Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Geshe Kyab contrasts mundane and spiritual careers, showing how both matter for a meaningful life but differ fundamentally in scope and duration. He opens with practical definitions—lawyer, doctor, teacher, engineer—and explains that a mundane career, built through schooling and work, sustains us for one lifetime only. A spiritual career, by contrast, carries forward life to life until enlightenment. Drawing on his own path as a monk who studied at Sera Monastery to earn the Geshe degree and then taught worldwide, he demonstrates how even spiritual practitioners need mundane skills: he learned English to teach directly in the West rather than requiring a translator. Both careers rest on genuine compassion and love for others, underpinned by the six perfections. The second half addresses audience questions on brain death and machine life support, the ethics of withdrawing care, and how to speak to young people about spiritual practice—emphasizing that one must build one’s own spiritual foundation before teaching others, using patience and pleasant speech rather than force or judgment. Practical guidance for practitioners balancing worldly and contemplative aims.
File metadata (for organising)
File: Love, Life, Career part 2.mp3
UUID: d87d5092-e816-4a72-87b8-cf53e5414562
Teacher: Geshe Kyab
Collection: Geshe Kyab Jan (Geshe Kyab)
Date: 2017 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 36.9 minutes
Words: ~3,290
Okay, now, we thought we already have love and life. Now we need a career. Mundane perspective. Mundane perspective is very easy. It’s kind of occupation.
An occupation or profession, know, career can be like a lawyer, doctors, nurses, teachers, engineering, or a professor. There are many, many, many different careers you can build. So in order to do so, first you need to go to school, then primary school, high school, then college, universities, so then people get a career. Then they can work, get a job, work, make money, and then build their life, which is their mundane career is important to live. It is called livelihood.
In order to live, you need a certain career. Even though you couldn’t go to school, you can still make some career. Many people do have some kind of business things. Without going to schools, universities, colleges, people also, you know, get some career. It’s just, you know, everything depends on to person, but if you are very lazy, then there’s nothing, you know, and there’s not any career.
Other than that, I think people can be able to build a nice career in their life, which is very important. It’s a livelihood. The spiritual side of the career is many different occupations. Becoming monks and nuns, which is one thing. Once you become monks and nuns, and the main thing is they are only practising themselves, but also to help others.
For instance, in my own case, I became a monk. Then I studied in Sera Monastery. Then gradually, Geshe Lharampa, Geshe Ngagrampa, there were many, many steps I went through. Then finally, I got a Geshe degree, which is my career. Since then, I’ve given classes and teachings in the monasteries, so around the world.
I spent fifteen years in the United States, During those years, I went to many parts of the United States, and Europe, and South America, which was my career. I had some career, and because of that, can be able to build a reputation and name, so people invite you to come here. The name and reputation is sometimes really important. Not on the personal side, but in order to help other people, you need all these tools, which is very important. But then, Buddhist career is not only just to have a good name or occupation, but the main thing is to achieve enlightenment.
That is the final destination. Within this career, you know, to help others, which is very much relevant with cherishing others, generosity, morality, patience, concentration and wisdom, like the six Paramitas or six Perfections, which is very important in the Mahāyāna perspective. All this Buddhist career, I think, eventually to achieve enlightenment. Even though you may have difficulty becoming monks and nuns, but still, you can build your spiritual career. Just coming to the Buddha house, listen to the teachings, note down, then meditate the teachings, practice the teachings.
When lamas come, listen to the teachings. I mean, if you do listen to the teachings continually, you can also be able to build some career there, a spiritual career, which is good. Then, temporarily, you will be very happy. Ultimately, you will achieve enlightenment, which is wonderful. That is we all must progress to achieve enlightenment.
This is one type of spiritual side of Buddhist career, or something like that. It’s a beautiful thing to really build this Buddhist career, so it’s the progress and development. All of this happens to be out of love and compassion. That’s the only way. Out of love and compassion.
So then, you know, less self-cherishing, more cherishing others. So then, that is called helping others. As much as you can. Not only just showing that you helping others, we are talking here about the genuine helping, real, from your heart, really from your heart to helping others. Physically, or mentally, or whatever, you know, something that you can be able to help others.
Everything is person to person, your own abilities, your own capacity, but just helping others is very, very important. In a buddhist career, without compassion and love, you cannot build anybody’s career. But now, which one is most important? The mundane career is important, and the buddhist career is important. Both careers are very, very important, but unfortunately, mundane career ends after we die.
Only one lifetime. All these going to school, colleges, universities, lawyers, nurses, doctors, teachers, engineering, or professors. But that’s only for one lifetime benefit. After this life, this career ends, stops. But now, Buddhist career, spiritual career does not stop there.
It goes life to life, life to life, life to life, until you achieve enlightenment. See? But we need both, because we are in this world. I’m not saying we don’t need a mundane career. Of course, we do.
Even though, in order to practise Buddhist teachings, you need mundane career. Very important. At least, maybe you already inherited so much wealth, which is a different case. Other than that, we all need this mundane career, which is very important. Look at me also.
In order for me to teach Buddha House students, I needed Although I don’t call my career modern career, I would like to say my English. Let’s say I learned English in schools, you know, and when I was in India, of course I went to school in the United States, you know, just small, those kinds of situations. Those were mundane careers. Even though my mundane career also helped me towards my spiritual practice, to teach people, if I cannot speak English, I cannot teach directly, I may need a translator. I don’t think the Buddha House is happy for that.
Another, you know, to get someone and translate, again, arrange for that person’s house, and all these things are difficult. The point here is that my mundane career also helped me to help Buddha House students and other students. That means both these careers are very important. It’s very much relevant, you know. So is your tool.
In order for you to come here and listen to the teachings, you need some career. Very important. You need mundane career, you need also a spiritual career. Even though it can be a very small one, it’s Okay. But the point I’m making here is that we shouldn’t be only one side.
It could be love, or it could be life, or it could be a career, But we must be on both sides. The modern love of life and the career, so it is the spiritual love of life and the career. We need both them, which is very important. If I have known, as I said, a modern career, then it’s difficult for me also. Only with the spiritual career, it’s difficult to really help others, to reach others.
Because of this mundane, as well as a spiritual career, I can be able to reach as many people as possible. I’m not saying that there is only a modern career you cannot reach people. Of course, you can reach, but maybe it is better also to have both these careers, then you can reach more people than just one career, I think. But the important thing is that the spiritual career is most important than the mundane career. As I said, the mundane career is going to stop after this life.
Once we die, it stops. That’s it. There’s no benefit. But then, spiritual career goes from life to life until we achieve enlightenment. That’s the most important.
That’s it? Love, life and career. Some people are looking from the road. Hello! Come, come, come inside, like this.
Some baby, with a baby. Anyway, questions, go. Any questions? Someone is brain dead. Brain dead, okay.
No, that person is alive, conscious. Brain is dead, meaning their brain is not functioning, but there is consciousness. Why? Because it is still alive. But the brain is not functioning because the brain is dead.
It’s like a vegetable, you know. But it doesn’t mean that that person has no consciousness. The person does have consciousness. Yes, the person is still alive even though machines are supporting the person. But the person is still alive.
As I said, as long as consciousness is in it, the person is alive. When consciousness is away from the body, the person is dead. Let’s say, now think you call it what do you call that? Support. Life support.
Now, once you take out the machine, then after some time, consciousness is removed from the body, because that particular person’s situation depends on that life support. Once you take out the machine, his or her consciousness is also removed from the body, so at that moment the person is dead. Machines are only supporting like it’s conditional, it’s just conditional, not the real person alive. It is a little cause of the machine, the main thing is the machine is also helping to keep consciousness in it, inside the body. So if you turn the machine off, you’re the person that has to turn the machine off, are you the person that is the cause of that death?
That is a good question now. See, that is now sometimes very difficult to give answers. Exactly. So now, when you turn off the machine, now we need to talk about so many things. So now that person has killed that person, that patient, or not.
That’s what we need to talk about. There are many ways I can give you the answers. The point is, yes, once you turn off the machine, whoever is turned off the machine, he or she is part of the now taking life. See? That is why here in Western countries, all these things, so many people die in the hospital, things like that, we don’t like that.
For our society, if you are not anymore able to cure or survive, we like to die at home. Living in the hospital, having all these machine things, injections, or what do call shocking? Some cases may be important, it depends on the situation of that sick man. Sometimes these are very difficult to understand. Okay?
Anyone? Go. What is that? Subject: raising awareness. How can we speak to younger people?
I can take one picture. Can you film me? I’m the first I’m the first guest here taking picture from the throne. It looks very nice. I like it here.
You know? It looks very nice, really. What is that? What is that? I don’t think I need flesh.
Maybe turn on that light. Can you turn on those lights? More lights? Can you turn on? No lights?
I saw before someone turned on, but they didn’t turn off. If you turn on those lights, it’s beautiful. All you are beautiful. Look like angels here. Yeah.
No. Turned on. Those lights. No, before someone did it. After someone turned off.
Turned on, those lights are turned off, know, some of the lights. No, no. Somebody did this just now, before, then turned off. No, no, no. Somebody just I saw.
Somebody just turned on before, then turned off. I saw all those lights are turned on. Somebody did it within this hour now. I don’t know who did it. Okay, I don’t know who touched then.
See, see. Okay, now I saw. There. There. See?
No, no, don’t turn off. Turn on. Yeah, see? Yeah, here, lights, I said. More lights now.
We’re still trying to work it out. Yeah, I know. It’s confusing now. So many lights here, you know. Okay, now sit down.
Yes, I will take pictures. Smile. Look beautiful, all of you, really. Okay, look at me. Smile.
One, two, three. Okay, now questions, go. Little phone. Go ahead. Go ahead.
I don’t think it’s on, is it? How can you speak to a young person about this? How you? How how can you speak to younger people about this? How you speak to these younger people?
How can I explain? How do speak to young people? How do get through to them? About the oldest teachings? Yes.
I’m trying to talk to someone at the moment. It’s not working. Which which particular which one is you are talking about? Life? The idea of having a spiritual career.
Career. Okay. I mean, are you do you mean the way I see it, you can also have a spiritual career. You don’t have to be ordained. Is that No.
No. No. No. That’s what you mean, isn’t it? Yes.
Lay people. I’m I was talking about them myself. Yeah. I I as a monk, I became monks and nuns, you know, like that. Some people become monks and nuns to build spiritual career, but some lay people, they can also can build their spiritual career.
They don’t need to become monks and nuns or an ordained person. No. Anybody can build spiritual career. Or just raising awareness of Just raising your own awareness of helping others and understanding kindness and helping First of you need to build your own spiritual career before you go out there and teach someone else. First, you need to build a spiritual career.
So that means, first of all, you must become a peaceful human being. You must become a compassionate human being. You must be a loving human being. In order to become a compassionate human being, a loving human being, you need to come here and listen to the teachings. You need instructions.
There are not only enough instructions, you need to follow the instructions, which we call practice. Then one day you will become the compassionate human being, or loving human being. Then I think you are really not building a spiritual career, so then you can be able to teach someone who wants to become the same as you. If you have no spiritual career, how can you go out there and help people? No, you cannot do that.
What happens if they don’t want to listen to what you have to say? What happens what? If a younger person is resisting what you are trying to teach them and help them with, if that makes sense. Yes. They’re getting too attached to other things.
You have to check. You cannot push people. You cannot force people. If you do, you will fail. As I said, first, you need to show them a good role model.
In order to do so, you have to learn yourself first, which is very important. Many times parents try to force their children, before you force them, first of all you try to learn all these patience and other things, all of the spiritual career, then sometimes it’s difficult even though you build your own career. In some cases, children, young people, it’s very difficult to teach them all these beautiful things. But you need to wait. You must be patient.
You you must be patient, and talk to them in peacefully nice way, you know. So, are the and the sūtra says, Dulwa Moshi. In the Vinaya Sūtra, says, Dulwa Moshi means like a teacher must be the four ways of attracting of students or disciple. One of these four is speaking pleasantly. Pleasantly speak.
Smooth speaking is very important. When you talk to someone, if you want attract someone into a spiritual career, you need to speak to them smoothly, gently, and pleasantly, which is very important. And also the practice of generosity, you need to give something what they want. You have to trick a little bit. Someday they will come to you.
This way you need to bring them towards the spiritual career. Cannot just yell at them and force them, or judge them, you cannot do that. Patience is the most important. Okay, it’s a very long question. Are you asking me, let’s say one person is practising the practice of detachment, and another person is not practising that detachment, and then it brings some conflict.
That’s the main thing you are asking, yes? Okay, then how can you fix these issues? Yes, that’s difficult sometimes. If one person is practising Buddha Dharma, he or she may be trying to be in detachment, but still wants to have this relationship without the strong attachment, but still they want to be together, but another person has a very strong attachment, maybe he or she is not really practising the same practice as that partner does, but now you are saying how to fix this problem, not losing your relationship with each other. That’s what you are talking about, yes?
So that perspective is if, first of all, every relationship, try to work on it, try to, you know, try to work, to it as as you can. That’s what you need to do. After trying so much, still the same problem, same issues. If you are having all these negativities, then sometimes you have no choice, you have to be separated. What can you do?
There is nothing that you can do for it. But before, what I was saying was divorce, times people do, which is sometimes people do this thing just for fun. Little small things happen, separate. Small things happen, without dealing with the issues. But now your one is talking about really trying to deal things together to work this relationship to keep it lasting long, but still one side is not practising, but one side is practising.
It’s very difficult, but in some cases, then how can you live like that? Can you? That’s why you need to ask yourself questions now. Can I live? Can I be patient forever like this?
If you say yes, it’s different. If you say no, then you have to go separately. What can you do? There’s no choice. There’s no choice now, you know.
Other than that, small problems. Small, smaller problems, I think a couple needs to be practiced by patience, try to understand. A couple needs to space each other, he needs to understand your situation, you need to understand his situation. Understanding each other’s problems is very important in a relationship, I think. I’ve never been in that kind of relationship, but it’s very understandable.
Even though my teacher and me, like he is a teacher and I am a student, we have a relationship with teacher and a student. Also, we need some space. I need to understand my teacher’s situation. My teacher also needs to understand my situation. He cannot be mad at me all the time.
Sometimes the teacher does that, but I need to understand why my teacher is mad at me. Which is a little different than a couple problems, but some of the cases are the same thing. It’s very important that if there are two people, you need space. Both people need some space. Both people need understanding each other’s situation.
One becomes very hot, another person may try to cool down, pour some water. Then this one is very hot, this tries to become some cool down and put some water. But both become fires, and that’s a big problem, you know. So these are the, I think, couple issues. So that’s why the Buddhist teachings are, I think, answers my perspective.
Okay, thank you. Now, please look at the Buddha House dedication prayer. Touching please. Lord of Dharma, who is confident with the glorious deeds of those to be subdued, make sure in the light of your well spoken advice, secret Ganden tradition, essence of the Buddha’s teaching from most holy Lama to you, Lord Supreme. O Lama, please, please, live long.
Thank you very much. Good night.