Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. A verse on familiarization — “there is nothing whatsoever not made easy through acquaintance” — sets the theme of this 75-minute commentary by Geshe Pema Tsering on Śāntideva’s Bodhisattva Way of Life. He first explains why bodhichitta requires both the wish to bring all beings to liberation and the understanding that one must attain enlightenment oneself, and why habitual self-cherishing makes the first aspect genuinely hard to generate. He then turns to patience, working through three root verses and the leather-sole analogy to show that subduing anger alone equals defeating all enemies — illustrated with a pointed reference to the Iraq war. The session closes with joyous effort: what distinguishes it as a perfection is not the feeling of delight itself, which can arise toward virtue and non-virtue alike, but its virtuous object.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2006 04 11 Bodhisattvas Way of Life.mp3
UUID: a2fd855f-2ac3-4981-aab9-d26087a072d0
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Way of Life 2005 Mar -2007 (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2006-04-11
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 75.2 minutes
Words: ~5,267
This one. Moving also goes to the position of a new house, a Buddha house, but we still haven’t got a house yet. Oh, yeah. So then, Geshe-la is quoting a verse from the Bodhisattva Way of Life itself from the chapter on on patience. In this chapter, this this verse reads something like this.
There is nothing whatsoever that is not made easy for acquaintance familiarization. So for becoming familiarized with small harms, I should learn to patiently bear with great harms. So then so then, again, I was saying, so if if we if we get familiarize with something, then we we will be able to to bear with patience whenever we meet. So then, again, I said, if we if we if we, familiarize ourselves a lot, then we’ll we’ll be able to, get a house of Buddha house. So then Geshe-la is saying excuse me.
So then the verse means means to say that that means to call our attention to the fact that familiarization is very important. So if we if we familiarize ourselves, familiarizing, and I first explained so familiarizing ourselves with something means to study again and again, go through the the thing we have familiarized ourselves with again and again, study it again and again and again. So then, Geshe-la, so if if we familiarize ourselves with patiently bearing with small harms, with small sufferings, then we will be able in the future to bear with with great hardships. So then the line says so then if we if we usually, when somebody says something harsh to us, call us a thief or or call us bad names, then we immediately without giving any thought, we we immediately respond to that, in an angry way. So but so on the other hand, instead of if we can stop ourselves and and and then bear with this small, how do you say, harms, just somebody calling us names doesn’t doesn’t turn us into what they are calling us.
So if we can just bear with these little things, then in the future, whatever whatever people say to us, whatever harsh words people say to us, we will we will easily be able to be patient with them, exercise our patience with them. So then so then now, Geshe-la says, we we we we we are aiming at attaining ultimate happiness, the happiness of enlightenment. We are we are aiming at attaining buddhahood. So in order to attain buddhahood, attain this ultimate happiness, then we must go through a lot of hardships. And then we must familiarize ourselves, meditate on patience.
The word is translated as meditate on patience. So this word is translated as meditate is is also translated as familiarize. It’s the same word that is used in the verse that was quoted before. So we must familiarize ourselves with patience, with the patience the the patient attitude. And then and like this, we can then meditate on, how to say, the mind of enlightenment.
I can get familiarized with the mind of enlightenment and then assess. So whilst we familiarize ourselves with the mind of enlightenment, we are going to meet with many hardships. So we’re gonna need the patience in order to bear with them. So then can I say so then now the the mind of enlightenment that we we we have to give rise to is that mind is that mind that thinking that one must bring all sentient beings to enlightenment, then understands that in order to accomplish that, one must attain enlighten ment oneself? Now in that sense, in order to engage in this in this sort of thinking, engaging this sort of thinking is very difficult because usually, do not think about all of the sentient beings.
We do not think about accomplishing their enlightenment. We think about only accomplishing our own enlightenment our own happiness. So then it is it is very difficult now, isn’t it, to bring to bring forth that mind that thinks of benefiting others or accomplish their enlightenment. Now the mind that that thinks of accomplishing our own enlightenment, that one comes with a with relative relative easiness. Is it correct?
Relative easiness. Relative ease. But thinking of thinking of others is very difficult. We we’re not familiar with that. So we have to So then it’s very difficult.
And I was saying, so then it’s very difficult to bring forth that mind that thinks of others because we are we are familiarized. Or you don’t have you don’t have to either how do say? You don’t have to worry about it or you don’t have to to pay attention to it as if it was something cute or beautiful or is there something dangerous or that you have to get rid of. Just let it be. No.
No. I’m just worried about, you know, someone in a sit on them and they So then so then Gela was saying, so it is very difficult for us to bring about that the mind that thinks of others, of the enlightenment of others because we are very used on the other hand. We’re very familiar with with the mind of self-cherishing and the the the self grasping attitude, self grasping mind. So then I say so then it is very easy. In And on the hand, it’s easy.
Again, Geshe-la says it’s easy for us to think of, attaining our own enlightenment. But in order for us to attain enlightenment, even our own enlightenment, we need in order to attain enlightenment, we need to to be thinking, of of bringing all of the sentient beings to enlightenment. So in order to attain our own ultimate happiness of of buddhahood, then we must when we we must, how do you say, inescapably, think of give rise to the mind of enlightenment that thinks of bringing all other sentient beings to enlightenment also. So then so then I ask, so without without the thought of bringing all sentient beings to enlightenment, then we will we we won’t be able to attain our own enlightenment. So in order to attain enlightenment, need, Geshe-la says, we need we need the mind of enlightenment.
Now a mind of enlightenment has two parts to it. One part is the part that thinks of bringing all sentient beings to enlightenment, and the other part is the the part that understands that in order to accomplish that. One oneself must attain enlightenment. So if we don’t have the part that thinks of all other sentient beings, then we do not have the mind of enlightenment. And in this way, without the mind of enlightenment, we cannot attain enlightenment itself.
So then so then Geshe-la says, so then if we do not have both the mind of enlightenment and the mind that realizes emptiness, then we cannot attain enlightenment. On top of that, if we do not have a fully characterized what is translated usually is a fully characterized mind of enlightenment, a mind of enlightenment with its two parts to it, complete with all the characteristics of a mind of enlightenment, then we do not have a a natural mind of enlightenment. So we cannot attain enlightenment. So in order to accomplish our own purpose, our own welfare, this ultimate welfare of Buddhahood, then we we need we we need to give rise to this mind of enlightenment. Need to be thinking of bringing all of the sentient beings to So then Geshe-la Geshe-la says, then that part of the the mind of enlightenment, which which is thinking of all sentient beings is especially particularly important, Geshe-la says.
So so then we we must understand that is in dependence on on all sentient beings that we experience every happiness that every happiness we experience comes about. So it is every happiness, Geshe-la was explaining, even even worldly, mundane happiness and the ultimate happiness of liberation and enlightenment. It did both of them, both kinds of happiness depend on on on sentient beings to come about. So then understanding that we must, again, Geshe-la says, we must, how should we think of bringing our sense and being to enlightenment. So then so then the last thing so then now if if we do not think over and over about this about the mind of about the mind of enlightenment.
And if we do not give rise to these thoughts again and again, if we do not get if we don’t meditate on them, if we don’t familiarize ourselves with them, it will be very difficult it will be very difficult for it to come about. So we must, again, as we must then meditate on it, which is the same word to get familiarize with it. Get familiar with it. Become familiar with it. Okay.
So then Geshe-la says, so usually usually, we do we we think only of of of our own happiness. We think we think only of our own wishes all the time at all times, this the thought of attaining our own happiness, our own wishes comes about. The thought that things things of attaining the happiness of others, the welfare of others rarely comes comes about. So Geshe-la says, if we if we then familiarize ourselves with it, if we meditate over and over again on this mind of enlightenment, then with time, it will come, how to say, easier and easier. So then we all we all talk about practicing the Dharma of of the great vehicle, practicing the Mahāyāna teachings.
So then so if if we mean it, then in order to to to be really practicing the Dharma of the Mahāyāna teachings, then we must meditate on the mind of enlightenment. So then that I said, it is not easy. It it does I’d say it doesn’t surface just to spell out this the the words of the mind of enlightenment that spell out that one must bring all sentient beings to enlightenment and so forth. One must look within one’s mind, within one’s heart and mind, and and and see that the that mind, that consciousness, that the mind of enlightenment itself is being given rise to, is coming about. Okay?
So then so then because of that, because it is not just, how to say, lip service, is we have really to bring about this. This mind is very difficult to to do that. So, again, I say so, usually, when we sit down to to to meditate on the mind of enlightenment, we are thinking, we are bringing forth that those thoughts, we think, oh, we must bring all sentient beings to enlightenment. We must attain enlighten ourselves. And immediately, if something happens, then our mind gets distracted towards that something that is happening.
Now because we are not because we’re not familiarized with it. Geshe-la was saying that, for example, if we are when we are working, then we we rarely ever get distracted with something else that is happening because we are familiar with the activity of working, with being focused on the work. So we don’t get easily distracted. So then so then then because because about that, we understand understand that the the mind of enlightenment is is really very important. And then with this understanding, we we we meditate on the mind of enlightenment thinking that we we must we must attain enlightenment for the sake of all.
Yeah. So then, again, we are on the commentary on the Bodhisattva Way of Life. We are on the how do say? The topic the general topic, which reads that good qualities depend upon the mind. And then this topic has goes through each of the six perfections, explaining how each one of them depends upon the mind, relies upon the mind.
And now we are on we’re going to start the commentary on the of patience and which explain how patience relies upon the mind. Then the the explanation of how patience relies upon the mind has three parts to it. And the first one is is the meaning. The second is the analogy. And the third one is is applying the analogy to the meaning.
So then as for the meaning, we read the root verse number twelve of the root text of the way of life, which reads something like this. Please correct me my English if the pronunciation is not correct. Okay? So unruly beings are as unlimited space as numerous as unlimited unlimited space. They cannot possibly all be overcome.
However, if I overcome thoughts of anger alone, this will be equivalent to vanquishing all faults. So I think I was briefly explaining each which of these lines. And I was saying that this unruly unruly sentient beings, there are as many sentient beings that up to filling the whole of space, Geshe-la says, generally. So that is just an analogy, meaning that we have so so many enemies. There’s so many harmful beings.
And then he was saying that it it isn’t it is just thinking of destroying of eliminating all these enemies is, how do you say, is, is impossible. This is something impossible to accomplish. We’ll not be able never be able to never be able to eliminate all the enemies we have. On the other hand, if we can destroy that mind of anger alone, then Geshe-la says, it’s it’s it’s like it’s like getting rid of all enemies. Is giving is giving an example, an illustration how how the American government has been trying to get rid of his enemies of its enemies for for so long.
It’s been three years already since they’ve been fighting in Iraq, and they hasn’t they haven’t been able to get rid but of a few a few enemies of American enemies. So I gotta say, is it much better? Isn’t it much better if we just meditate on patience? So says, George Bush has has won two elections, and he became very, how to say, powerful, impressive. So he says he’s going to get rid of all these terrorists and these people, but he he hasn’t accomplished that.
Yeah. If we if we harm others, then we we’re gonna have more enemies. If we if we if we help, then we have more friends. So then this this is the patience that we have to meditate on. This is when we talk about patience, we can say, so this is what we have to meditate on.
We have to rid ourselves of that anger of the mind of anger, of the angry mind. So we should we should not we should not think that if if if my enemy dies, then I will be happy. We should not think like this. So then Geshe-la says so then So then Geshe-la says, so then we must we must we must then get rid of of the mind of anger. And then Geshe-la is saying that he went through the commentary.
And the commentary is just saying, so then if we if we how to say? If we can if we can destroy only this mind of of anger, then it is like destroying it is just the same as destroying all other enemies. And that and that is that will be to complete the perfection of patience, to bring it to completion. Now if if we think thinking that how do you say? No.
This is an argument. So the the the text is not to explain. The text is saying, so it is we cannot we cannot it is not the perfection of patience is not brought to completion by destroying all by the exhaustion of all the objects of anger that give rise to anger, of all external objects that give rise to anger. So because the unruly sentient beings are as vast as space, because they are unlimited, how do you say, yeah, infinite, endless, so then it is it is impossible to destroy all of them. Is that okay?
So then the text concludes. So then because of that, patience relies upon the mind. And then now we go to to the analogy, and and we we we read the root verse number thirteen. So the root verse reads something like this. Where would I possibly find enough leather with which to cover the surface of the earth?
Yet wearing leather just on the soles of my feet is equivalent to covering the earth with it. Okay? This one. So then the commentary briefly goes on to say, so where where could I possibly find enough leather to cover all the earth, all the ground in order to in order to be able to to get rid to rid myself of the harm of of thorns. Thorns?
Thorns and and so forth. Yeah? Thorns. Thorns and so forth. It’s how to say it was it will just covering the soles of my feet with leather will be will be will have the same result as covering the whole of the ground.
So then and then we go to the last part of this explanation explanation of how patience rely upon the mind, which is applying the analogy to the meaning. And we read then verse number fourteen, which reads something like this. Likewise, it is not possible for me to restrain the external course of things, external course of events. But should I restrain this mind of mind, what would be the need to restrain all else? And then Geshe-la then explains.
So then in the case of of anger, so it is impossible for us to get rid of all the objects of anger. But if we can get rid of that mind of anger alone, then it is the same as getting rid of all of of all these objects of anger. We’re going from the commentary again of this to this verse. And then the commentary says just like like in in the in this example. So if how to say?
It is we can we are not able to oppose all these objects, external things that harm us. So so if we when, how to say, when when anger arises in our mind while while our mind is observing those external objects which which give rise to anger, then if we can oppose that mind of anger, then then we will by familiarizing ourselves in this way, we will bring the perfect we will bring the perfection of patience to completion, to perfection. Okay? So and furthermore, the text goes on to say, so why why should should how to say? Why should I oppose other external objects of anger?
It is it is not we are not only not only it is it is we are not how do say? Neither able. We do not either have the ability to oppose all of them nor do we nor there is the need to oppose all of them. We just need to oppose the mind of anger. This one.
Okay. So then so then now we go to the next perfection and we say joyous effort. Joyous effort relies upon the mind. Then we read verse number fifteen, which reads like this. Although the development of merely a clear state of concentration can result in taking birth in the Brahma Brahma’s realm, physical and verbal actions cannot so result when followed by a weak mental conduct.
So Geshe-la was explaining briefly that in order to be able to, how do you say, attain to the concentrations, to the absorptions that lead us to this such a high rebirth as as the rebirth in the in the in the realm of Brahma, then we need we need a certain kind of mind, which is a mind which is a certain kind of concentration, which which thinks which is thinking of the qualities of the next stage of concentration. I’ve forgotten the technical name for this sort of meditation, but it’s it’s in practice, it is when you attain calm abiding and you want to attain to the first level of form absorption, then you have to think of of the deficiencies of the the shortcomings of the level where you are, and then think of the qualities of the next level, and then you will attain to that. And the the same goes for the the other concentrations above that. And if you are in the first concentration and you think you want to go to the second, you have to think of the shortcomings of being in first, and then start thinking of the qualities of the second and develop the strong intent of going to the second level of of absorption and like this and so forth.
So they have they have to have this clear in intention, this very strong intention to go to to this next stage of absorption. Okay? So it is it is so then how do say? The the text goes on to explain then how how is it that joyous effort relies upon the mind in order to be able to to be brought to perfection in order to be brought to perfection. So so in order again, the text is explaining again.
So in order to attain the first concentration, then one must meditate how do say on this? Have this clear mind that takes joy in in in this quality of the first concentration, which which is going to then to to and how do say, lead the mind to this first concentration. So so which is which is to say that the mind how do you say? Which is this this this joyous effort. Okay?
So and then and then the text goes on to say, so without that strength of mind that takes joy in the in this in this example in the in the qualities of the first concentration and and then strives to attain it, then without that strength of mind, then one how do you say? How do you say? Whatever whatever acts of speech and body one engages in with if one has only a weak mind behind them, then one will not be able to attain to those states, to those such higher rebirths rebirth in the Brahma realms and so forth. Okay? So then so then, yeah, so then it relies this joyous effort relies on this strength.
It relies on this strength of mind, this strong mind. Okay? So then the is the same. So then joyous effort is very important. So it is it is an in dependence on on joyous effort that we can attain liberation, that we can attain enlightenment.
But, usually, normally, we we think we take joyous effort only for the things of this world, of this life. So we think we take joy in in in, obviously, acquiring money or acquiring a house and so forth. But so but but if we take if we take if we have this joyous effort towards virtue, and then we and then we are going to engage in virtue, and then we are going to attain higher rebirths in the future. And the same goes if if we take joy in liberation and enlightenment, then we attain these results. So then, Geshe-la explains.
So then, usually, we take we we like we like money. And because we like money, then we we strive. We engage in all sorts of activities in order to obtain money. So I think that I will explain is what is what is this, joyous effort? It is a mind that takes joy.
Yeah. The delights in something. So if the the the word that is a bit difficult to translate is is priya, which is which can be can mean I think it’s best translated as to to delight in something. You like something, and you you take this great joy when you think about it. You there’s great joy arising within you.
So so this this delight that comes about is the same, but what what characterizes the difference between what is called joyous effort and then this mere delight into worldly things is that joyous effort is in relation to virtuous deeds. So the mind that delights in virtue, then that is is what we call joyous effort. But the mind that that delights in money, and that’s that would be a non virtuous mind. That is not what we call joyous effort. Even though the delight the the thing that that makes them is the same, which is this delight, they are not because one is related to virtue, and the other is related to non virtue.
So So then so then, again, I’ll give you another another example, another illustration. Then, for example, in the case of killing, some people people who enjoy killing chickens, for example. So then they they take delight in that in in in killing the chicken. They take delight in in killing. And Geshe-la was using another word to explain how this delight is some someone that which which is the word that we usually translate as as like.
So he likes killing. He likes he delights in killing. Now, in the other hand, you have someone who delights in abandoning, in avoiding the act of killing. So then one is engaging is delighting in non virtue, and the other one is is delighting in virtue. And in this way, we can we distinguish what is joyous effort from what is not joyous effort, which is called the perfection of joyous effort.
If you want the money, what? No. It’s across the border. What? Lottery.
Lottery. Lottery. And then you you buy a And you buy a house or you buy a. Is that choice that you would that’s. So if if it is for the sake well, if you’re doing something that is for the sake of for the sake of Buddha house, for the sake of the Dharma, for the sake of virtue, then, yeah, it is joyous effort.
You’re gonna you’re gonna give us gonna give you’re one hundred million dollars? Probably. Okay. He says, it is this is joy joyous effort. This is also a great act of generosity.
So this is very beneficial. So knowing that, how many millions of dollars are going to give? Shut up. Yeah. Yeah.
Can we stop here today? It’s okay? Yes. So Geshe-la says, yes. If you are doing that out of the motivation to benefit others, if it is if you’re going to work in your garden and you have you have actually given rise to that motivation and things are benefiting others, then then, yeah, you you will you will get joyous effort.
By, how do you say, with joy, taking delight in in in something that benefits others. So you you you you will get joyous effort. But if if there is not that mind of enlightenment that if you’re doing only for yourself, then you will not get joyous effort. You will get delight, just ordinary delight, but not what is called the perfection of joyous effort.
So then, again, said, it is very difficult to to accomplish that because, usually, how do you say, we we do that even even though we we might say the words, we might spell it out for with our mouth that we are doing that for the sake of others and so forth, whatever activity we are doing, we are doing for the sake of others. Then, usually, within our hearts and mind, we have still the thought that wishes to accomplish only our own benefit, our own that that that is striving for only our own wishes and so forth. It’s very difficult to to actually accomplish that. Then for example, while while you’re working in the garden, somebody comes and and and throws trash around and and, you know, and if you get if you get angry, then it’s a sign that you’re still holding to to the mind of self grasping. So you’re not When I do care, you’d be a a peach tree.
There’s two ways. Yeah. There’s a very nice fruit tree. I would say, yeah, the peach tree back then. We all Geshe-la Geshe-la was saying we all ate them.
He Geshe-la, I ate them. I ate them. Yeah. For Buddha house? So then, Geshe-la said, so so we have we have to look for a new house or bought a house.
We are in the situations we have. We must. So we should what we should do is give up our own personal preferences as to what would be a good house and think so if we get something that is according to our liking, then we get we we happy with it. If it is not in accordance with our liking, then we are unhappy. So then we we have to give up our personal preferences in this case and and and think of of finding a house which is going to benefit others, which is going to benefit the community.
And in this way, we look for the house. So so it’s okay then? Yeah. Happy like this? Yeah.
Mhmm. Maybe one one more question maybe. Oh, yeah. It spells Brahma. Yes.
So it’s it’s a it’s a it’s it’s a worldly god. It’s within Samsāra. It is on the level of the first concentration. Is a god who is otherworldly. It doesn’t necessarily it doesn’t necessarily imply that there is a god that is otherworldly because what we mean when we say worldly is just that it is within cyclic existence.
So there is a realm the realm of Brahma is a realm that is within cyclic existence, and there are realms that are outside of cyclic existence, where the pure lands of the Buddha fields are. Okay? Brahma, Hindu god as well. It’s the same. Yeah.
Yeah. So then the the word that is being translated as worldly, then Geshe-la is explaining, refers to ordinary beings, refers to samsaric beings, beings within cyclic existence. Okay? There was I forgot. Monday.
Monday. Monday. Monday. There was some What do you got? What did Yeah.
There was an you you asked something. Yeah. You Oh, just as the same as the Hindu. Oh, yeah. It’s almost somebody.
Hindu. So then irrespective of doesn’t know exactly if it is a Hindu or not. He says in the in the Hindu pantheon pantheon, there are many gods, but the the main point in the is is that it is a a worldly god. It is a god of the first concentration, the first absorption. Okay?
Oh. Oh, so then I’m gonna explain that Brahma was one of the gods that came down to where the Buddha was meditating after he attained enlightenment and and asked the Buddha to to to turn the wheel of Dharma to teach the Dharma. And then he and then and then the Buddha gave the teaching later on on the four noble truths in Varanasi. After that Varanasi. Varanasi.
It’s a city in India. It’s a place in India. Banaras. Banaras. Banaras.
Okay. Yeah. Is there any dictionary there, everything? Yeah. It’s a good good scenario?
Very good. Cool. Shall shall we finish?