Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 75-minute session, Lama Zopa Rinpoche uses the letter M as a teaching device to examine how mind labels all phenomena. Without mind imputing the label M, the M does not exist. He expands this principle to all experience: your happiness, suffering, world, and sense of self arise from how your mind interprets what it perceives. The Buddhist principle (Cittamātra School) is that your mind is the creator of your experience; there is no external creator. Rinpoche illustrates this through an extended practical example using patience: the same angry person produces suffering when your mind labels them as harmful, but produces happiness when your patient mind sees them as a precious teacher helping you develop compassion on the path to enlightenment. Extended Q&A follows, with practitioners exploring whether phenomena exist in mind or outside, using concrete examples of letters, supermarkets, dreams, and karma.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 44 2004 04 20 MR.mp3
UUID: 5ce21148-6ab3-45a6-a88a-0d71dd929a55
Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1
Collection: y Mahāmudrā International Retreat (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1)
Date: 2004-04-20
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 74.8 minutes
Words: ~5,460
Maybe just one minute. So maybe what I introduced yesterday or other day, David was to do it using the example M. Did analysis how the where the M came from. Through the analysis, the M came from the mind. Your view of M, your view of M came from your mind.
So each individual person’s view of m, you know, seeing that is m came from your own mind. Sort of that. So it was clear that through analysis of M, M came from the mind, because it’s imputed by the mind. Without the mind imputing generally, without the mind imputing M, M doesn’t exist. Generally speaking, without a mind imputing m, m doesn’t exist.
There’s no M without a mind imputing. So I have to understand that first. So so without without mind without mind without mind labeling without mind labeling without mind labeling, you see, without labeling Adrian, you see, without mind labeling without mind labeling doctor Adrian, you see. Doctor Adrian doesn’t exist. So it does not mind labeling doctor Adrian.
Doctor Adrian doesn’t exist. So it’s mellow. So so so any phenomena, you see. Any phenomena, without mind labeling that, it doesn’t exist. The label doesn’t exist doesn’t exist.
So first, make that clear. So here, the aim that you aim what you see in your view, it came from your mind. Because your mind, you only see your because you don’t you because you don’t see m before your mind labeled and believed, you don’t see before that, you don’t see that this m. Only after your mind, somebody into depend by following somebody who taught you, introduce you, then your mind label label and believed. Then from that evolution, then you see finally at end, you see that this is the end.
Let’s see. So this that design that like this, so it means it is interpreted as means it means so you see So you are because you see this design, you are told by somebody, this design and means this and let’s see. You you are educated. You are told by somebody the label. So and then and then you believe in that, then then you see your your own mind because you are educated or you are introduced, you are told by some of this, the label for this.
So then because you see this design that you introduced to, level of that, name for that, name for that. You are introduced. So because you see the design, so your mind because of that, reason because of that, then your mind your mind make up the label your mind make the M. Your mind, make up the label m. You just think you just think you just think the label that you are taught by somebody, introduced by somebody, the name, you know, m.
You think because you see this design, Then you think of the name, and you see, that you told by somebody. So the question here, where is the aim? You know, where is the aim? Is the M in, is the M outside of the mind or is the M inside the mind? Is the M outside the mind or is inside the mind?
In the Cittamātra School, everything in the nature of the mind. But it is not saying it is mind. You know, it is not saying the aim is mind. It’s not saying that. It means There’s there’s a word saying, All phenomena are just only the mind.
It’s the word sounds like that. But it it but it’s not saying it’s mind. It means it means, you see, your life it means your life, happiness, suffering, problem, whatever. Your health, your enlightenment, everything, your liberation, your assumption, everything come from your mind. So why is the reason for the word merely? Some say the phenomena
Some say mind. Some say only merely. So this is according to the Cittamātra School. According to what it sounded like everything is mind, but it’s not saying that.
Means the only me merely well, so it means coming from mind. All the phenomena come up from mind. But why it’s merely only because it cuts, it negates an outside creator of your life. You know, your your your life, your happiness, your suffering, it cuts it cuts.
There’s no outside creator. Only your own mind. So all the phenomena are only from this mind. So it has a great meaning. It it has a great meaning.
It makes huge difference. Fundamental the Buddhist the fundamental Buddhist view, you know, Buddhist views, the philosophy that no creator. No no no outside creator of your there’s no outside creator of creator of what creating what your happiness, you see, your world, your happiness, your suffering, or your health, your enlightened, your some sort of liberation. You are six six objects, six sense objects. You know that.
You are bottom line. You are alive. There’s no outside creator. There is a creator. There is a creator, and that is your mind.
You Mhmm. Yourself, your mind. So that’s yeah. The mind is your your own mind is the creator of your happiness. That’s the basic principle.
Basic that’s the reality. If you analyze this, this how you discover. This is how you discover. If you analyze well, if you analyze correctly, then this is how you discover. And this is a code to reality.
So it’s not just it’s not just made it up. It’s not just a philosopher made it up and believes. You know, just not that. That’s a code to reality. So so for example, if you don’t practice patience, then the person who is harmful to you, you see, you know, by following anger, by putting negative label on the person’s action, what it is doing to oneself is harm, bad.
Then you see the person bad, then anger rises. After after that after that interpretation, then that caused anger to that person, to harm, to hurt. You see, after that after that, you know, after that exaggeration, a superstition of mind, then then another superstition, anger, which is anger rises. You see like that. So therefore, then if you practice the patience mind, they see the person on a positive, never see that person as negative, evil.
I mean, never see that person harmful. That person’s only benefiting you, benefiting me. And why is that? A person having anger is only beneficial to me so that I can develop in the patience, part of the path, patience, path to enlightenment, you know. So that then I see and then I am able to then I’m able to achieve enlightenment, sees all the departments, achieve all the qualities, then able to enlighten. Then I’m able to enlighten numberless sentient beings.
From liberating them from saṃsāra, myself, and bring them to enlightenment. So in view of patience, patience only put positive label. patience, the patient mind which is patience, positive mind, puts on it, see only see the person on a positive person’s action on a positive. Having anger is one of the positives. You know?
See that only benefit to you too, benefit to herself. And that benefit is a very special benefit. Very very important benefit. Very special benefit. Very special gift or very special present or very special gift, very special very special kindness.
There’s a very particular, a very particular special kindness. Should we say that this person has offered one very special kindness because this is the only this is the only person this is the only person from, say, from whom you get the realization of patience. You know? Not not from others. Not from others.
Not just a stranger, no friend. So so so only this person who has anger towards me, only this person can help. Only this to train the mind and the patience and see to have this realization and to complete the power of the patience to see enlightenment and to be able to enlighten all sentient beings. So So the training, the training in patience, is only this person can do. No no one else can do do that.
Buddha wants to teach, Buddha keeps teaching how to practice, but Buddha doesn’t have anger, so you can’t train in patience with Buddha. So so this is very special kindness. Very special kindness. Very special offer. So so anyway, so, yeah, you see the when you’re minded patience, you know, potent, you see the person as a person’s action, everything totally on the positive.
Very deep kindness. So you can see now. Seeing without before, without when you don’t practice patience, you will see that person totally bad, you know, something an object of harm to destroy. But now, with the next mind, patience, you see the most precious one. Most precious one, most kind, most precious one in your life.
So is it like that? So before the suffering is coming from the your own mind. But the negative mind putting negative level, impure mind putting negative level as well as the anger. Then now next one, your positive mind. Let’s see.
And then you only put a positive level and you see on a positive. And you have a happiness. You have no problem with that person. With the second mind, with patience, have no problem with that person. You don’t you don’t you don’t hate.
With the same person, you don’t hate. You only love that person. You you only want you only feel in your heart, most precious kind one. You only want to help. Even though that person’s mind doesn’t change, still the same anger to you, but your mind because your mind changed, your mind changed.
So then because of that, even the other person’s mind didn’t change towards you. It’s angry, but if your mind changes, now you you see only positive, most kind, most precious one. So you have a a peace and happiness with that person, and you could also you could bring peace and happiness to that person. You don’t harm. You don’t want to challenge back.
So so you have a habit for yourself, you have happiness, also other person has happiness. Previous one, you suffer and other person suffer. So so you can see here very clearly, it came from your mind. You know, you suffer, other other person suffer, came from your mind. And next one, you’re happy, you have peace, other person has peace, happiness, it came from your mind, the positive mind.
Also also in our life, until your mind until your mind, you know, label problem, until your mind interpret it is a problem, label problem and believe in that. And until that happens, you know, until that happen, you don’t see I see. There’s no appearance of problem. There’s no appearance of problem, and you don’t see problem. There’s no problem.
There’s no problem in the I see. So so before your mind label a problem, there’s no problem. Problem comes in existence after your mind labeled. So again, from this example, you can see the problems coming from also mind. So in Cittamātra, all the phenomena comes from the the three realms, desire realm from the the realms.
This one so this one’s quite fun. Comes from the deuteriums, some some of on its mind. But what they’re saying is deuteriums the only nature of mind, They came came only from the mind. So the only or merely stops the it it negates, it negates the outside creator. Like other religions who believe in an outside creator of your life.
So it makes sense. But but but in but in my own kind of other question, say, So looks like more the Mantra school view. It’s not saying not saying everybody, but in a general sense saying that more following the Mantra school or this guru. But probably, it seems saying that, for example, the M is mind. The M is mind.
It sounds like in the teachings like that. Whatever sound, smell, taste, or touch, it is mind. Something is it appears like that, the teaching. And when analyzing the perception of emptiness, we’re analyzing. It doesn’t exist either in the mind nor outwardly, neither exists inwardly, neither exists in the mind nor exists outside.
That’s a way of explaining, you know, the view of the Indian other traditions. However so here, I’m saying whether the aim is in the mind or outside? Is the M in the mind or outside? What? In the mind. Looks like the looks like the m is it looks like the m is staying in the mind very comfortably.
With we’re warm. We’re eating dinner probably. M is eating dinner in the mind. M is in mind? Yeah?
Okay. Yeah? Emerson mind? Not entirely. Not entirely.
Some. There’s to be there’s to be something outside for it to associate with. There must be something outside. So m is half and half. Maybe eighty twenty.
Half in the mind, half outside? Yeah. An association. Yeah. Association between outside and So you so you split the arm.
Split the m. But M is on original paper. M is original paper like what you know. So have it in mind. I mean, the whole how it is you mean the backside is front side, one is in the mind and one is outside?
Front side is mind, the back side is outside. Say, based outside and labeled inside. Outside and labeled inside. So it is so that means, so where’s the m? So m is m is in the mind.
Right? So image in the mind, not outside. Why not the base inside the mind? Should be same. If the label is inside mind, base has to be also in the mind.
It’s exactly same. Base base is also labeled. Base what’s called base is name. What’s called base is name? So so it is in the mind.
Right? This is also what is called base is name. We call I, labeled on aggregates. Aggregates is the base, but it’s also labeled as a general aggregates imputed on the collection of the parts. So it is so I guess so same.
So the base is also in the mind. What’s called base is the label. Right? So base is in the mind. Right?
Right? Good. Thank you. I don’t think so. I think if there’s if there’s there’s no in, if there isn’t something outside for the to to associate the inward, for the mind to think in.
There has to be something outside to make the in. Then then wouldn’t exist without something But why it’s outside? Why the why you said the base is outside? Do you see it or not? We label it.
Whatever that is, that phenomenon out there, whatever we label is based or phenomenon, but So the base the thing that you label, what do we label? That phenomena, you label M is outside. It was what same. What So So so here here, you get the chart. Here, you get the chart.
But she said, put her base outside, then after what she said, base inside the mind. Designator and destination. Could you repeat again? Designator and destination. You say you say it is outside.
Uh-huh. So, you mean, on the object of what that you designate and designate of the person and designating mind. Is it like that? Is it right? Is that what you’re saying?
Something like that? That’s good. Yes. Yes. Same.
I’m talking, but same. I’m talking, but I don’t know what I’m talking. So the one important question is why you think the base is outside? What is not in mind? Then?
So the base is outside. Mind has come from somewhere, so the base is outside. It’s outside the mind. Mhmm. So that means inside outside.
Well, that must be very simple. So so so you we live live with the decisions outside inside, but in real, there’s no there’s no outside inside. So Yes. Yes. So there’s no base, no label, no base.
Not ultimately. Ultimate so ultimately out ultimately, there’s no base and label, but conventionally it exists. Yeah. As a dependent arising. As as a dependent arising conventionally it exists.
Well, not really, but But you could say that. What was the last word? I didn’t catch. You could say that, but it has a conventional reality. So we can’t call it cat or chair.
Conventional exists or doesn’t exist? Not even conventionally. Not even conventionally. So it doesn’t exist even conventionally? No.
The basin label. No. Because it’s hallucination. So It does, but it doesn’t. What?
It’s like, it does, but it doesn’t. Because you can’t find it. It doesn’t, doesn’t. No matter how much you seek it. No matter how much you seek out the base and the label conventionally, it can’t be found as much as the M on the M.
It can’t found. Impossible. That’s right. That’s right. That’s right.
But but if a baby came into the room That’s good proof. Yeah. But if a baby came in the room, they just crawl over Do you find the m there on paper? Can you show her? Can you show him?
And It looks like a very steep mountaintop. Do you find the M on the paper? You find the M on the paper? Nearly labeled it. On a notebook?
So does the m stay outside and everything that the m is not stays inside? Let me just finish with the sorry, I’m starting to heat up. I’m finished with here and there. See, I haven’t finished it. Does suffering exist or not?
Does suffering exist or not? Does suffering is there suffering or not? Does does suffering exist or not? To a human, it’s averted. Does suffering exist or not?
Yeah. Not truly in and of itself. Exist or not. Not truly in and of itself. No.
I’m not asking that. I’m not asking truly not. I’m not asking does suffering exist not. That’s my question. I’m not asking truly exist.
If I ask question, does it truly exist? Then you answer. This doesn’t I’m asking I’m asking does suffering exist not. So there’s no question of truly. Yes.
There is suffering. It exists. There is suffering. But according to your point of view, it doesn’t exist because it’s mid it’s mid labeled. But you said before what was that?
Just before you mentioned the aim. You said the aim doesn’t exist because it’s merely a mere label. Is that right? Just before you mentioned Yeah. It exists.
You said the ultimate doesn’t exist. Then you said convention doesn’t exist. In the last one you mentioned, it doesn’t exist. Male level something. The m is doesn’t exist because of mere label.
Wasn’t that? Yeah. The m doesn’t exist because it’s mere label. On on yeah. On its basis of parts.
And its causes and conditions. Sorry. I didn’t have a chance to expand. So it doesn’t aim doesn’t exist because the aim doesn’t exist because cause and conditions. That’s what you’re saying?
That’s right. The aim doesn’t exist because cause and conditions exist. Because it has cause and conditions, so it doesn’t exist. Where are we going here? I’m not sure.
I’m not following exactly your lead there. Not just referring to what you just mentioned. I thought you said M doesn’t say because of male level. So that’s why my question is whether suffering is not. Who is suffering being labeled?
So what suffering is not? Does suffering exist or not? It depends on who’s looking. It depends on who’s perceiving the suffering. Because I mean for a Buddha, you’re massaging one arm and chopping off the other, they’re both blissfully delightful.
I mean there’s no discrimination. I mean, mean, is there an atom of suffering? Yeah. When we break it down, can we truly find the suffering Sure. On the suffering?
So Buddha what? Somebody what? Can you say again? Somebody massaging one other Massaging other side. Other side.
And the other one being sawn off. Yes. Then Ah. So the Buddha suffer or not? No.
I I doubt if the Buddha would perceive it as pleasure or pain. So Buddha doesn’t see his pain. Buddha doesn’t experience pain or experience pain? No pain or pleasure. We’re probably getting into realms here that I haven’t even imagined yet.
I couldn’t say how a Buddha’s mind would perceive it but would think it would be one taste in emptiness. Sounding like a perfected parrot now, aren’t I? The perfection of parrot hood. I’m not sure, Rinpoche. Couldn’t hear clearly.
Yeah. So anyway okay. So you said basis outside was the reason. That’s important to discuss the analysis. Why you think the label is inside the mind, basis outside?
But but what is called base what is called base? Isn’t that name? What’s called what is called base? Isn’t that name? Based on the form.
It’s more of a form. It’s more of a structure existing, a physical form. It could be a name. It could be something just physically existing except that we don’t call it. We call it that and then becomes a thing.
When you call a lines shaped like two m’s or two mountains, it becomes an m. The two lines exist. Those lines exist. Two lines what? No.
What I’m saying is the lines exist on the board. The lines exist. On the board. On the ball. On the And when we call it m, m becomes a label in our minds, but the lines exist.
For a child who doesn’t know what those lines are, a child wouldn’t just be blind. He would not know what what it is. If they’re blind, you can’t see. It still exists. It does.
It doesn’t exist today. It’s a different yeah. A different definition. Just can’t see it, but it still exists. We can’t say it doesn’t exist just because we can’t see it.
I think yeah. If you can’t see it, you have to take somebody’s word for it. Does the vase have to be in the mind if they can’t actually perceive it? I was asked to repeat the questions. For the recording, I think.
So which is the base? This one? Base with m? Is this line? Yes.
That this line is the base for the m. Right? Yes. So to be be able to say that is the base to be labeled m. Don’t have to don’t you have to see something before that which causes the mind to choose particular label base?
What do you have to see what do you have to see for the mind to pursue the mind to make up the label, to choose the label? This is a base to be labeled m. What do you have to see first? You have to see the lines. You have to see the lines.
To not the blank not blackboard. Right? To see the lines. Right? On anything.
Blackboard, paper, anything. The lines. Right? Yes. Line.
Okay. So you have to see the line first and that pursues the causes your mind to choose the particular label and the base. Right? Right? Right.
So then your mind label base, right? Yes. Okay. So now here, the base become the label, right? Right.
So now here, the base become the label to be imputed on that line, right? So therefore, base therefore, base cannot be outside, but it should be in the mind. Same as what you said. M is in the mind. And the base should be in the mind.
Same reason you said M, you see, it has to be in mind. So is the place in the mind or outside? What you say makes sense, but Mhmm. Find it difficult to understand. Unfortunately, what you’re saying makes sense, but I find I find difficult to understand it.
I I find difficult to understand. What you say makes sense, but I find it difficult to understand how the base can be in the mind as well. What is the last part? Yeah. Was he saying?
He’s Rinpoche is saying that what Rinpoche is saying makes sense, but he finds it difficult to understand. Mhmm. I see. Okay. So anyway, I think dinner time.
Another label. Another label. So anyway, I’m just here. I’m just a little bit describing what the different two yeah. Minor school and then the the other traditions of the present, you know, I think.
But maybe, probably, it might be also but it might be confusing, but also maybe helpful as well to to analyze. However, Another question. When you go shopping, is the department store in is in your mind or not? Is this for market in your mind? Generic image or a concept in your mind, but not the supermarket.
What? What? You have a concept of a supermarket in your mind or a generic image of a supermarket, but the supermarket isn’t in your mind. So your consort is in the mind, but the, say, so much is not in the mind. That’s right.
Yes. So aim is so the M is not in the mind. The concept of M is in the mind. The basis of imputation is on the blackboard. Yeah.
Yeah. Basis of what? Imputation? Basis of imputation. Imputation. Yes.
Basis of imputation on blackboard. Okay. So so what’s m? M is a vibration of sound. I thought I thought you’re getting better and better than m is a label we apply as soon as we see the basis.
What? As soon as the basis appears, the mind labels m. As soon as what basis? And then as the base appears, then Mind level. Oh, mind labels then.
Yeah. But he didn’t answer what is outside inside. Good good explanation, but he didn’t answer what’s outside inside. So, anyway so, anyway, you know, well, I’m just giving just just more. If the aim is in the mind, then the same thing.
If it is in the when you go shopping, supermarket, it should be in the mind. You know, supermarket, when you go shopping, the supermarket, the supermarket, all the departments, all the billions of things will be in your mind. The supermarket, the supermarket will be in the mind, You know? The whole building should be in your mind if the m is in your mind. See?
The letter m is in your mind in your mind. Then same, the war happening now should be in the mind, not outside. Then if it’s just in mind, then if it’s just in the mind, then it can be just maybe dreaming or just a visualization, but not actually happening. You know? So then the way we need to pray for, if it’s not actually happening, somebody visualizing.
Somebody imagining or somebody’s dreaming. Just just me dream. So anyway okay. So we so we have dinner in the mind From the cook, who’s in the mind. Plate in the plate, who’s in the mind.
Spoon in the mind. A good toilet within the mind in the mind. And the so I think maybe stop there. Okay. So what was it will never end.
Yeah. For offering. Through the connection of making offerings to them at this time. Emptiness. And then the pure tantra practice, pure appearances. The one that is sitting at great initiation, mandala deity, and food. So our kitchen food and kitchen, purity in this.
All is empty. Nectar. Oceans of nectar, uncontaminated nectar. All offerings here, all the offerings at our center, gompa, and at South Terrace. Offering in the room here, up there, leading to South Terrace House up there, in Singapore, the all the offerings, leading to the house upstairs, all these offerings in a certain place.
So we offer all together even though it’s already offered. By the way, with food offering, with we offer with since we are making offering, we offer altogether to take a chance for quick enlightenment. Offer to the gurus all the offerings with immaculate bliss. By multiplying each morsel through the power of mantra and even each atom of each morsel, it is all the it is all the morsel. All the dharmadhatu.
Everything. Every single pulse of each medical is everything. All the medical. Of other ocean the number of oceans of other nectar food. Most of them here.
The next one please. All of them, fully enjoying, perfectly pleased, and it is all. And oceans and natural food make charity to every hell of beings, every hungry ghost, every animals, every human beings, if serving, observing their vows and precepts. They all fully enjoy. They all enlighten in their own practices.
So many times, we’re Numberless times, we dedicate, so many times with dedication to charity. So many times, limitless. Limitless. Dedicate within this merit. May I say, may all the family members of this house, everyone who are doing service here, of course, and then all the student and benefit organization, those people dedicate their life to do service to others all the rest of their life.
And especially, some of the members who died for this in the long run evolution of this food, who died, who suffered, couldn’t it harm others who worked for this food. And all the the ones in in the house of all those, particularly the sentiments, the beings, even the insects, who worked for this food. That was empty. That was empty. Achieve all the three time merits, all the three time merits, all the three time merits accumulated by oneself.
Three time merits, all are pure, all are close by us. They would exist, but they would exist, but do not exist from their own side. It’s totally empty. Now the I who exist but doesn’t but do not exist from its own side, which is totally empty. Achieve also, they they achieve but there’s enlightenment which exists but doesn’t exist.
From its own side, that is totally empty. Little of sentient beings who exist but do not exist from their own side, are totally empty. To that, vajra’s enlightenment which existed but doesn’t exist from its own side, and by myself alone, who do not exist from its own side, was totally empty. So the other thing is this. Remember, if everything is in the mind, if m m is in the mind or in it, if everything if everything is in the mind, and then, you see, killing, stealing, sexual misconduct.
You see, and what else? Cheating. So then you wouldn’t yeah. Then you see and then you see it it doesn’t break the law, country law because it’s in mind. Because it doesn’t break the law because it is in the mind.
That’s one thing. Other things, it doesn’t train and come up because it is in the mind. So they have to think about that. So these things, if it’s in mind, then these things, when you you commit these things, then that doesn’t break the precepts. That’s one thing.
So that means one doesn’t have to could court cases or it saves all the money on legal fees and court representation. So that’s one thing. But other one is nothing become like a karma. So so because see. You see?
What what happened is in the dream. What happened is just happened in in the mind. You see, like like dreaming, you know, like dreaming. See. So in the dream in the dream, you have stolen you have stolen somebody’s car.
You know? You have you have stolen your neighbor’s car in the dream. You know? You have stolen neighbor’s car. You see?
You’re then But the but the neighbor still has the car in the reality. You know? So you see. So that so it doesn’t become a karma. You know, you don’t think I think I would say, even a little thought about it in a dream, I would say, would leave negative imprints.
That I must say. But there’s no completing the karma. So, say, so that the even you even you yeah. Anyway, so that if you dreamt you’re stolen the neighbor’s car, somebody has somebody has Mercedes or Rolls Royce, Rolls Royce, Rolls Royce. It’s limiting.
And then you drove many miles. Another country you dropped in a dream, but the the but the person still had the car. You know? So and if you multiply the car, one, give the person another one. So that’s better.
We’ll come back eight o’clock. I think we have no choice. Eight o’clock. Next session. Eight o’clock.