Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Geshe Kyab launches a multi-week teaching on the Seven Point Mind Training, a foundational Mahāyāna text composed by Geshe Chekawa in the Kadampa lineage and transmitted from Atisha’s 10th-century teachings. Before diving into the formal seven points, Geshe Kyab establishes the essential groundwork: the necessity of generating Mahāyāna motivation rooted in great compassion for all sentient beings rather than self-benefit, the rarity and preciousness of human rebirth, and the accumulated merit required to progress on the path. He contrasts three scope levels of Buddhist practice (small, moderate, and great), emphasizes that mental transformation must follow learning and contemplation before meditation and realization take root, and illustrates these principles with practical examples of detachment, generosity, and how authentic spiritual practice differs from worldly political ambition. The talk is pitched at practitioners seriously committed to understanding and applying mind-training teachings, not casual listeners.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2016 11 17.mp3
UUID: 78583fb2-c0b3-4867-854b-6a0cfbf6a4c3
Teacher: Geshe Kyab
Collection: Geshe Kyab Seven Point Mind Training (Geshe Kyab)
Date: 2016-11-17
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 98.6 minutes
Words: ~10,610
Let’s look at the page number thirty four in gold book. I go for refuge until I am enlightened in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. By the practice of giving and other perfections, may I become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings. English. May all sentient beings have happiness and causes of happiness, Beings free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May all sentient beings be inseparable from the happiness that is free from suffering. May all sentient beings abide equanimity free from attachment for the friends hatred from the enemies. English. Reverently I approach with my body, speech and mind, present offerings of all types, actual and imagined, I take care of all my negative actions, accumulated since, beginningless time, Rejoice in the merit of all holy beings. Please remain until the end of the cycle of existence.
Turn the wheel of Dharma for living beings. I dedicate all my virtues. Short mandala offering. English. Adore with Mount Meru the four continents, the sun and the moon.
Imagine this as a Buddha field and offer it, May all sentient beings enjoy this pure land. This tune for the short mandala offering, there are many different tunes. Regularly in the monastery we do same tunes that just we did it. And some special occasion we do the other one which is we used to do, know. I thought maybe I should do this different different you know short mandala often too.
You can learn different different one. Okay now look at this mantra. Thank you. I think I may need your WiFi ID. I have some of my notes.
I don’t know, I cannot see it. It’s in iCloud, so I need to check this from my iCloud. If you have one. Do you have any WiFi here? Think I’ll go and check.
I think it’s Buddha House, all one word with a capital b, o seven. Yeah. That should be it. Yeah. It says Buddha House.
Yes? Yeah. Is the Buddha House. And what was the Twenty seven. Twenty seven?
O seven. O seven. O seven. O o seven. Capital Capital b o seven?
No. Would you like me to get that set up? It says Buddha house. You know? Yeah.
But with the capital b for the Buddha, house, one word. Okay. Buddha, capital b. Yep. House, one word, then zero, and seven.
H. You mean h? No. Just one word. All one word.
Just b, capital b, then what? You have to say buddha okay. B u t t. So buddha house together? Altogether?
Zero seven. Altogether. I think now it’s working. Thank you very much. So today, this new class, the seven point mind training.
So I have my Tibetan text here. Seven Point Mind Training, Seven Point Thought Transformation. This particular teaching, seven points, thought transformation composed by the Geshe Chekawa. Geshe Chekawa is a Kadampa geshe of many, many centuries ago, eight, nine, ten centuries. Geshe Chekawa received this teaching from one of Atisha’s disciples, and Atisha is the founder of the mind training teachings.
Of course, generally speaking, the Buddha already taught all different mind training teachings thousands of years before, but Atisha, think tenth century, Atisha was the great master who came to Tibet also later. That’s why this teaching he taught in Tibet. Atisha went to Indonesia, Sumatra I think, Indonesia. His teacher, Serlingpa, great lama Serlingpa, was in Sumatra in Indonesia. So Atisha went there to get this kind of teachings.
Then Atisha got these teachings from the mantra and his teacher, the Lama Serlingpa. He came back to India, of course, and he must be taught these teachings to many many his disciples in India. But then, you know, then one century Atisha was invited to Tibet. So Atisha came to Tibet, and of course, then he really taught so many mind training teachings that he received from his own lama. So this is one of the mind training teachings Atisha taught to his disciples.
Then one of his disciples taught this teaching to this particular Geshe Chekawa, Kadampa Geshe Chekawa, great great Geshe. So then now Geshe Chekawa formulated this teaching as seven points beautifully. Seven point mind training. So this way these teachings are established. So of course, you know, I can teach this seven point mind training teachings within this hour.
It’s very easy, know, only seven points. But it’s to teach a little more detail so it’s going to be a few weeks. So that’s why you need patience, you know. Generally speaking, seven trainings are the first training is the preliminary supporting Dharma practice, preliminary teachings. Second one is the training the mind in a path to enlightenment.
Then the third one is bringing unfavorable conditions into the path to enlightenment. Then number four is integrating the practices in a single lifetime. Then the fifth is going to be the measure of a trained mind. Sixth is going to be the commitment of mind training. And seven, advice regarding mind training.
So these are the seven point mind trainings. Today we need to talk about before we start the seven point mind training teachings, it is very important that why we should be listening and learning these mind training teachings, is very important to understand. The second one is the most important thing is the motivation. People, different interests, motivations. So these are we need to talk about it.
Now Atisha taught hundreds of mind training teachings actually, really. So among all of these mind training teachings, of course there’s nothing I can say on this one is better than another one, absolutely not, know. So every mind training teachings are wonderful, but the later Tibetan masters they compose different different ways and different different levels. But in the mind training, the Mahāyāna mind training, especially this context is we are talking about the Mahāyāna mind training. Even though not only just the okay.
Leave it that way. I don’t want to make this more, you know, deeper way. Mahāyāna mind training. I used to tell people that every Buddha’s teachings, generally speaking, it is mind training, you know. But then many times you can see the Buddhist books when mind training, you know, considered only as a Mahāyāna mind training.
But I would like to say generally every Buddha’s teaching is mind training, you know. But here is the why this particular text, why they’re called Mahāyāna mind training because here is the most important thing is the bodhicitta or a mind of enlightenment. So mind of enlightenment or bodhicitta or awakening mind or altruistic mind, different translations. So these are the bodhicitta. Let’s say bodhicitta is the one you can only be able to realize or possess after training in the Mahāyāna teachings.
So that means this is really the real thing is the bodhicitta. Because the bodhicitta is the profound mind. Is the I say it is such a beautiful and wonderful mind one must achieve. So the bodhicitta, yeah, bodhicitta. Is the mind and bodhi is the enlightenment, mind of enlightenment.
So that’s you know the main thing here is they call mahayana, training the mind. So that means now our mind is not yet achieving bodhicitta, but we are supposed to be you know, on the highway to the bodhicitta, then enlightenment, you know. So we try to achieve bodhicitta to become bodhisattva, So that’s meant to be all these teachings like that. Know there are many many teachings. So you received it from the teachers, so it’s meant to be finally to achieve those Mahāyāna path then to achieve bodhicitta.
Then continually after achieving bodhicitta then you won’t go down, continually step up up up then eventually you will achieve the fully enlightened ment. So when I say enlightenment, sometimes people are confused. Enlightenment can be confusing because there are three different enlightenments in Buddhism. Because of the Buddhism there are two different vehicles, hearers and solitary I mean Theravāda vehicles and the Mahāyāna. Now Theravāda vehicles, there are two different categories of the Theravāda practitioners.
So one is the hearers, one is the solitary realizers, and then the next one is the Mahāyāna vehicle, the Mahāyāna, where mostly the bodhisattvas practice Mahāyāna teachings. So when you look at that perspective and there would be the three different enlightenments. One enlightenment belongs to hearers, second one is the solitary realizer, and third one is the Mahāyāna which is the bodhisattva. After some time they will go into attain enlightenment. That one is the fully enlightenment.
hearers and solitary realizers do achieve enlightenment, their own enlightenment. That one is not fully enlightenment, it’s a partial enlightenment. Okay? That’s you need to understand. Otherwise, sometimes you can hear many times different different enlightenments, and and sometimes we only focus enlightenment is just the Mahāyāna enlightenment, you know.
No. hearers do have their own enlightenment, solitary realizer their own enlightenment, and Mahāyāna is their own enlightenment. So Mahāyāna enlightenment is the final enlightenment, which is we call full enlightenment. It’s a fully enlightenment. There’s nothing above the Mahāyāna enlightenment.
That’s becoming Buddha now, you become Buddha. Also when I say Buddha, same thing. The hearers and solitary realizers, they also, you know, once they achieve their own enlightenment, they also call Buddha. But they are the partial Buddha. Again, not like a fully, enlightenment or the Buddha like that.
Śākyamūni Buddha, you know, achieves the fully enlightenment, which is the Mahāyāna enlightenment. Okay? So now we have choice really, know, and also your own intelligences and your own capacities, abilities, interest. Everything is different individual to individual, so how much you want to learn and which enlightenment you want to achieve choices are out there, so you need to choose. Buddhist books say that very strongly: wise and intelligent people choose, from the beginning, to engage the Mahāyāna path rather than the Theravāda path.
So that means you know there must be very, very intelligent and very strong wisdom, you know. But some choose okay I really don’t want to engage Mahāyāna right away. First I want to practice Theravāda, hearers or solitary realizers, then gradually I want to engage Mahāyāna path like that. Some know I don’t accept Mahāyāna, Buddha taught only the Theravāda teachings. Sometimes we translate it Hīnayāna but sometimes it’s you know those practitioners they are not so happy when I say Hīnayāna.
It’s a little like a lowering for them. So that’s why we, teacher, we try to translate Theravāda Buddhism, you know, it’s much better. So there is no Mahāyāna teachings. Buddha never taught Mahāyāna teachings. Buddha taught only the teachings for Theravāda practitioners.
Even though no Mahāyāna exists, So those practitioner perspective, they only practice Theravāda paths and teachings when they achieve their own enlightenment and they think that’s it. Same as like I’m same as like a Buddha, you know. I’m same as like a Buddha. So because they really didn’t talk about the Mahāyāna things. I think I did say this before even though Nāgārjuna, one of the great, great Mahāyāna masters and pioneer of the Mahāyāna.
After Buddha passed away, the Mahāyāna teachings almost disappeared in this world. But it is a long story, in short: Nāgārjuna was the one who established the Mahāyāna teaching. You know. Although Mahāyāna teachings are there but very hidden, people couldn’t practice Theravāda teachings and practitioners are very much obvious.
It’s very active, you know. So that’s why many, many Theravāda practitioners mistakenly think that the Buddha never taught Mahāyāna teachings. But Nāgārjuna came into this world after three hundred years after Buddha passed away, Śākyamūni Buddha. Then he established know Mahāyāna teachings, you know sūtra name, the perfection of wisdom sūtra. So then the Mahāyāna really again, how I say, really you know, renew or whatever you call, you know, it started something that way.
But then his aunt Nāgārjuna’s cousin or nephew was Theravāda practitioner and he says Mahāyāna does not exist. Mahāyāna is the non existence. The Mahāyāna is the like a sky flower, something does not exist. And my uncle is follower of sky flower. That’s he was one of his cousin or nephew was saying something like that.
But they are a great practitioner but something is maybe they’re mistaking, you know, and that they are lack of understanding whatever is it. So that’s why many of the Theravāda practitioner, they did not believe Mahāyāna does exist. But anyway, so because now there are three different practitioners and three different enlightenments. So then three different achievements. So now we have choice.
But actually the Tibetan Buddhism generally considered as a Mahāyāna Buddhism, you know, Mahāyāna. But it doesn’t mean that the Tibetan practitioner does not practice Theravāda teachings. Of course, we do, especially the different noble truth. Supposed to be teachings, you know, Buddha taught to the Theravāda practitioners. But of course Mahāyāna does it.
But when Mahāyāna does it, different noble truth very different than Theravāda practitioner. But basic is the different noble truth. When Buddha turned the wheel of Dharma, the great wheel of Dharma three times, one of his wheels of Dharma he turned to the Hīnayāna practitioners. So when you look at it this way, yes, I mean the Mahāyāna practitioner also do practice the Theravāda paths and teachings. But all of these are different, different teachings, different, different paths meant to be eventually to achieve enlightenment.
As I said before, different people, different interests, and different desire. So if there’s only one teaching, let’s say Mahāyāna, maybe there would be many people interested to learn Mahāyāna. There would be many people, oh, it’s too much for us. I cannot learn Mahāyāna teachings. I’m not interested.
So for that, those those, you know, people’s for those people, maybe the you know, if teachings, you know, about the Theravāda I mean I mean, Theravāda teachings aren’t good for them. So see? So, I mean, you know, the it’s different choices. I mean, but what all these teachings and the paths mean to be the eventually to achieve enlightenment, I think. But some, as I said, once they achieve the Theravāda enlightenment, is the foe destroyers, which is typically we call it in Tibetan, means they are, you know, in Sanskrit it’s called the arhat, their arhat, foe destroyers.
Once they achieve, they achieve their own enlightenment and peace. Their mind is peace, completely peace, beautiful. So that’s their thing. nirvana is peace, you know, so they so they like it. So then they they just, you know, stick with it.
And and they’re not thinking to do any other practices, any teachings. Teachings. Just that’s it. Now I’m achieving enlightenment, know. But then other things, no no no no, yet not achieve enlightenment.
There is a Mahāyāna. I must engage Mahāyāna. So at this point the most important thing is that they need to develop great compassion. So see now great compassion is the door to enter Mahāyāna. So in order to do so, so this point is the now we did talk about my Tuesday class.
There are two different ways know cultivating bodhicitta. One is the seven causes and effect, second one is the exchange self and others. So these two different paths eventually you can able to develop in great compassion. Once you develop in great compassion that’s a door to enter the Mahāyāna, then next to the great compassion then then result thought, the bodhicitta, mind of enlightenment. So that’s it.
So that’s why Theravāda practitioner, they are not yet engaged in Mahāyāna because of the lack of great compassion. They do achieve compassion. They do have much much higher compassion than other compassion but not yet great compassion. Because great compassion is, objects of the great compassion is the other sentient beings beside yourself. But now Theravāda practitioners still they hold themselves, you know some certain degree of of the selfish selfishness they do you know.
So that is why they have no developed great compassion compassion yet. Only they can able to develop great compassion after, you know, entering, after trying to entering the Mahāyāna path which is they need to practice the six perfections and also they need to develop seven causes and effect, which is one of the mind training generation, exchange self in others, and sūtra. So then now they really try to engage Mahāyāna like that way. So all teachings do have have its own order, you know, and achievements. But but doesn’t matter which teachings are eventually related to achieve enlightenment.
Even though it is small one or or doesn’t matter. Okay? So this is just I’m giving you little idea the, you know, Buddhism that the, you know, not only the Mahāyāna Buddhism, there is Theravāda buddhism also. So that’s why they call two vehicles. Two vehicles, Theravāda vehicle and Mahāyāna vehicle like that way.
Okay. Now the motivation. This particular one is the motivation must be the Mahāyāna motivation because this is the, as I mentioned before, it is the Mahāyāna mind training. So that mean you need motivation same as like a mayana motivation. What is the mayana motivation?
Mahāyāna motivation is the, you know, benefit for the all other sentient beings. You know, benefit for the all other sentient beings. This particular motivation is the great scope motivation. You know so that is supposed to be actually, but this is not like a mandatory must be you know supposed to be great. There are three scopes in a lamrim.
There are three different people, three different scopes sometimes translated on the three different practitioners and also the three different capacities. There are different different translations in Lamrim teachings and there are three different practitioners or students or disciples. Person of small scope or capacity, moderate, then the great capacity or scope like that. Because of the three different practitioners there would be three different motivations. But what I was saying is that here is supposed to be the motivation, the great scope motivation.
Let’s say now, first of all, some may be raising motivation as a person of small capacity or the scope, you know, which is the am listening the Buddhist teachings. I’m contemplating the Buddhist teachings, meditating Buddhist teachings, practicing Buddhist teachings just to, you know, go to rebirth in next lifetime. So this motivation is they call the small scope motivation. Repeat again, I am listening the teachings, contemplating the teachings, meditating the teachings, practicing the teachings for good rebirth in next lifetime. That’s a small one.
Now second one is the same thing, my listening, teachings, contemplation of the teachings and meditations and practicing not only just good rebirth but free from saṃsāra, free from cyclic existence. So that one is the moderate scope or the or the capacity, moderate capacity. Remember, the first motivation and the second motivation, although second motivation is much higher than first motivation because first motivation is just to rebirth, good rebirth. But doesn’t matter if you go to rebirth, you will be rebirth again in the saṃsāra, you know, see. But that’s why the second motivation comes free from saṃsāra.
All my practice, teachings, these teachings that I do to free from the saṃsāra liberation, which is much higher. But still both of these motivation holding yourself, you know, I. Remember I. Say I. Here I.
Both comes I. So that’s why it’s it’s very different than the this last one. Great scope motivation in great scope is the not saying I, you know. Now this one is the other sentient beings. I do listen the teachings, contemplate the teachings, meditate the teachings, you know would be a practice on the teachings for other sentient beings to achieve enlightenment.
So that motivation is that becomes great motivation, great scope. It is the also the motive Mahayana motivation because you are not saying, I want to go to rebirth. I want to free from suffering. Instead, other sentient beings. So this becomes a very, very huge and very unimmeasurable motivation because when when when, you know, when saying other sentient beings, not only human beings.
Even though how many human beings in this world? Seven seven billion? Three or seven? Seven. Seven billion.
Yeah. Only human beings. But we are talking about the human beings who are in this continents, like a six or seven continent. That’s why we are talking about it. There would be many many other human beings.
We are not talking about it. Look at the only in in this earth there are, you know, billion human beings. Now there would be many other human beings. So now if you look at it this way, there would be many animals, hungry ghost, hell realms, god, and goddesses, demigods. If you look at it, then this way, if you think about sentient beings is the is complex sentient beings.
So this motivation is the now dedicated other sentient beings, not yourself. So that’s why the Mahāyāna or the great scope motivation is the that one is the one of the highest motivation. So this particular today’s seven point mind training supposed to be this motivation we need it. Okay? This motivation we need it.
Just raising a motivation like this lots of benefit. So usually, you know, the the people just do and raise motivation only for yourself. Maybe today, just for today, we all raise motivation, you know, not not not the yourself, although, you know, other sentient beings. I’m listening seven point mind training teachings from Geshe la, but my motivation is the to benefit other sentient beings, to benefit other sentient beings eventually to achieve enlightenment. That’s why I want to listen these teachings today, starting by today, and I will be contemplating this teaching same as the you know for other sentient beings to achieve enlightenment.
I will be meditating these teachings, same thing benefiting other sentient beings to achieve enlightenment. My practice is also there for them like that, you know. So that’s what we will going to do. Okay? So just the few seconds, we all are going to raise this great scope of motivation today.
Go ahead. Thank you. As I mentioned, just raising such a motivation is the tremendous, you know, merits, unbelievable kind of a merits. We all accumulate it. So Buddhism merits are very, very important.
Merits are not like a luck. It’s just a, you know, it’s kind of a, you know, your own, you know, something you did it and you are accumulating some kind of a energy or some kind of a really great this the positive energy. So that’s very important in Buddhism. Merits. Buddha’s sūtra.
Your dreams will come true from great merits. If you do accumulate in great merits, your dreams will come true, Buddha Sūtra mentioned. Even though just just to meditate something, you know, let’s say, calm abiding meditation, like, you know, place placement or single pointed meditation, which is the one of the basic meditation, we are not talking about the realization yet. We are what I’m saying is that just meditate well, calm abiding, there would be nine steps. In order to meditate on calm abiding well, you need merits.
Absolutely. Lack of merits, sometimes even though one simple meditation, very difficult to do it because that’s a lack of merits. Although the cumulative merits, so that’s why the motivation is the benefit for the other sentient beings, and there would be many, many rituals, tsog offering things if you are a Buddhist, if you’re interested. So and here in Buddha house, you know, organize so many different pujas. So it’s meant to be to to accumulate more merits.
So it’s the also your own home. Also, you can do like a purification practice and and and, you know, the the practice of the generosity, things like that, you know. Actually, there are in in in one of the great Indian master, the Vasubandhu, he mentioned in his book, Abhidharmakośa Karikas, Jale Chumi Sonam Dü Yün Da Jale Ma Chumi Sonam Dü. There are seven different merits from the substantial material, from the materials, you know, from the from the materials material things, seven different merits. And there would be another seven merits comes from the nonmaterial.
So these are the more like a guru things, you know, building statues, building stupas, building the monasteries like a center like this. And then then then the going to bus station, train stations and airports when teacher comes and teacher goes dropping there and going to receiving those kind of things. And, you know, and more service, giving service to the teachers or the gurus. So something like that, there would be seven different merits. These are the it comes from the nonmaterial, you know, the like that.
Okay? So, anyway, merits are very important. So I I thought it’s good to also discuss the, you know, why we do all these different different rituals. Buddha house, I have not seen many people come for the comes for the rituals and the pujas. I was there a few times.
Just check it out. They do the sixteen arhats puja, and from time to time, I think almost every other month, I’m not sure. Medicine Buddha puja. Yes. This Saturday medicine.
Yeah. Every Saturday. No. Once a month. Yeah.
Once a month. Medicine Buddha’s puja they do here. Also they do here sometimes Lama Chöpa, which is we just did recently. There were not many people. I can understand maybe you are busy this evening, you know, but like especially the Lama Chöpa torma offering.
Lama Chöpa torma offering is the guru. I it it is actually the unit, some initiations to do. But here in in you know, most of people does not have any initiations. They do this torma offering just learning perspective, to learn how to do. Even though you are not going to accumulate merits as much as, you know, doing this like a person who has received the initiation, but still you do accumulate some certain degree of the merits, which is, you know, good.
Yeah. Good to do. So check it out in next time. Because merits are the I am not mistaken in this analogy. Merits are like a, you know, bank balance.
I’m just giving you example, bank balance. If you have certain bank balance, but now you use credit card or debit card, draw the cash when you because to eat, to wear, to give, you know, your friends and family, what happens? That balance goes down. Yes. What you need to do next thing, you need to deposit some money, otherwise one day balance going your bank balance going to be empty.
So then that is it, then you will be suffer. So what you need to do, you need to deposit some money time to time. Order to do so, you need to work to make money to deposit into the bank, then you will have a good bank balance. But still you use money, it decreases. But you have to put.
Not just you put there that much as cumulates. merit are like that. You know? Merits are you know, we are accumulating merit. We need to do.
We need to work on it. All these positive things we need to do. So when you do that, you are accumulating lots of merits. So but then we live luxury life. You know?
Two bedrooms, flat with a separate kitchen, living room, television, computer, wearing nice clothes, iPads, and cell phone. It’s a lot of these materials we use, all merits decreases because all this comes from the all merits. But then it decreases. But if you don’t commit the merits, then what merits that in in there would be eventually runs out. Then then the, you know, mentally, we get sometimes problems.
Same as like when you lose the money. And then the physically, many, many sickness, many, many mental issues. And and and then especially the when you meditate, you cannot see the whatever you are meditating. You couldn’t think clearly. See now?
Because what happened was we used our merits for the worldly pleasure. Instead of using for the spiritual side, we use it everything on a worldly pleasure. So that’s why the worldly pleasure must be balanced mean that. You know? So that’s what we need to do.
So this is the point the detachment comes now. Detachment is very important, you know, on in in doing things for for the worldly pleasure things or or or or in in in the worldly mundane side is the detachment is very important. So but in order to detachment, people ask, I’m in America. I’m living in United States of America. You know?
Maybe here, I live in Australia. You know? Kind of a people, you know, oh, we live in the western countries, you know. This or we this is our style or or or, you know, our living style like this. Of course.
Of course, it is your your own karma. You are you you have good karma to be have wonderful life. But as I said, still it decreases if you don’t commit more merits. But then now how can be a detachment? How can I make this balance not to go one side very, you know, much, also this spiritual side?
So this is a point I used to tell people in United States. Also I did here too. Think about what you really want, what you really need. So answer is there. What really you wanted, what really you needed.
My perspective, needy things are we need clothes. You cannot walk around the naked body. That’s not so good. Or you need food to eat. You need certain things, you know, and so check it out.
It’s it’s what situation you are into it. But the wanting things are there more than what you needed. That’s the difference. See? Your wants because of your craving and covetousness, coveting, you know, part of the attachment.
I give you example, but I’m not criticizing. Just the example, you have one bag or two bags, ladies bags or shoes. That’s good. You know, two or three maybe. But then when you see something on and and going to those roadside village and and, you know, those mall or Randall mall, you see some, oh, how wonderful.
Now you have some money here. You buy that bag again. Now you come back. You can see your there are already two, three bags are there. See?
These are really the you want it. You really you really don’t need it. Why you need so many bags? But you just want it, desire, you know? Same as like shoes.
I know shoes in in in in some of my students. Unbelievable. Look like a small shop there, you know. So many shoes, so many sweaters, so many pairs of the bags and the socks. Unbelievable.
Really, literally, there’s a small shop there. If I say in India, yes, I could say shop. You know? I was telling them, why you how many times you are this one? I’m sorry, Geshe-la.
Maybe twice. How long you have been there? Maybe a few now to five, six, seven years. Then one day, would you like to practice detachment? Yes.
I bought a big the rubber’s bag. Okay. Do it. Do it from your heart, but if you’re holding something, don’t do. Holding something, don’t do.
If you really want to read out, put it here. Two, three, this bag, we took it to the one place. The woman, they do so many good job. Most of these women are the, you know, beaten by the men, raped. I don’t they call women something.
Most of single women, and and the and also they do have children, but not husband. But mostly they, you know, they went through so much pain and suffering. That area, I saw the Internet. We should go. We over there.
That’s it. You know? How beautiful you can do here too. Check it out, your closet. There are so many things.
Wash before you give. Maybe it it may be new. Who knows? And maybe, you know, you may wear only one or twice. Maybe just, you know, sitting there.
Who knows? Check it out. Sometimes, to check your closet. It’s good to clean out maybe after a few months because you are accumulating so many things. You know?
So that’s I used to tell people wanting things and needy things are really small way small way, you know, also the your things, although you bought it so many things, which is also very useful for those women. I mean, you know, those poor people. It’s wonderful. You notice that they have also the goodwill or something goodwill or something. You can give it to them, their sales, and they give they use this money to children’s hospital and and and women’s and and and sick people like that.
They distribute. You know? See, there are many things. Of course, a dialect must have something to us here also. You know?
So see? Not? So how beautiful to sharing something, you know, each other because they are sentient beings. We are sentient beings, which is the exactly the this the motivation that we already raised the great scope motivation like other sentient beings. So see now how important those sentient beings, those people.
Why they are important? Because my happiness comes from the other sentient beings, actually. Also, we are equally same. I don’t want pain and suffering. I want happiness.
Same thing. Those other sentient beings did not want pain and suffering, want some happiness. Same thing. There’s no really different for that. You know?
So how wonderful if we all able to share this beautiful teachings, beautiful, you know, world together, live together harmoniously. How beautiful. So that’s called world peace. Until then, there wouldn’t be peace. No.
You know? So that’s why the first of all, before you really to help other to, you know, achieve peace, first thing is you need to help yourself. That’s you need to do. In order to do all these teachings, like a mind training teachings, are very important. Some reason you had such a wonderful positive karma to come to Buddha house to listen to this kind of a teachings.
You had great karma. That’s the sure. So that karma helping you to, you know, pushing you to go to Buddha house to listen the teachings like this. That’s the first step. So then now saying the your karma is also saying help yourself.
Help yourself. Mean, learn. Learn all these teachings. If you do learn, one day you will be peace. See, once you are peace, then now go out there, help others.
Because of the your peace, your knowledge is not just the intellectual sort of knowledge. It is genuine knowledge because you learn that from here. Your peace is the real peace, you know, not just the acting as a peace. So then now that’s a question. Then now faith is built up.
Faith also. Faith is not just the faith like a blind faith. It’s just the after understanding all these conceptions, conceptions, now you have faith to help others. How beautiful. If you do it this way, then you help others.
Someday, same sort of a conception, other people may get it from you. They will going to help some other people because you cannot reach people by one person. There are so many sentient beings out there, isn’t it? Even the Dalai Lama has been visiting around the world in decades and decades, still, Dalai Lama couldn’t reach many, many sentient beings. But maybe the, you know, the I may reach some of the sentient beings that not Dalai Lama was reaching because resident teacher, they are in the center.
Continually, come, goes, comes, goes, comes, goes, comes, goes like that. You know? So there are many geshes and teachers in the FPMT reaching so many people. Of course, if you compare, Dalai Lama reaches more people than the geshes. But there must be some people maybe couldn’t get teachings from the Dalai Lama.
Maybe they may get teachings from the resident geshes, resident teachers. So so this way the, you know, the helping others for instance, I am helping since, you know, I became a geshe or a teacher since nineteen ninety three, even before that, generally speaking, in in in the west, maybe two thousand. Before that, I went to some areas, let’s say two thousand since I came to United States. Why I’ve been why I’ve been helping all these teachings to the students and the westerners? Because I received all these teachings from my teacher, from Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, all these great teachers.
They taught me first, first, you need to help yourself. You need to cure yourself. You need to pacify yourself. Then if you help others, your help going to be the genuine help. That’s how I did it.
So So it’s the other teachers and and, you know, the people who, you know, have been helping the sentient beings, same thing that way. But now from here, Buddha house students is listening the teachings from the resident teacher, then now first you need to help yourself. You need to really become kind human being. Very, very important, compassionate human being. Then, of course, if you go out there and help people people, or people who come here, if you help, because there are many people come here.
You know? Buddha house organized so many different teachings here. How beautiful. See? This way, I think world would become better place.
Others were arguing each other, criticizing each other, in front of the people, making very nice, backsliding people, like, you know, backbiting. What is worth? Just just nothing. Just wasting time. You know, we are supposed to be the practitioner, like a spiritual practitioner.
We must be different than those politician. Unfortunately, politician, they play politics. That’s a politics now. You know? What can you do?
So sometimes they need to lie. Sometimes they need to cheat. Sometimes they need to harm people. By the way, today, I was afternoon watching news in CNN. This woman, actually republican, you know, she was the journalist.
I think you guys may saw when she asked one of the this president debate. First one, I think when she asked question to mister Trump about the woman. Remember? You say you you may pick and so on, blah blah blah blah. Those kind of things she asked, and Trump was so upset, isn’t it?
After that, her life was changed. Even though one of the one time, I think he said, mister Trump said, this woman, blood coming from eyes or everywhere is very nasty. She these things are it’s hurt her very much. Not only just she hurt what mister Trump was saying to her, Also, the there are many his supporter try to kill her or treating her. Her life was so dangerous.
Today, she was she make one book now. You can buy that book. Read it. I was thinking unbelievable. I mean, you know, she was she was journalist.
Even she was their own party, not like a democratic. But that mean there’s no free to ask any questions. Unbelievable. This is becoming United States. I’m so glad that I’m in Adelaide now.
You know? Really. Be glad. Really. I mean, unbelievable.
All my students mooring and there, I say, practice, practice, practice. Now time to practice. Anyway, I mean, you know, this is the politics. Cheating, they’re lying things, and and harming things, but we are not. We are spiritual practitioner.
We are practitioner. We must be different than those people. If you are not, then what is the different? You and those politician, isn’t it? So this way, really think very carefully.
What we do is the we do really the real thing. We’re what we’re supposed to be need to do as a human being, being as being born as a human being. So that’s what we really supposed to be the doing, which is the actually, we do. You know, we all start it. Otherwise, why we are here together in this room?
Why? So if you look at it this way, other sentient beings, very, very important. Sometimes difficult, some sentient beings. I know it’s difficult, but you can learn many things from other sentient beings. You know?
Especially when you when you were young, it’s very difficult to deal, you know, things with somebody who’s very aggressive and you become same as like that person because of a lack of understanding the all these teaching conceptions. But when you get older, much as you practice, then you will understand, wow. Then you will see the sometimes you can see that person is I was like that. See? You will see that.
Then you can laugh. You know you can laugh. That person is, I was like that. But now you can see that you’re only changing. But, of course, you wouldn’t change if you don’t practice, you know.
So see, some of my students told me, I was like that. I was so happy. They changed totally, you know, unbelievable. It’s beautiful. Anyway, that’s it.
Now I will leave ten minutes break, come back, then I will talk about some of the things. Yeah. Now please look at the textbook. Book means this only text, root text. Book here is the book also.
You have book, this one. You can read it. Sometimes when we teach, what book says little different comes. Books are written down everything, you know, one by you cannot read everything inside the book. It’s going to be many, many books.
But I will go through the text. Savasthi, homage to great compassion, the essence of this nectar of advice is a continuity from Serlingpa. So that one is the before you teach and when you write the book, first thing is we do homage, you know, to respect. Here is the great compassion. Also this nectar of immortality comes from Serlingpa.
Essence of this nectar of advice is in continuity from Lama Serlingpa, which is that Atisha received these teachings from Lama Serlingpa who was in Indonesia. So then from Atisha to his disciple, and one of his disciples, then Geshe Chekawa, this particular composer received from one of Atisha’s disciples. So now first, the the point is the first train in all the preliminary practice. So so today is the, you know, although I give you some of the motivation, things like that. Preliminary practice, although this particular one is the great scope teachings.
The Mahāyāna great scope teachings, but then now here is the first you need to, you know, first point is the preliminary point or practice is the the the person of small capacity and the person of moderate capacity. So these are the two persons in Lamrim, it is the two different teachings, different teachings, two different motivations which I mentioned before motivation. So then of course, the actual teaching is going to be the great scope teachings. Although this one is the also the Lamrim. You know, Lamrim.
Same as Lamrim Chenmo. Not a big one, but this is also similar like a Lamrim, really. But now the portion of small and moderate capacity motivation I just mentioned to you, one motivation is only to rebirth, good rebirth. So that’s why the listening the teachings and practicing the teachings. Second one is to not only just good rebirth, also free from the saṃsāra.
So that’s the second But then now the this is the also they’re going to be the why, you know, we should be learning this learning and listening and contemplating and meditating these teachings like here is the seven point one. This is the opportunity, great opportunity as a human being. Great opportunity to practice such a, you know, teaching like this. Because the Buddha Buddha said in his sūtra, human rebirth. That we obtain this precious human rebirth.
Buddha mentioned this human rebirth is very, very precious and very, very difficult to obtain. It’s very rare. So in his sūtra, now here I will going to read it. This why although the Śāntideva, great Indian master, Śāntideva quotes this Buddha’s Sūtra in his book, The Way of the Bodhisattva. So this is one of the words from the way of the bodhisattva, what Buddha mentioned in his sūtra.
This is why Lord Buddha has declared that like a tortoise that perchance can place its head within a yoke adrift upon a mighty sea, this human birth is difficult to find. Repeat. This is why Lord Buddha has declared that like a tortoise that perchance can place its head within a yoke, a ring of a kind, adrift upon a mighty sea, this human birth is difficult to find. So now this point is that you can just picture it, the big oceans, Atlantic oceans, or any specific oceans.
Any oceans, you know, you can just picture it, the, you know, any part of the ocean. Then think about the deep down side of the ocean. There is a blind tortoise. That blind tortoise is blinded. Then now that total comes up to the ocean only one time.
Also, it is almost like every three hundred human years. Only one time that tortoise comes up to the ocean and puts up its neck. There is a yoke, adrift upon the mighty sea, sometimes east direction, sometimes west, sometimes south. Now you can just picture it, you know, how difficult this this, you know, to to to to to is already blind. Now only comes up to the ocean, only one time, every human three hundred years.
And this yoke is floating surface of the ocean here, there, there would be a moment when tortoise up to the ocean and that yoke is exactly the tortoise neck like this, you know, just very. So if you think about that kind of a moment, it’s very, very difficult. Ocean is so big. Water current is unbelievable, you know, so much waves here, there, and the tortoise is also blind. Also, it comes up to the ocean only once every three hundred human years and goes down.
But there is a moment when the tortoise comes out, puts up its neck, and that yoke is on its neck. So that’s now the we, the human beings, we had such a precious, rare rebirth. So this human birth is difficult to find, mean that. Why we find it? This human birth like this because our karma.
Previous lifetime, we accumulated tons of tons of tons of karma, so that’s why they now we, you know, had this human rebirth. We must be very happy for that. This is the great opportunity. So now being born as a human being, what is the our purpose? So that’s our point.
Is our purpose is to becoming president or prime minister, becoming rich or famous? Probably not. Okay to become president, prime minister, you know, rich, famous. Of course, it’s okay. But this is are not related purpose.
I’m talking about the Buddhist perspective. Purpose is to do something, to take this advantage, you know, because animal although animals are so beautiful, beautiful animal, they are so beautiful. Unfortunately, they are born as animal. Very little things they can do. But we are the human beings or wisdom or intelligences are very, very higher than animals.
We have this great wisdom, understanding, abilities, capacities much, much higher than an animal’s. But then now if you only thinking purpose is to become rich famous prime minister and a president, this and that, then after, what would be after this life? Finished. Nothing. That’s a very narrow purpose, isn’t it?
That’s what I think. But instead, you know, thinking such a thing like that, do something to make this life wonderful. Then the next life also much better, next to next life also much better, and free from suffering world, free from saṃsāra, eventually to achieve enlightenment. So that’s why the seven point mind training comes. This is what you need to practice if you really don’t want to waste your time.
All these mind training teachings are the most important, especially here is the Mahāyāna mind training teachings. See now? But it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be we shouldn’t have luxury life. We shouldn’t have friends and family. We shouldn’t be becoming prime minister or the president.
Of course. I mean, you know, but but problem is the they play more politics. You don’t. See now? Can you can you play both politics and both both and and practice spiritual?
Can you do that? Yes. Possible, but it’s difficult. Of course, I mean, you know, I’m not saying the old prime minister and the presidents are bad. You know?
Even though American congress, there are some Buddhists too. Yes. You know, how long they how much they practice Buddhism? I don’t know. They say there are few Buddhist people in congress also.
So maybe in the senator also. Yeah. There are some Buddhist people in the congress also. But I don’t know. They just call Buddhists themselves, maybe listening to your teachings.
I don’t know. Point is the I don’t know from my perspective if pure Buddhist people can able to play politics well? I don’t know. It’s difficult because nowadays it’s possible, nowadays politics are becoming more nasty, you know? It’s very nasty.
If you’re pure Buddhist, if you’re really, really the even though Dalai Lama was very difficult in in in to, you know, to to do right things, it was very difficult for him. He just give up after all. See, now we are prime minister. I think if really the pure Buddhist person can play politics, I think only the his holiness and Dalai Lama can do that. Even though Dalai Lama give up politics now, you know, because of the he was trying to bring this very middle pathway, nice way, but then there are so many objections, rejections.
Disappoint means after he give up, you know. So now we are prime minister. We will see how much he can do it. I mean, point is the yes, still you can have a wonderful life, a luxury life. Of course, why not?
I mean, we are not denying Buddhism. He’s not denying all these things. But what what it’s saying is the we shouldn’t be forgetting how we shouldn’t forget how precious life we obtained. Do something. Take this advantage.
Advantage. You know? Bring some peace in this world, I think. So help yourself first to become kind human being, compassionate human being. I think these are the purpose.
Then, you know, this lifetime you will be much happier, and next life going to be who knows, maybe you are free from the suffering world of saṃsāra, then achieve enlightenment. Everything is how much practice you can do. Everything depends on that. If you are a person of small capacity, so then your rebirth will be wonderful. If you are a moderate capacity, you can be able to free from suffering and pain, which is to free from the saṃsāra, which is we call liberation.
If you’re a great scope person, then of course, your motivation is to benefit all other sentient beings eventually to achieve the become bodhisattva, then they achieve enlightenment. See, there are many, many great opportunities. But then if you’re only focusing on one side, oh, I am a human being, you know, only becoming rich, famous, not practicing, but then how much happier are those people? I don’t think so. Yes, maybe a little bit, but mostly difficult.
But then especially the life after this, what would be? If you don’t accept the life after this life, which is a different case. But I am talking about the Buddhist perspective. We do believe there would be reincarnations. Your reincarnations, whether it is good or bad, depend on this life.
See? Buddhist teachings, like this kind of a teaching, seven point mind training like a teachings, not only going to help you in next lifetime, within this life time also help you to understand the reality so then when things fall apart, you can able to fix it. See now you no need to go to psychologist to paying hundreds of dollars, which is I mentioned before. You are your own psychologist, you know, applying all these Buddhist teachings as a psychology. How beautiful.
See? Even though it is very small one. Okay? And also the hearer is the opportunity. As I mentioned before, it’s called the ten the endowments.
Ten endowments are ten conducive factors for a person to practice Dharma. This is the opportunity. Being a human, being born in a Buddhist place, having sound senses, being free from extreme evil actions, having faith in Dharma, Buddha having appeared, Buddha having taught, giving teachings. That’s mean the following the following of his teachings. I mean, the flourishing of his teachings.
There are being people following his teachings, having compassionate feelings towards others. Ten, endowments. So now here is the eight, the eight leisures or eight freedoms. Four freedoms from the four features within human existence. Not holding wrong views, not being born in a barbaric land, being born in a Buddhist domain, having complete and perfect sense faculties.
Now, for freedom from four fetters of nonhuman existence. Not being a hell being, not being a hungry ghost, not being an animal, not being a long living god. Altogether, ate leisures. These are the opportunities, freedoms we obtained. Now, if you look at the back, all of these different teachings and different messages, now look at yourself.
It’s unbelievable. You can smile, you know. Not prideful, but you can really thank your own past being, whoever is it. Thank you bringing me in this world as a human being. Not only just human being, also I met Dharma teachings.
I met teachers. I met Dharma teachings. I met Dharma, those Sangha members. I have this opportunity to listen to the teachings, to practice the teachings even though I am busy, but still I have some time to think. Such wonderful teachers in this world, I was born in the right time.
We are very lucky, actually, you know. We’re born in this world because his holiness the Dalai Lama is alive. You have no idea what would be after his holiness. We want to believe he will live hundreds of years. Something happens to him.
Who’s going to be for our guide? It’s difficult. See, now we are very, very lucky. So that’s why they take this opportunity when His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches, if you have if you’re not that much poor, go to listen to his teachings. This year, there would be Kālacakra initiation in the Bodh Gaya.
It’s such a rare he didn’t do Kālacakra for many years. But now, this year, Dalai Lama is also eighty three years old. See? This is a great opportunity. Instead of just traveling here, they’re spending money for nothing.
What is the worth it? Of course, sometimes I like to travel too, but sometimes better to spend money for good. I know the westerner style is traveling around the world. I I like it, actually. I like to do that too, you know, but sometimes I’m thinking, although I cannot do, it is costly, you know, it’s not easy.
Sometimes I’m thinking it’s really the wasting time, wasting money, and it’s not that much really the essence. Of course, if when you travel, that area you can able to teach definitely, then that’s wonderful. I will definitely do that. I may go to this area. What is that?
I forgot name. Brook. What is that? Broome. Broome.
Yes. As you do was asking, although it sounds like very far away, don’t worry because I like to go there and look at it. And also, I have opportunity to teach, which is good, isn’t it? That’s a wonderful way to think. Anyway, so that’s, you know, the opportunity.
Think, meditate, go back to your home. This is your homework. Think carefully. Even if could be five, ten minutes, just think it continually. How great opportunity.
Thank you. Now I can take some questions. Just wondering, does that imply that training in these practices needs to be complete before moving on to the second and following practices? And how does one actually know that they’re not finished? Okay.
Actual training and the realization of the training is different. In order to realize the training, then you have to first first preliminary must be realized. Remember, we are talking two things here. Training is the mind training. So first, need to now here is the mostly the when I was saying training is the we are learning, you know.
That’s prospective unitary. You cannot just jump to, oh, I want first stick here to to actually train. That’s next. First, you need to listen, learn this first point. Second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh point.
Learn. Train. That way first. Once you learn, that means intellectual perspective. Once you learn that, then next actually train now, step by step.
That’s you need to go through. Okay, but beginning if you try to, you know, try to take this insightly, it’s difficult. First, to Learn, you know, then all of these seven points, not just one time, many times. So that’s what we call the contemplation, mean that, contemplate. So first listen, which is everybody’s listening.
Second one is to contemplate the teachings. Then meditate. That’s actually what you are training now. See? Then apply.
When you train, when things fall apart, apply because you meditate now. When I say meditate, now you are actually training. Insightly. See training can be confusing sometimes, but here is the first time learn. Learn, then train, then apply it.
Okay? Okay. Good. You got it, your answer? Yeah, the important distinction is between the learning of the material and the actual realization.
Exactly, different. But one needs cover everything and absorb it before really You got it now. You got it, yes you did it. You are a good listener. Good.
Anyone? Go. Main purpose is not only just learning. I don’t want you to everyone, don’t misunderstand. Main purpose is not only just learning.
Main purpose is the actual training. In order to train actually, first you need to learn. Without learning, how can you train actually? See? Even while one is one is learning, should one also be meditating?
If You’re learning by attending to the Yeah, it depends, yes. You are also meditating, learning meditating. See? Now there could be. See?
When you meditate doesn’t mean that now you are the actual approach that meditation, like realization, you know. You are learning how to meditate that particular point. See? So this is the one thing I’ve been telling you. Westerner is all the time two way.
See? Black and white. See? No. Middle.
You have to see? It comes automatically. I know you guys think this way like this. But here is the first listen, the teaching, then contemplate the teaching. That’s why you are really learning, contemplating nicely.
The next meditating, actually you are training, so that perspective you are meditating insightly, not only just meditating learning perspective, but you are really actualizing everything. Okay? Anyone? Okay. Pure land can be confusing sometimes.
Pure land sometimes translated Buddha field. Buddha land, you know. Some pure land also the Okay, I will say pure land is free from the saṃsāra is pure land or not. Actually that’s a good one, you know. English translation is confusing.
I would like to say partial pure land. Free from the saṃsāra is a partial. Real pure land is the Buddha field. Maybe I will say this one, Buddha land.
Once you achieve Buddha, but you shouldn’t be thinking land is some kind of a place. No. Inside. Rather outside than inside. Land is here, okay?
When I say pure land, we are not talking about something you can able to go there and reincarnate it. Rather, within this world you can be in pure land. Once you achieve Buddha, you are in pure land. Samsāra, aren’t you at least dissolved? You can be free from the saṃsāra within living here.
Free from the saṃsāra is the We are not talking about the free from outer saṃsāra. We cannot escape from the outer saṃsāra. Let’s say this world, you know. But free from the saṃsāra is you are freeing from inside, which is the suffering and pain. Then they’re just the materials of the world, mainly the mental suffering and pain.
You are totally free from the suffering and pain. So that means your heaps or aggregates are the pure aggregates now, not anymore contaminated aggregates. Why? Because you are already free from suffering and pain. That’s called liberation.
But you are still in this world. We are talking but you are not suffering any pain. Sometimes people concentrate free from some place to go out from this world or somewhere different planet or everybody is okay there. No, you shouldn’t be thinking that way. Those are I think more like sometimes, although the Buddhism, we do talk about having a Tuśita like that place, you know.
But not only those places are the pure, but within here, within this world or saṃsāra, we can pure. We can be free. We can be free. We can become enlightenment also. Buddha was at enlightenment in this world, in India.
Look at, Just think about that. Buddha went for nirvana, isn’t it? He was in this world. He attained enlightenment. Dalai Lama Tibetan we consider as Avalokiteśvara, a Chenrezig.
He is here and with us. I know sometimes people are saying, okay, then if he is Buddha in Avalokiteśvara, why he was sick? Of course, I mean, he didn’t want to act as I am totally the Buddha. I don’t have any feelings. But even though he was already free from that pain and suffering, but he was also, you know, humble, trying to be showing people, I am also one of you.
You know, he has been doing that. Showing sickness, problems, this and that. Showing things is still one thing. Actual one is still another thing. Okay?
Anyone? Last question. Anyone? Okay. Now, dedication.
Today we are going to do from goal book, page two forty six. May all beings everywhere, placed like myself, above, below, and around, in all the ten directions, in an open ocean of happiness, enjoy my virtue, my merits. May the living creatures, suffering, find relief. When naked, find the food, thirsty, find the water, delicious drinks. They pour and milk those sort of.
Whatever disease there is in the world never occurs again. May the frightened cease to be afraid, those bound be freed. May the powerless find power people think benefiting each other. For as long as space remains and as long as there are beings in this miserable world. Thank you all very much for coming here.