WEBVTT 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (Bowl rings) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So In this presentation we are going discuss the Path of Sutra. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We will look at how Sutra enforms monastic life and the advantages of monastic life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are going to look at the refuge vows may be taken by lay practitioners. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And we'll also look at the types of meditations 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that are done in Sutric tradition, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 which are different from the ones in Tantra and in Dzogchen. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So Geshe la, perhaps we could start out with talking about just the view and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 conduct of Sutra. How would you describe the view and the conduct of Sutra? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In Sutra there are 5 poisons, and the 5 poisons have the 5 antidotes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The antidotes can destroy the 5 poisons. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Can you tell us what the 5 poisons are? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Attachment, anger, ignorance, pride, and jealousy are the 5 poisons. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In Sutra they say that these are the 5 poisons, and you don't touch them, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we need an antidote for them. Destroy from the root and throw out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If there is a poisoned tree, with this poison the tree will grow up. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You need to take it out from the root and throw out, otherwise it will destroy us. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Same as in the West. There are medicines, and description: away from the child. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If the child touches and eats it, it is a posion for the child. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Right, So you want to keep it away from the children. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, keep it away from the children. Sutra looks like that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So we try to avoid negative actions, negative thoughts, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 negative speech, and we also try to cultivate the virtuous activities. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, cultivate virtous things. Also they say, if there is a posion 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and the poison is destroyed, good things would come out. In Sutra they think that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So I guess in one way you could say that 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Sutra is the basis of moral behavior in the Bön tradition. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. In Sutra they talk more about disciplines. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In the monks' life there are a lot of disciplines. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It all comes from the Sutra. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Looking the outside the Sutra is good. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Inner you practice Dzogchen and Tantric, outer you practice Sutra. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John) : Good. I was going to ask you about this, because many people in the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 West first encounter Dzogchen practice, before they really studied Sutra. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And of course Dzogchen tells us that everything is perfect as it is. Right? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Single taste, right? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And so it also gives you a lot of freedom in your conduct. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And yet we see that great Dzogchen practitioners such as Yongdzin Rinpoche or 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 His Holiness and of course yourself 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you are still continuing to practice the life of the monk. Right? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So why do people continue to practice and observe all of these moral conducts, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and also practice Dzogchen? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There are two ways to practice Dzogchen. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In Dzogchen there are Tantric practitioners. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This Dzogchen is common for everyone who practices. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Before Nyame Sherab Gyaltsen there was only Tantric practitioner, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Dzogchen practitioner or a Sutric practitioner. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There were only single lineages of Sutra,Tantra and Dzogchen. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Before that they did not combine Sutric and Tantric, or Dzogchen. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then Nyame Sherab Gyaltsen, second Buddha of the Bön, he combined them. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Outer monk, inner Dzogchen and Tantric. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also Dzogchen can be practiced by lay people too. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Of course. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Sutric [vows of monks and nuns] cannot be practiced by lay practitioners. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There are different types of Sutric practices, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Lay level Sutra practices and Sutric practices for monks are different. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Monks need to take a lot of vows. Lay people do not need that kind of vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): You know I heard Yongdzin Rinpoche saying one time that he preferred to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 continue practicing in the moral way of the Sutra, because it does not confuse 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 people too and give people the wrong idea about behaviour. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So you are trying to set a good example for other people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, if you show the good example, then people will follow that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you show the bad example, the student will follow that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The teacher need a better discipline than the student. It's more important. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Why do monk and nuns take many vows as part of their path? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What is the advantage of taking all these vows? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Because there are 250 vows for monks is that right? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 250 vows. Monks take 2 types of vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 One is when they take 25 vows, and after that we take 250 vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So the first 25 vows are for the novious monks, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and then the 250 are for the full ordination of a monk? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you take the 25 vows then you become a monk. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Before that you are not a monk. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They are more disciplined, more than lay people. Lay people do not have 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 [the same level of] discipline. They can put in discipline [when needed]. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you go to an office, they have a discipline. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you go the school they have a rule for that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And the monks in the monastery also need disciplines. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They say that monks are better than lay people. Why are they better? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Because they have vows and they are more disciplined. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So it is about disciplining your behaviour and disciplining your mind. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Which makes your practice stronger. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Discipline in the daily practice and discipline for when you go out, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the way you talk, the way you do [things or the way you act] 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 everything that needs to be under discipline. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And of course all these vows that the monks and nuns take 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 also help tame the ego. Like for instance the monks are always 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 wearing the robes, and nothing else. And you always cut the hair. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So in these ways we avoid becoming proud of our appearance. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I guess that's one of the reasons. Or are there other reasons? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. This colour we call the spiritual colour. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Red, yellow, blue we call them spiritual colours. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now also black and white, we call normal colour. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We wear the spiritual colour. We do not wear the fancy things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you look in your house and you have a lot of different shirts, T-shirts, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 different jackets. This jacket for the party, cocktail party. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This jacket for something else, wedding party, this one is for the office. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Lot of different shoes, pants, different jackets and shirts that we do not have. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We have 2 or 3 clothes. For party we wear this one, for monastery we wear that one. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Whenever we go out we wear that one. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are satisfied. Satisfaction. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You [lay people] are not satisfied. Especially girls, they go the mall, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and they are buying every time, keep wanting more and more. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Attachment? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Attachment, desire. Every year there is a new fashion, they want it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The things from last year are no more of use. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Not only the girls do this, many man do it too, you know. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Oh yes. I think that girls do it more than men. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Possible. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Shopping, shopping. Girls have a lot to shop. Their shopping chakra is open. (laughing) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We call it the shopping chakra. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That way if you go to mall there is a lot of girls' cloth, more than men. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I think it's showing that the girls are doing more shopping. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): One of the vows that monks and nuns take is of course not to have 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 relationship, no family basically. What is the advantage of not having a family? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Because many people think that family is wonderful. It's very warm, very loving. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So why do monks and nuns choose not to have a family, not to have children? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 These days it's easy to give an example, in the past time it was 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a different answer. These times we would say population control (laughs). 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Easy to say that it's population control. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Look at the Tibetan people. The population is not big. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We don't need to say population control. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are already control because of the nuns and the monks. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In the texts they say we make relationships because of the attachment. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): We have very strong attachments. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Strong attachment. So because of this we do not have attachments. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also that's why we don't have family. If you have a family, you need to spend 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a lot of time for that. That time takes us away from our mediation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Doing the virtuous thing, or you need to spend time in the family. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We monks have a lot of time to do the practice, because we don't have family. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): That's right. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Saving time. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Well, and also if you have a family, you have to generate a lot of money somehow, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to support this family. Again, this takes us away from the spiritual practice. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also you need to take care of wife, child and also money, time, and everything. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That way it's reducing the practice time. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So you just making your life simpler and simpler and more focused on the practice, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 more focused on the teachings. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. More focused on the teachings and meditation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And you live in the community of the monastery, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so you are supported by all the other monks and nuns. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We think that all the monks are Dharma brothers, and the nuns are Dharma sisters. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We don't have a family life, we have Dharma brothers and sisters, as we call. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This seems like a very wonderful way of living. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Then you [lay people] are saving money. Also you have health insurance. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As monks, we don't have it. We don't save money, we don't have insurance. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We don't think about that. We just got food today, and it's fine. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are not thinking about putting things away for tomorrow. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Mainly we focus - the dialectic school - just focuses on the philosophy. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then also in meditation there are 2 groups in the monastery. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 One is the meditation group and the other one is the dialectic, philoshopic group. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And we just focus on that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you go to a monk's room, there is nothing. It's very simple. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Simple life. Simple is good. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. (laughing) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So lay practitioners do have the possibility of taking refuge vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, sure. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So it's possible for lay people to take some of these simple vows, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and simplify their lives, and also guide 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 their moral discipline as a lay practitioner. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Moral discipline is very important, and lay practitioners also take the vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There are 4 lay vows. First is killing life. Don't kill anyone. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): No harm. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 No harm. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If someone harms you, how much suffer does this harm cause for you? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the same for others. Don't harm anyone. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (Tibetan words) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Second is don't steal. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Yeah. Don't steal. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Actually is it going a little bit further than that? Not to take what 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You should not take what was not given to you. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Anything not given to you, you do not take it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): That's right. So if you see a 100 dollar bill laying on floor, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you don't take it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You don't take it. If you take it, then you can put a note somewhere with 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 your contact that you found it. You can give information. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And then the next vow is to refrain from false and idle speech. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So in other words we always tell the truth. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): And we also don't gossip. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, don't gossip. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Or say negative words about people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And also avoid sexual misconduct, as the forth vow. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Sexual misconduct is harming a lot others too. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you don't marry a woman, if you have a girlfriend who is already married 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or a boyfriend who already married, than don't do the sexual misconduct. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you had a sexual contact with somebody else's wife and the husband notices it, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it destroys the husband's heart. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Sure, yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also some girls have a contact with somebody else's husband. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If the wife notices, there would be a lot of fight at home. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): It comes back to the very first vow, when we don't harm anyone. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, don't harm anyone. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So harming is not only on the physical level, but also on the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 emotional level. Or the mental level. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So any sort of sexual behaviour that we would do and cause someone some pain, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 some harm, that should be avoided. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That's one of the lay people's vow. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Now there is also the possibility to take some vows for 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we don't use any intoxication, such as alcohol, or something like that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Is that correct? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Alcohol (Tibetan words) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you take 5 vows then it includes not taking alcohol. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If lay people take 4 vows, than it's not included. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So you have the possibility of taking a different set of refuge vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): But you have to take the basic four 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 if you're going to take the refuge vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But you can take the five. Because there is also a possibility, I think, of taking 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 some dietary restricitions. Either about no meat or no onions, or garlic. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. There are not root ones. There are vows that are root vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And there are vows that are branch vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you cut the branch, the tree will not die. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you cut the root of the tree, the tree will die. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you break one of the root vows, then monks are not monks anymore 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and lay people also take we call the "genyen" (Tibetan word), so if they break 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 then there is no more "genyen" too. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): These first 4 are considered to be the root vows: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so it's not harming other living creatures, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 refraining from taking that, which is not given, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we refrain from sexual misconduct and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we refrain from false and idle speech. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, these 4 are for the lay people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And the alcohol. If you drink alcohol limitless, you drink it with no limit, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and you get drunk, you'll be doing something wrong. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Sure. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That way it's very strict for monks. They are not allowed to drink alcohol. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Of course. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Because we loose control. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Or loose our good judgement. Or we loose our moral discipline. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Of course it's not just alcohol, but any sort of drugs or anything else 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we become inebriated. Same principle. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Same principle, yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): It's not restricted to just alcohol. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, some lamas give the refuge vows very frequently, but I've heard that 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Tenzin Rinpoche said that he prefers not to give these very often because 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's better not to take the vow than take it and then break it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So one should be very careful, if one is really serious if they're going 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to take the vows or not. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When you take a refuge vow from the lama you need to consider 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that lama is your is your teacher. You have to think about that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Some day if the lama is doing something little bit wrong, you may say: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 oh I don't want to contact any more this lama. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then the refuge vow is broken. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So when you take that refuge vow from a teacher you have the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 spiritual connection. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, you have the spiritual connection. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You always need to think of him as your spiritual teacher. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So it seems that these refuge vows though are a wonderful way 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to simplify are own lives as lay practitioners because, of course if 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 if we tell the truth, if we don't harm other people and so on, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it leads to a much happier life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you take the refuge vows, this life is more useful. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Refuge vows are not these four [previous vows]. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Anyone can take refuge vows. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Taking refuge in the lama Taking refuge in the Buddha 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Taking refuge in Buddha's speech Taking refuge in Boddhisattva. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That's the refuge. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So you are taking refuge in the sources of enlightenment. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, that's the refuge. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And it's an other thing if you take the 4 vows or 5 vows, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that we call the "genyen" (Tibetan). 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So it's two different sets of refuge. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, first the refuge vow, and then comes the "genyen". 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then monks have 2 types of vows : "tsantsug" and "gelong" (Tibetan) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Do the monks and the nuns take the same vows? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Almost the same. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): In the Sutric system not only do we avoid these negative behaviours, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for instance we do not lie, but we also try to cultivate the positive, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the virtuous conduct within ourselves. Which are referred to as the paramitas, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or the perfections. Right? So let's talk about that a little bit. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I have list here with the 10 paramitas, maybe you could explain us a little bit, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what's the importance of each one of these. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So the first one is, how would you say Tibetan? "sByin-pa" ? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "sByin-pa", yes. Generosity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So we try to cultivate generosity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What is the advantage of cultivating generosity? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There are 2 types of generosity. One is when physically you can give something to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 somebody who doesn't have it. We can be generous and give food for 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 somebody who doesn't have enough to eat. Those people are hungry, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 those people are thirsty. If you give food to them, if you give drink to them 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that's a generosity too. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What is generosity according to the teaching? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 According to the teaching generosity means very big things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There is a lot of suffering in this Samsara. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Giving teaching to change the mind, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that kind of teaching, if you give it. This is a generosity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So when we share the Dharma with others it a great generosity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If senior students help junior students in the Dharma things, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Some have a lot of suffering they can not control 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 they don't know how to control, and then senior student teaches to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 do meditation. Then you can guide the meditation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You can teach the Dharma prayer. This is all generosity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So our Dharma brothers and sisters in our sangha 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 are great support for us. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Here at Ligmincha in summer and autumn hundreds of people come to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Rinpoche's teaching. They all come at the same time and share things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Some are new students, some are old, or senior students. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Senior students share their experience and everything. That's generosity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Hopefully without pride. (laughing). 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, pride like "I'm the teacher, l have more knowledge 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 than the other one". Sometimes there is a lot of pride, when people are thinking 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "I have knowledge". I have a lot of experience. Don't think like that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Rather think that "I've learned many years, I have a knowledge. They are new 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I'm generously helping the new student". That is the best, it's generous. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): That's wonderful. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So the second paramita we've already talked a little bit about, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 because it's the ethical discipline. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Discipline, yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): We keep our ethics pure and clear. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Discipline. There are a lot of discipline. Monks have disciplines. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Lay people have disciplines. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 During the teaching time you have discipline. You put timetables: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Monday at 9 the teaching is starting and at 10.30 there is a break. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Following all the disciplines, is a discipline. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Monks have discipline, all the community has discipline. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you follow all the disciplines, everybody is happy for that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 No one is angry. Discipline helps develop patience. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Yes, I mean that's the beauty of moral conduct and ethical conduct, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is that it leads to happiness within ourselves and happiness in others. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, it gives happiness for both sides. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So the third paramita is patience. Now we could all use more of this. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. (Laughing) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Patience is the most important one. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Especially patience in the case of husband and wife. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Or anyone in the family. (laughing) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Or anyone in the family. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Mostly husband and wife, if they spent long time, more than 10 years, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 together after that they can loose patience often. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 At the start when they were girlfriends and boyfriends, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 they had a lot of patience. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 After marriage they loose the patience. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 To have the patience, if someone is angry, don't respond immediately. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They say, just listen, listen. If you put wood on the fire, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 fire becomes bigger and bigger. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you put gas on the fire, it gets very big. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you respond immediately, than the anger, the fire will come out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So just be patient and just wait. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Just be patient, and wait, and just listen. Don't respond immediately. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If somebody is angry, the other side needs more space. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 More space. Space helps. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Space helps in many things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, in many things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Looking in the space you can see lot of things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Space holds everything. Good and bad, everything. Space doesn't bother. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So the next of the paramitas is virtuous effort, being diligent. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Or I guess the Tibetan term is "brTson-'grus". 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "brTson-'grus", yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you do virtuous things, if you do practice, you need that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Immediately you can not run [away from] that one you have continually spend time 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and do it continually, more and more you need to practice. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So you should do things well. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So we shouldn't do things half way. If we do it, we should do it 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 very fully and completely. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also we give example: (Tibetan words) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If the fire is on the hair, then you need to do everything that is possible to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 put out the fire. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also grass burns slowly, and then burns everything 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let me give you another example. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Every books they have it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also in the West you have the story of the rabbit and the tortoise. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Oh the rabbit and the tortoise. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Oh yes. Where the rabbit goes very quickly, but it goes down to sleep, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and eventually the tortoise wins because it slow and steady, but diligent. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, it looks like that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So have your diligents to complete your task. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Like a turtle. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So it's the same story in Tibetan. That's interesting. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So well the next one is pretty obvious: meditation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So we should have our meditation practice, and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 be regular in our meditation practice. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Meditation. When you meditate you become happy. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you suffer, if you have a problem you can meditate. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There is so many different ways to meditate. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You can meditate on emptiness, you can meditate on impermanence, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 if you are on a higher level, you can practice Dzogchen, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Natural state of the mind, you can do that kind of meditation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you meditate, meditations feels good, right? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Meditation brings us joy, brings us equanimity, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it said that it brings us the four inmeasurables: love, joy, compassion and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 equanimity. It leads to a wonderful positive life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes it's possible that meditation would bring that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Meditation is medicine for the mind. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Yes, it is. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So the 6th paramita is confidence, or (Tibetan word) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Confidence. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So self confidence? Is this what we are talking about? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, self confidence is very good, self confidence if you practice. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also too much confidence in not so good. It becomes pride. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Self confidence is for example when I know that I have the capabilty of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 teaching other people. Teaching is to help the others. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That kind of confidence is good. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Too much confidence is not so good. Then comes pride. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Pride is one of the poisons too. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So it always that balance of confidence and pride 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we have to make sure. Too much confidence might lead to pride. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "I'm the teacher. I have the knowledge." That's pride. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Confidence is a little bit different from that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I have the capability to teach. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I know these things, I have the capability to teach. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I will not hold it to myself, I will teach other people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This teaching will help the others. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That kind of "nuba" (Tibetan word) can help. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Of course it also an be that confidence it's more basic than 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 being a teacher, just being confident that I'm a good person. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I think this is something many people in the West have challenge with, because 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 maybe they had some experience when they were a child and someone told them 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that they were bad. And then they don't have this positive image of themselves. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So it's very good to have this confidence in yourself, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that you are essentially a Buddha, within. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. I can see this confidence in children sometimes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When here in the West children are taught in the school 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 how to talk with in front of other people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 From the child level they are teaching. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Whenever they got a chance they talk, they are not shaking, they have a lot 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of confidence to talk with the people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you look at the children from India or from Nepal coming to the USA, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 they are a little bit shy. They don't have a confidence for that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In the West children, sometime I feel, have so much confidence. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So " Ok, I will do it" They never say: I don't know. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They say: " I know that". 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Someone tells them "don't do that", they say: "yeah, I know that". 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That is too much confidence. (laughing) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Yeah. Again it's the balance of confidence versus pride. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, confidence and pride need to be balanced. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So the 7th paramita is compassion. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Of course this is a very important part of the teachings. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Compassion "snying rje" (Tibetan ) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "“nyen gye manu pala tsa" (Tibetan) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If someone does not have enough food to eat 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we have compassion for that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 After the compassion we can be generous. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Yes, you can show your generosity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, you can show generosity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If an animal is injured, you feel compassion for that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 After you have compassion, you take action. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You need to take it to the hospital. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Take care for that. That is compassion. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Of course we should show compassion for eveyone that we know, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 everyone that we meet, everyone in our family. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Because everyone is experiencing suffering. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, everyone. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Whoever has suffering you can have compassion for that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So everyone is experiencing it, so we should have compassion for everyone. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So the 8th paramita is the aspirational prayer or monlam. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Maybe you could give us an example. What would be an aspirational prayer? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Aspirational prayer we are doing it every year. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 " I wish you a very happy...". This is an aspiration. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): "May you have a happy year" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I wish you a very happy year. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I wish you a better life or something like that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That is a monlam (Tibetan word). An aspiration. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): May your life be filled with happiness. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Every year is like today. Every year be healthy, have good health. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is all monlam, (Tibetan word). An aspiration. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): We are wishing that someone have a better life, a good life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Wishing anything, wishing is a monlam, (Tibetan word), aspiration. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So this is connected with the generosity and the compassion too, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 because we are hoping that others enjoy a beautiful life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So the 9th is skillful means, which is in the dedication. Or "top" (Tibetan word)? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Top" is the method. "Top" means idea. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Careful thinking maybe. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Careful thinking, yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Careful planning, careful execution. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, careful thinking. Helping through different ideas is a "top" (Tibetan word) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Yes. Many times we have the motivation to help someone 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or improve something, but we are not careful about it and maybe we are 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 rushing too quickly. So this is a careful, skillful way of helping others. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, skillfully helping others. That is "top". 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): The final one is "Sherab" (Tibetan) or wisdom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Wisdom, yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): We all could use more of this. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What do we mean by wisdom exactly here? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There are many different ways that wisdom might be interpreted. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Wisdom is something like intelligence. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you learn something, you need more wisdom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Someone learns really quickly. They have a lot of wisdom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 For someone it takes time to learn. There's less wisdom there. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Someone has a lot of experience, lot of knowledge, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that we call a lot of wisdom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There is a lot of wisdom to carry all the things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): There is this one aspect of wisdom having intellectual knowledge, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or sharpness of the mind. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, sharpness of the mind also. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): But there is also isn't there a wisdom that just arises from the heart? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Like the wisdom of emptiness, or the mirrorlike wisdom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Speaking of the five of these wisdoms. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's more about the mediative experience. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. When you do the meditation, first level it will be difficult to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 do the meditation. When you do it again and again, more wisdom comes, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 more knowledge comes out. Better knowledge. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): More wisdom. We just say it, more wisdom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 More and more wisdom comes out, more good things come out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 More experience comes out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): The wisdom and experiences arise directly from the meditation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Not necessarily just throught thought. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yeah. If you look at the Tantric masters, earlier masters, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 when they meditate, more experience comes 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and they thought to write it down. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Through the thinking, there is all we call "gurma" (Tibetan) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Experience telling to people 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): That arises directly from their meditative experience 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the text that they are writing, flows naturally. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Flows naturally yes. Flows out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you look at one text again and again and again, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 more and more knowledge comes out from that text. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 After that you don't need to look in a book. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When you start immediately everything comes out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There is more knowledge. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): It seems like that the Sutric method is avoiding all these negativities 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 like lying, sexual misconduct, and stealing and so forth, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in combination with the cultivation of these paramitas. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 leads to very happy life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, it leads to a happy life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): And it serves as a very clear guide for our behaviour. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you do all these things, it leads to a very good life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): It does lead to a good life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now the meditational methods in Sutra are many times are analytical meditations, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 like the meditation of impermanence for instance, where we are using the mind 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to reflect on the truth, the inner most truth of something like 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what can we find that's truly permanent. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And we think, we are using the mind to think about these things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So this is quite different from Dzogchen meditation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also meditation on impermanence helps the practice too. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Of course 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When you are young, you are not thinking of the impermanence. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You are energetic, you have power, you think that this life is forever, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and you don't want to meditate. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also Sutra is saying that our life is impermanent. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): No one is lives forever. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Children, boys and girls will become teenagers, then they will be men and women 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and after that wifes and husbands. Then their child call them parents, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and one day they will be called grandpa and grandma, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 then it's time to go. Life will be finished. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That way it's all changing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's impermanent. We should think "now I need to do the virtuous things." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): It changes our mind when we understand impermanence. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This helps us to do the practice. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Give us motivation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Motivation, yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Because we realize that nothing is permanent in this life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also is Sutra there is the practice of emptiness. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If search for the table, you find out that there is not a solid table there. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you take it piece by piece, then there is no table. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are just giving name. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Yes, that's one of the classic analytical meditations. You meditate 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 upon a table, - because people might not be familiar with this meditation, - 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and you try to find a table. You look at every element of the table: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Is it the leg? Is it the top? Is it the side? Where is the table? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And you find that there is no table. It's only our mind. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But this analytical process leads to inside, it leads to a new wisdom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Sutric teachings says that we are giving name for things, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that are not not solid from the outside. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We give names to all the things. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Or when the boy is called by his mother and father my son. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Wife says: my husband. Child says: my father. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Everybody is giving names. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): That's right. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They are not solid from outside. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): It's always changing. From every different perspective. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): I remember that one of the teachings I received on this was 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 when a monk was visiting me as a house guest, and he start giving this teaching 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 on emptiness and we were eating pizza. He held up the pizza and said: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 show me the pizza! Is it the mushroom? Is it the olive? Is it the tomato? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 No, we could find no pizza, while we were eating the pizza. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Because this pizza was in our mind, a name. Just a name we create. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Then you ask: where is the tomato? Is the tomato the colour? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Is the tomato the shape? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There is no tomato. (laughing) Nothing is there. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Nothing is there. Empty. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Empty. This Sutric practice leads to the realization of emptiness. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So in the Sutric analytical process we are using the mind to think. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We are using thoughts. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 While in the Dzogchen practice we are trying to liberate the thought. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, to liberate the thought. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So it's a very different way to of working with the thoughts. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. Dzogchen says if thought comes don't chase after thought. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Just leave it there. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you leave them there, thoughts will dissolve themselves. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So ok, we need an antidote for that. You need to take it out from the root. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): With the Sutric analytic approach we use the thought, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we don't try just liberate the thought. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes we don't liberate it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Because throught the thinking, and through the sharp, clear mind, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 which is really emphasized in the debate especially in the monastery, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you can reach this insight. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): So this meditation over impermanence we were discussing, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is found in the Ngöndro, which is one of the foundation mediation practice. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So it's considered to be very-very fundamental. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes, it is fundamental. The practice of impermanence is a fundamental 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 practice for everyone. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's a foundation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): It really changes your life whenever 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you have this understanding of impermanence. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And the same is true for the meditation on emptiness. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 These two are considered to be a very fundamental meditation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Looking at these practices, sometimes we are powerful, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sometimes we are down. We are poor, then some years later 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we become rich. This is all impermanence. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): That's wonderful. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Well, thank you very much Geshe la for this explanation of these 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Sutric meditations. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So the next part of the this course people going to get to enjoy 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a teaching by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche on impermanence. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And then a meditation guided by Rinpoche on impermanence. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yes. This will be very helpful, he will explain everything in detail. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 His English is a wonderful English. Not like my English. (laughing) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): I think your English is very good. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): But this should have given you a very good taste of how we work 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with these analytical meditations in the Sutric way. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (John): Hope you have enjoyed. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thank you.