Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 78-minute commentary on the 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva, Geshe Pema Tsering asks why the four-immeasurables prayers recited at the start of teachings produce such weak results. His answer: we have never genuinely confronted the three types of suffering — obvious pain, the suffering of change lurking in pleasurable things we ardently pursue, and the pervasive compounded suffering of the five aggregates. He traces the logical chain from that recognition through renunciation to compassion to bodhicitta, quotes Lama Atisha and Dromtonpa on love as the root of enlightenment, and tells the story of an old woman who — asked to love all beings as she loved her son Tole — grasped at once how vast and difficult the task truly is. A brief Q&A on Dharma centre work closes the session. Suited to students with some Lamrim background.
File metadata (for organising)
File: Geshe Pema Tsering – Track 2.mp3
UUID: be085d38-e4bb-41b7-b320-a6b057fb939a
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: z Unallocated multiple years (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 78.1 minutes
Words: ~5,227
So then so when we continue with the thirty-seven practices of the Bodhisattvas in in the first of of the verses that with respect to the Mahāyāna vehicle. And last teaching, have been through the text, we were talking about loving kindness and compassion. Lastly. And then now we start following the commentary, which is telling us with respect teaching us now with respect to the suffering to how to say, the reflections or or reflecting on the suffering situation of all sentient beings. And we are told that just as having understood, reflecting on one’s own suffering, then renunciation can be produced.
Then in this way, and then when we reflect on others suffering, then compassion can be produced. And then Geshe-la was explaining. So what the text is telling us is that we must then understand our own suffering situation. And then if we have an understanding of our own suffering situation, we will have the wish then to be free from that suffering. And then in this way, having understood our own suffering situation, we’ll be able then to understand other suffering situation and wish them to be free from that suffering, which is compassion.
And Geshe-la said furthermore that that if we do not have this understanding, if we not reflect properly and and well, understand well this this our own suffering, then we won’t be able to produce to give rise to compassion. So then, so then with respect to understanding one’s own suffering, this is this is very difficult. It’s very difficult to understand one’s own suffering, and then as a consequence of that, then give rise to to renunciation. We should be free from that suffering. And Geshe-la was explaining, but it’s not to say that Geshe-la is saying, when we’re talking about suffering, we’re not talking only about physical suffering such as the suffering of illnesses and diseases and and and and and so forth because we all wish to be free from this sort of sufferings.
But when we talk about sufferings here, we’re not talking about that. So then Geshe-la was explaining again, with regard to those obvious sufferings, then Geshe-la says, and it’s very easy to develop the wish to be free from them and to wish to wish for oneself that they may not happen to oneself. On the other hand, when we’re talking about sufferings here, we’re talking about more than that, and Geshe-la is explaining that we’re talking we’re the good and pleasurable and excellent things of cyclic existence that we strive, that we actually do strive for. And so then we all talk about all those things that we strive for and understanding we do not understand that they are actually suffering, and and and we do not we never have the wish in our minds that that we may be free these things, and that we we may never we we never develop the thought in our minds, may may this not happen to me, may this not come come my way. We all actually strive ardently for for all these things of cyclic existence, the pleasurable so called pleasurable, excellent things of cyclic existence.
So Geshe-la was explaining. So then that we strive for, they are what is called these excellent things of saṃsāra that we strive for, they are what is called the suffering of change, they are in the nature of the suffering of change. And then in order to obtain all these things, acquire all these things, and we we engage in all sorts of activities, we we create all sorts of action, we produce all sorts of karma, and and this way, we we have to perpetuate our our existence within within cyclic existence. And and it it keeps only it only gives us more suffering. And, I guess, Geshe-la was saying it is this this suffering of change, the things that we strive for, they they actually it is not it is not small suffering that they give us.
It is very great suffering. Saying, again, with respect to the suffering of change, that we we it’s very hard to to to to understand it and then develop the wish to be free from it. And and we don’t stop only there, then we have this is this is then the suffering of change, and then we have still another more subtle sort of suffering, which is the pervasive compounded suffering, which is, for example, the five aggregates, the aggregate of form, feeling, discernment consciousness, and and and the the very I, that very consciousness of I. And Geshe-la was gonna say, so then this is is we we never ever have the wish to be free from it, how do we? So then, taking as an example, so then, again, the pervasive compound of suffering we have as an illustration of that, have the five contaminated aggregates, and then as an example, as an illustration, you take the aggregate of form, and then we see that the aggregated form was produced, came about because of previous actions of karma that has been accumulated in previous lifetimes, contaminated karma.
And then right now, this aggregate of form is serving as the basis and the support for the production, for the accumulation of more karma. We we, again, for the sake of of obtaining all the good things of of our cyclic existence, the so called suffering of change, and we strive for it and we engage in all sorts of activities and produce more karma. And then this just again perpetuates our stay, our existence within Samsāra. So then Geshe-la is saying again, the text telling us that was saying that having understood just as as we when we understand our own suffering situation, then we develop renunciation. Then in the same way, when having understood the situation of others, develop compassion.
And then again, Geshe-la was then establishing that link, making it very, very explicit saying that without having understood our own suffering situation, we cannot develop renunciation, and renunciation is a necessary step before we can develop compassion. And I guess I was then saying, so then how difficult? Because it is so difficult to understand our own suffering condition with respect to the suffering of change and pervasive or pervasive compound of suffering and so forth. And then Geshe-la was gonna say, so then we can see how difficult it is to to to produce this understanding of suffering, and then get to renunciation. And, again, because renunciation, because our own the understanding of our own suffering is necessary to produce compassion, then we can see how extremely difficult it is then to produce compassion itself.
Geshe-la la again going back to those two sentences saying again that an understanding of how we are affected by the three types of suffering, the suffering of change and the pervasive compounded suffering, have an understanding of this that we can then understand how other sentient beings are also afflicted by the three types of suffering. And then it it is having understood our own suffering situation, how we are afflicted by the three types of suffering. We can develop the wish to be free from it ourselves, and then again, in the same fashion, understanding how others are affected by the three types of suffering, we can then develop that wish that they be free from that also. And then the text goes on to say that great compassion is the very root of the path of the great vehicle. In order to accomplish enlightenment, in the whole process of the accomplishment of enlightenment, great compassion is extremely important the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the path.
So then again, Geshe lah is saying, so then it is said, the text is telling us that it is it is the very root of the path. And not only that, it is extremely important in in the beginning, the middle, and in the end of the path, but still, it is very difficult for us to give rise to it, to produce it. So because of that, at whatever opportunity we have, at all times, we should be making effort to meditate on compassion, on great compassion. And then Geshe-la is explaining the meaning of this this this bit of sentence here that in accomplish in the accomplishment of enlightenment, then great compassion is important in the beginning, the middle, and the end. So then in the beginning, compassion is important just as in order to reap a harvest in the beginning, you need to plant the seeds.
So then the great compassion is just like the seeds, and it’s extremely important in the beginning. Completely something that we can you cannot cannot do without it. And then in the middle, again, again, in order to accomplish the to reap the harvest, then, again, you need you need water, you need fertilizers, you need to treat the plants carefully. And, again, where compassion does the same the same job here. So, again, great compassion is very important in the middle.
And at the end, at the attainment of enlightenment, great compassion is also important because without without great compassion, the the welfare, the purpose of others will not be accomplished. It is great compassion that impels one to to to work to work for the sake of benefiting other sentient beings. So, again, it’s something that you cannot do without in the end. So, I think Geshe-la was saying, so we all recite those verses in the beginning of the teachings for for giving rise to the mind of enlightenment and the verses on the four immeasurables to produce loving kindness and compassion, so forth. We can we can all recite that.
But we we have nothing but what’s the word for that? What’s the word for that? It’s it’s a it’s a when we produce the thoughts that we produce, they are very weak, but it’s not exactly the word that Geshe-la use, but that gives the meaning. It’s very weak because we do not have a proper understanding of of of the suffering situations that we are in, of the three types of suffering. So because of that, our our thoughts are very weak in strength.
Okay? Oh, yeah. That’s difficult, isn’t it? So it’s something that we we produce this these thoughts which have just they look like they are the actual thing, but they are not the actual thing. So then again, Geshe says, so then even when we are trying to produce the mind of enlightenment while while whilst reciting the prayers, Geshe-la says, still our our we cannot, in English the language, we cannot give rise to renunciation because we still hold those suffering things.
We we we we hold them to be to be actually the nature or to be actually happiness. So we always confound them to be so and then confuse them in in this way, and we can never then produce a natural mind of enlightenment and compassion. And then again, so the next verse was then saying, so then we were we were taught about loving kindness, which is the wish then to endow all sentient beings with happiness and its causes. We were taught about compassion, which is a wish to to free all sentient beings from suffering in these causes. And then, again, the text go to the next the next topic, the next step in this meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings, which is then then wishing to endow all sentient beings with happiness and wishing to be free to to free all sentient beings from suffering, then one one then thinks that may may I may I alone accomplish that for all sentient beings.
And then this thought, which which then, how to say, takes onto oneself other’s burden, then this is what is called the superior resolution, the superior determination. And then, again, this is another step, this is another mind which is necessary before we can produce the actual the actual mind of enlightenment. And then again, it is in the in dependence on that that the actual mind of enlightenment can be produced, that the actual mind of enlightenment arises. And then again, Geshe-la was then saying, so then it is dependence on that with compassion. It is in dependence on that superior determination, superior resolution that, again, the mind of enlightenment can be actually produced.
And then textbook then goes on to say that as for training in striving in striving for in making effort at attaining enlightenment, then we are told that once we see the need to attain the great enlightenment for the sake of accomplishing the welfare of others, then we, from the very depths of our heart, when we develop, we give rise to the wish to attain that by striving for that purpose from the very depths of our heart. And then Geshe-la was saying again, so then we see how many steps there are in this whole process, and we see then how difficult it is difficult it is then to produce an authentic mind of enlightenment. And then we have a quote from Lama Atisha, which is then saying that meditate on loving kindness and compassion, and in this way make your bodhicitta stable. Okay? And I guess I was then just saying.
So, again, he’s telling us that without loving kindness and compassion, cannot produce the mind of we cannot produce bodhicitta. And also, Lama Atisha also said that that bodhicitta, which is associated, which is together with great compassion, that that bodhicitta is praised as supreme. And then, again, he’s telling us that we should we should give rise properly, produce great compassion. We do it properly, and then and then again, we can produce a good like this, we can produce give rise to a good, strong mind of enlightenment. And then, again, we have another story from from the from the biography of Lama Atisha, which is telling that when he was doing circumambulations around the stupa in Bodh Gaya, then from the the depictions that are in the I don’t know if anybody knows it.
This is a bas-relief depiction. There’s one depiction of Tārā and another depiction of another deity, which is which I don’t know the name in in in in India, but it’s Thugje Chenrezig. And and these two they they emanated from from those depictions in the world, and then they started talking with him and questions and answers. And then in this dialogue that they were having between them, they told him that if if if you wish to quickly attain enlightenment, then you then train yourself in in in train your mind in in loving kindness, compassion, and bodhicitta. And then and then after that, after after this dialogue with them, Lama Atisha then developed he gave rise to a strong certainty within his mind.
And then we are told in the that there are many other such stories in his biography. Story. There was a yogi, a yogi called, he he met he met Lama Atisha when he was thirty years old. So then, yeah, so then, yes, so then he was thirty years old when he met Lama Atisha, and he asked for for instructions. And Lama Atisha was telling him, so from today on, you you don’t keep your name in mind.
Do not keep your position, your status, and your family in mind. Do not keep your country in mind. From now on, from today on, only cultivate nothing but love, compassion, and bodhicitta. And then we are told that he did he did just as he was instructed. And then when he was when he was thirty years old, then he attained he attained it’s called the supreme accomplishment.
He attained full enlightenment. So then, I guess, was gonna say, so then, yeah, it’s it’s again, he meditated for five years, and when he was thirty five, he attained we are led to think that he attained he attained full enlightenment, isn’t it? So, yeah, just five years. Just five years took him it took him only five years to attain enlightenment. And he says, it’s easy, isn’t it?
So so, yeah, it’s So then, I guess, was gonna say, so then we we if if we he this this person, this yogi, I mean, he he accomplished the previous stages necessary in order to to get to that stage where he would he would need only five years. So but but then also, it’s not like it’s it is not as as if we could not say that if we were to do just as he did, then we would also we would also be able to do just the same. And then, again, we have another quote from Dromtonpa, which was Lama Atisha’s main disciple. And Dromtonpa is telling us again that by meditating meditating a lot on on on on love and kindness and compassion, then we should make in this way our mind of enlightenment, our bodhicitta firm and stable. And not only that, he also said that loving kindness, compassion and the mind of enlightenment, they are they are said to be the root of accomplishing the great purpose of both oneself and others.
So then and then we have And then we have another story again that Dromtonpa is telling this another a great yogi. He’s telling this great yogi that he has he even though he has this this meditation, which is not disturbed even if if one was if if one were to beat a large drum right at at his side, then he wouldn’t be disturbed. Still, because he doesn’t have he doesn’t have loving kindness, compassion in the mind of enlightenment, then there will come there will come a day there will come a day when he will have to to practice confessions and purifications both day and night. And Geshe-la was saying, he’s making reference to the fact that there is this great danger that he might be born as a long lived god of the the of a certain realm of the of the form realm or as a god of the formless realm. And then, excuse me.
Geshe Gomba. He he tells us that the the source the the root the root of of of of the state of omniscience, of full and the full enlightenment of a Buddha can be traced back to to the to the two collections, which is the the great collection of wisdom and the great collection of merit. And then the source of of of the two collections can be is traced back to to the mind of enlightenment, to bodhicitta itself. And then the source, the very root of of of of the mind of enlightenment is traced back again to loving kindness and compassion. So then, again, because of that, essential.
Because of that, we have to meditate again on loving kindness and compassion. And then Geshe-la then elaborates in informing us that then the roots of love and kindness and compassion is traced back to the mind of equanimity. And then, again, that can be traced traced down to having an understanding of the suffering situation that we we all live in. And not only that, understanding how all sentient beings, like ourselves, wish only for happiness and do not wish for any suffering, and also understanding that all sentient beings so then they are equal to us in this way, and also understand that all sentient beings are equally greatly kind to us. And in this way, we can develop proper equanimity.
And then Geshe Potowa then tells us that in, whatever activities of the three doors of body, speech and mind we are to engage in, then we should engage in them with loving kindness, compassion and bodhicitta in mind. So then we should whatever activities we are going to engage in of body, speech, and mind, we should engage in them for the sake of of accomplishing this meditation on loving kindness, compassion, and bodhicitta. And then we have from from the teachings of of of Potowa, of Geshe Potowa on by by by example, they were given with respect to the loving kindness and compassion in in bodhicitta. Then we have one instance where an old lady asked Potowa, how is it she asked, how is it what is this saying of Lama Atisha that we should meditate? What is meant by by this that we should meditate on on loving kindness?
What is it that Lama Atisha meant with that? Then Geshe Potowa told that lady, just as you love and cherish and have this great affection for your son, who is called Tole. So in the same way you should Tole. So in the same way you should. So then in the same way you should So in the same way you should act in in in relation to all other sentient beings. And then the the old lady, she was she was surprised, and she said she said in Tibetan, well, maybe in English, we can say mercy mercy me.
And then she said, even if I were to meditate a hundred days, it wouldn’t this mind this this state of mind wouldn’t come about. And then Geshe Potowa said then that told her that she has then understood love and kindness and compassion. So then so then this is a teaching in your in in this was an example, an illustration of in regard to loving kindness. And then Geshe-la was saying, so then this is it is just it is just like this, isn’t It’s very difficult to to produce these minds just like in the story of the old lady is telling us. So then Geshe-la was then giving another illustration, another illustration that he he is bringing from from Tibet itself, and he’s saying that the a farmer a farmer, he would he would see he would look at others’ fields, and he would think that the the other other people’s fields are better than his.
He say that and he would never never he will always perceive it to be in this way. But then he would look at others others’ children, and he would always think that they are that they are worse than his children, that they are bad, and that his children is always good. You know what it is. So in the in the same way in the same way, then we have in the story the the son of the son of the old lady, which is what’s his name again? Tole, then liking all other children just in the same way that that she likes her son Tole, then would be would be very difficult.
And then and then in the context of of compassion, we have we are given another story of So then the one this this one person who was called, and he had he had, how do you say it, illness or some serious serious wounds in his legs. And then was telling him that so then now just in the same if if if your old mother was was to be was were were attacked by by a dog, and there were nobody else to help. And then you would you would tells him that he he would then completely disregarding the condition of his legs and whatever pain that he would be experiencing. He would he would drag himself in order to to help his mother and and and free her from the dog. So then and I guess and and so then this this is this is the example, the illustration of how on compassion on great compassion.
And then in the same way in the same way then continues that if if if one has then produced an uncontrived mind that understands all of the sentient beings to to be just like one’s mother, then one would would one would how to say? One would have that mind which of compassion, which which couldn’t bear to see others others suffering. And then this is this is what is said to be compassion. What time is it now? Hey, So so should we stop now?
No. It’s because there is a lunch at half past twelve, isn’t it? Yeah? What date is today? What what date is today?
Nineteen. Next Sunday. No. So then, yeah, next year, we continue with this. Oh, yeah.
I’m. So now if you have any questions? Love and kindness. Love and kindness. You wonder why why he said that she she understood it?
Yeah. It wasn’t because her response was it would just take so long. Yeah. Exactly. That’s She understood just how difficult it was, the magnitude of the task at hand.
And she understood that it was so difficult because she understood what the task was. Then, I I I was saying, if people who do not understand the task and the magnitude of the task, then they would they would be they would be thinking that it is easy. I said it’s not. So then, yeah, just that again, not having not understanding, well, what what is the the full meaning of great love and kindness and great compassion, then one might believe that one is actually one could actually easily accomplish that. And that’s that comes out of no no understanding, no no not with no good understanding.
And then Geshe-la was saying, so this old lady here in the in the example, she understood the task of what she said what she said, even if you want were to meditate for a hundred days, it wouldn’t come about. So then it’s like this. We we we do not we do not wish for suffering. But then Geshe-la is saying, but also we do not wish to meditate on on the suffering situations that we are we are in. And without meditating on them, then we cannot accomplish anything else that comes after it, loving kindness, compassion, and so forth.
Yeah. Yeah. On compassion. Yeah. For the mother.
So then this is an illustration of how one should be feeling towards all sentient beings. So then, in this case, of this person who is now trying to accomplish great compassion, but has compassion for his mother. For him, for that person, his mother is very important, and he has compassion for his mother only. And then we are told afterwards that this is how we should be feeling towards all sentient beings. Yes.
But this is an illustration of how how it is. Just trying to make it clear what what is that compassion we have to bring about. So then, again, this is an illustration. And then it’s just saying that we need to develop towards all sentient beings a compassion which is just as strong as that compassion that a son would have for his mother. Yeah.
Which which Geshe-la said again, which is very difficult. In the morning. Said that he he appreciates, but he he appreciates it, but he you don’t need to to go to the airport if you do not wish him. It’s okay. He will stay he’ll probably stay in the airport because he’s he doesn’t have a place to stay when he comes back.
So you have to stay in the airport. Giving public sessions in the airport. Big audience over there. What should the students do? So I’m not sure if I understood the context of your question, but so Geshe-la was what I what I asked Geshe-la according to what I asked to Geshe-la, Geshe-la was and said, then what you have to do again in this next year is work work hard for the sake of improving Buddha house, improving the finances, improving the the generosity, the the wealth of of Buddha house, and to grow for Buddha house to grow.
Work work hard for for for for Buddha house to grow. Individual who who is who is working for Buddha House should should should analyze, how to say, look into its own heart to see what what is what is happening there. And then also, the students or those who are working for Buddha House should also communicate between themselves. And then people should. So then I got confused because uses the word that people should argue with each other, and that that is to say people should people should debate with each other.
People should you know, if there is disagreement, people should people should discuss about yeah. People should talk with each other. Like like that. Yeah. So then with debating these questions, then with debates, then everything will turn out well with dialogue dialogue.
And then and, again, we should we should be patient. We should even even if there is disagreement between between people, then we shouldn’t we shouldn’t allow for anger to arise. We should then have the dialogue and and and then with with patience. In this way, practicing patience in this way, then everything will turn out well. So for all those who work for Buddha House, that’s what it is.
That’s what it takes. It’s a lot of debate. It’s a lot of arguing, so to speak, and it’s a lot of hard work. There’s no other way around it. So then but Geshe-la said, even though there is a lot of hard work, one should be doing all this hard work for the sake of improving Buddha house, for the sake of yeah.
For the sake of improving Buddha house. And and in this way, again, the work turns out well, and there will be no there’s no reason into for for to get angry with anything or anybody. So then again, this meditation is on on patience. They are particularly beneficial for for people who are engaged in work like this. And and with this, then the the work improves, only improves, and and that’s good.
That’s beneficial. It’s really beneficial. And then Geshe-la was saying so then Geshe-la was saying, it is it does not suffice to to just sit back and and not do anything and just say, oh, whatever will be will be. Whatever they want to do, let them do it. And even if one believes that they are at fault and it’s not, you know, we’ve how to say?
Not not it’s not alright not to get involved and not engage in the hard work and in the discussions and the debate and, you know, just let people do whatever they they wish to do and and without, yeah, to be without having this desire, the wish to benefit Buddha House. It’s not right to act like this. Is that clear? Does that make sense? Okay.
So then like this, says, thank you to everybody. If if if you weren’t to to come back here for the students, then there will be no need for for the visa. That’s true. That’s true. Yeah.
Yeah. Thank you. Yes. So page twenty six.