Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 94-minute Sunday class for beginners, Geshe Kyab introduces fundamental Buddhist concepts to newcomers and interested seekers, not yet committed to religious practice. He begins with the role of the mind as the source of both happiness and suffering, arguing that mind training—not external salvation—is Buddhism’s unique contribution. He then systematically teaches the Three Jewels: Buddha (an enlightened human who eliminated mental afflictions and gained all knowledge, not a god); Dharma (both the teachings and their fruits: cessation of suffering and the path leading there); and Sangha (practitioners following the Buddha’s way, with higher levels of noble practitioners). Throughout, he illustrates these concepts with stories of modern exemplars—Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Doctors Without Borders—as manifestations of Buddhist compassion. He concludes by distinguishing Buddhism as philosophy and psychology from Buddhism as religion (which requires pledging the Three Jewels and accepting the Four Seals), and fields questions on dependent origination, ultimate versus conventional truth, and life after death, promising deeper study in future classes.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2016 10 16 Buddhism for Beginners.mp3
UUID: 1863a35b-3750-4f44-8f12-cba57388b91d
Teacher: Geshe Kyab
Collection: Geshe Kyab Beginners Buddhism Sundays (Geshe Kyab)
Date: 2016-10-16
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 94.6 minutes
Words: ~10,738
Okay, only mantra. Okay? This one. Thank you. Today, my teaching is, of course, this class is the beginner Buddhism class.
I want one calendar here on my table next time. Okay? This is beginner Buddhism. I think so. Can I have a calendar?
One calendar please. I don’t want to make any mistake. I think it says beginner Buddhism class on Sunday, basic Buddhist teachings. This class is the I talk to SPC Judy because I don’t know Australia. I’m just one month old now here, you know.
In Florida, Sunday class is very popular because people do go to Sunday churches and temples, and Buddhist people come to the Buddhist center. Not everyone is Buddhist, but people who are interested in Buddhist activities, so then they come to the Buddhist center, is the TKC, my center. I taught on Sunday, I teach very basic Buddhist teachings from Dalai Lama’s book, sometimes, you know, like very basic things about Buddhism, something that newer people who are new, it’s very important to understand all about Buddhism. You know, what does Buddhism mean, what does Buddhism mean exactly? Buddhism does things, the teachings and the rituals which we call puja. We have many, many different wall hanging pictures, statues, and mantra recitations.
So last week, I gave you the meaning of the mantra a little bit. So that’s why the Sunday class is very good. It’s good to learn. Of course, you can come to my Tuesday class, a bit advanced. Also, can come to Thursday class, which is the Lojong, mind training, which is very, very important in Buddhism.
Because in Buddhism, we do believe the mind is the source of all happiness. So the mind also causes us so many unhappiness. So power is in the mind. So now if you do know how to tame or discipline this beautiful mind, I know now I am doing like this. I used to do like this when I say mind because that’s a Tibetan way too.
But now, since I’ve been in the United States, mind is like this. It’s okay. It doesn’t matter here or there or here, you know. Just bodily kind of, you know, adjustment. Anyway, usually in Buddhism, mind is here.
Mindfulness is here. Here, you know. Mindfulness, something that you know, we do practice mindfulness, sampa, mind is here. Reason why we call mind is here because no mind means no life. You’re not anymore. You are gone.
No mind means no life. So if mind is in here, but there are so many stories. People without head or chicken without head, so they were alive. So then what would be? Mind is not there because there’s no head, no brain.
So it’s still alive. So that’s exactly the Buddhist teachers are very smart. Mind is here. Because no heart, your heart is not beating, we are not anymore. See?
But no brain is still alive. You know, even though some people are like a vegetable, you you call, but they are alive. But no brain. Their brains are not functioning. But they are alive.
Why they are alive? Because of the mind. Mind is here. Their heart is okay. Anyway, just, you know, the point is the mind does have the power to really bring so many happiness.
It is not something that what Buddha mentioned in his book or what Dalai Lama was saying. It is just my own experience. You know, mind do have such a power to bring so much happiness. Absolutely. So that’s why the mind is the source of all happiness. Means that.
Of course, now if you don’t train or discipline this precious mind, then now, again, the negative side is there. Our mind is causing so many suffering and pain. There’s other side, positive side and negative side. But one thing is that Buddhism is very, very unique. Not a religion perspective, you know, some people may be scared, oh, Buddhist religion, you know. I’m talking about the philosophy perspective.
Or psychology perspective, it’s very, very unique that the Buddhist teachings give you so many teachings that one can be able to train the mind. So that’s what we call training the mind. Many times here in the West, my experience, people search something from outside of their mind to, you know, come to you and help you. Buddhist perspective, these are nonsense. You know, if you really want to help yourself or your friends and your family, you got it, this one, this beautiful mind.
Although this beautiful mind is what we call beautiful, bright or wonderful, but temporarily this mind became more like a, you know, contamination. It’s contaminated, very temporarily contaminated. So that’s why mind training or disciplining the mind means to protect the mind, to purify all the contaminations, those, you know, whatever contaminated. But here is mainly the delusions or the mental afflictions. Mainly the three poisons, desire, attachment, aversion, or ignorance, or anger, you know, hatred, or ignorance.
These are the main problem because of these three poisons our mind became more aggressive, very easy to, you know, feel strong attachment, very easy to get angry, very easy to ignore things because of all these three poisons. So that’s why the three poisons daily basis is almost like dancing, you know. Very easy to attach to objects very easily. Very easy to get angry. Even though slightly somebody says something negative about you, we get upset very quickly.
It’s really not necessary. Why are these things happening? Because of the untamed mind. So that’s what we call undisciplined mind. So Buddhist teachings, repeat again, not religion perspective, you can learn Buddhist teachings, philosophy perspective, psychology perspective, or also the science of mind perspective.
If you do learn, I think, you know, I will make you one hundred percent sure you can make a wonderful life. We can be very happy within this lifetime. Of course, if you do believe the next life or life after this would be much, much better. So because of the training of the mind. Okay?
So that’s just I’m giving you the little ideas or notions about Buddhism. Of course, then if you really want to learn more about Buddhism and if you really want to become a Buddhist, like a Buddhist, that’s why we need to talk about the Buddhist religion perspective now. So there are many options in Buddhism. Remember, as I said, you can learn Buddhism as a philosophy perspective, psychology, or a science of mind. Of course, you can also learn Buddhism as a religion perspective.
People who are Buddhist, who took the Buddhist vow, so they learn Buddhism religion perspective. Of course, that included philosophy, psychology, science of mind. It’s more wider than just one particular, you know, idea. Okay? Of course, it’s everything’s your own interest.
Nobody tell you or judge you what to do or, you know, which part of the Buddhism you should be learning, religious way or the philosophy way or psychology. No. You need to judge that. You are the one who need to first listen, then try to understand my teachings, then you can just decide it yourself. I cannot tell you, you know, which way you should be learning Buddhism.
It’s your interest. Remember, we are free will, you know. Nobody can tell us what to do. So you see, I cannot tell you what to do, how to learn. This is your life. That’s your future.
Everything is you are the one who need to decide it. So that’s my way of looking and the teaching as something like this. Of course, if someone is devoted to me, which is the religion perspective now we are talking about it, for that point, I need to guide them, as really sometimes maybe a little pushing tool, which is we call guru devotion, which is a very different case, you know. So that part is very serious and some immature student or we call disciple may need to guide them little pushy way, to push them a little bit. That’s a, you know, different case because, for instance, when I was in the monastery, when I was young, I devoted many teachers, which is we call guru.
Such a kindness guru. I had many, many gurus. Now mostly they passed away. But when I was young, they sometimes they really guided us very strongly, you know. So they showed us a path very strongly and a little judgmental too, which is a good one.
Instead of pushing, they push you, which is a good one, you know? It’s for our own good, not for them. So which is a very different case. But here, and especially this Sunday class, is totally open for people who are interested in Buddhist philosophy and Buddhist psychology, just welcome. So that’s why before I came to Buddha House, I talked to the SPC Judy that what would be, maybe Sunday class, just open up for everyone, not advanced class, maybe something like a beginner Buddhism, something that everybody can come and, you know, something that they can listen and they can learn something.
And after sometimes, they may like to come to my Tuesday class or Thursday class, any other advanced class. They can do it. But before, you know, whatever you do, whatever you decide, is very important. Buddhism is not like a blind faith or a blind trust or blind belief. Buddhism is very important to learn first.
Understand, absorb the meaning of the teachings. So which is I just mentioned before, to learn something, to absorb the whole teachings, to understand. Then think about it, what you need to do this way. Not like just blindly, oh, my friends are going to Buddha House, oh, I want to go there, or my friends have stopped now, I want to stop. That’s just childish, you know.
I know there are many, many childish students. I can understand that. But what I’m saying is that you are a human being. You are a strong man and woman. You need to stand up, not just depending on what other people are doing.
Of course, you can take that copy, but once you come here, you are the one who needs to learn. You cannot just learn Buddhist teachings whether my friends are learning or not or my family are learning or not. No. You obtained this precious mind. Utilize this one.
Use it. Otherwise, where do you want to use it? If you only depend on someone else. I am as a Buddhist monk. I am not exaggerating.
It’s true. I am Buddhist monk. I spent so many years in the monastery in South India, in Sikkim where I was born after Tibet exile, nineteen fifty-nine. I was born in a very small village in Sikkim, you know, and I’m talking about nineteen sixty. We didn’t have electricity.
We didn’t have tap water. We needed to go to get water from outside, and that village gets so many snow now. Think about winter. How difficult. We didn’t have anything like a heater system like that, you know.
We needed many, many woods to warm, to get the heat inside the room, something like this. And then now next I went to school, only fourth or fifth grade. Then next I went to monastery in South India. Same thing, monastery in South India, very, very poor at the moment because Tibet was just exiled. I went to monastery in nineteen seventy-three, just twelve or thirteen years old.
But monks’ life was very, very poor. Anyway, my point was that someone who was born in such a tiny, tiny village, there was no Western influence, nothing. And also the monastery who studied there for many, many years suddenly coming to the West now. Think about how difficult. But I learned things.
It’s now your own. You need to learn. You need to deal with the things even though you’re a monk, you’re in the West. I’m talking about America, United States of America. How crazy place, isn’t it?
Not only just there, I’m talking about Florida. How difficult beginning. Yes, it was very difficult for me, but I was saying, no, they are human beings, I’m a human being. There are white people, black people, or the South American people, I am Asian people. I am Mongolian.
It’s okay. We are people, but we have different understanding, different culture, and different traditions. First, I must absorb their culture, then teach them my culture, my tradition in exchange, which is why I did it. So that’s why I was successful. I’m not exaggerating, it’s very true.
So, you know, this is, I think, otherwise how difficult, just one simple monk living surrounded by so many white people. Think about how difficult. Your culture is different, your food is different, your, what you call the talking things are different. You know, American, how they talk, it’s very different. And I grew up talking things very respectfully to talk to people, you know, but American people talk very, you know, rougher. That’s their culture.
It’s not bad or good, just, you know, different culture. But I really handled it very nicely. A few years after, I felt moving. I felt I’m one of them without losing my own culture and tradition. So see?
But now I’m here in Australia just one month old. This is very new for me. Australia and America are very different. Linda taught me, we call here suburb, suburb. In the United States, I was beginning to say, what is suburb, you know?
They’re called apartment and condo. Household, they’re called. Here you call flat and suburb or something. I was very confused. So that’s the first thing I’m saying, okay, I need to learn.
Even though I asked, can you give me the spelling? You know? I wrote down. Now learning, see? Which is the same thing I learned in the United States.
So there are also one worst thing is although I’m not driving now, you drive left, we drive right. That’s very, very dangerous. You know, now your driver is the right side of the car, in the car. Our driver is left side. See now, you drive left. We drive right, you drive left. That’s very, very if I drive, I must be very careful for that one, you know. It’s confusing. That’s the second thing. Of course then there are many, many things, you know.
It’s very different. But I’m not one hundred percent settled down now, trying to learn. But it’s very easier for me now because I know there are many things in the United States and Australia, similarities. There are many things, you know. The good thing is I can speak English, which is very good.
But remember, when I was in the United States, first time I did speak English very little, very, very little. But I said to myself, okay, if you want to stay in United States, you must learn English. Otherwise, go back to India. That’s in my mind. Then I put so much effort to learn English, then, you know, so my life was much easier.
So anyway, I’m just giving you this example. Now you are here in your own country, but the only thing is that now you are hearing the teachings very different than your own culture and tradition. So now, see, if you try to absorb, you know, which I just mentioned before, Buddhism is not just a blind faith. If you try to absorb the teachings, try to understand. Don’t mix your own traditions first.
First, try to welcome every teaching that I’m giving you here, then think about it. Continually think about it. Then after sometimes, if you do have a certain understanding, then you can compare with the Western teachings and culture or whatever it is. By beginning, don’t do that. If you do that, then everything is messed up, which is then, you know, not good.
Beginning, try to welcome the teachings because you’re already here and coming here and listening to the Buddhist teachings. Just welcome the Buddhist teachings. Absorb everything what I’m saying here. If you do not understand, just let me know the questions. I will give you my answer.
We can do questions and answers also. Then the next thing is understanding. Important. Then, as I said this before, then decide whether you want to continually practice and listen to Buddhist teachings or not. Then you need to decide it, which is very good because after understanding, now you are deciding something that can be done continually or not.
So the decision is in the palm of your hand, not my hand. So this way, you need to learn Buddhism. Okay? See now, I give you some examples, myself, how I learned things in United States. Similar like this, I absorbed, I tried to understand, you know.
And good things I just cultivated it. Bad things that I learned from them, I discarded it. I said, get out. No, this is not for me. Good things, there are many, many good things in United States.
Yeah. Beautiful things. Of course, there are many, many bad things you can learn, especially nowadays. Internet, you know, it’s a very crazy place. But remote control is palm up in your hand.
Which Internet you can go and check it out? Which shouldn’t be? Everything you have to control. So that’s why, as I said this before, mind training. You need to understand what should be cultivated, what should be discarded.
So these two things are very, very important to understand in our life. What should be cultivated? What should be avoided? Many times we get problems because of lack of understanding the negative and the positive. So I know there are many, many negatives.
There are many, many positives. It’s very difficult to avoid every negativity, very difficult to cultivate all positives, but we need to do as much as we can, as much as we can, try to cultivate more positive than negative, to avoid those negatives, discard those negatives. That’s what we need to do. Bless you, sir. That’s not a blind faith.
But today, I will teach you Buddhism and non-Buddhism. It’s very important because, as I said before, this is the beginner Buddhism class, and I see some new people here. Thank you for coming, and it’s good to know Buddhism and non-Buddhism, difference between Buddhism and non-Buddhism. Buddhism was established two thousand five hundred fifty-three years before in India. So, Śākyamūni Buddha was prince, then after he became a monk, then he devoted to the teacher, then he meditated and practiced, then eventually he attained enlightenment.
Then he established, I will call my religion as Buddhism. Then he gave this name Buddhism. Before Śākyamūni Buddha, there was no Buddhism. His family was devoting one of the Hindu tradition. So anyway, then he established Buddhism after attaining enlightenment.
So that’s Buddhism. Since Śākyamūni Buddha became Buddha, he taught us eighty-four thousand scriptures. Eighty-four thousand. All these scriptures mean to become kind human beings, compassionate human beings. You know, cherishing others, neglecting self-cherishing, helping others.
Bodhicitta, mind of enlightenment, which is cherishing others, loving others, kindness. So that’s why divided two ways: Buddhist view and Buddhist conduct. Buddhist conduct or manner is not harming conduct, not harming physically, mentally, verbally, not harming, not only not harming to human beings, even though not harming animals too. That’s called the Buddhist conduct, not harming conduct or behavior or manners. Buddhist view is the dependent arising.
Everything is dependent arising. Everything arises from causes and conditions. There is no such a thing arise naturally or truly. No. Everything arises from its own causes and conditions.
So that’s a Buddhist view. That’s called dependent arising. Okay? Then now, the Buddhism, what is the difference between Buddhism and non-Buddhism? If you are Buddhist, I’m talking about the people, if you are Buddhist, then now you need to pledge the Three Jewels as your faith and belief.
So you need to accept the four seals of Buddhism. First thing is the Three Jewels. Three Jewels as your faith or belief. You need to accept that. Second thing is that not only just Three Jewels are accepting as a faith or a belief, also you need to pledge the four seals of Buddhism.
These are the I will give you today if I cover everything. Okay? First, the Three Jewels. Buddha Jewel, Dharma Jewel, and Sangha Jewel. Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
These are the Sanskrit words, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. These are the Buddhist people must devote it and also have faith in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, then nothing else. No other, you know, lord or god or whatever it is. No faith on that. Only these three.
That’s the first one. Now, what does mean Buddha? You need to understand that before you want to have faith in Buddha, you want to learn what does mean Buddha. I will give you a shortcut way. Buddha means enlightened being, being who attains enlightenment.
Here is the enlightenment. We are talking about the full enlightenment. The meaning of enlightenment is no more pain and suffering. Even though subtle pain and suffering or gross pain and suffering, he eliminated all pain and suffering because of the mental afflictions. He eliminated it, and he or she gained all knowledge. That is the meaning of the Buddha.
Okay? I’m giving you a shortcut way. Gained all knowledge and eliminated all the mental afflictions, which is considered as desire, attachment, anger or hostility or hatred or ignorance. All the mental afflictions eliminated. So that’s why the Buddha has no pain and suffering.
So that’s why Buddha is a very unique being. But Buddha should not be considered as a god in Buddhist perspective. Buddha was a human being, okay? Buddha was a human being, and Buddha went through pain and suffering before he attained enlightenment. But the good thing is after Buddha went to the remote area, became a monk, then studied, then he continually meditated, meditated.
He understood the pain and the suffering. He understood how to cut out the pain and suffering. So that’s why the Buddha meditated, meditated, and finally he gained enlightenment. Then now Buddha taught us, if you do, I won’t judge you or tell you what to do, same as like what I did it, but I will just give you the advice. If you do follow what I did, you would be same as me, free from pain and suffering.
No more pain and suffering. That’s what Buddha told us. So that’s why he taught us eighty-four thousand scriptures. That means Buddha is a very unique role model for us. Not just Buddha became Buddha without doing anything, but he went through so many hard activities, he went through so many difficulties, but finally he really meditated and practiced, then he became enlightened.
So now he taught us so many teachings, which are very, very unique teachings. So Buddha is something like this, okay? Gained all knowledge, Buddha gained all knowledge, and eliminated the mental afflictions. Now we are not yet Buddha. Why?
Because we have not gained all knowledge yet. Also, we have not eliminated mental afflictions yet, but we have choice, we have options. If you are seeking ultimate happiness, ultimate peace, then we need to follow as what Buddha, you know, did. What Buddha, you know, did, so many wonderful activities, meditating and practicing and giving teachings. So that means the choice is up in our hand.
So everything is we need to decide it. So that’s Buddha. The second one is the Dharma, which is generally speaking, every Dharma book, you know, because all these Dharma books, you know, spiritual books, also considered as Dharma. Why are these Dharma? Because all of these books will give you such wonderful prayers and teachings.
Books are not real Dharma jewel. Real Dharma jewel is after studying the Buddhist books, you will get realization. It’s called cessation of suffering. Once you cease the suffering, and so is because of the noble truth of the path, these two are considered as real Dharma. Books are part of the real Dharma, but not the real Dharma. Real Dharma is the cessation of suffering, so is the path that leads to cessation of suffering.
These are the real Dharma. I know this is a little hard to understand, so that’s called Dharma jewel. The third one is Sangha. Sangha is the members. Sangha is also two different sanghas.
Generally speaking, all of you considered as a Sangha because you are following the Buddha’s teachings. But real Sangha is the very high level, those the noble bodhisattva, so is the noble, the Theravāda practitioner. Once they approach to those levels, those are the real Sangha. But then now the people who are following Buddhist teachings, like, you know, all of you students, part of the Sangha. That means just coming to Buddhist center, you are becoming a unique human being, actually.
I mean it. I mean, how beautiful. You are becoming a part of the Sangha also. Not a real one, but you are getting into it. But if you do practice continually, one day you will approach that real Sangha.
So see, everything is palm up in your hand. So that’s what I just mentioned. These are the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The Buddhist people devoted no more than that. They are only Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
Why in Buddhist people Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha is that much important? Because we need to get out from pain and suffering. Isn’t it? We need to get out from pain and suffering. In order to get out from the pain and suffering, we need someone to guide us, teach us who has no pain and suffering.
If someone is already in pain and suffering, how can they guide us? How can they help us? They are in pain and suffering. Think about it. Let’s say there are ten people inside the muddy lake, that much under the muddy lake now.
Now they cannot get out from that muddy lake. Now they need help. They cannot help each other. Why? Everybody is under the muddy lake.
Now they need help. Someone, someone not in the lake. Someone is outside from the muddy lake to come to them, pull them out from the muddy lake. People who are suffering, we all are suffering, so that means we cannot really pull other people from the pain and suffering because we all are inside the muddy lake. But that’s why Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha are outside of the muddy lake.
Especially the Buddha is able to help us to pull out from the muddy lake because he is not in the muddy lake. You know? That’s different. So that’s what we call saṃsāra, but I will not go there. I did this before.
So that’s the way Buddhist people do believe something like this. So now you have a certain idea of Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. So that’s why we have so many statues, so many scriptures, and we have so many wall hanging thangkas, different different Buddhas, different different shapes, different different. Some of them are Buddha’s manifestations, some of those thangkas and wall hanging paintings and the statues are the bodhisattva statues. Let’s say we have now Śākyamūni Buddha just there. That’s the actual Śākyamūni Buddha.
And we have Medicine Buddha on my left. If you are all the time sick or someone is really sick, you need to do Medicine Buddha’s prayer and rituals if you’re interested, which is the Buddha House, they put down on the calendar every other month or every week. I’m not sure. Yeah, healing meditation is almost every Thursday, you know, they have these meditations, and so sometimes they do also Medicine Buddha’s puja, which is a Vajrayāna ritual. You can come here and do it.
I mean, how beautiful. So Medicine Buddha is also a manifestation. Buddha Śākyamūni Buddha himself manifested as a Medicine Buddha to cure the people. And the Medicine Buddha was also holding one bowl. You can look at it, there are many, many plants.
It is not like a Western medicine, okay? Western medicine has so many side effects. That medicine you cannot compare with the transcendental medicine. It’s totally out of this world. He was holding, that’s just a symbol, inside his bowl, some plants, which is very much the unique and the transworldly medicine.
That’s just a sign or symbol. And also you have so many other Medicine Buddhas. There are eight different Medicine Buddhas. Each Medicine Buddha has their own unique activities. Now you can look at the Dalai Lama’s picture.
Dalai Lama also we consider as Avalokiteśvara, a Buddha of compassion, sometimes a bodhisattva, you know. So Dalai Lama, Tibetan people consider it as Avalokiteśvara, Buddha of compassion. We have so many other, you know, Lama Zopa Rinpoche is also, you know, I think Lama Zopa Rinpoche is also Bodhisattva. And we have scriptures, Dharma scriptures. Is scripture over there.
Many, many different Dharma books and scriptures. And we have other frames like this. All of these are not just somebody just made it. These are the manifestations of the Buddha and bodhisattva. In order to help, there are many, many, many sentient beings in this world.
One Buddha cannot cover all sentient beings. In order to help those sentient beings who are suffering, the Buddha must manifest in many, many different forms. So that’s why they’re like this. Sometimes Buddha can manifest as a form, as one of my students, or sometimes teacher, sometimes different animals. Look at some animals, dogs, and they are so gentle, so kind. Remember?
They help people. They save people’s lives. See? Those animals can be manifestations of the Buddha and Bodhisattva. Otherwise, most of the animals are very rough.
But why do some animals, dogs and cats and horses, they help people? Why? Why is it very unique? It’s possible that those animals can be the manifestation of Buddha and bodhisattva. So, I saw recently in one television show, this young boy was outside his house.
Mother is inside. But I think there are dogs. And he was coming behind the car. Something was holding him. Suddenly, this dog was agitated.
Then finally, he just came behind that car and the dog attacked this little boy, three or four years old. And the boy was crying before mother came out from the home. Their cat came to save. Unbelievable. A small cat jumped over the dog and chased the dog. This cat came to save this young boy.
Then mother came after that. I think maybe she didn’t hear. The point was, they looked at that cat. If the cat is not jumping on top of this dog, I think this dog may kill this boy. Just an example, sometimes, you know, things that are, you know, natural things are very, you know, look very strange for us, but it’s not really.
You know? Maybe this cat. Maybe this cat is there to save this boy’s life. Something, you know, may, you know, would be happening. Maybe this cat is purposely there, but I don’t know.
I’m just saying things like that happened even though some animals like that. Of course, then look at the human beings. There are so many wonderful, wonderful, great human beings helping others. Look at one thing, Doctors Without Borders. Unbelievable.
Unbelievable. I remember they went to Tibet, and I saw one documentary. Unbelievable. Doctors Without Borders. They get killed sometimes.
Remember in Syria and this area, how many Doctors Without Borders got killed? They gave their life to serve these, you know, suffering and painful people, and they give their life. There are many people like that in this world. Some people serve without borders. Some people serve the world like Dalai Lama going over the world and giving teachings, helping people.
And Mahatma Gandhi, look at them. Gandhi, really, Mahatma Gandhi is the, you know, freed India from the British rule after two hundred years. Then look at Mother Teresa. Unbelievable kind of, you know, this mother is. I have great respect for Mother Teresa.
I saw her, these nuns, not herself, but her nuns when they were picking some sick people in Calcutta. It’s called Howrah Bridge. People died there. People sick there. Side of the Howrah Bridge.
Big, big bridge. I saw the nuns go there, pick up the sick people, and they put them inside their van, bring them to Mother Teresa’s missionary in Calcutta. Unbelievable, this great mother, she goes around the world and she begs, she gets donations, she brings back to Calcutta and also New Delhi, and she treats these leprous people and sick people. It’s such a wonderful, wonderful, now she passed away. Such a wonderful mother passed away.
I do have a big picture of Mother Teresa in the United States. Look at it like this. People, such great, great people in this world. They all are serving, giving us services to the world, for us to have, you know, the good life. I mean, you know, so I think all these great human beings are manifestations of Buddha and Buddhism.
Mother Teresa is not an ordinary human being, absolutely not. Buddhist perspective, if I look at the Buddhist perspective or my perspective, which is the Buddhist perspective, she must be not just bodhisattva, high-rank bodhisattva. I think recently she got the title of saint, like Saint Francis. See? They recognized her, the saint.
It’s a little too late, but okay, you know. I mean, you know, they should be recognizing her as saint when she was alive. You know, for me, I do have more respect for Mother Teresa than Pope. I mean it, you know. But now this new Pope seems to be very nice.
But all Popes are, I don’t know. You know, I didn’t have any feelings. They come inside this glass and they really, I did not see the very strong, you know, connection with the people. They don’t go to the people. They don’t hug them.
They don’t shake hands. But this Pope seems to be, again, another wonderful Pope. He goes to the people. People’s Pope should be people’s Pope, isn’t it? You need to go to the people to understand their pain and suffering.
Even though just touching them or hugging them or shaking hands would be very medicine for some people. But previous Popes were mostly inside the glass like this, nobody can go. I don’t know, maybe this is the security issues, but I don’t know. I’m not criticizing, but I’m just my own ways of thinking, you know. But Mother Teresa’s side is really, really unbelievable.
Much as I think about Mother Teresa’s side, that much my respect towards her is developing. You know, because I’m from India, you know, she built this mission in Calcutta. Anyway, there are many, many, many great people like that. Look at Nelson Mandela in Africa. Of course, in Australia, I didn’t read many Aussie stories.
Must be that there are many great people in Australia. Just recently, the Thai king passed away. Some, I think thousands of thousands of people are mourning now. Usually, king is, you know? But that king seems to be, I didn’t read his history, but I’m going to do now, buy one book.
That king seems to be very, very kind king in Thailand now. They’re under, still, you know, not finished. It’s mourning, grieving. Why? Because king was great, not great, king was very compassionate.
King did so many good things for the Thai people, almost seventy years. So now people, I didn’t know this before, but now, you know, I say, wow, I must read what king did. Now I’m thinking in my mind, I will go and read about this king. He seems to be a very wonderful, very kind sort of king. So it’s like that.
Australia must have many, many things in the future. If I do know something, I will bring you here, you know, but you know better than me. But these are the manifestations from my perspective, manifestations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Absolutely, yes. And there are some nurses.
There are some also they look like very normal and ordinary people, but they do so many good things. They do so many good things, you know, to the people or for the people. And we don’t need to go very far away. Let’s say Buddha House, we have so many volunteers. My understanding is that Australians are very good for volunteers.
I think that’s great. It’s very good. But look at the Buddha House, there are so many volunteers: director, SPC Judy, assistant director, or shopkeeper, so and so, treasurer, they all are volunteers. Why are they volunteers? Because they want to make Buddha House a unique place that people can come here, listen to the teaching, they can be able to practice, and eventually they can attain enlightenment.
So that means Buddha House volunteers can be manifestations of the Buddha. One thing I can make sure, they got great blessing from the Buddha and bodhisattva. Yes. Are they Buddha or bodhisattva? I cannot make sure. But I can make sure they got the blessings, great blessings from the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
That’s why they have this such a kind and compassionate mind that they serve from Buddha House to, you know, many people as possible to come here to listen to the teachings and to be able to make, you know, their life better. Without the volunteers, how can you come here? It’s not easy to maintain, to open the center every day. It’s very difficult. I know because I was at the Kunga Center.
It’s very, very difficult. But these all volunteers make it happen to come here, especially in the Buddha House. There’s many, many, many activities. Unbelievable. You open almost every day.
That’s wonderful. I mean, people can have access. But I have some ideas in the future. I will talk to the board of directors if they want to use it or not. You know, I will also pitch.
You already do have so many things. Maybe make this place better. In the future, I will give them some of my suggestions and ideas. Anyway, see, Buddha also, volunteers, or you may do volunteers in the hospital center or in the nursing homes or homeless shelter. It’s the same thing.
Volunteers are wonderful. Hospitals are beautiful to help people, to share things together because we are people. We all have similar things that nobody wants, pain and suffering. We all are the same. We all want happiness.
Same thing. Only difference is some of us are men, some women. Otherwise, same thing. Some Asians, some are different, different parts of the world. We all are human beings.
We all are human beings. There’s no difference from that. Geshe-la is a teacher, but Geshe-la does not want pain and suffering. Geshe-la wants happiness. So is the student.
Same thing. There’s no difference for that. If there’s a difference, then white people may have white blood, or Asian people should have yellow blood, black people should have black blood, and South American people should have brown blood. Then you can say, oh, we have different blood now. We are different.
But no, our bloods are, if you cut out, all same blood. If you put all our bloods in one place, you cannot distinguish. Same red blood, same, you know, flesh, this contaminated five aggregates. There’s no difference for that. But people discriminate.
People differentiate. Why? Because of the lack of understanding of humanity or dignity. That’s a problem. That’s why Buddhist teachings give you unbiased, not discrimination.
Whoever is there, absolutely not. We are the people. We all live in this world, same world, different directions. Directions. So then what?
Not only just human beings, even though animals, but sometimes some human beings, they think this world is our football playground. We can do whatever we want. Animal has no right. I am going to say, you are absolutely wrong because animals live in this world. We need animals.
They have a right to live in this world. We have no right to destroy their land. This world has become both human beings and animals. But people do harm animals. Purposely, voluntarily in United States.
Also, read before I came here in Australia. I read some part of Australia. They’re cutting so many trees, you know. So these animals are now, there are some animals, they are talking about the numbers are now really decreasing now. Beautiful animals who knows someday this beautiful kangaroo.
By the way, I went to see kangaroo. First time in my life I touched kangaroo. Yes. It’s so smooth. Do you use kangaroo fur?
Yes. I realized. So this baby one is so, I was a little scared, but I asked Linda. Linda said, it’s okay. They are gentle animals.
I touched them, you know. So smooth. And first time in my life, I got some blessing from the kangaroo. I blessed them too. And I saw what is the koala.
First time in my life. And, of course, you can see National Geographic and Discovery Channel all the time. But now I can see this first time. I sent all these pictures to my students in the United States, my family, and everybody said, wow, you touched kangaroo? I said, yes, I will touch again in the future.
Why? Oh, it’s so beautiful. Something is wonderful when you touch them. It’s a beautiful animal who knows someday their numbers may decrease. And this koala, this beautiful animal again, you know.
See, sometimes we, the human, this is my point, discipline is very important. We, the human beings, are sometimes really nasty, you know? We do nasty things because of the selfish mind. Only we own this world. This is like our football playground.
That’s why, because of our thinking this way. It’s totally wrong, absolutely wrong. So that’s why we need to save animals. Help them, you know. I had a cat when I was in the United States.
I miss her. I just got an email from my student Linda. She was saying cat is doing okay. She is seventeen years old. When I adopted her, she looked very sick.
There are many cats, but only this cat looked very sick, but I said, okay, I want to pick up this cat. She was just one or two weeks old. Because when I saw this cat among the many other cats, she came to me actually. Just came to me. Other cats, they see red, you know, monk’s colors are red, they just run.
But she just meowed at me. I said, wow! And she looked very ugly in the beginning, looked like sick. I was thinking, okay, this is the cat I want to adopt. After she came to me, I treated her, and wow, she is the queen of Deerfield Beach.
She’s like a queen, beautiful, passionate cat. She became a beautiful cat, very healthy. At seventeen years old, she never, never gave me any problems. Never. But now, they say, if a cat gets old, their kidney gets a problem, you know? But not bad yet, but I’m continually corresponding with Linda.
Linda is a nurse. She is a nurse, she knows how to, and she loves cats. So that’s why I asked her to keep, and she was so blessed to keep my cat with her own cats. Okay? Anyway, manifestation is finished.
So I gave you the Three Jewels and the next thing is the four seals of the Buddhism, which is a little bit long teaching. I will do these four seals of the Buddhism next week on Sunday. Today, you learned the Three Jewels. Next, you need to learn the four seals of the Buddhism. If you do pledge and believe in Three Jewels, it’s only your faith.
So if you do accept the four seals, then that’s called Buddhist. Then your religion is Buddhism. Okay? That’s different. Next week, don’t miss the four seals of the Buddhism.
Seals are like this, almost a constitution in Buddhism. Thank you. I will take some questions. Quiet. Anyone?
You can ask any questions as part of these teachings. You can ask any questions. Maybe you may be reading some Buddhist books, maybe you are confused. You can go ahead and ask me. You don’t need to be shy. Okay?
Go ahead. Is it similar, dependent origination and dependent arising? Dependent origination is the there are twelve links of dependent origination. Twelve links of dependent origination is how we, the human beings, are established, how we really became a human being. So that’s how you need to go to the twelve links of dependent origination.
What is the origin to starting the human beings, or any beings, not only human beings. So that’s why we call the twelve links of dependent origination. It will be different than dependent arising. Now here is the dependent arising. It is everything, every existence, dependent arising.
It means everything is arising from other factors. There is no such thing exists or arises truly or naturally, that means without any causes and conditions. That’s called dependent arising. Last week, I gave you one example, same as today I will give you this watch. If you look at this watch, same story for us is just like we do clinging or grasping as truly existent.
But if you meditate on this watch, you will find that this watch exists because of so many other factors. Because there are so many, one factor is that there are many people involved to build this watch, inside many, many things, you know, whatever it is. Then now look at this plastic. Someone built this plastic from tree. I think mostly the tree.
Plastic is produced from the tree. Kind of essence comes from the tree, eventually produce the plastic. Then after the plastic, a particular plastic, they produced it to create this kind of watch. Inside the watch, there are many, many things that many, many different people created. Then now, maybe whoever is the shape of this watch, if you look at it this way, there are so many factors.
Eventually, they built it something like this. Then now, most important and final factor is the watch. Whoever is it, I will call it watch. Since then, established. So that is why this watch arises because of so many factors.
Most important factor is the nominal name I will call watch. Another example is very easy. Maybe that’s a good example than a watch. Apple. Apple produces every six months or a year different iPhones, iPads, etcetera.
Isn’t it? Let’s say recently they produced iPhone seven. iPhone already produced, already exist, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, but not yet iPhone eight. Not yet. But they are now working it to build the iPhone eight.
I’m just giving you an example. But once they built it or created the iPhone, all the equipment or whatever things they needed, they put things inside the one container. And then finally, they will call, I will call it iPhone eight. In that moment, iPhone eight was established, not now. But we call iPhone eight now because we know there’s iPhone seven already.
You know? But iPhone eight not yet exist. Only exist as a title or name. Not really the name exists. You, in order to exist iPhone eight, you need both name and the base.
Not yet, you know, the base of iPhone eight exists. When iPhone eight exists, after they build the iPhone eight, that’s a base, then this one is the iPhone eight, iPhone eight exists. iPhone seven is not the base of iPhone eight, which is totally different. Geshe-la, people call me Geshe-la, which is a nominal name, but Geshe-la needs a base to give this name or title. My contaminated five aggregates is the Geshe-la’s base.
Then name, you know, label it Geshe-la. Without base, you cannot label it or you cannot give any names. You need base. This is the base. Then they label the watch.
You cannot label the watch. No, it’s not suitable. This base is not suitable for the watch. You cannot label the flower. No.
Why? Base is not suitable for the flower. See, base needs to be suitable for its name or label. You cannot label man as a woman or woman as a man, because we have different base. Different base, suitable base you need in order to label.
This one is the man, this one is the woman. Or same as nose and eyes. You cannot label, oh, nose or my eye. You cannot do that because these are not suitable bases for the nose or the eyes. So that’s why the dependent arising is something like this.
Everything is dependent arising means everything arises from its own factors. So that’s different, dependent arising and dependent origination. Dependent origination is mostly we use for the twelve links of dependent origination. But I think I did say this before, one day we will be going to do that teaching separately. Also, as I mentioned, I think there is wheel of life, yeah?
Okay, you can see there are twelve links depending on the origination. You can see that. They give you some pictures there. Okay, anyone? I guess my question is how does Buddhism define the nature of reality?
Buddhism we call two truths, conventional truth and ultimate truth. Ultimate truth is the ultimate reality. That’s a real one or a fact one. Conventional truth is what we call something that the ordinary people’s perspective, something we think is truth or real, that’s called conventional truth. Sometimes this one is translated as relative truth.
Ultimate reality is the ultimate truth. So that one is everything’s nature is emptiness. That’s the ultimate truth, you know, which I just mentioned. The dependent arising, things are dependent arising. That means, you know, things in nature is totally emptiness.
So that’s the ultimate truth. But for us, we couldn’t realize the ultimate truth yet because of the lack of meditation on the ultimate truth. Because we are only, you know, for us, the only truth is the conventional truth. Only the conventional truth. We have problem to believing there are higher truth. So that’s our problem, not the nature’s problem.
All the truths are out there, but we need to absorb to understand what is real. See, now in Buddhist perspective, like the ultimate reality perspective, all these things are not real. All these things are like an illusion, you know, it’s like maya, illusion. It’s not real. But we, our perspective, are real.
Oh, how can you say? I’m touching that, I’m using it, and so on and so on. But we are not saying this thing does not exist. We are not saying that. If you do say such a thing like that, then it’s really, really crazy. I mean, you know, we touch.
But what we are saying is these are not real. These are illusions. Our mind is deluded, so that’s why we see it as real. For instance, a magician shows magic on the stage. During one hour or two hours, you can see so many things that many animals, you know, many things like that.
Those are for the people’s perspective, the audience’s perspective, real. After magic is finished, then the ultimate truth is there. Nothing is real. Everything is magic. For instance, many, many years ago, I heard one example.
Many, many years ago in China, at the moment, called Peking, not Beijing. Nowadays, they call it Beijing. They called Peking in the capital of China. In Peking, a great magician came and he was showing magics. There were two friends supposed to go to see the magics, and one friend already in the audience was late.
But magic started already. During those times, magic was not the same as nowadays, like a trick, you know. But at the moment, they do some kind of tantra, mantra things, and they bless the water and things like that. They hang on the stage that everybody can see. Once you see something happens to your eyes, and so now they can be able to trick very easily.
But what happened was this friend who was already inside the magic hall, he was seeing, yeah, a friend also came. The magic had already started, but now all together, he sees everybody saying, wow, wow. And another friend said, what is happening? He was a little late, actually. Look at this man who was putting the tree log inside his mouth like this. Everybody can see that.
Everybody is like this. But the person who came after the magic started, what? No, he was climbing the tree log. That’s real actually. He was climbing the tree log but most people see that the tree log was inside his mouth like this.
He was eating the tree trunk. He sees he was climbing the tree trunk or log. Sorry. Yeah. That’s different now.
What happened was he was too late. I think magician, you know, his trick was already finished. He’s supposed to be a student coming in. Usually, don’t allow it. Once the magic starts, they actually close the door.
That means they already tricked the people’s eyes, you know. But then at some point, this friend, you know, came in, but then maybe he couldn’t see whatever tricks were on this stage. But anyway, what I was saying is that once he saw the eating tree log, and another saw that he was just climbing on the tree log. That’s two different things. One is not deluding his eyes and mind, and one is deluded.
Similar to us, all are deluded. Our eyes are deluded, so we cannot see these are like magic, illusions. But now people who meditate, people who approach that level, who realize the ultimate reality or ultimate truth, they are like another person who sees the real one. That’s different. Do you got your answer?
Something like that. That’s called ultimate reality. It’s like that. Of course, there are many things we need to talk about. I think then you need to, if you can, come to the classes, any classes.
You are young, and young, you know, people are the next generation, you know, no need to believe in Buddhist religion, but Buddhist philosophy, learn. You can also help your friends and family also. It’s mind training. It’s a beautiful thing to learn. Okay?
Good. Okay, last question. Anyone? Another young man. Go ahead.
What are your thoughts on life after death and people that claim to be psychic and communicate with the dead? And is there a possibility that there’s an afterlife and what would be the meaning of that? Mostly people communicate not with the afterlife. Afterlife doesn’t exist yet. It’s a mystery.
People communicate with the past life. I think that’s what you’re talking about. Yes? Afterlife does not exist yet. You are now present, yes?
Your afterlife does not yet exist. In order to exist, you need to depart from this world, but you are still alive. You are very young now. You will have many, many years, isn’t it? But your past life is already done.
Those psychic people do communicate with the past life or your ancestors who passed away, not for the future. Do you understand what I’m talking here? I think he’s confused. For instance, does tomorrow exist now? Tomorrow exists today?
I don’t know. You don’t know, but this is very common sense. Tomorrow exists today. Maybe the future and the past are— No. No.
No. Why do we call them future? What does mean future? Future already— Okay. What contracts you are talking about?
What I’m saying is today is Sunday. Yes? Does Monday exist today? That’s my point. You don’t know, but Monday is tomorrow.
Not yet tomorrow, isn’t it? Monday exists after midnight, isn’t it? After twelve, then Monday starts. But not now. Not now Monday exists. Not now Monday starts, isn’t it? Monday only starts after twelve p.m. at night.
That’s my point. After twelve p.m. at night, Monday starts, Sunday is gone. Sunday is history. All our teachings, all our meetings are history. It’s gone. It’s past. Then now, a new day, Monday started. Similar to this life, we all have this human life.
Once we die, let’s say, I usually call it departed in a nice way. Once we die from this life, then after some time, our next life. Your next life, my next life, their next life. But you cannot communicate with your next life now. Why?
Because your next life does not exist yet, same as Monday does not exist on Sunday. That’s my point. But the past, usually people communicate with a past life that we don’t or ancestors or something. But Buddhism means we don’t believe those things are— I think your answer was the, I think they call it restoration.
What is that? Resurrection. I think something like that, you know, to talk to their mother and father who passed away to bring them here. I think it’s kind of a movie United States made also. Very big.
Clairvoyant is very different than psychic actually. Psychic can be able to perceive things, what’s going to happen in the future. Okay, maybe that’s their point. What would happen in the future? It’s called future knowing.
Maybe you are talking about that one. When you say communicate, I’m a little misunderstanding. I need to fix your answer first. I mean your question was— Psychics claim to know what’s going to happen in the future. Oh, what’s going to happen in the future, yes.
They claim to communicate with people who have passed. Exactly! Thank you, that’s my point. Psychics can be able to communicate with people who have passed. They can also tell us their psychic mind has not happened yet.
Psychic was like Nostradamus, you know, one who mentioned many things. But many things are false. Some of the things, similar things happened. World is going to be December twenty-first, which year? Two thousand and ten or, and all, it was a very kind of a revolution.
Everybody scared even though they made movies. I don’t know, two thousand and twelve, on December twenty-first of that year, the world was supposed to be destroyed. I’m not kidding you. Many people in Florida, they sold everything, they gave to the charity. Yes?
For me, I’m saying no. It’s not going to happen. I told myself, don’t worry for that. Don’t sell it. If you do that, how can you survive?
But then December twenty-first that year, everybody waited. It was sunshine. December, Florida is the winter. Oh, delicious weather, you know. People just, I told them, it’s not gonna happen.
It’s just some of the movie makers. They made one movie, they got a lot of money because, you know, they scare people first. This is what people do sometimes. But I’m not saying some psychics do have clairvoyant kind of mind. They can be able to, you know, predict what’s going to happen next.
It’s possible, but many of these do fail. I don’t know if really do have psychic power or not. If you do have a pure or real psychic power, they can be able to tell what’s going to happen. That’s your question you are asking me? I just wanted to get an understanding of, you know, life after death and what the meaning is.
Life after death and now whatever you are asking me is totally different. Life after death means reincarnation, which is a different subject. Once we die from this life, Buddhism do believe there would be many, many lives that will happen. That’s called the reincarnation, future life. But now psychic thinks or psychic can tell what’s going to happen in the future because of their psychic mind.
Which I mentioned the Nostradamus and there are many people talk about even though one Catholic or Christian priest, he was very strongly mentioning a lot of things like that, but it wasn’t happening. There are many, many fake psychics. Of course, there must be good psychics too. Some say things absolutely happen. It depends on how great psychic they are.
Okay? Good? Good. Thank you. Thank you for your question.
If you want to learn more about the future life, all these things, one class is not enough. Buddhism is very unique. If you really want to understand reincarnation or future life, there are many other tools you need to understand. You cannot just one class or one teaching can understand everything. No.
You need many other tools in order to understand well. So in order to learn those tools, you need to come here at least once a week. Then you can learn if you have time. That’s your own interest. Okay?
Thank you. Now we are going to say some dedication prayer from the gold book. You do from this book? I would like to say the Sunday class dedication from the gold book. Yes.
Look at the page one hundred twenty. Page one hundred twenty, the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. Lord Buddha, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is discord, unity. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is error, truth. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is sadness, joy.
Where there is darkness, light. O divine master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand. To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in dying to practice that we are born to eternal life, from happiness to happiness up to full enlightenment. May all beings effortlessly attain their transcendent blissful state of omniscient Buddhahood. Thank you very much. Next Sunday, I will give you a second subject which is the four seals of the Buddhism, which is very, very powerful to learn these four seals.
The four seals are considered as a Buddhist seal that we call, you know, the almost like a very strong sort of Buddhist statement. This is the meaning of the real Buddhist, something like this. Okay? Don’t miss that class because you learned today half about the Buddhism. I mean, the meaning of who is going to be Buddhist or not, and next is going to be the half. I will try to write down, but I have no marker. I’m looking at my hand. No pen.
Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Now I think we have a lunch here.
You know? Okay.