Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. The session opens with Lama Atisha’s warning that even perfect observance of all three sets of vows amounts to nothing more than fuel for further saṃsāra if genuine weariness toward cyclic existence is absent. In this 77-minute commentary, Geshe Pema Tsering works through the renunciation teachings in the 37 Practices series, arguing that liberation is impossible so long as we perceive saṃsāra as a divine palace rather than a prison. He draws on Śāntideva’s verse about accumulating suffering’s causes while craving happiness, admits candidly that at sixty-three he himself still yearns for samsaric comfort, and uses Drukpa Kunley’s flint-and-tinder image for how swiftly liberation arrives once real renunciation ignites. A Q&A closes the session: must practitioners abandon ordinary work? Geshe-la says ideally yes, but reframing any job as service to others is an acceptable middle path.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 05 2006 37 practices.mp3
UUID: 654eba90-d4d9-4a3b-8525-257825c8fdb5
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: 37 practices of a Bodhisattva (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2006 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 77.4 minutes
Words: ~4,479
So then follow on from the last teaching, which is still the chapter on the path of beings of middling scope. And the topic, the subject, being to say it, that’s being studied is renunciation, renunciation of cyclic existence. And then we have our quote from Lama Atisha, and Lama Atisha is saying that even though one might abide purely in the three vows, then if one does not have revulsion, or if one is not weary of all the three realms of existence, then all of it is just more causes of cyclic existence itself. And Geshe-la is explaining that, so then, without having renunciation, without having a mind which is wary of a cyclic existence, which as Nageshala explains, without seeing the faults, the shortcomings of this, what we call happiness and cyclic existence, which is actually contaminated happiness. So without seeing these faults of cyclic existence, Geshe-la says, it doesn’t matter what you practice, whatever virtue you practice is going to still be the cause of more cyclic existence.
So even if you are practicing, if you are abiding by the vows of bodhisattvas, or abiding by the vows of the secret tantra, or abiding by the vows of individual liberation, without renunciation, Atisha’s stanzas, the Lama’s stanzas, they are all just more causes for cyclic existence. So initializing this, so then when we hear that excuse me. So when when we hear that said, we all have doubts about possibility of us attaining liberation and enlightenment. Because we do not see the faults of everything that is good and excellent in cyclic existence, and we still think that some of those things that Geshe-la uses, are words, a particular word which translates as things, the good things of cyclic existence. Because we do not see the faults of some of these things, we still have attachment for them.
So I guess I said it’s very difficult to give rise to this renunciation, to understand the actual faults of cyclic existence in this way. And it is then very difficult then to attain liberation and enlightenment with this. Not only is is leave aside being difficult to attain enlightenment without this attitude of renunciation, it is it is difficult to attain liberation alone with with this without the attitude of renunciation. Also, to attain liberation, I should say, one one needs complete renunciation. Without that attitude, without this weariness, then whatever virtue we engage, then it’s just, again, is is is only going to bring us the happiness of humans and gods.
It’s going to only impel us to to to take rebirth as humans and gods within cyclic existence itself. And it’s going to bring it’s going to bring happiness, yes, but it’s not lasting stable happiness of liberation and enlightenment. It is this contaminated contaminated happiness of cyclic existence. And then because we we how do you say? Because we must then strive for lasting happiness, for stable happiness, for reliable happiness, then we must bear in mind, we must then aim at liberation and enlightenment.
And then in order to that, then we must then understand the faults of cyclic existence. We must see the faults of cyclic existence. And then we have another quote from Geshe Dromtönpa. Geshe Dromtönpa is saying then, how to say, meditating, meditating, familiarizing oneself day and night with the sufferings of cyclic existence, then knowing them, then one will have the wish, wholehearted wish for escaping from cyclic existence out of fear of the sufferings. And then Geshe-la was then saying, again, so then we must Geshe-la is then telling us that we must meditate well, think over again and again about the sufferings of cyclic existence, and in this way we’ll be able to generate this attitude of renunciation.
Geshe Potowa tells us, Geshe Potowa is telling us that as long as we are seeing cyclic existence as as perceiving it as a celestial divine palace, then for that long, we won’t be able to free ourselves. There’s no way for us to to to be free from aimlessly wandering around cyclic existence. So, I guess, I was just explaining that there’s this one word that refers to the divine palace or the celestial palace. And then this this is something which Geshe-la is a very it’s a very special sort of building which has very impressive shapes and is made of precious stones and all sorts of precious substances. And it’s very impressive.
As long as we perceive cyclic existence and saṃsāra to be something like that, and we believe it where we think to ourselves, oh, it is good, it is very good, indeed, and thinking in this way. And for that long, we won’t be able to see we won’t be we won’t have any chance to to find freedom from, again, from being dragged about around the cycle of existence. Then it is Because of that, we see then how difficult it is then to attain liberation from from cyclic existence. We do not see the force of cyclic existence now, do we? Even though we we are talking about the faults of cyclic existence, all these these faults that have been talked about, we all see them as as qualities, don’t we?
So then we all see many things within cyclic existence, within this world to be desirable, to be good. We think of of houses, and we think of cars, and and motorbikes, of having a lot of money, of fame, and we think of being famous and all that. And we’re always thinking of ways to acquire them or to maintain those things that we acquired. We’re always thinking about these things in in in our minds. And all these exercises and all these thoughts that we are generating all the time, they are all, you know, how to say, causes causes for being in cyclic existence itself.
So then Geshe-la is saying so then we can see then how how difficult it is to attain liberation in the state of liberation, isn’t it? And we we there’s no way we are told. There’s no other way. There’s no method. There’s no attaining liberation without renunciation, without seeing the the whole of some cyclic existence as as faulty, or without seeing the faults of the whole of cyclic existence.
There is no way we are told. But from beginners’ time, we have been used to thinking of it as being good and so forth. And now we can see how difficult it is to give rise to this renunciation, thoughts of renunciation. Isn’t it? If we have to meditate on something, then we must meditate, thinking.
We must meditate in the following way, as Geshe-la instructs, then we must meditate, thinking. We give rise to the thoughts that all of cyclic existence is in the nature of suffering. And then since beginningless time, we have been been wandering aimlessly within cyclic existence, within this great ocean of suffering. And then if if if now we keep on acting the same way, then one in the in the future for for a measurable amount of time, one will keep on wandering in ocean of suffering. So one so then one must then practice virtue.
And if one is then is to practice virtue, then one must practice virtue for the sake of attaining enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. And and again, thinking, understanding that because when attaining enlightenment, one will be able to bring happiness to to every sentient being. So for for this sake, with this meditation in mind and with this in mind, then we then we practice we practice virtue, engage in virtuous virtuous actions. Geshe-la says, so then if one if one then stops all other all all other thoughts about things of this this life, of this world, and then keeps on meditating this way as Geshe lah was just has just instructed, think of the faults of cyclic existence and so forth. And then then whatever and then with this in mind, and one engages in whatever work one has to do, then in this way, our our work will will turn into the cause of that, of those wishes that we have developed.
So then and Geshe Potowa also is telling us, having attained liberation, freedom from the three lower realms of existence, but merely having escaped from the three lower realms of existence and merely attained a happy rebirth as God or a human being, then one still finds no happiness whatsoever. So then, because one has not attained or captured this permanent stronghold, that stable stronghold, and Geshe-la was saying, that the stronghold of permanent happiness. Then, because one has not captured that, then one must know that all of cyclic existence to be suffering. Okay? And then we have another quote from the story of when Lama Kensapa went to ask for oral instructions to Geshe Potowa, then he was told that you meditate, you familiarize yourself with the shortcomings of cyclic existence.
Abandoning cyclic existence will not be difficult, and attaining liberation will likewise not be difficult, he was told. So then, again, Geshe-la is just saying, so then, all we have to do then is meditate, familiarize ourselves with the all the shortcomings, all the faults of cyclic existence of of Samsāra. And in this way, then we won’t have we won’t have difficulty in our work for liberation and again, Geshe-la la is telling us, the lamas are telling us that we must then see the faults of cyclic existence, but we do not see the faults of cyclic existence, nor do we. So then we cannot give rise to this wish. So Geshe-la is explaining, if we were able to see the faults of cyclic existence, as we see the faults of illness, when we see giving an analogy, we all understand clearly the faults of an illness, of being sick and so forth, and we are always permanently engaging in ways to avoid getting sick, to avoid a certain illness and so forth, aren’t we?
So then in the same way it works with the suffering of cyclic existence. If one then can understand the suffering of cyclic existence in this way, then one will, at all times, be engaging in ways to avoid it. And then so then, in conclusion, this as the text tell us that if we know the faults, the shortcomings of cyclic existence, then it will be easy to attain liberation. And then Geshe Kharakpa is saying that he understands well the need to avert or turn one’s mind away from all of cyclic existence, because he has meditated, he has familiarized himself with the fact that whenever sorry, wherever one is born, there is absolutely no happiness whatsoever. And then there’s another text, from another text which is called the Seventy Admonitions.
It reads, samsaric beings samsaric beings have no happiness at all. So then Geshe Neuzurpa is instructing us, saying that if one is to attain definitive good of enlightenment, Geshe-la was making reference to definite good, which is also with reference to liberation. So if one is to attain the definite good of enlightenment, then one how do you say? If has to wish to attain it, but first one has to give rise to the notion that saṃsāra, cyclic existence, is like a prison. The prison is a very unpleasant place now, isn’t it?
Not only that, but once in prison, are always constantly thinking of of thinking when are we going to be free from it. When are we going to be out of here? So then it’s the same way we have to generate this mind towards cyclic existence, in relation to cyclic existence. This one. Okay.
It’s a bit strange in Australia because the the prisons in Australia are a bit too too nice. There are some people because as I said, there are some people in in Australia who who who thinks that once in in the prison, they they wish to remain there. And we are we are like this. We we just we are like this in saṃsāra. We are like, oh, if if it’s okay if we have if if we get some some samsaric happiness, it’s okay, we think to ourselves.
That’s a difficult one. Samsāra is a difficult one. So he’s asking us, do you are you like this? And he says he says that he himself he he he’s always thinking, oh, if if some some samsaric happiness comes my way, it’s okay. And he’s he’s never he’s never really able to give to give the thought to give away the thoughts of of wishing for samsaric happiness, and he’s he’s asking if it is the same with with ourselves.
It’s very difficult. Then another lama, his name is Drukpa Kunley. Drukpa Kunley is telling us that if we can give rise to an authentic mind of weariness towards cyclic existence, of renunciation, then it is going to be just like a flint meeting with very dry tinder. Then we going to be liberated without any difficulty, very quickly we’re going to be free from the three realms of cyclic existence. So, Geshe-la said, so then in in times in times gone, then there was a flint that was used to light the fire.
And nowadays, we have lighters. So this is so when when when turn on the the flint of the lighter, then immediately, the the the flame starts. And so then it’s just like that. It’s just that fast. Said so then because in the past, there was no lighter, so then they have to use flints and and dry tinder to make a fire.
And then then the author’s commentary is then introducing, saying, so then, in order stop cyclic existence, then we need to make effort right now. And then from another text, which is Dharma Through Examples, this text tells us. So then, before, we merely wandered in cyclic existence. Previously, situation has not been reversed. And and it and in the future, if if we keep on going like this, it won’t be reversed.
So we must we must reverse the situation. We must stop the situation. And the time to stop the situation is right now when we that when we have attained this time that we have attained the precious human rebirth with all these freedoms and opportunities. And we all all of us, we we we wish for happiness. And all of us, we do not wish for any suffering.
All of us, we have that clear in our minds. And then, Geshe-la was saying, but still, we we do not know we do not actually understand what is lasting, reliable, stable happiness. And then, also, we do not we do not understand what is that that suffering that we do not wish. And then we have Geshe-la is giving a quote that is not here on the text, but a quote from the the Bodhicaryāvatāra of Śāntideva. Śāntideva is is is is one of his verses, a very famous verse is the same.
And even even though we do not wish for suffering, we are all readily accumulating its causes. And and and even though we all wish for happiness, we are all destroying it as if it were our enemy. So this is indeed just the way this this this teachers tells us tell tell us. And then, I guess, was saying, we we are all confused about this, what is happiness, about what is suffering. And then because even though we we wish for happiness, that what we conceive to be happiness is actually suffering.
And then so then we we so with this confusion in mind, then we we make efforts, we engage in all sorts of actions to then to acquire that happiness, which we think is happiness, but it’s actually suffering. And then we just keep on going, and it has been so since beginning in this time, since, like, time immemorial. It has been just like this. And then and then and then while while whilst we are striving to acquire all these things that we call happiness in in in in here where where we where we live, and then Geshe-la says, then we we engage in all sorts of activities. We we engage in all sorts of work.
And then there’s there’s attachment. We generate attachment. We generate anger, and so forth. And then we keep on creating more. This is all karma.
All more and more karma, more and more contaminated actions. And then again, in the future, we’re going to be reborn, we’re going to do it again and again. Life after life is going to be just like this. And and if one if one just keeps on doing like this, then there there will be there’s no freedom from cyclic existence. There will be no freedom from cyclic existence.
So then, we must we have to give rise. We have to understand. We have to see the shortcomings as a fault of cyclic existence. And then seeing it, then we’ll be able to generate that mind which opposes it, which turns away from it. And so then so then and Geshe-la was reading again for the same sentence, for the second half of the sentence.
So then the time then to reverse, to oppose the situation is this this very time that we have attained this precious human rebirth of freedoms and opportunities. So then now is the time, now is the time that we have the power and the ability to start working to oppose the situation. Start now because we won’t stay long here in this in this world, in this life. We won’t remain long, and then it’s going to be very difficult to find another human rebirth with all these freedoms and opportunities that we have right now. It’s going to be very difficult to to be able to practice in the future.
So the time to do it is now. From from the very beginning of our lives, if we had practiced, we have meditated on on on familiarize ourselves with the shortcomings of cyclic existence. And I guess I was gonna say by now, he’s sixty three years old. I am sixty three years old. And if we if we had practiced for that long, then we would, by now, we’ll have generated a very solid experience of of of of those facts, of the shortcomings of cyclic existence.
But we haven’t done so. And we are always thinking. Still now we are thinking about food, and we’re thinking about what we’re going to eat, what we’re going to wear, what we’re going to do, what we’re going to go with, etcetera, etcetera. And it’s very difficult to give rise to those thoughts. But so then we must then but we must start.
We must start at one point, and we must start now. Then so then he starts telling us, and then so then from from now on, for the rest of for the rest of my life, for the rest of one’s life, then one one thinks to oneself, then one the generation and the determination, then one will meditate, familiarize oneself with the shortcomings of cyclic existence, and thinks, think about it, and then strive to abandon them. And then with this, then practice Sorry. And then another another verse, we are we are then given another verse from Milarepa, who is a great yogi. And he’s telling us, so now is the time to distinguish yourself from cattle.
Then Geshe-la is then saying, what he’s telling us is that it’s not the time for us to just stay relaxed as we are. Now is the time to to start. Now very this very moment, this is time to start working very hard. It’s hard working.
Now is the time to work hard. Then Geshe-la was explaining this one colloquial word here that I’ve never seen before. So the Geshe-la is telling us that to turn to turn away in the face of the three lower realms is how do you say? Wow.
I wouldn’t I wouldn’t know how. So then so then we are we are told that then just to turn away from from the sufferings of cyclic existence, from the sufferings of of the three lower realms, whilst whilst not turning away also from the sufferings of of from from from rebirths as as humans and gods, it’s a it’s a great misunderstanding. And then then, again, as say, is explaining the meaning of this verse with another verse from from the Four Hundred Stanzas, was telling us before and under the teaching. Is telling us that those, the wise ones, the wise people, they are as afraid of being born in in in the as as as humans and gods as they are afraid of the lower realms of existence. And so then all these all the sufferings of of humans and the sufferings of gods and the sufferings of the three lower realms of existence, they are all the same.
They are all in the nature of suffering. And then, lastly, from the author of the root text, Gyalse Togme Zangpo himself, he’s telling us, Therefore, knowing saṃsāra to be the nature of suffering, and knowing its causes to be actions and afflictive emotions, then abandoning one attains nirvana. In order to attain that, then one must endeavor intensely in the path of liberation. Okay. And then said so, he said so, and he practiced just as he said it.
And then lastly, this is the path of being of middle scope, which is the very root of liberation. And then we are told, lastly, very last word, extremely important. And we stop here today? It’s difficult, isn’t it? Liberation is not easy, it?
Also, was just I was just asking, Geshe-la, then this is there there are various meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings on sufferings. There is the meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings on the three types of suffering, six types of sufferings, eight types of suffering. And then there are med the meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings of the particular sufferings of each realm of existence, from hell realms up to the heavens, of gods, and so forth. And then I was asking, so with respect with respect to the the general sufferings, the three types of suffering, six and eight types of suffering. Those are sufferings that are present in every realm of existence.
But but as a matter of fact, there is these sufferings are innumerable and uncountable. But then, but all sufferings can be subsumed under the the three types of suffering. Suffering of suffering, suffering of change, and all pervasive compounded suffering. So I guess I’m thinking to himself, this this is a tasty tea, and that’s already another cause of cyclic existence. Yeah.
That’s what we have been saying. Yes. Basically. So then so then I was I was explaining trying to explain the idea that you you that you that that you put forth. So, yeah, without without being weary of everything, seeing faults, seeing the suffering in in samsaric phenomena, yeah, there is no freedom.
So then, yes, and and then, for example, if if our jobs or whatever job we do in the world, and then and then I was saying, so then must we must we abandon this job? And he says, yes. We must abandon the job. We must abandon everything. I mean, it’s it’s all meaningless.
It’s all more just more causes of cyclic existence. And then but if one must do the job, then one should then one would be better to do thinking of accomplishing the happiness of others and not doing for oneself. So then and then in this way will be better, but it’s very difficult. All you know is is always all options we have there, they’re very difficult. Because if it was easy, we’ll all be free already.
Geshe is then giving an illustration. Okay? An example. The fund was, for example, working building a house, for example. And then if so then we get we get a certain amount of money every hour for every hour of work.
Now if if if whilst we’re working, we are just thinking, oh, I’m gonna get this amount of money. I’m gonna get this money, and I’m gonna do this and that with this money, etcetera. Then we because as I said, we must stop this this sort of thinking, and we must think instead, okay, if if we are building the house, it says, oh, the people are going to be to be living in this house, so I’m gonna help them. I’m gonna benefit them by building this house. I’m gonna do a nice job, you know, for their benefit, for their sake.
And then may this this virtue that I’m doing right now be the cause of of of my enlightenment for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings. And then and so then thinking in this way and not thinking about the money, thinking this way, that that’s okay. If you if you can do that, if you can accomplish that, that’s good. And even though you will not think about the money, you still get the money. So it’s all good.
But it’s difficult. So then I guess I was explaining with the reference to one Tibetan word, which means to abandon or to give up. And then when we’re talking about abandoning or or giving up, then we’re talking about understanding the faults that are present, understanding and then abandoning, giving up those faults, those shortcomings, or whatever brings those faults, and then giving up the afflictive conceptions and emotions that we have. They are all there’s nothing but faults to them. Giving them up, abandoning them, That’s what those are the things that we have to abandon and give up.
It’s not it’s not the the work on itself. So then whatever whatever work we do, there are pros and cons to it. So we must we must abandon the cons and work on the pros. Okay. Is that okay?
Okay. Okay. Yeah? Australia, So, what was the name of the Geshe? Okay.
Okay. Okay? Oh, you bet. Who who was the young lama? Okay?
Yeah. Yeah. So the morning prayers page twenty eight, twenty six.