Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 44-minute teaching, Lama Zopa Rinpoche outlines the complete path of mind transformation. He begins with the foundational principle: motivation alone determines whether an action becomes virtue or non-virtue. He contrasts two types of happiness — the fleeting, object-dependent pleasure of eating, acclaim, or entertainment, which creates attachment and never fully satisfies, versus the inner happiness of practising Dharma, which grows stronger with practice and endures across lifetimes. He then maps the structure of mind training — progressively cutting off desire for worldly gain, then clinging to saṃsāra, then self-cherishing, and finally, through tantric practice, purifying even the subtle dualistic imprints of the death process. The culmination: mind becomes dharmakaya, an unobstructed truth-body radiating enlightened benefit to all sentient beings. Pitched at serious practitioners engaged in formal mind-training practices.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 02 1991 08 05 NM.mp3
UUID: 7b0adc2e-f285-4122-a70e-c13fda14b7a7
Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1
Collection: y Nature of Mind (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1)
Date: 1991-08-05
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.3 minutes
Words: ~3,351
Like this. So, in our twenty-four hours, in our twenty-four hours life, our actions—then we see that those actions which we do, if we do with the thought of it, with the desire that which clings to this life or that which clings to these eight objects, then the action becomes—that motivation is non-virtue. So therefore, action becomes non-virtue. So from that, that action becomes cause of only sufferings. That action becomes only cause of the sufferings.
It doesn’t become cause of happiness. Then the actions that we do—the actions that we do in twenty-four hours—if we do, understand, done with the intention or the motivation, understand by the total worldly dharma, the desire to cling to these eight objects and cling to this life. Then these actions become cause of happiness. These actions become cause of happiness because it’s done out of the pure, out of the intention or the motivation that is pure, pure because unstained by the worldly concern or thought, the desire, the clinging. So like, so it’s dependent, so much of the actions in our, within our, in a twenty, every day, the twenty-four hours life—action, what is becoming cause of happiness or cause of suffering, depending on our attitude, depending on our attitude, what kind of attitude, which way we generate our motivation, intention, depending on that.
So therefore, since this is the one that we decide, since this is the one which makes, that which transforms action, is the cause of happiness or cause of suffering, the karma. So therefore, it becomes extremely important thing. So it becomes extremely, extremely important thing to know, to be able to know this point, to be able to recognize in the everyday life the attitude, and then to transform into the positive attitude so that all the actions then become cause of happiness, become virtue, beneficial action that which benefits basically, that which brings happiness, result happiness during the other lives. And also, it’s beneficial for other sentient beings. So, all the outside, their problems, the cause of all the outside problems, the desire to this life.
So this emotional mind, so when this is so strong there, then the mind does not become happy. So then that time, the bad reputation, then the problems, then the unwholesome actions. All these three things then happen at one time. So when one changes this thought, one changes, some, one changes so many of these thoughts, desire, then this dissatisfied mind, then one changes this, then the happiness then starts. When I change this, free oneself from this thing, then the happiness starts.
So Kadampa Geshe says, one does not—when one does not seek receiving materials and so forth, then that’s the best receiving. That’s the best receiving. When one doesn’t seek, when one doesn’t cling. So in other words, when one doesn’t cling in the material receiving, material and so forth, is receiving, then that’s the best to see. One does not cling in the good reputation, the interesting sound, the respectable words or the good reputation, then that’s the most, then that’s the best interesting sound. Then one does not cling the praise, that’s the best praise. One does not cling the bad reputation. One does not cling the good reputation.
That’s the best reputation. One does not cling the surrounding beings, then that’s the best surrounding, helper. Also, Nāgārjuna explained, it is one scratches—one has infections or leprosy disease, infections or leprosy disease. When one scratches, one feels pleasure. One feels pleasure.
But it’s better to not have the itching, the scratching. The meaning is that, so similar, the people in the world who have desire and seek happiness, there’s more happiness, more happier, life is more happier by not having desire. So this is the holy tradition. The Dharma makes the people happy. The people, by being happy, then it doesn’t cheat this life and other life. Then true Dharma, then even the king’s reign, the king’s reign becomes happy. Then one gets reputation in all the directions. One receives true Dharma, and one receives extensive, the service aspect. True Dharma, the one controls all the time, even the masters, even Dharma teachers.
So your, controls the realm. If you do—this is Nāgārjuna’s advising, Nāgārjuna’s advising to the king. So that’s why he’s saying, if you do the work of the king according to Dharma, not for reputation for oneself, to get reputation for oneself, then your work has a great result. Other than your work, being king and doing work for the people. So if it become Dharma, then if you do according to Dharma, then there’s no other more meaningful than this.
So give advice to the king. So the Nāgārjuna advised the king. So you do the work according to Dharma by renouncing the, by freeing oneself from this desire for, my desire, then you will get all the, through this, then you will get all the receiving, respect, reputation, everything. Without clinging, without clinging, then you will receive all these things. Then through this, without clinging, then by doing the work of the king, then you can benefit greatly to oneself and all other sentient beings.
So therefore, otherwise, if you cannot change, if you cannot change the desire, then even you do the work of the king, even you take king’s reign, it has no meaning. So also, Guru Śākyamūni explained, Guru Śākyamūni explained, if one desires all the happiness, then one completely cut all the desire. If one cut all the desire, then you will achieve the supreme, you will achieve the supreme happiness. As long one follows the desire, then one cannot find satisfaction. Then those who practice wisdom, who change desire, will find satisfaction.
The person who finds satisfaction with wisdom, there’s happiness. The person who is satisfied by wisdom, then that person doesn’t become under the control of the saṃsāra. So that person, in other words, becomes liberated from the saṃsāra, from this suffering realm, the association of body and mind, the very nature of suffering. So one person becomes free from this. Also, Asaṇga explained, the happiness, the means of living with wisdom, the happiness is enjoying Dharma.
Happiness is enjoying the Dharma. There’s no comparison. There’s no comparison. The happiness, enjoying Dharma, means of living with wisdom. There’s no comparison. The happiness, the pleasure, the pleasure in drinking, eating, dancing, singing, the men and women. So all these pleasures and the pleasure of Dharma. There’s no comparison.
Why? Because the difference, the difference is those pleasures by eating, drink and so forth, those with external things, pleasure that experience with external objects. These pleasures don’t cover the whole body. These pleasures don’t cover the whole body. So that’s the first.
The comparing, to differences between the happiness of enjoying Dharma and happiness, the pleasure, is the pleasure that one experiences with external objects. So the pleasure that one experiences with the external object, eating, drinking and so forth, then this pleasure doesn’t cover the whole body. Because this pleasure depends, depends on external conditions, because this pleasure is dependent on external conditions, so it doesn’t happen all the time. Only happens, it doesn’t continue all the time because it depends on external conditions, only happens time to time as one finds the object, external object. And then this pleasure cannot experience in order to realize.
And also, from this, one does not receive, from this, one does not receive the jewel, Ārya being’s jewel. Ārya beings’ realizations. Higher beings, the higher beings, Ārya beings’ realizations. Those higher beings who have generated wisdom directly perceiving emptiness. So the realization, one does not achieve the seven jewels of the Ārya beings.
Those realizations, one does not achieve. Then those external, those external pleasure, then by enjoying, by enjoying, they finish. And also, the external pleasure, the enemies, the outside beings, enemies can interfere. And then the external pleasure, you cannot carry with you to the next life. The external pleasures, one cannot find the satisfaction. And cannot, there’s nowhere to end, there’s nowhere to complete. And then from this external pleasure, it brings, it generates the various problems in future lives. So it’s just like leprosy, just like leprosy disease that, so one feels itching and then by scratch, by scratching or by scratching or by meeting with the fire, then one feels pleasure. So to that, when one’s conscious place where one itches, one level of the pleasure or leprosy disease like that. So when meets, when near fire, one feels pleasure. Such that feeling, then one meets a level of pleasure. And then from these external pleasures, then the attachment and so forth, the delusion rises. Then also the danger of, the danger of cutting off life and so forth, the stealing and so forth for this, negative actions and the danger to create these negative actions.
So now the happiness of enjoying the Dharma, the happiness of enjoying Dharma, it covers the whole body. It covers the whole body. Happiness of enjoying Dharma, this happens anytime, whenever one is. So the happiness of Dharma is to do, seeking happiness from the mind, from also mind, by being free from these disturbing thoughts. So by controlling these disturbing thoughts, so the happiness of Dharma, one receives anytime. One can receive anytime. And then this happiness of Dharma covers all three realms.
And then from this happiness of Dharma, the pleasure of practicing Dharma, then one receives the wealth. One receives the Ārya being’s wealth, those Ārya being’s realizations. And then by enjoying the pleasure of Dharma, then it increases. The external pleasures, how much we enjoy, it decreases. But here, the pleasure of enjoying Dharma is, how much one practices Dharma, it only increases. How much enjoy the Dharma, the pleasure only increases. Then the enemies cannot give harm. They cannot interfere, they cannot harm. And then also the pleasure of the Dharma, the happiness of Dharma, enjoying Dharma, one can carry from this life to future lives. Then happiness of Dharma, it can be completed.
One can complete the happiness of Dharma and one can get satisfaction. Then from the happiness of Dharma, enjoying Dharma, that makes this life and future lives happy. Not just putting the label on a feeling that which is just simply the suffering feeling, the unnoticeable suffering feeling, not just that. Then by the pleasure, enjoying the Dharma, the happiness of enjoying Dharma, then that destroys all the disturbing thoughts, all the disturbing thoughts, all the negative karmas, all these unrighteous actions, it stops. So here, the pleasure, happiness of enjoying Dharma and the external pleasure, external pleasure.
The pleasure, enjoying Dharma is the pleasure of the happiness which one seeks from with the mind. And then from this pure attitude, from the pure attitude, the attitude that which becomes Dharma. So the pleasure, so this has all these advantages. The pleasure, pleasure of the external things, but it’s pleasure that which we are experiencing by contacting external objects. And then it obviously doesn’t have these benefits.
So, however, this is analysis, this is analysis, differences between the Dharma, Dharma happiness and the happiness of external things that depend on external objects, analyzing the natures and the shortcomings, what it has, and the pleasure of, the happiness of Dharma, what great benefit it has, the differences. So, however, so all this. So therefore, the best, the best way to seek happiness is happiness is from one’s own mind. From there, up to from there, up to enlightenment. So all the real peace, the life, from there up to enlightenment, it has come from the mind. By making the mind better. By fixing up the mind.
So what means Dharma? What means Dharma? Dharma, Dharma. Practicing Dharma, that means fixing up the mind, mending the mind or fixing up the mind. Mending the mind or fixing up the mind.
So it is explained by Kadampa Geshe Chekawa that, What is Dharma? What is Dharma? So when the attitude and the action become a remedy to disturbing thoughts, when the attitude and action become remedied to the disturbing thoughts, then that becomes better and then it becomes Dharma. So like this, the fixing of the mind or making the mind better. So by correctly devoting the kind, the virtuous friend, virtuous friend, the guru, then one reflects on the precious human body, the usefulness of that and difficulty to achieve that again.
And then the impermanence of death, meditation, the sufferings of the lower realms, and then refuge and karma. So with this, with this part, and then, it’s cut off, by actually, by summarizing this part, mind training, this part, then it cut off the, and this life. Appearance and concept, which is the desire to this life. It’s because of the appearance and concept of this life.
Then, so that’s the one way, the first, first way, the first time that the mind, making pure. Then fixing up the mind. Then second, by thinking the shortcomings of saṃsāra, then benefits of nirvana and the path, the benefits of achieving liberation from that. Then by reflecting these things, then one cuts off the appearance and concept of saṃsāra. In other words, the desire, the clinging to saṃsāra, the saṃsāra appearing as perfection.
Samsāra appearing as a pleasure. So however, then it’s a pleasant thing appearing like this, then clinging to that. So by reflecting the shortcomings of saṃsāra and the benefits of achieving the liberation, then it cuts off the appearance and concept of the saṃsāra. Then, by training the mind in the loving kindness and compassion, in the bodhicitta, then great insight and then six paramitas. So by mind training in this part, and then it cut off the, it cut off, it’s because of the thought, thought, the cherishing for self.
Seeing happiness for self. Cherishing for self. So it’s kind of this, the self, this is self-cherishing thought. Then not only that, it cut off. Not only that, then it cuts off the impure appearance and the impure concept.
And then it is, truly, truly existent appearance that which happens during the, that which happens during the appearance of white part, increasing red part, increasing, or increasing the red part, and then near-attainment and the dark part. So the two visions in the appearance which happens during these times. So by training your mind in this part. So on the top of the great insight in six paramitas, then also practicing Tantra, the Highest Yoga Tantra. Then you need to cut off all these things, the impure appearance and the conception, then two visions in appearance during the white appearance, the white part, increasing, the red part, the near-attainment and dark part. These two visions which happen at the time of death.
Like that, which normally happens at the time of death. So the true experience which happens even during this time. Even this, and this impure, one completely cut off even this impure appearances. So then, then like, then like the sky, like the sky, that is completely free, completely free, devoid of all the clouds, all the clouds. Then and then sun rising, then sun rising like this, then without any stain, completely mind being completely free from all the stains, then this mind becomes dharmakaya, the truth body, and the wisdom. The dharmakaya. Then like sunrise, like sunrise and like the sun rising, there’s a, then beams coming from the sun. So many, so many uncountable numbers of beams coming from the sun, illuminating the darkness of the earth. Like that, then like that. Like that, then by one each of the dharmakaya, the one each of the complete pure mind, the dharmakaya.
And then through this, then one manifests, through this, then one manifests various forms, pure and impure. Various forms, innumerable numbers of forms, pure and impure form, according to the level of mind of the sentient beings. Then like this, does work for all sentient beings, innumerable numbers of sentient beings. So, so this is, so this is the completion of, this is the completion of the mind development, the ultimate, ultimate fixing of the mind. This is the ultimate, the fixing of the mind, fixing of the mind, making the mind better. So, so starting from the cutting off, by depending on the kind virtuous friend, the guru, then by relying on that, same Kadampa middle work, then cutting off the appearance and the concept of this life, clinging to this life.
So starting from that then, up to cutting off the impure appearance and the ordinary appearance and concept, and even the subtle dual view, the appearance which happens even during these visions, the three visions, the three appearances. Without that, so completely cut off or ceased even this subtle imprint left by the concept of true existence. Then the mind becomes dharmakaya. Then like the sun rising without any cloud, without an obstacle or cloud or anything. And that covers like sunrise.
It’s a complete light for sun rising, comes with the beams, dispelling the darkness. So like this, the light beam then take light beam, then manifesting, radiating into innumerable numbers, then doing the works for.