Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 25-minute talk, Geshe Nawang Dhargyey guides a Western audience through a foundational reflection on the six sufferings inherent in cyclic existence. He examines birth, aging, sickness, death, the instability of fortune (rising and falling through different realms and stations), and the ultimate loneliness of the human condition—we are born, suffer, and die alone, regardless of status or company. Through concrete examples, he shows how these afflictions pervade even a single lifetime: political leaders toppled from power, the wealthy fallen to poverty. He emphasizes that this reflection is not meant to induce despair but to kindle genuine renunciation—a determination to apply one’s body and life to spiritual practice rather than endlessly serving the body alone. He closes by acknowledging his Western audience’s choice to prioritize spiritual values over worldly entertainment and appeals for broader renewal of religious practice as a foundation for world peace.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 02 CE 1985 05 01.mp3
UUID: a89591cf-4c07-42c1-8151-9b5546b6ad73
Teacher: Geshe Nawang Dhargyey
Collection: The Nature of Cyclic Existence (Geshe Nawang Dhargyey)
Date: 1985-05-01
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 25.1 minutes
Words: ~3,032
And then the fourth suffering common to all beings is suffering of frequent conception. Frequent conception, so not you know, it’s not enough that one is born once, but one is born again and again or again and again, and that’s to be conceived before one’s birth. So one has to be conceived in in one has to be conceived, and the suffering of conception is great, and therefore, the fourth suffering is suffering of frequent conception. The fifth suffering is suffering of frequent ups and downs in world’s existence, and now sometimes we have been reborn as celestial beings, not like enlightened beings, but worldly celestial beings, and sometimes we have been in the peak. We have been to the peak of world existence.
At other times, we have been we have fallen into the bottom of world existence. And at other times, we have been then, wandering in the middle stage of world existence, in the human realm, and so on. Thus, there’s no fixed area where we can be in world existence, but we always keep on rotating, so for shuttling from top to bottom in world existence. Even in one lifetime, just look at powerful people in the world, people who are, you know, like many national leaders some at at times, they were the most honored people in the country, and as for exercising great authority and power. At other times, with the change of government, then they become the lowest of citizens, likely they are thrown into prison.
Thus, there’s even ups and downs in one lifetime. Thus, in this connection, Nāgārjuna said, after being the king of gods, the Indra many times, so then we have a fallen after being the king of gods called Indra, a celestial gods, a worldly gods called Indra, then we have at other times fallen into the lowest stage of world existence in the hell realm. And after being what is known as the universal monarchs. Universal monarchs were not like ancient kings in the past, so they were more powerful than ancient emperors. And thus, after being the universal monarchs ourselves many times, at other times we have been reborn as the servant of servants.
Thus, nothing is fixed in world existence. Those who are enjoying great power and great glory, so they are not they are not there to be to enjoy all these for all for for eternity. And those who are suffering and those who are in the the lowest rank, and they are not there to remain like that forever. So nothing is certain. Things are fluctuating or things keep on changing in world existence.
And thus, this not having the power to cling to the glory and to the power and to the high position in the world’s existence is one of the sufferings. Sixth suffering common to all beings in the world’s existence is suffering of lack of friend or suffering of loneliness. Now, suffering of loneliness means that we indeed are very lonely, we may think we are in the company of our friends. In reality, we are lonely people because when we were born, we came alone from mother’s womb. When we undergo various sufferings, various physical pain, sicknesses, then it is us alone who undergo our own physical pain and suffering and sicknesses.
Although others may express this sympathy, this sympathy in no way kills our pain or does nothing in terms of removing pain. So in fact, we singularly or we alone experience our own physical suffering. Then we are also alone at the end of life. That is when we die, we die alone, and we go alone to the next life without anybody’s company. Even if one is a great teacher, a great spiritual teacher with many thousands of disciples, when the master dies, he dies alone, and he goes alone to the next life without one single however devoted and disciple one there may be.
So he goes alone to the next world without taking one single disciple with him. If anyone is the highest leader in the country who was heavily escorted while moving from place to place while he was alive. But when he is dead, goes alone to the next life all by himself. And not one of the soldiers or one of the servants or attendants are going to accompany him or nobody will accompany him. Thus, he is alone while making a solitary journey to the next life.
These are some of our topics, like the six sufferings, that we need to reflect again and again to make us realize that we are in fact, although there are superficial differences, basically, these sufferings are affecting our lives. And if we realize that they are afflicting our lives and world existence, then it is a time to feel averse to a life which is fraught with the suffering and then develop a sense of a strong urge to turn our backs on this worldly suffering or worldly life. Generally, if you meditate or rather reflect on this or think over this, something is going to happen to your heart or to your mind. At least, this will sort of correct or this will transform you, bring a certain certain degree of change in your attitude or to your thinking. Here, the junior tutor to his holiness, the Dalai Lama called Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche.
He said, although it’s beneficial to meditate on a deity, and undoubtedly one does collect merits through such a reflection or meditation on a deity. But such a reflection on deity is not going to at all sort of change your mind. Whereas if you reflect on the sufferings of worldly existence, on the impermanence of life, and so on, so these reflections definitely are going to how far is dependent on one’s power of reflection, but definitely it’s going to change one’s mind and transform one’s mind or heart. If we are a bit more thoughtful and aware of the type of life that we live or lead every day, then we’ll come to understand that our lives are not at all that pleasant and, you know, that pleasurable, but in fact fraught with various unpleasant experiences or physical unpleasant experiences or mental discomforts. And from morning till we go to bed, every now and then, either we have physical suffering or mental suffering.
And this is quite natural to experience in the world because we are in a place where these things are inevitably going to befall us. So, thus, these are going to be a part of our life in the world of existence. And if we don’t want if we don’t want to experience this kind of suffering and or such live such a life, then it’s a time that we feel averse to this life. And feeling averse to this life doesn’t mean that we must put an end to this life, but means do something so that we don’t have to live such a life in the future. So these unpleasant experiences, both physical and mental, are very much part of this life.
This will keep on affecting our life in the same way as if we carry a load of thorn without any clothes on, it’s just inevitable, it’s just natural that the thorn pricks person who carries that load, the person who carries that load from top to, you know, from from top to bottom. Similarly, so long as we carry the load of the five contaminated aggregates, referring to our bodies, which are called the comp which are composed of the five contaminated aggregates. So so long as we carry the load of these contaminated aggregates, which are in the nature of suffering, which are only in the nature of suffering, and it’s only it’s partly natural that we then experience suffering and nothing else suffering. Therefore, if we do not want now live such a life, then the only thing we have to do is to change such a life and to exchange such a life for a better life, in terms of totally a life which has totally abandoned this kind of suffering in the same way as the Ārya Buddhas and the arhats and Ārya bodhisattvas. Ārya bodhisattvas, these are the beings who have totally overcome sufferings of world existence.
So we must then aspire to become such beings or to attain such states. So let this be tonight’s talk and introductory talk, and these talks are soon sort of short talks on the six types of suffering. And now I hope you have understood these six types of suffering, and we have realized importance of reflection on the sufferings. As said earlier, not to feel depressed and despondent, but to make a fresh start to, you know, to apply the means to get rid of these sufferings by way of engaging in the spiritual practices. So if we do not apply ourselves to spiritual practices, or if we do not apply this life or this body to spiritual practices, then it is as though we are only born to serve this body and to be servant of this body and nothing else.
And it is as though so if we have come to this world to look after this body, which is then good for nothing, as though this you know, life is an end. It is a means to serve this body, and serving body or sustaining this body has become our ultimate goal. So it would be very unfortunate if things become like that. So if we do not acquire this body, which we feed, clothe every day, and people the reason why people everybody from the president down to the lowest person, everybody is quite busy. It’s in fact, ultimately and ultimate analysis boils down to sustaining this body.
And if sustaining this body is the ultimate end of this life, then it is as though we haven’t been able to rise above the basic lowly creatures. And thus, in order to rise above them, what we should do is we should try to take and make use of this body which we serve in terms of clothing, feeding, and so on. And the only way to make use of this body is to apply this body to the practice of various virtues. The body which you have looked after so well has ultimately failed you. And it does not help you in any way when your consciousness is separated from the body and when the body does not accompany the traveling consciousness to the intermediate state.
I think we care nothing so much as our body. We wrap our bodies from top to bottom when it’s cold. Our hats are wrapped in caps and feet in socks and so on. And then when the most part of our body is well closed and is wrapped up and closed, and when the neck is exposed, then we need mufflers to cover that part too. If you do not make use of this body, which we look after so well, so painstakingly, then what point is there to look after something which is actually useless?
And thus, if we do not make use of this body which we sort of, you know, look after and care so much about. And then one day, this body which we think is so beautiful is not far away from within yourself. This body, when when it stops breathing, will then become the deathly corpse. So the deathly corpse is not away, is not afar but within you. Therefore, it adjusts that yogi said.
So what we can do is to apply ourselves as much as we can to the practice of various virtues of body, speech, and mind. Thus, so long as we have the five contaminated aggregates which compose our body or our life, then our body becomes so problematic. And because the very basis of the constituents of our body are contaminated by nature, suffering by nature, and because we have contaminated or suffering by nature, then every now and then, we have problem with eyes, and we’re having to put on glasses. And when we put on glasses, then we look ugly, and we don’t want to wear them. And when we do not when we put them away, we cannot see.
And that’s then because we have problems with tooth. The reason why we have problems with tooth is because in the first place, we have contaminated teeth. And if only we did not have contaminated teeth, then there would be no problem with the teeth and so on. Thus, one important thing that we should keep in mind is that we should take essence or extract essence that this body is capable of offering also for that this body can give and to not become its not only become its servants. And now when you come here, so nothing, you know, those who come here are not going to be given thousands of dollars and rewards, material rewards, and yet you have come here is because the reason why you have come here is to out of your keen interest for some talks on spiritual values, on spiritual teachings, and that you are interested that you are interested in the teachings is quite obvious, and this, in fact, I can self guarantee you, is the result of your familiarity with the teachings from the past life.
Whether so let alone practicing the teachings. Even if you just hear the teachings, so you will always tend to gain and not lose at all. And it is always advantageous that even allowing practicing, even to hear the teachings or listen to the teachings. And so that’s, you know, because it will make a a great difference in the future and at least by coming to the teachings, so no disturbing thoughts would arise in your mind, such as passion and anger and jealousy. So these have no place so long during the time you listen to the teachings.
Whereas such thoughts, such disturbing thoughts like prejudice and partiality and attachment, will arise if you go to watch a soccer game or the basketball game or some certain game, and do you have to take the side of one or the other kind of team? And this only arouses anger and different feelings and emotions. And this is not going to happen so long as listen or while you listen to the teachings. And thus, it’s just unfortunate that people today have lost touch with their religious values. And that’s why there are some hundred thousands of people watching different games, there are really few indeed who really into practice or in the spiritual practice to evolve spiritually or for the sake of spiritual evolution.
It’s not only the Buddha’s teaching, and the same thing is happening. Therefore, even the Christianity is degenerating, and people are losing touch with their spiritual values. And in your case, by coming by coming here tonight, you have expressed implicitly that you are the people, you are one who is trying to give some greater importance to spiritual values than to worldly affairs. It’s, I must say that it’s a great, amazing virtue or quality that you have developed. While I was in Sydney, the church bell rang one day, and I was going for a walk.
And then we also, also popped in the church. And you know how many people were there? There were only six elderly people singing some prayer. And opposite the church, there was a race going on, and there was problems of car parking, people thronging and watching there. And that is that itself speaks of what people are interested in at present.
Then, if only people attach greater values to spiritual teachings, this will transform them and then they will not have to cry for world peace. At present, the reason why there is feverish cry for world peace is because they realise that the world can be turned into ashes any moment, and there is great concern for that. All nuclear weapons and deadly weapons would not be there if only people gave greater importance to spiritual values. The reason why deadly weapons were introduced or invented is out of fear for the enemy and out of hatred for the enemy. The hatred will be eliminated from people’s minds, from our minds, if we could transform our heart and develop positive attitudes.
When I say we should give greater importance to religious values, I’m not saying necessarily that we should give great importance to Buddhist teachings or Buddhist religion. No matter what one practice, if only one can practice a spiritual system, that is going to have a certain impact, a definite impact, in terms of transformation of one’s attitudes and wrong attitudes, or changing of wrong attitudes. Like practicing Christianity, because most of you have a Christian background, even you practice Christianity, there are so many sound teachings in Christianity which are lacking in Buddhist teachings. The world is passing through such a difficult times or hard times is because people have thrown religious values to the wind, thus they have turned so non virtuous and unfriendly with one another. In a country like this, where no one is supporting you and also not favoring you in practicing the teachings, it’s a great thing that you have set through a painstaking effort, you have set up a center for the common good, and thus you are aspiring to practice spiritual values or religious teachings.
This will certainly help you in this life and in many future lifetimes. By practicing these spiritual values which you hold dear to you, it will evolve. That’s how you evolve life after life, life after life to the perfect state of enlightenment. Therefore, it would be nice indeed on your part not to drop, not to abandon the practice that you have embraced. Here ends tonight’s talk.
But we’ll stop here tonight, and thanks for listening to me. And good night.