Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 61-minute commentary on Śāntideva’s Bodhisattva Way of Life, Geshe Pema Tsering opens with a verse declaring that only fully developed bodhicitta can overcome our most powerful negativities, then explains why this motivation must precede every Dharma activity — from meditation to prostrations. He examines why bodhicitta is so hard to generate: lifetimes of self-cherishing have made it our natural default. Moving into Chapter Four’s final section on conscientiousness, he walks through Śāntideva’s contrast: unlike a worldly enemy who regroups after being expelled, afflictive emotions once uprooted by wisdom cannot return. He traces all afflictions to self-grasping — illustrating with examples of craving a car or food — and uses a clock analogy to show how the self exists conventionally but not inherently. Suited to practitioners following the text.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2006 01 30 Bodhisattvas Way of Life.mp3
UUID: 3addcc9b-01f5-4c0c-9fd9-a2979319e1f6
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Way of Life 2005 Mar -2007 (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2006-01-30
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 61.5 minutes
Words: ~4,200
[Unclear audio.] Driving a car and the light comes on your face and you cannot see. It’s very disturbing. Is it talking about wisdom? No.
We cannot see — you could put us in touch with wisdom. So, again, I was quoting a verse from the Bodhisattva Way of Life, from the first chapter of the Bodhisattva Way of Life. The verse reads, the great strength of negativities that are extremely unbearable — except for the fully developed bodhicitta, there is no other virtue that can, how do you say, get rid of the strong negativities. So he was reading just the the three last lines of of one full verse, and he’s explaining — Geshe-la was explaining the meaning of this verse, and he’s just saying that the negativity is being so overwhelming.
There’s without without having bodhicitta, a fully developed bodhicitta, we cannot we will not be able to overcome them or to get rid of them by any other roots of virtue. On the other hand, again, I explained on an affirmative manner. If we do have a fully developed bodhicitta, which cannot be outshined by any other virtue, then we will be able to get rid. With these roots of virtue of created by bodhicitta, we’ll be able to get rid of the strong afflictive emotions and conceptions. So then, Geshe-la is saying, well, what we need — we all need happiness.
We all want happiness. And happiness follows out of of virtue. And of all the virtues, the one of which there is none greater or higher is the mind of enlightenment, the wish to bring all sentient beings to to enlightenment. Then that being so, then whatever activity we are going to engage in, then we must give rise to the motivation of enlightenment. And then we will create these roots of virtue, these powerful roots of roots of virtue that can that are the only ones able to get rid of other afflictive emotions.
And then I said again, all other roots of virtues that are inferior to the mind of enlightenment cannot get rid of these afflictive emotions. Only the mind of enlightenment can. I think Then Geshe-la is explaining. So how what is this mind of enlightenment that we have to give rise before we engage in in any practice, Dharma practice, be it meditation, reading the scriptures, studying the scriptures, or reflecting on them, or doing prostrations, or making offerings. Whatever that we are we are going to engage in.
What is what is the motivation? What is this this mind of enlightenment motivation that we have to give rise to? Is the thought that one must bring all sentient beings to enlightenment. And in order to to be able to do that, I myself must attain enlightenment. And then having given rise to this thought, one engages in whatever virtues deed, one is going to engage again, as Geshe-la said, prostrations, meditations and teachings, reading the scriptures, studying the scriptures, reflecting on them, whatever activity one is engaging in.
So then is saying there are other many other virtuous activities that we can engage in. For example, even just thinking of meditating or meditating or reading the scriptures or or doing prostrations, we might all do this virtuous activities. But usually, we do it with the motivation of benefiting oneself alone. And and so because we are doing it for the sake of only one sentient being, then we will not be able to create powerful roots of virtue out of these activities. Activities.
Because it is only in relation to one sentient being, then the roots of virtue that we create will be very, very few. So then, again, say, these sorts of virtuous activities that we do for the sake of oneself alone, they’re very easy to bring about because we are thinking over only of our own benefit. So they are very easy to bring about. We do whatever activities, prostrations, and and so forth for our own our own sake. That is very easy.
But activities that are done for the sake of all sentient beings, those are very difficult to bring about, except for the times when we are forcefully bringing these these thoughts to mind, usually, or in all of the times, this this thought of benefiting all other sentient beings does not come about. So it’s very difficult to bring this attitude to mind as often as the attitude of cherishing oneself. So then, you know, say, so why is it that is very difficult to bring about this mind that thinks of of benefiting all of these sentient beings? Because from beginningless time, we have been getting ourselves accustomed to the thoughts of benefiting oneself alone to the self-cherishing mind. And so because of that, it’s very easy to do whatever virtuous activity we’re going to do, think of oneself.
And it’s very difficult to bring all other things and beings to mind to the give rise to the mind of enlightenment. So then so then because we need to generate virtue, know, understand that we need to generate virtue, then we understanding that the way to generate virtue is to think powerful virtue is to think of of benefiting all sentient beings, bring all sentient beings is that mind of enlightenment. But because we have not meditated, we have not we did not get used to to this mind of enlightenment from beginningless time up until now, then it is it is very difficult. Again, it is very difficult to bring this mind about. So then from from where where does where or from where does all the happiness that we experience comes from?
It comes from all the sentient beings. It is in dependence on others that we experience every happiness. So then depending on other sentient beings, then thinking that we must bring all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment to to accomplish this state of of all happiness for sentient beings, then thinking like this, in order to accomplish this happiness for them, we are going to engage in in virtues. We are going to engage in virtues activities. Then having engaged in virtues activities with this with this thought, then our own virtue will be very powerful.
The virtue that we have created with such thoughts will be very powerful. And and that being so, our happiness, the happiness that will follow from that virtue will also be very powerful. So then before engaging in any activity, the motivation that we have to give rise to is the motivation of enlightenment is is the thought that in order to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment, I myself must achieve enlightenment. And in order to accomplish that, I’m going to engage in meditation, prostration study and so forth. That’s how we have to do it.
So then for whatever Dharma practice we are going to engage in, that that Dharma practitioner must understand that giving rise to the mind of enlightenment before engaging the Dharma practice is extremely important. So then because we ourselves, we do not wish any suffering and we do wish happiness, then we are now going to, how do say, listen to to the Dharma teachings to Dharma teachings. And then in order to listen to these Dharma teachings, we have to before before listening to them, we give rise to the motivation of enlightenment. We give rise to the thought that in order to attain the state of enlightenment, then I must I myself must achieve enlightenment. And in order to accomplish that, I’m going now to study the teachings, to listen to the teachings.
So then, Geshe-la says, whatever practice we are going to engage in, be it meditation, we have to give rise to the mind of enlightenment before doing the meditation. Again, before doing prostrations and before reading the scriptures and so forth, we have to give rise to the mind of enlightenment. Gela says that there is nothing more important than the mind of enlightenment itself. So then, Gela says at any time, at all times, and and and before engaging any activity, before engaging in every activity, then we have to give rise to this to this thought of achieving enlightenment. We have to give rise to this mind of enlightenment.
And and if we keep on doing that at all times, and we keep on accustoming getting used to this mind of enlightenment, then with time, it will it will it will, how to say, increase. We will get more and more used to it to the point that we’ll do it will come naturally before we engage in any activity at all times. It will come naturally to to our minds. And then when this happens, at that at that time when this happens, then how do you say, we we become what is called a Bodhisattva. Bodhisattva is someone who has accomplished the mind of enlightenment to that level when it is uncontrived, when it is when it naturally comes to the mind to mind.
So then now we we meditate thinking that one must free all sentient beings from suffering. One must accomplish every happiness to all sentient beings. The only way that we can do that is by attaining enlightenment. If we do not if we’re not enlightened, we will not be able to do that. So then so then we must attain enlightenment.
And like this, we now meditate on the mind of enlightenment. So now we get into we are still on the on the fourth chapter. We get into the third and last main division for the commentary of of on this chapter, which is a chapter on on conscientiousness. This third division is called cultivating joy for the very fact that, it is possible to abandon the afflictive emotions for if effort is made, they will be abandoned. I’m gonna briefly explain the the Tibetan, which is a bit more compact, but it says just the same as the English that because if one makes effort, then the afflictive emotions can be abandoned, then we should rejoice in that fact.
There is a possibility of getting rid of them. Then this topic has three main parts to it. The first part is if the afflictions in one’s own continuum are uprooted completely, there is no place there is no place that is supportive of them. Again, it is to say that because if if one when one gets rid of these afflictive emotions, there being no basis for them in one’s continuum, then they won’t come back, Geshe-la explains. Then the second topic reads, as the cause of the afflictions arises from error, if one applies diligence, one will be able to abandon them.
And again, Gela briefly explains that because the cause of the afflictions are this erroneous consciousness, and if one practices with effort then one will be able to correct it and to get rid of them. And the third, topic reads, if if they are completely uprooted, there is absolutely no place that supports their existence. And thus, it is reasonable to say that they can be abandoned. And Gela explained it, but it reads exactly as the English. So then we read the commentary on the first topic.
The first topic again is if the afflictions in one’s own continuum are uprooted completely, there is no there is no support for them. There’s no yeah. There’s no support for them. So the text goes on to say, so if if if we, how do say, get rid of the afflictions one time, then just like a mundane, a worldly enemy, will they gather their forces again, and will they again come back to harm us? The text is asking.
So then we read the we read now the root verse in relation that answers that question. So the root verse reads, common enemies when expelled from one country simply retire and settle down in another. Though when their strength is recovered, they then return. However, the way of this enemy, my disturbing conceptions is not similar in this respect. So Gala briefly explains, he gave a he gave an example.
So for example, we we have an enemy and we we manage to to to, how do you say, to force this enemy out of our country, or maybe we have even been able to to kill this enemy. So if if this enemy was forced out of our country, then he settles, he goes to another country, and then when he when he gathers his forces again, he will come back to harm us to attack us. Or if even if we have killed this enemy, then his relatives and his friends will one day will gather the forces and will come back to harm us. But the afflictive emotions, Gela says, they are not like this. Once you get rid of them, there’s no coming back.
So then the the commentary to this root verse is saying that these two kinds of enemies, they are not concordant because a mundane enemy, a mundane ordinary worldly enemy, If one time he’s he’s expelled from one country and he goes to another country, then later on, he he gathers his power again. And then when he’s strong enough, when he has found enough strength, he will he will come back to retaliate, to avenge, in order to avenge the harm that was done to him, and then he will come back to harm us again. Now, the afflictive emotions are not, like these worldly enemies. If if, one gets rid of them, completely, then, there is no basis. There is no place for them to stay.
There’s no place no place for them to go and and and gather strength again and come back to oppose us. It is impossible. There’s no that doesn’t happen at all. So then the previous verse and the previous commentary were were were explained, and briefly said, so then the conclusion is the afflictive emotions can be abandoned. Then we go to the second of those topics that reads as the causes of afflictions arises from error, if one applies diligence, one will be able to abandon them.
Then we read the the next root verse, which which goes like this. Deluded, disturbing conceptions. When forsaken by the eye of wisdom and dispelled from my mind, where will you go? Where will you dwell in order to be able to endure me again later on? Weak minded, I have been reduced to making no effort.
Then Gala briefly explains that in the first sentence, when it reads “deluded disturbing conceptions, when forsaken by wisdom.” So the eye of wisdom, Gala briefly explains, is that the the mind that realizes emptiness. So if if with with the eye of the wisdom that realizes emptiness, we can abandon these afflictive emotions completely. And if we are if you can abandon them completely, then there is no meaning means that there is no place where they can go to and then restore their strength and come back to harm us. No.
They they are completely they they completely disappear. They totally disappear. So and then, So then the the and the last sentence of this four line verse, which reads weak minded that have been reduced to making no effort, Gela explains that with a weak mind, one was not able to put effort in in in applying this wisdom that realizes emptiness. And because one was not able to to accomplish this reason to its full potential, to its full power, then one one was not able to get rid of the afflictive emotions. So then, again, I went for the commentary, and he was explaining to me the he was explaining the meaning of the commentary.
And the commentary goes on to say basically what the root verse has said in the in the English translation. So it says if if having abandoned if we abandon if we get rid of the if we get completely rid of the afflictive emotions one time, then there is no base, there is no no support for them. So that that being so, if because they arise they they arise their their roots is this erroneous consciousness. They arise from this erroneous consciousness. Then by by the eye of wisdom that realizes emptiness, we we get rid of of all these seeds of afflictive emotions.
And then we’ve putting effort in this wisdom that realizes emptiness, then we abandon them. And then once having been cleared away from our minds, then there is no place where they can go. There is no place where they can find support, where they can stay, and where they can recover their strength and come back to harm us. It is impossible. It’s just there’s nothing like this.
So then Gela was explaining what is that root of the afflictive emotion, that erroneous consciousness, which is the root of afflictive emotions is the how to say, the ignorance, the grasping mind of self-grasping. So is it from that self grasping, from that thought of I, me, or mine that the afflictive emotions arise. That that is their root. So then so then how how is it that this self grasping mind gives gives rise to the afflictive emotions. How is it that the afflictive emotions come out of this self grasping mind?
So once this thought of I, me comes comes about strongly within one’s mind stream, then one sees an object, and Gela gave a few examples. For example, one sees a car, and then one thinks I need that car. And then the afflictive emotion of attachment is generated out of that. Or if one sees some some delicious food, then one again one one thinks with attachment, that afflictive, that afflictive mind, I I want that food. Or if one sees some some nice clothing, then one says, I need that clothing.
And, again, that afflictive emotion of attachment is generated out of it. So then and then so this this is how the emotion of attachment comes about. And in the same in the same vein, when when a suffering experience comes about, when some when something that harms us or causes suffering comes about, then we the mind that thinks I do not want that, I do not like that, I have to get rid of that, comes about. And like this, that afflictive emotion of anger comes about. That’s the birth of of anger.
So then, Gela explains all the afflictive emotions in this way: we can see that all afflictive emotions come out of this I, this thought of I, this mind that thinks I, the mind. And then but when but then this this this I is an erroneous consciousness. It’s a mistaken consciousness. And in fact, Gela says, one, this I is not important. Others are actually important.
So then why is it, again, ask us, why is it that this this mind that thinks I, me, is is not, in fact, important, is not precious? Because from beginning of this time up until now, that mind has only brought us suffering and nothing but suffering. So so if we don’t make an effort now to get rid of this mind, then again, in the future, from now up to an unlimited amount of time, amount of time in the future, then again, we will be, how to say, tortured by this mind. We will be the servants of this mind, the slaves slaves to this mind as we have been in the past. So then that being so, we we can see that this this mind that thinks I, me, mine is is not important, it’s not precious.
We should not be regarded as such. And then as a matter of fact, others are important. Others are precious because of the happiness that we have experienced and that we experience comes in dependence on others. So then, as it was said in the text, all these afflictive emotions, this suffering come out of of this erroneous mind. This erroneous mind is is the mind of self grasping mind is that think of I, me, mine.
So then in if we can destroy this mind, if we can get rid of this mind that thinks I, then we will be able to get rid at that at that time. We will be able to get rid of every suffering and all the afflictive emotions. So then, again, I was explaining the last line of commentary on this verse, and it says like this, even even that being so, because I the the text the author is referring to himself because I had had a weak mind, then because I gave into a because one gave into a weak mind, then one’s efforts to expel this root of the afflictions from the roots one time were deteriorated, all these efforts deteriorated, then then they come they keep on harming oneself, the afflictive emotions. So then so then what is it that, again, I’ll explain it again. What is it that gives that can destroy this this root of the afflictive emotions, this erroneous mind, this mind of of self grasping is is the mind that realizes the the the the lack of inherent existence of the self.
That is that’s the mind that can get rid of it. So then, the line is saying, so now that mind of self grasping that conceives of of an inherent existent self is very is very difficult to get rid of. In order to get rid of that mind, in order to get rid of the mind, we must we must we must realize emptiness.
We must realize emptiness, which is realizing that that self lacks inherent existence, that that I that I, me, which is conceived by the mind, it is actually not inherently existent, nonexistent. That’s that’s how we destroy this self grasping. So then, Gela is explaining: if that thought of I, me, when it comes about, if we look for it, then we will not be able to find it. We will not find it in in in our flesh. We will not find in our blood.
We will not find in in the internal organs. We will not finding any part of our body. Our body arises like an illusion out of the five elements. And and if we understand that our body is just the it is in fact just manifestation, an illusion manifestation of these five elements, then we understand that our body, in fact, is is is not precious, not important. So so then at first, now it’s it’s getting a bit complicated.
So first, I said, Geshe-la said that if we look for it, then we will not be able to find anything. Now that is not to say — Gela says — that this I is completely inexistent, that it that it falls into the category of something which is nonexistent. It it exists, Gela says. It does exist. Yes.
It is not something that falls into the category of nonexistent. It exists. It is an existent. Okay? So then can I say, so how is it that that this I in in which way this I exists?
It exists, how to say, in that mind, which which which is a non realizing mind, which is a non investigating mind. It is in their mind. If if if one if one investigates, then then it then one will not find it and then it will not exist. So then I was just trying to make sure that I understood what Geshe-la was explaining. So this is as I said before, so it exists from the side of of that mind that does not investigate, that that non investigating mind.
From the side of the investigating mind, it does not exist. So for example, if if, again, was giving an example of of his microphone when I took the the clock. So it says, this clock from the side of the noninvestigating mind, from the perspective of the noninvestigating mind, the clock, what what is called clock exists. But if we start to investigate, and and then we we will not be able to find the clock from from within all the pieces that they have. We find only these various pieces that that when they are together, we call a clock.
Okay? So then if we can if we can understand that that I, the self, is is actually like a non inherent existence, just like an illusion. That’s that’s if then if you understand that, then we are realizing we are realizing emptiness. We are realizing selflessness. And if we realize emptiness and selflessness, then we are getting really we we are we are we are, in fact, getting getting rid of all the afflictive emotions and conceptions.
So we’ll leave we’ll leave it here today. Okay?