Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. A prayer of radical surrender — “If it is better for me to be ill, I pray for illness; if better to die, I pray for death” — anchors the closing section of this 68-minute session. Geshe Pema Tsering continues his Seven-Point Mind Training commentary, guiding listeners through a sequence of meditations on reframing harm: beings who hurt us show great kindness by establishing us in bodhicitta practice; disease burns away accumulated karma; and the text’s striking leprosy example illustrates how illness can arrest pointless worldly activity and open the door to Dharma. He defines renunciation, explains how suffering clears pride and generates compassion, then introduces the Four Applications, beginning with the accumulation of merit through offerings, mandala practice, and petitionary prayer to the lama. A brief Q&A reassures students that the text does not prohibit medicine — only asks practitioners to transform unavoidable suffering into meaningful practice rather than self-pity.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 22 2005 10 30 MT.mp3
UUID: 7acbf625-da88-4487-827f-264dd935e25b
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Mind Training (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2005-10-30
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 67.6 minutes
Words: ~3,464
So now we should give rise to proper good motivation. And thinking for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, we are going to engage in the study of mind training texts and train our minds in this way in thinking in order to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. We are going now to study the Seven-Point text. So then we went already for the part of the text that deals with training a relative bodhicitta and ultimate bodhicitta. And then so the text just announces the end of this topic, of the specific topics of relative and ultimate bodhicitta, and it’s getting now into, how to say, what we should how we should train our minds in order to eliminate all fear and, how to say, to eliminate all doubts and hopes after having practiced the training the relative and ultimate bodhicitta.
So the test goes on to say that, well, then, how should we train our minds to eliminate all this fear and doubt, or whatever doubts come our way? So, this is we should think that it is indeed a great, great kindness of those all those things and beings that cause us harm. And you can explain this, be them the elements spirits or other people who cause us harm, it is a great kindness of those beings because they established us in the training of bodhicitta, how do say? Yes. Well, let’s say again, because they do, in fact, establish us in the training of the two bodhicittas.
So those terms, of course, are sound. Yes, the two bodhicittas, again, briefly explains. It’s the aspirational bodhicitta and the practical bodhicitta. So then, again, in the text goes to mention another way to think of to eliminate doubts is to think so we have experienced we have accumulated the causes of suffering, which are negativities, accumulation of negativities. And from non virtuous karma, we are experiencing the results the suffering result.
So this is what we are experiencing now. But then, those suffering results that we do not have any wish to experience, then they make us want to abandon, how to say, the future causes of suffering, which are abandoning future negativities. So then, from this moment on, one starts to, how do say, avoid any future to abandon any future negativities. And this is due to this suffering that we’re experiencing now, due to this harm that we’re experiencing now. And that is indeed again, that is indeed a great kindness, we should think.
And then following that, still in that previous meditation. So if that is so, and all those harms, all those, how to say, beings or things that cause us harm to which we do not have any antidotes. And then afflicted thoughts and emotions will arise. And then, how do you say? And then, we’ll become actually, we’ll become aware of those afflictive thoughts and emotions that might arise when we meet with those harmers to which we do not have any antidotes.
So and this how do you say, this affliction is being brought to light, being brought to our attention is, again, is the kindness of is due to the kindness of our lamas, who and then here, should say, we should think that all those harmers that bring these faults, these afflictions to our attention, they are actually emanations of our kind root lama. They are working for our own benefit. And then and wholeheartedly, we should develop this joy and this liking for these beings or things that cause us harm, these situations and so So then again, another meditation, okay, another way to think of to eliminate doubts in relation to the practice. So, it’s that all these beings or things that cause us harm, diseases or spirits or people or whoever. I mean, So, by the oneself having accumulated, how do say, negative karma in previous rebirth, one will certainly have to experience these negativities in the future.
But by the force of this suffering that we are experiencing now in this life due to those beings who cause us harm, then we won’t we will be spared of having to experience these negative results in future future lives. And that is, again, a great kindness, we should think. Okay? So then if that is so, things, the things who cause me harm, they are actually only accomplishing benefits to me, to oneself. And this is the enlightened activity of the Lama and of the Three Jewels.
I mean, this is certainly only the enlightened activity of the Lama and the Three Jewels. And then, we should think how to say, with great affection and how would I say this? With great affection, we should see situation, all these things, all these beings. We should see them with we should actually wish for them. We should want them.
And we should look at them with great affection and like be pleased pleased the depth of our heart. Okay? And then again, the text goes on to say, those diseases, the suffering of diseases have only have qualities to it, and we should see it this way, and we should think in this way. And again, I briefly explained that these qualities are they will spare us from future suffering. They will burn away our negative karma accumulated in past lives that will spare us from future sufferings, they will make it possible for us to accomplish the training, the two bodhicittas, which will make us possible to accomplish enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.
So, we should create a liking for this disease, the suffering of disease and so forth. Okay. So then so then so then like this, the text says like this. And then the text mentions one disease, which is leprosy, okay? So, the text is, for example, if leprosy arises, comes about in our lives, then I’d say, the suffering of future lives will be destroyed.
And then if you think about it, this life the suffering of this life is going to be just a little bit. It’s just a short time compared to our future lives. Then if leprosy and other diseases were not were to not arise in this life, then we would be getting involved with mundane affairs and troubling ourselves with worldly matters. And in this way, we would accumulate a lot of negativities. And but because we experience the suffering of these diseases, then all this we are how to say, all these senseless activities, this accumulation of negativities is, how to say, is arrested, is stopped, okay?
And how do you say? And then we have a chance we get a chance to meet the We actually do meet the dharma. And then the how do you say? And then like this, we take we are able to take the essence of this body of ours, it is said. And so, we should think this way, all right?
Again, we should think this way. And so, that being so, all this leprosy and diseases, so we should develop this uncontrived liking for leprosy Then another way to think, okay, in order to eliminate the doubts in relation to the difficulties and hardships we meet during the practice, then another way to think is that these diseases the suffering of these diseases, how to say, give rise to renunciation in one’s mind, right? So, if there is no suffering, then there won’t be renunciation won’t come about, okay? And then, Geshe-la briefly explains, what is renunciation? Renunciation is the mind that does not wish to experience any suffering, the suffering of lower realms and the suffering of suffering, suffering of change or pervasive suffering.
The mind that knows about these sufferings and then does not wish to experience the sufferings and wish to experience only future happiness in the future, the happiness of liberation or the happiness of high rebirth or the happiness of enlightenment. So this mind is the mind of renunciation, Geshe-la explains, okay? So then, again, how do you say? Because it’s Because it clears away, it eliminates completely eliminates all the afflictions, afflictive conceptions and emotions of one’s mind stream. So, and to say, and accomplishes and helps us accomplish the dharma, then again, this is a great kindness.
And then, Geshe-la is briefly explaining what when we say it says in the text, what are we referring to? We’re referring again that suffering because it helps us develop the mind renunciation mind, which is a mind that is, how to say, intent on liberation, for example, then in order to achieve liberation, you have to clear a way to eliminate every, how to say, afflictive emotion of perception. And so then, again, that suffering is the cause is cause of the elimination of those afflictions. So, yes. So, again, it is a great kindness of those these suffering suffering experiences are indeed a great kindness itself, loss.
Then again, diseases, by making us weary, bringing us to, I would say, making us disheartened. And they clear away all our self conceit, all our pride. All right? So, yes. And then or again, we can think in terms of this the sufferings brought forth by diseases, we can think that they induce us to the development of compassion, which is the root of the Mahāyāna vehicle or the great vehicle, right?
And then Geshe-la explains, so how does that come about? If we experience suffering ourselves from diseases, and then we do not wish the suffering, we wish to accomplish we wish to have happiness and be, how to say, dissociated from suffering. So in the same way, all of the sentient beings want to be free from suffering and want to have happiness. And then in this way, we are able to develop compassion, which is the root of the Mahāyāna vehicle. And then again so then we can develop compassion for all beings, all sentient beings inside samsaric existence.
Then so if this well, if this suffering, how do say, clears away all of one’s suffering, and then it accomplishes all of one’s happiness, then if that is so, then this suffering is only bringing benefit to me, and we should think this way, okay? Yes. So then again, like this, I mean, just like the lamas and preceptors or the scholars who give us vows and teach us the Dharma. And just like they’re doing this is great kindness. And in the same manner, all those beings and all these elements, all those things who cause us harm, they also because they help us in establishing ourselves, they help us to establish ourselves in the path to enlightenment.
So they are also, all of them, just like a virtuous friend, we should think. So then we should think meditate on the great kindness of beings, and we should train our minds in this way. And then if we can accomplish this mind training, right, as was explained in all these ways, if we can accomplish that, then all the activities of our body, speech and mind and whatever objects our sense powers may meet with, okay, then everything will turn into this how do you say? So then everything that we do will turn into this will become the will turn into the two collections, which are the collections of merit and the collection of wisdom. And we’ll turn not only in how do say?
We’ll turn into this what is the word for that? Inaccessible, imperishable imperishable to collections. The word is something that doesn’t waste. How would you say? Invaluable, yes.
It doesn’t go to waste. Doesn’t decay. It just improves. It just gets more and more. It gets better and better.
And these two collections, which are the cause of enlightenment. So is it not? So because everything will turn into that, into these two collections, this inexhaustible and imperishable two collections, then it is which are the cause of enlightenment, this is very important practice, can I say? So then it is said that for all the Buddhas of all the three times have practiced in this way, through this way, okay? So then we the text goes on to say that this was the teaching on training the mind in the two bodhicittas, the special as a special teaching on training the mind to the bodhicittas.
So, is the end of the special teaching. And then we start with, how to say, the special applications, what I call the special applications or special activities, which are the how do you say, which by accomplishing the two collections I mean, no, no, no, by persevering in the collection of accumulating merit and purifying negativities, again, how to say, takes adverse conditions onto the path to enlightenment, okay, by these applications, which try to accomplish accumulation of merit and purification of negativities, okay? So it’s another part of the text. So then the text goes on to say, I think this is the root text, okay? It says, the four applications are the best are the supreme method, are the best method.
Okay? If anybody has this text or the commentary, we’ll have something similar to this as a root line, okay? So, it is said in the root text, okay? The forward applications are the best method. So, it says, if suffering arises, then the mind that has a wish for happiness as an object of observation, as its object, will disappear.
If that comes about, then that we will induce as So then that mind will disappear, that mind that has a wish for happiness. No, I’m mistaken. Okay. So, suffering arises, that mind which has a wish for happiness will come about, okay? And then we will think.
So, then because of that, if I don’t want any more suffering, then I have to accumulate the happiness, I’d say the causes of happiness. Okay? I have to accumulate the conditions of happiness only by them. So then the first of these applications, which is, how do you say, gathering the collections, which is referring to collections of merit and wisdom. So he says, so if one thinks, so all this if I want the happiness which is free from suffering, and if I want to accomplish all this happiness, which is free from suffering and get all these causes, then I must pray and devote myself to the Lama and the Three Jewels, then in order to and I should think we should think, make requests in order to accumulate these collections to them.
So yes, so if one wants to accomplish the causes of all the causes of happiness, which are free from suffering, then one has when one thinks oneself, right, one has to accumulate these collections, One has to accumulate these collections, So then in order to do this, to accomplish these collections, then one makes offerings to the Three Jewels. One pays respect to the Sangha. One, how do you say, makes charity sorry, one makes, gives a torma to spirits. If that makes sense, torma? Yes.
Torma, one gives, makes offerings, food offerings to spirits. One, how to say, makes charity towards other beings. And how to say, and make a how would you say that? Would make a listen, how do you say that? A makes requests, make petitions.
When there’s all these things and makes petitions, let’s say, not to have any doubts. Yes, makes petitions not to have any doubts or fears to do these things in order to be able to do these things. So then one offers mandalas to the Lamas and the Three Jewels, and one makes other offerings. And one cultivates in one’s mind faith and respect for the Three Jewels. One goes for refuge.
One trains one’s mind in the bodhicitta. And then one’s make requests in the following manner. So then one should make the request to the lamas in this way. So I, out of ignorance, So then once you have to make requests to the lamas, praying like how would I say this? Tell the lama, I don’t have any knowledge.
I don’t know what to do. So please help me to understand what to do, what I should do. And then in this manner, one makes this request and tries to develop this liking for the Lama, one motivates this faith in the Lama in the teacher. So remember what I have seen. It’s a beautiful prayer.
Okay? So one is saying, one doesn’t know what to do. So please ask the lama to give or to do to oneself whatever the lama thinks is appropriate, right? So then the so we should think in this way, right? The text says.
And then it goes on to keep on with the prayer. So, the first part of the prayer is like, you please, Lama, I’m ignorant. I don’t know what to do. So, you please do to me, give to me whatever it is that I need. And then it says, if it is beautiful, and it’s a beautiful prayer, if it is better for me to be ill, then I pray for the blessings of illness.
If it is better for me, So then if it is better for me to recover, then I pray for the blessings of recovering from the illness, right? If it is, how do you say, better for me to die, then I pray for the blessings of death. If it is better for me to have a long life, then I pray for the blessings of a long life. If it is better for for me to have a short life, then I pray for the blessings of a short life. Then whatever is so whatever whatever it is that that comes about, achievement of enlightenment.
Okay? Yeah. One should one should pray in this way. Yes. Was just checking the time now.
It’s so we have this four applications. Applications. So this is the end of the first application, right? And then we stop here today. And the next Sunday, we start with the we go to the second, third and the fourth applications and so on, okay?
Good question. Yes. No, I understand the question. So then can I say that, well, nobody wants to experience suffering? Everybody is happy when suffering does not come about.
It’s just natural. The guy is saying that the point is that we are inevitably going to experience suffering at one point or another, because we have accumulated negativities in previous lives. So, we are bound to experience some suffering in this life. And whatever suffering there is, when it comes about, the best thing to do, I mean, is not to when you’re suffering, when sick, it’s not to get depressed and think, oh, poor me, I’m suffering, and this and that. No.
The best thing to do is to think according to the teachings of the text or teachings of mind training that, okay, this suffering is due to negativities that I have accumulated in the past. They are being how do say, they’re being burned. And in the future, I won’t have to experience any more sufferings because I’m experiencing them now. So then you develop you turn this opportunity, this suffering experience into an opportunity into a meaningful thing. That’s what Geshe-la is saying.
You just don’t waste this time with self pity or depression or whatever, you know. You turn it into a meaningful thing, into Dharma practice, you know. You turn it to train your mind. That’s the point. Yeah.
That’s it. That’s the spirit. What is the name of that? Depends on the book you have. I mean, I have I have on this book.
It’s Yeah. It’s the great path of awakening. It’s a commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul the Great. No. He didn’t write it.
Somebody else wrote. Maybe there’s something in the notes. We can have a look after. Any other questions? What you mean to say is the teaching is not telling us not to take Panadol.
This is our attitude, right? Okay. He says, yes, the text is not saying that we shouldn’t take medicine, and we should the text is also not saying that we should get sick or ill. It’s just saying that we should train our minds and turn this into a mind training that will help us achieve enlightenment. That’s all that’s all the same.
Any more questions? Okay. Should we finish? Yeah? What’s what’s the page of?
Twenty six. Twenty six of the morning prayer, is it? Yeah. Morning prayer. Okay.