Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 106-minute conclusion to a series on the Seven-Point Mind Training, Lama Zopa Rinpoche emphasizes that cultivating bodhicitta—the altruistic wish to lead all beings to enlightenment—produces far greater merit than making vast material offerings to all Buddhas. He traces the teaching lineage from Śākyamūni Buddha through Geshe Chekawa, Geshe Sharawa, and down to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, stressing that connection to an unbroken transmission is essential for realizing the teachings’ transformative power. The final four-line verse of Chekawa summarizes the path: relying on qualified gurus, renouncing self-grasping through mind training practice, and achieving confidence even in the face of death. Rinpoche then contextualizes mind training within the larger Buddhist curriculum, relating it to the Lamrim and philosophical emptiness teachings, and offers practical guidance on how to apply lojong methods—such as perceiving difficulties as ripening of others’ karma and maintaining mindfulness—to daily obstacles in work, family, and practice. He concludes with dedications for the flourishing of the Dharma and the liberation of all beings.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 26 Lojong.mp3
UUID: 60c8844f-fc62-42b2-9f7e-805b0ec3f447
Teacher: Lama Zopa Rinpoche 3
Collection: Mind Training (Lama Zopa Rinpoche 3)
Date: 1990 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 106.7 minutes
Words: ~10,132
So past Buddhas and Buddhists and great holy mahasiddhas have stated that the principle, the attitude of the Mahāyāna practitioner is to always, you know, make a supplication or make a prayer, make a strong wish from everyone’s heart that, you know, until that all living beings, you know, to actualize fully mind or may I never separate from the altruistic mind. So so here the the motivation for us to engage into mind training teaching, the discourse in mind training teaching. In particular, this great treasury great oh, wait. Great treasure. Is it treasure?
Treasure? Engaging mind training teaching, the teaching of the seven point thought transformation, seven point mind training teaching is to develop develop, if in case oneself not yet having developed the bodhicitta to develop the bodhicitta mind, the altruistic mind within oneself, and one to be caused to develop bodhicitta mind within all the living beings. Then to if if one’s have not perfected yet, then to increase or to to to, you know, to actualize the perfection. And one’s have to cause other living beings, those who have already arrived at bodhicitta, but yet not perfected. So one being the cause to perfect the bodhicitta mind.
Then those who have already obtained the altruistic mind such as the ordinary bodhisattvas, those who are in the training of the path of accumulation and path of preparation, And those of Ārya Bodhisattvas who’s already in the path of seeing, and those are even who already engaged into the ten grounds, the ten bhūmis. And not only that, those all the ten direction Buddhas who have already perfected in the altruistic mind, the Bodhicitta mind, they always oneself, you know, to to to remain in the rejoicement of oneself all the time, admire and gain inspiration to oneself to actualize like that. And oneself to be cause for other living beings to see the qualities of the bodhicitta mind, the past enlightened ones, has caused them to generate inspiration, deep inspiration for them to follow the full step full step of the past Buddha and Bodhisattvas. So this is our motivation. As as I stated in the many sutras that cultivating, you know, cultivating, you know, Buddha mind, cultivating Bodhicitta for a moment of time, a single moment of time, far more greater merit, far more greater benefit than making extensive wishfulfilling jewel offering to the ten direction Buddhas.
Here, knowing this then, from today on, one should dedicate should dedicate the rest of the life to practice bodhicitta by knowing, by understanding what I have stated in sutras by the Buddhas, having a very deep input of this statement, the one single moment of cultivation of bodhicitta is far more greater merit than making extensive wish fulfilling jewel offerings to the ten direction buddhas. So this practice has that much power, that much advantage, that much benefit. In our life, all the temporary worldly success, worldly prosperity, good health, happiness up to the ultimate, the happiness of the enlightenment, is all dependent on the accumulation of merit, all dependent on the accumulation of vast three countless eons merit, vast three countless eons merit. So, you know, by knowing that one single moment of cultivation of bodhicitta accumulate, you know, far more greater merit than making a wish fulfilling jewel, extensive wish fulfilling jewel offering to the ten direction Buddhas. So then that really activate us, our mind that we cannot live even one moment without cultivating bodhicitta.
To actualize the ultimate purpose of life, ultimate purpose of our instinct, know, inner innermost nature wishes, which is to strive, you know, ultimate happiness. Even though even a little child, they don’t know how to express, you know, call as ultimate happiness, but the nature, instinct nature, what they strive for is ultimate happiness. And that ultimate happiness, one can only actualize when one become Buddha. Only can only actualize when one become Buddha. Not even obtaining nirvana can able to actualize ultimate happiness.
The ultimate happiness is only within the Buddha realm, within the enlightenment state. Then in order to establish this is valid, again, you know, all the past Buddhas have stated that, you know, the benefit of bodhicitta, that oneself will renounce, you know, oneself will renounce, not only the samsaric temporary Contaminated pleasures, but will renounce even the peace of nirvana. Will renounce even peace of nirvana just for the fulfillment of the purpose of bodhicitta, which is to actualize ultimate happiness within oneself and to provide ultimate ultimate happiness within all living beings, For that purpose, one will even renounce the peace of nirvana. So when we talk about peace of nirvana, is one can able to remain in a bliss, One can able to remain in a, you know, calm, peace in single for countless eons. You know?
Countless eons. In in ordinary aspect, who will not wish for that? Who will not strive for that? You know? Know, everybody wants not all.
I mean, if we if we know there’s there is a place that where we can able to live total bliss and peace for one hour, we’ll go and get that, isn’t it? We’ll put a full effort. But in our world, in our life, not even one minute complete peace and perfected joy and bliss, there’s no such kind of mental state. So the moment when we hear peace of nirvana, we definitely will rush to get that, to obtain that. So as far as concerned with the bodhisattvas, as far as concerned with great hearted practitioner, those who adopt the practice of bodhicitta, then even that peace which is obtained in the nirvana also to be abandoned, to be renounced.
So what do you call the so so so here, you know, the the conclusion is for us to, you know, thoroughly, understand, clearly understand to our heart that my goal practice, that my principle practice in my life is to practice bodhicitta. Practice bodhicitta. Practice Practice bodhicitta. Cultivate bodhicitta. Even though we have not attained the genuine bodhicitta yet, but even aspiration Bodhicitta, you know, wishing bodhicitta, even to obtain that, it already start to accumulate extensive vast merit.
So once we start to practice this, then happiness temporary happiness, such as prosperity will naturally come into our life. Naturally, it will fall into our life. You see? Gradually, life after life, one will only, you know, experience joy and happiness, and and gradually, one will be, you know, perfected. So so so that’s the that’s the all about that we have to keep in our mind, and please refer to the text.
Page hundred and thirty one. So today is the last session for the the seven point mind training, you know, class of the session, which comes to, you know, conclusion based on the root text as well as the commentary text here. So, yes, it’s to elucidate, you know, the earlier mentioned points in a definitive formulation. The author, you know, the Geshe Chekawa himself wrote the following outlines, the following conclusions. So here it says, because of my numerous aspiration, I have defied the tragic.
I have defied the tragic tale of suffering and have taken the instruction to subdue self grasp ing. Now even if death comes, I have no regrets. This four line conclusion statement from author of this teaching. The author author of this root root teaching. And then categorized into three three three different sections, three different meanings.
So the first first line, because of my numerous aspiration, you know, it’s it’s it’s it’s the meaning is because of my numerous, you know, wishes, because of my numerous, you know, aspiration or wishes. So that is referring to it’s so much intensely wishing mind, so much wishing, you know, so much, you know, so much mind so much mind of inspiration, so much mind of enthusiastic wishes to practice the mind training teaching, then, you know, he sought out and relied on a perfect, qualified, you know, enlightened, you know, Mahāyāna Kadampa Guru from whom that he received the the from whom that he received the Seven Point Mind Training instruction for the Seven Point Mind Training, the the lineage. So it’s referring to the the how the Geshe Chekawa obtained his lineage. So when we talk about the the lineage of Geshe Chekawa when we talk about the lineage of Geshe Chekawa or lineage of the teaching that what we are what we are discussing, the lineage of the teaching that what we are studying, you know, and the lineage of this particular root text, which is by Geshe Chekawa, goes goes to his root guru his root guru, Geshe Sharawa.
His root root guru, Geshe Sharawa. And Geshe Sharawa’s the root guru goes to Geshe Potowa. And Geshe Potowa’s root guru goes Geshe Potowa’s root. Geshe Potowa. Gishipotowa’s guru goes Gishipotowa. Even though he has fifty over, you know, you know, amazing enlightened gurus, but then one of the the most profound and most inspiring lineage of the bodhicitta teaching, then it goes to Lama Serlingpa.
So then Lama Serlingpa’s lineage. The composer of this text, composed this seven point mind training text. You know, he revealed his most experiential profound teachings of the golden teachings of the Kadampa or the mind training teaching given to his one of the very beloved disciple, So then then granted this marvelous lineage teaching to. So then then Geshe Chekawa composed numerous mind training, you know, mind training teaching the scriptures, mind training, you know, composed many many, you know, amazing, you know, mind training teaching text. Mind. The one of the for Sun Rays of Mind Training.
Then another one is called the essence of nectar of training the mind. Essence of the nectar of training the mind. So by by noting this name so that you can refer, you can go and find the the good good text. You can you can you can refer, and you can you can confirm you can whatever you study whatever you study so you can go back all the way to trace until the Guru Śākyamūni Buddha. You know?
So so so so it has a great purpose. So then Pabongka passed this lineage, you know, down to Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo. You know, Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo. Then Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo passed this lineage down to, you know, the. He’s a junior tutor for his.
So then after that, he passed through. I mean, almost most of the Tibetan great masters who are living, you know, mind training practitioners, you can call it great. You know, within one of them is past. You know, one of them is to somebody supporting Dalai Lama, you know, who who conduct mind training teaching, particularly seven point mind training teaching, every now and like that. So then so so then after that, it comes to, you know so so so after after then, So, like like so I I have to say this in order to in order to make the listener to have a direction of the lineage.
So, you know, those those of you that who have attended my class here, we are not just doing academic class. Whether we’re able to deliver the meaning or not, whether you understand me or not, whether I know how to explain or not, whether I’m just simply reading or whatnot, whatever it is. I have received this many time. I think at least many times, I say at least at least five times Jose, so those are the lineage the the lineage of this teaching goes after the Guru Śākyamūni Buddha. So I think you you you note down, isn’t it?
You’re okay. I’m totally not. So at least, you know, I can be a kind of one cause to link you people to those, you know, amazing enlightened gurus, you know, whose whose blessings are unbroken, whose lineage are broken, and whose teachings are valid. And all those past great masters obtained enlightenment. You know, they are But then if any of you come to this kind of teaching classes just to gain more information, just to see, you know, what building that you can say, then that is you can’t bet you can’t get much benefit.
Rather, you better stay at home and read books. Read books are more clearer, more clearer, more easy. You don’t have to put any effort to understand broken English. You know? So it’s so so like that.
You You see? So so what I mean is that, you know, you have such a fortunate lineage, the mind training teaching masters. You know? So, therefore, I just we would like to say how fortunate how fortunate that all of all of us all of us in particular, you know, I think extremely fortunate myself to to be a one tiny cost to to offer the sharing to or to be a one tiny cost to link your people to them. So I feel extremely fortunate.
And that is my karma because I know I accumulated, I think, so much merit. You know? Far more greater merit than that I ever, you know, offer wish to bring gem to ten direction Buddhas. Infinite. You know?
You know? So I would like to thank you because without you, it won’t happen. Is it? So then in another way, what you call the I would still like to encourage those of you that who who continues to, you know, you know, who never give up even though very long winded myself. But then I still would like to encourage there is some benefit to refer to some of my explanations which is not really clear in the whole text itself.
When you look into it, there’s a certain thing that is underneath. So there’s some areas like that. So then it’s good to refer. And those statements, how to say, the valid statements that which I have reconfirmed to some of the root texts as well as the teaching, basically the teaching that you receive from the lamas. There’s some benefit.
Try not to what do you call it? Yeah. There’s some benefit for referring to that. Based on that then, one should make a kind of conclusion within yourself. Summarize the entire aspect of the teaching, the seven point, just into a seven point.
Just one, two, three, four, five, six, seven point. So they’re easier to remember. Principle of practice, as mentioned earlier, the bodhicitta practice, to cultivate bodhicitta and develop bodhicitta. He wants to have the one of the cause to actualize bodhicitta within others. So like that.
So the from the Śākyamūni Buddha up to to, you know, from from from one to number ten. The lineage of the old Kadampa. The lineage of the old old Kadampa. So then it start from Lama Tsongkhapa, then it’s the starting of the new Kadampa. So today’s time you hear brand new Kadampa, that kind of Kadampa has no idea.
Today’s time you hear a lot about brand new Kadampa traditions, new Kadampa traditions. So up to today, within the existence of Śākyamūni Buddha’s teaching, there’s two stages of Kadampa lineage came. One is called the old Kadampa, one is called the new Kadampa. The new Kadampa is referring to the starting point as Lama Tsongkhapa, not a contemporary Geshe or not a contemporary Lama’s or Rinpoche’s or whatever, know, is not referring to that. So just to make very clear, and this is very important.
Otherwise so because of creating a new of the new Kadampa, brand new Kadampa, then now the question mark comes whether the lineage is really, you know, properly or not, properly channeled or not. You know? So even that itself even could be a caution. So as far as concerned, I mentioned earlier, as far as concerned with true practice of Dharma, we must have a proper lineage. We must have a proper lineage.
Even how clear explanation that you can learn from the book, is not sufficient to actualize the blessing of the lineage, which is only the way to become Buddha. That’s why within the Kadampa teachings, they emphasize so much importance of guru, so much important of the qualified guru. Even in Lamrim, putting a guru as a root of the foundation of all good qualities, the root of the entire realizations is one of the big, one of the most strong statement of the Kadampa teaching, which is stated by Lama Tsongkhapa himself. And Lama Tsongkhapa himself has a direct communication. Most of his knowledge as a direct communication with Buddhas such as magistrate and many others.
He was direct communications. So that again makes his traditions valid and venerated like that. Then after Lama Tsongkhapa, whatever we study in Losang Dragpa Centre, in FPMT, it goes each channel to the great enlightened, then the great enlightened, Dorje Chang. Then whether that channel comes properly or not is referring whether this organization or whether we as a student referring to His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama or not. Whether we are following the unbroken lineage of the new Kadampa, which is traced up to Tsongkhapa.
In today’s time, it’s whether we are channeling or we are following His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama or not. So so from there, it differentiates, you know, very clear. Then after that, you can have your own. After fourteen Dalai Lama, then you can have your own many different teachers, gurus. You can name hundreds of teachers, gurus.
It’s up to you. But as long as it cannot channel up to the fourteen Dalai Lama, then it is questionable. So that conclude the first line of the four line of conclusion phrases. That all goes within the first line. So there’s so many hidden there’s so many hidden thing inside, isn’t it?
So then so then after that it comes, I have defied I have defied what? Defied. I have defied the tragic tale of suffering and have taken instruction to subdue self grasping. So these two lines come into one section. The section where after reliance to such profound lineage gurus, then he strives the instruction from those gurus.
The purpose of reliance of those gurus is to strive the purpose of reliance to the, know, is it, Gishesharawa, the root guru of the Gisheshakawa, is to strive the teachings of the mind training teaching, the seven point mind training teaching. The seven point mind training teaching. Or in particular, this teaching, the teaching what we are looking at it, to strike those teachings. So then teaching is Why he strike the teaching? It’s because of understanding the true nature which lies within himself, the suffering nature of saṃsāra.
The suffering problem nature of the saṃsāra. And suffering contaminated nature is his own existence himself, The person, the arrogant is talking about Chekawa himself. You know, he is a Chekawa. He he realized his existence is contaminated. It’s a suffering.
You know? So then then not only that, he also realized the root cause for this contamination and the suffering is a self grasping mind. The root cause is a self grasping mind. You know? We hold our view so tight.
You know, our view is the permanent, correct, hold, you know, until they cannot let go. You know, even how much we suffer also we cannot let go. We still think our view is still the supreme which will bring happiness, which is totally wrong. So the self grasping mind. So self grasping mind is the root cause of the entire stage of the suffering within himself and within others.
And the instruction of mind training teaching is to subdue self grasping mind. The instruction, the teaching of the Seven Point Mind Training teaching is only about destroying the self grasping mind. That is the These two lines shows his practice and the first line shows his inspiration why he had to rely on the guru. Second and third line shows why he strived the teaching and why he strived the teaching and how he apply for the purpose of striving the teaching, which is to subdue the self-grasping mind. Then the third line, now even if death comes, I have no regrets.
So that is the conclusion, or in another word, is a result of the purpose or the result of reliance to the proper guru and practicing the valid instruction. So the third line, fourth line shows the result. So result is now he gained confidence. He have gained confidence even death comes. No question about any of the temporary sufferings or I mean, what do call this?
samsaric adversities. Even death comes, I have no regret. Even death comes, I will will I will die with joy, great satisfaction. I will happily die. I will look forward to die.
You know? I will enjoy dying, you know, with full satisfaction of his life. The reason is the reason why he can able to do that is because of he practice he live a life practicing the instruction of his proper gurus, which is to live a life subduing self grasping mind. Now he is totally free from self grasping mind, that until is nothing to grasp for the death also, only to go to the next life with overjoy by seeing that he will obtain enlightenment. He will be confident of becoming Buddha.
So that’s how the Chekawa will conclude his what you call the, the mind training teaching. So this mind training teaching, Gishi Chekawa not only used the theoretical understanding, he composed this instruction or the teaching based on his experiences. Whatever teaching that he received from his guru, he applied into daily life. He obtained it full understanding the learning of the teaching. Then he have contemplate.
Then after that, he have habituated and he able to live a life with the mind training teaching or the instruction. So then after that, whatever he experienced, so he have written down. So this comes about the Seven Point Mind Training teaching. Yeah. So like that.
So yes, these words were uttered. Utter. This word were uttered as an expression of joy by the highly accomplished yogi, Chekawa, who having presented the method of practice, arrived at the decisively settled state of mind flowing, the clear discrimination between enemy and friends. So they hear enemy and friends is not not like a normal enemy in friends. Enemy is talking about self grasping mind.
Friend is called the two awakening mind. So friend is referring to the two awakening mind, which is the the conventional bodhicitta, the bodhisattva, then ultimate bodhicitta is emptiness. So then so then rest is I don’t know. So I just read. What what you call?
colophon? Colophon? Colophon? So this this word of my teacher so the colophon is not part of this one. This word of my teacher and ocean of goodness delighting everyone through the merit of complete compiling them with the wishes to help others.
May the may games, elephant of mind training, carry all beings and what demolish the solid mountain of egoic view. As a ray as a rays of your fame pervade all direction, like magnet pulling forth all iron object. What straight straight by your fame straight by your fame. Disciples remain in your presence. That what they have beheld your face so rare and have accomplished great aims.
In the sky of the expanse of the Serlingpa lineage, through the sun, the mind trainings still shine brilliantly. It is now obscured by the cloud of negative conceptualization. The line between gold and worn out brass has become blurred. All those who wish to relinquish the suffering of self and others perceive the inferior path described as incomplete, and enter the courageous path of the conquerors’ supreme children. How can anyone hope to become enlightened without this extracted from the distillation of all scripture.
This in the most essence of Kadampa is most amazing. So this concludes. So what do you call it? So now it goes to the I wanna say it comes to so before conclude, so I have to what do you call it? So anyway So here, we should make a, you know, sincere dedication of, you know, whatever the effort that you put to, you know, to to, you know, to listen or to read, listen, study, you know, contemplation or whatever habituation that you have done on the mind training teaching, especially in particular, the seven point mind training teaching, then dedicate that.
May this be the complete course to, you know, pacify to pacify the three root poisons, which is ignorance, attachment, and anger, then actualize the mind of equanimity, so that one can able to practice the bodhicitta in relation to all living beings. So then that brings about the full enlightenment within oneself and within all living beings. One should make this dedication. So this is the concluding dedication in relation to this particular teaching conclusion. So then general dedication that we should make, you know, you know, through this through the discourse of this mind training teaching, one has accumulated so much merit, and one has purified so much past negative karma.
So all the accumulation of merit may become the cause to flourish, to remain Buddhadharma into this world, into this continent, and not only remain, but to flourish Buddhadharma. And particularly, the teachings of living Kadampa masters, such like His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to remain the teaching and flourish the teaching in every single corner of the world into every single living being, not only human being, but also into every single living being. Then also may this be a complete cause to all living practitioners to have a long life actualize all their holy wishes of dharma to benefit others. Then since, you know, this discourse, of course, Losang Dragpa Centre in Malaysia, so then, you know, being all of us here, as a Malaysian, being as a, you know, same time, my brother, sister of the gurus and guru, and it’s driving the same teaching, which is the, you know, the Lojong mind training teaching. So the force of accumulation maybe is even far more forceful than you know, in relation to others.
So therefore, this vast merit will become the cause to, you know, Losang Dragpa Centre to be extremely flourished in the Dharma study, Dharma practices, and gain all the conditions and conditions to be the platform to bring benefit of those profound teachings to large number, as many people as possible. Then gradually lead them and to actualize fully enlightenment. Then we have securing this mission. Those who are securing the Dharma, those supporting Dharma, such as the founders, the directors, and all the Dharma volunteers, and in particularly, all the the students who practice mind training teachings to have a long, healthy, prosperous, stable, happy, joyous life and gain so much inspiration and practice of mind training teaching and able to actualize fully enlightenment within this very lifetime, within a short period of time, as like the past great Kadampa gurus, like the great Kadampa masters. Then may this merit be the complete cause for us to be the cause to reveal this marvelous teaching to every single people to whom we meet, to whom we make dedications, to whom we think of their names.
So for like that. Then in short, may whoever, you know, see see see us, like, see me, remember me, think of me, call my name, you know, attach, you know, even criticize me, abandon me, praise me, you know, even scold my life, you know, but may may may whatever merit accumulated be the complete cause for me to have this the inspirational strength of mind to to only reply with Buddhist attitude. Only reply Whoever see me, touch me, remember me, give me, scold me, you know, please touch me. Even that become a cause for for for those people, those beings, to purify their past karmas and accumulate extensive merit. Whatever action I do of my body, speech and mind, be the complete cause through the force of the accumulation of merit, accumulated through this discourse, be the complete cause to actualize bodhicitta within every single living being and to actualize fully enlightenment.
And last, why don’t you make a strong prayer and wish and dedication that whatever past merit be the complete cause for me to receive and learn such a marvelous mind teaching again and again. It will never be a part of learning, contemplating, and meditating on this mind training teaching. And always remain closely with the perfect Mahāyāna gurus who can reveal this marvelous precious teaching. Thank you. So this summary, you know, the as we see, you’ve already been bringing out the summary.
So you can you can take this home. You can probably refer to this summary so I don’t have to read through it. So you can you can read to yourself. Now if you have any questions, we have about fifteen minutes. If you have any questions in relation to past classes.
Because we still have a question and answer session for bodhicitta itself, separate bodhicitta itself. And we have one question and answer for emptiness. Buddhicitta, it covers about the two traditions, the tradition from Maitreya and tradition from the Śāntideva, the six causes and seven causes and effect. Then the other one is the self exchanging with others. So that involves many other different practices, such as Tonglen practice, self exchanging with other, equanimity, so many.
It’s a very vast subject. So on that day, you can ask all the questions in relation to that. Instead of going some other way, maybe try to concentrate, you know, question answer on those particular chosen subject. So then as far as concerned with the emptiness, you know, there’s emptiness from various different schools. You know, What do you call it?
School, Prāsaṇgika Madhyamaka School, you know, all every one of them, they they speak about emptiness. But then all their emptiness is like it has a huge different meanings, total different meanings. But then each of the meanings, it helps to understand each of the higher levels of the view that which which up to the view, you know. So then and then again, the in in the Madhyamaka category, there’s, several, you know, such as negations, self-cherishing, self-grasping. Just to differentiate these two also, very headache.
Self charging, self grasping, then inherent existence, then mind only imputed existence. Then permanently existing, you know, exist through the creators, creations, you know, independent existence. So there are many, many just for clarification. So this is our idea. So then end of the day self, selflessness, selflessness of the person, selflessness of aggregates, selflessness of phenomena, selflessness of self, of person, emptiness of aggregates, emptiness of phenomena, emptiness of emptiness, then emptiness of emptiness.
There’s a twenty over different stages of emptiness. So it’s emptiness of emptiness. So many different emptiness. So there’s many, many things to explore. So you can refer to those books, like in Lamrim, the final chapter.
In Buddhism, the final wisdom chapter. You can also refer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s books, talks about the two awakening mind. I haven’t seen the Emptiness Yoga, which is composed by Jeffrey Hopkins. The name sounds like it’s interesting, but don’t know inside. I have no idea.
I haven’t read, so I don’t know. Those of you who have read this book, if it’s interesting, you can refer to those books. So then from the mind training teaching itself, the two essence is one is emptiness, one is bodhicitta. So that’s the whole thing about the seven point mind training teaching. So those two days, so you go and search the question for that.
Then you can squeeze me. So it’s two days, you can torture me as as much as you like. I’ll be most happy to receive the you know, I also don’t know how I’m gonna answer, but I already wore it very much. So never mind. So today, general, my turn in teaching, question and answers, if you have any question and answers.
Thank you very much, know, first of all, thank you. It’s a really such a great opportunity given to me to to to let me accomplish some merits. So it’s really marvelous opportunities, you know, during this sharing classes with all of you. At the very beginning, I thought, first, you know, there’s a two few thoughts came to me. I thought maybe better finish the Seven Point Mind Training teaching maybe within four sessions.
Just complete it because I don’t think people have that much kind of, how to say, patient to to to continue for a long time, you know, more than a year, to better finish within four sessions so that, you know, whatever we can cover, cover, then after that, then finish. So then after that, then after think twice in few times, it came into my mind that doesn’t fulfill the purpose. Even putting effort is also one of very big practice. So why not let people to put some effort? And really cannot make it their karma.
Also, I take my classes like a reminder every now and then, just a reminder of your spiritual practice. You’re already very qualified in the Lamrim, in philosophy. Many other teaching, you have received so many wonderful teachings from your respected gurus, qualified teachers. But still, since we’re living in such kind of busy world, it it is beneficial to, at least once a while, gather some place and remind somebody of our practices. You know?
And so so I take as a reminder myself like a reminder. So so that makes me even drink longer. You know? You know? So and, you know, like, don’t want to finish.
You know? Just just just, you know, just just it’s it’s a take it is a reminder. Just remind. And once a week. So one time I also thought maybe you can do maybe a few more classes in a week.
And I thought, first, put yourself in this in the shoe. You know? Do you do think yourself can able to manage at least two classes every every week of same kind of teaching. So I cannot manage. Sometimes I even feel one also too much.
But then never do also no good. So then it come into conclusion, maybe one class at least once a week. So then kind of reminder, remind so that you you know, busy life, almost forget, then somebody remind, then I can try best and continue like that. You know, life goes like that. You know?
So at least at least your Dharma Dharma practice is like continuum. So then the continuum of Dharma practice is one of the greater benefit than short term. We put so much effort, then after that we totally give up. Even in the teaching, even in this seven point mind training teaching, one of the commitment teach us, cannot be, where we have to have a consistent practice, not like one time practice a lot, and after that we totally forget. That doesn’t bring realization in the practice.
So somehow even though it took some more than a year, think, I don’t know. So it’s I don’t know. More than a year or maybe twenty months. So so it’s it’s very good. You know?
Very, very good. So, you know, how to say? If I am the one that will also come to listen, I think I won’t attains $2t all after two, three times. But many of you, you know, somehow you really, you know, you really never give up. So today is a completion.
You know? So then also please be prepared. Main all the coming classes will will be similar like that. It’s ongoing. So I I take as a reminder, and you also take as a one off reminder for your practice.
And when you’re free, it’s beneficial for you. So if you are not free, then what can we do? You know? Something like that. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Any question? Please stop here. So I would say I think it’s lojong lojong I mean, in in Buddhism, there’s many different many many different ways of approach. So it’s lojong is, like, one of the way approach of Dharma to the people.
Then philosophical way, lamrim. Lamrim, again, itself is ten one one one way. Lojong is ten slightly different than Lamrim, but in its own way. Philosophy stand is, again, different, but one I mean, it’s own way. And yeah.
So then then then on on top of that, then there’s a kind of experiential what do you call the do call instructional approach in relation to relevant situations by the guru. So that is also one of the way. So best is actually merge everything together, and and you make your own way of approach to your own, you know, what what do you call it? You you you use the the, you know, the different teachings for different approach to different, reasons in your practice. Such as a mind training teaching.
Actually, mind training teaching is the one that actually teaches to give victory to others. But then in the philosophical level, you will give a lot of reason as a reason that you have given. That is like from philosophical teaching, always give victory to other in relation to relevant reason. Say, we just cannot simply give victory for every single act, every single act. That you cannot give victory to to to to negative impact.
You can only give victory in positive impact. Then again, in the philosophical teaching approach, it has a reason to see the validity of the Lojong statement. But the Lojong statement also has a cover, how to say, the interpret meaning to accept the philosophical interpretation in relation to that particular statement. So in another way, the best is to apply all teachings into and merge into one. Then after that, then as as as Buddha taught, we we we within our mind, we put into two sections.
One is interpretable section teaching, and one is to definitive teaching. One is to just accept, follow literally. Teachings, Lojong say, follow literally. Whatever philosophy of God teaching say, follow literally. Whatever Lamrim say, follow literally.
But then there’s certain teachings that we have to interpret. The interpretation comes when you have valid reasons. So then the philosophical teachings are helpful. In another way, when you practice a lojong, from the lojong teaching itself, you have to have to have to see the the what do you call the what do you call? You have to see the weight of the teaching which is established philosophically.
You know, without any reason, without any logical reasons, the the teaching composer will not just simply put that just based on his or her own experience. It it should have a valid, you know, valid valid valid reasons. So then that, you you know, you should see the value or the weight of the philosophy itself within the lojong teaching. Then at the same time in lojong, it has its own technical sequence. Even though compared to numbering, it is out of sequence.
But then, again, from the beginning to the end, somehow, it complete the entire stages of path. It’s a technical sequence, which Lojong teaching mostly don’t have, but Lamrim teaching does have. So then again, you have to apply Lamrim into Lojong and sequence yourself, like from guru devotion up to the enlightenment path. It’s similar when you look into a Lamrim teaching without the Lojong approach. Lamrim is Lamrim, like very structured, but then it is quite difficult to in certain place, difficult to move your heart.
That especially philosophy teachings. When study certain sections of, even like emptiness emptiness teachings, you know, then even the view of different schools. Even though their their integration is eighty four thousand teachings of Buddha, but for your heart, it it it’s it feel like nothing really moves your heart. It’s it’s very it’s basically it’s like a total theory. So then again, in that section, we have to apply Lojong, Budd Lamrim into the philosophy.
So it’s like that. I don’t know whether I answer your question or not. Same approach like philosophy. You you have to familiarize the antidote before, you know, one face the negation, before one one fight with the negation. Or we have to familiarize those antidotes.
Even though the three challenges is say the first recognize the negation, then apply the antidote, remember. Even that we have to do when we are not disturbed, like such as anger. Before purifying the anger by applying appropriate antidote, when we are not getting angry at that time, then we try to learn about how anger look like. At the same time we should meditate or think over and over the antidote which is patient, think over and over. After so much of familiarizing on that, then when the anger comes, the first is there might not be a chance to anger to arise.
But even the anger arise, it will be easily overcome. So this this approach is same to all the teachings approach. Philosophy also same. Mind training also same. And it mean particularly mind training is is strongly emphasizing on that.
We must practice before we get into trouble. The mind training teaching, specialist of mind training teaching is, we shouldn’t avoid adversities. We shouldn’t avoid problems. Of course, first thing is that we shouldn’t create a karma so that we will be enlightened or whatever. But since we are in this kind of saṃsāra situation, then we shouldn’t if the problem comes, you shouldn’t run away.
You shouldn’t avoid. Rather, you should take the opportunity to tame your mind using the problem. Since the problem has already attacked you, and now that scenery or that event take as an opportunity to tame your mind. So taming your mind is referring to tame your mind into two awakening mind. So that eventually one will be totally free from those difficulties or the adversities.
So that’s the whole reason the great Mahasiddhas, Kadampa Mahasiddhas, why they are able to obtain enlightenment within a short period of time. They are ordinary like us in saṃsāra. They have delusions, anger, frustrations, unhappiness. They have. But then after meeting the mind training teaching, what they did, since you cannot run away from these problems, why not you take the problem as a practice of taming your mind instead of go to some peaceful place and do retreat and practice and you you avoid, you know, difficult situation.
And lojong practitioner sees that is wrong. Never mind. You can remain in the difficult situation. You can remain in saṃsāra. Never mind.
But all those difficulty take as one of the way to tame your mind. So because of that, while living in Samsāra, they can able to liberate from Samsāra. You know, while living in Samsāra, they train, then even before they’re going to next rebirth, they already, you know, what you call the perfect in training. So that’s why they become a one lifetime Buddha. They become Buddha within one lifetime.
So that hardly, very rarely mentioned in other teachings, in particular philosophy, rarely mentioned. And lojong teaching is like from beginning to the end, it’s all about that. Taking disaster, every city into a path. I think earlier I mentioned that such as anger, we have difficulty until that you have gained a very high lojong practice in relation to deity yoga. You are unable to transform anger into a path.
But as far as concerned, other than that, like attachment, pride, all those things you can able to transform into a path even even in the ordinary long term practice. Okay. Then let me ask question. Okay. The the conclusion, you know, after you know, we don’t have to remember, you know, every every single seven points.
But then but it’s good to remember. But then what you call you know, that how you will use how you will use, you know, the technique of mind training teaching into your, you know, daily challenges such as, the hassle in office and the hassle in family and hassle in with your health. You know? How you’re going to use you know? So everybody can give you a suggestion how you’re going to use the lojong teaching in into those challenges.
You can just give suggestions. You have to control your body, speech, and mind. You control body, speech, and mind. Okay? Anybody else?
No. Yeah. So using the, you know, when difficulty comes into one’s life, so then the thought of the understanding of karma, and understanding of the definite of the karma. You create the cause and you have to experience it. So whatever difficulty you experience in our life is a result of our karma.
So using this teaching to train our mind, lojong our mind is very helpful. So it’s one of the suggestion. So so using karma method, thinking of karma. It’s very helpful. That’s why it’s, you know, normally, my way is give fifty percent on karma at least.
If you cannot give hundred percent, at least fifty percent, whatever action you do, whatever thing you do, you plan for tomorrow, you you thought of past, whatever, fifty percent, you just give total responsibility on karma. So that, you know, fifty percent burden is lifted. Fifty percent in your heart is lifted. You know? So because of that, whatever plan you plan for tomorrow, if something goes wrong, you won’t suffer that much because you at least have a support, so karma.
You know? You know, there there’s something that, you know, will will help you, you know? If something go very, very good, something is turned out very, very good, then again, you know, you can have a extra happiness by knowing that you have such a good karma. You know, you can have a great happiness. And when things are lost, you won’t feel that painful.
Oh, anyways, I will create a karma. Now write them. Okay. Finish. Done.
Then from now on, I will make sure that I shouldn’t create such kind of karma. So it’s very helpful. It’s very helpful. So at least fifty percent. But then giving hundred percent on karma also not so good.
Means like you don’t do anything, just karma will take care. So then everything, you know, everything. Then there’s even danger of abusing, you know, the karma to to to school people, know, to, you know, tend to get all the profit to yourself, then there’s a danger of bringing more cherishing mind. So hundred percent also cannot. Because hundred percent is not valid also.
Fifty percent is valid. It’s just karma and condition. See? So fifty percent is past cause called karma. Fifty percent is present cause, which is condition.
So these two come together, then that complete the situation or the event or the result, you see. So it’s very helpful. Yeah. Okay. Again, again, any other suggestion?
Using lojong training the mind in such kind of difficulty. We would think about Buddha becoming Buddha, becoming, you know, like going very, very up there, about there. But if we cannot apply the teaching in our day to day life, we cannot reach there. We will not we will never reach there. We have to climb from here.
We have to we have to we have to overcome from these small obstacles, small difficulties, then one day we’ll reach to the the final destination. You know? Oh, that’s very good. Okay. Good.
Okay. Good good sharing. Thank you. Yeah. So so here, there’s something that says, you know, like, you give a children.
And children, sometimes, even though I mean, you you give your whole heart, your your whole effort, day and night. But then in many cases, disappointment comes and also it’s kind of endless service. You have to put so much so much effort. So so the best way to, you know, apply Dharma in this kind of situation is to see, you know, see those object as a guru, object of your guru. Guru tame us or train us in the practice of his perfection, six perfections.
So the children, if you apply the Dharma, apply the mind training teaching, then the children will train us to develop the perfection of six perfections. Then another thing is always, what do you call, think twice before make the conclusion because we have an instinct nature of hallucinated misinterpretations. We have deluded in interpretations. You know, whatever thought first thing come, even like to want to become Buddha, even that thought, if you don’t think twice, even that also is a is a is a you know, the grasp grasping, deluded kind of perception. You know?
Even that. So in ordinary conversations, ordinary thoughts, we have an instinct nature of deluded interpretation. So we have to very think carefully. So that helps again not to disturb us by misinterpreting others’ faults, by overwhelming your own grasping of faults like that. So then as we were saying, the principle here is because we suffer, because we don’t we are unable to identify who exactly we are referring to.
You know, we all the time every event we’re referring to our nonexistent I, which always stand right in front of the door with so much fear. Fear that you might lose, you might be offended, you might be neglected. You know, that non existent I always live with full vigilant, with total anxiety kind of fear. If somebody say writing, suddenly you try to receive, to propagate. If somebody say wrong thing, they feel like you are thrown out by the cow, disturbance, it’s because we didn’t realize the reality of the self.
So again, it’s talking about emptiness. As long as we don’t realize emptiness, the selflessness of self, then it is very difficult to live in peace and of genuine practice. As you say, you know, control your body, speech, and mind. Control the body, speech, and mind. So that that also in relation to is referring to the mindfulness and introspection.
In Lojong practice, one of the key practices is to be mindful. Be mindful and one must have a kind of introspection mind. One, you know, there’s a two portion of mind, one always like watch like a god, you know, god at the gate, see what kind of thoughts are coming. Then always inform to your mindfulness to make sure that be mindful of what is virtual, what is non virtual, what is harmful, what is beneficial. Anything else?
If you get angry, how to apply Lojong. Don’t simply say, just practice patience. That’s our common way. If one is easily disturbed by anger, so then how to apply Lojong practice to eradicate the anger? Ignorance how do we catch ignorance?
Ignorance is very difficult to catch. Ignorant can catch through the help of anger and attachment. Ignorant can catch through the help of pride, through the help of attachment. Whenever anger come, attachment come, pride come, then that’s the time that you can actually see a clearly the ignorance. Even though you cannot see a hundred percent, but you can probably can catch a little bit.
So that time you try to have a snapshot, quickly snapshot, then blame, then prove all the wrong things about the ignorant mind. But you cannot directly see the ignorant mind, so it’s difficult to blame directly, so you blame to the anger. If the anger is the one that will help you to see, who will help you to take a snapshot of ignorant, then blame the anger. It sounds like you are the ignorant. So until when the anger, you know, anger somehow Anger has a nature of when you blame to him, the anger, even though you’re blaming ignorant, but he feel like he’s blaming him.
So from there, you can see much more clearer picture of the ignorant. Then you can take another second snapshot, which is much more clearer. So that’s the one of the way. But since it’s very sneaky, I mean very, very hidden, So we have to also go and find the hidden way. So that’s otherwise, very difficult.
Because we live in a instinct nature of ignorance. But we always think like a wisdom. You know? We we have to differentiate. You see?
You know? You know, ignorant of inherent existing. We live a life with that. You know? My my perception to seeing all of you, actually, is totally ignorant.
In the in the My my my seeing every one of you, remembering your name, seeing your feet, everything. You know? Seeing object. Everything is actually it’s a perception or ignorant. So this is you know, so it’s so different different difficult to differentiate.
That is in in in in nature, you know, in in nature, even though I’m seeing that is wrong, but your instinct nature perception is ignorant. So it’s so difficult to catch. Why is instinctual ignorant? It’s it’s the heaviest ignorant ignorant of inherent existence. The moment I see you, I see you inherent existence.
I don’t have to even tell myself it’s inherent existing, but just a seeing of you, the perception itself is an inherent existing. So you see that again comes one of very important point for the emptiness, inherent existing. So that again helps. Think twice. It helps one to do Dharma practice.
Make sure don’t do Dharma practice in based on in intention of inherent existing. We have to do in the nature of level inherent existence. Then whatever prayer we do, whatever Dharma practice we do, we are doing practice initiated by emptiness mind, then become very pure, and will will will become cause for liberation. And normally, say, oh, ignorance is like, just see the other side of the wisdom. It’s very difficult to describe, very difficult to catch.
Why we get angry? Because of ignorance. Why we get upset? Because of ignorance. Why we get attached?
Why we have attachment? Because of ignorance. And ignorance is like always like a how to say? Like the old man, you know, the late knee problem helping your hand. Like, ignorant always helps anger, attachment, pride, everybody, all the time, whole hand, to go everywhere together.
Like that. Through the other delusional experiences, one can able to actually identify, ignorance easier. Any other suggestion on this? Okay. Yeah.
What’s it? When difficult times comes, then see that is the result of past karma. Then try to overcome by being positive. Being positive. Seeing in the aspect of positive is a mind training practice.
Whatever difficulty comes into our life, perceive in a positive attitude is a mind, one of the key practice of mind training. You know, one so then that comes only one of the very key practice of my training teaching. Difficult situation like sickness or whatever comes to me online, then you should immediately apply the Lojong teaching there. From very beginning, then when I made my teaching, Lojong teaching, until now I’ve been praying, may all my bodhicitta prayer is, may all living beings suffering ripen upon me. May may my merit ripen upon others.
That’s my soul prayer, prayer. And unfortunately, never ripen before. But today, my prayer come true. You know, today, you know, the the the blessing, you know, blessing of the teaching, blessing of the the Buddha, and blessing of the good karma, and blessing of my prayer, my prayer actualize. So therefore, I suffer.
I suffer. So this is the ripening of all other things suffering. So instead of feel sad, so joyful, that shows that I’m able to offer my happiness and merit to other. So so like so just just like that. So that if you wish to continue, you know, to even to accumulate more merit by taking that difficulty into a practice, then every day, even the more pain you have, or even a slight pain is still there, see that as a ripening of all other living beings’ karma, negative karma and pain and suffering.
Even the experience of sense of joy and inspiration because of this remember this practice, lojong practice, even that you dedicate, may this become the cause to free every living beings from the entire suffering. So that is one of very principle practice of lojong lojong practice. How to apply it our day to day life. Then is it that cover quite quite a lot of area? Anything else?
Any suggestion? You can okay. Then now another way of asking. You know, in your working life, family life, even in Dharma center, even while practicing Dharma, even while making charity to others, helping sick people, or even teaching Dharma to others. You have experienced adversities or even happy, joy, whatever.
How did you apply in that kind of circumstances in mind training teaching? How how how did you apply the mind training teaching in that kind of circumstances? Do you have any thoughts on that? Those who have already said, you can if you want to say, you can say more. Say again.
Yes. This is a good this this really gives practical experience. So It helps. Otherwise, you know, tomorrow this will go into a shell. So after that, it’s like hardly remember, but our sharing will help to remember.
My experience after, you know, from, you know, my experience from the very first day start to have a sharing class with you all And until today, you know, almost everything every after each classes, I become happier and happier. Know? Happier and happier. And I start to take things more more and more easier and easier. Take things take things more and more easier.
And and, you say, yeah, basically becoming more and more happier. You know, that’s that’s my experience. So I don’t know because of it. Somehow somehow, you know, somehow because of the teaching, even though I don’t remember or whatever, whatever, but somehow, you know, every time, you know, things easier to let go, you know, things easier to let go. And and also another experience is start to look more into yourself than looking more into others.
You have an instinct habit of looking into others’ faults, you never look into yourself. That is also one of the main teachings of the lojong, looking to yourself. Of course in life, also every day to day, also experiences comes in some difficult experience, happy, unhappy, whatever. But then somehow you start to look into yourself and try to at least you can able to remain happy, calm by seeing that disturbing yourself won’t help the situation, won’t solve the situation. You know?
So why you have to be unhappy? You know, you rather be happy. Whatever it is. Is. Then also oh, o’clock.
I thought just now it’s, like, nine fifteen, but suddenly become ten o’clock. So fast. Okay. If you get opportunity, then maybe maybe you we all should. If you have a not if you met a not, then once a while, in future once a while, try to just flip up.
Doesn’t matter which page comes, just flip out. Flip out. And sometimes because of that one word will you to remember every single class memories of the class. And if you don’t have a note, then you flip out the Seven Point Mind Training text once a while. Even you’re putting on the shelf, but maybe about once a month or maybe once or two months a time.
Just suddenly, you know, like, just just tell from the library in a book, just simply taking out, flipping one page is it has a great benefit. We cannot say that we must finish it, otherwise I want to read more like that. Just simply take out the seven points. That helps to refresh our past imprints of the teaching and also for us to keep on in our practices. So that’s, I think, very important.
Thank you. This refers to the green book of on the teaching phrase, page twenty four. Amen.