Teachings Before Chöd Initiation (Audio and Unedited Transcripts)

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Maitripa College, Portland, Oregon 2009 (Archive #1787)

These extracts are from a series of teachings prior to a chöd initiation given by Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Maitripa College, Portland, Oregon, in June 2009.

Listen to the audio files and read along with the unedited transcripts.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche playing the chöd damaru (drum), London, 1983. Photo: Robin Bath.
Chöd: Slaying the Ego

So anyway, so what I was saying before, I was using the different things, how to think, examine outside people, and compare yourself, then you realize how you are so fortunate, how you’re most unbelievable fortunate, amazing, most amazing. I mean, same, having nose, having ears, legs, and hands, same, but different, the mind, I mean the having met Buddhadharma, amazing.

So this, even the little practice what we did this life, wow, what it will effect, what it will effect next lives, amazing, much greater, future lives, even little Dharma what you heard, little study what you have done, of Buddha’s teachings, so in the future, wow, good rebirth, then you meet Dharma again, and you’re able to learn those teachings much easy, wow, a 100,000 times so much easy to learn the words and meanings, and to practice, and to realize, however, unbelievable makes easy next lives, even a little practice, even a little study or practice, what you have done this life, wow, that’s an incredible effect in next lives, life to life, life to life, life to life towards enlightenment, like that, that leads towards enlightenment. Just amazing. 

So basically, so saying how we are most unbelievable fortunate, the whole conclusion is that, and to really rejoice, to really rejoice and to enjoy the life, with the Dharma, with Dharma, so like that. Then get courage, develop the courage, will to, really to practice, to overcome the difficulties, that’s the mind, that’s your mind, thoughts, what you think difficulties, so one’s own mind, one’s own thought, to overcome those thoughts, those delusions, those selfish thoughts, what makes you think something difficult is the selfish, self-cherishing thought, so those delusions, so, what makes life difficult, so anyway, to overcome that. Say, what makes the practice difficult, what makes the practice difficult, by delusion, so, by one’s own thought, by one’s own mind, there’s no, so, hts, not something outside, that doesn’t allow you to practice Dharma, just a question of changing one’s own thoughts. Practicing Dharma is just a question of changing, you know, your own mind, changing, from self-cherishing thought into cherishing others, from anger, those violent, harmful mind, into loving-kindness, compassion to others, so, basically like that. Then from the painful, dissatisfied mind, the difficult mind, what makes you believe life is difficult is because of the dissatisfied mind, this dissatisfied mind, the attachment, so forth, so into satisfied mind, Dharma, the satisfied mind, the peace, inner peace, the satisfied mind, inner happiness, inner peace, the Dharma, so, like that.

So the, [pause] when we change our mind from cherishing I into cherishing others, when we change our mind, cherishing the suffering than happiness, cherishing the suffering. In the world, common people, they cherish the happiness and they renounce the suffering; dislike suffering and like happiness. So then, here, cherish the suffering, instead of cherishing happiness, instead, that’s one thing. Then, other one is, that one, especially, especially the suffering what you experience, difficulties what you’re experiencing, you see, you’re experiencing the difficulties, say, you experience the difficulties on behalf of sentient beings. You’re experiencing the difficulties on behalf of sentient beings, difficulties, or you’re experiencing the suffering or difficulties of sentient beings, of sentient beings, like that.

By thinking of the benefits of the problems, by thinking of the benefits of the problems, the sufferings, then you’re able to transform this suffering into, this way, this suffering, suffering doesn’t become obstacle; the suffering does not become suffering. By thinking of the benefits of the suffering, it doesn’t become suffering. So, it becomes happiness.

So, anyway, especially experiencing that, on behalf of all sentient beings, instead of them suffer, instead of them suffer, then you experience suffering for them. So you experience suffering of sentient beings.

Then, instead of, common people in the world, they cherish, what they think more precious is the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, than sentient beings. Sentient beings and Buddha, who is more precious? Common people think Buddha is more precious than sentient beings, but how we should practice, I mean, cherish is the, cherish the sentient beings, cherishing the sentient beings, should regard the sentient beings more precious than Buddha. Because Buddha, Dharma, Sangha came from the sentient beings; Buddha, Dharma, Sangha came from the sentient beings.

So, like, for example, like all the things what you need, all the things what you need in the life come from the money. So therefore, therefore money is regarded, things what you need, you buy, you get if there’s money, so you know comes from money, so you regard, so you see the money as precious, money is important, money precious.

So from the field, from the field you get crops. So therefore, you regard the crops, you cherish the crops, because you get food from the field, so like that.

So therefore, here, now, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha came from sentient beings, so sentient beings, so therefore, you see, common people regard the Buddha, more precious than sentient beings. But, however, but hts, how we should practice is, regard the sentient beings more precious than Buddha, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, more precious, like that. Precious means by sentient beings, than Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, is by kindness, so like that.

Then, instead of, common people in the world, cherish the I, than others. But then, you see, what we need to practice, what we need to change our mind is cherishing others, than oneself, see, like that.

So then, so if this, so I don’t remember which Kadampa geshe mentioned this advice, this. So then, when we do that, then, there’s no obstacle to practice Dharma, no obstacle to practice Dharma, so, all the obstacles become wish-fulfilling, wish-fulfilling for you, like that, with this change of mind, so become like that.

So here, today, then taking chöd initiation. So, [pause] engaging in the paramita of charity, in the chöd you, say, you give your, you sacrifice your, particular then, of course, there’s tong-len practice, giving all your merits, all your past, present, future merits, all the result happiness up to enlightenment, and your body, everything you give to the sentient beings, there, and taking their suffering and cause of suffering on yourself, and destroy your ego, the selfish mind, destroy that, who didn’t allow you to achieve enlightenment, not even to achieve liberation from samsara from beginningless rebirth, and who made you to suffer up to now, who made you suffer up to now, and then, and who didn’t allow even to have the first realization of lamrim, the ?stages of the path to enlightenment, renunciation to this life, the great inner peace, the great inner peace, freedom, or release, your heart free, your heart free from this torturing, painful, dissatisfied mind, dissatisfied, the mind, attachment, clinging to this life. So, which gives incredible inner peace and happiness in your life, in your heart, that all this outside, all this, say, enemy, friend, stranger, however, all these outside things doesn’t bother you, doesn’t affect you, doesn’t bring your life up and down, stable peace and happiness. However, [pause] even in the city, or even in the town, the rest of the people, so much suffering, but you who achieve renunciation to this life, I mean, who achieve the first Dharma, you have great peace in your heart, even the rest of the people have unbelievable suffering, I mean, fighting, killing, all the things, but however, but you, say, wherever you go, great peace, unbelievable peace, there’s nothing bothering to you.

However, so, not even a realization of impermanence achieved, say, like that, say, even the first realization from lamrim not achieved, so, so destroy this ego, like that, the real enemy, which is not outside, which is only within, say, one’s own heart, so, destroy that, means destroy that. And also means destroy to the root of samsara, ignorance, the concept of true existence, by destroying or meditating it’s empty, meditating that the I, the emotional I in the Western psychology terms, emotional I, the I, the real I, in the sense, real I, in the sense, existing from its own side, which exists by its nature, truly existent, however, that I, oh, then, totally non-existent, so like that.

Besides this, then, you see, your body make charity to the spirits by inviting, by invoking spirits, then you make charity. There’s white distribution, by transforming into nectar, you make offering to the Buddhadharma, offering to the Triple Gems, then you offer to the six realm sentient beings, then red distribution to the spirits, like that.

So, also, meaning this, chöd, say, engaging in this, such as the paramita of charity, morality, then patience, perseverance, concentration, wisdom, like that.

So however, so, also one explanation like that, but however, the main thing is that, slaying the ego, slaying the ego, so there’s the, I use the word ego as self-cherishing thought, for self-cherishing thought, but others might be, it looks like the, maybe from the hippie time, 1963, around 1960, or sixty-, anyway, using the ego for self-cherishing, I think this is how the young people who are called hippie, or happy, happy or hippie, what they used, I guess, so I use according to how they used, the ego for selfish mind, but others might use also for the ignorance, the root of samsara, ignorance, the concept holding the I, aggregates, those, inherently existent.

But I don’t know what the dictionary says, I have no idea, what the dictionary says, what Cambridge dictionary or Oxford, I’m not sure what they say, or they just think of the I is ego. I’m not sure, I itself is ego, I’m not sure.

Anyway, so the slaying the ego, then, cutting the self-cherishing. So here, you invoke the spirits and then you make, you sacrifice yourself to them, you give the…. So, so it’s a very, it’s a very hero practice, hero, brave, it’s a brave, hero practice. So, like that.

And then the, done, say, let go I, and cherish others, you see, so like that, you see.

So, the other one is, the other one is, this is, sort of a quick way to realize emptiness. So the forceful way, so you invoke the spirits, and then, so they create violence to you, they create violence, so, they threaten you, create violence, so then, when that happens, when that happens then, the emotional I, the emotional I, the, I thought maybe police came. [GL] I’m joking. The emotional I what is believed, what is projected by the ignorance, by leaving negative, ignorance, here I’m talking about ignorance, the concept of, concept holding, concept believing, holding the I as truly existent, existing from its own side, not merely labeled by mind.

So, you see the, [long pause] why the ignorance hold, believe the I, the I, something totally, something totally opposite to the reality, the way the I exists. What is I, what is self, okay, [pause] you see, say, not merely labeled by the mind, and existing from its own side, existing by nature, truly existent. By using ordinary people’s, by using the term that ordinary people in the world uses, but which means same as what is explained in the texts, truly existent or the existing by nature, existing from its own side, not merely labeled by mind, so the, what term that common people in the world use is real I, the real I.

So, when the friend, when the friend or somebody, friend or somebody got angry, somebody got angry to you, somebody tells you, or you see somebody angry, “Oh, he’s angry,” hts, “He’s angry to me; he’s angry to me, to me, real me, real I,” you see, “real me, real I.” So, meaning, not merely labeled by mind. If you explain that, if you express that, if you express that out, it means not merely labeled by mind, so, how the person think, that time, he or she’s really angry to me, to me, to me, something, a real one, something a real one, so how the, that time the, how the I is believed, you see, is something real, real one, existing from its own side, existing from its own side, so like that. [pause]

So since there’s this belief, by the ignorance, the way of holding the I, that is because there’s a, that’s because there’s a perception or the appearance, real I, not merely labeled by mind, existing from its own side, however, the real I, projected, projected, by the negative imprint left on the mind by the past ignorance, so that. [pause]

So this, so this real I, this emotional I, not merely labeled by mind, okay, so now that, so that projection, that projection, decoration, that projection happened after your mind, by thinking the aggregates, base to be labeled I, aggregates, and their activities, what they’re doing, so, depending on your mind thinking of the aggregates, and activities what they do, and then, merely imputed the I, merely imputed the I, so that, like that, merely imputed I, so next….

So anyway, so anyway, just short, anyway, so just very brief, the essence, since we’re going to do this initiation, so, to get some idea.

So anyway, no, I was thinking to, P____ Chokyi Gyaltsen, one great lama, the Lama Tsongkhapa’s maybe disciple, so to explain the five, four or five different explanations of the gag-cha, object to be refuted, which are wrong. So this teaching regarded right view of the P______ Chokyi Gyaltsen regarded good teaching, so I thought to, some elaboration of the gag-cha, object to be refuted, however, so now there’s no time so….

However, the very essence is, so the first, the thought, by seeing the aggregates, and activities what it does, then make up the label, I, merely impute the I, merely impute I, okay, so that’s the very first. So, that is the very first what happened, merely impute the I, merely impute the I, just merely impute the I, just create the name, merely impute the I, okay.

Then, the next second, next second, then, the negative imprint left on the mental continuum by the past ignorance, project, project on that, on the merely labeled I project this truly existent, truly existent, independent, truly existent, existing from one’s own side, existing by nature, all that, so, not merely labeled by mind. It was just a second before, [snaps fingers] it was merely labeled by mind, but, you see, not aware, you’re not aware of that, you see.

So, negative imprint left on the mental continuum by the ignorance, [snaps fingers] the second thing is, it decorates this hallucination, it decorates this hallucination, like the table covered by this cloth, like the walls or the floors covered by carpets, or like that, you see, on your face, when the face has a lot of wrinkles, then you cover with the make up, the ice-cream, not ice-cream, sorry. [Student: Face cream.] Face cream, sorry, not ice-cream. Ice-cream is here. So you don’t see the wrinkles, then your face becomes another world.

So anyway, so covered, so like that, oh, that’s the reason, that’s the reason why the next second [snaps fingers] why the I appeared back to you, real one, appeared back to you, real one, in the sense not merely labeled by mind. You know, just before, [snaps fingers] merely labeled by mind, just mind thinking of the aggregates and action of the aggregates, just made up the I [snaps fingers], and actions of the I, you see [snaps fingers], merely labeled I, [snaps fingers], merely labeled action [snaps fingers], merely labeled action, whatever: I’m talking, I’m thinking, I’m meditating, I’m blah, blah, blah, all that, merely labeled I [snaps fingers] and action of the I [snaps fingers], merely labeled, you see, all that. But you see, so not aware.

So anyway, so, so now third thing is, it appeared back, real I, in the sense, not merely labeled by mind, and existing from its own side, by nature, all that, truly existent, however, real I appeared back, okay. So like that, appeared.

Then next [snaps fingers], say, fourth thing, then, then you see, we let our mind to hold on that is true, we let our mind to hold on that is true, to hold on to that, it’s true, it’s a hundred percent true. [pause, with Rinpoche trying to clear his throat.]

So there’s some obstacles there.

So anyway, you let your mind hold on to this true, means this is the reality of the I, this is the nature of the I, this is how the I is, so like that, hundred percent this is true.

So that time, so that time, that time we created the ignorance. When we let our mind hold on to this true, then that time we create the ignorance, we made the ignorance, we created the ignorance, the root of samsara. So that’s one root of samsara, according to ?Jetsun Chokyi Gyaltsen, the Sera Je College author, then also aggregates, you let your mind hold onto the aggregates also. After it’s merely imputed by your mind, then you see, when it appeared back, due to this, due to our projecting or decorating hallucination, you see, real aggregates in the sense not merely labeled by mind, then, you see the, when it appeared, then you let your mind hold onto that it’s true, so that’s also, that ignorance also the, that’s the first one, selflessness, the first one is the self-grasping of the person, next one, the second one is self-grasping of the phenomena, the aggregates, so, like that, it’s the root of samsara.

So, anyway, so, [pause] I might have mentioned also last time, however, so when we, so therefore, when we are not meditating in emptiness, dependent arising, emptiness, by looking at this I, by looking at this I, say, this real I, real I, which means not merely labeled by mind, okay, so looking at it hallucination, looking at it hallucination as it is hallucination. Looking at it hallucination as it is a hallucination. Looking at it, it doesn’t exist at all, as it doesn’t exist at all, as it doesn’t exist, as there’s no such I at all, doesn’t exist at all, such a I. Then you look at it in that way, look at it in reality, the reality, say, total non-existent, hts, looking at it empty, as it is empty. Looking at it hallucination, as it is hallucination.

So, when you do that, then you don’t create the ignorance, the holding that this I, the real one, say, existing from its own side, so it doesn’t, so it doesn’t give chance to create the ignorance, to hold that as a real I, in the sense existing from its own side. So it doesn’t happen. So when you look at it, when you look at it empty or hallucination, totally, when you look at the I totally opposite to the ignorance, the way the ignorance believe the I, not merely labeled, a real one not merely labeled by mind, in the sense existing from its own side, so forth, you see, independent one, so, the way you look at the I, completely opposite, totally opposite to the ignorance, the way the ignorance think of I, believe, totally opposite to that.

Then, then, only then you’re meditating on emptiness. Only then your meditation becomes meditation on emptiness, otherwise not.

Or the other one is, looking at the I, say, practicing mindfulness, looking at the I, the self, existing in mere name, existing in mere name, merely imputed by the mind, the Prasangika School view, the extremely subtle dependent arising, so meditating, practicing mindfulness, meditating in that. As it exists in mere name, merely imputed by mind, you’re meditating exactly according to, you’re meditating on the meaning of that, looking at the I in that, say, in that meaning.

So, so when you do that, when you meditate, third, that’s the third one, when you do that, then also, then, you see, the thought, that time the thought holding the real I, holding that the I, looking at the real I in the sense existing from its own side, so that doesn’t happen, when you’re meditating the extremely most unbelievable, extremely subtle, extremely, most unbelievable subtle nature of the I, how it exists, exists in mere name, merely imputed by mind.

It’s not that it doesn’t exist, but it’s like doesn’t exist. It’s not that it doesn’t exist, but it’s like, it’s not nihilism, you know, doesn’t exist at all, not that, but it’s like that, compared to, if you compare to your previous experience, you know, the real I appearing from there, and totally believe, you let your mind totally hold on that, which is creating ignorance, so compared to that, then, it’s not the I doesn’t exist, but it’s like doesn’t exist.

Most unbelievable, most unbelievable subtle, that, the nature of the I, how it exists, the how it’s dependent arising, exist in mere name, merely imputed by mind, so like that.

So that time, same again the, so, what understanding comes is, in your heart, absence of this, existing from its own side, absence the real I, absence of real I, that which is existing from its own side. So like that.

So that’s, so, so that’s how, I guess, the definition, I think shouldn’t say measurement, shouldn’t say, that’s a wrong translation. Definition, definition, measurement it’s only physical, if you’re measuring physical things’ nature. The definition of having, hts, [pause] the complete the analysis, I think, [pause] I don’t know, complete analysis? [Rinpoche is maybe checking with Yangsi Rinpoche.] So that is when you see that this I, totally empty of existing, totally empty of the real I existing from its own side, that, then, you see, while you’re seeing that, while you’re seeing that, discovering, or seeing the I, existing in mere name, merely imputed by mind, so, on this one phenomena, I, unified the emptiness and dependent arising, so you see that. While it’s empty, while it’s empty, you see it is existing in mere name, merely imputed by mind. While it is existing, while it’s existing dependently, while it is existing in mere name, merely imputed by mind, you see that as, you’re seeing that as, you have understanding that it’s totally empty, empty of existing, empty of the real I. I exists, but it’s empty of the real I, existing from its own side, okay. So that.

So Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche said, when you realize emptiness it’s not, say, you have not completed the analysis. But by that, then, you see, by that you see more and more, as a result, from that cause, as a result, I mean, Rinpoche didn’t say that, but, from that, then, you see, more and more you realize how the I is merely labeled by mind, you see more and more, you discover more and more that, then that time, I guess, Rinpoche means when you discover exists in mere name, merely imputed by my mind, so the, then the analysis is completed. So Rinpoche said that, you see, I guess, Rinpoche’s, his own experience.

So, anyway, so very sorry, got, so again I got carried out.

So I guess this, say, quick way to realize emptiness, you can say that, so you invoke the spirits, and then they create violence, so then, so that creates fear and things like that, emotion, so that time, then, here, the emotional I, gag-cha, that which is object to be refuted, that which is object to be refuted, what I’m saying, the emotional I, what common people in the world use is the real I, so which means I which is not merely labeled by mind.

So, other times, other times, you see, not so clear, difficult to recognize, you see. So here, you create the situation, so then the fear arises, they create violence, so the emotional I becomes very strong, the emotional I, the gag-cha, object to be, I which is object to be refuted, becomes, it’s like a balloon, you know, a balloon, balloon is flat, you see, small and flat. But then if you blow up, it gets bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger. So like that, so like that, you see, by creating this violence, invoking the spirits, then the emotional I, or the gag-cha, the I which is object to be refuted, say, this, say, so rises up, like a balloon, example balloon, it blow up, get bigger, so like this. Then, so you see, then, then you’re able to recognize, Oh, this is what gag-cha is. What you have to realize that which is empty, non-existent. So what is believed by ignorance that this I,s always exists like this, it’s always like that.

So, anyway, so like this, then you’re able to recognize gag-cha very easily, and this is the emotional I, this is the object of ignorance, so what doesn’t exist, what ignorance believes hundred percent exists but it’s not there, which doesn’t exist. So, able to recognize, able to recognize, then meditate on, then, meditate, say, how that is empty, like that.

So it’s a quick way to cut the ignorance, a quick way to, slaying the ego, that means, the other one is the self-cherishing thought, but this one is ignorance, root of samsara, to cut.

So, chöd, basically meaning is this, so like that. By realizing this is totally empty, non-existent, so then, that’s how then, it harms, able to harm the ignorance, and able to eliminate the ignorance, so like that, the root of samsara, so like that, which caused, say, constantly we have been under the control of this, we are overwhelmed by this, we are totally under the control of this, like from this morning up to now, like that, from birth up to now, like that from beginningless rebirth up to now, beginningless rebirth up to now, we are totally enveloped under this ignorance, totally overwhelmed by this, and, believing what, we have been living our life, we have been living our life with the ignorance, so, from beginningless rebirth, like that. [long pause]

So, all the activities, all the activities we did, eating, walking, sitting, sleeping, doing job, many hours doing job, however, we did, we did this for this real I, the independent I, this, not merely labeled by mind, everything we did for this, for the happiness of this I. So starting from kindergarten, and then studying, then, school, college, university, there’s degree, then job, making money, and marriage, marriage and children, and so the whole thing, the whole entire thing, we did for this real I, which is not there, everything for this, so for this real I, which is not there, everything. So, say, for the happiness of this real I, this, happiness of this real I, this independent I, this truly existent I, I which is not merely labeled by the mind, okay. So like that.

So, say, from beginningless rebirth, from beginningless, not only this life, from beginningless rebirth, so one has been living the life for this independent I, for this real I, which is not there. So everything, so like this. Even studying Dharma, even that, even that, then, not for this, say, not for, you know, for our mind, you see, way of thinking, “Oh, I study Dharma for this merely labeled I to achieve enlightenment,” we don’t think that. “I study Dharma for the merely labeled I to achieve enlightenment,” it’s not that. This real I, this real I, this is real I, oh, to achieve enlightenment, okay, which is not there, which doesn’t exist. So for example, like that.

I must go for shopping, for this merely labeled I, I must go for shopping, for this merely labeled I, to practice Dharma, we don’t think that, don’t think that, you see. I’m going for shopping for this real I, okay, the independent I, you see, which is not there, it doesn’t exist, okay.

So, everything, almost like everything movement, everything, body, speech, and mind, everything, oh, then, this real I not merely labeled by mind, which is not there, which doesn’t exist at all, which never came in existence, which never came in existence from, which never came in existence from beginning, from very beginning, never came in existence, never came in existence, say, from beginning, how to say, never came in existence. The I never, even for one second, never happened [snaps fingers], never happened [snaps fingers] real I, the truly existent I, never happened, it never happened even for one second.

So, anyway, like that, so, so then, then the mind, we let our mind to hold on to that without meditating, without mindfulness, meditating, looking at it empty, that which is empty; looking at it hallucination, which is a hallucination, looking at it, the, say, merely imputed by the mind, the subtle dependent arising, without meditating on that, so then, we let our mind hold on to that as hundred percent true, it exists.

Then, it’s like this, we create the root of samsara, we create the root of samsara all the time, like this, continuously we create the root of samsara, like that. Then, from that, from that, then, the other delusions arises, the anger, attachment, ignorance, other ignorance arises, then that motivate karma, so like that. Then that’s how, then one, say, that’s how, then, due to that, then one gets reborn continuously in the, there are six realms, so in one of the realms continuously. Then, one has been suffering, one has been suffering, taking rebirth in the six realms, in one of the realms, then has been experiencing sufferings of each realm numberless times from beginningless rebirth.

So then, so if we do not get, in this life, in this life, while we have all the, we have received not only a precious human body, but a perfect human body, perfect human body, and all the precious qualities, how to say, eighteen precious qualities, this human body, however the, have met not only Lesser Vehicle teaching, but Mahayana Paramita teaching, Mahayana Secret Mantra Vajrayana teaching, so if we don’t get to eliminate this root of samsara, then, by realizing emptiness, then we will have to die and reborn continuously and then experience the suffering in samsara endlessly, like that. So, it becomes very difficult to see the end of one’s own samsara, you see, like that.

So therefore, now, here, taking the chöd initiation is for that purpose, so that. [Rinpoche says something to someone in Tibetan.]

Maybe we stop here, do tomorrow, okay? Do tomorrow morning. Maybe, I don’t know how it is, tomorrow morning? [Discussing with Yangsi Rinpoche.] So/

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