Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Geshe Pema Tsering opens a new section of this 47-minute Śāntideva commentary with a pointed logical puzzle: if anger toward someone who harms you is justified, why not anger toward the stick they used, or toward cancer, which hurts just as much? Working through verses 22 to 51 of the patience chapter, he argues that the real cause of all harm is disturbing emotions — the person is simply controlled by them and has no freedom. He first recaps why positive actions are rare while non-virtue comes automatically: saṃsāra is itself suffering, so renunciation must precede genuine patience practice. He then covers three subdivisions — accepting suffering willingly, being patient toward phenomena, and not retaliating against harm — recommending compassion for the harmer rather than anger. The Q&A addresses verse 10’s logic about whether suffering can be remedied, and a question on how anger destroys accumulated merit.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 50 BD 2002 08 01.mp3
UUID: 344ea67b-5fb5-409b-a5d0-d53786c76e67
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Deeds (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-08-01
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 46.8 minutes
Words: ~3,228
The causes for happiness are very rare ones, and the causes for the sufferings are in numberless, something like that. There is in the. Yeah. Number Yeah. That’s right.
So it’s one two three four five six seven eight nine ten. It’s up to verse twenty one. It’s been explained how to maintain the patience or or patience of willingly accepting the suffering. Yep. So the the meanings yeah.
The what it yeah. The meanings of the to those verses is is that the causes of for the happiness or positive actions are very rare. It’s hardly occurs that that and and the the causes for the non virtuous or sufferings are in many. It aren’t Are in many and which means that that that that we have to one have to work very hard to cultivate a positive actions for the the the cause for the happiness. And and and after after a long time working so hard, one cultivates the the the the causes for the happiness.
Whereas for the suffering, one does not really need to work. It always naturally comes in all the time. And this is what happens when one is born in cyclic existence or saṃsāra, because we have been circling in cyclic existence from the very beginningless of time. And and and all the time, you know, you know, cultivating non virtues or sufferings and and and very few the happiness occurs.
It is because the reason why it is reason why those things happen is because the cyclic existence, saṃsāra itself is suffering. So because saṃsāra itself is suffering and being in saṃsāra, the non virtues just don’t have to or need does not need to cultivate very hard, and it just comes automatically. So So, therefore, you know, because the cyclic existence, saṃsāra itself is a suffering, and that’s because of this, the the we cultivate the sufferings or non virtuous action in all the time. And and without any hardships or, yeah, automatically, we just cultivate. It is because saṃsāra itself is itself is suffering.
So therefore so therefore therefore therefore the therefore, it is important to see existence or Samsāra is itself is a suffering, and it’s in the nature of suffering. And without knowing saṃsāra is suffering — that its very nature is suffering — there is no way one can develop a renunciation which is wish wish to free from cyclic existence. Because if one does not realize that saṃsāra is the nature of suffering, then one one sees see one sees the saṃsāra as a happiness and and and and grasp grasp the saṃsāra as a happiness and then and do not will not develop a wish to free from that happiness because saṃsāra is a happiness. Therefore so but without so therefore, it is important to to to see the saṃsāra as a suffering. And on such basis of knowing that it is a suffering, then one can develop a renunciation, which is Renunciation.
So, therefore, one should one should should see cyclic existence as being in the nature of suffering and and and and develop try to develop a renunciation and maintain patience as as much as one can because and it’s set forth that one should meditate or familiarize oneself into into patience, etcetera, includes love and great compassion and so forth. Because by familiarizing through meditating on those patience and love and compassion, then eventually, gradually, they will become easier and easier. And it is because the this nature of the phenomena because they nothing exists Nothing exists which won’t become easier by familiarizing it or or through meditation. So if I meditate and cultivate patience and so forth, the loving compassions, they will become easier and easier. So therefore, try to med meditate and being yep.
Maintain patience. And through this such through such practices, then it those they become easier easier, and gradually one can maintain patience for all the sufferings. So so beginning from the the to maintain patience towards the harsh words from others and slight harms from others. And maintain patience by cultivating from that step onward, gradually one comes into the point that one can perfect the patience and even one can even maintain patience, you know, for the sufferings of the hell realms, which means that the great bodhisattvas who are perfected in patience, those bodhisattvas, they have no trouble being patient for the suffering of the hell realms. You know, they can easily maintain under undertake the sufferings of the hell realms.
And now to the second subdivision, which is cultivating patience with regard to the dharmas — the phenomena. And that has been explained by the next twelve verses starting from twenty-two to thirty-three. And so the meaning is that if one if one says that, oh, yeah, it is it is suitable to being angry to the person who caused harm, then then then the question comes that so the will will one be angry on on on yeah. It is so sorry. It if one says that it is okay to develop it is okay to be angry to the person who caused harm, then if one says this, then the question comes question comes that will one be angry to the diseases like the the the the yeah, the cancer or so called the joint and so forth because they cause harm to you as well.
They they they also brings harm, but one will not. And the the if the answer has been replied, it is not because they’re just the diseases come so forth. And then what happens? And then the question comes is then it is not so the answer would be that it is not okay to develop anger to the person or by saying the person caused the harm, then if they say so, then one should get angry on the stick because it is not the person who really caused the harm, actually the real stick being touched on your body causes the pain, and the stick is the one which causes the harm. And and you should be angry on on on towards the stick.
So therefore, if one also says that, no, the that one one will not be angry on the cancer or disease like cancers and so forth because they are just the I don’t know, without any control — when all the causes and conditions are present by themselves. If one says so, then should not it’s the same thing that one should not be angry on the person because because the person, he or she has no freedom because they are being influenced by the the the the the the disturbed mind, like disturbing emotions. And due to this, they make the person to cause harm. So therefore, if one wants to get angry, it should be angry towards the disturbing emotions, not the person who caused the harm. If one says that that analogy is not suitable because the cancers and so forth, they are not the the intentional or or the the harms, Whereas the person who caused the harm did it intentionally, you know, with the motivated and then and, yeah, intentionally harm myself or harm the person.
And the answer would be this is not the reasonable because the person you can’t say this because person, they cause the harms or being yeah, harm when it’s been in controlled by the disturbing emotions like hatred and anger, so forth. Because because but they from the very beginning, they have no intention thinking, I will develop it I will develop the disturbing emotions first and then cause the harm to the person. It is not worked that way. The person has no intentions from the very beginning, but the the the coming off the disturbing emotions like hatred and anger are very instant. You will never know when they come.
So whenever they come, it makes person to cause harm. So therefore, the person didn’t really intentionally person is not intentionally harming you or other because because from the very beginning, they have no intention because they don’t want to harm anyone, and they never thought that I will wait for I will first develop a disturbing emotion and then harm. You know? It will doesn’t work that way. So therefore, should not hate or be angry to the person because of the suffering it’s caused.
Because because because if if if that is the reason, then if one does so, should should one should be angry towards the sticks or so forth because they also bring the harm. So the person is not not the main the cause for the harms because the the main cause for the harms are disturbing emotions, like hatred and hatred, anger. And now to the third division, which is being patient — not retaliating towards the harm or not taking revenge for the harm. And that has been explained in the next eighteen verses, starting from thirty-four to fifty-one.
Yep. So saying that one should not be angry towards the harm because because because because the the everybody, including oneself and other sentient beings, there also goes through the suffering. And and and they have no freedom because the all the causes for the anger and hatred, the the harms are there within the person. And due to this, person has no freedom. And and and because when they are yeah.
When the ang the disturbing emotions, anger and hatred are manifested there, and and they become the the person become and becomes the control or being controlled by the disturbing emotions or being influenced by the disturbing emotions and then the harms and so forth comes. So therefore the person has no freedom. Due to this, all this happens, you should not retaliate and and maintain patience. If one wants to challenge or challenge or being angry, then should anger towards the the three disturbing emotions or three poisons, like attachment, hatred, and ignorance. So all the harms and yeah.
Harms are the the caused by the disturbing emotions. So therefore, you should one should not be angry and hate hate the person who who brings the harms because they have no they have they have no freedom and being influenced by the disturbing emotions. And and and all instead of being patient instead of being angry, should maintain patience, love and compassion, and feel pity for the person because the person is being possessed or influenced by the disturbing emotions and it which brings harm to us. And thinking that by harming you or harming other, they might get some happiness, but in reality, they still don’t get happiness at all. So the person is a mistaken one and the mistake has been caused by the disturbing emotions — the actual cause.
And therefore, if one should one is to be angry, angry on the person’s disturbing emotions, not the person. Because because because the person is entirely entirely confused and and and and and and does anything what the disturbing emotions let the person to do and and think along with this person may think that he or she receives the happiness by doing such and such harm to the other, but which is not, they won’t be happy. For example, like, because of the disturbing emotions, it happens, person thinks, well, if I commit suicide, you know, I might be happy I might receive some happy or just jump from the cliff or eat poison, so forth. And those causes happen by the disturbing emotions, but in reality, by jumping from the cliff or committing suicide and so forth, the person won’t receive any happiness or peace. So so yeah.
And all this has been caused by the disturbing emotions. Some people, you know, because of the because of the girl or because of the boy, as well as for being greedy towards the towards the wealth and so forth. And and due to this, you know, one gets so anxious and frustrated, angry towards other people because of, you know, not helping or not getting what one wishes a girl or a boy or wealth and so forth. And and due to this, you know, things are frustrating and and and and as a result, and one goes through the suffering, you know, because this, you know, fed up with oneself, not eating and and and And, yep, and not eating and thinking, and sometimes one gets so angry. That’s a different one.
And and, yeah, some people, you know, in yeah, being so angry to the other person and saying, alright. I’m going to do a hunger strike. I’m not going to eat anything, you know. And and some, you know, so frustrated and angry herself and are not getting what one wishes and thinking and there’s no happiness and peace at all. And by thinking now, well, I’m not going to get what I want what I want and I’m still not happy.
The best way is I just kill myself in that I’m happy or, you know, or just, you know, kill myself by jumping from the cliff or just take some, you know, poisons and some and cut or do the and do non virtuous actions like a yeah. Negative actions and and due to this. And the and in reality, by doing those action instead of getting happiness, one culture with huge non virtuous and negative actions. And as a result, which will bring suffering in both the this life and the future lives. So we’ll stop here today.
And take questions. There’s been today’s class and will be same in the next few classes as well, that in in the the yeah. Bodhisattva Way of Life is is the chapter of sort of the text for the whole study group for the whole year. And by counting the terms now, it’s running. We are running backwards.
So No. So Geshe-la needs to catch up. He has been going very detail, word to word from the past. And as a result, running late, so now we’ve got to catch up to up to date. This is how Geshe-la says So so Geshe-la has said that he has, you know, he didn’t go through the explanation word to word and just very quickly to catch up with the time.
And Geshe-la said that he had been driven very fast today on the ninety k’s, you know, Yeah. I said, ninety is nothing. At least ninety is fifteen. Fifteen. Yep.
So any questions? The the question was Geshe-la explain a bit on a bit about the the verse ten? Why be unhappy about something if it can be remedied? And what is the use of being unhappy about something if it cannot be remedied? So what it means is that yeah.
Because the person What it means is that that one should not be unhappy with all the harms and so forth. And because because because but when one receives the harms or the sufferings, instead of being unhappy, one should examine it and think it and whether that suffering can be ill yep, Suffering can be cured or not. And and and if it can be cured, then then it is no point being unhappy because one should work for it instead of being mourning. You should work for it and then get over the suffering because it can be cured. And if so they yeah.
And likewise, if it can’t be cured, then no matter how much one worries and so forth, and even one works after it, it is be sure that it from the very beginning, that suffering can’t be cured, and there’s no point at all. Even one works or just being unhappy and so forth, but nothing is going to happen. And but here, it is because so one should not be worried or unhappy because all the suffering, they are caused by the disturbing emotions mainly. And and disturbing emotions so therefore, the disturbing emotions can be eradicated, can be abandoned. So which means the sufferings, whatever all the sufferings one go through, they are to be remedied.
So therefore, one should not be unhappy. Yes, Yeah. Said that it is clearly stated like the anger. I don’t It’s it’s mainly towards the the anger which one develops to the person, depends on who you get angry. So for example, the text is talking about the bodhisattvas and the the buddhas.
And for the person who are of the first stage or the not who we call the person who have entered the path or who are not entered the path. So at this stage, the one like myself, you know, have not entered the path, if get the angry towards the one, towards the bodhisattva or the person who has not developed the bodhicitta and develops anger to the bodhisattva who have already developed the bodhicitta, then the moment anger of that person to the a person to the b person, then the a persons get bankrupt. You know? I guess I’m I’m asking. Yeah.
What kind of What what what is the definition of anger? It’s the the an anger is the secondary mind and or the mental factor. So mind and the it’s a mental factor, the mental factor which reaches out in the aspect of causing harm. That’s what they used there. So mainly, it was saying towards intent to the dharma or so forth.
What it actually mean is there should not be angry towards dharma, which is dharma who is the one here the dharma is not the dharma text and so forth. Dharma is a it’s a phenomena phenomena here. It’s the same word, same spelling in the Tibet the Tibetan writing in debate when we called about the is some the is actually the, you know, like and might just take the moment. And so forth, other choice. And then in terms of debate in other areas, too, it becomes a phenomena, every object.
Know? We’re saying existence, dharma, impermanent thing, everything are synonyms. So which means is so one should not be angry towards the dharma, to the phenomena. So in this if you cause me a harm, then you becomes my dharma, and I become your dharma. And so I should not be angry on you and because but just by thinking that you caused me you you caused me the harm.
It is because if if that is the case, if I were to get angry just because of the harms you you caused you brought to me, then I should be angry to the stick as well, the weapon you use, because the weapons also caused the harm. That that’s what the dharma towards. Yeah. How how can anger that arise in my mind, you know, now wipe out previous virtue? You know, what what’s the mechanism?
Your anger now Yeah. And what happened to the previous How how can anger wipe out one’s virtue? This is a good question. Yeah. What happens is when you develop the the the virtuous and the cultivate merits so forth and from the past, very long time ago, and every time