Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 131-minute session, Kyabje Rinpoche opens with a verse on the fleeting nature of human life, then guides practitioners through the Samantabhādra prayer with focus on the limb of rejoicing in virtue. He teaches two methods: inferential reasoning to recognize past virtue from present good circumstances, and direct examination of this life’s deeds—tracking our karma like a bank account, following the Kadampa practice of black and white pebbles. He then explains the Four Noble Truths and their twelve aspects, which the Buddha’s disciples used to attain arhatship. Stories of Ānanda’s expulsion and the lute master Rajapihang illustrate the power of sincere practice. The extensive Q&A covers karmic logic, the root afflictions, and the perception of enlightened beings. For serious practitioners engaged with foundational teachings.
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File: 2013-08-07 – KR.mp3
UUID: 4e60664d-bb8b-4a1e-b6ff-dd5a04d74787
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Four Noble Truths
Date: 2013-08-07
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~6,309
As says in his body, this human base is fleeting and disappears swiftly. Therefore, ignorant ones do not tarry. The meaning of this verse is that a human existence is short and transient and therefore we should not sleep. And the meaning of this stanza is that it is on the basis of the human existence we have at present that we should find means to be freed from suffering otherwise it will not happen. And this is the case since such a human rebirth must to be obtained have as causes the protection of ethics, the practice of forbearance, as well as pure associated prayers.
Therefore, it is at present we must create the causes to get it in the future. And this is the case because human beings are different from all sentient beings in that on the basis of such a human body, the attainment of the state of omniscience is possible. Therefore, for such a human rebirth to go to waste would be a great tragedy. Instead, it must be must be put to good use. On the basis of such a human rebirth, the attainment of a state of full enlightenment is possible.
The attainment of is possible or for that matter, the attainment of rebirth as one of the gods is possible. Obviously, these are to be striven for whereas it is perfectly possible on the basis of such a human rebirth to fall naturally into a rebirth as an animal, a preta or in the hell realms. But this is not driven for. It occurs under the power of the afflictions. So how does this occur?
The attainment of these high states occurs through our taking care of protecting our own mind. It is through taking care of our own mind, protecting our own mind that over time we can attain the states of an Arhat or for that matter of a fully enlightened being. In the same way that we progress through secular education from class to class, from year to year. So in the same same way as if we focus exclusively on the welfare of this life, we are akin to an animal. There is nothing to be surprised at if we accumulate the causes for a human rebirth in future lives such as the protection of ethics that we do attain such a result.
And therefore, we should study as much as we are able to do so the reason for attending teachings at the Tibetan Buddhist Institute, specifically at present on the six preliminary practices is to understand how to put these into practice. Otherwise, there is no point in coming to these teachings. Whatever virtue we can accumulate, we should therefore dedicate to this end, dedicate specifically to the attainment of the state of full enlightenment ment since in so doing we will prevent it from being destroyed by the afflictions and specifically destroyed by anger. If we do not reflect on the kindness of sentient beings, it is very difficult for us to generate the motivation to strive for full enlightenment for their sake. Therefore, it is reflecting over and again on the kindness and the benevolence of sentient beings that we will be able to transform our minds.
Other sentient beings are the basis of the totality of our practice. They are the basis of engaging in the accumulation of merit and the purification of faults. Without other sentient beings, there is no such basis for accumulation and purification. So we can see that other sentient beings are the foundation of all qualities. Whereas we ourselves are the foundation of all faults.
This is something which we disseminate from ourselves, spending the totality of our lives blaming others for our problems. Instead of saying that we ourselves are responsible for our suffering, we keep saying it’s so and so and it’s so and so and it’s so and so who did this to me. This understanding of the benevolence, the kindness of sentient beings is not something which will arise in a matter of hours or days. It is day after day, year after year through continuous habituation that over time, through many reasons, a sense of the kindness of other sentient beings will arise. And then once this has arisen, cherishing others will have dawned, the mind which wishes to free others from suffering will have arisen and one will eventually wish to attain full enlightenment for the sake of others.
On this basis, one can take those pledges. Otherwise, no. On such a foundation, one studies and one can turn one’s life into a meaningful human life. Let us now meditate for five minutes. So we have completed the limb of confession of the Samantabhādra prayer.
You have a handout with a translation which is quite literary. I’ll continue with the accurate translation from the text. We’ve reached the limit of rejoicing. I rejoice in all of the virtue of the conquerors of the 10 directions of the disciples of the Buddhas, the Pratyekabuddha, as well as the trainers and those beyond training in brief in the virtue of all migrators. So in the stanza of rejoicing, when we rejoice in the merit, this refers to, the virtue, the good karma.
The Buddhas of the 10 directions, the conquerors of the 10 directions are all the Buddhas. The disciples of the Buddhas are the Bodhisattvas and the term trainee and those beyond training applies both to the Bodhisattvas and to the Pratyekabuddha as well. It is said that rejoicing is the means to accumulate a great collection of merit with little effort and therefore we should engage in the practice of rejoicing. So here one rejoices in the virtue of one’s own self, the virtue of others and the virtue of both oneself and others. And generally speaking, one rejoices in the virtue of all five categories of beings.
These are Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddha, hearers, the Shravakas, and ordinary beings. Now regarding rejoicing in one’s own merit, this is subdivided into two. Rejoicing in the merit which we have accumulated in previous lives and which has led to the present rebirth based on an inferential valid cognizer. And rejoicing in the merit which we have accumulated in this very life based on a direct valid cognizer. So the first of these means of rejoicing refers to the fact that we can only understand the merit which we accumulated in previous lives based on logical reasonings which demonstrate that it is only through such merit that we would have accumulated the prerequisites for a good rebirth in this life.
Then applying numerous different lines of reasoning, we generate conviction in the existence of this previous merit and rejoice in it. The first means of or the first method for rejoicing is rejoicing based on inferential valid cognition, inferring the existence of previous virtue from the existence of its effect in this life. The effects in this life which we are referring to are, for instance, are having obtained a sound higher rebirth as a human being, being reasonably well off, being in good health, being born in a good country with a good level of education, as well as all the material possessions which we have. Having every single one of these calls for the existence of a karmic cause. We can therefore the exist infer the existence of the previous effect from the existence of the present cause.
Likewise, we have encountered the Buddha’s teachings and have been able to start subduing our mind. This also has causes. These causes can be traced back into past lives, however far back that is necessary. Therefore, we rejoice inferentially in the existence of this virtue. And here, rejoicing in Jamgon Kongtrul’s sense of the term means simply to be happy.
Then clearly in previous lives, we also engaged in the practice of non virtue. However, if we evaluate the global situation at present between happiness and unhappiness, one can definitely say that there is more happiness than unhappiness in our lives. We have good enough health. We have good enough food. We have some type of lodgement in a decent country.
So overall, the balance lies in the direction of happiness. And this means that in previous lives, more virtue than non virtue was performed. This we can rejoice in. Regarding the second method of rejoicing, rejoicing through a direct valid cognizer, it is clear that we are aware of the vast majority of the virtuous deeds which we have performed in this life and therefore going back in time, year after year, back onto our early childhood, we should recollect every single virtuous deed we have performed and rejoice in it. And when we recollect non virtuous deeds, we should generate repentance.
We can see in our own case that we are aware to the closest cent of the balance of our bank account and follow the fluctuations of our bank account with inordinate attention. Yet, when it comes to our own karmic bank account, we are completely oblivious to whether or not we have engaged in training, in renunciation, in bodhicitta and in the correct view which actually lead to true lasting happiness. Whereas money is something transient and ephemeral which only leads to temporary happiness in this life. There’s nothing particularly extraordinary about money. At best, it can buy something very temporary in this life.
Then this is not to say money is totally unnecessary but it is greatly overvalued. However, in our obsession with money, we discard what is really important which is the means to attain durable happiness. Since it is durable happiness we wish for and not transient happiness. And this durable happiness comes through the engagement in the practice of virtue. If we do not engage in this practice at present, this human life will go to waste and all the work which our predecessor in a previous life did to accumulate the causes for such a life will also have gone to waste.
So reflecting over and again with great attention on just how much money there is in our bank account and checking it checking our investments again and again is a form of analytical meditation. But it is It is analytical meditation which leads nowhere, straight into a wall. Whereas what we should really be checking over and again is the amount of roots of virtue we have accumulated since such an analytical meditation leads to the increase of positive karma. And therefore, what is meant by rejoicing through using a valid cognizer, a direct valid cognizer in the virtue of this life is to check all the virtuous deeds we have done in this life and then to think to ourselves, this is just fine. And then if simultaneously, we check all of the non virtuous deeds we have performed, purify them through the application of the four forces and through the confession of sins.
Then this human rebirth will have been put to good use. The Kadampa Geshe of the twelfth century used to examine their minds by counting the virtuous and non virtuous thoughts with white and black pebbles. Then they whenever they noticed a virtuous thought in their mind stream, they would put a white pebble aside and whenever they noticed a non virtuous thought, they put a black pebble aside. At the beginning of the process, they would notice every day a huge pile of black pebbles and perhaps one or two white pebbles. Eventually, over time, they would have a huge pile of pile of white pebbles and only a couple black pebbles.
This was a practice of the holy beings of Yohr and is a very difficult practice for the likes of us to engage in but nonetheless, we can try. We should understand that meditation does not mean sitting in a quiet grand posture with one’s legs crossed and one’s hands in meditative equipoise. Instead, one can meditate whatever one is doing, whether one is sitting, walking, or lying down through checking one’s own mind. And whenever one sees a virtuous thought arise, rejoice in that virtuous thought and whenever one sees a non virtuous thought arise, immediately counteract that non virtuous How do we rejoice in the virtue of the five categories of beings? In other words, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddha, Shravakas and ordinary beings through reflecting as follows.
The virtues of the Buddha are measureless and infinite. Yet, if we generate joy at the thought of the virtues of the Buddha, we gain a certain amount of virtuous karma as a result. Likewise, for the virtues of the Bodhisattvas, the Pratyekabuddha and the Shravakas. Reflect on the fact that the virtue, a first ground Bodhisattva, in other words, the Bodhisattva on the first ground of the path of seeing accumulates is greater in one day than the totality of the virtue we could accumulate in one life and you will see the benefit of this practice. Then ordinary beings, there are beings who are superior, equal or inferior to us, but each can accumulate virtue and we should rejoice in their virtue.
The practice of rejoicing is an extraordinarily powerful practice of mental transformation because with very little effort, we can accumulate great results. So just thinking of the great hardship others have experienced and rejoicing in it, we ourselves can participate in the virtue. Then we ourselves obviously don’t engage in these practices out of slackness and laziness. So this is the meaning of rejoicing in Tibetan in a nutshell. So the last verse of the stanza of rejoicing refers to I rejoice in their virtue.
Their virtue, the virtue of these refers to the virtue of these five categories of beings. We are now on the beginning of page two of your handout. So the following stanza requesting the turning of the wheel of the law reads as follows. I entreat all of the beings who have attained the desireless stage of Buddhahood on the stages of the path and which are lamps for the worlds in the 10 directions, as well as all of the lords to turn the peerless wheel of the teachings. The raison d’etre of this stanza is to create the dependent origination or the omen, the auspicious sign for the wheel of the law, in other words the Dharma to be turned or taught.
This is a case because it is said in Vinaya, if not requested, do not teach. In other words, if one is not entreated to teach, one should never teach. And in addition, the Vinaya adds and even if asked for teachings, if there is benefit, do not teach. If there is no benefit, do not teach. Then Geshe-la says, I know exactly about the situation.
And the reason for this is that even though there may be entreaty from the side of the, student, the teachings may be harmful for that student. And on the other hand, even though the student were not to entreat, there may be situations in which teaching nonetheless is of benefit. And this is the meaning of the Buddha’s silence after his attainment of full enlightenment. As you know, over his life, the Buddha taught three cycles of teachings or three wheels of Dharma. The small, middling and great or the first, second and third turning of the wheel of the law.
He taught these in the light of three different entreaties. After attaining full enlightenment, however, the Buddha remained silent because he had not been requested to teach. And it was when he was requested to teach by his four former friends that he taught the first turning of the wheel of the law of the four noble truths. The turning of the noble wheel of the four noble truths includes three abidings, abiding in the nature, abiding in the deed, and abiding in the result. And the 12 differentiations of the four noble truths, in other words, the noble truth of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the path to the cessation of suffering by the three abidings which Geshe-la mentioned.
Abiding in the nature, abiding in the deed and abiding in the effect which makes 12. And the second of the abidings which is the deed refers to the four attitudes to the four noble truths. One must know the first noble truth, the noble truth of suffering. One must abandon the second noble truth, the noble truth of the origin of suffering. One must attain the third noble truth, the noble truth of cessation and one must meditate on the fourth noble truth, the noble truth of the path.
And the three results of the Four Noble Truths, the last threefold subdivision have the following application to the Four Noble Truths. Regarding the first Noble Truth, the Noble Truth of Suffering, the result is that I shall not know the Noble Truth of Suffering in the future because the noble truth of suffering will have been eliminated. Regarding the second noble truth, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, I shall no longer abandon the noble truth of the origin of suffering because the noble truth of the origin of suffering will have been abandoned. Regarding the third noble truth, the noble truth of, cessation, I shall no longer attain the noble truth of cessation because the noble truth of cessation will have been attained. And regarding the fourth noble truth, the noble truth of the path, I shall no longer meditate on the noble truth of the path because the noble truth of the path will have been meditated upon.
These are the four results. The five companions of the Buddha before he attained enlightenment meditating on these 12 aspects of the four noble truths attained the state of There is not a lot really about the first turning of the wheel of the law, simply the presentation of the four noble truths and the three abidings. It is on the basis of these 12 that the state of arhathood was attained. Then for us, this is very difficult. However, if we rejoice correctly at present, then in the future, we can hope to attain such a state where we have these 12 attainments.
So the totality of the Buddha’s teachings are encompassed within the three turnings of the wheel of the law. The first turning of the wheel of the law of the four noble truths. The second turning of the wheel of the law turned at Rajgriha and the third turning of the wheel of the law turned at Vaishali. And the totality of the Buddhist teachings can be encapsulated in the 84,000 baskets of Dharma. Each of these baskets of Dharma is a specific antidote to one affliction, one of the 84,000 afflictions.
These 84,000 afflictions are subdivided into four groups of 21,000 each. 21,000 afflictions which are connected to desire, 21,000 afflictions which are related to anger, 21,000 afflictions which are related to benightedness, and 21,000 afflictions which are related to all three afflictions which makes 84,000. So it is in the context of requesting for the turning of the wheel of the law that mandala should be offered. Specifically here, a nine heap mandala which includes the four continents, the four subcontinents and the Mount Meru in the center. This can be done through visualization alone.
And then after offering mandala, one should imagine that the field of merit says, indeed, this is how we shall proceed. The following stanza is the stanza of entreating not to enter into parinirvāṇa. It reads as follows. I beseech with palms joined, all of those wishing to show entering into the state beyond suffering to abide for as many eons as there are atoms or particles in the fields for the sake of the benefit and happiness of all migrators. So those wishing to show how to pass beyond suffering refers to the fully enlightened beings.
They are entreated here to stay in samsaric existence for the sake of sentient beings. So here, one must understand clearly why this entreaty is made. It is specifically addressed to the supreme Nirmāṇakāya, the supreme emanation being or the supreme teacher. All Buddhas have attained for enlightenment. Therefore, all have actually passed beyond suffering.
The entreaty however is for them to continue to manifest. If this entreaty is not made specifically to the supreme Nirmāṇakāya, then as Buddha Śākyamūni, he will depart in the case of Buddha Śākyamūni at 80 and some years of age. In Buddha Śākyamūni’s case, because Ānanda did not request him to stay. The Buddha specifically And it is precisely because of the fault of Ānanda that Ānanda was not able to attain the state of an Arhat with the four hundred and ninety-nine other Arhats. Of the 500 hero disciples of the Buddha, 499 became Arhats.
Ānanda alone was left behind and Kāśyapa said to him, you were left behind because you did not ask the Buddha to remain because of this thought. And then since Ānanda was the only one of the 500 heroes who had not attained the state of an Arhat, Kāśyapa expelled him from the ranks of the monastery and said, you must retire and meditate till you become an Arhat, like the remaining 499. Ānanda did did attain the state of an arhats, returning to the monastery. And at this point, the 500 assembled Arhats were able to recite from memory the totality of the three baskets, the Tripitaka. And therefore, we must all recollect the great kindness of Śrāvaka Kāśyapa, Kāśyapa the hearer for expelling Ānanda since it is precisely through expelling Ānanda from the ranks of the monastery that Ānanda was forced to purify his fault, you’re not requesting the Buddha to remain, became an Arhat and as a result of this, that the Tripitaka was transmitted.
This is the kindness of the hearer Kāśyapa. And there is a marvelous story about the very last disciple of the Buddha who became an Arhat. He was known as the king of the lute, the piwang, an ancient lute played in India and was extraordinarily proud of his skill with the lute. And the Buddha wished to abase him. So from a distance, the Buddha himself started playing the lute.
And Rāja, the king of the lute heard the Buddha playing and he thought this is quite remarkable. He’s almost as good as I am. And then he listened a bit better and he said he’s quite good. So he had some of his students bring him in and when the Buddha came, he said, you play almost as well as I do. I would like to challenge you and he challenged the Buddha.
So the Indian lute player and the Buddha competed with each other. As you know, a lute has many strings. So initially, they played on all strings and then the Buddha cut one of his strings that he continued to play with one string less and the Indian lute player had to do the same and the Buddha kept on cutting the strings one by one but the melodies he played did not change in their beauty. However, as the Indian lute player kept cutting his strings one by one, his melodies became coarser and coarser. Finally, the Buddha cut the last string and yet continued to play.
The Indian lute player could not keep up. He then became a disciple of the Buddha and through relying on his teachings became the last Arhat. So this was the last disciple of the Buddha and we shall stop here for today. Oh, yeah. That’s why I hear it.
And there are probably questions. In addition, I would like to take some at present. We have a new system for the questions by the way. I don’t know if the director mentioned it. That you are everyone is encouraged to ask questions but you’re allowed one question per person while holding the microphone.
Then when everyone has had their chance, if you have extra questions, you can ask them. What’s the antidote to resentment? The other note to that is love. If one meditates on love, it will disappear. Thank you.
I ask la humbly through you, Ilya. I heard Geshe-la say tonight that Buddha didn’t teach. He stayed silent for a while after becoming fully enlightened because he hadn’t been asked to teach. I also heard Geshe-la say that the Buddhas have to be asked to remain to continue. I thought I read somewhere that they can also choose to stay in the human form to be able to continue their teachings.
Have I understood that correctly? They have to be asked to teach. I’m sorry. The teacher to manifest. I would have thought teach.
The Buddha has complete independence in these matters. He examines the disciples and assesses whether or not there is benefit in teaching. Then if he is entreated and there is benefit, he does teach. However, if he is entreated and there is no benefit, he does not teach. Does everyone do all ordinary beings like ourselves, or at least like myself, have all the 84 afflictions?
84,000 that is. Definitely. Every single one of them. All of us are similar in that matter. Then once we have create we generated love, compassion, and the mind realizing emptiness, we have we will have abandoned them.
Geshe-la mentioned that there were 21,000 where all three afflictions are present. Are are these when they’re three together, is that separate from the other three, attachment, anger, and ignorance? And can Geshe-la give an example of one where all three is present? So the fourth category with the afflictions which are related to anger, desire and ignorance together includes afflictions which are linked to all three such as for instance grasping at the inherent existence of a self which is connected to all three. Did you understand?
Where is the anger in grasping attachment to self? Yes. Apprehending at an inherent existence of phenomena is connected with every single one of the afflictions since it is through apprehending that phenomena are inherently existent that afflictions such as anger arise. Connected to that question as well, surely ignorance is connected to all of our afflictions of desire and and anger. It it can’t be separate because they they come from ignorance.
So how do you divide them up saying this is only connected with desire or this is only connected with anger? It just doesn’t make sense to me if could explain that. Definitely. All of the 84,000 afflictions without exception originate from ignorance. Ignorance is said to be the root of samsaric existence.
Since the mind which realizes emptiness directly is said to be the antidote to ignorance, it is able to sever all the affliction afflictions at the root through severing ignorance. Otherwise, there would be no reason for saying that the mind realizing emptiness directly is the main antidote to all the afflictions. There has to be a reason for this. How can you say that there are 21,000 only connected with desire and 21,000 only connected with anger? How can you possibly say that if they all come from ignorance and they’re intrinsically entwined with ignorance?
It’s a non exclusive divisions. These are not exclusive divisions. Every single affliction is rooted in ignorance but some are principally rooted in ignorance and some are rooted in a subsidiary fashion. So is there any way to generate benefit for others when joy arises in the mind based on our attachment to the pleasures of samsaric existence? Is there any way to transform that type of joy?
Because I realise on examining it, it’s based on ignorance. But it still feels like a positive thing. I’m wondering how we can have that benefit, you know, by perhaps dedicating the pleasure of that joy to the Triple Gem or what can we do when that arises, that sort of joy? No. It’s impossible because desire is not something to be trained in.
Desire is an object of abandonment. Desire is poison. Then the so called happiness or joy which arises from desire is not happiness or joy. It actually is suffering. So it can neither be rejoiced in nor can it be dedicated to anybody.
Since we ourselves have come into this world through desire and are profoundly accustomed to desire, we see it as a good thing and imagine that the suffering which associates it is happiness but this desire is something which we must eliminate, which we must destroy. Just wanted some financial advice on how to best invest my Karma credits. Is that the question? Your virtuous karma, I assume. One has to be careful when comparing karma with money because money is not a source of happiness.
Money is a source of unhappiness unlike virtuous karma and therefore, one cannot do anything profoundly meaningful with money. Money enables us to eat, to drink, to walk, to travel. We view eating, drinking, walking, travel as happiness, whereas they are not happiness. They are nothing else than the suffering of change. Therefore, is not the source of happiness.
It’s a source of suffering unlike virtuous karma. You probably haven’t heard many people say to you that money causes something. That may be true but it is not just a general statement, it’s a it’s a statement of fact. Money is the cause of suffering. Most people perhaps the overwhelming majority of people only use money to entertain themselves for pleasure.
This pleasure is exclusively of this life. If you ask them whether money is profoundly significant, they will say yes it is. If you ask them then, can you take it with you after you die? They must say no they can’t. So clearly, most people do not use money for meaningful purposes such as practicing generosity, philanthropy and others, they use it to satisfy their cravings.
Let us be honest with ourselves. Who in this room happily and willingly without an afterthought gives $5 to accumulate with some virtue? Nobody. Right? But when it comes to going to a show, who has to be dragged kicking and screaming to go to a show?
Why is there such a difference? Because we all consider going to a show as a source of profound happiness. But when it comes to giving $5, we think, yeah, roots of virtue. Roots of virtue. Is it sure?
And yet And yet the merit which is accrued through giving $5 or the merit which accrued which is accrued through making a prostration and dedicating it becomes infinite, immeasurable merit. Whereas, if we look at the consequences of spending 2 or $300 which we willingly spend for a show or an event, apart from the transient pleasure during the show and the event, we have absolutely nothing to show for that money. Now the fact is we go the direction of wasting our money on shows and events and we don’t spend it to accumulate merit. This is a case of all of us. From time to time at the center, we see donations of $5, but Geshe-la can say we’ve not seen donations of a 100.
But this is very strange for you. You’re not accustomed to hearing this. Any other questions? There was just one written question. Mhmm.
Right. Excuse me. So the question is, Geshe-la taught that the room is full of Buddhas last time. Is this something that we can train our minds in or would it naturally arise for an increase in faith in the Triple Gem? Geshe-la looked at me and he said, the question is, if the room is full of Buddhas, where’s the space for us?
Right? Then the answer is, he said, if it’s not sufficient to pray to the triple gem for this type of thing, we must reflect on the qualities of the Buddhas. And through reflecting on the qualities and analyzing them, eventually, will understand this. This is something which calls for much study and even with much study, it is not understanding which dawns easily. It can only understand through dawns through understanding very carefully and very clearly the qualities of the Buddha and specifically the qualities of the state of union, the state of Yuganaddha.
If the Buddha’s mind perceives simultaneously every single particle in Geshe-la’s table and wherever the Buddha’s mind is because of the qualities of the state of union, so are the various bodies of the Buddha, then there are countless bodies of the Buddha in that table. So we are so so we are here and think we have to return home, turn our minds towards home, and then we have to actually physically move there because we have obstructed bodies. This is not the case of the Buddhas which simultaneously perceive all phenomena. Every single mind is mounted on a wind or a Prāna which basically is its vehicle, enables it to operate. So when we turn our minds to our house, then the mind and the wind associated, the Prāna associated with the mind go in that direction.
In the Buddha’s case, both the omniscient mind of the Buddha and the wind it is mounted upon which is connected with its bodies travel instantaneously to all particles. It is very difficult to generate conviction in this. Very difficult. Thank you, Geshe-la. I have heard of a strange phenomenon in subatomic physics where some subatomic particles always take the shortest route to their destination.
This implies that they know all the routes possible and that they go to and that they choose. What does Geshe-la think of this concept? Well, if it were indeed the case that the particle understood what was the shortest of all the possible paths to go from point a to point b, it would indeed have to have a consciousness. Then clearly particles don’t have consciousness, do they? They are matter.
So we cannot say that they understand this. Particles have no autonomy. They do not have the capacity to act by themselves. They are just there and are acted upon by other forces. What are the features of of particles from a Buddhist standpoint?
Particles have parts. There is no partless particle. They have directional parts. Likewise, particles are impermanent. In other words, they change instant by instant.
Hi. I am uneducated in Buddhism, but I was wondering if there are any concepts of family, like the family that we’re born into mothers, fathers, siblings, that kind of thing. From a Buddhist standpoint, we owe profound respect to our parents. Since without that respect to our parents, it is impossible to say that we can have respect for other sentient beings, other living beings and we must generate respect to all. Just referring back to the part of the teaching about offering a mandala it was said that we can do this through visualisation.
And then what I heard was, then you imagine the merit field responding with this is how we will proceed. I don’t really understand what that means. I think I can answer. It means that it’s good. So the meaning of the answer of the teacher this is well or this is fine, is that the teacher accepts the offering of the mandala.
That is the meaning. At this point, we meditate on joy. So when we are in treating the teacher to turn the wheel of the law, we offer a nine heap mandala whereas when we are in treating for the teacher to remain, one offers a five heap mandala and a representation of the double dorje. There are many people in the world that have generated great wealth through dishonesty or exploitation or manipulation on the one hand, but on the other hand, they are sometimes generous and philanthropic, I think is how you say it. I’m curious to know how that plays out.
What is your question? Okay. So say say someone generates wealth through dishonesty, but then has a purely generous pure motivation in their generosity. So they generate money through dishonest means, but then they generate a pure motivation to be generous with that money. What’s the the karmic result?
What what’s the So in that case, both types of karma accumulated. Acquiring money dishonestly, we say stealing, it’s much simpler, is non virtuous karma. Then giving the money to others with a pure motivation is virtuous karma. Both have been accumulated. So it is not the case from a karmic standpoint that the deed of generosity compensates for the deed of theft.
These are two different deeds. Both have to be experienced. The deed of theft is a non virtuous deed which will give rise to a result of suffering. The deed of generosity is a virtuous deed which will give rise to a result of happiness. These are two separate deeds.
No. It is said, as you have done, so will you experience the result. The result is definite. It’s very difficult to have a pure virtuous deed or an exclusively virtuous deed. For a pure virtuous deed, all four features of the deed must be complete and pure which for us is very difficult to do.
For instance, if the motivation is infected by the eight worldly dharmas which is a case for our motivation then the deed is not virtuous, it’s merely a mundane, a worldly deed. There is still an opportunity to register for the symposium on meditation this weekend. So if you would like to attend, please let us know. Thank you. And there is some chai if you would like to come and have a good taste.