Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this two-hour 20-minute teaching, Lama Zopa Rinpoche guides practitioners through the heart of Mahāmudrā meditation: analytically dismantling the false self through logic and direct insight. After opening with guru devotion prayers, he walks through the four analyses—examining whether the “I” exists as one with mind and body, or separately—showing how both lead to logical contradiction. The detailed instruction focuses on recognizing the object to be refuted: the solid, independently existing self that appears naturally but doesn’t actually exist. Practitioners learn to distinguish false appearance from reality, leading to direct meditation on emptiness where the self is seen as merely labeled, void of inherent existence. Rinpoche closes with guidance on maintaining silence during the retreat to deepen the practice.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 20 2004 04 15 MR.mp3
UUID: 27383599-6d2d-40dc-ba03-408652e39d9d
Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1
Collection: y Mahāmudrā International Retreat (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1)
Date: 2004-04-15
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 139.8 minutes
Words: ~10,220
So please open your text, the Green Book, the Lomrin Press section, page twelve. Then as is expressed in the commentary which she gave today, the very first the very first thing in the part of the session is to clear the mind, clean the mind, wash the mind, clear away the attachment clinging to this life, worldly thoughts. So to do this, we rely upon a breathing meditation. So those who know can do the nine round breathing. If you don’t know, can do whatever breathing meditation you know to calm the mind.
So do the nine round breathing three times. Visualize in the crown of your head. Your root guru encompasses all the Buddhas. Think all the Buddhas manifested in this form in order to guide me. All the Buddhas manifested in this ordinary form for my ordinary mind.
In this mistaken form for my mistaken mind. To save me from the lower realms, from all of saṃsāra, and from all the defilements, and to bring me to full enlightenment, which is a total cessation of all the thoughts of the mind and the completion of all realizations. Request the guru to transform your mind into devotion, seeing the guru’s Buddha by looking at the guru as Buddha. Request the guru to transform your mind into a renunciation of saṃsāra, renouncing the attachment that clings to saṃsāra, to samsaric happiness and perfections. Request the guru to transform your mind from self-cherishing thought into bodhicitta.
Request the guru to transform your mind from ignorance, the concept to inherent existence, into the wisdom that sees all phenomena as empty. Request the guru to transform your mind from impure thought into pure thought, seeing everything pure as a manifestation of the deity. The place as a deity’s mandala, your body and the bodies of others as a deity’s holy body, and sounds as mantras, as a deity’s holy speech. Request the guru to transform your mind into the whole path from guru devotion up to enlightenment. Make single pointed request to the guru from your heart, begging the guru to transform your mind right now on this cushion, in this session.
Not some mind in general or some mind in the sky, but your own mind. Lama Jiva Jucha, page sixty nine, making request to the guru. Source of virtue, great ocean of moral discipline, treasury brimming with jewels of much hearing, master, second Buddha, clad and saffron, elder, Vinaya holder, I make request to you. You have the ten qualities suitable for one to teach the path of those gone to bless. Lord of Dharma, representing all conquerors.
Mahāyāna Guru, I make request to you. You are wise, patient, honest, without pretense or guile. Your three doors well subdued. You have both sets of ten qualities, no tantrum rituals, and are skilled in drawing and explaining. Foremost vajra holder, I make request to you.
To those untamed by countless past Buddhas, the unruly, my greatest of this degenerate age, who are difficult to subdue, you show unmistakenly the good way of those gaunt bliss. Compassionate refuge savior, I make request to you. At this time, on the sunlight teachings, the sage is setting. You are not the deeds of a conqueror, For the many beings who lack a savior refuge, compassionate refuge savior, I make requests to you. Even one of your hair paws is for us, field of merit more highly praised than all the conquerors of three times in ten directions.
Compassionate refuge savior, I make request to you. Adorned with the Sugata’s three bodies, you manifest an alluring net of skillful means. In ordinary form to lead all beings, compassionate refuge savior, I make request to you. Your aggregates, salamence, sunspaces, limbs are in nature the sugardas and consorts of five families. Body suffers and wrathful protectors.
Supreme guru, essence of Three Jewels, I make request to you. Arising from the play of omniscient, pristine awareness, you are the essence of ten million cycles, pervading lord of a hundred for the family’s foremost pleasure holder, unified primordial savior, I make request to you. Unobscured, inseparable from the play of simultaneous bliss, pervading everything in motion and at rest, the nature of all things free from beginning or end, Samantabhādra, actual, ultimate bodhicitta, I make request to you. You are my gurus. You are my idams.
You are the Dakinis and Dharma protectors. From now until enlightenment, I shall seek no other refuge than you. In this life, Bardo and all future lives, hold me with your hook of compassion. Free me from saṃsāra nirvana spheres. Grant all attainments.
Be my constant friend and guard me from interferences. You are my gurus. You are my yidams. You are the dhikkhines and dharmaphatethas. From now until enlightenment, I shall seek no other refuge than you.
In this life, the bardo and all future lies. Hold me with your hook of compassion. Free me from saṃsāra nirvana’s fears. Grant all attainments. Be my constant friend and guard me from interferences.
You are my gurus. You are my yadams. You are the Dakines and dharmapotentas. From now until the nightment, I shall seek no other refuge in you. In this I have the vodder in all future lives.
Hold me with your hook of compassion. Free me from saṃsāra nirvana’s fears. Grant all attainments. Be my constant friend, and guard me from interferences. By the force of having thus requested three times, nectar and light rays, white, red, and dark blue, stream forth from the places of my guru’s body, speech, and mind, and dissolve into my own three places, one by one and altogether.
The four obstacles are purged. The four pure empowerments and seeds, the four kayas are received. A replica of the Guru happily dissolves into me, and I am blessed with inspiration. Through the power of having made offerings and respectful requests to you, holy and venerable gurus, supreme field of merit, I seek your blessing, saviors, and root while being blessed, that I may come under your joyful care. I’m requesting the kind Lord Root Guru, who is more extraordinary than all the Buddhas.
Please bless me to be able to devote myself to the qualified Lord Guru, with great respect in all my life’s lifetimes. By realizing that correctly devoting myself to the kind Lord Guru, who is the foundation of all good qualities, is a root of happiness and goodness, I shall devote myself to him with great respect, nor forsaking him even at the cost of my life. Thinking of the importance of a qualified guru, may I allow myself to enter under his control? May I be like an obedient child, acting exactly in accordance with the Guru’s advice. Even when Mara’s evil friends and the like try to split me from the guru, may I be like a vajra inseparable forever?
When the guru gives me work, whatever the burden, may I be like the earth carrying all? When I devote myself to the guru, whatever suffering occurs, may I be like a mountain immovable? Even if I have to perform all the difficult tasks, may I be like a servant of the king with a mind undisturbed? May I abandon pride, holding myself lower than a guru. May I be like a sweeper?
May I be like a rope joyfully holding the Guru’s work no matter how difficult or heavy a burden? Even when the guru criticizes, provokes, or ignores me, may I be like a dog without anger, never responding with anger. May I be like a ferryboat, never upset at any time to come and go for the guru? All glorious and precious real guru, please bless me to be able to practice in this way from now on in all my future lifetimes. May I be able to devote myself to the guru in this way.
Realizing how this body of liberties and endowments is found but once, is difficult to obtain, and is easily lost, I seek your blessings partake of its essence. Make it worthwhile, and not be distracted by the meaningless affairs of this life. Aghast of the searing blaze of suffering in the lower realms, I take heartfelt refuge in the three precious gems and seek your blessings that I may eagerly endeavor to practice the various means for abandoning what is bound misfortune and accumulating virtuous deeds. Violently tossed amidst waves of delusion and karma, plagued by hordes of watery denizens of three kinds of suffering, I seek her blessings to develop an intense longing to be free from this monstrous ocean of baldness and vicious existence. Having abandoned the mind that views this unbearable prison of cyclic existence as a pleasure grove, I seek your blessings partake of the treasure of Ārya’s jewels by practicing the three higher trainings, and thereby to uphold liberation’s banner.
Having considered how all these pitiful beings have been my mothers and have raised me in kindness again and again, I seek your blessings to develop an authentic compassion, like that of a loving mother for her precious child. So here just briefly mentates on bodhicitta, generating bodhicittas through sevenfold cause and effect instruction. And first of all, equanimity, friend and misstranger, may label by mind. Recollecting how ones have beginning as past lives, Therefore, every single sentient being has been mother and not just once, but countless times. Once a mother has been mother countless times, one’s father, one’s friends, relatives, enemies, so forth.
Everyone been mother countless times. Remembering kindness the mother, kindness of this present life mother gave body to practice Dharma, protected our life from harms countless times, raised us in the ways of the world or countless sufferings for us, hardships for us. And the wish to repay the kindness, seeing all beings in beauty, in love, wishing them to have happiness. Taking responsibility for them to have happiness. Seeing how all of them are suffering uncontrollably.
Taking responsibility to free all beings from suffering by oneself alone. Recognizing and present, we don’t have the capacity to do this, only Buddha does. Therefore, generating strong determination to achieve the state of full enlightenment in order to free all beings from suffering and place them in a state of perfect bliss. There is no difference between myself and others. None of us wishes even the slightest of sufferings or is ever content with the happiness we have.
Realizing this, I seek your blessings that I may enhance the bliss and joy of others. This chronic disease of cherishing myself is a cause giving rise to my unsolved suffering. Perceiving this, I seek your blessings to blame, begrudge, and destroy the monstrous demon of selfishness. The mind that cherishes all mother beings must secure them and bless, is a gateway leading to infinite virtue. Seeing this, I seek a blessing to cherish these beings more than my life, even should they rise up as my enemies.
In brief, infantile beings, they were only for their own ends, while Buddhas worked solely for the welfare of others. With the mind understanding distinctions between the failings of one and the advantages of the other, I seek your blessings to enable me to equalize and exchange myself with others. Since cherishing myself is a doorway to all torment, while cherishing my mother is the foundation of all that is good, I seek your blessings to make my core practice the yoga of exchanging self for others. Eight verses. Determined to obtain the greatest possible benefit from all sentient beings who are more precious and a wishful filling jewel.
I shall hold them most dear at all times. When in the company of others, I should always consider myself the lowest of all, and from the depths of my heart hold others dear and supreme. Vigilant, the moment of delusion appears in my mind, endangering myself and others. I shall confront and avert it without delay. Whenever I see beings so wicked in nature and overwhelmed by violent negative actions and suffering, I shall hold such rare ones dear as if I had found precious treasure.
When out of envy others mistreat me with abuse, insults, or the like, I should accept defeat and offer the victory to others. When someone whom I benefited and whom I have great hopes gives me terrible harm, I should regard that person as my holy guru. In short, both directly and indirectly do I offer every happiness and benefit to all my mothers. I shall secretly take upon myself all their harmful actions and suffering. Undefiled by the stains of superstitions, the eight worldly concerns, may I, by perceiving of phenomena’s illusory, be released from the bondage attachment.
Page eighty seven. And thus, venerable, compassionate gurus, I seek your blessings at all coming deaths, obstacles, and sufferings of mother beings. May without exception ripen upon me right now, and that I may give my happiness and virtue to others, and thereby invest all beings in bliss. And thus, venerable, compassionate gurus, I seek your blessings that all come in deaths, obstacles, and sufferings of other beings. May without exception ripen upon me right now, and that I may give my happiness and virtue to others, and thereby invest all beings in bliss.
And thus, venerable, compassionate gurus, I seek your blessings at all come in death’s obstacles and sufferings from other beings. They, without exception, ripen upon me right now, and that I may give my happiness and virtue to others, and thereby invest all beings in bliss. Should even my environment and the beings therein be filled with the fruits of their negative actions, and unwishful sufferings poured down on me like rain, I seek your blessings to take these miserable conditions as a path, by seeing them as causes to exhaust the results of my negative karma. In short, no matter what appearances arise, be they good or bad, I seek your blessings to transform them to a path of enhancing the two bodhicittas. Through the practice of five forces quintessence the entire Dharma, and thus to enjoy solely a blissful mind.
Whatever I occasion to meet, seek of blessings that I may adapt it to my meditation by the skillful means of four applications. May I render this life of liberties and endowments infinitely meaningful by practicing the advice and commitments of thought training. In order to rescue all beings and the vast seas of existence, I seek your blessings to become adept in bodhicitta through a pure, selfless wish, as well as by love and compassion, conjoined with the visual technique of mounting giving and taking upon the breath. I seek your blessings that I may eagerly endeavor to put into practice the three Mahāyāna moral codes, and to restrain my mind stream with pure Bodhisattva vows, the single path journeyed by all victorious ones as three times. I seek your blessings to complete the perfection of generosity through the guideline teaching enhancing the mind that gives without attachment, namely transforming my body, wealth, and collection of virtues over the three times into the objects desired by each and every sentient being.
I seek your blessings to complete the perfection of moral discipline, working for the sake of sentient beings, enacting virtuous deeds, and not transgressing the bounds of Bodhi Chitta and Tantric vows, even at the cost of my life. Should even the myriad beings, without exception, become angry at me, humiliate, criticize, threaten, or even kill me, I seek your blessings to complete the perfection of patience, not to be distraught, but to work for their benefit in response to their harm. Even if I must remain for an ocean of aeons and the fiery hells of Vici, for the sake of even just one sentient being. I seek your blessings to complete the perfection of joy and effort, to strive the compassion for supreme enlightenment and not be discouraged. Having abandoned the faults of dullness, agitation, and mental wandering, I seek your blessings to complete perfection of meditative concentration through the samadhi of single pointed placement upon the nature of reality, which is that all things are void of true existence.
I seek your blessings complete the perfection of wisdom, through the space like yoga of single-minded placement upon ultimate truth, conjoined with the tranquility and great bliss induced by discriminating wisdom analyzing such as. I seek your blessings perfect Samadhya and illusion by realizing how old outer and inner phenomena lack true existence but still appear like a mirage, a dream, or the moon’s image on a still lake. Samsāra, nirvana lack even an asthma of true existence, while cause and effect and dependence arising are infallible. I seek your blessings discern the import of Nāgārjuna’s thought, that these two are complementary and not contradictory. And thereupon I seek your blessings, and I may cross the ocean of Tantra, through the kindness of my navigator, vajradhara, by holding my vows and words of honor, the roots of all powerful attainments, more dear than my life.
I seek your blessings to cleanse all stains of ordinary appearance and grasping through the first stage yoga of transforming birth, death, and the Vado into the three bodies of Buddha, so that whatever appears may arise as a deity. I seek your blessings to actualize and establish the path of unity, of clear light in the illusory body that arises from placing your feet my protector, in the eight petals of my heart at the very center of my central channel. Should I not have completed the points of the path at the time of death, I seek your blessings that I may be led to pure land, either through the instructions applying the five forces, or by the forceful means to enlightenment, the Guru’s transference of mind. In short, I seek your blessings, my savior, to be cared for by you from birth and remitting me throughout all my lives, and thus to become your chief disciple, holding every secret of your body, speech, and mind. Savior, please grant that all be auspicious in me to be foremost among your very first circle of disciples wherever you manifest Buddhahood, so that all my temporal and ultimate wishes without exception may be effortlessly and spontaneously fulfilled.
Sitting Thamurat field absorbs, So gradually absorbing into Namalasa and Tovan Dojicang, then Namalasa and Tovan Dojicang absorbs into Saikumani Buddha, aversion of the heart, to the three powers of being, and comes to crown of one’s head, and then making these strong heartfelt requests. The very exalted four bodies, lamas, supreme deity, to the mighty one, vajradhara, make request. The very exhorted, Damakaya, free from obscurations. Supreme Lama, to the mighty one, vajradhara, make request. The very great bliss, exhorted, enjoyment body, Supreme Lama, to the mighty one, vajradhara, make request.
The very multitude of supreme emanation body, supreme Lama, to the mighty one, vajradhara, make request. The embodiment of all Lamas, Lamas, supreme Deity, to the mighty one, vajradhara, I make request. The embodiment of all Irams, Lama, supreme Deity, to the mighty one, vajradhara, I make request. The embodiment of all Buddhas, Lama, supreme Deity, To the Mighty One, vajradhaya, make request. The embodiment of all Holy Dharma, Lama, Supreme Deity.
To the Mighty One, vajradhaya, make request. The embodiment of all Sangha, Lama, Supreme Deity. To the mighty one, vajradhaya, make request. The embodiment of all dakkas and dakinis, Lama Supreme Deity. To the mighty one, vajradhaya, make request.
The embodiment of all dharmapatthas, Lama Supreme Deity. To the Mighty One, vajradhara, I make request. The embodiment of all Logits of Refuge, Lama, Supreme Deity, to the Mighty One, vajradhara, I make request. To the Founder, Bhagawantha Thargadha Aham, perfectly completed Buddha, glorious conqueror, Śākyamūni Buddha. I prostrate, make offerings, and go for refuge.
Having thus been entreated, supreme gurus, I grant this request, so that you may bless me happily alive in the crown of my head. Once again, set your radiant feet firmly at the corner of my lotus heart. Mantra of Mantra Mantra. So three reasons beside this, success of Mantra project, and it creates a cause. We’re born as one of Mantra’s first disciples during my Tre Buddhist teachings even if one doesn’t become enlightened during Śākyamūni Buddhist teaching.
And then by reciting this mantra, never get reborn in lower realms. Everything goes up. Whatever white virtues I have thus created, I dedicate its cause, enabling me to uphold the Riyadhana scriptures and insights, Fulfill that exception of prayers and deeds of all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas three times. Due to all three Dharma asking me by myself, and by all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and by all sentient beings, May I, all members of my family, all members of this organization, and all sentient beings never be separated in all our lives from Mahāyāna’s four spheres. And may we reach the end of our journey along the paths of renunciation, bodhicitta, pure view, and the two stages.
Through the excellence of whatever white virtues there are in saṃsāra nibbana, May all be auspicious to me to be free here and now from all misfortune and hardship, and thus to enjoy a glorious and perfect celestial treasure of temple and ultimate virtue and goodness. May all be auspicious for the Buddha’s teachings to endure along, through your senders of Dharma and omniscient Lohsandrappa, being filled with hosts of renunciates, yogis, and new Guinis, striving single pointedly to master Sri Jura Kerala. Having requested your blessings, Lohsandrappa, from the time of your youth made request the Supreme Guru Deity. May all be auspicious for you, Lozan vajradhara, spontaneously to add the wishes of others. May all be auspicious for all my desired endowments to swell like a lake in the summer rains, bringing unbroken flow of rebirths and leisure and fondest families, so that I may pass my days and nights with your holy dharma, Venerable Lozang, and thus the light and the glorious of perfection.
So we’ll do the protector press. Volume two. Beginning with six on more color. Okay. And then for face more color on page nineteen.
Page thirty four. So the way Ramsha does the fifth verse comes before the fourth verse, and then the penultimate verse is recited three times. Tea offering, page forty nine. Cis people who have initiation. Okay.
So I do the I’m King of Prayers. So I’m getting lots of messages while I’m trying to lead the prayers. Messages are coming. Then another message comes, then another message comes. So we’ll do the king of prayers in the green book.
This is page nineteen in the dedication prayer section. I bow down to youthful Ārya Mañjuśrī. New lines among humans gone to freedom in the present, past and future. In the worlds of ten directions to all of you with body, speech and sincere mind, I bow down. With the energy of aspiration for the bodhisattva way, with a sense of deep respect, and with as many bodies as atoms of the world, to all you Buddhas visualized as real, I bow down.
On every atom are Buddhas, numberless atoms, each amidst a host of body sufferers, and I am confident the seer of all phenomena is entirely filled with Buddhas in this way. With infinite oceans of praise for you and oceans of sound from the aspects of my voice, I sing the breathtaking accents of Buddhas and celebrate all of you, God bliss. Beautiful flowers and regal garlands, sweet music, scented oils and parasols. Sparkling lights and sublime incense are offered to you, victorious ones. Fine dress and fragrant perfumes, sandalwood powder, heaped high as Mount Merrow.
All wondrous offerings and spectacular rare are offered to you, victorious ones. With transcendent offerings, peerless and vast, with profound admiration for all the Buddhas, With strength and conviction, the bodhisattva way, I offer and bow down to all victorious ones. Every harmful action I’ve done with my body, speech, and mind, overwhelmed by attachment, anger, and confusion, all these I openly they bear before you. I lift up my heart and rejoice in all positive potential, from the Buddha s and Bodhisattvas in ten directions, of solitary realizers hearers still training in those beyond, and of all ordinary beings. You, who are the bright lights of worlds and ten directions, who attain the Buddha’s omniscience through the stage of awakening.
O you who are my guides, please turn the supreme wheel of Dharma. With palms together, I earnestly request you who may actualize paranivana. Please stay with us for aeons, numberless atoms of the world, for the happiness and well-being of all wondrous and saṃsāra. Whatever sigh of positive potential I may have created, by paying homage, offering, acknowledging my faults, rejoicing, requesting that the Buddhas stay and teach, I now dedicate all this to full awakening. May you, Buddhas, now living in the worlds of ten directions, and all you who gone to freedom in the past, accept my offerings.
May those not yet arisen quickly perfect their minds. Awakening as fully awakened ones. May all worlds in ten directions be entirely pure and vast. May they be filled with bodhisattvas, surrounding Buddhas, gathered beneath a bodhi tree. May as many beings who exist in ten directions be always well and happy.
May all samsaric beings live in accord with Dharma, and may their every Dharma wish be fulfilled. Remembering my past lives and all varieties of existence, may I practice the bodhisattva way, and thus in each cycle of death, migration, and birth, may I always abandon the householder’s life. Then, following in the footsteps of all the Buddhas and perfecting the practice of bodhisattva, may I always act without error or compromise, with ethical, discipline, faultless, and pure. May I teach you the language of Gods, of spirits and nagas, of humans and nagas, of every human being. May I be gentle minded, cultivated in the six parameters, and never forget Vadhakti?
May I completely cleanse without omission in every negativity and all that obscures this awakening mind? May I traverse all my life in a world free of calm afflictions and interfering forces? Just as the lotus blossom is undisturbed by the water s wave, just as the sun and moon move unhindered through the sky, may I ease the suffering in the lower realms and in the many directions and dimensions of the universe. May I guide all wondrous and saṃsāra to pure bliss awakening, and be of worldly benefit to them as well. May I practice constantly for aeons to come, perfecting the activities of awakening, acting in harmony with the various oppositions of beings, showing the ways of bodhisattva.
May I always have the friendship of those whose path is like mine, and with body words and also mind, may we practice together the same aspirations and activities. May I always meet a spiritual mentor and never displease an excellent friend, who deeply wishes to help me and expertly teaches the bodhisattva way. May I always directly see the Buddha’s Masters encircled by bodhisattvas, and without pause or discouragement for aeons to come, may I make extensive offerings to them. May I hold within me the Buddha s genuine Dharma, illuminate everywhere the teachings that awaken, embody the realizations of body suffer, and practice ardently in all future eons, while circling through all states of existence, now become an endless treasure of good qualities, skillful means, wisdom, samadhi, and liberating stabilizations, gathering limitless pristine wisdom and positive potential. On one atom I shall see Buddha fields numberless atoms Inconceivable Buddhas among Buddhist suffers in every field, practicing the activities of awakening.
Perceiving this in all directions, I dive into an ocean of Buddha fields, each an ocean of three times Buddhas in space a wisp of hair. So I too will practice for an ocean of aeons. Thus, I am continually immersed in the speech of the Buddha’s expression that reveals the notion of qualities in one word, the completely pure eloquence of all the Buddhas, communication suited to the varied tendencies of beings. With strength of understanding, I plunge into infinite enlightened speech of the Dhamma, of all Buddhas and three times gone to freedom, who continually turn the wheel of Dhamma methods. I should experience in one moment such vast activity of all future eons, and I will enter into all Aeons as three times in but a fraction of a second.
In one instant, I shall see all those awakened beings, past, present, and future lions among humans, and with the power of the illusion like stabilization, I will constantly engage in their inconceivable activity. I shall manifest upon one single atom the array of pure lands, present, past, and future. Likewise, I should enter the array of pure, bitter fields in every direction without exception. I should enter the very presence of all my guides. Those lights of this world who are yet to appear, those sequentially turning the wheels of complete awakening, those who reveal nirvana, final perfect peace.
May I achieve the power of swift magical elimination, the power to lead the great vehicles through every approach, the power of always beneficial activity, the power of love pervading all realms, the power of all surpassing positive potential, power of supreme knowledge unobstructed by discrimination, and through the powers of wisdom, skillful means, Samādhi, may I achieve the perfect power of awakening, purifying the power of all contaminated actions, crushing the power of disturbing emotions at their root, diffusing the power of interfering forces, I shall perfect the power of the bodhisattva practice. May I purify a notion of worlds, may I free a notion of beings? May I clearly see an ocean of Dharma? May I realize an ocean of pristine wisdom? May I purify an ocean of activities?
I fulfill an ocean of aspirations? May I make offerings for an ocean of Buddhas? May I practice without discouragement for an ocean of aeons? To awaken fully through this Bodhisattva Way, I shall fulfill without exception all the diverse aspirations the awakening practice. Have all Buddhas gone to freedom in the three times everywhere?
In order to practice exactly as the wise one calls mantabhadra, all embracing good. The elder brother of the sons and daughters of the Buddhas, I completely dedicate all this goodness. Likewise, my dedicated is a skillful Samantabhādra. With pure bodies feature mind, pure actions, and pure Buddha fields. I shall give rise to the aspirations of Mañjuśrī, for this bodhisattva practice for all embracing good, to perfect these practices without discouragement or pause nor future aeons.
May my pure activities be endless, my good qualities boundless, and through abiding in immeasurable activity may actualize infinite emanations. Luminous is the endless space likewise, limitless are living beings. Thus, similar so common afflictions may my aspirations reach be limitless as well. One may offer to the Buddhas all wealth and dormance to infinite worlds and ten directions. And one may offer during aeons, numberless atoms of the world, even the greatest happiness of gods and humans.
But whoever hears this extraordinary aspiration and longing for highest awakening gives rise to faith just once, creates far more precious positive potential. Those who make this heartfelt aspiration for the bodhisattva way will be free of all lower rebirths, free of harmful companions, and will quickly see Amitābha infinite light. And even in this very human life, they’ll be nourished by happiness and have all conducive circumstances. Without waiting long, they’ll become like Svamadhya himself. Those who give voice as extraordinary aspiration will quickly and completely purify the five boundless harmful actions created under the power of ignorance.
Blessed with supreme knowledge, accent, body, family, attributes, appearance, They will be invincible to vast interfering forces and misleading teachers, and all three worlds will make offerings, going quickly to a noble body tree and sitting there to benefit sentient beings. Subduing all interfering forces, they will fully awaken and turn the great wheel of Dharma. Have no doubt that complete awakening is a fully ripened result, comprehended only by a Buddha, of holding in mind by teaching, reading, or reciting this aspiration of Bodhisattva practice, nor to train just like the hero of Mañjuśrī who knows reality as it is. And just like Samandhabhadra as well, I completely dedicate all this goodness just as they did. With that dedication, which is praised as greatest by all the Buddhas gone to freedom in the three times, I too dedicate all my roots to goodness for the attainments of Bodhisattva practice.
When the moment of my death arise by eliminating all obscurations, directly perceiving Amitābha, I may go immediately to Sukhāvati, pure land of great joy. And gone Sukhāvati may actionize the meaning of these aspirations, fulfilling them all without exception, for the benefit of beings for as long as this world endures. Born from an extremely beautiful superlative lotus, in this joyful land, the Buddha’s magnificent mandala. And I receive a prediction of my awakening directly from the Buddha and the Mittabha. Having received a prediction there, my great vast benefit for beings throughout the ten directions with a billion emanations by the power of wisdom.
Through even the small virtue I have accumulated by offering this prayer the Bodhisattva practice, may all the positive aspirations of beings be fulfilled in instant. Through creating limitless positive potential, by dedicating this prayer of Samantabhādra’s deeds, may all beings drowning in this torrent suffering enter the presence Vamtabha, through this king of aspirations which is the greatest of splende, helping infinite wonders in Samsāra, through the accomplishment of the scripture dancing with Svamtabhadra’s practice, may suffering realms be utterly emptied of all beings. Then the long life prayers. Beginning with long life prayers for Mr. Dalai Lama.
Then Rinpoche, the gyre or conquering goddess whose sooner life face changes to our changing face. Faint is calling ray of whose mantra name allays fiery pain of our life’s fine land. Rainmaker adept who brings forth life’s rain. Here now grant your greatest gifts. Victorious goddess, grant life without end.
Hear our prayer, O Lama whom we revere. You who bear the name of he who appear to see holds the living essence of pure, paradigmatic doctrine of Victors, of He alone adorned to the earth, a He who guides, splendid liberation, sphere of peace. Precious treasure, precise and subtle reasoning. Golden lays a light of bright, unerring wisdom, clarifying without confusion two truths amongst multiplicity of things. Lama remain beautifully amongst us, so radiant than the sun, skilled in sprinkling the waters of healing, fulfilling needs, benefiting all.
A laughing smile, bringing pearls of skill, humility, and constancy. Deep milky sea of the liquid moon and morality. Nam remain beautifully amongst us, one supremely worthy of veneration. The mood of your Mahāyāna mind ring round by the fever calling camp of unsullied, unsurpassed resolve. Brilliantly swells the bounds of space, unbound the seas, the happiness of now and bliss of always.
Lama remain mutually amongst us, the moon guiding our way. Your teachings are vast spreading rivers of celestial nectars. Your dialect is an invincible, cutting vajra weapon. Your writings, thousand petal lotuses unfolding their glory. Lama remain immutably amongst us, the guardian of highest knowledge.
By the might of seas, the spiritual masters, deities, doctrine protectors. By the power profound, penitizing, the unbearing emptiness of all that appears. May all the hopes, and our prayers, and effort of seas be spontaneously fulfilled. Then, Lama Ossam. Enchanting mother like a brilliant snow mountain, the shining consummation of signs and marks, who, when seeing, captivates minds when heard, soothes the sorrows of hearts when recall protects from all fears the untimely.
Giver of life, wish granting wheel, grant that all may be auspicious. Lord of Dharma, who, in accordance with the various suppositions of those to be subdued, may it clear in the light of your well spoken advice the sacred Gandhian tradition, essence of Buddha’s teachings. O foremost and holy Lama, to you, supreme, we make prayer supplication. Venerable one, to you, whose kindness deceives that of all the conquerors, for those wondrous in far places, especially the West. Mindful of your loving concern for us, intentionally descending again to a family of a far distant land, We make this request to our Lama, please, please, if long.
Complete holder, scholar, protector of Stainless Sūtra and Tantra, holy spiritual friend, foundation for unwavering constant devotion, profoundly skilled in methods leading us along the fortunate path of liberation, unfolding within us all that is moral, warm, and wise. O Lama, please, please, live long. Master the entire doctrine of being crossed as the furthermost shore of the Vastoshana Sūtra and Tantra, observing ethics, foundation and practice, and as the heart of the teaching conscientiously following Vedanta. O Lama, please, please, divOm. By the power of our pure prayer and karma, without our ever being separated from our supremely kind Lama, May we be joyfully guided to your children, disciples, throughout infinite lives, and by the sweet and the taste of your holy speech be forever satisfied.
For spiritual masters, lay down and protectors, but as us and help us, we may accomplish the ultimate meaning of life. In our striving and listening, reflecting and meditating as much as we are able, that we may quickly usher in a golden age, and that all the while, we may always remember from the depths of our hearts loving kindness and our precious summer. So then, special dedication prayers, page twelve. Due to these mass, may all the obstacles, kept your suffering, sheer health, long life be instantly removed. May Rinpoche remain and teach us until saṃsāra ends.
May all his and Namyashi’s holy wishes be instantly fulfilled. May Lama Osoramshi have a long and healthy life. May he be able to complete all his studies without hindrance become a great holder and teacher of sūtra and tantra in this life. May it be of greatest benefit to all sentient beings. May all the obstacles, quick success of building the Maitreya statue be instantly destroyed.
May this great statue of Maitreya become Shizaki according to the wishes of Lama Yeshe and Lama Subramshi. May all the senders and projects of the FPMT be free of obstacles spread the holy Dharma of Buddha Sikkimani, in particular the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa. May all sentient beings be free from suffering and achieve every happiness in the highest state of enlightenment. May all the students and friends who work so hard for FPMT in the service of the Dharma, and who sacrifice their lives to Buddha’s teachings and to relieve the suffering of sentient beings of long and healthy lives. May they realize path to enlighten their own minds as quickly as possible.
May all those who rely on May’s specific requests on the Supramishi be free of all obstacles having long and healthy lives. May they be able to achieve all the realizations of path from this lifetime. May all the students have activities, please, the virtuous friend. In all their lives, may be guided by perfectly qualified Mahāyāna virtuous friends. And may all their wishes succeed immediately according to the Dharma.
So finally, it’s the multiplying mantras, page thirty four. So the first two, one time each, and then seven times, and then three times. Prajrupada blessings, eminent Buddhas, bodhisattvas, power of infallible to panda rising, power of my pure special attitude, may all my pure prayers succeed immediately. By pacifying all signs or obstacles, by defecting every single acquired condition, May the Dharma tradition of the Dharma kings from kapha be preserved and developed. Due to the two types of merit collected over three times for myself and others, may the teaching of the far famed victorious ones pure wisdom daze force.
So just when we finish the Guru Poetry then I received a message from to guide a meditation on the four analysis on emptiness on the four analysis when we reached the emptiness section. So we’d already finished. So then I sent back and I said, we’re already finished. sinking maybe I’ll get out of it. Doug got a message back saying, well, go back and do it.
So then I’ll try to push it off because actually I don’t really feel prepared to do this for analysis, and I would like to do it properly if I do it. So, however, I think this is from Shay’s instruction to think about the four analysis. So what I’d like to say is, do you have this Mahāmudrā meditation advice in your package? The silver book? Alright.
So it’s just nine o’clock. That’s very early. So I think what might be quite nice is if we just read through from page six just to put the imprint on the mind. So this is not I mean, anyway, I’m not a very intelligent person. So for me, I don’t find this is very easy.
It needs to be thought about over and over again. But this is Rinpoche’s precious advice. So this was this meditation was dictated to one nun. At the end of the final Mahāmudrā, sort of Rinpoche taught Mahāmudrā first time in Chimraising Institute nineteen eighty. And then twice two more times, once in vajrapani and then once in France, Vajrayoginī.
And this meditation advice was dictated by Rinpoche to one nun for use in the course at that time. So the first part is absorbing the groans of the heart. And then once grows absorbed into the heart, then concentrating on conventional nature of mind, and then comes the four analyses. So maybe if we can just read this and then reflect on the meaning. So this is page six, finding the I to be refuted.
Having cleared the mind of agitation and dullness, while it is in the nature of clarity and emptiness, either the thought of I will naturally arise or with effort, generate in an instant the thought of I, such as by sinking I, I, I, or by thinking of experience of loss or gain. You can also remember a past experience when you’ve been criticized or admired by others. Then at the same time, to watch how the I appears and try to recognize that precisely. Stilling the mind and then generating the thought I. You can think, I am sitting here, I’m doing this course, I’m cold, I’m tired.
But cause the thought I to arise and then examine how that I appears to you as something real, solid and concrete. Be alert and examine well again and again. During those times, if the eye appears as black darkness from the outside, that is not the eye to be refuted. This is because the mind should not be thinking of anything nor is it thinking of nothing. Neither should the mind be tight thinking, I should check out how the eye appears.
Then suddenly the thought of eye arises from within that state. If when closing the eyes, there appears in front a vision of darkness, for some people a fearful view may arise. If an appearance of solidity arises from inside, again, this is not the eye that should be realized as empty. That is because when the thought of sinking eye is generated, you should look at how the I appears. When the mind is completely concentrated like this, still if the thought of I is left, it is due to not having recognized that the whole mind has become tightened.
And so from inside, the appearance of solidity has arisen. If there is an appearance of I like a stick being put inside oneself, still this is not the I that is to be realized as empty. This is because while firmly concentrating inwardly without understanding the need for the mind to be relaxed, one may completely tighten the mind. The wind then fills up the upper part of the body, and by that power, the feeling of solidity rises like a stick having been put inside oneself. When one thinks I, suddenly the aggregates may appear without one understanding how the I exists in relation to the aggregates, and nothing is known.
Generally, I is merely left on the aggregates by thought labeling. It doesn’t exist on any base other than the aggregates. The hallucinated simultaneously born thought thinks the I, which appears, is not the appearance of the aggregates. It thinks that definitely there is a way for the eye to appear independently existing from its own side. Unable to discriminate the difference, one is unable to recognize how the eye appears other than the appearance of the aggregates.
When the thought thinking of the eye has been generated and one looks at how it appears, If at that time nothing appears, everything disappears, or various appearances come, still this is not having realized the I that is empty. When the simultaneous thought thinking of the eye has arisen, usually one is unable to look at the same time how that eye appears when one looks at it. When the thought of looking at how the eye appears has ceased, then simultaneously, the thought thinking eye will also cease. Then the same type of thought, that of looking at how the eye appears, will arise. If one looks at how the eye appears when the thought thinking eye has ceased and then doesn’t see anything in that emptiness, that doesn’t mean there is no appearance of the eye.
These are the ways that Lama Tsongkhapa, the omniscient one from his experience explained when he gave commentary on the right view. Because of the different levels of their minds from the side of the disciple, the object to be subdued, such appearances as these arise. This is also why the introduction has been done in this way. When one looks at how the ignorance believing in true existence, how this ignorance holds the eye, From the side of the eye, there is a kind of solidly existent eye that instantly appears in the object of the mind. Nothing is mixed with that object.
That is called truly existent. Existent from its own side, existent by its nature, or independently existent. So as you have this thought, ‘I’, then you keep checking to see how it exists, how it appears to you to exist. So what we’re trying to do is identify the object to be refuted, the I, that appears to exist from its own side. That naturally appears to us in that way.
An example of this appearance is when in the darkness you stretch out your hand and hold a pillar thinking there is a pillar there which exists from its own side. When one presses that, there is the appearance of solidity, of touching the hand or solid object. When in fact, it is a pillar that is merely labeled by thought, which has no existence from its own side. This is the same as with the example of the eye. Even though the I is merely labeled on the aggregates, even though the I exist by being merely labeled on the aggregates, not in the slightest way existing from its own side.
Still, the eye appears from above the aggregates. Like how it appears when one receives criticism or admiration, loss or gain. The I that exists neither the body nor the mind, but which truly exists from its own side. So when you’re criticized, somebody criticizes you or praises you, there is a sense of an I which is not the mind and not the body, it’s a sense of some something solid above that, something extra. A solidly existent I that has been criticized and praised.
So that a marginal I, that is the object to be refuted. If one cannot recognize this I, then just think of subject and action. Someone gave me harm or someone benefited me. Remember that one has done such and such negative actions and the one has done good actions. Think of when you’ve received gain or loss or of something that gives rise to pride.
Then think that this I, without the mind getting too tied up with philosophical terms like truly existent and existence from its own side, This I, which is used as an object or as a subject related to actions, definitely this I exists. Then also allow one’s own aggregates in general that one sees now to appear to the mind. So then having identified the I, which is the object to be refuted, then we check to see whether this I is oneness with the aggregates, body mind, or whether it’s different, separate. Don’t decide immediately that this I exists in oneness with the aggregates as it appears to this thought. Rather think, if I look at it, I will find out whether it exists in oneness or not.
If this eye is oneness or not with the aggregates themselves, cushions and chairs are separate from the aggregates as it appears to the aggregates. If the I exists, it has to be one of these two, either oneness with or separate from the aggregates. One should decide that unless the I doesn’t exist, there is no other way for it to exist except for existing in one of these two ways, either as one with or separate from the aggregates. Then think, this real I, if this is one with my aggregates as it appears, then there are three mistakes. First, there’s no meaning in accepting the I as one with the aggregates.
If it is one as it appears, the I and the aggregates, then it should appear as one to the thought. If it appears as one to the superstitious thought, then the appearance of being separate should be changed. The two should be inseparably one. They absolutely should be one. If they are absolutely one, then there is no purpose in accepting that a subject I exists separately from the aggregates, who leaves and takes the aggregates.
In this case, what is called I becomes just one of a number of names for the aggregates. It is said in root wisdom by Nāgārjuna that if one says there is no I except the closely taking, if closely taking is the I, then your I doesn’t exist. Second mistake. If the eye is the same as the aggregate, there will be many eyes. As one has many aggregates, so there would be that many of yourself.
Either that or all of the aggregates would become one because the one, yourself, the person, is inseparable from the aggregates. It is said in Mādhyamika that if the aggregates are I, then as there are many aggregates, there will be that many i’s. Third mistake. The I itself would have to have birth and decay. From root wisdom, if the aggregate’s I, then the I would have to have birth and cessation.
As the aggregates have birth and decay, the aggregates do the action of being born and dying, so also would the eye have birth and death because there is no eye separate from the aggregates. According to this view of eyes one with the aggregates, since the previous continuity of aggregates are born and the letter ones cease, then the continuation of the eye should also do the same thing, be born and cease. Accordingly, when the continuation of these aggregates ceases, when one achieves the nothing left sorrow state, then the eye would also have to cease. The attainer eye would also have to cease. This reasoning is like that of the first and second Buddhist scores.
As well, one’s own previous and later life, past and future life, if the aggregates are truly one with the thought I as they appear, even in this present time, it would mean that one’s own past life wasn’t dead. That your past life is existing rather than dead because you’re one with the aggregates of that past life. And the previous life without having died is born in this life because it is one with the present you. If one doesn’t wish this foolish conclusion that the past life I is the same as the present life I, then there is no other way they must appear as separate to the thought. There is no other way for the I to exist except as it appears to the thought that the previous and later life are separate from the present life I.
This also has three mistakes. If the eye is separate from the aggregates, it follows that this present life is not the same stream of consciousness as the past life because it doesn’t have any relation to it. There is no relation, connection to oneself because it exists as it appears to the thought separately. It doesn’t have any connection of rising from that because it exists as it appears, not depending on each other. If it is not one stream of consciousness, then there wouldn’t be such things as remembering past lives.
The second mistake is that karma that was done would be wasted. Even if one has accumulated karma, it would be impossible for the karmic result or the action to be experienced by any future life stream of consciousness of oneself because past and future lives are separate, unrelated. The third mistake is that meeting and enjoying the result of karmic actions created in the past would occur without having done the corresponding action in past lives because no same stream of consciousness of self had accumulated the cause. By seeing these many mistakes and contradictions, when one realizes that I is not oneness with the aggregates by nature, then one has to conclude that there is no other way for it to exist except as separately from the aggregates. In fact, there is no difference between the perception of eye as appearing separate from the base and that of the eye appearing from above the aggregates.
In any case, if this was so, if the eye existed separately from the aggregates, then the eye wouldn’t have the natures of birth and cessation existing. However, the eye does experience birth and cessation, which shows that the aggregates are causative with respect to the perception of eye. Like, for example, the elephant and the flea, they exist separately. The flea doesn’t have the nature of the elephant. It is like that.
If the eye doesn’t have a nature of birth and cessation existing, then there wouldn’t be any need for a base existing on which the simultaneously born concept thinking I, labeling the name I could label because it would be uncaused. Like, for example, a flower in the sky or the sorrow state or where there is no ice cream existing, the place where there is no ice cream at all. There is a thought of I rising. Like that, even at the place where there are no aggregates at all, the uncreative thought of I would still arise. So conclusion, in short, the real I which I think is me, which is not merely labeled, which appears as existing from its own side, hold that after examining if it exists as either one with or separate from the aggregates.
After seeing the many mistakes if it exists separately or in oneness with respect to the aggregates, then think that this eye is exactly the same as the golden vase in my hand. It does not exist at all. In that state of emptiness, trying to concentrate as it’s explained in the Samatha teachings. While one is in the state of emptiness of the nonexistent refuting object of the truly existing I. When the definite understanding of emptiness gets weaker, then think of the many ways that this perception of I is truly existent harms reasoned experience and the reasons which prove that it doesn’t exist the way it appears.
Then generate the definite understanding of the nature of I. Trying continuity of that energy is the way of practicing the one pointed meditation of Sanyata like sky. And that definite understanding is called the Majamika view of the middle way. Holding that view of not realizing that the I is nonexistent, but for the definite understanding of emptiness, the truly existent I becomes nonexistent completely, means one has identified the nature that I doesn’t exist from its own side. While one is practicing the single pointed meditation on sunyata like sky, newly labeling the distinction of the refuting object, noting there is no separate existence of I by nature, and yet still letting to rise a superstitious thought that the I exists in mere name cannot be done except by continuously meditating like that.
After that, just by rising the thought sinking I, even at times when the I enters into action, without separating away from the definite understanding of the view of the nonexistent refuting object appearing as illusory, one will understand the eye which is merely labeled and is depending on the labeling base of the six elements gathered together. One sees that that is the eye that becomes a base of action and result. If the appearance and the emptiness come together, then it is wonderful. There is nothing more wonderful than this. So that’s our job.
It’s part of our job. And she she called me out when about two thirds of everybody had left the Gompa, called me out and said, well, we still have time to do it, don’t we? We still got time to do meditation. We still got time to do a walking meditation emptiness around the Gompa. And I think it was about five or ten minutes past seven.
So I said, well, I could ring the gong and get everyone back again. And then he just laughed. But he did want us to meditate on emptiness. He wanted us to do this walking meditation, seeing everything as hallucination. So he wants us to identify the object to be refuted.
So the object to be refuted is the real one, what appears as real, the thing that appears real. The real I, the real action, real object, all these things appear real. That’s what’s to be refuted. So anyway, thank you very much for your patience. I would like to thank everybody for their support.
I felt a lot of support and also the organizers were commenting that this retreat is very harmonious, which is a very precious gift to Rinpoche. So I would like to thank everyone for being very harmonious. And Rinpoche launched into the commentary today, as you heard beginning with the outlines. So the goal is this weekend to try and keep silence and to let the mind go into a deeper place so that as we recite the prayers, there’s a deeper meaning and resonance. And then the mind becomes more quiet and is easier to penetrate into the subject.
So we try. Somebody asked me to define silence. It’s a very popular question when you do courses. Silence means not talking. It doesn’t mean other people are not talking.
Really? It means everybody not talking. That’s my definition of silence. The whole day. The whole three days.
And then there are certain people who who will find may find it quite difficult. So then the organizers, they will wear badges saying, talking. If somebody’s talking to you and they’re not wearing a badge saying, talking, you don’t have to talk to them. You can just carry on with what you’re doing. And then there are certain Sangha members who’ve been targeted, not just myself.
And they will have badges saying talking. And that means that if your mind is going absolutely berserk and crazy, you can go and talk to them. They have been handpicked. They are walking targets. They will be labeled, not just merely labeled.
So that’s the goal. And it’s going to be quite challenging because there are all kinds of different meetings and things. So it means that during the meeting you talk and then you fade back again. But if the bulk of the people do it, then everyone else will be able to follow on. So I did courses before where we kept silence and we during the matupa retreat, we we kept silence.
Rinpoche wanted us to. And it would it would go a bit and then it would start to break down. And when it started to break down, everybody would would wouldn’t feel happy. They didn’t feel happy because they felt they were losing something. And Rinpoche would send messages saying indicating he wasn’t pleased.
So we try for three days, and then on Monday we have a meeting, and then we can see how it goes. Okay? So try for three days. Tomorrow morning, six o’clock. It’s an early night.
It’s not yet morning. It’s not even ten o’clock. So please can the Warrawong people go out first? And thank you very much and sit well, and I’ll see you six o’clock tomorrow morning.