Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 45-minute session, Geshe Pema Tsering opens with a sūtra passage declaring that bodhicitta’s merit is too vast for space itself to contain, then traces the full causal chain: bodhicitta requires love and compassion, which require renunciation, which requires honestly seeing one’s own torment within saṃsāra. He resumes a verse from the previous week on laziness and the Lord of Death, using the image of beings eating, sleeping, and enjoying life while under continuous execution by death’s uncertainty. Drawing on the Jātaka Tales and vivid accounts of the dying process — signs of lower-realm rebirth, relatives weeping, doctors speaking euphemistically — he argues that postponing practice until life’s final hours is a mistake, since fear and grief make genuine practice nearly impossible at that point. He closes by introducing three types of laziness, covering postponement and attachment to non-virtue in detail.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 59 BD 2002 08 22.mp3
UUID: fc344540-83be-45a4-873a-b91382b7996a
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Deeds (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-08-22
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 45.0 minutes
Words: ~2,821
It has been stated in the sutras that if the merit of the altruistic intention or bodhicitta were to take form, even space is too small for it to fit in. So, yep, that passage from Sūtra is explaining the benefits of the altruistic intention, even the benefits or the merits of developing aspiring bodhicitta can be fit in this space or the space is not big enough for the merit you gain by cultivating a aspiring bodhicitta, then the benefits of the the altruist sorry. Benefits of the engaging bodhicitta is even greater than the aspiring bodhicitta. So therefore, there are the huge benefits of developing bodhicitta is very precious and very holy practices that are very precious. And it was set forth that developing a bodhicitta for a moment, moment will yeah.
One will become just developing for a moment is has a huge benefit that one will become object of the the offerings. Got it. Got it. So such a bodhicitta, is very important to cultivate or develop. And to develop that bodhicitta, the bodhicitta should be induced induced by or developed by the love and compassion.
And without love and compassion, there’s no way one can develop the bodhicitta. So, and yep, so we should develop the love and compassion before the altruistic intention or bodhicitta. So without developing a love and compassion, one can’t develop the bodhicitta. And speaking of compassion, it’s not just a compassion. As for compassion, there are different types of compassion and that compassion should a so called compassion with special insight.
And to develop that compassion of special insight, it depends on the great compassion. And the great compassion depends on what is called the limitless compassion. To develop those different types of compassions, repeat here, the limitless compassion, great compassion and the compassion of special insight. And to develop those compassion, one has to have a renunciation. Without renunciation, those can’t be cultivated or obtained.
And developing a renunciation depends on one’s dislike towards cyclic existence or saṃsāra. And so therefore, to develop a renunciation, one has to see the disadvantages of cyclic existence or saṃsāra. And to to yep. Now, of saṃsāra and to be able to develop such To see the Yep, develop renunciation one has to see how one goes through Oneself has been tortured by the sufferings of the cyclic existence. And without knowing or acknowledging oneself being tortured by the sufferings of the saṃsāra, there’s no way one can develop a compassion which is wished to free others from suffering.
So therefore, the knowing how oneself is being tortured by the sufferings is very important. Many of us, we only see all the sufferings of the suffering that one can see that one is tortured by the suffering called the suffering of suffering. And other than the sufferings other than the suffering of suffering, we misunderstand them those suffering as a happiness. And therefore, we like to see that how we go through the suffering or oneself goes through suffering. So so therefore, it is very important to to see oneself from the very beginning how one is being tortured or goes through the suffering.
And having understand how one’s if one understands that oneself has been tortured by some sufferings, then there is a hope that the the hope for one to develop a wish to free oneself from the some sorrow, which is renunciation. Got it. Got it. So whenever one develop as the renunciation, a wish to free from cyclic existence, then then then we read the yeah. Change the direction of that wish instead of oneself into other wishing others to be others to free from something.
And and through this, you know, by developing compassion or wish to free others from the suffering, then through the help or through the power or help of that wish or get the compassion, then one can develop a wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of others. And that mind is called the such a mind is called the aspiring bodhicitta. So therefore, we shall do a short meditation here on altruistic intention. Yeah. And by thinking that or wishing that I I shall I shall free entire sentient beings from the suffering and bring them to the state of ultimate happiness.
And for that purpose, I yeah. I I do all the practices of listening and so forth. So and continuing from the last week, we were talking about the verse, you remember? So continuing from that, that the city of liberation or nirvana, where there is no death — meaning the liberation state, arhat-hood or Buddhahood. So all the paths to those liberation states have been blocked by the laziness.
Due to our laziness, we can’t pass through it. And during the path to the liberation it has been obstructed by so called the Lord of Death. And it is still yep, the people are very so it is not appropriate. Yeah, it is quite amazing to see the people that they are in the process of killing or murdering or killing by the Lord of Death or the death. It is it’s in every moment we are under the execution.
But still, it’s funny to see that beings, you know, being not conscientious and sleeping, eating and enjoying still even though they are under the process of killing by the Lord of death. And so, you get out of there! And therefore, one should be very alert and not be unconscious or careless.
And yeah. Unconscious. And the Lord Buddha Śākyamūni in his Jātaka Tales, the birth stories of the Buddha, said that the path to liberation has been blocked, which is blocked by the disturbing emotions and the karma. People the sentient beings goes through being influenced by the disturbing emotion and karma.
And due to this, they fall into the hands of the Lord of Death. And Yes. So you say that all the path to the liberation, all the path has been obstruct or blocked by the Lord of Death, and still it is very strange to see that being enjoys, you know, the live very happily and do not have any fears, yep, do not have any fears to the death and still very strange to see that they, without any doubt, they sleeps and stays happy without any doubt even though the paths have been blocked by a Lord of Death. So therefore, you know, if one thinks that, yes, it is important and one should cultivate the virtues or merit. But one should, but not at the moment, you know, that I’m young and etcetera and etcetera.
And thinking so is very wrong. It’s a mistake because there is the it is not it is mistake because because life is uncertain and we never know where yeah, we never know when the death will come. And also, that one can’t prolong one’s lifespan, that Excuse me. Lifespan. And additional to that, we can’t extend our life, but there are lots of obstacles we face to shorten one’s life or to reach the death earlier.
So for the longest, one may stay up to age of hundred, but has to die within hundred. So therefore, it is not too long. So therefore, one should try to practice and cultivate the merit or virtues as much as one can before one is being caught by the Lord of Death. And it is important to do it before it comes. So when it come, afterwards and when it came, and now trying to do something, and it’s too late and such a meaningful act.
So before the Lord of death comes, one should practice as much as one can. So so therefore, one should not stay lazy and unconscious, and should steadfastly, right immediately, start to practice and cultivate the virtue or merit as much as one can, because the Lord of Death is uncertain, and we never know when it comes. And also, what happen if one does not, then what happens is we do Because of the laziness, you know, we stay just wandering or wandering or being unconscious. And due to this, make lots of plans, but they never works.
Because some people, they die when the half of their project is done during the half. And some just begin the project or a plan and then and drop dead. And and some don’t didn’t even get a chance to begin the the project just by, you know, making plans and have a motivation to do such and such, but that comes. So therefore, you know, we never know. It is uncertain.
Yeah. It is the uncertainty nature of the Lord of Death and never know when it comes. Therefore, should never stay meaningless, wandering and unconscious — straightforward, immediately start one’s practice or collect virtues. So therefore, should not leave the practice to the very end and should should do it straight away when one is capable, one is, you know, able to or one one one can practice because the Lord of Death is uncertain, and it is not good to leave it till the very end. Well, you’re not good to leave it till the end because because whenever it comes, the signs are already there now sooner or you’re going to die, then at that time, it is very hard for one to practice because one have lots of emotional problems at the time of death because the death is approaching.
It is sure now one will die in a very short period. And knowing that first thing one’s disease is or the chronic disease or illness which is killing oneself and killing you. And then one will think about being departed from one’s dear ones, relatives, one’s wealth or possessions, and then have to think, now, it’s not the end of me, and I’m dying, but I have to go to the next life. And there’s no practice where I’ve done it the previous time to which I can take it with me to my next rebirth. And by knowing this, then all the fears and etcetera will come.
And during that period, it’s very hard for one to do a practice. Therefore, should do it from the very beginning while one has one is one is fit to do it or capable of doing it. Yeah. So because at the time that during the time of death or at the very end of one’s life, it’s really very hard to practice because see all the the the relatives, you know, dear ones, close ones, or around ones, and they lost the hope for your survival. And and it is be sure you to pass away.
And And they will not speak in front of you about your death and hiding it from you. And then as well as the doctors will never speak straight, they will always speak. so called the conversation with two faces and not really straightforward. And and then can see all these relatives and dear ones goes through the suffering because of you, the crying, etcetera and etcetera because of your upcoming death or they lost the hope. And as well as oneself, if you have a huge fear towards now what is going to happen after my death, you know, my next rebirth?
And could think of one’s own practice about what what one has done and so forth. So it is so all these miseries will face to you at at the very end of one’s life. So before those comes should one should practice. But at that moment, it’s very difficult to practice. And, yeah.
Because, so it’s not, it is very hard for one to recall the practice and and and not appropriate to not go to leave it to the very end of one’s life thinking, oh, I shall do this and that, and I’ll think of this during the time of death and so forth. Because during that moment, one goes through different types of sufferings, you know. And during the death process, one can see the signs of where one is going to take a rebirth. And if one is going to take rebirth in the hell realms — like the hot hells — one experiences like seeing fire, having lots of heat and so forth. And if it’s going to be the cold hells, then like snow or rain, and one hears the thundering sound and so forth.
And by hearing, seeing those signs or acknowledging those signs, one develops a huge fear and gets really scared, and one has no freedom or control over one’s own body. And because of those fears, one, you know, you know, without any control, one has to drop all the inner dirt and so forth. So I think, you know, that well, there’s this what’s the English saying, you know, scare scare the shit out of you or something? That’s what is going to happen. Sorry.
So it is very important to cultivate the virtues and perform a positive actions while one is capable of doing so. Because at the at the very end of the one’s life, it’s very difficult to practice because of all these fears comes. For example, if one has cultivated numbers of non virtuous actions and so forth during one’s yeah, during the period or the one’s life from the very beginning and cultivate lots of negative actions. And as a result of those, you know, during the time of death, one gets through one have a huge sufferings as a result of those cultivating those negative actions. And the suffering is like like, you know, bringing a fish out of the ocean or water and leaving in the hot sand or on the beach and how the fish will feel.
So one will have a sufferings even worse than that during the time of death if one has cultivated a number of non virtuous actions. And so that is not just a huge suffering. After that, as a result, that’s the current life result. And in future life, as a result of those negative actions, know, one will go through the hell realms and goes through the suffering of a hell like hot one’s body is more or less similar than the fire, huge heat. And if it’s a cold, similar as a snow or ice, icebergs.
And and and it is if one can’t bear the sufferings during the time of death, then it is be sure that it’s very hard, difficult for one to bear the suffering in the next life, in the hell realms. So, yeah, that concludes the first session, which is applying the antidote towards the laziness of postponing one’s practice. And now to the second subdivision, which is And now to the second subdivision, which is the applying the meditating or cultivating the antidote to the laziness so called. Yeah.
Yep. And now to the second division. There are three types of laziness. Right? The laziness, first one is in a postponing thing.
And second laziness is the laziness of being attached to or cultivating the non-virtuous actions. And now we and the third one is the And the third division is laziness — the real laziness — just, you know, relaxing and thinking, I can’t do that.
I won’t be able to do certain, so I can’t do that and just not doing anything and just sitting. That’s real laziness. But back to the second one, it’s now cultivating the attitude towards laziness of cultivating laziness of doing non virtuous actions. And that has been explained in the next two verses. So I hope I can find it.
Yep. Page eighty eight, verses fifteen and sixteen. And, yep, the meaning is that, you know, leaving leaving the course which yep. Leaving the the activity or the dharma, which is aside, which is the ultimate cause for happiness of both the present, both the present and future lives.
And instead instead of doing that, engaging in the activities of worldly worldly activities, like cultivating negative actions and due to, you know, the livelihood of present life and, you know, collecting wealth and so forth and and and yep. And doing lots of non virtuous actions and that actions which are which are the causes which which are the causes for all the sufferings and that will ruin ruin one’s both the present and future lives. So by knowing this, you know, should not cultivate those negative actions, which are the causes for yep. Causes for the the the the sufferings in present and future lives, and and should not do such should should not do that opposite, you know, leaving the good ones aside and cultivating a bad one. Instead, one should do the other way around.