Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. A magnifying glass focusing sunlight onto paper is Geshe Pema Tsering’s image, in this 96-minute session, for how the Buddha’s blessings reach us through imperfect human teachers. The commentary completes its section on relying on the lama — covering the severe consequences of disrespect, the instruction to regard even an alphabet teacher as one’s lama, and the principle that daily service to such a person already constitutes guru yoga. Geshe Pema then introduces analytical meditation through the deliberately mundane example of building desire for a car, then turns that same method toward the difficult assertion that the lama is the Buddha, supported by emptiness reasoning and classical scriptural quotation. The second half shifts to the root text’s pledge verse and argues that Lamrim uniquely condenses all of the Buddha’s teachings into a single traversable path, citing Tsongkhapa’s personal letter praising Atisha’s Lamp Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2. Day 1 PM Teaching.mp3
UUID: 10c9d85b-16ed-424d-b43c-82a083235a62
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: z Teachings DTL (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2006 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 96.5 minutes
Words: ~5,865
And then so then Geshe-la is going straight to to the text itself and and following up on the on the faults of not properly relying on on on the lama. Then there are other illustrations, other other examples that that were given. Then there’s one scholar, which is called who as a result of not relying properly on on on his teacher, his eyes fell off his sockets. And then there is one one student of Geshe Neljorpa, and he he met with an untimely death and so forth. So there are many other examples.
And then the text the text the text says says in brief that the the the ripening effect of having spoken ill of one’s of one’s lama cannot cannot be put forth into words, not even by by the Buddhas themselves. And that’s also one will will have to one will have to be born. It is said that one will will then be born in this in in in the future lives, one will be born in this in this hell, which is called the hell without respite. Luis. And then as for as for for the the lama, as who is the lama, then there is the the there’s no there must be no distinction.
There must be no distinction between the one person who who teaches us the Dharma and the one person who is teaching us the alphabet. We must not make any distinction between those two. Those two, Geshe-la said, was then saying that those two must be regarded equally as as as one’s lama. And then, also, whilst one is whilst one is how do you say, serving one’s one’s lama, attending to one’s lama with with his daily needs and and with offerings and and so forth, all these all these activities, aside from one’s personal practice, one’s personal recitation of prayers, all these other activities which are related to serving and attending to one’s lama, they are what is called guru yoga. And and because this is so, then one does not need to search for special practices of visualization and so forth of guru yoga.
And this one? And furthermore, the taxis telling us that in dependence on how well or how poorly one serves, one relies on one’s lama, then one will experience respectively the eight benefits or the opposites, which are the eight shortcomings. They will arrive correspondingly. This one. And then also whilst whilst relying on one’s lama.
And then one as it was said by by Dorje Chang, and and and one one sees one’s lama as as the Buddha himself. And there are other sayings, such as this one, as such as the lama being the Buddha himself. And then one how to say? One through through many different reasons and and and with the the help of authoritative scriptures, then one then proves, asserts these points, these many different points of the meditation on the lama by the means of analytical meditation. And then also as for analytical meditation, then the text is telling us analytical meditation is something that one cannot go without.
And then in Tibet, there was only Lama Tsongkhapa who understood analytical meditation to be a a meditation. And then Geshe-la was explaining that besides Tsongkhapa, Lama Tsongkhapa, then the other other teachers, they would they would rely only on what is called placement meditation or or single pointed meditation. And then the text is explaining it now that running through the words based on on verses, then running through the words of the verses. That’s what is called recitation meditation. Okay?
And then I was asking, Geshe lah, how is that? And then it’s just like it’s just when you have, for example, the prayer of refuge, I go for refuge to the lama, I for refuge to the Buddha and so forth, and you just take those those words, I I think I go for refuge to the lama, and then you you bring them forth again and again. You go through those those words of the text or whatever the prayer that you’re doing again and again. And that’s what it’s called, running meditation. Yeah.
Recitation meditation. And then there is another practice, which is then one one take the different points of of a teaching or a text, and then one says, oh, this is like this, that goes like that and so forth, and one review then these teachings within one’s mind with one’s thought, and that’s what is called reviewing. And then the text then is then explained. Now as for analytical meditation, then one has the object to be accomplished, how to say, how to be placed in the center of the stage, and then one through through by means of of authoritative scriptures and and different reasonings, one try tries to to prove the validity of that of that point, of that topic. And then Geshe-la was giving, again, as an illustration, if you take the assertion that the the lama is the Buddha, then one hold hold on to to that assertion and try to prove that assertion for for different scriptures and and different reasonings.
Okay? So then the text is giving us as as an illustration. As an example, when we ourselves for example, when we ourselves give rise again and again to to to those afflictive emotions, such as attachment to the to one certain object of attachment. And then we think about it again and again to the point that we develop this this the point that we develop a strong experience of it. And I I was giving you example of of a car or a motorcycle, and then we we see a we see the car, we say, oh, that’s a nice car, and and we think of all the good parts of the car again and again until we have this strong experience of the car within our our mind.
It it comes about at any time. And that’s and and and so then you you have this this this experience, and this this is an illustration of of analytical meditation. So then one one one thinks of the car, one thinks of of the the the factory that that makes the car is a very good factory. The the car is is has a powerful engine. The car has very nice colors.
The car has a very nice design. And again and again, one is proving to oneself, bringing to mind that the car is good. The car is is valuable and so forth. So then this is the way that we practice the analytical meditation in relation to objects objects of attachment, for example. And then the text is then telling us that we must then turn this around and then practice analytical meditation by stages, asserting and approving then such things as as as that the lama is the Buddha, just like Dorje Chang has said, and so forth.
And in in this way, we can develop we can experience the realizations of all these these truths. We can we can quickly give rise to this to this the realization of these truths within our minds. So now this is very difficult. I mean, this assertion that that, you know, Dorje Chang who that the lama is is the Buddha. I mean, there are there’s there’s such assertions you can one can find in many different sutras and many different tantras.
So it’s all very difficult because if one takes for example the teacher who taught us the alphabet and then the the such a person, if by any chance, he’s a person who drinks beer, and then who who who does all sorts of misbehaving. And then if one asks ask oneself if one asks, is he is he the Buddha? And then and then according to the teachings, one has to to to to say that, yes, he is the Buddha. So again, one has to one has to think then that that teacher is is a Buddha, and that’s very difficult. And then we usually we we would reason that, oh, he’s he’s drinking, misbehaving, so he’s not he’s not a Buddha.
That’s the way we reason, but that’s only our thinking. We can never tell for sure if if he is actually a Buddha or not. And then this is is very good. It’s gonna bring a temporary and ultimate benefit to oneself. But if we are to to to hold on to to whatever to the to what appear to us as true, then we won’t be able If you hold on to those appearances as true, then we won’t be able to derive any benefit.
And Geshe-la is then explaining that if we have to rely on the lama, and then if we see the lama as we can perceive the lama as the Buddha, then we will have proportional how do say? We we have proportionate blessings according to our belief in in the in the lama being being the Buddha. And if we do not see the lama if we cannot see the lama as the Buddha and we we hold on to those ordinary appearances that that come to our that appear to us as as true, then we won’t be able to derive any blessings from our relationship with the lama. So then, Geshe-la explained, so then there are there are lamas with with great qualities. There are lamas with with poor qualities.
There are many lamas who are just ordinary beings. And then but Geshe-la is still saying, as as for example, again, coming back to the to the example of the teacher who taught us the alphabet. One one even though he he drinks and he misbehaves, then one has to understand that the fact that that he taught us the alphabet is a blessing of the Buddha himself. Without knowing the alphabet, one could not study the teachings and so forth. So one has to understand that that person teaching the alphabet to us, that that was a blessing of the Buddha.
And again, Geshe-la is explaining furthermore that whatever whatever good we experience, whatever happiness we experience is then is the result of of virtuous virtuous deeds. And then so then that learning the alphabet the alphabet learning the alphabet is of the Buddhas. And then and then thinking then thinking and understanding then that even though that teacher who was misbehaving, then but through him, one one then learned the alphabet. One got these these benefits, which are the enlightened activities of the Buddha. So through him, one got these blessings of the enlightened activities of the Buddha.
Understanding this then, then one thinks then give gives rise to the thought then that he is the Buddha. And through him, one is is getting this experience the enlightened activities of the Buddha. There is there is nowhere where the where the Buddha where the Buddhas are not, and the Buddhas can see everywhere and everything. Their minds, even though they they they how to say? They are made of these very subtle winds and we cannot perceive their form, they are everywhere.
They are present everywhere. And then, Geshe-la is then asking, how is it that the blessings of the Buddha come to us? And then, again, Geshe-la was giving us an illustration. If one takes now I would need your help. Maybe I would Magnifying glass.
Pardon? Magnifying glass. Magnifying glass. If one take a magnifying glass and and, like, and and puts in the sun, then it will it will start a fire on on a piece of paper or something. And Geshe lah is then saying, so then the sun is just like it’s just like the Buddha.
And the magnifying glass will be like like that teacher who taught us the alphabet. And that’s and that’s how we get the blessings of the enlightened activities of the Buddha. So then again, Geshe-la was explaining again. So then the the the Buddha and and and his enlightened activities are like the sun and the sun rays. And then that teacher who was the the misbehaving teacher, who taught us the alphabet, again, was like the magnifying glass.
And then so then is explaining, so how do we have to understand this? And then Geshe-la is explaining, so then, because we do not have the karma to to to receive the blessings of the Buddha’s enlightened activity directly from the Buddha, then then we have to receive it by means of this from this from this teacher, this misbehaving teacher. We have we have the karma on him to receive through him. Yes. So then, Geshe-la, is then giving another quote from from from another sūtra of the Buddha himself where where the Buddha is then telling us that it doesn’t matter however however long I stay in this world, for that long I will stay.
And then after I pass, Buddha is telling us after after I pass, my teachers will remain. And then and and and who who then is going to pass pass on my teachings, and those those will be then the virtuous the virtuous teachers, virtuous friends. One. The main point such a such a practice is to is to understand that whatever it is that phenomena are not the way they appear to us, to each one of us. So then I visualize this thing.
So then usually when we we say, oh, this person or that teacher is just like that. I saw it myself. And then in this way, we we we convince ourselves absolutely that it is so. But it is not so because there’s no phenomenon which, how to say, exists, which is truly established from its own side or which is So there’s no phenomena whatsoever which is truly established from its own side. Then we to our consciousness, to ordinary consciousness, then we perceive everything as being truly established, but there is nothing which is actually truly established from its own side.
So then if if there was if there was to be something which is truly established from from its own side, then there will be no emptiness. And then again, again, explanation. So then the meaning of of some phenomena or something not being truly established on its own side, it is also to say that phenomena do not exist the way they appear to us to exist. And then again, in Spain, again, one one has to to think must think of one’s lama as as the Buddha, and then for for based on which reasons one must one must think in this way. Just because we do not wish any suffering and we wish to experience happiness, for that, we must because of that, we must see the lama as a Buddha.
Because if we see the lama as a Buddha, then we will derive great blessings, great benefits. And if we don’t, then we won’t derive any benefits. If one if one does not put one’s mind to it with great effort, then it’s very difficult to understand that. That our inability to to realize the grounds the past the grounds and past is is can be traced down to that. One cannot see because we are not able to see the lama as as as the Buddha, then we cannot derive those those blessings.
And because of that, we cannot realize the paths, and we cannot grow up through the through the through the grounds to enlightenment. Everything can be traced down to that. So then the text goes on to say, almost finishing this section of the commentary, saying that, that line of verse, which is of the root text, which is saying, I bow down to all the high and holy lamas, that is in this text on the stages of the path, where the teaching of how to rely on on the lama is is shown. Okay? And then finally, the last line of this commentary is then telling us picking up the the first three words of of the Tibetan verse, which is then lord, venerable, and lama, and is then saying that there is there is a way to explain the meaning of these words as lord referring to the to the being beings of small scope, the path of being beings of small scope, and then venerable referring to the path of beings of middling scope, and then lama referring to the path of beings of the greater scope.
So then we we finish then with with the first part of of the of of the commentary on on on the on the first line of the verse, which is then the praises and and and prostrations to the to the lamas. And then we start with the second part of of of this introductory part of the text, which is then the the the pledge to compose the text. So then we read the the first root verse, which is then is the pledge to compose the text, which is then which then reads like this. As far as I am able, I will explain the essence of all high teachings of the victors, the path that all their holy children command, the entry point the entry point for the fortunate seeking freedom. And then, Geshe-la, was then briefly explaining the meaning of each one of these lines.
So then, again, as for the all the teachings of the Buddhas, of the victors, then there are more than eighty eighty four thousand teachings. And then Geshe-la was explaining that the the author is telling us that he’s going to put the essence of all these teachings, which are, again, renunciation, the mind of enlightenment, and and realization of emptiness. He’s gonna set forth the essence of all these teachings. And then this is the path which is which is praised as as as as as the the the highest, the noblest one for by by all the bodhisattvas, which are then the the children of of the Buddhas. And then the fortunate ones for the fortunate ones who are seeking liberation and and and enlightenment, this is the very door, the very beginning of the path, and then he will then try to explain that as well as he can.
This one? And then so then we get to the commenter. And the commenter has been telling us according to to Geshe-la’s explanation, the commentary is telling us that all the essence, the the meaning of of the essence of all the teachings of the Buddhas is then mainly is this is this practice of the Three Principal Aspects of the Path to Enlightenment and also the stages of the path to enlightenment, the teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment. Okay. So then that teaching which then has condensed within it the stages of the path of all the teachings of the Buddhas, then which a person can practice, then there is only the stages of the path to enlightenment, those teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment, which is called lamrim.
And then the other So there is no other there is no other how to say, there is no other teaching which has all these qualities condensed within them. There is no other teachings of, again, Sakya, the Gelugpa, the Nyingma and the Kagyu of sūtra and of tantra, which has all of these essential points condensed within them. Only the stages of the path to. The teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment have all these qualities. So then there was a one one one lama who was then saying one lama was called.
This lama was then saying that of all the the the one, how to say, type of teaching of of of text which explains all the teachings of of of the Buddhas, all the the the interpretive and definitive scriptures without any contradiction whatsoever, then is this teaching of the Lamrim. There’s one one quote of a letter that Lama Tsongkhapa wrote to to another Lama, Lama Umapa, where the where Lama Tsongkhapa is is is is telling Lama Umapa that those teachings on on the of of Je Atisha, on this on the stages of the path, which is the text which is called The Lamp Illuminating the Path to Buddhahood. Those teachings, are very he’s praising those teachings as how to say, very consistent, and then presenting the stages of the great of the path of the great vehicle, the Mahāyāna vehicle, in a non mistaken way. And then he’s saying that he he is is I have after studying these teachings again and again, he’s under he’s seeing perceiving them to be so. And then he says that he he himself is studying and practicing the teachings, he thinks that that others other lamas the lama that he was writing for in this case, then should also study and practice these teachings.
Furthermore, the Lama Tsongkhapa is then telling Lama Umapa that that teaching of Je Atisha on lamp illuminating the path of enlightenment, that teaching of the stages of the path, then has condensed within it all the teachings of the Buddha, all the commentaries and all, how to say, pith instructions, they are all condensed in decisions on on the stages of the path, and then they all appear clearly there. And one must know one must study them. How do you say? One must look for the study them, and practice them. And then so then listening to the teachings and then learning the teachings, then one practice them.
And from practice, then If one if one then having listened and and learned the teachings, one if one were to practice them, if one is to practice them, then all the, how do you say, instructions of of of practice, all the many different instructions will be realized, will be understood, and one one needs to to resort to different to different teachings or or scriptures. And just to say that studying this sort of text of this on the stages of the path will suffice. So then is then reading the text which is then explaining that because of that, if one if one if if one studies this text on the stages of the path, then all all the teachings of of the Buddhas that that that the complete all the how to say complete teachings of of the Buddhas that that exist on the planet Earth now, that all of them will be the essence of all of them will be will be realized or understood by studying these these stages of the path. And then all all the the the teachings of the of the Buddha are, how do you say, subsumed within the the three baskets, the the Vinaya, the Sutras, and the Abhidhamma.
And then all of them, they are subsumed within the path of the three the status of the path of the three types of beings. Okay? And then furthermore, then Lama Tsongkhapa is then saying that in this way, all of those those teachings of the Buddhas are then subsumed within the the the stages the teachings on the stages of the path. And all of them furthermore, all of them, they are subsumed the very essence of all of them, of all the stages, is then subsumed within these three principal aspects of the path. So then and then there’s another quote from Geshe Dromtönpa, which is saying that all the the the teachings of the Buddha are within collected within the the three baskets.
And then all the the instructions of for the for the for the beings of of to three types of beings, they are gathered in this in this, how do say, mala, this precious golden mala of the Kadampa teachings. Okay? And then that is studying is studying this the the the the meaning of these teachings, and then Geshe-la was explaining that this is then this teaching is referring then to the to the lamrim, the teachings on the stages of the path, then studying if beings were to study these these teachings, then they will gain understanding of the meaning of all the teachings of the Buddhists. And then the text goes on to to explain that these these teachings on on the stages of the path to enlightenment, then whatever whatever other teachings there might be, this teaching on the on the state of the path is endowed with with what is called the the three distinctions and and the four greatnesses, and because it is endowed with these three distinctions and four greatnesses, then it is very noble and special. And there is no other teaching aside from these teachings on the stages of the path that that has such characteristics.
And then Geshe-la was then Geshe-la was quoting different teachings than the sutras, text on on scriptures on on Vinaya, on on Abhidhamma, on Pramāna, cognition, how to say, the the mid middle way philosophy and so forth. And then the tantras also, such as all the tantras in Guhyasamāja and so forth, none of them have all these characteristics. Only the Lamrim teachings endowed with these qualities. And then furthermore, the text is telling that one who has gained an understanding of of the the teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment, he he can such a person can go to a scriptures house, where a place where where people live many scriptures, and there are many pieces of scripture over there also. And this this person can pick up any any piece of of paper, and and he will be able to understand the teachings that are written there and place them in context.
And then not only that, so then so then so then because of that, these teachings are said these teachings on the stages of the path are said to open, to be the key that open hundreds of of the hundreds of doors on on of the the teachings of the Buddha. So then so then, again, all these all these teachings, they are, how to say, gathered the meaning of all the teachings is gathered in the in the Lamrim teachings, in in the teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment. And then again, it is said that one who has gained a good understanding of the teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment is then one who has an understanding of all the teachings of the Buddha. So then somebody who has who who who then who who is practicing the the teachings of the the the new schools or the older schools in other tenets tenet schools and so forth, they are not said to be, how do say, these these these lords or masters of of all the decisions of the Buddhas, such as a person who would have studied the the Lamrim teachings, the studies on the path is.
Okay? And then so then so then one one is then There’s another another lama to to Tuken Dharmavajra. Tuken Dharmavajra is then saying that if one were to to mix together all these the teachings of of the new schools and the the old schools and then referring to the Gelugpa, Kagyupa, Nyingmapa, and so forth, then one would not have, how to say, a consistent a consistent practice. But and then on the other hand, then these these teachings on the stages of the path, then they have all have collected within them all these the the the teachings of of of the Buddha and all the the the important points that are revealed in the in the three baskets, again, in the Vinaya, the sutras, and the Abhidharma texts. They are all these essential points.
They are all gathered within the Lamrim teachings. So then this this lamrim, the teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment, then they they started to be called such. They started to be called lamrim since the time when when one of the kings of Tibet requested Je Atisha, Lama Atisha, to then to to write, to compose a text, and then Atisha composed a text which is called The Lamp Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment. And then, since then, this type of teaching started to be called Lamrim, or the teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment. And the text is there saying that this is not the Lamrim text, the text on the stages of the path was not a creation of Je Atisha and of Lama Tsongkhapa.
All the Buddhas of the three times of past, present and future, they taught and practiced the stages of the path. And the text is giving then a quote from from from one Buddha, from one one Sūtra of the Buddha where where it is written that all the victors of the past of those who have passed away, those who who haven’t passed away yet, and those who who are still to come, all how to say, the path that all of them practice is none, but none other than these of the the six perfections. Okay? Yeah. Now guess I’ll ask you if you have any questions.
Did you understand? As I said that usually people say, oh, many things were said, and I didn’t understand anything. I can’t remember who taught me the alphabet. Oh. Your parents.
True. Yeah. But still, even though you don’t remember, you still you had a teacher. Then those teachers in the school. So then the the the meaning is that that those you call when called lama, are those who give to us good qualities.
So then it is in dependence on having learned the alphabet from those teachers that we can now study the teachings that teach us the path to liberation and enlightenment, and the others must be abandoned, the others must be adopted and so forth. So then, you should abandon. So then, because of that, it is very important then to have a pure view of of the teachings that we had, all those teachings that that have passed on to us good qualities, and not not see not see fault on them. Because we ourselves, we are because we are overwhelmed by by by the self-cherishing mind, And we we we only see good qualities to ourselves. We never see faults on ourselves.
And we on the other hand, we see faults on everybody else. Because of that, it’s very difficult. You want to add something? Just when you mentioned there were three and a four, I wasn’t quite sure. The three and the four, I mean.
Is it? I I asked, Geshe-la, but Geshe-la is that was then saying that those the I have them here. Okay. But the the issue I was saying Mhmm. So then as I said, this this so those are those are explained in in the the extensive the the greater lamrim texts.
So then if you if you you into into the lamrim text, you you will see this because, as I said, there’s a lot lot of things to explain. To explain. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
I’m just one. Just one. Oh, somebody back there. Yeah? It’s actually more about the teachings, actually.
We We’re taught to go over again and again to remind ourselves, so that we don’t forget. The question is, at the beginning of the teachings, why weren’t the prayers said? Because they are to remind us, you know, taking refuge, prayer. Why why What about the teach what about the prayers? The prayers.
What about the prayers Oh, why did okay. Of the teaching this afternoon. Easy easy one. That’s easy. Geshe lah, when while you were all prostrating, where everybody was prostrating to Geshe lah, Geshe lah was saying, don’t need to proceed.
You proceeded already. You did it already in the beginning of the day. And now when we finish, we do the dedication prayers and everything, isn’t it? But Motivation prayers. We do dedication prayers.
Huge. Yeah. At at the beginning of this session, this teaching session. Yeah. La Geshe-la himself, he said, no.
You don’t need don’t need to prostrate. Don’t do anything. Just sit down. So then I I I put forth your question to Geshe-la. I guess that was then saying is just because we did it already in the morning.
So then in the morning the morning, one one one took refuge and gave rise to the motivation of bodhicitta, and then one must then carry on this this motivation for throughout the whole day. So the prayers kind of are like an affirmation of of that to to to remind ourselves. I mean, we do it in the morning first thing. Yeah. But then maybe by the afternoon, it’s kinda like So then it is good to then to to repeat those prayers again.
But, again, I wasn’t saying that it is good if one if one if one can do these prayers in the morning, and then just bring them to mind again, bring bring this motivation to mind again and again. And then I was asking, so then but and then I I was putting forth your your question in relation to the to the teaching setting. And I was I was I was asking, so then if having having done this prayer before the first teaching in the morning, then usually we shouldn’t shouldn’t we we wouldn’t do it in in this teaching in the afternoon, and then just answered, you should do it, that’s good. So you can do it. It’s good to do it.
So then if it is good if if you do it, but, again, it’s not the custom in Tibet to do so. In Tibet, if you have two, three, four teachings within the same day, then you do the prayers only first thing in the morning, and then you finish with the dedication after the last teaching of the day. So then so then you Geshe-la is telling us to to for us to to see for ourselves even even in the teachings of of the Dalai Lama, then people do not repeat those those preliminary prayers before the second round of teachings of within the same day. Do just in in the beginning of the first round of teachings. Then if if you want to do to the prayers for each one of of the teaching sessions, that’s that’s good.
But then just because we have a limited time, so then we don’t we don’t do it. We have more teachings instead. Yeah. Yeah. Okay?
So now we are so now we read the dedication prayers. Did you have any more questions? Okay.