Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. When is self-cherishing an obstacle, and when is it required? Geshe Pema Tsering opens this 44-minute Lamrim commentary by drawing that line precisely: at the bodhisattva level self-cherishing is to be abandoned, but at the middling scope the wish to escape saṃsāra is itself a form of self-concern and must be cultivated. He traces the three-scope hierarchy, showing why practice aimed only at this-life happiness never qualifies as real Dharma. The session’s core examines anger: its fire-like power to consume accumulated virtue, and — more subtly — its tendency to disguise itself as self-protection. A pointed aside notes that Tibetan students sometimes honour a teacher’s anger with the respectful term “tukdam”; Geshe Pema insists it remains a fault in anyone, lama or layperson. He then covers pride with the image of water that cannot rest on a curved surface, and begins the definition of ignorance.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 01 LR 2002 07 02.mp3
UUID: a689d292-bd28-4e63-98ec-e09e03ef47e7
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Lam Rim 2002 Bodhisattva Deeds (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-07-02
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.4 minutes
Words: ~3,413
The the First Dalai Lama, stated that making wishful prayers that wishing not to generate or develop any mind of self-cherishing attitude or self-purposes and wishing to generate the altruism that wishing a mind to benefit benefit others and and wishing to possess all the conducive conditions to benefit others within oneself, the conditions like like good qualities and be able to speak eloquently, maintain patience, etcetera, which are the conditions to fulfill others’ wishes or purpose. So in terms of self-cherishing attitude that that that and those who are seeking enlightenment for the sake of entire sentient beings, then that that such a mind of self-cherishing attitude is is a subject to be abandoned. Whereas in terms in the practices of middling scope, that self-cherishing attitude, in some states it also it is needed, that self-cherishing attitude, because because but yeah. So wishing to free oneself from cyclic existence, that is also a self-cherishing attitude and such a mind is also such a mind is to be cultivated in terms of the practice of middling scope.
So what we need to do here is we we we we should try to minimize the self-cherishing attitude and increase the cherishing others as much as we can. But in terms of speaking, you know, the self-cherishing attitude, some stage, a certain amount is needed for the practitioner of middling scope. When we say that here we are talking about self-cherishing attitude which is the wishing to free oneself from cyclic existence or attain liberation and whereas the self-cherishing attitude in general, we don’t have any problem developing a self-cherishing attitude because we are so used to it from the very beginningless. Whereas in terms of self-cherishing attitude, which is the intent of wish to free oneself from existence, that that self-cherishing attitude is really hard to develop as well. So in order to develop a wish — a mind of renunciation or wish to be free from cyclic existence — and and to develop such a mind, you know, one has to see the the disadvantages of the cyclic existence.
And when we speak of see the disadvantage of the cyclic existence, it doesn’t mean just to see, like, the suffering of sufferings like illness or diseases and so forth are at fault of cyclic existence. This is not the case. Here when we see this the the this fault of the cyclic existence is to see the the saṃsāra is a nature of a nature of suffering, as well as even the even once when we see the disadvantages of cyclic existence one can see one should see those the pleasures or the happiness of the cyclic existence in reality or by nature, even those suffering. So even those happiness of the cyclic existence are also a nature of suffering. And this is how because it is very hard to see those happiness of the cycle.
Since our happiness, this is how it’s very difficult to takes time or it’s difficult to develop a renunciation. So therefore, most of us, you know, we mainly cultivate or we strive or we cultivate the sufferings of the cyclic existence. And and and and the like, it’s very difficult to develop a mind wishing to attain the happiness of liberation or arhathood. And therefore, in order to attain the happiness of arhathood or liberation, one has to see those happiness of the cyclic existence are also a suffering or the nature of suffering. So because that is very difficult to see and we don’t see those happiness as suffering and due to this we cultivate those happiness and it turns out that we, at this stage, we mainly cultivate the sufferings.
And mainly, especially one most of us, you know, not just work for the happiness of cyclic existence. We mainly work for the happiness of this present life itself or this present lifetime. And therefore, due to this, we sometimes yeah. We fail to cultivate or the causes for the attainment of higher rebirths in the next lives. So because the practices sometimes, yeah, becomes the cause to attain happiness within this life, so therefore, our practice is still uncertain whether our practice will become a royal practice or not.
So to to become our practice as a royal practice or royal Dharma, that one practice should be at least become a to attend higher rebirth in the next life. And that’s where the very minimum stage and a big initial stage to become one’s practice into practice. If one’s practice does not become a cause to attain at least a cause to attain higher rebirth in the next life, then one’s practice is not becoming proper or real practice. So whatever practice one does, either on meditation on bodhicitta, the calm abiding or profound emptiness and so forth, if the practice is done for the attainment of happiness within this life, then regardless of how profound the practice one practiced, but one’s practice won’t become actual a proper practice because it’s because from the very beginning the motivation is to attain happiness within this life. So therefore, the practice will become a proper practice.
So at least, you know, to become one’s practice the right practice, it should at least become a cause to attain higher rebirths in the next life. So even though one’s practice becomes a cause to attain higher rebirths like humans and the god rebirths in the next life — it becomes a practice — that practice still becomes a cause to be born in the cyclic existence or saṃsāra. So therefore, you know, so when one’s just the practice and should at least try to develop do it to develop the renunciation that is which that is wishing attain enlightenment, wishing to free from cyclic existence. And in order to generate that, so as we said earlier, the one needs to see the drawbacks of the cyclic existence and to see that the saṃsāra itself is object of abandonment. And and so by by having so, having developed such a mind wish to free from cyclic existence, that is called the renunciation.
And so if one’s practice becomes a cause to attain arhathood or liberation, then one’s practice becomes a practice of the middling scope. And then after having developed such renunciation, one should see that it is not okay to merely free just oneself from cyclic existence or from the sufferings. The reason why is because sentient beings are very kind to oneself, and they are — in terms of number — even more than oneself, which makes them even more important. And their suffering in cyclic existence tortures them just like oneself. Therefore, one should take responsibility to free those sentient beings from all suffering, and wishing to free them from all suffering is called the altruistic intention.
So therefore, our ultimate goal is to bring all these motherly sentient beings into free from entire sufferings and bring them to the state of ultimate happiness or enlightenment. So to do so, first one has to attain enlightenment or become Buddha. Without becoming a Buddha, one will not be able to help those countless beings from their sufferings. So wishing to free, wishing to attain enlightenment for the sake of motherly sentient beings is so called the bodhicitta or altruistic intention. So we should cultivate the bodhicitta or altruistic intention.
And when we do a meditation on bodhicitta, which is we are mainly focusing on a mind that that that yep. That is our wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of motherly sentient beings. So we shall do a short meditation here on bodhicitta. So we begin last week, we began from the six root delusions or the basic disturbing attitudes or emotions. And out of those six, the first one, so called desire, has been completed.
And now towards the second one, that is the anger. And the definition of the anger is the secondary mental factor, that on the basis of beings or non-beings, whenever one comes into contact with that object, and the feeling of uneasiness or very rough, bad thoughts coming and thinking, I don’t really want to see that object or want to get rid of that object or want to kill the person or being or anything. Such a mind is called the anger, the angry mind. Can you hear me? So the anger is like a fire.
It burns on everything, and it has no benefit or positive actions at all. What it happens is, like fire burns down everything, like the the anger will destroy all the virtues one has cultivated. In addition to that, while during the angry moment, you know, there is no positive actions one cultivates. It’s only non virtues that is will lead one towards the lower rebirths like hell realms. So and it produces numbers of actions, like the very worst one, killings, as well as hitting the object or people.
And briefly speaking, then all those miseries come mainly from anger. Right. And it destroy all the happiness, not just it it it it not only makes miserable to the person itself who produce anger, but even all the company or unit or the or the group and entire family, you know, it makes uneasy or miserable. See, the the anger is very sneaky and very tricky. It very yep.
Cleverly that that it the when anger comes, it just comes as a protection for self or or to help the person itself. Yeah. If you think of this, you know, you can find it out. We can find out that how anger comes, because anger comes as protection for the self. And thinking that, well, the other person, the object or other person is going to harm oneself or is going to cause something or yeah, harm.
And therefore, because you don’t want to be harmed and in order to protect oneself, the anger comes as a self protection. So even it’s on a ordinary object, you know, like a thing. And thinking, you know, it’s the main cause is the object, but in reality, it is not. It’s the person itself who gets angry on the object, thinking that the object is the main thing which produces anger or give me the hard time, but it’s not. The the anger itself is the main harmful self-harm to the person, whereas we see the person thinks that anger is, you know, anger is coming as protection to protect oneself from the object or harm from others.
And in reality, it is not. The anger itself brings whole huge harm to the self because it dissolves all the virtues one has cultivated. And then additional to that, you know, it produces non-virtuous causes for one to lead towards the lower rebirths, like the hell realms. And and and this is the real this is the as bad the bad part is one gets to be born in the lower rebirths. Whereas for other person, you know, our object, you know, can’t really harm much because if you are in the battle or a fight with somebody, for the worst thing, the person might hit you on the hit with hit you on the head with a stick or give you a punch, and that’s that is the main harm the other person can cause.
Whereas anger will lead you towards the lower rebirths. No? So anger is the main cause which helps one to cultivate numbers of non virtuous action or brings lots of harm. And because it comes as a protection, we see them as protection, or a person see them as protection. And whenever anger comes, arises, a person never attempt or challenge to reduce that anger or get rid of anger.
It rather let it come because it protects from something. And and but in reality, it is not. Anger causes numbers of miserables and and unhappiness so forth. And and you can and there is none up till now who says that have achieved happiness through anger. But people these days, you know, now mistakes that they say something put put it in a very beautiful word or eloquent word.
So probably doesn’t work in English. So the Tibetan term is the real direct word for anger, where in terms of yeah. In Tibetan but sometimes we have a different word of honorific word in Tibetan language. Saying tukdam tukdam, and it’s very posh word saying, and it’s a very rough mind. You know?
It’s a word to word translation. So some days, the way of saying that our lama or our teacher has a rough mind, which actually means bit of anger there. And and and but the students, they don’t see see them as a fault. They see them as a quality, you know. You know, be be careful because our mind our teachers sometimes had a bad rough mind or which which means slight anger.
And some people, they they see anger as a quality as well. So you can be very careful or anything. It doesn’t make any difference whether you say it in a real word or or make it very good in a very beautiful form by saying like, has a bit of a rough mind or something like that. But doesn’t matter whether wherever anger is, either it’s a lama or it’s the king or or the ministers and so forth, whoever possess that anger, it is it is a bad quality. So there there is no quality in anger at all.
Whoever possess the anger, it is a it is a it is not a quality. And it’s a there is a fault some way. And and and because because anger out of the disturbing emotions, it is one of the delusions. The anger is the main which destroy most of the which destroys the the all the virtuous or merit and and and one of the main key to cultivate a cause for the low rebirths. So and it causes numbers of miserables or miseries, the one anger produced because some people get so angry and and and for the worst thing, you know, hit everyone in the family and and destroy every all the furnitures, everything inside the room, you know, pull down and so forth.
And and at the end, when the anger is gone, the person just sit at the corner and just cry and alright. So that that sort of misery is so called a temporal temporary, like occasional. The moment one get angry and destroy everything and the disadvantage all make everyone unhappy. And at the end, you know, one suffers, and then was being sad and so forth, cry at the corner. And in the long run, then it it results towards a lower rebirth, which are like very bad harm that that because oneself cultivates numbers of non virtuous causes for the lower rebirths, not only oneself, but also encourage others to get unhappy and angry and then just let them destroy their virtues, merits.
So if you have a disciple or a student, you know, try to give advice and then try and bring the students into the right track. And if it works, it works. If it doesn’t, then don’t get angry at the students or to the disciples. So if even if one has to hit the disciple, just hit them with without anger. That happens a lot in our monastery.
Because you’re laughing now, so I’ll stop about anger here now and go to a third one, which is pride. The pride, the definition of the pride is like the pride is like an inflated What’s the word? Anyway, it’s like being full on at the very top. And feeling of — yes, inflated, that’s the word — putting oneself at the very top, above others..
And that can be developed on the basis of one’s wealth by possessing huge wealth and possessions that I have such and such, and this is how one feels up. On the basis of one’s qualities, like having good qualification, good wisdom, or and sometimes people, some good practitioners have who leads a very good ethical discipline, guarding their ethics very pure, and they have danger of producing a pride thinking, I’m the one and I’m the best, you know, I protect all my ethics and so forth. And and for the least, one has something like a very good voice, you know. I’m the good singer. And one’s strength as well as, like, skills, like, Geshe-la says he is a good soccer player, you know.
So yeah. So and that comes and there can be numbers of basis to produce or develop a pride. And if one do not think, then there is a danger of developing a pride from each and every qualification one achieves, one attains something, and there is a danger. Got to be very mindful and always protect or or get rid of the pride. So because there are numbers of basis to develop a pride, you know, one does not need to be fully qualified or perfected, you know.
Even when even with a slight education or slight qualification, one understands something a little bit, one there is a danger of producing a pride by thinking, oh, I know that, and so forth. So and so therefore, you know, each and every time one study or one learn or one, yep, qualified something, always be careful that one should not develop a pride by thinking, you know, this is just the beginning, and there’s still a long way to go, you know. And there is a saying that the person with the no. Sorry. It should be there.
The water of quality will never stay on the round surface of pride. This is what it’s exactly mean. So it is really hard to to develop or study or develop a qualification on the basis of the pride. For example, like, if you want a water, you need a container with the, you know, there is a space or like like a mug inside the hole so it can water can stay in. If you put the water on the upside down or or the round thing, you know, on the ball, and the water never stays just like a what’s the water off on a duck’s back, isn’t it?
So it’s like that. So the teachings of the lamas are very effective teachings. But no matter how effective the teachings are, but if a person full of pride will never receive a benefit from the the teachings. So always be be aware of pride and and and whenever one learns something new or, yep, and in terms of practices and know something and should not develop any pride by thinking, now I know such and such and I am in the top and so forth. So to reduce the pride, you can think in many ways.
For example, in terms of practices, by knowing some practices, well, I should not develop any pride because there are still many that I don’t know in terms of thinking about and in terms of two truths, like emptiness, in terms of emptiness, eighteen emptiness and so forth, and the nature of the parts, and eighteen speaking about, yeah, Buddhist theory then, like eighteen constituents, numbers of qualifications, so forth. And by thinking about all these qualities up there one hasn’t attained yet and there’s a long way to go that will help one to reduce the pride. And now comes the fourth of the six root delusions, that is called the ignorance. And now ignorance — the word in Tibetan is ma rigpa — and that word to word translation is not seen or unseen. Saying, So it’s the added negative word ma in the front.
And rigpa means seen or unobscured and so forth. And by adding the word ma, which is into negative unseen, it’s been obscured. So what what it means, the words like Tibetan words comes like which means not seen, not actualized, or not knowing.