Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 98-minute teaching, Geshe Kyab explores Chapter Five of the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation, which addresses how to recognize and work with the true “enemy.” He reframes the Buddhist understanding of foes: the real adversary is not external but internal, rooted in delusions such as anger, attachment, and ignorance. Geshe Kyab walks through the nature of mental afflictions, their origins in karma and previous actions, and how the Buddha’s 84,000 teachings each offer an antidote to these 84,000 delusions. He emphasizes vigilant awareness—watching the mind in advance and stopping disturbing emotions before they escalate into hostility and harm. Using the example of anger, he describes how anger begins as upsetness, builds to intense anger, and finally transforms into dangerous hostility if unchecked. He stresses the need for daily practice—meditation, contemplation, and analysis—to develop patience, love, and compassion as genuine antidotes. He also shares personal stories about karma, including his experience at the Ganges River that shifted his understanding of cause and effect. The teaching is woven with practical advice on maintaining balance in difficult relationships and jobs, emphasizing that spiritual practice must extend into all areas of life. Pitched at practitioners with some Buddhist background seeking deeper understanding of mind training and the transformation of emotional afflictions.
File metadata (for organising)
File: The Eight Verses of Thought Transformation 2016 10 27.mp3
UUID: f062c446-7959-403f-958f-b03152ee3808
Teacher: Geshe Kyab
Collection: Geshe Kyab Eight Verses Thought (Geshe Kyab)
Date: 2016-10-27
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 97.9 minutes
Words: ~10,770
Good evening everyone. Please look at the prayer book, inside the prayer book, page number. Thirty four. I go for refuge until I am enlightened. Namo Buddhaya.
By the practice of giving and other perfections, may I become Buddha to benefit all sentient beings. May all sentient beings have happiness in the causes of happiness. May all sentient beings be free from suffering in the causes of suffering. May all sentient beings be inseparable from happiness that is free from suffering. May all sentient beings abide in equanimity, free from attachment for friends, hatred from enemies.
Reverently, I prostrate with my body, speech, mind every type of suffering I have accumulated. I declare all my actions accumulated since beginningless time, rejoicing in merit of all holy and ordinary beings. Please remain until the end of cyclic existence. Turn the wheel of Dharma, I dedicate all my merits to those of all others to great enlightenment. Short mandala offering.
This ground anointed with perfume and flower, adorned with Mount Meru the four continents, the sun and the moon, imagining this as a Buddha field and offer it. May all sentient beings enjoy this pure light. Now let us recite the mantra, Avalokiteśvara mantra. Thank you. Can you you drop I don’t want this cold water.
Just drop it. Yeah. I think I have hot water here. Yeah. The eight verses of thought transformation.
The eight verses of mind training. Okay, just leave it here. Thank you. So today, I am starting from chapter number five, which is dealing with the foe. So the dealing with the foe.
So today, we need to understand exactly what does mean foe and who is the foe. The and how one can able to recognize the foe, which is also the, you know, enemies. So in Buddhist perspective, the real, you know, foe or the enemy is the inside, not outside, especially the anger, hatred, hostility. You know, these are the main foe or the enemies. But for us, regularly very difficult to understand that enemies that we usually recognizing as outside one, really they actually happen to be because of the from the inside anger.
But if you do not meditate, if you have no teachings like this, then it is very difficult to understand the real, you know, foe or the enemy enemy is the inside, which is the anger or all those mental afflictions. So this is the point the as I mentioned before, Dharma teachings are really called Dharma mirror. You know, it’s a very until you see the mirror, you can see the all the flaws, you know, whatever you have on your face or body, then you can able to fix it. So that’s what we call Dharma mirror. When you hear the Dharma, Dharma teachings like this, then then really, you would understand the, you know, flaws that, you know, arises from one’s own mind.
So then there would be solutions that one can able to solve the, you know, the problems applying the antidotes. So all these four that here is the today’s class is dealing with the foes or the mental afflictions or delusions, I’m giving you different there are different translations. Sometimes translated as defilements, delusions, mental afflictions, negative emotions, you know. So, there are many different translations translated. Meaning is the, you know, delusions, which is the, you know, inside emotions.
They usually we talk about the three poisons, four poisons, and there are the six six root of delusions. There are also the twenty secondary delusions, you know. Generally speaking, the the eighty four thousand mental afflictions or the delusions, eighty four thousand. Buddha taught us before he passed away eighty four thousand scriptures. Those eighty four thousand scriptures taught us to really to, you know, avoid the eighty four thousand mental delusions.
That means each of the scripture antidote to those each of the mental afflictions or the delusions. So that means our mental afflictions are so how I say, it’s very much the dangerous, you know, because these mental afflictions eventually bring us so much pain and suffering. So because of the mental afflictions, eventually arise the pain and suffering because we are accumulating negative karma. So this is the point the Buddha’s teaching the Four Noble Truths. Second noble truth, Buddha taught us the noble truth of the origin of suffering.
So what is the origin of suffering? Delusions and karma, which is the, you know, two categories of origin of suffering, delusion and karma. So now, delusions, this is what we are talking about here, the foes. Of course, also, as I mentioned, there are eighty four thousand delusions. Of course, you don’t need to know all those eighty four thousands, but at least, you know, usually the the three poisons or four poisons like desire, attachment, aversion, and ignorance, and jealousy, and so forth like that.
Also, there are also the six roots, which is I mentioned, six roots of delusions, and the there are twenty secondary delusions. The, something like that. But it’s very, very important to understand the all these mental afflictions. See, until you hear the teaching And the next, if you really contemplate and meditate, then if you really analyze it, then you would understand the how much these delusions really when they arise, they are ruining our life. Just we no need to go to very far away.
Just think about the anger itself. Unbelievable. You know, we all get angry, hostility, one way or another. So we need to check now. When you get angry, what would you what would be consequence?
See, but we don’t. Usually, We don’t analyze it. Then now then we tell, oh, I know anger is not so good, but it’s very difficult to avoid it, and so and so. But it is childish. Of course, we all get angry as a normal human being, you know, but there is a way one can really analyze it, understand the disadvantage of anger and advantage of patience, an advantage of love.
So this is the point. Many, many, many Buddhist book, you know, talk about the love and kindness and compassion, which is very important. There is no one just the particular, you know, teaching that can able to solve every problems. No. You need many, many different categories of the teaching even though just one particular mental reflection as an anger in order to eliminate.
Yes. Usually, patience to anger. For order to patience, that’s usually we usually we teach the opposite of the anger, so it’s the love. But in order to really understand how love and patience can able to eliminate the anger, then now you need to learn what does mean love, what does mean patience. When you learn what does mean love, what does mean patience, then teaching is going to be expense.
See? This way you need to learn. Buddhism is not only just black and white, not like that. You know? All the time, there is a middle path.
So everything is the, you know, it has to be learned different angles. You have to look at the different angles, different angles of the teachings, then you need to bring all these things together in one side. Then you can get it exactly the the how important all these different different different teachings. Even though some teachings may be simple, you think it is simple when you hear it is simple. However, but if you really meditate, that teaching is not simple.
It’s great. Teachings, every teachings mean to be life changing. Mean from negative to positive. Even though if you look at the all these prayer books and Buddhist prayer books, everything is teaching. But unfortunately, just reading sometimes hard to understand.
But so that’s why the teacher is very important. Communities are very important. You have here. You have many wonderful teachers, guest teachers, resident teachers. Now I’m here, you know, try to help people, give commentary as much as I can.
So and do some questions and answers. This is the opportunity, great opportunity to take this advantage. Change your life. You know? So that’s we need to do.
So that’s why the this kind of teaching, eight verses of mind training is very, very important. Because of the mind training is the really the solution that can able to solve the problems, many, many problems. You know? Some problems can be solved, the problem can be become big problem can be become smaller. Some problem maybe you can totally you can able to make it disappear.
It depend how much you practice, how much you understand the Buddhist philosophy, and how much you meditate, how much you analyze. Analyzing is very important. Buddhist teaching must be analyzed. Buddhist teachings are not something that just believing what Buddha said, you know, in his teachings. No.
Just analyze it, you know, analyze. Daily base, you need to analyze, and check it out. Vigilant is very, very important in Buddhist teaching. And in mental alertness, you know, mind must be alert. It’s very, very important.
All teaching must be analyzed. So that’s why the we’ve got this beautiful mind. I’ve been talking talking to you all the time. We have this beautiful mind, which is I’ve been saying, utilize. What does mean utilize?
Analyze. Check it out. All these teachings. Even though one one paragraph or one simple words, try to understand it. Try to understand really what does mean that.
Sometimes, you know, students do expecting very, very advanced teachings like tantric initiations and empowerment, this and that. Good. Wonderful. But how can you get those tantric highs, yoga tantra tantric initiations and all these high, you know, advantage teaching? How can you you you can learn if you cannot analyze one simple Buddhist teaching?
See, how can you go there? Then there’s no foundation. I’m not saying tantric initiations and empowerments are not important. Of course, that is the final we must we all must practice tantric. That’s the final one, especially the this called vajrayana.
Mahāyāna, we call Mahāyāna Sūtrayāna and vajrayana. It vajrayana teachings are very, very important. It is shortcut to enlightenment. But order to learn and practice vajrayana, you need the foundation as a sutrayana, which is the Lamrim. Lamrim is the best thing one can learn.
All these teachings are part of the Lamrim. Lam, which is the path, rim is the stages or steps, stages of the path to enlightenment. My teaching Tuesday also the part of the Lamrim. But if you do want to learn the Lamrim Chenmo, which is the great Lamrim by Lama Tsongkhapa, so is the if you do want to learn the middle lamrim by Lama Tsongkhapa, we have those translations. Everything is to your own ability, your own time, how much you want to learn, you know.
We cannot just teach the teachings that students are not interested. You need some interest. We the teacher and the center need your interest, how much you want to learn, what, you know, what really you want to learn. So, this way, then we can able to build the step by step different different teachings. Although, now Buddha House do have wonderful teachings, I am giving three classes almost.
There are some other, you know, the the student assistant also giving some meditation, some Lamrim teachings, healing things. Wonderful. I mean, you know, it is very important. So point is the all of these teachings that we give in Buddha house meant to be to eliminate the delusions, eliminate the mental afflictions, all of these teachings. Different different different ways people teach.
But order to eliminate the delusions, as I said before, we must be analyze it and our mind must be the calm, which is very important. Order to calm one’s mind, so this point is the meditation is very important, especially the calm abiding meditation. Also, calm abiding meditation translated, as I mentioned before, many different ways. Sometimes translated, single-pointed meditation, single pointed meditation. So is the calm abiding.
Then the Sanskrit, it’s called Samatha meditation. Tibetan, we call it Shine, peace. You know, abiding, you know, abiding peace. So that’s very important. If your mind is not calm and in peace, you cannot analyze.
So that’s why this first and basic meditation, shinay or calm abiding is very, very important, mean that. Without meditating shinay or calm abiding, you cannot achieve second second, the most important meditation, which is we call analytical meditation, which is the Vipassana. Tibetan, we call lhagtong, lhag tong, special seeing. Sanskrit Vipashyana, English there are many English translation. Again, penetrative insight, sometimes insight meditation, you know.
So, that one is the more analytical meditation. See, if you do analyze, as I said before, then you will understand the reality, actual fact. But mostly, we don’t do that because once you reanalyze, you need some time to analyze, not only just the time, also you need certain instructions in order to analyze, which is sometimes very much lacking. Why instruction is lacking? There are two reasons.
One is the instruction is lacking because of the you couldn’t attend these classes. Second one is the you did attend these classes, but you didn’t listen well, you know, or maybe another one, three. Third one is the maybe you did listen well, but maybe you didn’t contemplate contemplate well, that’s why gone. It’s you already, you know, forget everything. You know, you already forget it.
So that these are the problem because of the laziness. So there are the Buddhist book give you which is very very important how to listen the teaching, how to practice the teaching, and there are in Lamrim Chenmo, although I don’t have translation today, there are the beautiful, you know, analogy book give you how to listen the teaching and and false are the when you you know, there are some faults when you come to the class and, know, the not listening teaching. Maybe you are sleeping. Maybe you are listening, maybe your motivation is not right, maybe you are listening the teaching, but you could not hold it. You know, they give you some example as a container, you know.
Some containers are no, there is no, the the the leaking container. Once you put the water, it leaks away. So some container is dirty inside when you put water. So mean that mean that water cannot drink because of the inside is dirty. And some container, it’s covered.
You cannot pour the water inside. So these are the example, but actual one is the correct you need correct motivation. Wrong motivation is not good. And a second one is the you need to listen the teaching if you sleep and same as like that container is covered. There’s nothing you can pour the water.
Leaking, you know, on this ball is the you are listening the teaching, but then next time everything’s gone from here because of the lack of mindfulness. Those kind of example book give you. Anyway, point I am making here is the whatever teachings that the Buddha taught us meant to be to eliminate the mental afflictions or the mental delusions or the defilements. We got to be start, isn’t it? We got to be start something Even though it is small practice, it’s okay.
You don’t need to be same. Oh, I cannot practice same as like a dog. You cannot just compare with other people because it’s everything is your own time, your own, you know, ability, your own interest, your own wisdom, but we all are not same. Some people may, you know, learn more than you. Some people may be less than you.
But just learning and practicing is very important, not like many, many hours meditating, not like that. Here is the most important thing is the quality, not the quantity. You need qualities even though you are meditating just five minute. Just five minute. If quality isn’t good, someone is meditating hours, quality is not good, you are better.
Because the your meditation quality is much better better than his or her, you know, quality. So that’s why the quality is most important, not the quantity, that is what I mean. Okay? So in order to understand the quality of the meditation, you need to listen. That’s my point.
Listen first. Second thing is the contemplation. I’m repeating this again and again. It’s very important. So because Donald Trump was repeating the many things about the Hillary Clinton, now people believe Donald Trump.
Geshe-la is going to repeat all this. I’m not Donald Trump, but I will going to repeat the all these teachings again and again. So maybe one day sticks in your mind. I know the the Geshe la all the time tells, which is good. So I will going to repeat that.
Have some patience. Okay? Not patience for Donald Trump’s repetition. Okay? I think now people believe, really, because he was repeating Hillary Clinton is a liar and untrustworthy.
Now many people do believe. Even though some people want to vote voting Hillary Clinton, she is trustworthy, but I would like to vote her, not Donald Trump. Even though her own parties do believe now she is not trustworthy. She lies. We are not gonna lie.
Every politician lies. I will not gonna be surprised for that. I saw some of the news Australian prime minister, they are talking. I was laughing. Wow.
Wherever you go, India or United States here, there are something something all the time. But don’t worry for that. You know, point here is the I do repeat because of the then you can hear this again and again. It’s good, you know. Have some patience.
Okay? Okay. Now we look at this verse from the eight verses of mind training, number three. Vigilant. The moment a delusion appears in my mind, endangering myself and others, I shall confront and avoid it without delay.
So so this one is the dealing with the foe. In this translation, he is saying, in all my actions, may I watch my mind, and as soon as disturbing emotions arise, may I forcefully stop them at once since they will hurt both me and others. This is beautiful. So same same meaning, different translations. Okay?
So here is the it’s called you the vigilant awareness. So which is the as I mentioned before, mental alertness. You need to alert. Mental alertness is very important, you know. So watch for mind.
I used to tell spying once a mind to spy. The where is my mind? Is my mind is in a right direction or is my mind is wrong direction? See now that is you need a lot. You need to really be vigilant, know, awareness to analyze it.
So that is very important. But then if you do not, if you are just following the external, just the, you know, from the external objects without thinking or without really the analyzing, just if you are following whatever you do in daily base, looking at external objects, then it is difficult sometimes because the our eyes are sometimes a big problem, you know. When you see one projects, then you believe into it. Before you believe into it, of course, eyes are all the time open. We look at here, the everywhere we touch and we feel.
Before you really believe in that object as so beautiful, whatever is it, you need to analyze it. It’s very important. So but I will give you more details. I have something here, so I will give you later. It’s very important.
So now this one is talking about the in all my actions, may I watch my mind. And and and as soon as disturbing emotion emotions arise, may I forcefully stop them at once since they will hurt both me and others? That’s exactly the we had this little conversation before and and and just to concentrate on anger, let’s say, you know, that’s one of the worst negative emotion than any other negative emotion. Śāntideva, a great Indian master Śāntideva said in his book, the way of the bodhisattva, which is the I will going to do in new year twenty seventeen. Okay?
So the that book mentioned the chapter number patience. That’s anger is the one of the worst negative emotion than any other negative emotion, any other negative emotion. Patient is the one of the best, you know, virtue than any other virtue. Patient is unbelievable. So the so that mean when so now I’m just talking this particular verse.
When you’re starting to get angry, first thing is the, I would say, upsetness, let’s say. I think that’s maybe first step of the anger. Like when you try to upset something, you know, upsetness, that moment you needed to be vigilant, understand, okay, now anger is arising. So immediately, stop it once. Immediately.
So that is exactly the now here. If you don’t stop it, next moment, that upsetness transform as anger. Even though there is a time to stop, even though when you get angry actually, upsetness is part of the anger, but not so really the angry angry, but still it is part of the anger. Let’s say, first moment when you get upsetness, if you’re able to stop it, wonderful. But if you couldn’t stop it, let’s say you get angry next thing, still that the the that emotion is not so great yet.
Just getting angry is not not so strong emotion yet. You got the chance to stop second chance. Stopped it. Wonderful. If you cannot stop it, then now you got a problem.
What happens? Anger transform as a hostility. Now see, then it’s very, very difficult to stop it. Hostility, hatred, hate. Oh, that’s unbelievable.
Now now it’s very difficult to stop it. Then you may hurt others. Of course, you are hurting yourself. Maybe sometimes after everything is finished, you may be regretted. Think everything’s finished.
It’s too late now. You may already hurt someone. You hurt yourself. Finished. That’s it’s very foolish, isn’t it?
How these things happen? How, you know, this the all these bad things started because of the simple upsetness beginning. See, there is some degree you need to check. You wouldn’t get angry like this right away. No.
Starts somewhere. But we don’t analyze usually these things or, you know, we just let it be like that. Anger starts somewhere. So that that is the moment you must be vigilant. I must stop now.
Sometimes it’s difficult when you are with the people, you know, whatever is happening and interacting two people arguing, whatever is it, it is difficult. But that moment is some people ask me what can I do, Geshe lah? Get out from there. Best thing is just get out from there. Get out from there, little quiet area, do some breathing meditation, inhalation and exhalation, just quietly and do do say some mantras, this will help you.
But if you stick there with the people, that person is not practicing any buddhadharma, isn’t it? He or she not gonna be stopped it because they want to win. They think winning is the most important. Conventional winning, I am talking about it. But then if you react as same as that person, then what is the different that person and yourself?
You supposed to be practicing the patience and the love. Why? Because you are a Buddhist practitioner. That person is not Buddhist practitioner. If you react same as like a dead person, what is the worth it coming to Buddha house listening to all these teachings years and years.
See, think about this way. You must be different than that person. If you really want to win, I’m talking here is the spiritual perspective of winning. Worldly perspective, yes. People, you know, harm other people.
They think they they won. Let them let them victory. Let them give victory. Okay. But actually, you got the victory.
They they lost it. You got the victory. Why? Because you practice. You practice, you give them victory and and and because of the your practice, then now you are not in that much emotions as that person.
And that person is totally disaster, you are not. See, in reality, you really win the know, what whatever situations where. You really win that, not that person. He think he or she thinks maybe they did it, let him do. Mundane perspective, yes.
So this way, really, we need to, you know, dealing with the foes, something like that. It is a very, very important one thing is the it is very difficult to do when you’re really facing something like this. So that’s why the before or daily base, even though when you are very calm, you need to do this meditation. You need to you must be ready. Remember, as I said this before, you must be wearing some sort of armor, you know, I think nowadays they call it a life jacket.
Yes? Yes, life jacket, isn’t it? Life jacket. Somebody shoot your bullet, you will be okay, you know. Used to be as in Indian time, they wear some kind of armor before they go to war not to get hurt themselves.
But now this life jacket. Bulletproof. Blade proof. Thank you. Yeah.
Blade proof. Yes. That’s called bullet proof. Oh, life jacket is for the water. Oh, okay.
Okay. But now here is the bullet proof is better than life jacket, I think. Yes. A bulletproof. Yes.
And that’s what you need to wear. Here is the bulletproof is the your practice. In in in in advance, when you are calm, you need to bring all these conceptions, all these teachings, and meditations. And you need to, you know, do this ready to fight. If you’re you would going to feel something like, of course, we do, you know, then you are ready there to fight.
But you have this bulletproof jacket. If they really shoot you, you are okay because of the you have such a great this practice patience and and and the love, all of things, you know, maybe you can just smile. You know? See? How beautiful.
That’s you need to do. But if you don’t practice regularly and and if you are not prepared this this the practice, then it’s very difficult to practice when you’re actually really friction with the people. But here is the main thing is the, you know, I’m talking about the friction with the people. That’s the most think people do get kind of a, you know, situation all the time. With your children, sometimes yes.
With your husband or wife or your neighbor or your special coworkers or your boss. That is a big problem, isn’t it? You need to practice, sometimes you have to practice tolerant. You worked here, you have no choice. But sometimes, I had some of the students, wonderful students, lack of patience, they all the time lose their job.
They fire again, fire. Very, very intelligent, a short temper. No, My boss is not good. I’m saying you got to be keeping a job. You cannot do that all that and getting firing, you know, like a Donald Trump.
You fire you in, you know, like that. Oh, one there’s one young man. One year, four or five job. Very smart. Very makes lot of money.
Yearly, one hundred and fifty or seventy five thousand dollars because of the IT. That much. But cannot keep the job because of the short temper and their boss is, you know, very strong, and then he loses job all the time. I have been telling him, you will be big software Now you’re young. When you get older, you will be big problem.
You have nothing. You are like a Heart Sūtra emptiness. Nothing. You will be one day like that. You’ve got to practice patience.
Patience is not only for the spiritual meditations. Everywhere, you need patience. Look at even your job, you have no patience, that’s why you’re losing your job. It’s very true, isn’t it? So what can you do?
You need money. You need in order to get money, you need a job. You got the job, but your boss is little strong, but you have no choice. Sometimes you must be tolerant. Even though you are not tolerant as a Buddhist way, but that’s you need to do.
Otherwise, then keep in firing all the time, getting firing, firing, then, you know, difficult, isn’t it? So that’s why the in advance, whatever is it in your job or or the people, when you what what circumstances, what situation that that would be you get angry. In advance, you need to meditate. This advantage of anger, advantage of patience, and and and the love, all these beautiful teachings. This will help you.
I’m not saying what the books are saying. I’m saying because of the my own experience. You know? So I am also normal human being as a we all are normal human being. We all get one way or another.
Sometimes we loses our temper. Even though monk like me or Geshe or teacher, sometimes Dalai Lama also hears. See? This happens. Of course, I wouldn’t say Dalai Lama is a normal human being, but he was acting as a normal human being.
He was just acting. You know? I I must be careful. You know? But he was acting as a one of us.
Of course, the the reality, Dalai Lama is Tibetan Buddhist perspective is generally seen as Avalokiteśvara. But I can just talk about myself as a normal human being. Yes. Why not? This happens sometimes, you know, or loses our mind, especially, sometimes you are busy, so many things going around you.
It is very difficult to, you know, put things together. And and then now, here coming somebody here in so much like this. So these things happens. That’s okay. But we need to deal with the things peacefully, wonderfully.
Order to do, we need to meditate. We need to understand the reality. We need to understand the not only just the what Buddhist book says, also you need to understand our past history. You need to go to past. Not you shouldn’t be bringing past in the present, but you can learn from our past.
Our past that and you know because of the hostility, what was the results, learn that from our past. So then now, just ask the questions to oneself. Would you like to go through this again? See, if you say yes, you got it then. Of course, normally we say no.
Then now, this is a practice you need to do. See, Learning from the old past is very important. Many people don’t look at that way because we all gone through problems and like a pain and suffering in our past. You have to check it out how this happened, what was the really the the cause that really arises all these things in in the past. We have to check it out.
So then you need to stop it now. So that is the smart way to stop the in all these mental afflictions, understanding the past history. See, there’s a way many different ways you can able to really fix these problems. Otherwise, you get all these problems again and again and again and again and and again. You couldn’t fix the problems, then again you get the problem.
Then sometimes you panic. You know? People do that panicking. Oh, why? Then why it’s me.
Childish. Why it’s me? Like me me. Again, there is a very strong selfish mind. Does not make a sense.
Not not only it’s me. This happens for all of us. This happened to all of us. Maybe only me, maybe some people couldn’t practice. That’s a problem.
So what can we do? There is no tantra or god come to you and clean all your anger. Nothing like it’s not this doesn’t exist like that because of your anger is the arises from your own previous karma, and and and so that mean the it’s you are the one who really do have responsibility to clean the anger and other mental afflictions. Nobody can go inside of your mind to clean the anger. Of course, Buddha and Buddhism wish that, but unfortunately, those this does not exist that way because karma is the individual.
So this point is the anger arises. I think in your past teachings here, the resident teacher taught you the Wheel of Sharp Weapons. That teaching is exactly the give you the each of these results comes from the the past. See, all that negativity and past negative karma and then results, see, now the Wheel of Sharp Weapons is now circling, giving you results. See, like that.
So that is very understandable. So these are the, you know, there would not be any results without causes. There would not be any results if you do not cause. Results happen to be because of we cause something. So that is why now results.
So then once you understand this relationship between cause and effect, that mean results come from the cause. No cause, no results. So, now we should not be causing then, then we would not get the results in future. So, that is understandable, is it not? So, this way, how can I stop creating causes, so that is here is the, we are talking about the stopped getting angry, stopped getting jealousy, all other mental reflections as much as you can.
That is a point here. So that now we try to stop causing, then there wouldn’t be any results. That’s called karmic consequence. You know, the karmic law of cause and effect means that.
Once you cause something, you cannot skip it. You cannot skip it. You cannot skip because there will be results. So see, all these are the it’s beautiful. Actually, the Buddhist teachings are very much logical, and it’s very logics.
The yes. Little complicated. I shouldn’t say little, quite complicated. But it is very true, really, especially the karma. Oh, yes.
When I was in the monastery beginning, I memorized many of these texts, and my teacher taught me so many teachings about the karma. Still, I did not get it. I didn’t I wasn’t believing in karma. What is that? You know?
A little monkey mind, young mind, you know, still it’s very difficult to understand. But then my teacher pushes sometimes. You you need to meditate. That that one, this one. And my teacher was very smart.
This teacher is Geshe Dharag who passed away in the 1980s in Switzerland. He was my first teacher when I came in monastery. Lama Yeshe knows very well my teacher. My teacher is the two classes, I think, then Lama Yeshe. My teacher knows Lama Yase very well.
Lama Yeshe knows my teacher very well, Lama Yeshe. And Dalai Lama was very much, how I say, he praised my teacher because of the my teacher is very much he was Geshe, but also a freedom fighter, a Geshe freedom fighter. You know, he he worked for Free Tibet in nineteen seventy. I I came to Monastery in nineteen seventy three. I am you know, he worked for those things.
He is very even the one day, I was young, just thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years, he came back from Madras. Do you want to hear? Yeah. Okay. Okay.
Then I will drink first this water. Chinese prime minister came to Madras. What is that? It’s cold. Oh.
Cold? No. I’m warm. It’s just one cold in this morning. Yeah.
Close. Close. There is a you have no blanket? No blanket? There’s some blankets.
Okay. Drink hot water. Forget it. Yes. Greg, I don’t think you need to record this one, what I’m going to say.
When when people listen, this this gesture is crazy, you know. The mental reflections, we do accumulate the karma. But I was taught to understand the karma first. Mental reflections are okay, yes, I know the anger, all these things. But karma is very difficult for me Then I don’t know which year we went to nineteen seventy, seventy five or four, no, no, no, maybe late 1970s, I think Bodh Gaya, there were there was a Kālacakra initiation from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
He took us all his students. We went there. It’s a very, very poor condition. And nowadays, people live in hotels like that. But our time was, oh, unbelievable.
But was so happy even though, you know, very poor condition. It was so happy then nowadays, really. I miss those time. Although foods are not good, clothes are not good, my clothes are lot of patch because of the you cannot buy new one. But now you need to wash old one and and tall one, you can cut it and you can patch everywhere.
It is tall like that. But nowadays monastery, I don’t think anyone can wear such a thing like that. Anyway, he took us this Bodh Gaya. Then we went to after Kālacakra Kālacakra is finished, then he took us around the Bodh Gaya on a pilgrimage. Then he showed us all these sick people, lepers.
He was trying to telling us, look at the some has no hands, no nose, all these things are, you know, and he was saying, he was explaining a little about previous karmic results. Then after that he was, he took us to the Varanasi. Varanasi, he took us to the Ganges river and there you you know the there are so many cremations in in Ganges River. He was saying this is the we all need to go through one day. Then he was showing us, look at it now, the dead bodies.
So lying there, and some bodies are already cremated, and they are throwing ashes into the water. That moment, I don’t know my other friends, but for me, in Varanasi one is the, not in Bodh Gaya. You know, something in my mind really kind of a yesterday, there was something like a realization. Small realization, ordinary, not great one. Small realization.
Oh, okay. Then then when I come back from from the Ganges River, I really strongly learned, understand, and meditate. But still, it was very difficult, just eighteen, nineteen years old, you know. Now I’m thinking I did good even though such a young age. Sometimes it’s very difficult.
Brain was small. All these teachings are so profound. It’s very difficult to absorb everything, you know. But then I asked my teacher, it is very difficult. He said, your problem is that you want to absorb everything in very very short time.
I was saying, yes, That’s not good. He said, go step by step, which is I’ve been telling my student now. I was like that. You know? It’s good.
Actually, I was very good. I can do that, but not only insightly, only just intellectual. You know? See? I was very good for the memorizing also.
I can memorize within one hour, almost ten or fifteen pages, very easily memorize. But just but not insightly. It just and I can say after without looking at the book. Very easy to I have this mind, but not in the really practice. See, that’s that was still lacking.
But I did not understand then. Since then that Varanasi, then I said, yeah. Then really the practice, now inside practice is the most important than just the understanding the all these teachings, like just the knowledge. That is my small ordinary realization. Since then, I really do believe in karma very strongly.
Of course, eighteen, nineteen, then twenty, I supposed to be becoming fully ordained. Only after twenty you can get the fully ordained vows, but I didn’t do. I wasn’t sure. I really want to know. When I was twenty two or three, then then I decided, yes.
Now I want to become fully ordained monk. So that’s why my dear friend, very close friend, now he is just recently he was elected in the Ganden Shartse Monastery, Lama Omze. He’s a one just new Lama Omze now. Then we, he and me and many of other monks, we went to Ganden Monastery in the main court, and we got fully ordained vows from His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. So then since then I became fully ordained, it’s much better because of the blessings.
So then much, you know, the I believe in karma very much. Then I ask so many questions. Some people saying there’s no karma. Then I try to argue with them. Yes.
There is karma. If there is no karma, then why all these things? How things are arising? How all this good or bad, whatever is it? These are not coincidence.
Let’s say the when I meet some stranger, very pleasant, some stranger, you see very pleasant. You’ll you wanted to talk to them. You want to be with them. But sometimes when you see some stranger, you didn’t feel good about it. Both are stranger for you.
Yes. But one is that you feel very pleasant. One is you feel unpleasant. Oh, I didn’t want to be with them. Even though you are not talking to them, just sometime you get this kind of feelings.
If this is not karma, then who did it? Think about that. What is this? Why? One person, both stranger, they are not your your friends and family or your enemies, just a neutral being, stranger.
But some person you feel when you look at them so pleasant. You have no idea who they are. Some people you feel when you look at them, you know, little bit, I would call it hectic or something, you know, agitates or no, I do not know. You feel that, two different feelings. One is the pleasant, one is the unpleasant.
Why these two different feelings? Why? Not a person. Why do you have these two feelings? One is the pleasant, one is the unpleasant.
If these two people’s gender, they are the condition to feel pleasant and unpleasant. But actually the pleasant and unpleasant feeling is the comes from your own previous karma. Maybe one person you feel pleasant because previous lifetime, you may have some pleasant, you know, good karma with that person. So now you meet them when you even the stranger, you feel good. The another one is you may have some issues, problems in the past lifetime.
So that’s why now you feel unpleasant. So see, that is the exactly the the Wheel of Sharp Weapons give you all this the karma in its results. So that’s very understandable. That’s why, you know, I think karma do exist. Otherwise, who did it?
How these things happening? Why we have so two different emotions? God did it. Buddha did it, Buddha did it, Dalai Lama did it. No.
It’s just your own. Why God or Buddha or Buddha did not do? People that I feel pleasant, somebody may feel unpleasant. See? People that I when I look at them, I feel unpleasant, somebody may feel pleasant.
So that’s called karma is the individual. Thank you. Break. Ten minutes. Yeah.
Okay. Now the hearer is the I was thinking to read some verses from down there, but then from here is the Lama Tsongkhapa mentioned on his book Lamrim Chenmo in his great treatise on the stages of the path, which is the Lamrim Chenmo mentioned by Je Tsongkhapa, Lama Tsongkhapa, describes ten disturbing emotions and attitudes as follows, which is the ten root delusions. He describes how attachment or desire which focuses on internal and I’m sorry, external and internal. Attractive and pleasurable objects is as hard to get rid of as oil which has sucked into a piece of cloth. The stain made by even a small drop of oil quickly grows and spreads.
That’s an example attachment. If you don’t stop it, then like this. Once the attachment or desire is active, it tends to grow and we soon have difficulty in separating from the object of our attachment. That one is the example I’m giving you. Then now down here is the hostility or anger is directed towards living beings, pain, weapons, or different aspects of the environment which are seen as sources of suffering.
It is rough and malevolent state of mind characterized by the wish to harm. So anger is very easy to understand. Actually, this book also mentioned anger is very easy to understand. It’s obvious. Anger is the attachment is the problem.
Remember, anger of course, not every anger, many of the anger arises because of attachment. But then attachment is the very hidden, very much like hidden. Here is the definition of the attachment. Desire or attachment, an attitude of regarding impure and contaminated objects as as being worthwhile and attractive. So that’s how, you know, we see or or feel attachment is something like this.
Impure and contaminated objects as a worthwhile or the attractive. So so that mean the it’s not a good or bad. It’s very true that the attachment is the object of the attachment is the, generally speaking, the it’s impure and and and and the contaminated. That’s how, you know, really here is the or attitude of the regarding impure and contaminated objects as being worthwhile and attractive. So this is the our attitude when you attach something.
What does mean impure and contaminated? So that is the now most important we need to understand. If you look at the any objects, I think I did mention this before. Any objects, it’s going to be things or or or the people or his body or her body, whatever is it that the generally speaking, these are the contaminated, which is the one of the Buddhist seal. It says the the all contaminated things are miserable.
So the object itself is contaminated and impure, but then problem is the our attitude. We don’t see it that way. We see the those impure and and the and and the contaminated object as a pure and beautiful and attractive. Attractive. So that’s that’s attitude.
But then the reality is the these objects are contaminated. So then Buddha Buddha said the one of the seal, one of the four seals in Buddhism, all contaminated things are miserable. Eventually, the miserable pain and suffering. That’s very true. It’s very, very true.
The unfortunately, because of the ignorance, we ignore all these related teachings that Buddha taught us. We do know the attachment eventually, you know, bring us pain and suffering, but still continually we really move towards attachment. We really could not detachment. That’s a problem. Could not detachment.
Why? Lack of practice. Lack of practice of detachment. So that you need to understand. But remember, there would be I did say this before, good attachment or or good desire or the bad one.
Good one is the regular that the we do love our friends and family and parents to children, children to parents, teacher to his students, student to teacher. We have this kind of attachment or the love that we call which is the good one, you know. But this attachment or the desire also need some balance. It it can be bad attachment if you don’t make some balance. It’s possible.
You know, it’s possible. But then then then the then the eventually, you know, things will be really called the the miserable. Everything going to be then becomes more really difficult, very difficult then sometimes. So the impure an attitude of regarding impure and contaminated objects as being worthwhile and attractive. That’s a definition of the attachment.
There are four types of desire. Desire through looking, desire through smelling, touching, and embracing. Four different. Looking, smelling, and touching, and embracing. Tantric practice, these are very important, but we are not there yet.
Tantric practice, once you approach high level those tantric practice, especially highest yoga tantra. Insightly, if you don’t know how to practice, then these are very important, especially embracing is very important. So we call tantric consort. You need consort to perform all these things. But now beginning, we had this conversation before, you know, and these are the good to be balanced, especially the lay people.
You know, of course, someone has a family, you know, married, all these things are, of course, it’s very normal, but still this lustfulness, all these things are really needed to be balanced, you know. So the otherwise, if you really you really check very carefully, we know the results are not good. Jealousy and sometimes harm each other, unbelievable. It’s very, very difficult sometimes when I meet people, all these kind of things, divorce things. Unbelievable.
I didn’t know the divorce is such a terrible in in United States. It must be same as here too. I meet many, many people, my students. So students. So sad.
What can I do? First of all, I’m as a Geshe or as a monk in different culture and tradition, how to understand all this conception. But then I met some people beginning. Then after that, I bought one book, try to understand the culture and tradition. Book was quite expensive actually, thirty five or something dollar because I want to learn something that when maybe I can help people.
When I learn everything is the I read only half of the didn’t want to read everything. It’s just nothing. It’s just wasting time. It’s a kind of foreign means like gossip. You know?
I don’t gossip like that. It’s just but then but I read it half of this book, then I give it to someone. See, I understood the conception system and and built it about the divorce in United States is unbelievable. System. They already believe built one system there, then then the then the people believe into it.
But then that system for me is the absolutely negative. Sept diverse system that they built it, absolutely negative. There are lawyers, even the bus stations and the train stations, divorce lawyer. Big, big, big, very like this. When I drive, when I go to the center, every time when I drive, it appears in my eye that they put because they they put a lot of money.
Then I pray, wow. Even, you know, people put all this advertisement. Advertisement. See? But that’s a system.
They built it. But but my perspective, it’s very negative, you know, when I read that book. But I’m what I’m saying is the negative. I’m saying is the when I look at the Buddhist perspective, it’s very negative. And then then then, of course, other perspectives, everything is in business.
See? So they built it kind of a system, then people believe into it because of all this advertisement. And but then this become very common to just get married and after after some time thing doesn’t do well, then just separate it. Again, married and separate it like this. And then I read one article, this famous, very, very famous Hollywood actress, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth. Six or seven times. Wow. That’s that’s a quiet I mean, you know, one or two. Okay.
That’s understand. Six, seven times. Wow. She must be very, very strong. I don’t know.
Really, it’s a for me, it’s a oh oh, and it’s I know. I’m sorry to say that. I’m a little judging, but just the it’s just from my own side is I feel I cannot sometimes I cannot hide it, and it’s it’s true. So it’s too much, isn’t it? Seven seven, eight times, one or two, or maybe three, let’s say.
Okay. But that’s too much. But then this is not only these actors. There are many like that in United States, you know, divorce. Then during the divorce, it’s so it’s so difficult.
I feel so sad. What can I do? Beginning of my life in United States, then people coming and talking about all these things are so painful. Then I’m looking just my own mother and father and saying, wow, they’re really blessed. I never and I wasn’t going through all any problems because my actually, my father passed away when I was very young.
My mother married again my stepfather. Wonderful, wonderful man. He passed away in nineteen ninety one or two, then my mother stopped, you know, because she needed man because it was very difficult when I was young. She need to walk and so that’s why after my father, she got another, but he passed away. Not that they cheat each other.
But point is the things like that happen, which is is very normal. I mean, but divorce seven times, marrying eight times, and then again separating. That for me is very hard to understand, you know, very hard to understand. Anyway, point is the then the the the okay. Let’s say you’re divorced.
You couldn’t get along, happens. You want to, of course, understandable. But there is a nice way we can separate it. Nice way. Sometimes that is the main problem.
This happened in my own students. After that, try to hurt each other. One is the Buddhist practitioner, another is not practicing Buddhadharma, not coming to the center at all. One is the practicing, but then that person couldn’t give the wealth what other other other one wants. See?
So not that point is that now they are fighting, you know. And I said, give victory. That’s the best thing you can do. Of course, you cannot give everything, but just finish this one. Otherwise, you need to keep and do this, and lawyer lawyers are becoming more richer and richer and richer and richer.
Doesn’t make a sense. Just say, go. That’s the best thing to do. That person did it. After a few weeks, he came back.
I’m so happy now. Although, I still in the process of the divorce. What can you do? Wealth is important, I know. But if wealth is bringing so much pain and suffering, just let go.
Then why? That’s hard to understand sometimes in the rich people, their mind is very difficult to understand, you know. Maybe I’m not really understanding. Maybe if I become wealthy like this, maybe I’m going to be the same as like them. I don’t know.
Maybe some kind of, you know, this when you become very wealthy, maybe something you may become kind of a different sort of a life, all this arrogant mind. I don’t think so, actually, really. If you do practice Buddha Dharma, you can able to make balance. Absolutely. Yes.
That’s the that’s the I would like to say sure. If you do really practice, if you do really understand the pain and the suffering, all contaminated things are miserable. If you do really understand, then those kind of a, you know, situation, just let go. Give them victory. Give it give him or her victory.
Just let go. Finished. This happened. I’m not saying it’s really happened. So then peaceful now.
Everything is finished. That’s it. Oh, that way, just sitting there and not letting go, then fight and fight and One year, then next year. Sometimes it’s many, many, many years. That’s one thing.
Sometimes they try to hurt each other. So sad. I mean, you know, it’s very, very sad. The system, they built it. It’s a reticular.
Everything’s a business. Lot of business. Two people are getting divorced. We’re supposed to be free for them. We’re supposed to be help for them, but but these are the, in in some people’s perspective, business to make money.
Unbelievable. That how can you think? How can you make money? These two people are suffering. They try to hurt each other, but then some people taking advantage to make money.
Oh, I’m sure you have this thing, but I have not seen the divorce lawyer in any any sign in this area. Seems to be nice. And even though I was in Burnside, I have not seen there. Even the city, really, have not seen. It’s very different.
Oh, Florida is radio. No. It’s on the radio. Radio? Radio.
Maybe many people, I don’t think they listen nowadays radio, which is good. Even though I have not seen on the television advertisement, commercial in the in in all area in Florida, as I said, you know, that chair, you sit down on the bus station, backside of chair, huge. And these letters are very special even though night shines like that. Unbelievable. When light you know, when you drive, your car light goes there.
There somebody told me, I asked some kind of very special painting. Oh, yes, Kishela. These paintings are very expensive. Little light, it it shines. It’s very true.
I was driving. This sometimes, it’s it’s really irritates irritates me because this all the gear, and that’s way I need to drive every time. See how many people are driving that area. It is make you, I’m here. Watch me.
Buy me like that. It’s very sad. And, also, they they put down on the bus, big big letter, bus. You cannot see the bus, these windows, you know, all this. Sometimes they put down the naked woman’s photo like like this.
And downside, they put down many, many thing. It’s very strange. It’s very, very for me, it’s it’s really not a place for the monks, actually, really. It’s especially for young monks. Very, very dangerous.
When you see these things are, you know, oh, maybe it’s beautiful. Somebody told me many monks came to United States. They disrobed. Mostly they disrobed because of they went to beach. That makes sense, isn’t it?
Many young monks. I was when I was in United States, I said, wow, then we should not go in beach that much, you know. But I was already quite thirty nine or I I I was okay because I already in my mind is there, you know. But young monks, they come to United States and then go to beach and they see all these things. And then then tell, wow.
Why I’m in the monastery? Why I’m not here? I’m so glad that now I’m here. Okay. Jump.
Finished. Somebody told somebody did this kind of a check. Many monks like that. You know? Anyway, temptation.
So this mind is monkey mind. So because of the, you know, all these reflections that mentioned here, desire is the very hidden. It’s not not same as like a anger or obvious. Desire is very much, you know, beginning. It looks so beautiful, blossom, flower.
You didn’t realize until you, you know, get hurt. See? So that’s exactly the and this book was saying, it’s very much hidden. Okay? Uh-oh.
Time is now passing. I can take one question. Anyone? Go, go. Sorry, go.
Quickly. Good practice Can you say it again? I was just thinking of a a good practice. Mhmm. To be the Vajrasattva practice.
To At the end of the day Uh-huh. The Vajrasattva mantra. To say Vajrasattva’s mantra in your practice. And you reflect, you know, how you you look at what you may have done wrong during the day? Yes or no.
Because Vajrasattva’s mantra is very, very powerful. It’s a mantra to purify the past negative karma. But just say, don’t don’t, you know, misunderstand what I’m going to say. Vajrasattva’s mantra is very important to say. This mantra is the saying the which is we did yesterday, purification mantra.
You can purify the even though you accumulated very, very strong karma in the past, this mantra can purify. However, but you need to say properly, and you you need to raise motivation. That’s the one thing. But only saying Vajrasattva’s mantra, very difficult to eliminate the selfish mind and desire and and the all these angers. Desire, attachment, anger, selfish mind, in order to eliminate them, you need to analyze.
You can you need to get experience, which is I mentioned. You need to analyze it or you need you need to understand the disadvantage of anger, advantage of patience, and love. All these teachings needed to be understand. Then top of that, like a support, if you do say Vajrasattva’s mantra, very good. But only depending on mantra is no good.
Not gonna help you. Just praying, doing nothing, not practice, just praying. Good, okay, but not that much benefit. Just saying mantra is good, but not that much benefit. You got to be practiced.
Practice doesn’t mean that only saying mantra, not stopping those negative emotions. No. Practice, the real practice is what we call nyamlen. First, you need to understand all these things. Next, you need to stop it, especially the ten non virtuous actions.
Then you are really practicing. Okay? Good? Yeah. But you can say Vajrasattva’s mantra is very important.
Daily base, not only just evening, you can say morning, you can say afternoon, you can say evening, or you can say before you go to bed, say it every time. There’s no time for the mantra only evening, say, not to say morning or afternoon. No. Anytime. Even though when you’re walking, if you memorize, say it slowly, you know.
It’s okay. Okay? Good. Bed? When you’re in bed and suddenly you want to say it, please?
Yes. When you’re on the bed, just sit nicely and have the mala. Say Vajrasattva mantra as much as you can. Then blow on the mala, place the mala, and go to sleep. Wonderful.
But not in a lying position. What is that? A lying position, lying down. And better to not to say lying position. Just before you go to lying down, just say it, and then sleep.
Okay? Of course, sometimes you can people say, if you are sick or if you couldn’t sit this way, then you just lie down and you can say. It depends. Buddha house dedication prayer, please. The page number thirteen.
Page fourteen. Lord of Dharma, who is acquainted with the virtues, dispositions of those to be subdued, make clear in the light of awareness and working advice, the sacred Ganden tradition, essence of the Buddha’s teachings, foremost in the holy lama to you who are spring. O lama, please please live long. Thank you very much. If you could, you can memorize this Mikme Tsekpai.
Why? Because in December, I think it is December, there would be Lama Tsongkhapa’s death anniversary. So we need to say this mantra. We need to do many, many candlelight offering or the light offerings like this. And and hopeful, I don’t know if if it’s possible around the Buddha house, we need to walk and to say this mantra.
If it is possible, I don’t know. In in in in the Florida, we do in whole area. We walk, you know, with saying this mantra. So if you don’t memorize now, then you don’t need to carry this book which is good to memorize. Otherwise, carrying this book and one candle together, and now you have to look at you need to look down there.
Three things is difficult, know. Only two eyes, then go to memorize this one. Krishna, when we sing it in the Guru Puja, it’s a different tune to when you’re just saying it, or is it just we have a different tune? Which one? Last one.
This is we do in Sera. And this tune that Yes. Really different. There are another tune too. There are many different tune.
This one is strictly especially we do when the Lama Tsongkhapa’s anniversary, every monk’s monastery, they decorated so many lighting things. All monks walk around circumambulation around the monastery saying this like that. Yes, singing. Yes. Well, one is the We do say that one too, both, okay?
If you like to say this next one, okay. If you like to say, that’s quicker, little like that. Thank you. Good night.