«Дар освобождения», курс 19 «Ретрит благодарности», занятие 8

[Speaker 1]
So, we were having a discussion. If you share what you have with other people, then more will come back to you. And then we asked the question, if a person, like a businessman, doesn't love other people, they just want to make money, you know, and they follow the four steps, will it work?

Will they make money? What do you think? Yeah, it's like gravity.

If the pen is smaller than the earth, it doesn't matter if the person dropping it is a Muslim or a Christian or a Jew or a Buddhist, doesn't matter, it will drop. So, if a businessman uses system, karma, seeds, even if they don't care about the people they are helping, still it will work, okay? It will work.

But, ,DE BU GNOR GYI PHUNG PO CHE YANG MA GDOD PA LAS LONGS SPYOD ,KYANG LONGS SPYOD RGYAL CHE BA GDOD PA'I BRJIM PA BYAS PA LA DGOS KYIS, then they will start to gain a respect for giving, for sharing, for helping other people. By accident, they will get in the habit of helping other people. This is DCI.

,BYANG SEMS RNAM LTAR, ,NYING RJE GZHAN GYI DBANG GIS BRJIM PA'I BRDZE BU, ,SDUG BSNGAL MI NYE BA'I KHOR NAR, ,BYIN PA'I BRDOD PA'I RGA LTUNG, ,SNGON PA'I PHAL BAR MI BYAS PA'I, ,SDUG BSNGAL PO NYING RJE MAN ZHING, But they are people without great love. They are not like the bodhisattvas. And I like the way that Tsongkhapa talks about bodhisattva.

He says, bodhisattvas are slaves of compassion. They absolutely no expectation of what they will get back. They give to others in an ever-expanding celebration of the pursuit of generosity.

I love that. That's Tsongkhapa. The bodhisattvas are having a party that goes on for their whole life.

And they just give and give and give. And they think that's like the most fun thing you can do. But they are not like that.

The businessman is not like that. They have little compassion. NYING RJE MAN means they don't have compassion.

,DER MA ZAD SEMS CAN LA SEMS SHIN DU, ,TSUL PA'I SEMS DANG BSTAN PA, ,RANG GI SDUG BSNGAL MNGON THO BDE BA, ,TZAM BAR RANG MA GNYIS DU RGYUR BA STE, He says there are also people who are, he calls them cruel. Cruel heart. The Tibetan here is TSUL PA'I SEMS. Say TSUL PA. SEMS. TSUL PA means like sandpaper, you know? Or, I don't know. Like my beard.

I didn't shave for two days. That's TSUL PA. It's very uncomfortable.

Then their mind is like that. It's very rough. Cruel minded.

Why are they cruel? They understand that they will have to die. But they just want to go someplace nice afterwards.

They're just sharing things with other people because they know they have to die one day and they want to get ready for the future world. There's a nice story. There's a place on the Silk Road called Taksila.

Taksila. There was a king there named, the Greeks call him Gondorforas. He was one of the three kings who went to Bethlehem.

Why? Yeah, he wanted to see the birth of Jesus. Then he went home.

Taksila is in Afghanistan. It was a Buddhist city at that time. He decided he wanted to build a palace.

In those days, the only people who know how to make a good Greek building were the Jews from the Middle East. So, he sent a slave trader to Jerusalem. In the meantime, Jesus asked his disciple Thomas to go to India to teach.

Thomas said no. Guess what happened? The slave trader got Thomas.

It's a beautiful story. He went to Taksila in chains. He was told to build the palace for the king Gondorforas.

Then the king went on a vacation and Thomas spent all the money and gave it to the poor people. Then the king came back and said, where's my palace? He said, I spent the money.

Where did you spend the money? I gave it to the poor people. I told you to build a palace.

I did. I built your palace in heaven. It's waiting for you.

Then the guy said, you are crazy. He put him in the jail. Then he had a dream and he went to heaven.

When he got there, they said, your house is ready for you. It was built by Thomas by giving money to the poor people. Even that motivation, I want to share with other people because I want to be good next life.

Tsongkhapa doesn't say, you are smart, you are a good person. He says, you are cruel. You are a mean person because you just worry about yourself.

You are not thinking about other people. Even that motivation is not so good. TSOR BYAS PA GANG YIN PA DE DAG DE DAG GIS DE LA YANG MONGS SPYOD MI STONG BAR BRTZON PA'I RGYUR LA RGYAB GYI CHOG PA Then these people though, they understand the businessman who just wants more money or the Buddhist who just wants a good next life.

They are the same. But they understand it's wrong to hold on to what you have. Both of them, they did a little bit evolution.

They are moving up slowly. They understand to hold on to the things you own is a mistake. You should share them.

You should share with others. So even they are cruel, they are selfish, but they are like, Okay, you take it. They want to share with other people.

So their mind is starting to change. RGYAB GYI CHOG PA NAM YIN LA RIG PA YIN DANG BSAMS SBYIN PA LA YER BAG THOB PA'I SBYIN PA LAS So they are just following the law of karma because they want something. SBYIN PA LAS LONGS SPYOD PHUD DU BYUNG BA PHUN SOGS BYUNG BA'I SGO NAS They will get everything they want.

They will get rich. They will have beautiful family. They will have all those things.

BRTZE BSGOM SOGS KYI SDUG BSNGAL NYE BAR ZHIG PA'I RGYUR RGYUR RO And they stop. They create causes which stop suffering in their life. They don't have credit card problems.

They don't have not enough money. They can buy enough food. They are okay.

He is quoting Chandrakirti. So those people figured out how to be more comfortable. Now, at the end of the last class I asked you a question.

These businessmen or these Buddhists who are only worried about their future life, they are giving... Who was that? Who was that?

Oh, it's a computer. Who was that? Now I lost my train of thought.

See, that's why we don't do that kind of thing. These people, they are hoping by sharing they will get something in the future. Okay?

But, but, but, but, they believe in karma. And that's a great thing. They understand the seeds.

And so, what's going to be the result of that? You see? Because underlying their selfish sharing, they believe in seeds.

They believe it works. So what kind of seed is that? If you believe in seeds, what kind of seed is that?

It's a very powerful seed. What will happen? Here's the quotation.

We need the next root text to go down. Because of this giving that they do, at some point, they will have the opportunity to meet Arya. They will meet an Arya.

They will meet people who saw emptiness directly. They will meet people who saw emptiness directly. They are selfish.

They just want a good rebirth. But the habit of thinking about seeds is so powerful that they will meet these unbelievable high people who... Unbelievable high is the translation of Arya.

Arya means unbelievably high. The word means unbelievable. They will meet Aryas.

If they just keep giving, then they will start to meet Aryas. I don't like this word meet. That's like saying, I want to find a partner, Geshe-la.

I want to find a partner. I say, don't say that word. What's wrong with partner?

I don't mean that word. What do I mean? You don't find anybody.

You plant them. Finding is dangerous. Maybe you find, maybe you don't find.

Don't find a partner, plant one. I'm going to find a watermelon. No, just plant one.

Then you definitely have one. If you go looking for a partner, you might not meet one. It's better to plant them.

It's safer to plant them. How do you plant a close encounter with an Arya? Just keep planting seeds.

Even if it's selfish. Just believe that seeds create everything. Then that's the karma to meet these unbelievable high teachers.

There's nobody higher than that on this planet. If there's one Arya on this planet, we are very, very lucky. Then how do you meet that person?

Just talk about seeds. Help people learn about seeds. Be the general manager of the DCI branch in Singapore.

Keep helping people to learn about seeds. Even if you're selfish. But the habit of thinking that things are coming from you, from how you treat other people, it will create an Arya in your life.

It's like a super boyfriend or girlfriend. Much better. Then the flow of their lives of suffering will be stopped completely and they will come to peace.

What's peace? It's a synonym for? Nirvana.

They will reach nirvana. Who? These selfish business guys and these cruel Buddhists who want to use Buddhism just to have a Mercedes Benz in the next life.

The habit of talking about seeds, thinking about seeds, working with seeds, it changes their heart. Then they become good people. Because you need...

to give money to somebody, you have to find somebody who doesn't have money. And that's a nice thing. Most people don't want to...

If you tell people, can you loan me $50? They're like, I have a cell phone call. I'll be back.

Then you run away as fast as you can. These people are like... I heard there's a poor person.

Where? Where can I meet them? Are they really poor?

Can you find me one that's sick and also doesn't have a partner? You know? I taught DCI in Detroit, Michigan to the auto workers.

One guy was so happy, he came the next day. Geshe-la, I found somebody. Who?

It's an old lady. Oh, that's good. No, no.

She's not just old, she's also sick. Oh, good. Then she's poor.

Sick, old, and poor. Lonely, sick, and poor. You can get a girlfriend, money, and health from one old lady.

He's so happy. You know? NYID PA NI GANG ZHIG MI BYED RANG PHRA BA'I RANG GI SDUG BSNGAL PHYIR BCUG PA'I DE BA TZAM LA BSTOD PA GNYIS KYIS Some person who's only interested in making sure they're happy, that they have what they want.

PHYIR BCUG PA GNYIS KYIS BYIN PA STONG BA LA GUS PA DE'ANG BUT DE GUS PA GUS PA, what's GUS PA? They respect the laws of karma. They respect the laws of seeds.

G-U-S, GUS PA. DE'ANG, BYIN DAG STONG BA DPU'I THEG DU DANG PA BDAG GIS DROD PA Even then, because of the instances of giving, we'll at some point quickly attain opportunities to meet Arya. And there's a quotation from scripture that says, the holy ones come into the presence of sponsors.

So, if you just keep helping other people, then holy beings will appear to you, even if it's selfish. Even if it's selfish. But we talked about a problem.

What's the problem if you're selfish? After you get the money, you're surrounded by... we call it creepy.

In English, they say creepy. People try to... they always flatter you.

You're so handsome, Geshe Michael. Can I borrow a hundred dollars? You know, like that.

Okay, that kind of person. DE NAS DANG PA DE CHOS BSTAN PA LAS KHOR BA LA YIN BRTEN MED PAR RIGS CING PHA LA'ANG SRAG PA MED POR NGON DU CHOS PAS MA RIGS PAR SPANGS NAS Then, slowly, they will meet the Aryas, and those Aryas will start to teach them Dharma. Then they will understand that this money collecting is just a cycle.

You lose, you get. You lose, you get. PHA LA'ANG SRAG PA MED POR NGON DU CHOS PAS They will see emptiness themselves because they are hanging out with people who saw emptiness.

Then, TSIS PA'I KHOR BA'I RGYUN THOG MA'I NAS SKYE BA CI'I GCIG NAS GCIG TU RGYUD PA And this cycle of dying and reborn and dying and reborn and dying and reborn, it will stop for them. YANG DAG PAR BYAS PAR BYAS TE DANG PA DANG PHRAD PA DE'I RGYUN DRIN NGON DU BSAM RANG RGYAL SHI BA NGON DU GZUR DU'ANG RGYUR And then they will reach Nirvana. So, I'm going to just do a little piece with you and then we go to bed.

GI space, well, no, let's see. That's it. Stop.

So, if someone comes to us and says, if someone comes to me and says, I need $56,000. $56,000. $56,000.

$56,000. $336,000. Diamond people know how to exchange currency up here.

Okay. So, is it correct? $300,000.

About. $56,000. It's $336,000, right?

Something like that. Yes. That's what I said.

Okay. If somebody comes up to you and says, I need $336,000. They say, why?

You say, look at this temple. You know? The water is leaking in.

We had to put a poster there. When Mr. Woo came, we had to put a poster to hide the... There's water damage in this temple.

Also, we never finish the floor. That's why we put the carpet on the floor. If you look under the carpet, it's still plywood.

Okay? It was never finished. We never finish the floor.

I'm starting to catch a fish. Do you understand? Then, usually if someone come and say, we need to raise $56,000, then can you help?

Most people will say, yeah, okay Geshe-la, I'll try to give a little bit. Then in your mind, you're like, why is he asking us for money again? You know?

But here, bodhisattva, JI LTAR DRIN ZHIG BYAS DANG THOD SANGS LAS If somebody says to them, can you give me some help? I need help to fix the temple and the floor. RGYAL ZAD This is misspelled, okay?

RGYAL ZAD It should be RGYAL ZAD R-G-Y-A-L RGYAL ZAD DRIN ZHIG LTAR THUB PA RNAMS They get happy. Somebody comes up to them and says, can you give me some... What?

What can I give you? Money? Money?

Yeah, right, yeah. Ask me again. It's like you are in high school and you ask somebody on a date.

You've been waiting to ask them and then finally they ask, you want to go on a date? And you're like, okay. Like Bodhisattva, when you ask them for something, they're like, okay.

I've been waiting for you to ask me. Okay. So they feel more happiness than a Buddha when they reach nirvana.

Bodhisattva, if someone asks them for something, they feel even more happy. So if you ask them to give you everything, they have everything. Don't give me $50,000, $60,000.

Don't give me $56,000. Give me everything you have. Then they're like, get more happy.

[Speaker 2]
Okay.

[Speaker 1]
I'm not asking you for everything. RGYUD GANG LAS BYANG SEMS RNAMS BYIN PA LA DGOS PAR BSGYUR BA BLO BA RNAMS BLO MCHOD KYIS TSIN PAR BYAS PA NA BYANG SEMS LA DGA' BA'I KHYAD PAR BSGYUR BA GOS JI DAG ZHIG BYAS NA How does it feel to a Bodhisattva when somebody asks them for something and they're able to make them happy? Someone asks them for help and they make them happy.

JI LTAR BLO BA SPOS BYIN CIG ZER DGRA THOD PA'I DON SANGS PA NA As soon as they start thinking about, oh, this person asked me for something. DI DAG NI DAG LA BLO BA ZHIG KHO NYAMS PA LAS They're like, I found somebody who can ask me for something. I'm so lucky.

RGYAL TSE LA YID DE BA YANG NAS YANG DU BYUNG BA And they keep having waves of happiness. DRA BCOM PA RNAMS LA ZHI BA NYAMS DE KYIS YING SU ZHUGS PA'I DE BA KHYAD PAR BYAS PA MI NA It's more than a person feels when they reach nirvana. The Bodhisattva, when you ask them for something, that happiness they have is bigger than when a person reaches nirvana.

Okay. PHYI RNAMS KYIS DNGOS PO THAMS CAD SDONG BA'I BLO BA PO TZIN PA BYAS PA'I ZHI BA DE BA LAS LHAG PA'I DE BA KHYAD PAR LTA'I PHYI ZHIG DMOS DGOS If someone asks them for everything inside and outside and they get a chance to give it, then imagine how they feel. Not just outside things.

Someone asked for inside things. What's an inside thing? There was this guy, famous rock star, Crosby, Stills and Nash, right?

So Crosby has a drug problem and he hurt his kidney? Or liver? And he was going to die.

And he needs somebody's liver. And somebody gave it to him. They said, cut open my body, take my liver.

You can have it. And they gave him their liver and he survived. He's still alive.

So it means, if you're really high bodhisattva, someone even asks you for kidney or your eye or something, you'd be, oh, take it. I'm so happy. Then I had a student, they run out to the hospital, they say, take out my kidney.

We are not ready. You are not ready. I guarantee you are not ready.

Okay? So I don't want you to do that. It's just an example in the book.

And later, maybe later, much later, Geshe Michael did not say, go give your kidney to somebody. You're not ready. If you're not ready, after you give it, you will be unhappy.

You will say, why did I do such a stupid thing? I went to the Buddhist class, I got all excited because they were playing such good rock and roll by Joe. That's the other Joe.

And so I got all excited and I went and I gave away my kidney, but I shouldn't have done it. If you regret a very big good karma, it ruins the scene. So you lost your kidney and you lost the scene.

So wait. You can give some blood or something, it's okay. And then they feel a bodhisattva.

After they give it, they feel just peaceful. They feel very satisfied, like they just had a big ice cream. And they're just like, ah, that was good.

I gave away that kidney. That was really good. Like that.

They just feel quietly happy. That's how a bodhisattva feels. Okay.