Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 46-minute teaching, Lama Zopa Rinpoche presents great compassion as the foundational root of all Buddhist practice and attainment. He traces how compassion generates bodhicitta—the altruistic mind seeking enlightenment for all beings—and explains why once genuine, this intention arises effortlessly and sustains the entire bodhisattva path. Expanding the vision, Rinpoche shows that all benefits of Buddhist practice, merit from encountering the Dharma, and manifestations of enlightened beings (Buddha statues, Guru Rinpoche, Tārā, Mañjuśrī in their various forms) flow from compassion. He offers the striking metaphor of compassion as electricity: without it, the entire system darkens. The teaching argues sentient beings merit more reverence than Buddhas, and is suited to practitioners with basic familiarity with bodhicitta and Buddhist concepts.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 22 WWNN.mp3
UUID: 6c46b9de-2d22-43a7-b6ae-adbdb189a392
Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1
Collection: y What the World Needs Now 1987 Audios (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1)
Date: 1987 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 46.3 minutes
Words: ~2,893
Accumulated, you see, inconceivable merit by generating the great compassion. Like this, how the compassion is just in the heart, the heart So in the number of transgressions that which are not permitted, which are not permitted, you know, you see. And the teaching of the the three doors, not only of body and force of speech. Even this which are even the arhats, which even the arhats of the lesser vehicle cannot transform in virtue, but a bodhisattva can transform these things into virtue by the great compassion. Again, that is by the power of compassion.
So now we see now. So by having this great compassion, being unbearable, suffering, the other sentient beings are experiencing suffering of saṃsāra that they’re being obscured. To liberate all the sentient beings from these sufferings by oneself. From this you receive the uncommon attitude comes. How to translate lhaksampa?
What’s the short word? Special attitude, The thought, obviously, taking the whole response taking their whole responsibility, the works for the works, you see, freeing from all the obscuration, from all the sufferings that lead to fearless happiness, the enlightenment. To do that by oneself alone, To do that by oneself alone. Resume the compassion, I said by oneself. Now here alone.
Oh, you see, the the intent attitude, the special intent attitude, you know, breath, and the attitude is taking. Yeah. Yeah. So the thought of you see, from the great compassion and the thought of seeking to do the works for others, then, you see, comes comes, you know. If there’s no compassion, the thought seeking the works for others in them does not come.
And then by having compassion, the thought of seeking enlightenment for other sentient beings. It’s to lead the sentient beings to enlightenment. However, seeking, obviously, works for the sentient beings. You see, this comes. You know?
This comes. So then, you see, then after this the seeking works for sentient beings or the uncommon special, the uncommon attitude. You see, at a distance, that myself now see, I should do it by myself alone, all this work, you see, but myself now cannot guide perfectly even one sentient being. So who can perfectly guide, you see, who can who can perfectly do the works for sentient beings? And this is only Buddha who has omniscient mind, who has omniscient mind seeing every single level of mind of the characteristic of sentient beings.
Every single is a different means, every single different means that it fit to each sentient beings. So, therefore, I must reach Buddhahood state. So that’s how the thought of seeking works for other sentient beings and being, then comes the thought of seeking one’s own enlightenment. So this is bodhicitta. So when so this attitude, this this In the philosophy text, you know, there’s a long definition, a very detailed definition of what bodhicitta is describing the object, but there, you see, precisely.
However, altruistic mind to achieve enlightenment for the sake of sentient beings. So when this arises in the mind, When this arises, you see, in the mind, You see, without an without any effort. As Lama Tsongkhapa explained in the three principal aspects of the three principal paths, when one feels day and night constantly seeking liberation from the saṃsāra. Spontaneously. When it rises spontaneously, day and night, then, you see, not having any slightest attraction to saṃsāra and samsaric perfection.
The definition that the person has realization of the mind renouncing saṃsāra. Similar, like this, you see, the thought constantly and spontaneously without any effort arises to achieve enlightenment for the sake of sentient beings. Not only not only that this thought rises, when you put reasons, when you meant it on the exchange of ones for others or through that or, you see, by thinking some type of seven points then, see, cause and effect the sevenfold cause and effect, the mother kindness. By generating perfect loving kindness and then combined and so forth, thinking the reason, then the altruistic mind reaching that and comes.
But when you don’t think this, you know, it does not it does not rise. So not like that. You know? Spending day and night, it rises. Mhmm.
One one one sees one one sees, you know, each single being, other, and thought rising naturally. Natural thought rising, you see, to lead this sentient being to enlightenment, taking that whole responsibility. To free from the whole suffering and also to achieve enlightenment for that. Take see, constantly rising thought of taking the whole responsibility of each being, you know, to guide each being, you know. You see?
And then for that, you know, bodhicitta arising. Mhmm. Oh, so we like, yeah, I would say, as soon as you see the enemy anger rises, as soon as you see the object attachment, you know, attachment without thing without need to put effort, you know, to to develop attachment, without need to put effort into the, you know, analysis, you know, the the analysis augmentation. You see, we don’t need to think much of this. You see, just remember object that attachment comes.
Something like that. Both is arising. As one think of the sentient beings, as one sees the sentient beings, bodhicitta rising like this. One has If it is like this, then one has a realization of bodhicitta. So, however so now this bodhicitta, this bodhicitta is complete and is generating this realization of bodhicitta and can come from the great compassion.
So without compassion, great compassion, no way to generate thought seeking enlightenment for others and enlightenment. So all the extensive benefits that is explained in the first chapter in Bodhisattva, how bodhisattva by the very first, you know, the very new Bodhisattva who has just generated bodhicitta overwhelms the arhats, even those who have removed the true cause of suffering and even the seed of ignorance. Unconsiderable psychic powers, so much other qualities, but even they get overwhelmed by the very new bodhisattva who has just generated bodhicitta. How bodhicitta is so powerful? Like a fire, end of the time, so powerful to purify all the heavy negative karma.
And then this is the bodhicitta is one that which best means to accumulate the most, to accumulate, To finish the work quickly, you know, to finish the work accumulating merit quickly, that one can that one can collect extensive merits in such a short time. So all those extensive benefits of bodhicitta that I explained in the bodhicitta, the first chapter, all these things came from the root, the great compassion. So So yeah, yeah, the so great compassion is the one that which allows to have to generate bodhicitta, and then which which inspires the bodhisattva too, even though it takes three countless great eons, even it takes three countless great eons to accumulate the merit, to follow the path. Okay? It’s an enlightenment of for sentient beings.
You see, no matter how long it takes time, no matter how hard it is to practice and to find a path, you know, that, you see, which inspires, see, which inspires bodhisattvas to complete the path, to achieve enlightenment by the great compassion. But great compassion. And then, you see, that, you know, see, Guru Śākyamūni Buddha, you see, when he was bodhisattva, even under one tree a thousand times, and that he already gave in charity for other sentient beings, you know, limbs, you see, the the whole body, you know. So, you even under one tree many aeons. So what inspired to practice these paramita inspired by the compassion?
So now, this Bodhisattvas, they handed they handed Buddhism’s life story, the Buddha’s past life, handed down the life story, you know, Buddha’s life story. All these all these, besides the teachings taught by Buddha, even by these life stories in thangka paintings, you know, is a story showing the practice, you know, how practice of course, know, selflessness for other sentient beings. They came with so much merit, you see, by doing paramita charity and so forth. So effective for the mind, so effective even the painting, life story, painting, so effective for the mind inspires to practice bodhisattva deeds, to accumulate extensive merit, to purify so much obscurations. All these benefits came from the Guru Śākyamūni Buddha’s great compassion.
In this, you know, holy places where Buddha did did where Buddha has shown the twelve events, twelve deeds. You see, know, as Bodh Gaya where Buddha took the action, did the action of becoming enlightened? Then, as I said, turning the Dharma wheel in those three places, and then, passing away at those other places. Then in a place where Buddha descended from the god realm. So however, all these holy places still still are existing and left, you see, even we cannot say Buddha, but existing with holy places, you know, and, you see, that we could, even we cannot say Buddha, but, statues, the symbolism, similarity, you know, the, in the figures, you know, in the paintings, you know, statues, then numbers, you see, so much, you know, that so much uncountable numbers of sentient beings that we have opportunity to accumulate merit by and when when those places with these holy objects, Buddha statues that we have a great opportunity to purify all the and to accumulate extensive merits.
You see, unbelievable opportunity that we have. All this that one can receive blessings, it’s an unbelievable benefit that we receive from even this even we don’t see actual Buddha, but from this result what Buddha has left. The result that Buddha has completed through compassion, it’s the enlightenment. The result, what Buddha has left for the sentient beings. So, all these came from Buddha’s, you know, all these benefits, merits, inconceivable merits that sentient beings, the inconceivable merits that sentient beings accumulate, okay, came you know, solely from the Buddha’s great compassion.
So, all these are benefits of that. So, therefore, you see how the compassion is unbelievably important. Oh, yeah. You know? It’s the it’s the that’s the main one that which benefits all.
So now, if you have this great compassion as Guru Śākyamūni and Buddha generated, then similar, we are able to benefit for every sentient beings. Benefit of the compassion, every sentient being receives. Compassion that one being that oneself, what one has generated, you see, every single being receives the benefits from that compassion, the temporary ultimate happiness. So So how important it is in the practice of the great compassion. Now Now, this great compassion comes from the sentient beings.
This great compassion comes from each sentient beings. That’s a good example because great compassion came from each sentient beings. Depending on each sentient beings, it is generated. So therefore, all these unequalled opportunities that we have now, every single merit that we accumulate by meeting the Buddhadharma Sangha, you know, that we accumulate all this. And then even this, besides the merit that we accumulate by generating bodhicitta dependent on sentient beings, even the merit that we accumulate every day with Buddhadharma Sangha completely comes from what we receive by dependent on each sentient beings.
So therefore, Buddha born from sentient beings. So therefore, know, one should cherish the sentient beings more than Buddha. One serving others, one should cherish others. Those two, one should cherish others. Buddha’s sentient beings from those two, one should cherish the sentient beings.
So by seeing kindness, more one see the kindness, how precious the sentient beings are, then also it is easy to feel their compassion. You see? That they are so is to feel compassion. Yeah, under their suffering. So, look, after having achieved enlightenment, you know, after having achieved enlightenment, then having ceased all these stains and having all the qualities.
Then unceasingly work for sentient beings without, yeah, without any effort. Sentient beings, including the infinite space, you see, until they lead to enlightenment, you see, continuously doing the work for sentient beings. So all this came from the great compassion. Then even you sit now. Even.
By meditating on Guru Rinpoche, even all the benefits of Guru Rinpoche, that meditating on Guru Rinpoche equals the benefits of meditating on all other Buddhas, you know, visualizing all other Buddhas. Okay? However, those unconsiderable benefits our energy, maintaining holy body, holy spirit, holy mind. The recitation of mantras, with the Zung mantra, nothing that cannot purify. All these benefits are completely open.
And all this completely came from the great compassion that generated during the bodhisattva path time. The life training when the past life was training the path. So all these various so many aspects of genesis, there are so many aspects of Guru Rinpoche, this, you know, wrathful, the peaceful deities form, Maha Anuttara Tantra, Kriyā Tantra, and then even that there are many different aspects, or manifesting in a human form as a Dharma friend, because we don’t have karma yet to receive teachings from the actual aspect of Buddha and the Guru. Giving teachings. Then more than like this, manifesting in the wrathful and peaceful, just even the tantric yidam deity.
So all these, you see, various forms, many arms, many heads, different color, you see, just manifesting at time to time, deity as there are different sentient beings coming, different faculties, different sentient beings, you know, who have a different level of mind characteristic that is needed for this method, for this aspect. So, this, you know, all this all this is, yeah, then is this by is is it I have all this guidance, I say, all this guidance we are really receiving, all this guidance, you know, all this from the compassion. All this, you see, happens. Guru Rinpoche’s mind being moved, being moved, you know, persuaded or being bound by the compassion, you know, by great compassion. Mhmm.
So it’s all come from the great compassion. Mhmm. Then even Tārā, there are so many different aspects of Tārā, know, different color and, you know, oh, what is yeah. And then Vajrapāni, you know, Mañjuśrī. Vajrayoginī, some wrathful aspect, even one deity appearing with some wrathful aspect guiding sentient beings.
Yeah, with those aspects then guiding sentient beings to enlightenment as the sentient beings beings. So manifesting guru, manifesting yidam deity, manifesting the sūtra aspect, Buddha, and bodhisattva manifesting in bodhisattva, manifested in protectors, and the like this guide us as the sentient beings. If we manifest in ordinary being, ordinary, you know, even animals, ordinary people, and giving us guidance, advices. See, causing to meet dharma, giving protection. I think how you are manifesting various forms, then guide us.
So all all this came from root of a great compassion. So like, you know, great compassion is like the electricity. So in the city, see, when the electricity foundation, if something is broken, electricity in a power station, you know, if that is broken, know, let’s say, some danger happens, doesn’t function, then you see a whole city. There are many millions of people in our house become dark.
All the offices, markets, everything become dark. Then all everything that which are dependent on electricity, which runs, which dependent on electricity, lifting, forth, you see, or everything gets blocked and stopped. So like that, you see, without compassion, so all these benefits are for oneself, for other things, they’re being, you know, blocked. So I think so as I mentioned the the the the other day, I think even day even day to day life even day to day life, you know, only if there’s no great just simply even there’s no besides there’s no great compassion, just even actually, even there’s no actual realization, great compassion, but if there’s no some compassion, you see, then there’s no happiness. Whatever education, wealth, whatever, there’s no happiness.
So, however, so like this, you know, the compassion is the essential. Com compassion, you see, is essential. You know? Now you can see the essential you know? See, compassion is the heart, the heart wealth of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Conqueror, means Buddha, and Son of the Conqueror means Bodhisattva. Conqueror, I see, conqueror. Why Buddha called conqueror? Because Buddha conquered, we are we are conquered we are conquered by the, you know, the, disturbing thought obscurations and, you see, overwhelmed by the disturbing thought observations and, you see, the subtle obsession. We are overwhelmed.
Are conquered by them. Buddha has conquered, you see, the disturbing thought obscurations and, you know, the subtle obscurations. All these, Buddha would have conquered. Therefore, Buddha is called conqueror. The son, why bodhisattva is called son?
Example, the king. The king’s title or the title of the king, as you see, his title will be position will be given to his son, his own blood generation, you see, which came from that to his son, you know, to to honor that. Born from him, you see. Or, you see, there which is his birth generation, you know. So, similar, see, know, the bodhisattva has bodhisattva is born from bodhicitta. So by that, you see, No way without being bodhisattva without being bodhisattva, without having generated bodhicitta, being bodhisattva, no way to become be enlightened, you see?
So, therefore, therefore, like the example of the king’s father, who is going to become king, the son. So bodhisattva is called son.