Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Rejecting self-cherishing as the root of all suffering anchors this 76-minute session in which Geshe Pema Tsering works through all five of the “five forces” — the Seven Point Mind Training’s distillation of all the Buddha’s teachings. He opens with resolution: committing to the two minds of enlightenment (bodhicitta and understanding of emptiness) moment by moment, year by year. Familiarity follows — sustaining that meditation through every activity, with special emphasis on holding it at death. The force of the white seed explains the ten Dharma activities performed between sessions and why motivation alone determines whether they become real Dharma. Rejection is the most vivid section: a car-purchase example shows concretely how mutual self-cherishing makes harmony impossible. The session closes with the force of aspirational prayer, wishing both minds to persist across all future lives. A short Q&A then grounds the teaching with a practical exchange about compassion, generosity, and — Geshe Pema Tsering’s blunt advice — when to simply call the police.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 24 2005 11 13 MT.mp3
UUID: 3100d96d-a0d0-44c8-a2c7-19e103ebd542
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Mind Training (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2005-11-13
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 76.1 minutes
Words: ~3,824
Good motivation and then thinking that for the sake of all sentient beings, I must achieve one must achieve enlightenment. And then in order to accomplish this one, we will study this engage in the study of this Lojong mind training text. And thinking in this way, one gives rise to to this proper motivation. Then we got into another main division of the text of the Seven Point Mind Training text, okay? And this topic is called integrating the practice in one’s whole life, okay?
And the text says, so in brief, the essence of the instructions is to apply the five, what is called the five forces. And then Geshe-la briefly explained that what is referred to here as instructions are all the teachings of the Buddha. So the essence of all the teachings of the Buddha is this teaching on the five forces. Okay. Then so then the text says, so all all yogis should practice this brief instructions on the five forces.
And then, again, I explained briefly that yogis here is referring to everybody, everyone who is practicing Dharma. So all Dharma practitioners should apply these brief instructions on the five forces. And then if they manage to accomplish the this practice, practice, then the practice of Dharma will become more easy and more and more stable. So then the first of these five forces is called the force of resolution. And then the text is saying, so from now, I attain enlightenment, I will not be separated from the two minds.
And then and I will never give up the training. So then, Geshe-la briefly explained that what is referred to here again as the minds of enlightenment is the relative mind of enlightenment and the ultimate mind of enlightenment? And the relative mind of enlightenment is the one that is that mind that is thinks only in order to benefit all sentient beings and to achieve enlightenment, that’s the relative mind of enlightenment. And the ultimate mind of enlightenment is the mind that is understands the emptiness of inherent existence of all phenomena.
Yes. Yes. Then the text goes on to say, so first, said, from now until enlightenment, may I never be separated from the two minds and may I never, how to say, give them up. And then the text goes on to say, from now until death, and we’re to explain, so now we’re talking about a very brief amount of time in this very life. So from now until death, may I never be separated from the two minds of enlightenment.
And then in this very year, and in this year and in this month may not be separated from the essence, which are the two minds of enlightenment. And then in this way, we should, how to say, impel, how to say, our practice, our motivation to increase and thinking in this way again and again, we should think in this way. So this is the what is called the force of resolution. So then again, I’m that we should never we should not give rise to thoughts such as I’m going to achieve enlightenment, I cannot achieve enlightenment, I’m not able to do that. And then this is very difficult or I’ll say understanding emptiness is very difficult.
Cannot understand emptiness. I’m not able to realize that we should not give rise to such thoughts. We should understand that there were before us, there were many Buddhas, there were many, many, many beings who achieved enlightenment, there were many beings who were and are bodhisattvas. And just like us, they did they engaged in the path just like we are doing now. And then understanding this, one should maintain how to keep one’s resolution.
Then one again, has to think, oh, I’m going to do this. I’m going to achieve enlightenment. And and from now until enlightenment, you know, I in this in this year and in this month, and I’m not going to be parted in any at any moment from the two minds of enlightenment. And then if one can impel one’s motivation, one’s resolution in this manner, then this is the practice of the force of resolution, okay? So then, if we can accomplish this practice of the force of resolution, then we’ll be able to to how to say, to place very powerful imprints on our mind stream.
And if we can if we can accomplish this, then every every practice we do, every action we do will become a Mahāyāna virtuous deed, okay, virtuous deed of the great vehicle, okay? Then the second force is called the force of familiarity. And then the instructions very briefly just says that at all times, one will meditate undistractedly on the two minds of enlightenment. And then I say so at any moment, every every time, day or night, and then we we we should be practicing. We should be meditating on the two minds of enlightenment, and we should that means we should be thinking, or whatever action we’re doing, we should be thinking, I’m doing this in order to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.
Or or whatever we are doing, we should realize that this activity or or what we are dealing with is is empty of inherent existence. We should be thinking this. We should be meditating this way at all times. Then again, I’m saying that this is very difficult, this practice. It’s a very difficult practice.
So given how do you say, just giving rise to resolution of there was the first force is already difficult. And then but after one gives rise to that, then one has to continuously meditate on the two minds and Gala saying this continuous meditation is something very difficult to accomplish because we engage in so many different activities and so many things happen all the time. This is very difficult. Then can I say, so this is a very difficult practice because we are engaging so many different activities all the time, and we have to bring it to mind again and again this this two minds of enlightenment? So it’s very difficult to to keep it in mind at all times because we because of all the activities we we will get involved with.
But then, is that at the time of death, it’s very important because at the time of death, when we know that we are going to die, then we should definitely be thinking, meditating on the two minds of enlightenment. We should definitely meditate on the two minds of enlightenment. And then if we can accomplish that at the time of death and while we’re dying, continuously think of the two minds of enlightenment, then we will we will certainly get a good rebirth. Then the third force, which is called the force of the white seed, okay? And this third force, it says, so now in the between the meditation sessions, so first, we refer to meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings on the two minds, specific meditation on the two minds of enlightenment.
And in between the meditation sessions in the breaks is how should one meditate? Then the text says, in between the meditation sessions, then how to say it? They want you to in order to give rise to that to the mind of enlightenment that has not arising yet. And in order to increase that mind of enlightenment that has arisen already is arisen, how is how we say? Arisen.
Arisen. Arisen, okay. So and then in order to to accomplish this, then we engage in in the ten dharma activities and etcetera. And in every virtuous particular virtuous activity that involves involves our body or giving of our possessions and uninterruptedly, put effort in such activities. Then so what is first of all, are the standard activities?
So Geshe-la was telling me before the class. So the first, the ten Dharma activities are how to say, transcribing the teachings, making offerings, making offerings to the Three Jewels and so forth to the Lama’s and so forth, practicing generosity or giving, let’s say, listening to the teachings, reading the teachings, I would say, comprehending or memorizing the teachings or instructing others on the teachings, reciting holy words, contemplating the teachings and meditating on the teachings. Those are the ten Dharma activities. And then Gela is explaining why are they called, how to say, Dharma activities. So just just this this activities well, yeah, it makes sense in Tibetan.
So they are called dharma activities because they are dharma activities. That’s that’s how it comes into into Tibetan. So why they are called so and then so these are the tender activities. And then what is the relationship between the title of this force, which is the force of the white seed? Because all these practices giving rise to the mind of enlightenment that has not arisen, and then increasing the mind of enlightenment that has arisen, and then the ten Dharma activities.
They are all like just like seeds. They are just like seeds. So it’s like we need to plant the seed in order to for the plants to grow in the first place. So we need to practice these activities in order for how to say, reap the fruit of So then, again, I say so now in relation to these activities, which are called the Dharma activities, I mean, this even though this is what they are called, Dharma activities, for them to become real Dharma, it depends on the motivation that we have. So and then according to this teaching, the motivation that we should have before engaging these ten activities activities is the is a motivation of, okay, in order to to give rise to the mind of enlightenment that has not arisen, the two mind of enlightenment that had had not arisen yet.
And to increase those that mind of enlightenment has arisen already, then I’m going to engage in these activities. And that is what turns them into real dharma, Mahāyāna deeds, activities. Okay? So then again, I say, so if we do not think if we engage in these activities and not thinking of achieving enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings or increasing the mind of enlightenment that has arisen in our continuum already. If we engage in these activities thinking only of this life of say, becoming wealthy or become free of diseases or becoming a scholar or only for for the sake of of this life alone, then we will not get will not be practicing how to say, real real Dharma.
So then so then even though one might be practicing this this Dharma activity, what what are called the Dharma activities, even though one might be practicing that if one is only thinking of of this life alone, then one will not get the result of enlightenment and so forth. This one? So then, again, I say everything all this depends on the motivation we have. So the motivation of enlightenment or liberation, motivation that they turn the activities into dharma. So then now we get into into the fourth force, which is called the force of rejection, okay?
So then the text says that we should reject, we should directly reject self grasping. Then Geshe-la explains, so rejection here is this word word could be translated in many ways actually, but usually translated as rejection. So and then Geshe-la is explaining what is referred to as rejection. It says that it’s just the same as same to destroy, we should destroy, We should put an end to self grasping. Then the the text goes on to say that so from from beginning this time, we have been in we have been in a cyclic existence.
And it is endless, in this limitless limitless cyclic existence. And then we have experienced we have been wandering in the three, how to say, lower lower realms, because of this self grasping. And then again, because of self-cherishing that gives rise to the wish for happiness for oneself. All these has taken place, all these sufferings have taken place. And then again, say, because of this self grasping in this self-cherishing attitude, there’s not one of the lower realms that we haven’t been born in.
Okay? Then the text goes on to say, then even in this life, we meet with all the things that we do not wish for ourselves and like, I’m going to say, like for diseases and and and enemies and so forth. Then we Then even in this life, so one meets with all the things that one does not wish for, then one is not able to be with, to associate with dear ones and relatives and so forth. One is not able to keep one’s promises and one’s words one’s word. Then when it’s when the text says, when the text refers to one when one one is not able to keep one’s word or or the promises one one makes, then Geshe-la explains.
So, for example, one is is one is one is not able to keep the promise of achieving enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. So in the same way, even in this life, when we we promise that we are going to do this or that, and we are not and then we meet with a small difficulty, and then we we obviously, we immediately immediately give up this activity. We are not able to keep our promises and so forth. Then then from the meditations on precious human rebirth up to meditations on selflessness, all these Dharma practices, all these meditations, one one does does easily how to say, one is not able, one does not wish to give rise to them, to give rise to them in one’s continuum. One is not able.
And then I say that every time we start to meditate in one of these Lamrim meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings, then every time we meet a small difficulty, then again, we easily give up the meditation practice. And again, all these because of the self-cherishing and self grasping that wishes happiness for oneself. So all these faults that were mentioned before all these faults, they say they come the in dependence on self grasping and how to say, the self-cherishing attitude on these two minds. Then again, I say that this is exactly like this. So the thoughts, the mind that how to say, the self-cherishing attitude, the mind that that thinks highly of oneself and is going to wish all happiness for oneself.
And then then I was giving an example if if I want all the happiness for myself and if he wants, he wants all the happiness for himself, then we’re not we never how do say? Then if I want all the happiness for myself and Yela wants all the happiness for himself, so it means I do not want him to have any happiness and he does not want me to have any happiness. Then in this way, there’s no way that we can find harmony and we end up, how to say, fighting with each other. Even though even if we do not find, fight with each other. And then we end up with a with a very disturbed state of mind.
Then again, I’m going to say, so the self grasping mind and the self-cherishing attitude, so they are the cause of all this disharmony and all these problems. But then if eventually, if one is able to give up wishing all happiness for oneself and then thinking how you can do whatever you do is okay for me. Whatever you want, whatever you wish is okay for me. And and then and then how to say, good will will ensue from this, will will follow from this. And what did he say afterwards?
Then then yeah. Okay. So then if one is able to to think in this way, to give up this self-cherishing thought that wants all happiness for oneself, and then one says, okay, whatever you do, it’s okay for me. Then it’s like it’s like practicing. It’s like giving away one’s one’s body.
And Geshe-la said, Geshe-la also said this this is unfortunate that there is this is a there are very few people who can who actually do this, who can accomplish Then so we should not the text goes on to say we should not strive to accomplish, not even for one moment, the purpose of this self-cherishing mind or the self grasping, we should constantly think of abandoning and destroying these these minds, these two minds. And we should, how do say, see them see them as the enemy, regard them as the enemy. And Gela says, from from beginning this time, up until now, since beginningless time, we have been slaves of this of this self-cherishing attitude. And now, I’m not going to serve this self-cherishing mind anymore.
And I have to destroy it. I have to abandon and destroy it. Abandon and destroy it, and that’s how we should think about it. So then the last of the five forces is called the force of aspiration or what is called also the force of prayers or even better, the force of aspirational prayers. So then Gala was explaining for me that there’s what follows in the text is a prayer itself, right?
So we should think so all this all virtue all virtuous deeds. No. So from this life and all future lives up until enlightenment, then may one engage in over in virtuous deeds for the sake of increasing these two minds of enlightenment, and may one engage in the trainings of the two minds of enlightenment. And then whatever good or bad circumstances come away, all of them may one how to say, how to say practice, be able to take into the path, this conditions and practice the two minds of enlightenment. Constantly, Then one, again, was saying, should pray in this way.
So may from this life and all future lives, I may I be able to engage in the practice of the six perfections and so forth in order to increase this mind of enlightenment. Yes. And one one should think in this way and pray in this way, wish wish this to to come. Oh, yeah. That is okay.
This one. Then again, one should make offerings to making offerings while one is making offerings to one’s Lama and to the Three Jewels, while one is offering, how to say, tormas, offering cakes to the Dharma protectors and to harmful spirits and so forth. Then one one is praying that from this this in this life and in all future lives, may I never be parted from the two minds of enlightenment, and may I meet with an excellent teacher who will teach me this Dharma. This yeah. This Dharma.
One should pray in this way. The this topic, the five forces, it says all of these, you see, again, explains all all of all of these refers to all these teachings of the five forces. They are condensed into the syllable HUM. And this also Geshe-la briefly says that this has to do with with the transference of consciousness.
But the important thing, and I say is that one has to become familiar and constantly think and meditate on these five forces. This is the important thing one has to do. Okay. So we’ll stop here. Now the next Sunday, we start with the Mahāyāna instructions of transference of consciousness, which are also the five forces, but in a different version.
So yes, now if you have any questions. No. What? You were talking very well. Yeah.
About Whatever you do to me. So then, can I say, so if, for example, if somebody you say, whatever you want to do with me, do as you please? If you say that to someone and then this this person goes on to fight with other people or whatever. And he says, well, we cannot stop them. We’re not able to stop them from fighting with other people.
But the point is, if if the action is between the two of us, involves the two of us, for example, if Gala was given example, if both of us need to buy a car, and then I say, no, if I do not wish to have this for myself, and then I say, no, you buy the car. I don’t need it now. You can buy it. Okay? And then that’s what he was referring to.
You can do whatever you want. You buy the car if you wish. But then if if the person says, oh, so if I can do whatever I want, I’m going to fight with that other person. But if you don’t if you don’t know if you don’t know that other person, if they’re going to fight someone else, there is not much you can do, it is like, it is the problem. What you can say is that if it is, if it were up to me, you shouldn’t fight with anybody or with this other person.
That’s what you can say, what you can do, but besides that is their business, is their choice. So then can I say, well, if someone comes to rob your shop or whatever, then if you are able to develop compassion for this person and think, oh, this person probably is poor and is in need? And if you are able to think in this way and if you are able then to give whatever it is that you have to give to them, then that’s okay. That’s generosity. That’s that’s good.
But if you’re not able to, then we should say, don’t don’t do that. You should you should say, don’t do that. Don’t rob. I’m gonna call the police. Yeah.
That’s it. No. So if you’re not able to give, then call the police. Be they will be pleased. Yes.
It’s good. It’s good if you can do that, and you probably will be pleased. Yes. I understand what Geshe-la is saying. It’s coming from a spiritual point of view for every individual.
Yes. Well, says that if we’re able to develop compassion, then yes, enlightenment will probably will certainly follow. And then again, I think that all sentient beings, have Buddha nature. So if they are able to engage in the practices needed to achieve enlightenment, then they of course, they will they will become enlightened. So one last last question.
Okay. Okay.