Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 106-minute Lamrim session, Geshe Pema Tsering anchors the teaching in the blind-turtle analogy — a turtle surfacing once every hundred years, its neck threading a golden yoke adrift at sea — as a measure of how rare a fully opportune human rebirth is. He works through why the necessary causes (pure morality across preparation, main practice, and dedication; the six perfections; stainless aspirational prayers) are nearly impossible to complete without pride contaminating them, and why lower-realm beings so vastly outnumber those born with full human opportunity. Geshe then surveys the three-scope Lamrim framework, clarifying what lesser, middling, and greater beings actually practice. A Q&A closes with a pointed distinction: practitioners seeking happiness in this life alone are not small-scope students — Geshe calls them traders.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 22 2008 07 03 BP.mp3
UUID: bb3ba900-e9b0-4206-aef7-7a8fd6799e05
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Lam Rim (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2008-07-03
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 105.6 minutes
Words: ~7,914
So Geshe is is then giving us instructions to give rise to good motivation. And so then giving rise to the mind of enlightenment. And then with that intention in mind, we we listen to the teachings on on the on the stages of the path of enlightenment. Then we contemplate those teachings, and we meditate on those teachings. And in this way, we aim at accomplishing our our our enlightenment, the enlightenment of all those.
And then we start with the next topic? Differentiated, sustained mode of practice. Again, if we have two parts. To contemplate? How to contemplate from various points of view and how to contemplate in particular.
And as for how to contemplate from various points of view, again, how to contemplate the that this this topic from various points of view. If I was going for the text, as the mind is more significantly subdued, if you contemplate from various points of view, you should contemplate as explained above. So contemplate the precious human rebirth and how to take the essence of it as we have been explained above. If you cannot do that much, you should subsume your contemplation, your practice entry. First, what the entity of the leisures and endowments is, so each one of the leisures and endowments what they are.
Two, the manner in which they are greatly meaningful for a temporary ultimate point of view for for temporary and ultimate goals. And three, how difficult they are to find from the point of view of cause and from the point of view of effect. You should take up each of the points explained above that suits you and then meditate on them. And then we start with the so then how to contemplate in particular, which is the second half. So the difficulty of finding the leisures and endowments from the point of view of their cause.
There’s two points how to contemplate in particular from the point of view of the cause and from the point of view of the effects. So first, how to contemplate the difficulty of finding the legend and endowments from the point of view of their their cause. And Geshe-la was going in through that that the whole text. Again, we can we can read together. Generally speaking, even for the attainment of a mere happy migration, it is necessary to perform one of the pure virtues such as discipline, ethical discipline.
In particular, and then especially for the attainment of the complete leisures and endowments of a precious human rebirth having did a lot of roots of virtue, such as getting hold of abase through pure ethical conduct. Then you have to reinforce that with such practices giving and the like, and connections, to make aspirational prayers by means of step by making connections by means of pure stainless aspirational prayers. Then in that case, it becomes apparent that those who accomplish such causes are very few, which is why one should think that proportionately, the result generating specific base of the happy realms is is so difficult to find. Yes, I was explaining I guess I was going back to the beginning of this. So in order to obtain a happy rebirth, we need to practice pure morality, something like pure morality.
So so, Geshe-la was gonna say, first of all, making reference to the word, which is pure or stainless also. Geshe-la was explaining. So generally speaking, we need to have this pure virtue, this stainless virtue, perfect virtue in order to attain a precious a happy happy rebirth. Geshe-la wasn’t saying. That means to practice any virtue, you know, morality, patience, meditation and so forth.
But we practice them appropriately with all the preparations, the preliminary practices, then the main practice and the proper dedication. Then we have the three, how do you say, the preparations, the main, and and the concluding practice. So with the a good intention in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, Geshe-la was in the sense. And then, again, when we’re we’re talking here of pure morality, again, the same applies in the case of pure ethical conduct. Again, with with the preliminary with the proper preparations and the the proper actual practice and proper concluding practices, proper dedications with a good intention throughout.
Case of ethical conduct, if in the preliminary in the beginning, again, before we engage the practice, we develop the motivation. Again, I’m going to practice. I’m going to engage in this ethical discipline so that I can attain a proper base of a happy rebirth. And then with this motivation, one starts to practice. And then the actual practice, whilst whilst one is actually training in ethical discipline, again, one does not allow one’s mind and one’s motivations to be mixed with afflictive emotions and conceptions.
And in this way, maintains and keeps one’s ethical training, one’s moral conduct. And again, at the conclusion, at the end of the practice, again, one makes the proper motivations with the proper aspirational prayers. Again, that it is virtue, this practice that I have performed, may the merits of this practice become the cause of the attainment of a happy rebirth, a precious human rebirth. And and then, again, by practicing this way, no matter what you are, you know, human or god, again, you you have accomplished the causes, the proper causes of a a happy migration, a happy migration. And, again, the text is pointing out the the saying is, again, we have practice pure morality so that we attain this proper base.
But not only that, that that that alone does not suffice. Again, the text also tells us that we need to practice the other six perfections, generosity, and so forth. And, again, practicing the same way that we have practiced our morality with with the three practice in the beginning, the middle, and the and the conclusion. And lastly, again, need to make stainless pure aspirational prayers to make connections also. And then again, Geshe-la goes back to those three.
Again, I would say creating this proper base by the practice of pure ethical conduct. Again, we have Milarepa has explained already what is how to engage in the in the moral discipline, the ethical conduct. And and generally speaking, I guess I was gonna say when we’re talking about moral discipline, ethical conduct, we’re talking about the avoidance or the practice of avoiding the ten non-virtues. And I guess I was gonna say, at the very least, this is a very minimum of training on ethical conduct. At the very least, one should do that.
And then last later we have later we have the next sentence, the next clause, which is talking about in Tibetan, it starts with and then it’s which is generosity, etcetera. And Geshe-la was saying again, it’s it’s not only generosity, it’s generosity, patience, and all the six perfection. One needs to practice all the six perfections again. And lastly, finally, again, the the one needs to make at the end of the the pure aspirational prayers. And then, again, Geshe-la goes back explaining this this stainless stainless stains, so called stains or contaminations that there are different ways to explain it.
Are various ways to explain it. So again there is when one is make inspirational prayers motivated by the attainment accomplishment of one’s own benefit, one’s own welfare. Again, there’s this motivation of accomplishing happiness for oneself alone. This is one sort of one way of explaining. Then again, when one is motivated by attaining how to say for the sake of attaining benefit of profit in this life alone, again, this is another type of thing.
Again, when one is motivated by attaining happiness for oneself, when when and finally, when one is one’s motivations are I guess I would say more obviously, when one’s motivations are mixed with any afflictive emotion or conception. So then generally speaking, again, if one one when one makes this aspirational prayers, one has to make sure that they are not mixed with any motivation to attain solely one’s own happiness, one’s own welfare, or benefit for this life alone. And then again, for the for the end for the end of that part of the text. In that case, it becomes apparent that those who accomplish such causes are very few, which is why one should think that proportionately, the result, which is a general and a specific base of a happy realm of existence, is difficult to find. So the general base is is just a mere human rebirth.
And then the specific, the special, also translated as special, the word, is the human the precious human rebirth with all the leisures and the endowments and all the leisures and opportunities. And, again, making reference to the end of of that which say how how difficult it is then to there are very few people who accomplish those causes. And how difficult it is to accomplish those causes, and Geshe-la was saying we might we might think to ourselves as, okay, we all practice virtues. We all engage in virtue like this. We we accomplish virtues this, and we accumulate merit.
And we might think that we are doing alright, that we are doing enough, but Geshe-la was saying that that sort of of thinking is it’s already a a stain. It’s already something it’s it’s already something which is wrong. Geshe-la use the word for stains as opposed to stainless. So I guess I was gonna say because that sort of thinking easily gives rise to pride within us, and then our motivations become completely confused, and our practice our main practice becomes confused, and everything else turns out confused. And Geshe-la was saying, so, again, we have to realize we have to have by having giving ourselves an honest look to our practice and to our minds, we have to we have to see how how even at the those three stages of practice, the beginning, the main practice at the conclusion, again, we have to have an honest look and see how already is it is very difficult to give rise to the right motivation, the pure motivation.
And then and then just just. And then even even if we are able to give rise to the right motivation, again, there is doubt. We have to one has to look serious at the time of the main practice, you know, be it patience, morality, meditation, whatever it may be. Again, there is doubt that one will be able to maintain that one’s practice pure and appropriately. And even if one is able to do that, both the motivation and the main practice, again, there is still the danger in the end that one’s aspirational prayers, one’s dedication and aspirational prayers will not be pure, will not be stainless.
So one has to have Geshe-la was then calling our attention and and saying one has to have to give a very honest look, a good look at one’s practice and one’s mind. And one will see for for oneself just how difficult it is. Is telling us the story that this it was this lama in Tibet a long time ago who was, again, teaching about the difficulty of finding a precious human rebirth and human rebirth and giving all of these reasons. And then there was a how can I how can I what’s the word for that? A trade.
Is there a specific word? A trader who no. A guy who went traveling around selling trading stuff. So then this this trader was talked back to this lama and talking about this lama and saying this lama obviously has never been to China or India. I guess that was the thing because because there are so many people in China and India.
The and this lama certainly hasn’t seen all these people. And again points out that this this this guy, this trader, even though he has said that, he it shows that he clearly has not understood what the lama was teaching because of all those all those people, they they do not have a precious human rebirth with all the the the leisures and and opportunities. So he hasn’t understood that point of the teachings. And again, so this this trader, he did not when he was listening to these teachings on on the rarity of attaining a human body, a human rebirth, again, he did not properly understood the teachings on that will be that that were given to him. He because he did not reflect or study enough, again, he did not gain an understanding on on how accomplishing the the cause of a a human rebirth.
They’re so difficult to accomplish it. He does not understand that relationship. And that is because, because he didn’t study enough, because he he he wasn’t paying enough attention. And then again, we’ll move on to the next topic, the difficulty of finding the leisures and endowments from the point of view of the result. Again, the difficulty of finding the leisures and endowments from the point of view of the result meditates on the fact that from the point of view of the beings in the bad migrations, again, different in migrations, again, different in in rank from us, even the mere happy realms seem hard to attain.
In terms of bad migration, have many different realms of existence. Again, we have different hell realms and hungry ghosts and animals and even unfortunate human circumstances. And Geshe-la was saying again, there are many more beings born in these lower realms of existence than in human realms. Again, we can see that. And again, and even and even from the point of view of beings of happy migrations for of of the same rank to even human beings, again, those of this the distinguished leisure and the opportunities and so forth, they’re extremely rare.
I guess I was pointing out to the fact that even even amongst human beings, those who actually have all the the leisures and endowments and who actually study dutifully study and practice the Dharma, they have they’re very, very few. And then I guess I’ll conclude that Geshe Potowa was going to say he laid great emphasis on this. He said that all other teachings come about brought on by this one. As it is like this, you should strive accordingly.
And Geshe-la again was he has already emphasized that. And again, he says just pointing out Geshe Potowa was pointing out to the fact that it’s extremely important to continually contemplate this teaching on the precious human rebirth because it is on the basis of having realized the preciousness of this human rebirth the rarity and and the deep meaning of this precious human rebirth that that one will be able to accomplish all the other teachings. So having accomplished this this teaching, having accomplished having this having deeply understood this teaching on the precious human rebirth again, all the other realizations of renunciation, bodhicitta, and and the realization of emptiness, they come they will come about without a proper realization, proper understanding of of the preciousness and the rarity of human rebirth, again, all the other realizations will not follow properly in those And so then, again, in this text, in the the middling, there is one way of explaining the difficulty of finding the precious human rebirth, which is not present. Is present in other texts such as the Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path. So here we have from the point of view of the cause and the point of view of the result.
There’s another way of explaining it by means of an illustration as an example an analogy sorry yes an analogy and the analogy is a classic analogy which goes there is this golden yoke, which is adrift in a vast sea and is being thrown about by the waves of the sea. So it’s randomly going about the sea. And there is this one blind turtle that lives at the bottom of the sea and only rises to the surface once every hundred years. And the likelihood of this turtle rising with its, how to say, head through this through this yoke is the same as as one finding a precious human rebirth. That’s right.
And again, we move on to the next topic, how to take the essence of the precious human rebirth. Again, the three beings mode of applying the path. English language. So we have seen the former topics, topics, which is how how how difficult it is to find the precious human rebirth, how deeply meaningful it is to have to have found the precious human rebirth. And then now having having found this this precious human rebirth, so so difficult and meaningful, again, we should not let go to this opportunity go to waste.
One should one should take the essence of this precious human rebirth and practice. So then again So then again with regards to this topic, how to take the essence, there is two two parts. We’re generating certainty with regard to the general presentation of the path, and secondly, the actual way of taking its essence. So the second one has two points, again, generating certainty and the actual way of taking its essence. And this first one topic generating certainty with regards to the path has two parts to it.
And these two topics are as as follows. As I was reading through again how all the Buddha’s teachings are contained in the paths of the three types of beings. And, again, it’s not to say that all, literally, all the Buddha’s teachings are are are that. It’s just that the Lamrim contain the meaning of all the Buddha’s teachings. In in the teachings in the Lamrim text, you have the meaning of all the Buddha’s teachings contained in the in the in the stages of the path for the three types of beings.
And then secondly, giving reasons for gradual guidance for the gradual guidance from the point of view of the three types of of beings. And then again how all the Buddha’s teachings are contained in the path of the three types of beings. This topic has three parts. The first one saying how the meaning of all the excellent teachings of the Buddha is subsumed under the accomplishment of the two objectives, again, which is the welfare of both oneself and the welfare of others. And, Geshe-la, I was going through the text.
Says everything the Buddha said the Buddha did in the beginning with the generation of the mind of enlightenment, bodhicitta, again, in in in the middle with accumulation of collections and at the end manifest complete buddhahood. Was done for the welfare of of sentient beings alone. So again, all the hard work that the buddha has done was done for the welfare of sentient beings alone. All this, all his Dharma teachings also only accomplish the welfare of sentient beings, likewise. So, again, all all of the Buddha’s teachings, all of the Dharma teachings, they were proclaimed.
They were revealed for the sake of of the benefit of beings, for the welfare of beings. And, again, that being so the goal to be accomplished the welfare of sentient beings is twofold, which is temporary high status, higher rebirth, and then the ultimate certain goodness. And as for the the temporary goals, which is a higher status, I guess I wasn’t saying that this is a high rebirth as a as a human being or as a god. And then the ultimate goal, the ultimate benefit is certain goodness as with either freedom or the state of omniscient Buddhahood. So then the Dharma teachings were revealed for the sake of accomplishing these two goals.
And Geshe-la is then pointing out that even those teachings, even this temporary goal of a high rebirth or even the certain goodness, the certain happiness of liberation. And all those teachings related to that, again, ultimately speaking, and the real ultimate here is that all of them are in intent all those teachings are intent on leading beings ultimately to full to the full enlightenment of a Buddha, to the full state of omniscience. So this is the real ultimate goal of all. And then, again, as I was moving on to the next topic, how lesser beings attain higher status. And I I’ll stop there again with the three types of beings.
The beings of lesser scope, of middling scope, and of greater scope. Again, this differentiation is given by means with regards to the goals that they are aiming at. So some people aim at lesser goals and middle goals and greater goals. Then they practice in order to attain those goals and that those paths of practice are then given with regards to the three beings in this way. Again with the beings of lesser scope, again they aim at attain their goal is the attainment of a higher status as a higher rebirth as either a human as either a human or a god.
And then again, with regards to this topic, how lesser beings attain high status. Again, as as for the undertaking to attain the former, but attain a higher birth, everything that has been set forth is included in the actual cycle of teachings for lesser beings or in the cycle of teachings common to lesser beings, which is common also lesser beings. And then is playing the difference between, again, the actual cycle of of of teachings of of beings of lesser scope and and, again, that which is common to lesser beings. And I guess I was just so then those beings of lesser scope, this actual cycle of teachings or the actual practice is is when when they are not motivated without being motivated to attain liberation and enlightenment and being only motivated to attain a high rebirth as the human or god. Again, they engage in in the teachings.
Again, when motivation is goes nowhere above the intention of attaining a high rebirth again this is the the actual teaching or practice of being of small, of a lesser scope. And then when one is one’s motivation is is that, okay. I must attain a high rebirth, but attaining a high rebirth alone is not is not enough. I must also attain liberation. I must attain a definite certain happiness.
And one when one is motivated in this way, then again, have the practice, that that attitude, which is which is common to both the lesser and the and the middling scope, the beings of lesser and middling scope. And again, when on top of that, again, when one sees that there is still a state of being which is better than mere liberation, again, a state of being which is free of every single fault and endowed with every every single good quality, every single happiness, again, which is the state state of omniscient Buddhahood or omniscient enlightenment. Again, when one is motivated by all that, one has this higher motivation. And, again, once one this practice of this path becomes common then to all the three types of beings is then common to all the three types of beings is to the lesser, middle, and greatest scope being. And then as for the actual actual cycle of teachings or the actual path of the beings of lesser scope.
Again, not without being motivated to attaining certain goodness of liberation of of an enlightenment, but being merely motivated at attaining a higher reverses in the human god, then the main practice that that being engages in is the practice of pure morality mainly, how do say, the abandonment of the ten non virtues. And then on top of that, also, one engages in the in the six perfections, the six paramita, the giving and so forth. And lastly, one makes also pure aspirational prayers in to in order to accomplish that one may accomplish that. One may attain a high rebirth, such as a human or a god. And and then again, when when we’re talking about that the cycle of teachings which is common to beings to the beings of lesser scope.
Again, Geshe-la was saying when one is a being who is intent on attaining liberation, again, he or she on top of engaging on the paths, on the practices of of beings of lesser scope. And, he or she will also meditate on top of that. We’ll also meditate on on realization of emptiness. We’ll cultivate an understanding of realization of emptiness. So then, again, because that’s what is necessary in liberation.
So on top of not not only that, one will also practice all, you know, the moral conduct of abandoning the ten non-virtues and so forth. And on top of that, one a realization of emptiness. And then again, so this is how this is practice or the path of teachings which are common to both the beings of small scope and the beings of medium scope. This is how they practice. And then there’s still being greater scope, which is then is not satisfied with attaining a mere high rebirth or liberation alone.
So we see that that is not enough. There is still a state higher and better than that, which is the state of perfect enlightenment. And again, that being on top of all those practices of the beings of small, lesser, and medium scope, that being will then need, in order to attain Buddhahood, needs to cultivate bodhicitta. And then in this way, that the path of that being then has has the common is common has common aspects with both the the path of the beings of lesser scope and the path of beings of greater scope. Okay?
And then I was going for the text. Again, special lesser beings do not mostly act for the sake of this life, pursuing instead the excellence of high status in future lives and engaging in achieving the causes for that. And then the English law was explaining that this is special lesser beings. Beings of lesser scope which are special in that they are not like us, like ourselves, which I was pointing out, they are not striving for the sake of attaining benefit for this life alone. These special beings of lesser scope, they are only striving to attain the cause of a high rebirth in the future.
Is it the human or god? So Geshe-la was saying that this here, this pointing out to to a distinction that is made of of those beings of lesser scope, which are not special and those which are special. So then those who are not special are striving solely for the benefit of this life alone. And, again, pointing out to the beings such as ourselves. And then and then those who are special, which are striving solely for the to to to accomplish the causes of a high rebirth.
In English, I was going through that verse on from the lamp illuminating the path of enlightenment from Lama Atisha, which says, whoever pursues by any means the happiness of saṃsāra only just for his own benefit should be known as the least of beings. And then, again, Geshe-la explains it in in gives us a take on on this verse again. So whoever, as I was explaining some of the words, whoever, any any anyone who pursues by any means of of, again, the the moral conduct of abandonment of the ten non-virtues and so forth. Again, such being motivated by the attainment of the happiness of saṃsāra alone for oneself alone. Again, this such a being should be known as a being of lesser scope, of a small scope.
And then that being which is aspiring only at attaining samsaric happiness, the happiness of saṃsāra, the happiness of cyclic existence and that being is to be known as the least of beings. And then Geshe-la was asking, as for samsaric happiness or the happiness of cyclic existence, is the happiness of gods and the happiness of humans and all those things, all this wealth of things and material possessions and so forth that we regard as as happiness. All everything all of these things which arise by force of contaminated actions and afflictive emotion conceptions, they are known as samsaric happiness, the happiness of cyclic existence. And again, so if one then keeps one’s moral conduct, the the moral practice of abandoning the ten non-virtues and practices the perfections and so forth. And again, if one engages in such practices, again, one will attain samsaric happiness, the happiness of cyclic existence.
And then, again, even even this higher status, this higher rebirth, such a reverse such reverse as gods and so forth, again, they are not easy to attain. In order to attain a higher rebirth as a god, so forth, one needs to also on top of morality and so forth. One has to accomplish calm abiding. One has to accomplish special insight, I would say, special insight and so forth. Without that, one cannot attain those those higher rebirths as gods.
The English now moves on to the next topic, which is which is then how intermediate beings achieve the certain goodness of liberation so that the beings of middling scope. And guess that was reading the first sentence. Again, as for the as for certain goodness, there are two types of certain goodness. One is the liberation, which is merely the release from cyclic existence. And then secondly, is omniscience.
And Geshe-la went on for the text. Again, in this regard, everything that has been set forth beginning from the vehicles of hearers and solitary realizers is included included in the actual cycle of teachings for intermediate beings, or in the cycle of teachings which is common also to intermediate beings. Intermediate beings or beings of middle in scope and develops disenchantment with cyclic existence as a whole. And having made the liberation that is released from existence for their own welfare, the object of attainment of their attainment, they engage engage in the methods for that which are the three trainings. And then again so then again, Geshe-la was explaining in liberation is this merely a a a freedom from cyclic existence.
And as for the vehicles that lead to freedom from cyclic existence, there is the vehicle of the so called the hearer being and then the solitary realizer being. Then Geshe-la was saying again, as for the path or the teachings and the practice, again there is that which is the actual path or a cycle of teachings that pertains to the beings of middling scope. And then there is that path and teachings which is common to beings of middling scope. That being, it is common with the beings of Medium Scope and a greater scope, both those beings practice a common set of practices. And then again, so then there is the path which is the which is the actual teachings of beings of of middling scope, which is again for a being which is solely motivated at attaining liberation and not anything higher than that.
Oh. And then there is the the path of being which is common to beings of of middling scope, which is then those beings who do not see liberation alone as as enough, that one then aspires at attaining something higher than liberation, attaining Buddhahood. And again, that beings engages on trainings, on studies, the teachings and trainings which are common to the beings of middling scope and only that not only, for example, the the the teachings of pertaining the the practices pertaining to beings of small scope, on top of that, the practices that pertain to beings of middling scope, meditation on emptiness, and so forth. And on top of that, the beings that are special the practices special exclusive to to their own path of greater scope, bodhicitta. And then Geshe-la was explaining, so then a being of middling scope, it has it gives rise to this disenchantment disenchantment with the whole of cyclic existence.
And Geshe-la was then saying, so then in in cyclic existence, there is this great this very great happiness of of of gods. The the happiness is very great indeed, but still that happiness is is not reliable, lasting, or stable happiness. As soon as that happiness ends or the cause of those happiness ends, then most beings who were enjoying those those states of being they end up being born in the suffering realms of migration and mainly in hell realms and so forth. So again, such a being of middling scope realizing that that happiness is is contaminated, is not enough, is not lasting, is not reliable, then develops an aspiration which disenchanted with that with that and develops an aspiration to be free from it, from this type of from this so called samsaric happiness. Also, that being then is a being of a being of middling scope And then so then Geshe-la was gonna say, and then the the means, the methods for attaining liberation again are are the the three trainings.
Then the beings practice the three trainings which is the training on morality, the training on concentration, and the training on wisdom. Again the training of morality encompasses that training which was also common to the beings of small scope. That’s the main practice of the beings of small scope in order to attain a high rebirth. So that is included in in the training of morality. And on top of that, a being of middling scope aspiring for liberation needs to also practice concentration and training in concentration and in wisdom.
And then Geshe is going through that that quote, again, the from the Lamp Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment. Again, indifferent to to the the pleasures of existence, one desists from evil deeds. Whoever pursues only personal peace is called an intermediate being or a being of middling scope. Oh, yeah. And the goes back to the beginning of that verse.
Indifference. And then and I think maybe in the in the notes, the footnote should be something here. So then one one turns turns ones back at the happiness of cyclic existence. Those who turn who then turns ones back to the happiness of cyclic existence, who are indifferent to it, who who who want to abandon all all the happiness of cyclic existence. And Geshe-la was then saying to that, that already is extremely difficult to accomplish, to give up all the pleasures and happiness of cyclic existence.
That is extremely difficult. That’s a huge task. And then on top that, and then Geshe-la went on to the to the to the following lines of the verse. One has then to give up all the negativities, negative actions, so forth. It has to oppose all negative actions.
And then those beings then who in this way aspire to attain happiness for themselves, to attain peace for themselves alone. Again, those such beings are are to be known as beings of Geshe-la was saying, as for turning our backs to the happiness of cyclic existence, saying we have to stop seeing good things to it, and then it starts cultivating an understanding of the faults and the shortcomings of those so called happinesses of cyclic existence. If we cultivate then we will be able to understand that, and we’ll be able then to develop this disenchantment and turn our backs to it. But we ourselves, as we are right now, as it is right now, we actually only see qualities to those so called happinesses of cyclic existence. We fail to perceive, to understand the shortcomings and the faults of those so called happinesses of cyclic existence.
But if we were to cultivate an understanding of those faults and shortcomings, Geshe-la reiterates, again, we will be able to then turn our backs to it, give it up. So it’s twenty minutes to nine. Then we were asked to to stop a bit earlier so we could have time for questions and answers, and then you would it wouldn’t be too late for you afterwards. So shall we stop now and then we can ask questions? Then after if I was asking if you are going to discuss afterwards.
So I think that so now we have a little bit of time. You can ask some questions about it. And then after you have enough time to to catch up. Is it so am I right in sort of summarizing that all so, like, you know, the whole being too hard on the path at all, they still come into the small scope category, and then it’s the the the people who are only striving for a higher rebirth and not liberation. That is a special small scope thing.
That makes sense? Could you just repeat that again, please? The same thing. You’re just saying the same thing here. So am I right in concluding that all beings, you know, those who don’t practice the Dharma at all They are small scope.
Still small scope, and then the special The special ones. Is looking for. So, yeah, those beings who have turned their backs to this life, have turned away to this life and then strive solely for the the sake of attaining the happiness of future lives, those beings are the beings of small scope, the special ones, the special beings of small scope. As for those beings who who are just ordinary beings of small scope, to speak, Geshe-la was saying, they are those who strive solely for the sake of this life. That would be everyone else.
That’s there is one way of explaining it. Yeah. I thought we were not even small scope beings. Like I said, there’s just one way of explaining it. So again, so I was saying, irrespective of what some teachers might say or some people might say with regards to that, the fact remains that you can explain it in this way.
There are those beings of small scope which are so called special, and that they strive solely for attaining a high rebirth. And there are those beings of small scope which strive solely for the sake of attaining benefit of this life, concerning this life alone. I was explaining because probably from the same you’re coming from the same place where I’m coming from. There there we have we have read somewhere that the if you are a spiritual practitioner, then, again, you you read a small scope, greater scope. And then in order to be such, you have to be aiming at future lives and completely ignoring a present life.
And so I guess I was trying to explain that, but wasn’t successful at conveying that. Geshe-la was then trying to contest my bad explanation saying again, so how would you call those beings that practice motivated solely for the happiness of this life? How would you call them? What what are they called? And so is that what I’m saying?
Bringing on the point that they must be called something, and then they’re called beings of small scope. Those who are special, amongst those who are special are those who are striving for future lives alone and have turned their backs to this life. Do you understand what I’m saying? So my bad. It doesn’t mean that we all strive for happiness of this life.
It’s just that we use wrong techniques or unskillful means, but we are I think every moment, we’re striving for the happiness of this life. We all want to be happy. Yes. Yeah. So we all strive for that.
And we might not use the right methods to to achieve that, but we are all striving In this life for this life. That’s that’s that’s there’s there’s a there’s a difference. We we want to attain happiness. We’re striving to attain happiness in this life. Yes.
Because that’s the time to start to attain it or we’re trying to attain happiness for this life and that means after we for this this the time frame of this life that’s what it means and and after you die, that that is all gone. Yeah. Do do you want to elaborate? How can I explain that? I’m not thinking very clearly today.
How can I explain that to the Geshe? The happiness that you’re striving for, you want to experience in Yes. How can I convert that? So then, yes, I wasn’t saying so that those those beings, those people who are who engage in in Dharma practice for the sake of this life alone, they they are not real spiritual practitioners. They are they are what is referred to as ordinary beings or or worldly beings.
And and that is not and then again, Geshe-la says again, that’s that is not even a being of small scope. So then guess I was asking yourself, you yourself, if if you practice Dharma for the sake of experiencing happiness, for the sake of obtaining happiness in this life. Do you do that? So then again, that makes a lot of sense. So then that is if you do if you do it in this way, like you like you were if if if you that’s the meaning behind your work.
Someone is saying that that’s not Dharma practice. That is not spiritual practice. Geshe-la said you are just a trader. A trader. And that’s you a trader is also they they engage in their business only to obtain profit for in this life.
And that’s then your your actions amount to that. That’s what I’m saying. So, again, Geshe-la was saying, again, one has that if one is practicing Dharma for the sake of attaining happiness in this life alone, and, again, one does not get real Dharma practice, one does not get authentic Dharma practice. In order to be authentic Dharma practice, real Dharma practice, one has to have given up any hope of happiness or attaining happiness for this life, has to have completely given up any interest pertaining to this life and then practice for the sake of future lives and onwards. So then what kind of spiritual practitioners of small scope can strive for the happiness of this life?
That’s understand. Exactly. That’s what was my point. This is what I was trying to convey, and I wasn’t successful at explaining. It’s funny because he he answered the question already, and I I just cannot seem to be able to point it out to him.
He made a distinction that there are Yes. I I know what the point he’s trying to make. I I feel like we’re this is my input. I feel like we’re struggling over words, but Geshe-la wasn’t saying so who who amongst the the I I asked who amongst the beings of small scope then practices Dharma for the sake of happiness in this life? Geshe-la was saying, you do.
And I was saying and I was trying to point out that Geshe-la has mentioned before there are there are the so called worldly beings or or ordinary beings. And pointing out that there are people who made this distinction, but he didn’t I I I wasn’t able to convey that. And Geshe-la wasn’t saying, look. Amongst beings of small scope, there are those who are beings of small scope who are worldly, who are ordinary, who are not special, and there are those who are special or who are extraordinary. And then the and it’s just a way to make a distinction by by means of words.
Do you do you know where I’m coming from? Do you know what I’m saying? But I I don’t I I it’s like we go in circles. We because we’re struggling over over over words. That’s that’s my meaning.
And I and I am I’m being unsuccessful at pointing out to the Geshe that there are that there are teachers who make this distinction. They say if you are a Dharma practitioner, you have given up this life, and then you have small scope, middling scope, or greater scope. If you are if you are not if you have not given up your this life and you’re serving for this life, you’re not called a dharma practitioner. You are not called small, middling, or greater scope. You are called ordinary or worldly.
I have seen that, but I’m unable to convey this information. And it’s just words. It’s just really it’s just words. The meaning of what’s being said, Geshe-la is saying it’s alright. It’s all the same thing.
Can you can you help me maybe to convey that the I’m I’m nothing familiar with it. Okay. He’s saying that you are a trader. Not a traitor, a trader. So I think Geshe-la was gonna say, and then we we ought to we have to give up an interest for this life.
Again, we should instead aim at future lives, happiness, liberation, and enlightenment, and then by practicing again, you know, morality and so forth, we should we should give up this life. But sometimes I I also find it hard not to be happy when I get a permanent resident visa or something like that. Practicing Dharma for the sake of this life alone, when engaging Dharma practice, spiritual practice for the sake of obtaining happiness for just life alone, again, is not real Dharma practice. That is not real spiritual practice. And you can ask any real teacher around, and they will tell that.
So again, I was saying, and then there are there are those people who would then engage in spiritual practice for both the sake of this life and the sake of future lives. And then because of that part of their aspiration, which is for the sake of future lives, then again, their their spiritual practice, but the force of that by the force of that aspiration then becomes real spiritual practice, actual spiritual practice. Okay. That’s allowed. So then and this is and this is maybe a deficiency of of my my translations because the the word is So Geshe-la was saying again, what what it means is, again, one again, one gives up attachment for the the things of this life.
One has this indifference to those things. If if it comes my way, that’s okay. If it doesn’t come my way, that’s okay. If I lose it, that’s okay too. And then one strives instead, one is motivated instead at accomplishing the causes of higher rebirth of liberation and enlightenment.
Anyone engages in one’s actions and activities was motivated by that. And then I bring I brought forth to the Geshe. It means give up. When talking give up, when I say give up, we’re talking about a mental, which is something which is done with your mind.
It’s translated as merely as give up in English, but it’s mentally to give up, to abandon. This one? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.