Chenrezig Retreat 07 Winter Retreat 2 Venerable Thubten Chodron Sravasti Abbey, Newport, WA January , 2007 Trans!

riber" #yn Sal$on %&A Session 'Audio" ( $inutes) This is our *irst +uestion and answer session *or the Chenre,i- retreat. / had in $ind, as in previous years that this would be a very in*or$al 0ind o* +uestion and answer dis!ussion session where you !ould share what has been happenin- in your $editation, any +uestions you have about the pra!ti!e or about what has been !o$in- up in your $ind. Then at the end, / thou-ht / would 1ust be-in to -o throu-h so$e o* The 2ssen!e o* Re*ined 3old. /t !an be very help*ul i* you have so$e tea!hin-s at the sa$e ti$e that you4re doinretreat. That is why / thou-ht also o* $a0in- one o* your sessions this year a study session. Are you *indin- that use*ul5 /t4s very ni!e be!ause when you slow down, you don4t have so $u!h e6ternal input then when you read you read thin-s $u!h $ore slowly, $u!h $ore !onte$platively. Then a*ter that when you $editate you4re thin0inabout what you read and you !an apply what you read to your $editation pra!ti!e. So, in ter$s o* the sadhana, /4$ assu$in- that everybody read and studied Cultivatin- a Co$passionate 7eart be*ore the retreat8 and that you will re*er to it durin- the retreat *or di**erent thin-s that !o$e up. There4s a lot in there about distra!tion and di**erent thin-s. Whatever +uestions and doubts you have please *eel *ree to as0 the$ and espe!ially what4s 0ind o* !o$in- up in your $editation that you *eel it $i-ht be -ood to -et so$e input on. So$eti$es people *eel and -et very stressed out in an individual appoint$ent. Then they also thin0, 9:h, this is su!h a bi- thin- that4s happenin-, / !an4t !on!entrate on $y $editations, this is horrible.; And i* you air it and brin- it up in a dis!ussion -roup li0e this, then you *ind everybody has the sa$e +uestion. :0, so /4ll turn it over to you *or what you want to brin- up in this *irst part o* our session. <%< =our +uestion is, that when you are doin- the sel*>-eneration, you are thin0in- that it is your wisdo$ reali,in- e$ptiness that is $ani*estin- in the *or$ o* the deity so then when you o**er brea0*ast and lun!h and $edi!ine $eal should you thin0 o* the *ood as the $ani*estation o* your wisdo$ $ind, and by e6tension, even the $erit *ield that you are ta0in- re*u-e in, is that a $ani*estation o* your wisdo$ o* -reat bliss that4s reali,ine$ptiness5 The answer is yes. =ou want to thin0 li0e that. And it4s so$ethin- to !onte$plate be!ause, *irst o* all, we have so $u!h the idea that what we per!eive with our senses is out there totally unrelated to us. ?y thin0in- o* it as a $ani*estation o* the $ind that

reali,es e$ptiness, it helps to over!o$e that *eelin- that its ob1e!tive out there, unrelated to our $ind. Also when we thin0 it4s the $ind that is reali,in- e$ptiness that4s $ani*est li0e this8 then, it4s li0e, you !an4t thin0 o* the thin- as inherently e6istent. /t is a $ani*estation o* the $ind that is reali,in- that there is no inherent e6isten!e. And then third, seein- thin-s in that way is a te!hni+ue that helps you avoid havin- a lot o* ordinary e$otions towards stu**. =ou4re not -oin- to -et atta!hed to the appearan!e o* *ood that is by nature the bliss*ul wisdo$ $ind. Atta!h$ent is not a suitable response. So it helps you over!o$e those 0inds o* a**li!tions. 9%; Then is it proper to try to !onne!t with $y own, to try to dissolve $y sense o* inherent e6isten!e o* $ysel* be*ore / do that5 =es. The whole sadhana, the whole Chenre,i- pra!ti!e i* you4re doin- the sel*> -eneration, is based on doin- it in e$ptiness. That4s why you have the $antra 9:$ Svabhava Shuddha Sarva @har$a Svabhava Shuddho 7a$; and the deity" the *irst deity, the deity o* e$ptiness. And it4s i$portant to spend ti$e on that parti!ular deity. That is the 0ey to the whole thin-. 9%; Ri-ht, but that wasn4t $y +uestion. When /4$ at the dinner table then should / do the sa$e thin-, is what /4$ as0in-5 When you *inish your session in there you a-ain dissolve and reappear as a si$ple Chenre,i- with one *a!e two ar$s. /t4s that Chenre,i- who4s -oin- to the dinin- roo$ table. So that Chenre,i- isn4t -oin- to have ordinary !antaloupe. So it4s really 0ind o* -ettin- us to shi*t how we are per!eivin- thin-s with our $ental !ons!iousness. Thin-s still appear how they are now to our visual !ons!iousness but to our $ental !ons!iousness we are thin0in- about the$ di**erently. /t4s very i$portant in li-ht o* this when you do the sel*>-eneration that you don4t thin0 that it4s T7/S body o* *lesh and blood that be!o$es Chenre,i-. Ah, uh, T7/S body has dissolved into e$ptiness8 this *lesh and bones body, this one that4s su!h a hassle5 /t4s *inished in e$ptiness. There4s no inherently e6istin- body there. So when you -enerate as Chenre,i-, you don4t have bones, you don4t have $us!les. What is it that4s hurtin-5 =ou4re not thin0in- about that body be!ause you4ve dissolved it into e$ptiness8 and instead it4s your wisdo$ $ind appearin- in that part. 9%; Can / do $y ne6t thin-5 =esterday, / was really havin- this e6perien!e. / o*ten use la$ ri$ to do $y $otivation, but the bul0 o* the ti$e ri-ht now /4$ spendin- in that dissolution and then $ind e6pansion. ?ut, yesterday $ornin-, in the se!ond session, / started havin- that ti-htness in $y !hest. ?y the third session it was really pain*ul. So / thou-ht, ah, $ore puri*i!ation, but / ba!0ed o** and thou-ht / should as0 about that. So you4re -ettin- so$e pain in your !hest5 9%; =es, it4s *a$iliar. /t4s the pushin- pain. / don4t *eel li0e /4$ pushin-, but / 0now it is.

:*ten we don4t *eel li0e we are pushin-, but we -et so$e 0ind o* sense o* ti-htness here and that4s a warnin- si-nal that we 1ust need to -o $ore slowly. What !ould be happenin- is that in the $editation you4re payin- too $u!h attention to your heart !ha0ra. ?e!ause when you thin0 o* the 7R/ at your heart !ha0ra and you are sendin- out li-ht and then, o* !ourse, enli-htenin- all sentient bein-s8 and then they are all 1ust dissolvinin, you !ould be 1ust relatin- everythin- too $u!h to your heart !ha0ra in the !enter o* your !hest. That !auses that 0ind o* un!o$*ortable, a!hy *eelin-. /* that4s happenin-, then ta0e the attention o** your heart !ha0ra and *o!us $ore, let4s say, on the o**erin-s. @on4t thin0 o*, 9:h, here4s this bi- o**erin-. /4$ o**erin- a re*ri-erator and it4s !o$in- out o* $y heart.< B#C /ts no wonder you have pain there. Just !on!entrate $ore on these !louds o* o**erin-s that you4re o**erin- that are so beauti*ul. /$a-ine all the sentient bein-s re!eivin- the$ and *eelin- so happy and be!o$in- ?uddhas and so on li0e that. And it4s also possible be!ause so$eti$es when you4re $editatin- on e$ptiness, so$eti$es your attention auto$ati!ally -oes to your heart !ha0ra too. That !ould !ause that 0ind o* un!o$*ortable *eelin-, so $a0e sure that doesn4t happen. @on4t *o!us there so $u!h. 9%; / also had a thin- !o$in- up. / don4t 0now i* it4s related, but towards the end o* the day / started to -et this to this ed-e that / relate to as nihilis$. /tDs li0e this" / don4t want this to be true. / don4t want this to be the way thin-s are. #i0e the stubborn part o* $e that thin0s" / want thin-s to be inherently e6istent, / want happiness to be eternal. / want relationships to last *orever, / want *ood to be per*e!t and li*e would be per*e!t, you 0now. So your +uestion is, there4s a little bit o* resistan!e. 9%; Well, / didn4t reali,e that, there was the pain and then later last ni-ht this other thin!a$e up and / thou-ht,< Ah oh.< Well, your $ind is rebellin-. / want thin-s to be inherently e6istent. / want $y happiness to !o$e *ro$ these e6ternal people and thin-s. / want this world to 0eep on bein*a$iliar even thou-h it4s a hassle. / 1ust want to twea0 $y sa$sara and $a0e it a little bit better. ?ut / don4t really want to !han-e $y $ind be!ause that4s 1ust too $u!h, or it4s too s!ary, or it4s not E2, or so$ethin-4s -oin- on. ?ut -ive $e a brea0F Can4t thin-s 1ust be inherently e6istent and per$anent and all those other $is!on!eptions that, on $y -ood days, /4$ tryin- to -et rid o*5 :* !ourse, the e-o is resistin-, *i-htin- ba!0. Re$e$ber there was that part in Gre!ious 3arland when Hhensur Rinpo!he was tea!hinit5 :ne o* the early stan,as about how the !hild is still a*raid when they here the tea!hin-s, but *or the wise it4s a relie*. So now you are understandin- that verse. /t4s -ood to understand when you see your $ind *i-htin- li0e that" <:h, this is the !hildish $ind.< This is why it4s said that / need to a!!u$ulate positive potential so that / !an do so$ethin- with this !hildish $ind. This is the reason why / need to 0eep on with this $editation. 3ently, not pushin-, but / don4t -ive up8 be!ause that4s the way /4$ -oin- to eventually deal with this !hildish $ind. And then / thin0 what4s help*ul is to -o ba!0 and thin0 about how pain*ul the ordinary view is" <=es, / want $y relationships to be per$anentF To brin- $e happinessF< And then you loo0 at your li*e and as0 yoursel*,

<7ave they5< </ want thin-s to be inherently e6istent and / want the *ood to be -oodF< Well, where does that -et $e5 When / sit there and whine all the ti$e be!ause / want the *ood to be li0e this, / don4t want it to be li0e that, does that $a0e $e happy5 The resistant $ind !o$es up with these doubts, so you put up so$e resistan!e and throw the doubts ba!0 to that $ind" =ou have your story8 you4re $a0in- it out to be li0e this. /s that true5 What happens i* / believe in that version o* reality5 That the *ood is supposed to brin- $e everlastin- happiness when / eat it8 $aybe not everlastin- but at least a lot o* pleasure. Where has that -otten $e when /4ve *ollowed that5 @on4t -et $ad at yoursel*. And don4t run down the hill. =ou 1ust stop and you loo0 and say, <That Na-ar1una 0new what he was tal0in- about when he tal0ed about the !hildish. Na-ar1unaDs so$e s$art -uy there.< Eaybe / better listen to so$e $ore o* what he says and let4s as0 this !hildish $ind so$e +uestions. /n the retreat two years a-o, ?o wrote this in!redible letter about his non>ne-otiables. 7e was still in!ar!erated at the ti$e. And that was his e-o $ind *i-htin- the whole @har$a thin-. 7e said, 9/ have $y non>ne-otiables o* what / de*initely want in $y li*e when / -et out o* prisonF; And he went on and on. 7e was di--in- his heels in bi- ti$e. So / 0ind o* laid o**. /t was interestin- when / saw hi$ in Gasadena last year. Eost o* his non> ne-otiables he hadn4t done be!ause he4d lost interest, or, i* he did do the$ he saw that they really weren4t that -reat. 7e wasn4t so interested. 7e was !o$in- to this !on!lusion that !ontent$ent is the best re!ipe *or happiness. So when your $ind is resistin- you as0 it +uestions > but you have to be s0ill*ul. =ou don4t hit it with a sled-eha$$er > but you as0 it +uestions, and test it out and !he!0 it out. That was what happened with ?o and his non>ne-otiables. 7is writin- that spar0ed $any dis!ussions in our wee0ly $eetin-s as everybody in the retreat wrote down their non>ne-otiables *or their li*e" the thin-s in their li*e that they absolutely !ould not do without, no way, they did not want to -ive those thin-s up. /t was really interestinbe!ause everybody had so$e si$ilarities and also so $any di**eren!es. Geople started +uestionin- those. / re$e$ber Hathleen, she was sayin- about relationships and how i$portant havin- the one spe!ial person was, and she be-an to as0, 9What4s this thinabout bein- spe!ial5 What does that $ean5 Why do / want to be spe!ial to so$ebody and why do / want so$ebody to be spe!ial to $e5 What4s that all about5; / thin0 it was +uite -ood that she didn4t !lobber it with a sled-eha$$er and *ear, she didn4t buy into it8 but she 1ust said, 9What4s that all about5 What a$ / basin- those thou-hts and *eelin- on5 Where4s that !o$in- *ro$5 Where4s that view -otten $e5; So this is the way you want to deal with these thin-s when they !o$e up. 9%; =ou4re sayin- that you4re *indin- that when you have e6pe!tations that are unrealisti!, or even i* they4re realisti!, and the thin- doesn4t turn out that way, that that !auses a lot o* su**erin-. Ri-ht5 =eah, that4s it. / thin0 that that !o$es *ro$ both parts o* what you4re sayin-. The se!ond part o* what you said was essentially the sa$e as the *irst8 that when there4s an

e6pe!tation that you4re -oin- to be happy, and then you aren4t happy, then you4re an-ry or upset. 9%; Well, the *irst one that really *elt li0e it helped $e to *i-ure this out was that / re$e$bered the thin- that Atisha said, 9Eoderate -oals, $oderate a!tivity, $oderate !on!ern *or the out!o$e.; What / reali,ed is that / had none o* those. The -oal was hi-h8 everythin- was hi-h, hi-h, hi-h and su**erin-, su**erin-, su**erin-. /t was 1ust unwor0able. So / really had to let that -o and it see$ed li0e it was based on this e6pe!tation. /t see$s li0e we4re always denyin- reality. We4re always thin0in- that everythin- should be *ine. ?ut what we *ind is there4s su**erin- around every !orner. =eah, those two thin-s -o to-ether. 9%; What you4re sayin- is that you saw in the situation when you -ot upset was that you had hi-h e6pe!tations, doin- a lot o* a!tivity, a lot o* atta!h$ent to the out!o$e, you -ot hit in the *a!e be!ause reality didn4t !ooperate with what you thou-ht it should do. That4s the whole thin- with e6pe!tations is it never turns out the way we thin0 it should. We4re in sa$sara and so there is du00ha, there4s unsatis*a!toriness, li0e you said, around every !orner. Thin-s don4t -o the way we want. All the ti$e they don4t -o the way we want. We4re always e6pe!tin- that they are -oin- to. Not 1ust e6pe!tin- that they4re -oin- to, but we4re very atta!hed to their -oin- to. And this is the proble$, how our $ind !reates su**erin- *or us be!ause we have an e6pe!tation o* how thin-s should be, and we4re very atta!hed to the out!o$e. That4s 1ust a re!ipe *or disappoint$ent. /* you thin0, 9:0ay, here4s so$ethin- that / hope to do;" there4s so$e daily a!tivity. /4$ tryin- to *i-ure out this thin- with the roo*, and / want to -et it *i-ured out, and it would be ni!e to *i-ure it out sooner rather than later. ?ut !han!es are it4s not -oin- to -o a!!ordin- to $y s!hedule. 7ow !an / $a0e $y $ind happy doin- this *or however lonit ta0es5 /4$ not -oin- to stret!h it out, be!ause its not so$ethin- / want to do durin- the whole retreat, but it $i-ht ta0e $ore ener-y than / hope to put in. /4d li0e to resolve it with one phone !all, it $ay ta0e three or *our or *ive. ?ut how !an / $a0e $y $ind happy in doin- what needs to be done5 What / !o$e to see all the ti$e is it4s not the a!tivity that4s $a0in- $e unhappy8 it4s $y attitude towards the a!tivity. Re$e$ber / told you awhile ba!0 that / reali,ed when / was in Sin-apore and $y $ornin- $editation / was 1ust -ettin- an-ry. 2very $ornin- there was an-er in $y $ornin- $editation. / reali,ed that this was e6a!tly it. Whatever was happenin-;,; $y $ind would 1ust be an-ry at it. /t wasn4t the situation that was $a0in- $e unhappy. /t wasn4t the situation that was unwor0able or too $u!h. /t was $y an-ry $ind that $ade $e so $iserable. :0ay, then you have to wor0 with the an-ry $ind. Ea0es so$e sense5 9%; So you4re sayin- you had a lot o* ne-ativity !o$in- up the *irst *ew days. =ou *ound it $u!h $ore help*ul to sit down and $editate on the thou-ht trainin- and tal0 yoursel* throu-h it. To see ea!h situation that you were unhappy with that the 0ar$a to produ!e that unhappiness was now ripenin- and it was *inishin-. Thereby that -ave you reason to

be 1oy*ul, be!ause you *elt li0e it was all this 0ar$a ripenin- and *inishin- and youDre puri*yin-. =ou *ound that a very help*ul way to deal with the situations that were !o$inup. That4s really -ood and that4s e6a!tly what pra!ti!in- @har$a $eans. /t $eans wor0inwith whatever is !o$in- up in our $ind. At the be-innin- o* retreat, it4s always -ood to e6pe!t that a lot o* 1un0 will !o$e up. /t4ll ta0e a *ew wee0s *or your $ind to settle down. :*ten what happens is there are all sorts o* thou-hts and *eelin-s about stu** that4s been happenin-" / li0e this, / donDt li0e that. =ou haven4t had enou-h ti$e to wor0 it out or you4ve wor0ed it out but then it4s !o$e up a-ain or even you4ve settled it and its still !o$e up a-ain. =ou4ve 1ust -ot to e6pe!t it be!ause this is the way it4s -oin- to be. /t4s 0ind o* li0e stu** 1ust bubblin- up, 1ust 1un0, bubblin- up. And so here it is and you wor0 it out and you deal with it, and you let it -o. And it4s usually stu** with your daily li*e" </ li0e this person, / don4t li0e that person. Why do / have to do this5 Why is that -oin- on5< This 0ind o* stu**. And so you spend a wee0 or two wor0in- with that as it !o$es up and slowly your $ind settles down and you !an -et $ore into the pra!ti!e. :* !ourse, at di**erent ti$es di**erent thin-s $ay !o$e up even a*ter the *irst *ew wee0s. And thin-s will !o$e up bi- and you4ll have to wor0 with the$, but really e6pe!t that. That4s part o* retreat to deal with all this stu** that4s !o$inup. The $ind and all it4s !o$plaints about everythin-. ThatDs -oin- on all the ti$e isnDt it5 The $ind !o$plainin- about one thin-. / $ean this is 1ust the way our $ind wor0s" </ li0e this, / want that, / want it to be this way, / don4t li0e that. 3et that away *ro$ here. /t shouldn4t be li0e this.< ?ut we4re usually so busy in our daily li*e that we aren4t even aware that this 0ind o* stu** is -oin- on. And then when you sit down and $editate, it4s li0e boy, the opinion *a!tory is !ran0in- the$ out. Then we be-in to see how our $ind is so rea!tive to everythin-. /t4s li0e any little sti$uli and our $ind R2ACTS" </ li0eF / don4t li0eF 3ive $eF 3et it awayF< This is 1ust the sa$sari! $ind. /sn4t that what 1ust everybody is 0ind o* -oin- throu-h5 Gra!ti!in- @har$a $eans e6a!tly that, wor0in- with all that stu** that4s !o$in- up and 1ust say, 9:0ay, !o$e on, !o$e on, -et out o* those !losets, we4re !leanin- you out now.; And a*ter a while you learn to lau-h at it a bit. 9%; Are you sayin- to apply a !uriosity *a!tor to it5 =eah, when this 1un0 !o$es up apply your !uriosity. 9%; :h, so you4re as0in- about the di**eren!e between bein- !urious and applyin- an antidote5 They are 0ind o* the sa$e thin-. When you are !urious, you4re sayin-, 9:0ay, $y $ind4s tellin- this story, is this story true5; That4s the !uriosity part. As you be-in to investi-ate the story and you thin0 o* the tea!hin-s you4ve heard. Then you4re sayin-, 9@oes this story !orrespond to the tea!hin-s that /4ve heard5; Well, no. <7ow would the tea!hin-s

des!ribe this situation5< Well, they des!ribe it in dah, dah, dah, dah way. And then that4s applyin- the antidote. 9%; When you were tal0in- about the $ind that wants and doesn4t li0e8 you were des!ribin- $e every step o* the way. /4$ at the -rossest level that / have been. / have been stru--lin- a lot. /* @har$a is pra!ti!in- really trainin- the $ind then / thin0 / a$ doin- that be!ause it4s been very hard *or $e be!ause /4$ -overned by e$otions now. 2very day / -ive up and then / really *i-ht. / really try. Eaybe one session is -ood but the rest is 1ust" / !an4t stop $y $ind. ?ut / told $ysel* to do puri*i!ation, at least puri*i!ation. ?ut it4s aw*ul. ?ut then li0e this $ornin- / say /4$ -oin- to thin0 about death, you 0now /D$ -oin- to die. And what is the purpose, / had really better sti!0 to this be!ause this is a!!u$ulatin- $erit and that will help $e. :n so$e other days / -o with pre!ious hu$an li*e. / try to be hoo0ed. Gut a si-n up sayin-" No pre-nant Ee6i!an wo$en allowed at the retreatF B#C / really *eel bad *or $y !o$panions. What4s the root o* this entire proble$5 /t is not so$ethin- bubblin- up at the retreat all o* a sudden8 it is the $ind / usually have. So / started investi-atin- that and as0in- $ysel*, <What do / do in $y every day li*e that -ets $e in this state5< Ior the past year and a hal* /4ve been a 1u$pin- bean, / wat!h TV. / want to eat so$ethin-, /4$ eatin- and then / want to be on the internet, then / want to -o out, / want happiness. So it4s really hard. All the e$otions !o$in- out were 1ust tre$endous. That is the $ind, but the body is related to the $ind8 and you !an *eel it durin- the day. ?ut it4s $ostly the $ind. =our $ind is the *unda$ental sour!e o* all this" / *ound the root o* all this today, so now what should / do5 / *ound that you are not happy or !ontent anywhere, any pla!e, any $o$ent. 7ow do you !han-e that5 / did a whole session intervals o* sha$atha, then observin- the $ind, then !al$in- the $ind. /4$ sorry /4$ not sel*>-eneratin-. ?ut / need sha$atha and stabili,ation be!ause that is what / need. / *eel bad but at least /4$ doin- so$ethin-. =ou *ind that your $ind is 1ust !o$pletely boun!in- o** the walls. And that it4s not 1ust here but the past year you4ve been a 1u$pin- bean. Always loo0in- *or the ne6t hit. So today you de!ided to ta!0le it and *ound that it was very help*ul to do sha$atha $editation, so$e breathin- $editation, 1ust wat!hin- the $ind, $editation that is $ore pa!i*yin-, and you *ound that very help*ul. 3o *or itF The whole thin- about @har$a pra!ti!e $eans learnin- to be a do!tor to your own $ind. Applyin- whatever your $ind needs in any parti!ular $o$ent. /* that is what your $ind needs in order to !al$ down, then do that. @o that 0ind o* $editation and you !an !o$e ba!0 to the sel*>-eneration pra!ti!e and all that at a later ti$e. @o what4s wor0in- *or you. So$eti$es it4s also very help*ul 1ust to say the $antra. When your $ind is so *ull and 1ust bubblin- around and boun!in- with opinions and e$otions, 1ust say the $antra. At that point 1ust *or-et about the visuali,ation, i* you want to, and 1ust tie your $ind to the sound o* the $antra. Just let your $ind sin0 into the sound o* the $antra and the ener-y o* the $antra. That !an also be a very, very -ood stabili,in- thin-. :r 1ust !on!entrate on the li-ht !o$in- and doin- this. Whatever it is, you4re the one who4s -oin- to 0now what your $ind needs at any parti!ular ti$e.

What / thin0 is !o$pletely a$a,in- is how you are han-in- in there. =ou are a hero. =ou4re de*initely a hero. / thin0 it4s wonder*ul that you !a$e on retreat. /t4s so -ood *or the baby;,; and we4re not -oin- to $a0e a rule that pre-nant wo$en !an4t !o$e to retreat. B#C /ts a!tually +uite -ood. / thin0 you have the support o* everybody who4s here. Glease;,; don4t apolo-i,e;,; there4s nothin- to apolo-i,e *or. /t4s in!redible *or the baby. The baby4s not -ettin- *ed on soap operas and violent $ovies. 9%; / a$ very happy about what / e6pe!t. / don4t e6pe!t $any thin-s but as so$e psy!holo-ist *riends o* $ine said, you have to visuali,e your -oals to a!hieve the$. Eaybe they won4t !o$e true as e6a!tly as you want;,; but you need that. / don4t 0now i* that4s true or not. When / -ot pre-nant / was really s!ared;,; now /4$ really happy. Today / read a boo0 here that is about $otherly love. /t says that this person is a $on0 and he was than0*ul to his parents be!ause they -ave hi$ a very stable *a$ily and he said, 9/ have always *elt se!ure in $y li*e and / have seen that people who !o$e *ro$ bro0en ho$es are inse!ure and always a*raid o* thin-s.; That4s $e. And / don4t want this new person !o$in- here to be li0e that. / really want hi$ to *eel so *ull so that he !an do anythin- and hope*ully really be!o$e a -reat person, a -ood hu$an bein-. And have that sa$e -oal *or yoursel*. 9%; The $other o* this $on0 was as0in-;,; 9Why in ?uddhis$ do they say that !hildren $ust repay the 0indness to their parents. / don4t understand why we $others $ust be repaid8 it is su!h a -reat 1oy to brin- li*e to the world and to see it -row.; /t was very interestin- to see how she was a $other o* a $on0 tal0in- about that. And they o*ten -ive that e6a$ple o* how a $other loves her !hild as an e6a$ple *or the 0ind o* love that we want to have towards sentient bein-s. ?e!ause you were +uotin- her as sayin- why do !hildren need to thin0 about repayin- us, it4s su!h a 1oy to brin- the$ into the world. /t4s that whole attitude o* ta0in- the *o!us o** ones sel* and really wishinwell *or the other. And so o*ten when they tal0 about the 0ind o* love we4re tryin- to !ultivate towards all sentient bein-s, we use the e6a$ple o* a $other4s love in that way be!ause it doesn4t have, in -eneral, a lot o* !onditions. Conditions o*ten !o$e later. So$e $others have a lot o* !onditions. /n ter$s o* worldly e6a$ples, it4s one o* the !losest thin-s we have to un!onditional love. This 0id4s a total stran-er $ovin- into your house *or the ne6t however $any years. =ou love the$ 1ust be!ause they e6ist. =ou don4t -o throu-h the interview appli!ation. 7ere4s a sentient bein- and / want to help. The thin- is to ta0e that *eelin- that $others *eel instin!tively towards their 0ids and spread it towards all livin- bein-s. And as you were +uotin- that $other, how she was sayin-, why did the 0ids have to repay that 0indness, to use that as an e6a$ple when we do thin-s *or other people. =ou 1ust do the$. 7er 1oy was 1ust brin-in- that li*e into the world. Whatever we do *or sentient bein-s, our 1oy is 1ust in doin- that a!tion. We4re not loo0in- *or reward, or respe!t or a!0nowled-e$ent or than0 you or so$ethin- else. =ou 1ust do it be!ause your reward is the doin- o* it. Those 0inds o* attributes that they so o*ten tal0 about as parental love, espe!ially *or the $other, that4s what we want to !ultivate in our pra!ti!e. The only thin-

is that rather than !ultivate it towards one bein- we want to -enerali,e it towards everybody. 9%; /t see$s 0ind o* i$possible. What see$s i$possible5 9%; /t see$s that thin- that you !an have;,; that nonbiased *eelin- *or all people. /t see$s really *ar;,; *ar away. /t4s *ar away;,; bein- unbiased towards everybody. /t4s *ar away, but what a wonder*ul thin- to ai$ towards. /t doesn4t have to be !lose by in order to be so$ethin- that inspires us. 9%; / *eel li0e i* / !ould 0now everybody, then / !ould have $ore !on!ern *or the$. They4re 1ust 0ind o* a hu-e $ass. /4ve 1ust *ound that when / -et to 0now people, then / have !on!ern and !are *or the$. / a!tually e6peri$ented and too0 on a *ellow who really needed a *riend. 7e had no *riends. ?e*ore / be!a$e a ?uddhist, / would stay a londistan!e *ro$ hi$. / was 1ust there *or hi$ and listened and really be!a$e *ond o* hi$ and !on!erned about hi$. / would never thou-ht that this !ould happen, but it did. And so now / *eel that i* / !ould 0now people, everybody, / !ould !are *or the$ but it4s 1ust so hu-e. Eaybe / should use $y i$a-ination to e6tend it. When you -et to 0now an individual and tal0 to the$ and -et to 0now what they4re li0e;,; then auto$ati!ally !are and !on!ern arises *or the$. 2ven *or so$ebody who previously you wouldn4t have thou-ht to have !are and !on!ern *or, when you -et to 0now the$ you see the$ as a hu$an bein- and you4re a**e!tion *or the$ !o$es +uite naturally. ?ut then when we say all sentient bein-s, it see$s li0e this bi- lu$p, a hu-e $ass. 7ow are you -oin- to -et to 0now ea!h one o* the$ on an individual basis5 / thin0 that one way to do it is, i* we thin0 about the essential in-redients, about what people are really li0e, then we4ll see that we a!tually do 0now very i$portant thin-s about people. Ior e6a$ple, 1ust everybody wantin- happiness and not wantin- su**erin-, we all 0now that, but in another way we don4t 0now it. /* you even 1ust !onte$plate the li*e o* a stran-er and 1ust thin0, 9That person wants happiness, they don4t want su**erin-.; :* !ourse you 0now they want happiness, 1ust basi! hu$an needs, *ood, !lothin-, shelter and $edi!ine. They want *riends, they don4t want to be lonely. They don4t want to be re1e!ted. They want to be li0ed and appre!iated. They want to *eel li0e their talents are use*ul *or others. There are basi! hu$an +ualities that *all into when we say you want to be happy and don4t want to su**er that are pervasive *or everybody. / thin0 i* we *o!us on those, then we !an *eel !lose to people who we don4t 0now personally. /n a way we do 0now the$ personally be!ause they4re 1ust li0e us in this respe!t. We don4t 0now the parti!ular story it $ani*ests with the$. We don4t 0now whether they li0e pea!hes or they li0e apples or whether they4re unhappy today be!ause their !hild +uarreled with the$ or be!ause their boss +uarreled with the$. The details aren4t as i$portant as 1ust 0nowin- that that person, in the botto$ o* their heart, they

really want to $a0e it in the world. They want to be well li0ed and they want to li0e other people. =ou don4t need to 0now spe!i*i!ally, well, they4re havin- proble$s be!ause they4re very +uarrelso$e or they4re havin- proble$s be!ause they4re very -reedy and you don4t need to 0now they4re +uarrelso$e be!ause they say they said this and that to su!h a person or they4re -reedy be!ause they want this and that. 2verybody has proble$s be!ause they4re +uarrelso$e, and everybody has proble$s be!ause they are -reedy. /t4s true8 we 0now this about everybody. =ou pi!0 any sentient bein- whether you 0now anythin- about their li*e story or not, but you 0now that this is true o* the$. When you loo0 inside their hearts and what it $eans to be a sentient bein- then that helps us to really *eel that level o* !loseness with the$, even thou-h we don4t 0now the e6a!t story o* their li*e. /* we thin0 about it, we 0now so$ethin- deeper about the story o* their li*e. That little buri-ht there wants to be happy, doesn4t want to su**er. 9%; /t4s so *unny be!ause you say the sa$e thin-s over and over a-ain and all o* a sudden it hits you so$eti$es. She said that be*ore and / never thou-ht o* it li0e that. / re$e$ber one ti$e sittin- down and readin- a trans!ript that so$ebody had sent $e o* a re!ent !ourse that one o* $y tea!hers had -iven. / reali,ed that he was sayin- the sa$e thin-s as he was tellin- us J0 years a-o. Why5 ?e!ause we still haven4t -otten it. We 1ust need this re$inder. We need to be brou-ht ba!0. :ne day you4ll hear it and say, 9:h, /4ve heard that be*ore, / want to hear so$ethin- new.; The ne6t day you hear it and -o, 9:h, $y -oodness, is that what that $eans5; And it hits you in a totally di**erent way. 9%; That $ust be so irritatin- *or you. B#C No, it4s not irritatin- to $e be!ause /4$ re$indin- $ysel* at the sa$e ti$e. About the $ind that tends to !o$plain a lot, what /4ve *ound very help*ul in wat!hin$y own $ind is that o*ten it4s $y $ind that !o$plains and $y $ind that4s an-ry at other people. /t4s a!tually those people who are tryin- to help $e. /t4s 1ust that they are not helpin- $e *ast enou-h or in the way / want the$ to or whatever. ?ut /* / a!tually loo0, $ost o* the situations that / a$ -ettin- upset at, the people are a!tually tryin-, *ro$ their viewpoint, to do so$ethin- that4s help*ul to $e. We 1ust have di**erent views $aybe o* what it $eans to help with what / need. Eost o* the ti$e they have -ood intentions8 it4s $e that4s sayin-, <Nya, nya, nya.< Shall we start the te6t5 9%; Eay we o**er a Eandala5 :r is that too *or$al5 That4s o0, 1ust the short one. The Essence of Refined Gold

/t is by the Third @alai #a$a, Sona$ 3yatso. /t is a !o$$entary basi!ally on #a$a Tson- Hhapa4s Son-s o* 26perien!e, his very short #a$Ri$. / don4t 0now how $any verses, not so $any. So he +uotes a lot o* these verses in the te6t. The Nature of the Instructions 7e starts out with a prostration, To the feet of the Venerable Lama, Embodiment of the Three Jewels, Profoundly I turn for refuge; estow u!on me your transforming !owers"# At the be-innin- o* a te6t they always $a0e an ho$a-e to the -uru in the *or$ o* part o* the triple -e$ or so$eti$es it4s the ?uddha Ean1ushri or it $i-ht be the ?uddhas and bodhisattvas. 7ere it4s seein- the -uru as the e$bodi$ent o* the three 1ewels. =ou always do this at the be-innin- o* an a!tivity, espe!ially in writin- a @har$a te6t, so$ethin- li0e this, *or a !ouple o* reasons. :ne is to really re+uest the inspiration o* the three 1ewels and the inspiration o* your spiritual $aster. The se!ond is be!ause we see0 in the$ the inspiration to enable you to a!tually !o$plete the pro1e!t you4re settin- out to do. This pro!ess o* re+uestin- the inspiration and payin- ho$a-e also $a0es us hu$ble and it $a0es us re!eptive. Those are -ood +ualities to -o into any endeavor with. Rather than -oin- into an endeavor with, 97ere / a$, /4$ -oin- to $a0e it all happen. /4$ the !on+ueror.; Sayin- to the *eet o* the venerable la$a e$bodi$ent o* the three 1ewels, <7u$bly / -o *or re*u-e, bestow upon $e a trans*or$in- path.< =ou !an thin0 o* that as so$ethin- to do be*ore any a!tivity you do, or 1ust even wa0in- up in the $orninre+uestin- that 0ind o* inspiration and $a0in- that 0ind o* !onne!tion with your spiritual $entor. Te6t /t says, $ere for s!iritually inclined beings who wish to ta%e ad&antage of the o!!ortunities afforded by a human life, is a treatise on the Lamrim Tradition of meditation; a tradition %nown as 'tages of the '!iritual Path Leading to Enlightenment" (hat is the Lamrim Tradition) It is the essence of all teachings of uddha, the one !ath tra&eled by the high beings of the !ast, !resent and future, the legacy of the masters Nagar*una and +sanga, the religion of su!reme !eo!le tra&eling to the earth of omniscience, the unabridged synthesis of all !ractices included within the three le&els of s!iritual a!!lication" This is the Lamrim Tradition", <The #a$ri$ Tradition<" a little bit o* the history. The ?uddha when he was alive, he tau-ht *or K years, and he 1ust wandered around northern /ndia. Whoever as0ed to spea0 to hi$, he spo0e to the$. 7e -ave the$ tea!hin-s on the path that he had dis!overed and throu-h whi!h he hi$sel* had attained the *inal -oal o* supre$e enli-hten$ent. 7e -ave lots o* tea!hin-s to all di**erent !apa!ities o* bein-s. So$e o* the bein-s were hu$an bein-s, so$e ti$es he tau-ht to bodhisattvas. /n The 7eart Sutra there was a -rand asse$bly o* $onasti!s and bodhisattvas, and there were also the !elestial bein-s, lots o* di**erent bein-s there. The ?uddha tau-ht on $any, $any di**erent levels. The sutras were initially passed down orally and eventually they were written down. There were so $any di**erent tea!hin-s that he -ave to di**erent people. 7ow do you put the$ all

to-ether5 7ow do you 0now what to pra!ti!e and in what order5 The #a$ri$ Tradition was -enerated in response to those 0inds o* +uestions. 7e $entions here Na-ar1una and Asan-a. :n the than-0a, the paintin-, we have in the $editation hall you4ll see #a$a Tson- Hhapa4s at the !enter. At his heart is the ?uddha, at his heart is Va1radhara. ?ut on either side there are lots o* di**erent la$as sittin- in the spa!e. To Je Rinpo!he4s ri-ht, to the le*t as we4re loo0in- at it, the !entral *i-ure is -ointo be Eaitreya and then Asan-a and then all the di**erent la$as on what4s !alled the e6tensive part o* the path. :n Je Rinpo!he4s le*t, or on the ri-ht as we loo0 at hi$, is the !entral *i-ure o* Ean1ushri and then Na-ar1una and then around the$ all the di**erent la$as in what4s !alled the pro*ound linea-e. These are the two $ain linea-es *ro$ whi!h the #a$ri$ draws. The idea is that the e6tensive linea-e tea!hes, it e$phasi,es, pra!ti!es on the $ethod side o* the path, in other words" renun!iation, !o$passion, love, bodhi!itta, -enerosity, ethi!al !ondu!t, patien!e8 these 0inds o* thin-s. The tea!hin-s went *ro$ the ?uddha to the bodhisattva Eaitreya or the ?uddha Eaitreya8 however you want to see hi$. Asan-a was one hu$an dis!iple who $editated on Eaitreya and then wound up -oin- to Tushita, the Gure #and, where Eaitreya is residin-. 7e re!eived tea!hin-s *ro$ hi$ and then brou-ht those tea!hin-s ba!0 to earth. Asan-a lived in the *ourth !entury. The Tibetans say he lived (00 years a*ter the parinirvana o* ?uddha but that doesn4t e6a!tly $at!h up with the *ourth !entury. The wisdo$ tea!hin-s were passed down throu-h the bodhisattva or the ?uddha Ean1ushri to Na-ar1una. Na-ar1una, as the le-end -oes, went to the land o* the Na-as and brou-ht ba!0 the Gra1napara$ita sutras" the e6pli!it topi! o* whi!h is e$ptiness. Na-ar1una spread those sutras in the world. The traditional e6planation is that Na-ar1una appeared K00 years a*ter the parinirvana and he lived *or L00 years. Eodern s!holars pla!e hi$ about at the end o* the *irst or early se!ond !entury A@. =ou have these two traditions !o$in- down. /t didn4t $ean that in the linea-e o* Eaitreya and Asan-a that there were no wisdo$ tea!hin-s and that in the linea-e o* Na-ar1una that there were no tea!hin-s on the $ethod aspe!t. /t doesn4t $ean that. /t4s 1ust a thin- o* e$phasis. A!tually, in *a!t, it was throu-h Eaitreya and Asan-a that the Citta$atra tenet syste$ was delineated and spread" si$ilarly in the linea-e o* Ean1ushri and Na-ar1una and Chandra0irti. Chandra0irti also, in his Supple$ent to Na-ar1unaDs Iunda$ental Wisdo$, tal0ed about all M0 per*e!tions. /t wasn4t 1ust the per*e!tion o* wisdo$. So then these tea!hin-s were passed down in /ndia. ?uddhis$ went to Tibet in about the si6th !entury. /t didn4t really spread so $u!h then. The 0in- Hhri>Sron->ide>brtsan invited Santara0sita and then 3uru Rinpo!he Gad$asa$bhava to Tibet at the end o* the ei-hth !entury and they !a$e. /n the ninth !entury, in NK2, there was this bi- suppression by the Hin- #an- @ar$a, and that4s when $onasti! linea-e was al$ost lost. There were only three Tibetan $on0s le*t. They had to -o to the borderlands and have two Chinese $on0s !o$e and 1oin the$ in order to have

enou-h $on0s to -ive the ordination !ere$ony *or the $on0s. /t was a horri*i! suppression. A*ter the suppression, there was a lot o* !on*usion be!ause both the sutra tea!hin-s and the tantra tea!hin-s had !o$e in to Tibet, but then when the $onasteries were destroyed by the suppression o* Hin- #an- @ar$a, then everybody -ot very !on*used. There were 1ust s$all po!0ets o* people pra!ti!in- here and there. Geople thou-ht that i* you pra!ti!e sutra, you !an4t pra!ti!e tantra. /* you pra!ti!e tantra, you don4t pra!ti!e sutra. /* you have bodhisattva pre!epts, then that totally !ontradi!ts your $onasti! pre!epts. /* you have tantri! pre!epts, then you !an4t have $onasti! pre!epts. There was 1ust a bi- $ess in people4s $inds. :ne o* the 0in-s wanted to invite Atisha, who was one o* the -reat sa-es at the -reat $onastery o* Vi0ra$asila in /ndia. There were several o* these -reat $onasti! universities" Nalanda was one, Addandapura was another, Vi0ra$asila was another one. They invited Atisha to !o$e to Tibet and Atisha went. Tara told hi$ to -o so he *ollowed her instru!tions and went. 7is $ain thin- was to re!ti*y all o* this !on*usion about how to pra!ti!e the path. /t4s said that he tau-ht a lot about re*u-e and 0ar$a to -et people stabili,ed a-ain. 7e wrote this te6t *or the Tibetans !alled #a$p o* the Gath or #a$dron /t4s 1ust a *ew pa-es lon- but it outlines the whole path to enli-hten$ent. 2spe!ially what Atisha did is he tal0ed about the three levels o* spiritual pra!titioners or the three !apa!ities o* spiritual pra!titioners" the initial !apa!ity, the $ediu$ !apa!ity, the advan!ed !apa!ity. 7e $entioned those in the #a$dron te6t. /n later !enturies, the #a$ri$ te6ts were written and they really a$pli*ied this. What Atisha s0et!hed out is an outline. Then the #a$ri$ te6ts really a$pli*ied. Atisha4s !losest dis!iple was @ro$tonpa, a lay$an, whi!h / *ind interestin-. / was readin- so$ethin- about @ro$tonpa that really tou!hed $e. 2very ni-ht he $ade a butter la$p and he put it in Atisha4s roo$ be!ause he didn4t want his tea!her to have to sit in the dar0. /t was li0e his !o$plete *aith in his tea!her that @ro$tonpa did this *or his tea!her every ni-ht. / *ound it very tou!hin-. Anyways, Atisha went to live at Retin-55 7e set up a $onastery and *ro$ there !a$e the Hada$pa tradition. There are three di**erent 0inds o* Hada$pa traditions" one that *ollowed the philosophi!al treatises, one that *ollowed the instru!tions or the advi!e, and another one that *ollowed the pith instru!tions *ro$ the tea!her and *o!used a lot on $editation. When #a$a Tson- Hhapa !a$e, he pra!ti!ed *ro$ this Hada$pa tradition and he also pra!ti!ed *ro$ so $any other traditions. 7e was so e!le!ti!. Wherever there was a -ood tea!her, he went and listened. Wherever there was a pure linea-e and a -ood linea-e, he too0 that linea-e. #a$a Tson- Hhapa wrote three #a$ri$ te6ts, the 3reat, the Eediu$ and the S$all one. A*ter hi$ there were hundreds o* #a$ri$ te6ts that were written. There4re ei-ht that are pointed out as the ei-ht -reat ones. The 2ssen!e o* Re*ined 3old is one o* the$. There4s another one by the *i*th @alai #a$a, three by Je Rinpo!he, this one by the third @alai #a$a and one by the *i*th @alai #a$a. 3a$popa4s Jewel :rna$ent o* #iberation is a very -reat te6t but not !ounted a$on- these ei-ht but it is

de*initely one o* the -reat te6ts in Tibetan literature. / !an4t re$e$ber the other three ri-ht now. The #a$ri$ tried to ta0e the tea!hin-s and outline the$ in a si$ple *ashion *or these three !apa!ities o* bein-s. @ependin- on what our !apa!ity was, where we were on the path, we would 0now what to pra!ti!e. These are all tea!hin-s that have been tau-ht by the ?uddha that were passed down thou-h both Na-ar1una and Asan-a and then to Atisha and then to Je Rinpo!he. The third @alai #a$a is !o$$entin- spe!i*i!ally on Je Rinpo!he4s short #a$ri$ te6t. Te6t Lamrim is an es!ecially !rofound as!ect of -harma, for it is a tradition of !ractice sound in its origin" It has neither fault nor shortcoming, for it is a com!lete !ractice !erfectly uniting both method and wisdom as!ects of the !ath" It !ro&ides all le&els and grades of the techni.ues !assed through Nagar*una and +sanga, from the !ractices meant for beginners u! to and including the final !ractice before full uddhahood, the stage of non/!ractice", #a$ri$ !an be translated as -radual path or it !an be translated as sta-es o* the path. /t e6tends *ro$ the very be-innin- what to do, to the very end o* the path. /t e$phasi,es !ertain topi!s $ore than other topi!s. So in addition to studyin- #a$ri$, / thin0 it4s very help*ul to !o$ple$ent it with studies o* other te6ts, so$e o* the thou-ht trainin- te6ts, so$e o* the philosophi!al te6ts. =ou4ll need te6ts on tantra and so on. 7is 7oliness was re!ently !o$$entin- on and we were dis!ussin- the DJ7 har$onies with enli-hten$entD, whi!h is a very 0ey pra!ti!e in the Gali tradition. /t in!ludes the pra!ti!e o* the *our *oundations o* $ind*ulness, whi!h is really a very, very basi! pra!ti!e. These DJ7 har$onies with enli-hten$entD are *oundational pra!ti!e *or all ?uddhist traditions. ?ut they4re not e6plained within the #a$ri$ te6ts. At least not in an e6pli!it $anner, you 0now, one throu-h J7. 7is 7oliness is sayin- that he thin0s that that $ay be be!ause, espe!ially #a$a Tson- Hhapa, he was writin- the #a$ri$ te6t as a su$$ary, $aybe, o* so$e o* the points that were tau-ht in the philosophi!al te6ts, *or people to $editate on this su$$ary be*ore ta0in- tantri! initiation. The DJ7 har$onies with enli-hten$entD $ay not have been in!luded in the #a$ri$ te6ts e6pli!itly be!ause Je Rinpo!he too0 *or -ranted that his audien!e already 0new the$ and was already pra!ti!in- the$. /* you loo0 in the $onasti! universities in /ndia, indeed the topi! o* the DJ7 har$onies with enli-hten$entD !o$es up and they are studyin- par!hen55, the per*e!tion tea!hin-s. /t !o$es up there, it !o$es up in the *ourth !hapter o* Chandra0irti4s Supple$ent, and it !o$es up in a *ew di**erent pla!es. /t !ould be that he didn4t tea!h it e6pli!itly in the #a$ri$ be!ause he4s assu$in- his dis!iples already 0new about it. /* you loo0 where the DJ7 har$onies with enli-hten$entD would -o, they would $ostly -o in the three !apa!ities, with the bein- o* $iddle !apa!ity, the one who4s ai$in- *or liberation. Althou-h they !ould be these sa$e pra!ti!es are also pra!ti!ed by a bodhisattva who has !ultivated bodhi!itta, in whi!h !ase these DJ7 har$onies with enli-hten$entD would be the pra!ti!e leadin- to *ull enli-hten$ent, i* you are pra!ti!in- the sutra vehi!le. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

What /4$ -ettin- at is 1ust be!ause it4s not e6pli!itly $entioned in the #a$ri$, don4t thin0 that it4s not i$portant. The $eanin- o* $any o* the J7 is e6plained in the #a$ri$ but in a di**erent 0ind o* way. Ior e6a$ple, in the #a$ri$ in the $ediu$ !apa!ity, there4s so $u!h tal0 about the Iour Noble Truths. The pra!ti!e o* the *our *oundations o* $ind*ulness, a!tually ea!h one o* the *our !orrelates with one o* the Iour Noble Truths. :ne o* the purposes in pra!ti!in- the *our $ind*ulnesses is to understand that thin-s that are under the in*luen!e o* a**li!tions and 0ar$a are du00ha. That4s one o* the thin-s you4re tryin- to !on!lude throu-h the pra!ti!es o* the *our $ind*ulnesses8 one o* the thin-s, not the whole !on!lusions but one o* the !on!lusions o* that pra!ti!e. /n the #a$ri$ what you have is instead an analyti!al $editation on the si6 0inds o* du00ha, the ei-ht 0inds o* du00ha and the three 0inds o* du00ha. ?ut i* you do the $editation on the *our *oundations o* $ind*ulness, you4re -oin- to -et that sa$e !on!lusion, plus a little bit $ore. / 1ust want to $a0e that !lear be!ause otherwise people $i-ht be-in to thin0, 9:h, it4s not e6pli!itly $entioned in #a$ri$ so it4s not i$portant, or it4s not part o* the Tibetan tradition or so$ethin- li0e that.; That4s wron- be!ause i* you only study #a$ri$ you4re not -ettin- all the thin-s that are tau-ht in the philosophi!al treatises, whi!h in!lude these DJ7 har$onies with enli-hten$entD. 7is 7oliness was !o$$entin- that Atisha4s te6t, the #a$p o* the Gath, and then all the *ollowin- #a$ri$ te6ts, were tau-ht *or people who were already ?uddhists. So they don4t !ontain a lot o* debates in the$. A!tually in the vipassana se!tion o* the 3reat #a$ri$, Je Rinpo!heDs 3reat 26position, there are a lot o* debates in that. ?ut in $ost o* the #a$ri$ te6ts, there are not a lot o* debates, there4s not a lot o* use o* reasonin- and thin-s li0e that. /t4s 1ust -ettin- to the point about how to thin0 and how to train the $ind in the #a$ri$. This was done be!ause $ost o* the people in Tibet were already ?uddhists. They already had *aith in the @har$a8 they already 0new so$ethin- about the @har$a. They 0new what the three 1ewels were, they believed in rebirth, they believed in other real$s o* e6isten!e, they had $onasteries all around the$ and they 0new it was i$portant to have a spiritual tea!her. /t was dire!ted *or that 0ind o* audien!e. The philosophi!al tea!hin-s be!a$e very pro$inent in /ndia durin- the *ourth !entury to the late twel*th !entury, when ?uddhis$ was 0no!0ed out o* /ndia. Asin- lo-i! and reasonin- and the debatin- was so pro$inent at these $onasti! universities be!ause ?uddhis$ was not the only reli-ion there. Ior e6a$ple, there were all these very well developed other traditions li0e the Sa$0hyas, the Vaisesi0as, the Cha0ravartins55, and all these other ones. They had these hu-e debates. So the ?uddhists had to learn debatin- in order to prove that the tenets o* the other syste$s were wron-, and to establish the validity o* the ?uddhist path to enli-hten$ent be!ause that was the !ulture it was e6istinin at that ti$e. ?ut then #a$ri$ !a$e to be in a totally di**erent !ulture. Now ?uddhis$ is !o$in- to the West. We aren4t the an!ient /ndian !ulture and we aren4t the Tibetan !ulture. We need a little bit o* both. #ots o* ti$es weDre 1ust tau-ht the #a$ri$ and we4re told everythin- is in here, this is all you need to study. And then we start studyin- it and we s!rat!h our head and we -o, 9/ don4t -et it. They4re tal0in- about these di**erent real$s o* e6isten!e,

they4re tal0in- about rebirth, they4re tal0in- about all this stu** that / don4t believe. / !an4t *or!e $ysel* to believe it.; A!tually, *or those o* us who didn4t -row up as ?uddhists, / thin0 we need $ore o* the philosophi!al tea!hin-s now brou-ht ba!0 into the #a$ri$, tau-ht with the #a$ri$, so that we !an really understand the sub1e!ts a lot better. What /4ve seen happen is that there is so $u!h $isunderstandin- that happens. / thin0 be!ause so$eti$es people are only studyin- #a$ri$. So, *or e6a$ple, one o* the #a$ri$ te6ts, Gabon-0a Rinpo!he4s #iberation in the Gal$ o* =our 7and, is a wonder*ul te6t. ?ut it was tau-ht to $on0s and nuns who were about to ta0e a hi-hest>!lass tantra initiation. Those were people who 0new a lot about the @har$a. 7e was tryin- to -ive the$ a review. 7e was en!oura-in- this *eelin- o* *aith. 7e tau-ht about the relationship o* the spiritual $aster in a parti!ular way" seein- the spiritual $aster as the ?uddha be!ause these people were -oin- to ta0e hi-hest !lass tantra initiation in whi!h you4re tryin- to not only to see your tea!her as a ?uddha but yoursel* as a ?uddha and the environ$ent as a Gure #and. ?ut then you -et those tea!hin-s that were tau-ht *or that 0ind o* audien!e, tau-ht to a bun!h o* people who didn4t -row up as ?uddhists. We4re told to thin0 o* our spiritual $aster as the ?uddha and we -et totally !on*used. We develop this 0ind o* blind *aith. Then you have a lot o* $esses that happen, be!ause people aren4t bein- wise in their sele!tion o* tea!hers. They are bein- too tolerant so$eti$es o* $isbehavior. They4re sayin-, 9Well, / have to see it as ?uddha4s a!tions, so, $ust be.; Well, not ne!essarily, we don4t 0now that. There is so $u!h !on*usion about this $editation on how to relate to the spiritual $aster. That4s be!ause it was tau-ht *or a spe!i*i! -roup o* people, in a spe!i*i! !ulture, at a spe!i*i! ti$e in their pra!ti!e. And it4s -iven to us and we aren4t that sa$e audien!e. / thin0 this is why it4s i$portant to in!lude the study o* other thin-s in with the #a$ri$ so that we really understand the #a$ri$ properly. Ior e6a$ple, i* you spend so$e ti$e thin0in- about rebirth, and all the reasonin-s *or rebirth are not e6plained in #a$ri$ be!ause everyone who studied it believed in rebirth, but we need to study. Why is there rebirth5 What4s the body5 What4s the $ind5 What is this thin- we !all the sel*5 What are the lo-i!al reasonin-s *or rebirth5 Can / a!!ept it5 /* / don4t believe it, does it $ean / !an4t *ollow the rest o* the tea!hin-s5 We need to thin0 about all o* that. /* we do, then when we !o$e to one o* the *irst $editations on the pre!ious hu$an li*e, i* we4ve done this 0ind o* study be*ore, then we don4t -o into pani! when we hear about, 9:h, you have a pre!ious hu$an li*e and you4re not born in the hell real$, and youDre not born as a hun-ry -host, you4re not born as a per!eptionless -od. And we are -oin-, <7uh5< Well, i* you have so$e understandin- o* rebirth and what the other real$s $ean and all o* this, then that doesn4t throw you o**. Te6t This graduated -harma of taintless origin is li%e the wish/fulfilling gem, for through it the infinite beings can easily and .uic%ly accom!lish their !ur!ose" 0ombining the ri&ers of the e1cellent teachings of both the 2undamental Vehicle and 3reat Vehicle scri!tures, it is li%e a mighty ocean" 4e&ealing the !rinci!al !oints of both the 'utrayana and Va*rayana, it is a com!lete tradition with com!lete teachings" 5utlining the main techni.ues for taming the mind, it is easily integrated into any !ractice, and, being a

teaching combining the lineages of 3uru Vidya%o%ila, a sage of the Nagar*una 'chool, 'he was one o* the tea!hers who tau-ht Atisha the wisdo$ aspe!t o* the path), and Lama 'erling!a '@har$a0irti, who tau-ht Atisha the $ethod side o* the path6, a sage of the +sanga 'chool, it is a !recious ornament" Therefore, to hear, contem!late or meditate u!on a Lamrim discourse is fortunate indeed" Je 4in!oche7s 'ong of the 'tages on the '!iritual Path says8 2rom Nagar*una and +sanga, anners unto all human%ind, 5rnaments amongst the world7s sages, 0omes the sublime Lamrim lineage 2ulfilling all ho!es of !ractitioners, It is a wish/fulfilling gem, 0ombining the streams of a thousand teachings; It is an ocean of e1cellent guidance", That is the third @alai #a$a Sona$ 3yatso praisin- the syste$ o* tea!hin- that he is about to e6plain. 9%; @oes #a$a Tson- Hhapa tal0 about the ?uddha nature in the #a$ri$5 / don4t re$e$ber it bein- there, there4s not a hu-e lon- e6planation o* it. The tea!hin-s on the ?uddha nature !o$e $ostly *ro$ Eaitreya4s te6t o* 3yu>la$a55 by Taratantra55 !alled The Subli$e Continuu$. /t !o$es $ostly out o* there. A-ain, that4s a topi! that4s o* -reat interest and i$portan!e *or people who didn4t -row up as ?uddhists. 9%; /s there a di**eren!e between ?uddha nature and ?uddha potential5 No, they4re 1ust di**erent ways o* translatin-. The $eanin- is the sa$e. 9%; Spea0in- o* how the #a$ri$ tea!hin-s went *ro$ one tea!her to another, did they !o$e dire!tly *ro$ the ?uddha5 'paraphrased) =ou 1ust hit on a very interestin- point. Tea!hin-s are !o$in- *ro$ the ?uddha, but they4re !o$in- *ro$ Eaitreya and Ean1ushri throu-h Na-ar1una and Asan-a who lived $any, $any !enturies a*ter the ?uddha. 9%; /s it an a!t o* *aith5 /t depends on who$ you are spea0in- to. /* you are spea0in- to a Tibetan, they will tell you it is not an a!t o* *aith that Asan-a a!tually went to Tushita, the Gure #and, and -ot these tea!hin-s. That Eaitreya had a dire!t line to the ?uddha and that Na-ar1una a!tually went to the land o* the Na-as and that the tea!hin-s had been ta0en there a *ew years a*ter the ?uddha tau-ht the$. And that person would say, this is not an a!t o* *aith, this is history and histori!al *a!t. /* you -rew up as a Tibetan, this is histori!al *a!t. There4s nothin- to +uestion.

/* you -rew up with an edu!ation li0e we did, this is not histori!al *a!t. 7ow !an you say that you have a linea-e i* you !an4t tell us every sin-le person who4s in it5 This is one o* the thin-s that when we4re wor0in- !ross !ulturally with our tea!hers that you !o$e up a-ainst. :ne way that 7is 7oliness has re!ently started to e6plain the Na-ar1una linea-e is he said that he thin0s at the ti$e o* the ?uddha, the ?uddha tau-ht The Ger*e!tion o* Wisdo$ sutra and that $aybe a *ew dis!iples had writin- s0ills and wrote the$ down. ?ut these tea!hin-s were not widely spread be!ause writin- was not widely spread, predo$inantly be!ause the !apa!ities o* the people at that ti$e were not ripe and not suitable to re!eive those tea!hin-s. 7e thin0s these thin-s $i-ht have been 0ept on a very s$all s!ale and were very, very privately passed down. Then Na-ar1una, who was this -reat sa-e born in south /ndia, went up to north /ndia. :* !ourse, he was at Nalanda, and at ?odh 3aya. 7e thin0s Na-ar1una when he was travelin- $i-ht have $et so$e o* these very s$all -roups o* people who still had parts o* The Ger*e!tion o* Wisdo$ tea!hin-s. 7e $i-ht have !o$e in !onta!t with the$ there, !ollated the$ there, and then reprodu!ed the$ and spread the$. At the ti$e o* Na-ar1una, writin- was $u!h easier to do. 7is 7oliness is tryin- to e6plain it in that way. Western s!holars still have so$e dis!repan!ies and ar-u$ents with that 0ind o* presentation. They would say, at the ti$e o* the ?uddha there was not $u!h writin-. Also, the Western s!holars don4t 0now that *or sure. /* there was writin-, what do you write on5 The bar0 o* a tree. 7ow lon- is that -oin- to last5 The *a!t that we haven4t *ound re$nants *ro$ that ti$e doesn4t $ean that people didn4t use writin-. The te6ts de!ayed even i* you were tryin- to 0eep the$ really well. The sa$e thin- !o$es in the ordination linea-e be!ause the Tibetans will say when they loo0 at the ordination linea-e *or the $on0s8 they will say that we !an tra!e it e6a!tly ba!0 to the ?uddha. We have a pure linea-e8 it4s never been bro0en. ?ut i* you loo0 at it, between so$e o* the people in the linea-e there $i-ht have been a hundred years or two hundred years. ?ut that doesn4t -ive the$ any proble$ be!ause they have the pure linea-e -oin- ba!0 to the ?uddha, don4t +uestion, itDs there. ?ut when they loo0 at the Chinese linea-e, they4re sayin-, <Well, we want to see every sin-le one -oin- ba!0 to the ?uddha.< These 0ind o* thin-s that a*ter awhile you 1ust 'un*inished). 9%; What is i$portant is that they wor0. =es. Ior $e personally, the ori-in o* the Eahayana Tradition s!riptures is not a bi- deal be!ause / loo0 at the$ and these s!riptures wor0 i* you pra!ti!e the$. The bodhisattva ideal that is presented in the$, / !an4t thin0 o* anythin- better in the world to do. /* ?uddha4s *ully enli-htened, / !an4t thin0 o* so$ebody who wasn4t the ?uddha tea!hinthese tea!hin-s. The ?uddha4s *ully enli-htened, but he didn4t 0now the Eadhya$a0a view so Na-ar1una had to $a0e it up5 :r the ?uddha4s *ully enli-htened but he didn4t 0now the bodhi!itta so Asan-a had to $a0e it up5 Ah, uh, no, / don4t thin0 so. When you thin0 about these tea!hin-s they4re 1ust so a$a,in-, they $ust have !o$e *ro$ the ?uddha. 26a!tly how doesn4t bother $e. / studied history in !olle-e8 /4ve learned that 'noise).

9%< /s $u!h 0nown about Saraha5 Saraha5 7e was the one who -ave Na-ar1una ordination, and he was also a -reat tantri! pra!titioner. / haven4t studied his li*e very $u!h. 9%; / was wonderin- i* there were writin-s *ro$ hi$5 / 0now there4s a bio-raphy o* Saraha so$ewhere, but / don4t 0now so $u!h about that. 9%; @o you have a list o* di**erent te6ts that would in!lude the philosophi!al te6ts and the #a$ri$ te6ts you tal0ed about5 / thin0 it would be -ood to study these. =es, / thin0 it would be -reat to study these to-ether. The thin- is that what we need is really -ood translations o* the philosophi!al te6ts and really -ood translations o* the !o$$entaries on the$. We don4t have all o* that yet. There are so$e translations, there are so$e !o$$entaries. Also, the way the philosophi!al te6ts are tau-ht you !an4t 1ust sit down and read the$ as your evenin- readin- to rela6. They really ta0e +uite a bit o* !on!entration. / thin0 what is needed is to pull out !ertain points in the philosophi!al te6ts and brin- the$ into the #a$ri$ where they4re relevant. / haven4t studied all o* the philosophi!al te6ts in depth, but *ro$ the parts that / have studied, / !an try and pull so$e o* that out. When / started studyin- there wasn4t very $u!h that was translated. /4ve relied a lot on the oral tea!hin-s *ro$ $y tea!hers. /* you loo0 at what 7is 7oliness now tea!hes, he starts at the be-innin- when he4s tea!hin- in non>?uddhist !ountries. 7e starts with the *our seals, the Iour Noble Truths, the Two Truths, what is the $ind, what is rebirth, how is enli-hten$ent possible. A lot o* the stu** that !o$es up in the philosophi!al te6ts is in di**erent parts, but he draws it *ro$ all those di**erent pla!es and -ives it to you all in one shot in a very !on!entrated way. 7e has studied all that, so he !an do that. / !an rely on so$e o* the thin-s / have learned *ro$ 7is 7oliness and pull that out. ?ut it was 20 years a-o when / was studyin- Abhisa$ayalan0ara and / didn4t have a !han!e to !o$plete the te6t be!ause / -ot trans*erred so$ewhere else. When we -et to the e$ptiness !hapter, there / !an do $u!h $ore be!ause that4s $u!h *resher in $y $ind, and /4ve studied that $ore in depth. #et4s sit +uietly *or a *ew $inutes.