Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. A cake laced with poison anchors Khensur Rinpoche’s central argument in this 92-minute Lamrim session: the precious human body is our best basis for Dharma practice and yet, produced by disturbing emotions and karma, is suffering by nature. The commentary opens the middling scope of the path, whose key requirement is a genuine wish to be free from saṃsāra. Rinpoche distinguishes three types of suffering — gross pain, the suffering of change, and the all-pervasive suffering of conditioned existence — and shows that the Four Noble Truths address this last, subtlest form. He contrasts how ordinary beings see the body as pure and stable with how superior beings see it as impure and impermanent, arguing only the latter rests on valid cognition. A prisoner analogy explains why recognizing saṃsāra’s faults must come before renunciation can arise. Q&A covers the three wisdoms of hearing, contemplation, and meditation, and whether bodhisattvas need desire and attachment to act effectively in the world.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 24 LR 1999 08 31.mp3
UUID: c0fe8679-8c07-4e1f-8696-fcf44a2c92d2
Teacher: Khensur Rinpoche
Collection: Lam Rim (Khensur Rinpoche)
Date: 1999-08-31
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 92.4 minutes
Words: ~5,352
So now we have reached up reached towards the the the middling scope or the the stages of the path in common with the person of intermediate scope. So, by training in the part of the path in common, part which is in common with small scope or person of the initial stage, and one one increases, develops one’s understanding or knowledge, and by completing the small or small the part of the small scope, then one transfers in the middling middling scope and by this one becomes the the practitioner of the middling scope. So during the first stage, one has been called the person of the first stage and now you are two at the second level. So the practice of the middling scope is that it teaches you the reality or the nature of the cyclic existence or saṃsāra. In the sense it means showing how difficulties we undergo through physically and mentally how we undergo through such things like having a disease, illness, conflict, problem of problem or the or suffering of the living or difficulty I mean, facing difficulty, in living, suffering of cold and heat, so forth, which are faced by mentally or physically.
So now, this is the intermediate state or the middling scope shows you how it where from where it comes and how one to how one can overcome all these sufferings. So there are many difficulties or the problems we face and or we experiences, if asked on what basis one experiences all those occasions or all those difficulties, then we the basis of basis so basis, there are two which is which are the body and the mind and the body or or they are experienced through physically or mentally. And most of most of them we experience, we experience on our body. So this body on which is the basis on which we experience all those difficulties is called the cyclic existence or a saṃsāra. And so here, we are we are learning, we will be we will learn that how to overcome all those sufferings now.
So if we analyze where those sufferings or the problem comes, for example, like, if I analyze or how the problems or difficulties of a human comes out to us means it is because of taking form of human being or form of a human, one receives or one experiences the suffering of the human. So likewise for animal, by taking the animal form, they experiences the suffering of animals and it’s so, likewise, it all it goes since we say they are these six realms, beings of six realms or six type of six type of beings and which are called divided into two, the good three, good migration and three, bad migration. And so by taking, a form of any of this, those, any of those beings, one receives the suffering of a particular, form. So it is the main, the body or the physical or the body is the main basis, for one to experience this all those suffering. So what here one is trying to one is going to train is that how one can transfer or abandon those difficulties which one experiences on particular basis or a body.
So the way of avoiding that those sufferings or the difficulties one has or one is experiencing on particular body is that the what one should try to try not to take take a particular form or yet or the body because because by when one once one have taken the particular form or a body, then the body is the main source or the main basis for one to experience the suffering. So in order avoid those sufferings or difficulties, one should avoid the taking birth and taking such rebirth in such forms. So it is by the influence of those the karma and the disturbing emotions, one is forced to take or or yeah. One one to receive take the birth in particular forms, which are the basis of experiencing experiencing the sufferings. So so so in order to avoid, so to avoid taking a birth in such a form, what one needs, one should try to one should try to abandon those causes which are the disturbing emotion and the karma or action.
By abandoning that, then one can avoid taking, one can avoid such forms of our body which are the basis of the suffering. And if one, so if one fails or one does not abandon all those causes, the karma and the disturbing emotion, one will be born, one will be born or one will take such form again and again and due to that one, one keep one continues or one often one again and again undergoes through the suffering. So so this body which is projected by, the influence, projected by the karma and this disturbing emotion is the saṃsāra or cyclic existence. So and which undergoes through the suffering. And in order to avoid, avoid taking burden saṃsāra, one has to one has to see the disadvantages or or the fault of taking taking taking birth and cyclic existence or or the fault or disadvantages of the saṃsāra.
And and without without without having without without knowing the without knowing the disadvantages or the faults of the saṃsāra, then one will one one will find the happiness or one will find the saṃsāra very appealing and due to that one will never be able to develop an intention to free oneself from the cyclic existence or Samsāra. And without having an intention to free oneself from the Samsāra, then it is impossible for one to free or be be liberated from saṃsāra. In other words, we consider this human rebirth is very precious because it has all those eight leisures and ten endowments, which are the eighteen qualities. And by having that and through on upon this upon this optimum precious, optimum human rebirth, one can by by practicing a teaching or Dharma, then one can one can abandon abandon the saṃsāra and abandon saṃsāra and being free from the cyclic existence. So due to that, we can’t on other hand, in other hand, we contemplate this precious human rebirth is very precious.
And in other hand, this body which we have attained is the projected or or received in by the influence of disturbing emotion and the action. And due to that, as it is produced by the disturbing emotion by nature, it is the suffering and it also becomes a source of sufferings. So for example, it is like a cake and cake in general we consider something very delicious and very tasty and also everyone likes or considers good good food. So but when that cake is being mixed with the poison, then that cake that that cake will not function as a cake because because because it is being poisoned and due to that, by having that cake instead, one will undergoes through suffering because of having poison in it. So likewise, likewise these precious optimum, precious human rebirth, the body, is In other hand, likewise, this present body is very good basis to practice this, or to practice the Dharma and and can overcome all the sufferings.
And by by other hand, it is as it has been produced by by the disturbing emotion and the action and by itself, and it it becomes a source of the sufferings. So, on this basis, the body or the upon upon it we experience this lots of different feelings of happiness and the suffering. And because of that, because so due to that feeling of happiness, one one develops the attachment and of undergoing experiencing suffering, one one develops the hatred or anger. And by lacking by lacking the understanding or or because of the confusion or the ignorance, one one cultivates lots of, action or karma, and due to that, one develops all those disturbing emotions and karma upon this particular basis or a body, and due to that one, and one passes from that, one passes from, yeah, travels or passes from this body and then take take another form, and then that that form again, cultivating all those different, on the, negative actions or disturbing emotions like attachment, anger and so forth by ex by experiencing different feelings of happiness and suffering and so forth. So so so due to that, we we circles and circles in cyclic existence and we undergo through huge suffering.
So what we need to do is we we should try to avoid circling in this cyclic existence and try not to take such forms. So, so we, the ordinary person, in our mind, yeah, in our wisdom or in our mind it appears that this particular rebirth is very, appears very pure and very happy or happiness and becomes also a yeah, very very stable. But and also find it very appealing and good all the time that and it is finding it is, it is formed by the collection of excellences. So so, but but if one asks or examine whether that that mind or the wisdom which sees which sees the particular body is the pure happiness, happy and stability, then if an examiner whether that mind is valid or invalid, and it becomes that the mind sees this body appealing as the invalid or the mistaken So such a mind is invalid because because because if this body is by nature, it’s happiness or appealing, then it, it has to be or or be very stable, and by nature, it’s happiness. So it should be always be happy or source of happiness because and it it it should never be be a source of, never be act act as a so I mean, act as a source of sufferings and the the source of developing developing or generating the disturbing emotions and those actions.
And so so but the fact is it is not because it is the source that because we we undergoes through the many self and different sort of sufferings, which experiences or comes from this this body that one has the suffering of suffering of birth, aging, illness, suffering of death, and have faces like suffering of not not accomplishing what one wish and or what what one wants and not and meet and suffering of not meeting with one one’s one wish, not meeting with the appealing or the one one desires and not and suffering or meeting with the unwanted things. So by nature, we can see this this I mean, on this particular basis, on this body, one experiences the different variety of sufferings now. Nice. And so in particular or especially as this body is being projected or produced by disturbing emotions or non virtuous action, And due to that, it is by nature, it is by nature it is the suffering. And if that is not true, or so because of that have been produced by the disturbing emotion and non virtuous action, by nature it has to be or it is the nature of nature, by nature it is suffering.
And if it is happiness, then the teaching on those, the law of action and law of cause and the results should be invalid teachings. So we need to clarify some or make some more detail explanation about the practices of the middling scope here because the the main practices or the main requirement or the conditions to practice in the in the middling scope is that one needs to have intention or develop intention which we which wishes to free from this cyclic existence or the saṃsāra. And in order to in order to in order to develop such intention of intention of freeing one from saṃsāra, one has to know the true nature or the reality of the cyclic existence or saṃsāra. And without knowing the nature or the true nature of cyclic existence, one will not, one will never never develop a a or generate a mind or intention of freeing oneself from cyclic existence. It is like, for example, if if, for example, one is making a friend, becoming a friend with someone else, so opening of a friendship, If one made a friend of become a friend with someone else without examining that person just by looking at first time for him and her, one suddenly considered that person is a good person and without having a proper understanding, one will make become friend with that person and will never have a and or and never have an intention to be separated or or end one’s friendship.
And so by dealing with that person and having a friendship for a long time, and after a while and when one come to know that the person, your friend is not a good person, that he or she lies, steals and fights and so forth. But by knowing all those, all the bad qualities of the person, then one suddenly develops a intention or a thought to be end to end one’s friendship with the particular person. So likewise, without without having without knowing a proper nature or or or the disadvantages of the cyclic existence, one will never have a will develop an intention of being freeing oneself from the cyclic existence because one wants to be with it, because one don’t have the proper understanding. By knowing the the disadvantages of the cyclic existence, then one can or one yeah. One can develop the the intention of being free from cyclic existence.
So the the intent such an intention being free from cyclic existence is the main, conditions or the the yeah, of the main, requirement requirement or condition to practice the, practice in the part of middling scope without having that intention then one is not, in the part of not practicing or in the part of the middling scope. So for that purpose, the Muni, the Buddha, during during the first wheel of doctrine or the, I mean, first first turning of the first nectar of teaching at the Varanasi. He he set forth the teachings of Four Noble Truths that Four Noble Truths that the the teachings, the the the Four Noble Truths of the suffering, origin of the suffering, cessation and the true path are true patterns. And the teaching of the four noble truth has been set forth by summarizing the numbers or summarizing the practices and it’s been set forth in the Four So so as for the practices or to to to practice or they practice Dharma then the when when one practices the Dharma, are during one’s practice, they are there is a two types. That one one one thing to abandon and one to cultivate or or to develop.
Oh, yeah, degenerate. Excuse me. And so as for the abandonment, you know, while during the practices is that the the the result which is suffering which we do not wish, we do not wish suffering and so as we do not wish suffering which is the result from its causes, one should, we should try to should abandon the causes of the suffering. So as for the as for the abandonment during the practices is that, are the two that the suffering and the causes of the sufferings are the two object to abandon. So from the beginning of the Four Noble Truths, he set forth the suffering, the true suffering.
And as for the suffering here, this is not the suffering which we are talking, say, physically we have a feeling of the suffering of the disease like say the headache and so forth. So these are the suffering here does not refer to those sufferings. And those suffering, the feeling of headache and so forth is not the suffering here because those sufferings can or which causes the hurt, produces not a good feeling and and those those suffering can be recognized by the animals. And there is another suffering called the suffering of change, which is the feeling produced by, or the contaminated feeling, so contaminated feelings which are the suffering. But from the beginning, it’s one finds or one has a feeling or one finds that feeling as happiness.
And gradually, by using or being, you have experienced such a feeling continuously for a long time, then suddenly that feeling changes, the feeling of happiness changes into the suffering. And so it’s called the suffering of changes and which is the also, so from the beginning it finds us happiness but that is not that is not real happiness because if it is a happiness then by nature it should be happy, from, yeah, by nature it should be happy and no matter how much one uses, that happiness, it always should become happier and happier rather rather than changing it into the the suffering. So for for for that, this this is called the suffering of changes and here the true suffering is, so that this one is also not, true suffering doesn’t reference to that one. That that this this one also, which is to the suffering of change. So so such a feeling of happiness which appears to be derived from the contaminated feelings that from the beginning it sees as a very appealing or happiness and and such happiness is not a perfect or a valid happiness and and also, it all it it changes, after a while or after prolonging experiencing it.
So, and that that happiness is not a valid happiness and or or understand that happiness is not a valid happiness. One doesn’t necessarily be be a practitioner or, yeah, or a dharma practitioner or religious person because a non religious or non non dharma practitioner can understand that happiness is not the perfect happiness. So now and and there is another suffering called the suffering of pervasive condition. And so which is here set forth the great master, great master called the Dharmakīrti has stated that the one, body or form which led ones to circle, again circles in the cyclic existence or saṃsāra and that is the one, that is the suffering of pervasive condition and and it’s also the suffering, the the the true suffering from the beginning. The the true suffering of the four noble truth refers to this suffering which is suffering of pervasive condition, you know.
So to recognize what is the suffering of pervasive conditioning, we can say that this body, or yeah, this body which is produced by the projected by the disturbing emotion and the action and it’s called also the contaminated body. So this is the, so this, yeah, is this, yeah, contaminated body is the suffering of pervasive condition. No, no, which is The body. No, body which is projected or influenced, taken, projected or produced by the disturbing emotion and the action. So for that reason, the the Lord Buddha Śākyamūni from the beginning, he’ve set forth the the true suffering and which says that the contaminated body is is the suffering because it has been produced by the by the disturbing emotion and the action, the karma.
So there are the reasons of proving that this the body is the suffering, the contaminated body is the suffering and for one reason it has been produced by the disturbing emotion and the action and disturbing emotion and the action. And in other hand, it is also suffering because because from the beginning it has been said that this is the true suffering of the superior beings which means the superior superior beings which refers to a person of very qualified and scholars who have masters or who has recognized the selflessness of persons and realizes the emptiness directly. And such a person has seized as, so there, such a person, the superior being, seized, directly seized this, the body is the, this contaminant body is the, is the suffering and it’s been said that as, so by, so it is, this particular contaminant body is by by nature or it is the suffering as it’s been seen by those superior beings. So, and, but this contaminated body appears to the ordinary person that it appears as by nature, it appears as a, as pure and happiness and and the permanence, very stable and whereas for for for the superior beings it appears as impure, unhappiness and and, not its impermanence changes momentarily.
So so the way of appearing this bod this this contaminant body to the ordinary beings and to the superior beings are really opposite or or they are contradictory. So if I’m asked then to which is the true now, So, if I ask which appearances are are is the truth either to our experiences of the ordinary beings or the superior beings. And here, the Buddha Śākyamūni has stated that the the the appearance of those the superior beings are are are the valid one and the truth one because because because they they they because because they have the the they have seized those they have or had those appearances through the, through the correct wisdom or the valid cognition, and due to that they have valid reasons, whereas for the ordinary beings, they have, I mean, had all those appearances, I’m seeing appearances through the lack of understanding and due to that it’s been established by the invalid invalid cognition. And and for that, they they don’t have the valid valid reason to prove that those appearances are the true. So so they today’s the two two kinds of two ways of doing a meditation which which that that by doing a meditation through seeing on this, seeing, seeing into this cyclic, the cyclic impurity or the contaminant body, the way it sees by the superior beings, and if one does it by the way it seems by the superior beings, then the the result of the meditation will be very beneficial and one will have attained a lot of good qualities and and and if one sees it, meditate by seeing it as, as it’s seen by the ordinary person, then then one will have all those, receive all those unwanted sufferings and so and have the, will have the disadvantages of the cyclic existence and and meet with this, or will have the unwanted sufferings.
It is because because because the superior beings, by meditating on the way they appear to them, which has been suffering impure and so forth, and due to that, they they had liberated or been freed themselves from the cyclic existence or from these sufferings. And whereas for the ordinary person, well, as they have accepted the way it appears to them as a pure and happiness and so forth, and due to that, the because of that, they have met with the unwanted sufferings and cultivated the the actions and due to that, and it happened or due to that this, again and again circles in the cyclic existence and we hardly have a time or hardly can say that they, yeah, hardly predict or predict the time that that is the time that they will be free from cyclic existence. One cannot predict the time of their liberation from the cyclic existence. No. So there is a danger of teaching about the suffering because we do not wish suffering and you know, the suffering suffering and in Buddhist teaching, they are taught, many thing or they they talk a lot about the suffering and there is a danger of like, like, seeing that why is it that they teach us about the suffering and by thinking that there is a danger of that of disliking the Buddhist teaching.
So so it happens like some some some people just said, oh, there’s only suffering in Buddhist teachings. So one who has feelings such that the only suffering in Buddhist teaching then, that person lacks the understanding of the purposes of teaching suffering and he is okay to make that mistake. So the purpose of teaching suffering is that we need to generate a intention to free oneself from the cyclic existence. And it is during the practice of the, the, practicing in the in the path of middling scope, one needs to develop the pure and strong intention of free, of free, of inten strong pure and strong intention to free oneself from cyclic existence or saṃsāra. And in order to develop such a such such intention, one has to yeah, in order to develop such intention that we are yeah.
They they taught the teaching or they taught about sufferings. So so in order to develop that intention to pure and strong intention of freeing oneself from cyclic existence, One has to, one has to or one needs to see, the know the the disadvantages or the faults of, saṃsāra. And without knowing this, the fault or the disadvantages of saṃsāra, then one cannot develop the intention to free oneself from cyclic existence. So in order to develop such intention, one has to see the dis disadvantages of cyclic existence and and the way, and in the way of seeing the disadvantages of the cyclic existence, one has to see the sufferings of the cyclic existence. So that is why the teaching of suffering has been set forth.
So it’s it’s like a the prisoner who is in the prison. So if the prisoner sees the disadvantages or the fault of the prison, like he’s been trapped in four directions and there’s no way to escape and all those difficulties within the prison, then he will, from the very first moment, he or she will develop a very strong intention of being free freeing him or herself from the prison or letting escape oneself from from this from the prison. And if the person fail or didn’t see the the faults or the disadvantages of this prison, then he or she will never have an intention to free from the freeing oneself from the prison because if the person sees, say, the prison is very happy being in prison that there’s no work, they feed me and so and so. And but but but so but so without seeing it very happy and not seeing these disadvantages of the prison, then he, the one will never have a developed intention of freeing from the prison and even if the time of suspension or the, say, the punishment is over, like, alright, tomorrow is your last day and you say, it’s your time to go out and the person, no, I I still want to stay.
No, no, no. Me and my little heart get very happy. Yeah. So likewise, if one fails to see the disadvantages of the cyclic existence and sees it’s very happy being in saṃsāra and so forth, then one will not develop intention of freeing oneself from the saṃsāra. So in order to develop the intention of freeing oneself from saṃsāra, the teaching of the true suffering has been or the suffering has been set forth.
So, and by seeing the disadvantages and the faults of the cyclic existence of saṃsāra, then one will one will, engage in the cultivating of the method of freeing oneself from from the cyclic existence and will work so hard or very enthusiastically and due to that one can free one one can quickly free oneself from the cyclic existence. So I don’t know about the the systems in Australia, but about in India, say a person has has committed a huge huge crime and then he or she has been sentenced for a life imprisonment. And but but if and then suddenly a person try very hard to free him or herself from the prison and and connect to the very important contact contact very important person by working with the money and and there is a possibility of a person to being free within a month instead of a lifetime. So we can see if person has, commit a crime like of murder of murdering someone and by fixing it with the money, he the person will become pure or saying that he hasn’t killed anybody. So if the person didn’t try, I mean, try him or herself to free him from the the or escaping from the life imprisonment then then he he has to be in a in a prison for a lifetime.
Okay. So we’ll stop here. Any questions? Yeah. There is a key which is the the wisdom of hearing contemplation and meditation.
Yeah, so this is the wisdom, wisdom of hearing, wisdom of contemplation and wisdom of meditation and through all those, by the power of by the power of those wisdoms, one can take the Buddhadharma from the head towards the, into the heart and then liberate also. So if one studies the debating or the philosophy of debates, then it is the it’s been set forth the the key the key part to to cultivate those wisdom of hearing, contemplation and the meditation. I’m gonna use Sankaji in this. Sankaji, Sera, and then they they will need your lesson. So, you should become a monk and go to Sera.
And you can find the key. The title of the text itself is saying the the key of the logic and the parts. Very, very good. We design attachment. This is what I’m gonna say.
Just stick with the social security. Money. The okay. So, and yeah, in order to stick with the daily routine, one does not necessarily need to have the desire or attachment. And if one has a, has a compassion, love and special insight or a bodhicitta, then without, without without any desire and that attachment, one can stick with one’s daily routine as well as benefits or work for the betterment of all sentient beings.
Likewise, bodhisattvas, they have no attachment, desire and so forth, yet they they they, I mean, they have those very strong compassion, love, special insight as well as bodhicitta, and and much more or much stronger than we we have, and and due to that, without any desire or attachment, they involve in the activities of benefit, involve the whole twenty four hours, they involve in the activities of benefiting or, yeah, for the, yeah, for the betterment of sentient beings and so forth. A day. Whereas if I was I mean, I would think about it and and create the motivation to help others. Mhmm. So beings of that level are beyond that desire to where it just becomes a natural part of do you follow what I mean?
Yes. Yeah. Just, yes, spontaneous thing as opposed to something that we have to make some effort sometimes to generate. So, a day beyond that need to even think about, contemplate that. Okay, the Buddhist attitude.
Yeah. Yeah. So about the bodhisattvas, actually, are different numbers of bodhisattvas that that that even in activities they perform some some some activities they they have they have a very but they they don’t especially need to motivate it to perform such action that by like spontaneously it is always there within themselves. And and also for some cases, some actions they they still need to be motivated for So it’s the answer for the earlier manner. That that so, yeah, in order to benefit the without desire and attachment they perform those activities and to to to to perform a very to to perform a perfect samsaric activities, then one definitely needs to have those desire and attachment.
And without this without this without attachment and desire, one will fail to perform this samsaric action. So it is true in the sense you said that to perform with those activities of like these samsaric activities, then will you you definitely need a desire and attachment. Okay. Okay. Okay.
Yeah. Thank you. Thank you very much. Yeah. For you.