Mind Training — 15 Lojong

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

About this talk. In this 117-minute session on Lojong (Tibetan mind training), Lama Zopa Rinpoche explores the seventh precept: adopting the three principal conducive conditions for Dharma practice. He begins by emphasizing the paramount importance of finding and relying on a qualified spiritual teacher—one who is ethically perfect, intellectually superior in understanding Buddha’s teachings, and genuinely realized through experiential practice, not merely scholarly knowledge. Rinpoche warns against establishing a guru-disciple relationship carelessly or based on fame and followers, illustrating with the cautionary example of Devadatta, who attracted disciples away from Śākyamūni Buddha through showy displays. He then outlines how to properly investigate a teacher over time (even twelve years if necessary), and describes the nature of guru devotion as mentally merged with the guru while physically maintaining distance. The second and third conducive conditions involve cultivating faith and inspiration in the Dharma through reflection on precious human rebirth and its freedoms, combined with joyous effort—not forced effort—in practice. Rinpoche stresses that external conditions like food, shelter, and clothing are necessary for practitioners, and that Dharma practice transforms the mind, not external circumstances. He closes with teachings on Tonglen practice and generating bodhicitta toward those lacking conducive conditions. Intended for serious practitioners with some familiarity with Lamrim and mind-training teachings.

File metadata (for organising)

File: 15 Lojong.mp3

UUID: cab9bd3e-0e7a-43aa-bb05-78103d1b6616

Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 3

Collection: Mind Training (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 3)

Date: 1990 (exact day not recorded)

Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide

Duration: 117.4 minutes

Words: ~15,044

Thank you. Good afternoon. So have have we all recognized what really exactly anger is? Have you captured the picture of, what exactly how how exactly anger look like? How exactly the delusions look like?

I was unable to capture. I was unable to I was unable to see the true true face of the anger, the aspect of anger. So so I still need to put some more effort. Have you any of you able to k. On okay.

So, anyway, we follow from the text today. Now continue with the yesterday’s, you know, positive motivation. The purpose of of being here is to actualize the two awakening minds, which are the bodhicitta and emptiness, which is the sole cause to actualize fully enlightenment, which brings about the complete liberation within oneself as well as the complete liberation within others, all living being. So page one hundred and twenty four. So we are on the, number seven, the precept seven.

So here it says that adopt the adopt the three principal, conditions, adopt the three principal conditions. So in order to, you know, yesterday we discussed how important, how crucial in our Dharma practice, in our spiritual practice to engage in the practice of the three challenges we discussed yesterday. So in order to be able to success in the practice of these three challenges, then we need to adopt the three principle conditions. Again, these three principle conditions play a major role for us to not to fail the practice of the three challenges. The three challenges as we discussed yesterday.

First one is to recognize the delusion. Second is to eliminate the delusion temporarily by applying the antidote. Then thirdly, eradicate the delusion completely by applying the antidote. So then what are the three principal conditions? Here, number one, there should be a qualified spiritual teacher who possess the pith instruction and it is endowed with higher realizations.

The first condition is meet or to rely on the perfect, qualified, realized, Mahāyāna spiritual teacher. You know, perfect, qualified, realized Mahāyāna spiritual teacher. Perfect here refer to the very ethical, you know, the teacher should be very ethical, very honest, you know who has compassion, genuine compassion, who has kind and enthusiastic and have a great heart to help the student, great heart to enlighten the student, great heart to teach the student, great heart to bring along the student in the path of liberation. So it is perfect in moral conduct. Qualified.

Not just perfect in the moral conduct but have to be qualified. Have to be higher knowledge than one as a student to this teacher. One should have a higher knowledge. I would say the teacher should have a higher knowledge. Teacher should have the complete knowledge in the teachings of the entire aspect of the Buddha’s teaching.

The both Sūtra and Tantra, both Sūtra and Tantra and who has the qualification of the skillfulness which entire eighty four thousand teaching can able to merge into three principal aspects of path and can able to reveal to the student accordingly with mental capability of the different mental disposition of the students. Know, should have a skill through the knowledge, you know through the knowledge of himself you know trained or studied all those scriptures unmistakably and can able to reveal the teaching unmistakably you know. So kind, you know, what I say? What I say the third one? Realize.

Realize. So then the spiritual teacher is not sufficient just by being qualified, being a scholar, just by being a scholar but without any realization in the path, the teachings. You know, teaching what he or she reveals to the student which is the teachings on Three Principal Aspects of the path or you call it teaching on Lamrim you know or teaching on Sūtra Tantra you know not just having the qualification of you know, what is it, scholar, not just being a scholar but who have obtained the experience of those teachings within the mental continuum and who has obtained the taste of the teaching which is to experience the subduing of one’s own delusion and one have experienced the progress of virtues, progress of the path within the teacher’s mental continuum you know so that is the realize you know realize the teaching means habituated the teaching who have tested the teaching in an experiential level and who has obtained the benefit of the teaching within he or herself and who has obtained the benefit of purification of the defilements or delusions within he or herself you know so then that is called the realize so the teacher enlist you know there’s I mean there’s a there’s there’s there’s a stages different numbers specific, categorise the qualification of the teachers, but then all that summarises into these three different sections.

One is the, what is it? No. I forgot what I said. First one. What is it?

Perfect. Perfect, qualified and realized. You know? Yeah. So perfect, qualified and realized Mahāyāna teacher.

You know, so it’s Mahāyāna spiritual guide like this. Yep. So So then so the first conducive condition is for us to meet such kind of teacher, for us to meet such kind of gurus. You know, so here the teacher is a spiritual friend, we call the virtuous friend, which is referring to the guru, which is referring to know, not an academic teacher like that, it’s referring to the guru, to whom that you establish the special connection, to whom that you establish as a Guru disciple through the receiving commentaries, vows, initiations and, yes like that so first conducive conditions for us to find, such kind of, qualified teacher In order for us to accomplish the three challenges which is without no liberation, which is without no enlightenment, which is without, our Dharma practice will only become superficial, will never bring into realization of the path. So now how to go about to find such kind of teacher?

So then the one of the let’s say so then there’s many stories in the past, you know, valid stories in the past and many teachings expressed by the great pandits of the Indian and great Kadampas of the Tibet who have obtained a high realization in the past expressed that even if one takes twelve years even it takes twelve years to find the teacher who has this qualification. It’s worthwhile to analyze and find worthwhile to put effort to find such kind of guru, such kind of teacher even it takes twelve or even more years you know then at the same time it advised for us not to come a conclusion of establishing guru disciple relationship just in the superficial level or in the manner of excitement or in the manner of influence by fame and name and fame and name and influenced by the friends in order to come into a conclusion to establish your own special relationship, you as a the disciple student and that person as a guru, a spiritual guru or spiritual teacher. The advice is you shouldn’t do. Such thing happens instead of benefiting one’s spiritual gain such as the realization rather it might become an obstacle.

Might become an obstacle. Obstacle for your precious human rebirth to actualize the realization of path. If the teacher or the guru that you have a special relationship who do not possess unbroken lineage from the Guru Śākyamūni Buddha or from the Buddha’s You know the teacher, you establish a connection with the teacher, the teacher who do not possess the unbroken lineage. The teaching which he revealed in order to gain a realization within which disciple the teacher have to reveal a teaching which the teacher possess the unbroken lineage from he or her to the master, master to the master, master to the master until and after the Buddhas either such as Guru Śākyamūni Buddha, either such as Guru Mañjuśrī, either such as Guru Maitreya or either such as the teachings that which are received directly from the deities and Buddhas in their meditation. So the unbroken lineage referring to the unbroken up to the Buddha’s own, the teaching in Buddha’s own realization.

You know the gurus, the blessing not just a word but the blessing that you receive while receiving the teaching that have to be connected, have to be tied a knot. You to your guru, your guru to the guru’s guru, your guru to guru’s guru then to the Guru Śākyamūni or to the the Mañjuśrī or to Maitreya or whatever you know whatever Buddha so that whatever amount of practice that you you you you practice whatever amount of teaching that you receive and adopt into your day to day life practice, applying these three challenges, the three challenges that we discussed yesterday. Then that will able to eliminate the delusion and able to progress the realization in the path and one will able to liberate into enlightenment or in the liberation. So therefore again from this reason, it’s so important, so crucial for us to investigate, analyze the teacher before establishing the spiritual relationship with the teacher. You to analyze it.

That happens what I mentioned earlier then we think we are receiving the proper teaching but end up entire rest of your precious human rebirth is like, receive kind of very hollow, know, no no, what’s it, there’s no knot which can able to, you know, hook you or tie you up to the enlightenment. It’s like, you know, it’s it’s it’s halfway there’s there’s no halfway is is how to say the the knot, you know, halfway untie. So from here to here, who will bring? You know? You have to they have tried here and then then they’re able to bring to Buddha.

From here to this stage, no more. Your purpose is to become Buddha. But that lineage is just the knowledge he or she receive is from just one ordinary person and maybe must be very great scholar and know how to teach and talk and you feel good about this teaching and you listen and you establish you like the style of the teaching, you’re happy with this person and you say you are my guru but yet this person never have a kind of like a spiritual kind of connection, they continue from guru to the proper guru, guru to the proper guru until the enlightened one you know. So if such kind of case, such kind of like a teaching is bring to enlightenment then we don’t need guru. We don’t need a personal guru.

Today’s time all the books are so easy to read. Know so many audio tapes, so clear. You just listen, don’t have to come to center, listen teaching from a guru you know. Yeah. Guru there.

Guru there. You know? So much hardship, so much effort, time wasting. Now that you buy all the CDs, buy all the books, create your own library in your house, get all the CDs from ten direction, and listen and sit there. And enlightenment possible.

It’s not possible, in fact not possible because the lineage should be unbroken lineage and you need to receive the teaching orally. You know you know you know it’s not about the education it’s about the blessing it’s about the it’s about the blessing which is tied the spiritual the spiritual, what you call the, min, special link, the spiritual, yeah, spiritual spiritual link, spiritual, it’s like a wire, wire tied to your your own your own subconscious, your own heart, your own, say your own consciousness, your own consciousness means to you tie the spiritual link to the person who is you which carry out the imprint, carry out your designation from this life to next life, next life to life after life, life after life, you know who continues to progress through this teaching one day can become a Buddha. So that’s why I need know unbroken lineage And not only unbroken lineage, you need to receive, even though the teaching might be very tough, very difficult to understand, not sweet, not nice to hear, but you need to hear that, you need to practice that, without which you cannot obtain enlightenment. So the master, you know, who can reveal the the what you call the uncontaminated teaching.

Uncontaminated or you have to receive the teaching called not diluted teaching. Not diluted not, not modified teaching. I think that’s quite good isn’t it? Modified teaching and another word you can say pure teaching not modified not modified So today modern day is very dangerous. Know our expectation, students expectation is we want to hear something nice.

You know we want to hear something that you know, like, feel nice. We don’t really go for the for the for for, whether it’s proper or not, we don’t care much. We rather care how good a speaker he is and how how much that he can he can you know, under the teaching which bring a lot of, excitement, which a lot of fun. And you say, oh, teaching very good, know, you know, it’s so simple, know, easy to understand, you know, so fun, you know, or great teaching. Sometimes there are some of the lama, you know, they really, you know, don’t don’t don’t don’t know what is he speaking, they don’t know what he’s talking about.

I know one, two hour is like almost like totally wasted your time, you know. You didn’t didn’t understand even one single word. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Teaching very boring. Not good.

Not good teaching. Not good teacher, you know, because it didn’t impress you, because it didn’t impress us. So we make a conclusion it’s not impressive, not good teaching, you know. So we make such kind of conclusion, we make such kind of amends. You know?

We we make such kind of amends. So therefore therefore, we are therefore, again, in Lamrim, there is a section talk about the qualification of the students in Lamrim not only qualification of teacher qualification of students you know how to listen you know, etc. There’s many many qualifications. So you see, now we see how important we have to go through Lamrim, you know, you see, so here, you know, from the very, very, from the very, the initial qualification is like three way for listening to teaching, then there’s many different stages of how to be the qualified student, to listen proper teaching from qualified master. That since you have Lamrim classes, Lamrim DB class, so discovering Buddhist class, so that will go through very detail.

You know but here from the Lojong it will not go through that detail but Lojong main objective of Lojong is to give us straightforward tips straightforward tips, you know, so that’s why many lamas especially like His Holiness the Dalai Lama when he give Lojong teaching most of the time he combine Lojong text and there’s some other text. The one text which reveals very step by step stages of the path like a Lamrim, Lojong is like very straight forward practical, so combined conjoined, you are teaching. It is very complicated, You need to refer to here, then here, then you know, it’s very complicated but it’s like that. So now we are listening Lojong teaching, yet you are studying Lam Rim. So it’s exactly happening together.

So it helps, you see, so like that. So anyway, what do you call, No. I go here and there. I lost my point. No mindfulness.

Teachers. Yeah. So so so we cannot judge simply because you don’t you don’t understand the teaching. You can we cannot judge simply the teacher is no good because we don’t understand the teaching. Or we cannot judge the the the the teaching because of it’s it it doesn’t sound nice to you.

You know. So so so so then for for in order for us to clear this clear this this ignorant mind, then we have to even it takes twelve years, it’s worthwhile to, you know, analyze the teacher. It really takes twelve years you know you put some effort if you think that you have some kind of like inspiration on this teacher then even it takes twelve years and before you establish say, guru disciple. It’s worthwhile to check. Worthwhile to check.

So how to check? I will let you know later. So worthwhile to check. Know? So then I forget to remind me.

So then influenced by friends, we make a conclusion establishing our guru disciple based on fame and names, especially today’s time, very dangerous. It happens during Śākyamūni Buddha’s time also. You know, You know? He start to dislike Śākyamūni Buddha. I hope I said the right right name.

Yeah? Devadatta. Yeah? Devadatta. I said the right name.

Yeah. So, you know, he he he start to, like, kind of, like, dislike Śākyamūni Buddha because of Śākyamūni Buddha getting very famous. And he is like not so famous so he have a little follower and Śākyamūni Buddha has many followers so he start to establish his own new teachings. If Śākyamūni Buddha say goes east direction he will say make sure go west direction. If Buddha, know, those weak people, you know, asked to drink milk, so, you know, this, the Devadatta say, drink milk is sin.

You cannot drink milk. And then eat salt. Of course we normally eat salt. Śākyamūni Buddha eats salt so therefore it’s a mistake, negative karma. You know, we shouldn’t eat salt.

So this is just an example. So all the teachings, you know, and he himself tell to people and disciple that how powerful he is and he even show some miracles you know. Śākyamūni Buddha is so humble you know like a very ordinary you know the aspect is a very ordinary simple monk holding a begging bowl and go around, you know, and and and never reveal that how how how qualified he is, how good he is. He just give the correct teaching and whoever’s come is ripened. Whoever receives us teaching, give the correct teaching.

After that, I mean total free of unworthy concern. So Devadatta is overwhelmed with any worldly concern so you know so there’s many even Śākyamūni Buddha’s own disciples start to give up Śākyamūni Buddha and start to follow Devadatta because start to see my my guru is my teacher is like, you know, like, look like a baker, you know. You know, he’s, you know, wearing very simple robe and and, you know, so quiet and and just, you know, holding begging bowl And and even he teach, like, you know, very, like, like, wherever the being come out, right? And he just sit there and just teach. Not even need to organize a throne Throne, you know.

Not even need to organize a throne or not even need to decorate the hall. Not even need to do processions. Just whoever comes right then, he just be there and teach, reveal the correct Dharma teaching. You know? So Devadatta, oh, you know, oh, so much fame, you know, everybody talks about him, you know?

And, you know, his disciples are already, like, putting him somewhere, you know? So maybe I better follow Devadatta. I better establish my spiritual practice with Devadatta. Even Buddhist time also happened and today a lot. Today’s time.

So even Buddha’s time because of that delay their practice, delay their realization, delay their enlightenment. Even they meet Śākyamūni Buddha there but due to their own ignorance, you know how powerful the ignorance is due to their own ignorance they delay their realization you know. So today’s time, know, almost you even read newspaper today’s time that you can receive on newspaper so many wearing unbelievable hats, know, brocade hats and and the qualification is like really second Buddha is coming to, you know, Malaysia like that, you know, like really like, you know, and some people even say, I’m a second Buddha. Yes. And some some there’s one master even say that in this era, I’m the first Buddha.

You know? There there is I I hope you remember. There’s one state, I think not long ago, and even today’s time, I saw many people have these picture to put on the, you know? There’s no Śākyamūni Buddha picture, rather put his picture in the front and after that, worshiping, you know. So this is the the first Buddha of this era.

And in sudden sudden section, he even revealed that he’s a second Buddha. Second Buddha because he cannot convince he’s the first Buddha because he cannot he cannot burn all Śākyamūni Buddha’s teaching, you know. So he so then after that, he start to exchange, say, under second Buddha. Second Buddha and said emanation of Śākyamūni Buddha. It’s the second Buddha but emanation of Śākyamūni Buddha, you know.

So then again in the scriptures, those omniscient one, you know, those who obtained high realization, they they written down within this Shaji Moni Buddhas, within this era, what was it, within this five degenerated era, you know, who came to reveal from the thousand fortunate Buddha, Śākyamūni Buddha alone. You know, not even Maitreya, you know, not not even the other Buddhas. Know, Śākyamūni Buddha is is is the one chosen. You know, this historically, you prove that. And and philosophically, you prove that in every aspect.

But there is, you know, you hardly see that advertisement on Śākyamūni Buddha. You think you know when you look around we hardly see Śākyamūni Buddha’s advertisement. Even when we do advertisement we hardly put Śākyamūni Buddha’s picture to make advertisement. He is somebody who is really like, you know, like how Devadatta looked down on him, like exactly, you know. You know, when we pray, think carefully, even when we pray, we never think of Śākyamūni Buddha.

We either think of Tārā, either think of mostly we think of Zambhala or protectors. You know, we we we we in our daily meditation, honestly, forget about Śākyamūni Buddha. Honestly we forget about Śākyamūni Buddha. That’s the honest thing, you know. That’s the real thing happening.

Whether we like it or not. Is it? We we we forget, you know? Then, but we do refuge prayer every day. We never really think about Śākyamūni Buddha.

We do recite, but we hardly think, sit down and really think of his kindness and think of his teaching, I mean you know, of his kindness, think of his qualities, we hardly even when we recite refuge prayer, you know, the soul refuge is the one, you know, if we look into ourselves, that’s me. Could be maybe some of you, I don’t know. That’s me. You see? So that’s mistake.

That’s totally mistake. So choosing guru choosing teacher same thing when there’s a big advertisement waiting we make a conclusion very high lama very powerful lama because the epithet in the picture is so big. The reason is the epithet is very big. Oh, then over there, you know, we stated many many like like Śākyamūni Buddha only like want to express eighty eighty what do call qualities and the thirty two marks and eighty you know, minor marks. But then in today’s time we have more than one hundred marks, one hundred qualities that we can express and it happens.

It’s not much wrong of doing that, but the thing is since we are learning this teaching we cannot be the victim for that. We cannot be like because of that kind of like a loud voice or colorful you know pictures then we make a conclusion to establish and sometimes they have broken samaya on their gurus you know broken samaya on their gurus you know such as practicing you know these Shugden protectors know His Holiness the Dalai Lama always advise us it’s not because of his not giving freedom on on Dharma practice he’s telling us that he also try to practice that protector to analyse see whether it is object or refuge or not but then he himself experienced it is harmful that’s why he said that shouldn’t practice not good for you to practice so if you want to listen to me you shouldn’t listen but then at the same time there’s so many many lamas do practice practice that and especially for them to reach out to the public they make huge advertisements, a lot of a loud advertisement you know and those are like the second Buddhas, the first Buddha or whatever you know many many many advertisement and we make conclusion and we receive teaching.

I mean we establish Guru Disciple just listening lecture is okay but establishing Guru Disciple if we really want to stick to Lamrim then it obstructs us. It’s not because of being biased or stopping somebody to go to listen to their teaching. It’s none of your business. You can go and go, it doesn’t matter. The thing is it obstructs your spiritual development.

That’s why including Dalai Lama also advised us this is wrong, that is right. You know, he differentiate us what is right, what is wrong. So same thing here. In relation to this, this first condition, we have to be very careful. We have to be very careful to not to fall into such kind of trap because Dharma is too precious.

There’s so many inner external maras, obstacles attacking us. So if we really want to become Buddha then we have to be some kind of cautious, some kind of be careful. It’s just a form of advice that the mind training teaching is giving and Buddhadharma is teaching us. So then now how to check the teacher then? How to check the teacher?

So study the teacher. Study from that person. Treat him or her as a the respected lecturer. Yeah. Treat him as him or her as a respected lecturer like such in a normal school, in our ordinary school.

We must respect the teacher, isn’t it? In a school, we must respect the teacher. You know, whoever give knowledge to us, that’s that’s that’s the supreme we must respect but here is talking about establishing from your heart the the the spiritual stem saying, you know, disciple and guru, guru and disciple, you know, guru and disciple. Then how to establish guru and disciple? I have taught in the past classes.

It’s very complexity to establish that. So in a very short, in a very summarisement, the heart, with the motivation of wanting inspire or wanting to regard that person as one’s guru. And with that intention, and when the teacher is explaining the meaning of Om Mani Padme Hum, one syllable, or Om, one syllable we call the commentary means explanation then you receive then after you receive then you say okay I’ve received the spiritual guidance spiritual teachings from this person and who to whom now I establish as my Guru. So that is kind of like ceremony or you don’t call ceremony but that’s how you establish the vow or the regard of the Guru disciple. Another is with that kind of intention or motivation then receive initiation.

In that kind of motivation receive vows. In that kind of motivation receive initiation, commentaries, vows. vows. It’s already vows. Something like that.

So vows, commentaries, and initiations. You see? So with with that kind of attitude, then you establish. So now here, we don’t want to establish guru and disciple because I don’t know this person well, but I wish to learn. I wish to I wish to explore the dharma.

So like like, you come to me like this. I’m a lecturer here, so you want to, have some kind of input from my side, want to want to, maybe or say, want to want to maybe you you maybe you you see that I have one or two some new words to say, so you wish to learn that one or two new message, then come and regard as a lecturer and listen lecturer then listen listen listen listen maybe even takes twelve years if you if you you know if you cannot establish the guru disciple relationship then even for twelve years if it takes for twelve years, you learn from this person. Learn from this person. Then it can be one day after or it can be twelve years after or it can be thirty years after you really felt that whatever he or she teaches are absolutely correct and you also knew about he or her whatever knowledge that he or her has is is like received from that and that proper gurus, proper teachers, you know, which can trace up to Buddha called the lineage. Then, know, and who is providing teaching with such a you know the compassion, know in the total heart of wanting to help, to assist me as a student you know, know, to assist or help or has a full heart to liberate from Samsāra, you know, and the teaching whatever he conduct is totally out of outwardly concern not because I want fame that’s why I teach I give a command called teaching because I want praises that’s why I teach teaching because I want offering that’s why I teach teaching because I want to gather large number of students that’s why I teach you know so if that kind of concern if that kind of attitude motivation from the teacher’s conduct the Dharma teaching even though Dharma teaching even though it’s an initiation even though it’s commentary even though conduct vows that is I mean then totally mistake is a wrong teacher wrong teacher It is not right to regard that person as your guru.

But then time goes by, you realize that that teacher is totally out of, totally free from this only concern. It has so much compassion and kind to provide the knowledge which is really to liberate enlightenment, liberate from saṃsāra and who can trace the lineage. Okay, did I mention the three qualities before? All qualified. Know you’re one hundred percent convinced.

When you convince that is the day that you gain the day that you have a taste of Guru Devotion practice. Learning Dharma learning Dharma you know after learning you know some time in the Buddha’s teaching somehow you start to have a taste of the root of the teaching or the Guru devotion the taste is ah now even this Guru, you know, like the faith is so strong, the conviction is so strong in this Guru that even this Guru happened to act like a street dog, I can able to manage to still I can able to manage to devote this person as my Guru. I can able to keep his Dharma teaching into my heart and our practice. Know, since I already established trace the lineage is proper, kind and compassionate, but then one day guru become crazy because guru in ordinary form suddenly you know you want one of the knowers here break then it start to on the street you know become like a street dog. It might happen.

It happens many times. It might happen. So if that happens, oh, my guru supposed to be in the throne, on the throne. Well, papa, but today, you know, he he’s met met. He’s he’s, like, crazy.

You know? The nerve’s gone. We’re outside. Oh, I give up my guru. This is not my guru.

My guru is supposed to be papa sitting on the throne, you know, conducting puja, dharma, whatever, you know, like sitting papa like that, you know. You see, if you have a taste, if you if you if you have some kind of like a conviction and faith that even such can happen, my faith won’t check, my devotion won’t check, I will still can see him as a Buddha. Yes. So then if that kind of like kind of mind happen after meeting this lama even one day you can establish guru disciple relationship if that doesn’t happen even takes twelve years you should wait you shouldn’t rush you The teaching said you shouldn’t rush, even take twelve years, wait until you have the strong conviction and faith with the understanding of the qualities of the Guru. So you see, that’s how to check the teacher.

You got it? You got my message? Yeah, so it’s quite clear. Important is the root of the path. This is the root or the path.

If we get into mistake in this path, how much practices that you try to put into all will be no essence. No essence. No root how to gain fruit. That’s why in the teaching in the Lamrim we say the root of the path or we also can say foundation of the path or foundation of the enlightenment. Foundation of all the good qualities, the highest quality is enlightenment.

It says foundation of all the good qualities we call Lamrim. The first one is foundation of good quality is Guru devotion, the Guru. You know then the Guru should be qualified with that and you should establish the Guru Disciple relationship in that manner then then even Guru happen to even you have a chance to meet Guru only once ten years Guru happen to meet every once in ten years after you establish the spiritual relationship, either taking vow, initiation or teaching, then after that guru go away. Yeah. But but but but your conviction and faith and and and the blessing in that guru, even you don’t have a day to day life experience of Dharma, but it helps, but it still bring the enlightenment in you.

Know, because sometimes, you know, our gurus are, like, not available. They’re very busy. So then we start to think that I better choose a guru, somebody that who can talk face to face every day whenever I need. You know, that that kind of guru I should regard as my guru. But the guru that somebody so difficult to make appointment, no, I don’t want.

And even that can be a wrong decision. If the Guru, even you can see face to face every day, no qualification in that, you might receive some blessings, you might receive some knowledge, but your purpose of learning dharma is for enlightenment. Then again, you miss the point, you know? So so you see? So like that.

So therefore, you know, be careful with me, especially me. I’m like, I said guru, guru, guru, you know. Yeah. Guru. You know, if you really think guru, then say guru.

Otherwise, done. You know? Because because I have to be very honest. I have to be very honest. Otherwise, I otherwise, I will destroy entire your life.

Destroy entire your your precious human rebirth. I act like, you know, somebody like a teacher, you know, or then somebody say guru, I start to, like, you know, so it’s like arrogant, you know, I said, and then I have no quality, then you are totally misguided. I mean, how to say, even though I teach the right scripture but there are no other qualities you know so you know not to rush conclusion to regard as a guru rather check rather check until the day you then then yeah because I also sometimes hear you Geshe-la you’re my guru you know so it’s not an easy thing that part is very very very essential practice very very important you know very important to to to understand why I need to call you guru, why I establish why I I think you as a guru, you know. You see? The weather also agree.

So so like that. And so so so Twenty five or two. You know? So it’s it’s you know, like, in our relationship, it’s how fortunate for me to share, you whatever understanding that I may have, whatever blessings from my kind teachers, you know, how fortunate that I have a chance to share with with you all, you know, I I I care for you so much. I I you you are my dear brother sister, and I never think that I’m somebody like, well, you know, the teacher that what do we say here, teacher?

I never think that I’m that teacher. I’m just I’m just the best way to say is a discussion leader, you know, to to to help each other. You help me a lot. Because of you, I can at least think carefully what I’m saying. So at least help to train.

The mind training teaching actually trained me very much. It helps me so much. You know? So and I hope that you also, gain some helps, maybe receive some helps, you know? So like that.

So so it’s first good to regard as just a normal lecturer, as a Dharma brother and sister. Of course, I’m facing down and say, I’m a teacher, resident teacher here, you know, and maybe maybe for the benefit of some newcomers, maybe for you to show some respect to me, maybe it might help to to to to train a human human human being. When you show respect, this is my resident teacher, you know, like, respect, maybe it it might help for some newcomers for them to learn, what is called respect to the teachers. Other than that, guru disciple all these things, it’s a very serious matter because it’s all concerned of the realization. You have to be checked carefully, you know, check very, very carefully, you know.

So then like that, you know? So I’m I’m giving example with myself, you know. I’m I’m not much in a position to judge in other lamas or whatever, you know. Yes. I just say whatever the teaching say.

But in my case, you know, sometimes there’s a danger of myself also carry out, you know, in my mind, overwhelmed with any worry concern, then, you know, there’s a danger of like kind of I also accept, oh, yes, you are my disciple, you know. I’m your guru, you know? Or then somebody starts to, like, call me as a guru, respect as a guru, then just because of that person, then you start to follow the same track. It’s also not right. You yourself individually should analyze, check carefully, and you are really convinced and established.

Otherwise, just stay as a normal Tamil brother sister. It’s good. Then the bond between the teacher and you should be so close that no dog can come between. It’s a real that the spelling is dog, isn’t it? In Tibet, there’s so many dogs.

So, you know, sometimes, you know, the disciple is too closer than the puppy come in between. You see? So, here, a very important message. This this word, very important message. Heart with your guru emerge in one.

The advice from this word, heart, the closeness is you should. You just you just like, you just emerge emerge oneness. How close is like like be oneness with the guru? You know, the heart, your heart, your devotion, be oneness with your guru. You know?

Even even in the teaching, it says, even even, you know, whatever guru say, you know, be like obedient what? Obedient son. Obedient son. Yeah. Be like obedient son.

Just say yes, yes, and do wholeheartedly. Be obedient son who will never say no to your father. Just say yes, yes, okay, okay, yes, yes, but not just words, but do wholeheartedly. Then he says, even a guru asks you to jump from the seventh day story, in that case, you have to say yes. And then again, you see, again in Lamrim he says, you what’s it?

There’s one word. Means you let’s say as an example, if Guru asked you to jump from seventeenth story because you you imagine you just are like obedient son and your devotion is no doubt on him, you know, in in his compassion to you, in his ability to guide you. He will never throw you into a death, letting you jump from seventeen story. Yeah. But you also know yourself.

You know, you you you are not your your heart is not ready. You say, guru asked me to jump from seventeen story, but I really feel that I can afford to jump from thirty story, but not seventeen story. So then in Lamrim, he said, I don’t know how to use English word. You you you you say you explain through the word. You you express the word.

Is like like a fixed through word. It means you tell the word to guru that I scared. And I scared. Seventeen story, I I see I I totally devote to you. I really devote to you.

I mean it, but seventeen story a bit too much. Can I try first thirty thirty three story, thirty story, then then maybe gradually maybe a fourth, fifth, sixth, and maybe seventeen story? Can you can you, you know? You know? So if such thing happens, you can you can you can you can you there’s a there is a way to you know.

So that means whatever Guru asked you to do, good to do, but use your wisdom. We we need to use our wisdom also. You know, how you use them also then and there’s another thing then another thing is Why we need to use our wisdom? I Was it if we are totally hundred percent convinced see through the all the first three qualifications of the Guru, then yes, if he asks you to jump from seventeen story, are okay to jump. Because the Guru only Guru you already see in Buddha, The guru’s ability will never, know, bring harm to you.

You know? The guru sees that you can do it. That’s why the guru asks you to do, you know, in in that case. But in as an ordinary practitioner, we try our best to see these three qualities, see the qualities in the Guru, but yet you don’t have a high wisdom to see every single thing one hundred percent to one hundred percent see through. So because of that insurance, because of that reason as an insurance, use the advice from the Lamrim say that you express that, I will try first thirty story, then gradually I will try the seventy story like that.

From your heart, be close. Your heart is always one hundred percent devoted to the Guru. You know, emerge oneness with the Guru. Yeah? But Guru, no obstacles, no harm givers can able to interfere your relationship with the Guru.

It can be spirit, can be negative friends, or it can be your own delusion. Your own delusion because you start to see faults in the Guru and you start to comment on Guru, the Guru is wrong, then you start to distance the Guru. So docs refer to your own ignorant mind, your own delusion, negative friends, those other. You know, they’re referring to the the is is is the dog refer to that. No.

Not not a puppy dog. Yeah. So then it says that oh, I say, there’s oneness, you know, for the oneness of seeing guru in Buddha. Oneness seeing guru in Buddha, seeing guru in in in your liberator. You know, seeing guru as a liberator, you from entire aspect of Samsāra, delusion, defilement.

So if that’s so, your purpose, your understanding is that, then whenever you arise as delusion to your Guru, even like attachment, you you confuse with your devotion with attachment, desire attachment, then you should think this your own, delusion is reflecting, it’s not you need to purify that. You need to understand that it’s wrong, there’s mistake, and you need to put more effort to purify that either through learning Dharma, either through getting guidance, either through doing some purifications. Fact you should urgently do this practice to him. Because sometimes we start to have a desire desire desirous attachment to the Guru. Of course you devote, respect, you even see oneness with your own heart with the Guru.

But the thing is, whenever Guru, mistreat you, it it doesn’t mean mistreating you, but you start you see the Guru mistreating you, guru abandon you, guru like kind of like say like kind of like a very tough word to you, you know, then you start to feel disturbed, you start to feel angry, you start to feel depressed, start to feel offended. That means your devotion to that Guru is attachment devotion. Not the devotion which recommends from Lamrim. That devotion is a desire attachment, and that is wrong, and that is a mistake, and that is not supposed to have. And that only creates a cause for saṃsāra in relation to that Guru.

You know, even how much the service that you offer, you know, how much, you know, again in Lamrim we say, once you devote to Guru, you offer service, materially and, mentally. Spiritual practice, whatever spiritual practice you do, you offer to your Guru to please your Guru. Whatever material, positions also you offer, you know. So with attachment you offer, even your spiritual practice, even material, maybe like hundreds or hundreds or whatever whatever, millions, it’s all creation of samsaric cause, not for liberation. It’s that kind of attitude.

But when you offer to a Guru, seeing he is a Buddha, then with total unconditional label and no expectation of any kind of worldly concern from Guru to yourself offer. Let’s say that you offer very beautiful mala to your Guru, you know, maybe very expensive. You think that it’s it’s like you you you respect Guru so much and you felt that the mala is maybe more suitable to offer to him, so you offer. And when you offer, you say, please, please, please, you must keep for yourself. Please use it.

Please must use it. Never give to other. Yeah. After when you come out, the next person who went to see guru, the guru give to her. You know?

And most gurus are just like that. First come, second one, you know. You know? Then you are still hanging around here. Oh, my mala?

Actually, it’s guru’s mala, then you start saying my mala somehow? It’s through you? Then you start to have a lot of delusions. You even might have a danger of delusion arise with that person. You, you know, you go there and, you know, and and, you know, see my guru, you know, say all the sweet things then maybe guru give to you you know all the wrong things instead of rejoicing you know so that means you you are offering mala such expensive mala become a cause of Samsāra, not a cause of liberation.

You know, the one of the most powerful way to accumulate merit is to please the Guru to offer, you know, spiritually and and what you call the materially offer to guru, to please guru is one of the most powerful merit, way to accumulate merit from entire aspect of the the the practices to accumulate merit, you know, but but if with the desire’s attachment, gone. It become a fruitful cause for Samsāra. Fruitful cause. Is it so? Is it?

It’s like that. So we we we have to we have to we have to be so mindful. We have to be so mindful, you know. Milarepa, he said that I have no position, no external position to offer to my Guru Marpa. You he sang a song, you know, no external possessions to offer to my Guru Marpa, but I offer my, the practice of selflessness.

You know, offer to my it’s not exact word like that, but the the Milarepa’s song is this, you know, he is saying this, I offer the practice of selflessness to my guru. And that brings him for enlightenment within one lifetime. That accumulated three countless eons merit enlightenment, know, bring to enlightenment. Amazing, isn’t it? So these are the examples that we have to learn.

So sometimes it’s like become competition, you know? You know? Or you offer red mala, I must offer yellow mala. You know? So then after that, if guru only wear the yellow mala, didn’t wear the red mala, when when he was upset.

Yeah. I remember during the Kandro-la when Kandro-la visit, because I did the all the consultation translations I saw. I was watching. You know? So people have people offer all sorts of different things.

So, you know, people literally ask, you know, please wear now. You know, literally ask, please wear now. And she also wear. And she stay a few days in. Next day, she she she do wear.

Next day next next day, I think she came to the teaching, whatever. The person saw that she’s not wearing that what what what what he or she offered to her was quite disturbed herself and went up and tell Khadro-la, make sure wear her. You know, it happens. So it is totally wasted. Your effort, your offering is totally wasted.

Even how much pleas, happiness that bring into the object of your offering, but in your case, they totally wasted the effort. You see, and if really selflessly offer, the more you offer, the more better. You know, the more you offer, the more because you are selfless. You are totally surplus. If not, then again here we remember the teaching the best offering is to your practice, to Guru.

The best, the supreme offering to your Guru is the of selfless, practice of bodhicitta, practice of emptiness and practice of being a good person. Practice of listening the teaching. Not just listen, practice of practicing the teaching, whatever Guru teach to bring that into your life and to change your life according with the Guru taught. That’s the supreme practice. Then you can say, Om Ah Hung, you know, every time you practice you just Om Ah Hung offer to guru.

After that you just do mandala offering, know, whatever today, one minute, you know, I was like pissed and I got chance to meditate on bodhicitta you know, before anger right, immediately offer to guru. I offer you know, visualize guru, you know, I offer to guru. You know, then again whether to see whether that practice is true, pure practice or not, is to, you will know, if it’s not true practice, you start to think, I better report to Guru, know. I better report to tell, let him know that I did this practice for him. That means the delusion is coming.

Delusion is coming. It is not a full selflessness. There is some kind of worldly concern there. Because you tell Guru, maybe a Guru might smile at you, say thank you to you or say good good good, you know whatever, some expectation you know. So again, if we really want to practice pure, again that also danger of diluting.

So if you really want to report in the sense of again extra bonus accumulation of merit to please the Guru by chanting in his ear but with the sole understanding of selfless and go. Then say, Guru, I’ve completed this, this, this please you. May this please you so so like that you know so otherwise even even offer practice there’s a danger of delusion might might attack us, so yeah so like that so if we practice like this so purely oh then realization in the path is possible Otherwise, see, almost like so scary, so dangerous, you know, then that doesn’t mean that you don’t practice worse. Then there’s no improvement at all. So we are not bad, are trying our best, but we can be better.

We can even be better, you know, like that. So like that. You know, my guru, Lama Yeshe. I used to be I I was his attendant for many years. He used to do that.

You know, people come and see him. The first one, he offers something, isn’t it? The next one is the lucky one. You know, sometimes unlucky because, let’s say, first person offers so, you know, I mean very very marvelous things. When the second person comes, you just give to the second person, you know, for you.

When the second and then the second person comes, let’s say second person didn’t offer anything. The third person comes, nothing. And he has a habit of giving up ropes, let’s say he okay from this monastery, that monastery, that disciple offer ropes, offer ropes to him. So any sangha come, any sangha, doesn’t matter whoever sangha come, so he rap with the kata and really make a prayer, you know. I I don’t know what really prayer that he making, but I I assume maybe he is making prayer to this sangha to accomplish the vows means you know no interference obstacle for the vows, accomplish the vows and be able to remain a pure sangha, you know, maybe, I don’t know.

Know, prayer. So he he, you know, and then you knew they say, so you will put there, so whoever come, you don’t don’t don’t have to ask. You just, you know, make make, like, please accept it, you know, offer. Yeah. So so so, like so himself, he he he he don’t keep more than a two two set, one set and another set.

He don’t keep more than a two set. That’s his his his nature. You know, he he give, like that. So sometimes, you know, even these lamas, they people come and ask donation, know? Let’s say like like like Lama Zopa, let’s say he travel to some overseas, he said to give teachings and people make ang pao offerings, isn’t it?

So people think, oh, he got a lot of ang pao, know? A lot of learning, you know? So let’s say from, like, from monasteries, other monasteries, and come and ask donation. You know? So sometime, well, very lucky because, you know, a lot of whatever he has, he always he has again habit of like totally making empty of the the pocket.

Yes. You know? Like, he will put all the money into drawer in front of his his table. Drawer like this. So again, another thing is selfless.

He never lock. He don’t have a habit of and sometimes have a let’s say about like like even more than a hundred like I would say, like, let’s say about twenty thousand US dollar, fifty thousand US dollar. Although sometimes people just the disciple just offer. So you would just put inside. Then say somebody who are lucky one come and ask donation.

Yeah. And just just give just give everything. Sometime, could be very urgent donation. Ask come a donation help. They have nothing also.

Before that, no no no donation. So it’s like like one thing that I started to realize is like even when you give donation, no bias. Whether you are whatever whatever, it seems you come, okay. My part is just to gift, selfless gift. Whether you are pure, not pure is is your business.

If you’re not pure, accommodate negative karma, isn’t it? If you’re pure, it’s okay. But for me is to make generosity. Just give. You see?

So again here it’s one of very, very if you really want to practice selfless, that’s the way. You know? So we shouldn’t have much caution. Why? Why?

Too many why? Why? You know? So if you really want the selfless, if the selflessness is very strong and the cherishing of others is very strong, then maybe this practice maybe comes. But it’s, you know, like, for me, first thing is I don’t give donations.

Then, second thing is I calculate. The first thing I calculate for myself whether enough money for myself or not, then only give. If extra, then I give. If not extra, I don’t give. This is how calculative, how selfish.

That’s it. Then at the end, give only those you think is right. If you think it’s not right, even maybe it’s real poor, real difficult situation but I think it’s not right because my mind think that’s not right so I don’t give. I’m very biased. You see?

So again it’s actually that sometime I give because of all people will say thank you to me, then I give. You know? And sometimes people say don’t say thank you. I feel upset. I give such a donation, you never say thank you to me.

You know, you don’t say in front of me or he or her or something. At the back, I talk. I give, but you never say thank you to me. You know? It’s like that.

You know? So so that’s who I am and who my guru. You know? It even happened like that. You know?

So so like that. You see? So whatever, just now say, even generously, whatever my way of doing is totally wrong mistake. This is totally absolutely wrong, wrong way of practicing, you see so and the gurus when they practice it shows like total selflessness which is the root teachings of the Dharma that is the root teaching to for us to adopt it you know like that oh okay. Position and the positions are going between chocolates.

So It says that the teacher should be. Yeah. Since we should not be looking for approval from the teacher. So here teacher should be pleased with you if you do right thing teacher will always please to you if you do wrong thing even teacher don’t know also displeased Because you regarded as omniscient Buddha. So how can we doubt Buddha don’t know whether you did right or wrong.

If you did right, if you agree, if approve, yes, that would definitely please the teacher. If you did wrong if you did wrong even you you you you you change the word and and and and and tell the teacher teacher approve also is displaced So because the is about guru devotion we regarded guru as a Buddha You know, it is Mahāyāna teaching. Again, in a guru devotion practice, there’s different stages. Guru emanation of was it guru as a Buddha? Guru is Buddha.

One separable. Oneness with Buddha. So there’s again the few stages in the Guru devotion practice from the Vinaya Sūtra, from the Mahāyāna Sūtra. So Mahāyāna Sūtra is Guru oneness with Buddha. Means Guru is no different than Buddha.

If guru is no different than Buddha means guru must have omniscient for your own devotion. Guru must have omniscient. If guru has omniscient, then we don’t have to report to guru. The only matter is we do the right thing. Once we do the right thing, that already signature, the Guru is pleased.

If we do the wrong thing, even we think Guru don’t know also, Guru displeased. So that’s that’s how to judge. So that’s why again in the teachings, one of the section of the the Guru Devotion teaching is be oneself as one’s own Guru, one’s own disciplinar. You know, so there’s no external disciplinar. We ourselves have to discipline ourselves to do the right thing and don’t do the wrong thing.

You know? So then again, in Guru Devotion practices, there’s a very important advice says that mentally, spiritually oneness with your Guru. Physically, good to stay distant. Physically. So they are very challenging again here.

Very, very challenging, very important. So this is talking about you know the gurus who manifested in the ordinary form as a human being form you know guru have a reason to the shakyamuni buddha the Guru Vajradhāra or Guru Vajradhāra prophesied in his teaching, in his word that in the degenerative time when the merit of the beings are low, the hour will appear I will I will I will appear in the ordinary aspect as an in the ordinary aspect of guru to to liberate the beings. So this is him, the the the guru who who who manifests as ordinary as you, who has where who has a who show who manifests aspect of delusion, aspect of sickness, aspect of birth, aspect of death, all aspect is Guru Vajradhāra choose to be like that. Guru Vajradhāra chosen is not by force of delusion or karma. Guru vajradhara choose for the only purpose of to train or to guide or to liberate the disciples.

You know if we don’t show like if Guru Vajradhāra don’t show that aspect due to lack of our merit we are unable to see the Sambhogakāya form or the or the the dharmakaya form. No way for us ordinary being to see Dharmakāya form directly and there is no opportunity for us ordinary being to have a direct word or direct communication with Sambhogakāya form also. The only thing we have to rely on Nirmānakāya form, but the Nirmānakāya body of Buddha himself also high merit can able to see means two thousand six hundred years ago, Śākyamūni Buddha revealed the twelve deeds whose body is in the Nirmānakāya form of the Buddha, but only those beings who we didn’t see. I never met, you know. If we haven’t met him and received teaching directly from him that time, maybe we’re already enlightened.

We’re still here. That means quite clear sign that we didn’t meet him that time. You know? So if that’s the case, but still not bad, we still meet Guru. And that Guru is emanation of Guru vajradhara who is in the Nirmānakāya form but in the ordinary aspect of Nirmānakāya form which have to appear to communicate with you equally like you, you know, the ordinary people, you know, to show it’s called a delusion, to show sickness, have to show, have to even have to manifest death, aging, you know exactly the entire aspect of samsaric contaminated experiences that the disciple like me have, the guru have to show exactly like that.

Otherwise, the lack of merit, we cannot communicate, you see so due to that there’s a danger if physically stay very close danger of seeing the false in the guru which might not be Guru’s fault but your own delusion reflect on the Guru like reflecting your face in the mirror and and and and and you see and you disturb and you start to lose the faith and conviction in the Guru. So because of that, stay distant is the best. Spiritually, mentally, oneness with always. But physically, the more distant, the less obstacle for your conviction and faith in that Guru. So this we have to practice.

That’s that’s what we have to practice. Okay. I will just try to finish this part. Between, you should be closer. And the teacher should be pleased with you, sir.

Then the second one, second condition, conducive condition is Your state of mind should be such that many realizations have arisen from the rarity of precious human rebirth existing to the understanding of no self, and this should have arisen just as contemplated or as taught by your teacher. The inspiration conducive condition is the inspiration in the practice of Dharma. The first one is to have a perfect Mahāyāna guru, a qualified special teacher. Second one is to have an inspiration in his teaching or inspiration in Dharma means have faith and conviction in Buddha by reflecting saying that I have achieved precious human rebirth but now I have some kind of like inspiration in Buddha Dharma or I have you know when delusion come I have some kind of ability to actually overcome. It is definitely due to the blessing of the Buddha’s blessing of the Buddha’s teaching.

So therefore therefore that I must put more effort to learn Dharma. So you have like so much like inspiration comes into your heart. It’s the second condition means you you you have so much faith and conviction in Buddha Dharma, the teaching is the second condition. So second condition is to always inspire yourself finding all the positive reasons such as precious human rebirth, such as the fortunate of, I mean such as precious human rebirth, know, the eight freedoms, ten majors and eight freedoms, which again in Lamrim vary one by one stated there, Eight freedoms and ten what? Eight freedoms?

Ten endowments and eight eight freedom or legions, you know? So by thinking, you know, how fortunate Buddha descended. Buddha’s Dharma Dharma is still alive, still, you know, alive, have a place to practice. You know? I I my all the the the organs and and and five senses are still okay.

You know, when I want to learn Dharma, I can hear. I have a ear vessel to hear. I want to contemplate. I have this straight mind to to to practice. If I’m crazy, I unable to do.

You know? If I then if I want to read the scripture, I have my eye senses. If I want to do meditation, if I want to sit like this, can sit like this, if I want to lie, I can lie. Then there’s a teaching opportunities there. So those are the reasons to encourage, to bring inspiration in your heart.

That is the second condition which is very important for us to actualize the three challenges. And third one is conditions conducive to Dharma practice must be gathered such as faith, intelligence, joyous effort, strong sense of disenchantment towards self-existing food and clothing and other necessaries. You know, again the external let’s say oh, sorry. Just now whatever I said actually is the after after actualizing the guru, then wholeheartedly relying on the guru. So whatever I said, actually the reason for you to must put effort to learn the dharmada from that guru, must put don’t waste time, know, must, grab entire knowledge of the guru into you, Grab all the blessing from the Guru into you and, so you can call that relying upon the spiritual guide who teaches Dharma.

Relying upon the spiritual guide who teaches Dharma. That is the second condition. Okay so the third condition is the conducive conditions which is together such as faith means you should have faith by again having all sort of reasons and all that intelligence improve your intelligence know? And joyous effort means to learn dharma you should put, you should inspire yourself. You see the advantage of learning dharma.

Disadvantage of not learning dharma is the one to bring joyous effort in your heart. When you know the advantage of learning dharma then you will be happy to learn dharma, isn’t it? That’s called joyous effort. Not force. We cannot force ourselves.

We cannot force to learn dharma. That’s again negative. It’s a delusion. No good. We cannot force.

Let’s say coming to class, coming to this conversation, you cannot force. If you really cannot make it, you happily don’t make it. Stay back home. If you really cannot make it, you stay back home and do your things. You know?

If you can make it, don’t just stay at home. Come. Just don’t find any excuses to say, oh, today is weather no good or today a lot of storms or today maybe car parking might be very far all our excuses you know shouldn’t you know if there is such if there’s a chance you know must put effort even how far you are staying must put effort You know the more effort you put to learn dharma more merit You know more merit like say me just you know dropping from up there little merit So easy You know, let me just drop down, know, then sit here. So comfortable, so easy. To learn dharma, how to purify it.

Great, great, great, great, great negative karmas and to gain more merit. It’s so little effort because we have so much negative karma to purify and use this opportunity to purify. You, you know, some of you stay Cheras, you know. What do call charash? Charash.

Charash and clangs. I don’t it’s very, very far, know. You know very very far. One hour sometimes jam in traffic two hours, one hour. The more jam better.

More merit. You know but make sure that you you take care of your your mind not to get agitation, to get upset but you should regard that as a purification. In Tibet, many of the good disciples, great practitioners, when they go to receive teachings, they have a horse to ride. Let’s say no car, never mind, but they have horse to ride. They refuse to ride horse.

They refuse to accept horse. They must walk. They want to walk because they want to use that opportunity to purify their karma and accumulate merit so that whatever teaching they receive will go inside right through into their heart because they have a container of merit and clean container of purification on the way until you get to the teaching yard. You see put so much effort. Some of the practitioners even though there’s a shortcut they purposely go a long way.

If the shortcut there climb the mountain to go down you know, you know, and, you know, that sometimes the teachings, period winter, very cold, you know, very cold, very hardship. Even the lamas also they contact in such kind of time, you know, very bad time. But then again, both lama and the disciples, they know that is the opportunity, you know. So because of that, there’s so many realizations. You know, we we have a shortcut, many shortcut.

In Tibet, there’s no shortcut, but many high lamas, many realized lamas there. Why? We have so we have so many shortcuts. Now in all the teachings, just open Internet, everything there. You know?

We supposed to be our realization supposed to be quicker, better than the Tibetan great masters, but we are still behind far more behind. Like me far more behind. Because I have a car, train, aeroplane to go for teaching. If I want to receive Dalai Lama teaching, I can fly. You know?

I will know where I will walk. From here to Dharamsala, oh my goodness. You know? Who will walk? You know?

I must go by flight, and I will make sure I go fly the nearest nearest airport. I would I would I would not go to Delhi. You know? Delhi to there. Over there, very troubling, very suffering one.

The journey, you know, by bus whole night, twelve hour. Oh, yo. There’s nearby airport called Shimla. What? Semester?

Something like that. Only five hour drive by car. Not bad. But other than that, I cannot afford helicopter. Otherwise, I will fly helicopter in front of the Lama’s teaching grad.

You know? It’s me. That’s why I’m still here. You know? In earlier time, it’s almost like go to teaching is like a party.

You know, like, you know, let’s say that I went during my time in Sera, let’s say His Holiness Dalai Lama giving teaching in Drepung. So we are not excited about the teaching. We are excited about the holiday, the fun. The first fun start is, by bus, you know, and we we make sure, you know, we we raise fun and this and that and make sure that very nice bus, very comfortable bus in in Gora, you know, because whole night traveling at twelve hours. So why not have a TV or movie?

You see? You see? So all night watch movie, morning reach there. You know? So is it?

So like that. Once we reach there, make sure that we have a proper place to stay, like very comfortable. You know? If not comfortable, complain. You know?

Then proper food to eat. If not, complain. You know? In the teaching, not comfortable sit, complain. You know?

Like that, you see? So again, even today’s time, some of the many Tibetan, you know, practitioners and some are from Ladakh, from the Himalaya regions even in Nepal Himalaya regions. It’s not because they don’t have money but they purposely put effort put so much effort to go to His Holiness’s teachings even for pilgrimage we cannot expect pilgrimage is comfortable. The more hardship is better. The more hardship, the more difficult that we experience during pilgrimage, the purification is unbelievable, know, unbelievable, You know?

It’s unbelievable. You know? So yeah. I like that. You see?

So because, Mr. Khan, you are very nearby. So you’re also less calmer. Never mind. Never mind. Never mind.

If you’re stuck in a travel jam until nine thirty. No. No. No. No.

No. Is three to five. Yeah. Until five thirty, you’re stuck on the jam. Maybe you might be the one that who create more merit than who attended, like me.

He attended the class. So easy. Come down. Here. Sit down.

Maybe more merit because of effort. But if you generate delusion, anger, oh, then no good. That’s why that’s why I said, need joyous effort, not force. Once you force, you get agitated, get angry, wrong, delusion. You need to have a joyous effort.

Joyous effort is you know the advantage, the benefit, you’re so happy. And dharma works are exactly like that. When you do dharma works, if you are given by a guru the hardest task, that’s the blessing. When guru never appoint you the some of the hard jobs, that means you are not sure what’s happening. And when a guru give you very, very tough jobs, that means guru see that you need lot of purification, yet guru see that you will accumulate so much merit also.

You know, so whenever we we we we so this is not just a Tibetan kind of technique to to control or to to to to make people to, you know, go into that kind of line. No. No. It’s not that. It’s Buddha’s teaching.

It’s Buddha’s teaching. You know? That’s why when talk about guru devotion, we have to talk like this. So that people don’t like to hear. It’s almost like saying respect to me.

Respect to me. You know? Especially those gurus not there. You know? I’m there to teach because I’m okay.

I I I already told you before. Be careful. Don’t regard me guru. Yeah? So it’s easy for me to say, you know, but those gurus difficult sometime, especially Westerners.

Westerners, Whenever they become Dharma teacher dating their guru so that’s why they’re not there to teach guru devotion first. They always skip the guru devotion Not all but many Many, you know even different courses I see in the different courses. They always keep the guru devotion because they’re not there to teach. Because they feel when they teach, feel like asking you all the delusion arises, you know, like asking you to respect me, like the kind of delusion arises, you see? It happens, you know?

So, anyway, don’t talk about others’ problem. Wrong thing. Negative karma. I wanna say so you see, the fact is, you know, you need joyous effort means to understand the benefit, the advantage. So the more effort involved such as listening dharma, doing dharma works, doing virtues, know like such as serving dharma center which which is about Dharma you know serving you know the guru’s advice, guru’s activities you know the guru have a vast vision so serving guru’s activity also Dharma you know and you yourself meditating practicing and applying the teaching very hard very difficult so difficult you know to let go to lessen the self grasping is so difficult but then put effort you know if today no sign at all but tomorrow also no sign but still continue, continue, never give up, continue.

See, because you know the benefit and your effort is joyous effort. You will be never frustrated, you will be never upset. Then let’s say come to teaching, if you are stuck for two hours until class finish, everybody come out, you just arrive, you rejoice. Rejoice they receive the teaching and you know, then I rejoice that my effort at least that I reach here, I reach here. So this is the point that I complete my action.

So I rejoice, I dedicate with my rejoice man. So then go back, happy to go back. I fulfill the purpose is to accumulate merit, accumulate merit. Main purpose of practicing Dharma is accumulate merit and gain purification. Gaining the academic knowledge is secondary.

When you’re really learning Dharma, the first priority is to accumulate merit and purify the negative karmas. Know even listening teaching we have to regard that purpose. That’s why again the one example may be helpful. Many great Tibetan masters and Indian scholars of the past, when they listen the teaching, they listen the same teaching ten, twenty, thirty, whatever opportunity there, they listen the same teaching. It could be from the same teacher also and hearing the same word again and again and they listen again and again and again.

The purpose is to accumulate the realization, the merit, purify the negative karma, the ignorance. You see, so that it’s all like that. Lamrim, Lamrim, you listen one time, two times, three times, we never should think we are qualified in Lamrim. Until we become Buddha, we are not qualified at all in Lamrim. Until we become Buddha, not qualified at all.

Therefore, how senior we can be, Lamrim teaching is always that we have to listen. Lamrim teaching is always until the day until the next day that you’re going to become a Buddha you’re already in the tenth ground post-meditation Even that you have to we have to practice Lamrim. If there’s a teaching going on from your guru, must go for the Lamrim teaching. Even you know next morning you’re going to become Buddha. Today your guru is still but guru is still stuck in the Samsāra.

But then yourself is already reached ten ground. It happened. So guru is still teaching there or maybe guru is still motivated to still stay in saṃsāra to liberate other. Still teaching but you are so good student and already reached the tenth ground, tomorrow morning is going to become Buddha so the guru teaching you are still I already tomorrow I’m sure going to become Buddha you don’t go and listen Lamrim teaching wrong You have to go and listen. Maybe that Lamrim teaching might make you to become Buddha not tomorrow morning maybe on that very cushion.

You see, so then there are again many practitioners who gain the stages of the path, realization of the stages of the path on that very cushion while listening the teachings. Know, while listening the teachings. That’s why the purpose of listening the teaching is to gain the realization of three things in one. The realization on the listening the teaching, the realization on the contemplation of the teaching, the realization on the meditation of the teaching. Meditation on the teaching.

Three things in one on that very cushion in that very session during the teaching. So that is our motivation when you go to listen Dharma. Yeah so so even you didn’t understand at all but you already achieved the purpose of coming for the for the for the for the Dharma session. You see? So so so that’s how how it should be.

Okay. Third condition is gonna be Dharma practice. Faith, intelligence, joyous effort, a strong sense of this disenchantment towards cyclic existence is renunciation. Know, the purpose of coming to learn Dharma, to engage in Dharma is must must introduce, must encourage by the renunciation. What is the renunciation?

It means renouncing towards cyclic existence, renouncing towards the birth, death, how was it renouncing towards the existence of Samsāra, means renouncing rebirth such as into human being, god, demigod, animal and hell realm, animal and hell realm. Total renounce, almost like it’s a total freak out, it’s a freak out you know of this problematic saṃsāra. So you don’t want this Samsāra you kind of make a determination that I will make sure I will never return to this Samsāra again I will make sure I will never ever return to this Samsāra again by the force of karma and delusion. So I must liberate. Next life I must become enlightened or if possible within this life become enlightened.

Know like that you know. So that is a renunciation. Your Dharma practice, you are coming to learning Dharma, coming to puja, coming to any volunteer service to Dharma, all should be introduced with that kind of attitude, that kind of motivation, and that is also conducive condition to enhance the three challenges towards cyclic existence. Then in order to practice that yes we have to we have to make sure that we have food, we have clothing, we have other necessaries. Let’s say that we as a KL practitioner, a life in KL practitioner without money how to live?

Without home how to live? If you want home, if you need car, like you know as we say from charas here, ask you to walk, no way, not possible. The jinn is not there, you know, not possible. The weather is so hot and there’s so many reasons, yeah. It’s not possible for we care our people, yeah, not possible.

Even for Tibetan to come here, also for them was not possible, but maybe Tibet is possible. There’s so many external kind of like encouragement there, but for us we don’t have. So we must need car. We must have car, isn’t it? So you need to feed the car, you need to feed the house, so then you need to feed the stomach, you need to feed many thing.

So therefore, must have money. Yeah. Then you cannot come naked. You have to come with cloth. So you need clothes.

You need shelter and other necessary toothbrush because we will care we care being will never live without brushing teeth. Isn’t it? Tibet possible. One year, one time brushing is okay. But KL, we must brush at least two or three times.

Every afternoon, we have to brush his teeth, including toothbrush. Also need for a year. So now here, now we go to the teaching exact teaching set. Lama Tsongkhapa said never abandon conventional truth. You know, our purpose is to grip the ultimate truth but never abandon conventional truth.

Means never abandon conventional life. We work whatever job you have, just happily work. Whatever family life you have, happily be in. Whatever lifestyle you have, happily be in. If you have a very fancy house, very luxurious house, good karma, good, good to have.

Yeah, if you don’t have, don’t urge for that. Whatever you have be contented. Yeah, that is a conventional life. We must accept, we must must must adopt it. Know, you see, now here teaches us learning Dharma is nothing about external factor.

Learning Dharma is all about transformation of the mind. Transformation of the mind. You see? So you see? So so you see?

So so he say, oh, I was so inspired. I want to go to cave. Suddenly run to the cave. Then no toilet properly, no shower room. Then Tsampa soup.

Next day, give up. Next day, we’ll give up with such, you know, like, prostration. Give up. Come back to KL. Fly immediately.

You know? You know, you know, like that, is it? So it’s a it’s a wrong. It’s wrong. So all the conducive condition, you know yourself very well.

You know, you are you we have to remember we are still ordinary person. So whatever, external factors that we need, such as medicine, food, whatever things, make sure that whatever is that we do meditation or practice, we have such kind of peace that can able to, you know, fix our mind, can able to fix our delusion. You know, as long as we can able to do that, whatever lifestyle you stay, it’s all perfect. No problem. Since we are still in Samsāra, we cannot neglect that part.

Yeah? Okay. So since these three are the principal condition for Dharma practice, if you possess them, rejoice and strive especially to enhance them. If we now we we know whether I have this condition or not, these three condition condition or not. We kind of feel that we have almost every condition is all the condition, isn’t it?

Now you should say rejoice, feel happy. So here, Lojong teachings said feel happy, feel happy, then rather feel happy, then now you start to feel, oh, I should put more effort because I have all those conditions, so shouldn’t be lazy like that, you know. Then if you do not possess them, then contemplate how set, oh my goodness, you say how sad, but this sad is referring to, the sadness referring to, this sadness is not the sadness like kind of like emotional sadness, this sadness referring to compassion. This set, you say, yes. Set sadness is a delusion.

You know, like, what you call feel very, like, lost, you know down, affected our emotion. It’s a sadness. That sadness is delusion. So here asking us to practice. If we don’t possess all those conducive conditions then should feel compassion to ourselves first.

So now here, if we have practiced Lamrim, we must have answer for this. What means by compassion to ourselves? What what really means about compassion to oneself? Means renunciation. Compassion is like this.

It’s like this hand, like this. This palm, this hand. Yeah? This hand. You know?

Okay. Compassion. So compassion facing towards you is renunciation. The the the the sense of a sense of mind, the sense of attitude wishing to be free from suffering, know, that’s called compassion. When that object is you, it becomes renunciation.

When that mind’s object is other, it’s called compassion. And all other is like great compassion. The sense of the mind, the attitude, wish to liberate from suffering, wish to be free from suffering is the definition of compassion. And the object with that compassion is to you, it becomes renunciation. Object with that compassion is other, it becomes it is called compassion.

So also like that. So here, means feel compassion to you. Feel compassion to you means, renounce, you know, feel the renunciation, feel feel like, you know, I’m I’m I’m really in a big trouble, the suffering of Samsāra. You should you should realize that, you know. Then expense of the, universe then after that, now that thought reflect to other not only me, it’s similar case like me entire universe beings here universe must contain countless other like me who lack these three factors and have a fail in their Dharma practice.

You see when you look when you when you think of others others similar condition like you all are in such a poor condition you know as poor condition so suffering so ignorant you know so so ignorant So then take that situation as an opportunity, then thinking does take upon yourself all their So take upon yourself all their sufferings and difficulties. Means do a practice of Tonglen, taking and giving practice. Again, very powerful practice of Bodhicitta. Apply Tonglen practice. You saw your condition like this.

Generate compassion towards others. By generating compassion towards you, you gain renunciation. That makes your compassion towards others even stronger. Then after that all those negative conditions take up on your these negative experiences or these unconducive conditions so that others can be free from all those unconducive conditions and they can afford to achieve the conducive condition to practice Dharma. So as you offer your body and so on to them means as you offer your body means your here body you can refer to not like go there and chop the body and offer to them not like that.

Offer to body means be a conducive condition for them. It means like exactly like what we are doing. Know to set up a center, yourself be the volunteer, yourself be the volunteer to to be a bridge to reach dharma to them. To reach dharma to them. Everybody play a different role.

You know, you encourage them, you you you you encourage them to, you know, come into dharma, learn dharma, you encourage them to do virtues. It’s all are use your your your your effort. You know, you yourself be present there and like that. So then when if was it when we achieve the Ārya Bodhisattva level, yes, then you can able to really, give your own body to them. You know, give your own body to them.

Those who need meat, you give meat. Those who need an eye, you give an eye. Those who need, but as ordinary being we are unable to do that but when we achieve high realization we can able to do that. Then imagine they obtain the three conditions and that all experienced a great vehicle so that whatever your service offer to other you imagine and you visualize. You visualize that all those beings achieve the conducive condition to practice Dharma.

Whatever contribution you did, that becomes the cause to actualize the conducive conditions. Experience the great vehicle means experience the Mahāyāna teaching which is Lojong teaching. Experience the Lojong teaching, experiencing the teachings of bodhicitta and emptiness. Thank you. We stop here.

So now we will recite the mandala offerings under the teaching prayers, page twenty four. Thank you.