Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. A four-line diagnostic verse — testing whether one’s practice serves this life, saṃsāra, self alone, or is clouded by grasping — opens this nearly 98-minute session with Geshe Pema Tsering. He unpacks the first two lines using three students making identical prostrations, each from a different scope of motivation, to show that the same act yields vastly different merit. He examines renunciation through the image of sweet poison: samsaric pleasures feel like happiness but are causes of suffering, curable only by sustained analytical meditation on their faults. Two Chapter Five verses then address acting from wisdom and faith by one’s own effort, and progressively improving the six perfections while always preferring benefit of others over self. The session ends with Q&A, including an exchange on why 100,000 prostrations still matter when one done with bodhicitta outweighs them all.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2006 08 15 Bodhisattvas Way of Life.mp3
UUID: fc26f387-bacd-4b03-9286-5665e4def60e
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Way of Life 2005 Mar -2007 (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2006-08-15
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 97.9 minutes
Words: ~6,469
So then is quoting a verse now. From motivation. It’s a mind training verse which reads which reads something like this. If if it is for this life, then you are not a religious person. If it is for cyclic existence, then you don’t have renunciation.
If it if it is for your your own welfare, then you don’t have the mind of enlightenment. And if grasping arises, or if there is grasping, then you don’t have the view. So then Geshe-la then saying, as for the first line of the verse, which is then saying, if it is for this life, then you’re not a religious person. And Geshe-la is saying it is very difficult because Geshe-la is saying, we all we all say that we are religious persons, religious practitioners. And then Geshe-la was saying, but if you have attachment for this life, then you’re not actually a religious practitioner.
So then, is saying, if we are to in order to practice actual Dharma, then is explaining that it must be done, then the activities or activities must be done for the sake of of the next the future lives onwards. And then Geshe-la is saying, but but we when we are practicing and when we are doing practicing Dharma or engaging working or engaging whatever activity we are engaging, and then I was explaining that we we do we do everything with with the thought of attaining happiness and benefit for this life alone. Geshe-la is explaining again, quoting the first line of the verse saying, if it is for this life, then you are not a religious practitioner. Then saying, so because we we are engaging all activities for the sake of the happiness of this life alone, then then it does not whatever activities we are doing, then our actions do not become a pure dharma. Pure dharma.
So then again, as I’m saying if if our activities if if we do engage in activities, if we save things and and and and do things for the sake of obtaining obtaining happiness and benefit for this life, then we do not get pure Dharma. Explain that if one that acts, if one makes offerings, prostrations, reads the scriptures, and meditates, and so forth, performs Dharma activities, then for the sake of future lives, and if not for the sake of enlightenment and at least for the sake of liberation. And if if not if not for the sake of liberation, then at the very least for the sake of attaining higher rebirth as as a human being or god in the future life. Then if one does that engaging in such activities with the wish that may may I attain such and such in regard to future lives, then then one is actually practicing as a religious practitioner.
Then one is then practicing the Dharma of what is called the beings of small scope. So then, if if one is thinking to oneself that a happy rebirth as a human or god is not enough, that is one after that rebirth one still has to experience suffering. And if one then has the wish to be free from from all the suffering of cyclic existence, from the whole in the entire suffering of cyclic existence. Then if one with this motivation, this intention in mind, then if it practices the Dharma, then the last one has this pure motivation. The one is is accomplishing the pure Dharma of beings, what is called the beings of medium scope. So then seeing that understanding that the future lives, the attainment of higher rebirth in future lives is not enough.
Will not suffice. There is still all these future rebirths as human beings or gods, higher rebirths. They are still in the nature of suffering. Then and and seeing that liberation for oneself alone, if one if one strives for liberation for oneself alone, there is still there there will still be the whole of of of sentient beings left behind, you know, that says, then suffering just like one oneself. So then if one then wishes then instead to to bring all the.
Then if one if one then with the intention of of freeing all sentient beings, all sentient beings from suffering, and then one with this intention in mind, one then practices the Dharma, then one is then practicing, accomplishing the pure Dharma of of the great being of great scope So then wishing to free our sentience from suffering and then understanding that if one does not attain enlightenment, then one cannot accomplish this, the freeing of all beings from suffering, then one determines oneself, then one must then attain enlightenment for the sake of. And that that is can I explain? That is what is called the mind of enlightenment. And then one will fall under the respective category of being a small scope or medium scope or or great scope. And then explain. So then the one is then acting with the intention, with the motivation of attaining happy rebirths, future rebirths, then that one is then called a being of small scope.
And then once actions will have as and I was just saying, they they have little power. And then and then I was just saying, then a being who is then wishing to attain liberation from from the sufferings for oneself alone, then this being is called a being of medium scope. And then his his actions that are performed with this intention, this motivation, yeah, then they are more powerful than the actions of a being of small scope. Okay? I think that I was just saying before then, on the other hand, one has the motivation of not thinking of oneself, but thinking of all other sentient beings and and freeing them from suffering and bringing a set of enlightenment, then if one then is endowed with this motivation, then one’s actions, again, are even more powerful than the beings of of of of medium scope, and then one is a practitioner of Mahāyāna.
And, again, I was then saying, so then it doesn’t matter what action it is. Even one per how to say? So then even though the the action the action is the the same, and depend depending in dependence on the motivation, then once collection of merit result from from that action, then we’ll be different. We’ll have a different power.
And then I was then giving an illustration. For example, there is a three of us, Hero, Luke, and myself. And if if we are the three of us to make three prostrations, but then because I I I was doing the I was doing with the motivation of attaining a happy rebirth in the future. And then so my my the power of my my deed will be weak. And then Luke was doing with the with the thought of attaining liberation for himself.
So he he has more merit from that. And then hero was doing the prostrations with the intention of with the wish to free all sentient beings from suffering. So he’s he’s then he will have he he will collect more merit from that. And then in accordance, in dependence on our motivation, we are respectively called the beings of small scope, medium scope, and Hero being a being of great scope, a Mahāyāna practitioner. Even though the the action was the same, it was just three prostrations.
And each one of us did three frustrations, and then we we we did the same effort and the same amount of time and everything. But because he was doing with the Mahāyāna motivation, then the the the effects, the results of our actions will will be different. So the hero was doing the result of hero’s activities because he was doing the Mahāyāna motivation, then his his the result will be inexhaustible until he attains enlightenment. He he will he will be benefiting from from the results of that motivation. And then Luke, then his results he will experience the results of that action until he attains liberation.
And then and then I myself, then the moment the day I attain happy as a human being, then, I mean, the effects, the results of my activity, they are they are finished. Performing one’s actions with the thinking of this life alone, then one will not fall into any of the three categories. Then if one is again, I was then given the again, the illustration of one person doing three prostrations. Then again, this person is doing three prostrations. But if one this person is doing with the motivation of, how do say, attaining, how do say, fame, being famous, and then good health and and and so forth.
And then and then saying, if one has this, may may I be healthy? May may I be famous? And and and so forth. And then and then one does three prostrations, and it’s still the same three prostrations. It’s still a dharma.
I would say it’s still a religious action, but it is not it is not, how do say, pure. Whatever version that one has been doing with with for the sake of this life alone, then by the end of this life, then we’ll be finished. Then, because if one has been praying, wishing that may one’s wishes be accomplished in this life, then, then the accomplishment of one’s wishes, of attainment of what one desires in this life, is very difficult. If one has not gathered the causes in the previous life, then one will not be able to accomplish that in this life. And then, Geshe-la is saying, so then, one whilst wishing to to have one’s desires accomplished in this life, then one cannot accomplish that.
Then again, one will not accomplish one’s purpose and happiness in future lives. So then, one is then just wasting time. It’s it’s it’s a total waste of time. So then so there’s someone such a such a being, then it is not it’s not a pure it’s not a practicing pure Dharma. Oh, yeah.
And then, so then, moving on to the second line of the verse, which is then, if it is for cyclic existence, then one does not have renunciation. And again, that’s very difficult. So then Geshe-la is saying so then in regard to this to this line of the verse, which is saying, if it is for, then one does not have renunciation. As for renunciation, you can assess it thus: up until the moment — how do you say? —
How do you say that? When when up until when attains when one one attains this uncontrived mind of renunciation, then up until that moment, then one does not have renunciation. And then one so so then one is still so, yeah, so one does not have renunciation. Yes. Saying, then we we obviously, because we are all still attached to the body.
We are attached. Geshe-la is explaining what is meant by if it is for cyclic existence. Geshe-la is saying if it is for cyclic existence, then it’s referring to to the to the feelings, feelings of pleasure, of physical pleasure, and of mental pleasure and happiness. So then, you know, as I explained, because we are attached to good food, we’re attached to good warm clothes, we’re attached to a nice house, we’re attached to a nice car, and says, to a nice motorbike, and so forth. Because we are all because we’re still attached to these things, and they are those are all samsaric phenomena phenomena of cyclic existence. Then, then was attached to all these things, and there is no renunciation.
We all need we all we all need good things, and we are all how do say? So then Geshe-la says, we all need we all need these good things, these these these good things. And then we need we need them. The need for them comes out of this attachment. And then Geshe-la was gonna say, because we are attached to them, then there is no place.
There’s no renunciation whatsoever. So then Geshe-la is saying, as for renunciation, then renunciation is is is is is the mind that doesn’t want how do say? Doesn’t doesn’t wish for any phenomena of cyclic existence. It doesn’t doesn’t it’s it’s it wants to abandon all all all phenomena of cyclic existence, all samsaric phenomena. Geshe-la was explaining very beautifully, actually.
Explaining to us that because we we we we none of us none of us wishes for suffering, but still, we we are all wishing happiness. But then we do not because we do not see that that happiness that we wish for is actually the nature of suffering. It is it is the result of of suffering, and it is, again, the cause of future suffering. So then, the the wish to get rid of or to abandon all these phenomena of cyclic existence, then will come about when one sees well the faults of the phenomena of cyclic existence. I see again, seeing that they are the causes of of suffering in this life and in future lives.
And then So then was gonna give you an illustration of of how how we are, how to say, attached to to phenomena, which we which we regard as happiness, but it’s actually suffering. Phenomena is like is like a poison, which is sweet. So then we eat it, and we think, oh, it is sweet. It is nice, and we think we are actually happy. But then we won’t live long after that.
We will die. This poison will kill us. Okay? So then is then saying suffering sorry. Renunciation renunciation then this is something very difficult to accomplish.
So then Geshe-la is explaining, because we have been accustomed since long long time ago to see only the qualities of cyclic existence. And we do not understand that there are nothing but faults to the phenomena of cyclic existence, then we keep on striving for this phenomenon. And then, again, if so then we have been striving since long time past. And then we if we still keep on striving now for for this phenomena’s existence, then again, in the future, we will be in the same situation. So then so then because we are still we still do not understand the faults of that phenomenon which which which we regard as happiness, then we we cannot give rise to renunciation.
And without renunciation, the path, the actual path cannot arise in our mind streams. So then Geshe-la is explaining that that is what is called the path. And so then the path is not it does not arise in our minds. So what is explained, that that path is then that uncontrived mind of renunciation.
And when that uncontrived mind of renunciation is established in our mind, the what is called the path, is then has arrived. So then, you know, I was saying something because it needs to be uncontrived. It’s not as opposed to a contrived fabricated renunciation. So Because we do not see the faults of cyclic existence as a faults of samsaric phenomena. We only perceive it only as having qualities and as being happiness.
So then we do not have that that uncontrived mind of renunciation at all. So then, So there’s not we we’re not able to easily understand that. So then says, then so then we have so then we have to meditate a lot in order to understand that. And says of the of the two styles of meditation, there is analytical meditation and placement meditation. Then what we have to do is analytical meditation.
And we have to see that samsaric phenomena, the phenomena of, like, existence, it is it is not it is not happiness. It is actually the nature of suffering. And then because it changes from moment to moment, then it there’s not one moment of of of that is how do you say? lasting. But then because it does not have the nature of happiness.
So it is not it does not abide as such. Not not for even one moment. If for example for example, as as an example, says, if if in the first hour, then happiness arises, and in the second hour, there is no more happiness. If if we are happy today, and tomorrow, we are not happy anymore. So then, allows us because the the nature of that phenomenon is then is the nature of suffering.
So because the cause the cause the main cause of that phenomenon is then karma and afflictive emotions. Then and then main the main one of them is that self grasping. It’s a thought of I, mind, that’s that’s that’s which then gives a rise to attachment, hatred, and pride, and so forth. So that that is the main cause of that phenomenon. So then Geshe-la says, so then we we need we need to meditate, and we need to to to read the scriptures, the text.
And then Geshe-la says, not only not not just read it leisurely. We must we must keep all that information in mind. We must study it. And so then, it is difficult now, isn’t it? So then Geshe-la is saying again, repeating the line of the verses for cyclic existence, then one does not have renunciation.
So then, And Geshe-la was gonna say, when we even though we meditate, if we’re meditating for the sake of wishing only to obtain happiness for this life, then again, we do not have renunciation. So then as for the two lines of of of the verse, which are the if it is for your own welfare, then you don’t have the mind of enlightenment. And if grasping arises, then you don’t have the view. And I said that he would then explain in the next teaching. So then, Geshe-la, so then as Geshe-la already explained, if one is is has a motivation of attaining happiness for this life alone, then one doesn’t is not practicing Dharma.
It’s not Yeah. It’s not religious practitioner. If one is then if one then has a motivation to attain a happy rebirth in future lives, then one is is a practitioner of of of small scope. And then if one is then has a motivation of obtaining liberation for oneself alone, then one is a practitioner of practitioner of medium scope. And then, again, if one is to be a practitioner of the great scope, Mahāyāna practitioner, then one then gives rise to the intention of bringing all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment.
And then Geshe-la says that if one were to give rise to the mind of enlightenment, to the Mahāyāna motivation, the wish to bring all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment, then one would experience the results of that the results of that motivation, then it would be inexhaustible, in a sense, up until one attains enlightenment and beyond. So then we all need all need that inexhaustible result. So then if we need that, if we want that inexhaustible source of merit, then so then we need we need the, how do you say, the the wish to free all sentient beings from suffering. And then in order to accomplish that, then one one of the things that in order to accomplish that, one then needs to attain enlightenment in oneself. So then in order to accomplish that enlightenment, then one listens to the teachings, reads the the this text.
One then makes offerings. One makes one meditates and so forth. And whatever activity then, whatever action that one does, and then one must do it with the motivation of of the mind of enlightenment. So then we are asking, so now we meditate, thinking, giving rise to the thought that in order to accomplish the enlightening of all sentient beings, I myself must attain enlightenment. In order to accomplish that enlightenment, I will now listen to the teachings on on the way of the Bodhisattva.
Okay. On the way of the Bodhisattva. And, yeah, and then we we meditate for and then and then we we practice these these teachings, and and we meditate now Oh, yeah. So then so then we continue in the commentary on the fifth chapter on alertness, and then we go to the next topic, which is then virtuous karma has been performed through one’s own power, by one’s by oneself, by by one’s own power, and then we read the next root verse, which is endowed with wisdom and faith, then I should undertake all that I intend to do. I did not depend upon anyone else in any actions that I undertake.
And then I was gonna explain, so then we are we are we are are striving to attain enlightenment. So then we must we must then become learned in in in in how to attain that. And then we have to we have to have faith then in the Three Jewels and so forth. And in this way, in with this knowledge, and with this and with this faith, then in the Three Jewels and so forth, then we we we then engage in whatever work, whatever activity you’re going to engage in. So, Geshe-la is explaining the first line of the verse, which was translated by Stephen Batchelor, endowed with wisdom and faith.
So, the first word which was translated as wisdom could also be translated as something for one to be learned, or for one to be a scholar. So, in this case, Geshe-la is explaining, then this word is such that if one does not have knowledge about the subject of of liberation, enlightenment, and so forth, then without that knowledge, without being learned in in in the ways to to attain liberation enlightenment, then one cannot give rise to faith. And then if one does not have faith, then again one cannot give rise to faith. So then, again, knowledge knowledge also.
So then and then and then I was explaining, and then also, if one does not have the knowledge of of the actions, the activities that are in the virtuous activities, non virtuous and neutral activities. So then Geshe-la says, without this knowledge, then we cannot develop faith. And then Geshe-la was explaining faith. As for faith, then we must have faith in the laws of karma and cause and effect. So then without knowing that also, cannot have faith in them, and we have to have faith in the Three Jewels.
We have to have faith in the lama, faith in the teachers, faith in our parents, and so forth. So then, again, without both this knowledge and this faith, then we cannot perform we we we don’t know what is it that we need, that we have what activities we have to perform. So then we become learned, and then we endowed with faith, then, Geshe-la says, we then perform virtuous activities, and then we engage in virtuous activities. And then the last two lines of the verse are telling us: Are telling us that we do not when we we are going to perform virtuous deeds, then we must think for ourselves, and we must accomplish virtue this virtues ourselves, and we must do it without depending on on anyone else, whoever whoever it is.
We must must do it without depending on anyone else. And then Geshe-la was reading the commentary on the first line. It was a commentary, which is then telling us that we must having having how do you say? Become learned in what is to be adopted and what is to be discarded, what is to be engaged, and what is to be disengaged. And then I was explaining, so then one must become learned.
One must know what is what are actions one must then adopt virtues and and discard non virtues. One must then engage in virtuous activities and, again, not engaged in non virtuous activities. So then they haven’t become learned in this and then endowed in in faith having faith on on virtue, on virtuous deeds, then must must at all times always practice virtue. And then and then the second line, the verse is telling us, you know, that explains that we must we must not depend on someone else to accomplish for us. We must whoever it is, we must we must accomplish that virtue virtue this by by ourselves.
Okay? So then we go to the next topic, which is then engaging higher and higher virtues, and then having examined their need, then acting upon them. And then for that, we read the next verse, which Stephen Batchelor translated in one way, but Geshe-la was explaining it a bit differently. So Stephen Batchelor translates like this. The perfection such as generosity and so forth are progressively more exalted.
But for a little morality, I should not forsake a great gift. Mainly, I should consider what will be most beneficial to others. And then those first two lines could be interpreted in different ways, and Geshe-la was then giving a different interpretation to it. Geshe-la was then explaining there are there are the six perfections, generosity, morality, etcetera, up until wisdom. And then Geshe-la then saying that one must perform them, become more and more proficient and more and more able to perform each one of them.
So you can also for example, for example, today, we are able to give only one dollar, then tomorrow, we we we give two, and later on, we give three. And then we we must increment. We must how do say increment? No. Make them better and better.
Improve. Improve. Improve. And then again, as for morality, the perfection of morality, if today we can only keep one vow, then later we keep two vows, and then later we keep three vows, and we like this, we we we in stages, progressively, we we we get better and better, more proficient.
And then Geshe-la was then again giving a bit of a different interpretation to the last two lines of the verse. Then so then if if you were to translate it literally, it will be, but for for the sake of a little, one should not forsake something which is greater. Okay? That’s the literal translation of that. And then the last line will be mainly, I should consider what will be most beneficial to others.
And then Geshe-la was then relating these two lines, explaining that what is little is the motivation of benefiting oneself alone, and what is greater, what is great, and then this is the the motivation to benefit others. So then one should not perform generosity. And I was then giving an example. We should not perform generosity for the sake of benefiting oneself alone. One should perform generosity with the intention of benefit all the sentient beings.
So then, again, for the sake of a little, one should not forsake the great one. And then so that’s the Ganava sentence. That’s the meaning of this sentence. And then concluding mainly, one should consider what is most beneficial to others. And then Geshe-la was reading the commentary.
The first one of the commentary, which is then telling us from the perfection of patience up to the perfection of wisdom, then they are more and more exalted, and one should then, how do you say, more and more proficient, get better and better in the practice of each one of them. So one must get better and better practicing generosity. We must get better and better practicing morality. We must get better and better at practicing concentration and so forth. And then Geshe-la is explaining the next line of the commentary, which according to Geshe-la is telling us that of all the six perfections, generosity, morality, concentration, wisdom, and so forth, then one must not perform them with a small intention.
Geshe-la was explaining, one must not perform any of them for the sake of benefiting oneself alone. Must perform them with great motivation, again, motivation for for the sake of for the sake of all. And then Geshe-la is reading the next line of the commentary, which is then saying one cannot by force accomplish both the what is called the small and the great. And again, one must not at the same time accomplish something for the sake of benefiting oneself alone and for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings. So then the text is telling us that we must then abandon, discard that intention that is that the thought that is thinking of oneself alone.
And think only of benefiting others. Gela was reading again, in order to protect the greater one, the great intention, then one must abandon the small one. And then, Geshe-la is explaining the last line of the commentary, which is then telling us how how is it that we posit then this greater and this more. And then Geshe-la was reading the text, and Geshe-la was then explaining that, so then the small one is the welfare of oneself alone for the sake of this life, and then the greater is the welfare of others. So then, the text concludes of these two.
The main one, the principle one, is then thinking, keeping in mind the welfare of others. Was asking if it feels alright I was asking if it is alright for us to stop here today. So if it’s alright for you to Yeah. And then we’ll start a new topic next next Tuesday. So my first question is to do with motivation, and that is if with the prostration example, Geshe-la, as as you stated in the the beginning of your question, Galatas was then saying, so then if if one performs one prostration with the motivation of enlightenment, then one will derive as much benefit as as the number of sentient beings there are, an innumerable amount.
Because there are the innumerable amount of sentient beings, the amount of benefit, the amount of virtue that one accumulates is is equally, how do you say, innumerable. So then Gala was then saying, if one performs then one prostration with the mind of enlightenment, with the intention of benefiting all sentient beings, and one performs then one hundred thousand prostrations without the motivation of enlightenment, then the benefit of that one prostration far surpasses the benefit of those hundred thousand prostrations. And then I was asking I was asking I was asking them exactly that. So if one can do that with one prostration, then why do one hundred thousand? And then Gela was then saying because the more benefit, the better.
Because if you want to benefit all sentient beings, you want to give a lot of benefit. You don’t want to do one in one prostration. You want to do one hundred thousand prostrations. Not only that, you want to do two hundred thousand, five thousand, one million, or ten million, or one billion. And and all of a sudden, you want to prostrate until the day of enlightenment.
Get started then. So then, on the other hand, one might think that one hundred prostrations is is a lot, that having performed one hundred thousand prostrations, one one have have done a lot of prostrations. And then, I was gonna say, this is this is not right because from beginningless time, from time immemorial, we have engaged in non virtues. And then in order to to purify all those non virtues, there’s not enough prostrations that one can perform in one lifetime to purify all of it. One lifetime is not enough.
Big big. Big Big work. If you if it wasn’t if wasn’t if it wasn’t such a big work, so difficult, then everybody would be enlightened. Yeah? So then I say so then, yeah, if one needs to perform virtue, then one must one must give rise to these thoughts.
If one if one can think of all of all those, then that’s that’s best before one’s engaged in activities. Then then if if one does not think of anything, then it’s easy then to perform non virtuous, and it’s easy not to think of anything also to do neutral, engage in neutral karma, produce neutral karma. And then Gela was then saying, but if one is to perform virtue, then one has to to think, have to give rise to these thoughts. And then Gela says, so that the best will be to to to think of all those steps, enlightenment and the. But if one cannot, then one just thinking that in order to accomplish the enlightenment of all beings, I myself must become enlightened.
In order to accomplish that, I will engage in this activity. And then that’s that’s So then Geshe-la says, why is it best then to to think of all those of of all the lam rim stages? Because if one cannot give rise to this uncontrived mind that is related to the being of medium scope, that’s related to liberation from cyclic existence, then one cannot give rise to an uncontrived mind of the great Mahāyāna of the Mahāyāna Mahāyāna vehicle. And then, again, if one does not have an uncontrived have hasn’t developed an uncontrived state of mind or realization of relation to the being of small scope, then again, we won’t be able to develop this uncontrived mind of the being of medium scope. So then if one can think of all all of them, then it is best.
So then even if one cannot think of all those stages, still one is thinking of bringing all beings to enlightenment, attaining enlightenment, it gives rise to the mind of enlightenment, then still one accomplishes a lot of virtue, one still accomplishes the Mahāyāna vehicle, but then Geshe-la says. But one will not experience the previous stages. One will not taste those previous stages. Yes. But one still accomplish great virtue and accomplish the Mahāyāna vehicle and so forth.
Okay. Yes. So then, if you can if you can then you do as much as you can. If you are able then you do as much as you are able to as many times as you are able to but then again I said if you’re not able to do many times then at the very least, again, I said, at the very, very least, then you do once in the morning. So then even even if if you have done only until ten o’clock, I was just saying, so this this may from from morning, about six o’clock until ten o’clock, then that’s good.
In other words, have you have already accomplished the the meaning have made have made this life meaningful. Meaningful. So then Geshe-la says, then for four days, three days, two days, one day, the benefit of doing a retreat is that one will be readily doing. So one will be doing virtue, accomplishing virtue all the time.
That’s that’s the benefit. The retreat provides this opportunity. To easily easily Yeah. You want more? So then, Geshe-la said, yes, just four or three days, and then one will be easily one will be performing virtue all the time.
One will be studying, reading, listening to the teachings, meditating, and then with with one’s motivation and even going whilst going to the retreat and whatever other work that is involved in the preparation and the maintenance of of the retreat, everything becomes virtuous. And then four, three, two days, we’re gonna assess doing that, and one accomplishes a lot of meaningful things. One one can then say that in one life or maybe in one one year, one has had four days retreat go well. So then says if if is then thinking, oh, everybody else is going. I’m going to it’s it’s probably going to be it’s going to be nice.
If one goes thinking this way, then there is no benefit. So then so then you’re saying then like this, if you wanna go think in this way, then one will will not have a nice experience. One will not accomplish any virtue. Instead, one because there’s there’s so much effort and hardship involved in going there and staying there and so forth, then one will just experience, how do say, torment. Yes?
First on doing virtue yourself, not leaving it to someone else. Yes. We were a bodhisattva there and we could see someone else was gonna do the virtue and that they get the merit, wouldn’t it be better to just say, hey. You you go ahead and do the virtue because you because they’re gonna get the merit rather than us. Understand.
Yeah. I understand. What is this? What is this? So then Geshe-la is saying, so then there is nothing like a bodhisattva saying that I will not perform.
I just won’t. Because everything that a bodhisattva does is by by by force of his uncontrived intention. Everything that he does is virtual. There’s nothing whatsoever that he there’s no action whatsoever that the bodhisattva performs that is not virtuous. So then, again, Geshe-la just says, then if you were and I were the person, then let’s say, I was giving the example.
I was hungry, and and then you you the you come and told me. So you go and you give food to to. So in this way, by telling me to give food to, then not only am I accomplishing virtue, you are also accomplishing virtue when you tell me to do it. Double. Double virtue.
Yes. So then it depends one must what the text is telling us is that we we must accomplish in virtue for ourselves. We must think for ourselves, and we must act for ourselves. Without depending on others. So then oh, okay.
So maybe maybe it was so then, again, again, was then explaining that it depends it depends on oneself. The accomplishment of virtues, if it is a big virtue, a middle virtue, middling virtue, or a small virtue, or non virtue, it depends on oneself, or one’s thought, Geshe-la was saying, on one’s mind. So then one has to see for oneself without relying on anyone else. It doesn’t depend on anyone else. One must not rely or depend on anyone else.
One must see for oneself, Geshe-la was saying, one’s one must one’s mind. Okay? Do you get another? Yes. Okay.