Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Opening with Āryadeva’s Four Hundred Stanzas verse on seeing saṃsāra’s faults, Geshe Pema Tsering traces a tight logical chain in this nearly 100-minute Bodhisattva Way of Life commentary: without recognizing cyclic existence as suffering, renunciation cannot arise; without renunciation, bodhicitta cannot be generated. He clarifies that renunciation does not mean discarding possessions but using worldly things while striving for enlightenment rather than for those things themselves. The session then moves to the principle that the supreme way to repay the Buddhas’ kindness is to benefit sentient beings — working through patience with harm done to oneself, abandoning conceit, and the danger of displeasing all Buddhas by harming even one being. A Q&A closes with the practical meaning of Buddhas entering hell realms for sentient beings’ sake, the short- and long-term benefits of patience, and whether causing someone unhappiness while pursuing Dharma constitutes harm.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2007 08 14 Bodhisattvas Way of Life.mp3
UUID: e6d25b13-a60e-4a3c-845a-a117741fee0e
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Way of Life 2005 Mar -2007 (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2007-08-14
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 98.9 minutes
Words: ~6,384
So Geshe-la was quoting a verse from the Four Hundred Stanzas by Āryadeva and then I’ll just give the meaning of the verse Geshe-la was saying this verse is making reference It’s telling us that if we do not see the faults, the shortcomings, and all the sufferings of cyclic existence, then how can there be peace if we don’t see it? How could we if I said without seeing it, how can we develop a mind that wants to be free from it? Okay? So again Geshe says again if if we do not see the the shortcomings, the faults of of cyclic existence, then we will not be able to develop a mind that wishes, that strives for freedom, and Geshe for liberation. And Geshe-la was then saying, so in order to develop that mind that strives for liberation, have you have to have a you have to develop, on the other hand, a mind that wishes to abandon this all these faults and shortcomings of cyclic existence.
Says with respect to our with respect to ourselves, we cannot we cannot how to say? We cannot produce or create within ourselves this mind that to strive for freedom. We cannot properly produce this mind of renunciation. And Geshe-la says, and that is because we don’t see, we don’t understand all these faults and shortcomings of cyclic existence. And Geshe-la was saying, so to me, because we do not understand that, we do not see these faults and shortcomings, so then even though we have this mind that sees the qualities of liberation, that sees the benefits of liberation, that sees, that understands that with liberation there is lasting happiness, reliable happiness, and so forth. We have this and we have a wish to attain it.
But Geshe-la says, so then, again, even though we we have we have this wish, we have we see the qualities of liberation, and and and we we know that it is good to attain liberation. And and we wish we have this wish to attain liberation. It’s not it is not good enough because we do not see because we still do not see fully understand the the the faults and shortcomings of cyclic existence. Of the faults and shortcomings then again even though we have this wish to attain liberation then we have on the other hand a mind that wishes that to say that strives for money and the of the happiness of cyclic existence and this mind that strives between these two the one that strives for liberation the one that strives for the things of cyclic existence Geshe-la says the one that striving for the things of cyclic existence is stronger. The ones that is involved with attachment for the things of cyclic existence, that one is stronger.
I was gonna say, so then we have these two these two minds together. We have these two well, I have these two minds together. A mind that that strives for the things of cyclic existence and and and the mind that strives that strives for liberation. We have both of them together but because the one that is striving for the things of cyclic existence for the happiness of cyclic existence is stronger and that’s why we cannot get on with the other one. So then what we need is then to see to understand all these faults of cyclic existence, the faults and shortcomings of cyclic existence.
We need to understand we need to understand We need to understand that all the all these these things of cyclic existence, they are they come out of actions and afflictive emotions and conceptions. Their entities is in the they are in the entity of suffering and and the result also is is suffering is in the nature of suffering I forgot to mention something that Geshe-la said before that which is like there are many sufferings of cyclic existence to be enumerated. But then Geshe-la was saying what we need to understand in short are those three. And then when we understand that, when we understand those then we will have we’ll be able to develop that mind which wishes to get rid of it, to abandon it and then when we can develop when we finally give rise to the mind which wishes to abandon all those false and shortcomings then the mind that wishes to strive for liberation then we will come will come naturally, we’ll come stronger. And Geshe-la was saying so then we can see already how important it is to give rise to the mind of renunciation.
And then Geshe-la was saying. And then also with respect to the mind of enlightenment again without that renunciation that mind of renunciation again we cannot produce the mind of enlightenment we cannot produce bodhicitta because bodhicitta the mind of enlightenment which is a mind that wishes to free all sentient beings from from all the sufferings of cyclic existence. So, again, without having that renunciation, we cannot produce that. I guess I was gonna say we need them to we all need them to to produce this to give rise to this mind of renunciation. We need to to properly give rise to this mind of renunciation.
And and then and when we when we have this mind that wishes to attain liberation, then then we don’t stop Geshe-la says we think also that we must strive for the sake of all other sentient beings and thinking that I am only one. Important. All other sentient beings are more important than myself. They’re greatly kind. They were greatly kind to me and so forth.
And then in this way, we also developed a wish to free all of them, all sentient beings, from all the sufferings of So then we generate that that wish to free all sentient beings from every suffering to rid them completely of any suffering and then when we have developed that and then we to say with understanding that we then develop the wish to attain enlightenment ourselves in order to accomplish that. We’re understanding that without being enlightened, we cannot accomplish that wish of freeing all sentient beings from every suffering. So then and then when we do that, when we generate this this mind in this way, that’s the mind of enlightenment, so Geshe says then the source or the root of the mind of enlightenment can be traced down to seeing all the faults and shortcomings of cyclic existence and and our not being able to develop this good quality to develop good quality to develop the mind of enlightenment and so forth is due to the fact that we do not properly see all the faults of cyclic existence. Geshe-la was just saying we do not we do not fully see these faults and shortcomings of cyclic existence.
This is because we still attach to the notion that the happiness of cyclic existence is real happiness. And then and then because of that so we because we’re still attached to that, and we cannot we cannot forsake it. We cannot give it up. Because we cannot give it up then we cannot produce renunciation and without renunciation we cannot produce bodhicitta so then Geshe-la says it so then it’s very important that we see this this is the main how to say obstacle the main the main obstacle to to our developing this progress. So then we we must understand the faults and shortcomings of cyclic existence.
Geshe-la was saying so then. And then so so we have all these attachments to the to the to the things of cyclic existence. We have we we attach to the notion that the happiness of cyclic existence is real, then we have all these attachments to the things of cyclic existence, to money, cars, and so forth. And we have attachment to so many things. And Geshe-la was saying so we must we must give it up.
We must give up these things of cyclic existence. And Geshe-la was saying when when we say that when we say that we must give it up, it’s not that we must give up those things themselves. Then Geshe-la was saying so what we need to do is not get rid of them, of these things. What we need to do is see that they are in the nature of suffering that they are such they are an obstacle to attainment of liberation and enlightenment and in this way we diminish our attachment to them we diminish our how to say grasping at a self of them. And Geshe-la was saying and then and then and then so we see this that they are in the nature of suffering so forth and we diminish our attachment and our self grasping and then again but then we still we make use of them we make use of them but because we cannot go without them.
We cannot go without the money and so forth. Or in order to attain liberation and so forth, we we still need to use them. But we’re not using making use of them whilst whilst, how do say, overpowered by attachment. So then we we keep on striving for liberation and so forth whilst making use of them. Geshe-la said that before what Geshe-la said here and something I forgot to mention.
Geshe-la wasn’t saying. So then that mind of attachment diminishes in the mind that wishes to attain liberation then increases in strength. And then the Geshe-la is then saying, Yeah. I I was saying because we are we are striving for for enlightenment we we are striving to attain enlightenment then we make use of all these things of cyclic existence for the sake of attaining enlightenment. We use them while striving to attain enlightenment.
And then thinking in this way thinking this way, we we do we engage in our work. We we make money and so forth. And then and when we when we engage in in these activities in this way, that’s okay. And then on the other hand, we do not we do not kill, steal, and so forth because and then do doing that. Those are all erroneous erroneous things.
So then the whole when when we talk about the word which means abandoning or getting rid of and then we’re talking about abandoning or reading oneself of these things we’re not talking about getting rid of the things themselves but we’re talking about seeing the faults and the shortcomings of those things and then striving not for them but striving for enlightenment and so forth instead of striving for them and then in order to attain that enlightenment we see that we need to have those things we need to have those objects and that they do and we need to use them in order to attain enlightenment, liberation, so forth. And then so we act in this way instead of for the sake of those things themselves then lying, killing, engaging all sorts of misconduct, and so forth. So And Geshe-la was saying that’s how we have to think, and that’s how we have to to think about these these things. And Geshe-la was then saying, we do not think about we do not actually think about attaining liberation and the lasting happiness of liberation and and omniscience and so forth. And instead, we keep on thinking happiness of this life and attaining you know getting rich being famous and powerful and and so forth and and of of then how to say benefiting our close ones, loved ones, and so forth.
And but but thinking in this way, Geshe-la says, is a deluded way to think. And just I was gonna say, so then now we we meditate a little bit thinking that we must attain enlightenment for the sake of the enlightenment of all sentient beings. So then from now on, from today on, and whatever activity, work I will do I will do for the sake of attaining this enlightenment of all sentient beings. In this way, we meditate for a minute, Geshe-la. So then we we proceed to the next topic of the Bodhisattva way of life, which then reads, due to faith in the teacher, one should one should respect it.
One should respect sentient beings. Then this topic has two parts. The first part is telling us that one should respect the teacher because he acted as if all sentient beings were his only child. And secondly, thus, this shows in brief that we should respect sentient beings as well. And Geshe-la pointed out.
So then, again, we should respect sentient beings just as we should respect it just as we show respect to the teacher, just the Buddha. So then we we we move on to the first of those topics, which then says that one should respect the teacher because he acted as if all sentient beings were his only child. And then this topic has three parts. The first part is telling us displeasing actions actions that have you know when we have harmed sentient beings and so forth and we have displeased the buddhas so confessing previous displeasing actions and then thirdly then refraining from allowing negativities to arise in the future. And then we’re going to the the first of those three, which is then to accomplish the principle method required of Buddhas.
And that that has two parts. So then the next the first of those two topics with which then accomplishing the principle method required of Buddhas and for that has two parts. The first the first part is saying that again we have to how to say know recognize the kindness of the Buddha’s and how to say? We have to identify what is the principal method for repaying the kindness of the Buddha’s for those who are following the book, Geshe-la. Then so then Geshe-la was reading through the verse, and then he went back to the first part of the verse.
The verse reads according to Stephen Batchelor. The verse goes, furthermore, what way is there to repay the Buddhas who grant immeasurable benefit and who befriend the world without pretension other than pleasing sentient beings and then Geshe-la was then explaining was explaining the the first half of the verse, of the Tibetan verse, which is making reference to the fact that even though we do not ask we do not ask it of the Buddha, the Buddha’s, how to say, naturally, of their own accord, benefit us immeasurably without us having to ask him to ask them to benefit us, to give blessings to us, or to give us grant us enlightenment or anything like that. They do it spontaneously. And then, I guess, the second half of the verse is pointing out that there is no other way there is no other way to please the Buddhas than by benefiting sentient beings by, you know, being good to sentient beings. Giving money giving money away and then making prostrations, making offerings, and so forth.
And whilst harming sentient beings, that does not please the Buddhas. In order to please, you know, in order to please the Buddhas, we do not need to give money away, make prostrations, offerings, and so forth. What we need is to benefit sentient beings. And this way, that’s the meaning of that that half of the verse. What’s the meaning of?
Of the the second half of the verse. Okay. And then, I guess, I was reading the commentary, and the commentary is again telling us that as for another reason for not as for another reason that we must for us to pay respect to show respect to be respectful to our sentient beings is that there is no other way to repay the great kindness of sentient beings again of of Buddha sorry of the Buddhas who again who who grant immeasurable benefit and befriend all people without without any distinction, without any pretension. And and this the only way is is by benefiting sentient beings. And then the final sentence is telling us that there is no other way of veneration or that that pleases the Buddha more than this, the Buddha’s more than this.
So then we we make offerings and prostrations and so forth. We make a lot of spiritual activities, but we don’t do much of of benefiting sentient beings. And I was just I was just asking, so then how is it that we we accomplish benefit the benefit of sentient beings? I Geshe-la was saying, you know, just serving them, being of service. If they are if they are ill, then looking after them and caring for them.
And if if I’m helping them accomplishing accomplishing their purposes if how to say? Which are not negativities. Whatever it is that is not a negativity, then we’re helping them to accomplish those purposes and so forth. And then, ultimately, what we need is to is that develop a wish to see all sentient beings free to free all sentient beings from every suffering and endow them with every happiness. Place them in the state of enlightenment and accomplish enlightenment for that purpose.
And and then by doing that doing that is is then that is the mind of bodhicitta. And then by by generating bodhicitta in this way, then one accomplishes a great amount of merit. So then as for the the purpose of sentient beings or the welfare of sentient beings, there is the welfare of sentient beings with with regards to this life, and then there is the ultimate welfare of sentient beings. So then with regards to this life is then serving, helping them with respect to the things of this life. And then, ultimately, it’s the enlightenment of the ultimate purpose of welfare is then the enlightenment of sentient beings.
So then Geshe-la was saying if and if we if we cannot accomplish the benefit of sentient beings, at least we should not harm sentient beings. Because if we if we cause sentient beings any harm, then Geshe-la says the the Buddhas will be displeased. They they will be, yeah, they will be displeased. Geshe-la was saying, well, it’s not to say that they do not get angry, but they will be, you know how to say? So then I Geshe-la was saying again trying to explain what is it what what goes on with the Buddhas.
So again, when we when we engage in any misdeed, in any misbehaving, stealing, and hurting all these human beings and so forth, then says, well, the Buddhas do not do not get angry. They do not have any anger, but but they and was using that word, the which is a Tibetan expression, which is like saying is like, you know, they they feel pity, compassion and pity for us. So then it’s not it’s not from the from the side of of of the Buddha of the Buddha himself. The from the side of the Buddha himself, no anger arises. But from our side, from our from our side, from our misconduct that becomes this this displeasing happens.
Displeasing. So then we conclude concluding, and we must we ought to benefit sentient beings. And if we cannot accomplish their benefit, then at least we we we ought not to harm them. Oh, yeah. I think this one.
Talk to somebody. So then and then the second topic or with the second division, is then accomplishing that the step accomplishing this repaying repaying the kindness of of the Buddhas. Then there is three parts to it. The first one is telling us that one should be patient with harm that is done by sentient beings. So Geshe-la explains that when one is working to accomplish the benefit of sentient beings and beings that harm oneself, then one should not get angry with them.
One should be patient. Secondly, then abandoning any conceit that one feels in relation to sentient beings. And then thirdly, then abandoning harm towards sentient beings. And then we read the next verse. And then we’ll read the next verse with the saying as therefore since benefiting these beings, we repay those who give their bodies and and enter the deepest hell for their sake, I shall behave impeccably in all that I do, even if they cause me a great deal of harm.
And then, again, which I wasn’t briefly explaining. So, again, you know, people was forsaking forsaking one’s body and even entering into the the hell of how to say? Of the hell without respite for the sake of sentient beings, for the sake of benefiting sentient beings. And, again, even if they cause us great harm, Geshe-la says, when one will not we will not see any of that as as harm, and when when when we see all that as being of benefit. And then we we I was explaining the some parts of the of the commentary.
The commentary is telling us that that for for those able ones, the the for the buddhas who have then given the bodies away for the sake of the sentient beings who have entered, you know, the greatest hells or hell without respite for the sake of sentient beings. Then again, there’s how to say? Whilst whilst repaying repaying them by by striving, accomplishing the benefit of of sentient beings. If sentient beings then cause us great harm, then we should not only we should not be angry with them, but we should not only should we not get angry with with sentient beings, we should we should benefit them in every way in every way we can. And then and behave and behave, you know, in how to say?
With and behave, well, impeccably, but behave well and behave respectfully in this way. Yes. We make we should make effort to benefit them in every way and behave well and and and respectfully towards sentient beings. And Geshe-la was then reading and explaining the meaning of the next verse, which is basically what what Stephen Batchelor has translated, which then saying that when for their sake, those who are my lords, and Geshe-la was saying something, Buddhists themselves, have no regard even for their own bodies, then why am I such a fool how to say it? Why am I the full so full of self importance?
Why do I not act like a servant towards sentient beings? Okay? And then, Geshe-la was reading the commentary and then explaining the commentary. And the commentary is telling you that again, why is it that one is so filled with this pride of of considered pride for in relation to sentient beings whilst the sentient beings are the ones that for for for whom the buddhas for the sake of accomplishing their their welfare, their happiness and welfare have given away their bodies and so forth. And Geshe-la was was explaining that the Buddhas themselves, you know, for the sake of accomplishing all sentient beings, they give away they completely forsake their bodies and and and and then serve sentient beings in any way they can.
And they never they never come and say, you know, I I am a I am a Buddha. You know, I have all these these these qualities and so forth. They do not have this pride. They are they are humble to the point of forsaking themselves. And but and and we ourselves, we, on the other hand, we have these small qualities, and we we we think we have Then the buddhas do not have any pride in this and do not look down on sentient beings and so forth.
And then and we and we and we do. And then we this pride that comes it comes when we even though we have small qualities or little qualities, and again, we think that we have greater qualities and better qualities than other than the other being that we are more learned than the other being that we have, you know, how to say, that we are better than the other being in question. And in in with this is the pride, the conceit that arises in us, And then and then so then we shouldn’t do like that. Geshe-la wasn’t saying we shouldn’t do like that. We shouldn’t be proud in this way.
And we should we we are told in the last sentence, we should we should whatever action we are doing we should do it as as their servants Acting like a servant towards them And then in this way abandoning Abandoning giving your pride, we should we should be respectful towards them. And then we move to the next topic, which is then abandoning, giving up harm. And giving up harm has two parts. The reasons it is unreasonable to cause harm. And then secondly, there is no way to please the Buddhist while one is harming others.
And we read the next root verse. And then, I guess, was reading the first half of the verse, which is telling us that because of their happiness and because of sentient beings’ happiness, the conquerors, the Buddhas are delighted. But if they are harmed, then they are displeased. And then the second half of the verse is saying, hence, by pleasing them, I shall delight the conquerors, and by harming them, I shall I shall hurt the conquerors. And Geshe-la was then saying that if we please sentient beings, if we if we if if we please sentient beings, we delight all the buddhas, and the the buddhas are innumerable, limitless.
Geshe-la was saying something, we please all of them. And then by hurting only one sentient being, again, we we displeased all all innumerable Buddhas. And then, again, the the commentary says just that. Again, that that, the happiness of sentient beings pleases all the Buddhas and then the harm if we then on the other hand, in harming sentient beings, then this displeases the conquerors, the buddhas. So then by benefiting sentient beings the buddhas, to all the able ones, the conquerors.
And then on the other hand, by by harming sentient beings, then we we we also harm the Buddhas themselves, the conquerors themselves. And Geshe-la was saying so again, just Geshe-la said just that. Again, if we benefit sentient beings, we we have this great offering. We have this great veneration of all of all Buddhas. But on the other hand, there’s this danger.
There’s this great danger that if we if we hurt a sentient being, then we will be hurting all all Buddhas. So then why is it why is it that it is said that by pleasing by benefiting sentient beings, all the Buddhas are pleased and by and by hurting sentient beings, all the Buddhas are displeased? Why is it? What is the reason for saying that? It is because all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, they are all the time, all that they think about is of, how do you say, releasing, freeing, wishing to free all sentient beings from suffering.
So when they see when this when the when there is when sentient beings do suffer then or are harmed, then then then they are they are not happy about it. And and it is not it’s nothing to do with their nature They are not displeased. So they they are displeased. They they do they do not they they are displeased in this way, and they they are not it’s not they are not displeased by way of of attachment and anger because of attachment and anger. Okay.
Is that clear? There’s a great danger now, isn’t it? All this presents a great danger now, isn’t it? Because we by hurting sentient beings, not only displease all the buddhas and but also all the bodhisattvas. All all the bodhisattvas also are, how to say, are working for the sake of of the benefit of sentient beings, what happened to sentient beings.
So we we we we we displeased all of them. This is great danger, and that’s why we have to be so very careful in relation to to sentient beings. And even if we cannot accomplish the benefit of sentient beings, at the very least, we shouldn’t harm them. So most most of the harms that we cause is because we’re striving for we’re we’re striving for our own our own welfare. And then in this way, we look was looking down on others.
And then we then we we we harm beings. Ah. Loose. Can you read that again? Can you can you read that again?
Twenty, the first two lines, they disobeyed their bodies for us by plunging into the hell realm. This is No. Yeah. That’s just that I have a different translation. That’s all.
Yeah. Yeah. The translation is different. It doesn’t matter. Yeah.
The the the question is, how do we apply that in everyday life? And who are these people that plunge into hills? I mean The the Buddhas. The the Buddhas. But we’re supposed to see the Buddhas as supposed to see fellow sentient beings as the Buddhas, aren’t we?
No. I I you know, I’ll I’ll get the to to explain again the meaning of that verse. What what is it pointing out? Is that okay? Yes.
But what I’m trying to ask is how do we apply that in our everyday life? What’s the practical side of that? So think I was gonna say something what we have to do is that we have to go to hell. So then Geshe-la is explaining. So then the the Buddhas and not only the Buddhas, but also the bodhisattvas, they they even enter the hell realms for the sake of sentient beings for the sake of benefiting sentient beings who they regard the buddhas and bodhisattvas regard as very precious, regard as very important.
So then for their sake the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas entered the hell realms if they see this is going to be beneficial. And Geshe-la was saying we don’t have to do that. We’re not being asked to do that but at the very least with regards to sentient beings we shouldn’t we should not harm them and we should benefit them if we are able to that’s what we we’re being asked to is that making sense? Yeah. I suppose it’s very poetic, the verses, isn’t it?
I mean, I I what I was getting at was that none of my friends have gone to hell for my sake or, know, given up their body for in in in lifetime. Yes. But in a nice event, it becomes No. What I’m saying yeah. I look.
I I understand the high meaning, but none of my friends have sacrificed their bodies for my sake at a at a ordinary level. Is obviously a very poetic level. Yeah. Then so then yeah. Well, those first, Geshe-la says, so then with respect to what you just said about your friends or any friends, Geshe-la wasn’t saying, look.
Those who who do such things for ourselves are extremely rare. There’s no none but Buddhas and do that for all the sentient beings. And then the whole thing is that if the Buddhas and bodhisattvas themselves would give their own bodies, would enter the hell realms for the sake of benefiting sentient beings who they regard as so very precious you know if they themselves would put themselves completely at the service of sentient beings then we also should benefit and and and and not harm sentient beings.
So then I Geshe-la was saying so then what asking me to tell you step by step so the first is sentient beings are very precious all sentient beings are very precious and one of the the reason is because the buddhas the Buddhas give their bodies away and enter the hell realms for the sake of. Isn’t you know, for the sake of the Buddhas so for the sake of sentient beings, the Buddhas forsake their bodies, enter the hell realms. Whatever it is that that they need to do, they will do for the sake of sentient beings, isn’t it? That that being the case, then we ourselves shouldn’t harm sentient beings, and we should should should establish the benefit. And then and then on top of that, if we if we can benefit sentient beings in this way, then all the Buddhas will be pleased with us.
I Geshe-la was saying so then when when harm is done to us then usually we get angry and we retaliate with harm but we we shouldn’t we shouldn’t do it. We had been been told not to do that, we bear with this harm with patience then we will benefit. And then so then that that harm that that hurt that is being caused unto us is not it’s not harmful, can actually be beneficial. Then because of that we should behave, act properly and with respect to ours. Do do you understand?
Yeah. That is one. Okay? Instead of in Tibetan okay may I ask Geshe-la so how is it that we benefit by being patient? What’s the benefit of fact?
May I ask that? So then patience is very beneficial. Then we can benefit temporarily in this life and we can benefit ultimately with patience by practicing patience. So temporarily then if we were to retribute the harm with harm then we would only make the situation worse and will grow worse and worse, continually uninterruptedly worse and worse and wouldn’t get any better if we were to retaliate harm with harm. On the other hand if we bear it with the situation with patience, if we are patient, then we start pacifying the other person’s or the other being’s mind will will be pacified by that.
And then and then then he won’t he will cease to the the other being will cease to cause us harm to to harm us. And this way, we benefit in a temporary way, in a temporal way. And then in the long run then in future lives if by practicing patience in the future lives we will be born with a powerful and with a good good body. Then with With good bodies.
You know, healthy and strong. And healthy and strong. Healthy, strong, good looking, so forth. And then and then also if one has done all that with the motivation of bodhicitta, then it turns it turns itself into the cause of enlightenment itself. Yes.
And that’s that’s how it is beneficial. Yes, And that’s why it’s important to to meditate on patience. I guess I guess I was was quoting a verse which which makes reference to the the result of of practicing patience being being born with with a good body. And then if if one needs a good then one must one must meditate on patience. Do something else.
Okay. Yes. Okay. If you if you know that you have to do something to further the Dharma, you know, like, if you know you have to do something in your life, but in choosing that path that causes another unhappiness, let’s say, is it wrong to pursue that path? Okay.
I can that. So then to put it brief, I’ll just ask, look, is it is it alright to to cause another harm for the sake of benefiting the Dharma? And Geshe-la says, no. It’s not alright. So then yeah.
We should never we should never harm sentient beings. Yes. But listen. If personal unhappiness is the same as harm then, In other words, if the other person learns a lot through that unhappiness. Do you understand what I’m getting at?
No. Sorry. No. Okay. Good exam.
Yeah. Don’t believe the relationship because someone’s unhappy. But, you know, it’s your decision to move into somewhere else or move forward and someone’s unhappy. You know, is is is is the course of action you take that causes someone else to be unhappy? I mean, you know, should you be paralyzed to always stay where you are.
You know what I mean? So if you have to leave if somebody And so so then Jampa was was he put forth an example. Okay? He was asking a question, but it didn’t become clear. And that would be the illustration that Jampa put forth.
It became clear. So if one is practicing Dharma and one’s partner comes and says, look I don’t like I’m not happy that you are you know practicing Dharma. I’m not doing a spiritual practice or whatever it is that you are doing. Then Geshe-la says look if that is the case then you have to see what it is that is more important for you. If it is your partner, you know because in this life, in terms of this life, worldly wise, one’s partner is very important or if it is the Dharma and Geshe-la says if you are practicing real Dharma, proper Dharma then logical choice will be the Dharma because ultimately the partner is unreliable, is changing, and so forth.
But that that is if one is practicing real actual Dharma. How do we translate the Tibetan term in a reasonable way? Wrongdoing. Friend of wrongdoing. Yes.
So then if one is misguiding yeah if one is practicing real actual Dharma then such a such a friend or a person who would say you know I don’t like you practicing Dharma and so forth I don’t want you practicing Dharma and so forth that would be such a misguiding, misleading, misguiding friend. That’s what it’s called. Yeah. Yeah. But you see there’s a difference between, you know, harming someone and then doing acting in this way we are talking here.
So that’s completely different. You understand that. Right? Yeah. Yeah.
It does. A lot of it has to do with attention. Yeah. That’s good. This Oh, yeah.
Okay. Yeah. Yeah.