The Law of Karma

In Buddhist teaching, the law of karma, says only this: `for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful.' A skillful event is one that is not accompanied by craving, resistance or delusions; an unskillful event is one that is accompanied by any one of those things. (Events are not skillful in themselves, but are so called only in virtue of the mental events that occur with them.)
Therefore, the law of Karma teaches that responsibility for unskillful actions is born by the person who commits them.
Let's take an example of a sequence of events. An unpleasant sensation occurs. A thought arises that the source of the unpleasantness was a person. (This thought is a delusion; any decisions based upon it will therefore be unskillful.) A thought arises that some past sensations of unpleasantness issued from this same person. (This thought is a further delusion.) This is followed by a willful decision to speak words that will produce an unpleasant sensation in that which is perceived as a person. (This decision is an act of hostility. Of all the events described so far, only this is called a karma.) Words are carefully chosen in the hopes that when heard they will cause pain. The words are pronounced aloud. (This is the execution of the decision to be hostile. It may also be classed as a kind of karma, although technically it is an after-karma.) There is a visual sensation of a furrowed brow and downturned mouth. The thought arises that the other person's face is frowning. The thought arises that the other person's feelings were hurt. There is a fleeting joyful feeling of success in knowing that one has scored a damaging verbal blow. Eventually (perhaps much later) there is an unpleasant sensation of regret, perhaps taking the form of a sensation of fear that the perceived enemy may retaliate, or perhaps taking the form of remorse on having acted impetuously, like an immature child, and hping that no one will remember this childish action. (This regret or fear is the unpleasant ripening of the karma, the unskillful decision to inflict pain through words.)
If there are no persons at all, then there is no self and no other. There is no distinction between pain of which there is direct sensual awareness (which is conventionally called one's own pain) and pain that is known through inference (conventionally called another person's pain). Whether pain is known directly or indirectly, there is either an urge to quell it or an urge to cultivate it. Whether joy is known directly or indirectly, there is either an urge to nourish it or to quell it. In the conventional language of speaking of events personally, the urge to quell all pain and to nourish all joy is known as being ethical or skillful or (if you like) good. The urge to nourish pain and quell joy is known as being unskillful, unethical or bad.
Being fully ethical is said to be impossible for those who make a distinction between self and other and show preference for the perceived self over the perceived other, for such perceptions inhibit being fully responsive. Being fully ethical is possible only for those who realize that all persons are empty, that is, devoid of personhood.

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Karma and The Wheel of Life
by Ken Holmes

Why are some people rich yet some poor, some happy yet others in misery, some lucky and some unlucky? Moreover, why are some pure, innocent beings afflicted with terrible misfortunes whereas evil tyrants remain healthy and rich? These are difficult questions for most faiths, believing in a just and compassionate God, to answer. The Buddhist explanation is to see this life as but one in a series of many. In this existence, one is reaping the harvest of seeds sown by actions (karma) of past lives, while at the same time planting new seeds to ripen in the life to come. There is no natural evolution in this process, hence a higher state of existence can be followed by an even better one or a worse one, depending entirely upon how it is utilised. Going up or down from one life to the next and returning again and again to the same patterns of action, through habit, and thereby reaping again and again the same results, this endless round of existence is represented by the 'wheel of life'.
Among the almost endless possibilities of existence in the cosmos, a human birth is considered to be very special. It is while human that most karma is created, with other states being mainly the experience of the results of human actions. Animals and other non-humans do create some karma, but it is quite weak. As the force of karma depends upon the motivation behind it, the karma of humans is, on the contrary, strong, since they possess intelligence and free will.
Unlike many other religions, Buddhism does not think of external beings who reward or punish one for altruistic or selfish acts. Future benefits or handicaps are shaped entirely by the nature of action itself, through its ongoing influence upon the mind. Just as good cherry seeds, as they fall to the ground, have the power to produce delicious fruit, some time in the future, and aconite seeds have the power to produce deadly poison, so do our acts already contain a quasi-genetic programming of future happiness or suffering. The ground onto which they fall is our ongoing continuum of consciousness. Like a complex garden, a human (or other) existence is the ripening, side by side, of many different things planted in the past. Some, like mighty trees, have been developing over many generations. Others, more like small flowers and mushrooms, are much more temporary phenomena.
The word karma is the Sanskrit term for action, encompassing not only the initial action itself, but also all its consequences. Thus it is called 'karma, cause and effect'. A seed does not cease to exist when it falls into the ground: it just disappears from sight, to develop later into a shoot which eventually becomes a fully-matured plant. Like buried seeds in winter, the imprints of actions rest dormantly in the 'storehouse consciousness', as potential prime causes of future experience. When this psychological potential meets with certain supportive circumstances - the equivalent of the seed being awakened by the spring sun and rain - results start to emerge. Thus it is not until one meets the trigger of certain people or places that a specific karma from past lives will start to manifest.
One must distinguish between 'virtuous' karma and 'untainted' karma. Virtuous acts produce, in the long term, pleasant results for their doer, such as long life, good health, wealth and friends for their doer. Unvirtuous acts produce suffering. Since both virtuous and non-virtuous actions are performed with the fundamental triplistic delusion of there being a doer (ego), a doing and a done-to (other persons and the world) - both belong to the illusion of worldly existence (samsara). Thus virtue and non-virtue determine the experiential quality of one's samsara yet cannot, in themselves, free one from samsara. Both belong to the category of 'tainted' karma (tainted by ego). Actions performed within the lucid clarity of voidness, in which there is no triplistic delusion, are known as 'untainted' karma. These can free one from samsara.
Another special category of karma, known as 'karma of immobility', applies uniquely to concentration meditation. By remaining calm, poised and one-pointed, one is not doing anything, in the ordinary sense, but rather undoing habits of action and not-doing things which perpetuate worldly reflexes. This lucid inactivity forms a vital part of the path to personal liberation. Scriptures describing it map out the various stages of mastery that emerge from it, while alive, and the possible rebirths into purely mental states that human meditation can engender.
The Wheel of Life depicts the six main types of conscious beings found in the universe. Its inner ring portrays the three main causes for being reborn: craving, aversion and ignorance. The outer ring shows the twelve main stages through which initial ignorance leads to worldly suffering. These are known as the twelve links of interdependence. The whole wheel is held like a giant mirror in the hands of Yamantaka, the Lord of Death, since at death, when the mind leaves one type of existence and embarks on a journey which will end up in a new existence, possibly in another realm, the previous life's actions become all-determinant.
The Wheel is mainly used to depict the real states of existence taught in the first Noble Truth: the Truth of Suffering. However, it can also be considered an allegory for the six main states of a worldly mind and the type of relationship they create with the people and places that make up one's life. The three upper realms are paired with their counterparts in the lower realms.
THE THREE UPPER REALMS
The Deva Realm
One is reborn a god (deva) as a joint result of doing many good actions but being proud. The good deeds - in particular acts of generosity and pure conduct - bring splendour and wonders. The pride brings first a feeling of natural superiority and then, when the good results come to their end, unbearable sadness. The bodies and powers of the gods vary according to their previous karma. Most have beautiful and naturally perfumed bodies of light, upon which spontaneously appear garlands of celestial flowers and various fineries. In delightful garlands and palaces, they sport with their consorts and enjoy the most subtle pleasures of the senses. A day in one of these heavens lasts for hundreds of human years and the deva's lifespan is long indeed. But as it approaches its end, the bodies start to produce unpleasant odours and other gods avoid the fading deva. The flower garlands deteriorate. Worse, the god can see his or her next incarnation, so tawdry, dark and limited compared with its present condition. Heartbroken, incredulous and overwhelmed by self-pity, they have nothing to do but await the inevitable fall. Thus, the deva realm exemplifies the cycle of pride however it manifests.
The Buddha manifests in this realm playing a lute delightfully. This represents the need to gain the respect and attention of the proud before any message can get through to them.
The Asuras
also have good karma and are like demi-gods. Whereas the gods' good karma is tarnished by pride, the asuras' is spoilt by jealousy and some people refer to them as 'jealous gods'. Envying the superior joys and possessions of the gods, the asuras wage war on the latter, in the hope of deposing them and usurping their palaces. However, lacking the karma to possess such splendour, they are defeated and humiliated. Jealousy is like this everywhere, bringing the anguish of envy itself, competitive battles and eventual defeat.
The Buddha manifests to the Asuras with a sword of primordial wisdom in his hand. This symbolises that the jealous respond primarily to force and need to learn to channel their competitivity into a quest for wisdom, defeating ignorance rather than other beings.
Humans
As rare as a star in daytime, a human rebirth is considered to be the rare result of much good karma. Sometimes compared to a wish-fulfilling gem, it is considered the most precious existence of all, because of its tremendous potential. Unfortunately, this potential is rarely exploited and the gem is like a buried treasure. The majority of humans are so busy with their desires and projects that they are not even aware of spiritual possibilities. However, being exposed to more suffering than are gods or demi-gods, humans do have a better chance of giving rise to compassion: one of the most vital keys to spiritual development. Their main sufferings are those of birth, ageing, sickness and death, along with those of striving to fulfil their needs, not getting what they want, getting what they do not want and preserving what they have.
The Buddha appears to humans bearing his alms bowl and staff, the symbols of the ascetic life. This shows them that, in their world of multiple choices, the finest option is to follow the way of the sage.
THE THREE LOWER REALMS
Animals
"Most of them live in the sea" is the remarkable comment from early Buddhist scriptures, in times when most people ignored the existence of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and had no knowledge of submarine life. One is reborn an animal as a result of ignorance: fostering delusion rather than truth. They fall into two main categories. Wild animals live in constant fear and spend their time seeking food or eating each other. Domesticated animals are enslaved by humans. Their nature is one of submissive acceptance of their lot, the counterpart of the acquisitive dissatisfaction of the Asura.
The Buddha appears to the animals bearing a book, showing that the only way out of stupidity is the development of clear reason and the cultivation of knowledge.
Pretas
are spirits, born into states of frightful deprivation through former greed. With distended stomachs and needle-like throats, they search for ages for food and then only find disgusting scraps, or else see their find disappear before their eyes. Others manage to eat or drink but are burnt by they ingest as though it were molten metal. Unlike humans and animals, these spirits are aware of their former births and the greed which threw them into this condition. Their destitution is the counterpart of the complexity of possessions in the human realm. The Buddha appears to them bearing gifts and bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, as Khasarpani, feeds them soothing nectar. This symbolises the need to draw the greedy and mean to truth by manifesting generosity.
Hells
are, like the Preta worlds, states of severe hallucination into which the mind is thrown once it leaves the body and has passed through the post-death experience. It is the bitterness and anger imprinted in the mind, through past malevolence and hatred, which generate the hellish environment experienced. Some of these nightmares take the form of hot hells, with various agonies of burning and torture. Others take the form of frozen wildernesses, in which frostbite is the worst enemy. All seem to last for endless ages and many take the form of pain which leads to death then revival, only to pass through the whole cycle again and again. This is the opposite of the luxurious indulgence of the gods.

"Who could have created the beings there and the hellish weapons? Who made the burning iron ground? The Great Sage has taught these, and similar things, to be the fabrications of an unwholesome mind."
Bodhicaryavatara
The Buddha appears in the hells bearing the flame of purification, a sign of finding liberation from suffering by relating to it in an enlightened way.
The Basic Poisons
Just as a whole and healthy body loses its power when stricken by a tiny amount of poison, so does the mind lose its limitless wisdom due to 'mind poisons' (klesa) and thereby wanders in the confused illusions of the six realms. There are three basic poisons - ignorance, craving and hostility - represented by the pig, the cock and the serpent at the centre of the wheel. The three poisons feed off each other, as do the animals in the circle.

The Links of Interdependence
The twelve main stages in the cycle of rebirth are represented by the twelve icons forming the rim of the wheel:
ignorance - the blind leading the blind
karmic creations - a pot being thrown
consciousness - a monkey in a room with six windows
name and form - a boat
the six doors of perception - a house
contact - people embracing
feeling - an arrow piercing an eye
involvement - a man being served tea by a woman
craving- gathering fruits
becoming - two people procreating
birth - a woman giving birth
ageing and death - a corpse being carried to the funeral pyre.

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What is Buddhism ?

Buddhism cannot be categorised. No label suits it.
Buddhism is not a religion, at least not in sense that we generally use the word. In fact, it does not at all presuppose belief in the existence of one or several gods, and in a more general way, categorically rejects the idea that there is anything to believe in without being able to submit it to analysis through reasoning.
Buddhism is not a philosophy either, because it is not limited to an intellectual or conceptual approach. It teaches, in fact, that to understand is not enough. One must also experience and eventually "realise". That is the spiritual dimension of Buddhism.
Buddhism is not a cultural, political or social phenomenon either.
Culture, of which one could say that art in all its facets is the superior expression, is rooted in worldliness, whereas Buddhism goes beyond the worldly. Within culture, art is an end in itself; within the framework of Buddhism it is a means. Art is minor when compared to wisdom. In other words, Buddhism is timeless and beyond worldliness, whereas culture or art is rooted in a given time and society.
Buddhism is not political, that is, it does not know the limits of frontiers or of groups. It is not based on opposition between people. It does not come "from somewhere". It transcends continents and groups of humans. Nationality, colour, social class and membership of one party or another etc. do not constitute pertinent criteria in its eyes. The process is, on the contrary, to show that fundamentally all people, and more generally all living beings, share the same fundamental nature, the same emotions, the same aspirations and the same fears.
It is not a social phenomenon either. Buddhism is an individual quest for perfection. The Buddhist looks for himself. He evolves in the solitude of his own spiritual path. The Buddhist message influences, of course, the attitude or the behaviour of those who study and practice it, but it does not have a social aim. It does not intend to be a pressure group and does not set out rules about the organisation of society.
Lastly, is Buddhism a science? The sciences, in any case those which we describe as pure, are turned towards the exterior world, the diverse phenomena that we perceive. Buddhism is, on the contrary, turned towards "the interior"; that is to day, it is attentive to the mind. That is why it is said sometimes that Buddhism is a "science of the mind". As with all expressions, it has its limits.
I prefer to say that Buddhism is unclassifiable; that it eludes categories and comparisons.

Historically, Buddhism is the teaching of the Buddha Shakyamuni, who lived in India more than two thousand five hundred years ago. With the passing centuries the teachings was transmitted, translated into diverse languages and enriched by numerous commentaries. In this way, Buddhist literature is incomparably extensive.
More profoundly, Buddhism is the thought or thinking of the Buddhas, which is summed up by two great principles: compassion and wisdom. Buddhism is, therefore, a way of thinking. Buddhists are those who aspire to finding this good way of thinking and train in it. Buddhas are those who have succeeded.
One could also say that Buddhism is essentially reflection on happiness and the teaching of the causes of happiness. After having shown how much we deceive ourselves, how much we lose our way because of how we conceive the world and ourselves, Buddhism wakes us up to a new vision. It makes us see things in another way and leads us progressively to the realisation of the true nature of phenomena and of the mind.
This realisation is precisely at the origin of the cessation of all suffering and of all fear. A Buddhist is, above all, a serene person. He has no fear. He is also a good person, open to others. Theses three qualities -wisdom, serenity and goodness - are, moreover, linked one to the other and come one from the other.
Buddhism is, therefore, a voyage towards wisdom, serenity and goodness.

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This is an example of a Letter of Instructions by a Buddhist practitioner to non-Buddhist family and friends and is presented for you to modify in your own words. It is adapted from 'Life in Relation to Death' by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, an inspiring booklet that covers many aspects of preparing for death.

To my much-loved family and friends, instructions for the time of my death:
First of all, I want you to know how deeply I care for you. Our connection in this lifetime, especially our moments of affection and happiness, represent my great good fortune. The process of dying powerfully brings home the realisation that as surely as we have come together we must separate and the time in between is all too brief. Of course I feel sorrow, but I also feel a sweet and intense appreciation for what we have shared.
As death approaches, however, any ordinary attachment I have for you will not help, since I am powerless to turn back from this journey. And your attachment to me, though very natural, will not be useful, because it may distract me and turn my attention to where I cannot really return - back to the circumstances of my life with you - and hinder me in the transition of death. What I need from you now is calmness, release, and the recognition that however my death appears outwardly, inwardly it is a profound spiritual opportunity. Your prayers, arising from your own depths of love and compassion, will certainly support me in my efforts to use this opportunity well.
You know that my spiritual training in recent years has been in Vajrayana Buddhism. The lineage masters of this tradition have left clear descriptions of what occurs at death and what meditative skills are needed to negotiate death's transition. I have asked some Buddhist practitioners to do the 'Powa' practice around the time of my death, preferably at the bedside. Hospitals are usually willing to create space and time for this meditation, especially if you discuss it with the staff ahead of time.
What follows is a checklist of instructions, It hope they are clear, because I may not be able to clarify them when I am closer to death, but if you have questions, just ask the monks or nuns or the Buddhist funeral director. If it somehow happens that they can't be followed exactly, don't worry. The blessings of my spiritual training will support my passing.
1) Please notify my Buddhist friends in time for them to be present before I die or as soon as possible afterwards.
2) It's best if my body isn't handled much as death approaches, as my whole focus should be at the crown of my head.
3) There should be minimal handling of my body after death until the Powa practice has been completed. Paper mandalas will be placed on my body before being moved.
4) It's important that my body isn't cremated until at least 3 days after death.
Thank you for all you have done and will do. I know that it requires a certain tolerance to honour my spiritual belief system when it is different from your own, but I can hope that your respect for my requests will become a source of positive energy that will ease your mind at the time of your own death. According to the teachings I have received, if all goes well, after death I will find liberation from selfish concerns in the realms beyond death and will attain vastly enhanced abilities to benefit you and all beings.
This is what I most wish. May it come about just so!

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THE PATH OF WISDOM
Lectures given at Dhagpo Kagyu Ling in October 1997

PART 1
In general, the Path of Wisdom consists of taking refuge, the practice of prayer, the engendering of bodhicitta, Guru Yoga and meditation. For each of these practices, it is necessary that we gradually develop, and attune our minds little by little, to the actual meaning of each practice.

THE MEANING OF TAKING REFUGE :
What does it mean to take refuge? It means that from this particular moment onward and until we become enlightened, we seek refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Why do we need these three objects of refuge? In the Buddha, we establish a link to the qualities that have been attained by Buddha Shakyamuni. The Dharma is the Buddha's teachings that show us the way to connect to those qualities, so we take refuge in the Dharma. We need someone to teach us the Dharma, someone who is realized himself, meaning that he has successfully obtained the results of the path through his own practice. Such an individual person is then a qualified teacher. We therefore rely on these qualified teachers who are the extraordinary Sangha to impart their knowledge and methods to us.
There are generally two kinds of Sangha: the ordinary and the extraordinary Sangha. It is essential for us to understand that it is the extraordinary Sangha in whom we seek refuge. The word Sangha means gathering. The extraordinary Sangha are the spiritual masters who have themselves achieved certain realizations through dharma practice as taught by the Buddha. They may not have the complete realization of a Buddha. But they have achieved certain qualities that they can now transmit to others. Historically, the extraordinary Sangha are the Bodhisattvas. On the other hand, the ordinary Sangha can refer to any community of spiritual teachers from whom we can obtain teachings. A gathering of Dharma practitioners can also be referred to as the Sangha.
What does refuge mean? It means protection - protection from the wrong path, protection from the wrong ideas, and protection from committing negative actions. We start with this basic meaning of protection. Then later on, we will progressively acquire a broader and deeper understanding of refuge.
THE MEANING OF ENGENDERING BODHICITTA :
Having taken refuge, it is good to avoid always thinking only of ourselves to the exclusion of others. Instead, we adopt Bodhicitta, an altruistic motivation in all that we think, speak, and do. We are genuinely concerned for the suffering of all living beings and we wish only that they be liberated. Bodhicitta is not just an idea but it is very profound in and of itself. We begin by being slightly more open to others. Having an open mind will enable us to first think more for others, then to share more with others, and then to be more beneficial to others. This is a process that is learnt. When we can act with Bodhicitta, it means our practice is improving. We are improving and we find it easier to share everything beneficial with everyone.
All Buddhist teachings emphasize this one essential point, to generate the Bodhicitta attitude, to have a more open mind. It does not matter that our mind is not completely open or that we cannot do everything for others. The key is to start with ourselves right here and now, and we try to connect with our own inner capacity whatever its current level. We do what is within our reach as much as possible. This is important. For example, when we open ourselves a little bit, then there is a basic quality in us that we can expand and improve. At the moment, due to our ignorance, we have pride, greed, and other negative emotions. Under their influence, we tend to want only to do the "big" things. But then, we realize that we cannot and so we start to lose confidence in ourselves. It is therefore important to understand that we are not required to be at a certain level already. Rather, we do as much as we can according to our own capability. This is what generating Bodhicitta means.

PART 2

THE MEANING OF VAJRAYANA :

Guru Yoga is an effective Vajrayana practice. What does Vajrayana mean? In Buddhism, we talk of the three yanas: Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. This does not mean that there are actually three separate categories of practices. Rather, the distinctions are more reflective of the practitioner's personal attitude and individual capacity. Vajrayana means actually the understanding of the mind. It is not a course or a subject that you study in school for instance. There are no grades to pass. There is no beginning and there is no end. Some people can practise Vajrayana yet others find it difficult to understand. It depends on the individual capacity, propensity and personality. For those who are not inclined towards Vajrayana thinking that it does not suit them, it does not mean that their capacity is blocked. It just means that they may practise Vajrayana later on.

THE MEANING OF PRAYER :

When we recite prayers, we try to adapt our minds to the meaning of the recited words. Before every teaching, we always say prayers. Individually, we pray to make wishes that will benefit ourselves and others, and to express what we wish to do. We pray to integrate our wishes within ourselves, to integrate them into our habit of mind. Praying is not for calming the mind. First, we pray and make wishes, then we listen to the teachings, then we practise what we have learnt. Then we act in accordance to our wishes. This is the process. Our actions are thus linked to our wishes in our prayers. This is why we emphasize that before we start something, we always pray sincerely.

TO PREPARE FOR THE PRELIMINARIES :

The preliminaries are practices that include the contemplation on the Four Thoughts, and the special preliminaries known as the Ngondro practices. They enable us to do the main practice of meditation. But before we start on the preliminaries, we have to prepare ourselves. This may sound simple enough. But what does prepare mean? It means to listen, to reflect, and to integrate the teachings so as to understand the deeper meaning of dharma teachings and practice. For what are we preparing? The purpose of all practices based on the teachings of the Buddha is to reach our own mind and nothing more. When we have achieved this goal, we are said to be enlightened, or we have reached Buddhahood. These are just terms that may be at times confusing. Enlightenment cannot be fixed in these terms. We talk about enlightenment but for now, it is merely a projection of an idea. We are not really clear about it. Actually, enlightenment is a mind that is clear and stable, free from ignorance. This is the state of mind referred to as San Gye in Tibetan. San means completely clear, pure, free of all stains. Gye means knowledge in the fullest extent, or all encompassing knowledge. It is a state free from ignorance and preconceived, or fixed notions, but at the same time, mind is clear about mind itself.
listen, reflect, and integrate the teachings into practice
First, we have to listen to the teaching with an open mind, and we try to understand it. Then later, when we do our practice, we will have a slightly different expectation. This expectation does not block us. In fact, it directs us deeper into the meaning and understanding. It leads us into another kind of experience.
How we apply the teachings is important. If you have already received some teachings and you are now practising, then you should continue to practise and to reflect deeper on the meaning. People who are just new to the teachings may find it difficult to understand. It may not really be what they are looking for. But whatever it is that they want, they will also need the Dharma. Take for example that we are looking to buy a house. We may not be concerned about a garden, or the lawn at the time of looking. We find the house we like and we move in. Once we are settled in, we start to think about additional things such as a nice garden, and so on.
Some people go for teachings to look for solutions for their problems. Their focus is on how to get rid of them. While other people may want to be more clear and productive in their lives. In any case, they pick the parts of the teachings that suit them, or that they could use. They apply what they can in their own situation. But later on, they again find that something is missing! This is why it is important to have an open mind. Try not to limit our own vision. By doing more and more practice, by listening to more and more teachings, we begin, very slowly, to open ourselves. This will in turn strengthen our resolve that enlightenment is indeed very important to us. But in the beginning, most people do not have this wish for enlightenment. Therefore, the teachers who understand the inclination of the people try to include key points that are useful both for the short-term as well as for the long-term. Needless to say, it all depends on the practitioner. He has to integrate what he has learned through listening, practising, ever mindful that enlightenment is the ultimate goal, his long-term objective. It is a continuous and gradual process. It is not good to rely on the teaching when we have a problem only to forget about it after the problem passes. Always remember the process of listening, reflecting, and integrating the teachings into our practice. In this way, we prepare ourselves to progress to the preliminary practices. In our daily life, we will find that more and more we will act accordingly. As a result, our actions will benefit others as well as ourselves.
our goal is enlightenment
Many people come to receive teachings, but they are not quite sure what it is they are looking for. They may wish to gain an understanding of life for instance. But, it is much better to resolve that the enlightened state of mind is our goal; then between now and until we are enlightened, all our actions will be directed at this goal. As always, when we practise, there will be some result. The result benefits us and our minds will become clearer. For instance, one result is that we will realize how important the ultimate goal really is to us, we will then be more committed. We will want to start the preliminary practices. For now, we simply try to keep a more open mind. This will bring us more understanding that in turn will benefit others and ourselves. Gradually, we will become clearer about ourselves.
keep an open mind
Up until now, we are used to our own thinking, thinking for ourselves and for our own benefit. This comes easy to all of us. But when we are asked to broaden our current thinking, we find that our minds are very limited with respect to our attitudes and ideas. When we want something, we push to achieve the result. We move on, pushing to achieve result one after another. We have been like this all along. But to achieve enlightenment, or to achieve a clear mind is quite different. It is not just one fixed result that we can obtain. We say that the Path (to enlightenment) encompasses many qualities and extensive knowledge. Each of us individually has to discover for oneself a clear understanding of one's existence and of this world. In the meantime, we need to maintain an open mind, a broad vision, and not to lose track of the ultimate goal.
a clear mind
A clear mind is a mind without veils and without ignorance. The adjective clear does not mean clear as in light. It can be misunderstood. To clear our mind of veils does not mean to reject all the nice things, for example. There is no need to reject the positive feelings, the nice appearances, etc. They are a part of normal living, a good way of living, but they are not our main goal in life. Clarity of mind will come on its own. Everything will clear by itself. This is the meaning of San Gye. This explanation is limited by words. The deeper meaning of San Gye has to be seen or experienced for oneself. But first we prepare by listening to the teachings. There are a lot of explanations that we can receive from teachers or we can read them in the written text. This is referred to as listening to the teachings.
Next, we need to focus on our goal. This is what practising the teaching means. We always try to be clear in mind. The opposite is to be unclear which means being connected with ignorance. We may think we are seeing clearly when in fact the seeing is not right. This is one form of ignorance. Ignorance does not mean stupid. It means that there is no clear understanding as opposed to San Gye. In San Gye, there is no blockage. We cannot see that the earth is round, for instance, so we say that our vision is blocked. We can only see from here until the wall. We cannot see beyond the wall, it blocks our view. When the mind is clear, there is nothing to block our view. There is no ignorance. There are no mental veils. Mind is clear and it sees limitlessly. This is often very difficult for us to relate to because right now, we are limited by this physical body, by this physical world. But mind's nature is without blockage. We keep emphasizing this clarity aspect of mind because we have to become familiar with it. Otherwise, in the next moment, clarity is forgotten and we are back in our usual ways.

PART 3

SOME IMPORTANT TIBETAN TERMS TO UNDERSTAND :

There are some Tibetan terms that are very useful for us to understand. Even though we may not fully understand them now but it is good to keep them in mind and to make a connection. For example, enlightenment is often described as the realization of mind. To achieve this goal, the main meditation that we do is called Mahamudra or Cha Gya Chen Po in Tibetan. The term, Mahamudra, is difficult to translate into English because there is no such term for it. The word, Mahamudra, is still a term. The understanding of what it really means will come to us through our own action and efforts. The understanding will come through experience. Experience does not mean only the practitioner's experience, but also the experience of the masters who have realized the results of the meditation. These masters are the holders of the teachings and methods and they are quite capable to transmit them to others.
Dun ngaak
Then there is dun ngaak, which means, literally, clarity. In the context of the relationship between the teacher and the disciple, dun ngaak points to a clear connection, a feeling in the disciple based upon genuine trust, free of doubts and negativities with respect to the dharma practice. The disciple relies on the teacher to give him the explanation of the meaning of the teachings or practice.
There are many examples of dun ngaak in the historical biographies of Marpa, Milarepa, and the Karmapas, who are all masters within the Kagyu tradition. Conventional biographies of famous figures like Napoleon give us some ideas of past events with information such as the time, the place and the descriptions of past events. But contained within the life history of the great masters like Saraha, Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, or the first Karmapa, is a treasury of Dharma transmissions based on Dun ngaak. Dun ngaak here means that in order for a certain result to take place, certain conditions and requirements must be present. For example, to cure an illness, the appropriate medicine must be taken. Dun ngaak is similar to this. When we lack understanding, when we need an explanation, an instruction, or when we need to know what to do, dun ngaak gives us the answer. It is important for a practitioner to know this so that when he reads the biography of Milarepa, for instance, he will recognize and will pick up the meanings relevant to the practice. Otherwise, reading the biographies as history would not help us at all. The clear transmission from teacher to disciple, or Dun ngaak, may be better illustrated by the following example of a story from the Life of Naropa:
" Naropa was a great pandita of Buddhism at the Nalanda University in India. A Pandita is a scholar of the highest rank. But still Naropa was looking for more teachings. This shows us that indeed there is no highest but that learning is limitless. Naropa knew he needed a great instructor. He had heard of Tilopa and felt that he must look for him. This was Naropa's own understanding, and of course, it is not applicable to everyone. But for Naropa, Tilopa was not so easy to find. Tilopa would hide himself quite well when he did not wish to be found. This was done for a very good reason. Tilopa wanted to make Naropa really examine himself to reach the right understanding. Now the word, "hide" may not be the precise description of what Tilopa did. To disguise himself, Tilopa emanated in the form of a wounded dog. Many worms crawled in its wound while lying on the side of the road. When Naropa saw the dog, he did not pay it any attention. He was so preoccupied with finding Tilopa that he had no time to tend to the dog. Now Naropa knew the concept of compassion, he knew the suffering, yet, he left the dog unattended. He hurried along in his own self-interest. Subsequently, Tilopa appeared to Naropa and said, "If you are not completely committed due to the suffering of beings, if you are not fully committed to compassion, then you will not find the Lama." Not finding the lama means that you are not connected to realization. From this incident, Naropa understood that he had not yet truly engaged in Bodhicitta (compassion). Without a genuine motivation in Bodhicitta, he would not gain any realization. So we say that he understood this point through "Dun ngaak". "
It is very important to know Dun ngaak if you are a full-time practitioner, a research dharma student, or if you are engaged in the preliminary practices. Only then can you recognize it when the time comes. Dun ngaak also plays an important part in the transmission of the Mahamudra teachings and other similar teachings. This type of transmission is not exclusive to one tradition, or one system, or one lineage. Rather, its purpose is to clarify whatever it is that we do not understand. Like Naropa, we have to be prepared or qualified to receive the transmission. Otherwise, even if Buddha were here, we would still not achieve the realization. Naropa immediately realized the lesson through dun ngaak, not just once, but at twelve different occasions. The details are very precise and they are all recounted in his biography. This kind of biography is very important. The dun ngaak teachings contained therein are vast and unlimited. The means of approach are also unlimited to understand the varying degrees of depth. The dun ngaak transmissions are also considered a part of the oral instructions. The oral instructions are all about how to give meaning, point by point.
djin lab
Another type of oral instruction is called "djin lab" in Tibetan. There is no exact translation for this term. It is a little bit like receiving blessing through prayer or through the practice of Guru Yoga. The meaning is like this: whenever we do not understand something in our practice, djin lab is there to help us understand. For example, when we say mind, it is not so easy to know what we mean by it. But everybody talks about mind, the Buddha nature. We hear the word, and we guess at its meaning. We hear about the qualities of the Buddha and immediately we feel something though we may not understand. In order to understand, we do the practices such as reciting the sadhanas (practice texts), meditating, and doing the different practices. We say that the qualities of the Lama enter our mind. This means that his realization, his understanding of the mind, his Buddha nature, connects to our own mind. It is djin lab that enables this connection. On the surface, it may look as if it is a wish or prayer. In actuality, we are already using the methods and teachings. Somehow, certain words and explanations will start to make sense to us. The understanding is not ours to create. It is how djin lab works. It is very difficult to show. By knowing that this kind of effect can take place, then, when we experience it ourselves, we will understand it as such.
We are made aware of dun ngaak and djin lab to help us understand the practices and the teachings. For example, reading the story about Naropa without the awareness of dun ngaak reduces it to just a story. It is not useful to us when we have missed the meaning. The same applies to djin lab. In the practices of Guru Yoga and Chenrezig, there is communication. Normally, communication means word communication. But in Vajrayana practices, the visualization and receiving the essence of the yidam is djin lab. Though it is important for us to know, it does not mean that we should/could immediately use it. We should instead take this information and try to see for ourselves. The Songs of Milarepa contain a lot of these points. They are clearly presented and easy to understand.
In terms of results they could be temporary, or ultimate. For example, we all say we need blessing but what is our understanding of its meaning. The ultimate meaning of blessing is the connection to the special qualities within our practice. It is like sitting in a dark room and you want to let the sunlight in. But if you do not know how to open the curtains, the sunlight cannot get in.
When we understand the terms such as dun ngaak, djin lab, or blessings, then our understanding of our practice will become clearer. Otherwise, our expectations of the results of the practices will not be quite right. Of course, some results are always there when we pray, or when we recite the mantras. But the main result is our becoming closer to the qualities that the practices are supposed to bring out. For example, the real meaning of the short and simple sadhana practice of Chenrezig is to become like Chenrezig. The result is that we become free of our ignorance, we gain the capability of Chenrezig, and we can act like Chenrezig. This is real and not some kind of misinformation. For now, we may not have this wish to be Chenrezig. Individually, each of us may have different reasons for doing the practice. Regardless, we still gain benefit from our efforts; but if we engender the proper attitude, then the result is ever stronger.

PART 4

THE CONNECTION IN VAJRAYANA PRACTICE :

When we do Vajrayana practice, we need to know some basic terms as explained. But given the instructions, the understanding can still be rather delicate. We don't know exactly the precise meaning. The terms may strike us as somewhat exciting and our minds attach to them. Consequently, we lose track of the original meaning. The link or connection in Vajrayana practice cannot be established by just following the instructions. The meaning goes deeper than the words in the instructions. It is difficult to catch the meaning immediately. It is unlike an instruction in a daily life situation such as how to connect a piece of electronic equipment where we can simply follow the instructions. Vajrayana teachings are much more than theories, and explanations. Underlying the methods and instructions is the line of transmissions that we call lineage. Implicit in the lineage is also the transmission of djin lab and blessings.

With Vajrayana practice, it is customary to find a teacher. The teacher initiates you to a particular practice. He achieves this in three ways. He gives you the explanations and the instructions. He gives you the djin lab or the blessings to do the practice. Then, there is menlaak. Menlaak means that the teacher must have had understood the teachings and had practised them through the proper method until he became realized. This qualifies him to be able to share the methods and experiences with others. Moreover, he is the one who connects you to the potential to do the practice. This enables you to understand and to communicate with your own inner potential. The three conditions of instructions, djin lab, and menlaak have to come together to enable you to recognize the Buddha nature.
Then through the practice, a more precise understanding will arise in the disciple. The words sound simple enough. But to get the real understanding is quite different. Whether or not we can achieve some result in our practice depends on our own individual fundamental qualities. No one can see these qualities in another. Everyone has some form of potential due to past preparations or past accumulations in previous lifetimes. Sometimes our past accumulations may ripen in this lifetime. This explains why for some people, practice comes very easily while it proves quite difficult for others. This is why the Buddha taught us not to judge others or situations as good or bad, right or wrong. We don't know.

DEVELOP THE PRACTICE NATURALLY :

The fundamental capacity varies between individuals but it is developed gradually through practice. It cannot be forced or pushed. It has to develop spontaneously. Spontaneity depends on whether we see the meaning of the teachings. When we get the exact meaning, spontaneity is right there. Otherwise, it is difficult to understand. It is like when you are sick and the doctor tells you to eat this and not that. But sometimes, you yourself know precisely which food to avoid. You really understand your own situation. We then say you know spontaneously by yourself. It is very simple when we get the exact meaning. When we think of enlightenment, we may feel that it is so far away or that it is going to take a long time. But sometimes, it is really not that impossible when all the conditions are right. We should carry on with the practice without analyzing it too much. As explained earlier, due to the blessings, even when we don't have a precise understanding, some result is inevitably there.
There are many practices such as Chenrezig, Green Tara, Dorje Sempa, and Sengye Menla. They all are important regular practices that we can do for different reasons. The effect of each practice is twofold. One, it affords us temporary help specific to our current situation. Second, it enables us to discover our own inner potential whereby we will realize our own Buddha nature. For example, whenever we are not very well, or when we are in difficult times, or when we are not very clear, then the practice of Tara can give us whatever it is that we need accordingly. On the other hand, we do Dorje Sempa to clear up and to purify negativity. The Chenrezig practice is aimed at benefiting others. The result is that we are helpful to others quite naturally. For each practice, the result is equally there regardless of whether we do a short or a long sadhana (practice text).

THREE INNER QUALITIES TO DEVELOP A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING :

" mo-gue "
There is a condition that we need within ourselves when we receive the teachings. In Tibetan, it is called mo-gue. It is a very difficult term to translate. It means, based on a trust and a deep respect for the enlightened qualities, we develop in ourselves a deep appreciation and recognition of their importance. As a result, we feel that we want to follow the practice and that we can do it. Mo-gue gives us a proper perspective enabling us to go deeper into the meaning without getting stuck. To help us understand mo-gue better, let us take for example, confidence and devotion. Our confidence and devotion towards the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are very important while we are on the path of practice. In a way, we could see mo-gue as devotion and confidence. In the biography of Milarepa, the meaning of devotion and confidence is very precise and evident. Milarepa's perseverance was based on his deep devotion to Marpa that never faltered. That is mo-gue. It is the main cause for Milarepa's realization, his genuine devotion to his teacher, Marpa.

" daepa "
Another word that is similar to mo-gue is daepa, which means faith. But daepa is not blind faith. It requires real understanding in what we are doing so that we can really believe in what we do. It is more than just because someone told us so, or we think that it is special so we just go along with it. Daepa is when we have done the study and the research so that we see by ourselves and we understand. We are then really focused and committed.

" damtsik "
Another term is damtsik. Damtsik is samaya, it means to have the right connection to the essence of our own mind. It means that when we act properly, good results are inevitable. When we make mistakes, our path will be blocked. How we judge and act is directly related to our own mind so we want to be careful. As we study more and more, our understanding of mind will improve.
To summarize, in Vajrayana practice, mo-gue, daepa, and damtsik are the main conditions that facilitate a deeper understanding of our own mind. The depth of knowledge is unlimited so we continue to work with our inner understanding through our practice, while listening to the teachings, and during our waking hours. In this way, the result will come much easier. We often say "inseparable" quality. It means, inseparable from our own mind, it is our own mind. Nothing is created. It is important for you to do the practice. By gradually clearing up your own questions and doubts, you will reach a personal experience and development.

PART 5

ALWAYS BE PRESENT IN THE
UNDERSTANDING OF MIND :

The conditions, or states of our mind have far greater reach and effect than our actions. In general, we control our actions rather than our mind. When we don't like someone, we don't want to show it. We are afraid that it will spoil our image of being nice. But inside, we are feeling our dislike for the contact. We try to be nice because we don't want to break up the friendship. Unconsciously, we go on like this. We need to understand our own mind rather than just trying to control our actions. Sometimes, we think like this: "I cannot go"; or "I don't like it"; "…but I don't want to give in more than this." These thoughts sometimes come to us then damtsik is no longer there. This we should know very clearly. Because damtsik is a realization of mind that is linked to our understanding of mind.
This is why in the Vajrayana, pure vision is emphasized which is in itself a state of mind. It is not something artificial that someone told us about. It comes from our own basic fundamental nature. It is a part of our consciousness. If we want to realize pure vision, then we need to receive teachings, to learn to see clearly, and to meditate. We have to develop ourselves, our actions are not all that important in and of themselves. The problem is the blockages in our mind. We cannot sort of block them out to avoid the damage. We have to see and understand how they are related to our mind.

THE EMOTIONS

We need to understand the emotions in ourselves as well as in others. They are the conditions of mind. We do not have to cut them off, nor to develop them. When we do understand the emotions, then everything will become simpler - our relationship with people and with our teachers, and how we relate to the teachings. The converse is also true. When we don't understand our emotions, then everything becomes complicated. We are judgmental of ourselves as well as others. This is why the teachings always emphasize looking at our own mind. All the meditation teachings come to this point. When we truly understand our mind, we will see things as they are. Right now, a toothache is real and not an illusion to us. But when we see the real nature of mind then we will see the pain as illusory. This is an important point. There are many concepts surrounding the emotions. It is easy to talk about them and somehow they feel very heavy to us. By heavy I mean the concepts that we ourselves have built up around them. We are ever trying to keep the good feelings and to be rid of the bad ones. This is normal and there is nothing wrong with it. But the negative thoughts cannot be driven away because they are our own mind.
how to work with the emotions

The question is what can we do? Everybody has experienced negative emotions: anger, jealousy, unhappiness, and many others. We think that if only we could get rid of them we will be happy. This is wrong. Basically, we need to look at the cause of these negative emotions, the cause of anger, the cause of jealousy, the cause of attachment, the cause of pride, the cause of expectation. The emotions are our mind. Therefore the only solution is to realize the true nature of mind. We will then see how the negative emotions do not make sense and they will dissolve on their own. The process is of course not easy and it takes a long time. However, we should not be discouraged. The teachings advise us always to be aware of all situations and their related conditions, to do the practice of looking at our mind, how our mind is oriented. We have desires and expectations. When they are not satisfied, our negative emotions come up. This is always the case. We can understand this basic condition in ourselves as well as in others. This is very important. Simply look without trying to get rid of anything. This is how we work with the emotions in the beginning.
In general, an agitated mind or a mind without peace is the cause of emotions. We all know that we have so accustomed ourselves to our emotional process that it is difficult for us to separate ourselves from it and see it for what it is. Whenever our mind is in some kind of discomfort such as anger, sadness, or is slightly depressed, it can serve us well as practice material. This means that immediately we can use the circumstances of the distressed mind to verify the teachings. Rather than being caught up in the concepts and words of the teachings, we try to experience spontaneously their actual meaning in our mind.
In the beginning, the weaker emotions may prove easier for us to explore and to examine. For example, when we are a little unhappy, we try to see how our mind is linked to the emotion. See the cause of the unhappiness. Is it caused by pride, attachment, ignorance, or hatred? Try to see more clearly. But then because of our habitual tendencies, we are always looking for reasons, or excuses. What is required of us is complete honesty. It is easy to say that I am unhappy because of this or because of that. But if we are truthful and really apply ourselves to knowing the truth we will gain some insight. In Tibetan, we say dengpa. Dengpa means the truth without any excuse or compromise. Dengpa points to the real situation of our mind. Our mind tends to sidetrack from the truth so it is a little bit tricky to steer straight in a situation and to see it head on. Simply look without added feelings. We tend to look for something important. "I need this, or I have to do that." There is always the desire for some objective there. To look without any conditions attached is new to us. We have to learn how to do it. As we look, we avoid trying to get rid of something or to achieve a better result. We should have neither expectations nor wanting any improvement.
Take for example, you go for a walk, and you fall. Look at the cause of your fall. Is it because of your shoes, the road, or the way you walked? You do this without any attitude or any preconceived ideas. Just look naturally and leave it. In a similar way we deal with the distractions in our minds. The point is not to try to solve our problem but to see the condition in our mind that brought the problem there in the first place. This will give us a clear answer. It will come on its own. This is actually quite difficult to do. But if we keep trying to look as described, eventually everything will become clearer to us.
Very slowly, we will gain yairpa. Yairpa is like certainty. It means that we have a very clear understanding so that we can then work on ourselves. This may sound simple but when we are actually attempting it, it can be confusing. While we are here in this human experience, we are subject to our emotional states and conditions. We have to work with them. We do the practice and try to follow the instructions.
keep a little distance from the conditions and see
The teachings tell us the true nature of our mind and of all things. We may intellectually understand this true nature. But dengpa has to be experienced. Dengpa as "truth" applies to the truth of our mind, the truth of all conditions. We need to see and realize this true nature for ourselves. No action is required. We try to see the nature of mind and the nature of things. We do it not because somebody told us to do so. That would be naïve. Yet, we see without any doubt. Take the example of our whole situation here in samsara, there is happiness and there is sadness. While we seek happiness in the various ways, we also take the time to do the practice. We try to have a peaceful and clear mind. When we can see what we are doing, then not only are we completely involved in the doing but at the same time our mind is also clear about what it is that we are doing. We watch ourselves. We watch ourselves while we practice, while we work, during difficult times, during times of enjoyment, all the time. We try to separate a little, our own nature from the normal functions in life. To separate means to be able to look at ourselves in a moment of great enjoyment, or in a moment of deep sadness. We may see that things do not make that much sense. It is like watching a movie. Even if we are sad, we understand that sadness is still all right. This may sound a bit strange yet this is a very important point. For now, this is very difficult to understand but nevertheless, we keep it as useful information for later on.
In our attempt to see the nature of something, we may get confused so then we seek clarification from the teachings. Normally, when we are confused about something, that something is separate from us. And we seek an explanation about how it works. But here, we just want to see it for what it is.
For example, we generally think of ourselves as very important. This is why we are here in our individual life situations. Say you have broken your arm and it is very painful. But if you look, you will see that you identify your arm as you. Another way would be to see your arm as being there separately from your mind. Then if the pain in the arm is an illusion, you can just leave it. But right now, even if you tell yourself the pain is illusory you cannot leave it. You have to attend to the wound. But the point is to separate the mind and the arm. If your mind is a little bit separate from the arm, then the suffering also becomes different. You know you broke your arm. You know the cause and the surrounding circumstances. Your mind is clearer and the pain is experienced differently. Your understanding of the mind is also different. But without this kind of check in place, your mind and the pain are stuck together. Then there is a lot of suffering and confusion right there. So these are the two ways of looking at the same happening. The broken arm is just one example. We can expand the example to include all outside phenomena as well as all our inner responses, feelings, and emotions - how we link them to ourselves and to our mind. Otherwise, there can never be any contact. Therefore, we should try to maintain a bit of distance between our mind and anything that is related to time and action. We should not have an attitude like nothing matters. We are here in samsara so we have to be careful in everything we do. At the same time, try to see where we are, how we are involved, how our emotions are and their causes. Slowly and gradually, we will get the point of the teachings and our understanding will grow.
nothing to reject, nothing to gain, just be aware
We are in the habit of being discriminating given any situation. But the discrimination has to be accurate. For example, in daily life when things are going fine, we are involved and doing things. But not everything is useful so we avoid wasting time. The teachings emphasize this point. However, we are inevitably connected to our individual habits, our background and culture. They form the relative conditions that accompany our state of mind. Nevertheless, we could still try to distance ourselves from them. We look at these conditions. We know that they are not separate from us. At the same time, we don't have to be distracted by them either. There is nothing to reject, nothing to gain. We live our lives in the same way. We accept whatever the situation we are in and try to be aware of our mind. This is also how we start to meditate. Meditation means that we are not distracted by our own thoughts. We are aware by ourselves. For now, it is very difficult not to be distracted in our daily life. Our thoughts are very strong at the moment. However, we should still try to be aware whenever we can. We should try to see a little bit differently than what we have been used to.
This watchful state we can apply in all situations without pressure, without forcing ourselves to do so - during the practice, during the teachings, during daily life. Simply watch without any pre-conceived notions. This way we can see clearer. If we cannot do it constantly, we can at least do it from time to time. In time, it will become easier and easier. We have talked about the preliminaries, about how important it is to have the proper preparation for the practice. It is simply this, to see clearly. It is to practise this way of looking, to really experience it for ourselves.
Often we find that we have no time to do this kind of seeing, no time to think. We don't know what to do, or we are not keen or motivated enough to do it. There is too much information out there and we cannot decide which is the best route, the best method for us. But it is really not all that confusing. It is because we are not clear in our mind that we do not know what to do.
PART 6

THE " FOUR THOUGHTS "
HELP US PRIORITIZE :

The "Four Thoughts" have been regarded as very important for us so that we can be clear about what choices to make in life. The Four Thoughts are, very briefly, to contemplate: 1.) the precious human body, 2.) impermanence, 3.) karma, and 4.) the result of karma. They are simple and straightforward. But sometimes we think too much and we start to have doubts and excuses. Then we feel that we cannot work with them. This is quite normal. Unconsciously, we do not want to see that which is difficult. We want to cover it up with something nice and then just look at the cover. Take the example of a shrine that is made of wood. A nice curtain covers it so we cannot see the wood. We are the same. Even when we see our situation we do not really want to see it. We turn away, or we cover it up with some nice talk or some nice thoughts about it. But if your arm is broken, talking nicely or covering it up with a curtain just won't do. You need the proper medical treatment. The Four Thoughts are important. At the same time, it does not mean that we have to be pessimistic about life - thinking that suffering is bad, or that we should feel our predicament. The key is to reflect on the Four Thoughts and to see the truths in their meaning.

THE FIRST THOUGHT :
THE PRECIOUS HUMAN LIFE

The first thought is that the human body is precious. As soon as we hear this, our tendency is to think of the overpopulation in China, in India, or in Bangladesh. Then immediately, we might think that the human life is not all that precious anymore. Somehow, we tend not to think of ourselves. But the precious human life means exactly that our own life is precious. We should try to make good choices in life, and to spend our lives in a meaningful way. In any case, our reflections always take us back to the self. The teachings advise us to renounce certain things. This is often misunderstood. The main emphasis is still on the self. If you are doing something wrong, then you should stop. You should also protect yourself from harm. For instance, you have to fly somewhere and you find out that the plane is faulty. You would find an alternative way. But sometimes an attitude like, "I don't care," sets in, and with one stroke of the brush, you say everything is "OK." This kind of attitude is what we call an illusion. Don't get caught up in it. Try to be honest with yourself and do what is best. The precious human being is yourself and your own potential. The real meaning is to make good use of your very good opportunity, your very precious life. This is the point.
The teaching of the Buddha says that all beings, not only humans, have the potential of becoming a Buddha. But it is in a human body that we can achieve the realization of a Buddha. Buddha nature means freedom from the confusions of mind. Realization means in part to be free from confusion. We have this chance now so we should not waste it. Our focus is always in trying to obtain things, things that are only temporary and ephemeral. There is hardly any time left for the teachings. This is why the teachings emphasize thinking in a broader scope, and in longer term. We should invest our efforts to achieve more lasting benefits. Mind is never ending. Mind will continue. It will not dissolve so mind is very important. We want it to be free from suffering, free from ignorance. That is our goal. This life is important because we can act in a beneficial way for our future.
the conditions of a precious human life
According to the law of karma, action and result, the fact that we are here as humans is a result of our past actions. If we continue to act meaningfully then we will again be reborn with good conditions. These are conditions conducive to dharma practice as in being born where authentic teachers teach the Buddha dharma. We are not handicapped in a way that we cannot understand or practise the teachings. We do not want to be born as someone who does not believe in anything because then there will be nothing worthwhile to do. We want to have compassion, or the capacity to develop it. This is why Gampopa explained (in the Jewel Ornament of Liberation) that all these good conditions are inclusive in the meaning of a precious human birth. Everybody has Buddha nature but the absence of these conditions would make it difficult to pursue the dharma. Another text goes further to point out that sometimes even when we know what is beneficial for us and we want to develop our mind, we are held back by our desires, attachments, and habits. For example, you are offered a very good job in a very nice area with a nice apartment. But you turn it down preferring to stay with your existing job where there is a lot of pressure and the living conditions are quite harsh. You think to yourself that you cannot leave because you cannot let go of what you are used to. Because of your attachments, you could not move into a better situation. We have to let go of this type of attachment. Otherwise, we are creating the blockages ourselves.
know what is valuable in the long term
We take for granted our human existence. Many things seem to be important to us. We don't really think about what is really beneficial to us in the long run. Then when the time has run out, it is too late. So the meaning of reflection on the precious human body is not to pressure us but to motivate us to make the right choices in life. This first of the Four Thoughts prepares us by giving us the reason why dharma practice is important. We can see for ourselves life's conditions for us, for other people, and for people who have already passed away. We become more appreciative of the dharma and its importance.
There are two different levels of expectation in life - short term versus long term. For a practitioner who already has some appreciation of the conditions of this life, he can understand the importance of setting long-term future goals. People lose sight of long-term goals because it is too difficult for them to fathom. They need to try to think more deeply and look beyond the here and now.
For most people, they are more concerned with solving immediate problems and achieving short-term goals. Their problems are often related to the emotions and relationships; they are never ending. The fact is when one problem is solved it is followed by another. There are others who think that if only they could avoid people and the emotions then they could stay calm. There is really nothing to reject, and there is no contradiction either in our life now. We simply watch ourselves. We do this in a very natural and spontaneous way. See if we can make a connection to the meaning of the precious human life. From time to time, we do this, and soon we will become clearer about its meaning. If we only hear it but we don't really reflect on its meaning then it will be of no use to us.
Sometimes, people who are under the influence of their ego, or their ignorance, misuse the teachings. So the contemplation of the precious human life can protect the practitioner from going astray. We follow properly the dharma path. This applies equally to the beginners as well as the advanced practitioners until enlightenment is attained.
take care and make use of our precious life
Let us now look at how the contemplation of the precious human birth can be applied in daily life. It is wrong to just acknowledge that yes, human life is precious, and then forget about it. We have already looked at the many conditions necessary to make the human life precious. To be reborn again in the next life with the same good conditions, we should develop a way of thinking and acting now that would increase our understanding of mind as much as possible. While we are here, we don't just take things for granted or ignore them. For example, we like a certain food that is very unhealthy for us. Knowingly, we choose to ignore this fact, and just go ahead and eat it any way. We think that it wouldn't hurt if we only eat it once in a while. However, after a few times of eating it, we grow used to having it. We'd then dismiss the original caution by saying, "…ah, but I really like it. It doesn't matter…" We ignore what we know. This is how we usually ignore many little things. But of course, they are actually important from the perspective of the consequences that they bring about. So we emphasize again to always remember that this life is precious.
We follow the examples of the teachers from the past. We follow their way of acting, their way of thinking and their attitudes. For instance, they took seriously their own future. Why, because they wanted to be able to continue to practise the dharma, progressing life after life until enlightenment is reached. If the good conditions and the practice continue in the same direction, then the result will surely be there.
While we are here, the current and temporary conditions of the here and now can be used to secure a better future. Try to understand through our life experiences the meaning of the teachings. Strive to improve a little bit at a time. By applying the methods and by doing the practice, the results will come slowly. This point cannot be overemphasized because sometimes we don't want to listen so we don't really hear properly. In the least, we should take care to avoid those actions that will bring us rebirth in the lower realms. Sometimes, we hear the claim that the teachings can bring about enlightenment in one lifetime. The teachings are very effective but that is not the point. The point is each of us has the capacity to achieve enlightenment in one lifetime. A reincarnated teacher or practitioner is not particularly special. It happens when someone practices successfully and is therefore able to continue the same path in the next life. To continue means not losing the capacity of mind already achieved. Liberation from samsara does not mean abandoning the world. Actually, it means freedom from suffering whereby one works for the benefit of others.
the mind will become clearer with practice
We want to have a clear mind. This does not mean to look for light. With practice we become more open, and clearer. An opening in our mind actually lends itself to further opening. But while the mind is not too clear, it will take time before any result becomes apparent. For example, educated people are very knowledgeable in the worldly ways. Yet they still feel that there is more to know. This is why they want to learn about meditation and the Dharma. If you do not believe that there is more to learn then you would not be here at these lectures. You want to know more about your own self-nature so you research on the spiritual way. The more you understand about your own mind, the clearer the meaning of life will become.
Milarepa once said, "if you know the principal condition of your Buddha nature then everything becomes very clear. Otherwise, you have to go step by step." If we have no accomplishment or knowledge of mind, then we have to go through all the steps. But if we have reached a certain level of the mind then, we don't need so many details. Until we do, we argue and debate all the details. But once we see the real meaning, when we really know for ourselves, then everything becomes very clear.
meditation yields knowledge of the true nature
We have to learn meditation just like everything else, step by step. Learn about your own mind then everything becomes very simple. You don't need to spend too much time in studying. You should reflect on this point. Take the example of Gendun Rinpoche. He held no academic degrees. He was not a professor. But he did meditation retreat. We were all witness to his clarity of mind. He did not spend time studying. This means that meditation yields clear answers. Even if we spend 15 or 20 years studying which we call a short time, we still cannot reach the same level of knowledge gained from meditation. Of course, it is not knowledge in the normal worldly sense. The deep understanding gained in meditation is quite different from this. We call it realization. It is an understanding that comes from our own mind about our own mind. We cannot buy it. We cannot get it from outside of us. Again, we go back to the precious human life where we have the capacity to achieve this kind of realization of mind. We must not let go of this opportunity while going after worldly things. Theoretically, in order to understand mind, we have to know very precisely the functions of mind. There is a term called emptiness. Often we form a wrong idea about this term. Emptiness can only be realized through an in-depth research into mind linked with meditation. This is the right path. This is one essential method. Milarepa stated that by properly using the Vajrayana method we can understand the true nature of mind spontaneously. We go step by step where we do the analysis by ourselves. It is a long process. Analysis does not involve making up anything. Yet there is a system that we could follow to attain realization. This is much similar to the learning of science where one progresses through a series of courses learning step by step. It is risky to just talk about emptiness or realization. We have to actually go through the understanding by ourselves. Again, if we know mind already then we don't really need to go through the process. But for now, we say that we are searching or reaching for something. Once we do have realization, it is no longer a temporary thing. The realization of mind is mind.
When we first start out, we are not looking for enlightenment immediately. We are not looking for a clear mind immediately. But more often than not, we are seeking solutions to our normal problems. But if we could clear our minds, then all the confusions will clear by themselves. When that happens, they do not necessarily clear away one by one because they are all linked.
the purpose of initiation into a practice
Take the different initiations such as Chenrezig, or Green Tara where practitioners receive the instructions for practice before they do the practice. Through the initiation by our teacher, we make a connection to an inner quality and we receive the transmission of blessings enabling us to do the practice. There are generally three aspects to an initiation. The first is the instructions on the practice. Next is lung, which is a reading transmission. The third is wang, the empowerment which enables you to do the practice. We should have a proper understanding as to the purpose of receiving an initiation. During the initiation, our attitude should be directed accordingly. This means to engender Bodhicitta. It is our single most earnest concern for the well being of others that we take on the practice to better ourselves, to improve ourselves in order that we may become more beneficial and helpful to others. Without this crucial motivation, the result may be that we receive a bit of blessings, that's all. We have missed the point of Buddha's teachings. When we are correctly oriented in Bodhicitta, we will improve little by little until we reach true understanding. To improve means to obtain further understanding through the practice. Take for example, our idea of mind. We don't really have an understanding of what it is, or what it means exactly. We can only guess at its meaning. Slowly, by doing the practice, we will discover what mind is.
in meditation, there is awareness with no grasping
In meditation we don't grasp at anything. We allow the mind to be flexible which will bring about some understanding. If we are stuck in the words and terminology of the instructions then we cannot get beyond them. We cannot gain a deeper understanding. We have Buddha nature, the potential to be realized. By employing the proper methods, we can attain the state of a Buddha. Buddha means the accomplishment of a clear mind. We have to put in the effort. During the meditation, we try to keep the awareness and a clear mind. We do not cling to the concepts or ideas of what meditation should be. Otherwise, we might think that we are doing it correctly. Again, we will get stuck. We allow the mind to improve by itself. To improve, we always follow the meditation instructions. These are usually written down with examples to illustrate their meaning. Milarepa composed many songs as a reminder to help with his understanding of the mind. We can prepare ourselves by studying his songs to learn their meaning. In this way, we gain an approach in mind training.
To summarize, we need first the instructions. Then we do the meditation always being careful to avoid becoming fixated, or getting stuck in concepts. There is Ngondro, the four foundations. Ngondro is a set of four practices that can facilitate our understanding and progress in meditation. They purify our karma and help us in the accumulation of merit. Ngondro prepares us for the main meditation. This is why they are also referred to as the preliminaries.
The precious human life goes beyond the present life. Of course we would like to be reborn continuously as humans where we could practise the dharma right up until we reach enlightenment. But life never stays unchanged in one spot. The mind's activities move ahead. Our actions are moving along in time as well as everything else. At the same time, link to the movement of life is the accumulation of negative or positive karma. It is very important not to waste time because the physical body is impermanent. Impermanence means that time - each hour, each minute, and each moment is passing. This passing is also subject to cause and effect. We have to see this constant stream ever passing. It is not meant to pressure us but seeing it can become a part of our own functioning.
in daily life, be aware and reflect on the meaning
We begin our practice with a little awareness, and gradually our awareness will increase. This is one way to prepare and to nurture our own quality of mind. The result as we have seen before is an understanding and a knowing of our own mind's nature. It is difficult for you to hear this and then try to do it. The actual process could be complicated. One recommendation is to take what you have read here and reflect on it from time to time in your daily life. Try to think of the meaning and how it works in the many and varied circumstances in your life while you interact with fellow humans and with the animals. Simply try to be aware. Soon, life's functionings will appear not so difficult anymore and they become easier for us to understand. This kind of understanding will be there spontaneously.

PART 7

THE SECOND THOUGHT :
" IMPERMANENCE "

The second of the Four Thoughts emphasizes a conscious consideration of the impermanence of life and of phenomena. We, as individuals, have many choices available to us in our daily life. To us, there are always many important things to do. But if we choose to put our efforts into dharma practice then we will achieve results in this life that have a more lasting effect. We have to decide that dharma practice is really worthwhile. Otherwise, we will put it off. Because of impermanence, we cannot put things off indefinitely. Time does not stop for any of us. In the meantime, actions and results being linked to time are perpetuated. We must try to gain more clarity of mind while we are here. This will help us in the bardo, the period of time when we have passed from this life and before we take re-birth. In a way, impermanence also means continuity. Things do not stay the same, they continue to change, they continue to evolve.
In "the Jewel Ornament of Liberation", the beginning of the book deals with samsara and its conditions. Samsara means cyclic existence. It is existence enmeshed within endless cycles of birth, aging, and death. The existence can consist of much happiness and/or much suffering. Each cycle will end at death where soon after another cycle will begin, and so the cycles continue endlessly. At the same time, we cannot find a beginning either. We abhor suffering so we wish to be free of it. We wait to be free but it will never happen unless we put effort into a proper practice. We have to stop wasting time. The book then continues into Gampopa's teachings on the methods of liberation. Once we know suffering, we naturally wish to be free of it. We understand the conditions of suffering and we know that there is a way out. We have thus arrived at the main objective, which is liberation.
We have looked at the first two thoughts on the precious human life and impermanence. We understand the potential and the meaning of our human existence. On the other hand, it is not difficult to see the suffering aspect of samsara. There are solutions and remedies to help us cope with the various life situations. But death seems to be the most challenging one of all. The practice shows us how to cope with it. We come to terms with it through our understanding of impermanence. We prepare ourselves through achieving clarity of mind. We reflect on the suffering of samsara. At times, we find things difficult to bear but then at other times, they are not so intolerable. We are used to the up's and down's. It is the same as our wanting a comfortable life with good food and nice clothes, we work towards this goal. We are aware that there will be some roadblocks but they don't deter us. We are not afraid of them and we find ways to cope with them.
The transition from the present life to the next life is a natural and automatic process. The in-between period is known as the bardo. The mind in the bardo will take rebirth. There will again be life, growth, living, and dying. Then the cycle happens all over again. When we do a lot of practice, we will come to the main objective of liberation or enlightenment. Liberation means liberation from the present condition of not being able to see clearly. Liberation is a clear mind. A clear mind sees clearly and goes through all the different conditions in life as well as in the bardo. This is really not so difficult to achieve if we follow the methods and put in the effort. As well, we need to have the proper conditions and the good news is that all practices make them available to us.
contemplate the effects of impermanence…
How do we prepare and build the foundation for the practice? We need to reflect regularly on the meaning of the teachings. The teachings often refer to awareness in body, speech, and mind. The meaning is that we need to be aware of our thoughts, speech, and action as much as we can manage it, on a regular basis. We are aware in our practice as well as the daily activities. In this way, we will eventually reach our goal. To be conscious means to be aware. The Four Thoughts are also referred to as the preliminaries. "Preliminary" here does not infer the general meaning of the word as "prerequisite." It does not mean that we have to finish one step before going on to the next step. Rather, it means that to understand the next step, the first step is very important. So when we say that things are impermanent, we go beyond the common meaning, we go beyond a mere acknowledgement of it. Instead, we take the time to really reflect on its meaning, on its significance, and on its impact in our lives and in what we do. We reflect on how impermanence works in our day-to-day experience. We are aware and we relate to it without being frightened by it, surprised by it, or to have to make excuses for it. We accept it as a normal part of our lives. Impermanence is much like drinking tea. Everyday, we drink tea. There is no element of surprise about it. It is just a part of a regular day in our lives. On the other hand, we can take note of impermanence as it is. Like when we are students in school, the materials that are familiar to us we don't take notice of. Instead we tried to remember all the important unfamiliar points. But here, it is a little different. Though impermanence is already familiar to us, we don't take it for granted. Though conceptually, we find the topic a bit heavy to deal with, nevertheless, we start by seeing it a little bit at a time. It will start to give meaning to what we do. At that point, it is very useful to us. We accustom ourselves to seeing impermanence. We don't have to force ourselves to always look for it. We just try to slowly get used to this view so that it becomes a habit of mind, a tendency of mind, pak chag in Tibetan. But it is a habit where there is awareness without ignorance, without losing sight of its meaning. It is much like our dressing ourselves everyday. We are familiar with our own clothes. We change everyday. We wash them when they are dirty. With our nicer clothes, we are more careful and we avoid sitting in dirty surroundings for instance. How we wear and care for our clothes is very simple and straightforward. There is no hesitation. There is nothing complicated about it.

PART 8

THE THIRD AND FOURTH THOUGHT :
" KARMA AND ITS RESULTE "

The third and fourth of the Four Thoughts deals with karma, and its result. Specifically, the result of karma is samsara or conditioned existence. Sometimes, the results of karma are referred to as the defects of samsara.
There are many ways of understanding karma. The way we deal with karma is similar to the earlier example of our way with clothes. It is not a big deal yet we keep our awareness, and we are careful. We cannot avoid karma even if we wanted to. The more we try to avoid the situation, the more we get involved in it and the more negative it becomes for us. We don't need to worry about it. But if we see its meaning, we will naturally be careful. This is important.
Karma comes from our mind, from our speech, and from our action. We often think that it is our actions that bring the results. But if we did not have the thought in the first place, then it would not have led to the speech or the action. It is good to read the "Jewel Ornament of Liberation" where karma and its results are clearly explained in great details. Every idea has its result whether or not it is acted out. We never think that our negative thoughts could yield negative actions. Sometimes, we act but nothing comes of it. Sometimes we act and we do achieve something. In each case, karma is created whether our action is fruitful or not. Whether or not the karma is neutral, positive, or negative, corresponds directly to our original intention, be it neutral, positive, or negative. The teachings tell us this much but moreover this is the natural and infallible law of karma. This is the truth of karma. This is also why we should always be aware of our thoughts. We should try to really see for ourselves.
When we look at our mind, we can't help but see it connected to all the conditions of karma. The process of how karma is created is the same for positive as well as for negative karma. For example, you don't want to hurt others, that is one karma. If you want to hurt people, that is also karma even if you don't act on it because your mind is thinking negatively. If you carry out the action then the karma becomes even stronger. And when you have succeeded in harming others through your action, the karma becomes the strongest of the three instances. This is just how karma works karma works.
The result of karma is not a judgement. It is not like there is a judge sitting there judging your every thought and action. Rather, the result happens naturally and spontaneously. We are so used to thinking conceptually but this is a bit different. We have to use a term to describe it, so we use the term law, a natural law, even though it is really not a law in the ordinary sense of the word. If you water a flower, it will survive for as long as it can. Without water, the flower will dry up. These are both natural consequences, inherent in the nature of a flower. It is the same with karma. It feels more like our own habitual thinking. When a small boy is afraid of someone, he would naturally try to hide from him. If he is aware of his own tendency, then he can try to overcome his fear by himself. It is actually quite common and normal for the boy not to think through his fear properly. But if he is aware and really tries to see through his tendency then he will understand more about his own mind's functioning.
the habitual tendencies obscure…
The habitual tendencies obscure the nature of mind. When the nature of mind is obscured by the habitual tendencies present in our mind, we refer to them as the obscurations caused by the habitual tendencies. This means an obscuration caused by oneself due to one's habitual tendencies. In the teachings, it is explained that the habits are from both the previous lives as well as the present life. It is easier for us to see the causes that are directly in our present life rather than from our past. It is easier for us to see what effect our current unconscious habits have on us. Our mind functions through the habitual tendencies. For now, it is difficult to give a more detailed explanation about it. But when we look, we will sometimes see how our tendencies come up from within us while at the same time, we are aware of all kinds of the conditions.
Lodjong as an exchange
Now we look at the practice of Lodjong, a Bodhicitta practice. Lodjong means to put in place a positive attitude in exchange for the habitual tendencies. Lodjong means that which runs contrary to what we are used to. The positive attitude is a condition that we put into our mind until gradually it shows up spontaneously in our thoughts and actions. Through lodjong, everything that we like can come our way.
The lodjong practice can bring two kinds of results: a decrease in negative thought and action, and more importantly, a chance for a better rebirth in the next life. In the bardo after death, usually the mind of the deceased is still very much connected to the tendencies. The tendencies that he has created during his lifetime come forth spontaneously, one connecting to the next and so forth. For him, he has no more control in the bardo than he has control over his dreams while he was alive. The experiences in the bardo and in a dream state are quite similar. If he has reached some realization in meditation while he was alive then this can also come into play to help him.
Realization in meditation has many different levels. For example, when a person falls asleep, he loses total consciousness momentarily just before sleep. His mind is there but it has lost all its connections. Even if he tries to see the in-between state from waking to sleeping, he is lost in it. He passes into sleep and after some time, he starts to dream. During all that time, he is alive physically. This is referred to as a lack of realization - he cannot see for himself what is happening to him. If on the other hand he can go through the process without ignorance, he will see the process of sleeping - how it progresses into the dream state. To him, the dream is not a surprise anymore. He sees it as just another state of mind. If he can do that, then we say he realizes by himself what is going on.
A mind without any realization can still have positive tendencies. Lodjong practice can bring about this positive effect. It places the mind in a positive condition and attitude where one is concerned for the benefit of other sentient beings. This entails a more open mind. An open mind in turn is not influenced by negative disturbing emotions thus rendering the mind more flexible to be considerate of others.
the three obscurations bring about suffering…
When we practise lodjong, we need to think, to know, and to realize that whatever it is that we are trying to see is tainted by karma in the mind. Because of karma, our understanding and our knowledge are obscured or tainted. The results of karma give rise to three main categories of obscuration present in our mind. The first is obscuration caused by disturbing emotions, the second is obscuration caused by the preconceived ideas and fixed notions in the mind, and the third is the obscuration caused by the habitual tendencies. These three types of obscurations of the mind are responsible for the suffering of all beings. We can all see the suffering around us. Even if you don't see it immediately in your surroundings with your own eyes, you know that there is suffering for people in some countries. You know also the sufferings of the animals. These are very evident. We begin by feeling concerned for the suffering of others. Gradually, our concern will grow into love and compassion. This means to link our consciousness with love and compassion with respect to other sentient beings. We practise Lodjong precisely to connect ourselves with this love and compassion. Our motivation should not be based on our fear, or aversion to suffering, or we want to find a way out. We are motivated by our concern for all sentient beings. In the beginning, our care and concern may be just a thought. In time, when we can see more and more, it will grow into a habit of mind. We will then understand its exact meaning.
Take the example of when you watch television, you see that there is a lot of suffering and you feel a little pity but you don't really have a strong feeling about it. That pity is like a thought only. But if the suffering were right in front of you, you would feel much more strongly. So we begin by thinking for others as an idea, progressively, we try to be more precise until we understand what it means to be caring towards others. We care without passing judgment. We know that the basic cause of suffering is ignorance, and then there are the three obscurations. Acting under the influence of pre-conceived thinking, negative emotional afflictions, and/or habitual tendencies, we create the conditions of suffering for ourselves. Before we embark on mind training, we should understand this fundamental principle. We should check to ensure that our motivation is sincere. Sometimes people have other reasons for doing mind training. For them, it may be just another technical mental exercise.
In general, we place great value and importance in the result of whatever we do. The methods and means of achieving the results are not regarded as important. For example, you want to make a table. The tools you don't think much of. Your main focus is the end result which is the table. When the table is made, the tools are put away and they don't matter much anymore. Dharma practice, however, is not like that. All the conditions that we encounter along the path are very important.
The engendering of love and compassion is an important condition from beginning to end. We begin our daily practice by raising the feeling of concern for all sentient beings by praying for them. Our practice also ends with prayers or wishes. We pray, or wish for something that is beneficial for all sentient beings.
There is a basic prayer consisting of four lines - a fundamental wishing prayer for every living being without exception. In the first two lines of the prayer, we wish all beings to have happiness and the cause of happiness. We wish them to be free from suffering and the cause of suffering. These wishes are on a relative level, of course, ultimately, we wish them to gain realization of the mind and thus be set free from suffering. This basic prayer should precede any practice in which we may engage. This is not just a technique but it is lodjong, a benevolent attitude that we must sincerely attempt to embrace in our hearts. Otherwise, the prayer and our practice is reduced to words again. We should also not feel obligated to say the prayer. We take the time to sincerely reflect on our wish for all beings until our genuine sincerity is a habitual tendency. Here, of course the tendency is a positive one.
In the basic wishing prayer, we pray that all beings have the "cause" of happiness. We pray that they be free from the cause of suffering. The cause comes from karma, action and result. This applies to everybody including the person who is praying. The third line of the prayer is our wish that all beings never be separated from a state of authentic joy that is without suffering. A mind in equanimity is the resultant state of a Buddha that is a very joyful state of mind. A mind that is inseparable from authentic joy is a mind not distracted. A mind that is distracted has no peace. We wish everyone to achieve, to realize authentic joy. The realization of the mind is a realization of a state of mind that is free of suffering. This implies freedom from ignorance.
There is a state of mind that is in equanimity. Equanimity is very difficult to explain and it can be misunderstood. It points to a state of mind that does not differentiate between the self and others. It means a mind that is very clear and absent of disturbances as in the mind of a Buddha. This brings us to the last line of the prayer where we wish that all beings come to rest in a state of equanimity, free from attachment and aversion to those near and far.
We recall that one goal of meditation is to see our own disturbing emotions. In our normal daily lives, through the very small but different incidences, we try to see how our emotions function. We try to see their causes and surrounding circumstances. This will lead us to realize our mind, how it functions at all times. In the beginning, when we look at a distraction in the mind, we explore circumstances that disturb the mind, how they come to be. The obscuration caused by the disturbing emotions is linked to them. They are our attachment, pride, jealousy, or hatred. For example, we may find that it is when our expectation is not met that we become angry. We have to take the time to slow down and look.
We can all agree that love and compassion are good qualities. We are told that we should act out of love and compassion. Then we see that they are indeed very essential and beneficial to other beings. It may take us a long time to really see the results by ourselves. It is the same when we try to see the causes of our disturbing emotions. We start out by slowing down and really trying to see the links and connections. When one day, we can see by ourselves the causes for our own afflictions, we will at the same time understand them in others as well. Through this same process, we will come to understand the state of equanimity - it is the result of knowing the functioning of our own mind by ourselves.
to loosen the grip of ego clinging
All the disturbing functions and emotions of mind come from clinging. In meditation we try to free this clinging to a self. Yet in a way we cannot really say "free", because there is really no self that we need to be free from. "I" does not truly exist. However, theoretically through our own understanding, we can loosen our grip to a self when we understand how our mind functions. When we are able to work with the negative emotions, then it is liberation. Liberate here means to loosen the tightness of the grip that is ego clinging. It sounds easy to just loosen up, but it is not so easy when we actually try to do it. We will find that the clinging to the self is very strong. We can say that there is some fear involved in our trying to let go because we are addicted to the clinging. It can be frightening to let go of an addiction. This is why to be liberated, we have to understand the actual functioning of the disturbing emotions, how they arise and the effects they leave behind. It is a slow and gradual process.

By L a m a . J i g m e . R i n p o c h e

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Practising without ego-centred motivation
Lama Gendun Rinpoche

One of the main defects of a practitioner comes from thinking, "I am the one who is practising, so I am the one who will realise this and that through my practice". As long as we think that we are the ones who practise and that any outcome will be because we made the necessary effort, we are completely in the wrong. Nothing will result from that except more ego-clinging and self-importance.
We should think quite the opposite: that everything that emerges in our practice does so thanks to the Dharma. All the qualities that appear are only because of the Dharma. It is only through the quality, the power and purity of the Dharma itself that something can change in us. This is the way all the great bodhisattvas have practised. There is nothing that comes from the individual - things emerge because of the quality of the teaching. It is through his relationship with the Dharma that an ordinary practitioner can transform himself and become a great bodhisattva. All the qualities that emerge in a great bodhisattva have nothing to do with the individual person. They are the same qualities that are to be found in all bodhisattvas, because they come from the same Dharma, they express the quality of the teaching itself.
We should be happy and think, "Now I have decided definitely to practise the Dharma, there is nothing else that interests me in this life, I want to dedicate my life totally to this. Whatever comes out of my practice is thanks to the Dharma, it has nothing to do with me. I am not going to take pride in the results as if they were mine." When we surrender ourselves in this way and just practise the Dharma with no speculations about the outcome, we completely abandon ourselves to the practice. We are not expecting something out of it. We abandon all attachment to experiences and results of practice and engage in Dharma activity. This is when true experiences and realisations can develop.
But first we have to completely give up this feeling of "I am doing something, I am getting results", always bringing everything back to the "I". If we do this, we are just nourishing the ego-feeling, which shows a lack of confidence in the teaching. If we have complete confidence in the Dharma, we no longer have any feeling of "I". We just do the practice, and then the Dharma starts to work and real transformation takes place. This is the only way that experiences and realisation can develop.
We can measure the progress of our practice like this. If we think, "I have practised and I have realised that", then the only result of our practice is that our I-feeling is getting coarser and coarser, so our practice is completely wrong, since the very purpose of the Dharma is to reduce the influence of the ego. But if we think "I am not a good practitioner, I have no real qualities myself", that shows that our feeling of "I" is growing smaller and more subtle and that we are becoming a genuine practitioner. A real Dharma practitioner is someone who is constantly putting aside his own benefit and concern for himself.

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Patience and Effort
A Teaching from Ven. Tenzin Palmo

In order to receive any genuine transformation we have to transform everything we do, everything we say, everything we think, to the utmost of our ability, into a Dharma practice. If we use every action of body, speech and mind as our practice, by cultivating awareness, being present in the moment, seeing things with clarity and understanding, opening our heart in kindness and in love, thinking about other people and how they feel, then there is certainty that there will be a transformation. But if we think that Dharma practice is only what we do when we go to a Dharma centre or when some Lama is visiting, when we go to Dharma talks or we sit and meditate together or do some puja, if we think that is Dharma practice and the rest of the day is just so much extra time, then there will never, even after an aeon of time, be any transformation.
If we use every action of body, speech and mind as our practice ...
then there is certainty that there will be a transformation.
We have this precious life now. This is our opportunity. If we let it go, who knows if the opportunity will ever come again. Now is when we have the freedom to practice, we have the teachers, we have the intelligence to understand, and we have a motivation to really, genuinely want to practice. This is so rare.
But it's not enough just to intellectually understand. We have to take the Dharma and use it. We have to take the Dharma and eat it and digest it until it permeates every cell of our bodies. What use is it unless it really takes over our life, unless we and the Dharma merge? Without this, it's just another -ism amongst all the many other different ways of doing and looking at things. At this moment, our mind is in one place and the Dharma is in another and they're looking at each other. Occasionally they touch. But that's not enough. They have to become like one, so that it's impossible to see which is one's mind and which is the Dharma. It's like a dye going into a cloth: the mind has to be completely dyed with the Dharma so that every word, every thought, every action is an expression of our understanding of the way things really are.
In the beginning this is not so easy. We have to work at it, we have to be mindful, and we have to remind ourselves. That is what is meant by perseverance. It means moment to moment to moment, to the very best of our abilities, whatever situation comes up, we must really try to bring our intelligence and our heart into that situation. If we have that attentiveness in the moment then everything that happens to us will have some meaning. It will be an opportunity to make some progress on the path. This gives us tremendous freedom because whatever happens can help us. The Tibetan texts say that we should use all occasions as aids on the path. If we believe this then it doesn't matter what happens to us because whatever occurs we can transform into an aid on the path and so there is freedom.
But freedom from what? From hope and fear. This goes back to having a mind that is very open and spacious. When we talk about effort we don't mean huffing and puffing as though you're in a marathon race. What we're talking about is a very spacious effort, a very constant 'alertness in the moment' type of effort. It's just flowing like a river, from moment to moment to moment. It's not doing push-ups, although sometimes push-ups and prostrations might be called for! It's the effort to be here and now and to have a relaxed, open, alert mind which responds appropriately and with clarity to whatever is happening. Usually we are so absorbed in our own desires, our own thoughts and feelings that we don't see things very clearly. What's needed is to be able to step back and have this openness to see things as they really are and therefore to respond in an appropriate manner. The ability to do this, to integrate this with our life completely, is what is meant by effort.
What's needed is to be able to step back and have this openness to see things
as they really are and therefore to respond in an appropriate manner.
The other application of this is what the Buddha called, I think, the four right efforts. These are: the effort to prevent the unwholesome from arising, the effort to discard that unwholesomeness which has already arisen, the effort to create the wholesome which has not yet arisen, and the effort to cultivate and maintain that wholesomeness which has arisen.
Wholesomeness, sometimes also translated as skilfulness, means those states of mind such as understanding, love, generosity and openness of heart which create within us and around us a state of harmony and peace. This is in contrast to the unwholesome, or unskilful, states of mind such as ignorance, greed and aversion which create within us and without us states of conflict. So, part of maintaining our awareness is to be aware of the states of our mind and where they are coming from. We must have discernment. We have to recognise those thoughts and emotions that are rooted in the negative factors. It's not a matter of suppression; it's a matter of recognising them, accepting them and letting them go. We don't maintain them, we don't follow them.
As our awareness grows so we become more acutely conscious of our mental states and then we can see, for example, when aversion, when anger is coming into our mind. We can recognise it. We can even name it and say 'This is anger.' But we don't identify with it. We just see that this is an angry state of mind. We accept that's what it is. But in knowing that it's not helpful, we can also drop it. On the other hand, sometimes very positive states of mind arise and because we are so busy we don't recognise them and therefore they fade away. If the mind is clear then when positive states of mind come, again we can recognise them, we can acknowledge them and we can try to help them remain, to grow, to be appreciated. So, it's not just a matter of blaming ourselves for all our negative thoughts. There's no blame here. It's recognising what is and being able to let go. And when it's positive, it's recognising it and encouraging it. It's dealing with knowing, knowing what is in the mind, without getting caught in our conflicts.
It's not helpful to have the mind as a battlefield. Shantideva writes about using the mind as a battlefield and wielding the sword of discrimination to destroy all the negative factors of the mind. But that is not really helpful because, especially in the West, people start blaming themselves, castigating themselves, feeling guilty and getting caught up in a lot of conflict. "Oh, I'm such a bad person, I always was such a bad person, I always will be such a bad person." Using the mind as a battlefield against oneself is not in any way psychologically useful.
Better than that is just to see the thoughts and feelings as they arise. Recognise them for what they are, accept them and, if they are not useful, let them go. Even better than that, of course, is to recognise their empty, transparent nature because if we recognise that then, of themselves, they will transform into a kind of intelligence.
It is actually better on the spiritual path to be a tiger than a rabbit.
In themselves, negative emotions are not necessarily a bad thing. Even such strong emotions as anger, jealousy and desire are, at their very root, an energy. If we allow them to channel out through negative channels then, of course, this creates a lot of conflict and turmoil. But if we can see them in their true nature, then we get back to their energy source and it transforms into a very deep and profound energy -- intelligence.
Therefore it is actually better on the spiritual path to be a tiger than a rabbit. Rabbits are very nice and they're quite cuddly and cute but what do they do? There you are, a nice little rabbit twitching your nose, but there's no power there, there's no force so, spiritually speaking, it's not very helpful. It might be very pleasant to live with rabbits, but there's no drive. However, someone with very strong emotions, like a tiger, can be very destructive if left in the wild, but if they can learn to harness those emotions then that becomes the drive to enlightenment.
That is why the greatest practitioners in Tibet were usually Kampa. The Kampas of Eastern Tibet were, left in their natural state, quite wild. They were bandits and brigands. They were known by the more effete central Tibetans as very wild and woolly. But those very rough and quite violent people made the very greatest practitioners because when they channelled that energy into a spiritual path nothing stopped them.
Using the mind as a battlefield against oneself
is not in any way psychologically useful.
So, it's not our emotions, even our negative emotions, which are the problem. The problem is whether they control us or we control them. The best way to control is through seeing and thebest way to see is through developing awareness. Once we are conscious and aware of our emotions, of our motivations, then we have the wish-fulfilling gem in our hands and everything can be transformed. As long as we are unknowing, as long as we are identified with our thoughts and emotions, as long as we are controlled by our thoughts and emotions, we are slaves. So it's amatter of learning how to master the mind. Who is going to be in control here - our emotions or us? (Whatever 'us' may be -- we're talking on a relative level here!)
Most of us are complete slaves to our emotions and thoughts. When we are angry, we are the anger. When we are jealous, we are the jealousy. When we are depressed, we are the depression. We are complete slaves to our desires, our angers, our aversions, our jealousies, our hopes and our fears. We're not in control at all.

Most of us are complete slaves to our emotions and our thoughts. When we are angry, we are the anger. When we are jealous, we are the jealousy. When we are depressed, we are the depression. We are completely enslaved by our desires, our angers, our aversions, our jealousies, our hopes and our fears. We're not in control at all.
The Buddha said that someone who kills
a thousand times a thousand men on the battlefield
is nothing compared with one who is master of himself.
First, we have to learn to be in control of our own minds. After all, our mind is the closest thing we have; it's how we perceive everything. External circumstances are nothing compared to the internal circumstances of our mind. So if we want to benefit ourselves and others, we have to get our mind intosome kind of shape. The easiest and quickest way to do that is to develop this moment-to-moment awareness of the mind. By doing this we can find the space to see what is happening within us and to select that which is helpful. That which is not helpful, we can drop. All our Dharma practices are directed towards attaining this mastery and understanding. First we have to understand then, through that understanding, we can gain mastery.
The Buddha said that someone who kills a thousand times a thousand men on the battlefield is nothing compared with one who is master of himself. He who conquers himself is the greatest warrior. So we have to learn to conquer ourselves. But we don't conquer ourselves by creating an inner battlefield; we conquer ourselves through developing understanding, insight and awareness. This takes enormous effort because the inertia of our mind is so deep, so entrenched.
Sometimes people ask me what I gained
from living for so many years in a cave.
I say, "It's not what I gained, it's what I lost."
I have talked about how genuine renunciation is to give up all our fond thoughts - daydreams, memories of the past, anticipations of the future, the inner mental chatter and commentaries with which most of us live our days and which keep us both stressed and entertained. To drop that as much as we can and to live nakedly in the present, just with what is happening in the moment, is very difficult. We are so attached to our memories, our daydreams, our fantasies and our interpretations. We think that they are who we are. We think that they are what make our life so rich. But in fact, they are exactly who we are not and they impoverish our inner life because we are caught up more and more in delusion. To drop all that, to really drop it as much as we possibly can, is a powerful practice. That is the greatest renunciation. It requires enormous application at the beginning because there's tremendous resistance in the mind to being in the present, to just being with what IS, rather than with all our fantasies and projections about how we want life to be. Just seeing life as it is, without any of our commentaries is very hard. For example, when I look at an object, I immediately start thinking of others I've seen which were similar, of whether I like the shape or don't like the shape, of whether the workmanship is good or not good, of how I might have wanted one which was somewhat different. This goes on infinitely - elaborating, elaborating, and elaborating until we don't see the object at all any more.
First, you have to empty out the cup and clean it,
and then you can pour in the ambrosia.
This might not seem very important. But when we relate it to situations, to people we know and with whom we interrelate, then these layers upon layers of opinions, interpretations, elaborations and memories distance us from what is actually happening, who is actually in front of us, what is actually occurring inside ourselves. Dharma practice is not a matter of learning more and more and studying more and more, although that can also be important. It's not a matter of adding more and more; it's a matter of emptying out, peeling off layer after layer. We're already so full of junk, so stuffed to the top, that first we need to empty out.
A great Thai master was once asked what his main problem was with people who came to him for instruction. He said that the main problem with them was that they were already so full of their own ideas and opinions, they were like a cup filled to the brim with dirty water. You can't pour anything ontop because if you do, it will just become dirty too. First, you have to empty out the cup and clean it, and then you can pour in the ambrosia. And so, for us too, we need to clear out; we don't need to add more at this time. We need to start peeling off all our opinions, all our ideas, and all our cleverness and just remain very naked, in the moment, just seeing things as they are, like a small child.
If we do that then it gives some space for the innate intelligence to which we are all heirs to surface. And with that intelligence comes a genuine openness of heart. But if we try to do all these practices on top of all the junk which we already have in our mind, nothing is ever affected. We just distort; no real transformation will take place.
..during the day, as much as you can,
try to bring the mind back into the present and
try to see things as if one is seeing them for the very first time...
Sometimes people ask me what I gained from living for so many years in a cave. I say, "It's not what I gained, it's what I lost." I think that in Dharma practice it is very important first to really have a period of dropping rather than building up. This is why a practice like Samatha, just quietly sitting, can be so very, very beneficial because it gives us space to begin to peel off and empty out. But also, during the day, as much as you can, try to bring the mind back into the present and try to see things as if one is seeing them for the very first time. This is especially valuable with people one is very connected to -- one's spouse or one's children, one's colleagues at work. Try to look at them as if seeing them for the very first time with completely fresh, new eyes.
Moment to moment, we are. After a while we become so heavily habituated we don't see any more. All we see are our own ideas and impressions and memories. It's very important that we should practice now so that at the time of our death we can think, "Well, I tried. I did the best I could and so I can die without regrets.''

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PATIENCE & THE COMPASSIONATE HEART

Guru Shakyamuni Buddha said,
Do not engage in any harmful actions;
Perform only those that are good;
Subdue your own mind-
This is the teaching of the Buddha.
What did he mean? The above verse encapsulates the entire teaching of the kind compa