Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 36-minute teaching, Geshe Sonam Rinchen guides practitioners through a foundational reflection on the unique potential of human life. He contrasts the human condition—where we experience suffering and happiness in alternation—with the limited options available to beings in lower realms (overwhelmed by suffering) or celestial realms (lost in pleasure). From this realistic baseline, he develops the practical core: we possess the power right now to create causes for higher rebirths through ethical conduct, generosity, and sincere prayer; and we can even achieve lasting freedom from suffering in this lifetime through disciplined practice of ethics, concentration, and wisdom. He then emphasizes that recognizing this preciousness is only the start—we must also understand how rare such a life is (most beings lack the conditions to encounter Dharma), and therefore must act immediately to use it well. The final section shifts from philosophical grounding to immediate application: cultivate loving kindness with those closest to you first; keep the teaching in mind during daily life to counteract laziness and unwholesome action; and seal all positive energy created through dedication to the welfare of all beings. Suited for practitioners new to Buddhist thought as well as those deepening their practice.
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File: 02 CtM.mp3
UUID: f143cf69-d692-4c6e-a716-f651ef416a06
Teacher: Geshe Sonam Rinchen
Collection: Calming of the Mind (Geshe Sonam Rinchen)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 36.5 minutes
Words: ~3,770
And there isn’t anything that we can’t accomplish with what we’ve got at present. There is no kind of happiness that we can’t achieve. In other words, we can achieve whatever level of happiness we set out to achieve. We can achieve the highest kind of happiness there is and we can completely eradicate all difficulties and problems. It’s within our capacity.
We have the potential to do it. So we need to be careful now. This is why it’s so important to think carefully now, to be careful now. Because if you’re in an unfortunate state of rebirth and the unfortunate states are the ones where you experience severe suffering, where you are constantly overwhelmed by suffering. If you are in that position where you are constantly overwhelmed by suffering, you’re not able to do anything constructive and wholesome because you’re so involved in the pain and the suffering and the problems.
On the other hand, if you are a celestial being, you are enjoying such pleasure. You are completely in the thrall of sensual pleasures and you are completely blissed out all the time. And so you can’t think of doing constructive things because it’s so nice. As human beings, however, we experience suffering or problems and difficulties and pleasure alternately.
So there’s always one or the other happening and they take turns. It’s always a changeover, a quick changeover. It’s always in flux. So because of this, it can help us to generate tremendous insights. It can make us feel the difficulties and problems we face can make us feel that we want to get rid of it all.
That we’re fed up with it, that we want to change it. And so that’s very important because it acts as a spur. And on the other hand, we also have the opportunity of doing tremendously constructive things or destructive things. I mean we have this opportunity because of the state we’re in. We can create extremely powerful actions.
In fact, our actions can be so powerful that we can experience the result of those actions in this very life. So that it’s possible in an early part of your life to do something very destructive, the results of which you experience in later life. And similarly, it’s possible to do something very positive and constructive in the early part of your life and later experience the result or the fruit of that. So we have tremendous potential, we have tremendous power, and if we can direct our activity in the right way, if we can think in the right way and direct our activity in the right way, we can create happiness for ourselves. Even in this very life, we can create happiness for ourselves, for other living beings, and for everyone around us.
We can affect everyone around us through our own actions. So we can affect those close to us, we can affect ourselves, those close to us and our whole environment through our positive action, through our positive thoughts and actions. Similarly, in the same way, if we think destructive thoughts and act upon those destructive thoughts, we can create severe harm, we can create great harm to ourselves, to others, we can injure others, and we can even destroy our environment. So we can see how human beings have this tremendous potential for good and bad, for destructive and constructive action. And so it’s very, very important for us to channel our energy in the right direction.
When we compare our potential with the potential of animals, we can see that even a big animal, even a really powerful animal and an aggressive animal can only kill a few people. Right? It can only create a limited amount of harm, a limited amount of destruction whereas one human being is capable of doing so much more, creating unlimited destruction. If we can use our potential, our energy in the right way, then we can do something which is meaningful in the short term, in the long run. We can make every day really powerful, meaningful.
If we want to aim for a fortunate rebirth, if we want to be reborn as celestial beings or as human beings, we can create the causes for that right now. I mean, it’s within our means. We have the power to create the causes for that right now. So how do you do that? How can you do that right now?
How can you create the causes for that right now? You can do it by ethical conduct. In other words, restraining from ten different unwholesome actions. I mean, they can be grouped into ten different kinds of unwholesome actions. So by restraint from those, by certain kinds of ethical conduct and by generosity, making offerings to the Three Jewels, by practicing charity, by giving to those who are poor and needy and who require help, by helping those.
So through ethics and through generosity of different kinds and by making strong prayers, wishes, you know wishing hard, making prayers to become, to be able to achieve a human rebirth or a rebirth as a celestial being. We are able to create the causes for doing so. We did something quite seemingly small when we began. We recited the refuge and generated this altruistic wish, that wish for the attainment of enlightenment so as to help all living creatures. And then we went through this seven part, this little prayer that has seven different parts in it.
By doing that, we created tremendous potential energy although we weren’t aware of it. We created this tremendous potential for achieving countless human rebirths just by that action. So we should realize that a single moment of concentrating the mind, of trying to think something positive triggers off a whole sequence. It sets off a whole momentum for positive results, for positive fruition. So we must realize that we have at this time the potential to create causes for achieving a similar human life or better human life to the one that we have now.
But then we may not be content with being reborn in this same kind of existence again. We may not want to go through everything that we go through now again. So we may feel that this kind of existence, the kind of existence that ordinary human beings are caught in, that they keep on experiencing with problems recurring, with happiness being so short lived, that this kind of existence is something that we don’t want at all. That we want to have a different kind of existence. That we don’t want this existence. If we feel that we reject this existence and that we want a different kind, a better kind of existence, we have the potential now to create causes for that too.
So if we want to be rid of this kind of existence, if we’re fed up with having the kind of body that gets sick and that experiences all sorts of problems that’s difficult to manage. If we’re fed up with the kind of minds that we have, that keep getting depressed and getting excited and then this keeps on sort of alternating. If we’re fed up with all that and we want to get rid of this kind of existence, we have the potential to do so because by generating a strong wish to get rid of that kind of existence and then training ourselves in ethical conduct, in the practice of concentration and development of wisdom or insight, we create the causes for getting rid of this kind of existence and enjoying a different existence. So, how to get rid of this existence is not to think I hate myself, you know, I can’t manage to do anything properly. To have this anger and bitterness with oneself and to try and destroy oneself.
That doesn’t actually get one anywhere. That doesn’t get one out of this kind of existence into a better existence. So, if one dislikes what one is now, it doesn’t actually solve anything by disliking it. And anyway, you’re lumbered with this kind of body that you’ve got now, this kind of mind. So we have to work with that.
We can’t change what we have now, but what we can do is make sure we don’t go on having that, right? So we can create a whole lot of causes. We can set off a momentum that creates something which is different to what we have at this very moment. It’s possible to transform that. Destroying it doesn’t actually resolve anything.
Although, when we possess a body and a mind of the kind that we have now, we do necessarily experience suffering, a lot of problems, a lot of pain. Nevertheless, though it may seem like an enemy to us, that our body, that our mind may seem like an enemy, we have to protect it. We can’t destroy it. We mustn’t destroy it. We need to protect it and nurture it.
Why do we need to protect it, to nurture it, to sustain it? Because with what we have now we can create a whole lot of positive energy. We can create positive energy which will fruit in good experiences, which will fruit in something better and therefore we can use it. We can use it to improve our situation. So we need this body and mind to achieve our own well-being, to work for others, to help others, to make others’ lives better.
So we need this body and mind. We have to look after our health. It’s our responsibility to look after our health, to sustain ourselves, to nurture ourselves. It’s very important. And we can see that in this way we can get out of the kind of existence we lead now.
We can change our situation. We can have a different and better existence. Moreover with this body and mind that we have now we can hold all sorts of vows. We can hold or we can practice all different kinds of ethical conduct. We can hold and follow the ethical conduct of somebody who seeks individual liberation such as a monk or a nun or we can hold layman’s vows and we can hold Bodhisattva vows and follow the ethical conduct of a Bodhisattva and we can hold Tantric vows and follow those practices.
So with this body and mind that we have now we have a tremendous choice. A choice of things that we can do. Many rich possibilities. So we can, with what we have now, with the equipment that we have now, we can hold these different kinds of vows. We can practice these different kinds of ethical conduct and if in addition to that we receive initiations and engage in tantric practices, if we are able to do so energetically and sincerely and devote a lot of time to it, it is possible in this very lifetime to reach a stable state of happiness, a lasting state of happiness where you’ve got completely free from every kind of problem and suffering.
Just imagine if a beggar walking along the street finds a beautiful jewel. He’d be absolutely overjoyed. So we are in an even better position because we can achieve all these different things with what we have now. Whatever we set out to achieve, it’s within our power. We have the potential.
So we should feel absolutely overjoyed. We should feel this great sense of joy and happiness at what we possess, at what we found. If we find some material thing, if we find a jewel or something like that, it may be of benefit. We may be able to sell it and get money and get all sorts of things that we want. Actually though, it may also cause us a lot of problems.
It may somehow lead to a whole lot of difficulties. But with this body and mind that we have now, if we use it properly, we can achieve happiness in this life. We can achieve happiness in all future lives. We can achieve happiness that is completely lasting. So please think about what you have now.
Think about this body and mind that you possess now. Think about how rich it is, what potential it has, that it enjoys these different freedoms and riches, that you have all these assets and factors at your disposal and that this is something precious and valuable. So first we need to recognize that we possess something more precious than a hundred thousand jewels. That we possess something infinitely more precious. And then we have to realize that we need to use it in the right way and that we mustn’t waste it.
So it won’t last forever and it’ll be really hard to get again. When we think about ourselves and animals. So if you think about Adelaide and you think how many insects there are in Adelaide, even all the people in the world are probably not half the number of insects that there are in Adelaide. So we can see that to be a human being is much more difficult than to be an insect, for example. And then we don’t just want to be any old human being. We want to be a human being with all those assets.
We need to be a human being with all those assets. And if you look at it objectively, actually that’s very rare. So just think about how many people in Adelaide are interested in the Buddhist teachings. Just interested. Never mind about believe or accept.
Just interested. So now, if you are not even interested, right? If you don’t even have any interest, then already there is one important asset missing. So we see that this precious human life with all these different factors present is something really difficult to achieve. And the achievement of such a life, such a precious human life with all those factors present is not something that pops up.
It doesn’t come from nowhere. There are causes for it. There are causes that create it. Just to achieve a human life, just any human life, you need certain causes. In other words, you need to have practiced ethics at some point in the past, to have practiced ethical conduct.
You need to have practiced ethical conduct and to have created a whole lot of wholesome positive energy. And to achieve the kind of human life we enjoy at this present moment, you need even more than that. You need even more positive potential, more positive energy. So you need impeccable ethics, impeccable morality to achieve a human life with such great potential as we have. What does that mean impeccable ethics?
It means that you’re constantly aware of what you do with your body, speech and mind. That you’re constantly aware and watchful, and that you restrain your body, speech and mind from going in a negative and unwholesome direction and you steer it in the other direction. Can I just — I have to speak into this thing. Then, of course, it’s impossible for us to completely restrain ourselves from going in that direction. That takes a lot of practice.
So the thing is, as soon as you find that you have allowed yourself to go in that direction, your mind or your physical actions, your verbal behavior, if it has gone in that direction, then you shouldn’t just leave it at that. You should do something to counteract or purify that action. But that’s something that most people don’t bother about. That’s very rare that somebody immediately takes some counteractive measures. So just think about yourself.
Are you aware constantly of what you’re doing? Are you constantly aware? Do you try to restrain yourself from doing things which are negative, which are unwholesome? If you do something unwholesome, something negative, do you feel frightened? Do you immediately want to cleanse yourself of that, get rid of it, counteract it?
Do you feel like that? So we only need to look at ourselves and see how we act. So that kind of behavior, that restraint and that kind of behavior is the seed for attaining a human life of the kind that we enjoy. And we know that for a seedling to grow, you don’t just need the seed, you need all sorts of other factors. You need fertile ground, you need heat, you need moisture, you need fertilizer, you need all sorts of different factors.
For a human life, the kind of human life we have now, we don’t merely need to practice ethics. We need other contributing factors as well. We have to practice generosity. We have to make offerings and gifts, we have to practice patience, we have to cultivate enthusiastic perseverance, effort. And then in addition to doing all those things, you need to wish really hard and pray that you can achieve a precious human life.
So you can look at yourself and see whether your own personal behavior accords with what’s been described. Right? If you do all these things, then there’s no problem. You’ll be able to easily gain a human life of this kind. And if you don’t do all these things, if you don’t continually do all these things, then you can see what your chances are of achieving a human life of the kind we enjoy now.
And then you need to do something about that. And if you think you can have a human life like this and do nothing about it, that it will just happen. If you think it just happens, then it’s like sitting waiting for a flower when you haven’t even put the seed in the ground. So we need to understand in this way by thinking about it that it really is quite a difficult thing to achieve. So we have to first recognize what we’ve got, how rich we are, see that it has tremendous potential to achieve different aims.
Recognize our potential and then realize that this is a unique chance and that we’re not going to have such an opportunity easily again. And so this is where we need to be really careful. This is the point in time where we need to be really careful and consider what we’re going to do. And the most important thing that we have to do with this precious life that we have now, the most important thing we have to do immediately is try to create good and harmonious relations with those people who are around us. That’s the first thing we have to do, to try and increase our kindness, become kinder and create good and harmonious, constructive, productive relations with those who are around us.
And we have to begin at home. We must begin at home by being honest and loving and gentle with the people with whom we have close contact. That’s where our practice needs to begin. It doesn’t make sense if you don’t do these things with the people who are close to you. If you don’t do it with the people whom you have daily contact with and you talk about doing all these things for other people, for people you don’t even know.
It’s important to begin with those who are close to us, to be loving and compassionate and patient and tolerant with the people who are close to us. And in that way, we can make our lives good. Today, I’ve just tried to talk a little bit about the preciousness of our human life and the fantastic opportunity we have now. I haven’t really been able to go into it in great detail because I’m not going to be here for very long and we want to talk about other things as well. But actually, even this small amount that I’ve said today can be useful to you because it’s something which you can contemplate.
You can use it for meditation. You can think about it because it’s not too difficult to remember. If you are able to utilize it correctly, it can be of great benefit to you. It can bring you many benefits and advantages. It can really be useful to you and it shouldn’t just be something that you sit upright here and meditate about in this meditation room.
It should be something that you carry with you all the time and when you feel yourself getting involved in something that is not constructive, when you feel yourself doing something which is unwholesome in any way, you should think, Oh, I shouldn’t be wasting this precious life doing something like this, wasting it on this. It’s also important not to just lay around and be lazy. When you’re feeling really lazy, when you’re feeling that you don’t want to do anything much, you should think that this is a really precious opportunity. I shouldn’t lose this opportunity. There are all sorts of positive things you can do without actually running around.
You can do things in your head. He says, I’ve really enjoyed talking to you about these things today, and I’m really impressed the way everybody has listened with such interest. Because I’ve told you these things with joy in my heart, you know, with warmth and joy in my heart and I’ve enjoyed speaking to you and because you’ve listened and you’ve enjoyed listening to me, we’ve created a whole lot of positive energy. And that positive energy that we’ve created, we need to steer in the right direction. We must make sure we do something positive with it, otherwise it might just dissipate.
So when we create positive energy in some way, you have to bank it quickly because when we get angry, it’s very easy to destroy that positive energy. Geshe-la says, we should dedicate the positive energy we’ve created to all living beings achieving the most perfect and lasting happiness. But also that they should be able to live in peace, to not be tormented by wars and famine, by epidemics and by all the different problems that arise, that they should live in peace and harmony together. We should pray these things and then try to implement them. We should try to implement the things that we hear about in our daily practice.