Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 79-minute commentary, Geshe Pema Tsering works through the five forces of mind training as applied at the moment of death — the same forces used in lifetime practice, reordered for dying. He covers each in sequence: giving away possessions to cut attachment; making offerings and prayers to carry bodhicitta through the bardo; identifying self-grasping as the root of all samsaric suffering, to be destroyed by the wisdom realizing emptiness; resolving to sustain both minds of enlightenment through the intermediate state; and practicing giving-and-taking while dying in the traditional posture (right side down, pinky closing the right nostril). A memorable analogy — searching for a hundred-dollar bill to illustrate whether phenomena can actually be found — drives home the emptiness teaching. Q&A addresses dying without taking a rebirth body and the situation of practitioners unable to practice due to mental disability. Suited to students already following the Seven Point Mind Training series.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 27 2005 11 20 MT.mp3
UUID: 0bdf440c-a94d-4234-ba14-4482e84e215c
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Mind Training (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2005-11-20
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 79.3 minutes
Words: ~4,077
So then, again, I say that now we have to give rise to to a good motivation. The good motivation is motivation of achieving enlightenment for the sake of benefiting all beings. In in this vein, we should think. So may may I achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. And and now for that purpose, I’m going to engage in the study of this, how do say, mind training text.
So again, I’m saying that a proper motivation is the motivation is a very important essential point. And then without the proper the very essential point because results will be in proportion to the motivation we have. So if we have a motivation of achieving benefit and happiness only for this life, then that’s what we’re going to to obtain. If our motivation is to achieve happiness and benefits for future lives, then that’s what we’re going to get. If our motivation is the motivation of achieving liberation for self alone, then that’s what we’re going to get.
And, again, if our motivation is the motivation of achieving enlightenment for the sake of benefiting all sentient beings, then that’s the result we’re going to get. So this that being so, this is a very important point in the practice. So then now we we we study a text, which is another commentary on the Seven Point Mind Training, which was composed by Chekawa. We are in one of the main topics of the text, which is how to practice during one’s whole lifetime. And we are in the second division of this topic, which is how to practice at the time of death.
So the the title of this topic is the Mahāyāna instructions on on transference of consciousness. And then so the text goes on to say that the Mahāyāna transference of consciousness, the Mahāyāna transference of consciousness, the instruction of transference of consciousness are those five forces that were studied previously in relation to a whole lifetimes or a whole lifetime of practice. So the same five five forces that we apply during a whole life time are those five forces that we apply at the time of death. And then this conduct, you said, this should be cherished, this this conduct in relation to the five forces. So the text goes on to say that, likewise, having those beings who have practice mind training for their whole lives, at the time of death, being being afflicted by a disease and knowing that they are going to die, then they should they should practice So knowing that that they’re going to die, then that those five forces is what they should practice.
And then they should they should practice those five forces. And then, again, just about just about the time of death, and they should they should how do say? They should they should transfer their consciousness. They need to transfer their consciousness in that, how do you say, in that state. In in in that state, there is induced by by the five forces themselves.
Okay? In that in that we think those five forces, that’s what that was. So then we’re going to say the text goes on to say that if in the tantric tradition and traditions like the like the tantric practices on on transference of consciousness, they have they have many instructions. And then if one is not able to apply those many techniques, then one should rely on the five forces on these five forces. So then so the first of these five forces, they come in a different order that was set for before for one’s whole lifetime of practice.
So the first one of them is the force of the white seed. And then so it is said that one should give one’s possessions to the lamas and to to the Three Jewels and so forth so then and then they go on to say the text goes on to say that it is it is not suitable to give to give to people who who will who have strong attachment to those to those objects that we are offering. Also, it is not suitable. We shouldn’t give objects to someone if we know that it is going to cause it’s going to be a cause of their their creating negativities or harming themselves by our giving that object or by having some attachment to it and so forth. So then the text goes on to say that to those whom we are going to give the offerings, then we should we should make proper good good offerings to to those recipients.
And then to those people who are kind to us or to our benefactors, like the lamas, the teachers, our parents, and so forth. I mean, we should not we should not give how do say? So then it says to our benefactors, to the lamas and the teachers and our parents and so forth, we should not offer, how to say, we should not make inferior offerings. We should offer the best the best things we have. The the text is referring to to, how do say, a substitute for a jewel.
We should not it’s not suitable to offer a substitute for a jewel. We should offer the jewel itself. So so that and that doing this, like this, then the we are going to, how do you say, develop this nonattachment for the things of this life, for all these material things of this life. That’s the purpose of this practice. So like this, we create this non attachment for this object.
And then in the future, that a mind without fear will come about. So then the second power, the second force is the force of aspiration. Before the Three Jewels, we should prepare nice offerings. Then we should request for the ask them to be patient with us for our mistakes and so forth. We should make confessions. Then how do you say, we should recite the prayers of refuge.
We should give rise to bodhicitta and think meditate on renunciation and so forth. And then again and again, we should meditate on these topics in front of the Three Jewels. Then having taken refuge and and giving rise to bodhicitta and so forth, then we make offerings. We actually make offerings to the Three Jewels. We make offerings to the Dharma protectors and Dharma offerings to Dharma protectors, this ritual cake offerings to dharma protectors.
Then one one one, how to say, praise praise to to the Three Jewels that may I in the bardo, in the intermediate state, and in the future lives, how to say, never be separated from the how do say? Bless bless me that I may never be separated, and I may always remember and practice the two minds of enlightenment in the Bardo and in future lives. Bless me that I may meet with excellent teachers who teach this Dharma, and then and bless me that I may be guided on the path to happiness, and you are my only hope. Like this, we should we should pray. So then the text goes on to say that we should, how to say, strive and how to say, put effort in planting this request of being guided to the path, on the path.
And then, again, as I explained, this path is, again, is the path to happiness. It’s the path of the happiness of human rebirth, and higher rebirth is the happiness of liberation, the happiness of enlightenment. And then that would be guided to a place where there are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, where there are practitioners, where there are the teachings and so forth. So that’s the meaning of the path here. So then again, like this, may may I practice, may be able to practice the, how do say, to train in the in the two minds of enlightenment in the Bardo.
So then from this life and no future lives, how do you say, again, may I practice the two minds of enlightenment and may I meet with an excellent teacher who teaches this Dharma. And like this, we should pray again and again and again. So then now the third power or force, which is the force of rejection, okay? So then it says so you can observe that this word in Tibetan, which is translated as rejection many times, it could also be translated as a mean to could also mean to destroy. So then it is saying, from beginningless time, we have been placed in suffering.
And again, that’s that which has placed us in suffering was this self grasping. And then so this referring to the suffering that was experienced from the past, from beginningless time to now. Then again, now, this this present suffering is the self grasping, which give gives rise to it in this present suffering. And and still, how do say? And still that’s So then and still, that would keep us for a long time without happiness, still keep us not separated from the state, that state, which is without peace, is again the self grasping.
So how can one destroy this So then which what is it, Geshe-la has explained, what is it that has made us experience suffering in the past, is making us experience suffering now and will make us experience suffering in the future, is that self grasping. What is that self grasping? That self grasping is is the mind that thinks of I, that thinks of me, is that mind that wants all the happiness for oneself and doesn’t want to experience suffering, that doesn’t wish oneself to experience suffering. So that’s that mind that we have is what’s called self grasping. So this mind is a very powerful it’s a very powerful thing.
It’s a very powerful mind. There’s nothing that we don’t do for how do say? Under the power of that mind. There’s nothing that we are not doing for the sake of achieving happiness for that mind. This one.
That is the self grasping, and that is what we have to destroy. So destroying that is very difficult. So then, I understand the text is asking, so how can we destroy it? Again, I say, so how can we destroy this self grasping? So what is that self grasping again?
Is that is that mind that thinks highly of oneself? Is that mind that that is is is an erroneous consciousness? It’s an erroneous awareness that conceives of phenomena to be inherently existent. It conceives of external phenomena to be inherently existent. It conceives of the self conceives itself to be inherently existent.
That is the self grasping mind. So then all of this comes about because of our grasping to our bodies. So again, I say all of these is is referring to all samsaric phenomena. It’s all samsaric happiness, all samsaric suffering. All suffering and happiness as we experience comes about by our grasping to to this body.
So because this body is the basis on which we we label the self on on on which we conceive the self to exist. So all of this comes about biograsping to this body. So then this self grasping is always existing dependence on a body. So be it a human body, albeit the body that we obtain when we are in the intermediate state, albeit the body of gods who do not have a form actually, that’s just a consciousness. But it’s always dependent on a kind of body, a type of body.
So then so this body is always it experiences the feelings of suffering or feelings or painful feelings or or and feelings of pleasurable feelings and neutral feelings. And for the sake of of these feelings, of pleasurable feelings, how do say, of gaining or experiencing pleasurable feelings, we engage in all sorts of activities. And again, for the sake of not experiencing painful or certain feelings, we engage in all different sorts of So then in order to obtain this happiness, to experience happiness, we engage in all sorts of activities out of attachment, and we end up only accumulating causes for more suffering. And then again, in order to avoid the experience of suffering or the painful and pleasurable feelings, then we engage in arguments and fights and so forth. And we, again, we only out of that, we only get more suffering.
Then we should then we should definitely think that I must not, how do you say, take I must not in the Bardo while in the intermediate state. We should definitely think I must not take I must not take a body. So then and again, we should think again and again that all sentient beings or sentient beings will vanish in space. They need to being all sentient beings need to vanish in space. And then Geshe-la explains that this is related to thinking of their lack of inherent existence.
So then so then this is so like this, we should refute or we should destroy the self grasping. And then can I say again? So what destroys that self grasping is that is that mind that realizes the, how to say, selflessness and lack of inherent existence. Then now we go to the fourth force or power, which is the force of resolution. And then the text says just like before, like before one has uninterruptedly and alternately, how to say, meditated on the two minds of enlightenment, the the relative and the ultimate mind of enlightenment.
And then so may I in the Bardo, while in the Bardo, also remember, recollect, and practice the two minds of enlightenment, the relative and the ultimate. And again and again, we should remember and think in this way. So then again, now the last force, the fifth force, which is the force of familiarization, okay? So then the text says just like before, the main practice is the is the is the training on the two minds of enlightenment, the relative mind of enlightenment, which is the mind that wishes to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, and the ultimate mind of enlightenment, which is the mind that understands all phenomena to be empty of inherent existence. So then now we’re going to more specific instructions, and then the text is saying that then by the time of death, one, how do you say, lays down on the right side, right, with one’s hand.
One’s right hand is supporting one’s how do say? Cheek. Cheek. Face. Face.
And then and the Small The small finger. Pinky. Right? The pinky. The pinky is is how do you say, closing the right nostril?
Right? So that’s the And then we should breathe. Of course, we should breathe for the left nostril, yes. This is the what you said to be the conduct to be adopted during the transference of consciousness. And then on that while remaining on that posture, one, as I said, one starts firstly meditating on on loving kindness, which is the the wish to for all sentient beings to to have happiness and the causes of happiness.
And then while having meditate on loving kindness, one while exhaling and inhaling through the left nostril, one practices the two aspects of giving and taking. And then again, I gotta say so, giving to all sentient beings are all one’s groups of virtue and all the happiness and so forth, and and taking from them all all suffering, all the cause of suffering, all the afflicted emotions that they have, all the negative karma that they have. I’m practicing this way. And then so and then and then have you meditated on giving and taking? And how do we meditate on the ultimate mind of enlightenment?
And then the text is saying that we should think of saṃsāra and nirvana as being how is it coming out of the of of how do say? As being the root of that of this confused, deluded mind. And then Geshe-la has explained. So Samsāra and nirvana here is explained to is referring to all all phenomena, contaminated phenomena, Samsāra phenomena, and nirvana phenomena, and and everything that exists, all existing phenomena. So all existing phenomena come out, they are rooted in this in this deluded mind.
And the mind itself, this mind itself, is Was always has been always and primordially has has never moved away, has never been anything different from the dharmakaya or or the dharma body, which is to say, which is gonna is explained, which is the same as saying that that mind itself is also lacks inherent existence. That mind itself is also empty. So then and then, Geshe-la is explaining that so then Samsāra and nirvana, they are the root of the deluded mind. That mind is the Dharmakāya, which is in the nature of emptiness. So this something And then thinking thinking this way thinking this way, we we also think we also have to think that death itself, that dying itself, that that thing that we call dying or or death is also is also not truly existent.
Doesn’t exist from its own side again. Yes. And like this, we should reflect in this way. Should think in this way. So then, again, think, that there is death.
But as with every other phenomena, if we analyze and investigate it, and if we look for it, we will not find it. There’s nothing to be found in there, and and as it is with other other phenomena. It is empty. So as it is with with birth, with abiding, and with cessation of other phenomena, we we see that there is actually nothing there if we investigate, if we search for it. So then, can I say that just as if I were to look to search for one hundred dollars bill that was might be on my lap?
And if I well, if I found it, then the the hundred dollar bill exists. There is a hundred dollar bill. But if I I didn’t find a hundred dollar bill, then I know that it doesn’t exist. In the same fashion as it would search for the hundred dollar bill, as I would search for the hundred dollar bill on my left. If I search for a self or for, how do say, the arising of a self, or the abiding, the cessation, or for a mind, or for any phenomena, if you search for it, and then investigate if they exist or they do not exist.
You go looking for for this answer. And, eventually, if you don’t find, then you know that they don’t exist. And the same goes for everything, including death.
Oh, yeah. What? Oh, So then, guys, then guys, it’s not it’s not it’s not like a this phenomena do not exist. They are that they are in existence. It’s just that they do not exist the way they appear to us to exist.
So all all existing phenomena, all objects of knowledge, they they are they do not exist in the way they appear to exist. But if we do not if we do not investigate, if we do not analyze this this phenomena, then we will not, how to say, be able to abandon this conception that they exist the way they appear to exist to us, and and, again, all the happiness and suffering the afflictions will follow from that. Oh, yeah. So then in the process of in the process of death, the process at the time of dying, then we should practice these two minds of enlightenment alternately. Then the tax goes on to say that if one is not able to practice in the way that was described right before, Then one just how to say?
It’s difficult to translate. So one places how to say, one’s mind in a one places, one relaxes one’s mind into a state, into that emptiness, into that non inherent existence of saṃsāra and nirvana of all phenomena, of both saṃsāra and nirvana, which is the primordial dharmakaya, the mind. So one places places oneself, relaxes one one’s mind into that state. And then like this, how do say, while abiding in this state of the emptiness of the mind and so forth, when, how do say, goes through the transference of consciousness. So then the text goes on to say that we should recollect practice, and we should train before, I’d say, before the actual time of death get used to it. And then from the many different instructions with respect to dying, this one, there is no one that is more wonderful or amazing than this instruction of the five powers.
So then this is the end of the teaching on the five powers and the end of the main body of the teaching on mind training, on the Seven Point Mind Training. And then so next weekend, we start with another main topic, and it’s the final divisions of this text, which is measure of having trained the mind or the extent of proficiency in mind training. That we start Next one. Okay?
So now if anybody has any question? Yes. Heather, please. So then I got to say, so normally, usually, we do not meditate or practice these five five powers. And we just out of desire, attachment, and and other afflictions, we go on in this life just for the sake of of happiness of this life.
And like this, and if we go on like this, and we don’t think about that, we don’t think about the five forces and going on like this, we will not be able to to overcome it. Then so now so now what what we have to do is from now on, start from today on, we have to start practicing. And then if we practice, yes, we’ll be able to overcome it. Yes? Not not not to take a body, isn’t it?
Yeah. That’s right. Not to take a body. Right? Yeah.
So then yes, so Geshe-la is explaining that what is meant by we should we we must not take a body in the bardo. He says, because if we take a body in the and then attachment for that body is going to to come about, and then we will again wish for the happiness or to experience pleasurable feelings, to have pleasurable feelings with the body and avoid unpleasurable feelings and so forth. And then Samsāra will the cycle starts again. So what we have to do is, how to say, stay in emptiness, on meditating on emptiness. So yes, we have to abide in that that nature of the mind.
Yes. This practice. Yes. Some of you are. Yes.
Calling you. Well, basically, what we are saying that those people who have, how do say, mental illness or mental disability, they they they’re not able to practice the teachings. Basically, they’re not able to practice the teachings. There’s one of one of the prerequisites for practicing the the Dharma is to is to have all one’s faculties intact. And so these people are not able to practice the Dharma because of that.
They’re not able to accomplish the teaching. So, yeah, it depends on the it depends on their karma. I mean, if they will not be able to practice it in this life, they are going to be led by the previous karma that they they had. So if they have a lot of good karma, then they will have maybe they will be born again as a human being, or if they have bad karma, they they will follow will they will be led to lower rebirths Yes. So then well, what you can do is talk with them.
If, for example, they believe in the Three Jewels, if they believe in if they are Buddhists, and then you talk about the Buddha, the and the and you talk about, yeah, about. You think you think you’re going to take the path that goes down, and then you think it’s better not to take a body. Mhmm. And and Yeah. What was the question after that?
So you