 2000 years later. There is no clean water, no pure grass, no clean air. We have acid rain in the Midwest! Verse 87 says that ultimately what matters is to be free, to be your own boss, to be independent, to abide independent, free of care. Actually, it is not really free of care, as the transla-

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Gelek Rimpoche tion says, but free of pains and sufferings. When you have to depend on others, you get pain and sufferings. Others will not like to cooperate with you. Everybody has their own little ego they build up. Even in a family of two, an ego is sitting here, another one across the table, both of them building more ego, at the service of their own ego. Therefore you don’t have independence or freedom from pain. Why are wild animals really so great? Because they are free of that.

VERSE 88 Living as they choose, desireless Having no ties with anyone - Even the powerful have difficulty finding A life as happy and content as this. What was recommended 2500 years ago for practitioners is to have no attachment or connection to anybody, and to be easily satisfied with what you are and what you have. Hap- piness is to be satisfied with what you have and with who you are. That is important. Even the king of heaven cannot have such a joy and such a pleasure. These are exactly Shantideva’s words. The translator did not do justice to that remark. He says, Even the powerful have difficulty to find a life as happy and content as this. But Shantideva says Even the king of heaven cannot have that joy. The king of heaven is the king, who has the responsibility of making everybody in heaven happy. That is a big responsibility, but the person who is free of all pressures, who doesn’t have to be connected and doesn’t have to look at somebody else’s face for their approval has real freedom. You have to be happy with who you are and what you have. You have to be satisfied with the things you have. Survival is extremely important. You have to have the means to survive. Beyond that you should be happy and satisfied with what you have. If you can, there is tremendous joy, such as even the king of heaven cannot find.

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VERSE 89 Having in such ways as these Thought about the excellences of solitude, I should completely pacify distorted conceptions And meditate on the Awakened Mind. You know the qualities and advantages of a calm, quiet, wonderful life, here called the excellences of solitude. In such a situation the individual should be free from desires. Here Shantideva has translated zhi ne, remaining in peace, as being free of desire and desirous thoughts. As he says, I should completely pacify distorted conceptions. You should be free of all the pressures. We take on these pressures because we live beyond our means. Some can’t help it because of their family situation, but many are just doing it because of habit and addiction. If you remain true to yourself, to your own situation, then you should remain within your means. When you adjust those properly you will see much, much less pressure. This is true. So zhi ne, remaining in peace here means destroying the desires. Shantideva at this point does not go into the meditation on zhi ne. Only one sentence refers to concentrated meditation: I should completely pacify distorted conceptions. You actually destroy the distorted conceptions. The conceptions are the thoughts, the desire and hatred. When you look at the meditation of shamatha, what does that do? You gain control over your own mind. What prevents you from doing that are the distorted thoughts. Meditation is what overcomes the distorted thoughts. Instruction on meditation teaches you how to focus. The subject of the focus is introduced. I have given you both recommended subjects, the image and the non-image, which is the mind. The GOM transcript talks about the discipline of focusing. The obstacles are laxity and excitation. How do we overcome these? By using mindfulness and meta-attention. Mindfulness is not simply keeping the mind full. It is a

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Gelek Rimpoche mental faculty that continuously remembers the thing you are meditating on, almost like remembrance. However, it is not the kind of remembering as in being able to answer a question. It is also not like not remembering how to ride a bicycle. It is always thinking, remembering, focusing, without any interruption at all. That is mindfulness. As a result of the mindfulness you will develop a capability to see the moment you are not meditating. That is meta-attention. It is a result of mindfulness. It is not there at the beginning, but will develop as a result of mindfulness. Using these two in order to keep your focus will overcome the obstacles of excitation and laxity. This is the bottom line short statement of learning shamatha meditation, the bus stop meditation instruction! All other things, like beating gongs, burning incense, sitting cross-legged, keeping your backbone straight, keeping your hands in your lap, breathing first, are like saying, ‘This is the book wrapper, this is the book, this is the title of the book. This is the last page, this is the first page,’ and so on. That is what we call ‘cow instructions,’ honestly. When teachers talk among themselves, they call that ‘cow instructions’. This is the example of someone who has nothing else to say. It is also like someone explaining the lines pun tsok ge lek kye wa… by saying ‘pun tsok is pun tsok, ge lek is gelek, kye wa is tsi tsi.’ That is what you do if you don’t know what you are talking about. kye wa in this case actually means a million, but the same spelling can also mean ‘mice,’ which in Tibet- an is tsi tsi. Those are cow instructions. We don’t need that, because we are intelligent, educated people. If you are an uneducated, illiterate cow, we have to give you such instructions, but you are intelligent and educated. We have explained to you what the obstacles to meditation are, what the advantage of meditation are, what mind you use. Sitting instructions are already available separately. Truly, in essence, that is, very briefly, what meditation is.

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So that third line of verse 89, I should completely pacify distorted conceptions covers the shamatha meditation. Now Shan- tideva, being Shantideva, goes into meditation on bodhimind, the Awakening Mind. His book is called A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life after all. The moment there is an opportunity for meditation Shantideva wants you to meditate on bodhimind. After talking about the qualities of calmness and quietness and how wonderful it is to be free of pressure, Shantideva gives us the first pressure, that is: meditation on bodhimind.

How to meditate on unlimited, ultimate, unconditioned love and compassion. The meditation here is being shifted from concentrated meditation to meditation on bodhimind, starting with verse 90. When you meditate and study how to develop bodhimind, you use two ways, the seven-stage development and the exchange stage system. The seven-stage development is normally shared in general Mahayana teaching. It comes through Maitreya and Asanga and all those great Indian masters of the tradition. Then the exchange stage system comes from Manjushri and Nagarjuna and Shantideva. In Shantideva's Bodhisatt- vacharyavatara, we are dealing with the exchange stage of development. This section of the meditation chapter is almost considered to be the root text for the exchange stage system. 31 I will comment on verses 90-96 each briefly, then discuss them all together in more detail.

VERSE 90 First of all I should make an effort To meditate upon the equality between self and others: I should protect all beings as I do myself Because we are all equal in (wanting) pleasure and (not wanting) pain.

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This verse is about the first step of the exchange stage system: equalizing self and others. First of all I should make an effort to meditate upon the equality between self and others. Right now, if we look into our mind, it is clear we don’t think we are equal. We each think that I am more important than you are. Each and every one of us has that. We may say, ‘No, you are more important,’ but deep down inside something tells us, ‘Hey, I am the most important, what are you talking about?’ This is there and it is in control. Every one of us has that. The exchange meditation is not very gentle. It is rough and tough. That’s why in the lam rim normally they give you the seven-stage meditation, which is much gentler and kinder. In Tibet lam rim teachings were mainly given to the public, not in the big monasteries. They are not in the monastery curriculum. The lam rim information is contained completely and in detail in the prajnaparamita teachings. All the information that we went through with the meditation is also in the prajnaparamita, but it is not all put together like in lam rim. The small monasteries and the small retreat areas do teach lam rim. In the big monasteries occasionally the big lamas will come to give lam rim teachings. Monks will at- tend, but it is not compulsory. The sponsors will deal with the monastery and sort of rent the teaching hall and make the arrangements in there. The monastery will not arrange anything. That happened usually in the break periods between debating programs. Those lam rim teachings are not only attended by the intelligent monks, but also by those who don't study much and those dob dobs, the crazy wild monks. Also a lot of lay people will come. On those occa- sions they give you the bodhimind in the seven-stage development, which is much gentler. But the students in the United States are all educated and intelligent persons and they are very tough. They can take it! Here Shantideva says, ‘You and me, we are equal.’ This is also a good old American quality. You are not superior to

158 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE me. I am not superior to you. We are all citizens of this country. We have equal rights. There is still a lot of discrim- ination against African-Americans, but it is much better than before Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Both might have contributed a lot to get equality. At least we are supposed to be equal, but don’t think that this means that women get equal pay! Verse 90 gives you the reasons we are all equal. It is not because we are citizens. Here it says we have equal rights because we have the equal right to get what we want. What do we want? I want happiness, and you want happiness. I don’t want suffering, you don’t either. So we are equal and should have equal rights. Equality is something that we have to protect.

VERSE 91 Although there are many different parts and aspects such as the hand, As a body that is to be protected they are one. Likewise all the different sentient beings in their pleasure and their pain Have a wish to be happy that is the same as mine. An argument against equality might be, ‘You can’t have equality, because you are different from me.’ But of course that is not a good enough reason. You are a man, I am a woman. Not having equal rights because of that is the wrong argument. You are white and I am black and therefore there should not be equal rights: that is the wrong reason. What other objections could there be? You could say, ‘We are separate. Why should I worry about you?’ Shantideva says, ‘Sure, the hand is separate from the foot. So why should the hand go out of its way and solve the foot’s problem, like pulling out a needle? But that is silly.’ Obviously, both hand and foot belong to the one person, me. In the same way, don’t you know that both you and I

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Gelek Rimpoche belong to the same human society? So does that argument still stand? On top of that, from your point of view it may be separate. From my point of view, the individual spiritual practitioner, all sufferings should be avoided, all joys should be maintained. Why? Because you and I and everybody are equal in desiring joy. You and I and everybody are equal in our desire not to have suffering. How can just my wish be fulfilled and not yours and vice versa?

VERSE 92 The suffering that I experience Does not cause any harm to others. But that suffering (is mine) because of my conceiving of (myself as) ‘I’; Therefore it becomes unbearable. Again there is an argument. Since other people’s sufferings don’t bother my body, why should I have to help them? The answer is, no. My suffering doesn’t harm the body of others; however, it harms me, because it is suffering. You have to think about this carefully. It is very high philosophical language. It means that suffering is everywhere and we don’t want it. All suffering has to be avoided, yours, mine or everybody’s, whoever it may be. I cannot bear to have suffering; therefore others cannot bear suffering either, just like me. All suffering is something bad. As educated Americans we definitely agree with this. To uneducated people it may not make much sense immediately. To the educated it does make sense.

VERSE 93 Likewise the misery of others Does not befall me. Nevertheless, by conceiving of (others as) ‘I,’ their suffering becomes mine;

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Therefore it too should be hard to bear. Others’ suffering does not fall on my body, but it still hurts me, because I cannot bear suffering. Why? Because there is no difference between us. We both have equal rights. To further that, Shantideva goes on debating: I should be able to clear the suffering of others, because it is suffering, just like my own suffering. I also should help others, because they are all living beings, just like me. The point of discussion is the suffering of others. I should clear the suffering of others because it is suffering, just like I have to clear my own suffering, because it is suffering. For the same reason I should also clear the suffering of others, because it is also suffering. See, it is not complicated. It is the education that helps to figure it out. You know, if I would take to a group of lay Tibetans I probably wouldn’t even touch on this part. I would go round the subject, make a few jokes and just read through. But in the West the education and intelligence of the people is really great. This kind of subject we can talk about to the geshes and they will argue about it and all that.

VERSE 94 Hence I should dispel the misery of others Because it is suffering, just like my own, And I should benefit others Because they are sentient beings, just like myself. Again, the point of reference is the suffering of others. What I want to accomplish is to clear this. Why? Because it is suffering. I clear my own suffering. If I don’t, I cannot bear it. It is painful, so I have to do something and clear it. In the same way, the suffering of others should also be cleared because it is suffering just like my own suffering. I should help other people because they are human beings, just like me. These are dialectical thoughts and philosophical arguments.

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VERSES 95 AND 96 When both myself and others Are similar in that we wish to be happy, What is so special about me? Why do I strive for my happiness alone? And when both myself and others Are similar in that we do not wish to suffer, What is so special about me? Why do I protect myself and not others? I and others both want joy and no suffering. That is equality. We wish for the same thing, to be happy. We have the same desire. I want joy and no suffering, just like others. We are equal in that. Therefore there is not a big difference between others and me; What is so special about me? I should not be working for my own happiness alone, because I and others are equal in not wanting suffering and in wanting joy. In short, I and others both would like to have happiness and both don’t want suffering. Whatever we want and don’t want is the same, and therefore we should be equal.

Revisiting the points in verses 90 to 96. From verse 90 on, Shan- tideva talks about the equality of people. Sure, we know about equal rights and civil liberties. That’s nothing new for us and no big deal for us to accept, but if we think about me, the individual person, considering the needs of myself and the needs of other people, then that is a big deal, an extremely big deal. Normal individuals, unless they have some idea and some understanding, will have great difficulty understanding and swallowing this. Not only them, but also people who have some interest in the spiritual path, people who are interested in the Buddhist path and even people who are interested in the Mahayana path will have difficulty. On the other hand we went through these verses quite easily, but I don’t know what kind of response and reaction peo-

162 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE ple had. I didn’t get any feedback, so I want to bring it back a little bit and revisit those verses. Otherwise, reading on from verse 97 won’t make any sense. Verse 90 says that my needs and others’ needs are equal. At first when you look at that there doesn’t seem to be a problem, but for me, if I as an individual find out that what I need and want and what you need and want are equal, it means that we have to compromise. This can cause us great difficulties. We don’t want to compromise even with our spouses with whom we live. That is why a lot of people don’t get married anyway. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe they haven’t found any partners or whatever it is. It is quite difficult to really hear what the other person says. You can say, ‘I hear you,’ and it seems to be no problem, but when you think about it and try to make it work in daily life then it becomes difficult, especially if you are not just talking about just equalizing but even exchanging.

Starting with our own family. Exchanging does not mean to exchange where I sit and where you sit. It does not mean that we switch our shirts and pants. Nor does it mean that we will share our partners! What happens is that I decide, ‘Let’s switch your desire and my desire. Let’s switch what you want and what I want. What I want is my happiness and what you want is your happiness. Let me think about bringing happiness for you and let you worry about bringing happiness for me.’ If it works out, this is a very good way of living. If you have a family where spouses worry about each other’s wellbeing and care for each other, how wonderful it is. The family will be happy and enjoy life without quarrel- ing, neuroses, or no rough and cold shoulder exchanges. Every difficulty we face in the family is because, ‘I am not satisfied. It is inconvenient for me. I have to adjust to your convenience.’ Particularly, if the person is selfish it becomes very difficult.

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Maybe this exchange method of Shantideva and the early Buddhist masters from Buddha onwards up to now, this basis on which the Dalai Lama practices, will be good for our life. Even if we cannot do it with all living beings, at least we can try it in our own family. If we could really practice this maybe there could be some happiness. Maybe the number of families with single parents could be reduced. It could be a really good thing to do. Of course this text is talking about all sentient beings, but that is a long, long shot for us. Yes, we may meditate and practice and maybe even just pray that we will be able to do this, but in reality, if we try to practice this a little bit in our home it may be interesting and helpful. It will of course be easier for new lovers. Then the excitement makes it a little easier. If you are continuing in a long-term relationship, you may find it a little difficult, but it will be a very good way of maintaining a good family life. The reason for exchanging each other’s desires is that in reality we are both seeking and wanting joy. That is equal. You and I have agreed and committed to share our lives and to take care of each other. This is very interesting. The moment we say take care of, the idea we get is that it means to help somebody to get up when they can’t or if you cannot put your pants on I will help you with that. If you can’t eat, I help you and feed you. That is part of it, but it is not the only way of taking care. It really means, ‘I am taking care that you are happy. I am making sure that you get what you want. I would like to provide what you desire and help you to be fulfilled.’ That is a two way street: it also means that I will not do things that irritate you. It goes both ways. I would like to do something that you like. The simple reason why I should do this is because I have committed to take care of you. I have committed to support you. Again, when we think about support, we might think it is about giving you some extra money when you don’t have enough, or buying something for you that you can’t afford or hesi-

164 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE tate to buy yourself, or providing some material for you, but I think that is a little naïve way of looking at. Support- ing you really means to bring you joy and happiness. I am not talking about joy and happiness in terms of religion alone, but in terms of what people want and what is helpful to them. Sometimes people are in the habit of saying, ‘I know better, you should do this!’ You can do that if the person is a kid, not a grown-up, but even then, you can only do it with kids up to 7 or 8 years old. After that, better not play that trick, or they will rebel against you. The reason why we should support people is because we are equal. You and I have the same rights, no difference, but our mind always makes me the most important and you second. That is always there; even if you deny it, it is still there. Even the dedicated woman, who is working in the house full-time, who gets up early in the morning at 5 a.m., does all the cleaning and washing, cooking, looking after the man in the house and after the kids, does everything, then goes to bed at 11 at night, even such a woman - or man, although men normally don’t do that much, that’s just the nature of men (they don’t wear aprons, women wear aprons, anyway) - even then, even though having submitted completely, deep down she considers herself more important than others. This is an extreme example, but we all have that. I talked about men and women in the family, but it goes for all companions. We can use the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life and bring in the exchange within our friends and family, even if we can’t yet get the bodhimind, which is doing this for all living beings. For us, charity begins at home. We should be able to do it in our home, with our family. Then see how you feel, what the result of that will be in the family situation, especially if you have a little rough situation, if your boat is rock- ing a little bit. That might be a very important thing to practice, a good thing to practice with your children - especially,

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Helping in a gentle way. Yes, from the religious point of view, from the spiritual point of view, the virtues bring joy, and the non-virtues bring misery. That is a true fact, no doubt about it. Still, that doesn’t mean we have the right to control others, telling them, ‘I know better, you can’t do this, because it will bring suffering.’ You can talk about it, but you can’t say, ‘I know better.’ You can provide the information and talk about it in a very gentle way to your spouse or companion, because you want to help, because your job is to bring happiness to them. That is where you draw the line. If you are a missionary, then it is God’s command that you have to go and tell that person what to do, save that person, correct that person’s way of thinking, no matter whatever it takes to push it through, but we are not missionaries. We are simple, normal human beings trying to do the right thing, trying to be helpful to our companions, children, and ourselves. There- fore, the method we adopt has to be simple, solid gentle- ness. If you don’t provide that, but think, ‘They will pick it up even if they don’t like it,’ it will be a failure for you. A number of people think, ‘I am not a missionary, so I don’t want to even talk about it, I don’t want to inform anybody about it.’ That is also not right. You are not really caring. You should inform people, you should talk about it. You have to use the opportunity, if you have it, to help your family and friends and everybody else. But the way you do it is by fulfilling their desire, not just repeating what Buddha said and Jesus said and the Pope said and what the Dalai Lama said. That is not a valid reason at all. Let the pope say whatever he wants to say. Let the Dalai Lama say whatever he wants to say. Let me do what is right for my family and children. Let Buddha say whatever he wants to say. Let Jesus say whatever he wants to say, but let’s do the right thing for our situation. If you do this, you do care. If

166 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE you know better than another person, that’s great, but don’t show off.

Ignoring is not caring. You cannot ignore the desire of the other person. So the switch is here. We have a habit of ignoring others, or going into our cocoon where our companions cannot reach us, or adopting a certain attitude where we shut out every communication. We do that in order to protect ourselves. We even think we are protecting the companions, but in reality we are protecting our narrow, selfish, bad habits, our addictions. When you are exchanging your desire and their desire, these things have no room to play. It is exactly the same thing, dealing between two human beings, between a group of human beings or between the whole society and all sentient beings. It is the same; there are not two different ways. We always think that there are two different ways of behaving: dealing with the public and dealing with home. No, there is no difference. That’s what we accuse our politicians of all the time. They have two ways of dealing with people. They have a public face and a private face. All these verses work with the fact that we both have the desire to be happy and the desire not to have sufferings and problems, inconvenience, miserable times, uncomfortable times. We are equal in that. If I am committed to you and you are committed to me, why can’t we do this for each other? Yes, you want to be a Bodhisattva, to develop bodhimind and become a Buddha. No doubt, but let us begin at home, try to practice that at home, with just one individual person. Then consider the whole family and then extend it. Maybe that is the most important way to learn how to be compassionate and how we can be caring.

Why should I help? The most important objection that will come up to that idea is: ‘He is he and I am me. We are different.’ That’s true, but on the other hand it is not true. Shantideva provided the same argument by saying, Hand is

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Gelek Rimpoche hand. Leg is leg. Why should the hand help the leg? The answer simply is: Because they are both part of one body. In New Delhi, India, in 1965, I was working to establish Tibet House, which had three departments, the museum, the library, and then the emporium that sold handicrafts, just like our Jewel Heart store does here. A young Tibetan girl working there could speak some English, but not very well. An American lady came in who was interested in Ti- betan shoes. She tried some on but couldn’t push her foot in, since the shoe was too small. The Tibetan girl said to her, ‘Doesn’t matter. Try harder.’ The American lady replied, ‘Because it is my foot it doesn’t matter to you.’ I remember this when I read Shantideva's example of hand and leg. The hand should help the leg, because it is part of the same body. Likewise, two spouses should help each other for the sake of the family, for the sake of the children. The- se are important points. The next thought will come, ‘When I have pain in my leg I feel the pain. I don’t feel the pain in her leg, so why should I bother?’ The answer is, ‘You are an educated, nice, kind, caring, wonderful person, but you still don't care about people’s suffering, even your spouse’s suffering? What happened to your commitment of taking care?’

Suffering is to be eliminated. Truly speaking, nobody wants suffering. It is suffering and therefore something that should be completely negated. That may be the wrong word. Ne- gation is mainly used in the wisdom context, not so much on the compassion level. However, suffering is something that has to be totally negated or eliminated, because it hurts. It is like war or killing. These have to be eliminated because they hurt. Sometimes we think that it doesn’t really matter. We think that most of those who are dying will be Iraqis anyway, not so many of ours, but that proved to be wrong. How many of our kids we are losing! Just this morning, my

168 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE radio alarm woke me up with the news that three American soldiers have been killed. Altogether there are now 800 of ours that are lost. We don’t think about that when we go to war. We don’t even think about killing Iraqis. We have some projection about nameless, faceless terrorists, or maybe we just have a face, like Osama bin Laden’s, without a body. If Osama were the only one to die, it would be worthwhile if it could prevent so many others dying. Sure, if killing one could stop the killing of many others it would be wonderful. It is too bad that we would have to sacrifice Osama bin Laden, but if many others would be saved by that it would be okay. But it doesn’t happen that way. It is the other way round! Whoa! This statement I just made sounds terrible. It could be interpreted as the means justifying the end. Sure, if we can eliminate all suffering by sacrificing one individual it is not a bad deal. Unfortunately, this is never true. It doesn’t work that way. Therefore, it is always the caring, the loving, kindness, compassion that answers our needs and not the barrel of the gun or bombs and power. Therefore, suffering, pain, killing, war and all of them have to be completely eliminated, because they are bad.

The roots of good and evil. That is the reason why the verses 94 to 96 try to tell us that suffering should be eliminated simply because it is suffering. Verse 96 also says that we should serve others because they are sentient beings. Their bodies are like my body. This is a correct reason. My desire and your desire are the same. Equality, equanimity, is so important; it is the root of all goodness. Truly speaking, in our life, the root of goodness is really equalization and the root of all evil is the thought, ‘I am more important than you.’ Each and every individual has to look through his or her own window when they think about that ‘I’.

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VERSE 97 But why should I protect them If their suffering does not cause me any harm? - Then why protect myself against future suffering If it causes me no harm now? This verse brings up an objection: If others suffer, that is not going to hurt me; their suffering does not cause me any harm. Therefore I don’t need to protect myself from that. The answer is: What about your future suffering? Don’t you try to protect yourself from that? You may say, ‘I am not suffering now, so I don’t have to do anything about my future suffering.’ Try to bring it even closer. What about tomorrow’s suffering, this evening’s suffering, the next hour’s suffering? The present hour’s me and the next hour’s me, might or might not be the same me. To say, ‘I am not suffering now,’ is not a good enough reason.

VERSE 98 It is a mistaken conception to think That I shall experience (the suffering of my next life). For it is another person who dies, And another that will be reborn. You may think, ‘I’m going to die and I am not convinced that the next life’s me is me. It will be a different person and I don't want to protect others. I only want to protect me. I may not have to protect my future life, because it is not me, because it is another person that will be reborn.’ That is a mistaken conception.

VERSE 99 - Surely whenever there is suffering The (sufferers) must protect themselves from it - But the suffering of the foot is not that of the hand,

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Why then does one protect the other? This verse repeats the hand and leg example, because the argument still goes, ‘Whoever is suffering should protect themselves. I don’t want to protect others.’ The answer is: But the suffering of the foot is not that of the hand, so why does one protect the other? Lam rim and Lo jong as practical instruction. Many people then think that lam rim is one thing. You can put it into a box la- belled lam rim and leave it there, like in the good old Ameri- can system. When another teaching comes put another la- bel on it and leave it there as well. In reality lam rim tells us what level we are on now, where we are going and how we can go, what problems we will face and how we could overcome those. For example, take meditation, which we are covering here in this transcript and in the GOM transcript. Here we saw that first you encounter two problems, excitation and laxity. Then, within that you are going to face different ver- sions or levels of laxity and excitation that you can handle in this way and that way. Then, in the middle of GOM we come to nine different stages. How are you going to get the nine stages? By the six powers, reinforced by the four mindfulnesses. All the teachings, and particularly the lam rim, will tell you, ‘Here you are going to go into that stage, where you will face this and that problem. You can handle them this way and that way.’ This is not theoretical as a number of people think or claim, but very practical. After all, we are all educated people. We are not cows. We are not doing cow teachings here. If you do cow teachings you have to say, ‘First you say this, then you say that.’ In the West that is what they call ‘practical’.

Cow teaching Actually, I would like to share a funny little Tibetan story that has a reason behind it. Once there was a nomad who was supposed to learn the alphabet from an

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Gelek Rimpoche educated Tibetan. The word nomad in Tibetan itself gives you the idea of a hillbilly type of person. Tibetan nomads are not necessarily stupid or uneducated, but the word itself gives you that kind of connotation. The teacher tried to be polite and said. ‘tang po A po Ka dzö.’ That means, ‘First, you nice guy, say Ka.’ Ka happens to be the first letter of the Tibet- an alphabet like A in our Roman alphabet. So the nomad repeats, ‘First you nice guy say Ka.’ Then the teacher says, ‘Don’t say such a thing, just say Ka.’ So the nomad repeats, ‘ ‘Don’t say such a thing, just say Ka.’ Then the teacher says, ‘You (f-word) just say Ka.’ Of course the nomad repeats, ‘You (f-word) just say Ka.’

How to use a practical teaching. That is the example of a cow teaching. So these teachings are very practical. When you sit down and do it you will encounter the problems that the teachings talk about, so you are not surprised. You are aware of it. You have to search in your memory, if you have anything in your memory bank. If not, look in your notes, whether the problem you face is similar to what the teachings say. If so, what are the solutions? How can you handle them? That is what a teaching is for. That is what these lectures are about. You find the antidote action. That is a more romantic word, otherwise you just pick up what to do, out of those solutions for those problems. If you don't find the problem you are facing described in a similar way in the teachings, then you talk to your fellow Sangha members, ‘I am facing this problem. I don’t seem to see this problem described anywhere in the teachings. Do you have any idea about that?’ Then that person may say, ‘Yes, I remember this and that is what you can do.’ Or they say, ‘No, I don’t. Let’s ask somebody else.’ So it becomes a doubt and a thought for two more people. The two people will raise that issue with four, five or eight people and it becomes an issue that will be discussed

172 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE among the Sangha and that way it will be easier to find a solution. That is how a Sangha functions. That is how teachings are utilized. After discussing this with the group of Sangha you may ask me. During question time we can talk about it and if I don’t have an answer I read about it. I will find out and talk to friends and colleagues and other teachers. That is how we can figure it out. If that is not practical, tell me what is! It doesn’t only have to be cow talk. I am kidding. There is no shortage of a spiritual path here. Between lam rim and Bodhisattvacharyavatara there is no shortage. Look in any tradition. Wherever you may look there is no equivalent material. It is actually available to the public, to anyone who is able to understand and read. Don’t forget, this is the wisdom given by Buddha, based on his experience. It is 2700 years old, not something that has been invented yesterday. Nor is it something the Tibetans made up over the last 1000 years. It is the 2700 year old wisdom that Buddha personally gained through his own experience. That is what we share. The Bodhisattvacharyavatara and the lam rim are Buddhist teachings, but the person who picks up those teachings doesn’t have to be a Buddhist. I have a friend, a very nice guy who joined Drepung Loseling monastery. When he started he was quite learned, but he sat in the back where the kids are sitting. He was already quite old that time, but he was very learned, so he jumped classes. Instead of one he went through two or three per year. That is not because of some privilege, but because of his knowledge and brightness. This guy wasn’t a Buddhist but a Bön po. He joined Drepung monastery, passed very quickly because of his good learning and became one of the best geshes available. He always remained a Bön po teacher. When we came to India, he and I became teachers for the Indian military. He stayed on and may still be there or might have retired now, I don’t know. Although he was not a Buddhist he did the

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Gelek Rimpoche best study. The Buddhist scholars couldn’t debate him very easily on Buddhist subjects because he was really learned. His name is Thubten Chödrub. He joined Loseling and was a couple of classes below me and went through very fast. In the Buddhist tradition all these teachings are not really held back at all. Anybody can participate. It is completely open for anybody who wants to pick it up. This guy remained a Bön po throughout. Now they are calling the Bön pos also Bön Buddhists, but back in Tibet they were like apples and oranges. Now they are trying to make something new like tangerines.

VERSE 100 - Although this may not be justified, It is done because of grasping at a self - But surely whatever is not justified for myself or others Should at all costs be rejected. This verse says, ‘I may not be able to clear the suffering of others right now, but I should, because the thinking that I am the most important may not be justified. Also this is the wrong perception we always have: self-cherishing, self-importance.’ Self grasping is something that we should always try to negate: it should at all costs be rejected. Remember, we are here in the midst of an argument or debate. The argument in previous verses was this: ‘We are separate people. Your suffering is yours and mine is mine. Why should I worry about yours?’ In other words since we are not connected there is no point solving other people’s problems. The answer is: ‘That would be like saying that the suffering of the leg doesn’t concern the hand. Why should your hand pull the thorn out of your foot? But it does, because both hand and leg are part of one body.’

The problem of self-grasping. Now verse 100 says that the suffering of the foot doesn’t really bother the hand. Hand and feet

174 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE are separate. Why should they solve each other’s problems? That may be correct, however, the problem is the grasping at a self. I grasp myself. I grasp at my body as me or as mine. We have been grasping at me and mine for too long. We have that interesting experience of self-grasping. Self-grasping here is about grasping at an inherently existing self. It is absolute self-grasping, not relative-self grasping. Does that make sense? If it doesn’t, that is fine. What I am saying is that when we look at ourselves we hold our self as a self. When we try to see who is that self, we perceive our body outside and our soul inside that body, like Russian dolls. I had this Russian doll of Bill Clinton. Inside the Clinton doll was Monica! Actually there was Hillary and Chelsea and Monica and ultimately the saxophone, when you opened them up. Just like that, outside there seems to be the physical body and inside the soul. If you have a Russian doll you can open it and take another one out. You can see from the outside and shake the doll and you know there is something inside. In case of the person we see the combination of body and mind as some kind of solid me, a permanent, independent me. It is an I who is not dependent on anyone other than myself. Grasping at that is referred to as self-grasping. We think that that I is permanent and unchanging, has come from the previous life, is staying here during this life, and is going into the future life. We think that that is the ‘me,’ whether it is bald-headed or with a full head of hair, whether it is black or white, yellow or brown. That grasping mind is what I call grasping at an inherently existing me. We are so used to grasping at that as me that we think if we don’t do that we will lose the ‘me’ completely. This indicates a lot about where we are. Our education and culture is very much outward looking. We look at buildings, cars, planes, cities, shops, articles, watches. We look outwards at everything, but we never look in. The only time we look in is when we look at the mirror and wonder whether we need a little more makeup here or a little more lipstick there. That is the best we can do when we try to look in. We really don’t look in. The issue of where we come from and where we will go does concern us all but we

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Gelek Rimpoche can’t be bothered to do something. We never look. That’s why the question of ‘Who am I?’ is a big issue. It is the spiritual issue that we leave there to be solved in future, sometime down the road, when the cows come home. That’s when we may do something about it. If you just give yourself a minute, you will find that what you are grasping will be a combination of the external identity, the body, and the internal, the soul, combined together. The moment I mention external body and internal soul, you will get the picture of the Russian doll, like something inside is moving around. If your idea is a little better than that, you have the idea of these being combined together. We are so used to that. What it really is though, it is the combination of the external body which includes head, hands, legs, chest, ribs, skin and so on and the internal consciousness. Shantideva talked earlier on about the body in terms of a skeleton, knitted together by muscles and veins and so on. The combination of that is the body. Therefore, the hand should solve the problem of the leg. If that is so, the person who will be experiencing the sufferings of the morning is expected to also experience the suffering of the evening. It is the combined same individual continuing from morning into evening. If that is true, the same should apply for tomorrow and if that is true, it should also apply to next year and even decades down the road. There- fore, to say they are separate is not a valid reason. The morning me is not the afternoon me or the evening me. We all know that. Combined with the time, the morning me becomes the evening me. The morning’s me does not remain in the evening and tomorrow. It changes. Exactly in the same way is how we change from life to life. Therefore, this verse is saying that the idea of grasping at a self and this vivid separation between me and my needs and you and your needs, with the consequence of not wanting to bother with others’ needs, is a wrong understanding. It is against wisdom. Therefore, we should try to do our utmost best whatever we can, in order to eliminate or give up or negate the idea of self-grasping.

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Grasping at myself indirectly tells me that I am separate from the others. The direct act of grasping indirectly tells you that there is separation or segregation. Isn’t that right? Yes. Therefore segregation is not a good thing. We know that. We are well informed. Therefore the mind of ‘me’ that can’t be bothered with your problem is against equality. We have already established that a few verses earlier.

Self-confidence versus self-importance. These verses give us many more important points to think about, not only for our spiritual path and spiritual practice, but also for our daily life, particularly when we are dealing with people. When people deal with people, these are the very practical problems we face. Some of us have had more spiritual training and more self reflection. I would like to remind you of a beautiful skit that our comedy group did a couple of summer retreats ago. A group of meditators sat silently on the stage. Behind each of them another person came up and commented on what they were thinking. One of the meditators was thinking, ‘Oh, I am the most important person here,’ while next to him another meditator was thinking, ‘Who the hell is that person?’ That skit really tells us how we project ourselves. With Tibetan Buddhist training and through my own personal behavior most people around me at least are not acting as if the sky were their hat and the clouds the straps that keep the hat on their heads. However, in their deep mind, everybody has that sort of self-importance or self-indulgence. In one way it is important to have self confidence, but on the other hand we don’t want self-importance. Let me say this: If you are important, what makes you really important? You become important if you help. You are important to me, because you help me. Is that a correct reason or not? Please think. Is that right or wrong? In our normal behavior, that’s how we think. The president of the United States may be important, but not so important for me. I don’t care, as long as he doesn’t destroy our country. That is our normal attitude. But if somebody has helped me, they are important for me and I love them. These are our reasons. If you

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Gelek Rimpoche think you are important and a nice person, you do become that if you help. Think about that.

VERSE 101 Such things as a continuum and an aggregation Are false in the same way as a rosary and an army. There is no (real) owner of suffering, Therefore who has control over it? This verse argues back that while that statement in verse 100 sounds great it is not valid. Why? Because I and others are absolutely separate. I am separate from them and they are separate from me. It is not like in the case of the same person experiencing morning, evening and the next day. You have talked about hand and leg being part of the same body and that is all true, but that has nothing to do with me being separate from you. The arguer gives a reason. The mind’s continuation, a collection of people and a mala or rosary are used as examples. If you have something called a mala, it is actually a hundred beads strung together. If there are many people and horses and weapons together you call that an army. Those terms are all not true. They are all lies. One hundred beads together are only called a mala, but there is nothing ‘mala’ about it, just a hundred beads and string, nothing else. Likewise there may be a hundred men, but there is nothing ‘army’ about them. There are different weapons there, but that doesn’t make it a war. This is just what George Bush says, ‘We are fighting in Iraq and bombarding those terrorists, but there is no war.’ At the same time he says, ‘I am the war president.’ A rosary is nothing but the collection of beads. An army is just a collection of people. We think there is a solid rosary and a solid army, but there is not one solid army. It is just a collection. Likewise, ‘me’ is also a collection, and ‘you’ is a collection. When a thing consists of parts and parcels, when parts are missing, then the thing is gone.

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Let me give you a simple example. Here is this table. We look at it and say, ‘Ha, nice table.’ I agree, but then, if you break off one leg, what happens? It is a broken table, no longer a nice table. When the pieces and parts are together, it is there and it is nice, but when pieces are missing, it is not there anymore. When our body and mind are functioning together in a synchronized manner, we have a well functioning human being. When it is not synchronized, we will call that a crazy person. For example, if the mind thinks, ‘I am going east,’ and the body actually goes west, that is crazy. Then, if the mind is completely gone and only the body is left, it is no longer a person, no longer me or you, but it is my corpse or your corpse. So, me and you and all things are only there because of collective establishment. You look nice, because you have a nice hair style, a good complexion, a nice face, a good body. When that nice body becomes fat you become ugly. That is exactly how things change. Right now it is ‘me’ ‘my’ ‘you’ ‘yours’ so much black and white, however, it is all simply a collection of things and circumstances. It can change any minute. When it changes it is no longer what it was. That leads to the next verse:

VERSE 102 There being no (inherent) owner of suffering, There can be no distinction at all between (that of myself and others). Thus I shall dispel it because it hurts. Why am I so certain (that I shouldn’t eliminate the suffering of others)? Who is the ‘I’ who is experiencing suffering? He or she also doesn’t truly exist; there is no inherent owner of suffering. So, in true reality, who is controlling who? Who is occupying who? In other words, that self that we are grasping at simply exists in our mind, in the mind of people, but in absolute reality doesn’t exist. That sounds funny, but in absolute reality, you are not there, I am not there. This is where people get a lot of confusion.

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In the sixties there was a lot of confusion about that. Of course there is always a danger of misunderstanding but at that time it was a little more. Truly not existing does not mean that you don’t exist at all, but some people literally thought that it meant that. I was in India in the sixties. The Dalai Lama’s brother, also a rimpoche, was at that time religious teacher at the Indiana University. He came to visit India and we had dinner with a group of people who told me that some people didn’t understand that existing and inherently existing differed, so that they saw no difference between a piece of gold and a pebble! The Dalai Lama’s brother was a little drunk that night and told me that these people were trying to buy air tickets with pebbles collected from the road. Whether that is literally true or not, at that time some people had that misunderstanding that in the end it all doesn’t matter, that in the end there was no difference between positive and negative, since in the end nothing exists. That is a misunderstanding. In the end it does matter. In the end there is a tremendous difference between right and wrong, between positive and negative, between virtue and non-virtue. At the end and even now there is a difference between you and me, between people and people, but that does not mean that you shouldn’t help to solve people’s problems. It is a completely wrong understanding to think that at the end there is just going to be nothing, or on the opposite extreme that at the end it is all going to be pure. But when does that end come? After the cows come home? That is the issue. You cannot wait until the cows come home. Therefore there is a difference. Verse 102 emphasizes this by pointing out that there is no inherent owner of a self or of others. Right now we are saying, ‘I am happy to get rid of my suffering, but I am not really committed to get rid of your suffering.’ This is because one is mine and the other is yours. It is in our nature to think, ‘This is your job and your duty. I have nothing to do with this.’ The great equanimity over here is arguing with that. It can be very shocking to us. The next verses deal with this point continuously.

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VERSE 103 - But (since neither the suffering nor the sufferer truly exist), why should I turn away the misery of all? - This is no ground for argument, For if I prevent my own (sufferings), surely I should prevent the (sufferings) of all. If not, since I am just like (other) sentient beings, (I should not prevent my own suffering either). All sufferings are to be removed, because they are sufferings. It doesn’t matter whether they are yours or mine. All pain should be gotten rid off because it hurts. When we put it that way, it sounds agreeable and reasonable. Nobody will argue with that. Because it is suffering, nobody wants it. I don’t want it, you don’t want it, there isn’t anybody who wants it, so let’s get rid of it. We will all agree that because it is suffering, we should all get rid of it. There is no valid reason to make a big division between your suffering or my suffering, because it is suffering and we should try to get rid of it all. That is sensible, even in our society today. Since there is no solid thing called you and me separately who is experiencing suffering, there is no reason why I shouldn’t work to get rid of all the suffering. Mine or yours, it doesn’t matter. If I get rid of my suffering, I should get rid of yours too, because it is suffering. The fact that it is suffering is good enough reason to get rid of it. The counter argument to that will say, ‘Your suffering doesn’t bother me, so why should I bother to get rid of it?’ Do we think that? Maybe not.

Compassion in action. There is a beautiful quality in the West. Though Buddhism is from India and the East, practical compassion is much better in the West. When we see people suffering we don’t just sit still, we act. When we see that there is suffering in Africa, or in the Middle East, we just don’t just sit there and watch. In the West people go out of their way to do something, whatever form it may take. That is wonderful.

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Sometimes, if you look at traditional Tibetan Buddhism, you see that practitioners do care tremendously. They meditate on compassion sitting in a cave. That is great, but it is not going to translate into practical action so much. Sometimes it is too much idealizing, which is a problem. In the West, in a beautiful way, the tradition shows how you can act kindly, how you can do whatever you can. That is a great thing and we should always admire and follow it. We are in the habit of immediately meditating. Yes, if you become a Buddha you can solve all these things together, but that is a long time off. In the meantime there are hundreds of people dying and being bullied and so on. So even if it is other people’s suffering we should do something and act. That is a great way and it is what Buddha has recommended to the Bodhisattvas, not just to be medita- tively and mentally active. That’s what we do. We radiate light from our heart and just by the touch of the light, all beings are purified and their sufferings are removed. In that way we are mentally very active, but then to have that materialize is very difficult. It takes time and power, which we don’t have. If you have the power, it is great. In reality, no matter whoever they may be, we should help ‘those people,’ as we call them. Right now we don’t recognize them. They are strangers for us. However, they are human beings. From the background of reincarnation, even if we don’t know them now, they have been our nearest and dearest, at one time or another. Our total survival has depended on ‘those people.’ Right now we are a little better off, from the spiritual, material and economic angle, so we should go out of the way to help others. Verse 103 says that relatively, we do experience sufferings and these are things that we have to eliminate. It doesn’t matter who experiences them, you or me. Your suffering is no good, and therefore needs to be eliminated, just like my sufferings. My suffering has to be eliminated; therefore all sufferings need to be eliminated. It doesn't matter who experiences them. We all experience them.

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Distinctions are relative. That is interesting. Who is we? Which side is your side, which is my side? What is this side and what is the other side? Here also, there is no inherent existence. If I am on this side of the river, I will say that I am on this side. When I go to the other side, I will call that side this side and what was previously this side becomes that side. When I am in a group of people I say, ‘We,’ and looking at other people I say, ‘They.’ When I join with the other people, they become ‘we’ and the previous ‘we’ becomes ‘they.’ Therefore, we and they, this side and that side simply depend on where you are. That is the only difference. That is what is really meant by not there, not truly existing. For the sake of fun we say, ‘We are Republicans and you are the Democrats,’ and vice versa, but in reality there is nothing. The ‘we’ changes. Look for example at Reagan, from Democrat to Republican. Get it? There is no inherent problem. It is just for fun’s sake we like to identify with a group and say, ‘We are the Republicans,’ or '‘We are the Democrats.’ Human beings need stimulation and fun and so we do that. Every four years we get the opportunity to do that, but in reality it doesn’t matter. Just like that, it works the same way with self and others. This is a little more difficult to accept than the Republicans and Democrats, because it is about ‘me’ and not about some party. It is hitting too close to home. It is the same with any other issue, except when it is hitting yourself. But if this is true everywhere else, then when it hits the self, it also has to be true. To say that everything else is true, just not this one, is not possible. That also applies to another issue: the ‘Why me?’ issue. ‘What did I do wrong? I can accept if it’s him or her or them, but why me?’ It is for the same reason. It is funny when you look at life, really funny. Whatever we are going through now is just a drama. It is poor, rich, sick, healthy, brilliant, stupid and everything, all are just the melodrama of life. At the end nobody dies. True, there is continuation. We simply change the identity. Hopefully we are lucky enough to have sufficient positive karma and good, kind motivation and compassion at

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Gelek Rimpoche the time of the transition so that we may connect to the right thing. Now you can see that we can say both, ‘It does matter,’ and, ‘It doesn’t matter.’ It does matter, because motivation and thought connects you to positive karma. It doesn’t matter, because we will all continue, though with different identities. We are here, we are there, this is this side and then this is that side. That one is this side and that one is that side. That is how it works. That is life. That is reality. That is the truth. Therefore, I can be Republican, I can be a Democrat, I can be a libertarian, I can be a Green Party member. Therefore, self-grasping is wrong. It has no valid reason behind it. I hope I have created enough confusion here for you to try to figure it out. Out of confusion we will come out. We will solve the mystery of life out of that confusion.

No instant results. Whatever information you pick up during this course, try to review and think about it. When you really try to meditate, you are going to hit the wall, no question. Everybody will, but that is no problem. If you don’t hit the wall you can’t get through it. So when you keep on hitting it, your head will become hard and then you will get through! That is the reality. If you expect the result to come after two minutes it won’t happen. There is no instant enlightenment. It doesn’t mean anything if you sit there for days and nothing is happening. Remember Asanga’s story. He spent 12 years trying to see Maitreya Buddha. At the end of the 12 years he saw a dog that was badly wounded with maggots in its wound. That’s what the human beings could see, but it happened to be Maitreya. Asanga felt compassion and didn’t know what to do: he wanted to help the dog without hurting the worms. Finally, without any hesitation he cut a piece of his own flesh from his thigh and tried to pick up the worms from the dog’s body and put them on his flesh. When he tried to touch the worms with his finger he was afraid that he might hurt the worms, so he decided to lick them up with his tongue. He closed his eyes,

184 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE stuck out his tongue and was about to reach to the dog, but nothing was there. He opened his eyes and there was no dog, but instead Maitreya standing there. The first thing Asanga said was, ‘How unkind you are. I have been trying to see you for 12 years and you let me wait so long!’ Maitreya said, ‘I was there the day you decided to do this practice, but because of your negativities you were unable to see me.’ That is why purification becomes important. Out of all the purification the compassion enabled him to cut his flesh and lick the worms. That did the trick and he saw Maitreya. It wasn’t a trick actually, but perfect purification. This was even more powerful than 12 years of sitting. I did cut the story short. He left his retreat after 3 years and something happened and he went back. That happened every 3 years and finally he was there for 12 years. Actually, because of Asanga’s 12 year effort these teachings are available to us human beings now. Actually, TM, the Transcendental Meditation of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, is also based on this. This is the root text for their system. It comes out of the vedantas but out of this section. All that was possible because Asanga was able to generate this powerful compassion. He saw something really horrible, but instead of running away, or covering his nose with a handkerchief, he didn’t walk away but stayed to help. Don’t think you can get the result of this practice in a few weeks or months or years. It is not going to happen. If you can hit your head against the wall a number of times, the more you hit the more you will wear the wall out.

The main point of this chapter. We have now reached the main point, the meditation on compassion. That also is the ultimate compassion, bodhimind. That is technical language. What is bodhimind? It is ultimate, unconditioned, unlimited, altruistic mind. That is what bodhimind is all about. The reason why in English we cannot just use words like love and compassion is that those terms don’t match even ten percent of the love, compassion and caring that is bodhimind. Sometimes it is even shocking and surprising for us.

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Revisiting verses 101 to 103: equalizing and exchanging. We are talking here about equality and equanimity. Again, this is ultimate equality. We are not just talking about the usual kind of equality. Normally, equality is one of the qualities on the basis of which this country functions. Equality, equal rights, liberty are uncompromisable principles on which this country is formed. This is what makes America great. Normal equality says that I have the same rights that you have. I am not only a human being, but I am a citizen of this country and so are you. Here the equality is going even beyond that, saying, ‘What you want and what I want is equal. You want happiness and joy and you don’t want suffering and misery. I want the same thing. There is no reason why my desire and my demand should be more important than yours.’ Am I more important if I am wealthier? All these are invalid reasons at this level. We are trying to become more equalized here. My desire and your desire are the same; they are equal. It really is equal, no matter whoever it is. What you want, what I want, we are all looking for peace, harmony, joy, comfort and so forth. What we don’t want is misery, suffering, pain, torture and so forth. It is really equal, when you get to that bottom line. We don’t see this. When I look through my filter, what I want is more important, because it is me! You may laugh, and common sense tells us that it is not a good reason, but it is true. If you check in your deep mind, you believe that because it is my choice, therefore it is more important. It is right, because I and my friends agree that it is right. Something is more important because I and my friends realized that it is more important. The reason is ‘me,’ nothing more and nothing less. The spiritual equality we are now looking for is more than the usual equality of black and white, male and female and their particular rights. This is going beyond that, so much so that your desire becomes more important for me than my own desire. Not only equal, but your desire is more important than my desire. This is the true picture what a government by the people for the people should be. Nowadays it is the other way round. It is government by the party for the party. Who- ever comes to power, it doesn’t matter. The equality we are

186 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE looking for is really ‘by the people, for the people,’ even over my own desire. There are two ways of looking at that, a silly and a good way. The silly way says, ‘If people think it is okay, I am also okay, because I am a person, I will be all right.’ The wise way of looking is that if you help people and work for them, you will be helped yourself. In one way we say, ‘Don’t work for yourself, but work for other people,’ but you should also hear, ‘If you work for people, you yourself will be benefited.’ That is why Buddha recommends his followers do this. Not every one of his followers, but those who are committed to love-compassion-oriented activities, the Bodhisattvas. He recommends us to even look beyond that. It is true even in everyday life. If you are suspicious of everybody and think, ‘Everybody is out to get me,’ then even if they are not out to get you, they will get you. However, if you think, ‘I am here to help and serve people,’ even the ghosts will feel happy and cannot harm you.

A ghost story. We have a lot of good, old Tibetan ghost stories about that. A guy was sitting in a cave near a village meditating on compassion for people, seeing their suffering and really feeling sad. When we see someone suffering who we have special feelings for we feel sad, especially if we see a suffering that they don’t even see, or even if they see it, they choose to do whatever they want to do anyway, because the consequences are not hitting them right there immediately. When you see and feel this you feel really sad. Just like that: this very practitioner was thinking about the suffering of the people and couldn’t help crying all the time, so much so that he even got the nickname ‘long face.’ The ghosts of the villages around this cave in the mountains came together and had one of their meetings. Their chief said, ‘Did you notice that guy up there, the new one, the dark, long faced one? We better destroy him now, otherwise he may become very powerful and destroy us later.’ They agreed and one of them volunteered, saying, ‘I am going to make sure that he is no longer there next time.’

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So this ghost went up there to kill him. When he came close, he found him sitting at the edge of a huge cliff, meditating. It would have been very easy for this ghost to kick him off that cliff, but he noticed that this meditator was crying particularly for the ghosts in that area, because of the difficulties and suffering they had. So he couldn't push him off the cliff. He thought, ‘Oh my God, he is worrying about us. How can I push him?’ He tried another time. Again the meditator was crying, this time about some guy in the village down there, who had been feeding the ghosts. He tried another couple of times, but each time it was the same story. Eventually the next meeting came up and the chief of the ghosts asked, ‘Who volunteered to get rid of this new guy? He is still up there!’ The other ghost answered, ‘I tried, but every time he was worrying about us, so I couldn't push him.’ ‘He is worrying about us? What is worrying about?’ ‘He is worrying about our sufferings.’ They all decided to go up there and look for themselves, realized it was true, and none of the ghosts ever interrupted his practice any more. As a matter of fact, they became his friends and helped him and served him. That’s what compassion does. Even if someone hates you, you worry about them. Ultimately they will realize that you are worrying more about them than about yourself, so eventually they will become your good friend. That’s what compassion does. That’s why Buddha recommends doing that for your family, your children, your loved ones and for all the people, for everyone. When it comes to equalizing, it means to think about whether my desire or your desire will come first in my mind. That’s what we are talking about. Of course, we will do everything in our power to fulfill our own desire first. We will use every power we have, material, political, economical. We will use that without any hesitation to fulfill our desire over the desire of others, but Buddha is saying that this is wrong. It is not only that you and I have equal rights, but your desire comes before my desire. Our mind cannot accept that. It will say, ‘No, my desire comes first, because it is me!’

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This was the argument we covered earlier. Then we looked at the questions, ‘Who is me? Where and what is it?’ There is no such thing as a solid ‘me’ as you and I think of today. We experience pain and joy, but there is no really solid experi- encer. It only exists collectively. That is what verse 101 to 103 are saying.

VERSES 104 AND 105 - But since this compassion will bring me much misery, Why should I exert myself to develop it? - Should I contemplate the suffering of living creatures, How could the misery of compassion be more? If by one person's suffering The suffering of many would be destroyed, Surely kindhearted people would accept it For the sake of themselves and others? The question comes: when I meditate on compassion, I may feel additional suffering: it will bring me much misery. Not only am I thinking about my suffering, but about your suffering and their suffering and those peoples’ suffering. Why should I bother to add up more suffering? Here I am trying to get rid of suffering. The answer is: Your reason is not established. How do you know it brings more suffering? You are saying, ‘My suffering, your suffering, their suffering, it all adds up.’ You know, I saw this commercial yesterday trying to sell a broom, saying it removes ‘the dog’s hair, cat’s hair, your hair, my hair.’ That sounds the same. So, the argument is: one shouldn’t generate compassion, because it brings more suffering. The reply is: No, you have not introduced or established the reason.

Using established reasons. When you are writing a book your edi- tors will tell you, ‘Do not use this particular term or word, because you have not introduced or established it.’ Every edi-

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Gelek Rimpoche tor will tell you that, so in order to talk about something you have to introduce the terminology. In a reasoning argument, you have to establish for the other person that your reasoning works. For example, ‘I should care for you because you are a human being.’ That is an established reason. We know what a human being is. We know what value a human being has. Using that reason is okay. If I say, ‘I work for you because you are a flower,’ then that reason is not really established. Flowers are nice, but they are only around for a day or two. It is a wrong reason. ‘Because it is a human being,’ is a right reason, because it makes sense to you, and gives you a good reason. So here we are in an argument with this other person. Ac- tually it is a self-questioning argument. One side says, ‘You shouldn’t develop more compassion, because it brings more suffering.’ It is easy to think that. Many people actually think, ‘If I practice a spiritual path it brings me more suffering.’ Sometimes it looks like that is a valid reason. You may say, ‘Since I started to practice I have had more problems.’ To a certain extent it is true, but it is not the practice that created the suffering, rather it was the circumstances of whatever you were doing which brought the suffering. Likewise, consider again the argument: ‘I should not meditate on compassion because then I have to think more about suffering, my suffering, your suffering, their suffering, everybody’s suffering.’ The response in verse 104 and 105 is this: ‘That’s not true. Compassion does not bring any additional suffering to anybody. On the contrary, it clears the suffering of people. Be- sides that, if a simple little suffering of one person could clear the potential for a huge suffering for many people that would arise in future, isn’t that a worthwhile enough reason for people to use compassion?’

VERSE 106 Thus the Bodhisattva Supushpa Chandra, Although aware of the harm the king would cause him,

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Accepted his own suffering In order to eradicate the miseries of many. Supushpa Chandra is an Indian name. I have the Tibetan equivalent which sounds much better to me: me tog da dze, which means ‘the flower which is more beautiful than the moon.’ There is a story about this Bodhisattva. Once upon a time, during the era of the Buddha named Jewel Lotus Moon Pure King, a great powerful king kicked many spiritual practitioners out of his kingdom. This particular Bodhisattva, I think she was actually female, knew that if she went to teach in this kingdom she would be killed. Knowingly she told her disciples, ‘I am going to teach there. It is going to help some 700 million people.’ The disciples begged and requested, ‘No, don’t go. If you do so, you are going to be killed.’ She refused to listen and went there to teach. At night she did circumambulations in the old temples of that kingdom and in the daytime taught millions of people. The king got so angry that he selected 100 soldiers to kill that Bodhisattva. They didn’t need 100, one was enough. When she was killed, there was no blood, but milk flowed from her body. That is the Indian culture to prove one’s truthfulness. They have the saying, ‘If I speak the truth, then if I get killed there will be no blood, but milk will come.’ That is the proof for one’s honesty. In accordance with that, this story says that milk came out when the Bodhisattva was killed. The king was so shocked and surprised that he regret- ted his action and organized a big funeral, built a big stupa and spiritual practice was allowed in the kingdom thereafter. This Bodhisattva knew about getting killed, but even then she chose to go and teach because it helped millions. Even in ordinary life we know such examples. We call them heroes and we honor them. It is exactly the same thing with the spiritual path too. Sometimes a small, little suffering can help a tremendous number of people. Each and every US soldier in Iraq is sacrificing their life in order to save the great life that we have. Yes, it is suffering. It is pain. That is what we do for the country. That’s what we do for people and that is what Buddha recommended. I

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Gelek Rimpoche mean, you don’t have to go and join the army, but the example is that a relatively small suffering should be endured if it helps many others. Then if you think about compassion it is even clearer. Meditating on compassion doesn’t even bring additional suffering. Sometimes we make sacrifices if there is a huge benefit. That is all acceptable to us, nothing shocking or surprising. Next, what is the use of meditating and acting on this?

VERSE 107 Thus, because he loves to pacify the pains of others, He whose mind is attuned in this way Would enter even the deepest hell Just as a wild goose plunges into a lotus pond. If you keep on doing it, your mind will be trained in that way. It will become part of your habit, your way of life. You function that way; your mind is attuned. If you do so, it will be like birds that are attracted to a beautiful lotus lake. No matter how far they have to fly, all the birds and animals will try to come to the lotus lake. It is just like the beauty and the beast story, where the beast is transformed by love. What does that mean? When you can develop compassion, caring for people, they will be with you. They will help you and protect you, because you serve them. I told you the story of the king who slaughtered that preacher Bodhisattva who chose to go and preach even though she knew she would be killed, because she could benefit millions of people. For us, the exchanging of our joy for others’ suffering is something impossible right now. Right now my happiness, my pleasure, and my joy are my big, strong goals. Even if we claim to be spiritual practitioners, who are trying to practice a spiritual path, almost everything we do is ‘for me to be better off,’ ‘for me who needs this and that,’ and we think, ‘this is not right for me.’ This is our reality. We will doubtless deny that. Almost everyone will say, ‘I am not doing that much for myself.’ But deep down - actually

192 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE you don’t have to go down that deep, it is right there - it is just me and for me. ‘I can’t do this,’ ‘This is too tough for me,’ ‘That is too difficult for me.’ ME is the biggest issue we carry. To change that, you have to say, ME is not the big issue, but YOU is the big issue. That is very difficult for us. Not only difficult, it seems almost impossible. However, it is not impossible. It only depends on our understanding, on how much we can bring ourselves to the level of that preacher who chose to get killed knowingly, for the sake of preaching. Forget about getting killed, if we just want to slightly change the perspective on who is the most important, if we want to do that much, we can. It depends on how much we can bring ourselves up to this way of thinking. You have to familiarize yourself with thinking this way. Our culture, not only that of our society and country, but that of our personal behavior, is only built around ME. When you try to change that, it feels very foreign. That foreign thing not only has to be introduced to our mind but also made comfortable to us, and not only that, enjoyable for us. When you can do that you will be able to follow the example of the Bo- dhisattva me tog da dze, so much so that you will enjoy doing it, like a beautiful lake will invite the swans to come. They just have to go there, they are drawn to it. That is not the only example. Bees circling around flowers are another example. The swans are happily drawn to the lake that has lotus flowers. Like that, we can happily and joyfully enter into helping people, even if we have to go into the deepest hell in order to benefit others. It is very shocking, foreign and surprising. However, this is the essence of unlimited, unconditioned love and compassion. Normally, when we talk about love and compassion people are very happy, because there is no talk about hell realms and suffering. It is talking about the suffering of others and we can be the great saviors, so we are very happy and enjoy that. But the deepest, unconditional, unlimited love and compassion demands from the individual to go even to this level of commitment. It is not a literal commitment, but it gives you the idea what it is talking about.

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VERSE 108 Will not the ocean of joy That shall exist when all beings are free Be sufficient for me? What am I doing wishing for my liberation alone? Then you can build a tremendous amount of satisfaction, joy and happiness, an ocean of joy. Not only are you able to help yourself but others as well. Not only that: sometimes you may taste some special, wonderful food, and then, after that, if you taste any other food, it doesn’t taste so good. Likewise, any other spiritual practice you do, like wishing for my liberation alone, does not have that taste and that value. Therefore, you will become a great practitioner, because you know what is right. Can you imagine how it feels when you can help all sentient beings? Try to imagine how you feel when you help just one person who is connected to you. Think of someone close to you, how it makes you feel when you can make them happy, how wonderful it is? That is why it is called the ocean of joy if you help so many of them. Just take one example. Think that you are teaching a student who has a learning handicap. You put in efforts, you push them and bring that person together. When that person is able to learn something and passes certain exams and gets good grades, how satisfying it is to ourselves? That is just one little example. If you have pets you will want to teach them a certain behavior. When they pick that up, how happy you are, how satisfying it is! When you can help a sick patient and you find that whatever you are doing is helpful and they are getting better, how satisfying that is! When you are giving physio- therapy to somebody and push and pull on their limbs here and there, and you see them beginning to walk again, how satisfying that is for you! These are simple examples. Now think how it would be if you could actually liberate a person! The joy of that will be in- comparable to those little examples I just gave you. That is

194 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE why Shantideva calls that the ocean of joy Then he says, Will that not be sufficient for me? What am I doing, wishing for my liberation alone? Naturally, when you are serving people and see them being liberated, that satisfaction is no comparison even to the experience when you are getting liberated yourself. No comparison! Just to get yourself settled in being free from samsara is still a selfish-oriented way of functioning, even though it is liberation. That is why the Mahayana is such a wonderful thing, beyond comparison to any self-interested spiritual path. By mentioning this, the Mahayana path cannot be compared at all to any other spiritual path or any other method. I don’t exactly know how to describe that. More or less, all our wishes are based on some kind of happiness that we want. That again is based on certain role models. Since we don’t have extraordinary role models, most of our measurements of happiness and joy are very limited. The Mahayana path definitely goes way beyond anything else. Even within Bud- dhism the methods of self-discipline and self-liberation are just aiming at removing one’s own negative emotions and sufferings and just getting liberated. It is freedom from negative emotions and negative activities. The Mahayana is way beyond that. That is what this verse means: just getting liberated yourself, what fun is there in that? Practically none. You are definitely better than that. Think about the satisfaction you get from helping people, serving people, liberating hundreds and thousands, about the joy that you generate. There is no comparison to the self liberation. What am I doing wishing for my liberation alone? But that’s what we are doing, even if we are quite good spiritual practitioners. Until we seek liberation for ourselves, we are not even good spiritual practitioners at all. Up to that point we are just seeking happiness and joy. It is questionable whether that is even spiritual. It depends what you mean by spiritual. According to Buddha, as taught in the lam rim tradition, the Three Principles and everywhere, we learn that if you seek joy and happiness alone, you are not a spiritual practitioner. That would be the strict definition according to

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Buddha's teaching. The line is drawn at the wish to have total freedom. Sakya Pandita said, If you have strong attachment for this life, you are not a spiritual practitioner. If you have strong clinging to samsara, you are not a liberation seeker. That is the clear cut division. Then in the Mahayana there is a further division. There they tell you, ‘You are seeking liberation just for yourself? What are you, a fool?’ Put more nicely Shantideva says in this verse, What am I doing, wishing for my liberation alone? But if you put it straightforwardly it reads, ‘That is not sufficient. Don’t be a fool!’ There could be a little difficulty with the English translation. In Tibetan it says, The great satisfaction of seeing countless people being liberated, Don’t you think that this is superior to just seeking liberation? The answer obviously is, ‘Yes, no doubt about it.’ You may not be sure. You may still think, ‘Yes, yes, people are getting liberated with my help. That’s great. But when am I going to be happy, when will I be liberated?’ So the ‘I, I, I,’ question is still there. But don’t forget. Your liberation will be different from just having liberation from samsara. As long as you have the narrow self-interest, there will be simply the liberation from samsara, nothing else. But when you have the commitment and the dedication of ultimate love and compassion, that liberation is going to be total enlightenment. In other words, we are going to get exactly what Buddha got, no difference, nothing more and nothing less. We are eligible for that, we can do it, and we have every possible ways and means for doing it. So why not? Why settle for less? That’s really the bottom line here. The motivation of self interest alone will drag us down. It will be like a heavy load on an eagle’s foot, so that it can’t fly very far. That will pull you down. When you let the self-interest go,

196 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE there will be nothing pulling you down. There will be total liberation. That is the indirect meaning of verse 108.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS Student: If you just observe what is going on, whether it is painful or joyful, in any case your awareness will develop. Rimpoche: If your goal is to gain awareness only, sure, why not, go ahead. If your goal is only the narrow, selfish interest, fine. But if your goal is compassion and love and service to people then it is the wrong thing to do. Awareness, sure you need it, but it is not an ultimate goal of our spiritual path, but simply a method we use. This meditation here goes beyond simple awareness and concentration. This meditation is to achieve enlightenment, to serve all living beings. This meditation is to bring compassion in ourselves that is unlimited, unconditional. It is a huge difference. Awareness, yes sure, you have to have it. You have it anyway. It tells you whether there is nice incense smoke or the smell coming out of the bathroom. The smell brings the notice and the awareness, but which smell is a big difference. The taste of jalapeno pepper and honey both bring awareness, but there is a big difference between them. There are a lot of examples like that.

Student: Is the point then that the concentration ability which you talk about in New York and the subject of compassion are related in that the concentration allows you to hold the subject of compassion in your mind more deeply? Rimpoche: Definitely. I am glad you asked that question. Shan- tideva, in this chapter, almost builds up towards the structure of concentration meditation and then says, ‘The structure of concentrated meditation you can learn from somewhere else. What you really should meditate is compassion, especially the exchange stage of exchanging self and others.’ Remember, that does not mean that you should switch places where you are sitting. It means to switch what my priorities are and what your priorities are. In order to do that, first I have to be able to say that they are the same, like equal

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Gelek Rimpoche rights, equal opportunities and equal everything. If we cannot equalize I cannot switch your and my priorities. I have to deal with my mind to equalize our desires. That’s where we are. This is one of the major meditations, not only in Buddhism, but in almost every tradition everywhere. Compassion is such that every religion and tradition has it, without exception. Even some of the religions that are built on the basis of wrath, accept compassion as the major principle. Compassion is seen as the basis of the wrathful activities. Today many followers of religions may not accept that, but that is how they were conceived. For example, there have been problems between Hindus and Muslims for generations, for centuries. The Hindus eventually formed the Sikh (Kalsar) tradition. It was formed by Hindu gurus for wrathful purposes, in order to protect the Hindu tradition, which was too much love and compassion and love and light and peacefulness to be able to deal with the threat. They felt that they needed protection against the wrath- fulness of the Muslim tradition, so they formed the Sikh religion. Wrath was the principle on which it was formed, but even then, the underlying principle for the wrath was compassion and caring, not just anger, temper tantrums and hatred. The essence of that wrath is still compassion, the essence of all the major traditions. I happen to have a little knowledge of why and how the Sikh religion was formed. I do not have any knowledge about the Muslim tradition, so I can’t say anything from that side. I can only share what I know.

Student As much as it is inspiring to follow the way of the Bo- dhisattvas, many times we see a lot of suffering in the world. Even if we don’t recognize some of our own suffering or that of people closest to us, these days we are bombarded with news of war, suffering, starvation, people getting sick and dying. It is easy to get overwhelmed. Sometimes it is so overwhelming that I can’t even allow myself to think about it and sometimes I can’t even contemplate my own pain and suffering. It becomes a slippery slope,

198 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE it seems, because you are trying to develop this consciousness and focus on it in order to overcome it for yourself and others. At the same time the constant bombardment becomes so overwhelming that you can go too far the other way and become numb to it. How do you get through that, gradually, so that you don’t become so completely overwhelmed? Rimpoche: It is interesting. ‘Completely overwhelmed’ is not in my vocabulary, but it seems to be in everybody else’s. Yes, you are right, it is very hard to look at what everybody is going through, but on the other hand it depends on how numb one becomes. Out of that numbness you have to build understanding. You will build the understanding. You know why? What is the alternative? There is none, except submission, but no intelligent, educated person will submit to suffering. The only alternative left is to overcome it. Even if that numbs you, out of the numbness one will be able to build up and come out of that just like the phoenix is reborn from ashes. One will come out of it. Otherwise, the future belongs to fear. That is not right. Therefore, one will come out, even out of the numbness. That is the phoenix. I am not even joking. I really think that, honestly.

VERSE 109 Therefore, although working for the benefit of others, I should not be conceited or (consider myself) wonderful. And because of the joy there is in solely doing this, I should have no hope for any ripening effects. This verse says, if I choose my priority over others it is a big obstacle to my becoming enlightened. Total enlightenment is free of narrow, selfish interest. Even if you could achieve that much, you should never have the great pride of ‘I did it,’ or consider myself wonderful. Never say that. Even a very humble way

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Gelek Rimpoche of claiming credit is not acceptable to the Bodhisattvas. Some people may be very humble, but they still claim credit. I can’t help remembering. I was traveling to New York. In the plane, next to me was Geoffry Feigel. During the whole flight I didn’t say anything. When we landed in La Guardia I said, ‘You did great. There is a huge improvement on Michi- gan roads.’ He looked at me and said, ‘Yeah, I did a little bit there, didn’t I?’ I mean, it is really true. Remember how terrible the roads became during governor Engler’s period? When Geoffrey Feigel ran on the basis of the road issue, the roads started improving, even though our roads are always being repaired during the summer and during the winter they are covered with snow and ice. He took credit in a very humble way, saying, ‘I might have contributed a little bit.’ As a Bodhisattva, even if you are liberating someone you don’t claim the credit. Claiming credit will bring up some kind of pride, not the pride of ‘I am good,’ but the pride beyond that. There are certain kinds of pride that will object to the qualities that you can gain because you think you are so great, plus everybody else is no good. We call that the lion’s roar. You may do nothing, but you make a big sound.

The story of the rabbit and the lion. The lion is always thinking, ‘I am the king of all animals,’ and will look down on all the other animals, including the rabbit. But the rabbit also knows how to get the lion. You know how the rabbit got the lion? The lion was sitting there, thinking, ‘I am great, no one can challenge me!’ He was torturing the rabbit all the time, so the rabbit really wanted to get him. He didn't know what to do until he walked past a big lake. The rabbit looked in and saw another rabbit, worried a bit, backed off, looked again and after a while realized that it was just a reflection. So then he went to the lion and said, ‘You are great. You are the king. I am all for you and I feel I am under your protection. But there is another one here now, just like you.’ ‘Can’t be, I am the king!’ ‘No, there is another one, just like you,’ the rabbit said. ‘I threatened him, because I know that you will come and help me. But whatever I threatened him with, he threatened me

200 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE back more than that. So I got very scared and came to seek your help.’ The lion said, ‘Where is he!?’ ‘I'll show you, follow me,’ said the rabbit. He took the lion to the lake and said, ‘He is down there.’ So the lion looked down into the lake and saw there another lion just like himself. He raised a paw at the other one and he does the same to him. So he goes more and growls and finally he jumps in the lake! That’s how the rabbit gets back at the lion. That is the lion’s pride. So if you have the pride ‘I did it, I did it,’ you are going to get it one day. That is why Bodhisatt- vas are advised not to have that kind of pride. Also, don’t think, ‘I have done something wonderful.’ Maybe it was wonderful, but not a surprise. You just did your job. That’s the good old American expression, ‘It's my job, that’s all.’ Even if you think, ‘It's my job,’ it is not really right. We should think, ‘You did it.’ We should think that the other person pushed through and really did it. You only have been suggestive, instrumental and been a guide. You must give the credit to that person. The Bodhisattvas are supposed to think, ‘You did it. I did nothing.’ We should also function that way, not only just say it but also believe it.

Having no hope of any return. One of the karmic consequences is that when you do something good and hope for some reward, your efforts are almost to 50 percent wasted because of that hope of return. Instead of good spiritual work it becomes business. You are hoping for a return. One of the most important points in generosity is not to have any hope for return; as the verse says I should have no hope for any ripening effects. You can’t say, ‘I am doing this so that I can go to heaven.’ That is like buying a ticket. That sort of thing really doesn’t work that well. Good actions will become your ticket to heaven, no doubt, but if you think that, it might spoil it. It is one of the motiva- tions you are not recommended to have. You are not doing it with hope of return but because you like serving people. You like helping people. That’s your job. Better do it. If you keep on saying, ‘That’s not my job,’ that’s not right. We seek libera-

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Gelek Rimpoche tion, not material profit. We seek ultimate profit. Therefore, ‘I is my job and I am happy to do it, without taking any reward for it. I dedicate myself to the benefit of people. I dedicate all my virtues to that. Therefore I do not seek any personal benefits.’ There will be a side mind in your mind that will say, ‘Then what the hell am I doing here?’ To satisfy that, karmic law is such that it is definite, whether you want it or not. Your good deeds will return to you and your bad deeds will get you. That is karmic law. Karma is definite. You don’t have to worry about it or even think about it. Thinking and worrying will spoil it. Verse 110 is going to go into the actual exchange meditation.

VERSE 110 Therefore just as I protect myself From unpleasant things however small, In the same way I should act towards others With a compassionate and caring mind. When ‘I’ or ‘mine’ is attacked even by a mere word, by some unpleasant thing however small, not physically or financially, not that anybody has punished us or anything, we cannot tolerate even a half sentence of criticism. We must intervene and be quick to protect and contradict. That is a bad habit we have. A mere word is not going to harm us at all, but challenging it is going to hurt us. This is really true. All our problems come from that. We cannot take a word without having to challenge it and then that challenge meets with another challenge, so you have to challenge again and that challenge will also be met with another challenge, and then comes a fist fight, punching each others’ noses, if it is done in the usual, good old cowboy style. Nowadays, the challenges take place with high-tech weapons. Look at what is happening in Iraq and everywhere else. It starts with a mere word and then it becomes bigger and

202 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE bigger. If you can challenge your own hatred or obsession, that is the place to begin. It is still easy, if it has not caught fire yet. It is the beginning and easy to put out. You can simply put your foot on it and stop it, or you can pee on it or spit on it and stop it. Once it has started flaring up and burning, then it becomes a problem. Anyway, that’s our habit. Let’s say somebody calls me a clumsy, fat slob. It doesn’t matter. No matter how many people call me sloppy, that doesn't make me any more sloppy than what I am. I am not going to become clumsier just by being called clumsy. And I am not going to be fatter than what I am because of these words. Neither am I becoming slimmer by not being called fat. So it doesn’t really make any difference at all. Let them say whatever they want to say. Let us have thick ears. Don’t let that disturb our own mental peace, our own joy and harmony. Not only do we want to protect ourselves in this way. As a Bo- dhisattva, I want to protect every living being in that position. Just as I protect myself I want everybody to be protected. If you protect one person only it becomes attachment. If you protect all persons it becomes compassion and love. That is the difference. We take as an example what we want and apply that to all sentient beings. Likewise, what we don’t want, we try to protect all other beings from as well. That is what love and compassion is all about. The next verse reinforces this.

VERSE 111: ACTUAL EXCHANGE MEDITATION Although the basis is quite impersonal, Through (constant) familiarity I have come to regard The drops of sperm and blood of others as ‘I’. This translator is very gentle! He says that the basis, my body, is quite impersonal. My body is my body, but it is not me, it is not mine. It is a drop of blood and sperm of people other than me, my father and mother. Their drops came together and I

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Gelek Rimpoche have learned to call the result of that my body. True or false? Think about it. If you think it is false, then you would have to develop from your own sperm and egg, right? You may think, ‘Okay, they provided the genes, but I have grown myself.’ You have not. You developed inside your mother’s womb. If you hadn’t grown there, you wouldn’t be able to grow now, for sure. So this body is not mine, but I learned to say and think that it is mine and I learned how to protect it. It is not so much learning as knowledge, but through constant familiarity it has become habitual. Likewise, ‘me’ is actually selfless. Okay, forget about it. I withdraw that. Like when a lawyer in court makes a statement, sometimes they say, ‘I withdraw!’ Because of my habit I will say ‘This is my body.’ I not only say that, but I understand it that way and I perceive and feel that way and accept it and protect it. But then I could learn to do the same thing with other’s bodies. If I can learn how to do that on me, why can’t I learn to do that on you? You may say, ‘That other person is not me.’ But your body is not you either; it has just come to be considered you. You have trained and learned and picked up the habit. You did that much. Therefore you can do the same thing based on others. You can do that. It is possible. Tsongkhapa, on this particular point, wrote a very similar verse, We learned how to identify with other people’s sperm and blood. Learn exactly the same way to protect and promote others’ bodies and benefits. It is very simple.

VERSE 112 So in the same way, why should I be unable To regard the bodies of others as ‘I’? Hence it is not difficult to see That my body is also that of others.

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Here you are coming to the actual exchange level. After all, from that point of view my body is actually others’ body from the start (that of my parents). Why don’t I appreciate all other bodies of everybody and protect and help them? It is simply a matter of how one’s mind picks it up. There- fore, exchanging is not something impossible.

VERSE 113 Having seen the mistakes in (cherishing) myself And the ocean of good in (cherishing) others, I shall completely reject all selfishness And accustom myself to accepting others. What is exchange here? The self-cherishing has to be exchanged in my mind, in my way of looking and functioning, of living, and of doing things. That is not easy, but also not that difficult, since we have followed through all the steps. These are meditative steps. Here we are not talking about the structure of meditation, but what to meditate on. In this case it is a meditation on compassion, particularly the exchange stage of bringing compassion. It is exchanging my habitual pattern of self-cherishing, of ignoring others, giving myself priority over others, for accepting others, cherishing others, maybe ignoring myself, maybe not. Maybe I am included with everybody else. This verse tells us that self-cherishing is the source of all our problems. We mentioned it earlier: from the family quarrel to the biggest nations fighting each other, all are caused by self-cherishing. There is no single trouble that is not caused by self-cherishing. The consequences of Sad- dam Hussein being captured and in jail today are caused by his own self-cherishing. Everything harmful, every trouble is like that. The problem of the terrorists is their self-

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Gelek Rimpoche cherishing. They are willing to die for it, whether there are 70 virgins waiting for them or not. If you begin to look deeper, then if self-cherishing is the source of all problems, cherishing others is the source of all joy. The Lama Chöpa, which many of us practice every day, says, dhor na ji pa rang dhön kho na dhang thup wang zhan dhön ba zhih zey pa yi kyön dhang yön ten yer wa tog pei lö dhag zhan nyam je nü par jin gyi lop In short, the naive work for their aims alone; While Buddhas work solely to benefit others. Comparing the faults against the benefits, Inspire me to be able to exchange myself for others. Faults and benefits. Until today we have indulged in self- cherishing and Buddha has practiced cherishing others. Who came out better at the end? In this Lama Chöpa verse we are called childish ones or the naive. Ever since we exist- ed we have been under the influence of self-cherishing, trying to make ourselves better and better, always chasing the wild geese of our own self-making. Even those who are considered to have made it, those who have worldly success, are also chasing the same thing. I was talking with somebody this morning who said, ‘But some people do really make it, for example Donald Trump.’ Well, he is also chasing the same impossible thing, otherwise he wouldn't have to declare bankruptcy today. Self-cherishing makes you do that. Buddha, on the other hand, always cherishes others. Who got better? We don’t have to look very far. If you want to do the best for yourself, true wise self- cherishing, then follow Buddha. You will get there, just like Buddha did. We practiced self-cherishing for millions of lifetimes and ended up here. That’s the essence of verse 113. By knowing this, you should give up self-cherishing completely and begin to learn how to respect others. Learn how to do this and meditate. Self-cherishing happens be-

206 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE cause we consider it to be self-respect. We have no concern for others, we ignore them completely. If we learn how to respect others, it will be different.

VERSE 114 In the same way as the hands and so forth Are regarded as limbs of the body, Likewise why are embodied creatures Not regarded as limbs of life? This could be a little problem of translation. The first part is correct. Then, however, the Tibetan says, Why are not people considered to be part and parcel of all sentient beings? Just like hands and legs are part of the body, why is not each living being considered to be part of ‘people’, part of all living beings? We are learning here to develop compassion for all living beings. Out of living beings, some are good, some are bad, but they are all people, so they are all same. That’s what we need to know.

VERSE 115 Through acquaintance has the thought of ‘I’ arisen Towards the impersonal body; So in a similar way, why should it not arise Towards other living beings? My body is actually self-less. It doesn’t belong to me, but somehow my mind is so used to it, that I do consider this as my and me. Likewise, why don’t we, with our mind, which has no limit whatsoever, let this mind get used to looking at all sentient beings in the same way as we look at ourselves. It is definitely possible to grow that thought.

VERSE 116 When I work in this way for the sake of others, I should not let conceit or

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(the feeling that I am) wonderful arise. It is just like feeding myself - I hope for nothing in return. If such a thing grows, then even if you help some other people, there is nothing to be surprised or proud of. It is like you are eating your own food and you don’t expect anybody else to give you a reward for eating your own food!

VERSE 117 Therefore, just as I protect myself From unpleasant things however slight, In the same way I should habituate myself To have a compassionate and caring mind for others. Just I learned to protect myself from even a mere word of attack, so likewise I should also learn to protect all living beings in the same way, having a compassionate and caring mind for others. That is what is called compassion. Why? Because it is the backbone of the Mahayana. With that, it can function, without it, it cannot.

VERSE 118 It is out of his great compassion That the Lord Avalokiteshvara has (even) blessed his name To dispel the nervousness Of being among other people. Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion, in his kindness, always thinks of liberating all suffering living beings. Even a small suffering such as nervousness he would like to have totally cleared from all living beings. In order to do that he committed, he blessed his name or, in other words, he dedicated all his positive virtues, so that whoever just says his name will be liberated and protected. That’s why Tibet- ans say OM MANI PADME HUM all the time. The Chinese

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will say NAMO TA PEI KUAN SI YIN PU SA. The Japanese have their own way of saying it. We also know how to say the long and the short mantra of Avalokiteshvara. Even a total, sutra text, without Vajrayana influence, will tell you this mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. Everyone who says his mantra is protected because he dedicated the totality of all the virtues he ever accumulated. So that’s good news! In other words, Avalokiteshvara gives his blessing to protect people from all suffering, even those as small as getting nervous when speaking to a group of people. Some people get unnecessarily nervous before they speak to a group. This can be removed by invoking the name of Ava- lokiteshvara. This means the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. In Tibet it is very famous. Even the kids say it. This text is totally sutra, nothing to do with tantra. Mantras are normally part of tantra. But even a sutra text like this mentions his mantra. Instead of mantra it says Ava- lokiteshvara’s name. The reasons why we should use his mantra, by saying that no matter what small sufferings we have, we are in the habit of protecting ourselves. But we should get used to do this not just for ourselves, but for all sentient beings. This is compassion. For that reason, Ava- lokiteshvara has gone out of his way to let people use his name for protection.

VERSE 119 I should not turn away from what is difficult; For by the power of familiarity I may be made unhappy even when someone Whose name once frightened me is not around. Mind is such an unlimited thing, that you can use it anywhere, anytime, for anything. How do we know? We know that sometimes we dislike someone, or are even frightened of them, but after a while they can become our very close friend, so much so that we cannot live without that person for even a minute, we are unhappy when they are

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Gelek Rimpoche not around. We can see this. We know it happens. People that you hate can become very close friends. That is the reality. It tells us that mind is unlimited and not as stubborn as we think it is. It is changeable and it does change. There is no problem for the mind to learn anything. There is only a problem with the ‘me,’ the ego-oriented person, the one that says ‘I cannot change.’ The mind itself is not like that. Bodhimind and the mind of exchanging one’s own wishes with that of others seems almost impossible, when you think about it, but still it is possible for the mind to do it. The example is that it is possible to miss people that earlier you were afraid of, and didn’t want to even hear about. Even such a person can later become your best friend that you cannot live apart from for even a short time. It is obvious; we see it all the time. I am not thinking of an abusive relationship. Some people stay with an abusive person, not because they like to but because they are afraid to even run away. That’s different from really liking the person. So the mind can do that, because it is changeable.

VERSE 120 Thus whoever wishes to quickly afford protection To both the self and other beings Should practice that holy secret: The exchanging of self for others. Wise people who would like to protect themselves and others from the fears of samsara and nirvana quickly, should apply the secret ultimate practice of the bodhisattvas, which is known as the exchange practice. Why is this the ultimate holy secret and what is the exchange of self and others? The reason for secrecy is that others can easily get frightened. If you say that we and others are equal, even then we get frightened. We think, ‘I am superior.’ We will

210 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE play any card we can. ‘I am a rimpoche,’ ‘I am an incarnate lama,’ ‘I am this, I am that.’ We will play any card we can to make ourselves look superior, including the African- American card and the women’s card, and the white man’s card. Everybody will try to play any card they can. This is because we are even afraid of thinking we are equal. But here it goes beyond just equalizing. We are told to change our interest and that of others. Whatever we think is precious and important is what we should give to the others. Whatever the position you think others have, give it to yourself. If you really think this and do this, you will get the biggest shock of your life. That’s why it is secret. People could get very afraid, so the bodhisattvas say, ‘Let’s not tell them directly. They could get scared to death.’ It is not only a secret, but the ultimate secret. The translation says holy secret. It is not the self which has been exchanged for others, but the position in our perception needs to be changed. I have to change whatever position I give to myself in my perception and the position that I give to others in my perception. In my own reality, in my own perception, that has to be changed. If you can do that, there is nothing to be afraid of. There won't be any fears chasing you. We can change that in our perception. In absolute reality we cannot change each other. I cannot become you, you cannot become me. Nor can we change anyone’s position. However, in our personal perception of who we cherish, we can make changes. We don’t want to admit our self-cherishing, but we do have it. Change that in your personal reality. Once you are afraid, you are afraid of anything and everything. All these fears come because of self-cherishing, nothing else. If you let that go, your fears will be reduced tremendously. You can learn this now and try to practice and think about it. When it takes a little ground within you, you will notice. Fear will not bother you, because you no longer have to be afraid of losing.

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Why do you have to keep this practice secret? Because the majority of people will be frightened by this. It’s not that we don’t want to share it with others, but if you are not careful, you will make the other person very afraid. Self-cherishing is our problem. What is the thing that most represents the self? Our body, our physical being. The next verses will tell you therefore to look at it as an enemy. You get shock after shock here!

VERSE 121: OVERCOMING ATTACHMENT TO OUR BODY Because of attachment to my body, Even a small object of fear frightens me. So who would not revile as an enemy This body that gives rise to fear? When you really look at it, the body itself is not the problem. The Tibetan talks about The body to which my mind has a very strong attachment and obsession. The problem is not necessarily the body itself, but the attachment to the body. Body is body. It is a good one, no matter how fat it maybe, it is a good body. There is nothing wrong with it, but what is really wrong is the attachment to it. Because of that, even the slightest hurt is a problem; even a small object of fear frightens me. And then it is not only the body, but any extension of the body. For example, this table here, right in front of me. For me, at this moment looking at it, it is an extension of my body, and when somebody screws a microphone in this beautiful table and makes a big hole, naturally it hurts! Not only is there a screw, but three screws right in the middle of it! I am not even sure, there may be holes too. So the hurt comes because of the attachment. Therefore, this body gives you unnecessary fear. When you realize that, who will not see this body as an enemy, if you are intelligent. If you are stupid, go ahead and enjoy. Have all your fears and attachments to the body and the body’s extensions. But if you are intelligent, you should see

212 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE that this is the enemy and then you can say, ‘Great, thanks for making this hole in my body’s extension.’

Learn to let go. That’s exactly how it is. This shows us how our fears develop. You know your mind. You cannot be hurt, if you are intelligent enough. If you are stupid, you are going to be hurt mentally. People get hurt a lot mentally and emotionally, because they don’t know how to think about it. If you know how to think, you can handle it. Yes, you may scream and complain if something bad happens, but then you have to let it go. You cannot go on saying, ‘Ouch, I had a screw in my extension,’ and go com- plaining all night long. That is a sign of stupidity. You have to let it go. Exactly like that, if the mind gets hurt, complain and then let it go. If you cannot let it go you are going to destroy yourself, really true. Ninety per cent of mental problems are caused because you don't know how to handle it. It is just being stupid. Public teachings are great. You can say all this. If a person directly asks you about things like that you can’t tell them, ‘You are stupid.’ That would create even more problems! Pabongka says in the Liberation in the Palm of your Hand, You cannot get a better teaching than a public teaching. Pabongka was very famous and so many powerful and rich people tried to get private teachings from him all the time. He did entertain them, but then he says in a public teaching, You can never get a good teaching in private. The public teachings are where you can say things openly that are helpful and effective. In private talks you can’t do it. He said if he would have to give marks to the value of the teachings, he would give 100 per cent to the public teachings and 10 per cent to the private teachings. That is how it really is.

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So, if you are frightened that you have been hurt and you keep on crying about something that happened yesterday, that is stupid. Yesterday is gone and now it is today. You are looking forward to tomorrow. If you keep on crying about yesterday, if that is not stupid, then who is a stupid person? If you keep on crying after the fact it is like in this old Tibetan saying, The summer is gone, the grass is dry, but the rabbit is still looking for green grass, smelling and sniffing the dust. That is the sign of stupidity.

VERSE 122 By wishing for a means to remedy The hunger, thirst and sickness of the body, I might kill birds, fish and deer And loiter by the sides of roads (to rob others). Because of our body we get hungry, thirsty, sick and so on. In order to protect this body we go and kill birds, fish, wild animals, etc. We even wait by the roadside for travelers - to rob them. What else would you be waiting for?

VERSE 123 If, for the sake of its profit and comfort, I would kill even my father and mother, And steal the property of the Triple Gem, Then I would undoubtedly proceed to burn in the flames of the deepest hell. Some people don’t even hesitate to kill their own parents and divert the incomes of the Three Jewels, although they know that this brings not only the consequence of being born into a hell realm, but into the ultimate hell realms.

VERSE 124 Therefore what adept would desire,

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Protect and venerate this body? Who would not scorn it And regard it as an enemy? What kind of learned person would wish to protect this particular body and not see it as an enemy? If you don’t, it is interesting, which means funny, and funny in this case means stupid. If you don’t understand that this is stupid, who else is stupid?

VERSE 125 ‘If I give this, what shall I (have left to) enjoy?’ - Such selfish thinking is the way of ghosts; ‘If I enjoy this, what shall I (have left to) give?’ - Such selfless thinking is a quality of the gods. This verse gives you the disqualification of self-cherishing. It talks to you about the faults of self-cherishing and the qualities of cherishing others. It is the gods’ and ghost’s way of thinking. If I give something away, what will be left for me? That is the ghost way thinking. ‘If I give away my jewelry, what will I wear?’ Such a person is only thinking of themselves. This is not respected in society, but is embarrassing. The god’s way of thinking is the opposite: If I use this up myself, there will be nothing left for others. This is the respectable way of thinking.

VERSE 126 If, for my own sake, I cause harm to others, I shall be tormented in hellish realms; But if, for the sake of others, I cause harm to myself, I shall acquire all that is magnificent. That is clearly written here. I don’t think there is any problem with the translation. If I harm others for my own benefit, what result will I get? I will be born in the hell realms. But if for the benefit of others I sacrifice certain good things I will get magnificent results.

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In other words, helping others, cherishing others is more important than looking after oneself. That is considered more important and virtuous. Considering one’s own selfishness more important than the benefit of others is non-virtuous and stupid.

VERSE 127 By holding myself in high esteem I shall find myself in unpleasant realms, ugly and stupid; But should this (attitude) be shifted to others, I shall acquire honors in a joyful realm. When you try to make yourself important and high you will become stupid and take rebirth in unpleasant realms, but if you do the same thing for others you will get good things, honors in a joyful realms.

VERSE 128 If I employ others for my own purposes I myself shall experience servitude; But if I use myself for the sake of others, I shall experience only lordliness. The Tibetan translation is different here. It says, If, for your own sake, you use other people, you will become a slave. If, for the benefit of others, you use yourself, you will become the leader. It looks like the translator doesn't want to use the word slave and is trying to be polite.

VERSE 129 Whatever joy there is in this world All comes from desiring others to be happy, And whatever suffering there is in this world All comes from desiring myself to be happy.

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All joy in existence is the result of serving and cherishing others, desiring others to be happy. All suffering in existence, anywhere, is the result of self-cherishing, desiring myself to be happy. This is a big concluding statement that Shantideva makes here. All the pains and problems we have are results of self-cherishing. Every joy, even getting the slightest cool breeze in the summer in India, or getting the slightest ray of sunshine in the Himalayan winter, every joy we receive is the result of serving people, cherishing people. All the sufferings, including additional hot air blowing in the heat and cold air blowing in cold weather, are all result of self- cherishing. The next verse goes on to confirm this.

VERSE 130 What need is there to say much more? The childish work for their own benefit, The Buddhas work for the benefit of others. Just look at the difference between them! We don’t have to talk and argue so much to prove this: just look at the difference between ourselves and the Buddha. With our childish attitude we have been trying to fulfill our purposes for life after life, continuously working for our own benefit, up to today. What did we get out of that? Now look at Buddha, who has been working for other’s happiness. Where is he today? This is Shantideva’s statement. Why talk so much? Just look.

The 1st Panchen Lama, who wrote the Lama Chöpa, says the same thing: the naïve work for their own purposes, Buddhas work for others. Look at who got what result. Therefore, I pray that I may be able to exchange self and others.32 In short, in almost every Mahayana practice, as long as we are dealing with love and compassion, we will come to

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Gelek Rimpoche this point. There is no escape, there is not another different kind of love and compassion.

VERSE 131 If I do not actually exchange my happiness For the sufferings of others, I shall not attain the state of Buddhahood And even in cyclic existence shall have no joy. This all really works together, doesn't it?

VERSE 132 Let alone what is beyond this world. Because my servants do no work And because my masters give me no pay, Even the needs of this life will not be fulfilled. This is quite interesting and simple.

VERSE 133 (By rejecting the method that) establishes both foreseeable and unforeseeable joy, I cast magnificent delight completely aside And then, because of inflicting misery on others, In confusion I seize hold of unbearable pain. In short, all the joys of this life and future lives are obtained by cherishing others. By not seeing what is happening in this life, not seeing the future life, by giving up cherishing others and instead giving suffering to other people, you will get suffering yourself. By this confusion you will experience unbearable pain. This is caused by self-cherishing. Stupid people will have continuous suffering which will never end because of this.

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VERSE 134 If all the injury, Fear and pain in this world Arise from grasping at a self, Then what use is that great ghost to me? Shantideva is giving us this advice: Give up self-cherishing. All the pains and suffering and fears come from one source: self-cherishing. Therefore, if you want to benefit yourself, now and in the future, what do you need this ghost of self- cherishing for? There is no use for this ghost. Let the self- cherishing go away, a long way from you. To conclude, Shantideva really tells us what causes fear, what causes suffering, and what brings the opposite of it, fearlessness and joy. This is good to learn and good to read. However, whatever we learn and read, we have to try to gain understanding and see it in your personal practice, in your daily life, in your daily chores. You have to recollect, ‘Yes, I heard about this, maybe there is something true in it.’ At least give it the benefit of doubt and see if it is helpful. Even though all these verses say, ‘Self-cherishing is not good,’ you don’t have to just accept that; try following Shantideva’s advice, and see if it helps. I am sure it does. Why? Because it helped Buddha. That is the difference between how wise people handle life and how foolish people do. This is the example.

RECOLLECTING THE MAIN POINTS The structure of meditation is worked out in detail in the GOM transcript. As for the material to meditate on, we are getting that here from the Bodhisattvacharyavatara. When you go verse by verse it goes into so much detail that after a while you could be losing the overall idea, so I think it is very important to recollect the main points a little bit. Lets look again, e.g. at Bodhisattvacharyavatara verse 130:

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But what need is there to say much more? The childish work for their own benefit, The Buddhas work for the benefit of others. Just look at the difference between them! I’d like to draw your attention to the Lama Chöpa verse 58, that tells us the same thing: In short, the naive work for their aims alone; While Buddhas work solely to benefit others. Comparing the faults against the benefits, Inspire me to be able to exchange myself for others. Compare these two verses. Then look at verse 55 of the Lama Chöpa. No one wants even the slightest suffering, Or is ever content with the happiness they have; In this we are all alike. Inspire me to find joy in making others happy. Likewise, take verse 56 of the Lama Chöpa. Seeing that the chronic disease of self-cherishing Is the cause of my unwanted suffering, Inspire me to put the blame where blame is due And vanquish the great demon of clinging to self. Then read Bodhisattvacharyavatara verses 130 to 134. They all deal with this.

We have been talking about this for a while and this may not be the kind of meditation that you would like to do. However, the most important thing that this whole chapter gives you is actually a complete meditation on love and compassion, not just ordinary love and compassion, but the unlimited, unconditioned, ultimate love and compassion that is known in Buddhist terms as bodhimind. In other words, it is the mind that desires to be a Buddha, or viewed from the other perspective, the mind that is praised and enjoyed by the Buddhas. You can see it both ways. It is the mind that is appreciated by the Buddhas and the mind that

220 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE has the desire to become a Buddha. It is a mind that is absolutely necessary in order to attain the ultimate spiritual level. The most important point is that bodhimind is the mind that gives birth to Buddha. That mind itself is born out of compassion, in particular great compassion. Then again, the compassion is introduced by the Buddhas, so it is exactly like the chicken producing the egg, and the egg producing the chicken! Very similarly, the ultimate stage that anyone can hope to reach is the stage of the Buddha. No one can get anything better than that, so it is the ultimate level. And Bud- dhas comes out of bodhimind which comes from compassion. The ones who introduce compassion and talk about it from their experience are the Buddhas. Then we can gain it too and become Buddhas. It is very much interlinked.

VERSE 135 If I do not completely forsake it I shall be unable to put an end to suffering Just as I cannot avoid being burnt If I do not cast aside the fire (I hold).

VERSE 136 Therefore, in order to allay the harms inflicted upon me And in order to pacify the sufferings of others I shall give myself up to others And cherish them as I do my very self.

VERS 137 I am under the control of others’’. Of this, mind, you must be certain. Now except for benefitting every creature You must not think of anything else.

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VERSE 138 For my own sake, I should not do any With these eyes and so forth that I have left at the disposal of others. It is quite incorrect to do anything with them Which is contrary to the benefit (of others).

VERSE 139 This sentient beingsshould be my main concern). Whatever I behold upon my body I should rob an use For the benefit of others.

MEDITATION ON BODHIMIND In short, the meditation taught in this meditation chapter is the meditation on bodhimind. How do you get that? There are three known ways to develop this. 1. One is the meditation on the Seven steps. 2. The second one is the Exchange stage method. 3. The third is the combination of these two, called the Eleven stage system by Tsongkhapa. The exchange stage system comes to us through Manjushri, then Nagarjuna and then Shantideva. When you search for where Shantideva talks about this method you will find that it is right here, in this very book, in this very chapter, in these very verses that we happen to be reading. This is the exchange way of developing bodhimind. In this text the information is spread out over many verses and when you read along you might not be able to comprehend them together. Therefore it is good to read it along with the Lama Chöpa. It looks almost like the words have been twisted around and are actually saying the same thing. In the Lama Chöpa it is much more condensed, pre-

222 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE sented in a simple way. Most of you have the Lama Chöpa with you and do the practice daily. Actually, the essence of the whole Bodhisattvacharyavatara is included in the very verses of the Lama Chöpa. It is not only the ninth chapter or eighth chapter, but the essence of all the chapters is included in the Lama Chöpa. That’s why we are very fortunate to have the Lama Chöpa. That is what I wanted to bring this up and remind you of these five points how you can develop bodhimind. After all these verses you have draw a conclusion by five resolutions.33 In conclusion, I am simply telling you how Buddha did it and how the early great masters did it. I am not saying that you have to do it. If you take the other way, the seven steps and get the same result, it does not matter. If you don’t get the same result, then you are in trouble. In principle, you can do anything you want to, but what matters is the result you are going to get. If you don’t get a perfect result, then the way you are doing it has a problem. That’s how you know. Whether the teaching is right or wrong, whether the practice is right or wrong, whether what you do is right or wrong you have to check by looking at the result. If you don’t look at the result and if you are not comparing your practice against the desired result, then you will think that anything is fine. Everything is wonderful and Haha-yana. It is love and light and perfect. If you want to find out if your practice is right or wrong you have to judge by looking at the results you are getting. When you spend years trying to develop something, there has to be a point to make a judgment. You have to be able to figure out whether you are going in the right or wrong direction. Otherwise you may get swept away by a powerful current and not even know. You will still think, ‘Situation under control,’ when the water is reaching up to your mouth. You will think, ‘Oh, I can deal with it,’ but the situation is not under control. There is another saying in the Tibetan teaching tradition,

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The temple might be on fire, but the temple keeper just keeps on laughing That is love and light. Or another similar one, The dogs and monkeys got into the temple and are eating the offerings to the Buddha, but the temple keeper keeps on laughing. Compassion and love are serious business. That means that the temple keeper is not doing his job. He is just stuck in love and light and thinking that everything is wonderful. But spiritual practice is serious business. Compassion is serious business. Love is serious business. Compassion and love are not showbiz. It is not some show over there you can look at and say, ‘Hey, this is love and compassion. How nice, woo!’ That is not going to make any difference to the individual at all. Compassion is not like a beautiful picture on the wall. It has to enter into the mind stream of the individual. The individual has to become more compassionate than before. Love is not a beautiful picture on the wall, meant for exhi- bition. It may be displayed for inspiration, it may be as a role model, and it may be that someone shows and you can see that you can also be like that. However, if you leave it on the wall, it will just be a mural or ceiling painting. It may be a good mural, but that’s it. It may be good for future people to look at, admire, enjoy and get inspired. That’s the purpose of a painting, but the spiritual practice of love and compassion is not for exhibi- tion. You can first look at it outside, and get inspired, but then you have to bring it in, put it in your mindstream and change yourself to become like that. This is practice. Likewise, we have spent years reading this text. I have spent time explaining. I used to go into a lot of detail on each verse, so some people were saying, ‘Well, he started talking about a verse and then he went all over the place and visited.’ That is a sign of stupidity. I am sorry to say. I did talk on the basis of that very verse, in elaborate form. I

224 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE didn’t just talk about whatever happened to come up in my head, nor did I make preparations with collecting quotes from here and there. However, it was very relevant to go into detail. Now, this year I decided to move faster in order to conclude this chapter and did abbreviated explanations and now people are saying, ‘He is very much on track.’ That sounds like I was off the track earlier. As far as I am concerned I was definitely on track with every verse I have read, week after week, but sometimes you have to pull things together, otherwise it is hard to comprehend. Five resolutions That is why now, in the middle of these verses on exchanging self for others, I would like to pull them together by emphasizing the five important points for meditation in following the exchange stage system of developing the bodhimind. Resolution 1: Equanimity or equalizing. You have to completely avoid entertaining two harmful mental faculties, obsession and hatred. All these verses we have been talking about deal with that. They told us what is wrong with obsession and with hatred, so the final conclusion is to draw the mind away from aversion and obsession. They are horrible and bring hundreds of different sufferings. They are the jailors that lock us into the prison of samsara. They are the guides that lead the individual into suffering in general and in particular to the lower realms. In short, all our suffering and misery, even terrifying dreams, are caused by obsession and hatred. They will not let us even sleep nicely; horrifying dreams of torture and suffering will come. So you have to resolve that these two, aversion and obsession, are the culprits within me that I have been cherishing for too long. It is time for me to kick them completely out of my system once and for all.

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You may have to add up a few more things here, but let it be. When you have to throw off aversion and obsession, that means you are gaining equanimity. We always pray May all beings be free from attachment and hatred Obsession-hatred or attachment-aversion, it is the same thing.

The three layers of equanimity. What does that mean? When you pray like this as part of the Four Immeasurables, what is our mind thinking, what are we meditating? Do we just simply say the words or sing a tune, and it ends there, or do we move our mind? I often remind you that you have to think and meditate as you say the words. In this case, on that level, we see that our sufferings come from either hatred or attachment. Therefore, we pray that we all may be free of these, so that we can achieve a state of equanimity. That is Layer 1, the most superficial layer of equanimity. That is what we learn and pick up first. We are still on the 1st out of the 5 resolutions of the exchange system. In terms of the exchange stage system, you have to go one stage deeper into equanimity. I don’t mean that the first layer is not worth it or not good enough. It is just the first layer and even if you can get to just that level it is very good, but that is not good enough to be able to bring about compassion and great compassion and certainly not good enough to bring the bodhimind, particularly the exchange way of generating the bodhimind. So what more are you looking for? You are looking for equality. That does not mean that everybody has to be made the same, flat, equal person. If you have a wrinkled shirt you can iron it and smooth it out, but you can’t do that with the mind! We cannot iron ourselves. So what you do is take the equanimity one stage deeper. The second layer of equanimity then looks for equality. What kind of equality? Now here I, the individual practitioner, am looking to the people and notice that my own mind brings attachment

226 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE to some and hatred to some, which is not good. I am not simply wishing that everybody may be free of attachment and hatred, but I also realize that I should not have that un- even attachment and hatred. I should smooth that out. There is no reason why I should hold some people very close with obsession and attachment and have aversion and hatred towards others. If you look back into the verses of this chapter, the Bodhisattvacharyavatara has already talked about this earlier. Let me just pick one, verse 119: I should not turn away from what is difficult; For by the power of familiarity I may be made unhappy even when someone Whose name once frightened me is not around. Somebody who has been your worst enemy can not only become your nearest and dearest friend, but even become someone who you cannot even live without for even a minute. So if you re-read those verses after what I am saying here, you will that five or more verses will correspond to this point. The second layer of equanimity not only wishes people to be free from attachment and hatred equally, but from my point of view I have to see why I should not have hatred and attachment. I must stop having aversion and obsession and look at people equally. Obsession is a big problem. It may look wonderful and you feel pleasure but it makes you so intense that you have no idea how crazy you are and you also make the other person absolutely crazy. This intensity is part of obsession, a symptom of obsession. With the worst obsession, you know what happens: people can go to the extreme of committing suicide or murdering somebody. All of that happens because of obsession or hatred. Mostly actions motivated by obsession are even more powerful than hatred-oriented ones. Obsession brings hatred and hatred can turn into obsession, however, violent actions committed through obsession are particularly bad.

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When you are obsessed, you are so intense, you don’t give up, you go all the way through and do all kinds of funny things, which are even more powerful than hatred. Yes, when hatred is high it is bad, but temper tantrums are not that bad. Somebody gets you going but after a little while it goes away. But obsession-oriented hatred is even more intense and bad in terms of committing violent actions. Obsession is really terrible. It is the real cause of a lot of trouble in families, between husband and wife, spouses, companions, even parents and children. The major trouble comes from obsession, rather than hatred. It is really a terrible thing. I don’t have to talk much about hatred. We all clearly know it is bad. You have to see all this, think about it and realize that I the Mr. Nice Guy, is giving this terrible obsession and this terrible hatred to other people, and actually mainly to people that I like, to people I really wanted to be with all the time. I am throwing this to them. How terrible this is. I must stop that! I must equally stop both obsession and hatred, from my side, once and for all. I realize that obsession and hatred cause so much suffering and I pray and work for it that I and everybody else will be free of that. This second layer of equanimity is deeper than the first.

The third layer of equanimity is even much deeper. Not only I will equally stop the obsession and hatred coming out from me, the nice person, towards other people, but I should also equally go out to them and help and give service. I will equally create joy for those people and equally clear the suffering of those people. I not only wish them to be free of hatred and obsession, but I will go further and try to stop hatred and obsession from my side and then go further and equally help them to free themselves from suffering and bring joy. This gives you all the three layers of equanimity, the superficial, the deeper and the very deep one of committing yourself to bring equal joy to people and equally clear their sufferings.

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Once you hear this and re-read the Bodhisattvachar- yavatara verses up and down you will find those points. These verses are not arranged according to these points. You will find one of these points at the beginning of the chapter, another one somewhere in the middle, another towards the end. It is probably the teacher’s job to connect these for people and point them out. Here I am trying to give you the main five points and then you also should meditate on each of these five points. For example, in terms of the first one, equanimity, you should meditate in such a way that you first look at all sentient beings on the first level. Knowledge is very important. Without knowledge you cannot have a healthy practice, a healthy meditation. Knowing that all sufferings come from hatred and obsession, I wish that everybody, without exception, even enemies as well as friends and neutrals, may be free of this hatred and attachment. If you just say the words you only get the benefit of saying the words. If you think about what you say it is more effective and deeper. Remember, there was a song that had a line in it: ‘Mean what you say, otherwise don’t sweetheart me.’ Anyway, the nice way to meditate is to mean what you say and think. Mean it from the bottom of your heart. When you meditate and say the words, something has to come from inside, actually knowing what you are saying and sincerely wishing. That is the first step. The second phase is looking inside, and realizing that hatred and obsession cause trouble, that hatred does this and obsession does that, hurts people, brings violence, kills people and so on. Look at these in yourself. Think, ‘My hatred could make me violent. It could make me kill people. My obsession not only makes me cling to myself but also to others. When I don’t get what I want, I make sure no one else gets it either. With that mind I am hurting people, maybe even killing them. It is all possible. Therefore it is important to me here. I would like to do it, I am going to

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Gelek Rimpoche do it, I decided to do it, may I be blessed to be able to do it.’ That’s how you meditate. Thirdly, you think, ‘I am going to be a Bodhisattva, I am going to be a Buddha, I am going to be the best spiritual practitioner. Therefore, I cannot just sit here and try to stop my own hatred and my obsession, but I must help people equally, serve them, make them free of all the suffering. It is my job. I like to do it. I have the opportunity. I am going to do it and I am going to do it equally for all.’ You have to think and meditate and be moved from the bottom of your heart. You pray to be able to establish that within you. Meditating on that, reading the Bodhisattvachar- yavatara and supporting your own endeavor by doing purification and accumulation of merit combined together will bring you the result.

Resolution 2: Faults of self-cherishing and Resolution 3: good qualities of cherishing others. Now you have to see the faults of self-cherishing and the qualities of cherishing others. Now look again at verse 13034, where it says, the childish work for their own benefit, the Buddhas work for the benefit of others. Just look at the difference between them. Then look at the corresponding Lama Chöpa verse, The naïve work for their aims alone, while Buddhas work to benefit others. Comparing the faults against the benefits, inspire me to be able to exchange myself for others. Compare them.

Resolution 4: Wanting to exchange self and others Resolution 5: Actual Exchange These are meditation materials. That means not just looking outwards and saying the words, but focusing internally, and seeing how your mind is responding. Are you changing? That’s what you need to do. Whether you analyze, read, visualize or discuss or think about these points, the bottom line, bare bones point is: does it make a difference to you as an individual, to your personality, to your mind stream? Spiritual development is

230 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE within the personality of the individual, nothing external. It is very much internal. As long as it remains external, I call that not being grounded, flying in the air. The moment you turn the focus around, the information, knowledge and understanding applies to your own person, and you make a difference there. That is spiritual work. It is looking in- wards. A lot of people do keep silence. There are some masters, particularly Hindu masters, who don’t speak even a word. People can keep silence for a day, week or month, for a couple of hours. By keeping silence, by not making noise externally, the focus will go internal. Then you apply what you need to apply to yourself. In other words, you are putting your money whether your mouth is. I was about to say, ‘Put your foot where your mouth is,’ but that is another different saying! So apply what you have learnt internally. I am saying, ‘You have to be grounded. Apply things internally.’ That’s it.

A different way of exchanging positions with others. Verse 139 already told us that we should switch around our own position with that of others. We normally have the perception of ‘our side’ and ‘their side’ very strongly. From verse 140 on, quite a number of verses suggest that we should exchange in two ways. One: self-cherishing should be changed into cherishing others. This has already been mentioned in the previous verses and we also connected that to verses from the Lama Chöpa. That shows us how to change self-cherishing for cherishing others. That is the perceiving point of view. Then there is another way described in verses 140-154:

VERSE 140 Considering lesser beings and so forth as myself, And considering myself as the other, (In the following way) I should meditate upon

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envy, competitiveness and self-importance, With a mind free of distorted concepts.’ Shantideva here is suggesting another approach: think that you are actually somebody that you have been thinking about. Visualize that I am you and you are me: I consider myself as the other. Whenever I say ‘you’, insert ‘me’ and whenever I say ‘me’ or ‘my’, let that refer to others. This is changing the acknowledgement. Acknowledge you as me and me as you. Just visualize that ‘you’ is ‘I’ and ‘I’ is ‘others’ In other words, whenever I use ‘me’, it will refer to ‘you’ and vice versa. So now, when you say ‘me’, you actually think about a particular, other person. Then, whenever you say ‘others’, or ‘all sentient beings’, then you think ‘that is me.’ You are just switching them on the imaginative level. You are the others and the others are you. When you think that way, the ‘you’ comes in three different categories: either somebody who is higher than you, somebody who is equal to you or somebody who is lower than you. It is interesting. When you imagine this vividly, you will meditate on jealousy, pride and competitiveness. These verses tell you that with regard to higher, lower and same-level people you should substitute yourself for others and others for yourself. Once you have established that, then your mind, without any doubt, hesitation or creative thoughts, should just watch how you react. Normally, when we see somebody who is higher or better than us we generate jealousy. When we see equals, we generate competitiveness. Whenever we see lower ones, we get that big, empty-headed ego-pride. That’s the reaction we usually have. Watch how your own mind reacts. You will immediately react with jealousy towards the more successful, with competitiveness towards the equally successful and look down on the less successful, saying, ‘I am better.’ This is our normal way of functioning.

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Now switch yourself with those three types of people, the more successful, equally successful and less successful persons. Think, ‘I happen to be them, they happen to be me.’ Now watch what your jealous, competitive and proud thoughts are doing. Do you see it? There will be complete confusion! You put yourself on the other side and then notice that you generate jealousy to yourself! This is hard to communicate, but the normal, usual habitual attitudes of jealousy, competitiveness and pride are getting somehow confused. You are getting second thoughts. It is almost like when you have a trained dog that is used to barking as soon as a stranger walks in. Imagine what the dog would think when the stranger that is walking in happens to be its own owner. The dog will be confused completely. He will think, ‘What?! Am I attacking a stranger or my owner here?’ He won’t know whether to bite or to wag his tail. Just like that our mind will now be confused with regard to our usual habitual patterns of generating jealousy, competitiveness and arrogant pride. This is Shantideva’s suggestion in order to cut down on our negative emotions, so let’s do this. This is exactly what verse 140 tells us. I recall an incident from about 14 years ago. I was living in 508 Cherry St in Ann Arbor, sitting on a little dining room table, talking to a friend. This friend told me that their partner had talked about a movie they saw together. In the movie, they were accusing the big, fat, singing lady. Now that other person watching the movie said, ‘I am that big, fat woman.’ That person identified so strongly with the big, fat singing lady, that at the insults against her, she shed tears. Then in addition to that I said something terrible that made matters even worse. Don’t let me repeat what I said. The idea is that this person was thinking: ‘This big, fat lady is me. Therefore, I am now the subject of criticism,’ and that is exactly what Shantideva is telling us to do. Just switch the labels ‘me’ and ‘others,’ ‘I’ and ‘you.’ Switch you

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Gelek Rimpoche to me and me to you and then let your trained emotion- dog go, as if a stranger was knocking on the door. That would be a jealousy reaction. Now the object of that jealousy happens to be me. So how am I going to react? In this way, meditate jealousy based on yourself. This is the way the next verses are to be understood. Without any other thoughts, just like usual, let the jealousy come up, create the competitiveness and create the pride of looking down on others.35

VERSE 141 ‘He is honoured, but I am not; I have not found wealth such as he. He is praised, but I am despised; He is happy, but I suffer. This verse is about creating jealousy based on yourself. You are thinking, ‘People praise this one,36 but not me. He (or she) receives a lot of respect and I don’t. People praise this one, and they insult me. This one is happy, I am suffering.’ Watch what happens to the mind. There are all these jealous thoughts, like, ‘In reality I am better, but people think that this one is better. They think this one is better and they don’t like me much. They think I am the bad one.’ But the question is: who is this one and who is me? What if ‘this one’ happens to be me? This is about meditation on jealousy. Remember, self has become other. The root text translation says, He is honored but I am not, but literally it says, this one is honored, but I am not. We think, ‘People respect and like this one, and not me. They think this one is respectable, and not me. Whatever this one has found, I did not find.’ This is our normal attitude. It comes automatically. Even if I do have better conditions than ‘this one,’ I never think like that. I always think that others have it better and I have it worse. This is always in our blood.

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The verse continues, This one is praised and is very popular. I am not. People look down on me. This is not true, but that is how we see it. We think This one is happy, but I suffer. We should be meditating as we read and realize that this is how jealousy works. Shantideva is using this method of seeing me as the other and the other person as me. Some- times in the commercials they put brown paper bags over cans of Coke and Pepsi and let people taste and then they are surprised at what is what. This is a similar idea.

VERSE 142 ‘I have to do all the work While he remains comfortably at rest. He is renowned as great in this world, but I as inferior With no good qualities at all. This verse continues the same idea by saying, I work hard, but this one doesn’t do anything. What I should have found, this one did. People know this one to be highly qualified and they think I am worthless and without qualities. This is how you meditate on jealousy. Deep down, if you look within, these are the thoughts of jealousy. This verse does the same thing as verse 141. It is very simple and straightforward. These are meditation verses. This is how we look at ourselves very often. Jealousy normally remains all the time, but now that it is switched between ourselves and others, it is a big surprise.

VERSE 143 ‘But what do you mean I have no good qualities? I have all good qualities: Compared to many he is inferior, And compared to many I am high. This verse tells you, if you don’t have good qualities, what to do. Think, ‘I must get all good qualities.’

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If there is no quality, then what to do? You think, ‘I must have all the qualities.’ I, who happens to be the other person, am not only jealous against the others, but also committing to gain qualities. Normally we think that way, but now, since you are switched it is a big surprise. You happen to be the other and the other happens to be you. That also tells us about one thing, that higher and lower, better and inferior, are all relative. It depends on what you are talking about. This meditation not only destroys jealousy, but also destroys the solid me. This is completely threatened by this method.

VERSE 144 ‘The deteriorated state of my morals and views Is not due to me, but due to my disturbing conceptions, In whatever way he is able he should heal me, Willingly I shall accept any discomfort involved. In other words, if there is such a scandal, where it seems that I have a problem with my morality, with understanding, and even with my livelihood, my tendency is to think, ‘It is not that I have a problem, but that certain circumstances are responsible.’ Somehow we don’t want to acknowledge our problems. We like to give excuses. Not only that. We are even willing to take pain, saying that This one should heal me. You are saying, ‘If this one is so great and dedicated to serving people, let him heal me. If I have to suffer a little bit, I am happy to accept that.’ It is like when you have an illness, during the treatment you may have to go through with difficulties and maybe even sur- gery: willingly I shall accept any discomfort involved. This verse contains very Buddhist talk, saying, This one has gone out of morality and perfect view. In other words, jealousy

236 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE still thinks that ‘this one’ is morally wrong and doesn't have perfect view. Morals, view, and how you function and live your life, are very important in Buddhism. When you include meditation, these three are considered extremely important. When Lochö Rimpoche came to New York he chose this as his subject for his talk at Jewel Heart. First he suggested the Three Principles, but I said that might be too much for a one hour talk. A while later he said, ‘All right, I have decided to talk on ta gom chö sum, that is perfect view, perfect meditation and perfect functioning or behavior in life.’ These are considered extremely important.

Morality, view, activity. Perfect behavior is extremely important. When you insult people in Tibet by saying that they are immoral, that is a really big deal. It is worse than calling them a thief. Especially young monks, if somebody calls them immoral, they would straight away understand that they have been accused of breaking their vows and fallen from the monkhood. That is the biggest insult and they would probably take out a knife and fight. They will challenge and that would really be perfect morality then! Anyway, without good morality you are not considered a great spiritual person. All spiritual qualities are based on morality. That’s why we take vows before taking initiation. The foundation on which you give initiation or any trans- mission is taking vows. To be told that there is something wrong with your morality is a big insult. The second is the view. This is not about Republican or Democrat views. In an election year Republican and Dem- ocrat views seem quite important, but in absolute reality, and actually even in relative reality, it is not that big a deal at all. We think it is a big deal because it makes a big difference to a lot of people. Likewise, the view in the spiritual field is considered very important. The perception of absolute reality is equally important in the spiritual field as political viewpoints are in the political field.

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In the United States, it seems that the Democrats look more after the middle class people and take care of their needs and the needs of the poor. In their view the rich people are around too, but they can manage. It is more the point to make sure the middle class and the poor are looked after. The Republicans, on the other hand consider the rich people more important. George Bush said it the other day: ‘If you tax the rich, the rich will break and then who is going to pay?’ According to their view, if the rich are looked after, they can make a lot of money and that will trickle down to the middle class. From there it will still drop down and benefit the poor. Those who like the Democrat view think the others are terrible and the Republicans think the Democrat views are terrible. They both have their reasons. Likewise in the spiritual field, the viewpoint is important. Most people believe that in absolute reality there is something fixed and solid that will continue. If you think like that there is no room for change. Without room for change there is no development, which means that individual persons cannot improve their situation. Everything is fixed and planned. If that is so, there is no need to work in the spiritual field, since there is no chance for anyone to improve. The reason Buddha says that in absolute reality there is emptiness is because of that. When there is room and space, anything can be done. If there is no space nothing can be done. A solid structure is difficult to change. ka la tong pa nyi rung wa de la tam che rung wa gyur ka la tong nyi mi rung war de la tam che rung mi gyur37 If you can accept emptiness you can accept anything. You can adapt to any culture. You can adapt into any function. If you cannot accept emptiness, there is nothing you can do because everything is solidly fixed. For the spiritual person the view is very important. If you lose that, there is no point in doing anything. If everything is pre-planted and fixed, it is all set up and will hap-

238 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE pen by itself. It is just a matter of time and you have to go through. A number of us do have that idea quite a lot, although we will not admit it. At the same time with modern scientific education we also have the idea that things are not really fixed. We know that many molecules together combine and create a certain thing. You can throw them around and shatter them into pieces and all the molecules will go in all directions. Then you can collect them and make them into something else. With that idea we don’t need to have a pre-fixed, pre- judged perception. Now the second part of verse 144 talks about healing. We talked about morality and view. That leaves meditation and livelihood. In terms of livelihood, whatever has been destroyed should be healed. In terms of meditation also, whatever has been destroyed needs to be healed. These are the three major points. Here it says, Whatever I have lost, I have not lost through my power. You have the power, so you should heal me. That is the argument. Then you have think, ‘Who is that you?’ The answer is, ‘It happens to be me. Oops. I am occupying that chair.’ If you are going to heal that, then any harm that comes in the process you should accept gladly and happily, like sick people sometimes have to go through harsh treatment or discomfort. Sometimes harsh treatment is welcome because it is healing you. So, on the spiritual path, if any obstacles or difficulties arise, you should accept them.

Confusing our negative emotions. The trick here is to get your emotions completely confused. When you look at your enemy, a lot of anger and hatred arises, so you make yourself into the other person and the other person into you and watch your reactions. There will be a big confusion. We ourselves actually are not confused, because we know we have decided to switch. The confusion is in the emotions, the negative ego-oriented emotions. This is one way of challenging these negative emotions.

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VERSE 145 ‘But I am not being healed by him, So why does he belittle me? What use are his good qualities to me? (Although) he has good qualities, (he does not benefit me). Here you are saying, But I am not healed by him, although he is supposed to be better than me. This one cannot heal me. What you are talking about: he is healing me! That is an insult for me. I don’t need his quality: what use are his good qualities to me? What would that do for me?

VERSE 146 ‘With no compassion for the beings Who dwell in the poisonous mouth of harmful realms, Externally he is proud of his good qualities And wishes to put down the wise. You are thinking, Living beings are almost ready to go into the mouth of suffering. This mouth is called samsara, with hell, hungry ghost realm, animal realms. This one is ready to go into those realms. He has no compassion. This is not going to help me at all. I have better qualities. I am more learned. I don’t need the help of this one. This is what our thoughts will say. But remember: ‘this one’ happens to be me and I happen to be the other. Up to this verse we have the meditation on jealousy.

VERSE 147 ‘In order that I may excel He who is regarded as equal with me, I shall definitely strive to attain material gain and honor for myself, Even (by such means as) verbal dispute.

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This verse is about competitiveness. You are saying, I am going to compete with this one for respect, wealth and income. You say, ‘I am equal to all sentient beings. This one is finding a lot of respect, gifts and income. So in order to gain my rightful income and wealth and respect, I will compete with this one. If necessary, I will fight for it and take it away from this one. I must have it and enjoy it.’ This is how competitiveness thinks.

VERSE 148 ‘By all means I shall make clear to the entire world All the good qualities I have, But I shall not let anyone hear Of any good qualities he may have. This is about competitiveness from the quality point of view. This is how we think: I am willing to proclaim myself as having the best quality in all the world. If this one, who is competing with me, has any qualities, I must make sure that no one hears about it. We have this competitiveness sometimes.

VERSE 149 ‘Also I shall hide all my faults; I will be venerated, but not he. I will find a great deal of material gain; I will be honored, but he shall not. This is talking about the faults. Whatever my faults are, I must hide them and not let anybody know. Whatever faults this one has, I must announce and publicize as much as possible, so that people will respect me. Then I will receive offerings and gifts. My income and wealth will be increased, because whatever this one is getting, I will get all that plus what I am getting. The motivation is to collect gifts and income. The method is to hide your own faults and publicize the faults

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VERSE 150 ‘For a long time I shall look with pleasure At his being made inferior; He will become the laughing stock of all, Regarded among everyone as an object of scorn and derision. This verse continues with the same idea. You are saying, This one did wrong things. I enjoy watching that. If this one continues doing that, everyone will be horrified and will be laughing at him. He will be the subject of scorn and derision. People will think that he is terrible. This will be good for me.’ However, what the self has forgotten is that we are exchanging positions! I am the other and the other is me. That is where the big surprise comes in.

VERSE 151: PRIDE ‘It is said that this deluded one Is trying to compete with me, But how can he be equal with me In learning, intelligence, form, class or wealth? This verse is a meditation on pride. You think I heard that this one is going to compete with me. How can he? He is full of delusion. What does this one know? I have learned a lot, have great wisdom, am good looking, belong to a good caste and am wealthy. How can this one compete with me? No way, I am far superior to this one. This is how pride normally thinks, but again, remember, that this one happens to be you and you happen to be this one. Again, big surprise!

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VERSE 152 ‘Thus, upon hearing of my good qualities That have been made well-known to all, I shall thoroughly enjoy the satisfaction Of the pleasant tingling-sensation that occurs. Again, this verse is about pride, telling you how pride really feels.

VERSE 153 ‘Even though he has some possessions, If he is working for me, I shall give him just enough to live on, And by force I'll take (the rest). This is about the traditional, old culture. In those days people could behave like that. Luckily, these days no one can do it. You are thinking If he has something, but I could manage to overpower him and make him work for me, I will just give him enough to live on. This is how pride can feel. It is important to pay a little attention here. We sometimes do this. You even think you are doing something good for somebody, but you say, ‘Well, that is enough for this person.’ Sometimes, it may truly be enough, but sometimes it may not be. We have that tendency.

VERSE 154 ‘His happiness and comfort will decline And I shall always cause him harm, For hundreds of times in this cycle of rebirth He has caused harm to me.’ Here you think I would really like to destroy all his happiness and comfort, and always make him suffer, because he has caused me suffering as well. This is a very important point. It is Bud- dha’s very essence of thinking in here.

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This is the difference between compassionate and un- compassionate people. Some people have compassion and look at people’s sufferings, feeling for them and wanting to help. Other people really couldn’t care less and are indiffer- ent to the suffering of other people. This is very bad. We are normally good people who don’t have that, but sometimes there are people who really irritate us. Then, if something bad happens to them, we don’t mind so much. If there is somebody who you are in big competition with or you may not even actually be, but you just think you have to compete with them, then, when something terrible happens to them, you will not even feel much. You think, ‘Now I have one less problem.’ This is a clear indication for how our ordinary, un- trained mind thinks. Competitiveness makes you a very unkind person, a very bad person, not a good person. This verse 154 is a very important verse out of these last few. It reminds us how our thoughts really work I would like to remind you once again that in these last verses a dialogue is going on between self and other, between me and this one. I am the other and the other is I. I do not know how many of you got an effect from that. But a number of people have called me on the phone, saying that it is extremely effective for them, corresponding with their practice. Some people also tell me that the switch between ‘this one’ and ‘I’ is very confusing, very hard to follow, but that is because we don’t know exactly how to phrase that, yet. It is very uncommon in American culture. You don’t call the self ‘other’ and the other ‘self.’38 Still, it is extremely effective, because we can see the things that we blame on other people much, much clearer if it is projected onto oneself. The person you are blaming, whose fault it is, then suddenly becomes me. That is a shocking surprise. People find it quite effective, or at least some do. In any case, that is the dialogue going on between me as the other person and the other person as I.

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Although here the exchange way of developing the bodhimind is emphasized, there are two ways of developing bodhimind. One is the seven stage way, the other the exchange way. The combination of both of those is Jamgön Tsongkhapa’s special method, the easiest way to develop bodhimind. It is much easier, simpler and superior to any other Tibetan tradition. All of them are clearly in your background. Although here we only talk about the exchange system, this verse indicates that all the points of the 7 stage system are also included by talking about all the lives in the cycle of rebirth. This verse brings up the question: Why do you hate ‘this one’ so much? The answer is, ‘This one, throughout my lives, life after life in samsara, has hurt me very much. That’s why I hate him so much.’ It’s simple.

VERSE 155 Because of desiring to benefit yourself, O mind, All weariness you have gone through Over countless past aeons Has only succeeded in achieving misery. The self-cherishing mind thinks only about my own benefit. Because of that, no matter how many countless past eons and lives have passed, this self-cherishing mind has actually not benefited me at all. Not only did it not help me, but has created suffering and misery for me, one after another. That’s why I hate ‘This one.’ Now you have to know and realize who ‘this one’ is, right? Otherwise it looks like blindfolding your eyes and tasting Pepsi and Coke!

VERSE 156 Therefore I shall definitely engage myself In working for the benefit of others, For since the words of the Mighty One are

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infallible, I shall behold its advantages in the future. Because of that reason, cherishing others is definitely important: I shall definitely engage myself in working for the benefit of others. You should really do it and if you do so, the word of the Buddha will never let you down. It is true. Whatever qualities Buddha says you can achieve, you will be able to achieve, but only if you reject self-cherishing and begin to cherish others. Remember the Lama Chöpa verse 59 Since cherishing myself is the doorway to all downfalls And cherishing others is the foundation of everything good Inspire me to practice from my heart The yoga of exchanging self and others Here it goes much more in detail. Self-cherishing brings all sufferings. If you let self-cherishing go, what you are left with is cherishing others. Then all the qualities Buddha talks about you will be able to see and you are going to get them: I shall behold its advantages in the future.

VERSE 157 If in the past I had practiced This act (of exchanging self for others), A situation such as this, devoid of the magnificence and bliss of a Buddha, Could not possibly have come about. Here you think, ‘If self-cherishing had not let me down like this for many years, by this time I would have achieved something. I couldn’t achieve anything, so who blocked me? You, the self-cherishing!’ So you are putting the blame where it belongs, on the self-cherishing. Actually, it is really true with everything, with every single thing in your life. As long as you have the desire for '‘me, me, me,’ and the desire to protect yourself, as long as

246 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE you have that, you will have enemies, challenges and difficulties. As soon as you let that go, you have no idea what joy you can have. You may not be rich, you may not become wealthy, or you may become wealthy or whatever may happen, but this huge burden of protecting ‘me’ will be gone. Otherwise you are continuously thinking, ‘Where will I go? What will I do? What will I eat? Where will I live?’ And all that will go away. That is really freedom.

What is authentic value? It is rather strange, but if you really look at the Dharma practice, in the lam rim teaching there is this saying by the Kadampa lamas about how to set your mind, Your mind should rely on Dharma. The Dharma should rely on the thought, ‘Even if I become a beggar, it is okay.’ Being happy to be a beggar should go to the extent that you don’t mind dying alone, without anyone knowing that you are dead and it is wonderful. That is true freedom. The reason why we don’t have freedom is because of the artificial life we are leading. It is all artificial, believe me. The total economic system, the green dollar notes we have, is absolutely designed to make every individual a slave of the economic system. To the mind of those economists, if you are sitting idle, it is a waste. You are not contributing anything to society and in their mind a worthwhile contribution to society is only one in terms of financial contribution. The measurement of success and failure is measured on the level of the green dollar, not on the level of happiness, joy or health. Only wealth is the measurement. Truly speaking, we are totally confused about what is authentic. Buddha says according to verse 156 that you can achieve anything, by cherishing others. The words of the Mighty One are infallible. In other words, Buddha will never let you down.

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Normally, we only take the economic values as authentic, because that is what we are used to and that’s how we live. If we don’t have money, the bill collectors will chase us. But the whole system is man-made and designed and set up and people just follow that and go through. It is a huge economic cycle, a system that absorbs every individual, using their talents, creating layers and levels within the system. In true reality, it is all temporary. The moment you die everything is gone. You may be a multi-billionaire, richer than Bill Gates and George Soros, but the day, the minute, actually the second they die, the multi-billionaire Bill Gates or George Soros and the dog in the street will be travelling equally. The minute after that, Bill Gates will leave his bil- lions to his lawyers and the dog will leave its body for the municipal people to throw away, and that’s it. However, we are in this society and have to function accordingly. We cannot go against it. There is a saying, ‘One single finger cannot make a hole in the space.’ So changing that is very hard and we also don’t have time to entertain that. It is better to move on and make our own future better. True freedom is really tied up by the self-cherishing thoughts. ‘Me, me, me. Where am I going to go? What am I going to do? What will people tell me? How do I look? What is going to happen to me?’ That really ties us up. Actually, human beings are great. No matter how poor, how difficult the situation might be, two hands are always capable of feeding one mouth. Never, even under terrifying communist or dictatorship rule, whatever happens, everybody still manages to feed one stomach with two hands. Of course, there are some terrible things like what happens in Africa today. Situations like that are different. Otherwise it is always like that. But we never think like that. We have not understood, so we agree to make ourselves slaves of the system. Truly, can you really make money and become wealthy? None of

248 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE us can. You cannot. Even if you get $100 an hour or even $1000 an hour, you are not going to be rich at all. The system is set up in such a way that only a selected few can make it. Some people can break through into that group. The system is not totally designed to keep a particular person out, but there only a few can make it, the rest cannot. Why? Because that much wealth is not there. That’s all. Simple. It’s not there, but we all have to work so hard and push. Our goal is different. Yes, we work hard, we struggle. We do all of this, but we are not doing it all for money, for becoming rich. The goal has slightly shifted. Actually the goal of the majority of Americans is also not to become rich, but to make a living. It is a great shift. If you look at the developing nations, their goal is to become rich. That always happens. So self-cherishing is the source of all sufferings. If you could switch this it would be good for you. You may say, ‘I cannot do this.’ But the next verse tells you that you can.

VERSE 158 Therefore, just as I have come to hold as ‘I’ These drops of sperm and blood of others, Likewise, through acquaintance I should also come to regard all others. You are already doing it. Your body is actually made from genes that don’t belong to you, these drops of sperm and blood of others. They come from your parents, and yet you identify with them as ‘me’. You do that throughout your life, without raising a single question whether that is really ‘me’ or not. You just keep on going. Truly speaking, your body is not yours, but your father’s and mother’s, and actually not even theirs, because theirs came from their father’s and mother’s genes, too, and so on in the past. Since in that case you can look at others as self, why can’t you do it here as well and cherish others in-

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VERSE 159 Having thoroughly examined myself (to see Whether I am really working for) others (or not), I shall steal whatever appears on my body And use it for the benefit of others. Since our problem is self-cherishing, why don’t we let others have all the good things? Whatever good qualities I have in my body, I will take it from me and give it to you for your own use. Why not? You may say, ‘I can’t do that, because then I won’t have anything left for myself.’ Even good, good people like you are willing to give, but the thought comes, ‘I can’t, there will be nothing left for me.’ Don’t you get that pinch sometimes? Even good people like you will have that pinch. This is advising us, ‘If you want good for yourself, give everything away.’ Every quality you have, including your body, give it away. So what!

VERSE 160 ‘I am happy but others are sad, I am high though others are low, I benefit myself but not others.’ Why am I not envious of myself?

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This verse deals with jealousy again. We did that meditation a couple of verses ago, but here you are thinking straight: you are you and others are others. The switching business is over. This time you think: I am happy, others are not. I am high, others are low. I help myself, others don’t. Can you think like that? Yes, that's what we are doing. But could you switch that around? No, we can’t, because it is ‘me’. This is really training your mind. It is throwing you around between self and other like in a ping-pong game. That is really helpful. At the end the verse says: ‘Usually I have jealousy towards others. Now why don’t I have jealousy towards myself?’ Can you envy yourself? No, you can’t.

VERSE 161 I must separate myself from happiness And take upon myself the sufferings of others. ‘Why am I doing this now?’ In this way I should examine myself for faults. You should examine and change not only your thoughts but also your actions. I should give all the joys and happiness to everybody else and take their suffering for myself. In other words, I should exchange self and other, switch it. The next two verses go together.

VERSES 162 AND 163 Although others may do something wrong, I should transform it into a fault of my own; But should I do something even slightly wrong, I shall openly admit it to many people. By further describing the renown of others, I should make it outshine my own. Just like the lowest kind of servant, I should employ myself for the benefit of all.

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Now, if you are interested in helping yourself, if you see the faults of self-cherishing, make sure that others don't have that fault. Even if you see faults in others, you should try to see that you also have similar faults. What we do is hide our own faults. Whatever it is, we will not talk to anyone about it, and if someone already does know about it, we go to them and say, ‘Don’t tell others. Don’t let them know.’ Then, if that doesn't work, you try to pay them money and if they don’t listen, then you kill them! That is what it can lead to. That is nothing funny. That is exactly where it goes. Also, if others have done something good, we make sure that nobody else hears about it. We have to hide that as much as possible. That’s what we do now with self-cherishing.

Admit and clear one’s faults. So now, let’s switch it. If your faults are there, let it be. Clear them, open it up: I shall openly admit it to many people. This is one good thing I learned from Allen Ginsberg: don’t hide anything in the closet. Honestly, it is true. Whatever it is, just make it clear. What’s wrong with that? Remember once, when I first came here, Allen did a ‘spontaneous poetry’ workshop at the University of Michi- gan. I was thinking, ‘Poetry workshop? I don’t even know English, so I better not go.’ But Allen insisted. At one point Allen said to everybody, ‘Just get up, go to the window, look outside and in one word tell me what you see.’ I kept my mouth shut, didn’t even get up and look through the window, just kept sitting down. Then Allen said to everybody, ‘Even if you didn’t look out of the window, just say whatever thought came up in your head.’ He started going round the room, and then he looked at me and said, ‘What are you thinking?’ I didn’t want to say anything, but my thoughts at that moment were going around Jim and Tammy Baker. It was that period where they had problems with a scandal in their church. So I told Allen that and he asked, ‘What do you

252 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE think about that?’ I said, ‘I don't want to be in their shoes.’ At that time they were crying and struggling, because this guy Swaggert was trying to bust them, so he could take over their ministry. So I said, ‘I don't want to get into something like that.’ Allen said, ‘Great. The only way to do that is if you have nothing to hide in the closet. Whatever it is, make it public. I know you are not going to kill anyone. If so, you have to go to jail, but otherwise, whatever it may be, sex or anything, just don’t hide it, say it openly and then no one can do anything to you.’ It is true. Our habit is to hide and we ask others not to tell. Then we pay them not to talk and if they don’t listen, we kill them, at least that happens in the movies. That’s what it can lead to. But if you tell everything openly and clearly, then there is nothing else that can hurt you. Self-cherishing again is the problem here. We want to make ourselves look superior, better, more holy, without faults. We think that if other people find out something bad about us, then we have to hide it. My jacket is so small and my stomach so big, I can’t hide anything!

VERSE 164 I should not praise my naturally fault-ridden self For some temporary good quality it may have, I shall never let even a few people know Of any good qualities I possess. Self-cherishing is full of faults, naturally fault-ridden. Any good quality that may pop up here and there is temporary, so let people know this.

VERSE 165 In brief, for the sake of living creatures, May all the harms I have selfishly caused to others

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Descend upon me myself. Self-cherishing has made me harm others, all the time. Now I recognize this and should switch all this around. This is exchanging self and others. It is difficult. Since it is difficult, you need awareness. You have to watch yourself conscientiously, but don’t see it as a hardship. Some people will say, ‘It is very difficult, but I am working hard.’ Don’t act like that.

VERSE 166 I should not be dominating and aggressive, Acting in a self-righteous, arrogant way; Instead, like a newly married bride, I should be bashful, timid and restrained. This verse talks about a bride who is going to a new home and new family. For a few days she will behave herself a little bit. She will be a little more aware and conscious. Peo- ple will respect her and like her, because she is sweet and nice and quiet and gentle and easy. Shantideva says, ‘Behave that way. Don’t say, ‘It is hard work, but I am still working on it.’ Just take it as an ornament.’ When you newly join a family, you watch yourself a little bit, you are a little more careful, a little more conscientiousness, and yet you don’t think it is a burden, but a joy. You are in the new home with your new loved ones. If you have that awareness, it is easy to go. With some awareness and mindfulness it is possible.

VERSE 167 Thus, O mind, you should (think) and abide in this way And not act (selfishly) as (before). If, under the control (of self-cherishing), you transgress (this code),

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Your (selfishness) will be your end. This verse says in Tibetan, If you remain under the control of self- cherishing, you will be punished. The English translation says, Your selfishness will be your end.

VERSE 168 However, mind, although you have been advised, If you do not act in a like manner, Then since all misfortunes will entrust hemselves to you, You will only be destined to destruction. This verse has the same message as verse 167.

VERSE 169 That previous time when you could overcome me Is now past; Now I see (your nature and your faults) And wherever you go I shall destroy your arrogance. If you are only working for yourself, it is terrible. One should never do that. Selfishly working for myself has destroyed me for so long. Think, ‘You, selfishness and self- cherishing, have overcome me and made me suffer for too long, but that time is now past Now I know you. My wisdom eye is beginning to see and you can go nowhere. Wherever you go I shall destroy your arrogance.’ Your pride of working for yourself alone is now thoroughly destroyed. This is what happens if you do the exchange.

VERSE 170 I should immediately cast aside all thoughts

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Of working for my own sake. By having sold you to others, I shall not become discouraged, but shall offer up all your strength (to others). Occasionally, you may think, ‘I may find an opportunity to work for myself.’ Forget it! Say to your ego: ‘I already sold you. You belong to others and are their slave, so you have to suffer.’

VERSES 171 AND 172 If, having become unconscientious, I do not give you to all living beings, It is certain that you will deliver me To the guardians of the hells. For ages have you dealt with me like this And I have suffered long; But now, recalling all my grudges, I shall overcome your selfish thoughts. In these two verses you are still talking to your ego: ‘Unless I make you the slave of others, you will continuously hurt me. That’s why I let you be the slave of me and people. If you still have hope of working for yourself, I will give you to those hell guardians who will make you suffer in the hell realm.’ That is the self-cherishing you are talking to, the ego, not the individual being.

VERSE 173 Likewise, if I wish to be happy, I should not be happy with myself, And similarly, if I wish to be protected I should constantly protect all others. This is drawing some kind of conclusion. If you want to experience good things, you should cherish others. If you do that, you have to go against self-cherishing; that is what the

256 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE second line means, not what the translation says, not be happy with myself. Because I want to protect myself from suffering, I should protect myself from self-cherishing. This is what we should be doing, but there are obstacles. Self-cherishing will find a lot of reasons.

VERSE 174 To whatever degree I take great care of this body, To that degree I shall fall Into a state of extreme helplessness. One reason it is difficult is that I have attachment to my body, I take great care of it, so I cannot let it go easily. At- tachment is the glue of samsara. This is really true. You will see and experience it everywhere, even with those people who are really, truly, totally spiritual people. Even then you will see this problem popping up here and there. We will say, ‘Yeah, I enjoy that situation and I will miss it.’ Then another voice says, ‘But it is okay. I will manage.’ That is the spiritual part of the person. The attachment voice says, ‘I will miss it.’ So in one statement, you can see both aspects. The attachment part of the person cannot let it go, the spiritual part says, ‘Well, even if it goes, it is okay. I will live.’ That is how attachment works. All the obstacles are caused by attachment. This verse tells us: As much attachment we have to the body, to that degree that much suffering will pop up. Unbearable suffering will come up.

VERSE 175 Having fallen in this way, if my desires Are unable to be fulfilled Even by everything upon this earth, What else will be able to satisfy them?

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No desire can ever be fulfilled. Even if the whole universe belongs to you, it will not fulfill your desire. Desire is unlimited. Once you let it fly, it will fly without any limit. I am sure George Soros and Bill Gates don’t think they are poor, but they still want more money than they have. They will never think, ‘This is enough. I am satisfied. No more business now.’ They will never say that, never ever.

VERSE 176 (Being) unable (to fulfill them, though) desiring (to do so), Disturbing conceptions and a dissatisfied mind will ensue. However, if I do not depend on any (material) things, The exhaustion of my good fortune will be unknown. Unending desire completely destroys your own spiritual life, your own virtue, and your own good purposes.

VERSE 177 Therefore, I shall never create an opportunity For the desires of the body to increase. For whatever I do not grasp as attractive, These are the best of all possessions.39 This verse tells you that one has to have satisfaction. It is one of the best things one can have. If you are satisfied with what you have, you are rich, you are wealthy. The Bo- dhisattvacharyavatara calls contentment or satisfaction a treasure of joy. In particular, attachment to the samsaric picnic joys of the body is something that, if you don't take care of it, will never stop. It will go on and increase, and that makes the individual continue in samsara. What makes you wise? The wise will perceive beauty and accept it, but have no attachment.

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VERSE 178 In the end (my body) will turn to dust; Unable to move (by itself), it will be propelled by other (forces). Why do I grasp this unbearable And unclean form as ‘I’? This verse talks about the main essence of Buddha’s teaching. In the Buddha’s teaching there is something that many scientists today still do not agree with. For example, doctors now will tell you that the body, when you cut it open, is absolutely clean inside, because otherwise you will get sick. When I was doing a workshop on the Four Noble Truths, Ben Shapiro got up and said, ‘I always thought that the body was absolutely clean inside, but it is not. Because of that you get all illnesses such as cancer. I never thought like that before. Buddha’s thinking was revolutionary.’ Maybe so. In any case, now new ideas are coming up and they are shifting their thinking. Some of them, maybe 15 or 20 scientists are off to Dharamsala this Monday to another Mind Life workshop again and discuss whether the body is clean or not. The Mind and Life Institute is arranging that meeting. So, we think the body is clean and wonderful, Buddha says it is filthy and terrible. I think it must be filthy and unclean, otherwise why should we get sick? When you think what comes out of the body when you cut it, is a symptom of what is not clean. Because it is not clean, you get illnesses. It all depends on conditions. Every minute and every second everything changes. All the molecules in ourselves are constantly changing. Therefore situations change. Dif- ferent effects come in, good and bad, and therefore we are healthy or sick. If you look for something solid that you can cherish, there is actually nothing there. Actually, if you look at our physical form, it is really frightening and unbearable, too. There could be a cultural difference, but in Tibet, where I come from, we consider

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Gelek Rimpoche the dead bodies not the cleanest things. So, with the self- cherishing, we are pointing the finger at that point.

VERSE 179 Whether it lives or whether it dies, What use is this machine to me? How is it different from a clod of earth? O why do I not dispel this pride (of it being ‘I’ and ‘mine’)! No matter whatever happens, alive or gone, whether it lives or whether it dies, what can I do with this monstrous looking mix- ture of flesh and blood? There is not so much difference between the body that I have and a body that is not occupied, a corpse.

VERSE 180 Having accumulated suffering for no purpose Because of honoring and serving this body, What use is attachment and anger For this thing that is similar to a piece of wood? Why do I suffer for the sake of this filthy body? Why can’t I let it go? There is no use getting angry and attached. All of these are results of self-cherishing. I look after my body and cherish it. Ultimately, what is going to happen? Birds or worms will eat it. Why should I create a lot of negativity to fulfill the desires of mine?

The five most important points To conclude this: There are certain meditations that we have been doing in the context of developing the bodhimind according to 5 most important points.

Number One: Equalizing. In our minds, we perceive ‘me, mine, ours’ as superior, and ‘others, them’ as inferior. It is in our blood. It is clearly demonstrated by our reaction to

260 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE news like ‘Two marines killed in Iraq today.’ Then we hear, ‘Twenty-two Iraqis died too.’ We feel for the two marines, because they are Americans. The others are Iraqis, so it doesn’t matter. Nobody will say it or openly accept it, but in our mind we have such a bad attitude. We think, ‘I am more important than you are. We are more important than you all are.’ It is the ego, the selfishness, the self-cherishing, and that’s why we don’t have room for equality. Although we always talk about equality, we don’t have it. That’s our human reality. I am more worried about my family members than your family members. When we lose somebody within our Jewel Heart Sangha it affects us more than when we hear that some lady died in Ann Arbor. The feeling in our mind is different, although they are all Americans. We make the difference because of self-cherishing. Our side is superior, bigger and better than your side. No one says so, but it is unspoken in our mind. That is not even that wrong, but ‘you’ and ‘me’ has something wrong if it conclude that ‘I am superior to you because it is me.’ In a story, someone asks a kid, who is watching a fight, ‘Who would you like to win?’ The kid says, ‘This or that one.’ Then he says, ‘Whenever my father is fighting with somebody else I like him to win, because he is my father.’ Then the next question is, ‘What if your father fights with you?’ ‘Then I should win, because it is me!’ This is how self-cherishing works. We talk about equality all the time. It is an American mantra. There is even a sweetener that is called ‘Equal.’ But we don’t have it in our mind. The good American mantras, freedom, equality, choice, don’t work. There is no equality and freedom is being cut everywhere thanks to John Ashcroft or thanks to terrorists. I don’t know, if you cut all the freedom, then what are you protecting anyway? Are we simply protecting neo-conservative views only or what? That is why we have to establish equality by reasoning by looking from our own side. Why should I be superior to you? How can I make a distinction between ten people

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Gelek Rimpoche who are dying side by side? How can I make a choice to save one and not the others. I have to save all of them. I cannot reject anyone, unless there is a valid reason. Think these people are equally sick, have equal problems, are equally seeking help from me. How can I pick one or two and reject the others? It is not right.40 Very similar to that: What everybody wants is happiness, but what they are doing is collecting sufferings, because of the self-cherishing and ego service. Therefore there is no difference between what I want and what you want. If I cannot choose your wish over mine, at least I should be able to treat you equally.

Number two: Faults of self-cherishing. Then you will see more, that the self-cherishing causes trouble, while cherishing others causes joy. Self-cherishing really causes trouble. If I am protecting me, you will feel it. Then you are forced to protect yourself and therefore there is a clash. So self- cherishing is the source of all the trouble. You should see the faults of self-cherishing.

Number three: Benefits of cherishing others. Cherishing others will bring only good things. You can’t lose. Our fear is that we will miss an opportunity if we give up something for another person. But if you persist with self-cherishing there is no guarantee that you won’t miss the opportunity anyway. Perhaps cherishing others may open up better opportunities for us to do something, rather than ego-oriented self- cherishing. Remember what it says in the Lama Chöpa, In short, the naïve work for their aims alone: While Buddhas work solely to benefit others. Comparing the faults against the benefits, Inspire me to be able to exchange myself for others. So again, first comes equalizing, second comes seeing the faults of self-cherishing, third you see the benefit of cherishing others.

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Number four: you decide to exchange yourself for others. Number five: actual exchange. The verses we have been reading today relate to the actual exchange.

A source of strength and joy. Keep these points in your mind as a guiding principle for your daily life, as a source of strength, a source of joy. Keep these five points in mind, meditate and visualize and keep it as a real guide in your life. That really means you are keeping love and compassion as principle of life. It is easy to say: love and compassion should be the principle in our life, but after a course like this you know you can follow the five points and make it meaningful. You can see, ‘He, you and me, we all have equal rights, why should I think myself superior? Your needs are equally important as mine. So why do I think wrongly? It is my self- cherishing. If I cherish myself, that will hurt me and you. Others will also dislike me and negative things will happen.’ In short, every discomfort we have comes from self- cherishing. Between big nations and within small families, between couples and parents and children the problem is self-cherishing. Nobody else created the problems. There may be a point where anything can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, but behind it is ultimately self-cherishing. I remember a few years ago, a friend, who was editor for Oprah magazine, got divorced from her partner, because the milk carton was not closed properly every time. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. There was something more going on there, definitely. Nobody gets divorced over a milk carton! The point is the self-cherishing. Why does the son not get along with the father? Self-cherishing. Why does the daughter not get along with the mother? Self-cherishing. Why don’t husband and wife get along? Self-cherishing. Why don’t the Sangha members get along? Self-cherishing.

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Why do you and I not get along? Self-cherishing. We must recognize and put the blame where it belongs. If we don’t have self-cherishing, we can compromise easily. We can give and take easily. We can talk about it, draw a conclusion simply and there will be no problem. That’s that. Where do extremists come from? Where does terrorism come from? From self-cherishing. ‘My religion is superior to yours.’ I don't want to go into this much, except to refer to statements like ‘You are an infidel,’ or ‘I am superior to you, you are inferior.’ All this comes from self-cherishing. The conservatives and liberals clash also on that point. Massachusetts liberals come from self-cherishing and Texas extremists also come from self-cherishing. Self-cherishing is the source of all problems, from individual to national and international. Actually, if you really wanted to defuse terrorism, you should defuse self- cherishing. Without self-cherishing there is no reason why there has to be terror. Who has to terrorize whom for what? It is only because of self-cherishing.

Compassion as the antidote. In the beginning of last year, Janu- ary 2003, I landed in Delhi, because I was invited to a sem- inar. When I walked in I saw the big banner, ‘Compassion as antidote for terrorism.’ That was the title of the conference. I must admit that I just came from the US where all that big noise about terrorism was made, so this headline sounded funny and I was uncomfortable. But then I sat in there and all the great Indian leaders, one after another, were really talking about compassion as antidote to terrorism. It is really true. Only compassion can defuse ego and self-cherishing. With compassion, you can defuse all terrorists. In their own minds they will defuse terrorism. No one really wants to hurt anyone, not even terrorists. No one wants to lose their name and life, but people are fooled by false promises or false beliefs and their own self-cherishing.

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As long as there is self-cherishing the problems will never end. You shoot one terrorist, and there will be two, three or five more. If you keep on shooting them, more and more will pop up. Look back in history. There has been trouble everywhere, throughout the centuries. An enemy pops up and then gets destroyed. Soon another enemy pops up and the problem continues. We had Hitler. We destroyed him. Stalin came up and we tried to destroy him. Fascist dictators came up and we destroyed them. But people who give us problems are still there continuously. The world is not without enemies. The real source of enemies is self-cherishing. Once we defuse this, world peace is there, joy is there. The pure land will be there. As long as we don’t have that, as long as self- cherishing is there, all the troubles will continue. If it is not one thing, it will be the next. If it is not the Germans, it is the Russians, if not them, then the Chinese, if not those, then Saddam. If not him, then the ayatollah will come up. All blame falls on one. Cherish all beings. Practice give and take. Remember the kindness of all.41 Keep this in your mind. Keep love and compassion as principles in your life. If you have love and compassion in your pocket, then no matter where the world goes you will be all right. I can tell you that. Now I would like to continue with the last verses that are left in this chapter.

Dealing with the ego Remember this is all about dealing with the ego. By ego I am referring to a very specific aspect of the human mind that is confused, tortured by fear and self- cherishing. It is a combination of confusion, fear, self- grasping and self-cherishing. Traditionally we call this ignorance. This is also the direct word to word translation from Sanskrit or Tibetan, but really a suitable English term is the ego. Defeating ego is therefore our aim. One of the places for the ego to hide is behind our body, which we look at as our identity. The ego is saying, ‘I

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Gelek Rimpoche need this and I want this. This is me and I want it. Don’t you know me? I need this.’ We have reached here by going through a lot of verses. Ultimately this verse says, ‘Whether I am alive or dead, it doesn’t matter. This body is wonderful while I can use it, but actually it is just a collection of something else. What can I do with this once I am gone? It will be useless.’ The body itself, whether occupied by mind or not, is the same body. There is not so much difference. It is useless, similar to a piece of wood. How sad that I have so much pride and identify myself with my body! That is not right.

VERSE 181 Whether I am caring for my body in this way, Or whether it is being eaten by vultures, It has no attachment or hatred towards these things - Why then am I so attached to it? The body itself is nothing but food for vultures. Why do we engage in such expensive activities such as hatred and obsession in order to protect this body? It is useless and pointless. We worked so hard to provide comfort for this body, caring for it, but in the end it is nothing but food for birds. Remember, Tibetans have sky burial, where the corpses are fed to vultures. Alternatively, you can bury the body in a nice grave in the cemetery, but what is the use? Then it gets eaten by insects and worms. That’s about it. Why should we create so much hatred and attachment based on this body?

VERSE 182 If (my body) knows no anger when derided And no pleasure when praised, For what reason Am I wearing myself out like this?

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When somebody praises us we like it, when somebody criticizes or derides us we dislike it. We express our emotions on the basis of this physical appearance alone. It is true. When someone says, ‘Oh, you look great!’ you say, ‘Oh, thank you!’ When someone says, ‘Oh you look horrible,’ you say, ‘None of your business!’ This indicates it is true.

VERSE 183 - Yet I want this body of mine, Both it and I are friends - But since all beings want their bodies, Why do I not find joy in theirs? Because of attachment we regard our body as ‘me’. My love towards myself is somehow confused with my attachment to my body. That is probably not right. Everybody does it. Why should I alone be different? If something happens to this body, why should I be so sad?

VERSE 184 Therefore, in order to benefit all beings, I shall give up this body without any attachment, But although it may have many faults I should look after it while experiencing (the results of my previous) actions. I should be able to use this body without any attachment in order to help sentient beings. If I am clever, wise and intelligent enough, I should use this body as my servant for the service of people and myself. I have this precious human life, which has tremendous capacity, so why don’t I use this capacity to fulfill my potential, to make myself free of all faults, to make myself pure? I should be making good use of this body. So far I wasted my time and opportunity. In future I should be aware of it and continue the practice.

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VERSE 185 So enough of this childish behavior! I shall follow in the steps of the wise, And having recalled the advice concerning conscientiousness, I shall turn away sleep and mental dullness. When we lose our awareness and mindfulness we behave crazily: our behavior is childish. Now I should behave wisely, like the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and follow in the footsteps of the wise. We need to be conscientious and remember impermanence, love and compassion, and wisdom throughout our life, even during sleep, and so on. Even then we should be able to maintain the true meditation free of five faults.42We already talked about that earlier.

VERSE 186 Just like the compassionate Children of the Conqueror, I shall patiently accept what I have to do; For if I do not make a constant effort day and night, When will my misery ever come to an end? Therefore we should remember how the Bodhisattvas, the compassionate Children of the Conqueror, have functioned in their life and use them as role models. We should work hard and make the best use of this wonderful life, with constant effort day and night. We should free ourselves from all suffering. If we don’t use this life, when will my misery ever come to an end? We may not have another chance when we can free ourselves from all suffering. We should make use of it now.

VERSE 187 Therefore, in order to dispel the obscurations,

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I shall withdraw my mind from mistaken ways And constantly place it in equipoise Upon the perfect object. In order to free myself from the delusions and the imprints of the delusions (the two obscurations), I should drag myself away from the wrong paths, withdraw my mind from mistaken ways. I should be very mindful of the nine stages, and so on and should meditate very often, constantly. I should be able to focus and achieve my goal of total enlightenment. Thus we conclude Chapter 8, the meditation chapter of the Bo- dhisattvacharyavatara.

CONCLUSION ON HOW TO DEVELOP BODHIMIND Out of this, we remember the different stages of meditation and what the obstacles are, how to deal with the obstacles, what method you apply and how you go, and so on.43 In this meditation chapter of the Bodhisattvacharyavatara Shantideva has introduced the meditation on the precious mind, the ultimate, unconditioned, unlimited compassion and love which we call bodhimind. It is the mind that is totally dedicated to the service of all living beings, yet along with that you are also not giving up yourself. You are seeking total enlightenment for yourself, in order to help and serve all living beings. Maitreya Buddha has defined bodhimind: for the sake of all others seeking total enlightenment. For all beings I seek total enlightenment, because I want to do the work, I want to help. Therefore I need the ultimate tools to be able to do everything. That is why I seek total enlightenment. That is bodhimind. How does one develop bodhimind? Remember you can never develop it before and until you develop wonderful love and compassion for yourself. If I don’t like myself, I cannot expect to like anybody else. Many people who have

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Gelek Rimpoche a lot of difficulties getting along with other people don’t like themselves. I have an advantage talking to other people in a group like this. I can say anything I want, because I am not talking to any individual. If any individual takes what I say, that is fine. People talk to me privately about their difficulties. I get that all the time, but I cannot say to them privately what I can say here in the group. Obviously, when you don’t like yourself, because of that you project your faults on the others and therefore you don’t get along well with them. If you don’t like yourself, how can you get along with others? If you don’t love yourself you can’t love others. You are not capable. You may have a little fancy excitement for a short period. That is just a spark. It goes away and then nothing is left, because there is no pure love and no pure compassion, not even pure caring. So how can you expect two very strongly neurotic people living together, trying to be in one room together for 24 hours? How can you expect that to work out? You can’t. It is really true. In order to develop love and compassion the first target is oneself. The neuroses of the self are the first target. From Buddha to my late masters, wherever you look, they all tell you the same thing. There may be slightly different wording here and there, but the essence is the same. When Atisha first came to Tibet all the great Tibetan big teachers, masters and translators always wanted to help people. Atisha laughed, ‘Ha ha. These crazy Tibetans! They can’t help themselves. How can they expect to help others? No way!’ The first step is to develop compassion for yourself. If we look at ourselves we realize that we are full of problems, so many sufferings, one after another. Everybody is like that. There is not a single person who doesn't have a lot of suffering. If you are wise, you have less suffering. If you are not so wise, you have more suffering.

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Everybody has a lot of suffering, ‘This is not right. That is not right. My companion is not right. My family is not right. I lost this, I lost that, blah blah blah…’ We have that all the time. Society is not right, the leaders are not right. Maybe it is true, but whether it is true or not, we complain and we never check, ‘Did I do right?’ People find it very easy to criticize. You can answer them, ‘Fine. So what is your solution to that?’ Then it turns out they don’t have one. Nobody does. It is very easy to criticize others and very easy to see their faults. First and foremost you have to have compassion and have love for yourself, then you can move and help others. In order to help others, you really need very strong love and compassion. Otherwise, we get that familiar ‘I am burned out.’ People say, ‘I am trying, but I am burned out. I am taking a sabbatical.’ We really need to be totally dedicated, without any self- interest whatsoever, and work to completely overpower and crush our narrow self-interest and self-grasping, the self-cherishing and ego-grasping. These are the negative points we have got to shoot down. Love and compassion are the positive points that we have to build up.

Two methods. For building the bodhimind within us there are basically two methods. Maitreya Buddha and Asanga tell us about the Seven Stages of Development. Shantideva tells us about the Exchange Stage Development. This is easier and more profound. Well, that’s wrong. I shouldn’t say that, but for me it is that way. There are just a few simple points. Let us presume we have accomplished love and compassion for ourselves. Now we are seeking ultimate love and compassion for all living beings. We want to develop that precious mind that is really dedicated. What stands between me and that wonderful mind? It is actually self- cherishing. Forget about self-grasping. Look at self-cherishing first. ME ME ME is the one. Why do we have that all the time?

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Because we don’t appreciate other people as much as we appreciate ourselves: ‘I am the most important.’ To a certain extent it is true. If I don’t help myself and don’t take care of myself, who else would? But now we presume that we have done that up to this level already. Now we would really like to have the mind that is dedicated to others. To begin with we don’t even have the realization that my needs and your needs are equally important. The reality is that I feel my needs are more important for me than yours, yet we know it is not true. My and your needs are equally important. We accept this to be true. Otherwise, we would think, ‘My needs are more important than anybody else’s.’ That is the addiction we have. So how can we work with this? Very simple: equalize my needs and your needs. This is very easy in America, because equality is an American principle. We can say that the constitution guarantees equality. That may be true, but George Bush may not honor it and John Ashcroft certainly doesn't honor it, Bush or no Bush. Here equality means to equalize my needs and your needs. That is possible and easier for Americans than for anybody else. It is in our blood, in our culture and it is our constitutional right. From my point of view and from the others’ point of view, what we want is equal. What I want is happiness and joy. What the others want is also happiness and joy. We are all struggling to get as much happiness for ourselves by protecting it through suppressing the happiness of others, by putting my needs over your needs. We are using wrong tools like hatred and obsession as protection for ourselves, rather than using love and compassion. That is where we go wrong. Nobody wants even the slightest suffering, and no matter how much joy we get, we have no satisfaction. I am like that and so are you. We are all the same. If I want to help and serve others, I should be able to provide that for all liv-

272 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE ing beings. May I be blessed to be able to do that. I pray that I may be able to do that. Not only this. It is self-cherishing that is causing me tremendous pain. I keep thinking that I am protecting myself, but in order to do that I hurt others. Sometimes I may even kill others to protect myself. Through that I create the negativity of killing and as a consequence of that I will lose my life. All negativities flow from self-cherishing. By entertaining hatred I create suffering everywhere. If I could give up self-cherishing and instead develop love and compassion, the result would be peace, harmony and joy for me and for everybody else. If I have an enemy it is not outside somewhere, but right inside of me, the self- cherishing one. I should recognize this enemy and put the blame where the blame belongs. May I be able to do this. May I be blessed to be able to do this. By cherishing others, on the other hand, I will develop all qualities and joys. People will like me, because I like them. We know this from many examples. The Lama Chöpa says, Even if everybody becomes my enemy, may I appreciate them more than my own life.44 That may be going a little too far for us, especially in the years of pre-emptive action problems! In short, we have always been under the influence of self-cherishing. We have enjoyed self-cherishing, we are protecting self-cherishing, we entertain self-cherishing. What did we get from that? On the other hand, when I look at the enlightened ones, the great masters, Jesus and all of them, Mother Theresa, Dr. Martin Luther King and others, I can see they don’t have that self-cherishing. Look what they got done. Where are they now? Where am I now? Am I a fool? Why am I doing this? By seeing the benefits they get and the disadvantages I have I may be able to have equality and not only that, be able to exchange myself with others. That means exchanging the self-cherishing for cherishing others.

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What I had so far, was the old attitude, self-cherishing. Let it go, get the new one: cherishing all. Self-cherishing brings all kinds of difficulties and sufferings, life after life. Cherishing others brings all benefits. This is the doorway, the junction where you are going to the open, nice, compassionate and wonderful way or to the narrow, selfish, miserable, dark way. We are at that junction. Therefore I should be able to choose the right path and the yoga of exchanging cherishing self and others. You have to bring your mind around to all the reasons that I have given you in this chapter. Try to reach the con- clusions for yourself. Then, finally, as it says in the Lama Chöpa, you do the actual exchange through tong len, the giving and taking practice. Lama Chöpa, verse 60. dey na je tsün la ma thuh je chen ma gyur dro wei dik drip duk ngal kun ma lü dha ta dag la meen pa dang dhag gi dhe ge zhan la tang wa yi dro kun dhe dang dhan par jin gyi lop (3x) Therefore, supremely compassionate Lama, Inspire me to take the bad deeds, imprints, and sufferings Of all beings to ripen upon me right now, And to give to them my happiness and virtue So that all beings may be happy. (3x) By the kindness of my master, I will now take the sufferings and problems of all others on me and give my positive virtues and all great deeds to the others. May I be able to practice the yoga of give and take, tonglen. You do this practice three times. You take three different things and give three different things. First you give your body, then your wealth and third your positive virtues. During the taking, you take the first and second Noble Truth, which is suffering and the cause of suffering. Then,

274 GUIDE TO THE BODHISATTVA’S WAY OF LIFE third, you take the imprints of the cause of suffering. It is three times taking and three times giving. Some people may be afraid of taking the sufferings of others. If you are afraid, in order to still utilize the practice, if you do the practice in the evening, you can take your own suffering of the next morning, then of the whole next day, week and month. When your mind gets used to it, you will be able to take it. Where can you throw all these suffering and so forth? Throw it all at the self-cherishing thought. That is ME ME ME, the true enemy within ourselves. See it as just like a collection of dust. If you pour a bucket of water on it, the dust will be washed away. Or else, visualize the self-cherishing like a big, strong rock at your heart. The pains that you are taking in are like thunder and lightning. The lightning hits the solid rock of self-cherishing and smashes it into pieces. It is not me, the self, that I am destroying, but my ego, which is completely overpowering me. The pure, wonderful person within has completely been overpowered and used by ego. That ego is what we are destroying. Then we give our virtues, whatever others need. We give medicine to the sick, houses for the homeless, food for the hungry, and so on. You transform your virtues and positive karma into whatever their needs are and give it to them. Think that every suffering existing in all galaxies everywhere has completely been taken by you.

Now I have concluded the exchange system that we have been talking about for months. Again, there are five points: 1. Equalizing myself and others. 2. Seeing the faults of self-cherishing, 3. Seeing the qualities of cherishing others, Compare what the Buddhas have achieved and what we have achieved and see who was right and finally, see the faults of self-cherishing and the qualities of cherishing others,

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4. Praying that you can do learn to exchange oneself and others. 5. Actually doing the major practice of give and take, or tong len. Some people will tell you that give and take means that you give every good thing with white light and take every bad thing with dark light. That is fine, but basically there are three points each of taking and giving. You take 1. the truth of suffering, 2. the truth of the cause of suffering, and 3. the imprints of the cause of suffering. What you give is the last two truths: the truth of the cessation and the truth of the path to the cessation and the cause for that. You give that in the form of 1. body, 2. virtue, and 3. enlightenment. So you can make it very simple or much more complex. We have talked about this from January to now. You can conclude on these five points of the exchange method and this can be your essence practice, daily, or weekly, or monthly, or whenever you like to do it. Anyway, that’s how you live your life and then any minute is very worthwhile. You can do no better service for yourself than this.

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Appendix I Tibetan Transliteration

CHAPTER 8

1 DE LTAR BRTZON 'GRUS BSKYED NAS NI YID NI TING NGE 'DZIN LA BZHAG SEMS NI RNAM PAR G-YENGS PA'I MI NYON MONGS MCHI BA'I PHRAG NA GNAS

2 LUS DANG SEMS NI DBEN PA YIS RNAM PAR G-YENG BA MI 'BYUNG NGO DE BAS 'JIG RTEN SPANG BYA ZHING RNAM PAR RTOG PA YONGS SU DOR

3 CHAGS PA'I PHYIR DANG RNYED SOGS LA SRED PAS 'JIG RTEN MI SPONG STE DE BAS 'DI DAG YONGS SPONGS LA MKHAS PAS 'DI LTAR DPYAD PAR BYA

4 ZHI GNAS RAB TU LDAN PA'I LHAG MTHONG GIS NYON MONGS RNAM PAR 'JOMS PAR SHES BYAS NAS THOG MAR ZHI GNAS BTZAL BYA DE YANG NI 'JIG RTEN CHAGS PA MED LA MNGON DGAS 'GRUB

5 MI RTAG SU ZHIG MI RTAG LA YANG DAG CHAGS PAR BYED PA YOD DES NI TSE RABS STONG PHRAG TU SDUG PA MTHONG BAR YONG MI 'GYUR

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6 MA MTHONG NA NI DGAR MI 'GYUR YID KYANG MNYAM 'JOG MI 'GYUR LA MTHONG YANG NGOMS PAR MI 'GYUR BAS ,SNGAR BZHIN SRED PAS GDUNG BAR 'GYUR

7 SEMS CAN RNAMS LA CHAGS BYAS NA YANG DAG NYID LA KUN NAS SGRIB SKYO BA'I SEMS KYANG 'JIG PAR BYED THA MAR MYA NGAN GDUNG BAR 'GYUR

8 DE LA SEMS PA 'BA' ZHIG GIS TSE 'DI DON MED 'DA' BAR 'GYUR RTAG PA MED PA'I MDZA' BSHES KYIS G-YUNG DRUNG CHOS KYANG 'JIG PAR 'GYUR

9 BYIS DANG SKAL BA MNYAM SPYOD NA NGES PAR NGAN 'GROR 'GRO 'GYUR TE SKAL MI MNYAM PAR KHRID BYED NA BYIS PA BSTEN PAS CI ZHIG BYA

10 SKAD CIG GCIG GIS MDZA' 'GYUR LA YUD TZAM GYIS NI DGRAR YANG 'GYUR DGA' BA'I GNAS LA KHRO BYED PAS SO SO'I SKYE BO MGU BAR DKA'

11 PHAN PAR SMRAS NA KHRO BAR BYED BDAG KYANG PHAN LAS BZLOG PAR BYED DE DAG NGAG NI MA MNYAN NA KHRO BAS NGAN 'GROR 'GRO BAR 'GYUR

12 MTHO LA PHRAG DOG MNYAM DANG 'GRAN DMA' LA NGA RGYAL BSTOD NA DREGS MI SNYAN BRJOD NA KHONG KHRO SKYE NAM ZHIG BYIS LAS PHAN PA THOB

13 BYIS DANG 'GROGS NA BYIS PA LA BDAG BSTOD GZHAN LA SMOD PA DANG 'KHOR BAR DGA' BA'I GTAM LA SOGS MI DGE CIS KYANG NGES PAR 'BYUNG

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14 DE LTAR BDAG DANG GZHAN BSTEN PA DES NI PHUNG PAR 'GYUR BAR ZAD DES KYANG BDAG DON MA BYAS LA BDAG KYANG DE DON MI 'GYUR BAS

15 BYIS LAS THAG RING BYEL BAR BYA PHRAD NA DGA' BAS MGU BYAS TE 'DRIS CHEN NYID DU MI 'GYUR BAR THA MA'I PA TZAM LEGS PAR BYA

16 BUNG BAS ME TOG SBRANG RTZI BZHIN CHOS KYI DON TZAM BLANGS NAS NI KUN LAS SNGON CHAD MA MTHONG BZHIN 'DRIS PA MED PAR GNAS PAR BYA

17 BDAG NI RNYED MANG BKUR STI BCAS BDAG LA MANG PO DGA' 'O ZHES DE 'DRA'I SNYEMS PA 'CHANG GYUR NA SHI BA'I 'OG TU 'JIGS PA SKYE

18 DE BAS RNAM PAR RMONGS PA'I YID GANG DANG GANG LA CHAGS GYUR PA DE DANG DE BSDONGS STONG 'GYUR DU SDUG BSNGAL NYID DU GYUR CING LDANG

19 DE BAS MKHAS PAS CHAGS MI BYA CHAGS PA LAS NI 'JIGS PA SKYE 'DI DAG RANG BZHIN 'DOR 'GYUR BAS BRTAN PAR GYIS TE RAB TU RTOGS

20 RNYED PA DAG NI MANG BYUNG ZHING GRAGS DANG SNYAN PA BYUNG GYUR KYANG RNYED DANG GRAGS BA'I TSOGS BCAS TE GANG DU 'DONG BA'I GTOL MED DO

21 BDAG LA SMOD PA GZHAN YOD NA BSTOD PAS BDAG DGAR CI ZHIG YOD BDAG LA BSTOD PA GZHAN YOD NA SMAD PAS MI DGAR CI ZHIG YOD

279

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22 SEMS CAN MOS PA SNA TSOGS PA RGYAL BAS KYANG NI MI MGU NA BDAG 'DRA NGAN PAS SMOS CI DGOS DE BAS 'JIG RTEN BSAM BA BTANG

23 SEMS CAN RNYED PA MED LA SMOD RNYED PA CAN LA MI SNYAN BRJOD RANG BZHIN 'GROGS DKA' DE DAG GIS DGA' BA JI LTAR SKYE BAR 'GYUR

24 GANG PHYIR BYIS PA RANG DON NI MED PAR DGA' BA MI 'BYUNG BAS BYIS PA 'GA' YANG BSHES MIN ZHES DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA RNAMS KYIS GSUNGS

25 NAGS NA RI DAGS BYA RNAMS DANG SHING RNAMS MI SNYAN RJOD MI BYED 'GROGS NA BDE BA DE DAG DANG NAM ZHIG LHAN CIG BDAG GNAS 'GYUR

26 PHUG GAM LHA KHANG STENG PA'AM LJON SHING DRUNG DU GNAS BCAS TE NAM ZHIG RGYAB TU MI LTA ZHING CHAGS PA MED PAR 'GYUR ZHIG GU

27 SA PHYOGS BDAG GIR BZUNG MED PA RANG BZHIN GYIS NI YANGS RNAMS SU RANG DBANG SPYOD CING CHAGS MED PAR NAM ZHIG BDAG NI GNAS PAR 'GYUR

28 LHUNG BZED LA SOGS NYI TSE DANG KUN LA MI MKHO'I GOS 'CHANG ZHING LUS 'DI SBA BA MA BYAS KYANG 'JIGS MED GNAS PA NAM ZHIG 'GYUR

29 DUR KHROD SONG NAS GZHAN DAG GI RUS GONG DAG DANG BDAG GI LUS 'JIG BA'I CHOS CAN DAG TU NI NAM ZHIG MGO SNYOMS BYED PAR 'GYUR

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30 BDAG GI LUS NI 'DI NYID KYANG GANG GI DRI YIS WA DAG KYANG DRUNG DU NYER 'GRO MI 'GYUR BA DE LTA BUR NI 'GYUR BAR 'ONG 31 LUS 'DI GCIG PU BYUNG BA YANG LHAN CIG SKYES PA'I SHA RUS DAG ZHIG STE SO SOR 'GYES 'GYUR NA MDZA' BA GZHAN DAG CI ZHIG SMOS 32 SKYE NA GCIG BU SKYE 'GYUR ZHING 'CHI NA'ANG DE NYID GCIG 'CHI STE SDUG BSNGAL SKAL GZHAN MI LEN NA GEGS BYED MDZA' BAS CI ZHIG BYA 33 LAM DAG TU NI ZHUGS PA RNAMS JI LTAR GNAS NI 'DZIN BYED LTAR DE BZHIN SRID PA'I LAM ZHUGS PA'ANG SKYE BA'I GNAS NI YONGS SU 'DZIN 34 'JIG RTEN KUN NAS GDUNG BZHIN DU JI SRID SKYES BU BZHI YIS NI DE LAS DE NI MA BTEG PA DE SRID DU NI NAGS SU SONG 35 BSHAS MED 'KHON PA'ANG MED BYAS NAS LUS 'DI GCIG PU DBEN GNAS TE SNGA NAS SHI DANG 'DRAR BRTZIS NAS SHI NA'ANG MYANGAN BYED PA MED 36 DRUNG NA 'KHOD PA SU DAG KYANG MYA NGAN GNOD PA BYED MED PAS 'DI YIS SANGS RGYAS RJES DRAN SOGS SNYING PA'ANG G-YENGS PAR 'GYUR BA MED 37 DE BAS SHIN TU MDANGS DGA' BA'I NAGS TSAL TSEGS CHUNG BDE SKYID CING G-YENG BA THAMS CAD ZHI BYED PAR BDAG NYID GCIG PU GNAS PAR BYA

281

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38 BSAM PA GZHAN NI KUN BTANG STE BDAG LA SEMS PA GCIG PU YIS SEMS NI MNYAM PAR GZHAG PHYIR DANG DUL BAR BYA PHYIR BRTZON TE BYA

39 'JIG RTEN 'DI DANG PHA ROL DU'ANG 'DOD PA RNAMS NI PHUNG KHROL BSKYED 'DIR NI BSAD DANG BCING DANG GCOD PHA ROL DU NI DMYAL SOGS SGRUB

40 PHO NYA PHO NYA MO YIS SNGON GANG PHYIR DU MAR GSOL BTAB CING SDIG PA RNAMS SAM GRAGS MIN LA'ANG GANG GI DON DU MA 'JEMS PAR 41 'JIGS PA LA YANG BDAG ZHUGS SHING RDZAS KYANG ZAD PAR BYAS GYUR TE GANG LA YONGS SU 'KHYUD PAS NA MCHOG TU DGA' 'GYUR DE DAG NYID

42 KENG RUS NYID YIN GZHAN MIN NA RANG DBANG DANG NI BDAG MIN LA RAB TU 'DOD CING YONGS ZHEN NAS CI PHYIR MYA NGAN 'DAS MI 'GRO

43 GANG ZHIG DANG PO 'BAD DE BTEG DRANGS KYANG NGO TSAS 'OG TU LTA SNGON NI MTHONG NGAM MA MTHONG YANG GOS KYIS GDONG NI G-YOGS PAR GYUR

44 KHYOD NYON MONGS PA'I GDONG DE NI DA LTA MNGON SUM GYUR PA BZHIN BYA RGOD KYIS BSAL BYAS MTHONG NAS DA LTA CI PHYIR 'BYER BAR BYED

45 GZHAN RNAMS MIG GIS BLTA NA YANG GANG ZHIG YONGS SU BSRUNG GYUR PA JI SRID DE NI DES ZA NA SER SNA CAN KHYOD CIS MI BSRUNG

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46 SHA YI PHUNG PO 'DI MTHONG NAS BYA RGOD DANG GZHAN ZA BYED NA GZHAN GYI ZAS LA ME TOG GI PHRENG BA TZANDAN RGYAN GYIS MCHOD

47 RUS GONG NYID DU MTHONG NAS NI MI 'GUL YANG NI KHYOD SKRAG NA RO LANGS BZHIN DU 'GA' YIS KYANG BSKYOD PAR GYUR NA CIS MI 'JIGS

48 GANG LA G-YOGS KYANG 'DI CHAGS PA DE MA G-YOGS NA CIS MI 'DOD DE LA DGOS PA MED NA NI G-YOGS PA LA NI CI PHYIR 'BYUNG

49 ZAS NI GCIG PU ? NYID LAS NI BSHAD DANG KHA CHU BYUNG GYUR NA DE LAS BSHAD LA MI DGA' ZHING KHA CHU LA KHYOD CI PHYIR DGA'

50 SHING BA LA REG NA 'JAM PA YI SDAS LA DGA' BAR MI BYED PAR DRI NGA 'DZAG PA MA YIN ZHES 'DOD LDAN MIG GTZA BA LA RMONGS 51 'DOD LDAN NGAN PA RMONGS PA RNAMS SHING BAL REG NA 'JAM PA LA'ANG NYAL PO BYA BAR MI NUS ZHES DE LA KHRO BA DAG TU BYED

52 GAL TE MI GTZANG CHAGS MED NA RUS GZEB RGYUS PAS SBREL BA LA SHA YI 'DAM GYIS ZHAL ZHAL BYAS GZHAN KHYOD CI PHYIR PARDU 'KHYUD

53 KHYOD NYID MI GTZANG MANG YOD PA DE NYID LA KHYOD GTAN SPYOD CING MI GTZANG RKYAL PA GZHAN DAG LA'ANG MI GTZANG BRKAM PAS 'DOD PAR BYED

283

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54 BDAG NI SHA 'DI LA DGA' ZHES REG DANG BLTA BAR 'DOD NA KO SEMS MED PA YI RANG BZHIN GYI SHA NI KHYOD KO JI LTAR 'DOD

55 'DOD PA'I SEMS GANG YIN PA DE REG DANG BLTA BAR MI NUS LA GANG ZHIG NUS DE SHES PA MIN DON MED 'KHYUD DES CI ZHIG BYA

56 MI GTZANG RANG BZHIN GZHAN GYI LUS MI RTOGS NGO MTSAR MI CHE YI RANG NYID MI GTZANG NYID YIN PAR RTOGS PAR MI 'GYUR NGO MTSAR CHE

57 SPRIN BRAL NYI ZER GYIS PHYE BA'I PADMA GZHON NU SPANGS NAS NI MI GTZANG ZHEN PA'I SEMS KYIS NI MI GTZANG GZEB LA CI PHYIR DGA'

58 SA PHYOGS MI GTZANG GYIS GOS PA GAL TE REG PAR MI 'DOD NA GANG LAS DE NI BYUNG BA YI LUS LA JI LTAR KHYOD REG 'DOD

59 GAL TE MI GTZANG CHAGS MED NA MI GTZANG ZHING LAS BYUNG GYUR CING DE YI SA BON DES BSKYED PA GZHAN KHYOD CI PHYIR PANG DU 'KHYUD

60 MI GTZANG LAS BYUNG MI GTZANG SRIN CHUNG DU'ANG KHYOD 'DOD MI BYED LA MI GTZANG MANG GI RANG BZHIN LUS MI GTZANG SKYES PA'ANG 'DOD PAR BYED

61 KHYOD NI RANG NYID MI GTZANG LA SMOD MI BYED PAR MA ZAD KYI MI GTZANG RKYAL PA MI GTZANG LA BRKAM PAS GZHAN YANG 'DOD PAR BYED

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62 GA PUR LA SOGS YID 'ONG DANG 'BRAS CHAN DAG GAM TSOD MA'ANG RUNG KHAR BCUG PHYIR PHYUNG BOR BA YIS SA YANG MI GTZANG BTZOG PAR 'GYUR

63 GAL TE MI GTZANG 'DI 'DRA BA MNGON SUM GYUR KYANG THE TSOM NA DUR KHROD DAG TU BOR BA'I LUS MI GTZANG GZHAN YANG BLTA BAR GYIS

64 GANG LAS PAGS PA'I KHA PHYE NA 'JIGS PA CHEN PO SKYE 'GYUR BAR SHES KYANG JI LTAR DE NYID LA PHYIR ZHING DGA' BA SKYE BAR 'GYUR

65 LUS LA BSKUS PA'I DRI DE YANG TZANDAN SOGS YIN GZHAN MA YIN GZHAN GYI DRI DES GZHAN DAG LA CI YI PHYIR NA CHAGS PAR BYED

66 GAL TE RANG BZHIN DRI NGA BAS 'DI LA MA CHAGS LEGS MIN NAM 'JIG RTEN DON MED SREG PA DAG JI STE DE LA DRI ZHIM SKUD

67 'ON TE DRI ZHIM TZAN DAN NI LUS LA 'DIR NI CI ZHIG BYUNG GZHAN GYI DRI YIS GZHAN DAG LA CI YI PHYIR NA CHAGS PAR BYED

68 GAL TE SKRA SEN RING BA DANG SO SKYA DRIR BCAS 'DAM GYI DRIS BSGOS PAS LUS KYI RANG BZHIN NI GCER BU 'JIGS PA NYID YIN NA

69 RANG LA GNOD PA'I MTSON BZHIN DU DE 'BAD CI PHYIR BYI DOR BYED BDAG LA RMONGS PA'I 'BAD PA YIS SMYOS PAS SA 'DI KUN TU 'KHRUGS

285

Gelek Rimpoche

70 RUS GONG 'BA' ZHIG MTHONG NAS NI DUR KHROD DU NI YID 'BYUNG NA G-YO BA'I RUS GONG GIS KHYAB PA'I GRONG GI DUR KHROD LA DGA' 'AM

71 DE LTAR MI GTZANG GYUR PA DE RIN MED PAR NI MI RNYED DO DE DON BSGRUBS PAS SHA THANG DANG DMYAL LA SOGS PA'I GNOD PAR 'GYUR 72 BYIS PA NOR SPEL MI NUS PAS DAR LA BAB NA 'DI CI BDE NOR SOGS PA YIS TSEG TUGS NA RGAS NAS 'DOD PAS CI ZHIG BYA

73 'DOD LDAN NGAN PA KHA CIG NI NYIN RANGS LAS KYIS YONGS DUB STE KHYIM DU 'ONGS NAS CHAD PA'I LUS RO DANG 'DRA BAR NYAL BAR BYED

74 KHA CIG BYES BGROD NYON MONGS DANG RING DU SONG BA'I SDUG BSNGAL CAN BU SMAD 'DOD BZHIN BU SMAD RNAMS KHYUD KHOR LOS KYANG MTHONG MI 'GYUR

75 BDAG LA PHAN 'DOD RNAM RMONGS PAS GANG DON NYID DU BTZONG BA YANG DE MA THOB PAR DON MED PA'I GZHAN GYI LAS KYI RLUNG GIS BDAS

76 LA LA RANG GI LUS BTZONG ZHING DBANG MED GZHAN GYIS BKOL GYUR TE CHUNG MA DAG KYANG BU BYUNG NA SHING DRUNG DGON PAR BAB BAB 'BYUNG

77 'DOD PAS BSLUS PA'I GLEN PA DAG 'TSO 'DOD 'TSO BAR BYA'O ZHES SROG STOR DOGS BZHIN G-YUL DU 'JUG KHE PHYIR BRAN DU 'GRO BAR BYED

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78 'DOD LDAN LA LA LUS KYANG BCAD KHA CIG GSAL SHING RTZE LA BTZUGS KHA CIG MDUNG THUNG DAG GIS BSNUN KHA CIG BSREGS PA DAG KYANG SNANG 79 BSAGS DANG BSRUNG DANG BRLAG PA'I GDUNG BA YIS NOR NI PHUNG KHROL MTHA' YAS SHES PAR BYA NOR LA CHAGS PAS G-YENGS PAR GYUR PA RNAMS SRID PA'I SDUG BSNGAL LAS GROL SKABS MED DO

80 'DOD LDAN RNAMS LA DE LA SOGS NYES DMIGS MANG LA MNOG CHUNG STE SHING RTA 'DREN PA'I PHYUGS DAG GIS RTZVA NI KHAM 'GA' ZOS PA BZHIN

81 PHYUGS KYIS BSGRUBS NA'ANG MI DKON PA'I MNOG CHUNG GANG YIN DE DON DU DAL 'BYOR PHUN SUM RNYED DKA' 'DI LAS KYIS MNAR BA RNAMS KYIS BCOM 82 'DOD PA NGES PAR 'JIG 'GYUR ZHING DMYAL LA SOGS PAR LTUNG BYED PA CHEN PO MIN PHYIR DUS KUN DU DUB PA'I CHEGS BYUNG GANG YIN PA 83 DE YI BYE BA'I CHA TZAM GYI TSEGS KYIS SANGS RGYAS NYID 'GRUB NA 'DOD LDAN BYANG CHUB SPYOD PA BAS SDUG BSNGAL CHE LA BYANG CHUB MED 84 DMYAL SOGS SDUG BSNGAL BSAM BYAS NA 'DOD PA RNAMS LA MTSON DANG NI DUG DANG ME DANG G-YANG SA DANG DGRA RNAMS KYIS KYANG DPER MI PHOD 85 DE LTAR 'DOD LA SKYO BYAS TE DBEN PA LA NI DGA' BA BSKYED RTZOD DANG NYON MONGS KYIS STONG PA ZHI BA'I NAGS KYI NANG DAG TU

287

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86 SKAL LDAN ZLA 'OD TZANDAN GYIS BSIL BA'I YANGS PA'I RDO LEB KHANG BZANGS NYAMS DGA' BAR SGRA MED ZHI BA'I NAGS RLUNG G-YO BA YIS GZHAN LA PHAN DON SEMS SHING 'CHAG PAR BYED

87 KHANG STONG SHING DRUNG PHUG DAG TU GANG DU JI SRID 'DOD GNAS SHING YONGS 'DZIN BSRUNG BA'I SDUG BSNGAL SPANGS LTOS PA MED PAR BAG YANGS SPYOD

88 RANG DBANG SPYOD CING CHAGS MED LA GANG DANG YANG NI 'BREL MED PA CHOG SHES BDE SPYOD GANG YIN PA DBANG POS KYANG NI DE RNYED DKA'

89 DE LA SOGS PA'I RNAM PA YIS DBEN PA'I YON TAN BSAM BYAS NAS RNAM RTOG NYE BAR ZHI BA DANG BYANG CHUB SEMS NI BSGOM PAR BYA

90 BDAG DANG GZHAN DU MNYAM PA NI DANG PO NYID DU 'BAD DE BSGOM BDE DANG SDUG BSNGAL MNYAM PAS NA THAMS CAD BDAG BZHIN BSRUNG BAR BYA

91 LAG PA LA SOGS DBYE BA RNAM MANG YANG YONGS SU BSRUNG BYA'I LUS SU GCIG PA LTAR DE BZHIN 'GRO BA THA DAD BDE SDUG DAG THAMS CAD BDAG BZHIN BDE BA 'DOD MNYAM CIG

92 GAL TE BDAG GI SDUG BSNGAL GYIS GZHAN GYI LUS LA MI GNOD PA DE LTA'ANG DE BDAG SDUG BSNGAL DE BDAG TU ZHEN PAS MI BZOD NYID

93 DE BZHIN GZHAN GYI SDUG BSNGAL DAG BDAG LA 'BAB PAR MI 'GYUR YANG DE LTA'ANG DE BDAG SDUG BSNGAL DE BDAG TU ZHEN PAS BZOD PAR DKA'

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94 BDAG GIS GZHAN GYI SDUG BSNGAL BSAL SDUG BSNGAL YIN PHYIR BDAG SDUG BZHIN BDAG GIS GZHAN LA PHAN PAR BYA SEMS CAN YIN PHYIR BDAG LUS BZHIN

95 GANG TSE BDAG DANG GZHAN GNYI GA BDE BA 'DOD DU MTSUNGS PA LA BDAG DANG KHYAD PAR CI YOD NA GANG PHYIR BDAG GCIG BDE BAR BRTZON

96 GANG TSE BDAG DANG GZHAN GNYI GA SDUG BSNGAL MI 'DOD MTSUNGS PA LA BDAG DANG KHYAD PAR CI YOD NA GANG PHYIR GZHAN MIN BDAG SRUNG BYED

97 GAL TE DE LA SDUG BSNGAL BAS BDAG LA MI GNOD PHYIR MI BSRUNG MA 'ONGS PA YI SDUG BSNGAL YANG GNOD MI BYED NA DE CI BSRUNG

98 BDAG GIS DE NI MYONG SNYAM PA'I RNAM PAR RTOG DE LOG PA STE 'DI LTAR SHI BA'ANG GZHAN NYID LA SKYE BA YANG NI GZHAN NYID YIN

99 GANG TSE GANG GI SDUG BSNGAL GANG DE NI DE NYID KYIS BSRUNGS NA RKYANG PA'I SDUG BSNGAL LAG PAS MIN CI PHYIR DES NI DE BSLUNG BYA 100 GAL TE RIGS PA MIN YANG 'DIR BDAG TU 'DZIN PAS 'JUG CE NA ,BDAG GZHAN MI RIGS GANG YIN TE CI NUS PAR NI SPANG BYA NYID 101 RGYUD DANG TSOGS ZHES BYA BA NI PHRENG BA DMAG LA SOGS BZHIN BRDZUN SDUG BSNGAL CAN GANG DE MED PA DES 'DI SU ZHIG SPANG BAR 'GYUR

289

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102 SDUG BSNGAL BDAG PO MED PAR NI THAMS CAD BYE BRAG MED PA NYID SDUG BSNGAL YIN PHYIR DE BSAL BYA NGES PAS DER NI CI ZHIG BYA 103 CI PHYIR KUN GYI SDUG BSNGAL NI BZLOG PAR BYA ZHES BRTZAD DU MED GAL TE BZLOG NA'ANG THAMS CAD BZLOG DE MIN BDAG KYANG SEMS CAN BZHIN 104 SNYING RJE SDUG BSNGAL MANG GYUR PA CI PHYIR NAN GYIS SKYED CE NA 'GRO BA'I SDUG BSNGAL BSAM BYAS NA JI LTAR SNYING RJE SDUG BSNGAL MANG 105 GAL TE SDUG BSNGAL GCIG GIS NI SDUG BSNGAL MANG PO MED 'GYUR NA BRTZE DANG LDAN PAS SDUG BSNGAL DE RANG DANG GZHAN LA BSKYED BYA NYID 106 DES NA ME TOG ZLA MDZES KYIS RGYAL PO'I GNOD PA SHES KYANG NI BDAG GI SDUG BSNGAL MA BSAL TE MANG PO'I SDUG BSNGAL ZAD 'GYUR PHYIR 107 DE LTAR RGYUD NI GOMS GYUR PA GZHAN GYI SDUG BSNGAL ZHI DGA' BAS PADMA'I MTSO RU NGANG PA LTAR MNAR MED PA YANG 'JUG PAR 'GYUR 108 SEMS CAN RNAM PAR GROL BA NA DGA' BA'I RGYA MTSO GANG YIN PA DE NYID KYIS NI CHOG MIN NAM THAR PA 'DOD PAS CI ZHIG BYA 109 DE LTAS GZHAN GYI DON BYAS KYANG RLOM SEMS DANG NI NGO MTSAR MED GCIG TU GZHAN DON LA DGA' BAS RNAM SMIN 'BRAS BU'I RE BA

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110 MED DE BAS JI LTAR CHUNG DU NA MI SNYAN LAS KYANG BDAG BSRUNG BA DE BZHIN GZHAN LA BSRUNG SEMS DANG SNYING RJE'I SEMS NI DE LTAR BYA 111 GOMS PA YIS NI GZHAN DAG GI KHU BA KHRAG GI THIGS PA LA DNGOS PO MED PAR GYUR KYANG NI BDAG GO ZHES NI SHES PA LTAR 112 DE BZHIN GZHAN GYI LUS LA YANG BDAG CES CI YI PHYIR MI GZUNG BDAG GI LUS NI GZHAN DAG TU'ANG BZHAG PA DE LTAR DKA' BA MED 113 BDAG NYID SKYON BCAS GZHAN LA YANG YON TAN RGYA MTSOR SHES BYAS NAS BDAG 'DZIN YONGS SU DOR BA DANG GZHAN BLANG BA NI BSGOM PAR BYA 114 JI LTAR LAG PA LA SOGS PA LUS KYI YAN LAG YIN 'DOD LTAR DE BZHIN 'GRO BA'I YAN LAG TU CI PHYIR LUS CAN RNAMS MI 'DOD 115 JI LTAR BDAG MED LUS 'DI LA GOMS PAS BDAG GI BLO BYUNG BA DE BZHIN SEMS CAN GZHAN LA YANG GOMS PAS BDAG BLO CIS MI SKYE 116 DE LTA NA NI GZHAN GYI DON BYAS KYANG NGO MTSAR RLOM MI 'BYUNG BDAG NYID KYIS NI ZAS ZOS NAS LAN LA RE BA MI 'BYUNG BZHIN 117 DE BAS JI LTAR CHUNG DU NA MI SNYAN LAS KYANG BDAG BSRUNG BA DE BZHIN 'GRE LA BSRUNG SEMS DANG SNYING RJE'I SEMS NI GOMS PAR BYA

291

Gelek Rimpoche

118 DE BAS MGON PO SPYAN RAS GZIGS THUGS RJE CHEN POS 'GRO BA YI 'KHOR GYI 'JIGS PA BSAL BA'I PHYIR RANG GI MTSAN YANG BYIN GYIS BRLABS 119 DKA' LAS PHYIR LDOG MI BYA STE 'DI LTAR GOMS PA'I MTHU YIS NI GANG GI MING THOS 'JIGS PA YANG DE NYID MED NA MI DGAR 'GYUR 120 GANG ZHIG BDAG DANG GZHAN RNAMS NI MYUR DU BSKYAB PAR 'DOD PA DES BDAG DANG GZHAN DU BRJE BYA BA GSANG BA'I DAM PA SPYAD PAR BYA 121 BDAG LUS GANG LA CHAGS PAYIS 'JIGS GNAS CHUNG LA 'JIGS SKYE BA 'JIGS PA SKYE BA'I LUS DE LA SU ZHIG DGRA BZHIN SDANG MI PHYED 122 LUS GANG BKRES DANG SKOM SOGS NAD GSO BA'I CHO GA BYED 'DOD PAS BYA DANG NYA DANG RI DAGS DAG GSOD PAR BYED CING LAM SGUGS BYED 123 GANG ZHIG KHE DANG RIM GRO'I PHYIR PHA DANG MA YANG GSOD BYED CING BKON MCHOG GSUM GYI DKOR BRKUS NAS DES NI MNAR MED BSREG 'GYUR NA 124 MKHAS PA SU ZHIG LUS DE LA 'DOD CING BSRUNG DANG MCHOD BYED KYI 'DI LA SU ZHIG DGRA BZHIN DU BLTA BAR MI BYED BRNYAS MI BYED 125 GAL TE BYIN NA CI SPYAD CES BDAG DON SEMS PA 'DRE YI TSUL GAL TE SPYAD NA CI SBYIN CES GZHAN DON SEMS PA LHA YI CHOS

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126 BDAG PHYIR GZHAN LA GNOD BYAS NA DMYAL LA SOGS PAR GDUNGS PAR 'GYUR GZHAN PHYIR BDAG LA GNOD BYAS NA PHUN SUM TSOGS PA THAMS CAD 'THOB 127 BDAG NYID MTHO BAR 'DOD PA DES NGAN 'GRO NGAN DANG GLEN PAR 'GYUR DE NYID GZHAN LA SPO BYAS NA BDE 'GRO RIM GRO 'THOB PAR 'GYUR 128 BDAG GI DON DU GZHAN BKOL NA BRAN LA SOGS PA MYONG BAR 'GYUR GZHAN GYI DON DU BDAG SPYAD NA RJE DPON NYID SOGS MYONG BAR 'GYUR 129 'JIG RTEN BDE BA JI SNYED PA DE KUN GZHAN BDE 'DOD LAS BYUNG 'JIG RTEN SDUG BSNGAL JI SNYED PA DE KUN RANG BDE 'DOD LAS BYUNG 130 MANG DU BSHAD LTA CI ZHIG DGOS BYIS PA RANG GI DON BYED DANG THUB PA GZHAN GYI DON MDZAD PA 'DI GNYIS KYI NI KHYAD PAR LTOS 131 BDAG BDE GZHAN GYI SDUG BSNGAL DAG YANG DAG BRJE BA MA BYAS NA SANGS RGYAS NYID DU MI 'GRUB CING 'KHOR BA NA YANG BDE BA MED 132 'JIG RTEN PHA ROL PHAR ZHOG GI BRAN G-YOG LAS MI BYED PA DANG RJE DPON RBAN PA MI STER BA'I TSE 'DI'I DON YANG 'GRUB MI 'GYUR 133 MTHONG DANG MA MTHONG BDE 'GRUB PA'I PHUN SUM BDE SKYID YONGS BOR ZHING GZHAN LA SDUG BSNGAL BYAS PA'I RGYUS RMONGS PAS SDUG BSNGAL MI BZAD LEN

293

Gelek Rimpoche

134 'JIG RTEN DAG NA 'TSE BA GANG YOD DANG 'JIGS DANG SDUG BSNGAL JI SNYED YOD GYUR PA DE KUN BDAG TU 'DZIN PA LAS BYUNG NA 'DRE CHEN DES KO BDAG LA CI ZHIG BYA 135 BDAG NYID YONGS SU MA BTANG NA SDUG BSNGAL SPANG BAR MI NUS TE JI LTAR ME NI MA BTANG NA SREG PA SPONG BAR MI NUS BZHAN 136 DE LTAR BDAG GNOD ZHI BA DANG GZHAN GYI SDUG BSNGAL ZHI BYA'I PHYIR BDAG NYID GZHAN LA GTANG BYA DANG GZHAN RNAMS BDAG BZHIN GZUNG BAR BYA 137 BDAG NI GZHAN GYI DBANG GYUR CES YID KHYOD NGES PAR SHES GYIS LA SEMS CAN KUN DON MA GTOGS PAR DA NI KHYOD KYIS GZHAN MI BSAM 138 GZHAN DBANG MIG LA SOGS PA YIS RANG DON SGRUB PAR RIGS MA YIN DE DON MIG LA SOGS PA YIS DE LA LOG PAR BYA MI RIGS 139 DES NA SEMS CAN GTZOR BYA STE BDAG GI LUS LA CI MTHONG BA DE DANG DE NI PHROGS NAS KYANG GZHAN DAG LA NI PHAN PAR SPYOD 140 DMAN SOGS BDAG TU BYAS PA DANG GZHAN NYID DU NI BDAG BYAS NAS RNAM RTOG MED PA'I SEMS KYIS SU PHRAG DOG 'GRAN DANG NGA RGYAL BSGOM 141 'DI NI BKUR BYAS BDAG NI MIN 'DI BZHIN BDAG GIS MA RNYED CING 'DI NI BSTOD BYAS BDAG LA SMOD 'DI BDE BA DAG NI SDUG BSNGAL LA

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142 BDAG NI LAS RNAMS BYED PA DANG 'DI NI BDE BA NYID DU GNAS 'DI NI 'JIG RTEN LA CHE DANG BDAG DMAN YON TAN MED PAR GRAG

143 YON TAN MED PAS CI ZHIG BYA BDAG KUN YON TANLDAN PA NYID GANG BAS 'DI DMAN DE YOD CING GANG BAS BDAG MCHOG DE YANG YOD 144 TSUL KHRIMS LTA BA GUD SOGS NI NYON MONGS STOBS KYIS BDAG DBANG MIN CI NUS BDAG NI GSO DGOS TE GNOD PA'ANG BDAG GIS DANG DU BLANG 145 'ON TE BDAG 'DI'I GSO BYA MIN CI PHYIR BDAG LA BRNYAS PA BYED BDAG LA DE YI YON TAN GYIS CI BYA 'DI BDAG YON TAN CAN

146 NGAN 'GRO GDUG PA'I KHAR GNAS PA 'GRO LA SNYING RJE MED PAR 'DI PHYIR LA YON TAN RLOM PA YIS MKHAS PA DAG LA BDO BAR 'DOD

147 BDAG DANG MNYAM LA BLTAS NAS NI GANG GIS RANG NYID LHAG BYA'I PHYIR DAG GI RNYED DANG BKUR STI NI RTZOD PA YIS KYANG NGES PAR BSGRUB

148 CI NAS BDAG GI YON TAN NI 'JIG RTEN KUN LA BSAL BA DANG GZHAN YANG 'DI YI YON TAN GANG SUS KYANG THOS PAR MI 'GYUR BYA

149 BDAG GI SKYON YANG SBA BYA ZHING BDAG NI MCHOD 'GYUR 'DI LA MIN BDAG DENG RNYED PA LEGS RNYED CING BDAG NI BKUR 'GYUR 'DI LA MIN

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150 'DI NI MA RUNGS BYAS PA LA YUN RING BDAG NI DGA' BAS LTA 'GRO BA KUN GYI BZHAD GAD DANG PHAN TSUN SMOD PA DAG TU BYA 151 NYON MONGS 'DI YANG BDAG DANG NI LHAN CIG TU NI 'GRAN CES GRAG 'DI DAG THOS DANG SHES RAB BAM GZUGS RIGS NOR GYIS MNYAM MAM CI 152 DE LTAR KUN LA BSGRAGS PA YI BDAG GI YON TAN THOS NAS NI SPU LDANG DGA' BA SKYE GYUR PA'I BDE SKYID LA NI YONGS SU SPYOD 153 CI STE 'DI LA RNYED YOD KYANG GAL TE NGA YI LAS BYED NA 'DI LA 'TSO BA TZAM BYIN NAS BDAG GI STOBS KYIS DE BLANG BYA 154 'DI NI BDE LAS NYAMS BYA ZHING BDAG GI GNOD DANG RTAG SBYAR BYA 'DI YIS BRGYA PHRAG THAMS CAD DU 'KHOR BAR BDAG LA GNOD PA BYAS 155 YID KHYOD RANG DON BYED 'DOD PAS BSKAL PA GRANGS MED 'DAS GYUR KYANG NGAL BA CHEN PO DE LTA BUR KHYOD KYIS SDUG BSNGAL 'BA' ZHIG BSGRUBS 156 DE LTAR NGES PAR GZHAN DAG GI DON LA RAB TU 'JUG GYIS DANG THUB PA'I BKA' NI MI SLU BAS DE YI YON TAN PHYIS MTHONG 'GYUR 157 GAL TE KHYOD KYIS SNGA DUS SU LAS 'DI BYAS PAR GYUR NA NI SANGS RGYAS PHUN SUM BDE MIN PA GNAS SKABS 'DI 'DRAR 'GYUR MI SRID

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158 DE BAS 'DI LTAR GZHAN DAG GI KHU BA KHRAG GI THIGS PA LA KHYOD KYIS NGAR 'DZIN BYAS PA LTAR DE BZHIN GZHAN LA'ANG GOMS PAR GYIS 159 GZHAN GYI RTOG CHEN BYAS NAS NI BDAG GI LUS LA CI SNANG BA DE DANG DE NYID PHROGS BYAS NAS KHYOD KYIS GZHAN LA PHAN PA SPYOD 160 BDAG SKYID GZHAN NI MI SKYID LA BDAG MTHO GZHAN NI DMA' BA DANG BDAG NI PHAN BYED GZHAN MIN ZHES BDAG LA PHRAG DOG CIS MI BYED 161 BDAG NI BDE DANG BRAL GYIS TE GZHAN GYI SDUG BSNGAL BDAG LA SBYOR GANG TSE 'DI NI CI BYED CES BDAG GI SKYON LA BRTAG PAR GYIS 162 GZHAN GYIS NYES PA BYAS PA YANG RANG GI SKYON DU BSGYUR BYOS LA BDAG GI NYES PA CHUNG BYAS KYANG SKYE BO MANG LA RAB TU SHOGS 163 GZHAN GYI GRAGS PA LUG BRJOD PAS RANG GI GRAGS PA ZIL GYIS NON BDAG NI BRAN GYI THA MA LTAR DON RNAMS KUN LA BKOL BAR GYIS 164 'DI NI SKYON CAN RANG BZHIN TE GLO BUR YON TAN CHAS MI BSTOD 'DI YI YON TAN CI NAS KYANG 'GAS KYANG MI SHES DE LTAR GYIS 165 MDOR NA BDAG GI DON GYI PHYIR KHYOD KYIS GZHAN LA GNOD BYAS GANG GNOD DE SEMS CAN DON GYI PHYIR BDAG NYID LA NI 'BAB PAR GYIS

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166 'DI NI GNYA' DRAG 'GYUR TSUL DU SHED BSKYED PAR NI MI BYA STE BAG MA GSAR BA'I TSUL BZHIN DU NGO TSA 'JIGS DANG BSDAMS TE BZHAG

167 DE BYA DE LTAR GNAS BYA ZHING DE LTAR KHYOD KYIS MI BYA BA DE LTAR 'DI NI DBANG BYA STE DE LAS 'DAS NA TSAR GCAD BYA 168 'ON TE DE LTAR GDAMS KYANG NI SEMS KHYOD DE LTAR MI BYED NA KHYOD LA NYES PA KUN BSTEN PAS KHYOD NYID TSAR GCAD BYA BAR ZAD 169 KHYOD KYIS KHO BO GAR BRLAG PA'I SNGON GYI DUS DE GZHAN YIN TE NGAS MTHONG NGA KHYOD GANG DU 'GRO KHYOD KYI DREGS PA KUN GZHOM BYA 170 DA DUNG BDAG LA RANG GI DON YOD SNYAM SEMS PA DE DOR CIG BDAG GIS GZHAN LA KHYOD BTZONG GIS SKYO BAR MA SEMS ZHO SHA PHUL 171 GAL TE BAG MED GYUR NAS KHYOD SEMS CAN RNAMS LA MA BYIN NA KHYOD KYIS KHO BO DMYAL BA YI SRUNG MA RNAMS LA BYIN DU NGES 172 DE LTAR KHYOD KYIS RE LTA ZHIG KHO BO BYIN PAS YUN RINGS SDUG NGA NI KHON RNAMS DRAN BYAS TE KHYOD KYIS RANG DON SEMS PA GZHOM 173 DE STE BDAG NI DGA' 'DOD NA RANG LA BDAG GIS DGAR MI BYA DE STE BDAG NI BSRUNG 'DOD NA GZHAN DAG RTAG TU BSRUNG BAR BYA

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174 JI LTA JI LTAR LUS 'DI NI YONGS SU SKYONG BAR BYED GYUR PA DE LTA DE LTAR SHIN TU NI BZE RE CAN GYUR NYID DU LTUNG 175 DE LTAR LHUNG BA DE YI YANG 'DOD PA SA 'DI THAMS CAD KYIS RDZOGS PAR NUS PA YOD MIN NA DE YI 'DOD PA SUS BYED NUS 176 NUS MED 'DOD PA NYON MONGS DANG BSAM PA NYAMS PA'ANG SKYE BAR 'GYUR GANG ZHIG KUN LA LTOS MED PA DE YI PHUN TSOGS ZAD MI SHES 177 DE BAS LUS KYI 'DOD PA NI 'PHEL PHYIR SKABS DBYE MI BYA STE GANG ZHIG YID 'ONG MI 'DZIN PA DE NI DNGOS PO BZANG PO YIN 178 THA MAR THAL BA'I MTHAR GTUGS SHING MI G-YO GZHAN GYIS BSKYOD BYA BA MI GTZANG GZUGS NI MI BZAD PA 'DI LA CI PHYIR BDAG TU 'DZIN 179 GSON NAM YANG NA SHI YANG BLA'I BDAG LA 'KHRUL 'KHOR 'DIS CI BYA BONG SOGS 'DI KHYAD CI YOD NA KYI HUD NGA RGYAL SEL MI BYED 180 LUS KYI KHA TA BYAS PA YIS DON MED SDUG BSNGAL NYER BSAGS NAS RJES SU CHAGS DANG KHONG KHRO BA SHING MTSUNGS 'DI LA CI ZHIG BYA 181 BDAG GIS 'DI LTAR BSKYANGS PA'AM BYA RGOD SOGS KYIS ZOS KYANG RUNG CHAGS MED ZHE SDANG YOD MIN NA CI STE DE LA CHAGS PAR BYED

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Gelek Rimpoche

182 GANG ZHIG SMOD PAS KHRO BA DANG GANG ZHIG BSTOD PAS MGU 'GYUR BA GAL TE DE NYID SHES MED NA BDAG GIS GANG GI NGAL BA BYAS 183 GANG ZHIG LUS 'DI 'DOD 'GYUR BA DE DANG BDAG BSHES YIN ZHE NA THAMS CAD RANG GI LUS 'DOD PAS DE LA BDAG GO CIS MI DGA 184 DE BAS BDAG GIS CHAGS MED PAR 'GRO LA PHAN PHYIR LUS GTANG BYA DES NA 'DI LA NYES MANG YANG LAS KYI SPYAD BZHIN GZUNG BAR BYA 185 DE BAS PHYIS PA'I SPYOD PAS CHOG BDAG GIS MKHAS PA'I RJES BSNYAGS TE BAG YOD GTAM NI DRAN BYAS NAS GNYID DANG RMUGS PA BZLOG PAR BYA 186 RGYAL SRAS THUGS RJE CHE RNAMS LTAR RIGS PA'I SRAN NI GZUGS BYA STE NYIN MTSAN PHYAD PAR MA 'BAD NA BDAG GI SDUG BSNGAL NAM MTHAR PHYIN 187 DE BAS SGRIB PA BSAL BA'I PHYIR LOG PA'I LAM LAS SEMS BLAN TE YANG DAG DMIGS LA RTAG PAR YANG BDAG GIS MNYAM PAR GZHAG PAR BYA

BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA'I SPYOD PA LA 'JUG PA LAS BSAM GTAN BSTAN PA ZHES BYA BA STE LE'U BRGYAD PA'O

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Appendix II Annotated Bibliography

English Translations (from either the original Sanskrit or the Tibetan translation): Santideva. The Bodhicaryavatara. Translated with introduction and notes by Kate Crosby and Andrew Skilton. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996. Translated from the San- skrit with footnotes on where the Sanskrit and Tibetan texts differ. Includes an introduction on Shantideva and his world by Paul Williams. Santideva. A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Translated from the Sanskrit and Tibetan by Vesna A. Wallace and B. Alan Wallace. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publ. 1997. Shantideva. A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Translated by Stephen Batchlor. Dharamsala, India: Library of Ti- betan Works and Archives, 1979. Reprints 1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1998. This is the translation that Gelek Rinpoche uses in this commentary. Shantideva. Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life: How to Enjoy a Life of Great Meaning and Altruism. Translat- ed from Tibetan to English by Neil Elliott and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Glen Spey, New York: Tharpa Publica- tions, 2002. A new translation that appear succinct, done under the supervision of a learned geshe. Shantideva. The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhi- charyavatara. Translated from the Tibetan by the Padma-

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kara Translation Group. Boston: Shambhala, 1997. A very beautiful and poetic translation. Commentaries: Kelsang Gyatso, Geshe. Meaningful to Behold: The Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Tharpa Publications, 1980, fourth edition 1994. This is a detailed commentary on Shantideva’s Bodhisattva- charyavatara. It does not include a separate translation but has the translation interwoven in the commentary. Kyabje Trijang Rimpoche checked the Tibetan text of this commentary. Roach, Geshe Michael, Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Part I, II and III; Course X, XI and XII. New York: The Asian Classics Institute, no date given. These courses include tapes of Michael Roach’s lecture commentary on selected verses, plus study materials taken from traditional Tibetan sources. Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama. A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night: A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Translated from the Tibetan by the Padmakara Transla- tion Group. Boston: Shambhala, 1994. The Dalai Lama’s commentary on selected verses of the Bodhisattvacharyavatara. Tenzin Gyatso, The Dalai Lama of Tibet. Transcendent Wis- dom: A Teaching on the Wisdom Section of Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Translated, edited and annotated by B. Alan Wallace. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications, 1988, second edition 1994. The Dalai Lama’s commentary on the ninth chapter of the Bodhi- sattvacharyavatara. Wisdom: Two Buddhist Commentaries on the Ninth Chapter of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara (Khendchen Kunzang Palden, The Nectar of Manjushri’s Speech. Minyak Kunzang Sonam, The Brilliant Torch.) Translated from the Tibetan by the Padmakara Translation Group. Peyzac-le-Moustier, France: Padmakara, 1993

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Notes

1 These teachings are available in the Jewel Heart transcript GOM: A Course in Meditation, by Gelek Rimpoche. 2 zhi gnas 3 Other translations of zhi ne are calm abiding, quiescent tranquility and mental quiescence. 4 mnyam par bzhag pa 5 sgom 6 Two additional commentary have been published: by Geshe Yeshe Tobden, The Way of Awakening: A commentary on Shantideva’s Bodhi- charyavatara, Wisdom Publications, 2005, and by Pema Chödrön, No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva, Shambhala, 2005. Other commentaries exist for Chapter 9, the chapter on wisdom. 7 The word Rimpoche translates as quietness, wen pa (dben pa), is also translated as solitude or isolation 8 rnam rtog 9 Rimpoche translates lhak tong (lhag mthong) as specially seeing, while in the verse it is translated as superior insight. 10 so so’i skye bo .This term is used in verse 10. In verse 9, the word is chi pa (byis pa) which Rimpoche discusses below. 11 Rimpoche often uses the term ‘superior persons’ to refer to Aryas, those who have attained the path of seeing. 12 byis pa 13 shin sbyangs 14 Sometimes translated as ‘faith.’ 15 See Rimpoche’s transcript GOM. 16 Snow Lion Publ. 1992. 17 1905--1951 18 1903 – 1951. Referring to the dictionary he composed. 19 Literally non-attachment, chak pa me pa (chags pa med pa).

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20 mang du thos pa 21 Cremation grounds are probably was Shantideva was visualizing here. 22 snang ba ban bun 23 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 24 ‘khor ba 25 khor ‘das 26 sang rgyas 27 dbyig gnyen 28 las las ‘jig rten sna tshogs skyes 29 An alternate translation for this verse by the Padmakara translation group: Some, as the fruits of their ambition, Have their bodies slashed, impaled on pointed stakes.Some are wounded, run through by the lance, While some are put to death by fire. 30 dben pa 31 Gelek Rimpoche, Lojong, Training of the Mind in Eight Verses. 2000. Commen- tary on Mind Training based on the root text by Langri Tangpa. Gelek Rimpoche, Lojong, Training of the Mind in Seven Points. 2000. Commentary on the Mind Training based on the root text by Geshe Chekawa. 32 For the text of this verse, see p. 206. 33 See below. 34 See p. 217 35 Verses 141-146 focus on jealousy or envy, verses 147-150 on competitiveness, and verse 151-154 on self importance or looking down on others. 36 Though the translator uses he or him, the Tibetan pronoun doesn’t not indicate gender, so Rimpoche uses ‘This one.’ 37 A quotation from Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamakakrika. Roughly translated: For those for whom emptiness is possible, everything is possible. For those for whom emptiness is not possible, nothing becomes possible. 38 Americans do talk about putting oneself in another person’s shoes. 39 Alternative translation for this verse: Therefore, I will never allow / The desires of the body to increase / A person who has no attachment to attractive objects / Will find contentment – the best of all possessions. GKG 40 See also Gelek Rimpoche’s transcript Lojong: Training of the Mind in Seven Points, in the section Nine bullets to shoot at ego, under the discussion of ‘Put all blames into one.’ 41 Rimpoche is referring to points from the 7 point mind training. 42 See Rimpoche’s transcript, GOM. 43 For these teachings, see Gelek Rimpoche’s transcript GOM. 44 In verse 57 of the Jewel Heart translation.

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About Gelek Rimpoche

Born in Lhasa, Tibet, Kyabje Gehlek Rimpoche was recog- nized as an incarnate lama at the age of four. Carefully tutored by Tibet’s greatest living masters, he received specialized individual teaching at Drepung Monastery, the nation’s largest monastery. In 1959, Gehlek Rimpoche was among those forced into exile, fleeing the Communist Chinese who had occupied Tibet since 1951. While in India, Rimpoche as a member of a group of sixteen monks, was chosen to continue specific studies with the great masters who had escaped Tibet, including the Dalai Lama’s personal tutors. At the age of twenty-five, Rimpoche gave up monastic life. In the mid-70’s, Gehlek Rimpoche was encouraged by his teachers to begin teaching in English. Since that time he has gained a large following throughout the world. Coming to the U.S. in the mid-80’s, Rimpoche later moved to Ann Arbor, MI and in 1987 founded Jewel Heart, an organization dedicated to the preservation of Tibet- an culture and Buddhism. Today, Jewel Heart has chapters throughout the U.S. and in Malaysia, Singapore and the Nether- lands. A member of the last generation of lamas to be born and fully educated in Tibet, Gehlek Rimpoche is particularly distinguished for his understanding of contemporary society and his skill as a teacher of Buddhism in the West. He is now an American citizen. Gehlek Rimpoche’s first book, the national bestseller, Good Life, Good Death, was published in 2001

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About Jewel Heart

Jewel Heart is an educational and cultural center whose doors are open to all. Its purpose is to transmit the essence of Tibetan Bud- dhism in an authentic and accessible form. Jewel Heart provides guidance and practical methods to anyone interested in spiritual development, as well as to those who wish to follow the traditional Buddhist path. The name Jewel Heart was chosen to represent the organization because the heart is the essence of the human being, and the jewel something of great value – considered precious. Through embracing the preciousness of our life and developing our qualities, inner peace will grow, and our actions will be influenced by compassionate concern for others. It is to this end that Jewel Heart dedicated its efforts. The Jewel Heart logo contains three graphic elements: the spin- ning jewel wheel, the lotus, and the flame. The central wheel symbolizes the three jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The Buddha represents our potential for enlightenment. The Dharma is the spiritual development within each individual. The Sangha is the community of those individuals, who have developed wisdom, act as guides. In nature, the lotus rises from the mud, yet remains pure. Similarly, we are capable of rising above ordinary conceptions and putting love and compassion into action in daily life. The flame that sur- rounds the jewel wheel represents the fire of wisdom, consuming all obstacles and bringing insight. JEWEL HEART Chapters are to be found:  USA: in Ann Arbor, Chicago, Cleveland OH, Lincoln NE, New York and San Francisco.  The Netherlands: Nijmegen, Den Bosch, Tilburg, Arnhem, Utrecht.  Malaysia: in Kuala Lumpur, Gerik and Panang, and in Muar.  Singapore JEWEL HEART P.O BOX 7933 ANN ARBOR, MI 48107 www.jewelheart.org

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Jewel Heart Transcripts

1. Gelek Rimpoche. Ganden Lha Gyema; The hundreds of deities of the land of Joy.* 1991, revised 1999. A commentary on guru yoga in the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa. 2. Gelek Rimpoche. Karma; actions and their consequenses. 1991; revised 2004 half-size format. An introduction to the concept of karma and how to deal with it in daily life. 3. Gelek Rimpoche. Love and Compassion. 1992; revised 1997 The altruistic mind and the Six Perfections 4. Denma Lochö Rimpoche. The Wheel of Existence. 1992; revised 2004 half- size format. Explanation of the cyclic nature of existence following from ignorance and neurotic patterns. 5. Gelek Rimpoche. Six-session Guru Yoga.* 1 992; 3rd and extended edition 2003. The guru yoga as a requirement for the practice of Highest Yoga Tantra 6. Gelek Rimpoche. Self and Selflessness. 1993; third edition 1998 The nature of the Self in Buddhist philosophy 7. Gelek Rimpoche, Lam Rim Teachings; teachings 1987-1991, 4 volumes. 1993; revised 2005. Comprehensive teachings on the Graduated Path to Enlightenment in the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa. 8. Gelek Rimpoche, Transforming Negativity into Positive living. 1994, half-seize format 2004. Practical advice on how to deal with negative emotions in daily life 9. Gelek Rimpoche, The Three Principles of the Path by Je Tsongkhapa,1994; revised 2003, 2004. Detailed Commentary on the Three Principles of the Path: Determination to be free; Altruism, the Perfect View 10. Gelek Rimpoche, The Three Principles of the Path – a Concise Commentary; 2006. Totallly renewed edition in half-size format of the 1995 Three Prin- ciples. 11. Gelek Rimpoche, Healing and Selfhealing through Tara.* 1996; revised and extended edition 1999. Healing practices based on the deity Tara, a manifestation of the active aspect of the compassion of all enlightened beings 12. Gelek Rimpoche, Three Main Short Vajrayana practices.* 1997; 2nd and extended edition 1999. Commentaries on: Six session yoga, Short sadhana of Solitary Hero Yamantaka, Short sadhana of Vajrayogini.

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13. Gelek Rimpoche, Guru Devotion: How to integrate the primordial mind.* 1997, revised, extended edition 2003. Commentary Lama Chöpa –Offering to the Spiritual Master. 14. Gelek Rimpoche, Solitary Yamantaka teachings on the generation stage.* 1997; 2nd edition 1998. Comprehensive commentary on the Generation Stage of the Solitary Hero Vajrabhairava, including reviews and discussions. 15. Gelek Rimpoche, Odyssey to Freedom; in sixty-four steps. 1998; 2nd edition 2001; revisionextension in action. The Graduated Path to Enlighten- ment in easy-to-practice form. 16. Gelek Rimpoche, The Perfection of Wisdom Mantra. 1998. The Perfection of Wisdom Mantra and the Five Paths of the Mahayana 17. Tarab Tulku, Nearness to Oneself and Openness to the World. 1999. 4 Selected topics. 18. Gelek Rimpoche, Lojong, Training of the Mind in Eight Verses. 2000. Com- mentary on Mind Training based on the root text by Langri Tangpa. 19. Gelek Rimpoche, Lojong, Training of the Mind in Seven Points. 2000. Com- mentary on the Mind Training based on the root text by Geshe Cheka- wa. 20. Gelek Rimpoche, Vajrayogini Teachings* 2000; 3rd revised and extended edition 2003-05. Comprehensive commentary on the Generation stage of Vajrayogini. 21. Gelek Rimpoche, Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Chap- ter-volumes 1-8, 2000-2011. Detailed Verse by Verse Commentary on Shantideva’s Famous Work 22. Gelek Rimpoche, The Practice of the Triumphant Ma. 1996, revised edition 2002, half-size format 2004. Healing practices based on the Deity Tara, a manifestation of the active aspect of compassion of all enlightened beings. This transcript can be read by the general public, no requirement of an initiation. 23. Gelek Rimpoche. Ganden Lha Gyema; The hundreds of deities of the land of Joy. 1991, revised 2002. Guru-yoga practice for general public. No initiation requirement. 24. Tarab Tulku, Unity in Duality; the inter-determinate nature of all that exists. 2003. 25. Gelek Rimpoche, GOM – A Course in Meditation. 2005. An essential guide for developing profound realization. One of the most thorough transcripts available on concentrated mediation 26. Gelek Rimpoche, SEM – The Nature of Mind. 2005. 27. Gelek Rimpoche, The Four Mindfullnesses. 2007.

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28. Gelek Rimpoche, Cittamani Tara – Extensive Commentary*. Cittamani Tara, as the highest yoga tantra form of Tara, empowers us to reach enlightenment within this very body, this very life. 2008 29. Gelek Rimpoche, The Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truths is the basis of all the Buddha's teaching. Gelek Rimpoche’s eloquent and prag- matic approach sheds fresh light on applying these teaching to daily life. 30. Gelek Rimpoche, The Wheel of Sharp Weapons, 2010. Commentary on the Mind Training [Lojong], based on the root text attributed to Dhar- marakshita, one of the teachers of Atisha.

* Must have Highest Yoga Tantra Initiation to read. To be able to understand them properly, it is important that you receive a Highest

Yoga Tantra initiation from a qualified teacher

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