«Дар освобождения», курс 24 «Пустой Будда — высшая защита», занятие 9

[Speaker 1]
Alright, we're going to finish the contract. So the first one is a negative instruction about the Buddha jewel. What's the second one?

Yeah, negative instruction about the Dharma jewel. And it's very short, and it's that once you have taken refuge in the Dharma jewel, you cannot hurt any living being. Then the word kangsak in Tibetan, or putgala in Sanskrit, putgala, it means person.

And in those languages, it also applies to animals. So we cannot hurt any person. It means a human or animal.

Then, of course, if you understand karma, then you don't want to hurt anybody. Basically, karma means anything you do to another living being will come back to you ten times more. Okay, so, then people say, oh, Geshe-la, some Americans will say, oh, animals don't feel anything.

But if I'm not mistaken, in America, they spend 8 billion US dollars per year to take care of their dogs and cats. Then I said to them, you know, why do you buy such nice food for your dog if he has no feelings? So, of course, they have feelings.

Then some people told me, okay, dogs have feelings, but fish don't have feelings. Then my father used to take me fishing in the ocean, you know, for tuna, big fish.

[Speaker 2]
Tuna. Tuna.

[Speaker 1]
Then, you know, when you put the hook in their mouth, they will fight. They will fight to live.

[Speaker 2]
And it's very difficult to bring them in.

[Speaker 1]
They will even sometimes jump out of the water and try to get rid of the hook. And they can't breathe outside of the water. But they will jump outside if they can get rid of the hook.

[Speaker 2]
So, of course, it hurts them.

[Speaker 1]
So, after you take refuge in Dharma, you shouldn't hurt any living being. I was a cook for 8 years in the monastery. Then, at that time, all the other monks eat meat.

Then I don't want to eat meat.

[Speaker 2]
But everyone's older than me.

[Speaker 1]
So, I have to cook it. But I don't want to eat it. Then I cannot tell them, you're stupid, I'm smart, I don't want to eat meat.

Because it's not proper for younger monks to criticize older monks.

[Speaker 2]
So, I got an idea.

[Speaker 1]
We had a doctor, old doctor, who gives ... every monk who comes to the doctor, he will charge only five dollars. So, all the monks respect him.

So, one day I said, oh, I have stomachache. Then I complained, maybe I can't cook. They're like, can I cook?

You go to doctor. Then I said, okay, I'll go to doctor. Then I got in the car.

I went to the doctor's office, but I didn't go inside, I sat in the parking lot. Then after one hour, I went home. Then I said, oh, you know, doctor said, I shouldn't eat meat.

Then they're like ... They said, okay, you don't eat meat, but still you have to cook. Then some of my friends heard, oh, I'm not eating meat.

This was about ...

[Speaker 2]
35 years ago.

[Speaker 1]
Then they said, oh, Michael, you're going to get sick.

[Speaker 2]
If you don't eat meat, you won't be strong.

[Speaker 1]
Then I haven't eaten meat for 35 years.

[Speaker 2]
They are all fat and sick and have heart disease.

[Speaker 1]
Then I feel really healthy. So actually it's better for you not to eat the meat. I think a lot of modern disease come from meat.

Then to be honest, there's two very bad companies.

[Speaker 2]
KFC and McDonald's.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, KFC and McDonald's. Then in China, there was no custom to eat junk food. Then these two American companies got permission to open the store in China.

Now there are 10,000 KFC and McDonald's in China. I heard KFC kills about 3 billion chickens in China every year. And I can see, like when I visit the airport in Beijing or Guangzhou, Pudong, I can see Chinese people getting like American people.

65% of American people are dangerously overweight. If you come to America, you will notice it right away in the airport. Actually, you will notice it before that if you come to America, you fly American airplane, you have to sit like this.

They will squish you, you know? So, I ask Chinese friends, not everything from America is good for you. To be honest, it looks like they just want money, you know?

KFC profit last year $25 billion.

[Speaker 2]
$25 billion.

[Speaker 1]
McDonald's $24 billion. $50 billion, you know?

[Speaker 2]
So, they are very powerful. The best thing we can do is when you go to KFC or McDonald's, buy a salad.

[Speaker 1]
If they sell more salad, they will sell less meat, you know? Okay, so, this second part of the contract shouldn't hurt any living being. Then some people, since they were small, they are eating meat, you know?

Then, you guys who, you know, you've been eating meat your whole life, you don't break the second part of the contract if you eat meat, okay? But, you should try to eat less every year, okay? And then, after some years, you can stop.

And you will feel much better, okay? And you will be healthy. And in your heart, you feel happy.

We are not killing anything, okay? Okay, number three. Negative commitment about what?

Sanggajur. Sanggajur. Then, it means when you choose your friends, your friends are your sanggajur.

Okay, so, then choose carefully, okay?

[Speaker 2]
Choose good friends.

[Speaker 1]
So, I have some really bad friends, like John Brady. He does yoga every day. Then I feel pressure.

My massage therapist, he massaged John Brady. I think John, are you 70 now? 69?

[Speaker 2]
He's 69 years old.

[Speaker 1]
My massage therapist told me, I don't know this guy, but he has the most healthy body I ever massaged. You know? Yeah.

[Speaker 2]
But he's a bad friend.

[Speaker 1]
Because I feel pressure, I should do yoga every day. He looks so good, I have to also do, you know?

[Speaker 2]
So, actually this is Dharma friend.

[Speaker 1]
It's good pressure. They are doing all their prayers. They are doing their meditation.

They are not hurting their body. Sometimes I think I don't have body, I have rental car. When I was born, I went to the airport, and I got a rental car.

You know, I get to keep it for I don't know how many years, you know? How many miles I will put on this rental car, I don't know.

[Speaker 2]
But it's like a rental car.

[Speaker 1]
Someday you have to give it back. So, in between the time you took the car from the airport, and the time you give the car back, you should take good care of it.

[Speaker 2]
Like, don't hurt it.

[Speaker 1]
Then it means, if you have good friends, Dharma friends, then you will get good habits. Like, I'm not strong enough to do my yoga every day, exactly every day. But if I'm traveling with John, I feel pressure, I have to do every day.

And Orit, you know, she and me and Scott, we go to breakfast. Me and Scott get pancakes, three cappuccinos, two orange juice, lots of unhealthy stuff. Then Orit will come sit between us with this little salad.

Then we are like, we feel Dharma pressure. Then sometimes we will eat a salad.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
So, what friends you choose, is the third one. It means, be careful how you choose your friends. If your friends are drinking alcohol, they live at KFC, or they are doing bad things, it's very difficult not to do.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
So, in this vows, commitments, we supposed to look for Dharma friend who uses the four steps.

[Speaker 2]
Then we'll get a good habit.

[Speaker 1]
I had a children's class for 15 years, and I taught the children the four steps. One day the air conditioner broke, and me and the other teacher, we are climb up on the ladder, and we are fixing the air conditioner. Then one boy is pulling on my pants.

[Speaker 2]
I said, wait, I'm fixing it.

[Speaker 1]
He said, teacher, teacher, I said, I'm trying to fix it, okay? Just calm down. He said, no, teacher.

I said, what? He said, that's not the way to fix the air conditioner. You should go to the neighbor's house.

See if their air conditioner broken.

[Speaker 2]
Fix their air conditioner.

[Speaker 1]
Okay? That's a four step friend. Okay?

So, in this vow, slowly try to stay more with people who use the four steps. It doesn't mean you should go to your other friends and say, I don't like you anymore, you are not using four steps.

[Speaker 2]
Because then you broke the second commitment. Not supposed to hurt anybody.

[Speaker 1]
Understand? So, in this system, we shouldn't be unpleasant four step person. You must use four steps.

Especially with your family, okay? Don't bother your family with your dharma. Okay?

If they want to listen, then tell them something.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
If they really like Khandaji, then say, okay, I will try to help them later.

[Speaker 2]
When there's a good time.

[Speaker 1]
Okay?

[Speaker 2]
So, that's the third commitment. Try to find good friends. What's a good friend?

They understand about seeds.

[Speaker 1]
Okay?

[Speaker 2]
That's a good friend.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, then three positive commitments.

[Speaker 2]
First one is about Buddha jewel.

[Speaker 1]
Okay? And the vow, the commitment is anytime you see statue or painting or drawing of Buddha, or Bodhisattva, then you must respect that same as Buddha.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
So, for example, in Tibetan language, there's no word, I'm going to the temple to see the paintings and the statues. There's no word. You say, I'm going to the temple to meet them.

Okay? Then, it doesn't matter how good is the Buddha image. Some people are like, oh, this thangka is 300 years old, you know, oh, oh, oh, oh.

This thangka made of gold, you know. Oh, then I will respect. Then you are not respecting Buddha, you are respecting money.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
Any picture, good one, bad one, expensive one, cheap one. Actually, we're not even allowed to say, this little bit ugly Buddha picture.

[Speaker 2]
We are not allowed to say.

[Speaker 1]
So, once you make this commitment, somebody say, how do you like this Buddha picture? I think the artist wasn't so skilled. Then it's a joke in our Dharma group.

How do you like that painting? The artist was not so skilled.

[Speaker 2]
You can say that.

[Speaker 1]
Then I'll go deeper in this vow, okay? We said that when you see emptiness directly, for 20 minutes your mind is in higher reality.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
Then when you come down, you are still meditating, but your mind is not in emptiness. Then you have many special experiences. I told you one.

Yeah, you see all the people in the universe. Then there are many ... Oh, all those experiences together are called four Arya Truths.

Then one of them is that you see Buddha pictures differently than other people, because you met Buddha directly. Yeah, good mistake. I said you meet Buddha directly, she said you meet emptiness directly, right?

Yeah. Good mistake. Why?

[Speaker 2]
When you see kongshing, you see the Buddha. Body number four.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, so after that, when you see painting of Buddha, an Arya who sees a painting of a Buddha, just after seeing emptiness directly, they will get down on the ground, on their stomach and their chest, and they will bow and they will stay there. Because they know this is real person. There's really such a person as the one in the painting.

So the real Arya ... Well, there's only Arya. An Arya will go down on the ground and stay on the ground if they see a Buddha picture in the few days after they see emptiness.

And that custom became the custom to prostrate in Buddhism. It comes from Aryas. Then it's a little bit problem in America.

If you really do a proper prostration to teacher, then American people will say, oh, this guy is a cult or a weirdo. They will say that. Then you have two choices.

You can just forget them and do the right thing. Okay? And there's a very famous example.

[Speaker 2]
If your teacher is a woman, and you are a man, and you are a monk, but your teacher is a woman and maybe she has a family, which happens, can happen.

[Speaker 1]
My main teacher is a family woman. But you're with all the other monks, and you don't want to cause trouble. You can go like this.

[Speaker 2]
Oh!

[Speaker 1]
Okay? Okay? Somebody told my friend, Geshe Michael getting old, you know?

He's always dropping his pen. Okay? Alright, so, number four.

Respect every ... And when we go in the temple, we have to go like this. When you walk around the temple, don't go like this.

You should go like this. In Buddhist custom, put the thumbs inside. It's like I have a jewel in my hand.

Here's a diamond. Okay? And then when you walk around the temple, you have to ...

[Speaker 2]
Because one day they will come alive for you.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, that's number four.

[Speaker 2]
We're also not allowed to put Buddha picture on the ground, or step on it.

[Speaker 1]
If Buddha picture gets torn or old, we're supposed to ... Don't throw in the garbage with all the old pizza. Okay?

We're custom is to burn it very respectfully. Okay. Don't throw it with the other garbage.

Same with any Dharma practice. Same with a book. Don't put on the floor.

Don't step on it. Treat it like it's a Buddha. Okay, number five.

When you see anything written, I have to do what I said.

[Speaker 2]
You shouldn't put any writing on the ground.

[Speaker 1]
Even like newspaper, or magazine.

[Speaker 2]
You and me, we correct ourselves. Don't put it on the ground.

[Speaker 1]
Why? Nowadays, the ground is not so bad. The hotel cleans the carpet every day.

[Speaker 2]
But in Buddha's time, and in Jesus' time, you know, there is no good streets.

[Speaker 1]
And all the shoes are very muddy, and the floor is very dirty. Then there's a story. Jesus, I think the last day he was alive, he washed his students' feet.

[Speaker 2]
Yeah, right?

[Speaker 1]
Just a day before he died, he had a dinner, and the first thing he washed everybody's feet.

[Speaker 2]
Okay.

[Speaker 1]
Yeah, so it means, in Buddhism, the floor is considered very dirty. And your feet are considered very dirty. Even if you washed this morning.

[Speaker 2]
Even if you just washed this morning.

[Speaker 1]
Many years ago, I came to Thailand. They sell many gemstones here. Then my boss told me, you go to Thailand, you start an office.

Then I said, I don't know anybody. He said, goodbye.

[Speaker 2]
Bye-bye.

[Speaker 1]
Then I came here, you know. Bangkok. I don't know one person, in the whole country.

I'm supposed to hire like 100 people. So, I went to the most busy restaurant I can find. And I see which waitress can handle many orders at the same time.

Then I hired them. You know? And we started a big office here.

It lasted about 25 years. It made 20 million dollars every year. And sometimes I will bring a Thai person to my office in New York.

Especially, there's one really good one.

[Speaker 2]
Tassanida Kapito.

[Speaker 1]
And she works very hard. And I really depend on her. Then one day she came to me, she said, I'm sorry, I have to quit.

[Speaker 2]
Yeah. Then I said, don't quit, I need you, you know.

[Speaker 1]
She said, no, I decided to quit. Then I said, why? She said, everyone in this office hate me.

Then I said, no, everyone loves you. She said, no, they hate me. I said, why?

[Speaker 2]
They always point their feet at me.

[Speaker 1]
Like that.

[Speaker 2]
I said, no, no, it's American custom, we sit like that.

[Speaker 1]
She said, no, no, they understand. Foot is very dirty. When you point to someone, you insult them.

[Speaker 2]
And she quit. Okay? It means, don't put things on the floor.

[Speaker 1]
Oh Geshe-la, what if it's just the toilet paper roll has a writing on it? In this commitment, you have to treat that toilet paper roll like ching kang ching. Oh Geshe-la, come on, it's too much.

No, really. Why? Because Buddha uses letters.

A, B, C, D, E.

[Speaker 2]
You know, all the Chinese letters. Buddha used those letters to enlighten people.

[Speaker 1]
So, those letters are sacred. Even if they're on toilet paper roll.

[Speaker 2]
Okay, alright?

[Speaker 1]
Got it? And don't throw things with letters in with other garbage, if you can help it. So, many Buddhist people have two garbage cans.

One is for pizza, and old pizza, old bananas.

[Speaker 2]
And the other one is for anything with writing on it.

[Speaker 1]
And they burn the one with writing. They don't throw in the garbage. Then, sometimes it's not practical, it's not possible.

Okay? Don't bother your family. No, this pizza is writing, don't throw it in the garbage.

Okay? Please don't bother your family with that kind of garbage. You can go like this, you know, and throw it.

Okay?

[Speaker 2]
That's okay.

[Speaker 1]
Or just show some respect, and then throw it. It's okay. Okay, that's number five.

Respect letters. In Tibet monastery, you can't even put a pen on the floor. Because you use it to make letters.

And letters can protect people from hell, and from animal birth, and like that. Okay? Let's do one more, and we'll take a break.

Okay? Maybe we do kamalashila next time. It's good to get a complete explanation of contract before you sign it.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
Okay, number six. In India, monk, or nun, many countries, they will wear this orange color, which you have. So, this is the original monk and nun's color.

It's called ... in Tibet it's called ngur mik, ngur mik. There's a special duck.

It has this colored feather on the chest, and that's the correct color for robes. Then in Tibet, people start to wear dark purple color. So, we're supposed to respect this color.

Okay? And if we see some piece of cloth this kind of color, that also we're not allowed to throw on the floor. And when you see it, you're supposed to think about Sangha Jewel.

Okay?

[Speaker 2]
Who is Sangha Jewel?

[Speaker 1]
People who saw emptiness directly. So, when you see that color, in America it's difficult, some football team use this color. When I'm in a restaurant and I see them on TV, I'm like ...

Everybody's like ... That's okay. Alright?

Okay, that's number six. Now we have six positive ones, and we'll do it after a break. Oh, wait.

Okay, let's start. Alright. Maybe we can't finish all of them tonight.

We will finish next time. Next class. My next class.

Okay, number what? Seven.

[Speaker 2]
Okay.

[Speaker 1]
The next six, the last six, they are shared by all the three jewels. First one, ask for protection again and again. Okay?

In your mind. In your heart. Like, you know, when I was working in diamond business, I have to take a bus to New York.

[Speaker 2]
It takes two hours, each way.

[Speaker 1]
So, on the way, I want to use my time. So, I will take refuge without doing this, you know? But in my mind, especially if the traffic is very bad, bad traffic is very nice.

Okay? You should understand. Bad traffic is wonderful.

[Speaker 2]
I think Buddha made all this traffic.

[Speaker 1]
Why? When you come to your office late because of traffic, and your boss say, why are you late? You can say, bad traffic.

Then it's okay, they don't get upset. They also were in the same traffic. But if you say, I came late because I was doing more meditation, they will get angry.

So, traffic is very good. In the traffic, you can do extra meditation. So, while you're happy, stuck in the traffic, you can ask for protection in your mind.

Buddha can hear everything you think. So, you can ask for help. Even like today, I have important meeting with my boss.

I know you can read my mind. Please give me strength today.

[Speaker 2]
That's okay. Then do it all the time.

[Speaker 1]
Okay? Ask for protection. Okay?

And it's a good habit. That's contract part number seven. The actual commitment says when you ask for help, at the same time, you should think, please give me help, you are so amazing!

Okay? Then that's the real contract.

[Speaker 2]
You're supposed to think about how amazing they are.

[Speaker 1]
You know, like Dharma Jewel, you're so amazing. It means the mind of a person who is seeing emptiness directly, right?

[Speaker 2]
That's real Dharma Jewel.

[Speaker 1]
And the Sangha Jewel. You guys are so amazing! Why?

They saw every living creature in the universe in like five minutes. That's amazing. And they want to help all of them.

After you see emptiness, you cannot complain about anything very seriously again in your whole life. The boss is like, why are you late? Why are you late?

And then your mind, you know, you're like, dude, I just saw every being in the universe. I saw myself become Buddha. Every Arya sees the day that they will become Buddha.

Dude, okay, I'm five minutes late. But, I'm like the next Buddha in this world, you understand? Show me a little respect.

Respect. Okay, so this Arya, Sangha Jewel, you know, think about how cool they are. Ask them for help.

At the same time, you're supposed to think, you're really cool. Okay, number eight. Anytime you eat or drink, even just like, I just had some orange juice, you know, and you're supposed to offer to the three jewels before you take it.

Then it becomes a habit. Okay, I'll tell you how to offer it. Just repeat after me.

OM AH HUNG Not hum, okay?

[Speaker 2]
HUNG.

[Speaker 1]
The mouth doesn't close. OM OM When you say OM, the mouth closes. That's a real M.

OM AH Then HUNG. Like, HUNG. Okay, HUNG.

Okay, that's the correct pronunciation. Say it three times. Then HUNG.

So, that's the offering prayer. Then there are many many longer ones, but I'm not going to ... you know, you can learn them.

I wrote them down many years ago. Maybe ... Jigme, you have?

[Speaker 2]
I wrote down all the food prayers. She'll try to find it.

[Speaker 1]
But, I like the quick one. OM AH HUNG OM AH HUNG Okay? Okay, that's enough.

Okay, then ... It's a very nice custom. I have a friend, a lama.

He gets on an airplane. Then they, you know, they serve the dinner. Then he starts to do his prayers, you know?

Then I'm like ... Then he couldn't finish before they landed. The lady came, took away the food.

He's like, Ah, it's okay. I offered it. Buddha ate, I didn't eat, it's okay.

Okay, you don't have to do that much, okay?

[Speaker 2]
You can do Geshe Michael, OM AH HUNG, OM AH HUNG.

[Speaker 1]
That's seriously, that's enough, okay?

[Speaker 2]
Those three.

[Speaker 1]
But, it's to show that I remember the kindness of the Three Jewels. It's like saying, Thank you for protecting me. You know?

Have a donut. Thank you for protecting me. Like that, okay?

Yeah, okay. I thought I had a donut, but it's not. Okay, number nine.

If you have friends who have problems, then you can teach them about the Four Steps, which is real protection. Okay, right? Doctor ...

Is doctor protection or not?

[Speaker 2]
Can be.

[Speaker 1]
Post-man. Right?

[Speaker 2]
Post-man.

[Speaker 1]
Can deliver your own protection. That you sent to yourself. Okay?

So, if you have friends who are very sick or have trouble with their husband or wife or financial problem, then when you tell them about Four Steps, you are actually telling them about the Three Jewels.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
So, share protection with other people. If they have really serious problems, you can teach them Four Powers, which are how to take bad seed out. Four Steps, how to put good seed in.

Four Powers, how to take bad seed out. Then when you share it with them, you are keeping number nine. Okay?

You are helping them to get real protection. So, that's number nine. Again, please remember, don't bother other people with your Dharma.

You must take protection in Buddha! You know? Then you just bother them and they will do the opposite.

They will disrespect Buddha. So, don't bother people with your Dharma. Okay, I'm okay.

It's just the orange juice. I didn't do ... I did Omahung too fast.

Okay. Number ten. We supposed to ask for protection at least three times during the daylight and three times during the dark.

Okay? Then that's not difficult. Okay?

If your husband call you phantom at least six times a day, you can keep this vow. Okay? Because when you don't answer, you are protecting yourself.

Understand? Okay? So, you just have to find people who are irritating to stay near.

Then you're like, oh man, I'm definitely not going to plant more seeds with you. Then you just protected yourself. So, for ...

I think if you understand the pen, you don't have problem with number ten. Many times every day you will control your heart and your mind because you don't want to plant bad seeds and that's protection. You don't want to make new bad seeds.

And that's protection. There was a lama came to West China from India. His name was Atisha.

Then he's very, very famous in India. He lived thousand years ago. Then people in West China invited him many times.

[Speaker 2]
Then he didn't come. Then finally he came.

[Speaker 1]
Then he has many thousand students. But the one he picked to help him in Tibet, he's really stupid and irritating. You know?

Everything he says is stupid. He get angry all the time. You know?

And he brought him with him when he went to teach in West China. Then the Tibetan people, one day they asked Atisha, you know, we don't mean to disrespect you. But we have a question.

[Speaker 2]
What's the question?

[Speaker 1]
You have thousands of students. Why you bring this one with you? He said, this one very useful.

Okay? He irritate me every minute. Then I can think about three jewels every minute.

I can take protection. You know, I think, coming from me, coming from me, coming from me. You know?

If you win the lottery, like three million dollars, nobody says, why me?

[Speaker 2]
Why me? If you get cancer or something, why me? Why me?

[Speaker 1]
When something bad happen, you think, what was the seed? So, it's good to have an irritating friend close to you. Then Atisha worked very hard in West China.

Whole life, whole rest of his life, he taught people. He thought, oh, if I'm going to teach in West China, I should learn Tibetan language. So, he worked very hard to learn Tibetan language.

One day they were walking, and he got a small stone in his shoe.

[Speaker 2]
Then he sat down, take off his shoe.

[Speaker 1]
Then his Tibet disciples, they said, why you take off your shoe? Then he wants to say, I have a small stone in my shoe. But he used the wrong word.

And he said, I have boulder in my shoe.

[Speaker 2]
Then all the Tibetans are like, ha!

[Speaker 1]
And then he look at them, you know.

[Speaker 2]
Now I can send my student back home.

[Speaker 1]
Understand? And, now I have new irritating people. Okay.

You want to stay a few minutes extra? Okay. Alright, we just have two more.

Number eleven. When you get a problem, and whatever you do, use the four steps.

[Speaker 2]
That's protection.

[Speaker 1]
Okay, everything. Money. Relationship.

Health. If you can't sleep. If you feel depressed.

Low self-esteem. Okay, any kind of problem. Then ask for help.

By using the four steps. Then just make a habit. You know, with everything.

Even small things. I'm going to drive to my office this morning. I don't want to die on the way.

I don't want to die. On the way. Okay, then just before you get in the car, you just think about helping people who have trouble in the car.

Make the habit to use the four steps for everything. In the beginning, when you first learn the four steps, you should do an experiment to check if it works or not. That's why my lama forced me to start diamond business.

[Speaker 2]
He doesn't want money.

[Speaker 1]
He won't take the money. One of my lama got tuberculosis. He went to the hospital.

I tried to give him $100. He said no. He won't take money.

So, they don't need ... real lama doesn't need money, things like that. Okay, but you take refuge in them, okay?

[Speaker 2]
Okay, number twelve.

[Speaker 1]
This is very specific one. Never give up the four steps. Never give up Buddha jewel, Dharma jewel, Sangha jewel.

Then there's famous example in this part of the contract. There's a famous example.

[Speaker 2]
If someone put a gun to your head and said, I'll give you a choice.

[Speaker 1]
You say, I give up three jewels or I will kill you. Then this part of the contract says, okay, kill me. I won't say it.

And don't get angry, okay?

[Speaker 2]
Don't like, okay, kill me.

[Speaker 1]
Not like that, okay?

[Speaker 2]
It's like ... Respect them. Okay, kill me.

[Speaker 1]
But I won't give up Buddha jewel. Better to die. Better to die.

Part of this last commitment is even if it's a joke, like, you know, you want to joke with your friend. You say, oh, I decide to give up Buddha jewel but not Dharma jewel. Like I'm talking to Stanley, I'm just making a joke, you know?

Then he's like, what? Geshe-la, you know? Then I say, ha ha ha, just kidding.

Even in that, we are not allowed to do.

[Speaker 2]
Okay? Even in joke, okay? So, never give up.

[Speaker 1]
It doesn't mean, you know, you're holding this book and okay, shoot me, shoot me, okay? It doesn't mean that, okay? It means use the four steps for everything.

Okay? Somebody say, you go to the doctor but don't help sick people or I will shoot you. Then, okay, shoot me.

[Speaker 2]
Understand?

[Speaker 1]
It doesn't mean like, you're like, oh, I'm a Buddhist, you can shoot me. Not like that. That's like fanatic.

Not like that. Your friend come to your house, come on, you have bad cold, let's go to the doctor. Then you say, you know, on the way to the doctor, can we stop in the hospital and help somebody?

[Speaker 2]
And they say, come on, that's just superstition, you know?

[Speaker 1]
Then happily, in a friendly way, you have to say, come on, really, I have to go. I really want to visit the hospital first. When we get there, I'll buy you cappuccino.

I just need to help one person. So, you know, don't be fanatic like this, you know?

[Speaker 2]
Be happy fanatic. Friendly fanatic.

[Speaker 1]
Yeah, I love you, I just got to drop by the hospital to help somebody. Then I'll go to the doctor.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
Alright, now you heard the whole contract. Think about it for two days. If you want to take those vows, who has a list?

Jigme wants to make a list, right?

[Speaker 2]
She's over there.

[Speaker 1]
Tell her in the next two days, I need your correct name. If you do it early, it's better. Because I have to give you a special name.

And there's a lot of people here. And I have to think about each person.

[Speaker 2]
Who wants to take it?

[Speaker 1]
Somebody asked me, if I took it before, can I take it again? Just for good luck, you can take again. But actually, you cannot destroy that vow until you die.

Okay, so ... But for good luck, you can take again. Somebody asked me, if I take again, can I get a second Buddhist name?

That's fine. I can give you an extra name. Hasso.

He's from Mexico. He's got like six names. Hasso, Hermono, Ramirez, Martinez, Gattolo, Garconio ...

So, you can have four, he has six. Am I right? Your parents ...

[Speaker 2]
I like your parents.

[Speaker 1]
I met your dad, right? So, it's okay. Okay?

All right.