CPMT — 2004-08-24

Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.

About this talk. In this three-hour talk to FPMT center directors gathered for their annual conference, Lama Zopa Rinpoche argues that organizational work becomes dharma practice when undertaken with the right motivation—to preserve and spread Buddhist teachings. He begins with instruction on opening meetings with motivational prayers, then addresses a major project: a monumental statue three times the Statue of Liberty’s height, whose success depends on accumulated merit and karma, not fundraising alone. He guides directors through practicing the six perfections in organizational contexts, countering the misconception that Buddhism requires poverty. A substantial section addresses supporting Tibetan Buddhist teachers in Western centers, who face culture shock, need livelihood security and respect, and risk becoming isolated without proper integration.

File metadata (for organising)

File: 07 Teaching 2004 08 24.mp3

UUID: 139da7c3-29c0-4d4f-b0cc-a575fc61871b

Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1

Collection: z CPMT (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 1)

Date: 2004-08-24

Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide

Duration: 173.8 minutes

Words: ~14,739

I would like to see the meeting begin with this. I mentioned creating your own motivation, you see, and and dedicating the, you know, I’m going to live my life now on until I expect today. So I mentioned that before. By meditating, so with practice mindfulness that every single thing is, you know, my wish-fulfilling from my my past, present, future happens. So that the first meet this is the not every meeting when it begins, but in the day the the first morning meeting didn’t begin with this.

I think I’ve read this a few times, I think maybe London or when or some some years ago to to the to the president. So I think it’ll be very good to to be very good for the first meeting when we began to this with this. That’s a very good time. It it helps to the prayer helps to remind the motivation. People it’s like cessation yoga.

You may be doing you you may be practicing cessation. You may be practicing cessation yoga even without the prayer in your daily life. You see, when you reach something, means happiness or when you make charity or, see, saving somebody from danger, problems, suicidal or whatever. You see, that’s you know, samaya. The four type of loving kindness.

So you may be doing, you see, in the daily life. You are practicing to to say many part of without the words. Being visualized often, you see. So yeah. Dedicating dedicate giving yourself and your possessions merits to other sentient beings in the possible part of prayer.

And that’s the Buddhist practice. The Buddhist the part of Buddhist vow, you know, you give you give you give everything to sentient beings. After you have taken the wishing vow, you see, the practice is that everything belongs to sentient beings. You know, your voice, but yourself, and other possessions, many things are sentient beings. See?

So I don’t know about short but long six days yoga, that practice comes down. So when you do the when you attend that, it’s part of Surya Yoga. So you do so there are many part of precision yoga practice. But the purpose of reciting the words is to remind, as well as the special vows, what is the vows and the tongue devours. So make sure nothing is your practice, the basic practice that causes you have realization, sets up, that puts your life into direction, in situations, you see, that direction of the situation that, I see keeps away from obstacles and then Mhmm.

Keeps away from obstacles to a realization path enlightenment. So, you know, so the situation of the life directions that, I say, in the in the conditions that are supportive for your for you achieve enlightenment quickly. To achieve enlightenment or to achieve enlightenment quickly. So everything is so support. You put yourself situation that everything is very supportive, harmonized to your enlightenment.

So like that. So similar here, you see, again, when we begin with the education, yeah. So that’s very good. Of course, some course, some people, of course, who are practicing all the time, you know, have realization of the or, you know, always keeping in mind in the total benefit of others. No question.

But it helps prayer. Reciting prayer in the group, it helps many others who are not mindful or who don’t remember their practice. It helps to remind. So I just mentioned Sushay yoga. Recitement prayer, if you pay attention to the meaning, there helps to educate all the practice that you obtain the vow to do, you see.

So it’s like that. So very with his great compassion, so he advised to do so because he might miss out. So therefore, he suggested to do three times in the morning, three times when night begins. So about the day. In reality, it’s supposed to do morning, afternoon, and, you see, end of the day.

You see, end of the Sunday, you see. Then night time to time, but that’s supposed to be to, you know, day and night in order to, say, to lift the light in that practice, you see. So with his great compassion, he made it easy for people who are, you know, kind of a member or my missus. So to save them from the need to out, they’re somehow involved, they’re advised to do all three at one time in the morning and three at the evening time. See that when nighttime begins.

So So we’re gonna be visualizing Buddha. Our kind of compassion Buddha. That is all the Buddha Amasanga or they visualize the elaborate visualization field, the refuge in field. One, you know, embodied everything or in many aspect. Or the, you know, or the you know, the all the ten direction Buddha, as you remember, and then into the, you see, a religious practice like that.

The other ten direction Buddha, know. One of those all the time. Time was at the beginning experiencing the pervasive compounding suffering. The aggregates which is natural, which is Cost of common dilution, contaminated residual disturbance cost, and the compounding altered this life’s suffering, compounding of life’s suffering. Because the seed of delusion that’s that’s, say, that I will get contaminated that so far.

Then experience suffering with change. And from that time at the beginning, it’s happening. Suffering of pain without time without beginning. Experience the oceans of helping suffering from those animals, human beings through the the intimacy of those oceans of each real suffering. Time without beginning.

So now then look at the look at the all the look look at all other sentient beings for the Those particular supplements. So there are six types of supplements and four types of supplements. Now there’s three types of supplements. Wherever there, but the person who who made with the company, you know, friend company, made with the company. There’s the company suffering.

What are the enjoyment they have is the enjoyment of suffering. Remember, they they’re experiencing three types of suffering. So Okay. I see it feels, you know, like your mother fell in the fire or say, the most kind, you know, parents. Whoever you think of most kind, the father or the mother, that most kind of person that you feel fell in the fire or the, you know, in the hole where there’s a fire or like that.

So like that’s how the mother feel, have a little child and fell on fire. Now how does she feel? Situation of the syndrome, so I feel unbearable compassion to them. I can’t stand It’s a second. So genetically renounced fear, aversion to your saṃsāra.

Useful fear to your saṃsāra, not compassion to all self. Now then, with the devotion, the typical gems having all the qualities, power, you see, to limit myself and sentient beings from all these options of suffering, some sort of cause to lose karma. And therefore, therefore, with whole heart, Also as leader, then all going for refuge to Guru Gita Dhama Sangha. Then we do the prayer. So with the three calls, Mahāyāna refuge, no.

Then totally labyrinth, one hundred percent. One hundred percent total labyrinth, We’re abiding in front of myself. Okay. Until I achieved enlightenment that I was practicing the result result of refuge and the willing for refuge. I will for refuge that for to exercise that, to exercise the result, then for the cause of that, then practicing the cause of refuge.

That which is explained in the parameter. So that’s good practice. Then So because here you are dedicating not only the merit of virtue, but also you’re dedicating merit of wisdom So thought collection of those two merits. So due to the collection due to the collection of merits by media in the past, present, and future, Then by others, know, sentient beings included Buddhist supper, and then another one is Buddhas. So dollar.

The tons of migrating in the tons of migrating in of the gems or in one of them, being under the control of being under the total control of delusion, comma. So the meaning of dollar, dollar. So which expresses, you know, no freedom. They have no freedom. They have no freedom at all.

They have no freedom at all. So suffering, being totally under the usual karma. So when you recite when you recite dollar, it’s something when you by thinking of the meaning of the word draw, it’s something that without choice, the compassion has to rise. When you you use that word, dollar, draw. Let’s see.

Is that the common delusion is to totally overcome with and not feeling and suffering continuously from the time of the beginning. So to benefit, to free them from all the suffering causes and people to enlightenment for that. Marriage and enlightenment. When we when we by taking this meaning like this, not just on the deciding path, but I think the meaning while reciting, company company the meditation with words, with the rest of words, and put the palms together at the heart. We collected limitless just now, we collected limitless merit limitless kinds of merit.

As it is mentioned in this, such a bit of tender, know, matter often to all the Buddhas, you see, universe filled with jewels, seven thousand jewels, equal number of the, how say, the of the visible ocean. That much merit. And then generating bodhicitta to achieving enlightenment of wisdom and being and they put it palms together. This one collect far more greater merit than the previous one. You know, universe filled with the jewels, seven hundred jewels, and how many times and the equivalent number of the same plans of the physical ocean to all the Buddhas.

I don’t know what they mentioned, the eons or not, but sort of that. When we recite, if you meditate, it’s extremely profound mentation. There comes all the practice of pronunciation. So now here, how does how does emptiness comes? So here, you did see.

You did meditator, meditation, action meditate, all are empty. You who is seeking enlightenment and action seeking enlightenment and what what what you’re seeking the enlightenment object objective. You see? All three are all three are empty. Empty, why?

Because the empty. Why? Because they exist in they not they’re not they’re nonexistent, but they exist exist in a mere name, merely imputed by mind. So I so I who is seeking enlightened is empty, and action seeking enlightened action seeking is empty, and then enlightened is empty. So maintain on this.

Practice some mindfulness in this. At the end, let’s maintain this. So within this, there is a long term three percent part. And then also comes also to remind you all the qualities of Buddhadharma Sangha that is explained in this so many pages in the Arasamana Kadriya, in the commentaries of that. So as much as you have done study, then you see, then here comes the practice, you know, so that those extensive study of philosophy see here comes in practice.

So now, I just get here some explaining some how to meditate. Of course, when you do meeting, doesn’t mean to go all the explanation. Many is to understand then just the prayer, you see. But here, just to clarify how to meditate on this standard, so say, the technology with the minor way of technology. Feel that in the heart.

If they were to start one time, but important to feel in the heart. Combine harmonies with one’s heart and the words. May they abide in in the community? I will cause them to abide in the community. There’s group that’s a gram of patience to be able to do this.

How wonderfully it is all the sentient beings. They have happiness and cause for happiness. Enlightenment. Meaning without happiness. The highest happiness.

Happiness to all the hell beings, happiness to all the animals, happiness to all the human beings, that’s sort of in recipient. Made it happiness. I’ll cause them to have taking responsibility on myself. Previous ones, good ideas. Now here, take responsibility on yourself.

With the hell beings, with every hell beings, with every handlers, with every animals, with every human human beings. So that means including one’s enemy. Take this formula to cause happiness. So we have to understand we have to understand here when we do this path, please blessings to be able to do this. Regression for blessing.

So to have all the qualities, all the power, all the qualities. Has, you know, the ultimate ecologist to to send, to help with myself. So there’s a, you know, a minimum blessing. So what activity we are doing what activity we are doing whatever different activity we are doing is causing happiness to sentient beings. You see, tempering and ultimate happiness, liberation and enlightenment.

Whatever different activity we do, but the main objective is to cause this or all this happening to others. So here, we are making a request. You see, you have to know that please group this patient to be able to do this. So it contains everything. Contains that contains that blessing contains everything to be able to cause all the happiness to the symptoms.

All that omniscient mind and the power, you see, compassion for all the qualities that needed to be able to cause, say, perfect happiness to a sentient beings, so to a reasonable sentient beings. So asking for success, you see. So we have to we should know that. We’re not asking some blessing or something that which doesn’t exist. You know?

We’re not asking for that. Mhmm. Mhmm. How wonderful say all the symptoms are free from all the suffering causes. May they be free from all the suffering causes.

I will cause them to be free from all the suffering causes. Again, taking a responsibility of the wound sound. Do this with the feel this with every hell beings, with every hand growth, with every animal, every. Please go over the grammy lessons to be able to do this. How wonderful is about the sentiments, let’s say, if they’re not separated away, so the happiness of our realm and the ultimate happiness may not be separated away from this happiness.

I will cause them to not be separated away from this happiness. Please group my blessings to be able to do this. I think I received all the qualities that I’ve mentioned before. To be able to offer all these service to others. So now I think purpose of my life is to be to free the numbers and the means from the oceans of some kind of self and bring them in the full enlightenment.

Therefore, I must the master achievement and also do extensive of our extensive service with Buddha and the temple. I’m going I’m going to do the meeting. So here means I’m going to be wishful for him. You know, here, before I talk about other sentient beings of wishful. You see, now here, you yourself will wishful to all sentient beings.

So you can decide the words there’s words based on Buddhist that often gives people to recite even during the Buddhist. So that that’s to recite after this. All the Buddhist Chavatara says that May I I become means of living may I become a means of living to all things. Like I said, like exercise mantra. Only exercise mantra, you see?

You see, then you can do healings. You can do all the you pacifying, say, sicknesses, spirit harm, and on. You can do increasing a lot long life in the world, and you see, wisdom and so forth, you see, to the retirement. And then controlling, you can do controlling, you know, sentient beings so that you can bring them to direct their life in the path to enlightenment, in the correct past to happiness. So this This the photographs of the the drone.

I don’t think it’s only disciple. Not disciple. Collecting disciple. Collecting disciple, I’m not sure. That that may have negative negative might carry negative kind of I mean, depends on attitude, but that that title might carry negative interpretation.

Mhmm. Collecting to. However, basically, doing over she’s droning, droning, droning sentient beings so that they can listen, so that they will listen, you see, what you say. I don’t think so many the sentient being we engage in the virtue and then see, and bring them in the path to understanding path to happiness and to ultimate enlightenment. So mainly draw that.

I don’t think this has to be on the disciple. But generally, same thing, you draw them, you see, and let them to collect, then you talk to them, then let them to pass the virtue. So like that. So this is my suggestion. Drawing, it can be gathered to one place, can be gathered, but doesn’t mean that they will listen to you.

They might fight you. They might be against you. So Yeah. So I’ll have to lecture. So exercise mantra is if if you if you have mentors, you know, say exercise, then, you see, the the the certain number there’s certain number to recite.

And if done that, then it’s so powerful that you can do any activities. It becomes wish to hear. Then, like wish to wish to see. And so so like mantle, yourself become wish to all to say to the same And then, like wishful to us, you know, yourself become like that, wishful to all of the. The wishground tree, like the light in pure land wishground tree, so yourself become wishful to all of the.

So the then the ones that become that become means we’re living for something. It means enjoyment, you know, like the earth. You know, they build roads for the enjoyment and the buildings, factories, know, the, so the sugar factories, the small country, sugar factories, airport. So anyway, so, you know, the playground, you know, for children. Anyway, earth, you see.

Sinderem is enjoyment, you see. That means we’re living. And growing growing the crops, you see, from the fields, all that. You see, however they’re going to use me, however they’re going to use me for the enjoyment, for the happiness. It’s your offering.

So that’s that’s the idea. That that’s the idea. That’s what we should understand when we say this prayer. The prayer that is in this worse. However they’re going to use however they’re going to use me for their happiness.

So we’re to wish them. So send water, you know, they use for their living, making coffee, you know, to drink coffee so many times a day. So anyway, all that washing washing washing the dirty dirt from the body, you know, use the water to dirt, to wash the dirt, you know, from the body. So to clean to clean the clothing. So you see, once we be used, you know, by sentient being.

What happened is like this, you see. So water is used so many different ways, you know, for their survival, that, you see. Then fire is used in so many different ways for making food and so many different ways that you use. So that was something you. And then so space for movement, for traveling, for me, you see.

So in many ways, the space is for the enjoyment. So most of the use, I assume, like that. No offering. Let me say the wind. So also the wind is the air condition to be cool.

And, anyway, so many ways used the wind, you know, the house, you see, some of west. But not not not tornado. But but not tornado. Not tornado. Not anything that comes.

Hurricane. Hurricane. Taiwan, hurricane. So many happens. Anyway, not tornado.

That is all that happened in the United States. Anyway, so anyway, so the the wind, you know, you saw in the west, you see. It’s like windy mills, you see, produce electricity. So, know, to be once out to be used for the enjoyment of. Okay?

So like sky, including sky, I think, forever. May I become means we’re living the innumerable numbers of sentient beings. Oh, perfect. So here, is it before talking the basis before you become wishful to others, we have to understand how others wishful to you. So on the basis, then it’s easy.

You see, yourself become wishful to others. Understand? So then that’s it, you see. So then we’ll then wait to the meeting. That is very good.

So the first not every meeting. I mean, the first meeting in the morning, you know. So beginning with this and then this this. Then I think it will make it will make very happy. I used to use these teachings.

So solve that. This attitude very important everywhere that really makes you this one, again, you are so good to be, say, which feeling person that you see after realizing I’m augmentating this, it’s how it’s just wishful to you. So then at home, when you take your family, you take your children at home. You see, so many years, you take your children, you know, all that busy life and no time to practice, no time to do meditation for yourself, you see. I mean, how you are taking care of the work, taking care of family.

So those, you see, for this to do the work in the family with this attitude, and that brings incredible joy. You see incredible, incredible satisfaction and joy happening. And then when you walk in the office, so with this attitude, it brings incredible joy and you see satisfaction and fulfillment. So no question dharma center. No question dharma center.

Even the business office, but no dharma center, then no question. Dharma center is to spread dharma to send a cosinemity to me dharma, to spread dharma. And then revealing them unmistaken method to achieve happiness. They’re educating them the right understanding cause of happiness to a sentient being. So straight and dharma means that.

Then the whole method to achieve liberation, not only future life, liberation and enlightenment, to educating them. So spreading dharma means that. So that’s what the center does, center offers. So here, dharma, it is dharma center. So of course, the benefit you’re offering is unbelievable, vast and deep.

You see. So therefore And then here, you see the wish feeling is very deep. Your wish feeling, you become wish feeling to something is very deep, very profound, very deep. You see? So often I say there’s a big difference between manufacturing and the dharma center, just in the company and dharma center.

So it has this extra it has this deep benefit to the symptom being. You see that purifying cause of suffering and seizing the common delusion. So that’s how you live with the problem of suffering of saṃsāra. So it’s totally, totally, it evolved to the very, very, very special. Activity is very special, very high, you know, transcended them another activity another activity.

Of course, of course, other than of course, other than, say, working company and then with the money you support center, that’s, of course, different. Is it that you support activity? Of course, that’s different. Otherwise, just general alternate work. I see.

Anyway, let’s see. So here, next one, I would like to express that, you know, for material, for the success of material project, I’ve asked to do at the centers, you know, do please do that, please do this, please do that. Ongoing. You know, it is ongoing. Never stops.

It’s ongoing. So at the same time, I sang up a sūtra. So anyway, know, didn’t happen. Maybe I think every time to tank, respond. I think maybe very well done to think, to express.

So here today, since almost every director of members of the center is here. So now I personally, directly from me to you, I think. So thank you. So really, you see, this is the FMD project. You see, things cannot without karma, including Tibetan independence.

Without working with the karma, without doing something with the karma, you cannot not have success. It is just a political thing alone cannot succeed. You have to have something you have to karma, good karma for success. You see, g, g. You have a good karma.

So working skillful work, good karma. Good karma is like fuel. Good karma is like fuel for the car. It doesn’t have fuel. Even there’s all the missions that you see.

Even there’s all the missions. Even there’s all the machines, the car cannot function, cannot bring the people to the place where they want. There’s no fuel. Like, the rocket airplanes without the fuel, I cannot fly. So except except the what is one?

The paper The paper. You fold the you fold the paper. That one that one. The paper airplane, you fold the paper. That one doesn’t need the fuels.

Right? Anyway, so anyway, what did I say? Oh, go ahead. Yes. Yeah.

I just yeah. I just I met the one who’s working. I said, camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp in the Washington, you see? Tibet camp camp Mhmm. And the other one, another person there met in city center.

So I was just from my just from my, you know, a little dharma understanding, just out of often a suggestion. So a little, say, you know, that, you know, that says, did not so really keep. So the for the whole world, the other various, know, the different enjoyments, you know, the food, the growing, and hug. So all the different the world whole world, you see, all this, enjoyment, however, people in different bodies, you know, different country. But the whole the whole thing, say, different trees growing, different type of mountains, rocks, whatever.

All these different types of flowers, all these different types of food, all these came from karma, born from karma. So So I’m so concerned that with dharma with the both politics and with dharma, dharma’s behind force and karma. What is the dharma? karma. So then then together, then we can succeed, not just only without cause, without karma, happiness.

You know? I didn’t say like that, but together, I can make a more successful, just suggestion. That is involved some with some dharma projects. So because I read with that, I was mentioning that. So to not have success.

So now so now here, same same here. You see the you do you do the skillful fundraising, But that alone that that alone is not enough. You need to you need merit. So the success of building the statue, that that happens only if you’re karma, especially the five hundred, not small statue, not small statue. You know, it’s a five hundred feet, hundred feet, the statue.

Maybe up to maybe size. I’m not sure. Is it right? From the ground up? Or How?

Are you sure? Three times? Three times to put on. Now you’re in this practice what discussed before. No.

The size of the statue is from the ground to Buddhala, that kind of height. More. It looks more. It’s three times the Statue of Liberty. So Oh, I see.

Mhmm. It’s a wall. I think the fifty times of I think the fifty times of you, miss So here, for success, As you heard the benefits, also at this time I mentioned, you know, condensed from Buddha, so there’s kind of benefit to beings in every day, you see, benefit that every day the sentiment they receive. So unbelievable, unbelievable, unbelievable benefit to So therefore, not because of two hundred million and fifty million, see, not the amount of money because discuss benefit what he offers to something. You need a lot of merit, so much merit.

So, yeah, it’s not because two hundred million and fifty million, much of that. It’s because in current benefit. So therefore, you need a lot, a lot, a lot of merit. So here, not just on the skillful foundation, but the I see it. It needs a lot of merit.

To work the idea of a foundation to work, you have to have merit behind. It’s like the fuel I mentioned before. Then the idea works. It’s like medicine. If you don’t have good karma, medicine, even though it’s a correct medicine, but it won’t work.

If you don’t have karma. It won’t heal. But the when the karma has happened, the medicine will work. So therefore, she said, obstacles come again and again. So therefore, they push us that’s required, you know, to pacify and to collect merit, especially I have some of the.

So definitely, all definitely all the centers doing prayers, you know, the prayer, whatever prayer you have done, especially Ayurveda. The Ayurveda is not only material possible, but there one maintenance of the to say this every center to receive to receive the funding. The main thing was that. Then, by the way, other projects, the recent one is that. So to receive, we send funding as quick as possible.

So the so yeah, so I didn’t get done all the time. But I write eight parts and the plan of the text. You know, the twelve volumes, one hundred thousand stanza. And then twenty thousand stanza, three columns. And then the eight thousand stanza.

So I tried to write this with gold. The idea is so that it collects unbelievable merit. That, you know, when you write each word, even with the ink, and that oh, Jose. Roaring sound of the lion, the sutras, and that and then they said that I don’t remember if it’s what the universe is. Our universe, we could number of percent.

However, universe is the universe is filled with stupa. But stupa not made of bricks smell, but stupa filled with seven types of jewels. Seven types of jewels. The whole universe covered with stupa. Then all the simple things that live in those universe may offering three times, you know, that.

I don’t remember the time, how many years ago, I don’t remember. So if you build one stupa, it directs your life towards enlightenment, and it’s unbelievable power of pure vision. There’s so much of there’s a whole text expanded Buddha in the about one hand volume, the Kangaroo teachings from Buddha. So anyway, so here talking about whole entire all the universe is filled with this super matter of seven type of jewel. Then there are all the things in those universe make up things.

That and then right in person, parameter. This one collect a farm or greater than than all those buildings. Universe filled with the stupas made of seven type of jewel and all those. And all those made it become small. If you compare right in price and primarily, we think the ink.

So here, I’d like to go. But the idea is to collect merit to the statue. And so later goes in the heart. So after I saw the text, I sent the sūtra, the writing one word, how much merit you practice, how much merit the Wiltern and King has. So you see, Wilton and King, according to how many Wilton and King, one who has the most power, well, everything.

So Wilton and King, how many times? How many? Equating about the atoms of the Pacific Ocean. That many of the Pacific Ocean. So that many will turn many will turn in, you see, will turn in equal number of atoms of the Pacific Ocean.

So you write one word, Arasana Sūtra. You get same merit or more married. Yeah. Again, in the DNA clear, more merit than than that many Wilson and King or same something like that. So unimaginable.

We’re just writing one word. So I start writing with gold, but didn’t get to write every day. So, however, so this then the twenty one Tārā Status, which goes inside, but to correct me. So anyway, many ways try to I suppose, for recent time, two times, you know, offering, like, seven days food for the gurus. So, of course, gurus object to collect the most extensive merit and more merit than having offered to the Namibhish Buddha, Namibhish dharmas, very powerful.

So anyway, but because it is an extra benefit, so there’s a lot of obstacles. Such immense limits has benefited that statue offers to sentient beings, which means we offer we build a statue, you see, so we offer all those benefits to sentient beings. So for that, there’s a lot of obstacles. They’re not easy, so there’s a lot obstacles. Greater result, there’s more obstacles.

I heard that before you achieve liberation, you know, the sorrow state, there’s a lot of obstacles that are meant to face. A lot of obstacles. I heard that. I didn’t see the scuttle, but I heard that. Not that because it has incredible benefit, you know.

So therefore, anyway, so whoever, anyone, anyone who did a contribution, say money or time, prayer, puja, you see, whatever contribution it is to exercise material, should know that I’m not the only one who is building this. Everyone of us, all the whole center, every center, I mean, every one of us, anyone who often you know, during puja’s prayers or, you know, even at, say, even, say, rupee or ten rupee or higher rupee, you see, or lot of what? Euro. Euro. Condervation of it.

So I said this before in the foundation, but everyone is building their statue. So so that so think this way. Like that. So so every day. So when you do recital prayer, please dedicate.

So when you do your own daily prayer, please dedicate merit. That’s so I think so many things. So just so the gesture, a small gesture tank, the the fund that will be received to the centers. That is just a small gesture tank to the all the people that sent out or, say, your total sacrifice, devotion, compassion for something being serviced or like that. So I got the last things.

So the big tank. Big tank. So thank you very much for all that, all those press, pushers, whatever you have done for the years for project and also project. And the yeah. And and the that your parents for my life and everything.

So thank you very much. As a question to advise, you know, advice. As regards organization, as regards to programs, whatever. So good think I’m a good at this. You get a message here that the as a monk, Sangha member, particularly here in the west saying that, oh, I’m a Sangha, and I I don’t want to work.

Doesn’t seem to you know, that doesn’t work here. It is all quite obvious. And I think Krishna was also clarifying the point that Geshe-la was making that even though everyone has to work and do their own duties, it’s not that, you know, you give work of laypeople to monks or nuns and that, you know, monks and nuns’ works are given Just to mention from personal experience, the situation, the condition and situations. Soon after, we had to flee Tibet to reestablish ourselves as a refugee committee and and community in in India, especially especially after we yeah. There was a lot of hardships and difficulties.

First, I think, when the three ponistries were established in the up in the Bhaktadar, but particularly also when we moved to South India, then the each individual monasteries were reestablished. And at that time, the monks, all the monks had to go to work, building the houses, the fields to for. And and there was so much work to be done. So under these conditions, I mean, there’s already that sadness and great which of the of the great tragedy of having to flee from Tibet. And so the monks are already, you know, quite, you know, like, down, depressed.

And on top of that, having to do so much work was not comfortable. However, great teachers, masters, the late tutors of His Holiness, Pichai Rinpoche and Kintrini Rinpoche, gave a lot of advice to the monks at that time, saying that advising that, you know, at this time when the when the Buddhist teachings are at stake of disappearing and there’s, like, the Buddhist teaching and particularly Mahāyāna, the Tibetan Mahāyāna tradition being at great danger of disappearing of this earth. If you can establish you know, do this work and establish the monasteries and so forth, then it would be, you know, a great benefit for the teachings to remain. So, you know, it’s crucial at this time. So, therefore, whatever work you need to do, physical work, such as going to field and so forth, you at least you can do it with an attitude that this is to preserve the teachings.

This act this act of the actual manual work of time, fields, and making house, and so forth isn’t actually a means or ways to preserve the Buddha’s teachings. If you can keep that motivation in mind, then it is most beneficial, and it is definitely is a practice of Dharma. So having given advices like that, the monks, you know, all felt more comfortable and then, you know, engaged in all the physical manual works. And then as a result, now we have the three monasteries with monk statins and so forth. And then the it is, you know, obviously, that’s benefiting many things.

So therefore, now coming back to our organization, we’re still at a developing stage. And so like, we’re still at the developing stage, and we need to build ourselves up to become really a strong organization. And where, you know, then when it is stable and strong, then from then onwards, you know, then the benefits will be much greater. And then yeah. Because main wish, then main wish is to preserve the teachings and bring the teachings into the the different worlds continents.

So just to emphasize this point, I can relate it with my personal experience of being in it. Having been here at the center over ten years in in about eleven years being here in the Metra Institute. So from my experience, I have taught different teachings topics, Gurus and many of the other topics in the basic program, as you would know. So through throughout the years, my experience has been that, yeah, people do come. We have causes and people come.

Sometimes fifty or sixty people, over seventy people do come. But, however, sometimes they don’t continue to come. And then some of them, you know, being quite close and open with me, they some some of them actually relate, you know, some of the reasons why, and some of the reason don’t come back. So, you know, they kind of, like, are open and Dutch people are normally quite open and straightforward. So they say, you know, like, actually, you know, we would like to come more often, but, you know, the conditions here are not that great.

You know, sleeping on a bunk bed, you know, feeling like it takes us back to our hostel, you know, like, getting in in schools and so forth, and that sort of, like, feeling is, you know, they’re kind of, like, little cramped. And, also, the room the walls of the room are very thin. So, you know, even even to sleep in the night sometimes difficult because if the neighbor is snoring, it kinda wakes you up. So it’s not really they don’t feel as very conducive to feel like, you know, the conditions here are not that great to be able to, you know, to to to stay for a long period and practice to have you know, feel comfortable. So I personally understand that having, you know, come from an environment where, you know, there’s a certain amount of comfort in one’s home.

I it is totally understandable that we need to have a comfortable place for for people to come to and stay so they can, you know, feel comfortable in practicing the Dharma. So so therefore, my wish for particularly for our center here has been that, you know, we need better conditions. We need a better and more with a more suitable, comfortable combination so that more people can come and stay. So then the question here is that why do we need more people to come? You know, is it that we’re trying to gather more people and so that, you know, we become more popular and become more rich?

That is not the idea at all. That is not the goal or purpose at all. Going back to the to to the main goal of our, you know, our most kind, what do you call, Buddha Shaikirbuni and of this organization, the main goal is to be able to benefit as many people as possible. So if more people come, more people are benefited. They can get the Dharma.

And then thus, it transforms if they help then the dharma will help transform their mind, which then will make a difference in their own life and others’ life. And in that way, more beings are benefited. So that is the purpose. The goal, the reason of having more the reason for being able to accommodate more people and benefit more people is is to benefit more people and benefit in the long run. So I also often tell people, the students who come to my teaching said, as Mahāyāna Buddhist, one of the first person we say is that I want to benefit all sentient beings.

And that is the motivation that we carry. But however, in reality, practically, we cannot go out and try to search for all sentient beings to help all sentient beings go out towards sentient beings and help them. Rather, on a practical level, let’s begin by helping those who do come to us. Those beings who do come to our center, let us try to make help them benefit them in whatever best way we can. That is on a practical level, we can do that.

That is our practice. So, yeah, you should also mention that we won’t even have enough time to try to go and meet all sentient beings and try to benefit them each individually. So my intention is to give us, you know, like short talks. It turns out to be quite a long talk and hard to bring it all back. But, however, you know, to come coming back to the main points that I would like to change that it is this this meeting that we’re having here, the CPMT meeting, is a meeting all, you know, directors and other others who are involved in the each individual centers around the world, empty centers, are here to try to get more information on how to progress, how to expand their center, how to be of more benefit, so forth.

So that is the purpose, I feel. That is the purpose of the meeting. So therefore, I’d just like to emphasize the point that, you know, that as as a a as a as an organization in general, and as a particular individual centers, it is definitely necessary and to try to progress even financially, we must progress. It is not the case that in Buddhism, it says that you cannot accumulate wealth and so forth for organization centers. There’s nowhere where you see that, mention the teachings.

Of course, what we do see and what we must pay attention to is how we accumulate the wealth. It is through right livelihood so that the wealth is not accumulated through wrong livelihood and in the correct ways and manners so that is comically speaking, that it is, how should we say, it is pure. But however, as far as accumulating wealth for the benefit of others, that’s definitely we must do that. So that is something. So everyone must go back with understanding that that is part of the practice.

Suggestion I have is that for centers to really look into trying to find finding or, you know, getting people either within members or even outside to actually have paid staff. And I feel that that’s very necessary because if you have paid staff, then those people who are working, like, few paid staff who can really dedicate their time, that is their job. That is their work. So they can have their full energy in focusing on working for the center. Because if you don’t have that in a center situation, then now we are mostly based on volunteers.

And then, of course, volunteers, individuals, ordinary human beings, we have to we all have a stomach that we have to fill. So, of course, you know, we have to try to find the means. So naturally, you know, you we know people have to go out and and then have to work in a job, have to find have a job. And, like, from my experience, from looking out here, that is the situation. People have to go out and make a living.

So therefore, the energy, most of the time and energy is spent outside of center. That is natural. It’s spent outside. So therefore, when the people come back and work here, time they have, of course, they work dedicatedly and they try their best. But nevertheless, because already so much time and energy spent outside working outside, the center lacks, how should I say, suffers suffers, basically.

Doesn’t get the full energy. And therefore, I feel that it is what that is, I suppose, one of the main reasons why the center does not progress as individual central organization because we don’t have really energized workers who are working full time. That is my suggestion. So Mr. Szczla is saying that so it is good that if you can provide some salaries for the staffs, for the main staffs.

So otherwise so they if they don’t have there’s no stomach. If they don’t have stomach, that’s good. But they still have stomach, so they have to go out to work. To give an example to emphasize the point I’m making is that on on an individual level, if you feel if you feel that our practice is not, you know, progressing so much where you’re not having much success in a a Dharma practice is because so far, we have been spending most of our time and energy in in worldly affairs. And so because our energy and time is spent mostly focused on worldly affairs, naturally, our Dharma success suffers.

We don’t get so much success in Dharma practice. So using that as an example, taking down to this level now and working in the centers, if most of the time and energy on the on the development of, like, the financial development and so forth of the center, people who are working to do that are spending most of their time and energy working outside, then, naturally, they suffer the the the center’s work and all that becomes like a side thing. It’s not it doesn’t become the main focus when it’s on the side, doing it on the side. So therefore, as our Dharma practice suffers when we do it on the side, we do our Dharma practice, like, on the side. Like, oh, when I have time or you know, so forth.

It’s not the main focus. So that’s why our success suffers in dermal practice. Similarly here in the centers, if one if people who are working in the center do it on the side as a side thing, then the progress of the centers would suffer. So, yeah, to to to summarize main main is that the main points is that in order to practice Dharma or to become a Buddhist, it it it is in no way means that one has to become poor or one has to live in poverty. Some some of my students, feel a little bit, you know, sometime when you develop sort of a relationship with the people, you feel a little bit responsible for their lives.

So, you know, for their well-being. So when I noticed that some students, you know, who have quite well jobs, good jobs, you know, they hear the dharma and then suddenly, you know, after hearing the dharma, it’s just for a short while, they develop what is in Tibetan called which is, I think, Amish used to call it denunciation. So, like, artificial sort of renunciation. So when that sort of artificial renunciation is developed, then suddenly you feel like, oh, I have to give away everything and, you know, becomes, you know, like, you know, give away everything and live it, like, live poor without anything. And that is totally misunderstanding.

You know, Buddhism does not encourage people to be poor, give up everything. Rather, give up attachment, you know, giving up attachment, but doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give up everything and, you know, live in poverty. And also, like, in terms of also cleanliness, you know, some people feel like, oh, I’ve become a Buddhist. And as a Buddhist, you know, you don’t have to be you don’t have to take care of your appearance. You shouldn’t take care of your you you shouldn’t, you know, appear nice and well.

So, you know, it’s okay. Well, I can wear anything, something dirty, and not even even clean. You know? Of course, you shouldn’t take me as an example. Being Tibetan, we have our own way of Maybe I’m not really a very good example for you of cleanliness, but basically, issue is I’m you can remember from the very beginning, one of the six preparatory practices is cleanliness, cleaning the room and cleaning environment.

So when I see people, students, suddenly, you know, after hearing some teaching, starting to wear, like, poor clothes, you know, they they they that that I’ve been kind of, like, feels that got the wrong they’ve got the wrong message. So, anyway, the main point is that to that as a as a Buddhist, especially as a Buddhist organization, definitely, we So now just to go over briefly the six perfections just related to our practice in our daily life. That, you know, on on on on terms of morality, to practice morality in terms of an organization, as an individual working organization, you know, we have to try to make sure, as mentioned earlier, that we try to find means for our support and so forth with the right livelihood and making sure that, you know, yeah, the the the material comes from, you know, a good source. I I have no doubt that people are not engaged in sort of like, what you call it, dealing illegal illegal, you know, engaging in any illegal jobs. Of course, I have no doubt that that’s happening.

But nevertheless, you know, just we have to remind ourselves and others that we have to be clean on that. And also to be careful of the poverty of of the centers, making always making clear that, you know, this is a property which belongs to the the all of the members, everyone as as organization as a center. So therefore, always be careful of the usage of the properties of the centers and how to be used and be careful of that. So the next is patience. And that, of course, I think we can all agree is very important.

Having patience and particularly working in organization centers, there’s definitely, you know, situations where there’s disagreements and so forth. I think it all happens. I think we all have experience with that. So when the agreements and so forth arise, one must, you know, try to really practice patience understanding that those everyone who is involved well, disagreements arise when people have different point of views about maybe having something done or, you know, how to do something. And that’s very natural because I mean, there are different individuals, different people who have different ideas, different suggestions, ideas.

So naturally, there’s different opinions. And there’s a better saying that if you have thirty yacht, yacht, zo, zo is the male yacht, actually. No. The female yacht. Yacht.

If you have thirty zoes, then you naturally have sixty horns. So, you know, so that means that, you know, you have thirty but you have sixty one. So they’re all different. So anyway, the main point is that when different opinions arise, trying to practice patience with the understanding that these different ideas, opinions are not made for personal reasons, but in order to benefit the center, in order what we’re discussing, what we’re opinion have an opinion opinion about is the progress and the welfare of the center. So therefore, not taking it personally, but rather, you know, saying understanding it.

If one disagrees, one can discuss it without showing much anger, without having much anger. So therefore, then the discussion becomes more worthwhile. The next is joyous effort, the six perfections. So therefore, joyous effort relating relating that to one’s service in the centers, means to the definition of joyous effort is doing the activity with the joyous mind, doing the virtuous activity with a joyous mind. So therefore, remembering again that whatever activity one does for the center is a virtuous activity, is a service of the dharma, a service, as mentioned earlier, servicing the guru.

So therefore, having that understanding to engage whatever work one does with a joyous mind. Of course, you know, there are times when one feels a bit stressed and difficult because, you know, it is work. If one does work, it’s natural that one can sometimes feel tired and so forth. But always trying not lose that inspiration in one’s mind and always trying to remind oneself of of the great benefits and therefore, to try to engage in the work with a with a joyous mind. So the next is the concentration.

So, of course, developing real concentration is a whole another topic in practice, relating that topic to our service in the center, we can use concentration in in when when, you know, having means to in in relation to our service in the centers means to have a mindful to to be mindful of whatever one does, whatever activity was engages and try to use whatever time one has for that period of time to use it, you know, like, single pointedly what one is doing rather than trying to be too distracted with any other things going on. And then working in whatever one was working on, try to work with that, whether one is speaking with someone or engaging with some sort of work to use one’s mindfulness to disengage in that so that that is done well. Sixth perfection being wisdom, that is extremely important as we we should understand. His own is often emphasizes how important wisdom is. That when even when what we do in our engaging our normal activities, how important it is to to to have the wisdom, to gain the wisdom.

And then there’s also quotes from the Madhya GavatTara of how important the the text may goes in great detail explaining how without the wisdom, then the rest of the perfections would be like a practice done by a blind person, meaning emphasizing that it would not have much results. So in our normal worldly, what we call, for example, taking generosity as an example, in a worldly sense, generosity is not really practiced with much wisdom because it is as according to, like, Svetsan saying that teaching say that catching a fish to to give it to a hungry dog. So on one hand, you’re feeding a hungry dog, which needs food. And so, of course, that’s an act of generosity. But on other hand, you’ve harmed another sentient being by killing the fish.

So, you know, when we engage in generous activities like that where we are, you know, seemingly being kind and nice with one, but if that brings harm to others, then it’s not been a wise wise practice. It must have a wise because it’s not been a wise generosity. So therefore, practicing generosity with wisdom is a for example, is where we engage in generosity, which does not bring harm to other sentient beings. Yeah? What does not bring bring harm to other sentient beings being totally benefiting.

So therefore, using the wisdom in order of having the skillful means to benefit others. That Mr. Lugashkar, I think, example, the he saw maybe in the West that somebody catching a fish. So I think that’s a liberated fish. That’s a good part.

But they give the dog to feed the dog. That’s the benefit of the dog, but they hunt the fish. So that’s, you know, blind charity, lack of wisdom. So the just one thing from before the morality that so the earning means we’re leaving at the center should be unstained by the wrong livelihood. And so I mentioned some of illegal things.

And then the material possession of the center should not be misused and taken care of. So that’s the part of the practice of morality from the Sixth Parliament, practice of morality. However, I’d like to now conclude by emphasizing again that, you know, practicing in the centers doing service in the centers can definitely be combined with practice is a practice. And and what practice means, it means having the right motivation, a good motivation. So if you have the right motivation and develop the good motivation and then practice in accordance to the Dharma, that is practice.

That will be the practice of Dharma. So therefore, again, like, you’re still mentioning that practicing Dharma doesn’t necessarily mean all this having to sit inside a room and in front of the text or reading it or or meditating. You know? There’s many ways of practicing the Dharma, and that how it becomes a practice Dharma is dependent on the motivation and an actual means of doing it. And so therefore, the practice in engaging in the centers works.

As mentioned earlier, it’s definitely as mentioned now, it might you know, whatever way that I would explain is that can combine with the six perfections. So therefore, just like to, you know, encourage people to, you know, please, you know, consider your service as a practice of Dharma, and don’t become discouraged and, you you know, we’ll hold properly. Try to engage in in in your, you know, great services. And so, also, as mentioned earlier, which maybe I forgot to translate, is that whatever I mentioned here, which may come may not seem very useful or doesn’t seem appropriate, you can, you know, leave that aside. But if anything has been, you know, useful for for for your mind or for, you know, for yourself, then you can try to use that.

Keep that. So I think so that’s something earlier out is which Krishna was mentioning earlier is that the the the service, what you said, what we’re doing in the center is a means and ways for benefiting the Dharma. Therefore, also, that point of view, you know, definitely one must one can see that one’s act one service is definitely a direct way of benefiting the teachings to expand and to to remain longer in this world, benefit more than means. And so finally, it’s already proved that conclude by making a dedication and that that may all the merits that has been accumulated by everyone who’s come here taking a great effort to contribute for for these meetings. May may may may the need that they may the the discussions and meetings become fruitful, bring much success, and to be able to expand the organization and to to benefit, you know, to maybe able to, And, also, then I have to, you know, make particular request to to please please live long and to benefit the students.

And from, you know, and then individual request from the center of the trade center is to please come back again and again more often so that, you know, because there’s a tendency that sometimes students, like, forget forget the lama. So that that’s So you remember that Ab Chen had the idea to liberate one hundred thousand animals to dedicate to the long life of our kind One hundred. Father. Oh, then one million? Yeah.

One million. So then he collected What happened? Money for two hundred thousand animal. And now he received the message from Fred, the animal liberator, that he found a benefactor and need liberated today. He just finished to liberate one million animals for the long life of our spiritual father.

Please rejoice. What about the First of all, I wanted to thank Geshe la Yeltsin very much because Ten years to be a distant teacher. That a qualified teacher such as Geshe la can offer on subjects not just restricted to Dharma teachings. So thank you very much, Geshe la. And I think basically Geshe la gave a lot of the presentation that Roger and I had thought to do.

So thank you. Very helpful. So just briefly, as as indeed, Geshe Sanjeev also covered was just how important it is for us all to make a conscious effort to help new students to connect with the spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinche, and to help the experienced students to maintain their connection. So in the in the manual, there is some ideas and suggestions for that. Thank you.

And of course, as you see, a ten CPMT was one of the top suggest to help us to maintain our connection with Rinpoche and of course with one another. So we wanted in terms of teachers to just think a little bit about clarifying the relationships that we have. And I’m just just going to very briefly just mention a couple of points and explain what those points relate to. And then just to open it so that if people have questions or anxieties or, you know, points that you want to raise so we can discuss. So as you know, Lamsopp Rinpoche appoints the resident teacher for the center whether that is a Geshe or a non Tibetan teacher.

Rinpoche always appoints them. And then center services help that helps that to happen through our Geshe procedure of, like, you know, of with through the booklets and advice such as the orienting, a Geshe’s life in the FPMC center, and through help from the center director to begin to establish a strong and healthy relationship with the Geshe or the resident teacher. So that really covers the relationship between Rinpoche, resident teachers and centers, and of course, resident teachers and international office. So we have the FPMT Geshe agreement which is of course in English and in Tibetan. And we also have the FPMT resident teacher agreement which is almost the same but of course refers to teachers who are not Geshees.

And just to just to make a point that the conditions conditions of the money that is actually mentioned in those agreements, I don’t think we’ve increased their suggested pocket money for Twenty years. Twenty I’m not too embarrassed. So we we I’m not I suppose I could just take an you know, we could just up it, but I know that every center makes a big effort to offer more than that basic minimum. But just so that you’re aware that it really is a basic minimum. The relationship between oh, between FPMT and other teachers.

So when you at your think any question that one might have. Just to just briefly reiterate, the reason that FP and T has adopted what we call a policy about which teachers you centers can invite is because in the past, we’ve had situations where students have become very confused. Perhaps because a teacher has come who has his own organization and and then students have become confused as to well, you know, what’s the difference? Where should I be putting my energy? Can’t the two work together?

You know, I’m sure we have all, as we sort of get as we enter the dharma, have all had similar questions like that. And of course, also, we’re at KMT centers. You know, we have our spiritual director, Ansar Deshede, and we have increasingly fabulous education programs that are designed in the style of as the mission statement says, Lanayashi Lanto Grise. So that is our special product if you like. And so with the teacher policy, it’s also to help us to really maintain our unique focus.

Any and so if you’re ever unclear about who to invite, always please check with Mary in the education department. As a general rule, of course, any Geshe who is resident in an FP and T center is always wonderful to invite. So that’s just a basic a basic point. So I think that those were the the main points that I just wanted to touch on. Oh, thank you, Kimball.

And that’s right. As you all know, FPMT adopted an ethical policy about five years ago four or five years ago. And all center directors, all members of staff at the center, people who are in a sort of managerial position should sign the ethical policy. It’s also in Tibetan. I mean, it’s certainly something that your Geshe should be aware of.

And what Mary asked me to remind is that for the teachers who tour, you know, traveling teachers, say for example, their little Sarah, who are not based at one center. When they sign their ethical policy, Mary keeps a copy. So if you ever so just to let you know that if if you’re inviting a teacher such as Sarah, you don’t need to check whether she signed it. So that was just the point where Mary wants to meet. Thank you, Kendall.

And I’ll just briefly mention, if anyone has copyright is quite a complex issue that it is mentioned in all the agreements that I just mentioned. It’s mentioned in the Geshe agreement, in the resident teachers agreement, It’s mentioned in the interpreters agreement. And there is a description about it in I think it’s in the education chapter of the FPMT handbook and also in the organization chapter where it references the copyright for Rinpoche’s teachings and Ramayashi’s teachings. If anyone has any questions about that, you can always contact myself or Mary. But we just wanted to at least mention the word copyright as it is of course a big issue for well, it’s an important issue rather than a big issue.

And that’s right. And for this CPMT as you can see, as well as our valued teachers such as Rinpoche, but Lama Lunger, we have also invited, you know, venerable Sarah and venerable Dundra who, you know, might not have always been coming to meetings because they were not center directors. And we really would like to actually develop that more so that our key teachers including resident Geshe has become more involved in the organization as a whole. And so this is something that we were thinking to actually develop more for future CPMTs. So if there’s any comments or suggestions about that.

I think that is it. Yes. Yeah. That’s right. So and that that’s right.

So are there some questions or concerns about how it’s doing at your senses with teachers. I mean, I can into some as as I mean, to some extent, that’s been covered quite a lot because talked about that when So I so in case anyone didn’t hear Poloni’s question, essentially, it was when I think Poloni used the term teachers, but I think you really need Geshe. Yes. Yes. Yeah.

When Geshe’s come to the centers that it can be a big culture shock, How do we help the Geshees to become familiar with the culture that they are coming into? So I’m just gonna mention a couple of points, and then I think I’m gonna ask Namlundra actually to mention to sort of add to that please. Yes, we do still have the recommendation, a very strong recommendation that a new Geshe should be encouraged and we try to do that, the center services, to be encouraged to go to Copan for a couple of months to have an opportunity to sort of get some background exactly what Kolodo was talking about. And La Valendra helps with that. And in fact, Madrid Thank you very much.

That’s a super question. Jose Carlos asked, is there any way in which your center Geshe can receive support from another Geshe? Thank you. That’s a it helps me a lot, that question. That’s a Good idea.

That’s a good idea. So first of all, as those of you with Geshe’s know, there certainly is a Geshe network. And you We Geshe Solemn and Geltson very kindly hosted the second FPMT Geshe conference here at Maitreya Institute two years ago. And so that is one of the ways in which we sort of try to do that. And what we’re hoping to do is that when we have the next FPMT education conference is actually to make that combined with the Geshe conference because of course, the Geshe needs to be involved in an education conference but also of course carve out some time for the Geshe’s to talk specifically about issues relevant for them particularly.

The other thing that we have done that has worked particularly well when we had Geshe Sherab, resident at the office, was that he became very reluctantly, I might say. But but he did a fabulous job of being of sort of pioneering a Geshe coordinator role whereby he would try to speak with Geshe, you know, if if any of them had concerns. And it meant that any Geshe who felt uncomfortable could talk could call Geshe Sherab and just ask, you know, and ask him and then he and I could discuss it. You know, he could tell me if something that that we were trying to do was was totally wrong or just, you know, it was very very helpful. So at the moment, Geluk of Kadampa Center has, you know, kindly said he would continue that tradition.

So he is currently our Geshe coordinator. And so so that is the other thing that we’ve we’ve done. We did send I did send an email to all the Geshe to let them know of that change that Geshe Gullet had taken over with his phone number and so on. So that’s very important for us to do. Thank you.

Roger, you had a point. I remember Wangeshi explaining to me what it was like to come to the west when he didn’t speak the language and was new to the culture. And so he learned about the western world basically basically through the eyes of his translator, one translator. So in the beginning, the translator is they tend to be quite objective. But after a while, you tend to get the view of the translator being passed on to the Geshe.

You know? Like, Western world, it’s his view, the translator’s view. And if the translator is relatively new to the organization, then that also complicate matters. So the point is that I think as soon as I mean, sooner than possible, he doesn’t feel that the cultural attraction is the, you know, like, one of the main biggest problems for for for the transition and and for the benefit for the teacher for the Keshi to ask for the center. I think that there’s actually two other main points which have to be taken into a big consideration.

The first point is that from the Keshi side, there’s, like, two points or how should we say two kind of conditions that are necessary. The first condition, which is from the Keshi side, Keshi’s own side, is that the Keshi who’s about to who’s been invited and who’s about to come to a to center, a PMP center, they they themselves must sort of have have that attitude that they’re coming they’re going to a center and a Buddhist center under the f f and g organization in order to expand expound the teachings and to in order to preserve Mahāyāna teachings and expound the teaching, that should be, of course, you know, their main motivation. And and rather than having an attitude that, you know, it would be a good means to collect funds and money. Yes. So if that I mean, I’m saying this very kind of a directly because if the main sort of attitude from the Geshe is that, you know, it’ll be good means in ways to get funds for the monastery or for whatever reasons, then when money becomes the main objective or, you know, connecting, know, some funds or so becomes the main objective, then that definitely brings about difficulties and misunderstandings and problems.

That, you know, definitely is the case. So having having mentioned the first important what the condition the point about that that is needed from the Geshe’s own side, which is that having the main attitude the teaching, benefit the students, you know, by with the teachings. So far, I feel that amongst the cases that I know for the organization, I feel that, you know, definitely they they appear to definitely be, you know, with that motivation. Of course, it’s hard to know what’s inside, but from an appearance, not appearance, I feel that they all have that sort of general that they have that as a main attitude to benefit the teaching and so forth. Now from the next main point is probably from the center side, I think I feel it’s important and and very crucial to have respect for the Geshe and not have sort of, like, an attitude that the Geshe is sort of just here as a teacher and and but, you know, not that, you know, like, as she was mentioning, like, for some points, like, you know, from the, you know, Tibetan culture doesn’t need to eat much or whatever.

And, you know, it’s it’s something sort of, like, feeling have a little neglected sort of attitude towards the Geshe. That that would be discouraging for the Geshe because if the Geshe has come with it, attitude to benefit and serve and to benefit the students in the in the center, then it’s sort of if the Geshe begins to feel that there’s an attitude that the case is sort of like not respected much or has been a little bit, like, neglected, then that’s sort like that could saddened the case’s mind. Of course, from my from my side, I feel like, you know, it was for me, was even difficult to sit on a throne in the beginning, but nevertheless, I was told that, you know, you have to sit on a throne because that’s, you know, the the most that that’s, you know, how you best to present the teachings. And so once you place the teacher on the throne, then giving the sort of, like, aspect placing the teacher on the throne, showing it as showing an attitude of, like, any ordinary person, other ordinary person, where they have to kinda, like, all take care of themselves.

That’s that’s sort of like is, you know, maybe not the right attitude. Patient that mentions that there’s could be you know, he could tell another long story, but, you know, that was this may not have right time. He mentioned something, but I think there’s a Tibetan saying of how if you you know, the there’s an animal musk deer. So if you the the the musk is in a precious, you know, like, object that, you know, people capture it. And then they when they get the musk, one, they have to, you know, kill the animal.

So in order to receive that precious objects of of which they people are using trade and so forth and, you know, get a special out of money, taking that precious thing away, then it sort of, like, destroys the the mascot itself. So that sort of that sort of you know, that that would be, like, in a similar thing if if if the teachings are received and then the the teachings are the benefit of the teachings are are are received from the Geshe, but then Geshe itself is neglected little bit, then So these things are just the so the mask is always treated very precious. But the deer, from where the mask comes, left out, you know, all deer laying down, it’s not not taking care well. But but the mask comes from there, it takes, you know, so precious. So they teach him confront Geji, you know, that very precious, but Geji itself is not taken care of or not respected.

So Kichler was saying that, you know, when he came, he was offered to sit on prom. But actually, was in the heart, recognition is like sitting on the physically sitting on the but recognition from the side of center of people sitting on the, I guess, sitting on the chair. So in the heart. So I was emphasizing the response from the center side. So even the guests that come from all over India with great, say, inspirational, you see, especially aptitude to benefit the symptoms being, you know, so then so but get treated.

So the center side, unable to take care, get treated well, see it, no respect. So that doesn’t look good. So the center side is to take care and to respect. And in the agreement, in the Geshe agreement actually, it is part of the center’s responsibility to thank you, Keng, to help the Geshe at least once in that three year period, but hopefully, maybe once every year to help the Geshe with his responsibilities back at his monastery by doing some form of fundraising event Maybe well, since someone’s waiting to do something. I can just do a few sentences myself So I’ve been in a situation living with Geshe’s, and I feel that I mean, of course, Geshe mentioned the main points already.

You know? So I find that actually those Geshe’s who I I feel that that that is inevitable, you know, like that cleared where when they get to the first Geshe first is invited to the west. The shock is something which is inevitable. You know, it’s like, you can do so much preparation, but still, there always be some culture shock because it’s totally different environment and a totally different, you know, culture. So I think but to help that process, I think it’s very necessary, very important.

And as for yeah. I think the when they when they when there’s sort of a good relationship with the the staff and with the students Yeah. By checking on more often and like that, then We had a big when I was director of January London, we had a big discussion about this. And we were trying to compare it to the west where a student goes to university and now in England they take a loan to go to university and have to spend quite a lot of their life paying that loan back. And we were saying actually that in some ways that’s quite similar to the situation where the Geshes have a tremendous obligation to give back the education that they received and very understandable pain if they are pulled in two different ways.

They are encouraged to go and teach in the West and therefore they are not able to pay the loan back. And we thought about how to encourage generosity in the eastern style. So making an offering when you went to see the teacher making offerings of special events, running sponsorship schemes amongst some things. But we actually came down after much discussion on the other side and the board of the centers stated that they would aspire to be able to pay the Geshe a similar amount because it was a university professor or teacher. I mean, partly in accommodation and things like that, but also actually in money.

And we’ve not got that far yet. You know, we’ve not got to that point, but the idea was to try giving the Geshe not just pocket money but an amount of money that he could definitely save from, then it would be his choice about how he spent that money in terms of supporting his students or supporting his family or The other thing I just wanted to mention was that everybody’s made good points. So I just wanted to remind directors that, you you know, Rinpoche already makes lot of offerings to the monasteries, not just Sarah, but Sera Jeane in particular, including the food fund, which that’s the last twelve years been giving every day lunch, dinner, and for three months of the year breakfast. So that that’s quite a that’s quite an offering. That’s what FDMT is contributing to the Sera Je Monastery.

Right? That’s covering the food. So, for example, the teachers in Sera Je, I think, extremely appreciate all that because, otherwise, the, you know, the students do go up to the teachers in monasteries for help. And so this that’s quite a that’s quite an offering. It’s quite a support to the teachers within Sera Je.

But so when directors are thinking about how they can help, it’s not like we’re not doing anything. We are doing a lot. There’s also teachers fund that goes right across not just the three great monasteries, but also three other monasteries, Gyumet, Yuta, and Tashilumpa. Tashilumpa. Right?

So there there’s more than more than one hundred of the main teachers within the Lama Sankata tradition every month get an allowance from FDMT. I mean, this is from FDMT’s. Rinkshay takes responsibility, but Rinkshay considered this is this is FDMT’s offering. So so when I think the main thing is that when Akechi comes to a center that, you know, if any fundraising or support is needed from the center, then it it really is important that the center director and the Geshean discuss and work it out together and not sort of leaving the Geshean in isolation or not knowing what he can or can’t do, and then he ends up maybe doing it sort of on without the center committee knowing. And so difficulties occur that way.

So just following on from. Has been in the west for about ten years or so. And originally, we had, you know, small month sponsorship. The photos came out. And over the years, it’s been clear that Geshe la has got a lot of responsibility and more and more monks come out of Tibet to his kamtsen.

Although, you know, actually I was thinking from this conference I’ll go back and just highlight what FPMT does. But what we’ve been able to do in Geshe la because he has students up and down the eastern seaboard, not just Curacula, is, you know, support Geshe la’s come to Yeah. And build new buildings. But, also, I think Geshe la gets a little bit of pressure from the monastery, maybe from some of his peers. Actually, I’m unclear.

But over the years, there’s been things like, well, I’ve been asked to sponsor the cushions for the new temple or the recent one is this incredible amazingly beautiful throne for his holiness. And in the last two years, and this might sound a little shocking or I I think we should rejoice, is that through the Kurukula books, so in other words this is very integrated way of relating and everyone knows what’s happening with the money and it’s through Kurukula books, is that we’ve sent eighty thousand dollars over for a variety of projects. In fact, what it seems to have done is create a tremendous amount of harmony between Geshe la and the students and this incredible connection with his kamsen and Kurukula. Although Nick and I have often had discussions about so much money going over, actually in one way it seems that there’s just been tremendous benefit but I do plan to go back and just highlight again how FP and T helps and also some of the points that Mamalundra have made and then all the FP and T needs. So I just need to figure out how to integrate that with the support we give.

Thank you. So this a discussion that we could obviously do at great length because there’s many, many topics that I know come up in centers and we scratched the surface. But we need to finish. What I just wanted to briefly introduce is that the centers with Geshe, we’ve been working on a discussion document for long term Geshe care which of course is another quite big issue facing us as your Geshe gets older thinking about retirement and so on. And also some more sort of help with a sort of checklist both from the center side and from the Geshe side when it comes towards the end of of your Geshe’s agreement.

So please check-in with me and I will happily give you copies. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. So before we break the lunch, just a few announcements. It was a suggestion that it would be very nice if we could sign this thank you card and make donations for all the volunteers from RITERIA Institute for all of their help this week and also make a donation to the institute to say thank you for their very enlightened activity in making this event possible.

So there’ll be an envelope with that opportunity up here at the table. Please make sure you fill out your evaluations on the office and turn those into Amy or myself. For people interested in learning the Lama Choco tunes, the long life Lama Choco tunes. Venerable Michael will be receiving training from Lama Lindrip. Is that while Rinpoche is doing the preparation this evening?

I think that’s the only time. I don’t know if this is Yeah. So when Rinkshay is doing the preparation for the tarot initiation later this afternoon, that’ll be in room. So if there’s a a few people that would be very interested in learning the proper tunes to do the Lama Chopa Actually, we need back up, so some sangha or whatever. So some sangha, especially for backup.

It’s general Michael loses his voice. Does a request for that to be taped, please? Yes. Yes. Yes.

A strong request that can be taped, please. So maybe just we’ll try to we’ll arrange it. Just come see me. And, also, if you have not paid yet for your education materials that you got from the table, if you could also come up during the break, Mary will be here with an envelope. There’s just a few items that are left back on the table.

I’d love to have an empty suitcase to go home with. So please take a look at the few things that are back there. That one. Yeah. That one’s done.

That one’s done. And tomorrow morning, very early, I guess, we need volunteers to help make flower garlands for the long life pooja. I’m not sure where they’re supposed to be. Oh, they’re made. Oh, so after the initiation tonight, they need help putting the long life garlands for the long life.

When they’re Anyway okay? Hey, Mary.