Affiliated with the FPMT

Day Fourteen
Tuesday, 19th November
6 pm

Just a short talk on the benefits and purpose of taking this one day ordination. According to the story, in the first meditation course, the ordination was taken on only one day, the last day. The first course was, I think, fifteen or ten days long. The subject or the book was only seven pages for the first course, because there wasn’t a plan before that to such a course, so it was started all of a sudden. The European student called Zina—she has many different names but this was one of her names—she asked to do the meditation course. For a long time I refused, because I was not capable and had no knowledge, but however she insisted so many times and so afterwards I asked Lama Yeshe and he said, “If it will be beneficial, it is alright to do.” So just being crazy all of a sudden we started the meditation course! Somehow the plan started like this. After one meditation course was done then the plan was set up according to people’s needs. Then starting from the second course people have been taking ordination the last two weeks. It was considered that besides doing meditation and understanding a little bit of Dharma, that if the people took this one day ordination it would be a very practical thing. Besides just meditating and receiving, understanding a little bit about Dharma, at the same time some practical action or positive karma is created, which can definitely benefit all sentient beings. Some practical thing that makes life meaningful. Perhaps people coming here, people attending the course are not sure whether they will be always in a meditation course or whether they will always create some pure action, some beneficial pure action, or whether they will find the chance to create such beneficial pure action in their life before death. So somehow during the meditation course while the teaching is going on, while people are meditating, if this ordination can be taken, if the person has taken this ordination this one day somehow his life is not completely empty, even if after he leaves the course, he has no chance to meditate or think of Dharma, or any chance to create any virtuous action. Even if he is continuously creating negative karma. However, that person who this ordination even for one day, by being in the meditation course, when the person dies his life is not completely empty, not completely empty of virtuous action, not completely empty of positive karma. Even taking the ordination one day, he could make his life meaningful—somehow he has created the cause to achieve everlasting happiness, the boundless state of samsara, or enlightenment. Somehow in that life the person has definitely created the cause that will definitely bring the result of again receiving the human rebirth, and practicing Dharma. So that’s how the life is not really empty.

You heard in the afternoon the notes from the other course explaining the benefits of the precepts. It was read this afternoon so it is not necessary to talk so much. Each person may have understood some benefits of taking this ordination. Somehow each person may have understood something that has meaning—that this action or practice has some meaning that benefits the life. However, generally like this. One easy thing is that as we have just finished that part of the meditation on the great difficulty of receiving the perfect human rebirth, as we have just discussed how it is difficult to create the cause of the perfect human rebirth, morality and charity, so you can check on those. Then you can understand that it has meaning, even though you don’t have the wisdom to check in the wider way, the deeper way—for instance, most of the lower suffering beings in their lifetimes continuously create negative karma, not disciplining the speech, body, and mind, so after finishing the period of that karma again they are reborn in the evil destinies, again they suffer. As this is caused by previous karma so always it just circles around like this. Born there, dies there, born and dying there like this. They don’t find the chance to be born in the upper realms, they don’t find the chance to receive a happy rebirth for a long time. It takes eons and eons to receive a happy rebirth. The whole thing is this. To create the cause, morality, totally disciplining the speech, body, and mind is extremely difficult. Observing morality is an impossible thing for those suffering beings. These suffering beings, such as animals, can do many things like human beings do, such as killing. They are very wise in killing each other, killing other animals. For instance, how wise the cat is in killing the mouse, hiding if it makes a noise or something. Then when the mouse comes out it grabs it. Also the cat, this dumb animal, has that much political method—it is a politician, it knows how to kill the mouse. How to make its life happy, it knows that much. Not only this, many wild animals are very clever—tigers, many other animals are so clever, in order to kill other animals, in order to get food.

For instance, the spider. The spider also has the method to make his life happy by killing other insects, by putting the web around them. Then he hides or stays in the center or in the corner, then as fly comes on top of the web, and if it moves all of a sudden he comes down and eats it. He has a method to make his life happy, killing other insects. He has that method. If a person is going to, without having anything, a person cannot do that.

However, killing for human beings is nothing special. What I mean by giving the example of the insects, how they are wise in make this one life happy by cheating other animals, killing other animals, what I mean is that harming other beings, killing other beings is nothing special—killing one’s enemy is nothing that is special to human beings. Cheating is also nothing special to human being. Even those creatures are so wise in cheating others. Also they can tell lies. If you touch some insects they pretend they are dead—some insects are so wise. After a few minutes they try to move. For a long time they keep still, like a piece of stick or something. Making war is also not a special action of human beings because even animals can make war. Even dogs have partisanship, different groups, fighting each other. Animals also do this. Ants also know how to make war—with so many groups they attack other ants, other animals. So none of those actions are special for human beings.

Let’s take sexual intercourse. This precept is one of the most heavy ones, it is kind of a shock especially for Westerners. However, even non-human beings, big animals, even the tiniest creatures that we find hard to see engage in sexual intercourse, they know this very well. They do this without being taught. Look at the flies, look at all the creatures. This is nothing special for human beings, nothing special, not a higher action than an animal’s. Even the lower creatures do this—it is nothing special for human beings.

For instance, making the body look beautiful by putting on different colors, things like this, as it comes in the precepts. We look at butterflies and many other animals with so many different colors that look beautiful, like peacocks. However, physically looking beautiful, there is still no special meaning for the human life. Artificially making special, there is nothing special for the human life.

The human action has to be higher than those suffering beings’ actions, so keeping the precepts, taking ordination, is not something that these lower suffering beings can do. This is something that human beings are capable of doing and this is a special action, a higher action than human being can do. Disciplining speech, body, and mind is the purpose for which we were born as human beings this time. This is the action that gives meaning to the human life. To create good karma, to gradually get close to enlightenment in order to benefit other sentient beings. This is the higher action. If you do this, this is the higher action. This is the special action of human beings. Having interest in this is more worthwhile than having interest in those other negative actions that non-human beings can do. However, briefly talking, just briefly talking. [Peepee bell sounded] I will continue but people who have to peepee please release the trouble.

Student: Is it possible to make sexual action higher of higher understanding?
Rinpoche: There can be specific things. Just the action doesn’t make it negative, it depends on the mind.

The purpose of explaining this, making this emphasis, is just a general explanation to have general understanding. Especially in the hope that it can help you keep the precepts purely during these two weeks. I don’t mean that you should keep these precepts for your whole lifetime. It is your choice whatever you want to do with your life. Whatever life you want to have, to be, whether you want the life to be a white life, a black life, or a red life, whatever it is. I am just joking! However, it is in your hands. Generally, also practicing Dharma is also in your hands. Your mind is not in my hands, your mind is within your body. So it is your choice. I am not holding your mind. So there is no need to worry! It is silly to be scared. I do not have even that much strength. You can see by looking at my body! I can’t hold even my mind.

Generally the purpose of explaining these things is especially to help you during the short period of keeping the precepts, only two weeks. Not one month, not one year—but if you can keep these precepts even one week, two weeks purely, it is greatly worthwhile. Then you made your life worthwhile, as you were born as a human being you made your human life worthwhile, as you took this human rebirth. Generally it is like this. There are eight precepts in total. The main discipline is not the actions of speech and body but the main discipline is of the mind. If the creator, the mind that produces the action of mind, produces the action of speech, produces the action of body, if this creator is negative, all those other actions become negative. If this creator is positive, no matter what the action is, the action of speech, the physical action, it becomes positive. So it is like a radio dial that you wind to find different stations, just like this. Mind is like this. Generally with Dharma, those actions that are not mixed with the evil thought of the worldly Dharmas, they mainly depend on mind and not so much on the speech, the way the action looks. For instance, such as telling lies—even the action is created by the positive mind. Same thing with the action of the physical body. Such as telling lies, for example like this. If the police are checking her, wanting to kill her, and let’s say she is hiding somewhere, then if I meet the police and they ask me, and I pretend, talk about another subject, “Today I went to Kathmandu, I am so tired,” telling how beautiful it is or how busy it is. Talking round, going round. That action is not mainly for the happiness of my life—it is mainly concerned with her, to save her life. These things become positive actions. Saying she has gone somewhere else or something. Also in terms of killing, taking others life, sexual intercourse, and other actions, there is a way for them to become positive actions if the creator, the mind, is completely pure of the evil thought of the worldly Dharmas that is attached to the happiness of this life. At least there has to be that positive mind. Generally for instance, like this. If the positive mind, the creator, the level of that mind, has that much knowledge, as the level of that mind is higher, the positive action done by that positive mind can be that beneficial.

For instance, when Guru Shakyamuni was a bodhisattva, he was on a ship sailing to get jewels from the Pacific. On that ship there were five hundred traders, business people, and one man called Minadur Dungen. Guru Shakyamuni realized this person was planning to kill these five hundred people in the ship. He thought that if he let that person kill all these five hundred people he would create such heavy negative karma and also the five hundred people would suffer. Therefore he thought it was worthwhile to experience the suffering of killing that one person instead. Guru Shakyamuni he couldn’t stand—it is not just like this, but perhaps people may get a wrong understanding.

If there is a dog coming, and another dog coming, and some other dogs attack them, and with kind of a partial mind you get angry with one dog and kill it in order to save the other dog’s life, that is wrong. This is not what happened with Guru Shakyamuni. Usually people have partial compassion, thinking they like this, don’t like this. But Guru Shakyamuni couldn’t stand the negative karma that the person was going to create by killing five hundred people—he had incredible compassion for that person—he didn’t want him to create that karma and suffer for many hundreds of eons. Just like this, another simple way of saying. He felt incredible compassion for the other person, not wanting him to suffer, not wanting him to experience the suffering result, the negative karma. He was concerned with the other person as if it were him, not wanting to him to suffer, not wanting to experience the suffering result, the negative karma. He was concerned with the other person as if it were him. Saying concerned, we are so much concerned with ourselves. We think, “This is the most important thing, I am the most important thing.” With this thought we are only concerned with ourselves. But Guru Shakyamuni was only concerned with the other person, just like we are concerned with ourselves. Such incredible compassion also with these five hundred traders. So with this incredible bodhicitta, this Mahayana compassion he preferred to experience suffering in the narak realms by killing him, thinking, “I don’t care. As long as others don’t experience suffering. If I have to experience it I am just one person.”

Student: Does that mean Guru Shakyamuni can stop negative karma?

Guru Shakyamuni can help to stop negative karma, otherwise what’s the purpose of the teachings?
So anyway, this is going quite far. Instead of this action becoming a negative action, negative karma, it becomes a positive karma, it becomes cause of happiness. It saved five hundred other people and it saved the person creating that much negative karma. He didn’t have to experience the suffering result in samsara. That action made him be 100,000 eons less in samsara. Instead of it becoming a negative action it became a beneficial action.

Also, there was one girl who had such strong attachment for sexual intercourse, and she couldn’t find any man. So she tried to commit suicide—this was in one of Maitreya’s lives when he was taking the form of bodhisattva. Maitreya couldn’t stand the negative karma that the woman was going to create—her creating that much negative karma was unbearable for Maitreya, due to his infinite compassion. Just like Guru Shakyamuni felt with this person. So in order to save her from creating such heavy negative karma, from committing suicide and not experiencing that suffering result for such a long period, with bodhicitta that takes care of others more than oneself, making others dear, giving up oneself, with this bodhicitta, he felt incredible, unbearable towards the negative karma that she was going to create. So Maitreya spent twelve years with this girl, and then again took the form of living the life in discipline. This action that is done with the bodhicitta giving oneself and taking more care of others made the period he spent in samsara 40,000 eons less.

So you see like this, according to the positive mind, the action that looks negative can become positive. Besides the thought going in the Dharma, not mixed with the evil thought, especially living in the renounced thought like bodhicitta, the actions becomes such great beneficial actions, such big purification—they becomes the quick cause, the quick method to receive enlightenment. Especially in the Vajrayana, this bodhicitta has to be developed higher. This mind living in the realization of bodhicitta has to be developed higher. With that higher realization, through Vajrayana practice, the person can transform, can make every action positive. Even though the action looks negative as I explained before, even though it looks like a negative action, with that special technique, that level of realization, this action that looks like a negative action becomes such profound method, the quickest method to receive enlightenment, like this.

Usually some Westerners do like this. Instead of developing inside, they try to act, they do just the physical action, just pretending, the physical performance—pretending they are sort of a yogi, a great meditator, wearing all sorts of clothes, their hair in different shapes, trying to act like they see in tangkas, trying to act like the yogis. This only makes more confusion; nothing helps. So generally it is like this.

Generally in our lifetime we should try to make any action as positive as possible. We should try to make it pure. Whatever it is—whether it is meditation or whether it is just a general daily life action. Like I have just explained giving examples, stories, there is no question why we can’t do it. Why we can’t gain the same perfection by similar actions. By developing inside the mind. It is like this. Just briefly talking ending up the conversation. Let’s say there are eight precepts, then just to make clear—if the opposite action of the eight precepts is done with a negative mind, with ignorance, greed, or hatred, it is a negative karma—the eight other eight other negative actions. If you don’t take the precepts there are eight negative actions. For instance, if each of these actions are not disciplined, not stopped, the person creates that much different negative karma. Then it still depends on how much the person creates in the day. So as the person has created each of these it brings the suffering result. If the person is born in the upper realm, the suffering realm, whatever, sometimes it is possible to experience in this lifetime. This brings rebirth in the suffering realm and again much suffering has to be experienced even for the person born in the upper realm. Like this. So if the person doesn’t observe the eight precepts for one week, as the person has done the negative actions, that much negative karma is created. If it is not observed in two weeks, if the person does these negative actions, that much negative karma is created. So much negative karma is created by not disciplining speech, body, and mind, not living in discipline. That much suffering result is already definite to be experienced, as the karma is created. Definitely in time. As the person observed that number of precepts in one day, keeping the eight precepts, that protects the person, causing the person to purify even the karma created in other lifetimes, negative karma, it becomes purification of even previous negative karma. Besides that, at this present time it protects the person from creating each negative action. In that way keeping the eight precepts makes the person not experience the suffering result of each of these negative actions. At the same time as the person lives in discipline, these eight precepts definitely help. Besides purifying previous karma, besides stopping the creation of negative actions, besides stopping the future suffering results that will be experienced in this or other lifetimes, besides stopping these, the precepts do not allow the person to bring up the negative mind. They protect the person away from bringing up the negative mind. So at the same time as the person has taken precepts, the mind lives in discipline and it helps the mind to not be confused. Why? Because it stops the negative mind that makes the mind confused, that is itself confused. So keeping the mind away from the negative mind is the instant benefit of the precepts. As long as the person is living in the discipline, the mind is living in the discipline.

This is just talking about one day, but if the person keeps them for one week, two weeks, that many incredible benefits are created. That much suffering result of negative karma is stopped, the person doesn’t have to experience it, that much purification of previous negative karma is done. So this is just to have some clear idea.

Then also one thing, a simple thing. In order to receive the boundless state of samsara, of suffering, the everlasting happiness, it is necessary to realize shunyata, absolute nature. That depends on having concentration, and having concentration depends on morality. Just like this.

For instance, if the water if it is dirty we cannot see what is underneath, we cannot see through it. If it is shaking also we can’t see through it clearly. In order to see underneath clearly, the water first of all has to be clean and then it has to be calm. Just like this, in order to realize the mind nature, the absolute nature of oneself, in order to clearly see this, it is necessary to have concentration and a mind that is not distracted. It is necessary to have concentration, and not be distracted by other hindrances—to be able to control the mind away from hindrances, agitation, and sluggishness, many things like this. Having concentration depends on controlling the mental scattering thoughts and the mental hindrances. Controlling them, we have control of the mind. The mind can be straight, the mind can be calm and kept straight. Also, with this concentration it is very easy to realize shunyata. So therefore in order to control the mind, to not be distracted by mental agitation, it is necessary to keep the body, speech, and mind clean. Mainly the mind—clean or pure. How? From the negative actions of speech, body, and mind, like this. Not disciplining the negative actions of speech, body, and mind is like dirty water, and the mind not being controlled, always distracted, is like water moving so much that we cannot see through it, like not seeing the mind nature. Discipline is very useful for mind control and especially to realize the mind nature, and that is useful for achieving enlightenment.

I think that’s all. I think fifteen minutes late, I am sorry. Supper is late!

DEDICATION

Then as you get up tomorrow morning, I think it will start at five am., instead of feeling, “How boring it is, I don’t want to get up and take ordination,” instead of feeling like this, which only make you exhausted, doesn’t help other people or yourself, think, “I am not sure when my death will happen, when it will come, not sure. Whether it will be today or tomorrow, not sure. Even after this life, suffering is not ceased, but continuously has to be experienced in samsara. Besides that I have to release from samsara, from the boundaries of suffering and ignorance and remember that there are numberless other sentient beings suffering in samsara, in the boundaries of suffering. Due to delusion and karma, numberless sentient beings are in incredible suffering, suffering more than me. I am so happy now not having many problems having food to eat, clothes to put on, having choice in what I want to do. So many sentient beings, numberless sentient beings, are in incredible suffering, not knowing how day or night goes.” Even human beings on the earth, besides other sentient beings, remember other sentient beings’ suffering.

Then think, as the compassion rises by thinking of other beings’ suffering, “How can I benefit them? The best way it is to achieve enlightenment. By achieving enlightenment I can release them from all suffering and lead them into enlightenment. Therefore in order to receive enlightenment I need purification, I have to observe karma, morality—therefore I am going to take ordination.” Like this it is very simple. Think like this as you come to take ordination, your mind very happy, not tired, exhausted, not bored, getting up early in the morning and taking ordination with happiness, with rejoicefulness. If you spontaneously think like this, also during the day your mind will be joyful, you will see yourself as meaningful and beneficial for other sentient beings. Thinking like this is the perfect arrangement in your mind for taking ordination.

Day Fifteen
Wednesday, 20th November
Precepts

In order for the action of taking ordination to become a Dharma action, it is necessary that it be possessed by the pure thought that goes in the Dharma. Besides that, for the action of taking ordination to become the cause of enlightenment, it is necessary that it be possessed by the pure thought of bodhicitta. Therefore it is necessary to briefly think like this. “Myself and all sentient beings have been suffering generally in samsara, particularly in the suffering realms, from beginningless samsaric lifetime. Myself and all sentient beings are still not released from samsara. If I really think about how much I have been suffering, how long I have been suffering in samsara, the boundaries of the suffering, the numberless times I have been suffering in the evil destinies, the numberless times I was born as a preta and suffered, the numberless times I was born as an animal and suffered, the numberless times I was born in the narak realms and suffered—it is unbearable thinking how much and how long I have been suffering in these different realms. It is something now I should be exhausted of, tired of according to the numberless times spent experiencing different suffering in the realms from beginningless time. According to that, I should already have the renounced mind of samsara. Because of the ignorance not knowing all these past experiences, I am still continuously creating the cause of samsara. Besides that much suffering that I have experienced from beginningless previous lifetimes, as long as I follow the wrong conception that thinks of dependent things as independent and impermanent things as permanent and believes in the impurities as pure, such as one’s own body and what the body contains, as long as I follow these wrong conceptions I will have to experience suffering in samsara endlessly, again circling round.”

If you think of all the future suffering, if you really know all the future suffering that each person will have to experience in different samsaric realms according to the karma that has been collected from previous lifetimes until now, the suffering result that we will have to experience in samsara is something that will have to be experienced for a long time, for unimaginable numbers of eons. It is something that we cannot guess, imagine—the end of the suffering caused by previous karma; it is something that we cannot guess, imagine. According to this, all the different types of suffering that will have to be experienced by me, according to this, by checking this, it is such an unbearable thing. Just relaxing and doing some meaningless action without working on something in order to stop experiencing all these future sufferings, it is an incredible thing, such an unbearable thing that makes you unable even to fall asleep, to eat, or to relax. Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, before he entered the path and received enlightenment, was also an ordinary person like us. By having met the Mahayana guru and having kept the Mahayana ordination of eight precepts, he received enlightenment and enlightened numberless other sentient beings. Just like he did, also we have the possibility to do.

“Releasing just myself from the boundaries of suffering samsara and receiving everlasting happiness is not enough, is not sufficient. All sentient beings are the field from which I receive all my past happiness and they are field from which also I receive all my present happiness and they are field from which I will receive my future happiness, and also they are field from which I receive all my realizations including enlightenment. At the beginning of the path I have to depend on the help of sentient beings, in the middle of the path I have to depend on the help of sentient beings, and even at the end of the path I have to depend on the help and kindness of sentient beings.

“Most sentient beings are extremely suffering, not having the Dharma wisdom to fully see what is to be practiced and what is to be avoided, what is positive and what is negative action. Not knowing what is the cause of actual happiness and what is the cause of actual suffering. Not having met the Dharma, not having met the Mahayana guru to lead them on the path to enlightenment, continuously suffering, creating karma with ignorance. So as in this specific time I have received a perfect human rebirth and have met the Mahayana teaching, and have also met the teacher explaining the path, and have a little bit wisdom to understand what is to be practiced, what is to be avoided, what is the cause of happiness, what is the cause of suffering—therefore I am responsible, as I have such a precious chance, I am responsible for releasing all the suffering sentient beings from suffering and leading them to enlightenment.

“Who has that capability to enlighten all sentient beings by releasing them from suffering? For instance, now, myself, now I don’t have that capability. Who has that capability? Only the Buddha has that capability, that perfect power. Therefore I must achieve enlightenment first. In order to achieve enlightenment I must complete the whole realization of the graduated path. Completing the whole realization of the graduated path depends on disciplining the speech and body. That depends on disciplining the mind. So the whole thing including enlightenment depends on disciplining the mind.

“Therefore I am going to take the Mahayana ordination until tomorrow morning, sunrise.”

Then you do the visualization with feeling. Purifying the way you see the ordinary person granting the ordination, visualize that person as Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, in the form of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, surrounded by numberless other buddhas and bodhisattvas. Then in their presence think, “I am taking the ordination.” Then you repeat as I say the prayer. If it is uncomfortable or painful then you don’t have to kneel down. Receiving ordination does not depend on how the person keeps the legs.

PRAYER

When I say “dag ming,” after that you mention your name, which means—you may have understood yesterday by reading—”As previous buddhas observed the ordination in order to make sentient beings receive enlightenment to stop all the epidemic disease, to stop all the famine problems, and to release all sentient beings from suffering and benefit them, I, called such and such, also will observe ordination for that reason.” So totally it means this.

At the end of the third repetition when I say, “yang dag par lang war gyi o,” then think, while you are visualizing the holy object of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha surrounded by numberless buddhas and bodhisattvas, think, “In their presence I have received perfect, pure ordination.” Visualize the ordination in the form of light and from your head down to your feet, each atom of your body is all filled up with light. Think, “Now I have fully received the ordination.”

Also repeat the prayer of the precepts thinking, “As previous tathagatas, the buddhas, observed the precepts, I will observe also the precepts until tomorrow morning only for the sake of other sentient beings.” In the depth of your mind think, “I am going to take these precepts, remembering the numberless sentient beings, thinking of the numberless other sentient beings’ sufferings.”

PRAYER OF PRECEPTS

When I say ----- then you have to answer -----. Also repeat the mantra that revives the broken precepts, and to be able to keep the precepts purely.

MANTRA

Repeat also this, the last prayer and dedication.

PRAYER AND DEDICATION

Think, “Due to the merits of taking ordination may I be successful according to the meaning of the prayer.” Also think, “Due to the past and present merits of taking ordination and also future merits, may I achieve enlightenment quickly in order to enlighten all sentient beings by thinking of myself as empty of independence and the merit that is dedicated for sentient beings as empty of independence, and also all sentient beings and enlightenment as empty of independence.”

Then make three prostrations. Also visualize Guru Shakyamuni Buddha.

Only two or three words. Since we took ordination, precepts, the most important thing during the day is to remember the number of the precepts frequently. It is very easy to break the precepts because the mind is unconscious of the action and unthinking—the mind is not used to being conscious of the actions. We are not accustomed, not trained, not disciplined, so therefore it is new thing, and it is easy to forget it. Therefore, the method is trying to remember frequently—this helps to not break the precepts, makes the mind conscious of the actions of speech, body, and mind. The most important thing is, instead of feeling as if you are in the prison, sort of complete control or something, instead of suffering by thinking this, it is necessary to remember that you motivated for sentient beings. Think, “I have a great responsibility now, I have taken great responsibility—I have made the vow to keep the precepts only for the sake of other sentient beings, for each sentient being, including all the human beings, animals—all suffering beings. The whole country, all my friends, enemies, everything. I have a great responsibility as I have made this vow.” That is keeping the precepts in order to receive enlightenment for the sake of sentient beings and also cause sentient beings to release from suffering and receive enlightenment for each sentient being, the sentient beings that you see here, even just around here, the people even that you see here, even each of the persons here, the sentient beings here that we see, we have made the vow to keep the precepts for each of the sentient beings. So this is a big responsibility.

Usually the people who work in one country, like the President, which has a certain number of million people is recognized as so important, having great responsibility. However, as we took the precepts, as we made the vow to keep the precepts of speech, body, and mind for each sentient being, this is the greatest responsibility, this is the most pure work. That’s the best help for sentient beings, because in this way it brings enlightenment, it quickly brings peace to sentient beings. This is the correct way, this is the actual cause. So remembering this responsibility that you took on during the vow for each sentient being, whether you care about Buddha or not, because Buddha you don’t see, as you have made the vow for each sentient being, by thinking of that responsibility and thinking of sentient beings’ suffering, which are greater than your suffering, this can help you also to generate compassion. Compassion makes you keep the percepts purely, not break them, not be lazy. Even in the day, as you see each person, animal, insect, and thing, be conscious, thinking, “I am working for them, I am keeping precepts for them, in order to release them from suffering and help them reach enlightenment.” This is very helpful. Also when you can see that you are working for each sentient being, you see yourself as meaningful, and in this way make your mind happy.

9 am

From the holy speech of the great bodhisattva Tenzin Gyaltsen, “The moon of the mind is bodhicitta, the sun of the mind is bodhicitta, the jewel of the mind is bodhicitta, the nectar of the mind is also bodhicitta. As the external rising moon cools and dispels the darkness, the moon of our mind that cools mental suffering and dispels mental darkness is bodhicitta.”

Mental darkness is the ignorance not knowing the nature and karma. Just like the sun that stops the cold and makes plants and crops grow, the sun of the mind that stops cold suffering and makes the virtuous crops, which means the realizations from the beginning of the graduated path down to the end, enlightenment, is bodhicitta. The jewel of the mind is bodhicitta. The meaning of jewel—usually jewels means the wish-fulfilling jewel, if you have that jewel whatever you think of, you can receive. Just like this the jewel of the mind that brings all samsaric happiness, the happiness of nirvana, the boundless state of suffering, the most sublime happiness of enlightenment, all the happiness of the jewel of the mind that brings all the happiness including the happiness that the person receives as the person feels hot, just even an air passing through, feeling cool, including even that small pleasure—the jewel of the mind brings all these happinesses. The jewel of the mind that brings all this happiness is bodhicitta.

The nectar of the mind is bodhicitta. The meaning is this—nectar is usually the best medicine to cure physical and mental sufferings and give bliss. The nectar of the mind cures all the mind disease, all the delusions. That nectar of the mind is bodhicitta.

All these things—sun, moon, jewels, nectars—all these examples are given in order to figure out the benefits of bodhicitta. In order to understand the knowledge of bodhicitta. However, even in these examples there is nothing to compare to the knowledge and benefits of bodhicitta, because the benefits and the knowledge of this sun, moon, nectar, and material jewels are so limited according to the knowledge and benefits of bodhicitta. They cannot function as bodhicitta can function. They don’t have all the benefits, all the value that bodhicitta has.

However, as this is the best method to cure all suffering, it is worthwhile, as we have the chance this time, to try to train the mind in this pure thought of bodhicitta. It is necessary to start it this moment. Also it is necessary to cultivate such pure thought in order for the action of listening to Dharma to become a cause of enlightenment. Therefore think, “I must achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all mother sentient beings. For this reason I must complete the whole realization of the graduated path. Therefore I am going to listen to the teaching on the graduated path.” However, in the depth of mind feel, “I am going to do this for the sake of other sentient beings.” At there is the feeling like that in the depth of mind, it is pure.

The listening subject is the Mahayana teaching that leads the fortunate person to enlightenment. This was well expounded by the great philosophers Nagarjuna and Asanga. It is a profound teaching, the essence of the great pandits Atisha and Guru Tsongkhapa’s understanding of the teaching. It includes the 84,000 teachings shown by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. All these teachings are set up for the practice of one person’ achievement of enlightenment.

This commentary on the graduated path has four outlines. In order to show reference, the knowledge of the author. In order to bring up devotion, the knowledge of the teachings. The way of listening to and explaining the teaching, and the way of leading the disciple on the path to enlightenment. The last one has two—the way of following the guru who is the root of the path and the way of training the mind on the graduated path. The way of training the mind on the graduated path has two—persuading the mind to take the essence with the perfect human rebirth and the way of taking the essence with the perfect human rebirth. The way of taking the essence with the perfect human rebirth is divided into three—the method, the way of taking the essence with the perfect human rebirth—the graduated path of the lower being, the graduated path of the middle being, and the graduated path of the higher being. First the graduated path of the lower being, which has two –seeking a better future life and following the method for the happiness of the future life. Bringing up the desire to seek the better future life has two outlines also—remembering the shortness of the human life and death and thinking of the happy rebirth or the suffering rebirth.

Part of this meditation at this time is remembering the shortness of the human life and death. Generally it is like this. Many times also in other previous lifetimes we met the teaching, and even though we were born in a place where there was Dharma existing, we didn’t follow it, and even though we believed in the Dharma, had devotion in the Dharma, we didn’t practice. The reason we are not released from samsara, the reason we are still living in samsara, is mainly due to not remembering death. It is not because we never got teachings from beginningless previous lifetimes until now, it is not because of that. It is because of not remembering the shortness of life and not actually realizing the nature of the suffering death. Therefore also other realization, such as receiving bodhicitta, such as realizing the mind nature, such as receiving the fully renounced mind of samsara, have been stopped. That’s why we are not released from samsara yet. All these realizations are based on remembering the shortness of life and death.

For instance, like this. Those who have read the Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s twelve events may know a little bit, but however you see, at the very beginning when Guru Shakyamuni received enlightenment under the bodhi tree, that was through fully realizing the absolute nature, bodhicitta, and the renounced mind of samsara, besides many other realizations of the six paramitas, the five paths, and the ten grounds. He received all these realizations including enlightenment and after he was enlightened he gave sermons, Dharma sermons, gave teachings to numberless other sentient beings and led them on the path. What caused it, what made him follow the path, and have all these realizations, all these beneficial actions? At first, it started by the realization of death and impermanent life. He descended and was conceived in his mother’s womb and then took the princely life. Then he took the form of getting married, and while he was in the palace there were four gates, one gate on each side, and he saw different suffering examples through each gate. Through one gate he saw an old man who couldn’t walk, but had to rely on sticks. Due to this event he discovered suffering nature. After that, through one door he saw a dead man carried by people. Due to this, he realized death, discovered the nature of suffering death. So like this. Through each gate he saw a different suffering example, and met a different event. Seeing each example he discovered the suffering nature. This was the very first cause.

Many students have stories of what caused them to come to the Dharma, what made them find interest, to understand Dharma, to read Dharma course. Each person has his own story, different story. Some say that they found certain books and that’s how they got interested in understanding Buddhadharma. Some people read Lobsang Rampa’s books. Anyway, there are different stories. Some say because my friend was very happy with what he is doing, the methods, the teaching, and what he understood was helping him very much. Each person has a different story. Some have the story that in the West there is nothing new to learn, no method for the mind problems. Going to the University, learning different subjects going to Church, whatever different subjects are learned do not solve the life problem. They say as they read Dharma books, as they read the teaching explained by Buddha, they find different methods. People have different stories.

The very first cause, the very first thing that made Guru Shakyamuni achieve all these realizations, receiving enlightenment and helping numberless other sentient beings—was always caused by this realization. The realization of the suffering nature, the shortness of life and death.

Not only Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, but also all those great yogis who achieved enlightenment in their lifetime also started from this realization—such as Milarepa, who also did his first meditation on this subject. His not having fear of the death, his having complete control over the death, and not having fear of any other suffering, all this happened due to this realization. For instance, Milarepa said in his teaching, “I was scared of death and escaped to the mountain. I have realized the nature of the mind which is emptiness—now even when death comes, I have no upset, no worry.” His having complete control over death and his fears by realizing his mind nature was mainly caused by having the realization of the shortness and impermanence of life and the death. Generally it is like this, this is important. If the person doesn’t remember death, the person doesn’t remember Dharma, the practice of Dharma. The person who doesn’t remember death doesn’t have worry, he is not concerned about anything—such as the suffering that comes after death. That’s how he doesn’t remember to practice Dharma. So his life just passes doing meaningless actions. If one doesn’t remember death even though one remembers Dharma, the person cannot practice, he can’t find the time to do it. He thinks, “Practicing Dharma is not urgent, I can do it later on after several years or months.” The mind feels that the practice of Dharma is not so urgent, not so important, and that what is more important is the temporal works that bring reputation, food, clothing, and material things. The mind thinking this is more important. In the depth of the person’s mind there is the feeling like this. This is more important than the Dharma, so the person puts off Dharma to do this afterwards, and that’s how person doesn’t find time to practice Dharma. This is also due to not remembering death.

Then third, if one doesn’t remember death, even though one tries to practice Dharma, one can’t purely practice Dharma. How? Because even though the person tries to practice Dharma, the mental hindrances come, the evil thought of the worldly Dharmas come, and that makes that person’s practice impure. As this evil thought arise, they make the person’s practice impure.

For instance, when some students go back to the West, then to show that they know meditation, something they learned from the East, they try to sit with crossed legs, eyes closed, not moving. Even though they try to think of the meditation subject, the mind not just blank, they try to think something, they have a little bit of the wish to practice Dharma, but then at that specific time this evil thought that expects the reputation, that is attached to the happiness of this life, at that time this evil thought comes. Because this evil thought that expects reputation arises, the practice of that Dharma, that meditation doesn’t become pure, because his motivation is mixed with this evil thought. In order to make that practice pure, what method is missing? What caused the practice to become impure, the evil thought to arise? Mainly, not remembering death. If they remember death there is no way for the evil thought expecting reputation, attached to the happiness of this life, to arise; it doesn’t come. Because this method is missing, not remembering death, the evil thought has found the chance to come to disturb the person’s practice. This is a very important point.

Usually by remembering death, I don’t mean just saying, “Of course I won’t last, of course I will die after some time.” This idea everybody has is not sufficient, it doesn’t mean just this. In order to make the practice pure, the way of remembering death is mainly thinking that the actual time of death is indefinite. Perhaps I may die today, tomorrow, thinking in the short time, perhaps I may die after a few hours. It is necessary to bring up the thought, “I may die today.” This thought is necessary. If this person’s meditation or practice does not become pure Dharma, it is mainly because of not remembering death like this. Not thinking, “I will die today, perhaps I may die today,” the evil thought attached to the happiness of this life comes. It is like this. It is scientific, the way of benefiting, the way this is done, thinking, “I may die today,” doubting, how this thought helps to keep the mind and practice pure—this is a real thing that definitely helps. Not just believing, this is something that definitely works. If that person has this thought, as this thought rises in the mind, he finds, “I am not sure, perhaps I may die today, so what’s the purpose or meaning of my expecting reputation. There is no purpose.” The person doesn’t find purpose. The person doesn’t find purpose for having reputation for these things. The person doesn’t find much purpose to work in order to gain happiness for this life because it is such short time. As the person doesn’t find purpose, meaning, the attachment doesn’t arise. It doesn’t come, doesn’t come, there is no interest, it doesn’t come. So bringing up this thought definitely stops the evil thought of the worldly Dharmas from rising. So now you see, the person who doesn’t have any of this evil thought, that person’s mind is pure. He is only concerned with what will come after death, not concerned with this short period, how to make this short period of several hours happy, he has no interest. He is concerned with this. The person’s work and methods are mainly done for that, so that’s how his practice becomes pure. It is a psychological thing. Actually this is the best psychology in order to stop the mind disease that we can learn from the teaching on the graduated path. Usually psychologists, those who have limited knowledge, don’t really have methods to stop attachment. This is our biggest problem and they believe that without attachment the life cannot exist.

So what is necessary to have in order for the daily life meditations, to keep the daily life practice pure? The most instant method, the most practical powerful method that you can easily discover, use, is this thought thinking, “Perhaps I may die today.” If this thought arises, there is no question, no doubt that it can definitely stop the attachment. Besides attachment, even anger and pride—many types of negative mind, because the person who thinks that the arising of such negative mind has no worth, no meaning. So what is necessary in order to purely practice Dharma, in order for the daily life actions to become pure, such as practicing meditations, whatever it is, in order for those to become the pure, is to continuously to keep this thought and be conscious—this is always useful. This is what is missing.

What betrays, what cheats the person, what makes the person be controlled by attachment, controlled by the negative mind? What makes the person be easily controlled by the evil thought of the worldly Dharmas? The opposite thought that thinks, “I am not going to die today,” which definitely believes, intuitively thinks, spontaneously feels, “I am not going to die today,” every morning once you are born. Every morning when you get up all the time you are continuously thinking, “I am not going to die today, I am going to live.” This our experience. If you think now, it is our experience. It is there, it is not something you can buy from Kathmandu. It is something you have to get from the book. If you check up it is there.

Because of this thought arising, you don’t care, and as this thought comes, the thought of the Dharma doesn’t come. The thought objecting to the evil thought of the worldly Dharmas doesn’t come. Even though the person is trying to do something, some positive action, trying to meditate or something, it is very easy for the person to be controlled by the evil thought. First of all the person may think, “I should do something,” and then he starts meditation, maybe reads book, says prayers, somehow something. Then somehow while the person is not checking his mind, being unconscious, the evil thought comes just like this. Just like a robber coming to steal things from the house.

(BREAK)

Bringing up the thought thinking that, “I may die today” for a few days, then forgetting, is not enough. To be able continuously and purely practice the Dharma it is necessary to have this method continuously. Then because of this method you keep the practice continuously and purely. Otherwise, like some people, after the course, they heard a little bit of teaching, and all of a sudden they leave, go to the mountains, go somewhere as if they are completely absorbing somewhere, then after a month, two months, they come back to the same situation, then afterwards there is not so much feeling with the Dharma, the mind is not in the same position as it was before. Then there is not so much thought of doing meditation, things like this. Sometimes you keep the life so tight, sometimes over-relaxed—this is not really a wise method, not being skillful with the life. Also even though the person knows the words, he doesn’t use his mind, and they don’t become the medicine to cure his mind disease, the negative mind. That kind of thing, doing that for a short time as the person just heard the teaching with a temporal emotion, then trying to do something, even not eating food, doing this and that, cutting off so many things. Then afterwards because the person has not that much skill and is not so wise in the method, doesn’t know the method to carry on, again it comes down. So like this. In this way it is good that one month, even a short period, he is trying something—it is good but that is not a skillful method, not a method to bring realization quickly. It doesn’t really help to complete the practice of meditations. So if this thought continuously arises, the practice of Dharma continuously comes. Also not only this, not only Dharma, but because of not bringing up these thoughts that I may die today, the person creates so much negative karma in the lifetime. Because of not rising this thought, they think, “I don’t care about creating any heavy negative karma.” Then also because of not having these thoughts, at death time the person has to die with such great upset, great worry, without understanding, without being capable of using the method, even though he learned the method. It is good to understand these benefits. Remembering this has great meaning—the person who achieves the complete practice of the graduated path of the lower, middle, and higher Being, all of this realization can be completed by remembering this, due to this realization. It has great meaning. Also remembering death and impermanent life is really a very powerful method. Just like a hammer to mash, cut the stones in pieces, just like the hammer, very powerful.

Also one thing, once one understands this it is easy to use, not difficult to understand the subject, not like shunyata, not like other meditations. The subject is not profound, it is easy, it is something you can easily discover, you can experience right away. By not thinking of how the negative mind comes, how it disturbs you, thinking of this thought helps—it is something one can easily experience, an effect one can easily receive right away. It is a very simple method, but so powerful, so effective. Actually this psychological method and all the weapons of the countries, on this earth, in these days the atomic bomb—if you compare the power of the atomic bomb and this psychological method, this way of meditation, there is nothing to compare. The atomic bomb cannot stop attachment, but this meditation has the incredible power to stop the attachment right away, to control it right away. Just like this, for instance, I think some people were asking two or three days ago—if I am with the family what to do, how to stop the attachment? I think someone asked. Whether there is attachment to the parents, husband, wife, children, or possessions, as we discover strong attachment rising then we should think, “This is the attachment that keeps me in the boundaries of suffering.” It is good to think this. There is not so much understanding in the mind so there is not really that much feeling. If the person really knows how attachment is suffering, the cause of the boundaries of suffering, just by thinking this he can control attachment. But for us now at the beginning it is difficult. Thinking like this is useful. Then thinking, “I may die today or tomorrow, it is not sure that I can definitely exist, definitely live, it is not sure how many hours my life will last.” Think that the actual time of death is indefinite. Then think that it is more definite that death will occur than existence. Before you think, not sure, but the second time you think it is more definite that death will occur than existence. So if you think especially about the second one, it is very powerful. At the same time that you think this with feeling, you can see you won’t exist here all the time, just only for a short period. Therefore why should you be attached to this person? There is no reason, no interest. If you were going to be with this person all the time, permanently, that would be something else. So therefore there is no reason for attachment to arise. At the same time when you think, you first think, you are not sure, but the second time think that it is more definite that death will occur than existence. At the same time that you think this, you see the short period of life, and attachment automatically gets lost, goes down, just like the wind in the balloon. When you take off the knot that was tying that, all of a sudden the balloon goes down. Anyway, just to express this feeling, like this the attachment is lost all of a sudden. Especially anger, pride—this is useful, very useful. Generally attachment is more difficult to control than other negative minds, for example anger, but of course it depends on the individual. Each person has a different problem, some have more problems with anger, some with attachment, some with pride. However, especially with anger this is extremely helpful. Because even though I exist, I live for a long time, there is still no use in getting angry. Even if I live permanently, it doesn’t bring peace to my mind. It only makes the mind confused and violent. Even though I live forever, there is no use for anger. So definitely it is not sure that I am going to live for ever, or whether death is going to happen today—I am not sure that it will happen today. So there is no point in getting angry, better to not get angry. As the person thinks this all of a sudden the anger will get lost, becomes less, just like hot water in a pot, then you put cold water—all of a sudden it relaxes. Just like this. All of a sudden you change—by thinking this even one minute, you change, you become a different person. Same thing with pride, remembering this makes you completely control all the delusions, that much this powerful, strong. Especially at the beginning of Dharma practice it is very useful. Even while the person is following path, this is very useful. Even at the end this realization always helps.

For instance, Guru Shakyamuni Buddha gave teaching to numberless other sentient beings living in the path was due to this realization, so even at the end it is very helpful. Before I said not remembering this makes the person create so much negative karma, and now by remembering the benefits, it always helps the person to not create negative karma and to create positive karma. Before, not remembering that makes them worry, have much suffering at death time, and by remembering this even if death happens, due to this realization or remembrance, the mind is happy at the death time, relaxed and happy, the person dies with such a happy mind. So according to the practitioner like this. Those who purely practice Dharma in this lifetime, those meditators who have made a deeper practice at death time, for them it is like going back home, like going to a beautiful park for a picnic.

So second, a little bit lower than that, even though they can’t spend their whole life in pure Dharma practice, they create so much merit, make so much purification, even though there is no high realization, so much purification is done, so much merit collected, that when they die they have no worry at death time—the mind is relaxed, there is no upset mind. Somehow the mind is so relaxed and somehow there is security in the mind thinking that I am not going to be born in the suffering realm. Somehow there is security that that person will receive a better rebirth, there is a feeling of security in the mind. No doubt, not so much worry, doubt, like this. The happy death is caused by this realization, by this remembrance.

Death is definite, then nothing can stop death, even if there is karma that can make the life longer, spontaneously it becomes decayed, it stops, and also the life passes without having the chance to practice Dharma, just like this. Half the life finishes by sleep and rest, most of the time passes in distraction, so just like this, life passes without having the chance to practice Dharma. Because of all these reasons, death is definite, and the actual time of death is indefinite. Generally life in the world, in this specific world, nothing is definite, there is no such exact life. Thinking like this, of indefinite life, beings who are in this world having indefinite life, thinking like this. Some die while in their mother’s womb without having the chance to come out. Some die just after the baby comes out of the mother’s womb, they die without having the chance to grow. Some die when they are babies without having the chance to grow older, like this. Also whatever plan the person has, whatever plans different people have, they die without having the chance to finish them.

For instance, more examples. It is useful to think of more examples. For instance, some tourists come from the West and without having the chance to go back home they die. Also people in schools plan to finish the course, but without having time to finish the course, the University, they die. Some people get a salary after a certain month, and with the expectation of that salary, they work, but without having chance to get it, that $100, I don’t know how much, without having the chance to get it, they die. There are many examples. Some go from their homes but they have the definite belief, plan to come back. Going shopping, things like this. By accidents, by car, they die without having the chance to come back home. Some people go to the movies without having the chance to come back—they die. There are so many examples proving the actual time of death is indefinite. Some people buy apartments, beautiful apartments, the whole building is beautiful, just making it ready to enjoy with flowers, paintings, many things, then just at the time they are ready to enjoy, the person dies. All of a sudden something happens, the life finishes without having the chance to enjoy that beautiful thing that you put lot of energy into, like this. Some people make so many arrangements in the house, so many clothes to wear at different times, in summer, winter, special days. Then even they buy the clothes, they have made a definite plan like this from their mind but without having the time to put them on, without having the time to have the experience of wearing them, life passes. Some people also, while they are eating, without having time to finish food on the plate, they die There have been many, I am not joking. Some people, while eating meat, the bone goes inside and they die without finishing a small quantity of food on the plate. A few years ago in India one army leader died from eating fish. The bone went inside and he died. Many other people. Also many people go on expeditions and without having time to come down and go home, they die on the mountain due to an avalanche or other conditions. Like the army, they have arrangements to come home and do things but without having the chance to come back they die. Even the person who has collected so much money in the bank, without having the chance to use it by himself, without having time, his life passes. Also some people make arrangements for weddings. They have made definite plans to enjoy life, they make lots of children. But some even die just before the festival—they have been making arrangements for that but without having time to enjoy the festival, the wedding, they die.

For instance, one example of a man called Dawa Tragpa. He worked as a servant for a family, and after a long time working, maybe a year, a month, he saved up a quantity of wheat from his work. He had a big sack of wheat from working for a long time. He collected all this wheat. Then he came back to his home with this big sack of wheat. He had so many idea coming, “Now I am very rich, I have big sack of wheat.” He thought, “Now I can enjoy life, I should have a wife, I should get married. Then after I get married, I will have children. Then the child has to be named.” Then he was very concerned with what name should be given to the child. He couldn’t think of one. So after a long time the moon rose, and the light of the rays of the moon came through the window, in his room. All of a sudden he saw the moon and the light and he thought to call the child “Famous moon.” Tak.pa means far farmed, Da.wa. means moon. So Da.wa Tak.pa—Moon Famous. All of a sudden this thought came. Then he found this such beautiful, wonderful name that he was extremely happy and he couldn’t stand it, so he got up and found a long stick, and then carrying this long stick then he danced around the room. The big sack of wheat was hanging near his bed on the ceiling. As he was dancing with the stick, so happy at finding this name, the stick got stuck in the big sack of wheat. Then all of a sudden the rope broke and it fell on him and killed him. But he had made so many plans. First of all to have the wedding, then second, the child, then third, the child’s name. But his life finished without having time to get married, to make the child, or to give the name. This is just one example. There are many like this.

Some people write books and have made certain plans, and without having the time to complete writing the book, they die. Some people go to see their family, coming from their workplace or another place, and on the way by some accident, without having time to see their parents, they die. Also we can see that many patients die on the way to hospital, without having the chance to reach the hospital. And many patients in the hospital die without having the time to go home. They had plans to go home but they die in the hospital without having the time to come back home. There are many people like this. Some people at death time try to give a will, a last talk, the very last talk in this life. But they can’t even complete the will. The person begins it but cannot complete it, because there is no power to talk—the mouth gets dry at death time, they cannot even say it clearly. Very unclear words. So even without having the chance, the time to complete as the person wanted, the person dies in the middle of the talk. Also while doctors are working in the hospital for other patients, without having the time to cure those other patients, they die first, their life finishes first.

The last one is that the actual time of death is indefinite and the life of this human being in this specific world is indefinite. Like this, as I explained before, the baby time, in the mother’s womb, after that remember these examples—it doesn’t have to be exactly as I tell—you can find so many examples as you saw. This is something we always see and hear but we don’t really feel, we don’t really feel it even though we hear it. It is very useful to think like this. If you think of another person like this, dying like this without having the time to complete things as they plan, each time as you think remember the examples, the different subjects, thinking that it is possible also that this will happen to me. Not sure. As you find easy examples, like some people who came from the West, and without having the time to go back to the West, they die. Like those other persons, not sure. There is the danger that a similar thing can happen to me. As you hear, see outside that things happen to these people, take it on yourself to realize the impermanent nature of life and death. The purpose is to escape from the danger and fear of death.

Just momentarily talking, according to the temporal things that we want, without talking about enlightenment and realizations, this is what we want—not to have fear of death, danger of death. This is the method. So each time you remember and see an example, how different things happen in our lifetime, since childhood—so many things happened to other people, how many friends died so far, if you check up, so many people we know, lived with, traveled with, many people died in our life, many friends died like this. Each of them died without finishing something, without finishing their plan. A different work was not finished. So as you remember, take all these examples, thinking that this danger can happen to me. As you find each one, take it on yourself. This is very useful, more useful than just remembering the other person’s death. Like this you do meditation.

Then also you can do the meditation on the evolution of death, the different signs happening, the different elements absorbing. Read books and do the visualization as if you are in the process of death. Then try to feel it, try to see it. Also after that, follow the outlines—after the indefinite life of the human being in this specific world, after checking like this, then check everything that makes life exist, to have a longer life, to keep you healthy—even these become condition of death, causes of death. Again go through many examples like the house that was built to have a longer life, but then the person dies, gets killed by the house collapsing. There are many examples—try to remember each example. You make commentary, give a lecture to yourself.

Day Sixteen
Thursday, 21st November
Precepts

Before taking the ordination, it is necessary that the action be possessed by the pure motivation, the thought that goes in the Dharma. For the action to become the cause of enlightenment, it is necessary that it be possessed by the pure thought of bodhicitta. Therefore briefly think like this, “Myself and all other sentient beings have been experiencing the suffering of the naraks, all the different sufferings of the naraks, in numberless times from beginningless samsaric lifetimes. Also myself and all other sentient beings have been experiencing the suffering of pretas in numberless times from beginningless previous lifetime. Also myself and all other sentient beings have been experiencing the suffering of animals, all the different types of suffering of animals, numberless times from beginningless samsaric lifetimes.”

If you really remember all the experiences of your previous lifetimes, it is something that makes you feel unbearable, extremely unbearable, and if you can remember the whole experience of suffering, it is something now that you should get an extremely exhausted feeling about, that it is unbearable even to create even a negative action in the dream.

“Still I am continuously following the wrong conceptions such as attachment that is attached to the happiness of this life, the wrong conception of the self “I” and the self-cherishing thought. As long as I follow these wrong conceptions, they will cause me to suffer in samsara endlessly, again circling around as I have before. Once I have received such a perfect human rebirth, and met the method that releases from suffering and the cause of suffering, still following the wrong conceptions and creating negative karma is extremely foolish. There is no greater ignorance than this, nothing more foolish than this, no greater loss than this.”

“As Guru Shakyamuni Buddha received enlightenment and enlightened numberless other sentient beings, by having met the guru and following the eight Mahayana precepts, also did, so it is possible for me. Releasing myself alone from samsara is not sufficient, not enough. All sentient beings are the field from which I receive all my past, present, and future happiness including enlightenment. At the beginning of the Dharma practice, I have to depend on the kindness of the sentient beings. Even in the middle of the Dharma practice, I have to depend on the kindness of sentient beings. And at the end of the Dharma practice, also I have to depend on the kindness of sentient beings. Sentient beings are the principal relative. Just as in this example of the field where there are crops growing, the field where I receive my enjoyments, because I am receiving enjoyments, my food from there, the enjoyment that makes the life happy, therefore I take care of the field, I am responsible of taking care of the field, keeping it away from dangers. I am responsible for looking after it. Just like this example, I am responsible for looking after all the infinitely kind sentient beings. The best way to benefit or repay their kindness is to release from suffering and enlighten them. Who has that capability? Only Buddha has that capability. At the moment I cannot even guide myself, I cannot even solve my own problems, therefore it is necessary first of all that I achieve enlightenment in order to enlighten all sentient beings. In order to achieve enlightenment, it is necessary to discipline the body and speech. Disciplining speech and body depends on disciplining the mind. For these reasons I am going to take the Mahayana ordination and keep the precepts until tomorrow morning.”

Visualize the person granting ordination as Guru Shakyamuni Buddha surrounded by numberless other buddhas and bodhisattvas, and think that you actually taking ordination in the presence of them, and think that you are reciting the prayer that is said by Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. At the end of the third repetition of the prayer, as you have been visualizing Guru Shakyamuni Buddha surrounded by numberless buddhas and bodhisattvas, think, “In their presence I have now fully received the Mahayana ordination in the form of light,” and each atom of your body from the head down to the feet is full of light.

PRAYER

Think, “I am going to observe the precepts for one day as previous Tathagatas they followed the precepts.”

PRAYER OF THE PRECEPTS

Repeat also the mantra in order to revive the broken precepts and to be able to keep the precepts pure.

MANTRA

DEDICATION PRAYERS

Think, “Due to the merits of taking the ordination and also to other past, present, and future merits, whatever the meaning of the prayer contains, may it be successful.” Think of yourself, the creator of the merit, and enlightenment and sentient beings as empty of the independence, and dedicate also like this, “May I receive enlightenment on the basis of the realization of bodhicitta, the absolute true nature, and the fully renouncing mind of samsara in order to enlighten all mother sentient beings as quickly as possible.”

(Lama Yeshe gave lecture 9 am)

4 pm

So this morning we didn’t have to spend much time—like we did in the morning always hearing about this word “bodhicitta.” Generally we may have motivated already from the morning time but it is always worthwhile to repeat just to be careful.

“I must achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, therefore I am going to listen to the teaching on the graduated path.” It is necessary that this action be possessed with the pure thought of bodhicitta. Also, usually I repeat the outlines of the lam.drun teaching, the teaching that I received first in my life. So anyway there is a purpose to repeat the outlines and because ... generally it is like this.

Generally there is all kinds of different divisions of subjects and chapters and you can go into much detail in each subject, you can go into wider subjects. From this, there are all kinds of different commentaries on the graduated path—the great commentary written by Guru Tsongkhapa and many other different commentaries on that written by others, Guru Tsongkhapa’s disciples, other Tibetan ascetic lamas, who lived their lives in the graduated path, trained in the graduated path. There are many other commentaries written by Guru Tsongkhapa’s disciples that show the essence, makes it very easy to understand the great commentary written by Guru Tsongkhapa and other teachings, other philosophies, many other deep philosophical subjects written by the previous Indian pandits.

However, there are a different number of pages. Sometimes such as the text jang.chub lam.drun, the “Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment,” the text that explains about the graduated path to enlightenment written by the great pandit Atisha. This is only a few pages but explains the whole 84,000 teachings, it includes every teaching with nothing missing. Hinayana, Mahayana, Vajrayana, nothing is missing, as I often repeat in the outlines, nothing is missing. Even a letter “R,” just one letter “R” on the piece of paper, even the subject of this is included in this teaching of a few pages, the teaching jang.chub lam.drun written by Atisha. Fully understanding this teaching, any pieces of a letter that you see you can use ... there is a method to take the meaning of that into the path to enlightenment. That text has that much knowledge.

The subject is incredible. Extremely wide, unimaginably wide subject. Even though it is such an extensive subject, setting up the outlines makes the subject so small, very condensed, so there is no confusion in the mind. It is very easy to start, to learn, very easy to get the whole idea. It is very useful, extremely useful, not just for understanding, but also for meditation. It really gives a good method to do meditation. Setting up the outlines doesn’t cause confusion, for instance, like usually there is a book that just talks, no outlines, nothing, it just goes on and on, and then how do you meditate? After reading that, how do you meditate, how do you start, you have no method, that book doesn’t explain, doesn’t have a key. Some people read so many books, but they don’t know how to practice, how to start meditation, they don’t know how to begin. Even though they know intellectually they receive many words from that book. Partly this can be a mistake for the person, partly from his ignorance, and partly from the book. There is great meaning and purpose in going through outlines. Going through outlines you can see the whole subject that is in this teaching. It can be explained—all these 84,000 teachings that take incredible lifetimes—but also you can see the subject that these teachings contain. Through outlines you can see so clearly. This time I didn’t plan to talk about this but it just happened. Perhaps this is also useful for a person who is going to meditate on the graduated path, continuously training the mind, continuously doing the meditations, it is useful to know. Also the different outlines are a psychological method set up by Atisha and Guru Tsongkhapa. They set up these outlines, these different level of meditations according to the other person’s level of mind—how to build it up, how to develop it. This is a psychological method.

For instance, like this, simply talking. First of all like this. According to the subject, the first meditation is generally the way of following the guru who is the root of the path. That meditation comes first according to the text generally. Then the way of training the mind in the graduated path to enlightenment, that actually starts from the perfect human rebirth. By following the guru then how to train the mind in the graduated path, then after the meditations on following the guru then comes the way of training the mind in the graduated path, starting from perfect human rebirth like this. So before explaining the method on how to take the essence, if the person’s mind is not persuaded by explaining these three meditations on perfect human rebirth, the great difficulty of receiving, and the usefulness of the perfect human rebirth, even if the method is explained the person has no energy and the person may not listen. The person may not pay attention, may not take care of it—how to take the essence with this perfect human rebirth, even though it is explained. Therefore it is a psychological method, first of all persuading his mind. The method of these three meditations comes and show previously that he has received a perfect human rebirth and how useful it is.

You see, for instance, if a child found a diamond and didn’t know, and someone explained, “This is so valuable,” then he knows that it is so precious and he takes care of it, more care than of any other possession. Some people take care of their possessions more than their body, their life. He uses his body to take care of his possessions because he sees some value. He thinks about how much value that material has. Thinking this, he uses his life to take care of that possession. He uses his life and he becomes servant of the material, and he uses his life for that. He gives up his life for that material. That is because of seeing the value of that. Just like this with the perfect human rebirth, understanding the usefulness of the perfect human rebirth, and also the great difficulty of receiving the perfect human rebirth. Then after understanding this, even if the method is explained, how to take the essence, how to make this life meaningful by taking the essence, if it is explained to the person and he listens and also practices, there is a way, there is a possibility, to develop the person’s wisdom. So it doesn’t become like speaking into space, explaining Dharma in space. Somehow it becomes much more beneficial.

Then comes the way of taking the essence. The method is divided into three—the graduated path of the lower being, the graduated path of the middle being, and the graduated path of the higher being, like this. Then the graduated path of the lower being. For instance, bringing up the thought seeking a better future life and then following the method that brings happiness in the future life. Then bringing up the thought seeking a better future, which has two outlines—remembering death and the shortness of life and thinking of the suffering or happiness that comes after this life. Then for instance, now we have briefly talked about the shortness of human life and death, so according to the outline, how it is a psychological, useful method, how it is set up according to the person’s mind. For instance, after death comes the explanation of suffering, the explanation of the three suffering realms. That is to show that by creating negative karma there is such a suffering result that has to be experienced—that is to show the incredible, terrible suffering that is to be experienced by creating negative karma, that will definitely be experienced. “I created negative karma that many times, is I will have to experience all these suffering results, being born in these suffering realms.” But then what is the method? The person checks up the method, person seeks the method before death, what to do? How to stop it? How to stop the lower suffering rebirth? The method is given—refuge, the fundamental method, the essential method that saves and guides the person from the danger of suffering, from the danger of rebirth in the suffering realms. Then the explanation of refuge is given, to rely on something, refuge is mainly ... like this, since you have created such negative karma and since you are going to experience the suffering result and since you don’t like to suffer, there is perfect object of refuge that you can rely on, that has the power to guide you from suffering, those suffering rebirths. Then comes karma. So what the person should do by relying on the perfect object of refuge and how the perfect objects of refuge, the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, guide the person from suffering. Totally this is by observing karma, totally the way the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha guide the person from suffering and what the person is supposed to do by relying and taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, the main thing, is to observe karma. Just like this.

Yesterday and today we are trying to observe precepts, so just this action itself as we observe, try to observe, we are trying to observe the positive karma. Also, the following meditations are also like this, very well set up, so beneficial, so effective for the mind, the way the subjects are set up—each meditation has a combination, has relationship. Their method, Guru Tsongkhapa and Atisha, those highly realized beings who have complete mind control, their method in the written text is concerned with each sentient being who will practice it—it is incredible how their psychological method works, the way it is set up. So that’s how usually lam.drun meditations, the graduated path meditations and teachings are always so helpful and effective for the mind, for the life. As much as you hear and listen, it is always helpful for the mind. Because the whole method, the way it is set up is mainly to subdue the mind. Generally there are so many subjects scattered and separated, subjects with so many details like philosophical subjects, teachings, so many details. Of course, it mainly depends on the meditator himself, how he understands the subject and if he understands it how he uses it. According to his understanding, how he uses it. It mainly depends on that. However it is difficult for one