«Дар освобождения», курс 24 «Пустой Будда — высшая защита», занятие 8

[Speaker 1]
Thank you.

[Speaker 2]
Let's meditate. Cell phone off.

[Speaker 1]
Clear your throat.

[Speaker 2]
Siri asked me, what did you say?

[Speaker 1]
We're meditating. Be quiet. In the future, Siri will meditate with you.

Then please relax your forehead. And you can focus on that spot in your forehead. It will help you concentrate.

Relax your mouth. Little smile. Pull in your stomach just a little bit.

[Speaker 2]
Soft eyelids.

[Speaker 1]
Shoulders a little bit back.

[Speaker 2]
Shoulders down.

[Speaker 1]
And then please come to your breath. We'll focus on our breath for a few minutes. Long exhales.

As you start to focus and concentrate, be careful not to tighten your face. Then please imagine you're standing in the dark.

[Speaker 2]
Complete dark.

[Speaker 1]
And in the distance you can see a candle flame. Very quiet. And nothing else.

And then the flame gets bigger. And you walk through the flame. And on the other side everything is dark again.

[Speaker 2]
到另外一側也是一片漆黑。

[Speaker 1]
Then there's a soft white light at the horizon. 然後看到在地平線上出現了柔軟的白光。 Like the first light of the dawn.

像是日出的第一道光。 And slowly it gets bigger.

[Speaker 2]
直到整個天空都布滿這種柔軟的白光。

[Speaker 1]
Then there's a dark red light.

[Speaker 2]
Of the sunset. 日落的紅光。

[Speaker 1]
And then darkness again.

[Speaker 2]
You can sit down.

[Speaker 1]
And then a deeper darkness. And a very deep darkness. You're almost unconscious.

Your mind is very deep on a single small point like a tip of a needle.

[Speaker 2]
你的意識非常深入的專注在小小的一個如同針尖的點上。

[Speaker 1]
And in that place comes a feeling or color like crystal. 然後從那一點出現了水晶的感覺。 And inside of that comes your teacher.

Sitting with you. Very peaceful. So sit with your teacher for a few minutes.

[Speaker 2]
Just quiet. 安靜就好。 Calm.

[Speaker 1]
The teacher is sitting outside.

[Speaker 2]
In front of you.

[Speaker 1]
Now try to bring your mind inside your own head. 腦袋內部。 And imagine there's a small copy of your teacher.

[Speaker 2]
Inside your own mind.

[Speaker 1]
So there's now two teachers. 現在有兩個老師。 One is full size sitting outside.

And the other is inside.

[Speaker 2]
Inside your mind.

[Speaker 1]
About the size of your thumbnail.

[Speaker 2]
現在請花點時間專注在內在的拇指大小的上師裏。

[Speaker 1]
Very bright like made of light coming from the inside like an electrical light bulb. 從內往外的。 And still there's a full size Lama sitting outside.

And inside there's a much brighter one. Small inside your mind. 在你的意識裏面。

Let's spend some time with the one inside your mind. Enjoy watching their face. Enjoy the feeling you have with them.

And we'll stay for a few minutes.

[Speaker 2]
我們會在這裏停留幾分鐘。

[Speaker 1]
Now imagine the Lama on the outside.

[Speaker 2]
現在看看外在的上師。

[Speaker 1]
Comes to the top of your head.

[Speaker 2]
來到你的頭頂。

[Speaker 1]
Becomes very small.

[Speaker 2]
它變得非常小。

[Speaker 1]
And sinks into the top of your head.

[Speaker 2]
然後從你的頭頂沉入你的身體。

[Speaker 1]
Into the small one.

[Speaker 2]
進入到內在的小上師那裏。

[Speaker 1]
And they come down your spine.

[Speaker 2]
沿著脊椎下沉。

[Speaker 1]
Into your heart.

[Speaker 2]
到你的心。

[Speaker 1]
And they get very small.

[Speaker 2]
他們變得非常的小。

[Speaker 1]
Like a piece of sugar. 像一粒糖。

[Speaker 2]
And inside that crystal 在那顆水晶糖裏。 Is your teacher. 就是你的老師。

[Speaker 1]
Very quiet.

[Speaker 2]
非常安靜。

[Speaker 1]
And very happy.

[Speaker 2]
而且非常的快樂。

[Speaker 1]
Then please come to your breath.

[Speaker 2]
請回到呼吸上。

[Speaker 1]
Three deep breaths.

[Speaker 2]
三次深呼吸。

[Speaker 1]
And slowly you can open your eyes.

[Speaker 2]
慢慢地可以睜開雙眼。

[Speaker 1]
Take a stretch. 拉伸一下身體。

[Speaker 2]
The inside lama, the little one, 內在那個小小的上師。

[Speaker 1]
Very bright.

[Speaker 2]
非常的光亮。 That's the real one. 那是真正的那位。

[Speaker 1]
Inside your mind.

[Speaker 2]
在你的意識裏的那位。

[Speaker 1]
And the outside one, the big one, that's just a reflection of the little one. 那只是小小的上師的一個反應而已。 So it's not real, the outside one.

[Speaker 2]
所以外在的那個不是真實的。

[Speaker 1]
We think the opposite.

[Speaker 2]
我們的理解卻是相反的。 You know, if I close my eyes, or I have a dream about my lama, 如果我閉上眼睛,然後睡覺, 做了一個關於我上師的夢。

[Speaker 1]
They are just inside my head, they are not real.

[Speaker 2]
我們就想說, 他們只是在我腦袋裏面,不是真實的。 And when I meet them, and I talk with them, 然後當我遇到外面的上師跟他們對話, 就以為那個是真實的。 但是真相卻是相反的。

在你意識當中小小的那一位, 那才是真實的。 從一顆業力種子出來。

[Speaker 1]
如果你看著意識當中小小的那位, every second, 每一剎那, 65 pictures coming out of seeds.

[Speaker 2]
65個照片從種子出來。

[Speaker 1]
65 seeds opening every second.

[Speaker 2]
每一秒鐘有65顆種子打開。

[Speaker 1]
I like to think of a fountain.

[Speaker 2]
我喜歡把它想成一個噴泉。

[Speaker 1]
And the fountain has a shape.

[Speaker 2]
噴泉是有個形狀的。

[Speaker 1]
The water has a shape.

[Speaker 2]
但實際一直都在變化當中。 新的水噴出來, 每一秒都在噴。 但是這個形狀是保持不變的。

[Speaker 1]
所以你意識裏面的上師, 小小的圖片, 也是這麼出來的。

[Speaker 2]
如果你去看看你意識裏面的那位上師, 觀察幾分鐘, 就成千上萬的種子, 打開結束。 那我們感覺呢? 噢,格西老師啊,我意識裏面的那一位啊。

我可以去想像。

[Speaker 1]
But it doesn't feel as real as the one that I talk to, and I meet with them, and we have coffee together.

[Speaker 2]
就是跟我們那一位在對面跟他談話交流, 見得到一起喝咖啡的那位上師, 沒有那位上師那麼真實。 但是那一位外在的上師, 不來自於你的那一位, 就跟在廚房裏面的丈夫是一樣的, 就罵著你的那一位。 你就以為說他之所以會罵你是因為他想要罵你, 但實際是來自於你的。

所以啊,廚房裏面總是有兩位丈夫在。 一位之所以跟你說話是因為他們想要跟你說話。 一位是在上一周你因為對你兩個孩子的行為言語種下的種子所創造出來的。

第二位丈夫才是真實的。

[Speaker 1]
第一位不是。 看上去是。

[Speaker 2]
看上去像丈夫決定要來罵你。 但實際不是。 他是來自於你的。

[Speaker 1]
所以你們要習慣這一點。

[Speaker 2]
如果這是正確的, 如果這是真實的, 那你在生活當中採取的每一個行動都是錯誤的。 吃, 工作, 愛著家人, 跟你的朋友對話, 到現在為止你所做的一切, 都是錯誤的。 因為你對他們的感覺是錯誤的。

那些人不是在外面。 他們是你意識當中的圖片。 當我這麼說的時候啊, 你會有生起另外一種錯誤的感覺。

噢,格西老師,如果這是對的話, 那我不就只是活在我的意識當中。 就沒有真實的世界了。 沒有朋友了。

[Speaker 1]
沒有丈夫了。

[Speaker 2]
沒有真正的老師了, 因為他們只是一些小小的意識當中的照片而已,圖片而已。 這是我們叫做的第二種錯誤。 你一輩子當中的第一種錯誤呢?

就覺得那些人在外。 他們是從這邊來的。 那一些上士就跟你解釋說, 不對,不對,他們是你業力的一些圖片創造的。

一個意識當中光亮的圖片。

[Speaker 1]
然後你去到了第二種錯誤那邊。

[Speaker 2]
噢,格西老師,那我就只是活在我自己的意識裏了。 我一輩子就像一場夢一樣。

[Speaker 1]
那也是錯的。

[Speaker 2]
他們是存在的。 他們是真實的。 他們也是從你的種子出來的。

[Speaker 1]
就這樣。 不要犯這個錯誤。

[Speaker 2]
也不要犯這個錯誤。

[Speaker 1]
龍樹大師說, 你的生活就像, 你在印度開車的時候, 有時候我們會去另外一家寺廟跟他們辯經。 要開幾百里。

[Speaker 2]
但是在印度就是要開個十幾個小時才會到。

[Speaker 1]
那你開車就要非常小心,因為那個道路非常的狹窄。

[Speaker 2]
然後農夫在道路的兩旁都造了這種溝渠。 所以很多車都會掉到一邊去。 要不掉左邊,要不掉右邊。

我們的生活就像是這樣。

[Speaker 1]
你們總是掉到這一邊。

[Speaker 2]
噢,先生是從這一邊來的。 孩子是從這一邊來的。

[Speaker 1]
其實你看著的是意識當中小小的圖片。

[Speaker 2]
如果你相信的話, 你就會感覺有點不太舒服。 噢,格西老師,那一切都不是真實的了。

[Speaker 1]
就好像我的意識當中有一本漫畫書一樣。

[Speaker 2]
一輩子啊,我生活的整個生命就好像一本意識裡面的漫畫一樣。

[Speaker 1]
那也是一個錯誤的理解。

[Speaker 2]
對佛陀的偉大的正確理解。 就是,沒錯,你看著的是意識當中光亮的圖片。 但是它們是真實的。

但是你現在以為你在看的對象, 在外的丈夫,決定要跟你來說話, 那就是不真實的。 所以你們要去習慣這一種。 在死亡最深刻的時刻, 在最後的那一片深度的漆黑後, 氣在我們心輪裡面一個小小的點裡面聚集。

就幾分鐘的時間。 那個時候你跟空性非常的接近。 一切變得像水晶一般。

在經文中, 他們說那個時刻是什麼樣的感覺? 在九月份或十月份的時候, 如果你有去鑽石山的話, 就是超級清澈的天空。 這個星星真的如此的閃亮。

[Speaker 1]
我們有一位中國的朋友來到鑽石山。 他們從來都沒見過那樣的星星。

[Speaker 2]
鑽石山那個區可能有著全世界最清新的空氣之一的地方。 要買一袋方便麵, 買好的一袋。

[Speaker 1]
就是你要開四個小時才能買得到。

[Speaker 2]
所以這是一個特別好的做閉關的地方。

[Speaker 1]
超級的安靜, 而且很乾淨。

[Speaker 2]
然後他們看著那些星星啊。

[Speaker 1]
他們問了Tim還是問了誰?

[Speaker 2]
他們明天也會出來嗎?

[Speaker 1]
在秋天或十月份的時候, 這個月亮尤其的大。

[Speaker 2]
當它是滿月的時候, 夜晚的天空啊,顏色都會因此而改變。

[Speaker 1]
一切都變得有點像水晶一般的。

[Speaker 2]
那就是死亡最深刻的時刻的時候的感受。 不是鑽石的顏色, 而是感覺有點像在鑽石內部一樣。

[Speaker 1]
一切都非常的敏銳。 然後在那幾分鐘內, 你有這個機會, 去直見空性。 因為那個時候氣就聚集在心裡。

[Speaker 2]
非常非常的深, 非常的微小。

[Speaker 1]
如果你知道該怎麼做的話, 在那個時刻你就能夠成為正者。 但是你現在就可以開始了。 去習慣它。

[Speaker 2]
我們會再做幾次這樣的冥想。 去習慣這個想法。

[Speaker 1]
當你看到一些美麗的泰國舞蹈者的時候, 就是去習慣這個理念。

[Speaker 2]
你看著的是自己意識當中的東西。 如果你喜歡它們的話, 那是因為你曾經友善對待他人, 然後種下了一些好種子。

[Speaker 1]
如果你不喜歡, 就是那個音樂是...... 就好像在殺貓一樣。

[Speaker 2]
那是因為你傷害了他人所創造的結果。

[Speaker 1]
所以對這種舞蹈, 我是黑白葉混在一起的。

[Speaker 2]
他們的樣子很好看。 當時我對這個聲音真的很敏感, 我聽上去就像一隻貓在慘叫一樣。 我們昨天不是有講到說黑白葉混在一起嗎?

[Speaker 1]
所以看到上師, 看到你意識當中有一個光做的圖片出來, 是非常好的善業。

[Speaker 2]
所以我們應該去練習。 大家願意猜一猜嗎? 下一步這個冥想要做什麼?

當你在廚房終於明白有兩位先生在的時候, 你應該怎麼做?

[Speaker 1]
猜一下。 What's that? I didn't catch the first part.

Catch that it's coming from a seed in your mind? That's okay. She said see yourself as a Buddha.

[Speaker 2]
Not yet.

[Speaker 1]
Huh? You should always be happy.

[Speaker 2]
你應該永遠開心。 你應該把其中一個給取消掉。 把其中一個給取消掉,清除掉。

[Speaker 1]
哪一個? 從這邊來的那一位。

[Speaker 2]
從這邊來的那一位是虛假的, 非真實的。 我為大家教一個新詞。 我們在學習藏語, 梵文, 我教你一個新的英文單詞。

[Speaker 1]
就是有點像瑜伽一樣,你要深吸氣。

[Speaker 2]
我什麼都沒有做。 我們再試一次。

[Speaker 1]
我什麼都沒有做。 I didn't do anything. He's yelling at me, I didn't do anything.

I don't know why. I didn't do anything. That one doesn't exist.

Cannot exist. Nothing ever happens to you if I didn't do anything.

[Speaker 2]
沒有任何事情是因為你我什麼都沒有做而發生的。 業力的第三個定律。 這是不可能的。

[Speaker 1]
Nothing in your life ever came to you unless you did it to somebody else.

[Speaker 2]
除非你對別人做了這樣的事情, 不然在生命當中你是不會遇到任何類似對應的事情的。 這就是不可能的。

[Speaker 1]
Nothing can come from nothing.

[Speaker 2]
沒有任何事物可以來自於沒有任何事物。

[Speaker 1]
And nothing can come from something different.

[Speaker 2]
沒有任何事物可以來自於任何不一樣的事物。

[Speaker 1]
If you plant a lemon, you will get lemon.

[Speaker 2]
如果你種檸檬種子的話,你就會得到檸檬。

[Speaker 1]
If you plant a mango, you will get mango.

[Speaker 2]
種芒果的話就會得芒果。

[Speaker 1]
You don't have to worry if you plant a mango, maybe you will get lemon.

[Speaker 2]
你也不用擔心說今天如果種了芒果的種子可能會得到檸檬。

[Speaker 1]
這是不可能的。 一切都是一樣的。 一切都有因。

[Speaker 2]
然後這個因是有邏輯的。 如果你做了一些好事, 種下一些好種子, 你就會得到一些好的結果。 所以把那一位先生給取消掉。

[Speaker 1]
他在罵著你。

[Speaker 2]
因為你什麼都沒有做。

[Speaker 1]
沒有這樣的丈夫的。 他不存在的。 所以在那個冥想中的下一部分, 我們或許今晚可以一起來做。

那現在在下一步是什麼? No, that's okay.

[Speaker 2]
Cancel the outside one.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, cancel the outside one.

[Speaker 2]
Okay, that's not the real one.

[Speaker 1]
Okay. That outside teacher is similar to the husband, I didn't do anything.

[Speaker 2]
Okay, got it? Understand?

[Speaker 1]
It's difficult. Okay, it's difficult. But if you don't learn it, you don't have protection when you die.

And where the water takes you, and dog's body, or fish body, you won't have any choice.

[Speaker 2]
You will have to go.

[Speaker 1]
Buddha was sitting with his students, and he liked to sit in the grass. Then somebody asked him, you know, be honest with me, what's the chances I will be an animal, and what's the chances I will be a human if I die? And sometimes Buddha likes to give answer without talking.

[Speaker 2]
Okay, the dust on my finger, compared to all the dirt in this planet, down to the middle of the planet, this is how many people come back human.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, that's his answer. Okay, so you don't have choice.

[Speaker 2]
You have to learn these ideas.

[Speaker 1]
Why? We are studying protection. It's not protection from broken tooth which dentist give you.

It's protection for the next million years. Okay, where will you go? What will you be?

Okay, it's not just what's happening right now. Why? Okay, it's very big question.

Where will you be for next million years?

[Speaker 2]
Somebody told me, Geshe-la, this meditation is very uncomfortable for me.

[Speaker 1]
But I'll tell you something cool.

[Speaker 2]
If you learn it, well, and you do it, and you get the result, you feel so relaxed. So relaxed.

[Speaker 1]
You know, I don't have any worries now. Whole world is trying very hard not to think about their death.

[Speaker 2]
And you are embracing your death.

[Speaker 1]
Yeah, I'm going to die.

[Speaker 2]
I'm ready. Buddha's body, you know, Arya, I'm ready.

[Speaker 1]
It's very rare, right?

[Speaker 2]
Person who can die like, Oh, I get to die.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, if you do the meditation, then you will be like that. Not scared, happy. Okay, got it?

Okay, I'm trying to make this week fun for you. So, I thought mix up teaching a little bit. It's hard to sit for three, four hours, three times a day.

So, I've tried to, you know, do something more fun each time. Tonight, we will have special dessert. It's called Jingang Jing.

Alright. Diamond Cutter Sutra. Diamond Cutter Sutra.

There are two famous explanations of the Diamond Cutter Sutra. From ancient India. Only two survived.

One is by Vasubandhu. And the name is, he lived 1700 years ago. The name of his book is the Seven Great Ideas in the Diamond Cutter Sutra.

And it's very short. Each idea is only three, four pages. Then there's another commentary, which is written by Kamalashila.

And it's very difficult.

[Speaker 2]
And it's very long.

[Speaker 1]
120, 130 pages. And all of the copies are lost. Sanskrit is lost.

[Speaker 2]
Chinese is lost.

[Speaker 1]
Only exist in Tibetan language. And it's very difficult. So, my friends in Beijing, I think, they asked me, can you teach Kamalashila?

So, I started to teach it to my friends. And it's super sexy. Super cool.

Okay, really really nice. So, I thought this week, we can read some of it. Okay, and I'm doing it every year, one quarter.

So, it will take four years to finish. And we did it at the last retreat in Diamond Mountain. But we didn't finish.

So, we're going to start where we didn't finish. Let's see if we can finish. Then this afternoon, after the break, I would like to teach you these vows.

Twelve vows of a person who wants to take refuge.

[Speaker 2]
Okay.

[Speaker 1]
So, if you decide to take protection from three jewels, there are twelve very ancient guidelines. And then there's a ceremony you can do to make a commitment to those guidelines. Then, anytime you go to a Buddhist ceremony, like initiation, there are many guidelines you have to follow after that.

If you don't follow them, you make very bad karma. So, of course, it's very important that the Lama should read you the contract clearly. In English we say, all the small print.

Okay, before you make commitment to three jewels, you should read the contract. Maybe you decide not to make commitment. Okay?

So, after the break, I'm going to read you the contract so you can understand clearly. And then, maybe Sunday, we will do a ceremony that you can sign this contract if you want, in your heart. And it's a fun contract, okay?

It's a no problem contract. No problem contract.

[Speaker 2]
Okay.

[Speaker 1]
And then, as tradition, you get a new name. So, I have to prepare your new name. And each person who wants to ...

If you think maybe you want to sign the contract, we'll have a list, okay? And you have to, you know, just give me your name on the list. Then, during the next two days, I will prepare the names, okay?

Because I have to ... We have your photographs. Then I will match the name to your photographs.

Then I can give you a ... Because I don't know everybody. I can't remember everybody's names.

And so, I'll be able to look at your photograph.

[Speaker 2]
And choose a nice name for you.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, so I'll give you ... It's a Dharma name. And I'll give you the meaning also.

Then, you don't have to do it, okay? Just if you want to. If you did ...

[Speaker 2]
If you took those commitments before, when you take them, this is commitment ... This is contract signing gesture.

[Speaker 1]
You say, ji si tsoy bar du.

[Speaker 2]
ji si tsoy bar du means until the day I die, I will keep this commitment.

[Speaker 1]
So, actually, if you took it before, you don't need to take it again.

[Speaker 2]
You still have it.

[Speaker 1]
But I'm happy to give you again.

[Speaker 2]
Okay? It's like ...

[Speaker 1]
I always told Scott, two desserts is better than one dessert. Okay? So, you don't get new vow.

The old one is still good. But you make it fresh. So, I'm happy to do that.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
If you don't want to take vow now, still you are welcome to come, and you can join us.

[Speaker 2]
And you can watch.

[Speaker 1]
You can check the contract more. You know, my lama offered me bodhisattva vows.

[Speaker 2]
I waited for seven years.

[Speaker 1]
I didn't take them for seven years. I read the contract again and again and again. Then when I asked him, I want to be monk.

He said, I will check you for some time. Then he read me the contract, and he said, you try to keep it, but you don't have to sign. So, I live in the monastery for eight years.

Try to keep the commitment. Then he said, okay, after eight years, he said, okay, now you can take it.

[Speaker 2]
You can sign. So, it's very serious.

[Speaker 1]
It's like getting married. Then, don't do easily. If you feel you want to do it later, that's fine.

And you can, you know, we can do it some ... I usually don't give these vows. I haven't done the ceremony for eight years.

Or maybe almost twenty years. But I thought we reached lam rim. We reached the refuge.

[Speaker 2]
So, I will give here.

[Speaker 1]
But I don't usually do after that. So, I think it's a good chance. Yes.

Yeah. Okay, so let's take a break. And when you come back, I'll read the contract.

Okay, thank you. Okay, let's start. Dharma lawyer is ready to read the contract to you.

[Speaker 2]
The Dharma lawyer is ready to read the contract to you.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, there are twelve parts of the contract. Okay. From your side, you have to keep those twelve.

Then I also have to sign the contract. Alright.

[Speaker 2]
It means in my life, if you need something, I will try to do it.

[Speaker 1]
That's my part.

[Speaker 2]
Anything.

[Speaker 1]
Money. Time. Friendship.

You know, anything, I will try to help. Sometimes too many people ask at the same time.

[Speaker 2]
But I will do my best. Anything you need. My email, Geshe Michael.

[Speaker 1]
At gmail. At gmail.com That's only for people who sign the contract. Okay, then I will try, best I can.

Sometimes I'm traveling or something. Okay, so there are twelve commitments. What time this class ends, Scott?

Yikes. Yikes. We'll start now and we'll finish tonight.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
Okay. So there are, those twelve come in two parts. There are six commitments that are individual to one of the three jewels.

For example, first one to Buddha jewel, second to Dharma jewel, but not all together. So the first six parts of the contract, they are not agreement to all the jewels together, they are agreement to one of the jewel or the other jewel or the other jewel. So if there are three jewels, and six commitments individual, it means there must be two parts of the contract for each jewel individual.

And of those two parts, the first part is always negative.

[Speaker 2]
Don't do this to Buddha jewel, don't do this to Dharma jewel, don't do this to Sangha jewel.

[Speaker 1]
That's one, two, three. Then four, five, six, do do this with Buddha jewel, do do this with Dharma jewel, do do this with Sangha jewel. Okay, so first one, is it positive or negative?

Negative. And who's it with? Yeah, Buddha jewel.

Okay, first jewel. And maybe it's the most difficult one. After you make commitment to Buddha jewel, then you should try very hard when you need something.

You use four steps.

[Speaker 2]
You don't try old way. Okay, old way, like, I don't know, if you get sick, old way, go to this doctor, go to this doctor, go to this doctor.

[Speaker 1]
That's looking for protection from old man Bob. Okay, maybe can help you, maybe not.

[Speaker 2]
Maybe you reach the other side of the street, maybe you get hit by car, because he's not powerful.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, doctor cannot guarantee you you will get cured.

[Speaker 2]
So, first commitment, negative, try not to go to too many old man Bob's.

[Speaker 1]
When you need something, plant the seed with the four steps, because that system is the body of the Buddha. Then you are really asking Buddha for protection. Buddha statue is not Buddha jewel.

Even Buddha's physical body is not Buddha jewel. The Dharma body, the system of the seeds, is the essence of a Buddha.

[Speaker 2]
Oh, is it alive? Yes. Is it a person?

[Speaker 1]
Yes.

[Speaker 2]
The inside of the Buddha's person is this and this.

[Speaker 1]
Both.

[Speaker 2]
It's a person.

[Speaker 1]
Some people say Buddhists don't believe in God. But I think, I think we do.

[Speaker 2]
Emptiness, and the seeds, as a person, in a person, called Buddha, we believe.

[Speaker 1]
If you have trouble, you can call Buddha. Don't try to call dependent origination. But when you call dependent origination, you are actually calling Buddha.

When you try to remember Kongxing, you are actually trying to remember Buddha. Now, important question comes. So Geshe-la, am I making a commitment that I should never call a doctor?

No. Okay, why? What's the commitment?

[Speaker 2]
If you get sick, okay, first thought, what sick person can I help to fix my cancer?

[Speaker 1]
What person can I use? I can use for four steps. That's the first thought.

Okay?

[Speaker 2]
The second phone call is to the doctor.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, why? If you have the seeds, the doctor will work. If you don't have the seeds, the doctor will kill you.

Don't go home and say, Geshe Michael made me sign a contract, I can't see a doctor anymore. Not correct.

[Speaker 2]
Some doctors work.

[Speaker 1]
Why? Because you helped a sick person before.

[Speaker 2]
And you have the seeds to make the doctor work.

[Speaker 1]
And if you go to the same doctor, but you don't help a sick person also, that doctor cannot help you.

[Speaker 2]
Understand?

[Speaker 1]
Okay, you can think like this, and I tell this story in DCI. Orit and Scott and me, we live in the same town. It's a very small town.

We actually, we have no grocery store. And we have a post office. Oh, we have one restaurant that we go.

It closes at two o'clock in the afternoon. That's why if you come to visit me in my home, you have to have breakfast. Then there's a post office.

It's smaller than a telephone booth. There are two old ladies there. I think they are working there since United States began.

So, imagine, you write a letter, Geshe Michael write a letter, to Geshe Michael. Don't forget to visit sick person, Geshe Michael. Then put it in an envelope.

[Speaker 2]
Close it.

[Speaker 1]
Give it to one of those ancient ladies.

[Speaker 2]
They are like this.

[Speaker 1]
Then, even in that small town, it will take three weeks for a letter to come back. I'm not kidding, it's real. Then they will come, you know, the postman, I think he's the brother of that lady.

He will come in his car. So, I live in the country road, dirt road.

[Speaker 2]
There's no post box, you know.

[Speaker 1]
Then he will come up the stairs with the letter, then knock on the door. Then I say, look at it, you know. Open it up.

[Speaker 2]
Geshe Michael, don't forget to help the sick lady.

[Speaker 1]
Oh, this is the letter I wrote three weeks ago, to myself. Your whole life, everything in your life, is a letter which you wrote to yourself before. Now the question, do you need that old postman or not?

He's the doctor. Okay, he's the doctor. Do you need him or not?

Yes, someone has to deliver your letter. Okay, you will help sick people. You will make a seed.

[Speaker 2]
Then the seed will create the doctor who can cure you.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, so, first commitment. You know, I will use the four steps. But it doesn't mean you can't go to doctor.

[Speaker 2]
Before you go to doctor, help some sick people. While you are having treatment, help some sick people.

[Speaker 1]
After you are cured, keep helping sick people, because otherwise you'll get sick again. Okay, if you ... what do you call it?

I don't know. If you're having trouble with your husband or wife, it's okay to call a monk, or it's okay to call marriage counselor. But first, yeah, you should help someone else who's having trouble.

Okay, understand? If you don't help someone else who's having trouble, and you go to a marriage counselor, or you go to doctor, yoga teacher is the same. Some people go to yoga class, and they get thin and strong.

Some people go to the same yoga class, and they hurt their neck.

[Speaker 2]
Some people go to the same yoga class, and they hurt their neck.

[Speaker 1]
You don't remember, but one of the first things she told me when I started yoga, you and David, I said, look, I'm traveling a lot. I'm traveling a lot. I don't have time to come to your yoga class all the time.

Then you told me, maybe you don't remember, when you travel, check on the internet, and go to the local class, just any class, and you can learn a lot. You can meet new teachers. You can learn new poses.

So, one time I was in Hong Kong. Then I said, okay, I have to ... Almost every day I go.

I like to try new yoga studio. So, I just went to this address. Then nobody speaks English.

There's two ladies there. Then I got my yoga mat and my yoga clothes.

[Speaker 2]
I said, I'm here to do yoga.

[Speaker 1]
They're like, worse than Mandarin, they are Cantonese. Then I'm like, what? He speaks good Cantonese.

I'm like, it's okay, I'm going to take a class. Then I said, okay, here's the money.

[Speaker 2]
Then I went in, I was the first person in the class.

[Speaker 1]
This is your fault. Then I'm waiting for class, you know. First lady come into the class, she's pregnant.

I said, that's strange. Then I'm waiting for a teacher. Second one come in, also pregnant.

Then in five minutes there are twenty pregnant women. It's a prenatal plan. Then I got very good muscle stretch here.

Helped me a lot. Then I went to New York. Sign up for class.

Usually I just go to the studio, I take the next class. Then I said, what's the next class? I'll take the next class.

[Speaker 2]
Sometimes I do that at the movie.

[Speaker 1]
I just go, I said, I'll take a ticket for the next movie. Then I said, I'll take the next class. They said, okay, like $15.

Then I said, by the way, what's the class? Restorative, it's not prenatal, okay? They say, it's restorative class.

Then I said, what's restorative class? Oh, it's special class. What kind of class?

It's for people who got hurt doing yoga before. I said, do you charge them? Yes.

I said, you charge them to hurt them, then you charge them to fix them. Yes. I said, that's a good business.

Why are we talking about that? Okay, same class.

[Speaker 2]
Two different people.

[Speaker 1]
One person comes in, hurt their neck very seriously, they have to go to restorative class. The second person feel younger and stronger. There must be a reason.

Nothing is an accident.

[Speaker 2]
Oh, I had accident in yoga class. No, you didn't. Your seat open.

Okay, so before you go to yoga class, help an older person, and keep helping older person.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, to get some exercise. Then the yoga will work. That's why I wrote a book called How Yoga Works.

So, if you don't do that, if you don't help some sick person, or old person, or lonely person, and you go to yoga to get stronger and thinner, you broke the first part of the contract. Okay?

[Speaker 2]
Already this contract not easy.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, understand? Okay, look, you don't have to do perfect. Of course you will forget sometimes.

[Speaker 2]
But generally, if you're making investment, real estate or stocks, then if you want to keep the first part of this contract, what should you do? Help someone else to make some money, then invest, and you will succeed. If you just invest without helping somebody, you broke this contract.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, it's not easy. But you will be happier and richer, and you won't hurt your neck. And the contract will protect you.

And that's the purpose of this contract. Okay, got it?

[Speaker 2]
Got it?