Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Khensur Rinpoche opens this 69-minute Lamrim session with Śāntideva’s image of lightning on a dark summer night — brief, brilliant, then gone — as a figure for the Buddha’s rare appearance in the world and the long stretches without teaching that follow. This leads to the argument that humans accumulate far more negative action than positive simply because Dharma time is short. He then works through the two causes needed for refuge to take hold — fear of suffering and conviction that the Triple Gem can protect — stressing that actual refuge is an inner orientation, not recited words alone. The session closes with four qualities that make Buddha a reliable refuge object: freedom from fear himself, skill in freeing others, equal compassion for all beings, and help given even to those who cause harm.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 13 LR 1999 06 08.mp3
UUID: a6e7347f-2fa1-45d3-b2e0-46bbcc4302a4
Teacher: Khensur Rinpoche
Collection: Lam Rim (Khensur Rinpoche)
Date: 1999-06-08
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 69.1 minutes
Words: ~3,985
So, there are two subdivisions under the topic of adopting the method for attaining happiness in the future lives. The first one is training in training in taking refuge which is the excellent entrance to the teaching and the second one is cultivating the faith of conviction in action and it’s action and their effect which is the root of all happiness and goodness. So here, now, the first division is taking the refuge. So in the Buddhist teaching, received the refuge precepts, refuge vows. The purpose of taking refuge in the Triple Gem is that one has the problem, one has been encountered or one knows about the suffering and wanted to free from suffering.
So the taking refuge is proposed to overcome the suffering. So we’ll hear deal with the verses spoken by taught by the good master Śāntideva. It’s because he has in this he has given an example and then also expand the meaning of the example. We’ll deal with this verse here. The example he has given here is that in the middle of the rainy, say, one summer night, it’s just the it’s very dark and then the sky has been covered by the very thick layers of the clouds and and then was nearly to and during that period, the lightning happens all in the sky, and it’s likely to rain.
And he said that it was as it was very dark night and the lightning in the sky appeared very briefly or very momentarily — terribly and it just goes and at the moment means it’s can see something that dark when the lightning was on and it wouldn’t, but the point was the light the light the light was wasn’t stayed long. So the example here is the as that during the night, it was very dark evening and then lightning happens very and it comes and it goes very quickly and that the night itself remains for a long time. So the example for that long lasting of darkness is that there will be a time Buddha’s teaching a long time. Then, time will come that the Buddha’s teaching not exist — no longer exist. And then people during that period will not have any knowledge about the practice, what to be taken and what to be avoided.
And then then the lightning in the sky is taken as a Buddha and and says that Buddha will come in in this in the world very rarely, and then as real like lightning and wouldn’t stay long, wouldn’t last long. And then as when the lightning — at the moment the light light comes in the sky, at that particular moment we can see something because of that light. Likewise, when Buddha comes in world, and then during that moment, Buddha will teach there and then the people who the teaching and who have sharp faculties will understand his teachings and will understand about the things, I mean, about the practice, what to be done and what what to be taken and what things to be — So at the time Buddha comes, but he won’t stay long for a long period. Within that period, we can receive the teachings from the Buddha and can accumulate the positive actions or wholesome deeds. But we have a short period to accumulate or yeah, short period to practice the teaching and accumulate the merits, you know?
And then the so likewise the darkness, evening, dark evening or yeah, the darkness, the period of darkness in that night is longer than the lightning or a bright. So likewise the time without Buddha in the world will be longer than the time with the Buddha. So here it refers that when Buddha was in the world, can practice and so forth, but that we have very, very short period. Then the time without Buddha is longer than with Buddha. So that means we have longer period of people.
They stay in a longer period where they accumulate the negativities. So here it references that the time where people practices is very short and then the time people or time with teaching during the time, the duration of teaching time is very short and then there is a time, longer time for people without teaching. So that means that accumulate lots of non virtuous things because there is longer period for the non virtuous without teaching. So the main of that is we have accumulated with greater amount of negative or non virtuous action than the positive. So due to that due to that, having accumulated great great amount of non virtuous actions, due to that, we have accumulated great causes for the sufferings, like suffering of cold, heat, and then the thirst and humer, so forth.
So by knowing this, by knowing all the sufferings of those sufferings and feel afraid of those sufferings, and then one should develop the wish to free from all this suffering. And in order to free from the suffering, one should seek the method and help and help by going by taking refuge. So for that, when one looks for the protector who protects one from the suffering, then here, for that, it’s stated that the Buddhadharma and Sangha are the protector for the one who seeks — So Buddhadharma and Sangha are the protectors who can protect one from the sufferings. It’s not just simply by saying that they are the protectors. One should know their potential or the capacity of Buddhadharma and Sangha, that how one should know the capacity or potential of Buddhadharma and Sangha, that how they protect one from the suffering.
So one needs to know that the Buddhadharma and Sangha has a potential or capacity to free ones from all the suffering. So here are those two points that arousing the afraid or arousing fear towards the suffering of these lower rebirths and then the Samsāra, the first one. And second one is knowing that Buddhadharma and Sangha has the potential to protect one from the suffering. So these two are the causes of the refuge now. So it is like the flower which needs two causes to grow that flower.
Like seed is the main cause for the flower to grow. But without the heat and moisture or water, the seed cannot sprout or grow. Because of that, flower itself needs two causes to grow. So likewise, for the refuge, one needs those two causes. Without those two causes, one cannot develop refuge within one within oneself now.
So one needs to develop a fear to the suffering. And so for here, actually the arousing a fear in suffering is being developed through knowing the sufferings, the natures of how one suffers or the gravity of the sufferings. But here as most of us here do not want to know about suffering. I hear we’ll not deal with the suffering this time. Because and when when excuse me.
When I first when I mean, during my first trip to Australia many years ago, and someone who had been in the West before told me that, Oh, I don’t talk much about suffering in the West. So for example, it is like that. So we know the medicines are to cure the disease or illness. But we never felt consulting or consuming any medicine without any sickness. So when one face the problem and then get the disease, a particular disease, and then by knowing this one is suffering from that illness and one is suffering and one recognizes the suffering of that particular illness.
By knowing this one, so one start taking the medicine. So it is like that. So likewise, if if one develops a fear fear for the suffering and then by knowing the suffering, then one feel afraid towards the suffering, and one seeks, and one will come to a wish to develop the wish to free from suffering because one knows about suffering. By having that wish to free from suffering, then one will automatically seek the refuge or method to free oneself from the suffering. And so by having this fear or this fear towards the suffering, then one will definitely seek refuge.
Was important to take a refuge or to know about before taking refuge. First one has to know that those two causes, that feeling afraid and terrified in the cyclic existence cyclic existence and the bad rebirths. And then the second one is that feeling convinced or knowing that Buddha, Dharma and Sangha has the power or potential to protect you from the suffering. These are the two causes. So, and then after, before, so when one take the refuge, first one needs to have one have the both the causes of the refuge within one’s mind within one’s self or within one’s mind stream.
And then after having that, then one can go refuge through the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, but saying that, that you have, I mean, you, I mean, relied completely upon Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, that it’s entirely up to you, you whatever I face, either suffering or happiness, whatever I face. And I always rely upon you. So through this one goes and take refuge in Buddhadharma — So so here, we we start the refuge prayers like, me, Namo Buddhaya, Namo Dharmaya, Namu Sangayya, which are we call the refuge of, like word refuge, which is reciting the words. The actual taking refuge is depends, it’s entirely within one’s mind that having, should have complete faith towards Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and have that, with single pointedly, and saying that you are the only one, and just rely upon, and then rely upon Buddha and Sangha single pointedly and having faith in that they are the actual and practice. If one has this sort of wish within one’s mind then it’s still okay that without reciting the refuge praise, like refuge words Namo Buddha Namo Dharmaya Namo Sangha because one actually has the actual refuge or doing refuge, taking refuge within one within oneself.
So so it is like that. Say you were in the open air, one very open air ground and with empty and one single room in that place, on that area, and suddenly it rained. So you know if you get into the room, that particular house or room will protect you from getting wet or protect you from the rain. But just by simply calling when rains, but just by simply calling room room, then room, it will, the room will not protect you from the rain. What you need to do is you have to get it by knowing that room has a capacity to protect you from the wet.
By knowing this, you have to enter the room, then protect yourself from the rain. So it is like that. So the suffering, we’re told that the or the results from the negative actions you have accumulated. So about this we have talked about this how the gravity or greatness of the negativity the great middling and the smallest and about this we have dealt in the last teaching and now here today, what we need to do is, Buddhadharma and Sangha has a potential or a power to protect you from the suffering. And so what we need to do is we need to know how protect you from all the sufferings.
By knowing this, you can really take refuge. So so so about suffering, the suffering comes or suffering are the results of the negativity of the non virtuous action done through three doors, body, speech and mind. That non virtue action are created through body, speech and mind by doing something which is not supposed to be done. And then the and and one point, the while while we have suffering is because that we are because we know the we know to develop the virtuous actions. And and but what but we don’t accumulate the virtue action because because we know it’s because we are not doing something which is supposed to be done, which means which are the positive action is supposed to be done, but we are not doing it.
So here, due to the ignorance of lack of understanding, many people, people here engage in the opposite thing saying that they do something which is not supposed to be done, say the negative action, and that they’re not doing something which is supposed to be done or which is set the positive action. So this comes because of the lack of understanding or lack of knowledge. So that happens due to the lack of knowledge or understanding. So in order to have a proper knowledge, to correct them or to have proper knowledge, in order to know that the Buddha is the one or is the teacher who shows you the the the virtues and non virtues the actions of non virtues and the virtuous action. No.
Who teaches you? So Buddha is the one who teaches or who introduces you to the positive and the negative actions. And by, so through his teaching then, by knowing, but through his teaching one came to know what things to be taken or what things to be abandoned. And by knowing, having the knowledge of doing this, one try one should try to try to accumulate the positive actions and then avoid non virtuous actions. So, through this practice, then one tries, one should try to minimize the negative actions.
Due to that, by minimizing one’s negative action then one sees you, one also minimize or yep minimize the results of the bad action and through and by doing this, I mean by continue with this practice sooner or later one will come to the end of the negative actions and then due to that, that’s a reason for that one can overcome or abandon all this sufferings which is the result of negative actions. And by practicing or cultivating the positive action, as a result for that and one increases the one’s yeah one increases one’s amount of positive actions and due to or merit and due to that, the result for that one will have the ultimate happiness. So so by avoiding the by by abandoning the bad negative action, then one can overcome or abandon all the sufferings and through cultivating the positive actions, one will have the ultimate happiness. So during this process, and these are the and these practices are called the the Dharma and which is called the second which is the second refuge, the refuge of Dharma or this or the teaching. And then the persons or people who take the instructions of the Buddha and follow his instruction and engages in the practice of abandoning the causes of suffering and cultivating the causes of happiness.
One who engages in these instructions or teaching are called the spiritual friend or the spiritual community, the Sangha, which is the third refuge. So the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, in this way, one protects one from the suffering. And so by showing the nature by teaching and then the teach which is Buddha and then second Dharma which actually is the actual practices one teaches you. And then the spiritual community which one actually to help ones to practice. So through this, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha protect or protects you from the suffering.
So, it’s like that. It depends on the both sides. So, one side, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, which helps you and you need help from the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha to protect you. And then another part is which is from your side. What you need to do is One?
No. It’s not. So it’s like, so on one side, from your part, need to practice in the way you’ve been instructed. So it depends. It’s interdependent.
It’s need from both the dependent. So need to help from both side. It’s like the single finger snap, and it depends. I don’t think I need an explanation here. So but just waving with one hand or one finger, it will make a sound.
So to make a sound of finger snap, you need to — So it’s not so in order to attain the happiness, the state of happiness without suffering, and to achieve that, it’s entirely dependent on both sides. So one needs a help from one side, we need help in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. And another part, from your side, you need to involve or engage in the practices the way you’ve been instructed or taught. So if you have help from both sides, then you can reach to the place instead of happiness without suffering. So, needs to help from both parts, for oneself and then the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
If one has these two, then one can do a very good thing. And just by having help from the one side, Buddha, having help from the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and not doing anything from your part, then it would happen. And it’s also like that. So, one has a very strong feeling of freeing oneself from the suffering. And, but haven’t got any protections, or haven’t got the Buddha Dharma, and Sangha to protect you, then you one will not able to fulfill one’s wish.
No? So, at this stage, we have very have both conditions. Conditions. So having such an opportunity, one should really try to lead this life very meaningful. And so we had we have said that the taking refuge or seeking protection from the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
But there is a reason why one should take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Because they are the appropriate object to take refuge. Because because Buddhadharma and Sangha, they are free from all the fears. Buddha. Buddha.
So Buddha Buddha is free from — Buddha is the one who is free from all the fears. So here, we’re dealing with the Buddha. So Buddha there is a reason why one should take refuge in Buddha because he he himself is free from all the fears. And because of that, he has the capability or power to protect us from the suffering. So one who has one who is not free from all the suffering sorry, free from all the fears, and going refuge in that person, that person cannot help you because he himself is not free from the fear.
The Buddha is not like this. And then the second reason is that the Buddha is very very skilled in the method to free others from the fear. So so so he is he is very skilled in the methods that the method to free others from from the from the fear. Because he because sorry. If one is not skilled in freeing others, then without the skill or having any method, then one one will not able to help others from the fear.
The Buddha is very skilled in freeing beings from the fear. That is the second reason of that Buddha is appropriate object to take refuge. And then the third the third reason is that the Buddha is very has compassion or is very compassionate to all sentient beings without any discrimination. So in the way it means that the Buddha is very has — I mean Buddha has equal compassion toward the sentient beings. Like a mother has equal compassion and love towards her all children.
Big big compassion. Yeah. He has very big compassion. Very, very big compassion. Big compassion.
So as he has equal compassion compassion towards all sentient beings, and in Buddha there is no discrimination or there is no partiality. Due to that, if one goes I mean, he brings equal help or he he brings help to all the sentient beings without any discrimination. So due to that, if one goes to refuge or seek refuge to Buddha Buddha, then he will protect you or yep. He will he protects you. Here, has been stated that, say, the two persons the had Buddha’s right and left side, and one the right side, say, the one side person use a very good scent of like sandalwood smell or sandalwood scent on his part and paying huge respect.
And another part, another person on the left or another side hurts Buddha with sharp weapons and so forth. But Buddha, he has the same compassion and love towards both beings — one I mean, for the both one who hurts and one who pays respects or homage. So that that that proves that he that Buddha has no discrimination among the sentient beings. And then the fourth reason is that the Buddha works for the welfare of all, they have been helped — harmed whether they’ve been helpful or not.
So in the sense that Buddha will always show his compassion and help the beings to all beings whether one has whether those have help or not. For people like us, we always bring help to the one who who been helpful or who help who helps you and will not help to the beings who are who who who hasn’t been any help towards you. So Buddha is not like that. He he has equal equal compassion and and love and brings equal for the for the beings, the close ones, or the I mean, from the beings, close one, middling, and the last people. So it means it brings help for the or equally to the sentient beings.
So these are the four features of the qualities of the Buddha that he is the reliable, appropriate object of refuge. So we who seeks liberation goes to take refuge in the Buddha, then it is the right refuge and the most excellent refuge and it is the unmistaken one. So the Buddha excuse me, Sorry. So the arhats, the liberated beings, and the bodhisattvas, they are free from the sufferings. And and they are free from the suffering with the help of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
So it’s same for us. If one seeks refuge in Buddhadharma and Sangha, they will really truly help you or protect you from the suffering like they help the Bodhisattvas, arhats, and so forth. As Buddha has all these qualities or these four reasons that he is the appropriate object of refuge, likewise both the Dharma and the Sangha, the second and third refuge also have the same qualities or the same qualities to protect. Protect one from the suffering. So we’ll stop here today, and if you have any questions.
Okay. The first quality or the first reason is that he himself the Buddha himself is free from all the fears and all the sufferings. So because of that, he is the appropriate object to it of refuge. And second one is that he is very skilled in the method to free others from the suffering. And then the third one is that he has great compassion.
And he has the same equal great compassion towards all without any all sentient beings without any discrimination. And then the fourth one is that he brings help to all or he works for the welfare of all, whether without seeing or without — brings help equally towards the beings without they have been helpful or not. Means he does not discriminate that he helps to a one who pay homage or helps him and one who brings harm. So there’s no discrimination he brings help to all whether they have been helpful or not. So as Buddha has all these four characters or or the call qualities, so so that for that reason that he is the appropriate object to offer.
Yeah. Down the hill. Yeah. Okay. I am thinking very much.
Yeah.