Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 94-minute year-end session, Geshe Pema Tsering opens his treatment of killing with a pointed image: a mosquito hunting for blood is doing exactly what we do when hungry — seeking food until it finds it — and yet we swat it without a thought. He then walks through all ten non-virtues in order: three of body (killing, stealing, sexual misconduct), four of speech (lying, harsh speech, slander, and gossip, which he identifies as the hardest to arrest), and three of mind (covetousness, harmful intent, wrong views), anchored in verses from Śāntideva’s chapter on joyous perseverance linking karma directly to aspiration. A wide-ranging Q&A closes the session: whether contraception counts as killing, how to handle a home ant infestation biting household visitors, and whether terminating a pregnancy after abnormal prenatal tests is equivalent to killing a human being.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2007 12 11 Bodhisattva Way of LIfe.mp3
UUID: 3be8dae4-125d-428d-a2ca-c93f2da4aba7
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Bodhisattva Way of Life 2005 Mar -2007 (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2007-12-11
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 94.3 minutes
Words: ~6,321
Yes. Yes, sir. Yes. So, Geshe-la is then telling us that we have to then at the beginning beginning of the teaching give rise to proper motivation. Geshe-la was saying so everything all our actions depend the quality of our actions depend entirely on our intentions.
So if our intention is good then our actions will turn out well, turn out good. If our intentions are average, then our actions will will have an average quality qualities to them. If our intentions are mediocre, then our actions will be just as well. So it’s very important to give rise to proper intention to a proper motivation before our actions, whatever activity we are going to engage in. And then of of all the motivations that we could possibly give rise to, there is none which surpasses the mind of enlightenment, bodhicitta, which is the wish to establish all sentient beings in the state of enlightenment.
Free all sentient beings from absolutely every suffering there is and establish them in the state which is endowed with every happiness, unsurpassed, unmistaken bliss and happiness, which is the state of enlightenment. And and then in order to accomplish that or in order to accomplish the enlightenment of all sentient beings, one oneself must attain enlightenment. That’s the only way that we can accomplish it. So this this is the mind of and this is bodhicitta. This is the mind of enlightenment.
This is the best possible possible motivation we could give rise to. Yes. And Geshe-la was saying, so then it’s very important. All all all the welfare of all of the sentient beings is is is very important. And our own our own happiness and our own well-being is is really not not as important.
Geshe-la was saying, usually, we we only we are only concerned. We have only thoughts to our own happiness, to our own benefit, and thoughts of of of having ourselves alone rid of suffering. And we never have any thought. We never lend any thought to the welfare of others. But in and we have been, how do say, cultivating this sort of thinking since beginningless time, we say, in Buddhism.
And and look at us. We haven’t accomplished any any lasting happiness. So it’s important to give up that sort of thinking and cultivate instead and and think about instead the welfare of all Mhmm. And so Geshe-la was saying all the Buddhas and the bodhisattvas, they have already completely forsaken or given up any interest and any concern of their own welfare, and they only cultivate a mind they have only a mind which is intent on the welfare and the happiness of all of those sentient beings and because of that they are what they are they have attained the noble status as higher beings as noble beings as holy beings and we on the other hand we have only been concerned with ourselves with our own happiness and and with getting ourselves rid of our own sufferings and we are where we are So then by by then cultivating, then if we then give rise to this intention of accomplishing that may all sentient beings then be free of every suffering and endowed with every happiness. And I myself will accomplish that.
And in order to accomplish that, in order to accomplish enlightenment for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, I’m going to study. I’m going to listen to these teachings. I’m going to study these teachings, and I’m going to practice according to these teachings in order to complete this enlightenment. And if we if we can do that today, that that will turn out very good. And then Geshe-la is then saying, and this but this sort of motivation, this sort of of intention will not come about if we just sit and do nothing.
We have to, how do say, put our mind to it with with a lot of determination, a lot of strength in order to be able to to produce this intention, Geshe-la. Oh, yeah. And and Geshe-la. Geshe-la. With this in mind, and we start with the preliminary prayers.
Geshe-la, can I? Green paper. Morning prayer, This one. So then for for you to who haven’t been here before, we’re studying the Bodhisattva way of life. We’re studying the chapter on joyous perseverance, also translated as enthusiasm.
And then we have been covering one one particular topic, which is the four favorable conditions, cultivating favorable conditions for enthusiasm, for joyous perseverance. And one of these favorable conditions is the power of aspiration. Aspiration. What is called the power of aspiration. Right now we are approaching one of the topics with regards to this power of aspiration, which is the causes of aspiration.
And as for the cause of aspiration, there was two divisions. One is a brief presentation of what are the causes of aspiration. And then secondly, an explanation. So we are approaching the second topic, which is an explanation of the cause of aspiration. And this topic has three parts.
So reflecting on mixed karma and its effects, reflecting on solely white karma and its effects, and then reflecting on solely black karma and its effects. Okay? So then we read the next root verse of the way of life. For those who have the root text, this is verse number one on the chapter in enthusiasm. And it reads, according to Stephen Batchelor’s translation, physical pain and mental distress, all the various kinds of fear, as well as separation from what is desired, all arise from an unwholesome way of life.
So then, I guess, I was going through the commentary and explaining that what the commentary is saying is basically what we have in the root verse is saying that all migrating beings experience all the physical sufferings and pains that migrating beings experience and all the mental feelings of distress and unhappiness that beings experience, and all this and all the fears that both humans and non humans alike experience, all these things plus being separated from one’s loved ones, one’s relatives, and so forth, being separated from material wealth and enjoyment, and so forth, being generally separated from everything that is desirable. All of these arise as a result of engaging in an unwholesome way of life. So then we are told as a conclusion of that, we should then make effort at abandoning that which is unwholesome. Then as for as for abandoning negativities, abandon abandoning that which is in wholesome, because I was gonna say the main the main practice in this regard is abandoning the ten non virtues. So the three non virtues of body, the four non virtues of speech, and and the three non virtues of mind.
And Geshe-la was saying, as for abandoning, giving up this ten non virtues, this is something which is very difficult to accomplish, Geshe-la was saying, because we do not understand those non virtues, those those negativities, those unwholesome deeds for what they are as negativities. We don’t understand what effects they bring and because we do not understand this we have no belief in in in the practice of abandoning them or giving them up. So we keep on involved with this with this non virtuous deeds. So, Geshe-la was saying, so then we we we ought to to apply ourselves to the practice of abandoning this negativity, abandoning, giving up these non virtues. Geshe-la was saying, today is the last teaching of the year on this on the Bodhisattva way of life.
So he said that he would like to say a little bit more about this practice of giving up these ten non virtuous deeds. Is then saying, look. Geshe has already taught us about the ten non virtues and abandoning ten non virtues before. But Geshe-la says it’s very important that we keep on recollecting these teachings and bringing them to mind, like, time and again. That’s very important.
Otherwise, we won’t be able to to remember, and we won’t be able to to practice it. So, Geshe-la, a lot of sense. So then as for as for the non virtues, first of all, what are the non virtues? The first three non virtues are the non virtues of body, body, the physical non virtues, which is then sexual misconduct, taking what is not given, and killing. Geshe-la was saying, these, of course, they depend on one’s motivation, but the main body of the non virtue is the physical action itself.
So they because of because of these, they are they are called non virtues of body or physical non virtues. So Geshe-la was saying, of all of all the ten non virtues, the one that that is that brings the worst results, the the worst of all is is killing. So Geshe-la is saying, it’s very important that we bring to mind the shortcomings of killing. If we engage in killing, we’re going to experience very great suffering results. Geshe-la was saying when we talk about killing, we’re mainly talking about the killing of humans.
And that’s that’s that’s of the ten non-virtues, this is the worst negativity, killing a human being. But still, even with regards to non humans, animals, insects, and so forth, it is still very great negativity to kill such beings. It’s not as as great as killing a human, but it’s still great and and and it still bring a lot of suffering. So, Geshe-la was saying, as as for killing humans, it’s some it’s something that does not it’s not something that we easily come across. I mean, it doesn’t easily occur to us to kill a human being.
There are laws. There is a police. There’s a justice around, and there are many innumerable factors that stop us prevent us from killing human beings. It’s not easy at all to actually perform this deed. But as for killing killing animals and insects, actually, it comes we come across it all the time.
Geshe-la was saying we we don’t think about it. And unless we we cultivate an awareness that killing insects, killing non humans, killing any being is indeed a great negativity. Unless we start our days bringing that to mind, that killing is bad and it’s gonna bring suffering results to our lives, we just go about. And when we in many occasions, we we have an insect sucking blood from our hands, mosquitoes sucking blood from our hands. And the first thing that occurs to us is to just to to kill it straight away.
We don’t it doesn’t occur to us that this killing is gonna bring a suffering result and to just maybe blow it away or something like that. So it’s very important that we start our day cultivating such thoughts, such awareness. Geshe-la was saying. And it’s it’s it’s very important to to cultivate this awareness because at all times, we we go about walking on the streets, and we’re stepping over insects. So we don’t give one thought to the consequences of these actions.
And it will they will bring suffering results to us. Geshe-la was saying and it’s it’s very bad indeed because, for example, in the case of of mosquito. And the mosquito is is when they come to to to suck our blood, they come they come because they are hungry. When when they are hungry, they think I must I must get some food. They instinctively go and seek after food.
And when they find it, they would just they would just eat it. That’s that’s exactly how we do. When we are hungry, all we can think about is getting some food, and we’re going sick after it until we find it. And that’s all that the mosquito was doing. And then we don’t think we don’t give any thought to it, and we just we just kill it.
It’s a it’s a great negativity. Also, also flies, for example. You know, they are flying around their food. They again, they are only seeking something to eat. And, again, we we, you know, thoughtlessly just just kill them.
Just smash them dead. Geshe-la was saying if we would, when we are going out to our jobs, you know, in order to accomplish, you know, our own good, earn some money so we can put bread on the table and so forth. You know, if if we are then run over by a car or a truck, that wouldn’t be alright, would it? We we will be very, very much in pain and and not only for having running being run over, but, you know, we have we have been completely obstructed from accomplishing our desired wish, our desired goal, isn’t it? If, Geshe-la was saying, if we can cultivate such awareness in this way, we’ll be able to stop ourselves from engaging in killing in this way.
Sir. Sir. And now the next action is the next negative deed is is taking what is not given. And for taking what is not given, we we immediately we think of stealing or robbing. And taking what is not given is a bit more subtle than that.
Geshe-la was saying, look. As for stealing or robbing, we we we it doesn’t occur to us it doesn’t occur to us at all to engage in stealing or robbing because stealing or robbing is how do you say if one engages in stealing or robbing there’s the danger of being arrested by the police, being put in jail or or in a prison, and everybody will will talk bad and think bad about oneself. Everybody you you create a lot of enemies and so forth. So, usually, we we don’t think about it. It’s it’s easy to avoid stealing or robbing.
Negativity when we steal we we’re not only causing the harm of of having taken some material wealth from someone we’re also creating a lot of doubts and suspicion in people’s minds and confusion in people’s minds. Geshe-la was saying you take for example ourselves if we were something was stolen from us we would immediately be very sad and frustrated or we’ll be very irritated and we’ll be suspicious of people around us and doubtful about people around us, mistrusting and so forth. So there’s a lot of consequences to to to this action, there’s a lot of a lot of harm is done for this action. So then Geshe-la was saying. Mhmm. And Geshe-la was saying, we take killing, sexual misconduct, and taking what is not given, and lying lying such as saying that one knows when one doesn’t actually know and so forth.
These these four actions, they are called in Tibetan, the the four the four defeats. Because if one if one if a monk or a nun engages in any of these four actions, you commit any of these four actions, they immediately lose all of their vows. Whilst if they perform all the negativities, they they would damage their vows, but they they wouldn’t lose it. So these these are very severe actions. So then, Geshe was saying and then but generally, as for taking what’s taking what is not given, Geshe was saying so there is the general the general acts of stealing and robbing.
But in general generally, it’s just it’s just taking what was not given to oneself even if one is unawares of it. That amounts to taking what is not given. And Geshe-la was saying you could you could also generally call it stealing. It would be the same that would amount to stealing. Geshe-la was saying also the misdeed, non virtue of sexual misconduct also is very is very grave.
And we can all easily understand how it causes harm and hurt to to to people, to everybody who is involved in in in the action, to men and women alike. And so it is it is cause of a lot of suffering. So then so then these are then the the three physical non-virtues. And now I want to explain the four non-virtues of speech. So then we have lying, gossip, or harsh speech.
Lying, harsh speech, gossip. Good morning. Slander. Thank you. Yes.
So then so then we we all understand line, which is telling saying non truths and deceiving people and confusing people by telling lies, by telling by saying what is not true. We all understand harsh speech which is, you know, just saying harsh words, calling people thieves or stupid and so forth. We all understand slander for, which is then intentionally which is saying bad bad things about people in in order to to separate people, to put people to set people apart. And then there is gossip. Gossip is a difficult one.
That’s a tough one, because, gossip is any, senseless, meaningless talk that we engage in. We talk about, you know, playfully or or jokingly, talking about anything, talking about the weather, talking about a game, talking about a movie, and this is all gossip. This is all senseless and meaningless talk. Yes. And Geshe-la was saying Geshe-la says we should think that most most of the talks that we engage in, most of it is all gossip.
It’s all this senseless talk. It might be the case that we are talking about something virtuous, but it’s also very much the case that we talk a lot about things which are non virtues and and also also things which are either virtues or non virtues. So we talk about all sorts of things, and most of it is all gossip. It’s all senseless talk. Geshe-la was saying this.
So all all of this senseless talk, all of all of this gossip, it’s all it’s all non virtue. It is non virtue and and because it it because it brings suffering results. And it brings it’s gonna bring suffering results because they are motivated by attachment, and they are motivated or they are motivated by anger or hatred, or they are motivated by ignorance. And because they are motivated by these affective emotional conceptions, they they produce suffering results. So they are non virtuous.
That that and that’s not always true, is it? Because you might gossip to please the other person. So your motivation might actually be good, might just a good result. It might, in actual fact, relax the other person. So if so if the motivation is good and we engage in something which is apparently senseless, is it good?
Would you like to rest that? Yeah. So Geshe-la is gonna say, look, of course, our actions, all our actions as Geshe-la said in the beginning of the teaching, depend entirely the quality of our actions depend entirely on our motivation. If the motivation is a virtuous motivation, is a good motivation, then there, of course, it becomes our actions become become a virtues. Now, Geshe-la was saying, the fact of the matter is remains still that most of our senseless talk is that.
It’s just senseless talk. It’s it’s it’s neither motivated by virtue, not by virtue. It’s actually usually motivated by what we call a neutral motivation, and that is not enough to make it a virtuous action. And, also, if our motivation might be a a non virtuous motivation, then, of course, that fully characterized as a non virtuous action. So, Geshe-la was gonna say, so then it’s very difficult to arrest gossip, to to to give up gossiping or senseless talk.
But still, of of all the negativities, this is not a great one. So then so then these are then the the four non virtues of speech, And now we have left the three non virtues of thought or mental non virtues of mind. And then these are harmful intent, covetousness, and wrong views. So Geshe-la was saying, it starts with covetousness. Covetousness is a mind of attachment.
It’s a mind that’s thinking, look at at at the possessions of others the goods that other others possess and wishes it for oneself. Thinking that I want this. I want that. Seize that on on on other on other people and want it from other people. And, Geshe-la was saying, also also, even when we go to to shops, then, again, a a lot of covetousness arises.
And we see all these different objects, different things, and we all these different goods, and we think, I want this. I want that. I want I want I want I want this. So this is all covetousness. So then next, we have harmful intent, which is which is just a mind of the thought of causing harm or harming others.
Geshe-la was saying as for harmful intent, then there is is there there will be some some variations in in in in the form of it. So one could be wishing to directly cause harm or harm someone. One could be wishing to indirectly, if they’re another person, cause harm to someone, or one could be just be harboring secretly harboring thoughts of harm, wishing somebody to to to suffer, to to be hurt. And then lastly, we have wrong views. And wrong views, generally speaking, not believing in the existence of the Three Jewels, not believing the existence of Buddhas or the Buddha, not believing in actions and the results, karma, not believing in emptiness, not not believing in any of the grounds and paths to enlightenment.
So Geshe-la was saying. So then these then are the ten non virtues, and this is what we have to guard against. Right? This is what we have to we have to recollect. They are non virtues, we have to recollect the shortcomings and and and and so that we can so that we can recognize them when they arise and then avoid them properly.
If we do not bring them to mind, if we not recollect them for what they are, then we won’t be able to avoid them. So then still on that topic, we we read the next root, verse number forty two, which says, however, by committing wholesome actions, which are motivated by aspiration in the mind, wherever I go, I shall be presented with tokens of the fruit of that merit. And Geshe-la was then saying: So then now we first we were instructed to give up non virtuous actions. Now we’re talking about accomplishing virtuous actions. So when we talk about accomplishing virtuous actions, I was saying that that amounts to giving up, abandoning the non virtues.
That’s what it is. And then if if we practice abandoning the non virtues, then wherever we go, which which which is to say, whatever birth we take as humans or gods, we will only experience happiness, happiness after happiness. Sir. And so, Geshe-la was in saying, so then by by giving up, by practicing by the practice of giving up the ten non virtues, we we accomplish merit. We accomplish this positive energy.
And by the force of this positive energy, we would experience all this happiness in the future. And then the the word in Tibetan that was translated as tokens in English by Stephen Batchelor also, Geshe-la was explaining, also refers to the fact that everybody will regard oneself highly and one will lend a hand, help, or make offerings and so forth. One will experience all these sorts of benefits by engaging in virtuous deeds, by abandoning, giving up the ten non-virtues. So because we do not wish for any suffering, we only we only wish for for happiness, then we have we ought to give up the ten non-virtues. And then we read the next verse, which is saying, but but by committing evil actions, although I may wish for happiness, wherever I go, I shall be completely overcome by weapons of pain caused by my evil way of life.
And Geshe-la was saying, now this this verse is is about us. It’s talking about us. That we even though we we we all wish for happiness, what we actually do is engage in the in the cause of suffering. We engage in all the negativities and non virtues. And and by the force and it doesn’t matter how much we wish happiness by the force of these negativities, by the force of these non virtues, and life after life, what what we will meet with is suffering and pain.
Loss. Oh, yeah. Take this one. Loss. Oh, yeah.
Sir. Yes, sir. Sir. And I was just going through the and then by giving up abandoning the non virtues and then engaging in virtue with such a mind. And by the force of this this mind, then life after life, we will life experience the the happy results of this merits and the and the ripening results how to say?
They had the and by the ripening results of this merits, we will we will always always meet with the auspicious tokens. We will always meet with auspicious tokens, is explaining the next sentence of the text, which is saying that happiness and suffering do not come about by merely wishing for So then is saying, again, we we will not meet with happiness by merely wishing to to to have happiness, and we will not avoid suffering by merely wishing not to meet with suffering. And this suffering happiness and suffering will follow as a result of actions which have the same nature, which have the same entity ness of happiness and suffering. So if one by performing negative deeds, by performing negativities or non virtues, the only thing that follows is suffering. And by performing virtues deeds, the only thing that follows is happiness.
Geshe-la was saying the same way that when we plant an apple seed, what we get is an apple tree. What we get is apples. And when we plant a rice seed, what we get is rice and not otherwise. Geshe-la is emphasizing that there is no such thing as wishing for happiness in in in this experience it just merely because we wish for it. If if merely wishing for it would would be enough to to to make us meet with it, to make us experience it, then there will be no being whatsoever, no person, and no being whatsoever who wouldn’t be experiencing it because all sentient beings only want to experience happiness and do not wish to experience any suffering.
So then what we have to do, we have to if we if we do not wish to experience any suffering, then we have to give up the cause of suffering. And if we do wish to experience happiness, then we have to accomplish the cause of happiness. So Geshe-la was saying as for accomplishing the causes of of happiness happiness and giving up the cause of suffering or accomplishing virtue and giving up non virtue, if we put it in a nutshell, what we have to do is abandon, give up the ten non virtues. And by abandoning or giving up the ten non-virtues, we accomplish this. So then so then we have to learn how to abandon the causes, what are the negativities, and and and and how to abandon the causes of suffering, which are the negativities.
And we have to learn how to accomplish the causes of virtue and and what are the virtues, which are its causes. And in order to learn this, in order to gain this knowledge, we have to study. We have to read text, attend teachings, and so forth. There’s no way around it. So we have Oh, yeah.
We have time now for questions. Any questions? Yes? No. The the the the this doesn’t matter the fact that one does not know them to be non-virtuous.
They are still non-virtuous. Yes. So, Geshe-la was saying, it’s not about one being a Buddhist. It’s not even about being a human. If it’s about the fact that non virtues, those so called non virtues, what they produce, the effect, the result is always suffering and virtues, the result of virtuous actions is always happiness.
That’s what it is about. Okay? Can I ask something else? Of course. I don’t know if you can say this in Tibetan.
I hope so. Contraception used to prevent conception. Where’s my dictionary? Good, Lauren. Contraception, which most people use to prevent conception.
Yes. If you prevent conception, I hope you’re alright. I honestly hope you’re alright. I don’t know. I don’t have a dictionary.
Hiromasa, would you do me a favor? This is in the library. Yeah. If you when you enter when you enter the office, to the right side, you will see on the on the library bookshelf, there is a on the top shelf, there is a red dictionary. English Tibetan dictionary.
Red one? Yeah. It’s red. In the right hand side. In the right hand side.
Fingers crossed. I wouldn’t I wouldn’t ask the Geshe also. He’s a monk. Luz? So you can read private, though.
Are preventing Perfect. Preventing pregnancy. Thank you so much. I’ll I’ll find a word. Yeah.
Pregnancy is also out of my league. Really having a shawl. Having a shawl. Test. This is gonna get so complicated.
I’m gonna have to get to vocabulary. I don’t know that. Okay. Look. Then I’m gonna have to step in here and put it into context.
Okay? We talk about contraception in Tibet. We’re talking about a very archaic way of doing it. And in that case, Geshe-la says, you know, without any doubt, that is killing okay now if we’re talking about not conceiving, being no conception then of course there is no killing if the case is that there was no conception then there was no killing. But even in the west, have forms of contraception which actually take action only after the conception.
And that’s ground for a lot of debates. There has been a lot of debates when conception happen and so forth, there is no definite answer for that. So then you see from Geshe’s cultural background, there is no question that when we talk about contraception and the words in Tibetan, arresting birth okay or stopping birth and then and we’re talking about you know a culture which in this regard does not have you know they don’t they didn’t have now they have access to pills, but, yeah, Tibetan culture traditionally wouldn’t have pills and so forth. Say that again? So there was debates?
Yes. There’s plenty of debate. Yes. Between Westerners. But not producing a conception,.
If you kill them, you’re killing them. Yeah. Yeah. I I’ve done before. Geshe-la was gonna say it is it is a non virtue okay it is not it’s not killing. Geshe-la says it’s not necessarily killing but it is a non virtue because it is motivated by attachment. Okay, it is motivated by one’s wanting to avoid troubles of raising kids or whatever or any other implication but it generally is motivated by attachment So then, well, this action, like, playing, you know, Patience on the computer, that is not taking what is not given because that that taking what is not given involves some object, something valuable.
That would fall under the category of laziness or distraction or something like that, but not taking what is not given. By the Internet. She was not he’s not taking anything, which wasn’t wasn’t given. Taking my boss’ time — paid for it. Thank you.
Mom, you’re not working. Lazy. You’re being lazy. Alright? Okay.
Well, that’s good. No. It’s not good, but it’s good. Yes, please. Question in regard to killing, like I’ve got an ant plague at home.
A what? Sorry? I have ants in this area. I just walked near the house, and I couldn’t get rid of them for while. Yes.
And every she was bitten several times, and her friends came around. They had a party, and they all got bitten, and So I I explained that you have an infestation of ants in your place. They are biting your children, your visitors, and so forth, and you have all this trouble. What to do? Because I was gonna say, you know, get rid of them.
Send them to somewhere else. Put them. Place them somewhere else. So then look. That’s of course, you’re not it’s impossible for you to take all these thousands one by one.
Oh, you have to do is think of ways to stop them from coming. Know, a little trench, fill in with water or something like that. You’ve to engage your mind in that and figure out a solution. Water. I’ve tried flushing them out.
Fire, lightning. They’re they’re coming down in the bedroom. Okay. Not as many as outside, but they’re actually getting into the house. Look.
Look. These these things happen. Okay? And there is this is Samsāra. This is things happens, but we have to do our best to avoid killing them.
We do the best we can. Look. We we we we have to do all we can to avoid killing them. Do we do what we can. Okay?
You. Brenton. Yeah. Can I I remember Lama Lama Zopa Rinpoche said once that one great lama always would look in front when he walked? Yes.
Yes. I don’t know the lama’s name, but always this lama always looked in front when he walked. And I I wonder, would would the reason perhaps be to always be mindful of where one is stepping? Yes. Look.
The the the the probably, Geshe-la says for for himself, Geshe-la says there are many reasons for one doing so. One thing is that, first of all, one has to watch the way where one is going. Secondly, of course, one one does one’s best to avoid stepping on animals. And and thirdly, and not less important, Geshe-la says, you know, by by looking around one gets distracted and there are many causes for attachment and anger to arise. Want to ask something?
Yes. A question about about about about about babies. Babies. Okay. We can have women who can have tests now so they know if the baby’s going to be very deformed.
Or Yeah. Okay. Not okay. Still still killing a human being. Pray to God.
Geshe-la, obviously, the structure can collapse because it’s they’re they’ve taken the substructure out of the building that can create big obstacles. So what happens in that regard? And the question was that the building was infested with white ants. Look. If if if, for example, a dharma center or a temple or something like that was infested with ants, that’s how I was saying, and and and they were destroying the structure of the of the temple or whatever and and it was bringing it down look at it of course they are stupid animals and they are motivated by ignorance so their actions generally speaking are non virtuous.
Generally speaking, are negativities. But they do not have the intention of destroying the temple. So they wouldn’t they wouldn’t have they wouldn’t be performing such a negativity that involves such a motivation because they do not have the motivation. Okay? Whatever one can to get rid of the ants, to get rid of the infestation.
Geshe-la was saying there are people who are specialized in that and they will be able to accomplish it. And I was saying well even if they are everywhere in the house, in in the walls and all that, I was gonna say, look. There’s always a way. To actually eradicate them or move them? To get rid of them.
Yes. To eradicate? Yeah. No. To get rid of them.
To to to get them away. Yes. Yes. So So Geshe-la is is is is saying with conviction that there are ways to do it. Eradicate?
Or Get the move move them away Without killing. Without killing. Without killing. Yes. So this would say, look.
Killing is killing. It might not be easy, but if if if you set your mind to it, there there’s always a way. Wish our wish usually is to have an instant result, you know, an immediate result. That’s what we want. I guess that was the same way.
He should think that in in such a place like Buddha house, that that wouldn’t happen because there there will be probably already many ways many preventive ways set up already. Because I wasn’t saying if if if one builds one’s house properly and and building all the foundations and everything properly, there there there will be already ways preventive ways set up to to avoid that or at least into bed, I assume. Anyway. You got any other? Geshe-la.
If if many of them come, because I was gonna say, you know, kill them. Kill them. Yeah. Okay? No.
No. Yeah. Of course. Yeah. I won’t go and send these out.
That’s Yes. Saying, okay. They they do not die easily. So, you know, if you if you sweep them away, you know, they they wouldn’t they wouldn’t harm them, and you can you can get rid of them in this way. So Geshe-la was gonna say, look.
There’s a it’s hard work, but by by by by doing your lot of the hard work, you you, you know, engaging in it and not giving up, you’ll be able to get rid of them. Okay. And Geshe-la was then asking asking you, on the other hand, to to pre to please practice well and avoid the non virtues and accomplish the cause of happiness. Okay?