Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 60-minute session, Kyabje Rinpoche begins with meditation as the foundation of Buddhist practice, examining how mind and body work together and exploring practical relaxation methods—sleep, breathing focus, mantras visualized at the heart. He then turns to the core topic: why understanding past and future lives is essential to Buddhism. Using the image of a tomato plant to illustrate dependent origination, he walks through the distinction between cooperative conditions (parents, soil, water) and the substantial cause (the subtle consciousness that carries over between lives). The teaching becomes increasingly interactive, with students raising questions about apparent past-life memories, gender identity, and whether we can recognize our own past lives. For practitioners beginning to understand the philosophical foundations of Buddhist thought.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 25062017SundayMorning – KR.mp3
UUID: 62340064-de53-48e4-8fb8-622bbaaefaaf
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Dependent Origination
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~2,626
Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Coming coming for, Coming to, you know, my teaching. And today in this teaching, I would like to talk about, you know, rebirth and, small scope again.
You know, small scope. So but first I am talking about, you know, meditation. So meditation is a very important in the world in the world generally. Is that generally? Sorry?
General. General. General. Oh, yeah. Yeah.
That one. General. But it is very important in Buddhism. In Buddhism, you know. Why?
You know, why how do you say? Why is meditation so important in Buddhism? Do you understand? It is because the mind follows afflictions. Afflictions, is it?
Afflictions. The afflictions are the cause of all the suffering in the world. So we must learn to control our mind. Is that correct? Do you understand?
Yes. So we must learn to control our mind. Our mind, you know. Yeah or mind. Meditation is Meditation is is it.
It, you know, meditation is it. Know, we, meditation is it. We, if we, meditation is it, you know, if we can learn to yeah, learn to control our mind. So but our body, you know, our body is basic of our mind. Basis.
Basis. Basis, foundation. Yeah, foundation. Okay. So but our body is foundation, is it?
Foundation of our mind. So we need to relax our body. Okay? Relax. Relax our body.
Relax our body. And also our body and our minds are interdependent, is it? Interdependent with each other. Each other. Do you understand?
Okay. You can relax, you know. You can relax, no hurry. You know. You pretend our body, our bodies, our words and our minds are interdependent with each other.
Exactly, now you know, now in general Actually you know. So how can can can relaxed, how can we, I think, is that? How can we relaxed our body? Relaxed. Relaxed.
Relaxed our body. There are many methods, you know. There are many methods to relax the body. Do you understand? For example, we can have a shower.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Exactly. For our body is how do you say, not relaxed or difficult, that time we have to shower. But we have a shower, you know. We have go to the beach.
Yeah, yeah. And we, how do you say, we have sit, is it? Yeah. We have sit outside, outside in the sun and fresh air you know. And sleep, sleep.
You know many things you know they are. Sorry? Really? Thank you. I was gonna say, you know, cuppa tea helps.
I like you know coffee. So but within the methods, but within the methods sleep is the most important. Correct? But within the Methods. Yeah methods sleep is because we were outside many things you know relax.
So within the but within within sleep is the most important. Most important. Most important because, you know, because because if our body is rested, Is that rested, rested and relaxed, it is too easier to relax and focus our mind. Yeah. Yeah.
So sometimes, we cannot sleep, you know. So sometimes we cannot sleep. So if you cannot sleep it is good, know, it is good either. Think of our Rinpoche, you know, our Rinpoche and put him inside. Yeah, yeah, inside, for, inside, is inside our mind at our heart, is it?
Heart, yeah, Very important, you know. Over, we can put, you know, a stupa of Buddha. His Holiness, the lama you are even a butter lamp. Butter lamp. Butter lamp.
Butter lamp. Butter So butter lamp, we can put our you know heart, our heart. And also you know other things you know Other things we, other things how to say other thing. Receipt is that? Receipt or repeat how do you say?
Repeat. Repeat. Recite. Recite. Recite mantras.
Mantras, you know mantras. Such as money payment, you know, just for example. Then I think 90%, you know, we can sleep. Actually we need, you know, actually we need to sleep for seven and eight hours each night. So they are very important you know, for relaxed our body and mind you know.
So there are general, general actually, general. So right now, now your, if your mind isn’t relaxed then you can make it relax you know. So to bring our mind, we won’t we can start by focus on breathing, is it? Breathing. Counting one complete, you know, of inhalation and exhalation.
In the count of one to twenty-one. When your mind relaxed, relaxed, then you can meditate on, you know, with compassion or bodhicitta, impermanence, emptiness, many things. So please have to, you know, try to do that for ten minutes, please. Okay, so I, you know, may try to meditate on past and future life, you know. So what kind of death and impermanence, is it?
Death and impermanence. Thank you. Sorry? self-cherishing, self grasping the difference between self-cherishing, self grasping self-cherishing and self grasping. Yeah.
I think it’s the same. But not sure. But not sure. I think, you know. Okay.
self-cherishing and self grasping, the same. self self grasping the same. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Same. Same. Same. Absolutely. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. So, okay and other? Blessings of the Guru and freedom from afflictions.
Sorry? Actually, in Tibetan, but draw, you know, some say draw. All of those are the same. Precious human rebirth and meeting a holy Dharma teacher as one and impermanence. A precious human rebirth and The good fortune for meeting a holy Dharma teacher is the same.
Mhmm. Okay. So I think you know self-cherishing and self-grasping the same. Self so so you know.
Grasping. Dzinpa. So Dzinpa, the same you know, but the different just different the words But in in means the same exactly Okay. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep.
Yep. Okay, okay, now I am talking about you know, rebirth or past and future life, you know. So is that? Yeah, past and future lives. So all understanding of Buddhism or of Buddhist philosophy is dependent on an understanding, you know, understanding for past and future life, you know.
So actually past and future lives are basis, is it? Basis over foundation. Yes. The same way, yeah. Basis to all of Buddha’s teaching.
Then I ask you know, why are they, you know, important in Buddhism? Where are past and future lives in Buddhism? Can you add some? Sorry? Sorry?
So where are past and future life? Where are, you know, past and future life important in Buddhism? There would be no explanation for karma. Karma. But actually, you know, if we study hard on the Dharma, you know, and contemplate and meditate again and again.
Then one day I think we attain, attain liberation inside. Attain. Attain liberation. You know? In this life I think.
Yeah. So why? Where are they important, you know? Where are, you know, past and future life important in Buddhism? Because everything has a cause.
So causes and conditions indicate that the has to be a past and a future. That’s okay, but we study hard and contemplation and meditation. Why? For liberation or enlightenment, you know. So but I think a person yeah.
Okay, okay, yeah, you know, that’s a little bit tough, you know. So, where, where, where, where? The children who can recall past lives. Yeah. And that’s been verified.
Yeah. Yeah. So there has to be some explanation for the mind being able to remember. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Okay. So, so, so, we don’t remember, but we don’t remember, you know. We don’t remember our past life and we don’t know about our future life. But we have had many, many, you know, past life and we will have a bean, is it?
Maybe bean, future life, also again. We will have. Sorry? We will have, not bean. Bean?
No. No. No. B e n. No.
B b e I n g. Is that b e Yeah. Yeah. So we will have being, being, yeah future life also again you know. So for some people you know, some people it is easy to easy to believe, is it?
Yeah. Aspect, as well as suspect. Belief or something as suspect, is it? So for some people it is easy to suspect. Oh, okay, okay, okay, sorry.
Have a belief. Yeah, yeah. Okay, for some people it is easy to believe, you know, that the past life and and future life exist. But it is not so easy. So easy, you know, belief for everybody.
For example, for example, there are many Buddhist country, you know, for example in Tibet, my country, Cambodia, Laos, you know, Sri Lanka, Thai, many countries, you know, actually. Then, there we I we can ask, you know, if we if we can ask. Do you believe, you know, do you believe past and future life? Yes. Yes.
Yes. Yes. Exactly. So what what are the past and future life? Do you have a clue, any sense, you know?
And what what what is it? Are I think? What are your past and future life? Yes. Ah, very difficult, no.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, You know? Funny, very strange. Yeah when you when you you you you first came to India or in ceremony in India you know that time I didn’t understand you know my past and future life but I just believed in my past and future life. Then I study, study on you know texts, Buddhist texts. Then you know yeah now yeah how do you say but but I understand you know understand but I don’t remember you know a different different.
It’s just a logic you know. No logic. Logic. Okay, okay. Please.
After two minutes I think, three minutes then you can. Yeah, yeah. So then how how can we come to the understand you know, existence of past and future life. Okay let’s ask you know look at tomato, tomato, tomato. Very important tomato you know.
And it is yeah, it does matter you know tomato. To grow you know, to grow tomato needs sun, soil, is it? Yes. Soil and water. Water, you know.
These are the co-operative conditions for the tomato. Very easy, you know. Tomato, tomato, potato, know, many things. Tomato, potato, you know, spinach, you know, and fruit, apple, you know. So cause for tomato is its seed.
Seed. Seed. Know. So for us as human, co parental condition is our parents, know, just parents, then many things you know. The substantial, you know, is it?
Yes. The sub substantial. Sure. Sure. Substantial cause is our mind.
Our mind. So a big subtle mind is this subtle mind that you know goes come it? Goes come left to left. Yeah. So then I just ask you one question.
What is you know our you know substantial cause? Do you understand? Yeah. Can you ask some? What is aur?
What is our substantial cause? Yeah. Aur, yeah I said. Okay, mind.
Okay, so your mom or father? Do you have your mother? I’m father. Still life is it? Just my father.
Yeah, still life is life is it? So your father is your cooperative condition? No. Why? Okay.
Sorry, sorry. Okay. Yeah, yeah, there are you know, there are cooperative conditions, you know, just cooperative conditions. Yeah. But our, actually you know, our substantial cause is our mind but it is you know very subtle, very very subtle yet But we can’t use now.
It is looking, you know, mind basis of all. Do you understand? Basis of Yeah. Body has got a different substantial cause. Substantial cause.
Is that not? No, no. So sorry, sorry. The person is, let’s say, is the mind in the aggregates. Is the aggregates.
Sorry, sorry, sorry. There is a body attached to to me and I have a mind. I have a mind and I have a body around me. So does my body have the same substantial cause as my mind? So some of the substance no.
Different. Different. You’re different, 100%. So is my mother and father the substantial cause of my body? No.
No. No. But I can’t speak English, but next week, you know, I will be here. Yeah. No, actually our parents know exactly.
Yeah, yeah. It’s not karma, where is karma coming to that? Karma and consciousness, a light. Okay, good, good but I can’t speak English. I think next week you know.
Okay, you. You are a question. Now you are turn. Past and future lives make sense to me by viewing them from the perception of consciousness, not ego, from the mind entering each life, the center of the wheel A little bit hard, you know, difficult. Yeah, yeah, yeah, and don’t worry, you What it means?
Can you? There are concepts, ideas, ideas, like ego. Ego is a concept non non non non non. I I I I. Okay.
You’re the same church, is it? Yeah. I think what you’re saying is that past and future lives make sense if it is not from the consciousness of ngam ngam ngam. I, I, I. Yeah.
Yeah. That that’s the I is actually in Tibet, but it is Yes, it is, consciousness exactly, but no, avidyā, different. How do you say ma rigpa in English? Ignorance, yeah. Ignorance.
Different ignorance and you know self-grasping. So basically I think the bottom line is that makes sense. Yeah, different, know. Different, different. Self-cherishing and ignorance.
Because you know, ignorance, no, self-grasping is how do you say? Dagdzinpa? In Tibetan, Dagdzinpa. But but in English? Is it Rangdzin?
Sorry? What is the first syllable? Dagdzinpa. Dagdzinpa, liberation. Actually he has got liberation.
So how do you say? A heart here. Yeah heart, ahart, Dagdzinpa. Ignorance, but he has got self-grasping. That’s the one.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Self-grasping. A heart. That is actually in how do you say afflictions. It’s afflictions.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But I but yeah.
Okay. Okay. Have your question? Just one or two. Because we have, you know, a family still.
Yeah, feminist rule. True. Sorry. No. Very, very, very, again.
Repeat. Some people, when they are born Mhmm. A man Mhmm. Man. A man.
Yeah. A Believe they are a woman. They are women? They feel there’s been a mistake. Mhmm.
But actually but but actually okay. Keep going. This this happens quite a bit. Yeah. But no.
Little child. Little child. Mhmm. Say, four, five, six, seven. Mhmm.
She’s born a girl. All girl body. Inside she says, no, no, no. I’m not a girl. I’m actually a boy.
I feel like a boy. I should be a boy. Or a little boy is born and he says, you know, he has all the male body and he says, no, no, I am not a boy. I feel like a girl. I am a little girl.
They play with dolls. They want to dress as girls. It’s the opposite. So, Glynis is asking, is this the result of a past life confusion? Is this, is this a remembering of being something before, but now being in a different body and going, wait a minute.
Wrong one. One. The wrong one. Is the question, Okay. But not sure.
100%, know? Okay. Who? Say this. Mhmm.
Okay. Past lives. Yeah. Yeah, could, yeah. It might be something like that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Interesting. Exactly. Okay. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Interesting. All good stuff here.
Thank you. Thank you for bearing with my illness, you know. Thank you very much. Page nine in the prayer book, the Mandala offering.
Key terms in this teaching
- bodhicitta jang chub sem (Tib)
- A principal consciousness that combines the two factors of wishing to free all beings from suffering and of wishing to attain enlightenment in order to achieve that; the spontaneous altruistic mind of enlightenment can be either aspirational or engaging. LYWA
- dependent origination pratityasamutpada (Skt); ten drel (Tib)
- Also called dependent arising. The way that the self and phenomena exist conventionally as relative and interdependent. LYWA
- mandala khyil khor (Tib)
- A circular diagram symbolic of the entire universe. The purified environment of a tantric deity; the diagram or painting representing this. LYWA
- mandala offering
- The symbolic offering of the entire purified universe to the spiritual teacher (guru) and the visualized merit field. LYWA
- mind basis of all alayavijana (Skt); kun zhi nam shä (Tib)
- A main consciousness posited by the Cittamatra school, the consciousness they say is needed to carry karmic imprints. LYWA
- self-cherishing dag che par dzin pa (Tib)
- The self-centered attitude of considering one’s own happiness to be more important than that of others. LYWA
- self-grasping dag dzin (Tib)
- The mind that apprehends the self as inherently existent. This refers to both the self of persons and the self of phenomena. LYWA
Definitions adapted from the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive glossary, as taught in the Gelug tradition.