Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Geshe Pema Tsering wraps up his practical guide to structuring a lay practitioner’s full day in this 45-minute session — covering how to approach paid work as Dharma by keeping karma front of mind, how to unwind before an optional evening meditation, and how to weave mantra recitation and refuge into spare moments throughout the day. An extended Q&A then spans a wide range: the hand position for mandala offerings (the gesture barely matters — the offering itself does); how to help animals accumulate merit toward a human rebirth by walking them around a stupa or offering their food to the Three Jewels; the ethics of social-security payments (lying to receive them is wrong; genuinely not working is not); and whether meditation requires a cushion (it doesn’t — what matters is working with the mind). A reference to Milarepa anchors the session’s running theme: do as much as you honestly can.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 12 DP 2004 02 24.mp3
UUID: 63450bac-6690-41cc-9d7b-ac6bd4c4e73b
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: DB Establishing a Daily Practice (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2004-02-24
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.9 minutes
Words: ~3,593
In that time, we don’t have that much that we can do, we should try and keep a positive mind while we’re working and we should think that we’re not just getting this money because we want the money. We should think that we’re because we if we look at it, we’re actually going work to get money usually. So if we’re going to work to get the money then we should think we’re not just gonna use this money for frittering around, we’re gonna get this money so we can develop ourselves and try and practice Dharma and so forth. We should try and be of as much benefit as we can at work and if we think about the money, we should think about the money in terms of what we can do with it positively and not just about accruing it and then if we can try and do anything else that we can do at work in order to be a benefit, then we should do that. So, at work we can do many different things that are like Dharma practice first.
So, for example, instead of getting angry we can practice patience. Instead of running after our desires all the time we can start watching to analyze what it is that we’re desiring. It’s almost impossible for us to stop all our desires in the state that we are in now but we can try and pull them in, try and analyze to see what it is we’re focusing on. And so, in this way, we can actually do many different things at work. And so the main thing for us to focus on however when we’re at work is to think about our karma whenever we’re going to do something so we should have this idea of whatever we do that’s negative is going have negative results and whatever that we do that’s positive is going to have positive results that we can’t do something without it having a result.
We can’t have an action without it having a result. So this means that we should temper our actions by thoughts on cause and effect, by thoughts on karma because if we don’t have an idea of karma then we would be doing anything that we could in order to get money or to get things that we want. So we may think okay I’m getting this money in order to practice Dharma or in order to be able to work on myself in order to improve myself to help others whatever it is then by doing that then the work becomes a positive action we’re actually doing something for a positive result but if we don’t have this idea and we think we’re just doing it to get money then we start developing negative ways of thinking and we may even do things like we have to make sure that we’re not stealing, have to make sure that we’re not hurting anybody else in order to get something we want. We have to make sure that we’re behaving as well as we can and not creating major negative causes. So we need to think about it because a lot of the time we have this idea that we’ll do what we can get away with, that we’ll think, okay, I can take that or I can do that because nobody will know, right?
And we have this idea that if we can get away with it, then it’s okay. But there’s nothing that we can actually get away with when we talk about karma because karma is a very distinct idea if you do something there is a reaction there is a result and so there isn’t as if we can as if we can fool karma because any action has a result any action whether it’s positive or negative has a positive or negative result so in this way we need to remember karma whenever we’re doing with the law of cause and effect whenever we’re doing anything and not think that perhaps we can get away with something because we’re always going to have to experience the results of our actions So in this way then we can see that the concept of cause and effect is something that’s incredibly important. Really need to focus on it. In fact, when we’re doing any type of practices, then we have to think karma and cause and effect that idea and also refuge and bodhicitta are some of the most important things for us to focus on because they are the basis from which we can work on and there s a great danger of us doing negative things when we re in a work situation and not focusing on dharma there s a great danger of us doing karmically negative things So so Geshe-la said then usually after doing a hard day’s work We’re usually So Geshe-la said that he thinks that probably what you would do then when you came home from doing a really hard day’s work was relax, have a drink and watch the television or watch something else or read a book or just do something really to relax because you’re so tired from working all day.
Okay, so then after you’ve had some time relaxing and you feel refreshed, if you do have the time, if you do have the energy and the time, then you can either take up where you were in the morning and do another meditation session and start off by doing the sense of having refuge, developing bodhicitta and then doing a meditation session like you did in the morning. And then if you don’t feel inclined to do that then perhaps you can do some reading or do some study or do something else that will be a benefit to you if you have the time or the energy. Okay, so then at some stage you have to eat as well and in that time then you should try and remember the same things as before and also try and have this idea that you’re not eating in order to necessarily for the sake of eating. The reason you’re eating is to be able to look after your body so that you can keep in a healthy state and keep being able to do positive things. So the other idea is that anytime that you have a spare moment or as many times as you can remember in the daytime, try and bring your mind back to things to refuge or bodhicitta or reciting Om Mani Padme Hum, the Mani or requesting blessings from Chenrezig or whoever it is that you have faith in.
So if you’re doing this whenever you have, like, a spare moment or whenever you can remember, then you’re developing the habit of of thinking in this way. Okay. So in that way, then we come back to going to sleep again. And when we’re going to sleep, we should do what I explained before to have a good motivation and then by having a good motivation the whole time we’re asleep becomes a positive action. So in this way then, the main things that we need to focus on is sense of refuge.
We’re doing meditation practices and we have time to do Dharma practices and when we’re at work to think as much as we can about karma because that’s the main thing that is the most dangerous thing that we do during the day is to do something negative in terms of the greatest danger we’re put at in the day is to do something very negative while we’re in a work and a distracted state so to try and remind ourselves about our karma as much as we can Uh-huh. So does that does that explain the daily practices? You Okay, so he said it’s also about this is what we should be doing because we have to remember that we’re beginners and that we’re learning how to do this and we need to also look very honestly about how much time we’ve got, what are the commitments we have to do and if we have less time, then we do less, and if we have more time, then we can do more. So he said, Now I’m going to drink tea and if you have questions. Okay, did you guys hear that right at the back?
When you’re doing the mandala offering you do this mudra and at the end where you say whatever, then sometimes you’re supposed to do that, is that right? And then other times you just go, so what’s the difference, what’s the best way, what do they mean? Okay, so he said, Whatever. The whole purpose is you’re focusing and you use this as an objective focus for your mandala offering. If you want to go like that, that’s fine.
If you want to do this, that’s fine. Whatever you do. He said that the whole thing is you’re making the offering. So once you’ve made the offering, whatever you do with your hands doesn’t really make any difference. There is another thing though, was just checking with him that if you watch teachers most of the time unless they’re sitting in front of their desk, have their hands down here when they’re doing it because it’s considered really arrogant to have your hands up like that.
Yeah, it’s like, Look at my mandala. No hang on, the someone behind you was first. Yeah. The number of Buddhas there are is uncountable. The same way that the number of sentient beings is uncountable, the number of Buddhas is uncountable.
So if you want to imagine that every atom is if there’s a Buddha on every atom, that’s fine because you still wouldn’t be able to conceive of how many Buddhas there are. Hang on, what are you saving them from? To stop being born as an animal? Okay. He said, the best way to stop being born as an animal and stop having fear as an animal is to practice ethics.
Ethics. Yeah? Because if you practice ethics, you’re born as a human, so you don’t have anything to be afraid of. Ethics? You know ethics?
No. Okay. Okay, so ethics from the Buddhist point of view is defined as abandoning what are called the ten non virtuous actions and practicing the ten virtuous actions. And if you’re able to maintain one of these well that’s a cause for being born as a human. So even if you’re able to abandon killing completely or stealing completely or sexual misconduct completely then that can be a cause for you to be born as a human.
It’s not a cause for you to necessarily be born as someone with all of the leisures and endowments or the positive aspects of precious human rebirth, but it’s enough to be born as a human. Who are already animals? Yes. Oh, okay. Okay.
The other way. Okay. So, if we want to help beings or animals in order to get a human rebirth then it’s difficult to do that because they don’t have the motivation to become a human it’s not in their capacity but there are things that we can do in order for them to get a human rebirth because they have to, it is possible for them to achieve a human rebirth so we can help them. So things that we can do are, for example, dedicate our actions towards them. And we can also have the idea of if we take them circumambulating things, walking around stupas, walking around Buddhas, you know how people walk around things to create merit or do positive things?
So this is like a stupa and you go, And so so you like, if you walked around Buddha house Yeah. Geshe-la does it all the time. You see him doing circles. Yeah? And and it’s No, no, you’re leading.
You got a dog, you walk it around Buddha house. So the other thing you can do is before you give them their food, if you offer the food to Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and then give them the food then that can be beneficial to them and then you dedicate whatever it is you’re doing to their rebirth as a human. Dedicate like say may this be a cause for this animal to become a human. So you get them to do positive actions and you dedicate it for them. And the other thing you said that we shouldn’t be too disheartened about ending up as an animal though because if we for example who didn’t steal and didn’t kill any humans yeah and said I haven’t killed any humans and may that be a cause for me to attain a human rebirth then that’s enough.
So if we just refrain from killing and stealing we can attain we and and dedicate that towards us becoming a human in the next life, then we can become a human in the next life. So it’s difficult for animals to create positive karmic actions because they don’t have the capacity to understand positive from negative. But there is many stories in what do you call the biographies of Buddhas and practitioners from the past, the Jātaka tales and so forth, where animals have attained human rebirth by doing things like walking around a stupa or Walking around the stupa. Stūpa. Yeah.
Buddha house isn’t a stupa, but you know like a like those thingies they have they they had Yeah. You know that they’re representative representation of enlightened mind or a Buddha statue or anything like that? That develops imprints for them, so it’s beneficial. I have a friend with a mom who kept doing and nearly got hit by cars all the time. I feel like, Can can I whisper in cow’s ears, make sure there’s no cars coming?
Yeah. You don’t even have to say anything. He’s laughing at you. So we can’t do it all the time because of our situations that we’re in at the moment and we can’t practice Dharma all the time or do kind of like a formal Dharma practice. So what we need to do is to judge for ourselves how much time we can actually do.
So if we have spare time and we have the ability, we have spare time and we have like the ability to focus on dharma then we should do it. If we don’t have spare time and we don’t have the ability to do it then doing it when we don’t have that is not helpful. So it’s up to each individual to figure out how much time and energy they can put in into it. But there’s no like kind of limit and say okay, it’s this much or that So because the thing is until we become Buddhas, we have to keep practicing Dharma, So we should do as much as we can, but if we can’t do it, then we can’t do it. Okay, so we don’t have anyone else standing over us going, That’s not good, you’re not allowed to stop there.
There’s no one saying that but in terms of how much we can do, anytime we think I’m too tired, I can’t do it, that is actually a form of laziness or distraction or whatever it is because we think about how much Dharma did Milarepa practice? Did he think I’m tired, I’m not gonna do anything? Yeah, so there is that there but then there’s also at the same time, it’s not, yeah, we have to recognize we do have laziness. We can’t do that at that stage. So, and there’s no one standing over saying you have to do this much so we do whatever we can.
So if we could, then we should be like So if we can, then we’d be like Milarepa. If we can’t, then we do whatever we can. Yeah, there’s a hand at the back. I can’t see your face. Social Security.
Surprise, surprise. They don’t have Social Security in India. Okay, so right now, there’s Yes, I described three different ways that you can live on social security. First of all there was you can get unemployment benefits. I said, What about if someone’s getting unemployment benefits and the government’s giving it to them on the proviso that they’re looking for work but they’re not actually looking for work?
Is that okay? And Geshe-la said, No, that’s not okay because they’re telling a lie. They’re taking money under the premise that they’re looking for work and they’re not, so that’s telling a lie. And because it’s telling a lie, it doesn’t accord with good karmic practice, so therefore that’s not cool. If they are looking for work and they haven’t found work but they are looking for it then for the government they should be thinking, well, it’s really nice of the government to give me money because not everyone has that.
But that’s fine. That’s not ethically incorrect. If someone is on sickness benefits and they are unable to work and they’re taking money from the government for that then that’s nice of the government to give it to them but they’re not doing anything wrong. If they’re lying about being sick then again that’s an unethical thing. So if you’re lying about the way that you’re getting the money then that’s unethical.
Okay? Not working for a living? Yeah, right. But he didn’t say there was anything wrong with that. It’s just if you’re lying about it.
I said because I’ve heard especially from That’s harsh too. Okay. I’ve heard people say that they are going on the dole and telling small lies about looking for work so that they can practice Dharma in a full time capacity. And what do you think about that? And he said that doing something negative in order to do something positive doesn’t make the negative thing okay.
He said that similar to him to killing something in order to offer it to someone. So he said it’s like killing a fish and offering it to someone as a meal. Yep. Yeah. Okay.
But can you explain that how that contradicts what he’s saying? But he wasn’t saying that, so I’m trying to figure out how I can say this, Geshe-la. Said, no. Giving the money is a really good thing. He wasn’t saying anything about that.
He was saying lying in order to get money is a bad thing. No. Yeah. So he said, so if people can’t find work and they’re getting money, that’s a really good thing that they’re being given the work that’s good. Giving given the money, and then taking the money is fine.
Yeah. Yeah. There’s someone behind you. Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
If you have any choice in it, then you should give it up. If you have absolutely no choice, then you should pray to be a liberated from that situation. And don’t be happy about killing them. So you’re constantly purifying constantly purifying. I don’t want to do this.
I don’t want to do this in in, like, having a prayer to find something different to do. But if you’re able to get rid of that job, then that’s best. Speaker Uh-huh. Uh-huh. So any positive action that you do that’s based on the Christian faith is still a positive action, it’s still got a sound basis in a sense of refuge in Jesus and so forth. It’s a positive action and it can act as a cause for you to achieve positive rebirth and so forth.
The concept of enlightenment is something that is as far as Geshe-la knows peculiar or unique to Buddhism in terms of achieving Buddhahood. But he doesn’t know what the process is for development in the Christian faith but if they have that as their faith then they can achieve that understanding and that outcome, whatever it is they’re working towards and doing a positive action. Does that make sense? Yep. What do you mean by meditate?
Sorry for being picky. It’s just that there’s about five different ways I can say that. Like breathing and visualizing. Sitting on the cushion. Sitting on the cushion, okay.
You know, because honestly there is, it’s like So practicing Dharma isn’t about sitting on a cushion. We can do that if we’re walking, if we’re lying on our side, if we’re doing work, whatever it is we’re doing. It’s about working with our minds. So as long as we’re working with our minds, then that’s how we develop, not whether we’re sitting down on a cushion or walking or working, whatever it is we’re So the reason that we do this sitting and we sit in this manner is because if we do that then that enables our minds to become stable and then it’s easier for us to do the focus on these different ideas. But it’s not about the way that we’re sitting, it’s about what we’re thinking.
Does that make sense? Okay, so what dreams actually are is the processing of imprints that are on our mind stream. Imprints or habits are in our mind stream. If you have a habituation of fighting and arguing and so forth then you’re going to dream about that. So whether it’s in the previous days up until you have that dream