Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. When a student asks whether to kill the earwigs decimating her vegetable garden, Geshe Pema Tsering turns the question into a case study in intentionality — arguing that killing now and purifying later is worse than mentally releasing the garden and offering the vegetables to the insects. This exchange punctuates an otherwise systematic 139-minute Lamrim commentary on karma and its results. Geshe-la first maps the three results of non-virtuous actions: the fully ripening effect (lower-realm rebirth), the effect conforming with cause (residual hardships in future human lives), and the conditioning effect (degraded environments). He then covers virtuous actions and their mirror opposites, explains propelling versus completing karma across four possible combinations, and examines which karma will definitely ripen, including a nuanced discussion of dream actions. The session closes on refuge and bodhicitta at the moment of death. Suited to practitioners already following the Lamrim series.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 39 2008 11 06 BP.mp3
UUID: cf280368-8f08-48d3-a704-a160f73e2e00
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Lam Rim (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2008-11-06
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 138.6 minutes
Words: ~8,494
So Geshe-la is instructing us to give rise to a proper motivation, good motivation, and with the intention of establishing all all mother sentient beings into the state of enlightenment, then we are going to study and practice the state the teachings on Lamrim. And in this way, we we give our support and observation. Then with the with the wish that we that we obtain a good That we obtain a good house, and we have no hindrances in obtaining a good house or Buddha house, and we we start with the preliminary prayers. So we we move on to the next topic which is the indication of their effects. So then the effects of the ten non-virtuous actions that we have been studying so far.
And as for the effects we have this division, we have the fully ripening effect. We have the effect which is which conforms with the cause, concomitant with the cause, and we have the conditioning effect or also the empowering effect. Those kind governing effect. This one. As for the first one of those and the fully ripening effect, because I was going through the text, as each of the ten paths of action depends on the basis, the three poisons, and whether it is great, intermediate, or small.
The fully ripening effect is also threefold. So, again, you can have a an action of killing, which would be either great, average, or small. And then, again, the result is going to come in conformity with the intensity of that action. And, again, with the same for taking what is not given and so forth, Geshe-la says. This one.
Then again, we have a in the actual in the actual basis of the levels in this text, it says that through each of the ten, the great act of killing and so on, one is reborn as a hell being. Through each of the ten intermediate ones intermediate ones, one is reborn as a hungry ghost. And through each of the ten small ones, you one is reborn as an animal. So, again, if if, Geshe-la was gonna say, if if, for example, if you take the action of killing and if we have the whole action is complete, know, we have the the basis, the action, the conclusion, everything is complete, then, again, we have this great act of killing. And then if if one of of these three factors is missing, then we have the the middling act of killing.
And if if we have only one of those elements present, then, again, we have a small act of killing. And this way, we can have an idea. In the sūtra of the ten levels, the effects, the results of small and intermediate actions are said to be the other way around. So if before we were told here that intermediate actions lead us to be born as hungry ghosts and then small actions lead us to be born as animals, then here the other text is telling us that it is it is the other way around. So intermediate actions lead us to be born as animals, and then small actions lead us to be born as hungry ghosts.
Okay? And and the whole point being that it is possible for one to be born in either place by having performed an action, a non virtue of intermediate intensity or completeness. Again, it’s possible for one to be born as an animal or a hungry ghost. Again, by having performed a small action, it’s possible for one to be born as as an animal or as a hungry ghost. It is possible that both may occur.
It it may occur. And Geshe-la was gonna say in this, with regards to the fully ripening result, the fully ripening effect, it’s something which is very subtle to understand. There is no way to say that, again, this one single action is going to lead us to be born as in such a place in in in this or that place. It’s just for the act of killing alone. There’s no way to tell him that the act of one action of killing alone is going to make us be reborn in one place or another.
It takes many causes and many conditions to determine the the effect that is going to to come about. And, Geshe-la, now we’re going to start exploring the the result which conforms with the cause, and Geshe-la was saying. But just we understand the fully wrapping effect, then it’s telling us that in the distinction of the fully wrapping effect, we are told that, again, the fully wrapping effect is that we are going to be born in one of the three lower realms of existence. That’s the fully ripening effect. Geshe-la was going through this text, the the effect in conformity with the cause.
The effects in conformity with the cause, the conformity with the cause are that even having left the bad migration, even even when one has left the bad migrations and taken rebirth as a human being, respectively, one’s life will be short, one will be lacking in possessions and wealth and so forth. One will not keep one’s partner. There will be a lot of slander, divisive speech. One will be separated from one’s loved ones. One will hear unpleasant sounds and words, and others will not listen to to what one is saying.
And the three attachment, hatred and delusion will predominate. Okay? And Geshe-la was saying when we we we think we we look at our our situation. We we think that we do not we never get things the way we wish, or we never get what we wish, what we want. And that’s the result of having engaged in this and then we we experience all these undesirable things happening to us.
So anyway, as for the conditioning power or the governing the conditioning result or the governing result, we have then each one for each one, because I was doing the first two. So the condition and effect of killing is that in future worlds, in future lives, food and drink, medicine, harvest, and the like will have little power. They will be will have a little benefit to us. And then the conditioning result of stealing is is great droughts and rains and poor harvest etcetera. And then the next two, again, that of the condition effect of sexual misconduct is swamps, much filth, and unpleasant experiences when we’ll be born or live in such places.
That of lying is that the field of work and and work to do with boats is that correct? So well, the the the word is talking about working in the fields and the farms and so forth and working again fishing and boats. Again, this work will not succeed in in other types of work. Conditioning result of of divisive speech or slander is that the location where where one will live will be bumpy and uneven uneven, and it will it will be difficult to travel and so on. Then again, the next, harsh words.
The condition result of harsh words at the location where one one will leave will be full of logs, brambles, rocks, pebbles, thorns, potsherds. What’s that? Potsherds, etcetera. And then the result of idle talk, again, is that fruit trees will not bear fruit, will bear fruit out of season and so forth. Then again, the ripening results of the conditioning result of of covetousness is that everything excellent deteriorates year by year, month by month, and day by day, etcetera.
The conditioning results of harmful intent is that a lot of epidemics, injuries, infections, disputes, wars with enemy enemy armies, and so forth? Then as for the condition result of wrong views that in the vessel in the vessel. So, again, in the condition result of wrong views is that in the vessel world, again, again is in the place in the realm on the planet where one is born again the best resources will decline and so forth so harvest and so forth it will decline deteriorate So, again, this this then all this summing up, saying, again, all all these undesirable things come about from having performed the ten non-virtuous actions. So we have all these three different types of results that ensure from from each one of these non virtuous actions. So we have the this conditioning result or the empowering result.
We have the the effect conforms the cause. The result will confirm which is concomitant with the cause, and we have the right the fully ripening result. Then we move on to the next topic. Again, karmic positive actions and their effects. So we have the positive actions and the results of positive actions.
As for the positive actions, we have, first of all, the brief a brief indication by means of scripture. Again, they are the actions body of correctly abstaining from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct due to possessing a virtuous mind having thought about their disadvantages and of carrying this abstention to its conclusion. Similarly, this is to be applied to the four actions of speech and the three of mind. The difference being that they are called actions of speech and actions of mind. This one.
Again, this is what is stated in the actual basis of of the levels, the actual levels text is going back and saying. So, again, this is all about giving up these actions, giving up killing, giving up stealing, giving up sexual misconduct, giving up each and every one of the ten non-virtuous actions. So by abstaining, the the giving up or the abstaining from each of the non virtuous actions consists in the the in the virtuous action itself. Okay? Then as for the extensive explanation of of of the the positive actions, this should therefore be related to the basis, the attitude, the performance, and the completion as appropriate.
And then, Geshe-la, then if we apply the path of action of abandoning killing, if we apply that, then the basis is another sentient being. The the attitude is the wish to give to give up killing the other sentient being by seeing the disadvantage of killing. And the performance is to put effort into completely abstaining from killing. And the completion is the action of body of correct abstention having been completed. So, again, Geshe-la was saying, we have we have spoken of of this great average and and small lesser non-virtuous actions and and the results.
Again, the same applies here. Again, if we have all these four conditions present, so the basis, the attitude, the the conclusion. If are all present, then we have a very powerful virtuous action. We have a great virtuous action. And if we have one or two of those missing, then we have an average virtuous action.
If we have only one or two of those present, then again, we have a lesser virtuous action. Okay? So again the text is telling us at the end saying the other should also be understood in this in this manner. So, again, we have we have all the other non-virtues, and the same applies for each one of them. This is same reasoning applies for each one of them.
So in the case of stealing, taking what is not given, again, in the the basis. So we have the basis, the the intention, the performance of the action, and the conclusion. So as for the basis is is another’s object, and then the attitude is is the wish to to to possess, to take that object again, and the action is taking that object, and the conclusion is having taken that object. So, again, the same applies. And then we have the whole if all these factors are present, we have a whole action there.
So the same reasoning applies here. Mhmm. And this one. And then, Geshe-la, I was going through the the effects, again, from among the three effects of virtuous paths of action. The fully ripening effect is to be born as a human, a desire realm god, and a god of the two upper realms due to the small, and great virtuous action.
As for the effect in conformity with the cause and the condition, in fact, the opposites of the respective effects from non virtuous actions apply. So again, one is born in the in the happy migrations or higher of existence. And Geshe-la was saying of all these births and happy migrations, the birth in the two higher realms of existence and the formless realm of existence is not easy to accomplish because one needs again what was referred to as the preparation in the actual and that makes reference to calm abiding and the concentrations in respect of the preparation and the actuals. And so one needs to have attained calm abiding and to have attained also especially insight in order to be born in the form and the formless realms of existence. So Geshe-la was then explaining gonna need your help here, Geshe-la was then explaining that the reason one is one needs this cause is not to be born in the higher realms of existence because the higher realms of existence are can I say that they’re not included in the desire realm or in the desire realm, or the mind of the desire realm cannot produce the causes to be born or cannot perform the actions that that are the causes to be born in the higher realms of existence?
The higher realms of existence are the form and the formless realms of existence, which are, how can I say, beyond the desire realm? I guess Geshe-la was saying one needs to have what was it? I mean, the preparation, the actual. So, again, Geshe-la was pointing out that the mind of the desire realm cannot be born or cannot perform the actions that lead one to be born in the higher realms, in the form and formless realms. One needs and how can I say that properly?
One needs a mind that grasps oh, okay. Okay. Yes. That’s okay. So in order to be born in the form realm of existence, one needs a mind to have a mind which is free from grasping at the desire realm.
And then in order to be born in the formless realm of existence, one needs a mind which is free from grasping at the form realm. Geshe-la was saying it’s a matter of subtlety. So again these higher realms are much more subtle minds than the mind of the desire realm. So again the happiness of the desire realm is more coarse, the mind is more coarse and the happiness of the form realm is subtler than the mind of desire realm, the form is subtler. And again, and for even within the form realm itself, we have the four concentrations, which are respectively correspond to the form places, so to speak, in the in the form realm.
And each one of them is is subtler than the than the former. And, again, the same for the formless realms they’re even subtler than the form realms. And again we have four different places so to speak. And again each one of them is subtler than the former one. Okay?
One. Is that is that okay? And again, this summing up again saying again, the the ripening results of virtuous actions is that one is born in the in the happy migrations, the higher realms of existence, happy realms of existence. And again, do we have then the different intensity of those virtuous actions, the grades, the average, and the and the lesser one, and then that determines, again, the ripening results. And the same for the negative actions.
Again, the ripening results of negative actions that one is born in the lower realms of existence in the in the miserable migrations. And, again, we have, again, this this the same degree, the great, the average, and the lesser non virtuous actions. Okay? And then proceeds to the to the end of that saying, again, again the completion sorry. As for the effect in conformity with the cause and the conditioning effect, the opposites of the respective effects from non virtuous actions apply.
So again, the non virtuous actions, have the the those effects are all sorts of undesirable things happening or occurring to us. Or we are born in this all very, how can I say, harsh environment and so forth? So, again, we we get the opposite opposite of that, and we have the results of the these results from the positive actions. Okay? So then we move on to the next topic, the indication of all the classifications of actions.
So we have two parts. There’s a classification of throwing and completing ones or propelling and completing ones. And the classification of what will definitely be experienced and what will not. As for the classification of propelling or throwing and completing actions, and we have, again, the the presentation of the first classification. The third one has two points.
The first of which is a classification of throwing and completing actions or propelling and completing actions. Throwing actions for rebirth and the heavy migrations are virtuous actions, and throwing actions for rebirth and the bad migrations are non virtuous actions. And Geshe-la is gonna explain the the give me as explain the the meaning of the word pen. Pen, which is is translated here as as throwing, to throw. We can also understand it in English as propelling.
So, again, Geshe-la was giving us the illustration. So we’re saying to pen is to throw. In in colloquial Tibetan, it means to throw. To throw a stone, to throw a thing. And Geshe-la was saying when you have an inanimate object and you throw that inanimate object, that object has no power over can has no how can I say it?
There’s no free will there. The object cannot decide where it will land, where it will fall, and how and so forth. Once it is thrown, there’s nothing that the object can do. And the same analogy applies here for us. The karma is going to throw us in a place of rebirth, and we have no choice.
There’s no free will here. We have no power over here. We cannot decide. Once the karma has thrown us, we cannot decide where we’re gonna fall. Propel us.
We can use the word propelling is is a good word. Is that okay? It is very disturbing. It is. So Geshe-la says, well, there’s no no use in in worrying about it.
What we have to do is is to engage in virtuous actions. Have to create virtuous actions. Whatever chance we have, we should be practicing virtuous action, accumulating this positive energy. So, Geshe lah is saying, on the other hand, Geshe-la is saying now if if you if you’re worrying where you’re going to be born in the future and you start worrying that you might be born in the lower realms then fear will arise from that. A great fear will arise from that.
And if out of that fear, then you start thinking of ways to remedy that, to counteract that, you know, if that leads you to engage in virtuous actions, then that is a positive worrying. So, Geshe-la was saying now as for this completing completing actions, completing karma. Yes. We we are told that the completing ones are uncertain. So, Geshe-la was saying the completion is completing karma.
Geshe-la was saying. It’s having having already been born in a place, having already experienced the ripening results, is then that one is born either in the bad migration or the happy migration depending on the karma that is that is ripening. And once one is born in a place let’s say one is born as a human then whatever happens in that lifetime whatever is happening in that in that lifetime that is the completing karma. So Geshe-la is taking us as as an illustration of that. So, again, we we have already been thrown into this human life and it is human birth.
So we have been propelled or thrown by a positive karma, by virtuous karma, into this human life. And now whatever is that is happening in this life, during this life, from beginning to end of this life, whatever good things and bad things that we are experiencing here, all things, they make up for this completion karma, which is then the completion of our karma, of our experience here in this life. Okay? And Geshe-la was going for the text, the completing ones are uncertain. However, even in the happy migrations, again, in in the the happy realms of existence, incomplete limbs, minor body parts or sense powers, hideous looks, a short lifespan, many illnesses, poverty and so forth are caused by non-virtuous actions.
So, again, we have been propelled into a human rebirth by by this virtuous karma. We have been thrown. So this throwing actions, right, that have been propelled by virtuous karma into a human rebirth. And now all whatever suffering we experience here is is the completion of non virtuous actions that we have performed in the past. Okay?
This one. Is that making sense? And again, in whatever so whatever in in human life, whatever undesirable or bad things happen, they are the they are the the result of of non virtuous actions. And whatever pleasant or happy things we experience, again, the events we experience, they are the result of virtuous actions. Okay?
So, again, as for as for animals and hungry ghosts, perfect prosperity, for example, is caused by virtue. So again, to be born as an animal, one one has has been propelled by non virtuous actions. So the propelling action has been no virtuous actions that cause one to be born in an animal realm. And then we have animals. We know of animals who experience a lot of comfort.
They eat well and so forth. So, again, all these these good things that are coming about come in the way of this of this animals. They are the completing actions or virtuous actions. Okay. This one.
And then we move on to the next topic again which is the four possible combinations of virtues and non virtues throwing and completing actions. Thus, we told that there are four alternatives. So one, we have projected by virtuous throwing action and also completed by virtuous completing action. Second, Second, projected by virtuous throwing action and completed by non virtuous completing action. And we have third, projected by non virtuous throwing action and completed by non virtuous completing action.
And fourthly, lastly, projected by non virtuous throwing action completed by virtuous completing action. Okay? So for example, I I think also for example so, Geshe-la, that’s going on again the the the classification of what will definitely be experienced and what will not. And we have, again, with respect to what will definitely be experienced and what will not. What will definitely be experienced is what has been done intentionally and accumulated.
So Geshe-la was then saying, so one has developed the intention, and one has accumulated again. One has to perform the action and completed the action. So Geshe-la was asking for an illustration, an example. Geshe-la was then saying, take the act of killing, for example, one has then intended to kill, and then one has performed the act of killing, has killed. And then so that that is both having intended and having accumulated the action.
And then if one has intended to kill and perform the action but has not killed, for example, then one has not accumulated the action, for example. But one has still intended the action. Okay? Ask ask ask as a question. So in Geshe-la.
What will not definitely be experienced is what has not been done intentionally. And, but done intentionally and and and has not been accumulated and has not accumulated. Then and Geshe-la went on to to explain because was this confusion between this intention or done intention and accumulated and the classification of what has been done and what has been accumulated is the next section here. The difference between what has been done and what has been accumulated is as follows. What has been done is what has been intended or what has manifested through the body or speech after having been intended.
What has been accumulated are actions apart from the ten exceptions, such as those done in a dream. This one. What has not been accumulated are ten types such as those done in a dream. So, Geshe lah, so briefly speaking, so what what what has been done intentionally and has been accumulated, and that is karma which is certain to be experienced. And what has either been done intentionally but not accumulated or accumulated but not done intentionally is karma which is not certain to be experienced according to Geshe-la.
Okay? Is that is that okay? You want to So so the text says, again, the text says, what has what will not definitely be experiences, what has this Why did they put So in the in the Tibetan, okay, if we have the number three here, it says what will not definitely be experienced is what has The guy the translator put in in parentheses not been done intentionally. It has not been accumulated. But Tibetan, there is not doesn’t exist.
So what has been done intentionally well, one has developed the intention. One has the intention to kill, but one has not accumulated. One has not performed the action. One has not killed. So Geshe-la was saying, so that will not be definitely experienced.
Experienced. Definitely not be experienced or or will not be definitely experienced. And also, on on the other hand, if one kills accidentally kills, so one accumulates, but one has not intended. One has no no intention or motivation to kill. So one, you know, steps in a insect or something like that.
So again, that to Geshe-la says is something that will not definitely be experienced. In order to clarify this, I’m going to point out to the text again in the next section here, the number four. What has been done the difference between and accumulated. So what has been done is what has been intended or what has manifested through the body or speech after having been intended. And Geshe-la is also going on saying what has been accumulated are actions apart from the ten exceptions such as those done in a dream.
So in a dream, for example, one can perform any of the ten non virtuous actions, but they are not the actual non virtuous action. One so one has the intention, one has the motivation, but not the actual action itself. Is that okay? So, again, we’re just reading through the last sentence. What has not been accumulated are the ten types, such as those done in a dream.
And then I I just point you out to the footnote, which talks about the ten exceptions. And, Geshe-la was just pointing out, again, what has not been accumulated. Again, in the case of a dream, if one steals or robs something in a dream, so one has the intention, one has the motivation. But, again, one does not actually perform the action because it’s just a dream. So one has not accumulated then.
Okay? What? What what do you want to So it’s performed. So it’s performed, but but it’s not accumulated. Yeah.
Is that okay? Is that making sense? So in the dream, you have intention and even though you perform the action it’s not accumulated because it was all a dream in the first place. So you didn’t obtain anything, you didn’t actually steal anything. Okay?
This one. This one. This one. One. Oh, yeah.
So and then and it’s just no. I’m just asking to clarify. So in a dream, in the case of a dream, of the four elements that that make up for a complete action. So the the basis, the intention, the the performance, and the completion, the conclusion of the action. We have gone through all that.
So in in the dream, for example, we do not have the basis. We have the intention, the motivation, and all the subdivisions there. We have the performance, and that’s a point here. Will have the performance of the action, but it’s the performance of a dream action or the dream performance of a dream action so to speak. Is that it?
Is that how can I say that? The dream performance of a dream action. And then the conclusion, we do not have the conclusion. So we have the we have the the intention and the performance, the dream performance, but not the basis nor conclusion of the action. So, Geshe-la was just pointing out that the harm that is accrue accrued in in by doing some such a thing, a negative thing in a dream is is lesser than doing the real thing.
This one. Is that okay? Is that making sense? So what we have again, we’ve we’ve been through this. So, again, we have in the dream, like I was just saying here, we have the intention, and we have the performance of the non virtuous action.
So in the in the case of a non virtuous action. So, yes, you’re gonna have to experience some result out of that. So, Geshe-la was saying, you know, it might either you’re not going to be the ripen the ripening result of of of such a negative action. If we were to take in isolation, okay, scientifically speaking, we take all the other factors, cause, and conditions. If we’re taking that action in isolation and then, you know, hypothetically speaking, if you have performed that action, the ripening result will not be the the gravest or greatest bad result that you could get because you have not performed the complete action with all the four elements present.
So you will not be born in the in the hell realms by performing such a dream action, but you you would have to experience such suffering as, for example, being born in the hungry ghost realm or in the animal realm. So Geshe-la was explaining as for dreams. Geshe-la was saying they come they come they arise out of the power of of habitual imprints. They arise out of habitual imprints. So, again, Geshe-la was just giving an illustration.
If, for example, if if during the day you have been playing a lot, then you’re gonna dream of playing. If during the day you have been performing a lot of virtue, creating a lot of virtue, then you’re gonna dream of performing virtues. And, you know, again, if during the day you have been performing a lot of non virtues, then, again, you’re gonna dream of performing non virtues. And, also, I was asking on top of that, do do dreams also plant imprints? Do do they also make more imprints?
On top of having having arisen from imprints, do they do they also plant imprints? Geshe-la says yes. They also plan imprints. Geshe-la was giving us an illustration, an example, pointing us out to the time when we used to go to school and when we were studying, and we were studying hard, and eventually at night we would dream of whatever it is that we were studying or partying or whatever it is that we were doing during the day. So Geshe-la was saying, you know, this is things happen to us.
We have experience with that. So this is, again, the result of of of these imprints. These dreams arise out of these habitual imprints by the force of these habitual imprints. Oh. Okay?
The reason why Do you want to ask a question? Should you should you therefore each morning, you know, even if you can’t remember your dream, should you, in the morning, do, like, like, a meditation? Or Even if you So Geshe-la was saying at first, Geshe-la was saying, look, if you don’t remember, there’s nothing really to confess. But the whole point, actually, Geshe-la was speaking, look, you shouldn’t pointing out to the fact that there’s no point in confessing the negativities that you have performed during your your dream time at in the night that you don’t remember. The whole point is to to confess, for example, in the act of killing.
We think we think, oh, I have not killed anybody, anyone, but we do not know that we have killed in previous lifetimes. And even though we do not remember, we we still confess all the negativities that we have performed since beginningless time all the way until last night. So all that we have to confess and purify. All the way until the last night that I dreamed that even even if the dreams I haven’t remembered. Okay?
This one. You want to ask a question? All this this this subject of actions, karma is not easy. Geshe-la was saying, look, there’s no such thing as each of the four opponent powers, each one of them harming one different result from a negative action. He says that all of them, they harm all the results.
They avert all the results from the negative actions. The ripening, the governing, the the one that’s concomitant with the the cause and so forth. There is a there is a causal relationship between the four opponent powers that one needs to have all of them present in order to be able to avert the results of the negative actions, of the negatives that one has performed. So, again, one needs to have the It’s the first one of them, in dependence upon which one builds the genuine genuine and healthy regret. And having developed that regret, then, again, one develops a determination not to perform those actions again, and then finally, one performs a virtuous action on top of that.
And one needs all these four elements, all these four powers present in order to to skillfully avert the the results of the negativity one has performed. Okay? So again, is inquiring what you just said. So, again, Geshe-la was Geshe-la was asking about, you know, each one of the opponent powers. Does it, you know a different type of of results.
The negativities, Geshe-la. He’s saying, look. He hasn’t seen something like that in any text. It says one can one can certainly posit that, and then different people will will posit different things, and there’s no nothing wrong in positing that. One can certainly posit that.
You can certainly find that. But the whole point being that still you need to have the four opponent powers complete in order to get the best results, in order to completely purify one’s actions, one’s negativities. Okay? So, again, if if the four opponent powers are not complete, if one does not have them complete, then, again, we will not be able to fully avert the the ripening results of those negative actions. I’m not sure if I if I understand your your question.
Until you want to take another action. This. A a throwing action is either a virtuous action or a non virtuous action. And that is going to throw you either respectively into the happy migration, a happy realm of existence, human as a human or god, or in a miserable realm of existence as a hell being, hungry ghost, or animal. So if you were born as a human being, that means that the action that propels you or threw you into the human realm was a virtuous action.
So it’s like this. And then with regards to those combinations, so again, you know, you were born as a human being and that having been born as a human being indicates that the propelling karma, the throwing karma, the throwing action was a virtuous action. The cause of human rebirth is virtue. Now having been born as a human being, you you have to experience the completing karma. And the completing karma, as you know, the results that you experience in your life are both suffering and happiness.
So the completing karma, the completing actions are both virtuous and non virtuous. So you have already two of those combinations here. And in the example of the animal, of the dog, for example, or whatever pet you may have, again, the the propelling action, the throwing action has been a non virtuous action that threw that being into that realm of existence, animal realm of existence, which are is a lower migration. But those happy and unhappy experiences that the animal experiences are the completing actions of both virtuous and non virtuous actions. Is that clear?
So again, Geshe is pointing out again the fact that we were born as human beings, so the propelling action has been a virtuous action. And whatever happiness or pleasant experience we have is the completing action of a virtuous action, complete karma of a virtuous action, and whatever undesirable experiences we have, unpleasant experiences we have, they are the completing karma of of non virtuous actions we have performed. And in the case of the animal, again, the same applies. Again, the propelling action has been the non virtuous action. Whatever pleasant experience it has is the completing actions completing karma of virtuous actions.
And whatever unpleasant experiences that being has is the completing karma of non virtuous actions. With Mhmm. Earwigs. And they’re just completely decimating, killing everything in my veggie garden. And I’ve tried all different ways I can to stop them can by?
Do you kill them with regret, or do you abandon the garden? It’s not a trivial question, by the way. So what Geshe-la is saying is that first, what Geshe-la said is, like, what? If if whatever vegetables are being infested, then you should, you know, take those vegetables and put them aside and let the the the insects eat those vegetables. Now it is not right.
So in the case, again, I don’t know how big your garden is. Impossible because they are taking all the whole lot then it is not right to to kill and say I’m going to confess it later because it is it’s actually quite a big negativity, mental negativity knowing that it is a negativity and then it’s still performing the action, and we have a clear understanding that it is a negative action and performing the action. That’s what Geshe is saying. Okay? And so what what what is ideal?
The ideal thing to do, Geshe-la was saying, is to that you prevent the insects from coming about in the first place. Now it is a dilemma still. You know? I have a a dear friend of mine. She has a rat infestation in her house in the hills.
And it’s horrible. They are everywhere, and there’s no choice. They they move out of their house. And so I wasn’t saying, look. Give up the garden.
In your mind, give it up. Abandon it. But it’s still a dilemma. You’re gonna have to decide for yourself. I chose to kill the aphids in my rose.
Spread them out. Geshe-la was pointing out to the fact that it is a great negativity. Knowing it is a negativity to kill, you still you kill so many insects, have already killed many insects, again, there’s still there’s there’s a great negativity. And doing the the confession and so forth sounds a bit hypocritical. Geshe-la was pointing out that, you know, that that how can I say that?
When when the the insects take over your your your veggies, And you are thinking, wow. All that veggies are going to waste. And the the the mind that makes you think that is an afflictive emotion. This is is miserliness. It’s something like miserliness.
It makes you think like that. Oh, all this all this is going to war to waste. So, Geshe-la was saying, ideally, you should you should not place too much importance to it. You should give that up in your mind. I mean, it’s not worth any stress after all.
You can buy you can buy better quality vegetables in the markets. What then what then does a market grower do who is trying to make a living? And and even, like I said to John, what happens in a country like India where you have a locust plague? Are you talking about thousands of people starving because I mean, is it do you then weigh it up differently because there’s more to lose? What what what so what do you do what by something what do you do about the unit?
I know. I’m just wondering, like, for me, like, last year, I just abandoned the whole garden. Like, guess, last just bought food. But what happens to a family maybe who can’t afford to buy food? This is hypothetically.
I can. But, know, where do you draw that line then where where if you aren’t able to grow your own food? Well, if you don’t if you do not have another alternative, then then then, of course, you have to kill the animals to grow your own food. You don’t have to the Yes. But it’s not your case.
Right? If you have an alternative, then you have a better choice to make here. If you do not have an alternative, then it’s alright to kill the insects. So in in his sense, so still, if if if you kill the insects, you’re gonna accumulate negativity. Yes.
You accumulate negativity, but you don’t die. It’s a fine line. Look into your heart. So Geshe-la was saying, many people think that, okay, it’s alright to cure and then purify. So I’m gonna kill this insect.
I’m gonna practice purification. I’m gonna regret and all that. And that doesn’t work. That’s actually quite bad. And Geshe-la was pointing out giving us an analogy.
So between breaking the leg and then having it healed, repaired, and not breaking the leg, it’s better not to break the leg in the first place. So, again, it’s better not to perform the negativity in the first place. Okay? Yes. No.
So then, you know, with your mind, give up. Instead of killing the insects, you know, decide not to kill the insects, give up in importance to the veggie garden and then offer that those veggies for the well-being of those insects. And then if if on top of that, you are able to offer those values to those insights with the intention of benefiting and accomplishing enlightenment of all sentient beings, then you have a performance of perfected generosity in this way accumulated the cause of enlightenment itself. And by by acting in this way, by offering it in this way, no no no matter how many veggies you have all over the world how many veggies you can get the profit that you get from offering to sentient beings and all the Buddhas in this way far surpasses that it will only profit you will not lose anything by offering it in this way. You have accomplished a great accumulation.
Great accumulation of merit. By offering just a little bit of veggies, you have accumulated a great amount of merit by offering in this way. Oh, That’s how you have to think. Oh. How where would you stand if you were to put a chicken in the garden to have the chicken?
Eat the earwigs. Because that’s even worse. Wouldn’t that be even Woah. Woah. A severe kind of by by putting a chicken in there?
If your intention is to Maybe if you offer insects to the to the chicken. Geshe-la was joking. I was joking. I read that one of the prayers you can say for the dead, So, Geshe-la was saying he should think that it will be beneficial for some people who have the imprints or inclinations and so forth. But, you know, for people like us, we are people who are usually we are propelled by, you know, afflicted actions and and and emotions contaminated actions afflictive emotion, conceptions.
So, Geshe-la was saying pointing out to himself, says, for somebody like me, I don’t think it would work. Those prayers wouldn’t work. Wouldn’t be of any benefit. Telling us, again, if we have a good mind of refuge, a strong mind of refuge, and of bodhicitta, then the doors, the lower migrations, the lower out of existence are closed. So we don’t have to fear at the moment of death.
Yeah. And this is something that we are able This is something that we we know is easy for us to do. We we can know we are all able to do when we are we are dying. We when we are aware that we are dying, we can easily develop the mind of refuge, give rise to the mind of refuge. I go for refuge.
I’m going to die, you know, you know, I go for refuge in the Three Jewels. We can all do that. There’s nothing mysterious or esoteric about it. Okay? Those those prayers that you were referring to, something like the, the the Tibetan book of the dead and so forth, you know, certainly, there are people who can benefit from that.
But, Geshe-la wasn’t saying some everybody, everyone benefits from from, you know, going for refuge at the time of death. Okay? For someone who is dead, there’s no prayers that you can say that? Like he said, so so there are might there might be some people, but for somebody like himself, he said he thinks it wouldn’t work. So, look, like Geshe-la was saying, some people will benefit from that.
Some people might not benefit from that. It depends on the person’s inclination. On top of that, Geshe-la Geshe was asking, again, if somebody’s in the state and you make prayers and so forth, and Geshe-la was saying, look. If your mama if your mother dies and you go and you make offerings, practice generosity, make prayers, and make dedications on behalf of your mother, then, yes, she will benefit. But she will benefit a little.
You are the one who’s going to benefit the most. Does does that answer your question? And Geshe-la is giving an analogy of how it works more or less. It’s like getting some tsampa, some barley flour, and throwing and only a little bit will land on the floor, on the ground. Most of it will be blown away by the wind.
And that’s how that’s the analogy that is given. And still, when my mom died, I went to study Tibetan for two years, and I went through hell in Tibet in in Dharamsala. Don’t stop for yourself from doing virtuous. Is it the same for the same for prayers for people who are alive? So if I would if if my son was Okay.
So is is in he’s inquiring how is it that the person is going to benefit from from from me performing actions on on that person’s behalf? How is it that the person benefits? And Geshe-la said, look. Yeah. He does the person does benefit.
You are benefiting you are performing those virtuous actions because of the person, on the behalf of the person, because of the person. The person is is a cause that’s leading you, is making you perform those virtuous actions. So there is a relationship there. I am performing these light offerings because my mom died for her sake and I’m offering the merit to my mom. Relationship there so yes she benefits if it didn’t benefit then we wouldn’t do it okay you want to you wanted to ask a question before yeah Is that good?
Does that help you? I just wonder how they benefit if they don’t how did they, you know, if they’re I mean, why do we have all those names of people on there if it doesn’t do them any good? It does do good. We just said it does do. Didn’t we just said that?
No. He didn’t say that he didn’t. He said that those texts and those prayers certainly work well for some people who have the propensity and so forth. He said for somebody like him or for most of us, at least, they wouldn’t be of much use. Now what would work and what is easy to implement at the time of death is going for refuge, which is generating bodhicitta that would benefit of us, and every one of us can do that.
Just going back to the analogy of throwing an inanimate object. An inanimate object. Yes. I think that’s what Yes. What she’s Maybe you can help me with this.
Geshe-la was saying was talking about the twelve links of dependent origination, dependent arising. Pointing out that we have, again, we have the the propelling karma, and we We have a formative karma, formative actions. Formative actions has three it, which is the three links of craving. We have craving, grasping, and becoming? Becoming?
Becoming. So so grasping, clinging. Craving, grasping, and becoming? Existence. Existence, becoming.
And then so Geshe-la says, so we have the karma, which is like a seed. And we have this tree which are like the water, the sun, and the nutrients that So it’s just like, again, we have the action, the karma which is like the seed, then we have the craving and clinging which are like the the becoming which is like the result of fruit which is the rebirth that one takes. And then if we give rise at the time of death to the mind of refuge and bodhicitta, which is a great virtue, then again we nurture and water it with those two elements, then again, the the the fruit that will come from that is, you know, the the fruit of virtue. Is that okay? Does that help?
Yeah? This also. This also. Oh, yeah. That is the one.
Is that okay? I wonder if we should remind people next week is the last. Last week is the is the last week before Geshe leaves to India? After next Thursday There’s still classes. They still have classes.