Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 75-minute commentary, Geshe Pema Tsering opens with a striking instruction from Geshe Potowa: invite non-human beings to consume your body from head to toe, then rise again each moment to offer it anew, until all attachment dissolves. This body-giving practice anchors the relative bodhicitta section, which also covers locating the true enemy in self-cherishing, finding genuine benefit in those who cause harm, and Geshe Langri Tangpa’s verse on giving all victory to others and taking all defeat for oneself. The second half shifts to ultimate bodhicitta and emptiness, working through the four bodies of a Buddha before grounding the topic in everyday examples: a car that never announces “I am a car,” a child who gradually comes to believe she is Dawa. Suited to practitioners already working through a mind training text.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 20 2005 10 16 MT.mp3
UUID: a0587bd1-347e-42dc-80f4-39f0bc1d2695
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Mind Training (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2005-10-16
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 75.1 minutes
Words: ~3,593
So this mind training is a bit difficult, this bit of text. So we’re still we’re still on the on the part of the text that refers to giving away one’s body, okay, from the giving and taking, I would say, meditation. So the text goes on to refer that we should think, we should train our mind to give our bodies away and think, please do whatever you want, we say to all the beings that we offer our body, think, please do whatever you want. We should train our minds in this way. And then Geshe Potowa says that, how to say, like this, whatever non human beings, whenever they come or they come whenever they come my way, how do you say, may I tell them, that please, how do say, eat me eat me from from the top of my head to the tip of my toes.
Please eat me. Eat everything until until your stomachs are full, until you are satiated satiated. And then we should think in this way. And then in this manner, may may your harmful minds be pacified, and may and may you be endowed with a beneficial mind, with a mind that wants to bring benefit only. And in the same vein, may all your negativities be purified by by eating my body.
And then again, again, after after after having finished eating my body, when they finish, and then again, in the next moment and every moment, I will rise again and offer my body again, again and again, every single moment. And in this way, we should constantly train our minds. And so we should train our minds in this manner constantly. And then having cut one’s body in hundreds of thousands of little pieces, and then one should, how do say, throw these pieces away in offering to all to all these nonhuman beings. Yeah.
Yeah. As an offering to all these these human beings, one should think in this manner, once you train one’s mind in this manner and thinking of cutting one’s body away in so many hundreds of thousands of little pieces and then throwing it away, giving it away to all these beings in all these various places. Then and then having having done all that, and then one should one should should also think that now I have that I have given my body away. Now it’s I’ll say, I’m powerless over it, and they have all the power over my body, and then it’s up to them for them to do whatever they want. And in this way, how to say, all the virtue and all purification is attained in this manner by giving one’s body away, as Geshe-la explained, by giving one’s body away with the the intention of becoming enlightened for the sake of all sentient beings.
So in this way, all virtue and all and a lot of purification is accomplished. And finally, at the end of that, at the end of this process, having acquired all this virtue, one then dedicated to all these beings, all the virtue, okay? So then and then again, to all this in all the places where there are special refer to as special nonhuman beings, one should cast aside the mind that is concerned with one’s body and then having again cut one’s body into pieces invites them, invite all these beings to eat one’s body. And having done that, doing this, one will, how to say, give away or get rid of the mind that cherishes one’s body, of the mind that gives too much importance to one’s body. So then again, for the sake of all beings, I have given away my body for their happiness for them to do as they please, be it beating or benefiting or whatever they please.
I have finished I have completed the act of giving my body away to them. So I won’t think again of this body as my body. I won’t have any I won’t be attached to my body anymore. Yes, I won’t be attached to my body anymore. So then so then the text goes on to say that this this is the way, this is the teaching that on on how to cherish other beings.
And then in this manner, one should one has to train one’s mind in the how to say, in discriminating the enemy, which is oneself, which is the self grasping, which is a self-cherishing thought. And then and how to say, and the ones that are dear, that should be regarded as dear to oneself, which are all of the sentient beings. In this way, we should train our minds in distinguishing and discerning these two. Then Geshe Shapua says, one should look for the enemy in oneself. And again, I explains, one should look for the enemy in oneself refers to the fact that the enemy is actually self-cherishing thoughts and self grasping and so forth.
So one should look for the enemy in oneself. One should look for the gods and the demons. And then Geshe-la explains again that the demons here are ghosts, whatever beings that causes harm. So one should look for the gods, which Geshe-la also explains are those who bring us benefit. So one should look for those who bring benefit in actually those who cause us harm, because they this causing harm is actually bringing us the real benefit, you can say.
And then once you look for virtue in relation to non virtue, and Geshe-la explains that looking for virtue in non-virtue is referring to the fact that abandoning non virtue, one will accomplish virtue. And while one is accomplishing virtue, one is not practicing any non virtue. So that’s what is explained. And again, one should look for happiness, one should look at it for it in suffering. And one should, as Geshe-la explained, understand that without understanding suffering, without knowing suffering, we won’t be able to recognize real happiness or to find real happiness.
So then and then the text goes on to quote Geshe Langri Tangpa. And Geshe Langri Tangpa says, in all the profound scriptures, if one investigates carefully all the profound scriptures, all the faults are oneself, all the virtue and good there is are on what are said to be the lord sentient beings. So the fundamental point one will understand is to give to others all profit and gain and victory to take onto oneself all loss and defeat. And thinking this way, how to say it, besides besides this this way of training one’s mind, there is no other there is no other teaching to be found like this one. So and then Geshe Shapua goes on to say on top of what Geshe Langri Tangpa has said that there is no further meaning to the scriptures than that one.
There is no other meaning to be found. And in brief, from all the scriptures from all the scriptures, there is no superior meaning than that to be found. Okay? So this is the end of that part of the text, of the teaching that refers to based on relative how do you say? Based on relative bodhicitta, one takes onto the path all the difficult conditions that one finds in one’s life.
So this is the part of the text we just finished that explains how to do how to take difficult conditions onto the path based on relative bodhicitta. So then can I explain what is this, how to say, relative bodhicitta? What is this relative mind of enlightenment? Is the mind that thinks may I achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings in order to relieve them from suffering and accomplish every happiness to them. So this mind that is trained in this way, that thinks in this way is is the relative mind of bodhicitta.
And then goes further on to explain that, so how how do we accomplish this mind? This is by training ourselves in this mind, engaging mind training meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings like the ones on these teachings teach us how to put an end to the mind that cherishes oneself more than others by, how do you say, giving away one’s body and so forth, okay? So and then we get into the next part of the text that is a teaching on how to take difficult conditions into the path based on the ultimate bodhicitta or ultimate mind of enlightenment. And then so again, Geshe-la briefly explains that mind of enlightenment, the ultimate mind of enlightenment is that mind that realizes emptiness, okay? So then there are two little sentences that are I mean, four little sentences.
It goes like this. The three views and how do you say, in space are alike, and this is the supreme protection of meditation or of the yogis, it could be translated in this way. So then the three views, Gela explains that the three views refer to emptiness, great emptiness and supreme emptiness, so to say, so to speak. And then it’s just three different levels of realizing, how do say, lack of inherent existence of phenomena. And he says that and I just explained that all this all phenomena being empty in this manner, they are like space, pure space.
So then so this is the supreme, the unsurpassable protection of the yogis. So Geshe-la explains this verse is saying that the mind that realizes emptiness to that mind, to that person who has that mind, there will come no harm. So then and then the next two sentences, part of the verse, go going to say meditating that all confused appearances are the four Buddhakāyas or the four the four bodies of a Buddha. I say meditation that all confused appearances How do you say it? I’m sorry.
Meditate that all confused appearances are the four Buddhakāyas, and emptiness is the supreme protector. This So is explaining that confused appearances here refers to all phenomena that appear to us as by the force of our ignorance of phenomena’s lack of inherent existence, they appear to us to exist from their own side. So this is what’s referred to as by confused appearances. And then and the four bodies of a Buddha, which are the and so forth. They are all all this refers to the fact that they lack inherent existence that they are not they do not actually exist from their own side.
So in meditating in this way is the same as understanding that phenomena does not actually have inherent existence. So Geshe-la is explaining further on on the topic of the four bodies of a Buddha, which is a bit difficult, I must confess. So he goes to say, as all phenomena have the aspect of being born, abiding, and then disintegrating. So he says that because the Dharma body, the dharmakaya, which is the Dharmakāya is referred to as being unborn. Then the Dharmakāya is unborn.
The Nirmānakāya is referred to that refers to that aspect that does not actually abide. And the Sambogakaya is associated with that aspect of emptiness that that does not disintegrate or doesn’t cease. And and and then the the fourth body refers So and then and then the the so above the first of the fact that this the other three bodies do not have also do not have how do you say it? Do not exist from their own side. So this is all referring to to aspects of emptiness.
Are you following? It’s okay? So then and then the next line goes on to say that emptiness is the supreme protector. So if one can meditate on all phenomena as as being the four bodies, as was explained by Gela in relation to emptiness and so forth, then this meditation is the supreme one in the sense that there is none above it. There’s none none better than yes.
Yes. That’s it. Yes. The other part. So then the tax goes on to explain that in this way, one should think that all how do you say it?
Those who are harmed and those who harm and so forth, all appearances, internal or external or external or or the environment the environment and the beings and the beings only, all appearances, they are nothing but the confused appearances of one’s mind. And one should think in this way and and investigate it, how to say it, establish it firmly in one’s mind, this this thought. Okay? So then all how do you say, all the relative mistaken appearances, both those who are harmed and those who harm being relative mistaken appearances. So there is being such, there is actually no one who delivers any harm.
And relative, again, I explained briefly that relative is referring to that mind that assumes things to exist the way they appear, which is appearing to exist from their own side. Okay? So both the beings who are harmed and the beings who harmed, who have that mistaken mind, Okay. By being only the manifestations of this mistaken mind, so in fact, there is no one who delivers an actual harm. And Geshe-la explains also briefly that both those who are harmed and those who harm by being impermanent, which is they are born and they are they come out of existence at every moment.
So they do not have an actual solid substantial existence, which is another way to say that they are empty. Again, Geshe-la was explaining. So again, how to say, the disintegrating and abiding Okay. By disintegrating by actually disintegrating or coming to nonexistence every moment since, again, Geshe-la explained since every phenomena comes to existence and then comes out of existence, disintegrates every single moment.
There is no space of time in between one and the other. Then the text explains, all those even though all those relative beings who are harmed and beings who cause harm, they they have not a hint of substantial existence or or or existing from their own side. You understand everybody is following? Okay. So again, so the text has explained that those all conventional phenomena or relative phenomena that are called those who are harmed and those who harm and so forth.
Well, they do not have any inherent existence of their own. And in the same and if that is so, then as for ultimate existence, then those are fundamentally and primarily and or this is a word that could be translated even from from time immemorial, they have always been empty, not having existence, not having an existence from their own side, ultimately speaking. Geshe-la explained that all phenomena, they are they have no existence besides the one that it is imputed to them by the conceptual mind. The conceptual mind goes on to say, oh, this a clock, this is a pencil, this is a table, and this is a room and so forth. And besides this kind or level of existence, they have no absolutely no, how to say, independent existence from their own side.
So then our we, our minds, by constantly, by always imputing conventional existence to to phenomena to phenomena that are outside of ourselves, then we and not knowing that they do not have actually inherent inherent existence, we end up believing and assuming that they they they do exist, this phenomena do exist from their own side. So for example, if we we impute car to the motor vehicle, we say we call it a car. But the car itself is not does not appear, appear in fact to us as as being a car. And then Geshe-la explains it in a very particular way. He says the car doesn’t come up and say, am a car.
You know? It’s we imputed. It’s only our our our sheer conceptual input in in position. Again, again, explained that I, this I is this imputation that thinks of oneself highly, you know, like I and him. You know?
This is all they’re all imputations of the conceptual mind. And then if there wasn’t this conceptual mind, there wouldn’t be these distinctions. So every phenomenon, again, Geshe-la explains is imputed by the conceptual mind. And there is nothing like there’s nothing in us that comes and say that comes and appears as I am I or and then nothing that comes out of another person and says, I am he as imputed by he. Are you following?
It’s a bit complicated, this one. So I am I am I am he. So there’s nothing there’s nothing that is completely, absolutely good or absolutely bad from their own side. It it is all imputed imputed by by our own conceptual mind, good and bad, and I and him and so forth. Nothing like can I say there’s nothing in the other person that says that comes out and say, yes, I am good or I am bad?
So again, and then Geshe-la goes on to say that if one is to meditate carefully and investigate carefully and investigate and apply what is called the analytical meditation, okay, to engage thoroughly in analytical meditation, then one will come to the point of understanding that all these objects are imputed by mind. And once one can put aside this conceptual mind that is imputing all these objects, then the object won’t come about itself, won’t appear on its own, is yeah? So yeah. So now if you have any questions, please. Okay.
So Gela is explaining, for example, in the case of the dog, there is nothing but the convention of calling that object a dog. And besides that convention, that label, there is there is no there is no real actual dog out there. Yeah. So yeah. Explain English.
Okay? So then so then gives another example. For example, when when when a newborn child comes about, then this child doesn’t have a doesn’t have a name, then we we convene to call the child, for example, dawa. Okay. In Tibetan, dawa is a very common name.
So we convene to call this child dawa, and we call it all the time dawa dawa dawa dawa And and and then after after after some time, everybody gets used to to thinking that that that person is Dawa, and the child itself eventually will will come to believe that I am Dawa. We’ll come to this come used to believe in this way, to see herself in this way. But, Geshe-la says, it’s no more than a label there. So Geshe-la explains that the fact that the object arises out of causes and conditions is that is its emptiness, in fact, the object’s emptiness, in fact? And then, Geshe-la also says that if an object has arisen out of no causes and conditions, then it will not cease to be.
It will not come out of existence. But then because an object that arises out of causing conditions will cease to be, and that both the arising and the ceasing to be are out of causing conditions. And that is their emptiness. This is difficult to understand. This is the emptiness subject.
It’s very difficult to understand. What what what what we think they are maybe? Okay. That’s it.
That’s it. We can take the example, we label a car, car. Right? There is nothing that comes out out of the car and impresses our minds as it says like saying, I am a car. I say, this is my car.
But the car doesn’t come and says, I am your car. No. Okay? And also on top of that, Geshe-la goes further on to explain that if call, for example, a bicycle, a push bike, if you call a push bike car, a car won’t come about. That’s a pushbike.
And that is so because we will convene to call that the pushbike that a certain thing that performs a certain function, we’re we convene to call that thing that performs that particular function push bike. And our car performs a it’s a it’s a different thing that performs a different function, and we all convene to call it car. So a car goes faster and many people can drive can drive the car and so forth. And that thing that performs that those functions, upon that, we labeled car. We put the label car.
So he’s he’s saying he’s saying that he doesn’t understand clearly what your doubt is, and he’s saying to me that he doesn’t understand either. Which makes it very difficult. Yes? Yes. Yes.
Those things will not happen. So yes, it’s a one way to meditate on emptiness. And here, again, he explains that So then he says that Geshe-la briefly explains, not really established, the object phenomena not being the true establishment of phenomena is moreover, that not the true establishment of the phenomena is also does not cease to exist. And then on top of that, so there is no way that, how to say, the non true establishment of a phenomena could could could abide. And then all these three non true establishments, which are the the three form bodies of a Buddha, the Dharmakāya, the Rūpakāya, and and so on.
They all these three, they are also not truly established. And that’s the last one, the Svabhāvikakāya.