The Evolution of the Death Process (Page 56)

Those who saw many dead people—not dead by accident but by sickness—can prove this from experience, all these external signs.

I think I will stop here.

Tonight we will meditate on death—the future death evolution which will happen. Try to put yourself into that evolution and to imagine the process, the whole situations.

First think of the impermanent life, life shortage.

(Meditation)

Dedication.
First prayer : Page 156
Second prayer : Page 93, these notes.
Third prayer : Kye Wa Kun Tu Yang Dag Lama Dang
Trel Me Cho Kyi Pal La Long Cho Ching
Sa Dang Lam Gyi Yon Ten Rag Tsog Ne
Dorje Chang Gi Go Phang Nyur Thob Shog

The meaning of the last prayer is, “May I quickly attain the enlightenment of Dorje Chang (Vajradhara, the owner of all the enlightened beings) and not be separated from perfected gurus in all future lives, and enjoy the teachings and complete the whole knowledge of path and the different levels.”

This prayer is important because even if we are born in the human world where Dharma exists and we meet the wrong guru, there is the danger being led in the wrong way. Meeting perfected gurus is extremely difficult. To receive enlightenment and realizations in future lifetimes depends on receiving teachings, and this depends on the guru. So if you pray now, little by little you can create the causes. Also, we create the causes gradually by our dedication.

Day 14
Thursday November 29th
9 a.m.

From the holy teachings of the great bodhisattva, [Khunu Lama] Tenzin Gyaltsen, “The result of bodhicitta is not just one time or two times. The result of bodhicitta increases without finishing and does not decrease; it increases until the omniscient mind is received. Even after the omniscient mind is received, it increases sentient beings’ virtues.”

This is quite difficult to understand, this last part, but it is important to know anyway. The last part holds a great meaning about the relationship between us and Buddha, God, Enlightened Being, whatever it is called—anyway, the saviors, the highest saviors who have the achievement of fully-knowing mind, and who have great power and compassion for us and all sentient beings. Once we receive omniscient mind, the holy works of our future enlightened self cannot and do not stop until all sentient beings, every and all sentient beings, are released from suffering gradually. This is the result of bodhicitta in which we are training now. It’s incredible, thinking like this, it has incredible results, such great benefits. So the result of bodhicitta still continues. So this bodhicitta has that much great knowledge; the more you use—with material things the more you use, the more you finish—but with bodhicitta the more you use, the more it increases, becomes stronger, develops, progresses. There is a big difference—and it brings us closer to enlightenment. Besides bodhicitta bringing us to enlightenment, to achieve our future enlightenment, this bodhicitta also obliges us to work for each and every sentient being.

If I repeat the quotation once more, “The result of bodhicitta is not once or twice. It increases until omniscient mind is received. After receiving omniscient mind, the rain of the teachings falling increases the sentient beings’ virtues like a crop. It increases the crops of the sentient beings’ virtues.”

Therefore, it is greatly worthwhile to practice the holy thought of bodhicitta when we have the chance. Bodhicitta, which has such incredible, extensive results, is necessary. It is foolish not to listen or practice while we have chance—we have met the teachings, obtained the perfect human rebirth, heard the Mahayana teachings, received the technique of bodhicitta—not listening, not practicing is very foolish. And it is important to train even from now. Since the actual time of death is indefinite, it is clever to start right from now.

So, try to think, try to cultivate the holy thought of bodhicitta before listening the Mahayana teachings. “The attachment that I have now, within my mind, which is attached to the happiness of this life and to higher samsaric pleasures, is only the cause of suffering. However happy a life I have now or receive in the future, since it is samsara it is in the nature of suffering; we are, in the circle of death and rebirth. However much we think from our side we are pleasant, happy, have that many material things, however much we think it is good, actually we are suffering, in the fireplace, in such a large fireplace. So therefore, we should not distract ourselves with our wrong view that is projected by our wrong conceptions. Therefore, we should not allow ourselves to be distracted by our wrong view, which is creation of the wrong conception, that causes us to see that, ‘I am having a happy life. I am not suffering,’ although we are going through the circle of death and rebirth, and old age and sickness.

“Oneself receiving ultimate peace, oneself being released from samsara is not enough. There are infinite sentient beings who are the objects from whom I received past, present, and future perfection, even enlightenment. They are extremely kind but most of them have not received the perfect human rebirth as I have; have not met the guru, the leader, who is leading us on the path to enlightenment, have not met Mahayana teachings, do not have the wisdom eye to see what is positive action and what is negative action, to understand Dharma. So they often cause suffering to themselves. Therefore, I must repay them for their kindness. The best way to repay them is to lead them to enlightenment. Also, I am responsible, as they are greatly kind and in such unbearable suffering, I am greatly responsible to release them, to guide them and to lead them from suffering. But at present I have no power. So to achieve this I must receive enlightenment. To reach enlightenment I must have the achievement of the whole graduated path. To do this, I much have the full understanding of the graduated path. Therefore, I am going to listen to the Mahayana teachings.”

So the listening subject is the graduated path. If the practice is divided it becomes three teachings—the path of the lower, middle, and higher beings—so now we are on the path of the lower being.

According to the brief outline, “Perfect Human Rebirth,” “ The Great Usefulness of the Perfect Human Rebirth,” and “How life is Fragile, Impermanent,” “Death is Definite,” “The Actual Time of Death is Indefinite.” At the death time no material possessions, not even this body that we cared for more than any other sentient being, than the Enlightened Being, can help us. What helps us to not have suffering at death or even after death--what can help? No physical things or matter help at the death because the principal cause of death is not among matter, not among relatives, not among matter. Even though the external situation can be cooperative, the principal cause, the main cause of death is within our minds. The principal cause of death is within each living being’s mind, existing in each of their minds. So without cutting off ...

Why is it that so far the scientists, who study things only on the physical level, couldn’t discover the method to stop death? Because they have not discovered the principal cause of death. Why? Because they didn’t observe the mind, only the physical level. If it was in physical matter they could have done it, even in ancient times—because stopping death is the most important thing, even for them, if not for others. One thing is not observing the mind. We are talking about the mind because the mind is the evolution of it. They say that it is because time changes—they only go round, saying some words, but they haven’t yet found any means to stop it.

So therefore, none of this matter helps at death time. What can help at this most dangerous time of life—what can help? Only the Dharma can help—Dharma is the only method. Since nothing external can help, the method has to be an inner method. In an inner method there are two things: one inner method is what we have been practicing from beginningless time until now; the other is the method we have not accomplished yet.

In regards to inner method there are two things. One is the kind that we have been practicing from beginningless previous lives up until now. That is the inner method that obliges us uncontrollably to experience and suffer the circle of death and rebirth, karma and ignorance, the principal cause, ignorance, and its action, karma. This inner method doesn’t help; developing it continually makes us continue the circle. This is what we have to discover, the principal cause of death.

The second inner method is what we should accomplish. What is missing in our action is the achievement of the second inner method, which cuts off ignorance and karma. Through this the result of death and rebirth ceases. So what is the inner method? That is only the Dharma. So like this—the practice of Dharma is generally necessary, is indefinite ... it is necessary to start now, to practice now.

(Page 58)

The purpose of why we are talking about these things—the death process, death evolution—the purpose of explaining this is as follows. The meditators and yogis, by understanding the ordinary evolution of death, the ordinary evolution of the intermediate stage, and the ordinary evolution of rebirth, use tantric techniques according to the individual deity that they practice, the different manifestations of the deity. There are hundreds and hundreds of different manifestations of the deities but actually—Guru Shakyamuni ... anyway, like this. Before death, by fully understanding the ordinary evolution of these three, they practice, they use the ordinary evolution with the tantric techniques of the individual deity, they used the ordinary evolution of these three in meditation, combining them with the special tantric techniques of the individual deity. They train well in this before the danger of death, so when the actual danger, the actual evolution arises, they use the methods at the actual time. So in these evolutions—going through the intermediate stage, birth, and death—they are in meditation instead of being scared, they are enjoying their own trips.

Like this. At the moment, when we concentrate for five minutes, we cannot control the distractions. The mind is that much full of distractions, and powerless. So checking, looking at the limited power of the mind that we have now, it seems impossible that we can control the mind at those dangerous, critical times, because at these times there are much stronger distractions, much more fearful distractions. That’s why those yogis, practitioners, and meditators train in this in their lifetimes, before the actual evolution starts.

Also, having the capability to use these tantric methods at these times depends on powers, having control, and doing much purification. Because at death time, during the actual evolution, there are thousands of times more stronger distractions, so it is extremely difficult to find the chance to use these methods. Therefore, there is the need to control the mind at those times. This control has to be arranged in the lifetime through Dharma practice, special techniques, and purification. Because the distractions are due to negative mind, so less negative mind, less negative karma, and that much less distraction.

This process, making this trip using this meditation is like consciously making the trip. For that reason, there is the need to understand this ordinary evolution of death.

(Page 58)
No.5

I’m not that definite about prana, the Sanskrit term, but the Tibetan term is lung.

(a) nangwa (vision) galampa (white).
The shape of the letters—this is to think about during the practice, to visualize in that way. During the practice, visualize this.

(c) This is when the red and white meets together, and all of a sudden there is a vision of complete darkness.

(Page 59)
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namshay—the consciousness. Because of fear, because of distraction, ordinary people don’t recognize it. This is just before the consciousness leaves, during the clear light vision.

The main place that they meditate is at the point of the clear light vision. They use the clear light vision, this basic vision, they make it practical, they use this with special tantric techniques. They use this vision with the understanding of this time, with the realization of the absolute true nature, their understanding of shunyata. They use the wisdom of understanding shunyata at this time, with this vision, one with it. They also use other techniques. They make this vision rich, beneficial. They concentrate on this mind without distraction. It is possible to reach enlightenment at this time, and also during the intermediate stage.

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Also, whenever the person goes to sleep and wakes from sleep, these visions occur, but they are very short, so quick. It goes instantly, it passes—they are much shorter than the actual death time. So the yogis train in their sleep—when they are sure with dreams, when they train with the sleeping time, then they are sure that they are capable of using the techniques at the death time.

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Due to karma, even just after the consciousness leaves the body, is separated from the body, it does not recognize the body, that it belonged to him. If the consciousness recognized this, there would be no reason to separate, it could go back. Also, it becomes very fearful looking to the consciousness that left.

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There is also much suffering during the intermediate stage, such as being chased, as being pressed by huge, great mountains, being underneath and pressed down by huge great mountains. There are all kinds of fearful situations and visions that the being suffers from.

As it does not have a gross body like we have, it has no resistance. And also, karmically, it is so quick to be at the place as it thinks, no matter how many miles, how far it is.

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That prana that is the cooperative cause, the subtle body, which comes with the subtle mind—I’m not that sure—I think it means the motion, which is the body.

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This means that sometimes this intermediate state being finds its place of birth right away, and sometimes, due to karma, it takes much time to take the birthplace. After each seven days the being passes from there, and again takes birth in the same state. But the being cannot keep taking birth in the same place for more than forty-nine days; after forty-nine days it definitely finds place of birth.

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For instance if you are going to be born as a formless realm being after this life, that rebirth does not depend on making the trip intermediate stage because the future rebirth doesn’t have a form or a body. The shape of the body in the intermediate stage is always similar to the shape of the future life’s body. If the future rebirth is a dog, then the body in the intermediate stage will have the shape of dog; if the future rebirth is a human, then the intermediate stage body has similar shape.

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First of all it leaves from the heart, by opening the seed. Then according to the person’s rebirth it goes in different ways, sometimes up, sometimes down. In different ways, the consciousness leaves.

If the person is definitely going to take rebirth in hell, the consciousness leaves from the anus.

Gods of the senses—samsaric gods.

There are spirits who live on smells. Also, the Tibetan monks and yogis do puja for these beings. There are also pujas in which things are burned, and prayers are said, and charity made—there are many methods like this.

There are many stories, there is much to talk of these things.

Question: For an enlightened being, from where does the consciousness leave?

Answer: All over

(Page 61)

This entire part of the meditation is to practice in the first schedule. The way it’s set up is to use when one makes retreat, and also it is set up for the course schedule. And also it is good to say these prayers at the end of the meditations.

This “Guru Puja” is not a special tantric text. It originated from the great philosophers, great yogis, and great pandits, such as Nagarjuna. It is originally from Guru Shakyamuni, and then it was handed down to those pandits, and then to their followers, the Tibetan pandits. Still the practice of the teachings and the realizations of this have been continued, has been preserved, has been whole. So these prayers are very powerful prayers to say. Also, they have much taste, according to the level of understanding that you have, and contain much meaning, and also are very powerful. It is also important to receive blessings by saying this prayer, and these prayers are set up by highly realized, experienced Tibetan lamas.

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You can visualize in this way, but if this is uncomfortable or difficult, you can visualize only Guru Shakyamuni and think that he is the total leader of all and every Buddhas. He is the guru—as we say like this—La.ma (Guru) Ton.ba (founder) (See page 19) ... “La.ma” is his name; “ Ton.ba” is his name; “Chom.den.de” is also his name; “De.shin Sheg.pa” is also his name; “Da.chom.pa” is also his name; “Yang.tak.par Dzog.pe.Sang.gye” is also his name; “Shakya Tub.pa.la” is also his name.

So to make the visualization easy, do it this way. There is the Lord Buddha Guru Shakyamuni, and he is every and all buddhas. He is also the bodhisattvas, arhats, protectors, all the tantric deities, and the Guru, and he is also the total leader of the indirect guru, the lineage of the gurus. “Indirect guru” means a guru from whom you didn’t receive the teachings directly—the different tantric deities, some who look peaceful, some who look wrathful. “Protector” is not like the police ( I’m joking )—the protector actually is Guru Shakyamuni, the Guru who is Shakyamuni. He is also the protector.

So now I say it another way. The Guru who is Shakyamuni appears and manifests in the form of the indirect gurus; and they manifest in the form of the wrathful and peaceful deities; and they manifest in the form of the Buddha; and he manifests in the form of the bodhisattvas, the arhats, and the protectors. So, like this, the whole creation is included into one, and one is manifested into many. It is all him, the creator, not like the king and police—separate. It is Guru Shakyamuni showing himself in different forms to look after practitioners and to protect them from the inner and outer distractions and hindrances. According to the different sentient beings’ needs these beings appear in different manifestations. Those who find complicated to visualize many things, just visualize Guru Shakyamuni; he is all this—all the individual gurus, all the tantric deities, buddhas, bodhisattvas, arhats, and protectors.

As you are saying the prayer, you should visualize the light absorbing, thinking about these meanings.

3 p.m.

It is definitely possible that we can make an enjoyable trip at death time, without getting late, if we practice this meditation, practice these fundamental meditations and create merits, make purification as much as possible. The most powerful and best purification is disciplining one’s body, speech, and mind with bodhicitta. This is the most powerful way of creating merits and purifying. This discipline, which also means keeping precepts—that is another way of saying it—is the most powerful method to lessen the danger at death time and even after death.

Putting yourself in the disciplines and following precepts is not only for the purpose of having less danger, having less suffering, or not having fear at death time or having a better rebirth after death, but also it helps keep the great number of future lives from suffering. It protects many future lives—this is still talking the lowest result of following precepts, keeping disciplines, the lowest result that it will bring.

Also, the most important thing that can help a great deal at death time is the practice of these meditations, especially the meditation on impermanence, the remembrance of death, and the practice of avoiding the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas. That is one of the most powerful methods—because these meditations on impermanence, the remembrance of death, avoiding the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas, the checking meditation on the hundreds and hundreds of shortcomings (dangers) of the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas helps us not to be attached to objects—to one’s own body and to relatives, and to non-living objects. The most danger, the greatest hindrance at death time is greed and attachment—that is what makes you continue in samsara, what keeps you from being born in samsara, from uncontrollably taking a samsaric body.

Even for a person who has created much bad karma in his lifetime, it depends on his skill—even if he has created much bad karma in his lifetime, it is possible that he can have a better rebirth, such as being born in a pure land, or a paradise. Generally the pure lands come into existence for living beings. That specific buddha prayed to relieve sentient beings more quickly from suffering. But when we are born in the paradise, the paradise that we see in our view is our creation, and the objects of enjoyment that we see are a creation of our mind. That exists due to the person’s prayer and devotion and purification, mainly purification, collection of merits. Being born here is one of the quickest ways to receive enlightenment. Anyway, there’s too much to explain about the existence there. Anyway, by being born there, one receives realizations more quickly, and also there is the chance to receive teachings from the buddha in his manifestation according to the different paradise. Also, these holy beings who are born there also take earthly rebirth as humans, but they are free, with a choice to work for and benefit other living beings, as living being perceives them that way. Also, they can receive enlightenment in their lifetime, take human rebirth and become free in their lifetime—they are also like this. If one can’t receive enlightenment in this lifetime, the quickest way is to try to be reborn in a pure land. Why is it called pure? Because the delusions are not strong as they are in the beings who are in the other realms, like us. To make such a trip, to take birth in such a pure land, is also possible at death time—even before the death it is possible. But it is necessary to make arrangements. There are many methods.

The last way is to have a better human rebirth—not to be reborn in those lower suffering realms. Actually, to the different deities or the buddhas of the paradise, there are different methods to practice to be born there, specific techniques, based on the practices of these meditations. The practice of these basic meditations makes the technique practical, just like a lamp depending on fuel—even though there’s a wick and everything else, if there’s no fuel, it cannot light. So these basic meditations are like fuel.

One example—in Tibet there was an old monk, the disciple of one lama. It was about time to die. He practiced, he received the special meditation, the technique to be born in the pure land. He practiced in his lifetime, but at death he had a difficult time leaving the body. The hindrance that made it difficult for him to leave his body was that his mind was attached to the butter used for Tibetan tea—so at that time his mind couldn’t renounce the tea, the butter that was in his wooden bowl. Because his mind was attached to that, he couldn’t leave the body easily—because of this hindrance, the attachment to the butter tea in the wooden bowl, despite having practiced the technique in his lifetime. The object doesn’t have to be huge, large to hinder you. He was finding it very hard, very difficult to transfer his consciousness—this was something that he had to do freely through the special technique—even though he trained in these techniques as shown by his guru, he could not easily transfer his consciousness, and he got stuck because of the attachment. His guru, who was not near, but far away, with his power to foretell realized that the monk was having trouble—so he sent a message that there was better butter tea in Tushita, the pure land of Maitreya, the future Buddha. As soon as the monk received the message from his guru he was suddenly able to transfer his consciousness there. The main thing is to emphasize that the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas, the attachment causes so much hindrance. All of a sudden his mind was attached to the butter tea in the pure land, so he could renounce. The reason he had hard time before was that even though he knew the technique well, without the realization of the basic meditations, his thought was involved in the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas, attached to the enjoyments of Tibetan tea. That’s what I mean—the basic meditations are like fuel, like kerosene for the lamp.

Even if the person doesn’t receive the special techniques and spends his life only in the practice of these basic meditations, always fighting attachment, realizing the suffering nature, meditating on impermanence, and has renounced the mind of attachment, even though there’s no special technique, this can help him greatly to go on a better path, to have less suffering. But it is not enough to train in these methods once or twice. You have to be trained well, so that it works when the critical time comes.

Anyway, there are many other stories about how Tibetan meditators left and made the trip at death time, and about how they prepared. These are not ancient, there are also many recent meditators and practitioners who took rebirth in a pure land, in recent times. And they don’t have to be a monk or nun—even laypeople. There was one lady in recent times in Tibet who usually created much good karma, meditated very much, created much merit and had much devotion to the guru from whom she received teachings. She was just a laywoman, not a nun. Just before death she did puja, she made a big preparation of offerings to the deity that practiced, in oneness with the guru. She did puja in her room. Then, she cleaned and fixed everything very well. She asked the servants not to come in at that time. After some time, when they finally came in, she had passed away—she was in meditation, in concentration at the point we were talking about, the clear light vision—she was in meditation. This is very recent. Also there are many other stories. The thing is this—she was preparing to be reborn, to be born in the pure land of that specific deity.

So also, one or two years ago, during last year, while I was on the mountain—just below our center there is a Tibetan monastery. There was a nun there who was living in the disciplines, creating much merit, making much purification, and who had received many teachings in Tibet. She didn’t have any sickness or dangers at death time—she died with happiness. Just before death she lay down in Guru Shakyamuni’s position; she properly prepared the whole thing. She lay down in Guru Shakyamuni position—when Guru Shakyamuni was passing away he lay down in a certain way called “sleeping in the form of lion”—the lion is the white snow lion. Anyway—the form is this—putting the right hand under your temple with the fourth finger stopping the right nostril. This is to stop the motion of greed, of attachment, to signify this. Then the left hand is on the thigh, and the two legs are straight. Anyway, there are many benefits to taking that position. If one sleeps in this way, even if one sleeps in this position the sleep doesn’t become very deep, the sleep is very light, not very deep. Also it protects one from bad dreams, from dangers, from fear, from hindrances. Just as this example, the way the lion sleeps—the lion does not sleep like other animals, it is light sleep, so if anything happens it hears. Also, it looks pompous, glorious. This nun took this position, as Guru Shakyamuni took, and then she passed away without any troubles or worries.

Also, there is one lama who was the head of that monastery. I met this great lama twice. He was a very old lama, a real ascetic lama, with no attachment to anything. Also, he wore very old clothes—anything he received he gave to his followers, the monks; so the monks lived on that. He heard the news that I was going to build a monastery there. So he told us before one year, I will die, I have only one year to live, and he told us that the place where I was going to build the monastery would be very beneficial to the beings, and he suggested that I shouldn’t have a little mind, that I should build it as big as possible. At that time I didn’t have any idea that I could build such a thing. Then he passed away after one year exactly. Before that he used to get sick, pots of blood coming out. When he heard good Dharma news he got better. Then, as people believe he is getting better, again he got sick, and so on, always either sick or getting better. But when he died there was no problem, he was not sick. Also, before he died he gave instructions to his followers about what to do with the monastery and possessions. They have a little collection of money from the villagers that they used for pujas, so he instructed that they use it right away or there would be problems. He talked all night, then at dawn he had the servants fill his bowl with tea, then he sent the servants out, and then he passed away. He was in meditation about a week, seven days—I can’t remember exactly the number of days.

Anyway, the whole thing is just a matter of a decision to be made by us. The whole thing depends on a decision made by us. The future good results depend on the present decision.

The Three Lower Realms of Suffering: (1) The Hells (Page 63)

The difference is—the fearful states that come in a dream, such as burning in the fire, in the dream there is nothing that really burns the body. It is not something that can be experienced this way. This is like a dream, but can really be experienced—as regards experience, is different from a dream.

These are only a few examples. The explanation that is written here was explained by Guru Shakyamuni and is just to give an idea—it does not mean that this is all the narak suffering. This is for the ignorant people to have some idea of what the suffering looks like. By meditating on this, by understanding this, by experiencing this in meditation, the person does not become lazy in the practice—even if there’s a problem that arises, he doesn’t care. His Dharma practice always continues, without caring about any problem that arises. Even if there’s no other problem, even for the people who practice Dharma, it is very easy for the mind to be under the control of distractions, and under the control of greed, ignorance, and hatred, to be always busy following the objects of the senses.

Having the strong experience meditation on the narak sufferings, and also on the sufferings of pretas and animals—as the person receives a stronger experience, the person builds stronger fear, and that much more the person gets stronger energy, which causes the person not to follow the negative minds, the attachments, and to destroy the cause of suffering that causes the person to suffer in such states, these realms. By meditating on this, one discovers that there are such greater sufferings to be experienced. We think, “Even if I die here, on this place, Earth, there’s no suffering like this; there’s no greater suffering or problem than this.” So the person doesn’t have the strong fear of creating bad karma, and not that much fear of following the negative mind. Then the person finds very hard, and cannot easily renounce the negative mind. The person doesn’t try to renounce the negative mind in that way because he doesn’t see it is that important to renounce the negative mind. The reason he doesn’t see it as that important is because he doesn’t discover the greater suffering that is in these realms. So through this, besides not receiving ultimate peace, the cessation of suffering, the cessation of samsara, he always follows his negative mind, keeps himself in the circle of birth in the six realms, and keeps suffering in these three realms. Even though he is born in the upper realms, he creates bad karma by following the negative mind, and again he falls into the three lower realms and suffers for eons. Even when that result finishes and he is born in the upper realms, again he creates bad karma. And so on like this, he goes round and round.

For instance we have been experiencing sufferings such as this since beginningless times, but because of death and rebirth—this intervention, this interruption—and ignorance, we do not remember our past experiences. As much as we suffered, we don’t remember. Besides not perceiving, not realizing the future life experiences, we forget what we experienced in past lives. Even the time when we were in the mother’s womb, how the mind came to take place in the mother’s womb, what sufferings we had in the mother’s womb, how we came out—we forget all these things. Just because of our not remembering, we cannot say, “There’s no existence of past and future lives, there’s no existence of these states.” The mere reasoning, “I don’t remember,” is illogical, because we don’t remember the experiences we had inside the mother’s womb—when she walked, sat down. But nobody can say that the baby, our early life, didn’t exist in mother’s womb, because this was the mother’s experience and the experience of others. Before we came out it was our parents’ experience, so how can we negate and contradict, just reasoning, “I don’t remember, I didn’t see.” No one can say they weren’t born from their mother’s womb, even though they don’t remember.

Death is the same thing. We don’t even remember this lifetime’s evolution, so how could we remember our past lives? If you reason by saying that, “I don’t know that,” that these things cannot exist because you don’t know, they cannot be said, because we don’t know ourselves, we don’t know own nature. We don’t even clearly understand our own minds that we use to see objects and make plans. We still do not fully discover this, so we cannot say that our mind does not exist. Same thing to this.

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It is not only at death time, but also in our lifetimes the imprints, the seeds are collected gradually. There are different desires that come at the time of death that correspond to where we will be reborn. These occur at the death time just before the mind leaves. If you are going to be reborn in the hot narak stages, no matter how many blankets you have you will feel cold, and you will experience the craving for heat

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For instance, if you compare the suffering that is caused by 360 spears going inside the flesh, inside the body, sticking to the body—this is for one day—if you compare this suffering that is experienced in the human realm to a tiny suffering from the narak stage of a being that is killed again and again, they cannot be compared. This tiny suffering is far greater than the suffering of putting 360 spears in the body. Also, when you meditate, sometimes there is difficulty in getting the idea of the great suffering feeling of that stage; so try to remember this experience and to feel it—as if someone is shooting that many spears into your body in one day, how great the suffering is. Remembering the experience of this, try to check up how great sufferings there are. Compare this to the tiniest suffering of that stage when you are killed again and again with different weapons. Try to check up the different sufferings by visualizing this.

INTRODUCTION TO MAHAYANA ORDINATION

In last years’ courses we tried to take the Mahayana ordination, which has only eight precepts, in the last part of the fifteen days. In the first course, which was only for fifteen days, we took the Mahayana ordination only on the last day. But in the other courses we took it in the last part. So also thinking, trying to experience the Mahayana ordination, which has eight precepts in this time, also in this course, for the rest of the fifteen days, thinking that it will be fortunate and be the cause of enlightenment, to create some cause of enlightenment in this life. To take the precious Mahayana ordination, the most precious, powerful ordination, to keep the precepts, one has to know the number of the precepts, and also, the benefits with a little detail. Of course, we already knew the benefits of taking ordination, and we may have already understood the purpose of taking precepts, of disciplining—not to create the cause of samsara, but to attain enlightenment, to attain the ultimate peace.

This Mahayana ordination is something that was followed by many people in ancient times. Also, before Guru Shakyamuni there was a founder of Buddhadharma, another Buddha, and even in that time there was ordination taken by other people.

From this ordination, by keeping these precepts, many of those ancient beings who followed them were born after their deaths into the human realms, or in the realms of the gods; and so many of them were released from samsara and achieved the ultimate peace; and so many of then achieved enlightenment by following the path.

So I will, together with this little details of the benefits, and the number of the precepts together.

The Eight Mahayana Precepts

The First Precept is avoiding taking other’s lives. This means taking life with willingness and with the thought of killing, especially with the thought of killing.

The benefits of practicing this is that it causes you to have a longer life in many other future lifetimes, and also not to have sickness and to have a happy life. These are small details.

The second precept is avoiding stealing. In each precept there is also much detail. Killing, I think we discussed before—direct and indirect killing. Stealing, robbing, doesn’t have to be only an action like thieving, taking without other’s knowing, but also includes a robbery that the other person sees, taking something by force. This is also stealing.

I think robbing is also stealing. Things taken away without the permission of the other person, things not possessed by you that belong to another person, and taken by force—it doesn’t have to be an unknown action by another person.

The benefits of practicing this is that it causes you to receive perfect material enjoyments and possessions, and never to be disturbed by other people—this means other people stealing your possessions—in many future lives.

I didn’t finish one thing, there are some examples, but first I will finish these other two precepts.

The third precept is avoiding sexual intercourse. Because these are Mahayana precepts they are much concerned with other beings. Besides not killing other living beings, harming other beings has to be taken care of and avoided. Besides killing other beings, this also has to be avoided as much as possible. So avoiding sexual intercourse—this does not mean only within couples. Generally, one also has to observe, has to avoid sexual happiness, the general sexual happiness. So totally one has to observe the sexual actions.

The benefits of keeping this precept is that causes you in many other future lives to have a beautiful body, with a good shape, and beautiful color and having perfect organs.

The fourth precept is avoiding telling lies. There are all kinds of different telling lies; this doesn’t have to be only lies through speech. There are physical actions of telling lies—if someone asks and you just move your head or hands—that is also a lie. If someone asks you if you are out of samsara and the person smiles, not saying that, “I am out of samsara.” but pretending as he is out of samsara, even though there’s no action of speech, that is also telling lies.

The benefits of keeping this precept are that you will not be betrayed by other people in many other future lives, and you will not be cheated. Also, in many other future lifetimes, whatever you say will be respected by other people and other people will believe it.

If I tell you one example—in ancient times one of the families in one village lost a cow. The king of that country pointed out an innocent person and punished him. After the death of the king, in his next life, the king was born as a monk. One day he was dyeing clothes, robes, in a put. It happened that one of the families of that village had lost a cow. So people came to look around for the cow, and one of the people who came pointed out the monk as the one who had stolen and killed the cow. He said, “No, no, this is cloth.” They said, “This is the meat of the cow,” but he said, “No this is cloth.” But they saw meat, they really saw that he was cooking meat in the pot. From the side of the monk he told the truth as best he could, but the others didn’t believe him. This is the result of the karma of the king who pointed out the wrong thief. This often happens in our life—we tell the truth as best we can, but other people find it very difficult to believe. Also, some people, no matter how much they tell lies, people always believe them. Those are results of karma.

The fifth precept is avoiding intoxicants which makes the mind unconscious, undisciplined, that cause change from the usual behavior. Within intoxicants there are many things. This is important not only for the meditator but even for the ordinary people, because the intoxicated mind causes a lot of danger, so it is something that has to be observed, not only by meditators but by ordinary people who don’t want complications.

It is simple to understand, we saw many times how other people do and we also did it many times ourselves. When people are intoxicated they do many uncontrolled things—break things, fight other people, say all kinds of words, words that they usually hide in their minds—everything comes out, exposed—they have no discipline in the body, no discipline in the speech, and of course, no discipline in the mind. The mind becomes like dirty water. It causes a lot of problems like this—also it makes the person sick, with a headache. These are simple, but there are many other results that we don’t see.

Before taking intoxicants: wine, alcohol, whatever it is, this person looks as if he has discipline, as if he is clever, as if he has dignity. First of all he looks like this, but after taking that, his mind becomes intoxicated and everything changes, He is completely different from the person he was before.

Also, if they are taken much they cause danger to life. According to the element, the intoxicant, there are many ways of not remembering things easily. It interrupts perfect wisdom. The wisdom becomes perfect.

The benefits of avoiding this are that in many other future lives one will be conscious and have firm remembrance. Also having clear senses and perfect wisdom.

The sixth precept is avoiding sitting on very expensive, large, and high beds (like me) and on expensive thrones, thrones which have jewel decorations. If the person sits on an expensive large bed, it causes attachment to it to arise. It is the same thing sitting on a high, rich throne. Also there’s the danger of pride arising. So keeping the precept is to keep these negative minds from arising, to stop these negative minds.

The benefits of keeping the precept are that in many other future lives you will be respected and admired by other people, and in future lives you will receive better enjoyments, even richer beds.

The seventh precept is fasting. This fasting is having one meal in a day, that is before 12.00, but not twice, taking one at 6.00 and at 10.00 o’clock another meal, not like this. The meal can be taken at any time before 12.00. The whole purpose is this—we are not out of attachment, we all have attachment, the problem is attachment, so this is to fight, not to follow attachment. This stops the attachment from arising or it stops working for attachment.

But the question comes, “Why does the person takes one meal—if that is so, why shouldn’t the person shouldn’t avoid meal?” One meal is necessary; that is necessary because you can’t receive enlightenment in one second like this—you take LSD and get out of samsara and again come back—not like this. Anyway you see, there’s the necessity, there’s so much negative karma, negative mind, such a great collection—if it was in form it would be something incredible—not only created in this life, but in so many previous lifetimes. The reason we are not scared is because it is not in form, in matter, not in any shape. It is formless, and therefore difficult to recognize. So it is necessary to purify. Therefore, it is necessary to practice Dharma in this life, that has so much opportunity to bring advantage. For that aim, that reason, you need a long life; so that has to depend on temporal needs; so for that reason, one meal is necessary—it is like medicine, like temporal medicine. It’s like this—medicine is taken until you recover from the sickness, and then you don’t need it. Food is like this, food is taken like a medicine, to get out of samsara, to achieve enlightenment, and in that way it is used for Dharma, used in a Dharma way. The action of eating food, thinking like that, is a Dharma action, because you are not eating it with the thought of the worldly Dharmas. And this one meal makes the person exist.

The benefits of that, the temporal benefits of fasting are that in many other future lifetimes you spontaneously receive food enjoyments, without working for it yourself, without being too concerned about it yourself. And also in many other future lives you will receive good crops.

The eighth precept is avoiding putting smells such as perfumes on the body, and other things such as ornaments, with greed. And avoiding songs and dances.

Just as with the food—for example, food can be taken in a Dharma way, being opposed to the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas—there are exceptions. For the practice of Dharma without evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas, it is exceptional to dance and sing, for a Dharma reason, for the practice of Dharma, without the evil thought of the worldly Dharmas. Basically, the reason that it’s forbidden—the reason that many of these are forbidden, such as enjoying the large, high, and expensive throne, smells, ornaments, all these things, these actions are forbidden when they are done with the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas. Precepts are not just to forbid the action, but mainly to stop the negative mind from arising, to finish all the negative mind. Because the negative mind is the creator of the problems, the sufferings, so the precepts are to fight its action. The forbidden actions are the actions done with this evil thought. For the Dharma, with pure thought, that which is opposite to the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas, such as music, such as sitting on the throne, such as putting on smells, singing, dancing—they can be done, these are exceptions.

(i) The benefits of avoiding putting on smells and ornaments, such as rosaries, with attachment, and also other ornaments are that it causes many other future lives to have a beautiful body with many good physical signs such as Guru Shakyamuni has, many holy, perfect signs, such as having chakras and wheels under the feet. There are many other things, so many other knowledges. Those are also caused by keeping these precepts.

Also, it causes you to have intuitive good smells, very sweet smells that come from the body that are not prepared purposely by you. In Tibet, there are many lamas like this. It is not a smell that is purposely put on, but they have intuitive good smells that come from their body. That is the result of previous good karma, keeping these precepts. The Tibetan term for that is “the smell of morality.” It is not expensive.

(ii) The benefits of keeping the precept of not singing and dancing with attachment is that it causes you to have a well subdued mind in many other future. Also, the actions of the body are well subdued, like a bodhisattva. Because his mind is well-subdued, so also his body’s actions are well subdued, very peaceful—or such as the monks who are strictly living in the rules, in the precepts.

The first four are the root, and there are four roots and four branches, making one of these last two—avoiding ornaments and putting on scents, singing and dance, that is one, and second, fasting—then avoiding sitting on high or large thrones or beds; and fourth, avoiding intoxicants.

These are just temporal benefits. There are many other benefits, each of these precepts being a cause and the result being the knowledge of the Buddha’s holy body, the perfection of Buddha’s holy body. Relating to the holy signs of Buddha’s holy body, relating to the knowledge of Buddha’s holy body, speech, and mind, there is also very much to explain. These are just temporal results that can be achieved by keeping these precepts. But also, by keeping these precepts it causes you to receive the perfect knowledge of Buddha’s holy body, speech, and mind.

Anyway, even keeping these precepts for one day has much benefit because these Mahayana precepts are not observed only for oneself, but for the sake of other sentient beings. So keeping the precepts, if I say totally, keeping the precepts is the most practical, quickest method to escape from samsara and achieve enlightenment, and helps a great deal to receive the realization of the meditations. Keeping these precepts stops the hindrance of the meditations, outside hindrance, inside hindrance—the inside hindrance of the negative mind or following, working for the negative mind—keeping precepts stops these things. So the person’s negative mind does not arise and instead it diminishes and the negative karma becomes less. Keeping precepts does not allow the person to create extra negative karma, so besides not creating and increasing the negative karma and negative mind, it diminishes the negative karma that was created in many previous lives. So it’s very practical, very useful.

Following the precepts helps you at the same time as you take the precepts. It protects you, it guides you, it doesn’t allow you to create extra negative karma and build negative mind. In that way, your keeping precepts protects you. Also, it is of great use, and beneficial for purifying the negative karma that was created in many previous lives. So keeping precepts is very powerful and practical, and helps your mind right away. At the same time you made the vow, it helps a great deal to bring peace to your mind, if you can discover.

So a person who actually keep the precepts is doing a practical action, like the soldiers who are in the war really fighting in the war, the practical soldiers. The ordinary example of the soldier who gives harm to other beings, even though he is practical and he has energy and courage, he is used to destroy others’ perfection. He is that strong, practical, and has that much courage—for the worldly beings it is like this. So he, that soldier, is the practical person who tries to get control over the enemy by going into action, trying to get control over the enemy. So like that example, the person keeping the precepts goes into action, trying to destroy the enemy of the negative mind in order to get control over the negative mind. But in the ordinary example of the soldier, however much strength, will, and courage he has—it is all to destroy other beings. In the same way he is destroying other beings, he is destroying himself, his own peace. How much he destroys his own peace. Peace has to be received by disciplining one’s body, speech, and mind, and by not giving harm to other being. Mental peace, inner peace, has to be received in this way. This is one of the reasons why in Dharma practice we are much concerned about not harming other sentient beings, especially in the Mahayana teachings. Why are we so concerned about other beings and not harming them ? That is because every ordinary happiness, perfection, enjoyment, even the ultimate goal, enlightenment, everything has to be received by depending on sentient beings, from sentient beings.

So from the Dharma point of view, from the Mahayana point of view, harming other beings is like destroying the field from which you will receive your peace, destroying the holy object from whom you receive all your happiness and your ultimate peace. So this man, however much power, strength, and will he has, he has used it in a meaningless way, used it only for achievement of the suffering result, only to create the cause of suffering. So the will, the strength that is used for keeping the precepts, fighting to negative mind, is much more worthwhile, it is priceless. Anyway, it is inexpressible, the benefits, the knowledge that can be achieved by doing this practical action of keeping precepts.

Tomorrow morning the ordination has to be taken just before the sunrise, otherwise it doesn’t count as taking the precepts for the full day. Usually it is taken at dawn time when you don’t see the figure of the hands clearly, as you see in the day.

Tomorrow morning we start 5 a.m. Before that, if it is possible, clean your mouth and face. Actually like this—the body that is taking the precepts is a new body, a precious body, so it’s worthwhile to take the ordination with a clean body. This is more important, this new body. So anyway, taking this ordination tomorrow morning is like having a birthday fro the cause of the enlightenment.

Also, when you get up tomorrow morning, try to remember impermanence and death. It is horrible for the people who are in the West to remember such a thing so early in the morning, before doing anything, but for people who seek inner peace it is useful, practical, and it is needed. Getting up early is difficult, like having a heavy job, heavy luggage on your back; for keeping these precepts, there would be this feeling, as if one is punished, tortured. If you really think it is torture, punishing, then there’s no need to take them.

Anyway, think like this as you wake up, “Since I was born until now my whole life has finished so quickly, like last night’s dream. I am sure that the time that I have to exist is shorter than the time I have lived. My mind does not perceive when death will occur. I am not sure whether death will happen tonight or tomorrow. As there was mind, as the previous mind created the present rebirth, in the same way the mind will continue even after death. So it is more definite that I will be reborn in the lower suffering realms, as I created more negative than positive karma in this life and in numberless previous lives. Therefore today, right now, I must do something to stop the future suffering, and release sentient beings from suffering by being enlightened. Therefore, I am going to take the precepts and meditate today.” By thinking this there will be pleasure in your mind, so you are going to take the precepts with pleasure, not with worry. So you are doing the action being free, with “free mind,” I mean not as being punished by some other people.

Day 15
Mahayana ordination
Friday November 30th
6 a.m.

Morning Prayers (Page 10)

Visualize the person granting the ordination as Guru Shakyamuni and make three prostrations, thinking, “I am purifying the negativity of body, speech, and mind.

Then kneel with the right knee on the floor and the left knee up. If it is painful, it doesn’t matter. Fold the hands at the heart.

To take the Mahayana ordination it is not enough just to the motive that is concerned for future lives or to release oneself from samsara—it is not enough because taking Mahayana ordination depends on the individual motivation, not on the person granting ordination, but on the person taking it. Therefore, it is necessary for it to be a Mahayana motive. So, if you cultivate the brief Mahayana motive, think like this, “Myself and all other sentient beings have been circling round in samsara, in the bondage of suffering, and experiencing all the sufferings—those in the upper realms, and moreover, the unbearable sufferings of the three lower realms—from beginningless lifetimes.”

If we clearly check up the length of time that we have been experiencing suffering it can be a really big shock, something which is unimaginable, a very upsetting subject that makes us see ourselves as so ignorant, so foolish, as terrible living beings. Also, just as we have been circling round in the bondage of the suffering of samsara without beginning, the same thing, it is definite that we will have to go through this again, in the bondage of suffering of samsara also in the future, without end. Since by being under the control of delusions and karma as long as we continue believing in impermanent things as permanent, impure things as pure, non-self-existing things as self-existing, if we deeply check up, if all the future sufferings that are going to be brought on by the previous karma were a subject that could be perceived, it is unbelievable, a subject that could make us neurotic, very nervous, something that could make us not feel sleepy. Understanding that we could never sleep, we couldn’t eat, it would be something that makes us even unable to eat food. Our whole night and whole day would be only concerned with how to escape from that. In fact, we are in such a time as that—it’s just a matter of our wisdom not perceiving it, those objects, the future sufferings that will be experienced by us. In terms of the sufferings, we usually think, “I am okay, I didn’t create much bad karma;” we usually don’t think there is much suffering result that we will experience because we didn’t create much bad karma in this life. We even think, “I am a meditator,” usually not having such thoughts that I am okay now, but that there are many future sufferings, the cause of which were created in many previous lifetimes. So anyway, it is definite that we will have to experience much greater, terrible sufferings in the future by taking different rebirths. Also, besides talking about future lives, even in this life we are not sure what will happen, what sufferings we will have before death; but not perceiving it doesn’t mean it won’t happen. So if we don’t create good karma, if we don’t discover the samsaric nature, as long as we create the cause of samsara it is definite that we will have to experience all those future sufferings. The cause was created in all the previous lifetimes. Therefore, it is necessary to build the dam, to make some arrangements, before the danger ...

Guru Shakyamuni, Buddha, is not something eternal, with no beginning. He is not like this. If he is God ... is he God? He is God, he has achieved the perfect meaning of God, he is one who has completely achieved his own purpose and others’ purpose, who has completely finished his own work and others’ work. Achieving enlightenment is completing one’s own purpose, one’s own work, and others’ work. Besides being out of the bondage of suffering, the circle of death and rebirth, he does not have one single tiny impure mind, dualistic mind, wrong conception, delusion, no such knowledge, no such existence even the size of a particle atom. There is nothing even the size of a tiny atom that is not fully seen by his holy mind. Also, the way he sees is not in different time—the whole existence—one minute, one second, even the shortest second. As he fully sees one object, at the same time he sees every single object and every thought, every desire of sentient beings—he clearly sees without having one tiny mistake. This is not only for the present, but also he sees all the past evolution, and at the same time he sees all the future. Anyway, he has that much great knowledge and understanding, and infinite supreme powers and great compassion. Guru Shakyamuni also has achieved that enlightened knowledge by meeting the guru and by following these precepts by disciplining body, speech, and mind. In that way, he received enlightenment and he enlightened so many sentient beings. He led them to ultimate peace from suffering. So just as he made the progression from ordinary being, ordinary person, just as he gradually made progress, just as he did in the beginning, middle, and end, we can do the same thing. As he was also an ordinary living being as we are, so we can do the same thing. So think, “Besides releasing myself from samsaric suffering, there are infinite sentient beings who are the objects from whom I received my present, past, and future happiness and perfection, and now most of them are in incredible suffering, not having met a guru, not having the wisdom eye knowing about Dharma, only creating the causes of suffering and experiencing suffering. As much as they do not desire suffering they always run as quick as possible to create the cause of suffering. When they are in the suffering result, the cause of which they created, continually they desire happiness and peace. Even though they continually desire happiness and peace, due to lack of wisdom and realizing the perfect method for peace they run more to create suffering. So they suffer and again they create the cause, hoping to create happiness, always circling around and around like this. And besides this, they find the quickest way to create suffering. And they are always worried. This is the nature of ignorant-minded beings.

So I must repay them for the happiness. Also I am really responsible to guide and rescue them from suffering. But at the moment I have no capability to even guide myself from suffering, not having achieved perfect knowledge. Who has it? The Buddha has perfect knowledge and power. So I must achieve enlightenment. Therefore, it is necessary to purify my negative karma and also it is necessary to abstain from negative actions. Therefore, I am going to take the Mahayana ordination until tomorrow.”

Now follows the ordination ceremony, which was performed each morning until the end of the meditation course. The form of each ceremony was the same so has been printed only once in this book—see Appendix One.

9 a.m.

We talked before about the five different knowledges (Page 6), so—the best of the knowledges is the inner knowledge (“inner knowledge” means the knowledge of Dharma); the best of the possessions is the jewel; among the quickest vehicle the best is the clever-knowing horse (this is a special horse). Among the quickest vehicles, the clever-knowing horse is the best, the quickest; the best among the thoughts is bodhicitta. (There are hundreds and hundreds of different thoughts, so the best among the thoughts is bodhicitta).

This horse—there’s quite a long story, but—it is used by the samsaric gods. It is a horse that can fly, but is also capable of understanding whatever the person thinks. Whatever the rider thinks, the horse can intuitively understand it. There is no need to talk to it, as soon as the rider thinks—so quick, such a very clever horse.

Since from among the hundreds and hundreds of thoughts, as bodhicitta is the best, and as our minds have possibility to achieve these best thoughts, it is greatly worthwhile to attempt this practice. That is important to start even from now, since the actual time of death is indefinite. The action of listening to the teachings should be possessed by the pure thought of bodhicitta. In this way, the action of listening to the subject becomes a Mahayana action. However long you listen to the subject—a few minutes, one hour, a whole day—the action becomes a Mahayana action, a pure action, it becomes a special, powerful, practical method, whether or not it is called “Mahayana.” So think— (since I said it this morning, there no need to repeat again, but just to emphasize), “It’s not sufficient that I, after my death, will not be born in the lower realms and will be born in the upper realm; and even releasing myself from this bondage of samsara is not enough, not sufficient. Since infinite sentient beings are the objects of my happiness and enlightenment, and as they are in the terrible suffering, I must achieve enlightenment to repay them and lead them in the path, release them from suffering. So to be able to achieve enlightenment, I must complete the practice of the whole graduated path. To complete the whole graduated path, I must fully understand the teachings of the graduated path. Therefore, I am going to listen to the teachings on the graduated path.”

Among the outlines that we have to meditate through, we have finished “The Perfect Human Rebirth,” “The Great Usefulness of the Perfect Human Rebirth,” “The Difficulty of Receiving the Perfect Human Rebirth,” and “How It is Fragile, Impermanent, and Easy to Decay,” “Death is Definite,” “The Actual Time of Death is Indefinite,” and “The Suffering Of The Three Lower Suffering Realms—The Narak Realms.”

I will tell you some points, the way to practice it, some points to work with the death part. When you do retreat, or as you gradually experiment, in the experiment, in this meditation on the death part, it will be good if you spend most of the time thinking of the shortcomings of not remembering death for a few days or a week. Do checking meditation on that to fully discover the shortcomings and the dangers of not remembering death. In other words—if one does not remember death, the different kinds of problem that arise, and the hindrances to Dharma practice—there are six total shortcomings of not remembering death. In the second time, also think the benefits of remembering death according to your own mind, the change of your own mind, You have to spend some time on this, the benefits of remembering death.

Then after this, do the checking meditation on how there is no other method to stop death. Also think that as no other method can stop death, death is definite; there’s no other way to add extra life, additional life. And always, without any breaks, without even a second’s break, life is degenerating. What life there is is always degenerating, on the way, without even a second’s break. Therefore death is definite.

But those are just ideas—you have to think in many ways with your logic, as you find with your wisdom. Even if one practices Dharma, without completing the Dharma practice, one has to die. There is not so much time for the Dharma practice. It can be understood by thinking in this way—if we are going to live for fifty years, half the time goes while sleeping, half of life. Then the day is left. In the daytime, we do not practice all day—only at occasional times, only at certain times. And even the person trying to practice Dharma for a time, an hour, has so many hindrances from outside and from inside. From outside, the hindrances do not let the person practice Dharma. Even if there’s no outside hindrance, from inside the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas makes the person’s practice black, non-Dharma. So like this. If you make fifty years half, it’s only twenty-five years. Even that is not the whole time. For instance, when we meditate even if we try to spend two hours, one hour, half an hour—most of the time is spent in distraction. So from this we can figure out that death will happen before we finish our Dharma practice.

So as you frequently go through the evolution of death, the death that will definitely happen in the future, you are trying to feel it, putting yourself through these evolutions. See it, discover the experience yourself—how sad, how terrible the situation is. By doing the practice of the meditation on death frequently, you will see more and more clearly, and afterwards you will feel as if it really happened to you, as if such a time, such a situation of death really happened. There will be a feeling like this in your mind, you will be so frightened, as if it really came, really happened, so frightened. Your heart will be beating, and you will be very frightened like a person when there’s some danger, a big shock. Until something like that happens you must train in concentration on this meditation on death, meditating on the form of your future death in the present time. When this happens, you have received the realization that death is definite.

So, then meditate on “The Actual Time of Death is Indefinite.” This is more difficult to realize than “Death Is Definite,” more difficult that to realize and experience. Then the checking meditation should be done in many ways to discover that the actual time of death is indefinite. Many examples should be checked, you should remember all the common examples, what’s happening. Like when there’s a meeting—the people go for a meeting in, but they do not have time to come out, it’s finished. People go to some other country but do not come back. Therefore, the actual time of death is indefinite. A person starts to eat food but can’t finish. A person goes to sleep but doesn’t get up in the morning. There are so many other examples. A person starts to make preparations for a wedding but no has time to complete them.

It’s happening now, on this earth, even in this minute. There are so many great numbers of human beings going through death, who are just after death, or in the death process. This is just only talking about human beings, not other beings on this earth. Those who are close to death, who are definitely going to go through death tonight—there are so many great numbers of human beings. Also in the meditation time, thinking like this is very useful. Think like this: so many living beings are going through death right now, so if that happens to me right now how would I do it? Check with many examples like this, to experience that the actual time of death is indefinite. Some people were enjoying so well, so happy, no problems in the morning, but they are unexpectedly finished in the afternoon. In the morning, the people were so happy, enjoying well, dancing and singing, but in the afternoon they are experiencing much worry and upset, crying. Just also as this example—people leave for trekking on mountain, but have no time to come back, no time to go back to the West.

Our first European student, whom I introduced at the very beginning of the course was planning to come down from the mountain and go to India to receive teachings. She was planning this. We were in Dharamsala, so we received a letter that she was planning to come to Dharamsala to receive teachings. But anyway, she didn’t have time, her life finished on the mountain. But she didn’t have a completely empty life; just before her death she was doing retreat, it was about the time she just finished retreat or was about to finish. So anyway, she couldn’t do it, she didn’t have time to do as she thought. Therefore, the actual time of death is indefinite. There are even people who go for pee-pee but have no time to come back. Therefore, the death time is indefinite.

The definition of receiving the experience that the actual time of death is indefinite is when the person feels always doubtful. Whenever the person does something, goes somewhere, he is always doubtful of the existence of life, the continuation of the present life. This is like the example that I mentioned, the Tibetan ascetic yogi who spent his life in retreat, Geshe Kharag, who spent the rest of his life in complete pure practice, meditating in a solitary place, without need to cut the thorns at the door. Every time he went outside his mind was doubtful that he would come back, and when he went inside the cave he was doubtful that he would come out. So in this way he never wasted his time. So totally like this. This change of mind, when one has the realization that the actual time of death is indefinite, this experience of the mind being doubtful always helps one a great deal to do strict Dharma, pure Dharma practice. It means not allowing even a minute to follow or create samsaric action, worldly action, to follow the evil thought of the worldly Dharma practice, not allowing oneself to create worldly action with the evil thought of the worldly Dharmas. Also that person doesn’t have much problem with attachment.

For all these different levels of changes of the mind, the experience is only made, created, and found by mind, by a method which is mind.

So the part about death evolution—the different kinds of visions, the absorptions of the elements—this usually does not come in this part of the meditation, in these sorts of meditations. Usually, in the Tibetan texts it doesn’t come in this set of meditations. But since we don’t have any idea about the changes of the elements and things at death time, since it is not fully explained in the science books and is not in the usual books in the West, so it is put together with the death part.

But sometimes this can be practiced during the sleeping time. Just before going to sleep you go through this as if you are in the evolution of death. Go through the process and trying to see the different visions by motions going to the heart—from the head to the heart, and from the navel to the heart. The time of the clear light vision can be done like this—just as we meditate on Guru Shakyamuni’s absorption, with Guru Shakyamuni absorbing into you, seated in the center of your head and absorbing into you, and as it absorbed into you all of a sudden this impure conception, the wrong conception of the self-existing “I” and the impure body becomes void, emptiness, somewhere existing. Your mind becomes one with Guru Shakyamuni’s holy mind, but in the nature of infinite happiness, ecstasy; something like this. This makes a big preparation. If you train from now, it can help when you meditate on shunyata, the absolute true nature. It can also help a great deal when we practice the tantric teachings, the special techniques and methods of the different deities. You will find it easier at that time, especially at death time. Before you fall asleep, try to fall to sleep just in that concentration, in that vision, the space, the clear light vision in the form of space, the vision what happens just as it is explained there, the clear light vision like at dawn-time in autumn, which is not a white vision, a red vision, or black vision, no need to tell much detail about this—just something like this, you try. The most important thing is that your mind, besides being completely devoid of an independent “I,” the “I” completely becomes oneness with Guru Shakyamuni. Think that you are losing the old idea that thinks separately from Guru Shakyamuni, in the form of the clear light vision. If you meditate like this it also helps greatly, and also becomes a protection on your night trip.

There are many other tantric techniques. This explanation is usually in the tantric texts, but the tantric techniques cannot be revealed, cannot be mentioned. But the ordinary, basic explanations are okay; the ordinary evolution of death, the evolution of ordinary death, intermediate stage, and rebirth—there is no danger to explain.

Question: Can the form of the rebirth be intuitively perceived in the clear light vision before the actual time?

Answer: Definitely; definitely possible.

Question: Is there any danger visualizing the prana coming to the heart?

Answer: Depending on the person, usually there is no danger. Sometimes the person, when they follow attachment, such as losing sperm, even if there is no contact, anything, just fantasy, just thinking, the person loses sperm. For such a person it can be possible that just visualizing this can bring some dangers.

Question: Is it possible that during this meditation the mind doesn’t re-enter the body, that it goes some place else, loses control?

Answer: You can try, but I think it would be difficult. There are only two ways, only two doors; no other door, both are difficult. One has to be done freely, the other has to be done without freedom. So there are only two doors.
There are also a lot of people in the West who commit suicide, but it’s not because they are free.

So, I didn’t have time this morning to explain about breaking the precepts. Since we have made a vow visualizing like this—two things:

(i) One thing is visualizing many other Buddhas, bodhisattvas, many other holy beings, and visualizing Guru Shakyamuni. This is not the same as visualizing this tree or Mount Everest and making a vow—there is a big difference—between here and Everest there is no connection. And also, the vow that you made in front of Mount Everest, even if you break it, there’s no danger. But this is different. Visualizing Guru Shakyamuni and many other holy beings and making a vow is a big difference. Generally, with keeping precepts and making vows there are more benefits if one makes vows in front of, visualizing, the holy object, makes the vows in the presence of a guru, an abbot, or something. It is more beneficial and much different to observe precepts when you have made a vow. Also, if precepts are broken, taking a vow is much more dangerous than observing a precept without taking the vow and then breaking it. Why more dangerous? It becomes like telling a lie—because you made a vow that you would follow it until tomorrow, so it becomes a lie cheating the holy objects.

(ii) And also, precepts taken in front of holy objects and taken for the sentient beings, if broken become like telling lie to sentient beings. Sentient beings are not 100, 1,000,000, 1,000,000,000—not that—it becomes telling a lie. So there is a great danger.

Then it is like this—taking ordination in order to create extra negative karma, for extra donation. At the moment we don’t fully realize this, the concatenation, the way it works. But gradually, as we practice meditation and develop our own wisdom, we can understand.

The whole thing is this—why we are not free since beginningless previous lives until now? Because we make ourselves not free, our individual mind makes ourselves not free. As the uncontrolled mind makes us not free, in the same way the controlled mind can make us free. This does not depend mainly on physical activities. What makes uncontrolled, unfree, is the negative mind, the negative karma. So as we created that much before countless times, what we have to do is create less rather than creating more. Therefore it is important to try to be conscious and to be careful, to try to remember frequently the number of the precepts.

And think, always think, frequently think, that you are having a great job, doing a great job, making great work, doing service for the great number of human beings in the human world, to the naraks, pretas, animals, sura, asuras, and to all the infinite numbers of sentient beings who are not enlightened. Think, “For their achievement of enlightenment and to release them from suffering, I am keeping this.” And as you see people, animals, and other sentient beings, think that you are working for them, making great work, have great responsibility, keeping precepts for the achievement of their ultimate peace and to release them from suffering by receiving enlightenment yourself. This is so important, to keep the mind conscious of the precepts and also to keep the mind happy, not to pass a meaningless life. Also, in this way you see other sentient beings’ suffering, problems, and confusion around you, and compassion arises, and also courage, and you think, “I must really observe the precepts in order to achieve enlightenment and lead them to ultimate peace, totally, to achieve their peace.” So it helps in so many ways. Whenever you take the precepts frequently think like this—it is helpful.

Also, there is a Mahayana thought training according to each action of our daily life. So this afternoon, I will read it. (Page 138) In the break times, if there is nothing in the discussion times, try to read and learn it. Learn by heart what relates to each action so you can use it as you do each action.

If you really understand, if you really get bored of suffering, and if you really get bored of the problems of all your life, and if there’s a method, then not practicing it is silly, and it is nonsense. Not practicing these things, not doing the method that is shown, and expecting something else is only a total hindrance to your wisdom, to your Dharma practice.

So you have lunch—after finishing lunch, you cannot have biscuits, fruits, and so on which have the potential to make kaka. Anything that has the potential to make kaka cannot be taken—even fruit juice which has things inside, not just water, and also, such things as strong milk cannot be taken.

As regards food, generally talking, there are black foods and white foods, things like this. Such things as garlic, onions, meat, radish (which makes gas in the stomach) are black. White foods are honey, curd, milk ...

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Also, sometimes visualize splitting the body from the head down to the feet.

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This is also not only once, but happens again and again for such a long period. There are unbearable sufferings, being squashed and chopped, pressed between the cracks, mountains that looks like animal’s faces, very huge ones, being squashed between two with much blood coming like a river—visualize like this. That happens not once but again and again. The being is killed, but comes alive, again there, again killed, comes alive many times, suffering there.

This kind of rebirth is caused by telling lies, being cunning, by leading other people, other living beings to different works that cause much sufferings, by hatred and dislike, by anger at the parents, the Triple Gem, the Buddha, Dharma, or Sangha. Sometimes there are even people who try to follow traditional things without understanding Dharma. They do outside things, such as worshiping, the common exterior things which most of the laypeople do, but without having the deep understanding of the Dharma, not having any idea how the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha helps. Then, when problems come, heresy rises, “I have been relying on the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, I have been worshiping, I have been this and that, if they really existed they would guide me from suffering;” and so believing they are non-existent. And sometimes not even thinking that way, but allowing anger to arise, “If they really existed why don’t they help me?” and breaking statues or destroying holy places. Anyway, like this. This can cause one to be born in these suffering stages. If one has no understanding of how the Buddha guides, the Dharma guides, and how the Sangha helps, it is possible that such mental problems as heresy may arise when one gets into a big problem. Then there’s danger that such negative mind can arise.

So anyway, the way the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha help, the way they guide sentient beings from suffering is not like this—like cleaning the suffering with water, destroying the sufferings by their hand, by Buddha’s hand—not like this. If that were so, if such thing were possible, there is no reason for infinite sentient beings to still be suffering—no reason. It must be, it should be the same thing, it must be because of this—if God or Buddha could destroy sentient beings’ sufferings by hand or clean it with water, if that were possible, no suffering would be left now. There wouldn’t be any sentient beings left. Also in other religions, also in Christianity, there is belief in God—but why? If there is a God, why are there still infinite sentient beings in suffering? It must be the same thing, this point—that God cannot destroy sentient beings’ suffering by hands, or by cleaning with water. If so, there wouldn’t be any suffering sentient being. So the way the God, the Buddha guides us, must be, since it is not in this way—besides, as it is said in the Buddhadharma that beings such as Guru Shakyamuni and others do not clear sinfulness by water and that sentient beings’ suffering is not destroyed by hand, is not wiped off by hand, the way they guide is also not by transplanting their realizations. So there are three things. The way they guide the sentient beings from suffering is not through cleaning with water, not through wiping them with hands, and also not through transplanting realizations. The way they help is not any of these, so there is some other way. It must be the same thing also in other religions, they must come to the same conclusion.

It is important to understand how they help, how they guide us. It is so important, not only for those who practice Buddhadharma but also for those who practice any religion and have belief in God. How do they cause sentient beings to be released from suffering? What’s the way? By showing them the absolute true nature, sentient beings are released from suffering. They all must come to the same conclusion. The absolute true nature is not only possessed by Buddhists ... it is not something like this—the absolute true nature as something that is possessed by one sect, one religion—not like this. If that were so, the earth should belong to one sect; the earth, for the same reason, the same thing, should belong to a religion or sect. But there’s no such thing. It is the same thing with the absolute true nature. This is what we should understand, this is the main thing whether we have religion or not, whether we have a sect or not—this is what we should discover. Because what we need is to be released from suffering, so we should seek such method, seek such truth. We should fully understand this method, and follow correctly the method as it was shown by the fully Enlightened One. And try to fully discover it as it exists, try to see fully the earth as it is exists, as the evolution the earth has. So anyway, by fully receiving the absolute true nature then one can be released from samsara, from illusive, dualistic mind. But in order to be able to do that, to eliminate all that thought, the full realization of absolute true nature depends on many other methods, on the achievement of many other realizations such as bodhicitta, which are based on the fundamental realizations of these basic meditations.

So what I mean is this—one point that I am talking about is that this there cannot be a different, principal cause of suffering, even though there are many different kinds of religion. There cannot be a different principal cause of suffering. There cannot be a principal cause of suffering belonging to Christianity, belonging to Muslims, belonging to Buddhists. In the evolution there cannot be such a thing. Maybe it’s difficult for you to figure out, but perhaps it will come later.

Many people do things without understanding, without understanding the meanings beyond. That way cannot help. But if you do it with the understanding of the meanings beyond, then it becomes practical, then it works for that. It’s just like this, if I tell another example—anyway, totally like this, it must be the same thing, totally there is something else to do with it. Maybe this is clear, not only that, not only putting water: with the realization of that, then if it is done it works—that is not because of the water, the way it helps is not because of the water, not because of the water—if the people have no realization of that, what is beyond that, the additional thing, that which is mental not physical, without this, only the physical action, only relying on the water, cannot help in that way. It is the same thing with prostrations—one can make prostrations to the house, to the tree, one can make them to many things—only that is a physical action. That understanding does not help—it needs something else to make it beneficial, helpful to your mind. Why doesn’t it work in that way? There is something missing.

The main point that I want to finish—there cannot be different causes of suffering in different sects or religions. It has to be one. If it is not one, if it is different for each different sect, each different religion, then it becomes just theory, the cause of suffering becomes a theory. Then that becomes the cause of suffering. Then that becomes a different name of a religion, or a different custom of a religion, a different exterior traditional thing. So like that cannot be possible. Then animals wouldn’t have any cause of suffering. So now, the whole point is this—the principal cause of suffering must be one, whether we different people recognize it or not; whether we think in different ways, according to the level of intelligence; even though we have different ways of thinking, different ideas of the principal cause of suffering.

So also the path has to be that, the path also cannot be differently separate from that. That which doesn’t depend on the realization of the absolute true nature, something else that does not depend on realization of absolute true nature, there cannot be such a thing. The path that cuts off the cause of suffering has to be one thing, has to be one thing. That path is the path that causes us to realize the absolute true nature, the path realizing absolute true nature. No matter if we, who have different levels of intelligence, think or have different idea of the path, created by different ideas according to intelligence, because there are different levels of intelligence, the idea is different—but since the principal cause of suffering has to be one, the path has to be one, the path that is capable of cutting the cause of suffering.

Like this, another example like this, just to have an idea: if there’s a big rock there in the nighttime, ten different people see the rock as something different, like a tiger and so on. They see it as different but actually it is a rock, not a tiger, leopard, elephant, or monkey as the different people see it. Actually it’s a rock. Because of the time, conditions, and their different levels of mind, they see different things, but actually it’s a rock. So to explode, in order to destroy the rock, in order to completely destroy it, the quickest way to destroy that rock is to put dynamite on it. For instance—this is just to give you an idea—such a huge rock cannot be broken, exploded, by throwing stones on it, so the direct way to destroy it is by putting dynamite on it. So just like this, the realization of the path realizing the absolute true nature is like the dynamite to destroy the cause of suffering. So, the actual thing is the rocky mountain, and the only quick way to break the huge rocky mountain is to put dynamite on it. So the cause of suffering is only one thing, and the path to destroy it has to be one thing. So in this way one can escape from suffering, whether it is called a sect or not, by recognizing the cause of suffering and following the one path.

Sorry, that conversation just happened.

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The suffering living being all of a sudden takes birth place in a large, dark, iron house that has no doors, and the whole thing suddenly bursts into flames, becoming red-hot, giving much suffering, extreme suffering.

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The living beings suffer for long periods, for long periods.

If I tell you briefly, the fifty years of human life—so we can have an idea of how long these living beings suffer—the fifty years of human life in the first category of gods of the senses—for them it’s one day. There are six categories for the gods of the senses. So their time is very long compared with us. So by making a month of those days, and making a year by those months, so 500 of their years is one day for the first stage of these naraks, who are killed again and again by different weapons. Then make a month by those days, and make a year by those months, and that 500 years is one day for those beings in the narak stage, where they are putting lines and slashing and splitting the beings with swords on the hot red burning iron ground. Then as in these two examples, so it gets longer and longer in the other stages. Anyway, it goes down like this. The sufferings that they are experiencing are much greater. So it’s really unbelievable, but it’s good to know, it’s worthwhile to know.

So according to here there are eight different stages. As it is written, there are eight examples. So, the eighth, the longest one, is the suffering stage where it takes the longest period of time. And also, as suffering beings take the longest period by going here, also the sufferings, the eighth stage, has the greatest suffering. So with this understanding, when you meditate try to visualize, make the experience. This becomes helpful, effective.

So, after long periods, when they finish the result of the karma, experiencing that first, red-hot, burning iron house, they see the door. Because the karma that they have experienced in that doorless burning iron house finishes, he finds the door. So he thinks he has found a way to escape but because of his karma, again he gets stuck in the second burning iron house. So again, for long periods, he suffers there.

According to the karma, those things spontaneously happen. I don’t mean without depending on karma, it is not something that someone makes without depending on karma—not like this. Just as in the many examples—you see, when we visualize some holy object, first of all our mind is completely dark, like a dark room that has no light. But gradually, making much purification, continuing this practice, it gets better and better, clearer and clearer; so clear in the mind as you look at a beautiful drawing, a beautiful tangka that has many details—like that, it can progress in our minds. So this is not something that is created by some other things, without depending on your own karma. This also depends on karma—why first was there something there, very dark? Because of obscurations, very thick, much heavy negative karma, obscurations. This also depends on karma. So afterwards, by purifying, as you continue the practice, getting better, also getting clearer, seeing details so clear—such things can be possible. That is also because of purification, it is the change made by purification. Because the purifying method purifies the heavy negative karma that hinders us even to have the holy object in the mind, finding it very difficult to visualize the holy object, to have it clear. But when you remember the enemy, the person that you hate, or mind—that is also due to karma, due to heavy negative karma. It is easy to picture something like this, but difficult to picture holy objects.

The Mahayana Method of Making the Daily Life Meaningful (Page 138)

The purpose of doing this practice is totally to lose the attachment to the temporal happiness of one’s present life. And not only that, but also that the daily life actions should to be involved in self, should done without self cherishing thought, which is the opposite if bodhicitta, the main hindrance of bodhicitta. Totally there are two total purposes like this.

Generally, by doing this practice, each action helps us a great deal to cultivate, to generate bodhicitta mind. Our untamed, unsubdued mind should be habituated, tamed, habituated with bodhicitta. The purpose of this whole daily life’s actions, doing, relating with these ideas, being related with these ideas, with these meditations, is to quickly achieve bodhicitta, besides cultivating this pure thought once or twice a day before the meditation. If one does this practice there is great profit—there is much to say about the benefits of this, so if I say totally—totally, it helps a great deal to not create bad karma; there are many ways it can help, many ways, many ways, there are many ways.

People may think, “This is only thinking, how can this help other beings, only by thinking without any action?” That is because of the lack of understanding the important points of the Mahayana techniques, the practice of the Mahayana techniques.

The great pandit, Shantideva, said in his teaching, “Even just thinking that I will cure sentient beings who have the disease of the brain, (but yourself not in the physical action, but just thinking this: not even including all the sentient beings, just those who have disease of brain) the benefits of this is infinite.”

Also, there are many examples, there are so many things.

Because of all these reasons it would be greatly worthwhile, practical, and beneficial, even if this practice is done for only one day. Even thinking about it once has such benefits, so if we use the daily life related with these actions, with the pure motive of bodhicitta, of course it would bring greater benefit, because it’s not once or twice, but related to all the daily life actions. So, for the remaining fourteen days, it would be good to do this practice with each action, as much as you can. That is the real practical meditation course. During this time, even if you cannot do this for your whole life, try to not create negative actions for these few days, to fight the negative mind. This is a method for that. There may be something that you do not understand in this part. Since people are always missing methods, it’s practical to practice such method. Doing this practice in your daily life is greatly worthwhile.

I will read once, then maybe you can understand.

6 p.m.
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Like this—the practice of this related to sentient beings would be more meaningful and make more sense by gradually reading the meditation, because of the understanding of the meditation that comes before this that is set up before this practice—you find more taste, more meanings, find more purpose for making this Mahayana practice. But even if we didn’t finish the meditations down to this point, to try and practice this would not be wasting time, making loss—it would only make profit. This is so even though we haven’t gone through all the actions with this Mahayana technique.

As space is infinite, so the number of sentient beings is unimaginable, beyond the object of our mind, is infinite. Think at this point, like this. There’s a feeling of happiness arising in oneself; as you are attached to happiness, the happiness arises, as you are attached in happiness, think as in paragraph two. By thinking this, try to visualize that instead of the sentient beings experiencing and following the negative mind of greed, think that all their greed is arising, attached to happiness. The attachment that one has to happiness should be thought of as all sentient beings’ attachment, the greed that which is attached to happiness. So, instead of the sentient beings experiencing greed, instead of that, as there is attachment, you are experiencing this for sentient beings. Think of this attachment, by seeing this feeling of happiness arising and having attachment to that pleasure, so think with great compassion. This is all the sentient beings’ attachment that is attached to happiness and I am experiencing it instead of them, and I shall cut the continuity of suffering of sentient being, for they will ... etc. (Paragraph 2).

If you understand the meaning you can make it short. The main thing is this—for instance me—when there is attachment arising to happiness, then think, another way of saying it, making it simple—”Numberless sentient beings, as they have been continually suffering in samsara due to the attachment to happiness, in the same way they will continue to suffer in samsara due to the attachment that is attached to happiness.” This way compassion arises. To cut the suffering think, “I shall experience all their attachment myself,” thinking that all their attachment is your own. The whole thing is this—the problem that you are experiencing at the moment, you experience that problem for all sentient beings, so make it non-existent for the sentient beings.

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When I am unhappy, somebody says some negative thing and I am unhappy, having a sad, upset face, when my mind is unhappy (looks like cutting a rock), think, “Sentient beings have been continually suffering in samsara due to the hatred of unhappiness. Same thing, they will continually suffer in samsara, they will endlessly experience greater sufferings due to the hatred of feeling unhappiness. In order to cease their problems, hatred, for infinite sentient beings, I myself experience the problem of hatred.” Think that this hatred is the hatred of all sentient beings, as if you have taken all the sentient beings’ hatred, voluntarily.

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When there’s an indifferent feeling, try to think similar to this, “Infinite sentient beings have been experiencing suffering in samsara caused by ignorance and indifferent feelings from beginningless lifetimes. Still they will endlessly experience the sufferings of samsara due to ignorance and indifferent feelings. So instead of all sentient beings suffering that, I myself suffer the whole problem of the ignorance which arises from indifferent feelings.” Think of that as if you have taken all the sentient beings’ ignorance due to indifferent feeling, as if you have taken it on your ignorance, voluntarily.

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Sentence 1: Before, as we talked about the other three. First of all you have a problem—you are experiencing it in a beneficial way, instead of building confusion in your mind: even if it is negative making it beneficial, never involved in self. This action is completely opposite to the self because one’s self is always involved in happiness, not desiring suffering. So these practices are completely opposite to the self-cherishing thought. Before we talked of ways of fighting the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas, so this is the way to fight the self-cherishing thought. So, before you had problems—so problems become the cause of volunteering and taking over the other sentient beings’ suffering—it causes to us to do this beneficial practice. Someone may think that you may receive double negative karma, double negative mind, but this is a wrong understanding; think that you are making yourself more negative, putting yourself more in samsara, causing yourself not to receive enlightenment. By doing this practice, also it reminds you that your attachment is the cause of suffering. This practice only purifies your negative mind and attachment. It only causes you to lose it, only purifies, and it is a powerful Mahayana technique to quickly lose the self-cherishing thought.

This practice would be ... anyway, this is such a profound, powerful practice that an ordinary person’s mind can’t figure it out, grasp it—but trying it never causes danger. Sometimes the physical problem is much more clear.

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Sentence 4: Anyway, as we gradually come down we will understand the importance of this practice—there are many things here that are difficult to understand but as we do the other meditations, gradually we will understand. Actually, like this—usually, like this—the usual desire is for oneself to be happy, the suffering is experienced by the other being, the happiness is experienced by me—this is the usual choice of our old mind. The comfort should be received by me. Actually, both people are important—same thing. Both need comfort; both don’t desire discomfort, unhappiness. There is no reason that I am more important than him, no reason that I should receive happiness, that she should receive unhappiness, that she should experience suffering. I am also a living being, she is also a living being. In this way, in place of making ... so enjoying the happiness with self-cherishing thought, selfish mind, only hinders the achievement of bodhicitta, the achievement of enlightenment, and also causes attachment to arise. So the reverse—she experiences the happiness, I experience the suffering—this way, there is no danger of attachment arising, no danger of self-cherishing thought arising. This practice, taking on the suffering voluntarily, willingly, only causes us to lose the attachment, to lose the self-cherishing thought; also, she has happiness.

So this is such fantastic way of working. In this way, even if I am experiencing suffering, I am only making profit, benefit; it makes me come quicker to the enlightenment stage in this way, and purifies. So this is just with one person. It is that much worthwhile, that much benefit, that I experience the suffering on behalf of her, instead of she experiencing the suffering. If there is so much benefit experiencing the suffering voluntarily, willingly, instead of the other sentient being, as there are that many numbers of sentient beings—for instance, figuring out if from one person that action has that much benefit, infinite numbers of sentient beings makes the action that much more powerful, experiencing the sufferings for infinite numbers of sentient beings is extremely purifying and such a quick cause to receive enlightenment—of course, one person experiencing suffering for all sentient beings is worthwhile. It is logical that oneself taking over others’ suffering willingly, voluntarily, that such action has such incredible benefits. The logic of that can be figured out with one sentient being.

Another way of talking—like this: as there are that many fewer sentient beings suffering, there is that much good. For instance, in this tent—having fifty people suffering and most of the people not suffering—if only two people are suffering that is much better than fifty; and if one person is suffering it is that much better than the two. So thinking like this—I am also a living being, other sentient beings are also living beings. So instead of all sentient beings suffering it is better for me, one person, to suffer. This idea helps a great deal. Me, one person—but now, of course, you can experience some difficultly in understanding this—and then, me, one person, so it is worthwhile to take over the suffering, to experience the suffering, for the sake of them, by myself. Then also think of the benefits of experiencing, trying to experience the suffering by taking others’ suffering upon you. Also try to remember the benefits that I mentioned before, which the great Pandit Shantideva said, the action of just thinking, besides the practice.

This short explanation is to have some idea.

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This is the same as what I said before.

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If you understand the first three things (Page 138), to work with ignorance, hatred, and greed, totally the way of practicing is in that way.

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This part may be ... those who finds easy to do it can do it. But the main thing to remember is the thought training.

(Page 139) The Thought Training

1. This doesn’t have to be a specific room or temple—it can be a tent. So when you come in, think, “May all sentient beings be led into the city of nirvana. Also you can visualize that you are bringing in numberless sentient beings after you. Because this way, the mind using it this way, there is no place for self-cherishing thought. This is the technique for the mind not to be involved in that negative mind.

2. Also, you can visualize that you are leading them out of samsara, as you go out.

3. So, like this you can think—as you open the door, think that you are leading the sentient beings who are in the lower realms, such as the naraks, you are leading them out and opening the door of the upper rebirth, which means causing them to be born in the upper realm.

Also, this way of thinking—the door of transcendental wisdom and you are leading the sentient beings from the lower suffering realm, out of the lower suffering realm.

4. So when you close the door, think that you are closing the door of the lower rebirth, so that sentient beings will not be reborn in the lower realms. You are closing the door of the lower realms, stopping the sentient beings rebirth there.

5. When you wash, think, “May all sentient beings’ smells of delusions be cleaned off, as I am washing.” Also, during this time washing think that, “I am cleaning sentient beings’ smells of delusions.” (Page 140)

6. Same as (5)—just repeating.

7. If one is doing such an action, sweeping, then it is beneficial to think this way, and during the time of sweeping think as if you are cleaning the sentient beings’ greed, hatred, and ignorance.

In this way, the mind is always in meditation, in such powerful meditation, and also in this way the mind is always conscious of sentient beings. One thing is this—especially for those who took bodhisattva vows, this is the most practical thing that helps not to break the vow. Because those who take bodhisattva vows, whenever any tiny action is done with self-cherishing thought, the bodhisattva vow is broken. This practice would help a great deal to continue the vow, to continue the precept. Any way, for those who purely keep the bodhisattva vow, the sentient beings are kept like the heart—they have to be always conscious of sentient beings.

9. Firm merits, indestructible—merits that cannot be destroyed by any negative mind, cannot be moved by any negative mind.

10. All causative existence is impermanent.

11. The path of the square. As there are three vehicles, there are different practices according to the level of intelligence of the person, according to the realization of the person. But all these different practices are the path of one person to receive enlightenment. It is not opposite, like hot and cold, that the person cannot do that. For instance, there are many other examples, but when the person was in the lower training—I think this is simple, for instance, like this: Guru Shakyamuni has shown Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana teachings. Those who have lower intelligence have shown Hinayana, middle Mahayana, and higher Vajrayana. But the whole Hinayana teaching that was shown to the lesser intelligent beings was to lead them to the Mahayana, then to the Vajrayana: totally to enlightenment—there are some things forbidden for the person of the lower training, but these can be done in the Mahayana. According to the level of intelligence the disciplines change, because here changing the disciplines helps us to more quickly receive enlightenment. For example, the higher intelligence being went through realizations in the tantric practice for instance, and when they were in the Hinayana the action was forbidden, so he received the path quicker—if he doesn’t follow that discipline he cannot receive the graduated path, cannot raise the level of intelligence. Such as the wine and meat that we are forbidden; there are many other things. But for the person who has control of the mind, higher realizations through enlightenment—there are many things like this that change as he gets to a higher level. So the action forbidden in the lower level and doing the opposite on the higher, both are the cause of enlightenment—so it’s all one path.

(Page 61)

“Square” means that—if it’s a square table it has four corners but it is still one table. It has great meaning.

12. In regards to prostrations, there will be more explanation when I explain the prayers.

13. It is good during this course, when you go to bed, to visualize yourself in the form of Guru Shakyamuni, but by losing the old mind thinking that you are separate from Guru Shakyamuni, and sleeping, laying down in that position. And also thinking like this, as you are visualizing yourself in the form of Guru Shakyamuni laying down.

Question: The quote sounds a bit self-cherishing.

Answer: Without the subject, how can you get out of suffering, for whom am I going to meditate?

Question: Right; but it doesn’t sound like bodhicitta motive to me—”I’ll be first.”

Answer: Many people think that just thinking of “I” is wrong. If the “I” has to be ceased there’s not that person existing—there’s no way to receive ultimate peace, to help sentient beings, to escape from suffering. If that’s so then the “I” who am suffering in samsara wouldn’t exist. Like this—simple—we were talking before about the mirror; first the mirror was dirty, then it was clean; like the cup, it was dirty and it was cleaned for food—it existed before and after. The person, “I,” always exists.

Question: But why does is say, “May I lead,” instead of “May I help lead?”

Answer: What’s the difference? I’ll tell you one thing—”May I help to give you 1,000 dollars” or, “May I give you 1,000 dollars”—is there a difference?

25. From your side also, you can think that the taste of the food is beyond that which you taste, and as you taste it, try to visualize that all sentient beings felt it. This way it becomes charity, even your food. If one knows the techniques there is a way to make charity of the food, even one bowl of food. From the Mahayana point of view, charity does not depend on physical sharing and all sentient beings having a physical share but on yourself being not miserly and not attached, thinking it is completely given up and that all sentient beings received it, and are enjoying it. In this way if you enjoy, it is not involved in self-cherishing thought and you lose attachment, as you have given it up to all the sentient beings. It is a very effective, powerful practice and through this, even it is one bowl of food, one makes charity to every number of sentient beings. More explanation will come about this in later meditations, there are more details.

Actually, completing the practice of charity does not depend on all sentient beings becoming rich and leaving not one single beggar. It is not like this.

26. Even one doesn’t have to remember the whole thing—the first part is enough.

29. Just as in the example before, of that clock appearing in the teaching, even if there are negative words—rude words, anything, complaints—try to use it for the practice of bodhicitta.

30. Also, one can visualize the excrement as it is all sentient beings’ delusions and you are cleaning it out, making them to not have any spots of delusion.

Question: How should one think when one’s bladder is full?

Answer: Think that all the sentient beings are released from the pee-pee suffering.

31. Also think, “May the sentient beings see the whole existence as illusory.” Here is a long sentence but one can make it short.

If one does this in the rest of the fourteen days as much as one can, remembering and relating it to the daily life actions, it makes this time useful and profitable. Actually if you do—it’s up to the individual. If the person does, he is making the meditation course beneficial; if he doesn’t, he is not making the meditation course beneficial and practice. If it is done it makes it worthwhile to come from such a far place, the West, taking the difficulties.

Also, dedicate the merits of keeping the precepts, “May I receive enlightenment for the sake of the sentient beings, by receiving fully renounced mind, bodhicitta, and realization of the absolute true nature due to the merits of keeping the precepts.”

Day 16
November 1 [actually this should 01/12/73]
6am

Before taking the ordination, for it to become Mahayana ordination depends on the individual motive. Therefore, it is necessary to cultivate bodhicitta, the Mahayana thought. It is necessary to think briefly like this, “Myself and every other sentient bring experienced the suffering of the narak stages numberless times, from beginningless previous lifetimes. Same thing, we suffered numberless times in the preta suffering realms. Same thing, in the animal realms, and the same thing in the realms of the humans, suras, and asuras from beginningless previous lifetimes. Same thing, we suffered numberless times in the preta suffering realms. Same thing in the animal realms, same thing, in the human realms, sura realms, and the asura realms, the realms of the samsaric gods.” (Try to think back and try to imagine it.) “We don’t recognize and we don’t remember; it’s only a matter of not remembering, not being conscious of our previous lives, because of the intervention of death and rebirth that is mainly caused by ignorance.

“Therefore, not remembering our previous rebirths and these sufferings, due to ignorance still we continually follow the control of delusion and karma by continually believing that impermanent things are permanent, impure things are pure, and non-self existing things are self existing; still continually following this old habit, those wrong conceptions, therefore it is definite that we will exist in samsara and suffer continually as we experienced before, as long as we continue living in this old situation, following the wrong conceptions. The buddhas such as Guru Shakyamuni are not eternal, intuitive buddhas who didn’t have beginning. Guru Shakyamuni was also an ordinary man like us in previous times. But he met a guru, received teachings, and followed these precepts. He received enlightenment and enlightened so many sentient beings. As his following and keeping this number of the precepts benefited him so that he was able to reach enlightenment, and great numbers of sentient beings received enlightenment and ultimate peace in the same way he made the trip, we too can become enlightened and enlighten many other sentient beings by following these precepts.

“As we have time, as we have met this precious chance, many things have come together from our side and from the other side, perfect conditions that are difficult to receive. So without wasting this, at least we must try to cease wrong conceptions, which are the cause of samsaric suffering.

“ Once we, ourselves, are released from samsara, this is not enough. There are infinite beings who are the objects from whom we received past, present, and future happiness and perfection including enlightenment. And most of the sentient beings are in incredible suffering, without wisdom eye to understand Dharma, not having met a guru to lead them on the path, not knowing which action is positive, which action is negative, not knowing many things that we have received. So, we are responsible to repay them while we have possibility, and to guide them from suffering. The best way to repay and guide them is to lead them to enlightenment, the best way is for us as individuals to receive enlightenment—this is necessary to bring sentient beings into that state more quickly. Receiving enlightenment depends on the purification the negative karma of body, speech, and mind and the elimination of all the delusions, all the wrong conceptions. So the most powerful, quickest way is to follow the precepts, disciplining body, speech, and mind. Therefore, think, I am going to take the Mahayana ordination.”

Visualize the person granting the ordination as Guru Shakyamuni.

Generally it’s like this—people may think it is nonsense to tell you to visualize the form of Guru Shakyamuni. Actually, like this—the Guru Shakyamuni that you see has to be created by you. Whether you see Guru Shakyamuni in the form of dog, in the form of animal, in the form of human being, or in the form of a buddha, it is a creation of your mind, such creation depends on the level of your mind. Also it depends on ... anyway, it is based on devotion and mainly purification—how much the person’s mind is purified, the level of the purified mind. Anyway, it is not something like this—it is not like us; when we are in the East, not existing in the West; or when we are in the West, not existing in the East. It is not like this. There’s omniscient mind—the actual Guru Shakyamuni is the omniscient mind—such fully knowing mind has no specific place. Also, similar to Christianity, as it comes in the blood, “God is everywhere.” Maybe people don’t understand how God is everywhere but they still say it. So, whatever their cognition is, omniscient mind has no specific place. There’s no such thing as omniscient mind seeing some existence, but not seeing some other existence, it is not like this. It is a pervasive mind, so it is inevitable that his holy mind exists at this place, where we are taking ordination. Also, there’s a connection to each living being, to each of us there’s a connection. The reason we have such karma to practice Dharma, to create some merits is because of the relationship between Guru Shakyamuni and ourselves. You can understand slowly.

So visualize—anyone who are not taking the precepts doesn’t have to repeat, no need to take the trouble of visualizing—so visualize the person granting the ordination as Guru Shakyamuni, not thinking that you are taking ordination from a little boy, surrounded by infinite buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats, and repeat the prayer.

(Ordination Ceremony)

From the holy teaching of the great bodhisattva, Tenzin Gyaltsen, “The sun, moon, and the rosary of lightning (“rosary” means it is narrow, like a line), even though it dispels the external darkness, how can it dispel the inner darkness? But bodhicitta helps to completely destroy the darkness of the living beings’ minds.”

So, this is setting up a competition between external powers and the mental power of bodhicitta. For instance, in terms of the mental power of bodhicitta, even there are millions of suns together, and that many moons, and also that much lightning, all of them together have no power to destroy the inner darkness as bodhicitta has. Through the practice and achievement of bodhicitta, besides being able to dispel the inner darkness, by so doing one can also dispel all the external darkness by mental power, without the need of the help of the planets.

Just like this example, the best kind of light is the light of the Dharma, that which can be lit in the mind. By lighting the inner light within our minds, the inner darkness is destroyed, and so the external darkness can also be destroyed without depending on the help of the external light. So the best light of Dharma is the light, or the lamp of bodhicitta. So without completing, if one does not depend on, if one does not light the lamp of the Dharma, then the need for the external light, and the action using the external light has no end. There’s no way to end it, it cannot be once, we will never finish using the external light. As long as the living being does not light the lamp of the Dharma in his mind, the need for the external light and the action using the external light cannot and will never finish until he destroys the inner darkness by the lamp of the Dharma within his mind.

As we have received the perfect human rebirth and all these precious chances one time, and as especially we have met the teachings of bodhicitta, the work on this, starting even from now, since we don’t know how long we will exist with this body, even the action of listening the teachings should be possessed by the pure motive, bodhicitta. So think, “The attachment that is attached only to the happiness of this life and samsaric pleasure and samsaric higher pleasure, and however much I can make this life happy and receive happy future lives, it is still in the nature of suffering. It’s like honey on the edge of the sword; the person is attached to the honey, but doesn’t recognize that the sword is cutting the lips and tongue. This is only a matter of not recognizing that it causes suffering. Always we are cheated by our attachment to samsara. So there is a great need to be released from samsara as quickly as possible. Releasing oneself from samsara is not enough; there are infinite sentient beings in incredible suffering who are the objects from whom I received all my happiness. Therefore, I am responsible to guide them and help them from suffering and repay them. Therefore, I must lead them to enlightenment; but first, it is necessary for me to be enlightened in order to show them the different methods. So, to achieve enlightenment I must complete the graduated path. That depends on fully understanding all the meanings of the graduated path, without any wrong conceptions. Therefore I am going to listen to these teachings on the graduated path.”

The listening subject is the graduated path, which is divided into three. This is about the path of the lower beings.

There will be subjects that do not agree with your mind, with which your mind doesn’t agree. However, listening to that mind that doesn’t agree with the meditation subject only keeps you in a foolish state, is not a skillful method, is not the method of a clever mind. In spite of the mind not feeling it, and finding difficulty with the subject, you should not care for it, you should not care for your own mind as it thinks. If you always care for your mind, listen to it, then there is nothing but always the person cheating himself—from beginningless lifetimes until now, what we have been doing is this. That’s how we still don’t discover ourselves, still do not recognize what we are, what the mind is. It is not a subject that is outside, far away in Tibet or China or somewhere; however much we study in schools and universities, study outside, we still do not discover this. This is only the fault of following old behavior and old actions that are created by old thought. By the way, how you should be with the mind is like parents with children. At first, the children don’t want to go to school, get tired and always want to play. But in order for the children to become well educated, well qualified, the parents should be skillful, the parents should know that if they send the children to school, without thinking of the difficulties, all the struggles, all the tiredness, without concern for this, they should keep sending the children to school and keep the children in discipline. So that as the children grow up they have to be good, relaxed, with subdued behavior, and a good personality so that they becomes harmless with other people, that other people like him. And also, if the parent knows that by treating children in this way, continually sending them to school, colleges, and university, gradually they can be educated like this, qualified, and the children will find jobs, have good reputations, and can live by themselves. Even if the parents die, they can live by themselves. If the parents think like this, treat the child in this way, it is possible, this is the general nature, it is possible. So like that we should treat our minds—we, the parents; our minds, the children. So in this way the mind can be developed, the mind can be qualified to reach enlightenment, which is the highest qualification, which has capability to bring infinite benefit, to bring intuitive, infinite benefit to every living being.

If the parents always listen to what the child says, if the parents always follows the child’s desires, what the child wants to do ... anyway, in that way it is extremely difficult to educate the child. There’s no progression, this is ridiculous. Worldly people think this is ridiculous. They always think that parents should educate the children, make the children knowledgeable, without letting them waste time and be lazy. Even if the child cries or whatever it does, the parent has much love and is concerned for the future, to receive a happy life in the future. If they were only concerned about the present, they would care about the present worry—anger, crying, whatever it is—but they see the future as more important. From the child’s side it is very difficult to think as the parents think. So just like this, we should treat our mind in this way.

The subjects we have finished are “The Perfect Human Rebirth,” “The Usefulness Of the Perfect Human Rebirth,” “The Difficulty of Receiving the Perfect Human Rebirth,” “Life is Fragile,” “Death is Definite,” “The Time Of Death is Indefinite,” “After Death, No Other Methods Can Prevent Death or Help At Death Time Besides Dharma.” Why is there need for Dharma? Because after death it is more definite that we will be born in the lower suffering realms because of many reasons—even in one morning we create more negative karma than positive karma, and also in this day, month, year, and even in this life. Even if we think we didn’t create any bad actions, like killing people and so forth, in numberless previous lifetimes we have created so many horrible negative actions, and also more negative than positive actions in all those lifetimes. Even those who think that, “I created much negative karma in this life,” we who remember this, we too created much worse karma than this numberless times in previous lives. So because many of these reasons, even if we try to practice Dharma in such short time, we spend very little time in Dharma. Even if we practice Dharma it is not pure. Pure Dharma is very rare in this life. So for all these reasons it is more likely that we will be born in the lower suffering realms. So it is necessary to practice Dharma.

Death time is like sleeping, the intermediate stage is like a dream, and then waking up we are suddenly in the lower suffering realms, suffering there. Even in the intermediate stage there is much fear, great fear; you get caught in such a large, flaming fire, or are underneath huge mountains pressing down. Also there are visions—you get caught in the cracks of mountain and are chased by such strong wind. There are all kinds of very fearful visions.

When the living being is born in the first suffering stage where he is killed again and again, because of the karmically created beings, all of a sudden anger arises towards the other beings there, and they fight each other. They are killed many hundreds of times; they strongly fight with all kinds of different types of weapons. After fighting so strongly, they tremble (sic); and after they wake up, they start to fight again. This happens many hundreds of times a day. Just think of how much we suffer when we touch incense, or a tiny thorn goes into the flesh—even if there are no knives or swords going through the body, it is greatly unbearable. So even a tiny suffering there is many times greater than our human suffering.

The second narak stage is like a carpenter working with wood. They burn lines on the body with red-hot iron wires, and the places where they are put on the body becomes black. Then the carpenter cuts along those lines with many different weapons.

The third one, the third example—we suffer by a huge mountain that is in the form of the head of the animals that we have killed in previous lives—these are not small mountains, but huge, great mountains. We are killed, squashed, many times, and we just suffer there. There is no way to escape; we are stuck in those mountains. Besides being stuck we are also squashed. There are all kinds of things. Also, sometimes it is like this—there is sometimes the suffering of being ground up by the miller. There are many ways to suffer, according to our karma.

When we meditate on these things we shouldn’t think that the suffering is for one minute, one hour, or something—we should think that it is long period, many trillions of years. Actually if you are going to count in human days, the length of suffering there it is unbelievable.

In the fourth stage there are those sufferings that are caused by following the ten immoralities, such as continually drinking wine, and having strong habits, without discipline, without rules. Those also cause us to be born in these stages.

(Page 64)

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Also such suffering as being cut into pieces. When we are born in the narak stages even the blood—each piece that we are cut into has consciousness, has mind. It is not like the present body, even a drop of blood has consciousness, and each piece has consciousness, and as it is dropped on the red-hot ground there is great suffering. Here the suffering body is small—in the narak realms the body is huge, so large. And the skin is so soft, thin, like a newborn baby’s, so sensitive to suffering—like the wound with the skin taken off, you feel even a hair touching you—but only in suffering. Besides that, the suffering is greater.

It is the same thing even with babies. When the baby is in the mother’s womb and then when it comes out, it is similar to that—as the skin is very thin and very sensitive, even the mother touching it with her hand, even the best cloth that is put on the baby is like a thorny place with much suffering. There is much to say also in the evolution of the suffering of babies. That is why during the infant stages children cry more—then as it grows up it cries less and less. There are many sufferings, visions, and troubles that the baby experiences. But we don’t feel it as the baby experiences it. Even if the mother has the baby in her stomach and the baby suffers, the mother cannot experience it. Just as in the same way the mother cannot experience what the baby thinks: what makes this happen, even if it is in the mother’s womb? That is because ... anyway, you try to check by yourself. If I give the answer you may not understand.

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A trident has tree points, and it is put inside the body and one point comes here, one here, and one comes out of the top of the head. The weapon is not just a tool—it is also very hot, red. Rebirth in this realm can be caused by such things as harming celibates who are observing ordination, and also by harming your parents and other beings.

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In this realm you are rolled flat—like this, like a cigarette is rolled in paper. Just like this, one who suffers in these stages is rolled by very hot, red, flat irons, very tight. There is no way to escape, and the bones come out of it—like when you squash an orange the seeds come out—the bones come out, and there is much suffering and no way to escape. It is like this—it’s funny that we don’t remember. When we suffer, the nature of sentient beings is like this—once it is time to escape from suffering, we don’t remember the suffering. But when we are in suffering, when there is no chance to follow the method even if the sentient being knows the suffering with experience, that time doesn’t help. However much he desires to get out of suffering, however much he has experienced, it doesn’t help, there is nothing to do. Just as in a car accident—people who get killed, who have broken legs and broken bodies in a car accident—for them it is finished; there’s no way for the suffering that they are experiencing not to happen, however much they desire instantly to be in the usual way. So just like this, so, as they feel upset at that time, as they feel repentance with their wrong actions that caused the car accident, and they feel guilty—it is too late. But if they care for that, if they check up before the danger, it is okay. We are involved in a similar example. Our nature is like this, most of ours.

Rebirth in this realm is caused by such things as taking others’ lives, being very greedy for blood, and drinking blood. Also, there are different kinds of suffering, such as the suffering of being underneath two boards—underneath there is a red hot board and also above there is one, and in between is the suffering being who is pressed there. There is no way to escape and there is suffering for a long time.

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Here the suffering is like this—when we put tools in the fire they get red-hot—our body is like this, the body becomes one with the fire. The only way to know that it is a living being is by the sound; karmically, they make the sound of suffering—only that can be heard but there is nothing to look at, the being becomes one with the fire. This is the worst suffering stage.

The cause of rebirth here is heavy karma accumulated by criticizing real Dharma as non-Dharma, and saying non-Dharma is Dharma, causing confusion. And also harming holy beings, being hateful. This causes one to be born and suffer like this. This is just an example but there are many others. Some other examples of the cause—for people who observe ordination, such as the 253 precepts, breaking the basic precepts also causes one to be born there in this suffering stage. Breaking the branch precepts, those that are not the basic precepts, also causes one to be born in the first stage where they are killed again and again—this is very dangerous. Also, people who get angry with bodhisattvas, and who have disbelief in the guru are born here. Among those who follow tantric precepts, those who break the tantric root vows, the root downfalls—there are fourteen, and breaking them is most dangerous—as the person breaks it, in each second, if the person doesn’t make confession instantly, if one second passes between breaking this root fall and confession, that karma causes the person to be born in this worst suffering stage and suffer for one eon. So it’s very dangerous (I think it must be a split second, but I’m not sure)—so with each split second that passes before the confession, the person created this negative karma that causes him to suffer in this worst suffering stages for eons equal to the number of seconds between breaking the rule and when it was confessed. This is very dangerous. It is something you don’t want to do, even if it costs you life.

The reason I’m telling about the precepts, even though we are not keeping precepts now, is that it helps in the future. Also, here there are all kinds of people, so it is important to know.

(Page 64)

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There are all such karmic creations of suffering. The tongue is stretched that large, and like animal leather stretched tight. Then a huge iron ox plowing; the iron is also very hot, goes very deep, very hot.

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Here the being is forced by the hell protectors, which are in different shapes like different animal heads, which is also the karmic creation of the suffering being.

These are only eight examples of the hot narak stages. For each of these stages, at each side there are another four smaller, different narak stages. So even after finishing the karma to suffer in each of the main stages, then the being has to suffer in the ones at the side. After the karma finishes, he believes he found a way to escape, but finds himself in another one. For example, it may be like a very large ground or fireplace, very red looking, like when there’s big fire and everything around it gets red.

Question: How does one finally get out of these stages?

Answer: To completely cease? We started ... it comes. It’s difficult to understand. It can be mentioned in one or two words, but it is difficult to understand. It can be explained with details, but that also is difficult to understand.

...Then all of a sudden the suffering being gets stuck; his body is in the fireplace, he sees his legs inside the fireplace, and he sinks, as if he were in very hot quicksand, and drowns. He finds it difficult to escape and gets deeper in. And also, other karmic beings come to eat what is on the top. At another stage there is a very dirty quagmire—all of a sudden the person gets drowned in the quagmire, his entire body in that, and he finds it difficult to escape away. There are many tiny insects going through his body like needles, eating, and causing him suffering. Besides the very dirty quagmire like kaka, he is eaten by insects, which feels like needles being put in the body.

After finishing suffering in one stage he gets stuck in another, and, finishing that, escapes into another. In of these stages the ground is a ground of swords, pointing up—there is no place to escape where there are no swords. So as this suffering being puts his feet on them, they cut, they split his feet. As he lifts them up it gets better and as he puts them down again he gets cut. So he suffers like this for a long time, and has to experience this until the result of that karma finishes.

Also, there are huge trees like mountains, and he hears his relatives calling him from the top of tree, so he feels extremely pleased and tries to run up the tree, and then all the branches of the tree becomes swords and they all go through the body. Besides that, that person’s karmically created beings, the vultures, come and frighten the person and eat from his head with there beaks, causing much fear and much suffering. Also, again as the person comes down, again the branches point up in the form of swords that go through the flesh, the body, and karmically created dogs come to eat him besides.

In all these hot suffering realms, the whole ground is always a hot red iron ground, and all these beings suffering in the hot stages are on it. Living beings who degenerated the precepts and who enjoy wrong materials, such as those who make money from holy objects and use it for eating are born here. There are other things, such as money received by selling holy objects—if the person uses that money for enjoyment, such as eating, he receives pollution to the mind. This is not pure material, not pure enjoyment.

Also, those who enjoy things stolen from other people, things they get by cheating other people—there are other examples. Anyway, the hell-protectors put them down on the hot red iron ground and ask, “What do you need?” And the beings say, “We don’t see, we don’t know, but we feel hungry and thirsty.” So they put extremely hot water and red hot coals into their mouths, which burn them inside and cause them much suffering. These are just a few examples.

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This is talking about the time period, the day and year of the beings in the first stage who are in the first category, gyaltsen, as I briefly told you yesterday.

Cold Hells (Page 64)

In the cold hells it’s completely dark, nothing can be seen. The whole bottom is ice ground, and there is such a strong wind blowing, and storms, and snowfalls above and also sometimes in the cracks of the ice mountains. There are many different ways of suffering. It is extremely cold, and you only can only make noise from the throat each time the situation changes, each time it gets colder. Then later on, you can’t move your teeth, all the teeth get stuck. The cracks in the body are not just simple small wounds—they are very large, like lotuses. They are blue, and then change to red as it gets colder, and then they fold, with so much pain. The cracks come with a big noise. Besides that suffering, there are many insects biting the wounds.

There are also ordinary narak sufferings, smaller narak sufferings, even on the human earth. Especially in places where there are no people, in deserts. Some people can see them, some people cannot. Also, even those small, common narak sufferings, which are on the earth, even for those beings there is not one definite kind of suffering—there are all kinds, according to the individual karma.

This is interesting—in previous time there was one very rich leader of the business people. There were many hundreds of business people, and the leader, this person, after he was born, had very expensive jewels and ornaments, such as rings. So anyway, he and many other traders left to get jewels from the Atlantic. When they came back from the Atlantic the leader felt tired and went to sleep. The other traders left. After he woke up, a strong wind came and obscured the trail with dirt. Even the animals, the vehicles, the donkeys, couldn’t find the trail and went all over the place. The leader couldn’t find the trail and he went around, wandering in such a beautiful extraordinary place. In a palace there was a man and four goddesses—they looked like samsaric gods. At night these five living beings enjoyed pleasure in such a rich way, a comfortable way, just as the samsaric gods, the suras. At night he saw they were like this. But in the daytime the palace became a burning iron house and the four goddesses became four dogs, and the man was lying down and the four dogs ate the meat from his backside, taking pieces and eating them. Again, when the sun set, the leader of the traders asked the man what the cause of this was. The suffering man answered that he used to be a butcher, killing animals in a previous life. This man was instructed by the arhat Phag.pa Kha.ta.ya.na to take ordination, so he took it and kept the vows at night, but in the daytime he didn’t follow the precepts. In the daytime he was a butcher, taking others’ lives. So this man’s suffering, being eaten by dogs in such a place like this, was the result of not following the precepts by day, and the whole thing changing to having higher enjoyments, rich, like the gods, was the result of keeping the precepts at night in his previous life. These are the common small narak sufferings on the human earth. The leader of the traders, when it became dusk, was asked by the suffering man to take a message to a nearby village to his son, to ask him not to be a butcher, and to tell his son to make offerings to the arhat when he came to beg. The man who was suffering like this sent the message to his son to make offerings, and asked the arhat to dedicate virtues for him, so that he could get out of that situation. Because of this, we do like this. Of course, the best thing is to try to create merits from the person’s side. Usually in Tibet, when the person dies the family tries to do many things, making pujas and so forth which are involved in different methods. They give the person’s possessions to the monastery or to the high lamas in order to create merits for that person, and also to ask them to pray. Due to the merits of the prayers, the suffering being who died can be helped. There are so many ways to make pujas. So, because it was nighttime he sent a vessel, a pot full of gold to his son, otherwise the son wouldn’t believe the leader. This pot is buried under the place where he kept the sword for killing animals.

Sometimes, unexpectedly, in some places, at certain times, we have to suffer being cold, without any pre-arrangement, without knowing before. Just like this, there are greater cold sufferings on the human earth, much greater than this, greater suffering than this that we may experience in this life, before death. Not being conscious of the karma, not being careful, for sure one will have to suffer in these cold stages in future lives. Sometimes people find themselves in such terrible cold places, they took root there and have to live there. This is some kind of karma, even though there are many other places, they have to finish their lives there, suffering from cold. The whole family taking root there is also the result of karma. Also many people spend their lives in a very hot place, unable to leave that place—that is also the result of previous karma. Just as there is such evolution of karma, it works in exactly the same way when beings are born in these suffering stages and suffer.

So the leader of the traders left from that place, and again he saw a beautiful palace. Inside there was one man and one woman, and both were very beautiful, enjoying very much, but again it changed. The leader saw the woman become a snake and eat from the man’s head. This happened at night, and in the daytime, as in other example, both human beings enjoyed well. That is because the man followed precepts, took ordination from the arhat Kha.ta.ya.na in the day, and didn’t observe them at night.

There’s a form of tantric yoga practice in which the practitioner goes to cemeteries. Also in previous time, in India, there was one person—when he went outside he saw a butcher, and in the sky he saw a palace and a butcher was born in the form of this, in a very strange from, born as a flame on the tsampa, and the butcher’s servants born as a mountain of bones and much suffering.

There are so many other examples. These happened in Tibet, they were discovered by many high lamas. These lamas discovered the previous lives of many animals born in lakes, trees, and stones, such as fish, and then they were eaten by many other insects. Based on this, those high Lamas explained their previous lives.

Meditating on this suffering is so useful. One thing is that it puts down the pride, it helps a great deal for us to lose the pride, thinking that, “I am well educated, well qualified.” We can lose this pride by meditating or remembering the sufferings of the naraks. Also meditating on the narak stages helps a great deal for us to receive the mind renouncing samsara; that means renouncing the negative mind, greed, ignorance, and hatred, which is really a great help. There are many special techniques, higher tantric techniques, but for beginners who don’t have the mind renouncing samsara, the mind renouncing the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas, who don’t have bodhicitta, this meditation is very useful to stop the negative mind from arising, to protect from negative karma. Then the special higher tantric techniques can be used. Those become ... since we do not have the strong mind renouncing the evil thought of the eight worldly dharmas, since we don’t have the strong mind renouncing samsara—greed, ignorance, hatred—or bodhicitta or realization of the absolute true nature, no matter what special, higher tantric techniques we use, they do not work to control our negative minds, to stop our negative minds from arising, to protect us from creating negative karma. These techniques don’t work as quickly as meditations on the hells. Also, they helps us a great deal to receive the mind renouncing samsara.

The reason I am giving so many examples is so that by recognizing, by seeing these, we take care in creating negative actions. A strong desire to not experience these sufferings, the fear of this happening, causes us to observe the present action karma. So meditate on this, understand this—this is the result of the negative minds, of attachment, hatred, and ignorance. The more we understand this the more we meditate on this, and the more we see clearly, have a clear feeling, a deeper experience. By doing deeper meditation on this, that much more we have understanding that this would be so unbearable, terrible, and unbelievable if it happened right away, and also knowing that this is caused by attachment. As much as you are frightened by this, as you are much frightened of the cause, attachment, so you are frightened of greed, ignorance, and hatred, and you renounce the negative mind easily. Not like this—the police confiscating all your clothes, possessions. In this way, it is all done by one person, it’s freely done. In this way, you do more continual practice and meditation, and receive a deeper experience and feeling of this through meditation. As the person is that much afraid of this, understanding at the same time that it is the result of attachment, so one is afraid of the attachment. Just as a person who eats poison, such as datura, once he gets terribly sick and knows the cause, he hates it, he no longer wants to take it. As much fear as he has of the result, that much fear he will have of the cause. Even if he sees the plant growing outside, he gets afraid. The clearer we see and experience deeper feelings arising through meditations, the more fear arises of the cause and of creating negative actions.

What does meditating on these examples shown by Buddha do? It helps us to be conscious and careful of our actions, always observing the actions—” Is it right or wrong?” Even when you speak, walk, or sleep, due to the fear, you will always be conscious, and in that way you can observe karma well. You create less negative karma, and you develop the mind renouncing samsara. In this way it is easy to receive the renounced mind.

So as you strongly, deeply feel the sufferings of these stanzas in your meditation, in the same way you can figure out that the suffering beings in these narak stages even now are in incredible suffering. As you are meditating, they are suffering extremely. So in this way, you feel compassion for these suffering beings. Why do you feel very strong compassion, how does that arise? Through your own experience, you can figure out something. Just like this—if I had an epidemic disease, if it was my experience that I felt, then if another person gets sick I know how much he suffers based on my experience. I know that suffering is trouble and I build up compassion—not like pity, “Oh, he’s suffering”—some American’s compassion us like this (I am just playing). So anyway, I can figure out clearly the suffering he is experiencing, and also have the desire to do something for him. Great compassion helps us to achieve bodhicitta soon. So meditating on suffering is not simple or easy. But there are so many things, so much knowledge, that we can gradually receive by experiencing these meditations.

During the meditation time, as I talked about this morning before the subject began, there may be people who don’t feel anything for the subject, finding no purpose or reason to do this meditation, not having belief or understanding in such things as past and future lives, or people who find that they have no faith in Guru Shakyamuni, who find that they have no love for sentient beings. Actually, this is not an easy thing to receive, this is not something that just comes. It is something that we have to create—love for sentient beings, faith in Guru Shakyamuni, belief in past and future lives—we have to create it, it does not come unexpectedly. But even though you don’t feel these things, even if you are missing these things, still it is worthwhile to do the meditation to receive these things. To receive these takes time, to create these things in our minds it takes time, but it is not same for all the people because each person’s mind is at a different level. There are all kinds of different levels of delusions—some have enormous delusion, some don’t have such strong delusions, some have that much strong negative karma, delusions; they are not all the same. So what stops us from receiving faith in enlightened knowledge, love for sentient beings, belief in these lives? The mind is obscured, so strongly obscured, so far away from the ultimate peace, from realizations; the mind is so strongly covered by delusions, kaka, so strongly obscured.

So in order to receive these things for that mind, what is necessary, what skill do we need? Purification. Without purifying, thinking, “I don’t have this and that so there is no need to meditate,” in this way can never make it. This is only deceiving oneself, putting oneself in prison. Like I told before, with children and parents. The person shouldn’t worry. It is worthwhile to worry, but there’s a way to worry—there’s worthwhile worry and not worthwhile worry. If you have problems like this, visualize Guru Shakyamuni more, with the light absorbing into you, purifying the delusions that stop these things—faith in enlightened knowledge, love for sentient beings, belief in past and future lives. Spend more time in this purification meditation. Totally, it is lack of purification, so something has to be done; it is lack of some skill.