Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Khensur Rinpoche anchors this 48-minute commentary on the sevenfold cause-and-effect precept with a farmer’s analogy: no harvest comes without first clearing the field and planting seeds, and the awakening heart cannot arise without cultivating its causes in sequence. He walks each step in order — recognizing all sentient beings as one’s mother through the logic of beginningless rebirths, remembering a mother’s concrete kindness (nightly care, food, language, countless small rescues), developing gratitude, cultivating love and compassion — until exceptional resolve sharpens into the recognition that only a Buddha can truly free all beings, motivating the commitment to attain Buddhahood oneself. He then explains why realization can arise instantly in one hearing (seeds planted in prior lives), before a Q&A session that closes with the image of sunlight opening the lotus but not the stick.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 02 7PMT 1990 07 24.mp3
UUID: 183d7682-20c5-468f-b2a3-6f44dad71130
Teacher: Khensur Rinpoche
Collection: 7 Point Mind Training (Khensur Rinpoche)
Date: 1990-07-24
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 48.1 minutes
Words: ~3,355
Who is it that we’re Who who is it that we’re seeking to remember the kindness of? No. We’re we’re we’re trying to understand to develop a sense of wishing a a gratitude toward the kindness of all sentient beings through develop a sense of wishing to repay the kindness of all sentient beings. And as preliminary to that, we have to remember the kindness of all sentient beings. But who is it?
In what terms? In what terms are we going to remember the kindness of sentient beings? Upon what basis? We’re going to remember the kindness of sentient beings in terms of their having having been our mother and the kindness of a mother. Therefore, we have to recognize all sentient beings as our mother.
If we were to ask when did when were we first born within cyclic existence? But in fact, there was no beginning that we have been taking rebirth with since within cyclic existence from beginningless time. There is no there is no beginning to the course of our rebirths, that we have been reborn infinite number of times. And over the course of these infinite number of rebirth, each of these rebirths, we had a mother. In each we took rebirth, and we had our mother.
We we took rebirth, we had a mother. And over and over again such that since our rebirths are numberless, likewise, our mothers are numberless, and there’s no sentient being who we can point to and say, this is not my mother. So this is one way of meditating on recognizing sentient beings as one’s a mother. There was another in which we we think of it we think of recognizing the mother in terms of the mother of this life. So we can easily understand that have we can understand that individual mother we we can recognize one’s individual mother as one’s mother of this life.
We can recognize easily the the mother of this life as one’s mother. We don’t need to prove that. Recognizing that our mother of this life isn’t is is in fact our mother. We we not and we don’t we don’t stop there, but understand that this same mother of this life has in fact been our mother of her previous life and has been a a mother in a previous life to that one. And in fact, has the same mother of this life has been a mother numberless times in previous life.
And the and the same holds true for each and every sentient being. So not only has our mother of this life been our mother numberless times previously, but in fact, each sentient being has been our mother infinite numberless times previously. Extend this to the fact that your father who was your father this life, but in fact, has been your father a number of times in previous lives. And likewise, every sentient being has been your your father a number of times in previous lives. And likewise, your enemy has has been your enemy in number of times previous lives.
And likewise, every sentient being has been your enemy number of times in previous lives. That all of these sentient beings have been all of these various developed have been existed within all these various relationships to you numerous times in the past. So, you know, working along the lines of reasoning in which that our have been beginningless, and we have in all of these infinite number of rebirths, we have had infinite number of mothers. But not only that, but each of these mothers, again, in turn, has been our mother’s numberless times. All sentient beings have been our mother’s numberless times.
Then remembering the kindness of our mothers and beginning benefit at which they have shown us. Initially, from the very moment of our birth, the tenderness and the and the kindness of which they have shown us and looking out for all our needs. Hundreds of times actually saving our life during the course of a single day, providing all our various needs, all our food, clothing, as we grew teaching us our language, providing our material needs, going through various types of difficulties for our welfare. The the very fact that we have the the spaces of the practice of Dharma that is the human life which is capable of achieving Buddhahood, is so very precious, arises out of the kindness of our mother and father. This is their ultimate kindness to us, but all but additionally, all of the various all of the various material necessities and all the various difficulties that they have sought to provide us in the course of our life, let alone providing us with the basis for achieving our ultimate happiness, all shows the great kindness of our mothers.
And we we tend to think that someone if someone were to give us a thousand dollars for example, we know how extremely kind they are to us, how extremely beneficial they would be to us. But in fact, if we were to examine closer that having been given this body, this life by which we can practice Dharma due by means of which on the basis of which if we were to practice one day of meditating the awakening heart, even a hundred thousand dollars couldn’t be as beneficial as that one day of this human life potential. If simply, if we were today meditate on the awakening heart for one hour and to meditate on emptiness in one hour, then even a hundred thousand dollars could not equal the the gain to be made. In dependence upon this human body which possess, we can attain liberation. We can develop an awakened heart and achieve Buddhahood.
And when we were extremely small infants, if our mother were to neglect us even for half an hour, we could die. So this is very effective we have this precious life, which is the basis for the practice of Dharma. Arises to the great benefit or the great kindness of our mother. All know that initially we were almost like a worm having had been just been born. And and that we and our mother went through great difficulties to care for us, that there were times when she didn’t sleep at night, you know, with her concern for us.
And we have to remember the great care and kindness which our mother has shown us. So we’re we in in seeking practice the great vehicle, we we should try to develop a healthy attitude toward those individuals who have benefited us. To remember the their great kindness that they have shown us. Remembering those times when we were at a loss, when we were were experiencing some kind of deprivation in some way, and and the great great welfare that has been shown to us at those times, that it’s we’re we’re seeking to remember their kindness. And the more we we remember the kindness of others, the the more we will see that they are kind.
The more that we remember the more that we we remember, the more that we’ll become apparent, the kindness of others. Remembering this kindness, this development of this extremely healthy attitude, there will arise a gratitude for that great kindness that has been shown to us. If we don’t remember their the kindness, we are not going to develop a sense of gratitude. For the those who actually kill their parents, for example, kill their mothers and fathers, this is because they don’t remember their kindness. So out of this recognizing sentient beings, remembering their kindness, and developing the gratitude toward their kindness, that others will begin the all these sentient beings who are mothers will begin to appear to us as being very pleasant.
They have a they have a sense of pleasingness to a pleasantness. We they appear pleasing to us, and we we develop a liking. We like them. And out of this sense of liking, they will arise the thought, may they have happiness and the causes of happiness, which is love which is love. And out of this attitude, we’ll develop a sense of caring, which which is the thought may they be set free from their suffering and the causes of their suffering.
Love, which is expressed in the attitude, may may may this individual may the sentient beings may sentient beings have happiness in the causes of happiness. And compassion expressed in the attitude that may may sentient beings be free from suffering and the cause of suffering. As as these develop, they will they will the force of these two will develop to to the to such that I will I will bring happiness and the causes of happiness to to sentient beings. I will free sentient beings from their suffering and the causes of their suffering. So at the level of love and compassion, have the two attitudes of may sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.
May sentient beings be free from suffering and causes of suffering. But as we continue to strengthen these qualities, it will develop into the attitude which takes the greatest resolve. I will free them from their suffering and the causes of suffering. I will bring them happiness and the causes of happiness. I will not look to others.
I am not going to depend upon others to bring this about, and this is development of exceptional resolve. Great courage which which resolves which is expressed in the great resolve that I will free sentient beings from their suffering and the causes of suffering. I will bring sentient beings happiness and the causes of happiness. But we have to go on and think, well, can I actually do this? We we we examine.
Can I do it or not? Can I free all sentient beings from their suffering and bring them happiness? I can’t even free one sentient being from suffering, let alone all sentient beings. We did developed this tremendously kind hearted attitude which wishes to to which has this great courage to accept this great burden, but we we can’t do it ourselves. We simply don’t have the capacity to actualize this great resolve.
Great resolve. But in fact, who does? Does anyone? And make it and look and examining the situation. Well, there there’s no practice practitioner of the lesser vehicle who has the capacity to bring happiness to all sentient beings.
There’s no there’s not even a bodhisattva who has this capacity, but in fact, who does? And we say that it is only a Buddha who has the the ability to free to free all sentient beings from their suffering and to lead them to complete happiness. And one can’t recognize this as very thoroughly that it’s understanding that it’s only a Buddha who can achieve your ends. It is only a Buddha who has the capacity to bring this great resolve to actualization and that I myself must free all sentient beings from their suffering and to lead them to happiness. Therefore, in order to achieve that end, I myself must become a Buddha.
That I am going to do this. I’m going to free all sentient beings from their suffering. I’m going to lead them to to to complete happiness. Therefore, I myself must become a Buddha. That I will definitely become a Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings.
I commit myself to this end, and this is the development of the awakening heart. So this is a gradual gradual process in the meditative tradition of the development of the precious awakening heart through the method of the sevenfold cause and effect precept. By first developing equanimity, going on to develop recognizing sentient beings as one mother one’s mother, remembering their kindness, developing a gratitude, seeking to repay their kindness, development of pleasant love, great compassion, exceptional resolve, and finally, the awakening heart. Realize the awakening heart. Meditating well on this process in its proper order, an unerring fashion.
First, meditating on the development of equanimity and then proceeding in in in an ordered fashion. Having developed equanimity to well, then moving on to the next step in in this series of meditations recognizing sentient beings. That is to say, we must develop the the lower realization before we can develop the higher realization. An analogy of this procedure would be in the developing a developing a harvest. In order to finally arrive at a bountiful crop, it’s first necessary to begin with the clearing of the field.
Having cleared the field, prepared the ground, then the planting of the seed, and then the watering of the seed. And as the sprout begins to grow, it provides sufficient rain so the crops don’t dry out. And then eventually out of this will grow a fine crop, bountiful harvest will arise, and which can bring about one’s own as well as others as well as one’s own benefit. And likewise, in the development of the awakening heart by means of this sevenfold cause and effect precept pre proceeding in this ordered arrangement as a series So this is in this case the analogy of using a crop, the develop growing of a crop, which we can see directly. We the order of procedure is the same for development of inner qualities, which we cannot see directly, but in the that they depend upon the cultivation of our mind in an ordered fashion.
So just as would be the case if we were to sit idly by without having cultivate having cleared the field, planted seeds, and simply idly wish, oh, may a good crop grow. May a good crop grow. We can’t expect to harvest anything out of that. And likewise, with the development of inner qualities, we simply sit there and may may good things I realize good things, may I good qualities develop, Nothing’s going to happen. And likewise, in in our meditation, if we if we skip over the steps of, for example, recognition recognizing sentient beings as our mothers and remember their kindness and we we simply sit there.
May all sentient beings have happiness in the cause of having the male male sentient beings attain Buddhahood. That is a kind hearted attitude, but out of it, we’re not going to develop the awakening heart. So in order to develop the awakening heart, we have to develop the pre the causes which bring it about and and the the precipitating precipitating causes, which bring about the previous cause. And if if we were to if we if we if we meditate on these steps well, going through each of the steps, then even if we were to think, oh, may I not develop the awakening heart? It’ll come anyway.
On the other hand, if we don’t meditate these these these create causes in their serial fashion developing their will, no matter how much we may wish it to come, it will not come. If we really want to develop the awakening heart, then we have to develop in this this gradual manner going through these series of meditations. It either whether we use the the method of exchange and equalizing exchange of self for others or the sevenfold cause and effect precept, either one will develop the awakening heart. The Je Tsongkhapa has combined these two methods into an extremely profound instruction and as a means to develop the awakening heart. It’s an integration, a method in which there is a presentation of the integration of these two methods.
awakening heart is an extremely precious quality. There’s nothing higher than this quality. And that even if we were to develop it, it would be one would be wonderful. But even if we want to develop a awakening heart, if we were to meditate again and again, developing we’re using these various precepts, developing trying to meditate, for example, on equanimity, then we are planting the seeds for its future development. Even if we were not to develop the awakening heart in this life.
But if we were to plant the seeds of the awakening heart in the future, then simply listening to a single teaching on the awakening heart such as the sevenfold cause and effect precept by a spiritual master. And even in in course of one meditation, one could instantly develop the awakening heart. So they met. There are many references in in scriptural text, which set out the fact that there have been many that many individuals in the past India, the Buddhists and bodhisattvas, were upon upon hearing one teaching, upon hearing one single teaching developed the awakening heart. But, you know, we look at this and we think we wonder we we some kind of skepticism arises and we well, maybe maybe they’re not really telling quite the truth about it.
Why why don’t we believe what they say? Why isn’t it happening these days? So, you know, these aren’t they weren’t lying. That these individuals who developed these realizations in a course of a single teaching developed them in dependence upon having in a previous life planted the seeds for these realizations. The the seeds were just ready to sprout and upon hearing of one single teaching, then they developed the realization.
So the the the fault is with us is that we haven’t planted the seeds in the past, and therefore no realization arises. These individuals went through great difficulties in their in their meditations in order to gain these realizations in the course of one teaching. And if we were to do likewise, that in in the future when Maitreya Buddha teaches, teaches, then in dependence upon the the seeds which we have implanted, we will as of instantly develop the qualities of the awakening heart, the wisdom which understands emptiness. And some people will achieve liberation. Some people achieve ultimate Buddhahood.
We we have to undertake a grand plan for ourselves with, you know, some sort of vast work, some sort of really far reaching goal, you know, not concern ourselves with small ideas, but to seek temporal and ultimate happiness. In this way, we won’t simply constantly be setting aside the dharma when when things could become become difficult, keeping aside, keeping in mind our grand plan, far reaching goal. So this has really been a wonderful time that we’ve had together in allowing ourselves to implant these latencies of from your side, having listened to and from my side, having explained the sevenfold cause and effect precept for the development of the awakening heart, which has its transmission lineage from the Buddha to Maitreya to Asaṇga down to Atisha. So we’re going to take some time out for questions and answers. But after we’re going to dedicate the skillful action which we’ve created in this manner of listening and explaining.
And we we shouldn’t seek to dedicate this skillful action that we created for ourselves alone. That we should dedicate that all sentient beings whosoever develops the awakening heart where it has not been developed before and if it has been developed may it never degenerate but it may increase higher and higher. Increase higher and higher. Someone asked a similar question and that the Buddha was able to lead some and was not able to lead others to liberation. Why was that?
Ask us a question similar to what to what you asked about. Why wasn’t or haven’t why were some led to liberation and others haven’t been? And and the teacher in answer to that question said, you know, the the mountain which this the sun which shines upon the mountain, this this which which which shines has no has no distinguishment upon that which it shines has no distinguishment with respect to that which it shines upon. And why is it that that a a a bud, a lotus bud opens up in response to the rays of the sun, whereas a simple stick doesn’t open up.