Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Geshe Pema Tsering opens this 45-minute Lamrim commentary with a wry aside — warned not to linger too long on money as a source of suffering, or the audience might quit their jobs. Starting from Tsongkhapa’s verse on the insatiability of worldly pleasure, he shows why even virtuous actions aimed at better rebirths fall short of genuine renunciation. Drawing on Maitreya’s medical image — diagnose before prescribing — he walks through the three types of suffering: suffering of suffering, suffering of change, and the subtler suffering of composite factors, noting that most people never identify the latter two as suffering at all. A slave-and-master analogy shows how attachment, hatred, and ignorance commandeer body, speech, and mind. The session closes with a Middle Way inquiry into whether the root of cyclic existence can be uprooted — the foundation for both liberation and bodhicitta.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 07 LR 2002 05 07.mp3
UUID: 3e75f92d-8c96-4c46-994f-4f6b65330087
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Lam Rim 2002 Bodhisattva Deeds (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-05-07
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.8 minutes
Words: ~3,029
So the great master the great master Tsongkhapa in his so called the foundation of all good qualities stated that that the the worldly happiness has no satisfaction, that no matter how much you enjoy the worldly happiness, you will never be satisfied, you still want more and more. And because of having this because there is no satisfaction, one keep continuing indulging in those the happiness of cyclic existence, and then one continuously engages in the activities to attain that worldly happiness or samsaric happiness. And by doing so, by working so, that happiness, samsaric happiness is obtained through numbers of non virtuous actions like attachment, hatred, and so forth. Without depending on those, one the one will not receive the the samsaric happiness. So therefore, by by cultivating that or yeah.
Yep. That happiness, then one receives the numbers of suffering. So therefore, one engages in the numbers of doors to to suffer the sufferings. So therefore, one should try to see the faults the faults or disadvantages of the the worldly happiness or samsaric happiness and try to generate the enthusiasm to cultivate the the this the the happiness of nirvana or liberation. And and may the gurus will bless me to attain that attain the happiness of nirvana.
So therefore, yeah, the the to generate a proper wish to free from cyclic existence, one needs to abandon all this all all the activities which your activities to cultivate the temporary or or the the cycle it’s a samsaric happiness. So for example, like, all the practices, if if one who really wants to develop a wish to free from cyclic existence or renunciation, that person even has to abandon that practices of not committing the ten non virtues, which is to attain the higher rebirth in the future life. So even that so called that positive action not committing ten non virtues, But if one practice that not committing ten non-virtues, instead that practice is done to achieve the higher rebirth and next life like human and the god realms. So for those who really want to develop a pure wish to free from cyclic existence, even that activity with that such attention has to be abandoned as well. So because most of the the virtuous activities or the virtuous we cultivated are mainly for most of our virtuous actions or our practices become the practices of small scope, which is the small scope the the the aim is of the small practice of small small scope is to attain higher rebirths and definite goodness.
So So all all this happens to us because of not recalling the impermanence of death and not seeing the disadvantages of cyclic existence, yeah, of saṃsāra cyclic existence. So because of not recalling the the impermanence of death and and and and the disadvantages of cyclic existence and whatever positive actions we we cultivate or practice we perform are likely to become a practice of smaller scope, that is to attain precious higher rebirths as well some and and for the worst thing, it mainly goes towards the attainment of happiness in in this current life. Yes. So therefore, in order to avoid such one from the very beginning of one’s motivation, make it it is important making sure that one’s practice will become the attainment of become a course to attain nirvana or liberation. Right?
Mhmm. So and that liberation is not not not for the individual liberation. One one should not try to liberate oneself, but then should should should should should try to liberate entire sentient beings from the suffering. And it is appropriate to work it’s appropriate to work to liberate sentient beings from the suffering because those sentient beings are are are more in numbers as well as they are same as oneself wishing happiness and do not want suffering. So and then working by doing so to and doing practice on order to free all motherly sentient beings or sentient beings from the suffering you’re free from sufferings, then that motivation is becoming closer towards the so called bodhicitta.
So in order to do so, to free all these motherly sentient beings from the suffering, just by attaining a mere liberation is not is not enough. Just by attending a a mere liberation, one can benefit some yep. Can perform some benefit a little, but not completely. Therefore, in order to free all these motherly sentient beings from entire suffering, one has to attain enlightenment. Therefore, so whatever practice one performs should do it for the attainment of enlightenment for the sake of entire mother motherly sentient beings.
So therefore, we need to bring all these motherly or liberate all these sentient entire sentient beings and and free them from the free them from the sufferings. So, therefore, bring them to a state of ultimate happiness or liberation and free from the entire suffering. So, therefore, with the motivation on on such motivation in order to in order to free all these motherly sentient beings from the suffering and bring them to the state of ultimate happiness, I shall attain enlightenment or reach the Buddhahood. But on such motivation, we shall do a short meditation. So the last week, we we went through how to free oneself or attain liberation through the through training in the four noble truths.
Right? So here, the great master Maitreya, the future Buddha, Jetsün Maitreya, stated: in order to cure the disease, one first needs to recognize — to determine what is the illness.
Determine what is the illness by knowing finding out the the illness or a disease then one can go through the medication, through the prescription, taking the medicine and cure the disease. Likewise, in order to free oneself from the suffering, first one yeah. First one needs to recognize the suffering itself, how how suffering hurts oneself, how it tortures and so forth. By knowing by recognizing the suffering, then one will but so recognize the suffering and then abandon the causes of the suffering. Yep.
So when we talked about one recognizes suffering, as for the sufferings, there are three types of suffering, main categories, so called the suffering of suffering, suffering of change, and suffering of suffering of suffering, suffering of change, and suffering of composite factors. And and what what we normally go to recognize as suffering, they those sufferings are called the suffering of suffering. And we and we hardly recognize the suffering of change and suffering of composite factors. Because we don’t recognize the suffering of change and suffering of composite factors, because we don’t realize those, or we don’t recognize those sufferings as suffering, then we don’t we never develop a wish to abandon those sufferings. And and and instead, we we cultivate that suffering.
For example, like, we wish to have a good house, big beautiful house, and and and good car, nice dish, and good good transportation and so forth. And we don’t recognise them as suffering. And therefore, we work to have all these beautiful houses and so forth. So there’s all these the the the the things like houses, cars, and so forth, they are they are the true suffering, the first noble truth. So those who wish those those who wish to attain liberation or nirvana have to have to abandon or avoid those things Without without avoiding or without abandoning those things, one can’t attain liberation.
So but those things are very important to the people. And and if one if we tell them to abandon all this, they they can hardly accept it. It’s saying that it is impossible to live without those things. So whether it’s a no matter who who who who the person is, so the almost everyone will say, these things are important, and and and it’s it’s it’s very hard, and one can’t one can’t possibly live without those things. Instead, those things give pleasure and happiness.
Therefore, we should be able we should be cultivating or or yeah. Cultivating them instead of abandoning. Particularly the money, you know. You can hardly find any any a single person in this world who doesn’t want the money, you know. Some some yoga great practitioners are exceptional.
They are exception. Other than that, you you can hardly find a single person who who does not want the money. In Tibetan culture or Tibetan, they have a nickname for money, which is called all love fulfill the wishes or the work, which means the money, you know, that can work to achieve what you want. And and all the love means everybody loves the money. So that is the nickname of the money.
You know, they all love and fulfill the job always. So so peep yes. People sometimes misunderstand and they don’t recognize or realize how important it is to attain liberation and and and and not knowing those things like the cars and so forth are the object of abandonment. And without so by mistaking these, they keep cultivating and working hard to achieve those even though they are in reality, they are the nature of suffering. And even for some practitioners, you know, they just practice, practice, practice, practice.
But every now and then, they still cultivate that as well because they can’t stay without those. All this happened because of not properly seeing the sufferings, or so called the faults of cyclic existence. So therefore, you know, one should often look at and see these faults of samsaric existence and and and examine those objects, not not not through not through the not through in, yeah, in in by nature that, you know, how they are the the sufferings and so forth. And but but doing so, then gradually, one can find the true one can see the reality, nature of the things and how they are true sufferings.
So therefore, you know, should always approach the suffer the the the pleasure of cyclic existence on the the the mistaken part, you know. We up till now we always see in the good part and that’s why we make mistake that it’s a good one to attain all the time. If you change your perspective or angle through the different angle and how and see the disadvantages or faults of the happiness of cyclic existence, then one can really find the mistakes or faults. Yeah. Yes.
And when we say to look through the different angle or through the the false part, for example, like all these good things we mentioned earlier, the houses, cars, and the nice dishes and so forth. If you look through, when we say through the look through the different angle, what it means is say, so we cultivate, we work to obtain all those and imagine, think about how one work to obtain all this and doing the work, you know, how much effort one put and and by doing so, how many attachments one have to one produce and how many the hatred and cause anger to persons through work and a bit of arguments and so forth. And for the worst thing, one can also it it produces pride that in about possessing such. So and so but examining all this, one can realize that those things cause one to develop all these three poisons like attachment, hatred, and ignorance, and also so-called disturbing emotions. Because of this wishing, this saṃsāra happiness, then one engages in the numbers of activities which produce attachment, hatred and ignorance, And and as as a result of that, all entire body, all all entire body, speech, and mind become a slave of the desire, hatred, and anger in order to to to obtain all this worldly happiness.
So for example, like, the boss and, yeah, the owner and the servant, and the servant has will and whatever the the the landlord or householder orders and he or she has to go, has become a slave. So likewise likewise, by doing so, then one produces a hatred, for example, so attachment. And whatever that attachment says, one goes. So this is how our body, speech, and mind become become like a slave of those disturbing three three poisons. So so and sometimes we become like, you know, we want money in in order because of that money, then we work.
And and and because of that money, we just the the aim is to get the salary or wages, you know. And there’s no choice. One has to go through that, chasing the money. So therefore, you know, I told Geshe-la, don’t explain much about that because everyone might quit the job. Therefore, therefore, you know, one should see the disadvantages or faults of the samsaric existence and and and making sure that oneself, one’s body, speech, and one body, speech, and mind won’t become a slave of the three poisons, hatred, attachment, and ignorance.
Know, But, you know, we have to go to work because we are in existing or saṃsāra, and and and and and it is it is important. You know, without work, you know, it’s hard to live because one needs to have one needs to eat to take care of one’s body and so forth. Without having a proper health and so forth, one can’t practice. So we still need to work. But therefore, you know, it’s still good to recall the faults of samsaric existence and also when when we have to work.
So so it’s good to have a motivation that, you know, that I do work this because it helps others, you know, so I’m not just doing it for oneself. I do get little money, you know, whether I say yes or no, I work, I’m sure definitely the money will come. So think that, you know, I’m doing not only for the money, but also to help other people as well as because I’m a being in cyclic existence and I need to look after my body and to to in order to practice. So therefore, you know, I do need a little bit of money to take care of my body to practice. So with such motivation, it looks quite okay.
So therefore, when we say to see the faults of samsaric existence and and and abandon the causes of the the the the causes of the this samsaric happiness. For example, like, when we talked about the causes, the main causes are so called the the the contaminated actions and disturbing emotion. So let’s say, for example, the contaminated actions like like as for the contaminated actions, they are like both the positive and non virtuous as well. And for example, like, the all the sufferings, the first suffering, the suffering of suffering, it it those the causes of the suffering of sufferings are are non virtuous and so called negative actions. And the the the causes of the the suffering of change, And and the causes for the suffering of change has is the not virtuous the contaminated virtuous actions.
We call it like, for example, like a ten virtuous actions. And the cause for the suffering of composite factors has both positive and negative actions.
For example, like like, for precious human rebirth, and when this they all it has the suffering of changes, the momentarily changing of the yeah. Our present body is very, very subtle and and hardly recognize it. And when we talked about the suffering of composite factors, some people only recognize the time of death, but it is not that simple. It’s very subtle. So so therefore, those disturbing the actions and the disturbing emotions are so called the origin of action and origin of disturbing emotions.
So as for the the origin of this of the action, which means there is to take rebirth or being born in cyclic existence, for example, and it it has both the positive and the non the causes are both the positive and the negative or non virtuous. But for the origin of the disturbing emotions are attachment, hatred, ignorance. And the fifth Dalai Lama stated different way of saying, for example, like, in order to sleep in a very nice and dry place of area free from the water, And then and to avoid the water water, one needs to make sure one block the hole or the water from the main source. But avoiding or yeah. Blocking that, then one can have a nice yeah, have a nice place to sleep on.
But so likewise, you know, we need to avoid true sufferings and and to to abandon the true suffering, it has one should avoid its causes from the very beginning, so called the true origin of the suffering. So therefore, the great master Tsongkhapa has stated that without thinking or seeing the faults of cyclic existence, as the true sufferings, that one will not one won’t abandon the the root of the cyclic existence. So therefore, so one should work to attain a wish to free, a wish to abandon the the the the the true sufferings. So in order to abandon the true suffering or the root of the cyclic exist existence, you know, where one engage begins in the cyclic existence, which is so called the true origin. And so should one should abandon the true origin of the suffering and then then leave or attain nirvana And to to to to therefore, one should examine whether the true sufferings or true origin of the suffering can be abandoned or not.
And by doing so, one should be able to to see that true origin of the suffering can be abandoned. And and to see that, you know, one needs to there are many ways of approaching according to the different tenets. So here, according to the the the the the middle way consequentialist school, then one one one to abandon the true origin of the suffering, one need to see the true origin of the suffering is