The purpose of meditation, including deity yoga meditation, is the meditation on Namtrul, meditation on the stages, the gradual path to enlightenment, from the Guru devotion up to the dedication of merit, such as enlightenment, Buddha’s pure realms, as well as meditation on the description of Buddha’s qualities, such as five powers, ten powers. And within all the Buddha’s qualities, one of the most effective for us to gain conviction and respect to Buddha is to do the meditation on the Buddha’s the compassionate activities of the Buddha’s, which reveal the benefit to the six types of sentient beings. Not only that, even to all arhats, Hīnayāna beings, those who are within saṃsāra as well as beyond samsaric living beings. Then Lamrim, you know, Lamrim meditation, there’s not much different than what we have what what we did, the Lamrim meditation in a retreat just few few weeks few weeks ago. There’s an analytical meditation on Lamrim, which is in the form of analyzing the understanding of the meaning of the Lamrim teachings such as such as, you know, listening the explanation, the commentary of Lamrim and as well as contemplating on the meanings of what you have learned.
And those that I was saying, then the form of discussions on the subject also is form of analytical meditation. Then during the post session that you’ve been reading books, reading Lamrim books, or listening the Lamrim audio teachings, all those are supposed to be in the category of analytical meditation. So then during the retreat that we have there’s a certain, you know, certain moments we did the visualization of the the Guru Śākyamūni, Lama Tsongkhapa, and Vajradhāra, and drawing nectar and the lights, then try to actualize the realizations of the understanding of Lamrim. It’s more likely is a still meditation or absorption. The meditation in the absorption aspect.
So then in deity yoga, deity yoga also involve both analytical meditation and absorption of the still meditation. Analytical meditation is reflecting on the description of mandalas, the deity’s mandala, reflecting on the description of different implements, the deity’s implements, and description of the Buddhist quality on the particular deity. So those are the what I call the analytical meditation in relation to deity yoga. There’s a still meditation in relation to front generation of the deity yoga practice and a still meditation in relation to the self generation of deity yoga practice. The front generation visualizing deity in front of us, then practicing still or the focus on the image of the deity.
Then from there, drawing the blessing through the light, radiation of lights and nectars. Or one’s mind being still in relation to the implements different implements of the deities Different implements of the deities, such as Medicine Buddha, the nectar ball just setting your mind in the still focusing on the medicine ball. Then from there, drawing light and nectar towards you and heal. So that also in the form of the still meditation. So such and such, one can apply to every different implements because the Buddhas and deities, they hold different implements.
So many different implements. Each different implement has a different effect of the different type of blessings to us. So that’s why the whole it’s only different type of implements. It’s signifying different purpose, different blessings. But then in order success the still meditation on those areas, then first one have to get into study through the analytical meditation.
We have to know the meanings of the different implements. We have to know the different meaning significance of the different implements of the different deities. So like that. So then then of course, in order to success the deity yoga, the purpose of deity yoga practice or deity yoga meditation, one have to engage into the again two stages of meditation, analytical and still meditation into Three Principal Aspects of the Path, renunciation, bodhicitta, emptiness, without which there’s no deity yoga practice. You know, why we are practicing deity yoga?
Because of we’re inspired by understanding or renunciation, because we renounce saṃsāra, we renounce the suffering aggregates, therefore we wish to obtain the state of the state of the deity. That’s why we engage into the deity yoga practice. So we need to have a very firm understanding of the three principals of the path. And that start with the analytical meditation on the renunciation. So such as reading books in relation to renunciation, having discussion, having discourse, teaching, discourse, listening, teachings on renunciation, etc.
Are all within the analytical meditation, supposed to be analytical meditation. If we take those areas, those events as analytical meditation and the effect from the teaching is far more greater. But we just take just just normal listening. Then it is not, you know, kind of like a solid practice of meditation. That’s why we cannot gain strong effect of the teaching.
Either when we listen the teaching, we don’t have a firm we cannot receive firm understanding, we cannot receive firm mindfulness in the teaching, firm memory of the teaching. It’s because we are unable to bring our mind in the direction of analytical meditation. That’s the reason we have those obstacles. Same to emptiness, same to bodhicitta. Then after gaining well trained in the analytical meditation, then one to train one’s mind in still meditation or absorption meditation.
Still meditation. So how to gain the still meditation or single-pointed meditation on those deity yogas as well as Three Principal Aspects of the Path? We can only gain successful still meditation if we have a successful analytical meditation. And the analytical meditation is within the three categories of learning the Dharma. First two are the analytical.
Listening or the learning and the contemplation are within the analytical. Then the last one, the meditation that comes about the still meditation. So every teachings and every deity yoga practices or whatever Dharma practices that we engage, we have to merge within these three areas. The learning, then learning and contemplation, which is analytical, analytical meditation. Then the final meditation, which is still meditation.
So we have to engage this three thing in whatever form of Dharma practice, Dharma study that we do, you know, like that. Like this. So so these areas are the supreme or or very high level, you know, the the practice of meditation in Buddhadharma, in Buddhism. Those initial stage of meditations are training our mind, such as training our mind to be learn to be focused, training ourselves to focus on the light, focus on certain focusing on our own mind. So those are it’s like a preliminary stage, preliminary kind of meditation, which is taming our mind to get into, you know, what do you call it?
For us to have a, proper engaging meditation in the analytical and lamrim and deity yogas as well as still in lamrim and deity yoga practices. Thank you. So this is just one idea. So any question? So it’s a big subject, meditation.
Cover the whole, numbering the whole deity yoga, eighty-four thousand teachings. Visualize it. It also has a two two categories, both analytical and still meditation. Like, visualizing, like, you know, like, mandala. There’s so many, you know, description of mandala.
So visualizing one by one is the is visualizing one by one and describing it to your mind is is the analytical. So if you are if you if you are if are doing single pointed meditation on Buddha’s image, then you need to train your concentration on the first image that you capture. If the first image is captured in a position of just still standing, you have to capture that image. You have to focus on that image. And then it starts to slant, it’s an obstacle.
When it starts to slant, it’s an obstacle. It’s not it’s not a still meditation. It’s obstacle to still meditation. But then the first image itself is Buddha is slanting, slanting, like he’s moving. So you have to continue to focus on the slanting, moving.
And in between Buddha becomes still, the still image is obstacle through that meditation. You know, when you when you are focusing the when you’re training still meditation in basis on Buddha’s image. And the first image you capture is Buddha is moving. The first image you are capturing, like, the first image of Buddha is like that. Buddha is moving here and then moving here and there.
So that is the first image. So you have to continue to focus on this. Move like that. The moment Buddha stop, obstacle comes. Obstacle to the concentration meditation.
So like this. If it’s analytical meditation, then it so whatever comes, you have to analyze. Your your your first viewing of the Buddha is still. So your mind will start to describe the why Buddha is still, sitting still, Oh, Buddha is in in clear absorption meditation. That’s why Buddha is still, you know, all of them from there, you know, radiating various lights, you know, manifesting, you know, all the, you know, like the the benefits, you know, through the ritual life and etcetera.
Then Buddha starts to slant and say, oh, now Buddha is is why is it not moving? Because maybe Buddha about to stand up to go and benefit outside, whatever. So whatever the the the positive description of in relation to Buddha’s qualities into Buddha’s whatever that act appear into your mind is analytical. Then where is slanting? How come Buddha, you know, supposed to be very still, but he is slanting?
That means maybe not Buddha. Then there’s obstacle for the analytical meditation. Because Buddha only has quality, no faults. But you project, you describe slanting of the body as a fault of the Buddha’s body object, and that is obstacle. But then if you are Buddha, even your inspiration get even even even greater because of Buddha suddenly move and that is maybe it’s good.
Maybe it’s good. But then, of course, that cannot be your imagination. If it is imagination, it’s a fault. We have to visualize. Visualization only comes when you have a proper understanding of the the the the knowledge or the the the object of meditation.
Because you need to visualize exactly what the reality is. You cannot visualize something which is not true. You cannot visualize something is not right. It’s a wrong visualization. You have to visualize exactly hundred percent correct one.
And that is not imagination. That’s correct. Imagination is dangerous. Sometimes we imagine which is not true. Something is not not supposed to be there, but you imagine to be there, And that is a hallucination.
That imagination is a hallucination. Visualization is not a hallucination. Not supposed to be a hallucination. No. I think it’s it’s acting very much in individual label.
You know? I mean, is there’s no no no fixed. Is it dependent on division on individual label. On individual level, for your own understanding and for your own purpose of gaining the benefit of the meditation, then even Buddha slanting, whatever, dancing, whatever, then it it is maybe it is okay. I don’t know.
But in a common you know, the commonly, there’s a kind of like a general description of the Buddha. So that’s that’s that’s the that’s the, you know, description. So I think there’s no, like, like, kind of one answer. The best answer is depend on individual level Individual level. So if the individual feels that is that is good for them, it’s good.
It’s it’s good. Yeah. I think my answer is is it depend on individual. Oh, it’s very difficult. You you yourself, individual have to realize that whether it’s my imagination or whether it’s my visualization.
So if you are not so sure about the actual fact description of the Buddhas, mandalas, or the other like like like, Buddhist or Hindu deities, then there’s a danger of becoming imagination. So that’s why it’s very necessary that we must study complete study, you know, like all the definition. We have to study the definition of the the object of the meditation. If it’s emptiness, we we must have a full understanding of definition of the emptiness so that make sure that that definition, it appear to your mind as a visualization, then that is visualization. But other than that, then it’s a is it is it mainly maybe is it like like like your own projection, mental projection, or hallucination, or you can also call imagination.
But I I I see many of the text, you know, those English text I English the books come. You know, people many way, they use imagination whenever they they say visualization. Many many area I saw, they use imagination. Not imagine this. Imagine that.
You should imagine this. Something like that. You know? So, literally, you know, imagination is a is a hallucination. You know?
Hallucination. So so but visualization has its own what I call the the the word meaning, you know, it is it’s it’s appropriate. Because visualization, if we if we want to we strictly want to stick on what really visualization is, we have to visualize exactly the the definition. The definition is only one. Buddha have established the definition for emptiness, for bodhicitta, for guru devotion, for every single teaching has a definition.
So we have to stick on that. And if individual person bring about bring about, like, extra input, it could be beneficial for for one individual level. But but but it not necessarily can be can be there’s a danger of mixing up with the imaging. It’s a visualization. It’s a it’s a full concept.
Full concept. Yeah. It’s it’s for it’s it’s visualization is actually to have a, like, clear, strong, you know, like a like a view to the mind. Actually, it’s a mental mental it’s object of your mental what you call apprehension. You call apprehension?
That’s the right word? No. Not right word. Okay. I was saying the object of your mental picture.
Object of mental picture. And the object of mental picture, whatever picture that you capture by your mind, which is form of object of your visualization, it leaves exact imprint into your mental continuum. And that imprint is the one that who is actually benefiting us, which is benefiting us. You know? So so so if in case we visualize something something extra or something wrong, Maybe it might become obstacle.
You know, maybe maybe it might become obstacle. You know? So that’s why that’s why why the teaching have to be authentic. You know, why teaching have to be or why the teaching have to be authentic. Why the teaching whatever it is, whether we understand or not, it’s still we have to dig the root.
We have to, you know we only can like like like like contemporary teachers. Like like like me, we we only can assist to to to put some new words to make us to understand the actual, the root meaning only. But fundamentally, you still have to go back to have a clear picture of the root, the the authentic teaching, meaning to to to to to do your to do meditation within your mental continuum. Otherwise, it become like a addition. You know?
That’s I think so. I could be wrong, but that’s what I think. Yeah. The visualization that’s why, again, same answer. We have to have a clear understanding of the object visualization.
If it is about emptiness, you have to have a clear understanding of the definition of emptiness. So so your visualization, the description of the definition of emptiness will not become a will become a proper meditation. And as long as you stick on that, it will be it will naturally prevent the the other obstacle parts. But then whenever obstacle parts come, you will recognize that is the obstacle, then you will overcome the obstacle, then you will still continue to focus on the object of your right meditation. So that’s why we have to really know how to differentiate what is object of meditation or what is the obstacle of meditation.
Because when we do visualization, there’s so many things comes in our mind. Even when we visualize radiation of light, you know, supposed to visualize golden light, but then rainbow light comes. Maybe for you feel rainbow light is more comfortable. So then but the rainbow light could be obstacle for your visualization, which is supposed to visualize golden light. So meditation is supposed to actually bring calm and relaxation.
And if the meditation become irritating, that means this obstacle already enter into your meditation. It could be the way you have approached the meditation or maybe the sitting posture is maybe not right. So you have to investigate. You have to stop the session and you have to find out what is the obstacle. So you avoid the obstacle, then you go back to the meditation again.
So you have to find out what is the obstacle is bothering you. Because meditation itself supposed to bring calmness, bring bring bring joy, bring calmness. But during meditation, feel more tense, more more more more stress, then there’s something wrong. Yeah. We have to stop.
We have to stop. We have to stop. We have to stop. We we we have to stop because you have the understanding. Supposed to visualize coherent light.
Now rainbow light come. So then that means the obstacle comes. So you you you you you relax. You go to washroom or drink cup of water or whatever. Then after that, then go back to meditation and, again, focus on the the meditation.
Yeah. So that’s why it’s a group meditation. It’s a it’s a group meditation. It’s always beneficial for analytical meditation. But for the single-pointed meditation, it’s normally singly.
You know, you you it’s more appropriate because you try to guide a single-pointed meditation in a group. You know, each individual has a different mental disposition and also given the seat arrangement, you need to have a very comfortable seat which suits exactly to you. And we have a standard seat for everybody. So it can be hard. The Samatha, still meditation, still appropriate.
It’s alone and very conducive place. It’s one of the one of the criteria need for the Samatha meditation. You know, Very conducive meditation place. Means including the cushion have to be very, very, very comfortable to you, the sound, the area, the wear, everything. You see?
But then when we do group meditation, it’s it’s very good analytical. Analytical is more suitable. Means or somebody guide, teach. You know? Okay.
Now number one, guru devotion. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.
Ding. Okay. Now visualize this. Visualize that. So as I mentioned earlier, the even the explanation that we provide is for us to have the understanding or for us to have a strong kind of like mental focus to the to the root root advice or root teaching of the Buddha himself, like Buddha himself.
Like like Buddha devotion, the whole Buddha’s teaching even though there’s so many explanations, commentaries. But the thing is seeing, you know, seeing guru as Buddha. That is but we don’t understand what you really mean by seeing guru in Buddha. So that’s why then we common contemporary commentaries and teachers have to explain seeing guru means like that, like that, like that, like like But that has to help you to see guru as Buddha. Your meditation is to see guru as Buddha.
You know, by the help of the the teachers, the help of the from the books, commentaries, and by the help of the the even the even the guided meditator, from a guided meditation, you know, with the help of the teacher. Say, okay. Now you should express like that express like that for you to feel that really the guru is a Buddha. So so so so that so teacher teachers might have a, you know, different skill, different methods. And in many times, maybe the method is based on your own experiences.
Means for you, by doing such such such such integration helps for you to understand that particular authentic fundamental teaching. You know? So the teacher might share his own experience for you to understand for you to understand. But then but then again, that if it is something which is out of the authentic teaching, then all the commentaries, then let’s say, you take as a a as a side advice. And if it is helpful for you, you apply.
If it’s not helpful for you, but if you think there’s something else that be more helpful, then you can bring that into to enhance your understanding on that particular teaching. But we always like I guru devotion might talk for maybe ten days. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. But the thing that you have to capture and you have to understand is the the root teaching, which is see guru in Buddha. That’s it.
That’s it. But in order to understand, make us to understand, you need to explain maybe your own input or maybe from hundreds of different commentaries, maybe most of different commentary explain based on their own experiences. Like Seven Point Mind Training, the root text And that there’s so many commentaries, but today’s time there’s so many commentaries. So everyone have their kind of like style of approach to make us to understand the seven points. For us to keep in our mind and try to gain the realization on that particular teaching is the seven point, the root teaching itself.
The root teaching itself we have to retain. But if we go out of that, we will forget the root teaching and try to just base on the commentary itself. It’s already, like, kind of like a I don’t know whether it’s nice to say diluted or not. It’s, like, already, like, portion of Distraction. Yeah.
Some portion of yeah. It’s a distraction or and and, you know, like, distraction or that how to say, dilute, you know, you know. Then again, if the masters, like those great scholars masters, if they have already has a direct communication with the Buddhas, you know, whatever they deliver, it is a direct it’s a direct message from the Buddha Buddha himself, And that itself become authentic. That itself become the root. Like, many teaching received directly from magistrate.
And we cannot say, know, it’s it’s just a commentary from by. It is the root teaching. You know, it’s it’s it’s all like that. So even so so so there’s such possible, you know, like that. No.
No. Meditation comes too. Contemplation and oh, contemplation. Oh, no. No.
No. Contemplation, meditation is two different thing. Oh, I see. Contemplation and meditation is two different thing. Meditation is habituation.
Contemplation is not up to meditation. There’s a there’s still, like, a few more stages to reach contemplation as a meditation. You see? Sure. Yeah.
Yeah. What’s that? Just now it says the meditation is repeatedly reflect on meaning. Repeatedly reflect on the meaning. Repeatedly reflect on the meaning.
Maybe there’s one one small thing because the, you know, the first moment of meditation to the object is not repeatedly, but it’s still a meditation. So it’s not necessary that meditation must be repeatedly, you know, reflecting on the meaning. Not necessary. Even one single moment of reflection on the meaning. Okay.
Okay. Before I go to that, we have to differentiate this. The meaning which you the the they were saying, what is it? The meaning that which you obtained it through the through the contemplation, then your mind focus or repeatedly meditate, repeatedly, you know, what you call reflect or or habituate is a meditation. The meaning of contemplation.
The object of meditation is a meaning of the contemplation is the object of meditation. So the the the the the meaning that which you understand from the listening, learning Dharma is the object of contemplation. Then then after that, the meaning which you learn from the contemplation is the object of meditation. So there’s it sounds similar, but there’s a there’s subtle subtle differences. Okay.
The meaning of meditation is the the word object of meditation is the meaning, the understanding which you actualize through your contemplation. And the object of contemplation is is the understanding which you gain through learning such as listening to dharma, reading the books, etcetera. Whatever you learn, you might obtain some kind of mean some kind of conclusion, some kind of understanding. And that understanding is object of your contemplation. And after contemplating, then you you will gain some kind of wisdom, some kind of firm figure of the contemplation that is object of your meditation.
And on that object, either you you focus for one moment, also become meditation. Repeatedly focus, also meditation. You know, it leaves as a habit, you know, the habituation habituation habitual label in your mental continuum or your physical level or your verbal level is a meditation. Yes. Yes.
So but this one, if you if you like, you know, if you don’t differentiate carefully, sound like no different. Like, contemplation sound like learning also. Then what is the different of, you know, the meaning of contemplation and the meaning of meditation? It’s also, like, sound like same, but there is a different. This Okay.
So we will know that if our if object of our meditation is is is a is a object of meditation that which gain through proper study and through proper analysis of your you know, analysis of contemplations, then you are meditating. But then if you are not sure about the object of your contemplation, then you are still investigating the the in the in in the the the object of that what you learn, then it’s it’s just a contemplation. It’s not a meditation. It’s not in a mode of education yet. It’s in a contemplation because you’re still unable to finalize the the the the you’re still unable to conclude your research.
Your research is still in the process. You you still have so many questions. You still have you know, you’re still not convinced the answer. So that means you’re in the process of contemplation. You have so many resources to refer and also you have so much wisdom through the learning that you know almost like eighty four thousand teaching you have cover.
You know, then you apply your own logic and reasonings, you know, the conventional logic and reasonings. And based on your own research on the eighty four thousand teaching, still you can’t find the the the the final kind of like confirmation or final kind of like a like converting like a definite answer. That means you are still in contemplation. When you get after, you know, cover what do you call it? Your understanding of the the the meaning of the contemplation, well, in reliance to the rest of the Buddha’s teaching, the eight four thousand teaching.
It it doesn’t contradict any of the Buddha’s own words. Plus it doesn’t contradict your own reasoning and your own conventional reasoning and logic. Then that’s the day that you will be totally convinced of that particular message or teaching. And that convincing kind of what you call the the teaching or the message or the understanding is the object of meditation. And from that very on, how much you reflect on that is all become meditation.
Normal contemplation. Yeah. When we do analytical meditation, it’s also it’s almost like sound like is that like a like, no different than contemplation, no different than still learning. But the analytical meditation is is analyzing based on your own confirmation understanding from which you gain from learning as well as from the contemplation. You know?
So analytical meditation only comes that you have a mature understanding. If you don’t have a proper understanding, you cannot go into analytical meditation. You can only be like like, you are only up to maybe contemplation Contemplation and I like analysis, not meditation analysis. Mature meditation analysis is you really have to have a clear picture. You have a total hundred percent convinced clear picture where there’s no doubt and you are contemplating to to gain the realization of that particular subject or the teaching.
You know, there’s no no no more question answer. It’s it’s totally habituation habituating. Because meditation have to be habituate habituate in the manner of habituation. So if you are not sure if you try to habituate, there’s a danger. Once you come to meditation stage, you cannot fall into a kind of like a trap of danger.
You need to have a, like, full confirmation of understanding. The only thing is to gain the realization means to to to to be part of your mind spontaneously. And each subject, you will start to gain the spontaneous habituation, and that’s the time you call again this gain the realization on the meditation. Both possibilities are there. If you are if your understanding is not firm enough, then you might fall back into a contemplation.
You And if your contemplation also not firm enough, it will even fall into a further study. But then, again, it just like obstacle can come. But then by but since your contemplation is completed perfectly, then your meditation will like obstacle come by overcoming obstacle, you your meditation will go deeper and deeper. So both possibilities there. So here it shows, you know, if really we want to meditate in any subject, we have to well study first.
You know, the study comes number one. Then after a while study, and we really need to, you know, take time to contemplate, you know, on the meat on the on the on the research that you have done through your study. Make sure that that really, you know, is a is a Buddha’s own teaching. And that is the right direct message from Buddha. You know?
And that is the path that Buddha himself follow. And that’s the path that which I want to follow. So then so that you have to refer to many different Buddha’s own text, teachings, whether this teaching is really goes to the root of Buddha’s teaching or not. Because it could be maybe one very smart guy come and, you know, know how to compose so well, everything so nicely, and you’ll be attracted with that and you’ll start to forget the root root advice. There’s a danger.
If that happens, then then then danger, it it become a big obstacle. You we might think that we are practicing, but then there’s a danger. Yeah. Alright. It’s the same.
You we’re saying, you know, I I I hardly do meditation and very difficult. They’re one of the no. Not not hardly. I mean, I don’t do it at all. This is difficult.
You know, it’s it’s difficult. But first first is first, the understanding also already very difficult. So so just, you know, normally, even I do simple kind of like preliminary meditations, like inspirational meditations. You know, reflect on Buddha’s qualities and try to remain in that with remain in that thought for some time. And that really inspire for you to, you know, be study more in that month.
You know? So those those are also very helpful. Then sometime just focus on Gurukshetamune Buddha’s holy object, which which brings so much inspiration to your Dharma learning. You know, just admire his holy object, you know, body, holy face, and reminding yourself little understanding of his qualities from the teaching. Then try to reflect those qualities into his face.
And that also helps and quite, you know, quite not that difficult, you know, for like like like our time. Not that difficult, it helps. And sometime try to do some deity yoga meditations, which is preliminary stage, like reciting some mantra from your mouth and try to focus, make sure that you recite proper pronunciation and, you know, and the complete recitation. At the same time, you know, try to receive some blessing to the radiation of like a general, you know, like in the meditations, a radiation of light and nectar from the deity. And like the purpose is I want to purify.
There’s so much ignorance, so much suffering, I want to purify that. So using the Buddha and the deities, reciting their mantras and drawing the nectar and light entering from your crown and try to purify the physical, you know, the creation negative karmas and try to gain some kind of blessing to your visualization and feel like you’re lifted, feel very comfortable, calm, happy, then like same to speech and mind like that. So those are like the meditation I feel very helpful for for for like in our our case, you know. And we also also very busy. We are there, you know, do many thing.
So that can be done less than five minutes time. That can be done in less than five minutes time. Or sometime just do like, pre preliminary meditation on compassion. Like, you know, that just, you know, like, remind of the so many, like, sufferings happening in the world, then you sense of that you really wish to help them. And in my this very position, I only can help them wishing them liberation.
I cannot manage my physically to go there or financially support them. I have no ability. But at least that at least I I I express my my thought to concern for them. May all those suffering beings be free from, you know, those sufferings as well as basically, Buddha bless their mind. You know, sometimes you feel like a bit urgent.
So many people are suffering and you you are kind of helpless. You can’t do much from your side. So you’re kind of like urgent like, Buddha, please bless their mind. You know, to bless their mind to to to to not to commit more negative karma so that they don’t have to suffer. You know, so that kind of like voicing.
So even that is a meditation, and it’s quite helpful. Let’s say, Lamrim, seeing guru in Buddha, it’s so difficult. They’re extremely difficult. It’s almost like impossible like that. But then, at least there’s, you know, know, know, the teachings are very precious.
You know the Buddhadharma, the teaching is the only way for liberation. You know, you you you can you can have some understanding of that. So that kind of, like, guidance and teachings I received from the guru. So so therefore, I received the ultimate solution for liberation, ultimate solution to liberate from saṃsāra. So even if if I happen to see Buddha directly, I think he he can he can only provide me that much, not more than that.
So why I cannot? Why I why I have a so difficult to see guru as a Buddha? Because, you know, it it provided me the same benefit. So then but but by doing analogical this way, you feel like you feel you you you feel like so close with your guru. You feel like you really start to see the guru as a Buddha Yeah.
Through analytical. And after that, the moment you start to have a sense of the mental movement or feel that guru is a Buddha, then you try to have some still meditation. Means physically, mentally, very calm. Then just try to have that that that kind of that that understanding. Guru is just that much.
So just as much as you can, one minute, less than one minute, half half an hour, whatever. And you feel like, oh, I think I better change the meditation object. But I feel this is helping me to see guru and Buddha. So then after that but I but you see that your mind is still have so many obscuration. So then you know the Buddha’s by visualizing Buddha’s would bring lot of benefit to to to to to bless your mind.
Then visualize Buddha in front of you, Then from the radiation of lights, nectar, entering to you, then it goes into your mind, then bless your mind. And the moment through your visualization, the light goes to your heart, merge with your mind, immediately, you start to feel sense of light and sense of sense of joy, and and that will remain in that joy. Also, it’s still meditation. Or sometime, once the joy experience because of the visualization, then you should feel, oh, that is is the moment that my my mind is completely blessed. So now I will able to see guru in Buddha.
So like this kind of guess, it’s a it’s a very helpful. So I think we can we can we can do like that to rest of the Lamrim topics and rest of the deity yoga practices. We can do it. Okay? I see.
Oh, okay. Oh, see. Relax. For me, the most relaxing contemplation meditation is watch movie. You know, I mean, lie down on the bed.
This is like that because it’s very relaxing. Because sometime, even Dharma understanding, you try to find a relaxation from there. Some are very stressful because we really you know, it’s it’s a it’s the inspiration is very difficult to have. So we have no choice actually to to gain the proper relaxation from meditation is to to to reflect on the kindness of the Buddhas, the qualities of the Buddhas, and and some of the, you know, like, wonderful events in the life, virtuous events in the life. Try to remind yourself.
And that actually will help to calm ourselves. And and by by by recalling that also meditation. You know, otherwise, like, you just know whatever meditation we explain is quite stressful. Find that quite stressful because because it’s because it’s like we have we already you know, it started worrying. Maybe I missed the the sequence or maybe not really right meditation or whatever.
So you already did so much worry. So that’s why that’s why, you know, what do you call, the he’s on the Dharma all the time. It says that, like, this monastery university, like, you know, this like, they they they hardly introduce meditation for at least for maybe ten to fifteen ten years. Maybe let’s say at least ten years. You know, ten years.
I’ll introduce no no at all about still meditation. Not even like analytical meditation. Only train you to study, study, explore, give you so many like doubts, cautions. You know, even the teachers when they teach, they will never conclude you with the right answer. They will only give you lot of doubts, doubtful questions.
Like even the teaching, you know, even it’s quite easy to understand. It will create a doubt for you. So then it will send you to the debate yard to hours and hours just to clear the doubt for you to get a very, very strong, you know, deeper and without any choice to explore the order order order order. So what I only recommend, there’s such thing in in in certain scripture searching in certain scripture, but, you know, or maybe might say only one word, they will they won’t even recite the rest of the court. So you have to go and find.
You know? So so so about ten ten over years, they will not let you touch any implements, vajra and bell. You know? In fact, it’s until that you become Geshe, they won’t let you to touch any implements like vajra and bell and pujas, discourage pujas. You know, discourage or, you know, like going into a country kind of practice, you know, in in Tibet especially, no initiation.
You just have to study philosophy thoroughly. You know? So once you become Gesher, then you will sent to tantric college, but short period of time and the one year enough. So that shows the fundamental is still the philosophy teaching. And that will bring about the firm, you know, the like successful meditation.
So that’s why, like, all the past, the one lifetime enlightenment are those Kadampa masters. We call Kadampa Geshes. You But today’s time, of course, we go and receive initiation age of eleven before even entering the kindergarten of philosophy. You know? We only ring the bell, ring the Vajra, this and that.
So, anyways what’s that? So, honestly, it’s quite difficult for us. You know, I’ll say, to to have a now it’s almost like discouraging like that. Not I’m not discouraging. Yeah?
I’m just saying that if we are not serious enough, yes, it’s very difficult. Very difficult. Also, you know, the what’s it in the teaching and also with all the past lamas advice. We shouldn’t spend too much time. It’s a common kind of meditations such like focusing just on the mind.
Means like just my even searching eye. Like, you know, like like, there’s a certain practice. It’s like, go and search the mind. Go and search the eye. You know?
Even that is good in in a certain stage, but it cannot remain all the time in that stage. Or focusing just on the on the light or on the on the on the one one single object is good, but it’s still not good enough. So so basically, it’s the meditation on lamrim is the most essential, most profound. So that’s why when we study Lamrim when we study so that’s why Lamrim study, it it comes very important because from there, we we we will gain the definition of different stages of the path. Definition.
The actual meaning of different stages of the path. So once we learn the definition, the meditation is all about familiarizing or, let’s say, habituating on the definition of the path, you know, on the definition of the path. Like, emptiness, lack of inherent existence is the definition. So once you know what exactly means lack of inherent existence, and we are familiarizing in the lack of inherent existence itself is a meditation, then there’s a possibility of liberation from that. You know?
But as for normal relaxation, be positive. Be be positive. Like, if things so the lojong comes very effective. Learn to be positive. When we are positive, we naturally come, you know, and take it easy.
You know? So for that, external kind of effect is like focusing on on Buddha’s holy face or Buddha’s holy image or forcing focusing on Om focusing on Om mani padme hum. So that kind of meditation help to calm yourself. So no need to no need to no need to describe the object of meditation. Rather just close down the gross senses, the gross mind and just bring one mind, just focus on one object.
And that helps to like, since you close the gross sensor, that naturally calm your mind. Why we are so tense? Why we are so alert? So so much distraction because our senses are so alert, so gross, and at the same time, there’s no protection. Let it happen as as much as want to move, just let it move.
That’s why it’s too busy. That’s why we cannot come. Focusing, it helps. Even focusing on the light, it helps. Focusing on the to calm the mind, focusing on the light, focusing on the flower, focusing on one thought, focusing on one good event in life, it helps.
But that alone, it won’t it won’t bring a liberation. So that’s why in a Buddhist teaching, it’s necessary, but discourage not to spend too much time on that. Rather, do meditate meditation on the stages of the past. But it need you know what? Because we want calmness, isn’t it?
So it helps. So even after the ninth stage of the mental concentration training, even the non-Buddhist, those objective is not liberation, also they can do, and they are well trained. They can achieve. And they can even achieve the physical stage of pliancy, the relaxation and bliss and happiness. Even many Hindu practitioners, those who reside in the Himalayas, in the cave, in the jungle, they stay naked and they can they they are not disturbing through elements.
You know, cold won’t disturb you. Hot won’t disturb you. You know? The only thing is the body nature, the human body nature will deteriorate gradually, but the external kind of like element won’t disturb you. You know?
So that why don’t disturb? Because of the concentration. Single point of concentration. That’s that’s that’s how they train like that. So but in in in in Buddhism, that have to be abandoned.
That’s not the ultimate. You can just bring as a a as a some some some until some stage as a as a as a inspiration only, but not the ultimate purpose to achieve that. But then again, in in Buddhism, they do they do they have a meditation which totally, you know, protect from the elemental disturbance. Instead of using this technique, rather they use tummo practice, the tummo fire, the which very much comes from the the deity yoga. From the navel, you know, you you you lift the flame from the navel.
So from from there, it activate the heat entire your body. If it’s very, very hot, once you once you switch off the heat, you receive, receive the the you know, you balance the cold cold energy, the wind with the cold energy. So and that practice will bring it will still cause for liberation, cause for enlightenment. Because they’re conjoined with, again, the emptiness yoga as well as you can do that only with respect to your own body as well as to to benefit other. Like that.
So and and then, again, if you wish to really achieve the the the how to say, the the highest concentration, the the bliss and flancy within your body and within your mind, then good to, you know, engage into the the śamatha trainings. And, again, it says that if you are serious enough, within six months, you can able to achieve even to this time. So but but but the the days of people who who are who who who are trying this this practice, you know, who who is who is engaging this practice. But maybe in here, maybe I I don’t know. I don’t think so.
I mean, if you really wish to do that, then why not? You know? It’s a mindfulness practice. I think Yeah. Yeah.
Yes. I think we can say that this is in the category of mindfulness meditation. That’s right. Yeah. Mindfulness meditation.
So, you know, being mindful of your your action of body, tissue, and mind. That is very, very helpful and is needed. Yeah. This is one one one type of meditation. I mean, all meditation require this, but in particular, just mindfulness meditation in this much area, also very good.
That one, we have to live everyday life like that. I mean, as long as you know, especially those of all of us, we have we’ve taken about, you know, five you know, the five at least five fundamental the vows. So without this this mindfulness meditation, you will you’ll continue to break the vows. You know? So this is like it’s every day.
The moment you you you and the actually, moment you become Buddhist, the moment the day you take refuge, the mindfulness meditation have to apply within our our mind. So be be mindful. Oh, yeah. So mindfulness meditation. So it’s very, very good.
It’s it’s something that every day to day life, you know, we have to we have to bring this meditation. In. No. It’s like your your your viewing to the numberless Buddha’s, like, falling into you or coming into you is is is like a bird eye. How the bird eye capture the rest of the city.
Like, you know, like, actually, like like, capturing is like a bird eye like that. Or in other word is like a when you look at the snowfall, heavy snowfall, you cannot capture one by one snow one by one snowflake, but you will see it’s, you know, it’s nonetheless falling. So something like that. The visualization is like looking at a heavy snowfall. So the Buddhas are just just just descending.
Nonetheless, like that. Or in another word, it’s like, you look at like you’re looking from a high mountain, look into a whole city. You cannot spot the one loop. Not necessarily to spot every single, you know, the houses and people, but you can overall see entire city. So that kind of look, that kind of visualization.
Oh, that one is you have to you have to focus you have to focus this, you know, like, the kind of size. Palm size is is the most appropriate, you know, the size. Not too big, not too too not too too tiny. So that’s the recommendation from, you know, the teaching. But then and again, those you know, some of the meditators in individual level, they they they meditate Buddha as like a mountain, huge.
So it have more effect. And some, they they they don’t visualize at all in the form, you know, from the especially from the deity yoga meditations, they they teach about seeing Buddha in the form of light energy. Light energy, not in a physical form, like, but light energy. So visualizing that. But you have to project.
You have to kind of label as a Buddha or the deity. And from there, they’re receiving, you know, the nectars and blessings. So it’s a it’s a very so it depend what whatever you feel comfortable. Okay. Yeah.
If a sorrow feeling comes, it’s not a not a realization. When the when when when you when you feel regret of the past mistake, you cannot feel sorrow. You rather have to tell yourself it was a wrong doing, it’s not a right doing. And you rather should feel so fortunate that you’re purifying now. Instead of feeling sad, sorrow, you rather have to feel joy, so much inspiration, feel so lucky that, you know, how fortunate I have this human river, this Dharma, this purification practice.
Now I realized that I can purify everything now. So, you know, the regret then, yeah, many people mistake. And when you feel regret, normally, it feels feel sad, feel very sorry, you know, sorrow. Yeah? But this purification, you know, the four opponent powers, when you feel regret that time, you recognize the the miss misdoings and wrongdoings, but you rather feel more inspired.
You rather feel more joy rather than feel sad. Yeah. So Dharma practice cannot feel sad at all. Overall, whole Dharma any Dharma practice cannot feel sad. Even you generate compassion, you cannot feel sad.
When you when you see so every suffering person in front of you, if you like, hospice care or, you know, like, whoever. We cannot feel pity. We have to generate compassion. By seeing the sick person and and very suffering person, in order to help the person, you have to get even more energy, stronger energy, more positive. Thinking that, okay, I must take full responsibility to liberate this suffering person.
So so immediately, again, admire how the Buddha’s qualities, Buddha’s compassion, Buddha’s teaching. Due to that, I have this ability to to benefit this person. Rather, you should feel you should feel not joy of seeing the sick person, but feel joy of obtaining such a ability in you, then you should do your best to whatever you can rescue the person. But in many cases, we feel sad. You know, when we see somebody suffering, we feel upset.
We feel sadness. We feel down. So that is a is a it it cannot happen at all because if you feel set or down or suffering in relation with that particular sick person, you become a cost a sick person to accommodate more negative karma because you because because you are the cause. Because he is he or he is the cause for you to feel sad. And sadness feeling is delusion.
Make you to arise more delusion. It’s more negative karma. So that means you are victim of the patient’s more creation of negative karma. Means you you are instead of helping you donate more negative karma to the person. You get what I mean?
You know, it it is it like that. No? Can only. Anyway. Anyway.
Anyway, whatever you do, you know, in in normal life, you can one portion of mind always dedicate for meditation. Whenever you have a free time, switch to still meditation. Whenever you you are not free, you’re typing computer or working, talking to people, switch to analytical meditation. So one portion of mind, you always divide, provide for meditation. So because of that allocation of your mind will help us to protect our body, speech, and mind creating more negative karmas, also to behave on the self.
So always one portion. It is possible. It is not that difficult. Just one portion. One portion.
That means like all the time that portion of meditate meditation on mind, which is mindfulness, always follow you everywhere. How busy you are, you’re always in meditation. So that’s very, very beneficial. Just dispel people from from this? Yes.
Yes. Yeah. Mean You come here, just relax and then go back. Yeah. Yeah.
But sometimes you you you caught up more thing coming to Dharma Center. Yeah. You know? So if we the yeah. Many people come in the expectation like that expectation.
You you you immediately come in, you know, like, just people will treat you to be relaxed. You will relax. Everything just, like, all settled. And Yoga center. It’s not it’s not necessary that would happen.
And it’s not necessary to happen that way also. You know? So, basically, it’s a learning I think it’s a it’s a learning center, you know, study. You know? Up then meditation is one of them.
You know, meditation is one of one of the the in the category of learning. You see? To learn to meditate, learn to contemplate, learn to be relaxed, learn to be happy, learn to release that stress, and ultimately, learn to be released from entire aspect of problems and sufferings. So that’s why for my personal level, I I always feel the best, the most effect effective to gain temporary relaxation and peace and happiness. And ultimately also is to actualize ultimate highest purpose.
Is a lojong teaching. I feel this is most effective for my my case. It’s, you know, when you read lojong teaching, when you listen lojong teaching, it’s it’s all about the problem maker is one’s ego. Who is stressed out? So one’s ego is the one who stress out.
Oneself. One’s the delusion is the one who stress out. Why we why we cannot relax? Because of our own mind. You know?
And that that thought then mind which disturbing us is the deluded mind. And basically, rule is the ego, the egoistic mind. You know? So that’s the root problem. So lojong teaching is always fight with the the ego mind, the delusion.
It’s it’s straightforward fighting. Like, you know, like like, challenging, you see? So for me, I find lojong is all the teachings are effective, but in my personal label, I feel the lojong is most effective. So as you as you you didn’t say that, you know, the just a concentration on labor the meditation is it will not necessarily become a cause for liberation. You know?
And, basically, without the renunciation from from from Samsāra, it will it will become a cause of Samsāra again. Even a concentration level of meditation is a cause of saṃsāra again. You know? Is the positive cause, but it’s still saṃsāra cause. So it will bring saṃsāra pleasure result, but it will it will not actualize liberation.
So therefore, from here, differences comes about the sadhus, the Hindu practitioner Sadhus, and the Buddhist practitioner, the Bodhisattvas. So their lifestyle is like quite similar. They do study, they do a lot of analytical practices, then they go into a meditation. The purpose of this sadhus are basically to actualize temporary peace, and and calmness in their present life and nothing to do with next lifetime. But for the Buddhist, is the practice is to to use the the concentration meditation as a basis.
As you just say, it’s a basis only. You know, they train concentration meditation. It’s just to to actualize a form basis for us to actualize rest of the the meditation on three principal aspects of the path. They look all same. They look all same.
You know? So the so purpose has become different. And and also the the Hindus practitioners, they also one of their goal is to actualize miracles. Actualize some kind of magic powers, like, kind of can fly, can you know, from from ground to, you know, like, two, three story high, they can, like, lift up, float up. Then, you know, can can can, like, can gain some kind of mantra power, which no need to cause any pain to their physical body.
So that that’s why, like, you know, they can poke, you know, needles, metals onto their mouth, mouths here and there. You know? So then working on the fire, you you see in Malaysia a lot. So those are actually regarded one of the great achievement through their practices. So in Buddhadharma, all these are to be No not purpose of magic, not purpose of such kind of miracles and mantra powers, not for that.
You So they will naturally gain such kind of power, but you cannot take that as a purpose of your practice. And I I yeah. That’s why they they you you don’t see much of the the like, Indian Buddhist pandits such as Nāgārjuna. You know, they they are like a second Buddha. They they really achieve, you know, great realizations.
Than the great Tibetan masters, you know, masters. You hardly see that they show miracles. You hardly see and hear they perform such kind of magic and miracles and mental powers. Like, he met Buddhadharma, before he went to practice, he’s more powerful than than than than after. You know, he he show more miracle than after he become pure practitioner of Buddhist.
Before he met Buddha Dharma, he can destroy entire village through just one mantra recitation. You know, he he could do black magic like that. You know? But after become Buddhist, he become the the most humblest person, you know, who just live in the cave. Nothing.
You know? Even there’s no food to eat. But if he want, he can actually show miracle to earn food. But he didn’t do that. He just live as a simple renunciant.
You know? So then so Buddhadharma strictly advised that it’s not supposed to show miracles and, you know, magics, all this. Then one of the tantric samaya is also not to express your realizations, not to expose your realizations. If you are not enlightened, if you are not enlightened, in order to secure your practices, in order to secure your realizations on the Yoga practices or the Patan grounds, until the death comes that you cannot expose realization from your own speech saying that, oh, I have gained this, I have gained that. You cannot even have a thought of that.
You know? It should to be hidden. You have to hit it. So then so so that’s how to secure the one one one’s practices. So it’s it’s a huge different with the other practitioners, Hindu practitioners.
Hindu, they have to show that they they come out of proof. Know? So sometime even in the Buddhist conference, people say, if Buddhist, you know, like, so so your your emptiness practice, your mantra practice are so powerful. Sure. Sure now.
Come and show. You cannot even you cannot even you cannot even, like, jump from here to there. You know? You you know? But that that because they don’t understand the preset.
It’s not supposed to and not necessary. You know? So that’s it. Okay. So here, the question is this analytical meditation.
Concentration meditation first, analytical meditation later. That is referring to the concentration like a Samatha, special insight is referring to that, not in general. The question is referring to, you know, in Lamrim, there’s two subjects, Shamatha and special insight. The last subject is special insight. Before that is karma, right before the Shamatha.
Shamatha is a single pointed concentration. Especially inside, the concentration as a base, firm base, then to do the analytical research into the teaching is for the special insight. It’s about emptiness practice. The conjoined practice of concentration and emptiness yoga. Called special insight.
So in that case, yes, we have to train concentration first. Means we have to train into nine stages of concentration until we actualize the physical mental pliancy. Then only you go into the the practice of the meditation in in either analytical or absorption in emptiness. But in general, analytical have to come first. In our ordinary life, analytical meditation analytical research have to come first, then only go into a single pointed absorption.
The fundamental causes is mindfulness introspection. You know, training our mind in mindfulness introspection. And that that fundamental by a moral ethic ethics. So like in the three high trainings, the high training in morality, high training concentration, high training and wisdom, the the the moral ethic high training and moral ethic is the root fundamental thing. Then only can able to actualize proper concentration, then only then wisdom.
You see? So the moral ethic, like, such as practicing refuge vows, practicing vows, five lay vows, everyday like a minor precept and minor precepts. Then including practicing vegetarianism, monk vows. So those are the morality, the moral ethic. It’s a foundation for to to to actualize proper concentration practices.
You know? So, like, at least practice refuge vows. You know? At least every day to day day life, remind yourself, if you cannot benefit other, at least do not harm. At least we have to practice them.
And that helps to generate concentration. Yes. Maybe yes. Oh, what what is the question? Yes.
The five Jnani Buddha is the the Buddha that which actualize by every single living being when they obtain Buddhahood. Dhyāni Buddha, this Dhyāni Buddha, that Dhyāni Buddha. Because during the initiation you need to do the self generation of the deity, and that involves the practice of actualizing one’s ordinary self in a causal stage of enlightenment. It means causally now through the ritual ceremony that you become a deity, you become yourself as a deity, which is a causal stage. That means you are five aggregates, ordinary aggregate transform into a divine aggregate, which is the five Dhyāni Buddhas.
And the reason is when we obtain Buddhahood, the continuum of our aggregates go after enlightenment. But this ordinary aggregates won’t go to Buddhahood. They have to be purified, isn’t it? But the continuum go up. What is the perfection continuum of our aggregates is the five Dhyāni Buddhas.
So whenever we meditate on the colors of the five Dhyāna Buddha, whenever we meditate on the image of the Dhyāni Buddha, it helps to purify the negativities which created based on our aggregates or by by ourself as a person. So any of the Dhyāni Buddha’s meditation helps to purify the karma which created by ourself as a person. No. We don’t have to bring again and again. If we are firm enough, if we are confident enough in the first time purification, that’s it.
We are purified. We’re done. Unnecessary. Because we are not confident in our own purification. That’s why we have to purify again and again.
In a way, because we have a doubt. The moment you have one doubt, you are unable to purify completely. When you purify, that’s it. Done. Completely.
Normal karma. When you when you have a hundred percent, you know, the the the determine the confident in that, Every negative karma can be purified immediately, but we don’t do that. We we we are like we are not really sure. You know? You know, if somebody say so, Buddha say so, maybe I try, maybe purify.
Why not I just try? You know, our mind is you know, honestly, we look into ourselves. We are not firm enough. We are not confident enough ourselves to do the purification. That’s why why not we do again and again even in case We have to recommend again and again because if in case you’re not confident enough in the first place, then at least do another round until that one day that you say, okay, yes, I did it.
But as long as you are really know, that four opponent powers, I would say four four four opponent powers, the first one, the the reliance of the first opponent power, refuge or the Buddha, Buddha, Dharmasaka in front of you. You really need to have a genuine, confident feeling that they are actually present in front of you. We are like we are just imagining. We are just visualized. We are just kind of like imagining that they are there.
We already kind of tell ourselves, it’s not really real. It’s just for for your sake of your visualization. That’s why you think it’s Buddha there. You know, we already, like, not sure about it. You know?
So that’s why the the effect is not strong. First thing, Buddha is definitely hundred percent is there in front of you. So in front of his present present, and you’re going to confess. Means express the regret of your past wrongdoings. When you express, you really express from double your heart.
You really mean it. So when you you will naturally see your physical manner. You are alone. You’re doing purification. You visualize Buddha in front of you, but you are you have no sense of, like, somebody in with you.
You know? That means you are not really not really fully convicted that Buddha is really present. You know? So if in case the Buddha really in the in coming to present in front of you, how your physical gesture will react, how your speech, the tune will react, how your mind will react, what kind of like a feeling will arise. You have to you have to realize all those things until that you really feel the Buddha is present there.
But we hardly have that. We just okay. First opponent power. Buddha is there. Oh, yes.
I have done no wrong. Then. Oh, I need to rush. Okay. Maybe twenty one.
Tomorrow, I will do the long one today. Better do a short one. Okay. Next time. Okay.
I will not do. It doesn’t make any any feel inside. It just complete the full opponent power. Just in the mention of label, not really not really expressed from your heart. No way I can purify.
Not possible at all. Maybe some little virtue, but no way it can purify. So you see so we really have to feel it. We have to we we really have to do the full power from the depth of your heart. Then, yes, karma.
You know, all the Buddhas have purified their karma like that, and they have obtained their perfection. Why we cannot? The only we cannot because we are not doing the the the the perfect way. Yeah. That’s it.
As inspiration, again, you have to you have to think of Buddha’s qualities, Buddha’s life stories, you know, past masters’ stories, life’s life stories, you know, qualities, then benefit of meditations. You know, you roughly know what is the benefit of meditation. So you you you all the time tell yourself again and again. Even you’re not meditating, you don’t want to meditate, still tell yourself the benefit of meditations. You know?
You know? And like Buddha did six year meditations. You know? Then after that, he was so effective that after meditation, he came to Bodh Gaya under the Bodhi tree. He obtained it.
The perfection, the liberation, you see. Because it was without habituation of the stages of the path, no no enlightenment. So, you know, you remember, like, Buddha’s, you know, stories. And, like, there’s many examples in in in in in in your knowledge. There’s so many great practitioners, you know, and everybody, they do meditations.
You know? Even our living gurus, you know, every day at this, you know, morning, they they they keep silent. You know, like like, noon, you know, no meeting people. Keep silent, you know, and total focus on your body, speech, and mind, you know, to cultivate or habituate. Of course, it’s a working life.
That is not possible, but at least at least the moment you go to bed and until tomorrow morning when you when you go to work or when you when you have breakfast with the family that you you kind of like regard that as a meditation session to at least like sleep with mindfulness, mindful of virtue, wake up with mindful of virtue, then you start the day with the virtuous motivations, then it’s it’s very, very good. That will help us. Otherwise, it’s it’s quite difficult, you know, and difficult. In in another way, we always should regard meditation is is just state of mind, not not state of physical body. You know?
So that means, like, if you cannot sit like that, you cannot regardless. You cannot meditate. You cannot go to center, that doesn’t mean that cannot do meditate. At home, the rest of the family are not Buddhist. That doesn’t mean that you cannot meditate.
You meditate while watching TV. You meditate while sleeping. You meditate wherever you go. That’s why I said, provide one portion of mind in the meditation all the time, ever. So then when we have a convenient con conducive place, then all the mind, not just one portion, but all the mind bring into meditation.
Mhmm. You know? Something like that. The inspiration is important for Dharma. The inspiration.
You know, you need to you need to the admiration of the other practitioners like Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, the great living beings. You know, when you look at them, you really admire so much. And that brings about inspiration to you as needed. You know? So that’s why it’s it’s good to have somebody in your heart like any of your gurus or any of the Buddhas.
All always keep in your heart Whenever you feel down, whenever you start to, like, distant from the Dharma practice, then remind that person or that guru, that that Buddha remind, and that that also helps. Thank you. Let us stop here. Okay. Before we stop, we do the animal liberation.
So we chant some prayers. So what we do, refuge prayer, the prayer to after that six syllable mantra. That’s the most forceful, most powerful prayer, you know, to to liberate animals. Yeah. So generally bodhicitta, not just this animal, every one of us, all are threatened and suffering, saṃsāra, and there’s so many other living beings.
May this animal liberation practice be the cause to liberate every single living beings, including ourselves. Every aspect of saṃsāra suffering. May this inspiration, may this motivation actualize in real by the power of the triple gem, by the power of the nature, which is emptiness, and by the power of the sincere heart of our self, the sincere mind. And also dedicate to those people who, you know, who who request dedication, you know, for the animal liberation, who contributed their physical efforts, who put effort to liberate animals, and then those who contributed money to rescue their animals, you know, and those who recommended to do practice of animal liberation to to to cure sicknesses and to to to clear obstacles in their life. And so, you know, the dedication goes to all of them also.