Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Opening with Je Tsongkhapa’s verse — “when you begin to think both night and day of achieving freedom, you have found renunciation” — Geshe Pema Tsering uses this 86.7-minute session to work through verses 59–62 of Śāntideva’s Bodhisattva Way of Life, concentrating on the fourth opponent power: turning away from negativity. He unpacks verse 59’s question “who can grant me fearlessness?” to argue that fearing death drives genuine practice, then covers the three subdivisions of the fourth power — regretting misdeeds, confessing them before the Buddhas with prostrations and folded hands, and vowing not to repeat them. He distinguishes inherently wrong deeds from vow-breaking, warns against those who claim emptiness-realization while disregarding cause and effect, and closes by naming the chief obstacle to bodhicitta: seeking liberation for oneself alone.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2005 09 20 Bohisattas Way of Life.mp3
UUID: 54c87a0e-9c4f-495f-b98c-9de47e799553
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Way of Life 2005 Mar -2007 (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2005-09-20
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 86.7 minutes
Words: ~3,687
So now we we need to develop a good motivation. He is quoting a verse from the three principles of the path of Je Tsongkhapa. And it goes it goes like when you begin to think both night and day of achieving freedom, you have found renunciation. You have found renunciation. So Geshe-la says that if the mind of renunciation this this development of a mind of renunciation renunciation is the cause for liberation as the development of the mind of bodhicitta will be the cause for enlightenment.
That being so, we need to develop a very good motivation. Can I say that why is why is it that we have to to read texts and prayers and everything? Just just reading them. Reading them what can I say? Just just reading them without any motivation is is is is not is not as good as as reading them with the motivation to achieve enlightenment.
Because of that, we need we need a good motivation. So we need, for the sake of all sentient beings, we need to achieve the state of Buddhahood. And and in order to achieve this state of Buddhahood, then we are now reading the texts and and praying and meditating, and we are doing all the things that we are doing now. So the motivation that we need is the motivation of bodhicitta, of achieving enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. So again, for the sake of all sentient beings, we need to achieve the state of enlightenment.
And, again, in order to achieve the state of enlightenment, need we are going now to study. So in order to achieve the state for this purpose, Okay. We have to study. So thinking — thinking of thinking in order to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, thinking like this, now we we meditate. So now we we go through the text.
So, Geshe-la went through verse fifty nine. Everybody has this text? Is is this same text? So the first line of the verse goes as who can who can give me fearlessness or who can grant me fearlessness according to my translation. Okay.
So why why am I so afraid? It is saying that we, because we don’t fear death, So, Geshe-la goes on to say that because we do not fear death, not fearing death, we do not practice the Dharma well. So in order to practice the Dharma well, we do have to fear death. So he’s saying that we we do we do have to fear death. There is no there’s really no one who who does not fear death.
Geshe-la goes on to read the the last three three lines. So who can how can I surely be free from this? If I show inevitably to become nothing or die, how can I relax and enjoy myself? So how can so how can knowing knowing that death is to come, how can we stay relaxed? There is no way we can stay relaxed in this situation.
Goes on to explain the verse saying that fear of death — there is no benefit in fearing death, so there is no need to fear it. While we see that all the sentient beings die and when they die they might fall into — how do you say — bad migrations, bad states of rebirth, and then they fear it. So likewise, when we say that one doesn’t need to fear death and non-virtue — even saying that, who — okay. So in fact, who is there that does not fear? Who is the pure being who does not So yes, like Geshe-la said, we we are we are definitely going to die, and we we are we have to fear death. We’re definitely going to fear death, and there is nobody who can give us this fearlessness of death, non fear of death. So so not having anyone to to give us this this fearlessness, we do have to make efforts efforts in applying antidotes.
Okay. My mistake. So if we don’t so not having anybody who who to give us the fearlessness, if if we don’t apply if we don’t make effort in in applying the antidotes, so who can how can surely be free or find find freedom?
So is is is explaining now through the text that not not having found not not being liberated, when we die, we die and we and we we we how do you say? We inevitably have to become nothing. So why don’t we apply the antidotes to to non virtues and to misdeeds? So if we by force of by force of laziness, how do you say it? It is not alright.
It’s not it is unreasonable for us to to how do say? Stay relaxed. So by force of laziness, we don’t practice the Dharma, and by force of laziness, we stay involved only with worldly activities. So giving up laziness at any time, at all times, we should accumulate the causes, the virtues that are causes for the for our enlightenment. So now the text goes on to so in the previous classes, you talked about the — gonna mention the four opponent powers.
Right? So we went through the — you already went through the first, the second, the third. Now now the text goes into the fourth opponent power or force. Right? Which is the the power, the force of turning away from misdeeds, from negativities.
And then and then there is of of this force is divided in three. And so the first is to having having generated regrets of the non virtues that we did, so we we vow not to do them again. The second one is confessing all the negativities that we did previously. And the third one is in entreating the Buddhas with a vow. So again Okay.
We promise. Okay. So again, the third one is having entreated the Buddhas, we we promise we vow we vow not to how do you say? To turn away from negative actions.
This one. So again, Geshe-la explains each one of them. So each one of these divisions. So the first one, having regretted the non-virtues, we think of not doing them again, then we confess all the previous non-virtues we have done before. And then again, a third one, having entreated the Buddhas, requested the Buddhas, we vow to turn away from negativity, negative actions.
So the first one of the three The first one of the three, which is regretting regretting the non virtues and then thinking of not doing them again, promise not doing them again, has, again, has two has two divisions. So the first one is the senseless or meaningless. We have to it’s a purification of senseless or meaningless non virtuous, negative actions. And then the and then the second part is So the second one is day and night, at all times, we should apply the methods to to be free of of negative actions. So, again, the purification of of the this meaningless non virtues has has two divisions again.
And then the first one goes all the enjoyments and the things that we possess in this life that that that we cannot rely upon, we cannot rely upon them and not not being able to rely upon them, we should not is is unreasonable to be attached to all these enjoyments. Enjoyments like and again, I explained that enjoyments refers to all the the possessions we have, all the utilities that we have, clothes, cars, whatever. So and then the second the second part is it says friends and so on. It is not it’s not it’s not it is unreasonable also to to be attached to friends and so on. And then friends and so on is referring to friends, relatives, and and everybody else that we like.
So goes on to read the next verse and to make a comment on it. So what remains remains with me now from the the past experiences, yet through my great attachment to to this past experiences, I have been contradicting the teachings, the instructions of my spiritual friend. So the first two lines, it goes on, of all the past experiences of all the experience we have had before in cyclic existence This one. All of them have how do say? They have already they’re they’re they’re all gone.
And there’s none nothing left with me of all these experiences. Okay. This one. So, again, one that there is nothing so one being attached to all this happiness of saṃsāra is is is referring to here to the third line of the verse. So one is is each each one of us being attached to all the the happiness and pleasures of Samsāra.
We for this for this attachment to this pleasure of saṃsāra, we we we being attached to them, we create a lot of non virtues. So so and and then of so we we generate many we create many non virtues, and we we contradict the words of of our teacher. So all this, we have to regret. We have to generate regret towards them. So again, going through the commentary, of all the past of experiences and of all the things that we have experienced in the past that we cannot rely upon, all of them have have disintegrated.
And now There is nothing left with with with oneself of this senseless enjoyment. And Being attached to all these senseless things, being attracted and attached to them, we we contradict our teachers’ advice. And and we we we generate we create a lot of non virtuous activities. So all that we have to regret. Second part is is not is unreasonable to to be attached to friends and and the like.
So, again, Geshe-la goes again word by word for the verse, and the verse is verse sixty one. This this span of life and all that it contains, my kin and kind, are all to be abandoned. I must leave them, setting all alone. What grounds are there for telling friend from foe? So the span of life and all that contains is referring just to this life.
It is all the friends and relatives we have. So at the time of death, we all have to, how to say, to leave behind, to abandon all these relatives and friends. We have to go alone. So we have to go alone, to a place that we don’t know which place. So because we have to go alone, we die alone, so having all these people that we like and having all these people that we dislike, there is no benefit in it.
So there’s no benefit in it whatsoever. So again, going through the commentary, Geshe-la explains briefly that, okay, this senseless body from this life will die, and we have to go alone. There is no way we can bring our friends and relatives with us or the people that we like with us. We have to go alone. There’s So there is no certainty in which direction we So not having any power over it, not being able to decide, we go to an uncertain direction when we die.
Powerless, we have to go to a direction that we don’t know which. So again and again, all the those people that we like and those people that we dislike, all of them, what’s the use of them? And there is absolute no benefit whatsoever, and and it’s it’s totally unreasonable to be attached to them. So the second and then again, we go to the next division.
Day and night, at all times, we should make effort in applying the methods, the antidotes, the methods that free us from negativities. Are you all following? Which version of option, are you still in sixty one? Now to we’re going to sixty two. Yes.
So so then the next verse goes, from from negative actions, there arises suffering. How can I certainly be free from that suffering? Day and night, or at all times, one, it refers to each one of us, We should think about only that, and that here refers to to the, how do you say, cause and effect of virtue and non virtue. Can I explain it? So so killing killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and all the ten non virtues from all all these all these non virtues and and and the sufferings of of hell and all the sufferings from low rebirth, how can how can we certainly be free from that?
Every day and night, we should think about the cause and effect of virtues and non virtues. So, if we don’t have a good understanding of cause and effect, a firm understanding of cause and effect, so no matter what Dharma So no matter what Dharma we practice, the Buddhas won’t be pleased. Of us should should put effort on this, on on on thinking about cause and effect. So some people, they say that they they have understood. They they have found a firm realization of emptiness, and then and then they go on to disregard cause and effect.
This this this is an erroneous it’s a mistaken this is a mistaken understanding that that that we should we have to clarify. Clarify. So these people who say such things in this regard cause and effect, they they they misbehave a lot, and and people who don’t understand cause and effect and people like like this misbehave, they they have not actually realized emptiness, So so these these people who disregard cause and effect and and misbehave have not realized that emptiness and dependent origination So they these people, they have not understood that emptiness and dependent origination are actually the same. So then the second one, the second division, the second step is confessing all the previous negativities, and this has, again, two divisions.
So these two these two divisions of confession of previous negativities goes on. Like, the first one goes, what what it is to be confessed, what it is that we have to confess, and the second one goes on on how how do we confess? What’s the mode of of confession? How do we confess? So so goes again then goes for the next verse that that goes it goes by force by force of ignorance, as I said,, whatever has been done by me, by through ignorance, be it the breaking of a vow or a deed or an inherently wrong action.
So this is describing, Geshe-la, the first topic of the division of how confessing the previous negativities. This first one is what it is to be confessed. So this verse is the description of what it is that we have to confess. So the when they say that deeds, they’re they’re inherently wrong, refers to the, for example, the killing or stealing or the ten non-virtues. Okay.
So there are two non-virtues described, mentioned in the verse, and one of them is the ones that are inherently wrong. Non-virtues that are inherently wrong — it refers to the ten non-virtues. And then the other one is the non-virtues of the breaking of a vow. And I asked Geshe-la what what is it about.
And he said he gives the example of a monk, for example. They are not allowed, for example, to to to pick up a flower from the ground to because it will kill the flower. That’s not that’s that’s not allowed. So if if he he does if he does take this flower, he’s breaking one of his vows. So that’s that’s the kind of non virtuous it is referring to.
Okay. So and then this this non virtue of breaking of a vow is not restricted only to to monks and nuns. Anybody who has taken a vow and is contradicting it is accumulating this negativity. So so both of these types of So all the all the this non nonvirtues can be can be posited under these two types of non virtue. The inherently non virtuous, wrong deeds, and the the breaking of vows.
And then Geshe-la said, right before that, we have accumulated many many of them before. So so what is it what is it then then going for the commentary, what it is that we have to to confess is oneself, us, each one of us, through ignorance, not knowing about cause and effect and being ignorant of it, obscured by by by by ignorance. So no matter no matter who you are, if you are a monk or a layperson, if you have vows or do not have vows, whoever it is whatever negative action you have done, be it big or small how do say? The inherently wrong or the breaking of vows. So, again, be it an inherently wrong action or the breaking of a vow, we have all of these non-virtues.
All negative actions are to be confessed. This this going for the going again, then now going to the to the next verse and the second division second division of the confession. So it’s how how to confess. Right? And then we go into the next verse.
So then, again, Geshe-la went through the next verse. So in the very presence of of the Buddhas, with folded hands and with a mind that that is that fears the suffering of Samsāra, again and again, prostrating again and again, then all of that we confess. And all of that refers, of course, to the inherently wrong deeds and the breaking of vows that make up all kinds of non-virtuous deeds. And, again, going very briefly for the commentary. So the commentary goes to explain the verse and the presence of of of of the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas in the very in the very presence, you in front of them, right in front of them, well behaving with folded hands and with a mind fearing that has a fear of of the suffering of Samsāra.
Again and again, we prostrate, and we confess all those non virtues. So that’s how we should do the confession. This one? Yes. So this is only one more verse.
We we can go a little bit further. You understanding? Yes. He’s asking. Yeah.
Okay. So goes through the the this next verse, which is the last one. And so I beseech all the guides of the world, all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, all my non virtues, all the wrongs I did, all the mistakes I did, please accept them. And transgressions, in the future, I won’t I won’t do them again. And this one?
So then the commentary goes, for for those reasons, beseech all all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I have I have done many non virtuous deeds. I have done many mistakes. Please accept them.
All these these are not good actions. And in the future, until the day I die, I won’t do them again. So having said that, what what I just read to you said to you, so from from from today from today on, having interrupted that, and that refers to the accumulating of non virtuous deeds. So so I I vow I vow not to not to do them again. This number is this again.
In all the the Buddha’s discourses and in the commentaries, in many of them, there are many, many methods for purifying negativities. But of all of them, the the best, the the most perfect one is the confession with the four opponent powers. So this confession of the four opponent powers can purify even very great misdeeds. Misdeeds. And then Geshe-la, the the text quotes, two texts, two other scriptures, and and that I I forgot to bring the names here.
I had it, but I forgot. I’m sorry. And then it says it it quotes these two texts, and others saying that many these two texts and others say this, that these four opponent powers can purify even great misdeeds. So then Geshe-la goes on through the text to explain, to quote the text itself, where Geshe-la says that he’s not a scholar — he doesn’t know, he’s not a scholar about cause and effect. He doesn’t know much about it.
And whatever little knowledge he has about it, even though he has a a very little knowledge about it, he doesn’t he doesn’t he he doesn’t know he doesn’t know what to reject and what to adopt. And he doesn’t accord — he doesn’t act in accordance with what is to be rejected and to be adopted. So that being so, every day, day by day So day by day, so many, many non virtues come about. And so that being so, we must continually So we don’t we we should continually, at any time, Geshe-la says, at all times, practice and engage in the confession with the four opponent powers. So so having having having seen, having understood that in order to under to give rise to the great mind of enlightenment, one must one must purify the obstacles to the arising of this mind of enlightenment.
Having seen that, we we must we we must put effort into this practice. Goes on to explain that what is it that is an obstacle to the realization of this great mind of enlightenment, to the birth of this great mind of enlightenment? This obstacle, Geshe-la says, a specific one is to wish to achieve liberation and happiness only for oneself. Thus, having abandoned this mind that wishes liberation and happiness only for oneself, we can apply ourselves to developing the wish to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.