噶千仁波切：皈依與薈供開示（7/12）英文繕寫
Refuge Ceremony & Tsok by H. E. Garchen Rinpoche
https://blog.xuite.net/yeshi_tsogyal/twblog/589215307
OM AH HUNG
We begin with the refuge vow. For those who are not receiving or taking the refuge vow, you are free to just take a break now. Many of the senior, the older disciples have already received the refuge vow before and here it doesn't matter which lineage it comes from. Actually the three jewels are the same in all the Buddhist traditions. For example, in our lineages of Sakya, Gelug, Nyingma, and Kagyu, they are all the same. The three jewels and the refuge vow are the same. Actually not only in Buddhism, but also in the other religions in this world, they also have this jewel, the source of refuge. In Buddhism, we have the three jewels and in other religions, we might only find one source of refuge. But actually you might also be able to find three in some of them. So if you have already received the refuge vow before, it is sufficient to receive it a single time; you don't have to receive it again. But of course it is always good to hear the teaching, the precepts of the refuge over and over again. So if you would like to listen to the instructions, you are free to stay even if you are not actually receiving refuge again. Or if you like, if you are not receiving refuge, you also can take a break now.
In other religions, for example, there is just maybe a different name, but actually in reality, even though they might only have one source of refuge, they really actually have also those three jewels. Because first of all, what we called the Buddha, they also have a teacher, just like we have the Buddha. This is the first jewel. And then the Buddha taught the Dharma, so there is a book or scripture that explains the teachings. And so they also have that. Other religions have that too, they have teachings. They also have the Sangha because a teacher passes on these teachings to a disciple, so that is their form of the Sangha.
So in Buddhist context now, the Buddha is someone who has cleared away all suffering and has expanded the mind of great bliss, has attained perfect enlightenment. And then the Buddha taught the method to attain enlightenment the Dharma. And those who enter this path, practice this method, they are called the Sangha. So the Sangha as we’ve mentioned before is someone who has become liberated from suffering himself and can therefore show the path of liberation also to others. So first there are the three jewels, which are the outer sources of refuge. And actually all the different traditions, lineages have the same three jewels. It is essentially the same refuge. So that is the outer form.
Then when it comes to actual practice, we are introduced to the inner three jewels, specifically the practice of Vajrayana. And so, here then the name changes, so then they are called the inner three jewels, are then called the three roots – the lama, the yidam and the dakini. So the name changes, but still the meaning does not change. Then from the perspective of the guru, who is the embodiment of those three roots we see the guru has the essence of the Buddha. Therefore the Buddha of the three jewels is the lama. And the Dharma here in the context of the three roots is the yidam. And the Sangha is the dakini and the Dharma guardians who perform various enlightened activities. As mentioned previously, from a practical perspective, from a Vajrayana perspective, these are the inner three jewels, the three roots. This is first how we see the guru.
And then when it comes to actual practice, and how the practitioner sees himself is when the practitioner gives rise to Bodhicitta, then his mind is the lama. And here the three roots shift a little bit. The mind becomes the lama. The body is the yidam, before the body was the dakini, so the Sangha becomes the yidam or the body. The speech or the Dharma becomes the dakini. Because through the speech of the mantra, the four enlightened activities are accomplished and that relates from a practical perspective to the dakini. So those are the inner three jewels, the three roots.
And then there are the secret three jewels, or the result, the final fruition. That is the state of enlightenment or the accomplishment of the three kayas. So the secret three jewels are the three kayas. For one's own purpose, one attains the kingdom of the dharmakaya, and for the purpose of others, one manifests the sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya to benefit sentient beings for as long as samsara exists. There is one example that many senior disciples know about. From a single flower, many countless of further seeds emerge, and more flowers emerge. So similarly when one person attains enlightenment, then the person can manifest countless nirmanakayas, countless Buddha's magnifications to benefit sentient beings.
Again the outer sources of refuge are the three jewels – the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. The inner sources of refuge are the three roots – the lama, yidam and dakini. And the secret sources of refuge are the three kayas, which is the result. The result is when you have realized the essence of your mind, your own Buddha nature. When you realize this nature, you realize that the seeds of the three kayas are naturally contained within your mind; they are your mind. Because your mind is empty, so this empty essence of mind is the dharmakaya. And then, also the mind is naturally clear and knowing, it knows that it is empty, it knows itself, and this knowing quality is the sambhogakaya. When one realizes the nature of the mind and attains great bliss, great happiness, then one sees all those sentient beings who have not realized the nature of the mind, and one cultivates great compassion, great love for them. From this the quality of the nirmanakaya arises. Actually it is the outer all-pervasive nature of the mind, from which emerges the nirmanakaya. So this union of clear knowing and emptiness is clear empty knowing. Awareness is an empty expanse like space. It pervades everywhere. And from this all-pervasive quality, then the nirmanakaya appears. So the dharmakaya is like space, the sambhogakaya is like a cloud in the sky and the nirmanakaya is like raindrops falling down from the cloud. So this is how we should understand the actual nature of the three kayas asas being complete within our own mind.
When we take the refuge vow, it is in general, there are many precepts, many things to observe once we take the refuge vow. Because there are too many, we cannot actually keep them all. So if you mention them all, it really just remains talking about them, but nobody can actually keep them. What is important actually is to really understand the actual benefits and what it really is, that will ultimately grant us refuge or protect us. If you take the refuge vow today, and if you are able to keep this refuge vow, then it will protect you from now onward in all future lifetimes until attaining enlightenment. The way which you’re protected is by keeping the vow yourself. So in reality, the one who takes the vow is actually protecting oneself. So you are protecting yourself by keeping the vow. And that is why it is important that you are introduced to the inner three jewels.
So in the refuge card, it is explained very clearly how we take actual refuge, those inner three jewels. It says, “I take refuge in transcendent awareness, the heart essence of Buddha.” So there is this wish first of all, “I want to take refuge.” You have this wish “I want to take refuge.” So, the one who wishes that, that is the transcendent awareness, your inner wisdom. You only want to take the refuge vow because you have great merit that you bring from your past life, and because you have a karmic imprint of wanting to take refuge from a previous life. Otherwise, for the most part, most people, they do not even want to take the refuge vow. They have no interest in that. So just having the interest, wanting to take a vow, shows that you have great merit from your past life. And the one who wishes to take refuge and then the one who thinks, “Now I have received the refuge vow, and now I should keep the refuge vow,” that one is your transcendent awareness, your wisdom or inner Buddha. That is the actual Buddha that you take refuge in.
Then secondly, it says, “I take refuge in compassion, the heart essence of Dharma.” So who will actually protect you? It is your own love and compassion. So the Dharma protects you. The Dharma is love and compassion. The 84,000 different Dharma teachings all gather within the mind of bodhichitta. And how does it protect us? If you give rise to love, then temporarily, in future lifetimes, for example, if you love others, you will also be generous to them. If you are generous, then in future lives you will encounter wealth. And if you love others, you will also be moral, you will observe ethical discipline. You will not hurt them. And as a result of that, in the future life you will obtain a precious human body. And if you love others, you will also be patient with them, and as a result of that, you in future lifetime, you will have a beautiful appearance, a long life and harmonious relations, good friends. All the seven qualities of the higher realms arise ultimately from love. And that is temporarily. Ultimately, if you then develop this union of compassion, and mindfulness and wisdom, then you also accomplish these paramitas of meditation and wisdom, and ultimately you’ll attain enlightenment.
So first, if you cultivate love and compassion, self-grasping will disappear. When there is no self-grasping, you realize that the mind itself is the Buddha. And there is nothing that is purified from the mind and there is nothing that is added onto the mind. The mind itself is the Buddha when you actually attain enlightenment. So that is your real protection. It is what you need to observe, that the vow you need to observe. What really will protect you is your own love and compassion. If you are not able to keep this precept, if you are not able to keep your love and compassion, then even if you know many of the other precepts and so on, you will not be protected and then also the Buddha cannot protect you because the Buddha said, “I can only show you the method of liberation but then liberation depends on yourself.” So you are your own actual refuge. And the way in which you protect yourself is by cultivating love and compassion.
And therefore we’re always saying: “You should guard your love and compassion even at the cost of your life.” Milarepa also said, “The root of the lower realms is hatred or anger, and therefore practice patience even at the cost of your life.” That is what we call precious bodhicitta. And this is also why we call it a precious human body. This is why it becomes meaningful. Because here we have a support to cultivate this precious bodhicitta. So the Buddha arises from the Dharma, and the Dharma is love and compassion. If you have love, your self-grasping diminishes, and you attain enlightenment.
Thirdly, in the Sangha is: “I take refuge in spiritual friends, the heart essence of companions.” So we must rely on a spiritual teacher who teaches us the precepts, how to practice. And what the most people do, on the other hand, is look at the faults of the spiritual teachers. They are looking at what are they doing, look what he is doing. He is doing this or he is doing that. Actually this is none of our business. What the teacher is doing, this is whatever he is doing, it is his own path. He will either go up or down depending on what he is doing. But that is his own business, his own concern. This is none of our concern. What is of our concern when relating to the teacher Itis to get the teachings from him. So we need to listen to what he actually says, the words of the Dharma. And everything else we need to let it be. So we only take the Dharma, the actual words, that will benefit us and do not pay attention to what else he is doing apart from that. So if we want to attain liberation, then this is what we need to pay attention to. So that is the spiritual teacher.
Actually we also have worldly teachers, for example, science teachers and so on. And they also are like our spiritual friends, our teachers, because they give us the happiness of this life. And our spiritual teacher gives us happiness for future lives by introducing us to karma and teaches us the Dharma, the precepts. All the worldly friends, our families, spouses and friends who are with us, they all are impermanent. Our true companion, actually, is our spiritual teacher.
There are three very important beings in our lives. Number one is our parents, who gave us this precious human body. That is why they are very kind. Secondly, it’s our country which protects us in this life. Thirdly, it’s our teachers, especially our spiritual teachers, who really are the essence of all companions.
Also with regard to this refuge card that you will receive, we put a lot of thought in there to create this refuge card, as it is now. It is written in a slightly different way than it is usually done. That is basically the result of like many questions and feedback I have received. For example, there was one person who said, “In the past, I have received the refuge vow five times, but I didn't understand anything at all.” Then I took those words that I received from my own root guru, and wanted to clarify a few things. So that is why I made this card newly. The content of this refuge card is very special.
So then, also there are the benefits for having taken refuge on our refuge card. So the benefit is that taking the refuge we are also, taking refuge also includes the benefits of taking the three levels of the vows, so that is: pratimoksha, bodhisattva and Vajrayana vehicles.
So first for the pratimoksha, it says, “When harm to others and its cause are abandoned, the individual liberation vows are complete.”
In general, again, there are many different pratimoksha or individual liberation vows but the essence of all those vows is to take a commitment thinking that from today onwards I shall not cause any harm towards any sentient being at least intentionally. So it is the wish of not wanting to hurt sentient beings at least intentionally. And if you have this wish, then that is the essence of the pratimoksha vow.
Then once you give up harming others, then above that you should also wish to benefit others. And actually that comes from understanding that benefitting others is actually your own greatest benefit. Because by benefiting others, you obtain great merit. So therefore you should have a wish to benefit others as much as you can, like beings with or without the body. With a body, for example, humans, and without the body, like spirits, gods, and so on. When you always have this wish: “May I benefit others,” and that is the essence of the bodhisattva vow. And that wish to benefit others, that is the cause of all happiness in the higher realms temporarily and ultimately, enlightenment. So that is the bodhisattva vow. So it says,
“When help to others and its cause are accomplished, the bodhisattvas’ vows are complete.”
So when you give rise to an altruistic mind and self-grasping diminishes, then you will see the nature of your mind. And not only that, you will also understand that all sentient beings possess this nature, this Buddha nature. So that is the third vow, the Tantric vow. It says,
“When one is adept at the pure perception of the vessel and contents, the mantric vows are complete.”
So you understand that all sentient beings are pure; they possess Buddha nature. Then for example, when you see a poisonous snake, you will think that although it appears to be a snake now, it actually has Buddha nature. So just now it is a snake but in the end, it also has the potential to attain enlightenment if it gives rise to the condition of bodhicitta. So you will have a pure perception. And that pure perception is the essence of all the tantric vows. For example, on the outer level, the five elements are actually Buddha emanations. And on the inner level, the mind of all sentient beings is Buddha nature. So all is intrinsically pure, and as it is shown in the Samantabhadra Prayer, for example. So this pure perception is the essence of the tantric vows, the Vajrayana vows. So a practitioner who practices Vajrayana, when they see this primordial purity, they recognize things as they really are without any doubts. So that is the benefits of taking refuge.
And then also on our refuge card, in brief, are the precepts of taking refuge. It says,
“Do not commit any wrong.”
That, in brief, is the wish of not harming others. Do not hurt, do not harm anyone intentionally. Then it says,
“Perfectly practice virtue.”
And that is to try to benefit others with body, speech and mind as much as you can and also knowing that this is your own greatest benefit. Because the wish to benefit others is virtues and the wish to hurt/harm others is non-virtues. So here giving up wrong, this term “wrong”, in Tibetan, actually implies something that will come back to you, something that will fall back upon you. So if you are now harming others, in the end it will come around and back to you. Also that is what we say on the relative level, when we perceive self and others; and from the ultimate level, we can also understand that because there is no duality.
At the ultimate level, actual reality, there is no division between others and oneself. So therefore if you’re hurting others, you’re really hurting yourself. It is just like cutting off your own leg and eating your own flesh. So whatever you do therefore to others, it will naturally come back to your because self and others are indivisible. So and that is how things are whether we believe in karma or not. Whatever harm we cause will naturally come back to us in the form of suffering. So some people do not believe in karma. But then that is only to their own detriment in the end because karma is nothing like anybody will come and impose upon you but it is something that actually you are doing to yourself. And if you keep doing it, it will come back to you. So therefore since it all comes from yourself, the mind is most important, and not the body and the speech.
And so therefore thirdly here it says, “Completely tame your own mind. This is the Buddha’s teaching.”
So you have a wish to benefit others all the time and you have a wish not to harm others at any time. So at least for your own personal purpose, you should have a wish not to harm others. For example, there are exceptions when it comes to the wish of benefiting for the benefit of others. For example, when it comes to serving your country or doing various other activities, for example, if you have to go to war to protect your country, then you can’t say, “Oh I should not harm anyone. That’s why I won’t go to war.” Because it is for the good of your country. Again you are sacrificing yourself actually for the benefit of your country and the people of the country. So because you sacrifice your own benefit, it is not for your own purpose. It is for the purpose of others. So then it is okay actually to go to war without any personal self-interest. But it is only important that if you do not harm others with an intention to bring about some personal benefits.
So this is the introduction to our refuge card. And then we come to repeating the refuge vow.
So there are two levels to that. In the first level, we repeat that vow and then it says there, “I will keep one or more of the precepts.” And so then you can think to yourself together with the refuge vow you can take any other precepts. For example, the four root vows or refraining from the 10 non-virtues or any number of them, one of them for example.
In terms of timing, you can take the vow for as long as you live until you die. And for example, what kind of vow it could be? Not eating meat, or not drinking alcohol, for example, even if you do not do that anyway. But you can take a vow and think, “From now onwards, I am not going to eat meat or drink alcohol.” Just taking the vow is of incredible benefit. Actually the worst of all, kind of negative conduct that you should certainly give up is smoking and drinking alcohol. And of that, smoking is really the worst. That is really the greatest harm, the greatest wrong. Along with that, also drinking. Because these substances waste, they spoil our precious human body. So you should take these vows most importantly and definitely. And apart from that, you can take any other vows that you would like.
So if you cannot keep any of those vows for as long as you live, in terms of timing, for example, if you can take as any kind of vows, these previously mentioned vows for a year or even for a month. Even if that is difficult you can just take a vow for 24 hours, for one day, like the Nyungne vow. And the benefits of that already are incredible. Because every time, for example, you take a Nyungne vow, you obtain one precious human body. So that is the first level. The first supplication that you repeat.
And the second one is the commitment that we take until attaining enlightenment. So the first one is for as long as we live and the second one is until attaining enlightenment. So that is a commitment where we think, “I will never give up love and compassion and my source of refuge, the three jewels, until attaining enlightenment.” So after having repeated that, then Rinpoche will say, “Thab Yin No” which means this is the method. This is the method. Taking refuge is the method to become liberated from the lower realms. So when Rinpoche says, “Thab Yin No”, then we respond, “Lekso”, which means excellent. And after that you can come up one by one and then you have your hair clipped. And after that you can take a break. And also we will then repeat before the hair clipping in the meantime, we will repeat the concluding prayers which are also very important because we make these prayers in the witness of the three jewels today. Whichever virtuous prayer we make in the witness of the three jewels will be accomplished. As mentioned previously also during the smoke offering teachings, these aspirations are accomplished by virtue of those three powers. There is the power of your own intention, your own thought of devotion and love, and then there is the power of all the Buddhas’ and bodhisattvas’ great love. And then there is the power of dharmadhatu, or the power of the ultimate truth, within which Buddhas and sentient beings are indivisible. So according to the Buddhist view, by virtue of these three powers, all of our virtuous aspirations will doubtlessly be accomplished.
So with regards to karma, believing or not believing in karma, so that some people believe and some don’t believe in karma. So it is, in general, everyone’s own choice. You don’t have to believe. It’s up to oneself. But then we should also know the faults or the downfalls of not believing in karma. Some people think that if they do not believe in karma, then they can kind of disconnect with karma and suffering will not come to them because they don’t believe that their own actions come back to them. But this does not actually happen because without any choice, without any control, suffering comes to anyone, to everyone. There’s nothing anybody can do about it. Everyone encounters suffering.
So when we encounter suffering, somebody who believes in karma, the benefit of believing in karma are that, so when you encounter suffering, you know that is your own karma. You will recognize that, “That suffering was created by my own afflictions.” So you are able to identify your own afflictions as your true enemy. You know that, “My afflictions are the real cause of my suffering and the suffering is only the condition.” So if you know that, you will be able to avoid more causes of suffering in the future by letting go of the afflictions. So. Also moreover, you will understand that by experiencing this outer circumstance of suffering, “I am purifying my own negative karma.” And knowing that already makes the suffering much lighter. So half the suffering already is gone. Because you know, “I did that myself.”
So when you understand karma, on the one hand, you are able to accept or tolerate your suffering. And also secondly, in the future you are able to avoid more suffering by abandoning the causes of suffering. So this is the way in which you protect yourself actually. And if you do not understand or believe in karma, you will still encounter suffering. Anybody encounters suffering but then people are overwhelmed and cannot deal with it at all and often they even commit suicide then because they have no way to deal with it. So therefore it is good to know the downfalls of not believing in karma and the benefits, the qualities of believing in karma.
Then next we come to repeating the vows. So then please repeat, “Noble One, grant me your attention, from this time on, and for as long as I live, I who am called, (say your name) go for refuge in the Buddha, who is supreme among two-legged beings. I go for refuge in the Dharma, which is supreme among those free of attachment. I go for refuge in the Sangha, which is supreme among assemblies. For as long as I live, Noble One, please accept me as a lay adherent to the threefold refuge who observes a few precepts. Master, please grant me your attention. From this time on, and until the essence of enlightenment manifests, I who am called, (say your name) go for refuge in the Buddha, who is supreme among two legged beings. I go for refuge in the Dharma, which is supreme among those free of attachment. I go for refuge in the Sangha, which is supreme among assemblies. Until the essence of enlightenment manifests, Master, please accept me as a lay adherent to the threefold refuge who observes one or more of the five precepts.”
Thab Yin No. (says Rinpoche) Lekso. (Ina leads the assemblies) Excellent. You have to say it in English.
So it is the method. And the “Thab Yin No” means “it is the method”. Taking the refuge vow is the method to melt the ice of self-grasping in sentient beings’ mind. So it is like taking the ice and putting it into the sun. And it will melt with the sun. So it’s the sun is the method to melt the ice block. So the refuge is the method to eliminate self-grasping of sentient beings so they attain enlightenment.
So then we will repeat the concluding prayers and in the meantime you can come up one by one and you do the coming up and repeating at the same time.
So please repeat, “Train in emulating all of the Conquerors, may I bring excellent conduct to total completion and engage in wholly pure stainless ethical conduct that never degenerates and is without fault. In this and every successive lifetime, may I never be separated from the three precious jewels. For the sake of Dharma, may I be unstinting with even my life force and engage the purpose of wayfarers through great determination. May precious supreme bodhicitta become manifest where it has not yet arisen. May that which has arisen, not degenerate but ever further increase. In this and every successive lifetime, may I not be separated from the supreme teachings of the unequaled Drikung Ratna Shri and may glorious gurus take me into their care. In all rebirths may I never be parted from authentic gurus and always enjoy the Dharma’s glories. Having fully completed the qualities of the grounds and paths, may I swiftly attain Vajradhara’s state. In each and every rebirth, may I be of noble lineage, clear-minded, devoid of pride, greatly compassionate and respectful of the guru. Thus may I observe the samaya with the glorious guru. Whatever aspiration prayers have been made for the sake of wayfaring beings from ever excellent Great Vajradhara on down to the kind root guru, may every one of them be swiftly accomplished.”
So we will do the questions, answering the questions now. So I already have them answered from Rinpoche. While I read out the answers to the questions, Rinpoche says please continue to quietly recite the mantra to yourselves, so just quietly recite it, you can read it from the text on page 10 as though uninterruptedly Rinpoche without stopping keep reciting the mantra quietly while you can listen to the answers of the questions.
Q1: The Mahakarunika Guhyasamaja says, “In the Sky Staircase Treasure Site of Lhodrak, true Dharma that is Guhyasamaja, profound path that brings about the vajra body in one lifetime.” This appears to say that the three bodies are realizable before death. There are three lights… this is a bit difficult to read… or clear lights of bliss. The question is: Is it possible then to attain perfect, complete, unsurpassable enlightenment in this life?
Rinpoche: When we say you attain enlightenment in a single lifetime in a single body, then mostly it refers to the first bardo actually right after death. So right when your consciousness separates from your body and you come to the first bardo, in this instant when you come to this first bardo, the dharmakaya arises and you recognize it and that to be the nature of your mind and you attain enlightenment. So this is what we normally call attaining enlightenment in a single lifetime.
So then if one is not able to recognize this state, one goes on to the second bardo where one can, might remember the deity and so on. Whether or not one will recognize these states depends also on one’s recognition of the nature of the mind while one was alive.
So when you attain enlightenment in the first bardo, the dharmakaya, that relates to one’s realization, one’s direct seeing of the clear light of deep sleep while one was alive. So if one is able to recognize the clear light of deep sleep and sustain awareness throughout the deep sleep, then one attains enlightenment in the first bardo of the dharmakaya. If one cannot recognize the deep sleep, clear light or sustain the clear awareness for the deep sleep, but one might recognize the dream state, which is called recognizing the clear light of the dream. So if one is able to do that, then one will attain enlightenment in the second bardo after death.
And so now talking really about this lifetime before one actually has died, attaining enlightenment before one actually has died, so that is more difficult unless one makes an effort similar as Milarepa has done. One practices with such a determination as Milarepa has done. So if one is able to practice with such perseverance, then through the Vajrayana practices, the deity yoga, one might purify the obscurations of the body through the creation stage, and the obscurations of speech through the mantra, and also the obscurations of the mind by realizing the non-dual nature of the mind. Then in that case, one might attain enlightenment just like Milarepa in this body. And that depends really only on one’s diligence, one’s perseverance in the practice. But mostly when we talk about attaining enlightenment in this lifetime in this body, actually it is just right after death when we recognize the dharmakaya in the first bardo.
Q2: Worldwide stories of serpent-like beings are told. Could you please explain who are the nagas? Are the nagas imaginary creatures of primitive memory or actual sentient beings? Why are they recognized in Tibetan and Indian scriptures and what is their importance?
Rinpoche: Now according to the Buddhist view, the nagas in general belong to the animal realm of the six realms in samsara. And it is said that they inhabit the waters, the oceans and so forth. It is said that although they belong to the animals, they don’t quite look like animals, so it is said that their upper body actually looks like a person, and the lower body is like an animal. But then there are different kinds of nagas. And like in every realm, there is pure and impure. And therefore also in the naga realm, there are many emanations of various Buddhas also. So the Buddhas appear in many different ways to benefit sentient beings in all the realms. That is why in all the realms, we have pure and impure.
The reason why they are mentioned and why they are considered important is because they are quite powerful. So if human beings are out of balance and disturb the environment like the waters, for example, then it causes the nagas distress. And when they become disturbed, then they will cause harm. For example, they cause harm in the forms that manifest in the form of various types of sicknesses or diseases and so on. They also disturb the elements, leading to elemental disasters and so on. But really all illnesses ultimately are created by our afflictions. But that affliction affects our conduct. So if our conduct is good and unafflicted, then also the nagas will help us. But if our conduct is defiled and is afflicted, then it will disturb the nagas and they will also cause harm.
We’ve mentioned before that the afflictions are directly related to the five elements of the outer world. And this is also one way in which they are connected. Because we affect those beings and then they cause harm. For example, everything is interconnected. For example, in this world, if one powerful country has an economic breakdown, then all the other countries will be affected in the world. So in the same way, if we harm others, naturally everyone will be affected. If we help others, then naturally all will be affected by that too. So if one person benefits sentient beings, actually all beings will receive that benefit. And if one person harms sentient beings, then that will also pervade all sentient beings. So that is why it is quite significant if only a single person is very careful about their conduct. Because if we are careful, then we will create benefits in a larger sense. And if we are not careful then not just us but all beings will encounter difficulties.
Q3: My house is overrun with ants. How can I encourage them to leave? They are all over my kitchen and bathroom floor. I do not want to hurt them.
Rinpoche: Sometimes in this kind of extreme cases, you often have no other choice but to kill them like with poison for example. Because they cause a lot of harm and that also for them creates negative karma. And so in extreme cases, it is better with a good intention to kill them and to make prayers that “In the future they will not again be reborn as an animal.” And also you can add, if you poison them, for example, you can add some of the blessing pills, and mix it with the poison. And also the way this inferior body that they are born in now is also their karma. So we can also make an aspiration prayer that this will change and they will not again be born in this way.
Q4: How can I begin a Vajrasattva ngöndro in the Drikung Kagyu lineage? I want to begin but I don’t know where to start. Do I need an empowerment, permission or auspicious prayer or time? How do I seal or complete it?
Rinpoche: So in order to do the ngöndro , the preliminary practices, it is good to receive, for example, the Vajrasattva empowerment. But you can also practice the ngöndro without an empowerment. For example, you can just receive a “lung,” a reading transmission, and then it does not necessarily have to be from the Drikung Kagyu lineage. Any lineage is the same. They are all the same. So for example, if you have received the empowerment from a different lineage, you can still use it in the Drikung lineage, for example. But actually when we do the preliminaries, it actually begins with the refuge. So it is good if you want to do the whole ngöndro, it is good to start in the beginning and then go in stages. So then you will begin with the refuge, and then go through Vajrasattva, and Mandala, and Guru Yoga.
So then when you come to Vajrasattva, you can just practice according to whichever sadhana you get, whichever sadhana you practice. And for that you should read some commentary or books about the nature of Vajrasattva but it is important to know all the different forms of Vajrasattva in the different lineages are the same in nature. So it doesn’t matter which one you practice or which one you have received empowerment from.
Q5: The “Liberation Upon Seeing” rubber bracelets we are wearing are Dharma. Should I be taking them off every time I go to the bathroom? Sometimes I do; sometimes I don’t. Have I created negative karma? If so, how can I purify having defiled Dharma materials? Thank you.
Rinpoche: Actually you should never take it off. You should always wear it. They are very precious actually. So actually there are two parts to this bracelet. On the outside what everyone can see, that’s the “Liberation by Seeing” mantra; and on the inside there are prints there, which you cannot really see, but you can touch it. So there’s inside it is called “Liberation by Touching.” So that touches your inside, your skin. And the mantra, the “Liberation by Seeing” mantra, is the same as on the red sticker that we put on our doorways and it has the same benefit. And it is good to always wear it wherever you go. Anyone, human or non-human, with or without a body, will benefit from seeing, only seeing this. And also the reason why we should never take it off is we don’t know when we will die. We can always die an untimely death. For example, you can die in a car accident. And if you wear this at a time of untimely death for example, then at least one will not be born in the three lower realms. At least one will be born in the god realm. So if it has become dirty for some reasons, you can wash it with water. But whatever you do, when you shower or so on, whatever you do actually, you never should take it off. Always leave it on.
Q6: You are giving us great Dharma. Do you think the psychology of the country / the people makes it different to truly understand the true Dharma?
Rinpoche: So Rinpoche answered now, roughly, the American culture now. He said that actually I like the way that American people understand the Dharma because they approach it with a critical mind and scientific mind because they also have a habit of learning and studying. Therefore they investigate things and therefore the trust is much more founded on a real understanding. So I believe that the people in this country, if they really make an effort to understand the Dharma, they can really get a very deep understanding because they have a good habit of learning things in critical thinking. So I think for Dharma practitioners, American people are very suitable. And actually that is also an opportunity to remember the kindness of this country. Because the reason why we have this education and critical thinking is due to the kindness of the country. That is why everyone receives education in this country and that is why everyone has a critical mind and knows how to study. Therefore many people in America have appeared that really turned out to be great practitioners who really understand the Dharma. [03:14:35]
Q7: Could the Dharma be misused based on the dualistic perception of the society in which it is being implemented?
Rinpoche: Rinpoche says, I do not think that it is being really misused here in this country. It is more, it depends really on oneself. So misuse is on a personal level, not really on a cultural level. If you consider yourself most important, so if you are very selfish, and practice the Dharma with this selfish mind, then you are misusing the Dharma. But if you actually make an effort to cultivate an altruistic mind, no matter what culture you are from, then you are not misusing the Dharma. So it really depends on oneself. You can see it also for yourself and you cannot really ask anyone. If you find that you actually think about yourself a lot when you practice the Dharma, this thought of “I,” prideful thinking and so on comes up a lot, then you are not yet really understanding the Dharma truly. But if you find that you’re actually thinking about others, that is why you practice the Dharma within you not on the outer level, then it is a sign that you actually are understanding the true Dharma and are using it right. And also it begins really with understanding that if you cultivate a wish to benefit others, then actually that is your greatest benefit. So that is why we turn away our mind from ourselves and turn it towards others. So that is something you can see for yourself.
Q8: Will that force you to change the Dharma until they are ready in this country?
Rinpoche: In general, it is appropriate to adjust the Dharma according to the place and the time.
Q9: Could you please explain how the global warming is a result of anger in the mind of the beings? Myself I have seen the global warming very much as a result of greed and ignorance which leads us to exploit the world.
Rinpoche: What we see on the outer level like people exploiting the world with greed, that is just actually still small in a larger picture. What really brings the elements out of balance is the subtle mind of sentient beings that has developed over time. So over time the mind of sentient beings, in general, not of one individual or some beings but the common mind of sentient beings has become out of the balance, and that has brought this world on the outer level out of balance. So it is not so much the act of some individuals who are very greedy or ignorant, although it manifests also in this way, but more it is a change in the common mind of sentient beings in these days. So the mind of all sentient beings are actually connected. Of course it also manifests in various small-scale activities like greedy behavior and so on. And that also affects the environment to some extent on the small picture now but actually in a larger scale, actually it comes from the general mind of the beings. That makes a big difference. That is why we say it ultimately comes from an increase of hatred and selfishness.
So there is outer, inner and secret conditions of the change in the world. The outer condition is those small activities. The various activities that people do with greed and also how scientists develop the world more and more. So these are all outer developments, the outer level that we see. Then the inner condition is the mind of sentient beings. The mind of sentient beings, there is conflict because sentient beings have an aversion against each other; sentient beings do not get along with one another; there are conflicts between beings. So there is an aggression between sentient beings. Then the secret level is this common mind. This is where the common afflictions of all sentient beings. So ultimately, it comes down to the afflictions in the mind of sentient beings.
So the outer is what we see, the inner is the conflict between beings, and then the secret is the actual affliction of those beings. And on that causes various difficulties also on a personal level. For example, whichever the affliction is strongest may cause all sorts of different types of illnesses. So when we only think about ourselves then that brings the world out of balance; and that leads to aggression and aversion against others. So it is something you can just see for yourself when you look inside your own mind. When you only think about like yourself and your own profit, you have seen others as a threat, that this is really what leads to this greedy behavior, what brings everything out of balance. So that is why what we can do to contribute, what is most important for us, is to bring our own mind back into balance and to not be so much concern with what other people do, the mistakes that other people make. But more contribute by I am changing our own mind.
Q10: Does having a mantra stuck in a loop in your head indicate a connection to that yidam?
Rinpoche: Yes, indeed it does. It’s actually a very good sign that this is the yidam that you are karmically connected to. So you can only practice this one yidam deity. At the same time think that all the yidam deities are the same. So it is good to have one deity that you’re connected to and then that deity should always stay in your mind. So you never forget about the deity. You never separate your mind from the deity. It’s always in your mind. So when we practice the Vajrayana, the deity in the Vajrayana, we become closer and closer to the deity in stages. So. First, the yidam deity, we become like an acquaintance with the yidam deity. Then secondly, we become friends with the yidam deity. And then third, we become non-dual with the yidam deity. So what you are experiencing is like the first step, you’re acquainting yourself with the deity, the first connection. And now you need to approach the deity even more and become a friend of the deity so it always stays in your mind.
Q11: My ego self seems to think that I am a rather horrible person. However, when I think of life without this ego self, I get anxious. I’m afraid that I will disappear and my life will become completely meaningless. How can I have courage in the face of this fear and anxiety?
Rinpoche: Because there is a self, there is fear. So the reason why you’re afraid is because you grasp at the self. So first of all, we will never get rid of ourselves. If we want to get rid of ourselves, so if we think, “May the self disappear,” it will never disappear that way. So the only way for the self to disappear is not by rejecting it but by exchanging the thought of the “I” and instead thinking of others. So it’s only the altruistic mind that can destroy self-grasping. If you want to destroy self-grasping, you can never destroy self-grasping. But if you give rise to love and compassion, it will naturally change. It will naturally go away. So self-grasping can only go away naturally. It cannot to be rejected. But if you cultivate love, then naturally it goes away. So therefore if you cultivate love, naturally there will be no fear.
Actually fear is an indicator of the strength of your own self-grasping. The stronger your fear is, the stronger is your self-grasping. If you are not afraid a lot, it is a sign that you have lesser self-grasping. So it is like a measure of self-grasping. And then, in terms of disappearing, when you cultivate love, the self disappears. But actually you do not really disappear actually because you attain enlightenment. And when you attain enlightenment, you do not go out of existence but actually you become great and vast. You attain a great and vast state that you can only attain if there’s no self.
Q12: What is the name of this lineage’s form of Mahakala?
Rinpoche: In the Drikung Kagyu lineage, we practice the Four-armed Mahakala. In total, in all lineages, there are 70 different forms of Mahakala, which all are like one family, they are all of the same kind, they are all Mahakalas. But in the Drikung Kagyu lineage, we practice the Mahakala with four arms.
Q13: I live with a degenerative neurological disease which causes my body to shake uncontrollably and become very rigid. Would you please be able to recommend a specific practice which would help reduce the symptoms? How can I see this health issue to be of benefit to others?
Rinpoche: To decrease the suffering that you experience, the illness, it is good to understand first, like what kind of, why there is this illness; what kind of illness it is. So in general, there are two types of illness. There are those illnesses that can be cured and those that cannot be cured. So there are some illnesses that we can cure, for example, with surgery or medical treatment. And that is one kind. And that comes from a previous life. In the previous life, you have done something non-virtue, something wrong but you also regretted that because you have taken maybe a vow such as a refuge vow. So you’ve done something wrong and you regret it. So you confessed the wrong. Now in this life, it still ripens but it can be cured because you regretted that in your past life. So the first type of illness can be cured, can be healed.
And then the other type is when you have done the same thing wrong in your past life but you didn’t take any vow like the refuge vow and so on, and you did not feel any regret at that time, you just felt that you can do whatever you like; your afflictions, you followed any of the afflictions and you never felt any regrets, so you never confessed and therefore now when it ripens you cannot change it, you cannot be cured. So first try to find what type it is.
On the Dharma level, you should practice the deity, recite the mantra of your deity. And then also try medical treatment and see if it gets better. And if it doesn’t get better, then it is of the latter kind, without the confession. So if it doesn’t get better, then it is best to think about the next life, and to let go of grasping at this body because this body anyways is not who we really are and we all leave our body behind sooner or later. So it is important to not think about the illness, to not identify with the illness. But in that case use the illness to release the suffering of others. For example, by practicing tonglen, by taking in the suffering of others and giving away your own happiness, and also by practicing your yidam deity, and focusing more on the future life.
So the body is just like a guest house, like an empty house that you must leave anyways. But the mind, the one who leaves, actually is never sick; the mind has no difficulty. So actually if you do not grasp at the sickness, if you do not think about it at all, it is possible that you will be cured. If you do not think about it. But even if you will not be cured in this life, then through your practice, habituating to the deity, you can attain enlightenment in the bardo in the form of the deity. So it is important not to cling too much, not to have hopes and many thoughts about wanting to get better. It’s better to think about what will I do later when after I have died. [03:28:52]
Q14: As I continue to practice and study, I find that the three sets of vows to become more and more subtle. And I’m aware that more and more how difficult it is to practice them purely. They seem to have no end. Is this how it is or am I just a poor practitioner with many faults?
Rinpoche: Actually it is said that ultimately the three vows gather into one. Ultimately there’s no real delineation between those vows. And the one thing that they all gather in is love and compassion. So in your case, it will help you to see that if you make a great effort to cultivate love and compassion, then you will see how the three vows are complete within only that, and how they all become one, and how there’s no line between them if you only have compassion. So also if the affliction, especially anger, pride and jealousy do not arise in your mind, and within that mind also the three vows are complete. So the mind that is free of afflictions and the mind of compassion, that actually summarizes all the vows but according to your question, it seems that you are beginning to understand that. And now you should pay more attention to cultivating love and compassion.
Q15: In the Great Perfection practice, is Samantabhadra the emanation of all Buddhas?
Rinpoche: So Samantabhadra is the mind of all the Buddhas. So like the mind emanation of all the Buddhas. It is one’s own Buddha nature, your own Buddha nature. So actually Samantabhadra is your own mind. It is the space-like nature of your own mind, and there is nothing that is not pervaded by space. So therefore Samantabhadra really is the dharmakaya, the space-like nature of your own mind.
Q16: This is regarding the no-lying precept. If it is due to social reasons, for example, when someone asks you about certain things, the real reason will bring awkwardness to the situation. So you choose not to tell the truth but a little harmless lie. Is that considered breaking the precept?
Rinpoche: It is not actually breaking the precept. So for telling lies, there are two different types of lies. They are beneficial and harmful lies. Actually the beneficial lies are those that we should say because we don’t want to harm others first and foremost. So for example, if you have to tell a lie in order to reconcile people in conflict, so instead of tearing them apart, bringing them back together, then actually that lie is beneficial. But if it is a lie that tears people apart and stirs up problems between them, then that is a harmful lie. But actually when you tell a beneficial lie that benefits others, you are not breaking your precepts. Actually the Buddha himself has said that.
Q17: I work in an area where the homeless and destitute people gather and live. What can I do to benefit them?
Rinpoche: What is most important to benefit them is the aspiration to benefit them. If you have this aspiration, since our minds are connected, they will feel that. So you are already benefiting them with your wish to benefit them. And then on the outer level, you try to help them if you can, in whichever way you can. Teach them good conduct. Try to help them find a job. If they have difficulties and you can help them, help them. Pray for them. Pray not just for them but pray for all sentient beings within which they are included. So then if you have a vast intention like that, and only help one person it is actually just like helping all sentient beings.
Q18: How to purify impure perception to a lama or sangha?
Rinpoche: Actually I’ve answered this question before extensively during the teachings. We should not criticize the sangha or our lamas or teachers but what we should take from them is the Dharma teachings. So we should listen to their instructions, to their teachings but not get involved in their personal lives and criticizing them for what they are doing. So it is better to look at their good qualities of teaching the Dharma and not thinking about other people’s faults. Because certainly that lama must also have good qualities like everybody else. Everybody has faults and qualities and there is no one that only has qualities. For our own practice, we should not look at the faults of others but we should look at their qualities. Also keeping in mind that everybody has faults and qualities.
Q19: In the Drikung Kagyu lineage, is it necessary to complete the ngöndro preliminaries before we practice the practice conferred with this Red Chenrezig or any highest yoga tantra practice or the Fivefold Mahamudra Path with Chakrasamvara?
Rinpoche: The preliminaries, the actual preliminary, is bodhicitta, the altruistic mind. So that is really the preliminary that you must cultivate. And that is not only in the Drikung Kagyu lineage but in all the lineages. And then apart from that, you can also do the four hundred thousand accumulations of the four ngöndro, the preliminaries. But if you really have cultivated an altruistic mind, then you can move on to any of these other practices. Then you really have found the essence of the preliminaries. But still, if you can, it is always better to do those four hundred thousand preliminary practices because then it is an even greater merit, it is an immense merit to practice those four hundred thousand accumulations. But if you do not have the time and if your bodhicitta is strong, then you can continue also to do other practices.
Q20: I have a question concerning your Mahamudra teaching. All the Mahamudra and Dzogchen masters I have read seem to agree that the disciple must first receive the so-called pointing out instructions from the guru, if they are ever to have direct experience of the non-dual nature of mind. I do not recall your mentioning any kind of direct transmission from the guru like this. Does this mean that cultivating love and compassion together with meditation, guru yoga, and yidam practice are sufficient to bring us to direct realization of Mahamudra?
Rinpoche: The nature of the mind is something that you can only recognize yourself. So you really must see it for yourself. Nobody actually shows it to you. So the best way for recognizing the nature of the mind is to cultivate great compassion. Because when there is great compassion, the self will diminish and you will naturally realize the nature of the mind. That is the actual word of the Buddha. When a guru points out to you the nature of the mind, it might clarify some points but it will not make you see the nature of the mind necessarily. So that depends only on your own seeing. The most important method to see the nature of the mind directly is to cultivate great compassion because only then can you see directly and clear away all doubts.
Q21: May we use local material for smoke offering such as sweet grass, sage, cedar and juniper pine and rhododendron grown here? Is there a special way of gathering the items for the offering?
Rinpoche: You can use a local plant as well. Also those that are not mentioned explicitly in the text. If you use some local plants, you can also mix them with some blessing pills. Also for example you can buy some smoke offering powder and then mix that a little bit with your local plants and some blessing pills. And in general it is difficult, in any ways, to find all the substances according to the text. You cannot find them all but you can just buy smoke offering substances and mix them with local plants. That is fine.
Q22: The feeling of bliss is amazing. I felt fear because it was massive. Thank you for teaching us how to respond during that point in meditation. I was scared to continue deep meditation due to the unknown. You must have a teacher to guide you or you can get lost. Thank you again.
Rinpoche: When fear, this anxiety, this fear of the unknown arises, again, when there is fear, there is always self-grasping. So fear is always an indicator of self-grasping. Therefore also in your case it is good to pay attention to increasing your compassion even more because then fear will go away. The greater your compassion, the lesser will be your fear. So the nature of fear is self-grasping. They are equivalent. So therefore make an even greater effort to cultivate the immeasurable love and the immeasurable compassion and then this fear will naturally go away.
Q23: Is it alright to tell our teachers that we, is it alright or safe to tell our teachers that we have this empowerment and teachings and discussing the detail? Is it wise to see if they have sadhanas of practice for us with Chakrasamvara?
Rinpoche: It is fine that you tell your teachers about this teaching and empowerment. There is nothing to keep secret. You don’t have to keep anything of the secret. You can talk about it and you can also practice whichever sadhana they suggest to you. Actually it is your choice. You can practice whatever benefits your mind the most. And any Chakrasamvara also from different lineages are the same. It’s still the same deity.
Q24: Is it okay to leave or ban from our thoughts and practice and forget a teacher that one has not taken Vajrayana’s vows with? If they have used you poorly and then told you to go when you asked to discuss the situation.
Rinpoche: If they ask you to go, then actually you should go. You should not try to force, insist on a relationship. So if they ask you to go away, you don’t force it. It is up to them. It is really their choice whether they want a relation with you or not. And it is fine to go but also you should not have a wrong view or negative thought when you are leaving them. So do not go with resentment but go with a pure perception not looking at their faults and with love. But if they do not want to have a connection to you or talk to you, then you also cannot force them.
Q25: This is dharmakaya vs. empty. Free from all extremes, not made of form is how deity arises from dharmakaya. But since form arises from empty, is dharmakaya empty of empty? Empty of empty?
Rinpoche: First you should realize the dharmakaya then you will know. But before you realize the dharmakaya, don’t think much about this. First only think about realizing the dharmakaya. Then, for us now it is sufficient to understand that once we have realized the dharmakaya, which is like space, the rainbow-like form of sambhogakaya deity appears and the rain-like nirmanakaya arises. So. Also we’ve said that the three kayas are complete within one’s own mind. So the dharmakaya expands. It’s actually the space-like nature of your own mind. So for example, the mind of a realized guru or tulku is the dharmakaya expanse. And that quality is complete within your own mind. It is all one. So first you need to realize the nature of your mind. When you see the mind directly, you see this space-like unborn nature. Then you understand that a space is always there. But a space actually, you cannot say where space comes from, where it arises from; and we cannot say that it goes anywhere. So it is endless; space doesn’t come from anywhere and it doesn’t go anywhere. But it still remains. The nature of your mind is still there. So this is again something that you can only understand by looking at your own mind and you cannot understand by really asking others about it. It cannot be understood by means of the intellect or words. It is not an object of conceptual investigation. So it is beyond concept and that’s why it cannot be expressed in words. So it is something you can only see by looking and realizing your own mind.
That’s it.
So here on page 10 and 11, the dissolution. When you practice this together in a group with other disciples, it says here in the end, “The guru transforms into a massive light and dissolves into me.” When you’re together with some disciples in a group, think that the entire space, the universe, is filled with the deities. And from the deities abiding in space, blessing shower of bodhicitta falls down and dissolves into the entire universe, all the five elements, and all the sentient beings. And think that the entire universe and all beings – everything – has become in the nature of love and compassion; all beings have become the deity. When you practice that on your own, when you’re alone, then you visualize just according to the text, where it says, “The guru transforms into a massive light and dissolves into me.” So it all dissolves into you. But when there are many, you can think that it dissolves into all.
So while we’re reading the White Zambala sadhana, there are so many good fortunes. Do so with the intention to benefit all beings in this world. So think that, “May this become the cause of peace and happiness in this world.”
04:55:25 – 04:56:46 A lady expresses gratitude to Rinpoche.
I would like to thank everyone who brought the center together – the disciples who organize and run the center, those who help, those who sponsor, others who work very hard, and also other disciples who come here to practice. We gather all these virtues, all these activities into one, and we must give it with great love to all sentient beings in the universe – those who are alive and those who have passed away. It is an incredible method to accumulate merit to bring happiness to sentient beings. As a result of that, in all future lifetimes, temporarily it becomes a cause of rebirth in the higher realms, and ultimately, enlightenment.
So I’m very grateful to all that we have created these causes. And especially I’m very grateful to the center, those who organize the center, those who support the center, those who volunteer, and those who practice, those who make this happen. Because I actually, I really don’t do much. I’m nothing actually. It’s my responsibility to teach the Dharma. Because in this way, I accumulate merit. When I help others, I also know I accumulate merit.
We all need merit until attaining enlightenment. Actually even once we’ve attained enlightenment, we still need merit because only then can we accomplish the benefits of sentient beings extensively. So our activity becomes an activity of bodhicitta. If you have bodhicitta in your mind, then whatever you do with body, speech and mind becomes beneficial to others.
Milarepa has said, “When you practice virtue, when you practice merit in whatever you do, in all your activities, there is no other skillful means than that.” So if in your mind, there is bodhicitta, a wish to benefit others, then whatever you do with body and speech will be beneficial to others. And even after you have died, even your body becomes beneficial to sentient beings. So I’m very grateful for creating the causes for that.
So I would like to thank, from the bottom of my heart, all those who have made this happen and also run the center, the sponsors, the practitioners, the volunteers and so on. I will continue to serve and work hard as much as I can, and I will do so until I die. And even after I die, my consciousness will continue to pray for you. Thank you so much!
~ 感謝Alice, Iris, Ruyu, Vanessa & DJ（美國西雅圖直貢道場、臺灣普賢法譯小組等成員）英聽、中譯、校對與完稿，本篇於2020.07.08完成。一切善德迴向上師長壽康健常轉法輪，文稿若有錯謬敬請來信指正：sstc.roc@gmail.com，感激不盡！
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