Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. The “blind man finding a jewel in a heap of rubbish” — Śāntideva’s verse 28 — anchors this 72-minute commentary by Geshe Pema Tsering on Chapter 3 of the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. He opens by unpacking two protective meditations: treating objects of anger or attachment as illusions lacking inherent existence, and hearing harsh words as mere echoes that cannot truly harm. The commentary then works through five ways bodhicitta alleviates suffering — overcoming the “Lord of Death” (karma and affliction), clearing material and dharma poverty, quelling disease, sheltering beings from cyclic exhaustion, and freeing them from the lower realms. A practical distinction recurs throughout: any activity motivated only by this-life benefit is mundane, not dharma. The session closes on the two obscurations bodhicitta dispels — afflictive emotions (darkness cleared by moonlight) and obscurations to omniscience (fog burned away by the midday sun).
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2005 10 25 Bodhisattvas Way of Life.mp3
UUID: c2be99e2-b23c-4a2c-b0fe-1826b2dd8166
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Way of Life 2005 Mar -2007 (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2005-10-25
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 72.1 minutes
Words: ~4,293
So then, Geshe-la is quoting a verse to so we can start building a motivation. Is this working? So, the verse goes on to say something like, whatever at the time of the arrival of whatever objects of anger or attachment, then we should look at them as an illusion or as an apparition, okay? And then, Geshe-la is explaining, how should we go about in stopping anger and attachment to arise in our minds? So, the way to stop, stop I mean, first, explains so, attachment will come about when we meet with an object that we like, and anger will come about when we meet with an object that we dislike.
So, then, one way to stop them is to think of them as an illusion, which is thinking of an object as an illusion, we know that they do not exist. An illusion does not exist truly from its own side. So think of an object of attachment as an illusion, then we want knowing that it doesn’t it isn’t intrinsically real, we won’t get attached to it. And the same way, if we meet with an object that we do not like, and we know that it is like an illusion that it doesn’t have an existence of its own, then again, we won’t have any reason to get angry with it. And the same goes for the perceptions also.
The apparitions are just the same as illusions. They do not we know that they do not exist from their own side. So then, in the same then, Geshe-la quotes another little verse that follows from the first one, which says, whenever we hear unpleasant things said to us, then we should regard those things that which is said to us as just mere echoes, okay? Echoes, okay, echoes. And then so again, I explained that we shouldn’t get be disturbed by when something bad is said to us or about us.
And just and if we start if we regard them as echoes, then we will know that those things cannot really cause any harm to us. Just like when somebody says that we are a nice person or a good person or a lovely person, if somebody says that to us, it doesn’t mean that we that doesn’t follow necessarily that we are such a thing. And in the same way, if somebody says that we are a bad person or if we are, for example, a thief, then it doesn’t follow that we are a thief. So just words, mere words cannot really cause any harm to us. So in this way, you should regard them as just mere echoes.
So then, Geshe-la explained, by the force of these afflictions or this evil deeds such as such afflictions as attachment and anger and such being concerned with what people say about us, like whatever bad things people say, unpleasant things people say about us and so forth. They are the cause of us of our being in cyclic existence for like an immeasurable amount of time, what is translated usually as beginningless time. Because by the force of these afflictions and these evil deeds, I mean, we get so many little negative karma. And then that impels us to, how to say, to continue into cyclic existence, being reborn in cyclic existence. So, then I explained that, okay, every phenomena is does not exist from its own side.
But not knowing this, I mean, we assume that they do exist from their own side. Not knowing this, we engage in all these little negativities. There’s so many little small negativities by the force of these afflictions and by getting involved in this, how to say, non virtuous deeds and so forth. And then we continue being reborn and cyclic existence. So, the way to stop this from happening is to meditate on these things, regard them as echoes or as illusions or apparitions and so forth.
And the meaning of regarding them as illusions or echoes is, how to say, is knowing that they do not have any inherent existence from their own side. They do not exist from their own side. That’s the meaning behind this meditation. And then we can put an end to this whole cycle of rebirth. So then, again, I’ll just explain it.
So usually, we are propelled, we are impelled, we are driven by such afflictions as, how do you say, attachment, aversion and pride. And so what we need to do now is develop a proper motivation, a good motivation because if we do not have a very good and strong motivation, then we will fall again, we will be again impelled by these afflictions, like attachment, aversion and pride and so forth. And then whatever activity we’re engaging will not bring good results. And whatever Dharma practice we’re engaging will not be good Dharma practice. So can I explain it?
We what is the proper motivation that we have to give rise to is the motivation to achieve enlightenment and is the we have to give rise to the bodhicitta, the bodhicitta. And if we, by any chance, fall if our fall back into a state of mind that is driven by attachment or aversion or any of those afflictions, then again, every little Dharma practice that we do, like making offerings or prostrations or reading or reading sutras and so forth, every little whatever Dharma practice we engage in is going to be just the cause of us of more, how do you say, samsaric experience of being reborn again and again, of us staying in cyclic existence. So, then we have to give rise to this mind of enlightenment, which is this mind that wishes to bring all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment. And then, again, I explained that this mind of enlightenment, the virtue that it produces, it’s a virtue that does not that is inexhaustible. If you have this mind of enlightenment, then whatever virtue you have is going to increase, how to say, exponentially through time.
And the result of whatever virtue we virtuous deed we engage in while we have this mind of enlightenment, the result we’re going to achieve, to obtain is the result of enlightenment itself, is the result of being able to bring So now we have to meditate, thinking because now we are going to study, right, the Dharma. Now we’re going to study the text. So in order before we study this text, we have to meditate now. I’m going to study this text in order to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. We have to think like this, and then we have to meditate.
Oh, yeah. Okay. So now we are in the third chapter of the Bodhicaryāvatāra, okay, which is thoroughly embracing bodhicitta. We have gone through the main part of the text, which is ritual goes through the ritual of actually taking bodhicitta, okay, embracing bodhicitta. And now we are in the third part of the text, which is after the how to say, taking bodhicitta or after embracing bodhicitta, how should we meditate?
So then we are in the section, which the question is giving away. It’s my favorite here. Let me see. Okay. I cannot find it again.
Anyway, the topic is cultivating joy after having by thinking of that one has gained that mind, which is such a which is so difficult to find. Okay? That’s the topic of the meditation. Then Geshe-la explained that that mind refers to the mind of enlightenment, which is so very difficult to find. And then cultivating joy kind of explains that, if we rejoice on the fact that we found this we actually obtained this mind of enlightenment, we were able to develop this mind of enlightenment, to give birth to it, this mind.
And if we rejoice on that, then we can how do you say, rejoicing on virtue, we’ll make this virtue increase, right? And we have to rejoice in that. In the same manner, Geshe-la explains that if we, by any chance, end up rejoicing in something that is nonvirtuous, then that nonvirtuous then the power of that nonvirtuous will also increase. So that is if that is so, then what we have to do now, because we have found the mind of enlightenment, is rejoice on this finding, the mind of enlightenment. And then every virtue will increase.
So then we go into the root verse, number twenty eight, okay? Those who have the text with yourself. So it reads like this, Just like a blind man discovering a jewel in a heap of rubbish, likewise, by some coincidence, an awakening mind has been born within me. So Geshe-la explains it. Just like a blind, poor, miserable man, by any chance, finds something very precious, something very valuable in a heap of trash, then he will be so happy, right?
He will rejoice so much on this finding, right? And then in the same manner, should we rejoice over the fact of us having found this mind of enlightenment, having been able to give birth to this mind of enlightenment. So then Geshe-la went to the commentary. He was explaining to me. So, the commentary goes on to say, so as a poor or a destitute blind man finds this very precious jewel in a heap of trash.
So in the same manner, we have found this mind of enlightenment. This mind of enlightenment has been born within our mind streams. And this mind of enlightenment being born in our mindstreams is, how do say, the blessing of the Buddhas. And again, I explain now through since beginningless time, since an uncountable amount of time, we have been born in cyclic existence in different realms. And not until now have we been able to give rise to this mind of enlightenment.
Only now were we able to do so. And this is so because of the blessings of the Buddhas. That’s how we should meditate on it and rejoice. Blessings — or also the power of the Buddhas, the blessing power and the blessing of the Buddhas. So now we go to a second division, which is the a second topic, which reads the accomplishment of others’ welfare, right?
And so this topic has three parts to it. The first part is the potential to alleviate the suffering of sentient beings. And the second is the potential to dispel the obstructions, which are causes of that suffering. And the third one is the potential to accomplish all benefits and happiness. So, Geshe-la briefly explains and the root text suggests the second topic of this three, the root text just read the potential to dispel the obstructions, which causes of that.
And then Geshe-la briefly explains that that refers to suffering. And those causes are actually afflictive emotions and so forth. So then the first topic of this three, which is the potential to alleviate the suffering of sentient beings, has again has five parts to it, okay? So the five are: first, destroying the Lord of Death of sentient beings. Destroying poverty is the second.
Destroying disease is the third. Destroying the general sufferings of cyclic existence, just destroying the sufferings of cyclic existence is the fourth. And then destroying the specific sufferings of the lower realms is the fifth, okay? So then the first of these five topics, which is destroying the Lord of Death, right? So after introducing this, we go straight into the first half of verse twenty nine.
And the verse reads, it is the supreme ambrosia ambrosia, is that how it says? Ambrosia that overcomes the sovereignty of death, okay? Then so then Geshe-la is explaining what is it. This is the mind of enlightenment, right? And Geshe-la also explains it, okay, what is the Lord of Death?
Who is the Lord of Death? By lord of death, what is meant is the causes of suffering, the causes that bring such suffering as the suffering of death and the suffering of being reborn, cyclic existence and so forth, which are, how to say, karma and afflictive emotions. So this is the Lord of Death. And Geshe-la is explaining that all of us ordinary beings as opposed to the Ārya beings, the superior beings, we are overwhelmed, overpowered by this karma and afflictive emotions, and we are impelled to be reborn reborn again and again and to experience sufferings and to die again and again. And then so we are impelled by this karma and this afflictive emotions.
This, we have to recognize as the lord of death. This, we have to understand as being the Lord of death. Then we go for the commentary. And the commentary is saying that the sentient beings who are powerless that are powerless before death I mean, the Lord of death, which makes sentient beings powerless before death, is destroyed by that supreme ambrosia, which is the mind of enlightenment, which is giving rise which is that giving rise to the mind of enlightenment. And that mind of enlightenment is and that is so because that mind of enlightenment can bring us to the can establish us in the how would I say that?
Can establish us in that place where there is no aging and death, okay? In that ground, where there is no aging and death, okay? And that’s and Geshe-la explains briefly that, that place, that ground where there is no aging and death is the state of a foe destroyers. And I Geshe-la explains it. Foe destroyers here could mean either Hīnayāna foe destroyers or Mahāyāna foe destroyers, which means either an Arhat or a Buddha.
Then we go to the second topic of those five, which is destroying poverty. And we read the second half of verse twenty nine, which is, it is the inexhaustible treasure that eliminates all poverty in the world. Then Geshe-la briefly explains that, that mind of enlightenment, how do you say it, because being endowed with that mind of enlightenment, our virtue is bound to increase exponentially from that moment on. It will be just like an inexhaustible and unending never ending, I would say, treasure. So in the same way, as an inexhaustible treasure can bring happiness to all sentient beings because they will be able to take whatever they want from this treasure and then, how do say, eliminate all poverty and give to them all happiness that they experience, and they will be so happy.
So in the same way, that mind of enlightenment is able being able to accomplish the happiness of all beings, being able to bring them to the state of enlightenment is an inexhaustible treasure itself. So then the commentary Geshe-la goes on to explain that. So that inexhaustible treasure, that key that grants material wealth as well as dharma wealth, that inexhaustible treasure, which grants both these things and clears away all poverty of sentient beings as just as an inexhaustible treasure is that mind of enlightenment. So and Geshe-la is explaining. So, are are even though some of us might have material wealth, we are here all poor of dharma knowledge or dharma virtue or what have you.
So, Geshe-la is explaining that the only thing first, he explains that this wealth is all those virtues that are the causes of higher rebirth liberation and enlightenment, right? Briefly, explains that. So the only thing that can, how to say, clear away both this ordinary, let’s say, material poverty and this dharma poverty, this poverty of virtue or poverty of causes to enlightenment and so forth, the only thing that can clear away these things is the mind of enlightenment itself. So Geshe-la is emphasizing a point here. He’s making distinction between what is that Tibetan word that refers to dharma, which is the dharma wealth And then another word, which could be translated as mundane or worldly.
Mundane. Mundane. Ordinary, worldly from this world, which is not how to explain it? Okay. Then I’ll explain, okay?
Mundane. Geshe-la explains. So he says that whatever what makes the difference between a mundane activity and a dharma activity is the motivation. And so whenever we engage in an activity and our motivation is concerned only with future lives and not with this life, then that becomes a dharma activity, right, or a virtuous activity. And then whatever activity we’re engaging and our concern, our motivation is only with the happiness of this life alone, alone, then that is mundane or worldly activity.
So whatever actions we do, meditation, breathing, praying, prostrations, whatever, and if we do that, having in mind only the happiness of this life, benefiting ourselves only in this life, then there is just worldly activity, mundane activity. And if we do on the other hand, if we do thinking of future lives and not thinking in this life, then that’s proper Dharma. Geshe-la made a point of making this distinction. So in my life, say, it’s very important. It’s absolutely necessary that we understand this distinction between between what is a Dharma activity and a mundane activity.
And then that whenever we engage in meditation or study or whatever, if we give rise to a mind that is motivated, let’s say, is intent on achieving a high rebirth or a person human rebirth or liberation or enlightenment, and is thinking of future lives, then that activity that we are engaging in is proper dharma. Now on the other hand, if before we engage in an activity, and we are only thinking of, oh, may I achieve happiness for this life, may I achieve benefits for this life and alone, that’s that will not become a proper dharma activity. I say, It’s very important we understand this. Then the third topic, which is destroying disease, right? And then we go into the first half of Verse thirty, okay?
And it reads, it is the supreme medicine that quells the world’s diseases. Now Geshe-la briefly explains that it again refers to that mind of enlightenment, having that mind of enlightenment, has the power to quell or to put an end to every disease, however great this disease is, however big this disease is. Just like I asked him what is referred to as a great disease. It’s the Tibetan word disease, a great disease. He says, oh, it’s just like the shingles I have right now.
Then just the commentary goes very briefly, and Geshe-la doesn’t add much to it. It just says, again, that all the great diseases, that which is the greatest medicine of all, that pacifies all the great diseases of migrators or sentient beings is this mind of enlightenment. So then, Geshe-la is explaining what is this disease? What is referred to as disease? And is it possible that how do say?
Is it possible that when we give rise to this mind of enlightenment, we will actually put an end to this diseases? I mean, I say, no. We will not put an end to this disease, literally. But just giving rise to this mind of enlightenment, we will how to say it? We will train our minds.
We will have we will give naturally give rise to thoughts of taking onto oneself all the sufferings of every sentient beings and we will naturally try to accomplish and give to them all happiness. You understand? Again, I just explain that this is what actually happens.? Then we go to the fourth topic, those five. And then the fourth topic reads destroying the general sufferings of cyclic existence.
And we get into the second half of Verse number thirty, which is which reads, It is the tree that shelters all beings wandering and tired on the path of conditioned existence. Then Geshe-la explains that, just as when people get tired on the when they’re traveling through when they are, I would say, walking on a long journey, and when they get tired, they look for, let’s say, the shadow of a tree to sit down and rest and then, let’s say, alleviate their pains. So in the same way, the mind of enlightenment, which is able to put an end to sufferings of sentient beings and to accomplish their happiness, is also just like the tree, which brings the same relief from suffering to sentient beings. Then the commentator goes on to say that, again, the — how do you say it? — that tree, which grants relief to the sufferings of sentient beings who are wandering and are tired this with things like existence, that tree is that mind of enlightenment. Now how do you say it? Geshe-la briefly explains that these sufferings of cyclic existence, there are so many sufferings. There is the suffering of change, the pervasive suffering and many other sufferings.
So the only thing that can actually put an end to all the sufferings is that mind of enlightenment. Okay? So then we go to the fifth topic of those five, the last one of those five, which is destroying the specific sufferings of the lower realms. And we start with the first half of verse thirty one, which reads, it is the universal bridge that leads to freedom from unhappy states of birth. And then Geshe-la briefly explains that the mind of enlightenment is the one thing that is able to, how do you say, put an end to the sufferings of the lower realms, which are, I would say, the hell realms, the hungry ghost realms and the animal realms.
So then we’re going to the second topic. We So then we go to the second topic. So those first five little topics were the divisions of the of another topic, which was the potential to alleviate the suffering of sentient beings. So, is over. And then, we start with a second topic, which is the potential to dispel the obscurations causes of that suffering, right?
So, this topic alone has two divisions, which is dispelling the afflictive obscurations and then dispelling obscurations to omniscience, okay? And the first one is the dispelling of afflictive obscurations. But before we got into the verse thirty one, the second half of verse thirty one, Geshe-la briefly explains that what is it that obstructs that is an impediment to the achievement of liberation is the afflictive obscurations. And what is it that is an impediment to the attainment of enlightenment is the how to say, the obscurations to omniscience, to knowledge. So then that’s what we have to dispel in order to achieve these two results.
So then the first one, which is dispelling the afflictive obscurations, is mentioned. And then we read into the second half of verse thirty one, which reads, It is the dawning moon of the mind that dispels the darkness of disturbing conceptions and emotions. Okay? So just like the moon is dispels the how to say, the darkness. So in the same way, this mind of enlightenment is able to clear away all these afflictive emotions or conceptions that we have.
So then the second of those topics, which is dispelling Obscurations to Omniscience or to Knowledge, this is mentioned. And then we get into the first half of verse thirty two, which reads, It is the great sun that finally removes the misty ignorance of the world. So then again, I explained that how to say, just like the midday sun is able to dispel the mist or the fog and then make it possible for us to see things and distinguish things. So then this mind of enlightenment is able to eliminate this obscuration to omniscience or to knowledge, which how do say it? Which makes it impossible for us to see the way that phenomena the way things the way of abiding of things, which is to say the way things really are or what things really are.
The way one minute. The way of abiding of things, the way things really are. So this obscuration to omniscience is the one thing that impedes, that makes it impossible for us to see how things really are. And then Yeah. You do?
Okay, okay. So the only way that we can achieve enlightenment, the only how do say, the only really enlightened beings are those who can who know the way of abiding of all phenomena, who know phenomena all phenomena as they truly are. And there is no other way that we can achieve enlightenment if we don’t clear away this obscuration to omniscience. So then the commentary goes on to say that ignorance that non afflicted ignorance of sentient beings, which are the obscurations to omniscience or to knowledge, is how to say is the mist or the fog, which is finally dispelled by the great sun by the great rising sun, which is the mind of enlightenment. Now, Geshe-la and the commentary and Geshe-la went on briefly to explain that.
It said that by the force of that vast collection, which adorns that wisdom, which realizes emptiness, then all the seeds of obscurations — obscurations to omniscience — are extinguished, are burned. And Geshe-la explains that. So that wisdom, that mind, which has wisdom realizing emptiness, at the same time grasping — holding, taking hold of — the mind of enlightenment, endowed with the mind of enlightenment, that mind alone is able to put an end to these obscurations to omniscience or to knowledge. You understand, okay? Yeah.
Yeah. So now we stop here today, and we have Okay.