Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. The image of a vessel — upside-down, dirty, or leaking — anchors this 89.5-minute Lam Rim session as Geshe Pema Tsering works through how to listen to Dharma correctly. He opens with the advantages of study, drawing on a Jātaka verse that calls listening “the lamp against mental darkness, the greatest wealth no robber can carry away,” and traces how it leads to ethics, concentration, and liberating wisdom. He then covers developing faith and respect toward the teacher — viewing the instructor as a Buddha. The practical core addresses the three vessel faults (distraction, wrong motivation, forgetfulness) and six notions: oneself as patient, the teacher as doctor, the teachings as medicine, and diligent practice as cure — pressing home that taking medicine once or twice cannot heal a disease carried since beginningless time.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 08 2008 04 03 BP.mp3
UUID: e9c805da-3034-40dd-9ea1-30da797ddda8
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Lam Rim (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2008-04-03
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 89.5 minutes
Words: ~6,167
The meaning of the teachings, and in this way, practice accordingly so that one may accomplish the welfare, the benefit of all beings. And in like this, we start with the the preliminary prayers, the Heart Sūtra and so forth. Refuge and the bodhicitta. Does anybody have any questions that you you feel like any urgency to ask before we start the teachings? Okay.
So then we approach the next topic which is explanation of how the Dharma possessing the two greatnesses should be listened to and explained. Geshe-la was saying right in the beginning of the tibetan we have the beginning of each chapter, we have just the number of of the topic. So it started with three. The third topic has three parts. And the third topic, you should stop there and say, because we have already gone through two previous topics, which is showing the greatness of the teacher and then showing the greatness of the teachings for the sake of generating respect for the instructions and so forth.
And now we approach the third topic, which is an explanation of how this Dharma which possesses two greatnesses should be listened to and how it should be explained and this topic has three major parts how to listen to it how to explain it and how to proceed at the end of the conclusion we the first of those topics, which is the how to listen and has three has three parts, thinking about the advantages of listening to the Dharma, developing respect towards the Dharma, and those who teach it. And the actual way to listen, the first three points as we saw here. Thinking about the advantages of listening, developing respect towards the Dharma, and who teaches it, and the actual way to listen. This So then the first of those the first of those has has three parts itself. So about the advantages of listening to the Dharma, it has three parts.
The advantages of listening, developing respect for the Dharma and those who teach it, and the actual way to listen. Then there are there are certain benefits at the listening to the Dharma and then if one if one knows those those benefits what what those benefits are then one will want to actually listen to the teachings or listen to the Dharma if one does not know the benefits one will not have any interest So then so then, yes, with regards to thinking about the advantages of listening, Geshe-la was to say one must know what these advantages are. So then from from the verses on listening, the compendium of the verses on listening, the first verse is saying, through listening, you come to know the dharmas. You come to know the dharmas, and Geshe-la was then explaining it through. And then Geshe-la was saying, through listening, you come to know the dharmas, and and Geshe-la was explaining.
So then it is through listening, through studying that we get to know not only the dharmas, but we get to know everything, even worldly activities, skills we learn. We only know how to we only know them or how to do them by listening, by studying. And then Geshe-la was saying and and to put it in brief, what is the the dharmas that are to be known through studying and listening, if one were to say, are the two truths. The the the conventional truths and the ultimate truths. So then, again, I was gonna say, in in this way, we include all the dharmas, all phenomena, and and it is through through listening, through studying that we get to know them.
Should if if we do not if we do not listen or study, we do not understand. We do not know them. And, again, through listening misdeeds are turned away or negativities are turned away or or or negativities are averted, you could say. And Geshe-la was then saying so. It is through our study, through our listening, we to know all the dharmas.
We come to know all negativities or misdeeds, and we get to know all virtuous dharmas also. So it is by knowing, by this knowledge, that we come to be able to avert the negativities. And, also, through listening, as we have here, all trivia are abandoned. All trivia are abandoned, all meaninglessness is abandoned, and Geshe-la was then saying that which is meaningless that which is trivia as we have the translation here refers to everything which is not a cause of liberation and enlightenment anything which is not a cause of liberation and enlightenment is regarded here as trivia or meaningless. And then, again, through listening, nirvana is achieved.
And, again, it is through listening that says that we are able to That’s all. That’s all. And, yes, I was just saying, so then it is for for listening that nirvana is achieved it is for listening that we are able to attain nirvana and liberation that we are able to attain enlightenment it is the very first initial cause of liberation enlightenment is listening. If if we do not listen, if we don’t study, then we cannot contemplate the teachings, and we cannot meditate on the teachings. We cannot accomplish liberation and enlightenment.
So listening is a very initial cause of liberation and and enlightenment. And then again so then the these four lines and the translation is pretty much is very good here and these four lines say that in dependence on listening and understanding of the points that should be adapted and abandoned gradually develops or understanding of the gradual points that should be adopted and abandoned develops. And from this knowledge arises the ethical discipline that counteracts wrongdoing. Then once you have turned away from the meaningless pursuits, the concentration that is a mind that can stay on a wholesome object as long as you wish arises. Then through training in the wisdom realizing the suchness, there is selflessness, the root of saṃsāra’s fetter is cut, and you attain liberation.
And, again, Geshe-la was going for the verse from the Jātaka stories, from the life stories of the Buddha. He who through or he or she who through listening fills her mind with faith grows firm and rejoicing in that which is excellent. Wisdom is born and bewilderment vanishes. Confusion vanishes. This is well worth paying for with one’s own flesh.
Listening to the lamp against mental darkness. Listening is is the lamp against mental darkness the greatest wealth no robber can carry away the weapon destroying the enemy which is ignorance the best of friends giving guidance in skillful means near and dear if you are or not, inoffensive cure or painless cure against use of sorrow, the foremost army destroying an army of faults. It is the best fame and treasure and splendor as well. If you meet noble beings, the best of gifts. And in assemblies, it is the delight of the wise.
And then goes back to the beginning of the verse and says, he he or she who through listening fills her mind with faith grows firm rejoice in that which is excellent. Through listening we are able to understand the qualities of the teachings and when we know those good qualities faith arises in us. Faith in the teachings arise in us. And then we again through this knowledge and this faith of listening then we grow firm in our rejoicing, in taking joy in the excellent teachings in this quality of the Dharma And, again, wisdom will will arise. And and if wisdom arises, then, how do say, this bewilderment or this confusion, then vanishes.
And then when with regards to that to the to that verse, the Tibetan words that Geshe-la was explaining, wisdom is born and bewilderment vanishes. So then Geshe-la was then saying, with regards to this timuk, which was translated as bewilderment. This is also translated as obscuration or confusion or delusion. There’s many many different ways to translate it. Confusion or could be could be obscuration also.
Geshe-la wasn’t saying. So then this this this confusion, Geshe-la wasn’t saying he’s talking about we’re talking about general it’s like talking about general knowledge how can I how can I translate that Geshe-la was giving the illustration of of the knowledge of the english language so right now the Geshe-la who does not know english language he’s confused or he had his knowledge of the english language is obscured so he does not actually know the english language he lacks a knowledge a discerning awareness regarding the english language the abc so after we study the english language then that confusion that obscuration that lack of knowledge then is not there anymore? That that is dispelled. So we have the knowledge. And Geshe-la was saying when we learn when we learn a, then the the obscuration or the confusion with regards to a disappears.
When we learn b, the the, again, the the obscuration or the confusion with regards to the letter b then disappears. And this is what is being referred to here, Geshe-la is explaining. And then Geshe-la was making reference to the next verse in Tibetan, and Geshe-la was explaining that verse as meaning meaning that, again, this this knowledge, this this is something that which is should never be enough. We should never be satisfied with it. We should always be acquiring knowledge.
Otherwise, we we we remain obscured or remain confused. And listening is the lamp against mental darkness. So then again this timuk again which is here was translated as mental darkness obscuration confusion again is is is like the is like darkness itself and knowledge listening is then just listening to study is like a lamp so then listening is is the lamp against mental darkness And then, again, the it is the greatest wealth listening. Again, this this study is the greatest wealth that no robber can carry away. We cannot be robbed of of the the knowledge and the wisdom that arises out of listening and contemplation because it is something that arises in our mental continuum, so that cannot be taken away from us.
So then the weapon again, listening is the weapon that’s the that destroys the enemy, which is ignorance, which is the destroys every enemy, every ignorance. Was saying it’s like it’s like an atomic bomb. And then an atomic bomb excuse me. An atomic bomb which destroys everything. And in listening, the wisdom of listening is just like an atomic bomb.
Destroys every ignorance. And then, again, it is listening, studying is the best of friends, giving guidance in skillful means. Geshe-la was saying, we all have friends who are giving us advice and what what we should do, what we shouldn’t do and so forth and again of all of all these friends the best one is listening is studying and with through studying we are able to to find you know a better guidance in skillful means and what’s what we should do, what we should adopt, what should cons should abandon, and so forth. And again near and dear if you are poor or not, Geshe-la was saying, we those that are near and dear our loved ones and our friends and Geshe-la was saying usually we are inclined to like those people who like us who are powerful who have all sorts of qualities and wealth and possessions and so forth and people who are destitute miserable and suffering and do not have that we tend we’re inclined not to like them to dislike them and then Geshe-la was saying with listening how to say this study or this listening has no such discrimination has no such distinctions.
I was saying in the beginning, and I forgot to say, guess I wasn’t saying this. So then well, I cannot remember what Geshe-la says. Geshe-la was then saying, again, if we have if we have somebody who is powerful and with money and so forth, we want to help that person. And if a person has not does not have power or or money and so forth, we we are not we do not care about. We have we have this sort of discrimination whilst this wisdom that arises out of listening studying has no discrimination.
We can use it. It doesn’t matter if we have money or not, power or not. So then it is it is again it is that harmless or painless medicine against all all the ills of sorrow again so with listening with studying we don’t get we don’t we don’t get hurt. We don’t get harmed. We only get rid of the illness of of the pains of sorrow.
And, again, it is listening or studying is the foremost army destroying an army of faults. And again, Geshe-la was making reference to his expression that the greatest the great army of faults, and Geshe-la was making reference to the cyclic existence of Samsāra. And again it is listening it is studying that can it is the greatest army that can destroy this this other army of faults of cyclic existence saṃsāra Again, with regards to fame, treasure, and splendor, Geshe-la briefly said, you know, without regarding giving disregarding ordinary fame, treasure, and splendor, then one if one really needs any fame, then one should one should study. One should listen. If one needs any treasure, one should study.
Again, if one needs any splendor or any glory, one one should one should study. And, again, if one meets noble beings, if one meets virtuous beings, then, again, that is the best of gifts. The greatest the greatest gift. And, again In assemblies, it is the delight of the wise. Geshe-la was explaining that, generally speaking, the word that refers what I’m saying here is assemblies is making reference to assemblies of of Sangha of Sangha, monks and nuns, monks and nuns.
And then but in general, it makes reference to those who are endowed with the wisdom that arise out of listening, of study, and and and and and and all these virtues of of of studying. And, again, having listened, make the attainment the essence of your practice, and you will be released from this stronghold of birth with ease. And, again, I wasn’t saying having listened, having studied, and one should contemplate and meditate on these teachings and and and and practice put them into practice. And in this way, we will be we will be released. We will find freedom from cyclic existence.
So then, Geshe-la was gonna say, so then we have been taught some of the benefits, the advantages of of listening, of studying. So then knowing these advantages, then we want if we if we if we gain a good knowledge of these advantages, the benefits of listening and studying, then we won’t we won’t have any difficulty. Whilst when we meet meet with any difficulty, we won’t find it hard to actually listen and study. And then then was briefly explaining the some of different words in in in Tibetan that refers to the advantages of listening or the benefits of listening. So then the advantages and benefits are interchangeable here in this context and Geshe-la wasn’t saying if we know these advantages we have a knowledge of these advantages then we won’t find any hardship we won’t find it hard to actually study and and if we do not know then we won’t be interested in studying.
Again, and gives an illustration to us, an example saying, again, we because we know we have an understanding of the benefits and the advantages of of money, of having money, then we do not we do not find it too hard to go out to work to obtain money. And so then we can see how how important it is to gain this knowledge of the benefits and the advantages of listening, of studying. And then, again, we we approach our next topic, which is developing respect towards the Dharma and those who teach it. Listen listen filled with one-sided faith, one pointed faith and respect without any mockery or disrespect towards them. Worship the exponents of the Dharma, producing the notion of them as as resembling Buddhas as Buddhas.
So then again with I guess I was going back to the first line with the verse, so then single pointed, single mindedly and with faith and respect, listen to the Dharma, listen to the teachings. And Geshe-la was saying, in order to appreciate the teachings and listen to it, we have to have faith, and we also have to have respect. Without faith, we cannot have the respect. And without the respect, we cannot develop proper faith. And Geshe-la with with this attitude, then we we perceive, we generate the notion that the person, the individual who is who’s giving the who’s transmitting the teachings to us is like a Buddha.
Geshe-la was saying, we give rise in our minds to the notion that the person is is a Buddha, is is that teacher is the Buddha. And in this way, we listen to the Dharma with the proper faith and respect. And, again, Geshe-la was insisting, without we should we should listen. We should attend to the situation without any mockery and disrespect towards them who are expounding the teachings. Geshe-la wasn’t saying we shouldn’t pick up on the fault and say they did this wrong and that wrong and that mistake and that mistake and pick up on the fault and shortcomings.
And then again, worship. And then or or make make offerings and prostrations so forth to to the exponents of the Dharma those who are teaching the Dharma And, again, give rise give rise to the notion of of of them as being like buddhas and again producing the notion giving rise to the notion that they are like buddhas then we we attend to the those teachings that they are giving as as very precious and and with much respect and faith. So in accordance with this quotation, you should view them as as if they were like Buddhas, and, again, offer them service with things such such things as as thrones, lay on thrones, worship them with gifts, and and and not give rise to any sort of disrespect. And, again, in the Bodhisattva grounds, it says that we should be free from arrogance and disregard towards the teachings and those who teach them and those who expound them and that we should respect those who teach it. And then, again, in the Jātaka stories and the the life stories, we we have sit on a seat that is very low, develop the glory of discipline, see with eyes imbued with with with joy while drinking the nectar of the words.
Bow down in respect and concentration and focus with a mind that is pure and free of stains like one who is ill. He’s the doctor’s words respectfully listen to the dharma. And, again, my approach, the extra the actual way to listen, indication of how to listen in general. And with regards to this topic, we have two major divisions giving up the three faults of a vessel and relying on the six the six discriminations or the six notions. So so then giving up the three faults of a vessel.
So then if a vessel is turned upside down or held the right way up, but unclean or clean, but with with the bottom leaking. And then so then and then so then even if the if even if rain is made to fall by the gods on it then it cannot go in and Geshe-la was stopping right there and this this is then an analogy is illustrating how we should listen to the teaching so then if if the vase is is upside down then even if if rain falls then it won’t go in. Again, it’s just just like us when we are sitting here. If if we if we let our allow ourselves to remain distracted, then even if we are here, we won’t be able to listen to anything. And I was saying, it’s just like me.
And again, if the the vase is right side up and then but it is dirty, again, when the water is poured in it, we won’t be able to make use of it. We won’t be able to drink it and so forth. And then just like us when we hear with an improper motivation when we are motivated out of either attachment or aversion and we think oh what he’s saying is is nice or is not nice and so forth and we come here to the teachings with these wrong motivations and just to entertain ourselves just to watch the show and so forth and it’s just like doing it with with the wrong motivation, doing it out of attachment and aversion. And then it’s it’s like the dirty vase. So then again, when we listen with this raw motivation, we are not able to derive any benefit from the teachings.
And again, even if the vase is right side up and it’s clean, but if it is leaking at the bottom and again we listen to the teachings again the water is not able to stay to to remain inside the vase and again it’s just like when we listen to the teachings and then later we do not contemplate it anymore we do not bring it to mind anymore we do not keep it in mind and we do not contemplate it again and we just let it go we just forget it and again it’s just it’s just it’s just being like this vase with with a a leak. And then so then, Geshe-la was going through then the whole text. Then, again, if it is even if it goes in, it will be polluted by the dirt, and therefore, it will not fulfill the purpose of being drunk and the like. Or even if it is not spoiled by dirt, it will not stay, but will leak out. In the same way, there will be no great purpose in on to hearing the dharma, to listen to the dharma or studying it.
If you sit in a place where it is being explained but do not listen well or listen but take it wrong or with a faulty motivation and the like, or even if these faults are not present, the words and the meaning you grasp at the time of hearing or listening to it are not consolidated and get lost through forgetfulness forgetfulness and etcetera. Therefore, one should be free of these thoughts. It’s very important to be free of these thoughts. And the antidotes, these three are set forth in the sutras in in three words. And, again, in three words, listen well, intensely, and keep it in mind.
And again in the Bodhisattva grounds, Bodhisattva levels, we are told to listen with the desire to know everything with a single pointed, with a focused mind, with attention, a humble attitude, and the thought of all sentient beings, the thought of of of benefit of all sentient beings. And, again, Geshe-la was saying, is very important then to to to develop this to read oneself of these three faults and to and to listen to the teachings. And even when we are listening or even when we are studying the text, again, we should develop the same same attitude if we if we have if we have these three faults and we won’t benefit we won’t have any benefit and now if we read ourselves of these faults and we listen properly with the proper attitude then we are able to benefit even when studying the text. And again with the six notions, relying on the six, it’s called here the six discriminations or the six notions contemplating the notion of oneself as a patient, then the notion of the one who teaches the Dharma as a doctor, the notion of what has been taught as a medicine, the notion of persistent practice of actually practicing the teachings as the cure, the notion of the tathagatas as exalted beings, and generating the notion of the the aspiration of the for the Dharma tradition to last long.
And, again, with regards to contemplating the notion of oneself, giving rise to the notion of oneself as a patient, again, in the guide to the bodhisattvas where we we read, even when stricken with an ordinary illness, one has to follow the words of the doctor. How much more so if a hundred ills, like lust and so forth, strike you down all the time? So, again, in the same way, if when we when we are sick and we go to see the doctor, and then we follow the prescription of the doctor, and we take the medicine according to that prescription, and get healed, we get cured of whatever illness we have. Now if when we fall ill to a disease, or when we get sick, if we do not go to see the doctor, then again we cannot get the prescription or the medicine. We even though we get the prescription, we do not follow the instructions.
We cannot get rid of the units. And, again, even though we get the prescription, get the medicine, if we do not eat the medicine, ingest the medicine, again, we cannot. Okay. Cure ourselves. And, again, how much more so if a hundred ills, like lust, desire, and so forth strike us down all the time.
And just that wasn’t saying again, we are we are overpowered by attachment, aversion, ignorance, jealousy, so forth all the time. And then so if if we seek if we seek the prescription of a doctor, when we when we follow you of of when we get small diseases, small illnesses, then how much more so when we when we how much more so should we how much more should we seek the advice of when we when we are striking down by this great illnesses as attachment aversion ignorance and so forth and we should seek the the instruction of of the buddhas and then practice the instruction, the teaching of the Buddha so we can get rid ourselves of these great illnesses, this great diseases, which are the afflictions of disturbing emotion and conceptions. So then as is mentioned here, owing to mental afflictions like attachment, etcetera, we always suffer from diseases causing long lasting and severe suffering that is difficult to cure. And, therefore, we first need to diagnose them, recognize them as such. And Geshe was then saying, in the Tibetan, it comes the ordering of the words in the sentence is different.
So Geshe-la was picking up some of the the words that come first. For example, point out to the fact that we have been tormented, how to say, by the disturbing emotion conceptions for a long time, for many lifetimes. Since time immemorial, we have been tormented by the afflictive emotional conceptions. And healing or curing this disease of the afflictive emotional conceptions is something which is extremely difficult to accomplish. We need the pure minds of of renunciation and mind of enlightenment and so forth in order to be able to liberate ourselves, to free ourselves of these of these illnesses.
And then again, I was reading that that verse from Kamalaśīla, which says if it is not in accord with the actual situation, our meditation goes off in their wrong direction. It becomes it becomes a distortion. It becomes wrong. And Geshe-la was saying so, again, if we is is in one way, Geshe-la was saying first, if we if we are not actually ill and we meditate in order to cure an illness, then that is there is a distortion. That is that is wrong.
Again, and and even in our case here, if we are ill but we do not believe that we are ill, then we meditate. We do not accomplish anything. So it’s important, Geshe-la was saying, to understand that we we are ill. We are overpowered by these three poisons, and that is a very big disease. But still we still we do not understand that.
I was just I was just asking the Geshe with regards to that verse because we are so at least me, personally, we we I’m so convinced that I’m not I’m not ill. And Geshe-la was saying that not only we are ill, we we have this a very big disease, a very grave disease, and we we still do not understand that. And Geshe-la wasn’t saying, we think that we do not have we do not have a cold or any other physical illness. So we think that we we are not ill. But we’re talking about something which is very deep ingrained in our minds, such a disease or illness, which is very deeply ingrained in our minds.
And when we’re talking about minds, racialized, in the the betters in general, the Asian people in general point to the heart. It’s very deeply ingrained in our heart minds. And then I guess that I wasn’t saying we and we but we are you. We are we are sick with with these these illnesses. You know, heart minds, are attachment, which are which is which is attachment, which is aversion, which is ignorance, and so forth.
And and Geshe-la wasn’t saying with regards to the words in Tibetan, again, to be you. Again, we say we are and and maybe I was playing playing a little bit of with the words Geshe-la was playing. So and we are we are we are ew because we are said to be these are said to be ney-ne because they harm us. Ne-pa and nä-pa, the sound is almost the same, so we are ill because they do harm us. They are illnesses because they do harm us.
We do suffer with them. And then, again, to get cured of these illnesses is is very difficult. To cure these diseases, these illnesses of disturbing emotional conceptions is very difficult if the doctor is not a Buddha then we won’t be able to cure ourselves to find any cure or any we won’t be able to heal ourselves. So we need to rely on the Buddha, on the noble being, and and hers or his teachings. And then then with regards to And then we need to rely on the teachings, on the Dharma teachings, which generally speaking are renunciation, the mind of renunciation, the mind of enlightenment bodhicitta, and the correct view.
And as I was saying, all the the the teachings that teach these in stages, and Geshe-la was saying. So then these are these are these are the medicine that will cure us of the diseases, the illnesses, which are the afflictive emotional conceptions. So then again, we we by practicing the stages, the the teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment, which generally are subsumed under the renunciation bodhicitta and the correct view. Again, by practicing these teachings, then we we read which which are the the medicine, then we rid ourselves of the illnesses which are the afflictive emotional conceptions, attachment, aversion, and so forth. And when we get finally cured of of of all these illnesses, then we then we we have attained liberation and enlightenment.
We have reached liberation and enlightenment. And then we we have attained a state of being which has no more suffering, has no more illness, and has no more suffering to it. So and Geshe-la was making reference to the how do you call that? The the the humors. These three humors.
Wind, phlegm. How do you pronounce that? Phlegm. Wind, phlegm, and sorry what was that bile bile yes wind phlegm and bile and again even though we think of of when we think of illness and disease we think of the disease that produces by the imbalance of these three humors. And when we do not have this, we think we do not have any illness.
But we and we we fail to recognize that we are actually ill in the sense that we have the we are overpowered by afflictive emotion and concepts, like Geshe-la says. And then and failing to recognize we’re not not merely fail to recognize that we are overpowered by these illnesses. We do not regard them as we do not know them to be illnesses and we actually engage in them deliberately or we freely engage in them we practice those illnesses attachment aversion and so forth and we actually enjoy it we like them And, again, Geshe lah approaches the next topic contemplating the notion of the one expounding the Dharma as a doctor. Then if we are stricken with a serious illness, like, for example, a wind or gall disease, we look for a specialist in medicine and meeting one we are extremely happy. Listen to what she or he says, treat her with respect and acknowledge her.
In the same way, one should one looks for a spiritual guide who teaches the Dharma and having found one, accomplishes what she says, taking it not as a burden, but as an ornament, and acts with respect and and and reverence towards her. And Geshe-la was in the same again, we we we don’t think of of of the teaching as a burden, as a hardship. We we we take joy in in the teaching that we’re receiving and putting it in practice, implementing it, following the prescription, so to speak. Again with regards to the next topic, which is then generating the notion of of what is being taught as a medicine. Just as a patient greatly appreciates the medicine put together by the doctor, one should regard the instructions and teachings, the personal instructions and teachings taught by someone expounding the Dharma as the most important thing, as most precious precious thing.
And then make an effort to hold them in respect and to not waste them through forgetfulness and the like. To keep them in mind. Mhmm. And then we’ll present the next topic, generating the notion of persistent practice as the cure. It has three parts.
This topic has three parts. The first one is the fault of striving for words without practicing them. Again, with regards to the fault of striving for words without practicing them, a new person, a sick person sees that her illness cannot be alleviated if she does not take the medicine the doctor put together and takes it. Likewise, once you see that attachment and so forth cannot be eliminated without practicing instructions taught by the Dharma teacher, should practice diligently and not make a great effort at the words of various classifications and so forth without putting them into practice. Again, in the same way, as a matter of fact, what good would it be to a leper whose hands and legs are falling off to resort to a dose of medicine only once or twice.
Again, if the disease, if the illness is great, then just take a little bit of the medicine won’t won’t suffice to to cure the illness. Likewise, for us who have been stricken since beginningless time by the worst of illnesses, the mental afflictions, and disturbing emotions and conceptions, it is not sufficient to practice the meaning of the instructions only only a couple of times, only once or twice. And, again, so then following, I guess, I was going back to the previous sentence and then reading again and again, it seems we have been stricken with this illness since beginningless time. Again, just practicing them once or twice, just practicing these antidotes, the the medicine, taking the medicine once or twice, renunciation and so forth, will not suffice to heal such great diseases. And this is like this is why we should examine all the complete parts of the path with discrimination wisdom and and be as diligent as a flowing river, again, which which is unstoppable.
And then Geshe-la is reading the the verse from the praise of confession that that is to say, our minds are always obscured. For long, we have served the causes of our ills. How can a leper whose hands and feet have fallen off and who takes his medicine but rarely derive benefit? Yeah. Yeah.
So I was Close. I was asked to to call the guest’s attention to to the time, and now it’s a quarter to nine, so that way you have time to ask some questions.