Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 108-minute discourse on the fourteen-point Lojong mind-training text, Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches the three difficult challenges of subduing afflictions: remembering antidotes, temporarily overcoming negative emotions, and completely eradicating their root. He emphasizes that recognizing the exact nature of each delusion—anger, attachment, jealousy—is the essential first step, illustrated with personal anecdotes about mistaken assumptions in monastic life and relationships. Rinpoche walks through practical methods: establishing mindfulness and introspection as daily armor for body, speech, and mind; making morning commitments and supplementing practice with torma offerings to dharma protectors; understanding that external help (consultation, prayer) provides only temporary comfort unless paired with internal analysis. The core teaching: unless you look into your own mind, identify the specific delusion, understand its causes and conditions, and apply the appropriate remedy through meditation and habituation, dharma practice remains superficial and liberation impossible. Addressed to practitioners already engaged with Lamrim or Lojong teachings.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 14 Lojong.mp3
UUID: 2f116897-9fe8-4ff6-b979-42f2b98fa289
Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 3
Collection: Mind Training (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 3)
Date: 1990 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 107.6 minutes
Words: ~12,714
Thank you. So so in order to make this very session most meaningful as a practice of Mahāyāna Mahāyāna practice to actualize fully enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings by eradicating the entire defilements. So in order to actualize that, then need to learn about the stages of the path, the entire aspect of the antidotes, so that one can able to apply the appropriate attitude to the different stages of development, then there’s a possibility for us to actualize fully enlightenment. For that reason, today all of us here to listen to the Lojong mind training, the teaching of the seven point mind training with the commentary, the seven point mind training. Thank you.
So I hope everybody had a great, what, great week? Great week. Okay. Week.. Week. Okay.
So today, I would like to follow, yeah, from the last stop, which is page hundred and twenty four. So from the the entire aspect of learning Dharma, you know, entire knowledge that you have learned from the Lamrim, from philosophical teachings, both from Sūtra and Tantra, you know, so whatever the understanding, the knowledge you have, all summarize in the in the all summarize for the this this this very three purpose, which we’re to discuss now, you know, know, the the from the twenty-two precepts, the number six precept, training in the three difficult challenges. So entire, knowledge that you have, that one have to bring into the understanding and, you know, the training, the understanding, you know, how to in how to actualize these three three great challenges, which is one of the three kind of three main three main tool of practice which can able to purify entire aspect of karma, delusion, defilement, and which has the ability to actualize entire stages of the path and to actualize fully enlightenment. So we we have to put extra effort for us to understand this. Even in our day to day life, whatever aspect of sufferings, mental sufferings, physical sufferings, whatever, know, sense, you know, discomfort, you know.
So again, you know, these three teachings, if one have an understanding of these three teachings, then one can able to, you know, overcome all those difficulties and suffering, then one can able to live a life, happy mind, healthy life, and at the same time, one can able to continue the healthy, heavy, virtue, life after life by engaging into the stages of the practice in these three points. So here in the text it says train in the three difficult challenges. When eliminating the afflictions, in the beginning it can be difficult to remember the antidotes. In the middle, it can be difficult to overcome the afflictions, and at the end, it can be difficult to eradicate continuum of the afflictions. Therefore, make sure you accomplish these three without great difficulty.
To train, first thing in the morning, on the armor with respect to all three doors. When the affliction actually arises, recall their antidotes, counter them, then cultivate the resolve. From here on, I shall never allow the affliction to arise in my mind. So the three three challenges three, you know, three difficult challenges or yeah, three difficult challenges. So in the in the commentary here stated, you know, is the first one is the to remember the antidote, you The first challenge is to remember the antidote.
Then second is to overcome the affliction in the temporarily by applying the antidote. Thirdly, eradicate completely by applying the antidote. So in another way, so the purpose of the purpose of, you know, putting in this manner is to show that how important for us to learn the Dharma, for for how important for us to learn the antidote, which is Buddha’s teaching, which is the two awakening minds, bodhicitta and emptiness. And also therefore, in the commentary, they put first difficulty for us to tame is to understand the antidote, to have the knowledge on the antidote. But in practical level, in our day to day life, practical level, the first challenge is to recognize the delusion in our practice level.
So this is mainly like if you want to study, first you should study the knowledge of the antidotes, what different stages of the path, different stages of the Buddha’s teachings which can apply to different stages or different afflictions or different difficulties you know. But in practical level then first is to first a challenge is to recognise our own delusion, recognise the delusion. The second challenge is to purify temporarily by applying antidote And thirdly, is to eradicate completely including the root of that particular delusions. So that’s how it goes. So here, the commitment as well as the teachings from the mind training teaching advise us to accomplish all these three important challenges to actualize in our mental continuum Whenever we have difficulty, can be able to apply these three practices without much difficulty.
That’s the advice. In order for us to tame our mental attitude to engage into these three practices is the first thing in the morning when we wake up, you know, we should start the preliminary stage for us to be able to success in these three practices. So then the advice here is in the morning, put on the armor with respect to all three doors. So put on the armor, put on protection to our body, speech and mind. Three stages refer to our body, speech and mind.
Stages refer to our body, speech and mind. Armor refer to protection. Armor is, like you can say, like, coat, you know, and this armor is not talking about the army armor, the military armor. So this armor we are talking about the two mental attitude. One is called the mindfulness and one is called introspection one is called mindfulness one is called introspection so Armor here refer to these two things you know so introspection the mental attitude which called introspection, play a big role to protect us, to protect our body, speech, and mind, guard our body, speech and mind from failing these three important practices.
Then, the mental attitude of mindfulness has again played a big role to guard our body, speech and mind from failing these three challenges practice. So from early morning when we wake up, we should put on our armor of mindfulness and introspection to guard our three doors or three gates which is body, speech and mind. So when the affliction actually arises, they recall their antidotes. The affliction, the problem arises, the emotion, negative emotions arises, then immediately recall using the mindfulness. First is, when the affliction actually arises, our introspection mind, the doorguard, the introspection mind have to play the major role when the affliction comes into our mind.
Introspection is like, what was it? What do call it? The the the police go without the the uniform? Police police go without? Plain clothes.
Yeah. What? Secret inspector. No? Undercover.
No. No. Undercover. Or maybe undercover also. You know, the police without uniform then but they they are on duty or without uniform?
In case. Plainclothes. Plainclothes. Oh, so anyway, so the introspection’s job is exactly like that. It’s it’s similar to that.
So introspection is the morning when we wake up, we should dedicate one portion of our thought, one portion of our mind, even though the rest of our mind is busy with our work, family, all sort of difficulties, but one portion of mind make very clear to always inspect, always watch, always guard our body, speech and mind, know, guarding not to let into negative emotions or negative actions, you know. The one of the mind always, you know, always, know, always watch whether any negative thought arises or not. You know, and if negative if any negative thought arises, then report to the headquarter, which is mindfulness. Report to the headquarter. Tell the mindfulness, oh, be careful, be more vigilant, be more alert, be more vigilant because there’s a cause and condition for yourself to raise anger is coming in.
So be mindful, be more vigilant of your mindfulness. So then the moment introspection reports the mindfulness, then mindfulness will be full alert, or then make sure, never let one’s mind to arise in anger. So then one portion of mind which is introspection, watch our speech, know, always make sure that whenever we communicate with people make sure that the wrong speech, negative speech don’t speak out, you always. If about or speak out, then tell the mindfulness, oh be careful, something triggering to say wrong things, so you know asking mindfulness to be more careful, more alert. Then physical body, the mindfulness always watch our body, body’s action make sure that do not cause any negative action, which is harmful action to others.
So then the moment, you know, suddenly, you know, we’re eating chocolate and forget everything and, you know, hand like that, and suddenly we bang people, you know. So the introspection will even take care of that. You are eating chocolate but don’t don’t simply restless your hand. You know, it’s it’s hitting people away, be careful. You know, so then mindfulness immediately bring hand in a proper manner, something like that.
So here, when we wake up early morning, we should tell ourselves, you know, that there’s no such kind of solid thing to put a portion, Just tell ourselves, you know, wholeheartedly, tell ourselves sincerely, wholeheartedly, you know, make sure do not commit any negative action from your body, speech and mind, So therefore I’m letting myself, means I’m letting my mind to watch carefully on my body, speech and mind, and that mind introspection. And be mindful, whatever action you do from body, and mind, be mindful. You should be mindful, so telling yourself that one portion of mind is going to be especially be mindful, especially be mindful. So telling yourself from the early morning, it helps in our daily life to be more cautious, to be more careful about engaging in negative actions. So that’s how it works.
So then from here on, I shall never allow the affliction to arise in my mind. So then whenever, you know, there’s opportunity, we always should make a supplication prayer. Make a supplication prayer. So then here, sometime you offer like say water bottle offering or candle offering, then that time you make the supplication. From this very on, this very on can be right after you you get angry or this very on can be when you are calm you know that the time that when you are praying it could be in the morning it could be when you are calm it could be when you are disturbed whatever but use the opportunity while offering candle, then express.
I shall never allow the affliction to arise in my mind. Should express, should say, should say, make supplication. Then there’s also, you know, we went through the path classes, there’s one section, make torma offering to the Dharma palas, Dharma protectors, and Dakas and Dakinis, you know, because Dharma Protectors and Dakas and Dakinis are the manifestation of the Buddha’s to come to protect the Dharma practitioners to protect you know Dharma practitioners from engaging into negative actions and to assist Dharma practitioners to bring the conducive condition to enhance the practice. So for that reason, and in Lojong teaching, there’s one section to make torma offering. torma offering means make a ritual cake, or you can use fruit or you know.
The best is the the the cake or the the the dough which contains three whites and three sweets, and if possible, add some blessing herbs such as Om Mani Padme Hum pill, such as nectar pill or Om Mani Padme Hum pill. If not just fruit like apples, orange, you offer on the altar And if you have any, like, a dharma protector that you you you you’ve been praying, you’ve been you’ve been asking help such as, like, Hayagrīva, Palden Lhamo, you know, Mahākāla, you know, like that, you know. If you are if you are if that is part of your daily practice, then you can you you can offer when you offer the torma offering, then you express, you chant, you know, you express from your heart, I shall never allow the affliction arises in my mind, you know, you should actually express. So that again helps for us to gain blessing in our mind to gain a protection, you know, coming negative, afflictive emotion into our mind, so like that. So so like when you you can also offer black tea black tea, you know, you know, those who those who can, you know, those who understand, like, the offering black tea well carefully, mean, have a knowledge on why we offer black tea, then actually, you know, the red wine, you know, the wine, the red color, also your offer, because it’s essence of, what you call, fruits or essence of, what you call, the grains, then it’s in the color could be very red color, you know, very very red color.
So then you offer. You offer but if if you don’t if you don’t have a, you know, understanding the knowledge, the meaning why we need to offer such thing, then better not just offer black tea. You know, the the tea that would be drink make boil very darker. The darker the better. You know?
So then you offer a cup, one cup. You know? So then again, this application. From here on. Shall never allow the affliction arises in my mind.
So that helps for us to accomplish the three difficult challenges. So we need external such kind of help in order for us to accomplish these three difficult challenges. So in our Dharma practice, if we fail these three difficult challenges, almost no hope for enlightenment, no hope for enlightenment. Whatever we practice Dharma, it’s more like a superficial level. It won’t bring to liberation if we don’t engage these three difficult challenges, if we fail to practice these three difficult challenges.
Whatever aspect of Dharma practice is superficial. It won’t bring realization. So therefore in our day to day life, even though we learn so much, even though we practice try to practice very hard, we give a lot of time for Dharma practice, but we always encounter you know the disturbance in our mind, encounter disturbance in our mind, Always encounter, you know, the negative emotions even in relation to outer factors, the physical factors. You know, when the weather get hot, when we don’t when there’s no air con, we start to get upset. You know, that’s the outer factor.
It causes for us to arise this negative emotion. You know, so when we don’t get food in time, you know, we get upset, we get anger, you know, and we, you see, so then when when when we meet somebody that to whom that you feel you feel uncomfortable, you you feel upset, you feel you feel this disturbance, know, so you see, also an outer factor brings the negative emotion or negative afflictive emotion. See, even that that we cannot secure, we cannot we cannot we cannot protect, we cannot at least recognize that affliction, which is first, and secondly, at least we cannot suppress, at least like dominate, at least purify for temporary, and at least like, how to say, at least suppress for temporary by knowing that delusion is wrong. You know, our practice is nothing. We really fail to practice.
You know, if our purpose is really to gain liberation, to gain Buddhahood, to gain stages of realization in the path, we fail. You is it so important? How many scriptures that you have memorized? You know, how many, you know, the teachings that you you you know, your wisdom understands, you know, you learned, and how many times of retreats or whatever, but as long as you fail to guard your body, speech and mind entering from negative afflictive emotions, that means the weight of our Dharma practice is not there. You see?
So if we are true practitioner, we have to practice this. But if we are practicing or learning Dharma as an academic level, as like a school, normal school, then of course you can become a scholar by knowing so much knowledge, but that will never bring liberation. They will never able to help to bring sustainable peace and happiness in our mind. That we’re never able to lessen our suffering, mental suffering. When we experience mental suffering, that causes physical suffering, and that causes degeneration of our physical health.
When our mind is very happy, when our mind is totally happy, somehow whatever food you eat, it’s kind of like, it’s okay. You know how fatty you are, you’re perfect, you’re okay. How thin you are, like it’s just a bone left, you are healthy, you’re you’re totally okay. Because, you know, the mind disturbs so much, then that, you know, like, brings so much toxin into our physical body, you know. Then whatever we eat is supposed to be medicine, but it become a accumulation of toxins.
An accumulation of toxins. You know? So I like that. You see? Okay.
In fact, introspection, you know, the the vigilant, the forceful introspection supposed to report to mindfulness even before getting yourself in the emotional, negative emotion, the disturbance. The moment that something is like triggering, some sign appear that introspection should know, should understand. So then report to the mindfulness, then mindfulness can be able to overcome your mental attitude, can be able to overcome that negative emotion to experience within your mind. Once already the emotion is already intra, means your mind is experiencing, that means the introspection and mindfulness both failed. The only thing is you kind of remind mindfulness introspection later, that be more careful after, you know, be more careful later time.
But for that particular story, I mean the section of story, the mindfulness instruction in fact fail to do the duty. So now here the answer for your question, to tame the mindfulness and introspection is to practice ethics. One of the one of the very helpful is to practice ethics, practice vows. You know, be be ethical. Then another word is like to to to put to observe vows, means to to take vows.
You know? So at least take refuge vows, that there will refuge vows. So take refuge vows, not not just mainly go through the ceremony, but to practice the vow. It means, but observe the vow, practice the vow. So refuge vow just, you know, Once you take refuge, at least we have to practice not to do any harmful actions towards others.
We have to guard our body, spirit and mind engaging into any harmful actions of body, spirit and mind to yourself and to others. Know and by taking refuge vow it bring the practice in you to enhance your virtuous act of body, speech and mind. So even just by that already we can able to be more mindful. You see? Then five precept vows, Buddhist vows, tantric vows, then ordination vows, different stages of ordination vows, you know, including taking a one-day precept.
You know, like when we when we take a one-day precept and that day is like you are like it naturally enhance your mindfulness, naturally enhance your introspection. Means you always make sure that you don’t at least day when you take a one-day precept be very careful not to fail the vows. So the mind which always watch vows is introspection. The mind which hold the vows is the mindfulness. Mind which always watch not to fail the vows is introspection.
So just by taking the vows, it’s already, you know, naturally it enhances. So the more you be serious on the vows, that naturally helps to strengthen the introspection mind and mindfulness mind. And of course, you know, the meditation trainings. The introspection mind is more in relation to analytical meditation. Mindfulness mind more towards the single pointed meditation.
So the more you train in single pointed concentration, that helps to strengthen your mindfulness. The more you do analytical practices, the analytical thing on the disadvantage of the negative karma and advantage of the Buddha’s teachings, advices, are analytical meditation and that helps for our mind to be very aware of getting influence of negative emotions. So you see, so the analytical meditation helps for us to strengthen our introspection mind. Single pointed meditation helps to strengthen our mindfulness mind. So okay, so now I would like to go back, to the text, before I go back to the beginning of this passage.
Here it says So here, it says recall the antidotes. Recall the antidotes. When the affliction actually arises, recall the antidotes. Recall the antidotes referring to the first challenges which is to be knowledgeable, to be aware of, to what do you call the, how to say, to have a mindfulness as well as knowledge on the antidotes, which is the first challenge. The counter them means to recognize the delusion and apply that antidote.
Counter them referring to the second challenges. And cultivate the resolve that refers to the, apply the antidote and eradicate completely. So this is the explanation. Yeah. The first first challenges.
The first one. Then counter them. There’s one word called counter them. That refers to recognizing the delusions, then apply the antidote, then purify temporarily. Then after that it says, and cultivate the resolve.
So that refers to the, apply the antidote and eradicate, means purify completely. Okay. So now here. So this is, so so now the practical level in our day to day life. First is recognize our delusion.
So, you know, so that’s a bit different, isn’t it? In a textual level, first is to learn the antidote. Second is counter temporarily. Thirdly, purify completely. But practical level, in our day to day life practice, we to know these three things.
First, recognize the delusion. Secondly, counter them or temporarily pacify them. Thirdly, to eradicate completely. So so entire negative karma, entire stage of the defilements, we have to use this three thing. You know?
We have to use this three thing. You know? So now here, let’s say anger. We have to recognize our delusion. We have to recognize we have a we all have a problem with anger.
You know, it’s we know it’s very bad, you know, that lead us into disaster. So now, we have to recognize that anger, which is the first challenge, we have to recognize that anger. So now here, now we discuss how to recognize the anger. So now this is practical, how to recognize the anger. So if we can able to have the understanding of at least one delusion, one example then rest we can you know apply.
Rest take as an example. So how to recognize our anger? Any suggestions? How to recognize our anger? How to recognize our anger?
Before you rise to compassion? No. Now now here. Now now is to recognize means right now we don’t have anger. Yeah.
We don’t have we all don’t have anger. Yeah. Very peaceful. But anger is inside the the the the moisture which can arise anger is inside there. Inside there.
The only thing is that the condition is not arise. The condition arise, you know. So you see, so like that. So so so but anger have to purify now. Anger have to purify now.
Even before anger arise we have to purify the anger. But in order to purify that anger, not that anger, in order to purify anger which is the delusion which within us existing there, we need to recognize it, we need to know, we need to know who that anger really is. You know, so we need to recognize it in short. So how to recognize it? So if we cannot do that, impossible.
Impossible. How much knowledge we have? How much merit we have? Impossible to rid of anger. Impossible.
So same to rest of the delusions, rest of the problems in our life, entire problem in our life, we knowing exactly, we call in the Buddhist teaching it says, first recognize the negation, then only apply the antidote and negate it. Without recognizing the negation, there’s no opportunity, there’s no way you can ever do eradicate the negation. So it’s exactly referring to that. So I give some examples. Recognize anger Which is actually all the time within us.
But, you know, when you’re now think carefully, you see how tricky it is. We we we don’t have a like, oh, anger is this this this this. We don’t have such. So when anger arise, confuse. You know, when anger comes, when when something comes to to get make us angry, we totally confuse.
We thought that is good. We thought that is power. You know, we thought when the moment anger some some people, they purposely let angry because it’s powerful so that you can you can achieve your work. Bang the table so that you can have you will listen to me. You know?
It’s so confusing. It’s so, you know, it so so this emotion cheat us. You know? So tricky. So you see?
So now think carefully. Within within us, I have so much anger. You know? I I myself have so much anger. Almost like most of time, I live a life with anger, but I still don’t know what anger exactly is.
I’m sure all of you may be lesser than me, but I’m sure you have, maybe unless you already achieved that, whatever. So recognize our anger. This is one of very difficult delusions, one of very disturbing delusions in our life, you know. This delusion is terrible. It destroys everything.
I mean, we don’t even have to understand destroy the eons merit, which is the Buddha teaching said. Even in our life, the moment arise anger, finish. You know, you spoil the day, you spoil everything. You know, anger spoil the relationship. You know, anger fail in business agreements.
You know, anger fails in leadership. Anger fails in your own happiness, your own peace of mind. Anger fails to bring happiness to other. So what that anger really is? Feeling of ego.
Feeling of So now here. Because if we want to I I really don’t know. You know, if you really want to purify the anger, we really have to know exactly what anger is. Because you know there’s so many attachment there, ignoring is different there, anger is different there, then there’s you know jealousy is different there, You know, like all the ten non virtues, you know, different different different section. You know, so the so you see so it’s a is that how?
So that’s that’s the whole reason why we’re still here. You know, we learn so much, you know, like, we we learn so many teachings, teachings and teachings, you know. I say I complete this retreat, I complete this thousands thousand mantra, I complete, you know, I will say I complete five treatises of Buddha’s teaching. Poor thing, I really don’t know what really anger is. You see?
Because of that, every day I suffer. Every day it torture me. You know? It’s always in me, yet I don’t know. Always in me, so how tricky it is.
I think we are quite familiar with wisdom realizing emptiness. We say what is wisdom realizing? At we have some spontaneous to say, you know? Oh, that got inner existence. Put anger in.
So you see? So here, asking us, this challenge is very, big challenge. But without these three challenge actualizing, not possible. Not possible. Okay.
For us to do homework, to to really know anger. You know what really anger is? How it look like? If we want to draw a picture that we can able to draw like this, exactly like this, or we want to scan, you can scan exactly the same, you know, exactly, you know, you know like that you see so if you want to if you want to identify we say oh this is anger this is not anger like we can able to identify so so we have to you know sort of anger then another problem is attachment Attachment. Even attachment to guru.
Terrible. You know? Your your attachment to guru, you know, like we have. I have also. I thought it’s a good thing, but it’s it’s definitely wrong thing.
It’s a delusion. I have attachment to my guru. It’s wrong. It’s a delusion. I thought it’s good.
I thought being so close to you, you know. Oh, you Buddha, you are Dharma, you you you are Sangha, you are everything, you know, you are my lord, you are this and that. But end up actually I’m practicing attachment to my guru. You see? So you see how to differentiate attachment.
What is really attachment is, you know, even to guru, you know, even to guru, the the the object, the person or whoever, let’s say guru or whatever, like a human being guru, We’re supposed to, you know, eliminate your attachment, but somehow, you know, teach teach teach teach until becomes so close, until you have attachment to me. Then how? You know? So so attachment, you know, is is just a just a suggestion. Attachment to guru, when guru offends you or when when when when guru neglect you, when guru don’t do according with what you want, and when you get upset, that’s attachment.
It’s your relation to guru is attachment, not an inspiration. Inspiration is to see guru totally in Buddha, whether doing right or wrong for your own benefit is right, everything is right. That’s why it says in the teaching it says even Guru appear in the street as a street dog. The realization of Guru devotion which we learned the first chapter in Lamrim. In Lamrim the first chapter, the practice of Guru devotion, you know, it teaches even Guru happen to act like a street dog that if you can able to see still as a Buddha, then only you achieve first realization within the Lamrim stages of the path.
You know, we we always talk about emptiness, which is far. You know, if we don’t have a, you know, realization on the on the different stages, gradual, it’s not possible enlightenment, not possible rest of the realizations. You see? Yeah. See?
Like like me. Like like my my gurus, like, you know, I used to get upset. Frankly, you know? When when when I want Geshe-la to wear like this, if he wear like that, I get upset. You know?
I I I feel like he’s reflecting on me as being as an attendant. If you don’t wear properly, people will think that the attendant no good, you know? I have that kind of delusion, you know? You should wear properly, you know? He say, oh, he’s big big size.
I’m just a little boy. So you wear properly, then if you don’t, I get upset. I thought it’s a respect, it’s like care, it’s like Dharma, it’s a devotion, but it’s end up with attachment. My relation to him in this manner is attachment. It’s totally cause of saṃsāra.
Like like Lama Zopa Rinpoche when he came to LDC in the path years, you know, said that you have a, like, what do call it? You know, your health. You know, he has a health issue. So I said, tonight, you have to stop by eleven o’clock. You know, on be and I even say big mouth.
On behalf of all the students here, you must stop at eleven o’clock. So you say, okay. Okay. But even one o’clock or two o’clock, never stopping. So so you you start to get upset.
You start to get upset. You know? You know? I’m doing this for your benefit, but you don’t understand. You know?
You are a so called Buddha. You know? You are sitting and listening to Dharma teaching from me, you know? At the same time fishing. But then at the same time, too much delusion.
You know? I’m I’m talking I’m I’m I’m saying this request for the benefit of rest of the students here, all very tired, then you go back home. Even have a dinner. And you have, you know, health problem, you know, you should rest and teach in time. You know?
I like that, you know? Oh, like that. You know, it’s a feeling, you know. So it’s so your thought is like, yeah, but you might feel this devotion, you know, like kind of like a respect, concern with the devotion. Whatever that you do for your guru, you have to do it with the concern of devotion.
You know, Guru devotion, the devotion. So the moment hurts your feeling, that shows its attachment. It disappoints you. The moment you feel the disappointment, that’s attachment. You see?
Unbelievable. Even with the guru, you know? Then sometimes even the statues. You You you put a statue for to to to you know, when somebody suddenly, you know, put a wet cloth to the face and the the the weight the the goal is to go, you get so upset. You’re almost like, okay.
Now this statue is very bad. Put aside. You know? You start to avoid the statue, you know, you start to feel so so bad about the statue, and of course, it’s it’s totally disturbed. So the holy object was supposed to be in so much inspiration, which is in the deep it’s supposed to be hosting holy object with devotion, but yet you’re hosting holy object with attachment.
The first day you buy with attachment because you like the material, because you like the art and you host it. You didn’t buy or you didn’t invite the statue as a Buddha. If you invited the statue as a Buddha, whatever aspect he turns in, you will still put in the center where it is. You rather might put even more more effort, more devotion. You say this is this is in in us, in our life.
Whether we want to talk philosophical word or not, this is the thing what we really need. This is exactly that we need because our purpose is we want to improve ourself, want to lessen our suffering, you know. I like that, you see. So in in the Lamrim, you know, and the devotion, the the guru devotion, you know, the devotion to to whatever, devotion to the three triple gem, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. You know?
So the devotion should be inspiration. The devotion is not with the attitude of desire, the attachment, the desire’s attachment. So then if you have desire attachment, then you know whenever something that doesn’t move according with what you want, it disturbs you. So then that itself is the that means that it’s not the problem in the object, the problem is within ourselves. The problem is that our devoting to triple gem is not correctly.
You know, and maybe we don’t know. Maybe we don’t know. We thought it’s a devotion but end up it’s attachment. But then now we know why is attachment because it disturbs your feeling, but it disturbs you, it arises delusion into you that means it’s a desire’s attachment towards triple gem. So same thing in our friendly relationship, you know, we should make a friend, we call the unconditional friend.
It’s similar. We can use this word, we don’t need to use a word called devotion. We can say unconditional friend, un expectation, I would say a friend with no expectation. Means you want to be friend with this person because you really want to bring some benefit to this person. And when this person disappoints you, that’s it, just fully stop and don’t bring to your emotion, it disturbs.
Whether it’s unconditional or not, it’s in oneself, it’s not in the object, outside. So same thing, in our life these are the things which make us so unhappy, so difficult. So this is in the teaching of recognizing our own delusion. You see? So it’s same thing.
Problems in our life. Relationship problem. We have to know exactly what is the relationship problem is. You know, where what exactly the problem is. If the boss both husband and wife sit there and discuss and try to learn about the exact problem, there is a chances to to to apply the second, the challenge, which is temporarily can subside.
Temporarily cool down. Then gradually, oh, you know, you can you can completely eliminate the the misunderstanding or problems. You can be so loving. You know? You know, this know, it is like that.
You see? So in relationship, same thing. And the suffering, you know, even like physical suffering also applies the same thing. When we have a sudden sickness, we have to know exactly what the sickness is. We have something discomfort in my hand, then I have to show the doctor, make sure that what exactly the problem is.
Once you diagnose the exact problem, then only give the medicine, subside the pain first, maybe painkiller subside, then gradually you give the right medicine, I mean, whatever. First it subside, then gradually completely, you know. It’s so relevant, isn’t But for me, I never this thing came into my mind until I see this teaching. My case, it didn’t came into my mind until I see this teaching. So now it makes sense why I’m still suffering here.
Why so much disturbance? Why so difficult to actualize Dharma practice? Why so difficult to succeed in Dharma practice? Why so difficult to lessen our suffering? It’s because of we never ever truly, sincerely, wholeheartedly think about these three things.
Okay. So that’s it. I talk only. Yeah. I have to be I have to make sure start to practice at least from tonight on.
Don’t talk only. I don’t know how to say, this is important, this is important, but I have to practice from tonight on if I really want some happiness. If I really want to, you know, like improve my Dharma practice, really have to start start this very on if really want. Yeah. So same thing.
If any any of us here, if really want to practice Dharma, yes. And this is the important part. Okay. Our homework is sorry. Anything.
Oh, they’re separated. Yeah. It’s Separated. Separate. But that that can be attachment also.
Know? You know, there’s a there’s a section that attachment of we have one of the suffering of what you call the specific suffering of a human being, which is attachment that thing that attachment to be separate no. Attachment towards thing that you you desire to achieve and attachment towards you are attached to. It’s very close, you know, but it’s exactly because we of course, it’s already helped so much for us to at least, you know, come up to come up to know the the aspect of anger until up to up to here also helps so much for us to for us to subside the anger or eliminate the anger. But I still, you know, like, not don’t have, like, a hundred percent, like, say, okay.
This is, of course you have to say the characteristic, yeah? You have to qualify the anger with the characteristic of the anger, the definition of anger. So it could be many pieces around, but then all those pieces can put together, then that’s called anger. Like once we have that kind of figure, then it’s quite good. What we were saying is it can be one of the major figure.
Maybe who knows that cover ninety nine percent, but I think it’s it’s we can live to to to think ourselves, and especially when we when we get angry or right after get angry or be about to get angry, then we we try to see what exactly the anger look like. So so is something is something is hiding? We we cannot say just it’s ignorant, you know, because ignorant again is a is a very big bigger bigger picture. You know, there’s anger itself has the characteristic. And they’re also angry.
Yes. But but in a in a Tibetan word, I think is kind of like a quite short word, you know, but then put into a is kind of like a like that. The action is sound like like this one. And it’s a it’s not a it’s a secondary mind. It’s it’s not the not the main mind.
It’s a secondary mind. Is like what’s it? We we cannot say anger. Now we are defining anger then you know, even literary translation is anger. But but but then is like very disturbed, but but then disturbed here, attachment also disturbed.
But it’s like the disturbed is like, oh, like that. Agitated. Mind the the secondary mind of agitation. The the secondary stage of mind which is in the aspect of agitation, but then yeah. So so so then now you have the agitation.
Now now we have to know exactly what is what really means agitation. Like that. So anyway, so then this comes the you know, discussed in the q and a earlier the nine different stages of the defilement. So that also is in the category of recognizing the delusion, Once we enter into the path, once enter into the ground, means once gain the highest realization directly, then we start to purify those obscurations to enlightenment in order to become Buddha. You need to eradicate, you need to purify the obscurations.
So that divide into nine different portions. Then we to understand, we have to learn the the character characteristic of the different portion of the defilements. You know? So to the Mahāyāna part, the defilement of the self-cherishing to phenomena, the obscuration to nirvana for the Hīnayāna practitioner, the self-grasping of the self. So then that also again divide into the stages of the different portions.
So then after understanding that negations or the defilements, then we we we divide the the antidote into, you know, the different different antidote to different labels. You know? So so like that. So even you say that it’s it’s it it’s emptiness, but emptiness each emptiness which which end it to each and different labels of department has a different characteristic and not just like emptiness like that no. So the most gross defilement, the antidote is emptiness but that emptiness had a special characteristic.
Then the subtle defilement antidote is emptiness, but that has again, it has its own special characteristic. So yeah. Correct. So like that. So, anyway, in short, if we want to if we want to eradicate the problem in our life, the first is to to to recognize the the the nature of the problem.
First is to recognize the the the characteristic of the problem in our day to day life. If any problem, if we want to rid of the problem, first thing, remember the teaching, first thing is to recognize characteristic or the picture of the the the problem. Once we are once we are once we know exactly the problem, what problem exactly is, then only possible to to purify. So now here, that makes sense now. If that is the the the valid way to eradicate the problem, then the problem come directly come to go in front of your altar, then asking to solve the problem, it doesn’t suit here.
You know, when in our life, in our day to day life, whenever we have a problem, we directly, you know, we don’t think at all what the problem is. It’s something is already disturbing. We never analyze what exactly is. First, we go to ask for prayer. As a Buddhist practitioner, we go and ask, can you pray for me?
You know, can you can you help me? You know, can you pray for me? So then after the lama say, sure. I will pray for you. After that, you think everything is solved.
You go back. So that here, according with this teaching, it makes now for us to understand that doesn’t solve the problem. That will not solve the problem. That will not solve the problem. You know?
So you see? It will comfort you. And by saying that all lama say, I will do prayer for you, it will comfort you, console you, but it will it will really, eradicate the problem or not, not. Because you you don’t know exactly the problem is, what the problem is. So if we really want to solve the problem when problem comes to our life, before running into temple, rather you sit down and think what exactly the problem is, how the problem exactly look like.
You know. So then when we think of problem, now here one of the ways to to see including the condition and causes which makes to arise the problem. It means entire picture you need to learn of the problem. As anger, not only understanding the characteristics of anger but also understanding the causes and conditions of the anger. What is the causes to make arises anger?
What are the conditions which make you get angry? So characteristic of anger itself, characteristic of the condition to arise anger, and the characteristic of the root cause of the anger. So once you have a whole picture of that, then the knowledge of the antidote, the knowledge of the Buddha’s teaching can able to apply and can able to rid of it. Otherwise, it’s impossible. So same thing, the problem, daily problem.
We all have our daily problems. You know, problem, physical, mental, all sort of problems. All sort of whatever is disturbing you, all the problem. So all those problems, before getting external help, first we have to look into ourselves. What is exactly causing this?
What is the condition? What is the cause? So once we understand the cause, so then we have to actualize the remedy to the cause. Once we understand the condition for that anger, we have to find a remedy to eliminate the condition of anger. Once we understand the characteristic of the anger itself, then apply the remedy, the antidote to eliminate the anger itself, then one can completely purify the anger.
Same thing to our other other other problems in our life. So so in the earlier classes, there’s a very straightforward, you know, logical teaching says look into ourselves. Look into ourselves. Not in external label and not in outer label and not in other. Look into ourselves.
So if we really want to solve the problem, look into ourselves. In the four hundred stanzas and also in the emptiness teachings of the great Indian pandits in many scripture stated, know, when we arise anger when we arise anger, we see the cause of anger is in that person, in in in external, the other person or the enemy. Arise anger just because of things are not turning right by arising anger, we get upset or anger towards our physical forms or towards even the even the mug. Once, you know, the water here, I want to drink water, if it cannot open, the super glue there, like that, like that, get angry. So I get angry to the muck.
I get angry to the mug, maybe including the super glue or whatever glue it is. You know, I get angry. You see? So I see the cause of anger is actually in external level. It’s there.
You know? So you see. So so then also in in the Śāntideva Buddhist way of life, also is, you know, the the the the section where it teaches us to eliminate the anger is for us to see the causes of let’s say, if the anger caused by external factor like other person to you, you know, don’t get angry. Don’t get upset or angry to the person. In fact, the person caused to anger to cause harm to you is because of the negative emotion or the delusion in him is the one that causing causing him to, you know, act in a negative way to to hurt you or harm you.
So therefore, it’s wrong for you to get upset or wrong for you to get angry to the person. Rather, if you really want to get upset or angry, to get upset angry to the delusion in that person. So it is like that. Then again, if you are still getting upset and anger, you already rid of anger and upset towards the person, but you are still getting upset and anger towards the delusion within that person, then again say no, it’s not because of the delusion delusion in that person cause you anger, because the delusion within you is the one who invite the cause of harm from this, this delusion to harm you, this delusion to initiate the person to harm you. The thing is the polluted karma, the polluted karma, the imprint within one’s mental continuum is the one who is receiving the harm from others.
So therefore here the root cause is the delusion within yourself, not in external factor, not in others, it’s within you. So therefore, if you want to purify the anger and never to get harmed by others to cause you angry, is to purify the polluted karma within yourself. Means to purify the delusion, the anger itself, you know, it should purify the anger within yourself. That is the one that is the root cause, is the one that will cause to get angry. So that is the one that you purify.
So so so those various teaching, you know, teach, there’s no external factor which causes anger to yourself. You know? So So then again, so all the there is to blame, the blame all goes to within you, there’s no others, you know, so so so like that. But then this teaching helps. You know, it helps even in our ordinary life.
You know, we always make conclusion of not looking into ourselves. We always judge the external factor, external experiences. So because of that, then one can suffer and cause other suffering also. So whenever such causes of suffering arises in one’s life, if we are practicing Dharma then we look into ourselves. It is really how sure you are that disturbance is is definite.
How sure if somebody scold you, you know, if somebody say, if somebody say whatever, somebody somebody say say wrong thing, You know, somebody say whatever. Somebody say what’s that? We should say somebody say something, but then you and yourself, how to say it, think that somebody is actually is, you know, causing harm to yourself. Yeah. But then when you look carefully in our oneself, is that really mean causing yourself or is it just your own projection?
In many cases in our life, it’s our own mental projection. Our own mental make a conclusion that this person is really say this, this person is really not saying this, you know. You know, this this person is really, you know, the person over there about five hundred kilometers away, raising hand with a knife like this, like that. Then from here, you see, you know, that person wanna say that want to kill you, you know, want to kill you, you know, raising a knife towards you, you know, and you assume you make conclusion, and you hate, you you anger, you you disturb your emotion. But then the problem is not because of the person that the knife is like showing from the five hundred kilometers away from there, he even he even don’t see you are here.
You know, you are non existent for that person, but the thing is, you yourself, your own negative emotion make the conclusion to to to project that person moving knife is actually is moving knife towards you. We have exactly in our life we have like that. I have so much like that. In my own experience, have almost almost every aspect in my life is like that. You know, people you know, people people smile.
I think it’s, you know, people smiling at me. People cry, I think it’s a bit crying to me. People show a wrathful face, I feel all the person, you know, showing raffle to me. You know? When you walk on the street, hundreds of thousand people you feel like, you know?
Sometimes I wear lay clothes to go outside. You know, I I wear leg clothes. Don’t be shocked. Anyway, this dharma for kids, they I’m going to lay, I’m going to wear lay clothes also. And I feel entire human being is watching on me.
Entire, really. I I walk on on on the shopping shopping center, entire people. Then on top of that, I feel entire LDC people are there watching at me also. Because because I don’t want to show to you people that I’m wearing lay clothes. You know?
It’s almost like when I who is there watching me, you know, Karen and William is watching me. Everybody is watch everybody is like kind of like disciplined now watching at me, you know, every single corner. And sometimes even you flip on, you feel like you really saw, you know, who we there, you You really saw the person is like, you know, from the from the shopping center. It’s really then then then you look. You look into yourself.
I look into myself. Wow. The heartbeat is. It’s exactly it’s all your assumption. You assume, you know, your delusion is the one who assume.
There’s no none of LDC in in in Mid Valley Shopping Center on that day. All are very busy working. I know that. If I sit down and drink coffee and cool down and think, who is in the office? William is in the LDC office.
Everybody is alright except me hanging around. You see? Exactly. It’s your own delusion. Assume how much you suffer until your heartbeat, you collapse, you know?
There’s a danger of, like, your heart whatever heart. Exactly. It happens. So you’re here. It could be a funny story, you know, but looking into ourselves, we have this problem.
You know, we have this problem. I have this problem. You know, if this problem sharing with you, it helps you to solve the problem because it it helps me. It helps me. Don’t worry.
Even they are Buddha. Oh, Buddha. You know? Then once you see your mindset, even then then okay. One day I went in the mid valley working.
This this one of the this one, Daughter. The big one. Suji. So I was wearing a cap. I was wearing eyeglass.
So I was I want my my motivation is make sure that nobody recognize me. So I was walking. So she’s coming from there. I saw her. I think she also saw me.
Are you pretending? She was a pretending so I walked she was over but I can see her face start to turn more and more red the closer to getting to me face turning more and more red I’m sure maybe she also saw in my face. The closer I getting to her, maybe my face also turning red red red. Because because it’s a it’s a it’s it’s a delusion. Delusion, it is my own, what do you call it?
What do you call it? Ignorant assumption. Assume. Assume. You call assumption?
Assume. But in fact, my own face red reflect on her. Actually, she didn’t see me. She didn’t saw me. After she passed, I I I I said I I called her name.
I I I suddenly loudly, you know, so she heard. So she heard. She returned back. Oh, okay. Lama!
Yeah. And in fact, then only then only I look carefully, then only her face turned red, become redder. But actually, my own delusion, the the disturbance of my physical level reflect on her until I start to see her face is turning red. No wonder my face is turning red. You know, I didn’t look at the mirror.
I’m I’m sure I might be very red. You know? So you see? So I I reflect. But then I I I already made a a conclusion.
Oh, she already saw me, and she already turned the face red. You know, all sort of, you know, assumption, and this is just a very very interesting, nice story, but if that goes to wrong story, difficult stories, very suffering stories, disaster, we suffer like that. In Dharma, same thing. We assume. We assume that we are practicing correctly, but then entire precious human rebirth might be totally wasted that’s why we call the superficial label.
You know we we assume we are practicing practicing practicing. You know then sometimes it’s it’s a you know the real mind training not there, rather we become, like, more attached to, like, kind of rituals, you know, then the actual practice part of Lamrim is, like, like, is is not my type. You know, I rather like lot of excitement, like a lot of musics and a lot of, know, there’s a danger, you know, because we assume. And the assumption comes because we didn’t clear the ignorant mind. That’s why we need to study dharma, you know.
Because we didn’t clear the ignorant delusion mind, that’s why we assume like that. So you see, so this story will remind ourselves always. This story will remind you, definitely will remember. This one will definitely remember. You see?
So it’s a negative assumption, cause us so much suffering. I have a lot of consultation, relationship consultation. The wife assumes so many stories on the husband, you know, and don’t really know whether that is exact or not, and the husband assumes so many stories to the wife. Because of that they’re until separate, they’re until totally separate. Not only separation, many have a hatred, so much hatred until that you know one each other waiting to destroy each other, life like that.
I encounter such kind of patience, know. They really are waiting to like, if I see I will, you know, I will destroy him or destroy her like that. Know, so it’s it’s like total negative assumption. And this negative assumption can also relate to misunderstanding. And our misunderstanding is our emotional negative assume.
Then that go to deeper level, then the negative assumption on the self is non existent, but we assume and we hold and we grasp self independent existence, and that is the root cause, root cause of saṃsāra. So you see, the story is like very simple, today’s life story, very fancy. But now, go to the actual the problem is even our mental attitude, we are totally mislead by our one deluded ignorant mind that you know things are lack of inner existence but we have instinct grasping and clinging things that are inherently existing. So another is self grasping towards the self. Self independent is non existent, but we have a grasping on self independent existing.
Because of that, we serve the self grasping mind. Because self grasping mind’s main duty is to hold, main principle is to hold self existent on its own side, self independent existence. Because of that, the entire delusion arises, attachment, anger, hatred arises, you see? So like that. Then temporarily pacified.
At the moment in our day to day life, such as negative emotion like anger, we are not perfected in the antidote, the practice of patience. We have not gained the realization on patience. But what exactly patience means by understanding that and applying that antidote to our day to day life, whether we are calm, whether we are already getting angry, by applying the antidote, patient at least temporarily encounter. At least temporary. The moment you start to get angry, you start to think of the patient.
In order for you to have a heart to think of the patient, first you think of the disadvantage of getting angry, advantage of being patient. The moment you see the benefit of being patient, you adopt the mind of patient into your heart. Once you adopt the mind of patient into your heart, you will unable to eliminate completely, but you can able to encounter temporarily. You can encounter temporary. So that one is the second challenge.
The third challenge is now applying the antidote patient to subside the anger, you already encounter it temporarily, but now you need to encounter and eliminate it completely. So how to eliminate it completely? You need to gain spontaneous habituation in patient. Means patient is part of your mind, part of your attitude. You don’t have to apply any reason for you to have a patient.
Now you need to apply reason to have a patient. Say being patient in this life you will be very beautiful. Buddha said practicing patience, next lifetime you will be physically, verbally, mentally, you will be the most beautiful. Buddha said, this is not just comforting any of you, it’s really. Buddha said practicing patience brings the beauty, brings the beauty.
So this life, even though physically called labeled as ugly, but the practitioner or patient, everybody who sees you, they will be attracted to you because with respect, they will feel you are very beautiful. Next lifetime, by practicing patience physically, physically become very very beautiful. Your heart becomes very virtual, very beautiful. Your speech becomes very melodious, very virtual. So three are the result of practicing patience.
So by knowing that, by understanding the advantage of patience, immediately you adopt the patient. So now it’s like you have to think all these reasons for you to have the patient mind. But how to make it spontaneous? So you need to meditate constant meditation. So how to meditate?
Think patient Patient is has all the good qualities, know. Bring virtue, know. Bring peace. You know. Bring virtue, bring peace.
This life, next life. Know. And the first thing is eliminate the anger because if anger arises, it will destroy your own merit. Not only that, it looks very ugly, presently look very ugly. In future lifetime, we’re born very ugly rebirth because all merit destroy and sure we’re born into hell.
So the hell realm is the most ugly, most ugliest realm, most suffering realm. Is it so? All that. So something like that. So you meditate, now very calm, wow, patient is so good, very wonderful.
I will make sure never to let anger rise. And also one minute. So within that minute, somebody knock the door, or you start to get upset. Why? The patient is almost going off.
So you take a break, go and open the door, go back to your room, again sit down, again bring back the mind, the patient mind, and I can cultivate. That’s called habituation, that’s called meditation. Don’t have to sit meditation process. You can lie down, you can go on the bed, anyway. While watching TV, sometimes while watching TV you can do good meditation.
You own the TV, when something boring come, then you can go into meditation. You can last at the TV side there many many hours, but the TV is still on. You know? You say you watch? Here.
Yeah. Yeah. Mine habituate. You see? So then so then then today only one one hour you’re able to do the meditation, but it’s not enough.
So tomorrow again, the moment you wake up, you motivate as I mentioned here. I will never I will I I was from from now from this very morning on, I shall never allow the anger to arise in my mind. You know, then you go and do whatever offering, you go and clean the altar, and burn the whatever you do, whatever whatever you you do from morning, whatever good thing you do, you know, especially in relation to Buddha’s objects, you know, scriptures, know, I’m sure you might have an altar. So then make supplication. This one, this supplication made from this very on, never arise, anger in my mind.
Like that. So then after that, busy in the world, so whenever I get opportunity, I can do meditation. So you see, one day could be three days time, could be one week time, could be ten years later, could be maybe about thirty years later. Yes, if you continue constant meditation on that, you will be perfected in the practice of patience and you will be completely eradicate the anger, including the root means will never, anger will never come back. And even when you are not meditating on the patient, since the patient is becoming spontaneous, you don’t have to put any effort that is help as you gain the realization on the meditation of patience that’s the moment that you completely eradicate the anger.
Like that. So so so remember, yes, with the anger. Yeah. So antidote, remember the patient, you have to remember the patient, you have to know the characteristic of patient, you know, then you need to put even though at the beginning have difficult to remember the the the the practice of patient, but at least put some more effort, constant meditation, constant practice, one day it becomes spontaneous, then that can be able to eliminate the defilements, so like that. So then this is just one example that applies to all the different afflicting emotions disturbances our life.
So then, no need to see consultant, you know, no need to see anybody, you know, even you see people, it’s just comfort, just kind of like receiving some temporary comfort, and sometimes that will delay your practice. Once you receive temporary comfort, you think you’re okay, then you don’t put practice. Then that delay. If the comfort lived in your heart for one week, you wasted one week because anger will come back again. Rather, even how difficult, don’t need to go for a consultation.
Look into yourself, watch into yourself, and put some effort, and that can be able to eliminate completely, ever. Then it’s an ever liberation. Otherwise, you know, so that’s also one of the whole reason, you know, from the past, at the beginning, I see so many people. It’s like people’s time wasted, my time wasted, it doesn’t benefit. Benefits very little.
But at the same time I kind of feel good because many new people, you know, from there I can introduce Dharma, introduce mind training teaching, Lamrim teaching, you know, if those are sick, can say okay, first attend medicine Buddha Puja, then slowly you should learn the teaching. So it helps, it helps some way, those who are already in Dharma, I think not relevant. Consultation actually disturbs them, you know, seeing consultation actually disturbs them, because mostly never ask Dharma question, You know, never ask all the path and ground, how it works, know, this and that. Oh, I’ve been meditating this, then my emotion came this way, you know, then after that I try to apply this, you know, but somehow cannot handle, you know, then how? Then maybe it is quite okay.
But hardly such question. You know, it’s a daily, like, kind of, like, problem, but I understand why why, because it’s it’s really difficult time, but but what I’m saying is those who already learned dharma for many many many at least who you have heard Lamrim once, at least that you heard Lojong once, the best consultation is you consult yourself by looking into your own mind, you know. So that’s why that’s one of the reason I I make lesser consultation, But of course, very I mean, first time free thinker, you know, you know, just get into trouble. Okay. Then need to see.
I take that opportunity to to introduce them into dharma. And sometimes it happens, sometimes it turns out well. Sometimes then sometimes most of the time you most of time you come to see you is to to hear exactly what they want to hear, not not like you not you have said. You know? Until that you don’t say exactly what they want to hear, it never change, never satisfied.
Rather, I get scolding. You know? You know? And then then they never change. Let’s say that, oh, many cases, like, oh, I got a spirit harm.
And and and oh, I went to Taoist master all day and day, and he says, you know, there’s one tree at the at the at the northern corner shaking, you know, the spirit is there, you know. So it’s harming. So, Geshe la, you really see there’s a spirit. I I said, said, there’s no such a spirit. Very unhappy.
Disappointed. He’s really disappointed, you know. You can see from the face, you can see. Sometimes they express. Then they try to find every single way to make me to convince to say, yes, there is a spirit.
You know, find every single corner. Say this story, say that story, that. So sometimes I’ll be stubborn. Until the end, I don’t say. I mean, I I I shouldn’t say also.
You know? It’s since I didn’t see a spirit, I say maybe I have no idea. Since you are thousand master check, then they could be like that you you follow what he advise. Then why you come to me me? You know?
But if you come to me, for me, I don’t see any spirit. So you go back happily. So very disappointed. I go back with so much disappointment. Then again, try to find another chance to come and see.
Then ask, remember, Geshe la, last time I told you spiritually, really? Last night, stop, you know, stop me, pinch me here, you know? So I said, don’t say. Correct. Four time comes.
Six, seven times comes. Same person. Come on there. Okay. I give up.
Yes. There’s spirit. Go and handle. Thank you, Geshe la. Go.
Because it’s like exactly we want to he want to hear there is a spirit, so she feel good. Here. Go. So then the the third the third time, you know, actually, the spirit is still there, you know. It’s not going off.
You know? So it’s like that. You know? So so it’s a it’s a so exactly that. You know?
What do so then even, like, relationship problems. You know, if the if the you know, in many cases, if the wife come or the girlfriend or wife, whatever, you have to say the husband is or the boyfriend is definitely wrong. Until you don’t hear that, dissatisfied. He said the problem is inside you, you know. You you you know.
You change yourself. If you want happiness, you change yourself. So I apply some teachings, whatever, you know. Like that like that. Disagree.
Totally disagree. So cannot convince. Go back. Come back with actually ten or twenty reasons to convince me to say, yes, my husband or the boyfriend is definitely wrong. So sometimes because of I didn’t say it’s wrong, the wrong is within yourself, you change.
If you want happiness, you change yourself because I really don’t know whether your husband really did all those wrong things to you or not. You say so, but not hundred percent, maybe. But the problem is in your side there, you there. You know? So, but by your changing, maybe you can able to help the husband also.
Or rather, you both come, then I talk. But they don’t come together one after. When the husband come, hundred percent blame on the the wife. Hundred percent blame on the wife. Same attitude.
So so I said both come, both never come. Both together never come. You see? So then so sometimes people until I got a I got a a message that what’s it? Like, how can Geshe la, you know, like treat people like that?
You know? Like like like kind of somewhat threatening also, you know? Threaten. Let’s say. It’s let’s say.
So I got a threatened from both side. One side, threaten of what’s it? Introducing, let’s say, Dharma too much so that the the wife or the girlfriend attend Dharma teaching too much. It’s your problem. It’s my problem, you know.
Geshe la, your problem. Because you teach Dharma too much. That’s why they then there’s another problem is they say, oh, you told my wife that that I’m wrong. So you have to prove to me how I’m wrong. You know, it also happens, you know.
So it’s it’s very, very, very, very interesting, you know, also also there, you know, but I hardly have a consultation that asking the fact that dharma hardly have. So so so it’s it’s not here, but, you know, many outside, I’m not mean anybody here. So since we know dharma, you know, so it’s we say that we sleep this as a pillow. You know, we also take, you know, you know, we we take this as like a bread also. Because until we until we that you you tear out, you know, because you clip the page too many times.
Because this teaching is so beneficial until that you clip again, you clip ten times, twenty times, thirty times, until that, you know, the page is like like like like how you eat the bread, you know, a little bit little bit, you finish, you know. You treat your teaching also like a bread, like a pillow, you know, like a pillow, so like that. So that’s why when you look at many of the the pandits, you know, in their drawing pictures outside they have scriptures, most of them. Some are like in a container, kind of like a vase, but actually inside they got their own, like some are like mind training teachings, or Lamrim teachings, or any teachings, or all the Dharma teachings summarized notes themselves, and they carry everywhere. So that also shows how important, you know, that is the solution to help us, you know, to teaching always take with us.
If we have it in heart, of course we apply, if not, then at least to remind ourselves, you know, we bring the teaching, but this is too big, know, too thick, so very inconvenient, so you can summarize those teachings, read again and again, even though maybe not relevant for today’s life, maybe today’s problem, just read it, Maybe it will be an antidote for tomorrow’s problem so that at least that we can overcome the difficulties and we can be so happy all the time. Know? So like that, you see. Thank you. So our kind of homework is to recognize the anger, to recognize exactly those delusions, you know, especially any emotions come into our life, then we try to we try to identify, you know, what exactly it look like, and also what is the condition and what is the cause.
Those three things that we have to keep in mind. How the disturbing emotion exactly look like, and what is the condition it causes this, what is the root cause to cause this this disturbing emotion. So once you you recognize them, then after that then you can, find a antidote to, eliminate. Thank you. We will now recite the Mandala Offering and the dedication prayers page twenty four.
Thank you.