Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 44-minute teaching, HH Sakya Trizin guides practitioners through foundational meditations on renunciation and the preciousness of human birth. He begins with preliminary practices: taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, then generating bodhicitta with the intention to attain enlightenment for all beings. The core teaching establishes that genuine spiritual practice must abandon attachment to this life’s pleasures. He then walks through two central meditations: first, contemplating the extraordinary rarity and value of human rebirth—more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel because it alone enables liberation—and second, deeply meditating on impermanence and death, emphasizing that everything is as fleeting as autumn clouds or lightning. He stresses that only dharma practice offers protection at the moment of death, when one faces the unknown alone. The teaching concludes with a Q&A addressing killing, suicide, bodhisattva activity, and how to balance livelihood with renunciation. Suited for practitioners beginning or deepening their engagement with Buddhist fundamentals.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 10 FfK.mp3
UUID: 034eb1b9-890c-4dce-9c20-720edf1ce24f
Teacher: HH Sakya Trizin
Collection: Freedom from the Known (HH Sakya Trizin)
Date: 1988 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.3 minutes
Words: ~2,844
Of enlightenment becomes the preliminary practice. So each practice that we began by taking refuge that it becomes to make the path right path, and then by taking creating the enlightenment thought will make it at the higher path. So first, we’ll do a short refuge with the same way before with the cause, object, way, benefit the rules with the same visualization that as before, that yourself with the all sentient beings taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. Buddha is our guide. Dharma is our path.
Sangha is our spiritual companion. So in this way that you take refuge. And then to after the taking refuge that one receives all the blessings of the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, and Lineage Gurus so that all your defilements purified, and one’s qualities will improve so that one can practice Dharma steadily and effectively. So in this way, you try to remain for a moment. And then now to to create the enlightenment thought.
In the same way, all the mothers and all beings who wish to be free from suffering and who wish to have happiness For in order to help them effectively, that one must attain enlightenment. And in order to get enlightenment, that there whatever possible thing, whatever necessary, the the great bodhisattvas, the previous bodhisattvas that what they have taking, whatever activities they’ve been doing, that I will also follow their step and do my best. So make such a strong will to follow the two bodhicittas, the aspiring and the engaging bodhicittas. So with this, you do the creation of enlightenment thought. And then now so that is the preliminary part of the meditation.
Now for the the main part of the meditation which is that if you have attachment to this life you are not a religious person. So the every practice that we do we have to check carefully whether our aim, our motivation is with the attachment to this life or not. If it is an attachment to this life the practice you are doing is not the right one. In order to be a spiritual practice, it have to be at least not with attachment to this life. And so in this way, the the first thing is to meditate on the precious human birth that I, from the beginning last time until now, again and again, in this realm of existence.
Again and again that I’m born and died, reborn again, died again, and countless times. Every time that I am born in this realm of existence, I have experienced so many different types of sufferings. Already experience, already experiencing, and will experience. If and even now that I have not been able to able to cross the ocean of Samsāra and that I am still with the in the midst of four sufferings, birth, old age, sickness, and death and still not free from the mouth of defilements. So this time, whatever happens, that I must make a very strong will, that I must make very strong efforts to be able to cross this ocean of suffering, saṃsāra.
And in order to cross the ocean of saṃsāra, that one needs to depend on the precious human birth which is like a boat to cross the ocean. Without boat, one cannot cross the ocean. So in order to cross this this ocean of saṃsāra, one needs depend on the the the boat of precious human birth. And the precious human birth from cause point of view, from number point of view, from example point of view, from its own nature point of view, for many reasons that it is very, very difficult to obtain. Very precious, very difficult to obtain.
It is more precious than the wish fulfilling jewel. The wish fulfilling jewel has many benefit, and it can give many fulfill many our wishes, but it could not give liberation. It could not give enlightenment. But the precious human birth that if we make enough efforts that through this human birth we can even get liberation, we can even get ultimate enlightenment without much difficulties. And it is a far greater life than any other realms.
So this time, when I’m due to my virtuous deeds, due to my the meritorious actions that I have committed in the past, that I’ve been able to obtain such a precious human birth, free from the eight unfree places and the one that has the every possible requirements. So from this time that I must make some significant change in order to fulfill my final goal, and we must try every way to be able to cross the ocean of Samsāra. We must make every effort at least to start to set all the foot on the edge of the the liberation path. And if we do not succeed at this time, then one may not be able to obtain such opportunities in the future, which are very, very difficult just like being the the blind turtle being able to pass its neck through the golden yoke. So, therefore, we must make every efforts to obtain the essence out of this life.
And so with this kind of mind and think about the conditions, the cause, number, example, and its own nature, the the nature, the eight unrestful places. five right opportunities that need to be obtained from one’s own side, five right conditions that need to arise from the other’s side with altogether the eighteen prerequisite. The human life adorned with eighteen prerequisite is from many reasons that far greater than the precious, wish fulfilling jewels. So with this said, you must meditate on this for a moment.
And then now the second part is to meditate on the impermanence, the death and the impermanence. Is that although at the at the moment that we were able to obtain the precious human birth, but everything is impermanent. The Buddha said that the three worlds are like autumn time clouds, And the human beings the beings birth and death is like watching a dancer’s movement. And the person’s life is like a lightning in the sky or like steep mountain waterfalls. So that everything is impermanent.
So the one thing that is hundred percent certain is the death. And when the death will come, that no no one has any certainty. When one is coming is as that nobody knows. And the only method that can help me at the time of death is to practice the holy teachings. And the I up until now that having attachment to this life that spend all my time wasting with the distraction of many worldly activities.
And without any essence, we cling as the essence and that we have not been able to do any Dharma practice effectively. So now if if the death falls on me, how would I face how would I face the the death? Even the How would I face the death when the suddenly the death strikes on me? How I will able to to overcome? And so in this way, that wants you to increase the renunciation and the renunciation thoughts The renunciation thoughts.
That no one in the past, nobody lived without death. Everybody is die. Anyone who is born in this universe has died. And those who are born at the moment also will die. Even those who are have completely departed from karma and defilements, who have really realized the ultimate truth gone beyond the birth and death such as the enlightened Buddhas also for the sake of ordinary eyes that need to pretend to to show to passing away.
And even those who have completely gone beyond this world need to show to leave their body behind and to pass away. So we, the ordinary person who are completely tight, bound with karma and defilements, what confidence that I have that the death will not come. Even the most solid things such as, like, mountains, continents, oceans that look very solid will also eventually become destroyed, become an ashes. And those who have obtained very great high realization, who obtained the the the body that are created out of enormous amount of merits like the Buddha’s body also for the sake of ordinary eyes have to leave. So we as the ordinary person which are just like bubbles of the water, Very easy to change, very easy to lose, very easy to destroy that we think, but we still think we still think as a essence.
We still think it’s as a permanent our body which we care so much, which we think are very precious, which we think as a very we care. The day we are conceived, all the time with us. And in order to to keep it warm, that we wear cloth, in order to make it cool, etcetera, that we do so much efforts. But even this body that one day have to leave behind and either it is going to be cremated or thrown into the water or eaten by animals or just dried and and become completely destroyed. And there’s no permanent.
At the moment, our body is healthy and we have no major sufferings, that we are still with our relatives and our friends together with we enjoy food and place and we plan to live for very long time. And we talk many plans, many projects. But when the the death will start, that nobody knows. At one time, one day, without kind of any warning that we have to leave everything behind. Just that everything will become a block and everything, no relative will be able to help you, no friends can will able to help you, not even be able to see you, and that one will be separate permanently from all our friends, all our relatives that once alone, oneself alone.
Just like pulling a hair out of butter, just one’s own consciousness will have to leave this world and go into another country that is completely unknown to you. So at this at that time, the only thing that can give you the light, only help, the only friend, only relative who can help you is the holy Dharma. So when we have the the whatever amount of time that I have that while I was living, that I must practice Dharma. The practice Dharma also not just pretending one, but there’s something that will really affect my mind, that my wild mind so that it will be very effective and that you pray to the triple gem and you read many sutras about impermanence. And the way even when you are with your relatives and with your friends, when you are eating or drinking or when you are wearing wearing cloth or anything like that that you should think that everything is impermanent.
At the moment, I’m with my friends. At the moment, with my relatives. At the moment, I’m eating good food and good drinks and good cloth, etcetera. But this is all impermanent. One day that I have to leave all this behind and that my body will become a dead body and that I have to go all alone, my consciousness all alone.
So at that time, such such state is bound to come. So without any delay that now I must practice the Dharma. So in this way that you should try to so that at least that I have enough practice so that at least that at the time of death, I do not have any regret of not having tried to practice. So in this way, to try to meditate for moment. So in this way that we should meditate.
And when you are doing this kind of meditation, that they also it is good to recite the sutras or scriptures that are describing the precious human birth and the impermanent and death. So with this, we conclude the teaching as well as the the meditation. So now if you have any questions, then we will be relating with with the teachings so that we’ll be happy to answer. No. Each person, I mean, the lower realms are Yeah.
Isn’t it? Lower than the germs or worms or any animals.. And there are human beings who have committed major non virtuous deeds will be born in even hell realms. So there’s a each one has a many different karmas, many different things could be born in anywhere. Mhmm.
Is that very serious? Yes. That is also as a part of of a killing. I mean, among killing, to kill a human being is the most sinful because it is the most precious birth. And to kill oneself is also a form of killing a human being.
So, therefore, it is very considered very bad. Of course. There are a lot of things. Like, to to dedicate the merits and to do specific virtuous deeds that are dedicated for that particular person, etcetera. I mean, any killing is actually non virtuous.
But of course, each has exception. For example, in order to save many people’s life that if you kill one person and that is of course exceptional. There are many of course exceptional, but generally speaking that if you kill, for example, if you kill a person with a great anger, you hate this man and so you killed him that is a very very sinful, very very non very major non virtuous deeds. But then the children who does not know virtues and non virtues at that etc. And they just kill out of play without much knowing if they kill animals or something.
It is still a non virtuous but it is a lesser. I mean, this kind of thing is a very subtle thing. It’s very have to think very carefully to to say whether it is a right or wrong. As I said, many things have exception on things. Lot depends on the motivation also.
But whether it is a right or wrong, of course, generally, it is very clearly mentioned in the Vinaya that if you have an abortion that is also actually killing a person. So these things they’ll have to look from every angle and and detail and carefully think. Yeah. Yes. I mean, the bodhisattvas are everywhere and anywhere.
Wherever there is a karma that it will appear and the bodhisattva will appear to help. But the place when the at the time that Buddha has not appear, I think that that time, they are very it is very unlikely that those beings will have the karma to meet the bodhisattva. Yes. I mean, I mean, in order to practice Dharma you can’t give up attachment straight away, isn’t it? I mean, you just said that today I’m beginning my spiritual practice and then you can’t straight away give up.
It is impossible. We still have a very strong tendency, very strong mental imprint to have attachment. So but that spiritual practice that we do should not be attachment with this life. You are doing meditation not to gain prosperities of this life. You are doing meditation for the sake of at least for the sake of next life.
But in order to live a life that we need to depend on the livelihood. We have to we need food and cloth, etcetera. And as a spiritual practitioner, one need a right livelihood that Not mixed with the non virtuous deeds. Yeah. No.
No. I’m just giving the example. And I did not mean to say that when you take that refuge in a country, I mean, you are bound with this law, isn’t it? If you will take refuge in another country, that you have to obey the rules of that countries. This is just an example.
Like that, I’m saying that you have to follow the every rules. But what I’m saying is that I’m giving you an example that we are from worldly path, we take refuge into the Buddha Dharma Sangha. So in the worldly life, when one is taking refuge from another country to another country, then one is bound with new country’s rules. Similarly, here also, that after taking refuge in the buddhadharma Sangha, that one must keep the rules of the refuge. Enlightenment Mhmm.
A greater benefit. Yes. That’s right. That’s right. Do you mean I would be of greater I mean, to put it bluntly, would I be of greater benefit in the long run?
Yes. Of course. These people if I thought with all my ability, my own enlightenment, than the everyday affairs. Yes. Yes.
I mean, the long run, the greater benefit is more important. And so therefore, it will be more helpful. So therefore, the emphasis should be more on the spiritual practice. But at the same time, that whatever we can do without so much hindrance to the spiritual path spiritual path, that whatever you do at this moment also