Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. The practitioner of patience who feels joy rather than hurt when insulted is the arresting image at the center of this 93-minute talk by Geshe Pema Tsering. He uses it to illuminate karma’s third characteristic: that we experience only results of actions we ourselves have performed, so suffering’s root is always internal. He proceeds to the fourth — accumulated karma persists in the mind-stream until purified through the four antidotal powers — then explains why virtue aimed solely at better rebirth falls short of liberation, and why prayer without accumulating causes is similarly insufficient. A closing Q&A sharpens the distinction between stopping afflictions by cultivating positive qualities such as loving kindness, and fully abandoning them, which requires realization of emptiness.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 04 Three Principle Aspects.mp3
UUID: 9a0c3912-495b-4adb-94f6-b5ac8b90f223
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: The three principal aspects of the Path (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 93.1 minutes
Words: ~7,836
Afflictions are the cause of suffering. Liberation is the abandoning of the causes of suffering, those afflictions. But in order to attain this state, which is known as liberation, it is necessary to have a very strong mind to attain to attain that. That is one must have a very strong intention that one wants to attain that. Giving rise to such a fierce feeling or thought to attain liberation is known as renunciation, and this is what we’ve been speaking about over the past few weeks.
Okay. Just remember? What is it that prevents us from giving rise to a very strong mind in which we are seeking to attain liberation? It is attachment to the pleasures of saṃsāra. It is the striving for the pleasures of saṃsāra.
So we this is if we need to recognize that this is what is preventing us from giving rise to such a strong, fierce intention to attain liberation. Okay? Attachment to the pleasures of saṃsāra comes in two forms. We can be attached towards the pleasures of saṃsāra which occur in this life, and we can be attached towards the pleasures of saṃsāra for future lives. Now what are the antidotes which allow us to eliminate such one pointed striving for the pleasures of saṃsāra?
It well, in terms of the attachment towards the pleasures of saṃsāra we have in regards to this life, it is important that we contemplate the preciousness of of this opportunity we have received in the form of possessing a body in which which is full of the or which has, excuse me, the leisures and endowments. We need to appreciate that the leisures and endowments can be made very meaningful, and that they are very difficult to find. And we also need to contemplate death and impermanence and the topics which are discussed in that context. So when contemplating death and impermanence, one needs to take into consideration the fact that although death is certain, the time of death is uncertain, and that finally, at the time of death, nothing but the dharma is of benefit. Mhmm.
These act as antidotes to reverse the attachment we feel towards the pleasures of saṃsāra we may experience in this life. Okay? Thus, in brief, what is it that we need to be contemplating? Well, we need to be contemplating the preciousness of this of this human body which we possess. We need to think about how is it that it is meaningful.
What are the reasons why it is difficult to find? We need to think about death and impermanence. And if one is able to contemplate these these points, then one you will find that you become a good person. You become a better person because contemplating the precious opportunity we have and being reborn as a human with the leisures and endowments, appreciating the difficulty of finding such an opportunity, and contemplating the fact that it could be lost at at any time is are are all antidotes towards the afflictions. Afflictions.
And thus, in contemplating this, one is applying those antidotes, and one and and the the result of this process is to become a better person. Mhmm. Okay? So this afternoon’s or excuse me, this evening’s teachings will continue on from where Geshe-la left off last week, and that was in the context of speaking about the way in which we can reverse the attachment towards the pleasures we have in Samsāra as they relate to future lives. This relates to the second half of the fourth verse, which reads, think over and over how deeds and their fruits never fail, and the and and think also about the cycles that is saṃsāra’s suffering, stop desire for the future.
So to look at the first point, in the translation, reads, think over and over how deeds and their fruits never fail. This is said in a slightly different way. Think you must contemplate repeatedly the infallibility of karmic results. This what does that mean? It means that cause and effect is not deceptive.
Cause and effect is infallible. That is to say that if you have a good cause, you you’re going to give rise to good results. If you have a bad cause, you’re going to give rise to bad results. Now the topic of cause and effect then can be spoken of in in a fourfold manner, and these were mentioned the first two of which were taught on last week. So we say that karma the nature of karma is that it is definite.
Furthermore, the nature of karma is is that it increases. That is, as Geshe explained last week, its results increase. And the last two points, which Geshe-la will be speaking more about this evening, are that one will not experience the results of actions one has not performed, and that karma, once accumulated, does not just go to waste. Okay? Let’s take this third point, the first the first of the latter two, and that is that we do not experience results of actions which we have not performed.
Or that can be said in a different way that we do not experience the results of actions until we actually perform them. This basically means that all results, all effects necessarily have a cause. Without a cause, it is impossible that there would be a result of that cause. We see that this is true in the external environment. If you, for instance, speak about an apple.
Without a seed for an apple tree, there can be no apple. If you were to want to plant it and grow apples in your backyard, in your garden, then first you would have to plant a seed, wouldn’t you? I mean, if you take a place where there is a smooth rock which has no holes in it, no no place to put a seed, you’re not gonna get a tree growing there, are you? I mean, not only is the Oh, shit. Not even grass is gonna grow.
I mean, we say that, for instance, grass is grows naturally, don’t we? Yeah. But to say that grass grows naturally is not to say that grass grows without a seed. Similarly, causes always have an have or, yes, effects always have a cause. We need to apply this, to our experiences as well so that when suffering descends upon us, we need to recognize that this experience of suffering has a cause, and furthermore, that that cause is found within our own continuum.
So the basic assertion here is that these cause for all experiences of suffering which we undergo is found within our mind. Now one may object to this point saying, oh, but well, no. That person said something bad to me. That person said something nasty to me, and then I experienced suffering. But that’s clearly not the case.
This the logic which this person is employing is not correct because you could point out to that person, well, what if that person said something nasty to that rock? Would that rock experience suffering? Yeah. Guess I know what you’re thinking. Yeah.
You’re thinking, oh, it’s just a rock. It doesn’t have any feelings. Yeah? I mean, how could it experience suffering after all? Yeah.
Good. Good. Geshe-la welcomes this type of thought because yeah. Actually, that gives us an opportunity to really speak about, yeah, how true this example is that definitely the the cause to experience suffering, if it does not exist in one’s mind, one one one will not experience that. Because it’s not just true with rocks.
It’s true with anyone. If anyone lacks the cause to experience suffering, they will not experience suffering. So we take the example of somebody who has a very well developed practice of patience. Somebody who has a really well developed practice of patience is just waiting for somebody to come along and say something nasty to them or cause them harm in some way. Yeah.
Because they need that that opportunity in order to properly practice their patience, in order to put into practice that which they delight in, need to experience some sort of difficulty, be it in the form of harm or a nasty word. So that when a person comes along and says something nasty, they actually feel joy because they think, ah, yes. A chance to practice patience. So you see that even for this person, yeah, when they for that person, because they lack the cause for the experience of suffering from hearing those nasty words, they do not experience that experience suffering in that point, but rather they delight in it. And in fact, if you’re interested to see how well you’ve developed your practice of patience, this is all you have to look at.
I mean, see how much your mind has developed. What is your reaction when someone says something nasty to you? Actually, we have some experience of the truth and that if one really takes joy in or delight in cultivating particular qualities, such as patience, then you will actually feel happy at the opportunity to put that into to practice. For instance, if you would have somebody that really really enjoys practicing generosity, somebody that really takes takes a heartfelt joy in giving money to another person or practicing generosity in any If someone were to come asking money to to that person, then they would happily give the money. Think, oh, great.
Another opportunity to practice generosity. Whereas, if you have a very stingy person, then that very stingy person, you know, when they are that when they are asked by asked for money, they think, ah, yeah. They feel some some sort of difficulty. They they can’t, you know, they can’t give money. Ah, I wish they wouldn’t have asked me, so on and so forth.
So they actually feel difficulty in that moment, whereas somebody who enjoys practicing generosity is able to meet that experience with joy. So we see that having joy about putting about wanting to put a putting put something into practice then leads to an experience of joy as opposed to suffering when an opportunity to actually do so comes about. Mhmm. Okay? So, basically, we can say that the meaning of the statement that we do not experience the result of actions in which we do not perform is that we need to willingly endure suffering.
We willing willingly endure suffering by understanding that if we did not perform a particular action in the past, then we have would not have accumulated the cause to experience suffering in the present. So the capacity to willingly endure suffering comes from the understanding that we do not experience the results of things which we ourselves are not responsible for. Thus, one identifies, of course, what the cause for experience is, recognizing that in the past, I must have caused harm to or I must have caused suffering for another individual. And when I caused suffering for another individual, that resulted in the placement of a cause for my own experience of suffering, and now that is merely coming to fruition. So this is basically the meaning of the statement that the result of action we have excuse me.
We do not experience the result of actions we have not performed. This has relevance to turning back the attachment we have towards pleasures of future lives. Although we hope that because we might practice the Dharma or do something positive in this life that that will result in the in in our taking rebirth as a human and hopefully even in a situation in which all of the conducive circumstances are complete. It’s important that we recognize that we have committed many actions in the past and probably and definitely accumulated causes for taking rebirth, for instance, as an animal or in the hell realms or as a hungry ghost. So when we recognize that karma is definite, good causes lead to good effects, bad causes lead to or bad causes lead to bad effects, and furthermore, that we do not experience the results of actions we ourselves do not perform, then we recognize that there still is a danger.
That we recognize that even if even if we perform we even if we act properly now, even if we take rebirth in the as a human in the next life and so on and so forth, there is still a danger. And thus, we need to deepen our understanding of these two points, karma’s definite nature and the fact that we do not experience the result of things which we do not perform. The last point in regards to karma cause and effect is this is the point which is summarized by the statement. karma once accumulated does not just go to waste. So we can think about this in reference to an act of killing or for instance the karma which comes from killing.
At first, yeah, before one kills, one might have to give rise to an intention to kill. So then when one gives rise to the intention to kill, just at that moment, a capacity is placed in the mind because even with with one’s mind, one is just thinking, I ought to kill or I will kill or I should kill. And that very thought itself results in the placement of capacity in one’s mind. And then one actually performs the act as so vividly demonstrated. One as one is, for instance, performing the act of killing.
Yeah? One’s mind is involved in that act. Although it it’s a physical act, of course. Yeah? One’s mind is directing one’s body to perform particular actions which are killing.
And so the the basis the actual basis for the act of killing also involves not only physical actions and and mental actions, but also it could potentially involve verbal actions if you were to, for instance, order someone to kill or something like this. And when that person who yes. When that person’s life ceases, then the act of killing has been completed, and that results in the placement of a complete of a complete karmic potential. Now the potential or capacity, that is that is the form in which karma is stored. karma is placed in the mind.
How? In the form of a capacity or potential. So it’s important to look then at the mind. If karma is stored as a capacity or potential in the mind, one looks at the mind, and one sees that the mind, in fact, is something which has been beginninglessly present. It is something which has come to us in in a beginningless continuum and will continuously and will continue as a mental entity.
There is no point at which mind becomes a nonmental entity. And now as karma is stored in the form of capacities or potential in one’s mind, then if one wants to rid oneself of the negativities and karma capacities and so forth, one must do so via the mind. That is one must do so via the means of applying the four antidotal powers. Because the four antidotal powers is a method by which one utilizes the mind in order to remove capacities which exist in the mind. Now if one were if one were not to use use the four antidotal powers, then that capacity which was placed in the mind due to an act of killing will remain in the mind because it does not go away.
The place in which it is stored, the mind, never becomes a nonmental entity, and therefore, the basis for its the basis in which it is placed is never destroyed. Hence, unless you actually eliminate it through a process of contemplation, particularly the four antidotal powers, then you one must recognize that that capacity remains in the mind as the mind will just continue. And as it continues, it carries the capacity with it. Mhmm. So this is the meaning of the statement that karma, once accumulated, does not go to waste.
It remains into in the mind. But by contemplating these points, then we act to reverse the attachment we feel towards the pleasures of future lives. It’s important to understand that it is not enough to merely strive for happiness in future lives, thinking that, oh, may I attain a human life or human rebirth, or may I be born in the higher realms in the future. Because to do so is actually to waste through causes of virtue which one one accumulates and gains. After all, if one although the virtue which one performs may be the same, unless one actually makes that unless one actually engages in that virtue with the thought that may this may this act as a cause for liberation, that virtue will not act as that cause.
And so one can say that actually if one is striving merely for the attainment of future a higher rebirth in the in the future, then that cause cannot function as anything other than that. Whereas if you were to strive and perform virtue with the thought that may this act as a cause for liberation, then that cause also has the potential to act as a cause for rebirth in a higher realm, for instance, as a human in the future. So, actually, you know, there are great benefits and we can say to say in a very coarse way, profits to be gained by performing virtue with the motivation that it is for the attainment of the the happiness of liberation. Whereas if we were to perform virtue with the thought that made us act as a cause for taking rebirth in the higher realms, there actually, we’re selling ourselves short. There is a loss there because that same virtue, if augmented by a proper motivation, will work as that work to accomplish that end, but it will also function as a cause for the attainment of the happiness of liberation.
In in recognizing that striving for the happiness excuse me, striving for happiness and higher rebirth in the future is not enough, one recognizes that that samsaric happiness is not stable. It is not something which is reliable, and and and thus one can work to, by contemplating these points, reverse the attachment one feels towards happiness in the future. Mhmm. I’ll get the list. Contemplating each of these four points of karma then can encourage a particular thing.
For instance, by thinking about the fact that karma is definite, and one is encouraged not to accumulate any negative karma. And when one takes into consideration the fact that the nature of karma is that it increases, then one begins to shy away from even small acts which might be construed as negative, or which might result in the accumulation of negative karma. When one contemplates the fact that we do not experience the results of actions which we do not perform, then one begins to understand that all of our experiences, be they happy or unhappy, pleasant or unpleasant, that at root, they come from within. They do not come from outside, and they are not something which we newly encounter without having had anything, without being at all responsible for that experience. And finally, by contemplating the fact that the that karma once accumulated does not go to waste, we are encouraged to acknowledge or confess and purify our negativities because we understand that unless we eliminate eliminate that those karma capacities by means of confession and purification, then we will experience the results even if it is undesired.
One can reverse this process in a sense and think about these four points as they apply to liberation as well. Well, if one does then decide that they need to abandon the afflictions, the causes of suffering, and attain the state of liberation. And by understanding that karma is definite, one understands that one needs to do something to accumulate the causes for liberation. Because karma is definite. The only way to give rise to good results, positive results, is by accumulating positive causes.
And thus, the only way to attain this positive result of liberation is to accumulate the positive causes which lead to that. And then by contemplating the fact that the nature of karma is that it increases, then one will not disregard even minor acts which are virtuous and which result in the accumulation of positive karma because one understands that by accumulating numerous such acts that that such karma the the result of that that particular act can indeed increase and give rise to a very, very large positive result just as the performance of a negative a small negative act can actually give rise to a very large negative result. Now that the process in which or the the understanding one gains by thinking about the fact that the we did not experience the results of actions which we did not perform and that actions once performed or karma once accumulated does not go to waste is very similar when one applies it to liberation as one did when they applied it to needing to avoid negative acts and negative karma. So one understands in relation to the first point that one at one, of course, one similar to the first point we were making, one needs to do something in order to accumulate the causes for liberation.
So, yes, it’s quite similar to the first point, and that one basically understands that in order to bring forth such a result of liberation, then one needs to one needs to not only accumulate positive and virtuous causes, but one also needs to ensure that the motivation one brings to such attainment is for the attainment of liberation. So unless one is doing things to attain liberation, that liberation will not just come about. I mean, if one were just to sit there and to make prayers to the Three Jewels because you have some conviction in the Three Jewels, then that’s not enough. You actually have to actively accumulate the causes for liberation. Merely making prayers and hoping that that comes about is not going to result in that attainment.
And finally, in relation to the last point that that the karma once accumulated does not just go to waste, one understands that if you perform an a positive action and you act in such a way that those positive action that the the karma which is placed by those positive actions is not destroyed, then that positive karma will remain as long as will remain with the mind until one brings until one attains that result. Because we have seen that the mind doesn’t become a nonmental entity, and thus the capacities which are placed in a mental entity remain with that mental entity. Although although the statement is that karma does not go to waste, that is not to say that karma cannot be destroyed because it can be destroyed. So one must ensure that, of course, the positive karma one has accumulated does not get destroyed. And as long as one is doing that, one understands that positive karma one has accumulated in the past will continue to function as causes for liberation as long as one protects them.
I’ll just Although contemplating the effects of karma, that is karmic results, is primarily for the purpose of reversing the attachment we have towards happiness in future lives, it also is beneficial for reversing the attachment we have towards this life because contemplating karma cause and effect allows us to reverse the attachment in in we have towards saṃsāra pleasures. It allows us to stop striving solely for saṃsāra pleasures. And thus, our activities in this lifetime then can act as causes for the attainment of liberation. Because we have seen that as long as one is striving solely for the happiness of saṃsāra, then the positive actions which perform do not function or act as the causes for liberation. But by preventing this tendency to strive solely for the the pleasures of saṃsāra, and this is included within this process, and one recognizes that by merely striving for saṃsāra pleasures, be they in the next lifetime or this lifetime, will not result in the attainment of liberation, and thus contemplating karma cause and effect has benefits, not only in reversing attachment towards pleasures in the future, but also in relation to this life.
Okay? It’s clear? The point which which I was just making were made in the third verse in which it states that there’s no way to end with without pure renunciation, the striving for the pleasant results in the ocean of life. As we’ve described described earlier, the ocean of life is speaking about the ocean of conditioned existence or the ocean of Samsāra. And the statement basically is that there’s no way to be liberated from Samsāra unless one possesses pure renunciation.
Because as long as one is attached towards the pleasures of Samsāra, one is prevented from giving giving rise to a very fierce desire to attain the happiness of liberation. Now if we were to look at these, we find that at root, all of our problems come down to or can be traced back to the five afflictions. The predominant affliction or the main affliction of these five is, of course, ignorance. But for the time being, we’ll leave this aside and speak about Mhmm. So the four afflictions the the remaining four afflictions are anger, attachment, pride, and jealousy.
And it’s strange, actually, because we see that the in dependence upon this the striving for the pleasures of saṃsāra, these four afflictions are generated. Yet at the same time, the striving for the pleasures of saṃsāra can be traced back to these afflictions themselves. If you look at it, it’s quite obvious. Because if you think about it, by striving for the pleasures of saṃsāra, one becomes attached towards the pleasures of saṃsāra. And when one is attached towards the pleasures of saṃsāra, then one gets angry when one is obstructed from experiencing those pleasures of saṃsāra.
Whatever comes in the way between us and our experience of that which we are attached to, the pleasures of saṃsāra, then we become jealous of it, we feel pride about it, we feel we feel angry towards it. And so in this way, we have a reciprocal relationship between the two. Although the the striving for the pleasures of saṃsāra may come about in dependence upon these four afflictions, particularly attachment, they exacerbate the four afflictions in that they serve to generate more strongly and in greater great and and with greater strength the four afflictions. Okay? Is this clear?
Is it clear how these they have a reciprocal relationship? Last week, Geshe-la spoke about how maintaining a level head in regards to the eight worldly dharmas or the eight worldly concerns was very important, particularly in terms of reversing the attachment one feels towards the towards the pleasures of this life. Now, this is a very important point one should keep in mind. By and continuing on then in the text it reads that when one has meditated thus, which is to say that when one has repeatedly contemplated the points such as the importance importance of maintaining a level head in regards to the eight worldly dharmas and how that is effective in reversing reversing the tendency to strive for the pleasures of saṃsāra and so forth. And one feels not even when one has meditated in this way and feels not even a moment’s wish for the good things of sick of cyclic life, and when you begin to think both night and day of achieving freedom, you found renunciation.
Now in this when the when the text states that and not and you feel not even a moment’s wish for the good things of cyclic life, this is basically speaking about when for not not even for one moment you are not no longer you no longer generate attachment towards the pleasures of saṃsāra or you do not no longer are excuse me, are striving primarily for the pleasures of saṃsāra. And day and night, you think of achieving freedom, at that point, you have achieved renunciation. So in order to bring this about, of course, the first step is to engage in these contemplations so that one may turn back the tendency to strive for the pleasures of saṃsāra. Contemplating the suffering of Samsāra acts to support or gives give support to the things which are necessary in order to develop renunciation. So when one thinks or contemplates about the suffering of saṃsāra, one contemplates, for instance, the suffering of the hell realms of the realm of hungry ghosts, of animals, and so on and so forth.
Of course, humans and and gods and so forth also experience suffering. So in contemplating saṃsāra suffering, one must contemplate the suffering which they experience as well. And in this process, one one contemplates why it is we experience suffering. Suffering. We see that actually the reason why we experience the suffering of saṃsāra is due to the fact that we strive for the pleasures of saṃsāra because, as Geshe-la was just explaining, that the afflictions are produced in dependence upon this striving to attain or striving for the pleasures of saṃsāra.
The generation of afflictions then results in the performance of actions, be they mental, verbal, or physical, which result in the accumulation of karma, which, of course, then acts as the cause for suffering. So when contemplating the suffering of saṃsāra, one contemplates the way in which we experience that suffering and see that it comes about in large part due to this striving for the pleasures of saṃsāra. Okay? Perhaps you feel a little bit skeptical about this point. Is it really the case that seeking for the pleasures of saṃsāra results in sufferings?
Well, maybe we can think about it a little bit more to see if that’s really the case. Yeah. Think about an act of killing, for instance. One is seeking pleasures of saṃsāra, or we can say one is seeking a saṃsāra pleasure, for instance, because they like fish meat, and so they go out and catch a fish and kill a fish. It is that seeking saṃsāra pleasure which led to them killing that fish.
Or if we take the third physical non virtue, which is to commit sexual misconduct. Committing sexual misconduct comes about because one is seeking saṃsāra pleasure. Yeah? By wanting to experience that pleasure which might result from an act of sexual one accumulates that non virtue. Similarly, saying using harsh words and and giving rise to ill will towards another comes about due to seeking saṃsāra pleasures because we think that this particular person is going to obstruct the saṃsāra happiness, the saṃsāra pleasure which we seek.
And so thinking, oh, they’re obstructing my happiness, we say nasty things to them, or we give rise to ill or we feel ill will towards them. All of these acts be it killing, sexual misconduct, using harsh words, and feeling ill will towards another. All of these all of these acts come about due to the seeking saṃsāra pleasures. Okay? Are we able to see this clearly?
Do you think that that that’s the case? He thinks he said something. I don’t think he did. But, of course, I told him that his memory is more reliable than mine. We’re gonna have to check with the tape here.
No. No. No. Whatever. Our approach to to the practice of Dharma needs to be one which is oriented around applying the antidotes to and therefore abandoning the afflictions.
By applying the antidote and abandoning the afflictions, yeah, the then just as that is the the elimination of negative aspects of mind, then the opposite of that occurs. That is the development of of positive qualities. By eliminating or applying the antidotes to and abandoning the afflictions, the opposite, the increase of positive qualities occurs. And these positive qualities include things such as wisdom, loving kindness, compassion. So So this is our approach to the practice of Dharma needs to be oriented around oriented around bringing about these two things.
The the commentary which Geshe-la has given has been a commentary which follows quite closely to the root text. So it was in Geshe-la’s mind the whole time to follow quite closely this text. And then when he wrote the questions for the exam, although there are thirteen of them, he kept the way he kept these verses of the text in mind, thinking that this will be easier for you to answer. So although there are thirteen questions, hopefully, because of its relation close relation to the words found in the text and therefore the commentary he gave, he thinks that you will find these questions not too difficult to answer. In in then writing these questions in Geshe-la has has kept particular purposes in mind, and that is that the reason for asking these questions and taking this exam is in order to stabilize our understanding.
It is to take whatever we know and try and retain that to really gain, to make that understanding even more firm so that we never forget it. And then also it is we are trying to gauge how much we understand about what has been taught and how much we don’t. So there is a dual purpose in taking this exam. So please keep in mind that the commentary Geshe-la has given us is very close to the verses we have. The questions were asked on that basis.
And please try, you know, to when you are writing your answers to reflect in your your answers, you know, everything which you can remember, at least not every, you know, every single word which comes to your mind, but, yeah, try and reflect try and make it so that your answers reflect your understanding. And in this way, hopefully, we will be able to accomplish these two purposes and stabilizing our understanding and getting a better idea of how much we understand and how much we do not. Okay? Dharma practitioners are said to do things like make prayers. Yeah.
Although praying is a good thing to do, it it in and of itself is not sufficient. In fact, many you know, the worst example of a dharma practitioner abusing this thing which is known as making prayers is when they place all their hopes in the prayers which they make. And when one places all the all all their hopes in the prayers which they make, then perhaps the result of that is that they don’t do anything, like accumulate positive karma. This is actually a very unfortunate situation, and in Geshe-la’s estimation, at least, is is not really worth very much. If now he’s not saying that prayers are not beneficial at all, because prayers yeah.
The act of making a prayer and so forth can indeed be beneficial, but one should not rely upon that alone. It’s like if Geshe-la were to want some apples, and without planting a seed for an apple tree in his garden, without having anybody put in an apple tree in his garden, if we were just to go out there every day and make prayers that may there please be an apple apple tree in my garden. Yeah. I mean, it’d be silly, wouldn’t it? I mean, it’d be it’s it’s impossible for apples to to grow in Geshe-la’s garden if there’s no seeds, isn’t there?
So if it’s impossible for apples to grow in Geshe-la’s garden without there being a seed there, then, of course, he understands also that it’s impossible for there to be results unless he goes about accumulating the karma for those results. So Mhmm. Prayers are good, yes, but they need to be supplemented by actions in which we are accumulating the causes, which will lead to the results which we seek. Geshe-la was invited to teach down in Bordertown, and on one of those journeys, he was invited to come give a talk at a prison. And one of the prisoners there was a Muslim who spoke with Geshe-la and says that I meditate every day but it doesn’t seem to give be at all beneficial.
So Geshe-la says, type of meditation do you do? And he says, every day I stand up and I make prayers. And I mean, of course, Geshe-la, you know, can’t say, you know, making prayers are not beneficial at all because yeah. So how does he respond to that? He responded by saying, well, you need to you need to give your prayers a bit of help.
You need to, you know, what in order to for for this act of praying to be beneficial, you really need to initiate a very deep seated change in your mind. And if you are able to initiate a deep seated change in your mind and therefore provide the prayers with the help which they need, then maybe you’ll find them being as of some benefit. So and now Geshe-la is not sure if, you know, if this is perhaps a a very, you know, an apt criticism to make of Dharma practitioners in general. But, I mean, it’s just he’s saying, basically, that okay. We can’t really it’s it’s just a little bit suspect if one’s practice boils down only to making prayers.
Now, of course, you can’t really say that it’s not Dharma. But if you say that it’s a proper practice of Dharma, also, a little bit difficult. So yeah. Because just keep this in mind. Okay.
So what are your opinions? So probably you suggest that we just pray for good examination results for that study. Eddie would like to know if just for the record. If then if we if we just pray for good exam results without studying, then we won’t get the good exam results?
Perhaps, yeah, if you put a, you know, blank piece of paper next to your pillow at night. You know? Make some good prayers before you go to bed. Maybe you wake up the next morning and find the exam, you know, with all the correct answers on it in the morning. In general, dharma is considered medicine for the mind.
I mean, dharma is medicine for the mind. But in order for that to be a benefit, it’s necessary to know, yeah, way in which the medicine is to be taken. If you don’t know the proper way to to rely upon, you medical advice, then it’s difficult for that to be beneficial. Similarly, it’s important for us to not only know the the way in which dharma is a benefit, but we must know the way in which the dharma is to be applied. And then, yeah, truly, it becomes medicine for the mind.
Mhmm. So, yeah, that that’ll be it for this evening. If there’s any questions you may ask, then, otherwise, we’ll leave them. Karmic state. I mean, it makes sense on one level.
I’m just perhaps a bit confused here. If one looks at the true nature of the mind, then wouldn’t it be sufficient to just, reduce the capacities, the negative karmic capacities, whilst one have to So in light of the true nature of mind, why does one have to put effort into increasing the quality the positive qualities of mind? Why is it not sufficient merely to eliminate the negative aspects of it? Did you hear the question in there? You you you know, checked you.
The question is basically, why is it necessary to put effort into developing the positive qualities or positive aspects of mind? Why is it not enough to focus upon eliminating the negative aspects of mind? Did actually say that do you remember, or did I actually say, you know, saying Geshe-la’s words that when Mhmm. Own I think it just that’s it. Mhmm.
I other words, yeah, is that the exact is that exactly what you think Geshe-la said? It’s what? Yeah. That you don’t need to yeah. In fact, by abandoning the afflictions, yeah, the opposite of those afflictions, qualities of mind, will indeed come about.
In some senses, the abandoning of those negative aspects of mind is dependent upon the increasing of the positive aspects of mind. For instance, in order to abandon the desire to kill or the intention to kill, it is necessary to give rise to or increase the desire not to kill, correct? So the desire not to kill would fall into the category of the positive aspects, thinking, I will not kill. And by increasing that mind, then the negative thought, which is I will kill, is is abandoned or is depressed until it is eliminated. So sorry.
That’s abstaining, but you also mentioned before that you’ve got to do positive acts as well and good actions, and I took In relation Geshe-la spoke about increasing the positive qualities of mind such as wisdom, loving kindness, and compassion, and those those types of things. So why is it not sufficient to merely eliminate the afflictions? Why must one also increase wisdom, loving kindness, and compassion? So, I mean, what I said to Geshe-la is is is that it’s the implication seems to be that it’s not sufficient to merely abandon the afflictions. But Geshe-la says, no.
I’m not saying that it’s not merely that, of course, is good. It’s not that that is not okay or sufficient. In order to excuse me. So by abandoning the afflictions, in fact, one finds that the positive aspects are are increased. Now the way Geshe-la followed that up is by saying that the increase of such positive qualities occurs in dependence upon the decreasing of the negative ones, such as abandoning the afflictions.
In order to develop wisdom, it is necessary to abandon the afflictions. Without without decreasing the afflictions, one cannot increase one’s wisdom. Geshe-la has been speaking about, you know, the way in which one one can stop the afflictions, that is the way in which one can prevent the afflictions from becoming manifest and that occurs through the practice or the development of the practice of things like patience and so on and so forth. By cultivating patience, one is able to stop or prevent the afflictions from becoming manifest. Now the your your question was basically correct me if I’m wrong, is that why is it not sufficient merely to to to get rid of the afflictions?
Yeah? Why do we have to develop the positive qualities well? And Geshe-la would say, well, in this context, first of he’s not speaking about abandoning the afflictions altogether because abandoning the affliction involves developing the wisdom realizing emptiness. But we can stop one step short of that. Rather than say abandon the afflictions, we can speak about stopping the afflictions.
And why is it then not sufficient to merely stop the afflictions or prevent the afflictions from becoming manifest? Why must one also increase the positive aspects of mind? Because if one is to stop the afflictions, then one needs to increase the positive aspects of mind. Now I know that’s you know, it seems like circular argument, but the reason well, it can be stated in another way. In order to stop the afflictions, one needs an agent which is going to cause that stopping to occur, doesn’t it?
So what what what can act as that agent? The positive aspects of mind. For instance, loving kindness and anger. If one wants to stop anger and prevent anger from becoming manifest, yet one has to employ something which is going to bring that about. What is going to bring that about?
Loving kindness or patience, one of these things. So the basic reason why one needs to increase the positive qualities of mind and that merely stopping the negative aspects, for instance, the afflictions is not merely enough, is because the nature between the positive the nature of the relationship between the positive aspects of mind and the negative aspects of mind is like the two arms of a scale, that by decreasing one, the other goes up. By by decreasing the other, the other goes up. But it’s not that these occur in a vacuum, rather that the decreasing of one depends upon the increase of the other and vice versa. So it’s because, basically, that the positive aspects of mind or the development of positive act aspects of mind act as the necessary agents for the decreasing and stopping of the afflictions that one needs to put effort into developing the positive aspects.
That’s clear? Yeah. Yeah. Honey, no question? Time’s finished, isn’t it?
The confusion which was just which just came about was due to the use of the word abandoning. Because you see here that the state the way in which one states it is is quite important because Geshe-la did is making the point that he’s not saying that it’s not enough merely to abandon the afflictions. Rather, he said he I mean, in fact, he didn’t say it’s not not merely enough to stop the afflictions either. What he was saying is that one does one and the other comes about. The under Yeah.
So there’s obviously a difference between stopping the afflictions and abandoning them. And then the understanding about why one is necessary, or why the development of of positive aspects of mind is necessary comes about upon one’s understanding that those are the agents for the decreasing or stopping of the afflictions. So, anyway, here, vocabulary is quite important. When one speaks about abandoning anger, one is really speaking about abandoning the causes of anger. So if one Excuse me.
One is speaking about the the abandoning the seeds of anger. And if one abandons the seeds of anger, then one one is able to say that one has abandoned anger. Now that is different from stopping anger or preventing anger from arising. Because if one for instance, by cultivating loving kindness, which is directed towards one person, you are able to stop anger towards that person. From this moment, need to be focused we need to be exerting effort in stopping anger, pride, jealousy.
We all yet, it is actually meditating upon emptiness and its eventual realization, which results in the abandonment of those things. So it is actually emptiness which abandons anger, pride, and jealousy. Until that point, we still need to exert effort in stopping those things. Okay? Understood.
Yep.