Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 47-minute teaching, Kyabje Rinpoche guides practitioners through the giving half of tonglen, the transformative lojong practice of giving and taking. He establishes the emotional foundation: recognizing all sentient beings as past mothers, understanding their suffering and lack of guidance, and resolving to attain Buddhahood to help them—the arising of bodhicitta. He then teaches the visualization method: transforming the body into a wish-granting gem that becomes white light, sent to all beings in all directions. The light heals and beautifies their bodies according to need; their elements transform into food, drink, shelter, protection, medicine, whatever each being lacks. He shows how to extend this practice to each realm: cooling light for hell beings, warmth for the cold-tormented, food for hungry ghosts, wisdom for animals, and renunciation-mind for gods intoxicated by comfort. For practitioners with prior Mahāyāna training.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 1989-11-28 – 18A – Sun's Radiance of – KR.mp3
UUID: a61d1429-8980-446c-9b70-34c81389fe3d
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Sun Radiance – Thought Transformation
Date: 1989-11-28
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~3,583
In the motivational generation of the right attitude of the mind firstly we think I myself so that I myself means the practitioner itself and in the motivational thinking one generates the one generates the attitude that I will remove the sufferings of old aged mother sentient beings. So old aged mother sentient beings means all the sentient beings are apart from ones and those sentient beings are countless or infinite like the extent of the space and all of them have been once our mothers therefore they’re all greatly kind. So all these aged mother sentient beings at the moment they haven’t got any lamas or teachers who show the Dharma spiritual path to them. Therefore because of not having teachers they are very much in a what I call situation where they don’t know what to practice and what not to practice and they’re at the moment like a blind person person who is without the eye of wisdom and that’s how desperate in a very destitute state of condition all these aged mother sentient beings are. And because not understanding the spiritual path at the moment, all these aged mother or sentient beings, they are very much wandering in the state of bad migrations normally called the bad rebirths.
So they are in the bad rebirths and they are very much being tormented by intense sufferings. Therefore such as the very critical situations of these mother sentient beings. Whereas our situation is that we have at least got lamas or teachers who shows us the spiritual path and also we have all the positive factors complete with us. Therefore for us it is possible that we got all the resources to help all this kind old aged mother sentient beings and because this being the situation with us that we have all the good or called positive factors because of this situation if in this present situation if we tend to neglect the welfare of other sentient beings then it’s very ill mannered way of doing things and that sort of attitude is very looked down upon in the in the right perspective of our spiritual path. Therefore, because our situation is there and because that is the what call the our fault in not taking care of sentient beings therefore now is the time that we should take care of other sentient beings.
And for us because of this situation it is appropriate that we should work or work for the welfare of other sentient beings and because this situation is quite good in the sense of having all the factors complete, it’s also appropriate that all other sentient beings should put their full trust and they should rely on you. So how? Because these two are the points, then how should one actually do the one should actually work towards other sentient beings and that working towards other sentient beings has to be by placing all the sentient being to the ultimate excellent happiness free of all suffering. Let’s say in an example where there is a mother who is blind and completely helpless and there is occasion let’s say that the blind mother is about to jump into deep abyss or deep valley. So in that case if the mother’s son doesn’t take care of the mother and trying to avoid her jumping into the valley then that son is incredibly very bad mannered and it’s or called our called a conduct which is to be very much looked down upon but still let’s say a situation where a blind mother is a blind mother is about to fall into an abyss and in that situation if her child or son is very much in a very well well-to-do situation having all the financial comfort everything and in that case if the child doesn’t look after the mother, then we would say compare comparing the two, we would say the second one is much more is much worse and it’s much what I call ill mannered in that sense.
And applying that example to the meaning in the context is like we are like the what called the rich, well-to-do son, and all of the sentient beings are that blind aged mother. So therefore that being the situation in the context meaning therefore we should work towards removing the sufferings of other sentient beings and we should work towards placing all other sentient beings in the ultimate excellent happiness. And in course of trying to do that, we search out whether we realize the perfect resource by which one can actually do that. And when we try to search for the perfect resource, then we come to understand that it is only in the state of Buddhahood and a completely enlightened state that one can actually remove other sufferings and place all other sentient beings to the ultimate excellent happiness. So because that is the ultimate understanding after searching, Therefore, one what I call one makes a strong promise that I must attain the state of Buddhahood to remove the sufferings by the sentient beings and to place all other sentient beings to ultimate happiness.
And that making of promise, that thought, that attitude of making promise in that way is what normally is called the bodhicitta, the enlightenment thought, and that attitude is required in any kind of practices and in this context listening to the teachings of great vehicle path that is the required intentional motivation in listening to the teaching and that’s how we have to and in trying to generate that attitude we meditate for some minutes. So this evening, Rinpoche has explained in detail how to how to work or how to how to work or transform one’s normal attitude to the proper motivation. And, of course, in all the teachings in the past, there had been linguistic explanation about how to generate the motivation, but this has been a detailed explanation. So far now, the teaching has covered this our call covered at the root text on the point or the line where it says, practice the giving giving and taking combinedly, both giving and taking combined combinedly. And this root text is based on the original what are called lineage of the lojong thought training instruction Geshe Chekawa and Rinpoche felt.
Rinpoche felt it would be nice if students have a copy distributed of the root text. At the moment, of course, the teachings may not directly require an English root text, but afterward when it comes to the later part of the teaching, the words are very intact, meaning the words require very precise precise explanation. And also down there, it would go quick quick, just skip through. So that point, perhaps you might need. So the root text is at the point, the first page, middle line, train with both giving and taking combinedly.
And so far, the what, call, giving has been finished. And now the take or now the explanation will be from our call taking has been finished, and now the explanation will be on giving. So regarding the giving practice, who is the one who does the giving? It is oneself, the practitioner oneself and who is the one to whom one does the practice of giving. So that object to whom one does the giving is all the sentient beings who are infinite as the expanse of the entire space.
And what are the things one sends or gives or give forth? The things one gives forth are good body, one’s body, very good or excellent in form and one’s enjoyment in literal translation enjoyment or or normally called wealth and one’s source of merit or literally roots of virtues. Regarding the motivation or intentional purpose one stands for or one does the practice of giving. So regarding that, if possible, then one should have the intentional motivation explained at the beginning of session tonight. That’s the extensive way of doing the intentional motivation for the practice of giving.
If one can’t do that, then perhaps a short way of short way of holding intentional motivation can be these sentient beings are infinite sentient beings and who have been very kind to me. They are at the moment without happiness and causes of happiness and therefore I will do the practice of giving so that the sentient beings may have happiness and causes of happiness. And regarding happiness and causes of happiness, it has been explained in last teaching that happiness here in the context has reference to happiness of liberation free of samsaric afflictions and sufferings, and causes of happiness means the realization of the spiritual grounds and the What would be the purpose or benefit of doing the practice of giving? The purpose or benefit would be because normally we don’t want suffering, and because we don’t want suffering, we have to get rid of the causes of suffering which are normally called negativities. And if one does the practice of giving, somehow naturally it involves the practice of getting rid of the negativities therefore one will naturally have no sufferings.
And also, when one does the practice of giving, somehow one is naturally accumulating a lot of merits and because happiness is what what we want and because our merits are causes our happiness therefore somehow just by doing the practice of giving indirectly we acquire happiness. So regarding the actual practice of giving, when one does giving of the body, how should it be done? When one does the practice of giving wealth, how should it be done? When one does the practice of giving of one’s roots of merit, how should it be done? So regarding those three, firstly, the explanation will be about the way how to do the practice of giving of one’s body.
So regarding the giving of the regarding the practice of giving of the body, the first one is called the general giving of the body in which as normally we see different kinds of sentient beings especially those in the animal which are subject to our sight and who we see in such ugly forms, ugly colors and very unattractive, very poor or destitute. So that’s how normally some are called sentient beings are, and there are still those down in the lower realms and hungry ghosts. So that’s the situation. And now the time when one does the giving of bodies to them, one first starts in visualization transforming one’s body into a wish granting wish-granting gem. So before one actually does the transformation, one has to have a strong motivation of love of thinking that I’m going to I’m going to provide excellent physical shape, color, body to these sentient beings who haven’t got excellent bodies.
So with that intention, motivation of love, one transforms one’s body into a wish-granting gem. And the time when one exhales, one one visualize or thinks that one standing for this wish-granting wish-granting gem, which actually is one’s body. So when one does the sending port along with one exhaling air, the excellent what I call wish-granting gem. Of course, it is in nature wish-granting gem where one can visualize it in the aspect of white light. So that white light goes off to all the 10 directions reaching all the entire sentient beings in the ugly unattractive forms.
And this white light just at the mere touch just at the mere touch of the light to the sentient beings instantly, the light carries the power of transforming the sentient beings into very delightful, attractive shapes, physical shapes and body. So at the end, one thing that now all these sentient beings all these sentient beings because of the touch of the light and transforming, now they have all become sentient beings with perfect human body complete with the what are called eight leisures and ten endowments and complete what are called complete with all the factors for accomplishing or for doing the practice of Dharma like ourselves and at the end have a kind of thinking now how they really have attained good body, a very excellent body. The great master bodhisattva Śāntideva said in his work, one’s body being transformed into and sending forth to to whomever whatever is needed. So this is to be explained as meaning that one does the giving of one’s body and thinking that one one does the giving of body in a shape, form, color, whatever each of the sentient beings wants to have. So meaning whatever each sentient beings likes to have their bodies to be and that’s exactly in accordance to the one thinks one is sending forth that type of body.
And also within our bodies there are whole work on elements of the four basic elements air, water, fire, and earth. So these four elements within our body we can visualize as being transformed into wish-granting gems and being sent forth or does the practice of giving these wish-granting gems which have been transformed aspect of the element. So think that these are being sent for to the sentient beings to whatever to the sentient beings in whatever forms or requirements well facilities that sentient beings may want like for those sentient beings who want to have drink, visualize you are sending for drink. For those sentient beings who want food, you wish sending food. So in this way, whatever is required by the sentient beings, think that these elements of one’s body are being transformed into wish-granting gems and being sent forth in those aspects of those things.
Now, Śāntideva, the great master Śāntideva has said, watching meaning goes like for those who don’t have protector and who want protector, one wishes by sending forth protector and for those who don’t have navigator who leads their sea voyage to different places one is sending forth navigators and captains and also for those sentient beings who need bridge to cross rivers, crates and so forth, wish you wish that you are sending for bridges to them. So whatever is needed by the sentient being, wish wise, the same is being sent forth by you. One can also send for island for those people who want island, and food for people who want food, and servant for people who want servant, and lamp for people who want light, and wish-granting gems for people who want gems, and wish-granting tree for people who want wish-granting tree. And these these are being sent for not just for a day or for a short duration. One thinks that one is sending forth so that these sentient beings remain enjoying that forever.
So in meaning, it says like one does the sending of these things for sentient beings to enjoy forever. And this is not being oh, I call these are not being sent forth to limited numbers of sentient beings. One actually sent forth these to countless unlimited old sentient beings and think that even to each particular one sentient being, one visualize sending for countless number of things or whatever the sentient being wants to have. It’s possible some might do the giving to some being and do not send forth to other sentient being. And, also, it’s possible some might do the giving to some sentient being very little and to some too much.
And if one does that, then that’s normally called by the term partial lojong. Lojong for the one, partial thought training. So one can do the sending or giving practice firstly with the sentient beings who are in what’s called normally translated as. So one can do what’s called giving to those sentient beings in the hell realm because they have so many intense, what’s called, sufferings of heat and cold and requires so many, what I warmth and what call, breeze and so forth. And after that is finished or when that becomes quite warm, then do the giving practice to sentient beings who are in what’s called what’s normally called hungry ghost realm because hungry ghosts, even though they are mentally quite intelligent, but still they have a lot of suffering, so not having enough food, not having enough drinks.
Therefore, one visualizes giving forth whatever is required by sentient beings in that realm. And after that one do the giving to sentient beings in animal realm because animals are normally what call very stupid especially in terms of not having even a slight even moment understanding or hearing or our core contact with Dharma. Therefore, does the work of giving practice in relation to sentient beings in animals and after that to after that to anti-gods and gods. And each of them, they have a whole lot of many things they require. Oh, so with that, the practice covers the giving of giving of the body and also it, of course, so I call also sorry.
Also, it somehow covers the practice of giving of wealth as well. And now only the practice how to do the practice of giving of the roots of merits or roots or the sources of virtue. And so now we have to send forth our virtues or merit. So regarding sending forth or giving virtues, it is of two kinds, giving virtues to the sentient beings who have entered the path and giving virtues or merits to sentient beings who haven’t entered the path, the path path. So with this first, the sending of the virtue is to the sentient beings who have entered the path.
So to them, one sends forth one’s virtues or a deposit of good actions merits in the form of the white light, which in nature one thinks one’s merit and also one thinks its nature are nectar and its nature very blissful. So this white light with those features of our core one’s one’s virtue blissful and nectar, one wish must be sending forth and think that the mere touch of that white light to the sentient beings completely generates the one’s virtues within the sentient beings’ mind, mind streams like the 10 virtuous actions and avoid the 10 non-virtuous actions. So in meaning, saying, cause of the mere touch of the white light thing that it brings sentient beings’ minds so pure that they abide in the practice of the 10 virtuous actions and avoid doing the 10 non virtuous actions. And also, they they very much they are very much now engaged in the practice of what is called three higher trainings, higher training in morality, in concentration, and in wisdom and now think they all become so good. And at the end, one also thinks that whatever they’re going to practice, the Dharma is with them, means they now receive Dharma, and they have a lama who shows the Dharma, think that these sentient beings have received and also companions, the Sangha, who help the sentient being to make progress on the path, think that now all these sentient beings have received all those three aspects with that.
So that’s with the sentient beings in the human category. And regarding especially with the the sentient beings in the hell realm have intense suffering of special or because they have special intense suffering of heat and cold, one can visualize the white light in the aspect of nectar. And for those in the hell realm who are of intense heat suffering, one visualize sending forth cool breeze and cool sensation to them. And for those who are with intense cold, one thinks sending forth this light and nectar, bring bringing warmth to the sentient being. And those in the animal realm, they are normally very stupid.
And because they’re very stupid, one thinks that the sending forth of the light brings to the sentient beings in the animal realm are special wisdom able to special wisdom which is which makes them able to understand the path and so forth. And those sentient beings in the hungry ghost realm, they are normally especially being tormented by sufferings of intense thirst and hunger. So one thinks, the sending forth of light bringing relief from hunger and thirst. And sentient beings in the god or deva realm, normally, they are in situation where they are with work or excessive excessive material or wealth and comfort that they never they never have the thought of what is normally called renunciation thought seeing the faults of saṃsāra. So they never have that thought of seeing the faults of saṃsāra.
And also, they never have the thought interested in interested in the liberation free of samsaric sufferings. And, also, because of excessive material comfort and what call distraction. They never has opportunity to generate precious bodhicitta. So to the deva realm to the sentient beings in the deva realm, one thinks sending forth light which brings renunciation, interest, and liberation, and bodhicitta mind within their minds. And regarding the practice of giving to those sentient beings who have already entered the path.
So for them for them, when one does the practice, normally, of course, the situation is that these sentient beings who have already entered the path, they’re very much engaged and they all the time, they’re very diligent diligent and strive so much in trying to make progress on the path and trying to, what I call, generate realizations of the spiritual grounds and paths. So because that