Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Āryadeva’s doctor-patient analogy anchors this 46-minute session: just as a doctor holds no resentment toward a patient who slaps him in illness, practitioners should direct dislike at disturbing emotions rather than the people expressing them. Geshe Pema Tsering arrives at this through a concrete social dilemma — being caught between two friends who cannot stand each other — then separates naturally non-virtuous acts (killing, lying) from proscribed non-virtues binding only the ordained. A Q&A explores how attachment-thoughts slip in despite good motivation (the example: spotting an attractive car while driving to a teaching) and whether breaking a minor vow to save someone is ever justified. He closes by grounding all ethical effort in the emptiness of agent and action, and in the rarity of precious human rebirth.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 39 BD 2002 06 20.mp3
UUID: 80e391d5-3141-4ef4-a9ff-e0974c5870cf
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Deeds (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-06-20
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 46.2 minutes
Words: ~3,037
Oneself and by and developing a deep jealousy as well as afraid of thinking they might finish it before oneself. So when so should should always rejoice for the other’s hard work. And and and whenever if if the attachments are coming attachments and so forth coming by, you know, being with the close ones or the relatives. You know? And so whenever those actions come, you know, always — it’s not those non virtuous actions — one should always apply antidote.
And so all this the the the negative actions which which are described in the early from the beginning of the class, that those are the non virtuous actions produced out of the three doors, body, speech, and mind. So and out of those actions, then one develop or increase the disturbing emotion disturbing emotions. So therefore, in all the time, should one should always examine and and and and should and not involve in the actions without any reasons. And excuse me. Yep.
And because because sometimes one one involves the actions without examining it and and by doing so, with no reasons, one one cultivate numbers of non virtuous actions. So, therefore, it is important to examine one’s actions and the actions of the body’s speech and mind. And always and and and if the non virtuous actions are coming, then without feeling discouraged, one should apply the antidote to to destroy the disturbing emotions like the way the great the great Bodhisattvas like like great Bodhisattvas has have done. By doing so, one can overcome all the non virtuous actions or disturbing emotions. So so therefore, those who wish those who wish those who wish enlightenment or Buddhahood should should should take the advice or or undertake the actions of the the Bodhisattvas, and that should be done without having any doubts on those actions or deeds of the Bodhisattvas.
So so therefore, you know, should should have faith and devotions in the Triple Gem as well as one one’s own the the the ethical discipline of avoiding non non virtuous as well as one’s own precepts or a vows and so forth and should have respect and devotion for those practices and and always aware of the non aware of the negative actions. And if they are likely to come, should should avoid it with by seeing by three reasons saying that taking oneself as a witness and being very ashamed of wanting to do so and feeling the embarrassment — embarrassment by thinking that it would be very embarrassing to perform such non virtuous actions in front of others. And and and and also fear and and think about the the yeah. By, yeah, thinking develop a fear by thinking the results of the non virtuous actions.
So by thinking about all these analysis or through investigations, you know, should always not to perform. Avoid, yep, avoid non virtuous actions. So so therefore, in all the times, one should be one should one should maintain very peace and and perform the appropriate or good activities or one’s correct characteristic should be peaceful and and and, yeah, peaceful and that and should should should always perform the the actions to the which which pleases others and yep. The the action which pleases or make others happy should not do any actions which produce hatred and so forth for others. So by doing so and sometimes one one one will come in or one will come in a very difficult position by suppose this the example is like the there are two people never get along well, and and you happen to be very nice to both of them, good friend.
And and now so that that that that that puts one oneself in a very difficult position because if one says something to this person, pleases this, but that hurts others. And if you say something to the left, the right will get offended and so forth. So and and which is true, and one it can be possible for one to be in such positions. When such thing happens, should not feel discouraged or yeah. Should not feel discouraged and think that that the both person are are under the influence of disturbing emotions.
So instead of feeling disheartened, should not develop any discrimination between those two, But one should it is one should try to to to to challenge and challenge the their disturbing emotion and try to try to abandon their disturbing emotions and bring them back into friendship or become very closeness. And and and and and and it is a difficult thing to do so, but that that and but it is worth taking such a hardship. Buddha. Buddha. Alright.
The and, yep, in such circumstances, you know, one should not feel tired and and produce the the dislike both the friends or both the both person or, yep, or hate the hatred towards the peep those two. And here, it said and the Śāntideva — gang in Tibetan name. I don’t remember the Sanskrit. Buddhapālita or something. Buddhapālita.
No. Anyway, see see, one of the the sons or the the very close disciples of of Ārya Nāgārjuna, and this master Āryadeva is also one of the pioneers of the Prāsaṇgika, the middle way Prāsaṇgika consequentialist school. And in his text, so called the four hundred stanzas of middle way, yeah, four hundred stanzas of middle way, he said that saying that should not develop hatred or dislike towards those two people. If an if if you want to dislike or dislike or produce hatred hatred, produce hatred towards the disturbing emotions of the people, not the people. Because those two people, they don’t get along well, not because of just he him is him or hers is her.
It’s because because of producing two types of disturbing emotions and of the different people. And those two disturbing emotion emotions didn’t get along well. So due to this, they try to hate each other, but it’s not just them. It’s be it’s their disturbing emotions which makes which makes them dislike each other. So if one wants if you are so you are in the position, should not dislike those two people, try to to abandon or or dislike the disturbing emotions disturbing emotions of the of those people.
The example here is giving for example, the the if the patient the patient is undergoing some huge sufferings or, like, a delusion and so forth, and went to see the doctor, and because of his or her illness, you know, the patient spit on the doctor or slap the doctor and so forth, the doctor will never, yep, produce anger or hatred to the patient. It’s it’s not the patient. It’s the the disease or illness is doing the the action. So likewise, you know, should not dislike the person, dislike the the disturbing emotions. So as for the ethical discipline, you know, there are two types of actions, one, of leading the ethical discipline.
So there are two the non virtuous actions, certain the non virtuous action. If such actions will become a non virtuous actions for certain people, not for the certain people, which means, like, the certain actions, if the the ordinary monks or ordinary people person commits, then become a non virtuous, but not for the highly attained one or the yep. And as well as for the precepts and the vows. So is doing such actions will become a negative actions or, yep, for the person who have taken a vows and not for the person who have not taken the vows. And and and so it is called the the prescribed and the naturally non-virtues.
For for example, like, the cutting of grass for the and So and for example, like grass. And and and if the fully ordained monk or a nun cuts grass without any reason, then that becomes a non virtuous action because of their vows. And and and if one avoids the for for those people and those audience, if they avoid the actions like cutting a grass by thinking, if I do so, it becomes against one of the vows or precepts, and then they’re guarding the precept and have virtues. And by doing so, it avoids a negative action or a non virtuous — collecting a non virtuous action.
And so so so so so so so so called the the pros precept or proscribed non virtuous. And the non virtue naturally non virtuous actions, it is they are like any the if that if that action is performed, whether it’s the ordinary monk or whoever the person performs that action commits, like, for example, like act of killing, it becomes a non virtuous action of any being. So therefore, you know, should always be mindful and lead a very ethical life — not committing any non virtuous actions. And always involve in the positive or virtuous actions.
And the purpose of the actions of engaging in the positive action should not be for the self benefit. Always do it, involve in the actions and to for the sacred motherly sentient beings or or in order to help sentient beings. And by doing so but should always see the the sentient beings as well as the actions or ethical discipline, a person who maintains the ethical discipline, see them, they are like a illusion, lacking in in lacking inherent existence or they’re free of inherent existence. They are means they are emptiness. Therefore, it is like an illusion and should not should so therefore therefore, one should yep.
One should not develop any the pride or so forth for pride and, yep, yep, pride, the haughtiness and so forth because of those actions, like positive actions one had performed by thinking, I have done such and such and such and such and feeling pride should not develop those non virtuous thought because there is no point. See that one has done all these actions for the for for the entire sentient beings. And and but but but oneself is also lacking inherent existence. So there is no, yep, reason of producing a pride or, yeah, pride and so forth. So, therefore, in in in all the time, you know, the antidote should always be within oneself.
And whenever the non virtuous action comes, those antidotes should be applied to avoid the negative thoughts or actions. So, therefore, by doing all this, and it is one one will feel tired or or it’s very hard, but it is worth taking and, yep, should should bear this hardship to those it is very difficult to think those because as it said that leading the ethical discipline is difficult, but by doing so, should think of all this, you know, see those the ethical discipline as well as sentient beings oneself as lacking see them as so called the Really? Like. Yeah. Yeah.
So, yeah, see them as free Yeah. Free free of free of inherent existence. It means they are empty. They do not exist the way they appears. So, therefore, by doing all this leading doing such practices, one practices, one will feel tired or very, very hard, but should take this hardship by thinking.
You know? At this stage, one has after a very long period of hardship or hard works, one finally received this precious human rebirth, which is very with eighteen qualities and which is very rare to attain. So after having attained such such a precious human rebirth, it is it is not appropriate to waste this and make use of this precious human rebirth in order to accomplish a great goal of both the self and others. Stop here and if you have any questions. Krishna said that.
Did you understand? Yes, Chris. It. Yep. Those actions are for the the the old monks and nuns.
And, yeah, because so they have Geshe-la said that they have additional non virtues for them. And and, also, by guiding so, they receive additional virtues. Motivation? So, yeah, the non actions, and no matter how good good motivation proper motivation one has developed from the very beginning, but non virtuous actions, we don’t always recognize, but they come all the time. They are like a sand, you know, everywhere.
And and, for example, it is so true that you develop a car you drove a car from your home and with a good motivation of coming and working for the sentient beings, and I should go to Buddha House and receive teachings and so on, such and such, those good actions. And so coming from your home to Buddha House, because of that motivation And that action has been produced by that such motivation. So all the way from you to your home to Buddha house is the virtuous as well as sitting on the teaching and so forth, the virtuous actions. But non virtuous actions, you know, can all all all because yeah. Yeah.
And we also develop non virtuous actions between the time. And it is like, for example, you drive a car. And while you’re driving a car, another the the beautiful car passed by. And you just happen to look at it but go, oh, that’s a good car. You know?
And the non virtuous actions comes. You know? We can’t really tell how it come, but the car you saw the car, and it just instantly developed a non virtuous action. But but but developing that non virtuous action, it but it doesn’t mean you’re just you’re that that non virtuous negative or non virtuous action just like, it destroys your virtuous. It’s not the case.
But if if if you develop a, like, a huge like, a very bad anger and so forth at anger as well as, like, wrong views, then those those negative actions will will destroy your virtues of and a motivation coming to Buddha House and so forth. I’m not. No. Yeah. Is it better to help someone or to keep a vow that we may have?
For example, someone may run up to you and say, look. I need to get to x and x place to save someone from being killed or something like that. And the only way to describe getting them getting to the place is by drawing on the ground. So is it better to you can see that is the motivation better to help someone? Yeah.
Or is it better I think I still understood your question. Actually, it is the first when we talked about drawing on the the ground and so forth, this mainly refers to the particular the particular areas, you know, which are like, there is a the protected areas where, you know, lots of sentient beings, creatures, yes, so forth, you know, more likely to see or happen there. And and that is actually specifically at this stage as for the fully ordained monk, not for the novice monk. But novice monk doing so has has has, yeah, of course, non virtuous actions, but not really so called yep. Againsting the vows because it is one of the fully ordained fully ordained ones as well.
And in in such circumstances, even if one happened to be in that that sort of area and then a person approaches you and you happen to you have to draw it because there is a huge reason of doing so, wouldn’t really matter. Just give it a help. Yeah. So, yeah, instead, you have a huge benefit because of of helping others. So if it happened to you in the future, just go for it.
So we’re saying that that from the very beginning, without any reason, then one commits non virtuous. Otherwise, there is non virtuous. So when he was saying, like, simply writing, you know, whatever, and a Buddha has said or not, and it doesn’t matter. I’m going to write it on write it on that ground. That means such and one has against in the precepts and so forth.
But that one is with the reason of helping somebody. It’s non non virtuous. Yeah. It depends. Yeah.
This is for the sentient beings, sort of the one it can’t be seen through the eye, but there’s a lot of, yeah, little insects and so forth on the yeah. Insects. Insects. Yeah. So organisms, isn’t it?
In the the leaves or the grass so forth. Not only that, example, like, you know, having dinner and so forth, you know, the monks and nuns that they have be not eating dinner, but, yeah, eating dinners and, like, performing arts — ritual arts — as well as Cham dancing, singing, and so forth. And but early in the morning, you know, there is a the text so called the the the beginning of the permissions text is recited early in the morning that they have they can make the prayers in some of the Buddhist statues and So without having permission, one is not supposed to do so or not allowed. So in the morning, they recite the text in front of the statues, you know, seeking permission, stating the reasons — such and such, for such reasons. You know?
Today, I have to perform art or Cham Cham dancing, or eat dinner, or cut the grass, clean up the place, and so forth. So before when they get up in the morning, they recite the text in front of the statue of Buddha Śākyamūni and seek permission to do so. So you may have seen that, you know, the fully ordained monks or nuns, you know, in the early morning, they do three prostrations and kneel, and in front of the Buddha statue then recite and then do three prostrations. That’s why they’re reciting the text of permissions in thinking, I have to do such and such and such. So yeah.
Okay. Yep. That’s the last thing. I’m gonna do an action. Think, okay, well, I’m going to die.
What sort of karma is that creating? What what Is it creating a good karma that’s going to