Mind Training, 2011, part 9

So we will meditate for one or two minutes to listen to generate the motivation to listen to these teachings. The motivation to listen to Dharma teachings should be the motivation to help sentient beings as vast as space infinite in numbers, and specifically the motivation to free them from all suffering and to place them in a state of unalloyed happiness. If we listen to Dharma teachings with this motivation, the benefit is tremendous. Therefore, this is what we should generate. So as Candrakīrti says in Madhyamakāvatāra, in a quote which we’ll refresh later, beings are powerless and so forth.

Reflecting on this quote, Rinpoche says, we must understand that at present, we have obtained a human rebirth which enables one to practice Dharma, a good human rebirth, rebirth, and in dependence on the kindness of Buddha Śākyamūni, we received stainless Dharma teachings, faultless Dharma teachings, which we are able to practice without interference or difficulties of any type. And therefore, the first verse, which means having the capacity to practice whatever Dharma we choose to practice, refers here to the fact that whatever Dharma which we wish to engage in, whether it is the lower vehicle or the greater vehicle or for that matter, sūtra and tantra. And within the lower vehicle, reflection on the four noble truths and so forth, whatever Dharma we wish to practice in, we have capacity, the power to do so. We can therefore accomplish whatever we choose to accomplish, in dependence on this human rebirth, which enables us to practice whichever Dharma we choose to practice, whichever Dharma is of benefit to us, we can engage in. And, since we have different mental dispositions, we must examine carefully our own mental disposition to see what is of benefit to us, and then practice forcefully put effort into this in dependence on this, we can obtain the result of our practice.

If however, we do not put effort, if we do not practice forcefully, since a human life is fleeting and passes quickly, we will not accomplish our result and there will not have been any major benefit. On the other hand, if we are fickle in our practice, and one day we practice this form of Dharma, the second day another form of Dharma, the third day yet another, and pass from the one to the other, we will not be able to reap benefits. And it will not be appropriate to say that this practice is meaningless, but there is a component of meaningless to it, meaninglessness to it, because we practice Dharma to gain results. So if we practice one form of Dharma forcefully, we will gain results. On the other hand, if we do not practice any form of Dharma forcefully, we will not gain results and there will not have been a lot of point.

As Atisha said, this life is short. There are many realms, and we do not know its duration. So in this world of ours, a human life is very short indeed, and it is very fleeting. Whatever our wish is, whatever our goal is, we have to accomplish it quickly. And therefore, at present, we have all of the favorable conditions for accomplishing our Dharma practice.

If we do not accomplish it at present, then since when we die, which will happen to every one of us, apart from Dharma, nothing is of benefit, then our lives will broadly have been speaking wasted. At the time of death, our body has to be left behind and our mind, our continuum moves on. And it moves on in function only of two factors, the virtue and non virtue, which have been accumulated. The mind moves on in function of virtue and non virtue, impelled by its karma. In the same same way, as Rinpoche says, the shadow follows the hand.

Wherever the hand goes, the shadow follows as well. In the same same way, the karma we have created, virtuous and non virtuous, follows us through life after life like the shadow follows the hand. From virtue arises happiness, and from non virtue rebirth in the lower realms. Everything therefore depends on these two, and our destiny is akin to the two arms of a scale. When virtue is dominant, one of the arms rises and the other sinks, but when non virtue is dominant, this first arm then sinks in the the lower realm and the other rises.

So once this has been accumulated, we have no power, no control left. We ourselves at at the time of death would have to leave alone, completely alone. Our parents, our father, our mother, our friends will not be able to accompany us. And the road forwards forwards at that point is a long and hard road with great difficulties. On this road, there are only two options.

We either will have the resources, the means to eat or we will lack the resources, the means to eat. Here, when we speak of a long road, we are referring to future lives, and the resources or the means to eat refer to dharma. If we have dharma, we will have food. If we lack dharma, we will lack food. This is a road, which he says, on which there is great fear and anguish, and on which we need a protector.

Apart from the dharma, there is no protector. And on this road beset with enemies and harm, this is the only thing which can help us. So our helper in this road can only be the dharma. There is nothing else which can help us. Without the dharma, we fall under the sway of sin, of the delusions.

And in the same same way as the two arms of a scale, once one of the arms is weighed down, it sinks into the lower realms, and there is nothing else for it to do. In the same way, having ourselves sunk in the lower realms, what can we hope for? So if we do not find a means to be liberated from the lower realms, we most definitely will sink into them. And having sunk into them, we should ask ourselves, who will we turn to? Who will we rely upon?

We have no Dharma. Then we have no connection with the Buddha because of that, and there is no Sangha. Then who will protect us? And once one has fallen in the lower realms, beings of the lower realms accumulate almost exclusively non virtue in huge amounts. Animals, for instance, are completely unable to practice any type of virtue.

They only engage in non virtues such as fighting, stealing, devouring each other, and so forth. Moreover, they have no understanding whatsoever, and whatever one tells them, it is of little or no benefit. So having fallen in the lower bound, since we continue accumulating lower non virtuous comma continuously, we will be reborn there for eons on end. Therefore, at present, where we have the possibility to protect ourselves, we should generate a good mind, we should abide in keeping or live in keeping with karma and causality, take refuge, practice virtue, abandon non virtue, and in this way, we can hope for a better rebirth. And therefore, when we rise in the morning, we should generate a good motivation.

I think I will make this human life meaningful. Abandon the 10 non-virtues, practice the 10 virtues, resolve that day not to harm others, and then behave in this way every single day. In this way, we will improve continually. And since the very essence of the Buddha Dharma is bodhicitta, then with the resolution to lead all sentient beings to a state which is endowed with all happiness and bereft of all suffering, if with this as a goal, we abandon non virtue and practice virtue, the benefits are immeasurable. And now, with the stanza on page 24 of your English translation, at the middle of the page.

When the requisites go to waste, since it is who having been contemptuous of the requisites of others that the sword of evil karma has revolved back upon me, at present I will fulfill the needs of others. Here requisites refer to whatever we need and we go to trouble to obtain. And having obtained it when we are unable to use it because it is gone to waste, in other words, another steals it from us, takes it from our hand, or we are unable to use it, then this actually is the result of either in this life or in former lives, in which he says, having been contemptuous of the requisites of others. In other words, having stolen the requisites of others, having plundered what they owned ourselves, and in dependence on this, and this is indicated by the third stanza, which refers to the result, the sword of evil karma has revolved back upon me. Here, this refers to ourselves in this life being plundered by others, having our possessions stolen, and therefore, we take the resolve indicated in the fourth verse, fourth verse, at present, I will fulfill the needs of others.

In other words, at present, I will not steal others’ valuables. I will not damage in any way the substances which they hold precious. I will restrain from this behavior. So as the Buddha said, as we have acted towards others, karmically, likewise, will we experience. Buddha was talking about this in the context of karma and causality.

Karma or deeds give rise to results or effects in the same way as a cause gives rise to a result. And for instance, the deed of plundering or stealing with violence gives rise to a result. We ourselves, because we have accumulated these deeds in the past, experience these results at present. So if one were to summarize the Buddha’s Buddhist teachings, straightforward. If we have benefited or harmed others, we ourselves, in turn, would be benefited or harmed.

And the following stanza at the bottom of page 24 and the beginning of page 25, read as follows. When my mind is unclear and my heart unhappy, since it is through accumulating sins with respect to other beings, that the sword of evil karma has revolved back upon me, at present I will abandon being a condition of sin for others. So here the first verse, when my mind is unclear and my heart unhappy, refers to, for instance, when we meditate and our mind is dull and obscured, or we try to recite our commitments and we are unable to do so or do not understand recitations, or for that matter, whenever we try to engage in whichever virtuous practice and we are simply mentally unable to do so, and in dependence on this, anger and irritation arises. Then this is a result which arises from the cause explained in the second verse on page 25, since it is through accumulating sins with respect to other beings. This refers, for instance, accumulating sins with respect to others who are trying to practice virtue.

These these may be beings such as our teachers, they may be other monks, they may be our parents, our grandparents, and when they are trying to practice virtue, we talk, we deceive them, or for that matter, we get angry with them and create obstructions to their own practice of virtue. As a result of this, the sword of evil, comma, revolves back upon us, and as I said in the final verse, at present I would abandon being a condition of sin for others. In other words, I will not cause interferences for others and will not hinder their practice. And for instance, this arises when one does not understand what Dharma is, and one cannot stand others practicing. So one interferes with their practice, one talks to them, or they are reciting their commitments or trying to concentrate.

Or then when they are trying to to sleep after working hard, one interferes with their sleep and keeps them awake, talking to them, behaving in which he says literally like a donkey or an ass. This is extremely poor behavior. Frequently in the West. One sees, for instance, people who have to study or who have to do recitations, who are put outside because it is said they are noisy, and others who don’t do anything sit inside royally on seats and cushions. This happened in Tibet as well, and this is very poor behavior indeed.

One accumulates great non virtue when one does this. Moving on to the verse on page 26. When tasks are not accomplished and one’s mind and nervous system are perturbed, since it is through having interfered with the actions of the holy ones, that the sword of evil karma has revolved back upon me, at present I will abandon all interferences. So here, the tasks which are not accomplished refer either to worldly tasks or to dharma activities, and one’s mind is perturbed when however hard one tries, one is unable to accomplish one’s goal, one’s work does not come to fruition. in dependence on this anger and irritation arise.

This is a result of what is explained in verse two, having interfered with the actions of the holy ones, interfered through, for instance, deceiving them or through talking inappropriately. And as a result of this, whatever one tries to accomplish oneself will not be accomplished. Therefore, we take the resolve explained in line four, to abandon all interferences, not merely to abandon, but actually to benefit other Rinpoche says, and these are interferences both to worldly matters and to the dharma activities of others. And the following verse on page 27, a stanza, excuse me, on page 27. When irrespective of what I have done, the gurus are displeased, since it is because of having been hypocritical with respect to the holy dharma that the sword of evil karma has revolved back upon me.

At present, I will reduce my hypocrisy towards the Dharma. So the first verse here means that when we are in the situation where whatever we do, irrespective of what we do, we cannot please our teacher, then this is a result. It is the result of having been hypocritical with respect to the Dharma as explained in line two. In other words, when our teacher explains the teachings to us to say, yes, this is exactly how I behave, and to make a big show of it, when in fact this we’re in fact, we are not doing this at all. Or on the outside behaving as if we were meditating, and as if we kept our commitments, we recited our commitments, whereas in actuality, neither meditating nor keeping our commitments.

There are such persons, and these people cannot please the teacher in the slightest because the spiritual teacher knows this for a fact. Then as a result of this, the verse three says that the sword of evil karma has revolved back upon me, and we take the resolve at present I will reduce my hypocrisy towards the dharma. So Rinpoche says, the use of the verb to reduce here indicates that probably we all engaged in very great dharma hypocrisy. Let’s just try to bring it down a little bit. In the following stanza, at the bottom of page 27, beginning of page 28, when people talk back systematically, since it is because of having been bereft of shame and embarrassment that the sword of evil karma has revolved back upon me.

At present, I will refrain from the inappropriate. So the first verse, when people talk back systematically, refers to the situation where we help others, and even though we help them, for instance, we help our students, our disciples, or for that matters, matter our servants, then from their side, there is only talking back rebelliousness and obduracy. When we tell them to do something, they say I won’t. When we tell them not to behave in a certain way, they say I will. Now this is a result.

It is a result of what is explained in the second verse, since it is since it is because of having been bereft of shame and embarrassment. Here, the two terms shame and embarrassment, in Tibetan, ngotsha and trélyu, refer to very different states of mind. Shame arises with respect to oneself. For instance, if one is ordained and one has a thought of behaving badly, then with shame or with ngo tsha, one thinks in the light of my ordination, how could I do this? This is inappropriate.

Therefore, the reference is one’s own self, in Tibetan. On the other hand, embarrassment refers to a feeling we have with respect to others. It arise arises in dependence on others, such as our spiritual teacher, our parents, our friends, and so forth. Reflecting on the fact that our behavior will cast us in a very bad light in their eyes, and that they will no longer like us, but will dislike us, whereas we would like them to like us. This gives rise to suffering or to pain within our minds.

And then we think to ourselves, I will not behave in this way, I cannot, and we desist, cease and desist from this behavior. This is what is referred to as or embarrassment. Now, the second verse refers to having be bereft of shame and embarrassment. This means someone who is completely shameless. There are such persons, and this is, Rinpoche says, very bad.

It actually is an extremely heavy non virtue, and as a result of this, we experience the hardship explained in verse one. Therefore, it is said in the final verse, at present, I will refrain from the inappropriate. On page 28, the verse that stands at the bottom of the page. When contention arise as soon as one’s dependence gathers, since it is through having dispensed one’s detestable disposition all over, that the sword of evil karma has revolved back upon me. At present, I will maintain an excellent disposition wherever I am.

So this refers to situations which we see in which we gather a group of dependents, friends, or disciples, disciples, and as soon as they are gathered, they start quarreling with each other, and eventually depart. This is a result, which is the result of what is explained in verse two, through having dispensed one’s detestable disposition all over. This refers to oneself, formerly when one had gathered disciples, friends, relatives, and so forth, to have both physically and mentally been unpleasant, mentally to have had the attitude, I am the only one who matters, and to have been disliking towards others, or even choleric, and bodily to have shown them an angry and dark expression. As a result of this, still in verse two, in past lives, others ceased liking us and eventually left. The sword of evil karma has thereby revolved back upon us, and at present, I will maintain an excellent disposition wherever I am.

So Rinpoche says that, obviously, if we behave in this way having a very ugly expression, and a hurtful mind towards others, he suspects there’s a very high risk of our ending up all alone. And therefore, this is at the very root of the Buddha’s instruction, because what we do to others comes back to us. Therefore, when we harm others, then in turn we ourselves are harmed. Whereas when we help others, then in turn we ourselves are helped. This is the main reason for which we should help others, and we should abstain from harming others, and this is why the Buddha said, the totality of my teaching is benefit others and do not harm them.

Through benefiting others, we ourselves are benefited. Through not harming them, we ourselves are not harmed. So, for instance, it’s the same thing as saying, if we are harsh or sharp, then we will experience on the return something harsh and sharp. Whereas, if we are sweet or kind, then on the return, we will experience something sweet or kind as the cause of the result. And therefore, when we benefit others, we our selves will experience good effects.

As a matter of fact, Rinpoche says, when we benefit others, others themselves will benefit, and without any particular effort, we are selves will benefit as well. On the other hand, under the influence of self-cherishing, thinking only, I, me, myself, my own goals, my own furtherance, not only will we not be of benefit to ourselves in the slightest, but in addition, we will harm others. The very root of all of the 10 non virtues is self-cherishing. It is self-cherishing which leads to killing, to stealing, to sexual misconduct, to lying, to harsh words, to divisiveness, and so forth. And the result of this self-cherishing and of these non virtuous deeds is exclusively suffering, which is ourselves experiencing on the receiving end those 10 non virtues.

Therefore, self-cherishing is the root of suffering, and cherishing others leads only to happiness. This is why it is the foremost practice of the bodhisattvas. Other cherishing therefore is great in its qualities, in its advantages, in the happiness it leads to, whereas self-cherishing has only faults. Therefore, the very foundation of practice is to cherish others. So Rinpoche will stop here for today.

And if you have good questions, then Rinpoche will answer them now. So, among the the four general qualities of karma, the first is that karma is certain or definite, which means that virtuous karma can only and exclusively lead to happiness, and non virtuous karma can only and exclusively lead to suffering. The second feature of karma is that karma is increasing, and this is most definitely the case, Rinpoche says. For instance, it is said that there was one monk whose, when he was doing his recitations, unfortunately, did not have a very beautiful harmonious voice. And someone was passing by and said, you recite just like a dog.

And as a karmic result of this, this person was reborn for 500 consecutive lives as a dog. Then another monk, and something really trite, was walking along the road and he came on a puddle of water, and trying to find a way to pass over it, he skipped skipped and shouted like a child. And as a result of that very small deed, he was reborn for 500 rebirths as a child. So we see in worldly matters that a a small seed, an acorn, can give rise to a gigantic tree, an oak tree for instance, which can provide shelter or give or manufacture 500 chariots. A virtuous karmic imprint is all the more powerful in its maturation.

If for instance, we were to recite one single Mani with the motivation of helping all sentient beings, then that one karmic seed will produce fruits until the state of full enlightenment is obtained. Likewise, a small, very small non virtuous deed, such as killing an insect, when it is done with great suffering inflicted on the insect, crushing the insect slowly between one’s fingers, will lead to rebirth for countless eons in the hell realms. And therefore, it is good on the one hand to dedicate even the smallest of virtuous deeds to attaining the state of full enlightenment since it will continue to bear karmic fruits until the state of full enlightenment is obtained. And it is good also to purify, to confess even the slightest of misdemeanors or non virtuous deeds, because in so doing, they lose capacity to harm. It is said that when the Buddha was traveling throughout India, he came upon some children playing in the dust.

And standing up from their games, one of the children took a handful of dust and put it as the only offering he had in the Buddha’s offering bowl. It is said that as a result of this, he was born in the heaven of the Thirty-Three as a god. Likewise, it is said that when we take one single flower and offer it to the guru or to the Buddha with the thought, may I thereby attain full enlightenment for the sake of all beings? The merit which is accumulated by that is inconceivable and immeasurable. So, Rinpoche said to an older lady, if you want to get ordained to practice virtue, then that is of great benefit, but Dharma can also lead to hardship.

And if you are going to be misbehaving, then you want to be very careful. Nobody apart from the Buddha can understand the finest points of karma and causality. The Arhats or the bodhisattvas do not understand them. The Buddha alone understands the subtlest points of karma and causality. For instance, if Rinpoche said one were to set flame or set fire to a forest in Australia or drop a bomb, and then go among the ashes and pick up shards of wood or seeds and ask the Buddha where does this seed come from, the Buddha would be able to identify precisely the tree which it comes from, the country that tree comes comes from, the area, the age of the tree, and he actually did this in the past.

All of us have accumulated large amounts of karma, and it is only the Buddha who can say, looking at one individual karmic imprint. This karmic imprint was accumulated in this country that many years ago in this way by this behavior and will mature at that and that point in the future. Do you have other questions? Yes. The way one should practice is one should first remember all of the faults, all of the non virtues one has accumulated carefully, and then one must generate profound repentance and remorse for them, heartfelt repentance and remorse, reflecting on the basis with respect to which one has accumulated them, sentient beings or the Buddhas.

And then one should engage in the appropriate type of purification, either through meditating on emptiness or meditating on bodhicitta or reciting the confession sūtra. All, if possible, becoming fully aware of the three circles, which is the emptiness of inherent existence of he or she who has accumulated the non virtuous deed, the non virtuous deed itself, and recipient or the victim of the non virtuous deed. Then, the text says, probably most of them will be purified. So the Buddha stated clearly what is true as true and what is untrue as untrue, and he made very clear what the non virtuous deeds are, as well as explaining very clearly what the antidotes to these non virtuous deeds and the means of purification are. Therefore, they have to be understood, and they can be purified.

Nāgārjuna says in the Mahayanasutra, there is not a single non virtuous deed which cannot be purified. So, if it is possible to purify extreme non virtuous deeds, heinous non virtuous deeds, like patricide or matricide, killing one’s father, one’s mother, what need be said about minor non virtuous deeds? So it is merely a matter from our side of practice. If we don’t practice, there is no purification. And then having engaged in purification, if in addition we meditate on emptiness and imagine that the non virtuous deeds dissolve in emptiness, then the purification is more powerful.

However, it is not good to have a lingering doubt in your mind. Did I really purify this or not? When it should be 100% pure, sure, it’s purified. Mind is very powerful. Therefore, whatever the mind holds powerfully happens.

If the mind thinks it is purified, this has a big impact.