«Дар освобождения», курс 24 «Пустой Будда — высшая защита», занятие 7

[Speaker 1]
Relax your eyelids, relax your hands, your stomach comes in a little bit, and then come to your breath. And watch your exhale, slow exhale. Then please imagine you're lying on your deathbed.

And you look up and you can see your family, people you love. They're looking down at you, maybe crying, holding your hand. Then it becomes difficult to breathe.

Then finally your nostrils of your nose stick together, they close. You can't breathe. You cannot open your mouth.

Sharp pain in your chest. And then very quiet. You can't hear anything.

Then suddenly you're running down a mountain. You're running to go down a mountain. Running very fast, there are large stones, boulders behind you, falling.

Terrible noise, loud noise, earthquake. You're running and running. Then suddenly you hear another noise.

Giant wave, tsunami, coming from behind the mountain. And you're running to stay ahead of the wave, but it catches you. And you're fighting underwater, fighting to come to the top.

Take some breath, then go under again. And the water carries you far, like a leaf in a great river. And then finally you feel land under you.

And the water passes away. And you're exhausted laying on a desert. And the sun is burning down on you.

And you start crawling across the hot sand. Because you can see some water far away. And you crawl towards the water.

But as you get closer, you realize it's a mirage. And you crawl to the place of the mirage. And you crawl through the mirage.

And then suddenly you are standing, walking. And all around you is like a smoke or fog. You're walking in a deep fog.

And then suddenly there are sparks of light, small sparks. You walk into fog and sparks. Starts to get more and more quiet.

And far away you can see a light, a flame. And everything gets more and more quiet. You walk towards the flame.

It's not moving like a campfire. It's like a candle flame, which is not moving. You walk towards it.

It gets bigger and bigger. Then it's the same size as your body. And you can walk through it.

It doesn't burn you. And on the other side, dark and very quiet. You're walking in the dark.

And then far away on the horizon, you can see a little bit of light coming, like the dawn. No sun yet, just white light. And you walk towards the white light.

And then the white light is covering the whole sky. Soft white light. And then slowly it begins to change into red, like a sunset.

You're still walking. Everything's very quiet. And the red gets less and less.

And then finally it blinks out. No more red. And you're in the darkness.

Sit down. Look at the dark. All around you, dark.

Cannot see your hand or your legs. Then deeper dark, very quiet. Then you see something like crystal or glass.

And it feels like you're inside the crystal or the glass. It's still dark, but the feeling is like glass. And then slowly you see the face of your teacher.

Everything is dark, like crystal. But suddenly you can see your teacher sitting in front of you. Your heart teacher.

So you're not alone. In the deepest part of dying, you are with your teacher. Let's sit for a few minutes and just think about your teacher.

Everything else is dark, silent. Mind is almost finished. But there's a teacher.

And we'll sit with the teacher. Just a few minutes. Then slowly you can come back and open your eyes.

Take a stretch. Okay, so at the end of the meditation, when you are looking at your teacher, there's something important you have to do. And anytime with your teacher, you have to understand that the teacher is coming from you.

Okay? This is dependent origination, right? Then I had a friend.

We did three ... she was one of the people when I did three-year retreat. She's a Buddhist nun.

And she said, everything comes from me, except my teacher. Then I said, no, no, teacher also come from you. She said, no, no, cannot be.

Then I said, why not? Then she said, a teacher teaches me things I don't know. How can he come from me?

Okay? But it's not correct. Teacher also coming from you.

I always tell DCI friends, if you don't like what I'm teaching, it's coming from you. If you like what I'm teaching, that come from me, okay? Okay?

So, it's very important to understand. Your husband or wife is coming from you. Your job is coming from you.

Your country is coming from you. Your hands and feet are coming from you. So, especially with the teacher, when you're with the teacher, or you're meditating on the teacher, or when the teacher comes in the deepest part of death to sit with you, it's important to get used to the idea, oh, that teacher is coming from me.

I have another friend, she said, don't tell me teacher comes from me. Then it doesn't feel special anymore. If teacher's coming from me, then it feels like teacher's not so special.

Geshe-la, you can talk about a pen, that's okay. Pen comes from me. But don't remind me my teacher comes from me.

I really like my teacher. It's not comfortable to think teacher come from me. But you have to think like that.

In the deepest part of death, you will have to remember this thing. Dependent Origination. Teacher come from me.

How much teacher not coming from me? Is teacher 50% come from you? No, 100%.

That's a kong shing. There's no teacher who doesn't come from me. Okay, so I'll give you an exercise you can do.

When you come into this room every day for class, I would like you to pick one thing in the room. Like your chair. Your chair is okay.

Then please pick one person in the room. Okay, one other person. And look at them.

Okay, so pick one thing. One person in the room. And third thing, take something about yourself.

You can say your hand. Okay, so every time you come in this room for this whole ten days, choose three things. Okay, then Geshe-la, what am I supposed to do with these three things?

I'll show you a DCI exercise. Hold up your left hand. Okay, then first finger.

Okay, now look around the room. All the people. All the things.

Even your own body. Now, please, please point to something in this room which didn't come from your seeds. Kong.

Okay, that's how you can practice reaching emptiness. There's an old word in the Buddhist Sutra. tendu mepa It's another word for kong shing.

It means unpointable. Cannot point to it. Nothing not coming from your seeds.

So, when you come in the room, don't waste your time. You can start meditating right away. As soon as you come past the bodyguards, lobos negros, they call themselves the black wolves.

As soon as you pass those black wolves, then you start looking for something. One thing in the room. Don't waste your time.

Do some meditation. When you cross the door of the room, start your meditation. Then focus on one thing, like chair.

Then try to get a feeling. Who made the chair? How did the chair come here?

Then you think there's a factory in Guangzhou. They are making chairs. Then the hotel ...

what's this hotel? Hilton? They called somebody in Guangzhou.

They made the chairs. The hotel paid the money. They came on a ship, and they came to this room.

Okay? You feel like that. If I ask you, where's this chair come from?

Guangzhou. How did they get it? They pay money.

Who brought it here? Ship. All of those idea is the thinking of sick person.

Okay, all those idea is the thinking of a sick person. Okay, how does healthy person think? Oh, who made the chair?

Of course, I did. Who shipped it here? My seeds.

Oh, how did you get those seeds? Jasmine asked me to take a chair out during the break, and I carried a chair out, and that put a seed in my mind. How big is the chair?

This big. What's it made of? Steel?

Cloth? No, it's made of light. It's this big.

Understand? It's coming out of seed. What's the other name of that seed?

You can say karma, okay? I like to call it seed, I don't like to call it karma. So many people have strange idea about karma.

Why did your wife divorce you? Karma. Why are you so smart?

That's me. Okay? So, it's too complicated, karma.

You have seed in your mind. Okay, they open. When they open, a small picture comes out, and it comes out of your mind, and then you see it, and you think it's a chair.

Is it a chair? Yeah, it's holding your bottom off the ground right now. Okay, it's working.

That's the great idea of Buddha. Everything coming from seed, and it works. Okay, if money come from seed, you can buy something.

If you go to the nursing home and visit the old lady and plant the seed, and when that seed opens, little boyfriend comes out. Can you kiss him or not? Yeah, I can kiss.

No problem. Okay, it's real. If it didn't come out of your mind, it's not real.

Okay? Opposite way. If it didn't come out of seed, then it's impossible.

It will never change, for example. You cannot kiss. You cannot make your husband to wash the dishes if he's not coming out of your seeds.

Okay? Understand? So, inside of death, in the deepest part of death, the chi is almost stopped.

Okay, and the mind got very, very, very, very, very subtle. Okay, those first things like earthquake and tsunami, that's the elements in your body are collapsing. Sa chu me lung earth, water, fire, wind.

They are collapsing. Then my friend told me, oh, this is Chinese thing, you know, five elements, four elements, this is stupid, it's old idea. It's a lot of it in like Taoism and Confucianism.

Oh, this is stupid idea. Just old idea. It's not true.

It's also in Abhidharma. Okay, we have those elements. The old philosophers of China, India, they didn't have strange idea, oh, inside of Alison's nose is some little fire and a little earth and some water, like that, not like that.

The name is earth, water, fire, wind. The name is that. But the meaning is different.

Earth element means gravity. Okay, it's an energy. It's a thing which holds things together.

Then chu is ... sorry, water is fluidity. Wind is movement.

Yeah, wind is movement. Fire is just temperature. Okay, all physical things have a temperature.

All physical things are moving a little bit. Okay, all physical things have some wetness in them, even very dry things. Okay, and all physical things have some cohesion, holding together.

So, it's not some stupid old idea. It's real thing. Same as science.

Same as Newton. And when you die, those elements go a little bit crazy. Then it feels like tsunami is carrying you.

Then after the rough energy is finished, and you go deep into your mind, there are still very subtle energies. Chi also has these four elements inside the body. So, when the chi start to dissolve, then you will see smoke and sparks, and this fire, what do you call, flame.

Okay, as the elements, subtle elements collapse, you always see everyone who dies, even animals have the same ... what do you call, hallucination. So, you will definitely, if you die, you will see these things.

So, it's good to practice. You can even try every night. It's not depressing.

It's not sad. Okay, you have to get ... if you're going on a trip, you have to pack your bag.

I'm going to Phuket tomorrow. Where's your suitcase? Oh, I didn't think about it.

Oh, the taxi comes? To take you to Guangzhou airport. You're like, can you wait just a few minutes?

Why? I didn't pack yet. Are you crazy?

It's time to go, you know, give me your suitcase. No, I didn't start packing yet. How long are you going to stay in Phuket?

Ten days. You didn't pack? No.

Jasmine said she will give me a blue t-shirt, I will just wear that for ten days. Okay, it's a bad idea. Every taxi driver will tell you, you are so stupid, you don't have luggage ready.

Then everybody has to die. It's not like Phuket. Okay, one Chinese woman came two nights ago to Phuket airport.

She's still there. She lost her passport. Okay?

So, even if you go to Phuket, it's not sure you will reach Phuket. Okay? But everybody has to die.

That flight cannot cancel. So, you got to get ready. Not only that, in the middle of death, you can also become Arya.

Because when your prana get very slow, that's a great time to see emptiness. Okay? So, how are we going to start?

During the darkest moment, after all those eight hallucinations, I want you to focus on your teacher. Make this habit. Then when you die, teacher will come.

If you're Christian, that's fine. Ask Jesus to come. If you are Muslim, ask Muhammad to come.

If you are Buddhist, ask your own teacher to come, because they are all the Buddhas put together. So, get the habit. Okay?

Then when the important time comes, and the taxi comes, what's the taxi? Next life, okay? When the taxi comes, you are ready.

Okay? And look at your teacher. So, we're going to start.

We'll do this meditation over and over. Again, my teacher asks me to do it every night. Before or after your coffee meditation.

And then practice how to die. And in the most quiet moment, deep in the darkness, ask your teacher to come. Start with that.

Start with the teacher. And we'll practice it. These ten days, we'll practice.

The next step, after we bring the teacher, we will think about, how is the teacher come from me? Many, many people came to me, Geshe-la, I want to find a teacher. I have to find my heart teacher.

I decide to go to India. I have to find my heart teacher. I said, that's not the way to find a heart teacher, you will just find diarrhea.

Okay? Don't go look for a heart teacher. Don't look for husband.

Don't look for girlfriend. Okay? Make them.

Plant them. Much easier and cheaper also. Okay?

Just plant them. Don't go to night club. It's stinky.

And the kind of boy who goes to night club is the kind of boy who goes to night club. After you marry them, they will still go to night club. Oh, you're right, Geshe-la, I will use dating website.

No, no, don't do that. Why not? The kind of boy who uses dating website loves his laptop more than his wife.

Okay? Don't do that. After you get married, he will spend all the time on computer.

He won't talk to you. Okay? Don't go, don't look for man.

Plant one. Then you can decide what kind you want. There's a special seed for intelligent husband.

There's a seed for affectionate husband. There's a special seed for husband who has a job. If you try to find husband on website or night club, you will find what we call 75% husband.

What's it mean 75% husband? Oh, I met a guy in the night club. You like him?

Yeah. In English we say, is he a keeper? Are you going to keep him?

Yeah, yeah, I'm going to keep him. So he's like 100% perfect, right? He's like 75%.

You know, everything's good except he smokes. And when I come home he doesn't hug me unless I ask him to hug me. But he's pretty good.

Then I can wait for 100% or I can take 75% now. I think I'll take 75% now. When you look for a husband, usually you find 75%.

When you plant husband, you get 100%. Understand? Same with teacher.

Hard teacher. Go travel to another country. Try to find a teacher.

You will get 75%. The one you look for will be 75%. Better to stay home, plant teacher.

Why? Even if you go to India and find a 75% teacher, that 75% teacher also coming from your own seeds. So, better to plant a 100% one.

So, I want you to get used to it. Teacher is the most important thing in your life. You have to find the one that fits you.

There are many sizes of teachers in the world. There are many kinds of people. There are many kinds of jeans.

Then you have to think carefully. My partner named Veronica. When I take her to the store, I say, let's buy you some jeans.

She will try 30 pairs of jeans. Sometimes she doesn't find one good one. I always ...

there's two kinds of stores. Jeans store. For ladies.

One has chair for the man to sit, and one doesn't have chair for the man to sit. I always take her to the one with the chair. Why?

She will try 30 pairs of jeans. It takes like three hours. So, you younger guys, I'm giving you advice.

Find the jeans store which has a chair. Sometimes she says none of them fit. Then I'm so tired.

I'm just like, just take one. Maybe it will fit in six months. Lama is like that.

You have to try on some lama. Go to this teacher, go to that teacher. Who fits you?

Who you feel comfortable? And you learn a lot from them. But try to understand.

They are coming from you. Okay? Plant them.

Someone asked me how ... okay Geshe-la, I believe you. Because I believe the pen story.

I understand. If pen coming from me, teacher is probably coming from me also. I understand.

Now, how to plant a pen? I have to give pen to other person. And when I let go, and I see my hand open, it makes an impression on my mind.

And that impression becomes a seed. I understand. Watermelon makes a watermelon.

Shikwa de shikwa. Shikwa jung dzin de shikwa. Okay?

You get a watermelon from watermelon seed. If I want pen, I should get pen. Okay?

But how do I get a teacher? How do I plant a teacher? Buddha said ...

Easy. Share what you learn with other people. Sweetly.

Not ... not fanatic. Alison, I went to Thailand.

You know, I learned the real Buddhism. You must believe. Not like that, okay?

You know, I went to Thailand. What did you do? Oh, we had a lot of classes.

What did you learn? Well, you know, it was pretty cool. Just as a friend, tell them something.

If they want to listen. If they don't want to listen, shut up. Especially if you didn't come with your husband or your wife.

Don't go home and say, You have to believe. Everything empty. Everything comes to me.

Okay? You must believe. That's the best way to guarantee that your wife or husband will never be a Buddhist.

Okay, just ... just happy. They're like, oh, we need some more money.

We need more money in our family. Okay, let's make a plan to give some money. Okay, like that, happy.

Okay, then when you share with other people, that makes the seed to have a teacher. And you must get that teacher ready now. Because they're going to help you in the darkest part of your death.

When you ask them to come in the darkest part of your death, how far do they have to travel? About this far, okay? Okay, coming from your mind.

[Speaker 2]
Okay, understand? Got it?

[Speaker 1]
Okay, they don't have to come from some other place. Yeah, coming from your seed. But if you don't have any seeds, they cannot come.

And in the deepest part of your death, you will say, lama, please come to me. No seeds. No lama.

Why? You didn't share with other people. Okay, in the darkest part of death, if you want help, refuge, three jewels.

I asked my teacher, how come there's not four jewels? He said, what are you talking about? I said, there's Buddha jewel, Dharma jewel, Sangha jewel.

Sangha jewel. Why no teacher jewel? Then he always give me the same answer.

Gukpa. Stupid question. I said, I know I'm stupid, but can you tell me?

He said, of course, all three jewels is your teacher. Not separate from three jewels. Your teacher is all three jewels.

So, you don't need a fourth jewel. Okay, so when you ask them to come, in the middle of death, you are inviting the three jewels. Okay?

Then they can help you. But you have to understand, you must plant the seed now. Share with other people.

Okay, I'll show you two kinds of sharing. Then we'll start the class. Okay.

Oh, Alison. I found this new thing in Phuket. What is it?

Everything come from seed. What's example? Money also come from seed.

How do you plant the seed? Four steps. What is the four steps?

Number one. What do you want? Oh, I want money.

What's number two? Find the other person wants to make some money. Like Dorje, okay?

Right? Dorje told me last night, if anyone wants to give away money to plant seed, he will volunteer to take the money. Just kidding.

Okay. Number two. Find a person to help.

Number three. Help them. Once a week for one hour.

Number four. Every night, before you go to sleep, think about the good seed. And that puts water on the seed.

Then you don't have to wait one thousand lifetimes for seed to open. Oh, Alison, those are four steps I learned in Thailand. Oh, really?

Yeah. You just plant the money with the four steps. Then comes, in English we say, moment of truth.

Moment of truth. Yeah, so how much money did you make? I'm broke.

Okay, that's one way to teach. Just talk. And don't do it.

Here's the second way. You know, meet Alison. You go back to Guangzhou.

Xiamen, Xiamen. Meet Alison, you know. And she say, you know, what did you learn in Thailand?

Like, how to plant the seed. For what? You can plant anything, like boyfriend or money, you know.

Then big, handsome, rich guy come in the room. Understand? Example is better teacher than talking.

Then people believe you. So, if you want to plant a teacher, you must share what you learned. Even if you don't know all the detail.

You can say, I don't know all the details. But if you want a teacher, a three-jeweled teacher to help you in the deepest part of death, you must plant that teacher. How to plant that teacher?

By sharing. What's the best way of sharing? You must be living example.

You must be very happy person. You must be very nice person. Your practice must be good example.

I went to a meditation class by one lady. I just want to see how she's teaching. She's my student.

Then she was teaching meditation. And first she take some water. She's like ...

Okay, now cross your legs. Meditation make you very calm. You know?

Then I heard one lady in the back. I was sitting in the back. I heard her.

She said something to her friend. She said, I don't know what kind of meditation she's teaching, but I don't want to learn it. I don't know what kind of meditation she's teaching, but I don't want to learn it.

Okay, so best way to share, you must be good example. You have to use it yourself. Then you are automatic teacher.

You don't have to talk too much. People will copy you. If you look happy, you are kind to everybody, you are successful in your life, successful as a person, then of course people will ask you, what are you doing?

Last year you were so unhappy and you couldn't find a boyfriend. This year you look so happy. What are you doing?

Then you can share. When you share, you plant the seed for teacher. And then in the deepest part of death, that teacher will come to you.

Because they are not coming to you, they are coming from you. Okay? Alright, let's do the class.

We talked about two qualities of Buddha Jewels. Number one, they are not like old man Bob. Why?

They themselves are not like old man Bob. They themselves use the teaching and they are free. They are free.

They don't have suffering. It's not like you are drowning and you are asking help from another person who is drowning. Doctor, usual doctor is dying.

What do you call it? Stock market investment advisor? You have to ask yourself, why are they sitting in an office telling other people how to invest?

Because they need money. If they know how to invest, they don't need money. Understand?

So, the person who help you should be someone who already help themselves. So, Buddha is like that. Buddha is already free.

Buddha doesn't have to die. Buddha is staying with all the family members who died before. When you reach your Buddha paradise, all the ones you love, ones you lost, they will be there.

And they will also be Buddha. So, they don't need anything. They are happy.

So, number one quality of Buddha jewel, they are free of problems. Number two, they know how to teach. They are not like expert piano player who doesn't like to teach other people.

Okay? So, two qualities so far. Number one, they are free.

They are not like other drowning person like doctor or stock market or ... okay? Number two, they like to teach and they are good at teaching.

Now we reach the third one. Nick, you can look up ... kun la thug, K-U-N-L-A-T-H-U-G-S.

Is Nick there? Oh, you got it? K-U-N-L-A-T-H-U-G-S.

Yeah, good. Okay. Gyutzen Tsongpa Ni, what's the third quality of a Buddha?

K-U-N-L-A-T-H-U-G-S-C-H-E-Y-C-H-E-N-P-O-N-Y-A-R-I-N-G-M-A-N-P-A-R-JUG-PA-D-DAS They love all people equally. Not just all people, but all living creatures. You guys ready with that Brazilian boy?

Okay, so, just for fun, I'm going to show you a video. And it's a good time to show it. You guys ...

Sorry? It's English, should I translate? It's in Chinese also.

Good, okay. It has subtitle. Oh, good.

I think, right? Are you guys ready? Coming?

Yeah, go. Let's watch a small movie.

[Speaker 2]
This is a real movie, it's not a ... Mom? It's in the fish market.

Did the monster cut it like this? He did. Why?

So we can eat it, otherwise we would have to swallow it whole. But, why? So we can eat it, just like the ox and the chicken.

The chicken? Nobody eats the chicken.

[Speaker 1]
Nobody eats the chicken?

[Speaker 2]
Yeah, I know more.

[Speaker 1]
Yeah?

[Speaker 2]
Yeah. But let's eat the chicken. Eat the potato, then.

Just the potato and the rice. Okay. Neither the ox nor the animals.

Okay. All of these are the animals. Fish are the animals.

The ox is the animals. Dog is the animals. The cow is the animals.

The pig is the animals. Yeah. So, if we eat the animals again, they die.

Yeah. Why? So we can eat them, my love.

Because they die. What? I don't like that they die.

Okay.

[Speaker 1]
So, the third quality of Buddha. They help everybody equally. Okay.

NYE RING CHAG MED PA If DE MED NA, if they're not like that, NYE RING GI BDUN ZAD LA they will just help their friends. DRA'I BDUN MI ZAD KYANG and they will not help the people they don't like. SANGS RGYAS LA NI BRAL BAR KUN LA NYE RING MI SNGA BA'I So, because the Buddha is equal towards everybody, KUN LA RDO BA'I DRA LAS BYIN means Devadatta who tried to kill him and his own son.

So, Buddha had a son, right? Son's name is Rahula. Then he helped Devadatta and his own son Rahula equally his whole life.

Those two were with him his whole life. One is always trying to kill him. The other is his own son who loved him very much.

But Buddha treated them equally. Okay, that's the third quality of Buddha. LAS BYIN GYI SANGS RGYAS LA BRAL SEMS KYI MED MA SOD PA'I MA SHU BA'I GNAS KYI SNAR BA NA Then there's a famous story and then we'll take a break.

And it's only one minute story, don't worry. So one day, I don't know, Devadatta got sick and he got some kind of fever. Then the Buddha came to see him and, are you okay?

Then Devadatta said, no, no, I'm sick. Then Buddha said, you know, how can I help you? Devadatta said, you give me that big pills that you take when you're sick.

Then Buddha said, no, no, no, you cannot take those pills. Why? They're too strong for you, they will hurt you.

Then Devadatta's number one quality is jealousy. My specialty also. Then he said, I can eat any medicine you can eat.

Then he took the pills. Then he almost died. Okay, then he's going to die.

Legend of Darchin said, NYID LA CHAGS PA'I THUGS NYAMS PAS And because Buddha want to help him, DEN GZIG GSUNG Okay, those of you learning Tibetan, DEN GZIG is a nice word. DEN GZIG DEN GZIG DEN GZIG Okay. DEN GZIG means a very beautiful thing in Buddhism.

It's called act of truth. Okay, and a famous example, someone like Buddha can go to Varanasi, stand at the side of the Ganges River, and the DEN GZIG always begins with, if it's true, DEN GZIG If it's true, I love Devadatta who tried to kill me, and my own son, equally. If it's true, Ganges River should flow backwards today.

Then there's and Ganges River stop flowing and go backwards. The river will flow up to Himalaya mountain. That's called the act of truth.

So, when Devadatta was dying, because he took the too powerful medicine, because he's jealous, then Buddha put hand on his head. If it's true, I love you equally to my own son, then you should be free from your sickness. Then suddenly Devadatta is like, open his eyes.

Wow, I feel great. What happened then? He's like, why you put your hand on my head?

Get your hand off my head. He got angry. Why you put your hand on my head?

Okay. Funny story. Okay, let's take a break.

10-15 minute break. Okay, let's start. First quality of Buddha, they are free from their own problems.

Then, if you go to someone for help, but they have the same problems as you, that's a sign they are not the three jewels. Okay, then second one, Buddha knows how to help us. So, sometimes you go to ...

I don't know, I go to a doctor, but they don't know how to inspire me to be healthy. Third one, Buddha doesn't feel some beings are closer and some beings are farther. That's why we showed the video.

Buddha doesn't think a fish is less important than a human. Buddha wants to help all living things. Equally.

Okay, now here's the fourth one. Then, I have a problem in my own life. When I meet a new person, you know, people say, oh, this is, I don't know, so-and-so from China or something.

Then I have many projects. They are all good projects, virtuous projects. But I have a bad habit.

When I meet somebody, I'm thinking, what project can I use them? I'm just thinking, how can I use them? My friends told me, you have this bad habit.

They call two meter rule. Two meters. If you come inside of two meters to Geshe Michael, he will give you a project.

He can't just be nice to you and be your friend. Then the fourth quality of Buddha jewel. They are not like that.

They don't want to use you. They just want to serve you. Okay, so that's it.

A lot of teachers have this problem. They meet someone and they're like, even though the goal is virtuous, they're looking at this person, what can they do for me? How can I use this person, even for my good project?

Then Buddha's not like that. Even if you are not useful to Buddha, Buddha will serve you. Okay, that's the fourth quality of Buddha jewel.

Then, This is a strange thing. When people get more money, many times they become more cheap. So, in my diamond company, every year we reached one million dollars sales.

Then the owner had a big Christmas party, spent one hundred thousand dollars. Then about ten years later, we reached a hundred million. Boss canceled Christmas party.

It means that some people, they get more money, they get more tight. So, we shouldn't be like that. Just help the people who help us.

We should especially look for people who are hopeless. They have no money. They have no friends.

In English we say they can't tie their shoes. Then in Buddhism, we have to help those people. Equally.

And if you have a choice, help someone who can help you or help someone who is helpless. Help the helpless one. Then there's a story when the Buddha was alive.

There was one monk who got very bad, like diarrhea. And cannot get out of bed. And Buddha came and cleaned up the poo-poo with his own hand and cleaned up the pee-pee with his own hand.

Then there was a super homeless person, young man. He tried to join the mafia, but mafia also kicked him out. Then Buddha accepted him and made him monk and helped him.

Then there was a famous king. He had a daughter named Dorje Ma. Which means girl of diamond.

And she's famous because she's super ugly. And she was very famous. And cannot find a husband.

She's so ugly that when she found a husband, he keep her inside a box. Then there's a famous story. I already told this story.

I went and got this story. But anyway, she asked Buddha. And she has a lot of faith in Buddha.

And her face changed. But Buddha doesn't care. You look nice or you don't look nice.

Buddha doesn't care what you look like. Buddha just want to serve you. Okay.

,KHYIM BDAG SDOGS BSTAN GYI BU LAS DBANG ZHES PA, ,GZHIN TU GSOS NA MEN PAS, ,SKYE NAS KHYIM MI NOR THAMS CAD RIN PA STONG NA, ,DRANG PO RGYUR PA'I SKABS TE DANG LHAN DU YOD PAS, ,DRANG PO TSUL GYIS KYANG SRAS MI NYE CING, Then there was a a lay person name is SDOGS BSTAN. And didn't have good karma. And then after he was born he wasted all his family's money.

And became a beggar. And then he joined some beggars group but still couldn't find any food. Then they changed his name.

They call him Mr. Bad Luck or something. Don't come near us. You are Mr. Bad Luck. ,GANG DU CING KYANG GOR ZAG MED PAR DRANG POR, ,GYUR YANG MA TSUL CING, Then even the beggars group kick him out. ,GNYE KHO NA'ANG DBANG DU MI CHUG PA SOGS, ,BRTZAM MI ZHIG PA SHA DAG CHUNG BA, He is so ugly nobody wants to stay with him. ,DE YANG SANGS RGYAS KYI KYANG ZHING BYAS SU GSUNGS, ,DE SKYAB ZHES SU RGYAS PA GSUNGS, Then Buddha took him in and took care of him.

,DE PHYIR SANGS RGYAS NI KUN LA THUGS BYED, ,CHEN PO NYUR RING MED PAR MA ZAD, So not only Buddha sees everyone as equal, but he doesn't care what you can do for him. And even if you can't do anything for him, he will still serve you. ,DE YANG TSE BA SNYING RJE CHEN PO MED NA, ,SKYAB CHU YANG SKYAB MI RDZAS PA SRID MA, ,SANGS RGYAS DE LA DE YOD PAS, ,SKYAB MA CHU RYANG SKYAB NGES PAR RDZAS PA YIN GSUNGS, If you don't have this kind of love, and people ask you, will you protect me?

Then it's possible you will refuse. But Buddha is not like that. It's interesting, Buddha is reading your mind all the time.

So there's a famous book about karma. Abhidharmakosha. Fourth chapter.

,LAS LAS GCIG RTEN NA TSOGS KHYAD, ,DE NYID SANGS PA'ANG DANG, ,DE BYED SANGS PA YID KYI LAS YIN NO, ,DE BYED RLU DANG SNGAGS KYI LAS, Opening lines on that. It means karma is three types. What you say, what you do, and what you think.

Which one is most important? Yeah, what you think. ,DE BYED RLU DANG SNGAGS KYI LAS, That line, the meaning is the mental karma always comes just before the talking and the doing.

So in one moment you think to say something. And then the next moment you say it. Then when you ask for help from Buddha, or you are in the middle of death, and you ask your teacher for help, they know what you're going to say before you say it.

Because they can read your mind. How many people's mind they can read? Everybody.

At the same time. So they are always watching everybody's mind. And they know what everybody's thinking.

So in Buddhism it doesn't help to close your door and do something bad. Because they know what you wanted to do bad before you closed the door. So you might as well be honest with the Buddha.

So when you're in your mind, when you think, I'm having trouble, I need help. They will come before you say it. Okay, got it?

You just have to think it. And they will come. Then some people say, okay Geshe-la, I don't have to do these prayers, you know.

SANGS RGYAS CHOS DANG, RDZOGS RGYAS CHOS RNAMS LA, BYANG CHUB PA DE DAG NI RGYAL TSUL KHRIMS Those two lines that we do every day. It's a I take refuge in the Three Jewels. So Geshe-la, I don't have to do that.

No, you have to do it. Why? They don't need it, you need it.

Why? When you hear your own words, it makes a seed. So yes, you have to do your prayers.

Some people ask me, if I do a retreat, and you ask me to say mantra, can I just close my eyes and do mantra in my mind? No, it's not the same. You have to say, OM NOM MANG THAG BU DAG NI RGYAL BA RDZOGS RGYAS CHOS RNAMS LA, BYANG CHUB PA DE DAG NI RGYAL TSUL KHRIMS Then you will hear what you say.

And that will make a seed in your mind. What's the other reason to say them out loud? Yeah, there are many spirits around us.

When you are doing your morning meditation, and you are alone, and you are doing mantra, in the jing, in the scripture, it says, do it loud enough that someone sitting like Stanley can hear you. Then all the spirits in the room can hear you. And it's a good seed for them.

Okay, cool. The next part of the Lam Rim, is how do you know when you are doing it right? To take shelter.

Then we're going to do that this afternoon. Because I want to tell you the story of the crazy elephant. So here's the story of the crazy elephant.

SANGS RGYAS BYAMS NAS DE RGYAL PO'I KHAR BU MED TSAL VYAG KA LAM BDAG KA GNAS PA NA ZHUGS SO Buddha was staying at Rajagrha, that same mountain. And he was in a special garden called VYAG KA LAM BDAG KA. DE'I TSE RGYAL PO'I MA SKYES DE LAM PO'I PHYIR DUG PA NOR BSKYANG ZHES PA BYA BA ZHES YOD PA Then that same ...

Now that prince became the king. Ajatashatru. How did he become king?

He killed his father. His father was a famous Dharma king. Bimbisara.

We'll talk about him in Buddha Buddha. YOD PA DE NYIN RE ZHING KHYIM NAS CHUNG BA NA Then the king is a little bit stupid and cruel. So every morning he said, my elephant needs some exercise.

Crazy war elephant. So he would just open the door and let the elephant to go walk around town to get exercise. Then anybody the elephant see, it will kill.

So every morning kill like lots of people who live in the city. RGYAL PO'I KHAB NA GNAS PA'I SKYE BA MTSOGS KYIS RGYAL PO'I MA SKYE DAG LA SU BA LTA PA Then the population of the city, of Rajagrha, they sent a message to the king. LHAG LAM PO'I PHYIR SDUG PA NOR BSKYANG SDUG RE ZHING GNAS NAS CHUNG BA NA LAM PO'I PHYIR DAG BSAM DANG BZHIN DO DANG GSUM DO RNAMS SU SKYE BA RMANG PO GANG DO PA RGYIS KYIS When you let your elephant out every morning, to the streets and the avenues and the intersections and the big intersections and the bigger intersections, good luck.

Sometimes I like to give the translator headache. It's very difficult to translate this way. It's exhausting.

So I'd like to thank Stanley and Xiaoping. I used to do it for one of my teachers, and it's exhausting. Okay, they said, you know, please keep the elephant in the house, okay?

It's like my neighbor. When it's time to go to sleep, he puts his dog outside. And then the dog barks all night.

Keep everybody awake. I don't know why I have to see inconsiderate person. LHAG LAM PO'I PHYIR SDUG BSKYEN RNAMS LA SKA MTSAR TE PHYI NAS SDUG RE ZHING MI YUNG BA SANGS LTA BU'I CHEN PO'I YANG BRAL DOGS SU TSAL RIGS SO So, they made an agreement.

When the king is going to send the elephant out for exercise, first they will make an announcement in town. The elephant's name is Dhanabala. So when the king is going to send out Dhanabala, first he will make an announcement.

RGYAL PO MED PAR DE BZHIN DU BYA'I KHYAD DANG ZHIG So then he told ... the king told his ministers. I agree to this request.

And please make sure we do it that way. Those of you who are interested in Tibetan language, the word he uses to please make sure is DANG. What's DANG usually mean?

Guarantee. Why did we talk about it before? Yeah, if you understand the pen, clearly, you get what we call DANG.

DANG is guarantee. You don't have to be born as animal anymore. Go to hell.

Okay? Or spirit? You get guarantee.

From the pen. Okay. RGYAL PO RLUNG PO RNAMS LA DGO BA GZHAN LDAN LAM PO CHE'I SDUG BSKYED RNAMS KHUGS GCIG DE RNAMS KYI LAM PO CHE'I SDUG BSKYED RNAMS KHUGS GCIG Then the king said, can you call the elephant handlers?

RGYAL PO MED PAR GZHAN LDAN RGYAL PO'I KHAB NA GNAD PA'I RGYAL BA'I RDZOGS KYIS RNAMS LA GSOL BA LAM PO CHE'I SDUG PA NOR KHYANG SDUG RE RE SHING GNAS GNAS BYUNG BA NA LAM PO CHE'I DANG SANGS DANG SHIM TOG DANG SUM TOG RNAMS SU RGYAL PO DANG MIN RTAG BA KHAR DOG PAR GYIS KYIS LAS DANG LAM PO CHE'I SDUG BSKYED RNAMS LA RGA RTZA DE PHYIN NAS SDUG RE RE SHING MI YUNG BAR SANGS RGYAS BRTAG PA'I DRIN PA RGYAL PO MED PAR GZHAN LDAN RGYAL PO'I KHAB NA RDZOGS SU RTZAL BA'I RIG PA SHES SU which just means in the future when you let the elephant out please make an announcement because he's squishing a lot of people RGYAL PO'I KHAB NA RDZOGS SHING MI YUNG BAR SANGS BRTAG PA'I DRIN PA RGYAL PO'I KHAB NA RDZOGS SHING then let's start tomorrow RGYAL PO'I KHAB NA RDZOGS SHING MI YUNG BAR SANGS RGYAL PO'I KHAB NA RGYAL PO'I KHAB NA RDZOGS SU then the elephant handler said yes, your majesty and they touched his feet in respect and they went home GYAL PO'I KHAM NA KHYIM DAG CHUG PA NOR MANG BA LONGS SPYOD CHE BA ZHIG GNAD PA DE Then in the city of Rajagirhar, there was a very rich man. SANGS RGYAS LA SOGS PA RGYAS RLONG GI RGYEN DU SANGS KHYIM DU SDUG BCU LA CHEN DANG SO Then in the city of Rajagirhar, there was a very rich man.

SANGS RGYAS LA SOGS PA RGYAS RLONG GI RGYEN DU SANGS KHYIM DU SDUG BCU LA CHEN DANG SO Then he decided to invite Buddha and his assistants, his attendants, to lunch at noon. LAS BYIN GYIS JI LTAR KHYIM DAG CHE DGE MO SHIG GYIS SANGS RGYAS LA SOGS PA DGE SLONG GI RGYEN DU SANGS KHYIM DU SDUG MDZOD LA CHEN DANG PA'I PHYIR NAS DE BLANG PO CHE SDUG BSKYED NA MU TIS KYI MTHO SHOG RGYA STONG RGYUR BA BYIN NAS SMRAS PA DE BA DA LA heard about the plan. Then he went to the elephant head monk and said, and he gave them a bribe.

And he said, Which means, tomorrow there's a monk named Gautama. He's coming with his attendants to have lunch at such and such a guy's place. And I'm giving you some money.

When you see Gautama pass the palace, let the elephant go right in front of him. And the crazy elephant will kill him. DE MED PAR BAR DE BZHIN DU RGYI LA SKYES They said, cool.

But please, can you roughly tell the king about this plan? Because they don't want to get in trouble when the elephant kills the Buddha. Then Devadatta went to the king.

If you don't want to make me the new Buddha, SKYES KYI SOGS DANG PHRAD NAS RGYAL SRID LA SDUG NA BDAG GIS KYANG RGYAS SBYONG RGA LTA MA ZAD LA THAMS CAD KHYER PA NYID CHE NAS Now look, we made you king. How did we do it? We killed your father.

Bimbisara. So, BDAG GIS KYANG RGYAS SBYONG RGA LTA MA ZAD LA THAMS CAD KHYER PA NYID CHE So, let's do the same thing with the Buddha. You know, let's kill him and then you can appoint me new Buddha.

And we will do it with the elephant. And we will send the elephant to kill him. Then the king said something interesting.

Didn't you hear what people say about Buddha? He duwa's the people who are not duwa. You learned that word yesterday.

Boom! Remember? When my lama's teaching the dog and me.

It's called duwa, right? Boom! Okay, so didn't you hear Buddha's job is to the people who didn't duwa yet, he duwa them.

In English, you can say the guy who breaks the people who are not broken yet. To break? Break is an old English word if you have a wild horse and then boom and you make a nice horse.

So, you are going to duwa the people who are not duwa yet. Then Devadatta said, I will break the breaker. I will duwa the guy who does the duwa.

So, he told the king about his plan. lampo che dukye nang gi tung du song de meypa shay yang dak gi rangpar che kyi kye kyi sang lampo che dangpa norkyongpay cheg Then he went back to the elephant handlers, and he said, okay, the king knows about everything, and the king agrees. So tomorrow, you have to let the elephant out just when the Buddha comes by the palace.

den ne lampo che dukye nang gi gyelpo kap gi tung du du dak che nye gyelpo kap na nepa'i tung mi shen den dak nyon chik sang lampo che dangpa norkyong tong kyi deway na kye chak tam je sang rang sungwa la dim shik che dakpa Then the elephant handlers made an announcement. Tomorrow, we'll be letting the elephant out. So, you know, be careful.

Don't go outside. It's going to be dangerous. khyim dakpay tse ne dak jawa chur ngenpa dak gi sanggye la sopa gelong yin gyen nun sang khyim du duk tu la chen dang na Then that guy who invited the Buddha for lunch, he said, oh man, that's bad luck.

I was going to give lunch to the Buddha at that time tomorrow. lampo che dukpa norkyong yang sangpo na dak gi sanggye la sopa gelong yin gyen nun chik dak duk tsul sungwa chak nyam te sengkong du chu ching dukgo Then he started thinking, you know, how can I invite the Buddha for lunch safely? yang sangpo ye che la de nyi du khyer te chen du de duk tsul sungwa chak nyam te de nyi ni nuk no tsang shing sepa'i sawa dang jawa dak dagang So, he says, I'll think about a safe way.

And he spent the whole evening getting lunch ready for the next day. Then chen ne nangpar ngar lang te chen du de kyi chen ngar sung ne Then very early in the morning, he got up early, and he went to talk to the Buddha. chen du de gyabpo kap tu du dak sang lampo che dangpa norkyong tong kyi khyer ja rang rang sungwa la dim shik che chiway deway na chen du de gyabpo kap tu ma shek shik We heard an announcement.

They're going to let the crazy elephant out tomorrow. You know, and I know I invited you for lunch. But I decided I should tell you, you shouldn't come.

It would be dangerous for you. shel se dang tungwa tsel de dag nyi du chi-yo I will bring the food to your house. chen de de kyi ga tsel pa kim dak khyer sem le chungwa gyi la This is a beautiful sentence in Tibetan.

kim dak khyer sem le chungwa gyi la Buddha gave an answer, don't think small. Think big. Don't think small.

shel se dang tungwa dag ngun choshek Get your food ready. de shi shepay ni langpa che nyangpa dang traway yinpe I ain't afraid of any crazy elephant. nga nyen trul gyi gendun tap ta chi gyabpo kap tu shek song We will be there, and we will be there on time.

de ne khyim dak de yi gang ne rang gi khyim du song te shel se dang tungwa dag ngun chek de ne khyim dak de yi gang ne rang gi khyim du song te shel se dang tungwa dag ngun chek So, the lay person went back to his house. He was very happy. He got all the food ready.

den sham ne chung de de la du ching du go And he prepared the special seat for the Buddha. den ne chung de de nga trul wa na nab sa chul gu nab lung se nam te gelong ngap yang dang tap chi du gyabpo kap tu shukpa na Then he got up early, put on his robes, took his special monk's bow, and asked 500 monks to go with him. And just when they were passing into the town, they let the crazy elephant go.

lampo che dangpa norkyong kyi chung de ne kyang rengpo ko na tongwo Then the elephant caught sight of a Buddha coming into town. tong ne kyang ging shing Then the ... ging is a special word.

It means the elephant went like this. You know, it's a special word. Okay, elephant ...

ke chung nik, bahhh!

[Speaker 2]
Bahhh!

[Speaker 1]
chong de te gang nawa log su mo la And start running towards the Buddha. den ne le drop chen ten gi kang sang gi shir dzek ne Den ne le jing kyi mak gi dang drok chenten gi kang sang gi shir dzek ne Devadatta is so happy. I've got to watch this, you know.

He climbed up a tall building. RGYAS SBYONGS PA LTAR MA SOGS PA LTA BU'I ZHING SDUG BSNGAL Now I get to watch Buddha get squashed. DE NAS LAS GCIG GIS BYUNG DU DE DE MTHONG BA DGA' BA DANG DGOS PA He saw Buddha coming.

He's so happy. SANGS RTOD DE GCIG TU BYAS PA MED PA Then he made a poem on this moment. LAM PO CHE LAS TE NA GYUR GYI LANG CHEN THUB GYIS PAS ZHAGS KYI'I PHUG KHYOD DE RING DU NYAN DU BYAS TE RE NYAM MED Oh Buddha Gautama, the crazy elephant has seen you.

And now you will be squashed by the elephant. You and all your stupid attendants. Today, do you have no hope anymore?

BYUNG DU DE GCIG TSAD DKA' TSAL PA Then the Buddha made a poem back. LAS BYIN NGAN KHYOD NGA LA NI KHYAD SEMS SBYOR DANG MA BAR BYED Stop blah blah. You're going to kill me?

RTOG CHUD LDAN DANG MED CHUNG BA'I RTOG CHUD TU LA BDAG TU ZHIG I have the ten powers of a Buddha. You want to see power? I'll show you power.

DE NAS BYUNG LAS BDE GYI BYA'I YES PA'I PHYIR NAS SEMS RGYAS REL PA CHEN NGA'A PHRU DO And the Buddha put his hand like that. And he sent five lions out of his hand. Elephants have a very sensitive nose.

Then he smelled the lion's smell. And boom! Right away he poo-poo and pee-pee.

He's so scared. SHOR DE GRUB PA TZAM LA And he started to run away. BYUNG LDAN DE NYID KYI ZHAG GIS CHUNG CHANG ZHIG GSOD PA RGYUR PA MA RTOG PA CHO THAMS CAD PAR Then the Buddha went like this.

And he made the ground around him and his 500 students. Just like Phuket air conditioning. All around him.

Then he sent a fire. Whole sky is fire. He and his students have an air conditioner.

But he sent fire to the elephant. In one huge flame, almost as big as the street. Then the elephant really go crazy.

Just running around. Then he's like, huh, there's an air conditioning over there. Those guys have air conditioning around them.

I'll go over there. RGYUR PA MA RTOG PA CHO THAMS CAD PAR DGOS NAS RANG RANG MED CIG RTEN LHAG PA'I DUNG NGO NOR KHYUNG THUG NAS Then he got confused. But still he's acting very crazy.

Then all the Buddha's disciples, and the main one was Ananda. I'll teach you some Sanskrit, okay? One of the Buddha's most important disciples, his name is Ananda.

So, in Sanskrit, if the first sound is ah, it means very much. Then nanda means happy person. So, Ananda means very happy person.

Now there's a problem. In Sanskrit, if you say short A, short A sound like uh, uh, long A sound like ah. Okay, Ananda.

But if you make short A, Ananda. Short A means not. So, Ananda means unhappy person.

Okay, so when you pronounce Sanskrit, you have to be very careful. Okay, don't say Ananda. That means Mr. Unhappy. You have to say Ananda. Okay, that means super happy. Anyway, in this case, Ananda didn't have faith, he got scared, he jumped into the sky and fly.

It means he also didn't trust the Buddha. Then the other 499 arhats also fly. They're like, oh, number one disciple doesn't trust Buddha, we also will fly.

So, they flew off into the sky. Then in NGOR KHYONG BRTAD PA'I SHU BRTAN BRTAD PA'I BRTEL GYI BRAL BAR BRAL GYI Then the elephant come to the Buddha's slum. Very fang sung.

Very fang sung, relaxed. BRAL BA DE KYI BYANG RGAGS SONG BA DANG Came up to the Buddha. BRAL BA DE CHAGS KHOR LO DANG BRTA SHES DANG YON DANG KHYOD PA'I RGAN PA GSOS RNAMS RGYA LTAG SDUG MED SKYED PAR BRAL PA RNAMS Then the Buddha took his hand, which has the wheel, right?

Then Buddha also has some other signs. Okay, lucky signs. like this endless knot.

It looks like he has tattoos. Then he reached out his hand, and he put his hand on the elephant's head. Then he said a poem, a small poem.

LANG BYIN RDZOGS LA NI THO MA TZAM LANG BYIN DE LA THO TZAM SDUG BSNGAL RGYUR RDZOGS LA GNOD PAR BYED PA'I PHA ROL DU RDZO BA BSAM PAR RGYUR PA MA YIN NO Then he said, you know, Mr. Elephant, just calm down. If you act like this crazy, you make a lot of bad karma. Just calm down.

Be nice. I'm the boss of all the monks. Then if you hurt me, it's a really bad karma.

SHIN TZAM GYUR LAS SHING SNGON GYI GNOD PAR BYED PA'I MED DU DON DUR GYI GNAS KYIS NA GYUR LTA DUNG GZHAN GYI SOGS CHOS CAN GZHANG Then he called him SHIN TZAM. Say SHIN TZAM. SHIN TZAM You beautiful one.

Okay, he called the elephant. After that, he always called the elephant, you beautiful one. He always called him...

After that, he always called the elephant, you beautiful one. You know, he said, you beautiful one. Now, why did you get born as an elephant?

Because you hurt people. Now, as an elephant, you're also hurting people. Then, if you keep doing that, what do you think is going to happen when you reach the darkest point of your death?

What kind of seed is going to open? SHIN TZAM Oh, beautiful one. DE LTA BA'I NA DU BYED THAMS CAD NI SDUG BSNGAL So, I want to just...

you should understand something. Everything that is born will die. Nothing...

I'm sorry. Nothing is not coming from you. NYANG NGAN LAS BRTAN PA NA ZHIG BA If you can reach Nirvana, that's real peace.

Then, you should have more faith in me. And stop acting like this. You won't have to be an animal anymore.

KHYIM BDAG GIS KHYIM GANG RNAMS PA DER ZHES TE CHOS NAS Then the elephant was like calmed down. And Buddha said, let's go to lunch. Okay.

Then... ZHES TE CHOS NAS Then he went to the guy's house for lunch. Then the elephant started to follow him.

Like a pet cat or dog. And the Buddha went in the guy's house. Then problem.

Elephant want to be with him. Elephant is like, where did Buddha go? Where did Buddha go?

He went in this small hole called the door. He said, I should also go. Then he tried to go through the door.

And he is breaking all that guy's house. Then the Buddha is like, what can we do? Then the Buddha went.

Whole house turned into crystal. Then the elephant can see Buddha. Then he is happy.

Oh, Buddha is right there. Then the elephant sit down outside. Then Buddha can enjoy his lunch.

DE CHEN PO DE LA MTHONG NA MA ZHIG GO MA ZHIG GO means he decided not to destroy the house. He can see his daddy. BYAMS TE DE NYEN THUGS KYI RGYAS RNAMS LA THABS CIG TU GDUG TSUL GSOD NAS Then they ate their lunch.

YIN LONG BA RDZAS DE They made prayers for the man who made the lunch. Then they start to go back to the monastery. And the elephant is following him like a dog.

Like his pet. Then the assistants of the king, they told the king, we have bad news. You lost your elephant.

He became Buddha's pet. MA RGYAS DRA ZAD RGYAS LA MED PA Then the bad king blamed Devadatta. That elephant was very useful.

When I had that elephant, the other country's kings won't fight with me. Now because of you, I lost my elephant. My man-killer elephant became a pet dog.

DE BYANG MI MA BAR SDUG BSGOM Then Devadatta had to sit like this. And couldn't say anything. RGYAL PO RLUNG PO RNAMS LA SGO BA GANG GIS TSE CHOM LDAN DE PHYIR CHUNG BAR RGYUR PA'I DE TSE BLANG PO CHE DANG PA RLUNG BA JI LTAR YANG CHOM LDAN DE KYI PHYIS SHING DANG BA MI RGYUR DGOS CHOS LA ZHOGS GCIG Then the king told his ministers, You stop this!

I don't want to see my elephant walking around like a pet of a Buddha. I don't care how you do it. Just do it.

It's like me and Jigme. I don't care how you do it. Just do it.

RLUNG PO RNAMS KYI RLUNG PO CHE SDUG BSGOM RNAMS LA SGO BA Then of course the assistants of the king go to the assistants of the assistants of the king and say, I don't care how you do it. Just do it. You got to stop this pet thing.

Then they went to the elephant when the Buddha wasn't looking, which of course is impossible. And they held his trunk and they put stones on the trunk when he was sleeping. They killed the elephant.

The elephant couldn't breathe. They killed the elephant. Then the elephant was reborn in the temporary heaven of the four great kings.

Then what always happens when you are born in a temporary heaven? Yeah, you know three things. Where did you come from?

Where did you die? What karma did you do? So that deity, he's like, oh wow, I was an elephant before.

And then I met the Buddha and I died. And I got born here. And I got...

Then suddenly he felt great faith for Buddha. Then the deity who used to be the elephant, then I would like to go and meet the Buddha and pay respect to the Buddha. So the next morning he got up.

He put on all his jewelry. Put on all his jewelry. Semodo means like a jeweled vest.

Then he made a, what do you call? Flower bouquet. A group of flowers.

Like you guys are giving me when I come. And there are all the beautiful flowers that the gods have. They are called utpala.

Daytime lotus. Blue lotus. Pema, which is pink lotus.

Kumuda is a special nighttime lotus. And mandarawa, which is another kind of lotus. And he came down to the garden of Vyakalandaka, where the Buddha was staying.

And a bright light came through the whole garden. Through the flowers on the Buddha. Then the Buddha checked his mind.

This former elephant, he looked into his mind and he said, I should teach him something. You know, we have karma connection. Then he checked his mind.

He said, I will teach him four truths. Everything is pain. There's a reason.

You can stop it. Find the path. Then he taught him carefully.

Four truths. LUNG GI LANG PO BYED LHA'I BU GCIG RTZOL LA LTA' BA'I RIG RTZE MO NYID SHES MTHO BA Then he crushed that former elephant's habit of thinking that things are coming this way. RGYUD DU ZHIG PA'I BRAL BU'G NGON TZAM DU BYED PA'I BSTAN PA MTHONG NAS And that former elephant saw emptiness directly.

Then that former elephant said to Buddha, You know, you did what my father couldn't do for me. You did what my mom couldn't do for me. You did for me what the king cannot do for me.

You know, you did what nobody can do for me. You made me Arya! He's very happy.

MTHONG DU DE SKYES BDAG LA RDZAS DE THAG LTA'I PHYI MA'I RGYAL TZAM NI BSKAM Then that former elephant said to the Buddha, I was living in the ocean of tears and blood. The bones of the bodies that I have died in are as big as a mountain. You have closed the door to the lower realms.

You have opened the doors to nirvana. Thank you. Thank you.

Because of you, I reached nirvana. I'm not going to read you the whole thing. It's a long poem.

I'm not going to read you the whole poem. It's a long poem. DE NAS NGON LAM PO'I PHYIR PHYIR PHYIR PA'I LHA'I BU TSUM PA BSKYED PO NYES PA LTA BU DANG Then that elephant who became a deva, he felt happy.

How happy? Like a businessman who got unexpected profit. Like a farmer who got double crops.

Like a soldier who killed everybody on the battlefield. Like a guy who had very bad cancer and now doesn't have any cancer. Like a guy who had very bad cancer and now doesn't have any cancer.

That's too long. Then all the monks asked him, who is this guy? Then Buddha said, you don't remember that crazy elephant?

He was the elephant. It's okay. The story's not too long.

Okay. Then the monks asked a good question. They said, this is strange.

This guy just became Arya. But he tried to kill Buddha. Then how can he have a karma to become Arya?

They started to doubt. Maybe Buddha said, this is the guy who was the elephant. Then the monks are like, cannot be.

In his past life he tried to kill Buddha. He cannot become Arya in this life. CHEN PO'I DE'I GYI RKA TZAM PA, DGE SLONG THAG, NOR BSKYANGS DI NYID KYI LAS TSOR NYES PA SKYE YANG YONGS SU RGYUR BA OD PA SHIN TU NYE BAR NYES PA SDOD MI SA BAR BYUNG BA RGYUR BA LAS BDAG CING ZHAGS PA'I ZHES BYA BA NI LUS DANG LUS CAN DU BDE BAR GYUR BA Then the Buddha said a long verse.

And it's very famous. LAS RNAMS SKABS PA RGYAL YANG NI CHOS MI SA BA'ANG SOGS DANG BDOD NYES LA LUS CAN RNAMS LAG NI DE BU BDAG TU RGYUR BA NYID He said, don't forget, karma seed can last a million years. Many million years ago, he was a good person.

And he made good seeds. And then later he died because the seeds didn't open in that life. Because he didn't do coffee meditation.

He didn't do that meditation before sleeping. If you don't do that meditation, it doesn't matter. You do very nice things for people.

Those seeds will have to wait behind millions of other seeds. Then don't get discouraged. Many people told me, oh Geshe-la, I went to the nursing home.

I helped an old lady for one year. Nothing happened. Then I always ask them, did you do coffee meditation?

No. That's like saying I planted watermelon but I didn't put any water on it. Geshe-la, why I didn't get watermelon?

I had a ballet teacher. She taught me one word. Duh!

Because you are stupid. You plant the watermelon, you didn't put any water. Me and Scott were in Shanghai.

I told you this story. I gave a talk like this. When I left, there's one guy outside.

He's very nervous. Geshe Michael, I have to talk to you. I can talk to you.

I said, look, I'm tired, you know. I'm going to my room. No, I got to talk to you, I got to talk to you.

I said, okay, let's walk to my room. You can ask me questions. He said, you remember me?

I was in Shanghai last year. I said, look, I'll tell you the truth. I meet 20,000 people every year.

I can't remember everybody. I'm sorry. He said, yeah, but you taught me four steps.

I said, yeah, okay. Then he said, then I tried it. Then I didn't get what I wanted.

Then I'm like, you know, I don't remember, what did you want? He said, I told you I want ten million dollars in one year. Then I said, what happened?

I didn't get it. I'm walking with Scott on him. Then I know I should ask him, I should check, did he do the four steps?

We are walking to my room. Did you do step number one? Yes, yes.

Then I check his eyes. Okay, why? I learned in the diamond business, just before someone lies, they will look down.

So, I check his eyes. Did you do step number one? Yeah.

What's step number one? Decide what I want. What did you want?

Ten million dollars. He did not look down. I said, okay, he's telling the truth.

Then I go to step number two. Did you do step number two? Yes.

What's step number two? I'm supposed to find a person who wants a similar thing. Did you do it?

Yes. What was the person? He's my friend.

He has an export business like me. He wants to make millions of dollars. Did you do step number three?

Yes. What's step number three? Once a week, I'm supposed to help him to make his dream come true.

And I did it every week. Then I watched very carefully his eyes. Did you do step number four?

Yeah. I said, no you didn't. He said, well, many times I did.

I said, did you do it every night? No. Okay, then I said, don't bother me.

That's why you didn't get what you want. That's why nothing happened. You have a good seed, but there's no water on the seed, so it didn't grow.

That's why nothing happened. Then he got more upset. He's like, I didn't say nothing happened.

I said, something happened. Yes. What happened?

I only make eight million dollars. Then I told Scott, I wish we have this problem. But when you're a teacher, you have to be very tough to the students.

So I said, very bad. Only eight million dollars? What's wrong with you?

We should do step number four. Please do step number four. Okay.

And this verse, which the Buddha say at this moment, LAS RNAMS SKABS PA RGYAL YANG NI CHOS MI SA'AM SOGS DANG BSDUG NYES NA LUS CAN RNAMS LA NI BRAL BU DAG TU RGYUR BA NI It means, that seed which is planted in the mind, if it doesn't get water, it will stay for a million years. Okay? It will not disappear.

Nothing can make a karma seed disappear from your mind. Then he said, DGE SLONG DAG NGON CHUNG BA RGAGS PA SANGS PO RDI NYID NA SKYE DGOS RNAMS KYI TSE LO NI THI THUB PA NA So, many millions of years ago, in this world, when people's lifetime is 20,000 years long, JI BSTAN DU BSTAN PA SANGS RGYAS BYAMS DANG DE RIGS PA DANG BSHABS SU BSTAN PA DE BAR BSHAD PA JI BSTAN KHYEN PA RGYAL BU BSDUG PAS RGAGS DU RGYUR BA NA RNAMS MED PA LA RNAMS MI RNAMS KYI BSTAN PA OD TSUNG This is very famous verse.

There was a Buddha named Kashyapa. And he lived in those days. LA RNAMS MI RNAMS KYI BSTAN PA He lived in Varanasi.

DRANG SOGS MA'O RIG RAG GI NA NA ZHUGS SO He also visited the forest near Varanasi very often. DE BSTAN PA LA DI RAB TU CHUNG DE ZHAL TE BYAS PA NA DE NA DI LAGS PA'I ZHIG GRAM MO RAB NA NA GUS PA MA BYAS PA DE LAS KYIS RNAMS PA MED PA BSDUN DU BSKYED PAR RGYUR And there was a yogi who was studying with him. But he didn't respect the small rules of that Buddha.

Small vows. So because of that, he was born as an animal. An elephant.

DE NA DI RGYEN RIN LA GUR TE BYED PA'I LAS KYIS RNAMS PA MED PA GANG YIN PA DE SA BA DANG LTUNG BA THOB PAR GYUR TO But, he had a lot of food and water in the king's palace. That's because he respected the monks. SNGA LA SEMS SNGON PAR BDE PAR BYED DE ZHIG BAR DANG GANG YIN PA DE RGYAL CHEN ZHIG RIGS LA RNAMS KYI RNAMS DU BSKYED SO And because of his faith in me, when he was my pet, he was born into this temporary paradise.

YANG LTA BU RDZOGS PA'I SANGS RGYAS OS SU LA RAB LTAG ZHUNG NAS BSLAB PA DANG SNOD PAR BYED ZHING PHUNG PO LA BSKYED PAR GYUR KHAM LA BSKYED PAR GYUR KHYAD CIG LA BSKYED PAR GYUR RTEN CING BRAL BA'I BCUNG NGON LA BSKYED PAR BYED PA'I GANG YIN PA DE LAS GYUR NAS SNGA LA LDAN PAR MTHONG BAR BYED SO And because, in the former life, he studied with that other Buddha, especially he studied emptiness, he was born into this temporary heaven, and he was able to study with me, and he was able to see emptiness.

Then there's a long verse, very famous, about black karma and white karma, and mixed karma. So, usually people cannot do 100% pure white karma. When we give donation to somebody, there's always some pride.

I hope people hear about it. You know, how much money did I give? So, it's very rare for us to do 100% pure white karma.

So, there's a famous verse that Buddha taught after the story of the elephant, you know, that people usually it's difficult to do a karma which is 100% pure white. Usually we mix up with some negative motivation. And so, we call it GAR NA LEN DE.

It's called mixed black and white. Okay? And that's the story of the elephant.

Okay? You survived the story of the elephant. Okay.

Thank you.