Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 46-minute talk, Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches on the eight Mahāyāna precepts, emphasizing their extraordinary value in a degenerate age: keeping even one precept for a single day generates more merit than vast generosity accumulated over countless eons in fortunate times. He outlines the major benefits—protection from rebirth in lower realms, celestial guardianship, the power of offerings made under vows (a single drop of butter offered by one keeping vows exceeds massive gifts from those without), and meeting Maitreya Buddha in the future. Each precept, he teaches, is more precious than diamonds covering the entire earth. The practice itself requires only minutes each morning and can be done at home. He concludes with guidance on establishing the proper guru-disciple relationship when first receiving vows. Addressed to experienced practitioners.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 33 WWNN.mp3
UUID: 2c5a87a1-4e6b-4018-81be-fac2597b27d4
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: 45.8 minutes
Words: ~3,892
So the there’s always there’s there’s a hope all the time. It’s just a there’s a hope, you know, that one has done one has prepared some cause, you see. There’s a hope to, receive, you know, good, you see, the again, you see, to receive human, human body. Okay? Especially perfect, perfect human body.
Just just going over the title few titles of the biggest benefits, then I stop there. The you see, benefit is of taking the eight minor precepts, you know, the by the time So these benefits are good to remember. A person, you see, the length of time, you know, the number of points, earns equaling the number of the sentient beings of the Jambudvipa. With calm mind, you know, when they’re offering, say, food and drink, umbrella banners, so forth, light. You know?
Could the Buddhas I don’t know I don’t know this number exactly. So many in the billions of the Buddhas. You see? And the you see? A lot of time, eons, you know, eons equal in number of the sand grain river Ganga.
This is one river Ganga, one is ocean, the sand. However, someone born in Buddha’s epoch. In the unfortunate time, a degenerate age like this, time, you see, the holy Dharma is getting degenerated. The teaching of the Buddha is getting degenerated, getting stopped. Getting stopped.
Then one day, one night, keeping one vow, keeping one precept, benefit is much more greater than that much good karma. The benefit of that much good karma that is accumulated during those fortunate fortunate eons. So in so these time these days, you know, so that that is these times. So the teaching of Buddha is getting stopped, you know, getting stopped. Okay?
And these these these times, these these days, days, So even one day, keeping one vow, more than the the fortune, how much luck that one receives is equivalent to infinite space. So one receives much, say, clear cause of much happiness in future lives. I think now one should feel now that this the eight vows, each of the eight vows, one should feel much more precious than this much earth. And then, you see, each of the vow is much more precious than, you see, diamonds, including number of the cent number of the atoms of this earth, you know, including the including the number of the atoms of this earth. So now should think should think like this.
Even one even one own this much this much diamond, this much gold, dollar, if one doesn’t no one single moral no one single, you know, morality practiced. There’s no very much possession cannot stop rebirth in the lower realms. Reburt in the lower realms cannot cause, cannot bring to receive pleasure in human body. When we take this, we should so when especially when we take this, we should so when especially when we take these vows, we should feel as is the each of these vows is that much, you see. So from this example, understand?
That much, this size of diamond gold is nothing, comparing the benefits of just already the benefit of each vow, just even the vow that you can stop being born, that you can stop rebirth in the lower realm. That you can stop rebirth in the lower realm. Just even this temporary result, happiness with your life. So, you see, you should feel like that much more precious, you know, this that is vows. In other words, have if you have one vow, think, I think that I have received that much that much, you know, this grand jewel the size of this earth.
I’ve got it today. You know? At at least feeling like that. Then the second benefit, you see, a second great benefit, by the object of offering. Then in the pure realms, you know, for many for many eons, even even one practice virtue.
In the in the impure realms, you know, if one practice one virtue, you know, one virtue with the special time, you know, you see, like this duration of sound of the snapping finger, you know, practicing, you know, virtues with such a time, one virtue in such a time in the impure realm, you know, benefits a much greater than, you see, in the accumulating merits for realms in the pure realms. The nature, the benefits by the nature of the vow, you see, This is this is the greatest protect best protection, best protection from from any harms, harm from inside, into inner inner enemy, from outer enemy. You know? Then the third benefit is that you want to practice it. You want to keep the Sojong Gushen with this time.
You want to take a vow in practices. And then you see, it causes one to meet the Maitreya Buddha in the future life. When the Maitreya Buddha descend on this earth, know, a Bodh Gaya, you know, it’s just in terms of the Dharma wheel, you see, that time, you know, one, you know, one is able to meet the Maitreya Buddha. During the Maitreya Buddha teaching, a person who listens the teaching with devotion, who protects the vows, will be born as a disciple of Maitreya Buddha. So Maitreya Buddha promised.
Okay. Fifth benefit is, I think, one get protected by the devas. By the protect one get protected all all the time by the, you know, the devas and the protectors. Then the next benefits, this is important. This is one of the most important to understand.
Whatever made it that one you see, now it is said in the teachings that that in the benefits of the accumulated merit, you know, person who live in the bowel, person who doesn’t live in the vow, big differences. One who lives in the vow, then you see oceans of is it oceans of butter. You know? Then you mount you see, wax. You know?
Put put the wax. Mount meters of wax. You know? Wax. Wax.
Wax. You know? Make an offering to the you see, make offering to the Triple Gem. A person who live in a vow, you see, one drop of butter, you know, put, you see, like, tip of needle needle, you know, tiny, which put it and don’t offer. Now this last one, even though often is so tiny, nothing so tiny like this, this, but is offered by living in the vow, much greater benefits than the previous one who does not live in any vow, made an unbelievable, received offering.
So without taking the the precepts, and for many years, even one accumulate virtue. But that intent by taking the vow or precept, accumulating one virtue at this duration, such a time as this one has much greater benefits. And then you see the next benefit is that by living in the so now, therefore, days when one take the eight Mahāyāna precepts, on those days, see, as much as possible, one should not act on good karma on the object of sentient beings then on the object holy beings. I should make offerings as much as possible as many as possible because of these benefits. Then next one, by taking the eight Mahāyāna precepts, by living eight Mahāyāna precepts, whatever prayer that you do, whatever you pray, and undoubtedly, without doubt, all get on all get succeed.
Then the next benefits, the next, I see, know, could rebirth there as a human being. The next benefit. Don’t so easy. The other benefit is so easy to do this. So recitation retreat, those is it other practices with much hard it needs much hardships.
You know? Even even it’s done for a long time, you know, even it’s done for a long time, but it the recitation is done with a distracted mind, you see, then even you wonder that the recitation recitation for eons, you see, it doesn’t give a result. It needs, you see, beginning, middle, and end, you see, mind cannot be distracted. So here, only in a few minutes in the morning. Here, only a few minutes in the morning, if one is able to pay attention.
You know? Two, three minutes, you see, able to pay attention. One one does the ceremony. Then rest of the day rest of the day and night, even the mind is distracted. You see?
It nothing interferes for the benefits of nothing interferes for the benefits of the living in the vow. The mandrelization of our facility needs concentration. So so easy to practice this and so short. The duration is very short. Then ninth benefit is easy liberation and enlightenment.
Then the other thing is that even one broke one of the precepts that day, but should not think, shouldn’t think, you see, I broke the vow? Then because I brought one because one precept is broken, thinking like about a material. You know? Like a material. There’s something broken, then you throw away.
You don’t use there’s some crack or something, hole or something. Even even one even one of the precepts is broken, but still worth to keep the rest. You should not think that it will not destroy the whole thing, and that’s wrong. You see the rest of the seven vows you see? Yeah.
An unconsiderable benefit, you know. So, so this is my, as I said, I thought, to tell you not, to emphasize and it’s very good. Even lifetime in the perception, even lifetime, late perception, even though that’s difficult, At least this, we can try, especially the center. There’s an organization. So so it it that is easy to it is for that.
So it is easy to organize. So it it so having this having such this existence, it helps to it helps to to inspire or to to persuade others, you know, to to practice Dharma, you know, to to, you know, to clear the cause together together, happiness, peace, life, liberation, environment. You know? It is for that. So it helps.
So if if there’s no such thing, then individually, you know, there’s much distraction, lazy, so forth, you see, difficult to do. So there is an organization like this. So then you see this helps very much to it is an, yeah, in a place with everyone to purify, to go to enlightenment. And then other things, I think now it’s going to become easy, option. That is it.
From be from beginning to talk and when they they started, you know, from the beginning of the beginning of the I can’t remember the name. What’s that? Who’s the one that impartial rama? How many is it? Will and Wendy.
Will and Wendy. So they they invited Lama. So that’s how things started. Here in Adelaide. So so, you see, main time then, you know, different, you see, different people can, you know, help, you see, as much as they can.
So I think it’s excellent. You know? Trying to do continuously, trying to, you know, do some Lamrim meditation. I think that you’ve been that you’ve been Even though there are a lot of even though there are lot of difficulties, you know, many obstacles, a lot of difficulties, you know, in the family, you know, or the center of the family, individual person, you know, many difficulties. But, you see, I’ve been trying very hard.
So I would like to thank you very much for this, you know, that you are continual encouragement or this energy, you know, whatever I see, other devotion to lama, you see. However So because because you see, you’ve been trying you’ve been you try very hard, you know, for even though they’re even though they’re very difficult, but try, you know, try to not completely empty. So now that because of that because of that, now that gives opportunity to be better. Now if you to develop. You know, that gives opportunity.
Your past effort, you have opportunity now. You see? This now present to exist. And, you see, and now Chetan, the translator is here. And so Lama Yeshe.
Excellent, you know. Teach any aspect of any any teaching that one wishes to learn, you know, can translate, you know. And then excellent example. Oh, yeah. Then, now then, so Geshe, excellent Geshe is coming.
According to Geshe according to the Geshe’s say, the good according to Geshe’s quality, you know, how how learned, you know, he is, you know, he is something to be in a to be in a, you see, a monastery like that Sera, you know, where they are educated monks, you know, to teach to the educated, already educated monks, you know, who already has, basic, you know, clear understanding, you see, philosophy. You see? Like that, you know, according to his own according to the Geshe’s, you know, qualification, you know, education, like that, you see. But I think but I think, you know, it makes me to think that you people are highly fortunate that to, you know, to receive to receive this teaching in our center. This excellent teaching for six months.
I think sometime ago, it that in Delhi, Tuśita, Tuśita in Delhi. So I think Australia is very, so many cases, unbelievable fortunate, you know, so many qualified teachers. You know? I think now the problem is only the problem is from us, the people, you know, don’t don’t have time to study, to learn. You know?
So I think it’s, you know, very, very I think that we are very fortunate to receive this case. Such in such these countries, even even to have one monk, you know, one, say, Sangha, you know, One Sangha. Even to have one Sangha. You know? Even though he doesn’t do any teachings, just being in that just being just just being, you know, you see, just existing is great blessing and a great blessing to the to the country.
And then I said, yeah. This is without talking realizations. You know? Yeah. So I think so there’s there’s much potential in there, see, to see the now getting, you see, more and more opportunity to learn, you know, to to learn, to practice.
To learn, so there’s more option to practice. So I think I’m very, very fortunate. Comparing the life some years back, you know, in Australia. Nothing. Completely dark.
Okay. No. You know, can never hear even in bodhicitta, you know, can never hear. Know? So, anyway, we also will practice as much as we can, by just taking in mind, prostrations, so forth.
One thing is if there’s time to wonder one can make time to study. It’s very good because even you don’t understand, just even to listen, even to just to listen is a unbelievable force in that. If you think about the stories, you know, stories, you know, in the past, The pigeons, birds live on the cave. The yogis pundits will recite text. Then this pigeon becomes his desire for the next life and become great pundit.
Wrote many commentaries. You see? So if think of those stories, you know, then who can get practice in our next lives? You see, just even you don’t understand, just to sit there and listen. You know?
One doesn’t have to be one doesn’t have to be frustrated. You know? In other words, that doesn’t have to become cause of stopping to learn. You know? And there’s no especially here, you see.
You know? You can see very clear, very good translation. So in translating, no problem. So therefore, that is great. One big problem is solved, which other centers have gone through.
So many years, you know, many years, they have lived with patience, with a lot of patience, you know, until the center gets better. There are so many problems, many problems which you haven’t experienced. Many the fantastic problems. Anyway, like this. So our self practice is much possible like this.
You know? I don’t know. I’m so if you can make time, you know, if you can find the time, can make the time, you know, then it’s very good to even if you don’t understand, you know, to listen. It’s very good. You know?
Because we have to make preparation for the future, for this, you know, Sūtra Tantra, you see. Even though subject is hard to understand. Anyway, so so like this, suddenly, you see the and now, we can in this way, then center can be very beneficial to to many sentient beings. So at the center, we can you see, to the center, you know, you see, the center can benefit more and more, can spread more and more Dharma. Becomes cause for many, many sentient beings to practice, to to abandon their karma, cause of sadness, you know, more sentient beings, you see.
And then that’s how the center leads the sentient beings to protect sentient beings from falling down in the lower realms, you know, sentient beings and leads to liberation to future life happiness, liberation to enlightenment. It leads gradually leads, you know, to enlightenment, brings them to enlightenment. Even mantra. Leaving the imprint, that imprint is like seed planted in the ground. So that get get experienced in other these next lives.
Once that get experienced, the person understands the meaning, and the person actualizes the path, which is revealed by the mantra or by the teaching. So that’s how the center liberates the sentient beings from the sufferings. And this is, what this is, you know, what this is Buddha’s guiding sentient sentient beings, you know, to enlightenment is a freeing from freeing from the suffering is there’s nothing higher than Dharma. Nothing higher and better than teaching even when Buddha guide. Even when Buddha guide, nothing there’s nothing higher than teaching, and it’s the highest.
So the so in this way, then every all the students, our members, including directors, those those who, those who, those who, sacrificed, you know, financially, body, blessed mind, you know, you see, everyone’s life become very meaningful. Life become highly useful. Yeah. Then I will also yeah. We’ll have to see then without Dennis’s help, you see, and so, now it works in dharmic activities for teachings.
Now, that depends on the material condition. Material material condition, you know, existence of that. Without that, you know, the activity cannot be done. So so therefore, one thing that, that we could do according to dharma activities in the second place, this is, you see, the having, you see, you know, having this place and able to continue to do this. So that’s, you see, that, Dennis, you know, his help, you know, his financial help, not taking interest and all that kind of thing.
Or if he didn’t, see, if he didn’t give help, then, you see, this wouldn’t have continued. The house wouldn’t wouldn’t have continued. You know, a much bigger problem. You see? And, also, you know, what what, you know, the from his own natural good heart, you know, came with his past life came with his past life, but came with his past life.
Capability, intelligence, what he, you know, what he has, you know, you see, you know, as a used as a dedicated virtues, you know, just by teaching virtues and then then, you know, continue lama’s wishes. So, anyways yeah. So I would like to say, you know, thank you very much for, you know, everybody for all your great effort, you know, and dedication. Yeah. So I think that’s all.
Now, there’s one thing. So the lineage of precepts is now again. First, you need lineage of the ordination. Lineage or lineage of the if you hadn’t taken before, then you you need lineage. Then if you have the lineage, you know, then, you see, you can you you even there’s no guru people taking, you can take at your own house from the altar.
So now first time, when you take the ordination, at the initiation process, that person should have to regard as his guru. That’s important to understand. From the beginning, if you’re not careful, then you see if you make many mistakes in this rooted path to enlightenment, then you see very difficult. Know? Even we know much even intellectually, we know much teaching, very little success in the practice and the attainment.
So from beginning, if we are clear in the rooted path, you know, that’s the first teacher, you see, from beginning, then you see, then you see, if that is well done, then even intellect even, you see, small understanding, there is a part, you see, able to do, you know, quick progression and a talent if there’s an extensive understanding. K? Much success like this. So this may be useful anyway, I think, clarifying. So in the teaching, just sitting, you know, just sitting in the teaching, you know, just to like university, you know, just to study with the intention, motivation just to study, you know, not as a guru-disciple relationship, without this intention.
Just sitting there, you know, like university, you know, to study, then that does not make the relationship of guru and disciple. You know? Also, also, then if one, one went to university study from professor, even subject Dharma, just to study, not with the intention of guru and disciple, then that way does not become a Dharma relationship. And then with this but even listen to teaching, you see, now with this thought, then even one listened in the teaching in the room, then that’s it. That is a guru.
And from that time, guru is responsible to guide the disciple. Disciple is responsible to correctly devote from that moment. Like this. And then initiation, even one sits there during the initiation, even one sits there but does not do the visualizations, that doesn’t mean one has received initiation. But even if you everyone does visualization of what the lama says, then same same as the vow, I would say, you know, that has to be recognized in a guru.
But if when you sit there sit there and doesn’t do visualization, you know, even if the bumpa is touched, you know, waters you drank waters, that wouldn’t that too doesn’t mean have taken initiation. Have eat eat and drink whatever there is, you know, whatever the lama gives, eat and drink, but but doesn’t do the visual of that. You want to you want to the visualization. That doesn’t mean, you know, I have received any any I have taken initiation. So it doesn’t I think that’s not necessary.
You see, if one cannot practice if one cannot practice as a teacher, then we see it now. Doesn’t yeah. Okay. In that way, doesn’t it you know, devote. But even, you know, as the lama explained to the visualization, see, then one received the initiation.
So they are recognized and go to the centre of the vow. So these points are important to understand so that if things are clear from the beginning, then then you see the practice becomes very neat. You know, the practice becomes neat. Otherwise, it becomes, you know, a mess. Yeah.
That That’s all I think. Thank you.