actual refuge, but here now, taking refuge by ceremony, with the teacher, the preceptor, so taking refuge vows, precepts. Then here means ?involved seriously in the practice, in the refuge, putting oneself into the condition. So that, not only to not be reborn in the lower realms, after the death, to have higher rebirth, not only that; to be free from the whole entire samsara, to end the reincarnating again and again, to stop. Completely cease. For that you need to rely on Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, you need all three; one is not enough. For severe patients, you need to rely on a doctor, you need to rely on medicine, you need to rely on nurse, you need all three. So here, to be free from samsara, to completely, totally be free from the whole entire samsara, all the oceans of samsaric suffering and cause, to achieve total liberation, then one must rely on Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, need the guidance from Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, all the three. So that’s the reason.

Then, that’s the foundation, but not only that, to achieve enlightenment for sentient beings, higher purpose, to achieve enlightenment, great liberation, nonabiding sorrowless state. And then to liberate numberless sentient beings from each realm from oceans of samsaric suffering and bring to enlightenment. So that’s the purpose of taking refuge.

Yeah, then, so that’s it. So then, those who are taking do three prostrations. So if there’s no space to do prostrations, you do like this. You can visualize doing prostration. Three prostrations to the Guru Shakyamuni Buddha. [Student: Could you say something about the lay vows?] Okay. Here, there’s a statue of Buddha, so there’s Guru Shakyamuni Buddha here, so think as actual living Buddha, then three prostrations. Then after that three prostrations to the lama who gives the refuge vows, okay. [pause]

Rene, did you went over the individual vows? Did you went over with them each vow? [Rene: Yes.] Three things to abandon, then the seven or eight, [Rene: Yes] good, then I don’t have to do. Also, the lay, you went over the five lay vows? [Rene: Yes, Rinpoche.] Okay.

Then, please, after you did three prostrations to the lama then that’s it, then you can sit down, but keep the palms like this. At the heart. You can sit on a chair. Those who are sitting on the floor who can kneel, can kneel down. As long as you’re not sleeping, it’s okay. Having a good time.

So I left out the last part. So the Buddha, I mentioned the Buddha. So the Yama’s face there, the right side there’s Buddha standing, pointing out like this, well, supposed to be like that. There’s something anyway, pointing like this, so above the hand or near the hand there’s a moon circle. That shows the cessation of the suffering and cause, okay, the liberation, total. Then this side, the left side, many Wheels of Life doesn’t have this, because I think they don’t read, maybe the Buddha’s teachings, the sutra, where it explains, from sutra, so I think, so they don’t have the ?wheel, the Buddha’s teaching the, there’s a verse there, those verses shows, the white circle is a moon, true cessation of suffering, that, the other verse there the other side, the left side, that shows true path, so there’s instruction there. So that is, much of the Wheel of Life they don’t show that, because they draw the Amitabha pure land, so it means people, but then what happens is the meaning, actually it’s the four noble truths, so there should be true path, so the verses should be there. Otherwise, that means true path is missing. I mean, Amitabha pure land, if you are born Amitabha pure land doesn’t mean you have totally ceased the defilements, disturbing thought obscuration, doesn’t mean that. So you get born in pure land, such as Amitabha Buddha, not by gross delusion. You get born there by prayer and then there is the subtle defilement, effort, the subtle defilement effort, [Tibetan] subtle effort of the subtle defilements, that and then the prayers, so you get born there. So by being born there doesn’t mean you removed the disturbing thought obscuration completely, you are free from that. It doesn’t mean that. So of course, being born there, delusions arising is not there, all the negative emotional sufferings doesn’t have, so there’s not even the name “suffering” there. There’s not even the name “suffering.” Might be spiritual body. So everything is wish-fulfilling, like trees, everything, then, yeah.

So that’s not exactly how Buddha explained in the sutra, so most of the Wheels of Life they, anyway, it doesn’t matter. So I think in the sutra, it’s, I guess, the way the Buddha explained, it’s sort of maybe mistaken. So, there should be the verse, [Tibetan] To attempt and to renounce, to attempt the path and renounce, the morality, the foundation, the morality. Renounce the negative karma and delusions, the delusion and karma, [Tibetan] so I don’t know whether I can remember all those, [Tibetan]. Like the elephant drown, stuck, drowned in the mud, so this is how the example is given by Buddha that we are in samsara, like elephant drowned in the, what’s it called? In the mud. So can’t get out. [Tibetan] Then abandon the death. [Tibetan] So anyway, means that, with that meaning. Destroy the death, eliminate the death. [Tibetan]. Who is conscientious, mindful or conscientious, who’s extremely conscientious, [Tibetan] who engage in this vinaya practice, means the vows, [Tibetan] the Dharma, vinaya, the vows, who is extremely conscientious engage in this vinaya, Dharma, the vinaya, the vows, [Tibetan] then what happens, [Tibetan] then you abandon samsara, where you’re reborn, you abandon samsara where you’re reborn, [Tibetan] so this suffering will become the last. All the suffering of samsara will be ended. The suffering of samsara will be ended; this will be the last. So talking about the benefits, living in the vows, vinaya practicing that.

So anyway, so to achieve liberation, total liberation from samsara, so the essential, fundamental, essential path, that is three higher trainings: higher training of the morality, higher training of the concentration, higher training of the great insight. So the three, these are the foundation, to achieve liberation from oceans of samsaric suffering and causes. So therefore now, so now the very bottom is the higher training of morality, disciplining, by taking vow, you put in the condition, in the virtue, so how many number of vows you take, that many number of merits you collect all the time. Your body, speech and mind abide in that many number of merits, good karma, moral discipline, so and then you abstain from that many negative karma. And then, of course, not only yourself to achieve liberation, but of course, as a practitioner of Mahayana Buddhism then of course you dedicate this for, you do this for numberless hell beings, to liberate numberless hell beings, bring them to enlightenment, to liberate numberless hungry ghosts, bring to enlightenment, to liberate numberless animals, bring to enlightenment, to liberate numberless human beings, bring to enlightenment, to liberate numberless suras, asuras, bring to enlightenment, to liberate numberless intermediate state beings, bring to enlightenment.

Okay, so now, then think, if I don’t get liberated from samsara, I will be constantly tortured by suffering of pain and suffering of change, the temporary samsaric pleasures, the suffering of change and pervasive compounding suffering, the aggregates, which are under the control of karma and delusion and pervaded by suffering. Then also contaminated seed of delusions, pervaded by suffering, so all that. So I experience constantly the pervasive compounding suffering. Then because of that then those two other sufferings then they happen. So I’ve been experiencing this from beginningless rebirth, and then now I will experience this, so if I, by actualizing the path, by practicing Dharma, by actualizing the path, if I don’t get liberated from samsara then I will be experiencing this endlessly.

So therefore now the beginning, the very beginning, the foundation, then taking refuge. So therefore, okay, so therefore then, at this time I must achieve enlightenment for sentient beings, and therefore then I will take refuge, I’ll rely on Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, I rely on Buddha as the founder of the actual refuge, Dharma as the actual refuge, and Sangha as the helper to actualize the refuge within me. Think like that. Like the severe patient rely on doctor, medicine and nurse, like that. So must rely on Buddha, Dharma, Sangha a billion times much more than, and the Dharma and the Sangha as well, than the patient rely on the doctor and the medicine and the nurse. It’s just only sicknesses, even that recovered but it’s only temporarily. It is not forever; but here Dharma is forever, cease forever.

So now, with a great happy mind, how today my life became most productive, very beneficial, not only for myself to achieve liberation, enlightenment, but to liberate numberless sentient beings and to enlighten them, the basis for that Feel great happiness, that my life become so beneficial for all sentient beings.

Please repeat the prayer that I say. [Refuge ceremony]

Means, from now on I, such-and-such, until death I go for refuge to Buddha, sang gya la kyab su chi wo means to Buddha. You hear sang gye la kyab su chi wo, that means taking refuge with your whole heart to Buddha. Then, cho la kyab su chi wo, then with the whole heart take refuge to Dharma. Then, third one, gedun la kyab su chi wo, with the whole heart you take refuge to Sangha.

So Buddha, there’s absolute Buddha and conventional Buddha. Absolute Buddha is dharmakaya, Buddha’s holy mind and the ultimate nature of Buddha’s holy mind. The conventional Buddha is the manifestation, rupakaya, within that sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya, those. Anyway form that’s taken, rupakaya. So there’s conventional Buddha or the yeah, the truth for the all-obscuring mind. Then Dharma, there’s also two. Absolute Dharma that is the wisdom directly perceiving emptiness and the conventional Dharma is the three basket teachings, the words, which reveals the path. The Sangha has two. Absolute Sangha doesn’t have to be four, it can be, it doesn’t have to be ordained person, doesn’t have to be four, doesn’t have to be always ordained person, can be ordained or can be lay person, can be anyone who has realization of absolute Dharma, wisdom directly perceiving emptiness. The conventional Sangha is four fully ordained, nuns or monks, four fully ordained ones, but do not have realization, the absolute Dharma, but living in the full ordination, that is the conventional Sangha. When we are taking refuge we are taking refuge to both, you have to understand that.

As it is mentioned in the refuge vows, you have gone through these, Rene explained, so three things to abandon, [Tibetan] three precepts to abandon; three precepts to practice, and there’s also respect. Whenever you see an ordained person, doesn’t have to be only Tibetan tradition, whatever Buddhist tradition Hinayana or Mahayana, Chinese, whatever, whichever tradition the ordained person, doesn’t matter what color robes or style of robes, it doesn’t matter. If it’s a Buddhist ordained person, then you think, This is the person who liberates me from samsara and bring to liberation. Think that, function of that Sangha, function of that, the ordained person, then you respect. With that, also respect. Because so powerful object, that living in vow, so you collect inconceivable, unbelievable good karma, unbelievable, respect, making offering, service, whatever it is, so much. Then same thing with Dharma, no question about Buddha.

[Rinpoche continues refuge ceremony.]

Taking refuge to Buddha, who’s free from all the defilements, mistakes, and complete in all the qualities.

[Rinpoche continues refuge ceremony.]

With the whole heart rely upon Dharma. [Rinpoche continues refuge ceremony.] With the whole heart rely upon Sangha. [Rinpoche continues refuge ceremony.]

Now here, so there’s only refuge upasika vow, and there’s complete upasika vow, that is five lay vows. But if you can’t take five lay vows, you can take four, or three, two, one. I don’t think you can take half. One vow, but half. I haven’t heard that one yet.

Usually I emphasize to take one from these; and usually I talk about the killing. So, of course, you don’t want to be killed by somebody, I mean except suicidal, but that is totally wrong, totally blind way of thinking. Because suicidal thought, because there’s some problem in relationship or something, can’t bear that then you want to kill yourself. Never think there is reincarnation, after this consciousness doesn’t stop, consciousness has to continue. Never think of reincarnation, never think there is lower realm, all these unimaginable sufferings for eons. Don’t think about that. You think, Oh, I kill and then so I have peace. I kill myself then I have peace. Finish the problem, peace. That’s totally blind, totally wrong. How can you have peace? You’re doing with the anger, you’re killing yourself with anger or, however, self-cherishing thought, there’s self cherishing thought, so not pure, there’s no bodhicitta, self-cherishing thought, then there’s anger, attachment, all these, behind. So motivation, nonvirtue. And you never think, there’s some problem there, you can’t bear so if you die, if you’re killed, by killing oneself then peace, no problem, you have no problem at all. Totally silly, you cheat yourself, completely cheat yourself.

There’s continuity of the consciousness, born in the lower realms. You’re just creating extra negative to be born in the lower realms, suffer for a long time. It doesn’t help to be free from samsara, it doesn’t help to get even a higher rebirth. Doesn’t help to be free from samsara, doesn’t help to achieve enlightenment. It doesn’t benefit other sentient beings. Nothing. Therefore, it is totally blind. Then you have to experience this negative karma all the unimaginable suffering result of this negative karma. Also when you’re born a human being later in the future you also experience problems there. That’s totally foolish.

So now here, you don’t want to be killed by others, so it’s the same. So that’s very, that’s regarded very harmful, so then same, one should not kill others. So usually I emphasize that. But anyway from these five vows, I mean here I don’t think you have, but if that is very difficult, then you can take the vow abstaining from sexual misconduct or abstaining from tell lie or abstaining from stealing or abstaining from taking alcohol, so whichever you think you can, you can take like that. So can do that.

So, when we take refuge to Dharma, what one should practice is, what you should abandon is harming others. By taking refuge to Dharma, what one should abandon is harming others; so therefore it helps if you take the lay vows, how many you are able to take, it helps for that, able to, take refuge to Dharma, abandon giving harm others, so it helps for that. So there’s something you practice in the life, abandon, some harm you abandon, stop, so it’s extremely practical. Now here, from the five lay vows, either all five or whatever you can take, this is your real contribution for the world peace. I mean, not only your liberation, all that, but your future live good rebirth, all that but okay, not reborn in lower realms, all that, but real contribution, your real, what you can offer, most practice thing, living in the vow to not harm others. So how many you take from the five, so that’s a real contribution for the world peace. But not only this world but actually that’s unbelievable, you make vow to stop harm, this many harms, to sentient beings, to all sentient beings. When we make vow, taking vow, when we make vow, we make a vow on the basis of sentient beings, on the basis of all sentient beings, I don’t kill, I don’t do this, so how many you can take then making vow on, so to not harm this and that, to the sentient beings. So on the basis you’re making vow, so it’s unbelievable benefit to the sentient beings. Just unbelievable. Then no question about your family, this is really, this is really making meaningful, maybe I add the third one, really making [GL, RL] meaningful your parent’s life. Because they could have done abortion, when you’re born, they could do abortion, very simply, I mean, gone, then you don’t have a human rebirth now, impossible to practice Dharma, no opportunity. I mean, to achieve happiness of future lives, to achieve liberation from samsara, to achieve enlightenment; then to cause all this to all sentient beings, happiness of this life to cause other sentient beings, happiness of future lives to cause sentient beings, then liberation from samsara to cause sentient beings, then to cause enlightenment to all sentient beings, you don’t have this opportunity. If they did abortion, then that’s it. Or didn’t take care well, then that’s it, gone. So, because they didn’t do that and they took care, mother took care, the parents took care, for nine months in the womb and then, so however, kindness gave this body, which allowed to practice Dharma, to have so much happiness, the main thing is most meaningful, to practice Dharma, give opportunity to practice Dharma and to meet a guru and to ?meet Buddhadharma, okay, to actualize the path, so unbelievable kindness that by the parents. Then also protected life, protected life every day from hundreds of dangers of life, they protected or even hired other people to look after, so every day protected from hundreds of life dangers. So, if they didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have all these opportunities. I could be in the hell realm, hungry ghost, animal. Maybe a lobsters or snakes, by now, yeah, the bird eating worms, every day so many worms, flies, so many worms.

Then, what else? Then they gave education, they start, teach how to walk, how to speak, how to talk, made a human being, made complete human being, teach all this, then they gave education, so that kindness. And then, they beared so much hardships for you, for your well-being, for your happiness, unbelievable hardships. They, worry, fear, day and night, always concerned your health and your education. They gave all the best what they have, all the money by doing job, earned money for that, from kindergarten, then primary school, all that, then college, university, so many years of study, then after all that then find job and collect money, working so hard, then with that money took care of you. So beared so much hardships. Then you never, child time you cry and only disturb them, even nighttime didn’t have peaceful sleep also the, always demanding, so much demanding, never give peace to them, the parents; unbelievable, unbelievable, unbelievable. Make peepee, kaka, lots of peepee and kaka. [GL, RL] I don’t know whether you can remember or not but if you look after children, how the parents take care, if you don’t remember yours, look at others how parents have to sacrifice their life, unbelievable, so many years.

So anyway, so now, they created so much negative karma for your happiness, for your education, so many negative karmas they created, harming others, telling lies to others, then the killing, so many negative karmas, ill will. So then all these negative karmas they have collected, they have to suffer the result in the lower realms for unbelievable length of time.

So this is not the first time, they did like this numberless times from beginningless rebirth, to you. So they suffered already numberless times in the lower realms; so much negative karma they collected for your happiness, for your well-being, already suffered numberless times in the lower realms. So I’m talking about these present parents , the past lives, so then also so much to be experienced in the lower realms in the future. Negative karma they collected for you, for your well-being, so not only creating negative karma but beared so much hardships.

So therefore, now, you are taking, from the five lay vows, any of the vows, even you can’t do all five, but what I’m saying here, so it gives so much meaning to their lives, makes so worthwhile that they suffered so much for you, that they created so much negative karma for you, for your long life or for your health or whatever it is, protected your life from hundreds of dangers each day, so gives meaning to that, so makes their life so meaningful, what they suffered for you and created negative karma, it gives so much meaning to them, purpose. Every time when you practice Dharma gives meaning to their life, so worthwhile. So feel great happiness, joy. Then repeat. In your heart think, I am taking this, since Rene went through that, so you know that, so then whatever number you are taking, think in your heart, I am taking this, okay. Not only refuge. But if you can’t take any of these, then you say, only refuge upasika vow, okay.

[Rinpoche continues with the refuge ceremony.]

Here, those who have taken a higher vow, the getsuls and gelongs, then you, taking refuge is okay but taking the, like we take refuge before taking vow, before we take any vow, every day, I mean, before practice we take refuge, like that, that’s okay. But not, shouldn’t think, I am taking upasika vow, shouldn’t think that, upasika refuge vow, you don’t ?receive that. The lay vows, the upasika, the five precepts, shouldn’t think that. While you have a higher vow you took the lower vow then you lose the higher vow, so you shouldn’t think, I have received. But just taking refuge that you do it all the time anyway. [pause]

[Rinpoche continues with the refuge ceremony.]

Now taking refuge to Buddha. [Rinpoche continues with the refuge ceremony.] Now, by thinking of the meaning of Dharma then what I mentioned before, then taking refuge. [Rinpoche continues with the refuge ceremony.] Now taking refuge to Sangha. [Rinpoche continues with the refuge ceremony.]

Sp please repeat third time. So third time, when I say gyen yen tö very loudly, then that time, without wandering mind, must generate a thought that you have received the, if you taking only refuge upasika vow, but if you’re taking any other vows, this many upasika vows, this many number of upasika vows. If you’re taking all the five, then five upasika vows. So must generate the thought very strongly, okay.

Then I become your lopon, lopon means leader leading the disciple in the path to liberation by giving the vow. So since from that time I become the lopon, preceptor. Then do not recite sumba lopon.

[Rinpoche continues with the refuge ceremony.]

Then whatever number of vows, those who are taking vows, then whatever number of vows you are taking, you think in your heart, usually there’s a tradition, there’s repeated, repetition, but anyway, you just think in your heart whatever number of vows you are taking. Then think, as the previous arhats they changed their mind and they changed their actions of body and speech, so similar so then today until the death time, I will change my mind and actions, then take this vow. Think that, in your heart, think that. Think that. Going to keep this vow.

Then, when I say thab yin no, you say lek so. Here this is the method, then you say, yes. [Rinpoche continues with the refuge ceremony.] Very good to learn the words, it’s very good. You spoke very well in Tibetan.

Rene has explained you already all the general six or seven, eight, these general advice, so I don’t need to go through that. There is a refuge card so you must read that well and study, It’s very important. So important; otherwise, then otherwise then the practice not happening.

So now dedication. Due to all the past, present, future merits collected by me, three time merits collected by others, may I be able to complete the paramita of morality, by keeping it without mistake, keeping pure, and without pride. Dedicate like that. [Rinpoche chants the verse in Tibetan.]

Then, due to all the past, present, future merits collected by me, three times merits collected by others, may I, yourself, family and all sentient beings, meet, so and all the students and all the benefactors, all those, so many people in the different parts of the world who sacrifice their life to the organization doing service to sentient beings, teaching of Buddha, all of them, then those who rely upon me, whom I promised to pray, whose name is given to me, all those, then everybody in this world, and all sentient beings to meet Lama Tsongkhapa’s teaching, that which is living in pure morality, and brave heart doing extensive deeds for sentient beings, then yoga of the two stages which essence is transcendental wisdom of nondual bliss and voidness.

So these four stanzas, these four contains the very heart, the special qualities of Lama Tsongkhapa’s teaching. This is composed by the Fifth Dalai Lama, it’s a very special prayer, to yourself and to all sentient beings, you pray. Dedicate the merits. [pause] [Rinpoche recites the verse in Tibetan.]

[Students recite the short mandala offering.]

Due to all the past, present, future merits collected by me, the three-time merits collected by others, may oneself, may I be able to offer limitless skies of benefit to sentient beings and teaching of the Buddha, like Lama Tsongkhapa, by having the same quality within me as Lama Tsongkhapa has from now on in all the lifetimes, in every second to be like that. So, make strong prayer this. Due to all the three-time merits collected by oneself and by others, bodhisattvas, buddhas, okay, so to happen this.

That we have unbelievable opportunity to practice Dharma, to learn Dharma, to purify negative karma, to collect merits and to achieve all the happiness, liberation, happiness of future lives, liberation, enlightenment, everything, and to cause all this happiness to all sentient beings is by the kindness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Then also Lama Yeshe. So we pray for His Holiness’s long life.

Due to all the three time merits collected by me, the three time merits collected by others, may His Holiness have a long and stable life, all the holy wishes be succeed immediately and may Lama Yeshe’s all the wishes whatever he has to be actualized. Then Lama Ösel Rinpoche to become like, dynamic teacher, not dynamite but dynamic, dynamic teacher to this world, the quickest way to enlighten, to awaken the sentient beings in this world and bring to enlightenment.

Gang ri ra wäi khor wä zhing kham dir…. [pause] [Rinpoche chants prayer for fulfilling HHDL’s wishes.]

Je tsün la mäi ku tshe rab tän ching….

Due to all the past, present, future merits collected by me, the three times merits collected by others, which exist but do not exist from its own side, may the I, who exists but do not exist from its own side, which is totally empty, achieve Lama Tsongkhapa’s enlightenment, which exists but doesn’t exist from its own side, that which is totally empty, lead all sentient beings, who exist but who are totally empty from their own side, to that Lama Tsongkhapa’s enlightenment, which exists but which doesn’t exist from its own side, which is totally empty, by myself alone, who exists but who totally do not exist from its own side.

I dedicate all the merits to be able to follow holy extensive deeds of bodhisattvas Samantabhadra and Manjugosha, as they realizes.

I dedicate all the merits the same way the three time buddhas dedicate their merits.

So this one is the very condensed King of Prayers, this jam päl pa wö…, this one what I just now said. It is inside the King of Prayers. So when unable to recite the King of Prayers then you do this short one like that. Or you don’t know how to dedicate the merits, then by reciting this then you dedicate the merits the best.

The lamrim dedication. [Rinpoche and students chant der ni ring du….]

Then, due to all the three-time merits collected by me, collected by others, may the Lama Tsongkhapa teaching, like refined gold and unified of sutra and tantra, be completely actualized in one’s heart, one’s own family members, in the hearts of all the students and those benefactors, all those who give up their life to the organization doing service to sentient beings, teaching of Buddha, in all their hearts, those who rely upon me, whom I promised to pray, whose names is given to me, and in the hearts of everybody in this world.

Chhö kyi gyäl po tsong kha päi…. Dag dang zhän gyi dü sum dang….

[Students chant long-life prayer to Rinpoche in Spanish.]

Good morning, good night. Thank you.