«Дар освобождения», курс 28 «Строю пространство для практики (ретрит в Таиланде)», занятие 6

[Speaker 1]
So, we're going to do a little demonstration on how to use the can. Venerable Chintzong likes to burn things, so she's going to help. Right here.

I don't trust it. It might fall down. Or not.

You can do this, but you cover it right away. Yeah. As soon as you like.

Alright, well, okay. First, show them what's inside. Stand up.

Okay, I'd like to thank—Venerable Chintzong doing all the fire offering, I'd like to thank her. Thank you. So, she's going to show us everything that's inside here.

Can you show us? Okay. First, there's mustard seed.

Okay. Mustard seed we burn for obstacles. Okay, like you're trying to start a new business, and there's some problem finding investor, or you're trying to find a partner, and all the ones you find are—they don't have a job.

Okay, like obstacles. So, if your main problem is an obstacle, get some mustard seed ready. The other kind of seed here is a black sesame seed, and this is if you made a mistake in the past.

You hurt somebody. You did something wrong. Could be yesterday, could be ten years ago.

Then, actually, usually they go together. Show both, yeah. And you can mix them together.

Usually bad seed is obstacle, and obstacle is a bad seed. So, you can use both. What else is in here is a small notebook, and a pen, or chew toy.

If you get nervous, you can chew. Then, you can write down the mistake you made, or you can write down the obstacle you're having. Okay, and then there's also in here, there's a ghee.

Ghee is butter, which you cook for a while. Can you hold it up for me? And if you cook the butter slowly, the milk part will separate, and then the rest you can use for ...

It will light. It's what we use in the fire offering. Okay, so be careful not to burn it when you cook it.

You have to be careful not to burn it. If you burn it, it won't light. Probably your bad seeds will get bigger.

Okay, so you boil it slowly for about half an hour, and the milk will go to the bottom. It'll be a white color, and it will stick to the bottom of the pot, and the ghee will come to the top. Then you pour the ghee out, and you control away the milk part.

Then it will burn nicely. But if you get distracted, and you burn it, you have to throw it out. You won't ...

you can't light it. Okay, so low heat, and don't ... you know, keep watching it.

Then ... do you want to just talk? Alright, you want me to talk.

Alright. Actually, I think at this point you should slow down, and think about the four steps. Think about the four forces.

Okay, number one. You have a pen here, you can look at it. Think about where it's coming from.

The seeds are coming, opening. Pictures are coming out. Okay, just review the pen.

This is the first power. We call the foundation. Second power.

Wolf warrior. I'm going to kill this seed. Tough guy.

Not guilty. I'm a bad person. I can't stop my bad habits.

Both are true. But it doesn't help. So, be brave.

I'm going to kill this bad seed. Third step. I won't do it again.

Okay? Geshe Michael's jealousy? For 30 seconds, I won't stop.

Okay? Or big thing like stealing money, or not pay your taxes. You can say for the rest of your life.

Okay? Third one. What's the fourth one?

Yeah, I will do something to balance. I didn't pay my whole tax last year. You know, I mean, example.

I'm not saying I didn't pay my tax. Then, secretly, this year you can pay extra tax. Okay?

Don't tell the government. Just pay a little bit extra. You know, if you have to give money to all the people in China, it's over 1 billion people.

You cannot go to Shanghai, and Chengdu, and Guangzhou, and give money to everybody. But if you pay extra tax, the government will give for you, to everybody. Okay?

So, they can work for you. Okay? Pay a little extra tax.

They will give to everybody. They will build a high speed railway for everybody. They are working for you.

So, pay a little extra tax. Then that will balance the old mistake. Things like that.

Be creative. Be creative. Then, okay, tell us what you're doing now.

You wrote down your bad deed. You check the fire alarm in your house. Don't turn it off.

Okay? Do it outside. On the patio or in the courtyard.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
I strongly suggest you don't do this inside. Don't do it on a carpet. The can gets very hot.

You can ruin many tables, other furniture. Your wife will hit you. Actually, that's good.

Small bad thing will happen after good purification. But, don't burn your house. Many Buddhist people burn their house with a can.

So, please don't do it. I gave this demonstration on national television in Mongolia. And the table started to go like this.

And it finally fell down. It was very exciting. One million people are watching.

It was very funny. So, you don't want to do that. Put it on something safe.

Okay, you want to go ahead. Have the cover ready to close it. Do it outside.

I'm ready if you're ready. Then you did the four powers. It's very important.

The most important part at the end, think, this is finished now. Okay? I don't have to worry about it.

That seed is gone. Okay? If you keep thinking about it, it kind of makes the seed come back.

So, just decide. I'm finished. This one I'm finished.

Don't worry, you will do a new bad thing tomorrow. You can do fire again. But this one is finished.

Just decide. Alright, go ahead. You put the paper in the ghee.

I hope it burns. Personally, I like to use a lighter. With the long one.

Then you don't burn your fingers. I use that one. She's dangerous.

She's using a match. Don't burn your fingers. Yeah, and then decide this is finished.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
This one is finished. I hope the ghee is okay. Yeah.

And then I like to meditate while it's burning. So, I will ... Yeah, don't forget to put the seeds in.

Black is for bad karma. And some of these seeds will pop. Pop, pop, pop.

Be careful they pop out of the can. And the obstacle. She's doing both.

Then meditate. Sit, enjoy. Like in the fire offering.

You have two choices. You can just think about nothing. You can enjoy the fire.

Or you can think, Oh, now my bad karma is finished. And if you want, you can do another one. Yeah.

She doesn't have two, but she's just pretending. Then I like to sit and relax. Think about it.

Burning it. Sometimes I will do it for an hour. I will keep burning them.

And I made myself a rule. I didn't find it in the lam rim. But I decided, if I burn my bad deeds for like half an hour, I should celebrate after.

Then I can have hot chocolate and yóutiao. So really, every time I do this, I have hot chocolate ready. In the thermos.

And yóutiao. Then I will celebrate. And at that time, yóutiao doesn't have calories.

You can eat as much as possible. I have good news for you. On Tuesday?

Tsongkapa Day. Let's give her a hand. You can leave it.

Yeah. On Tsongkapa Day, at the end of the day, we will do Lama Chöpa Prayer. So, you are not allowed to eat food after 12 o'clock.

And you have to swallow the last piece of lunch before 12 o'clock. But, we are doing that night offering to Lamas. And you are allowed to eat the offerings.

This is not food. Okay? So, we have plan.

Okay, let's do some more lam rim. And then we will, we'll take a break in about 20 minutes, something like that. And then we'll do question and answer.

Okay, we'll take a short break. So, you guys, you can look up M.J.U.G. M.J.U.G. Here is ... Thank you, thank you, Michael.

Okay. You got it, Adam? No?

Sudan, UK? M.J.U.G. M.J.U.G. M.J.U.G space T.U. Space T.U. I'm sorry. Yeah.

No, one more time. There you go. Okay.

That's it. Okay. Okay.

So, it says here, ,GZHAG PA BYAS PA'I MJUG TU, ,DIG PA LHAG MED DU DAG SONG SNYAM PA DANG, Decide, you finish that seed. And then they say, put the seal of emptiness. Okay, this is a famous idea.

What do you call seal? Yin. Yin.

So, put the seal of emptiness. Okay. It means, the person that I hurt, also coming from me.

Okay, the person that I hurt, coming from me. Okay, and myself, I'm also coming from seeds. And why did I meet this person?

Why did I meet this husband? Why did I meet this person that I work with? The meeting also come from seeds.

In Buddhism, there are no accidents. There's a reason why you hurt that person. There's a reason why you met that person.

In the Mind Only School, they say a correct thing. You put yourself in the room, and you put the other person in the room. And also the desire to hurt them, that's also coming from seed.

So, the hurter, and the person who got hurt, and the hurting, they are all coming from your seeds. So, think about it. That's the final seal.

It's called seal of emptiness. Understand, it's not accident that you met this person. It's not accident that you hurt them.

It's coming from you. Okay. Then, in Buddhism, middle way is very important.

The idea of middle way. Okay, it means if you're on the highway, there's usually a small fence on both sides. If you go too far this way, you will hit this fence.

If you go too far this way, you will hit this fence. Buddhism is very much about middle way. Then, for example, what's a middle way in the kitchen with the husband?

What's the middle way? Is there a husband in the kitchen? Sometimes, when you have a question in the debate, you have to answer with a question.

Is there a husband in the kitchen? Yeah, which one? Which husband?

Is there a husband coming from his side? No. Okay, that's one fence on the highway.

The husband not coming from me exists. Correct or not correct? Not correct.

Yeah, husband who didn't come from me exists. Correct or not? No, not correct.

That's one fence. Okay, that's one fence. Okay, so there's no husband in the kitchen, right?

Ask me a question. Which one? Is there a husband come from you in the kitchen?

Yeah, okay, so two fences. And, you know, you can understand emptiness and dependent origination perfectly if you understand the two husbands in the kitchen. You don't need more teaching than that.

I can retire after I do the two husbands. You understand everything about emptiness and dependent origination. If you understand about the two husbands.

You don't need to know more than that. That's emptiness. And that's dependent origination.

But also middle way is in the kitchen. What is middle way? Don't go here, don't go here.

Ready? What's over here? Husband who didn't come from me exists.

That's one fence. Wrong. Now, second one.

There's no husband in the kitchen. Both are incorrect. Okay, got it?

So what's the middle way? Husband coming from me exists in the kitchen. You can think like this, you know.

If you're lucky, the husband will think you're asking him to leave. Actually coming from me. Okay, let's say again.

Middle way. Last time, is there husband not come from you? Exists or not?

No. Is there no husband in the kitchen? No.

It's the middle way. What's the middle way? Husband coming from me exists in the kitchen.

Okay, so idea of middle way is very important in Buddhism. And if you understand the word middle way with the two husbands, then you understand middle way. Okay?

There's no different middle way. Okay? I just taught you kong shing, yin go, zhong dao, zhong dao.

Now, you understand all Buddhism. Okay, where? In the kitchen.

Okay. That's where Buddhism should go to the kitchen. Temple doesn't need Buddhism.

Temple already has Buddhism. You need Buddhism in the kitchen. And in your office.

You want to have a happy life. That's the purpose of Buddhism. So, bring the Buddhism to your kitchen.

Now, actually you learned all the important parts of Buddhism in the kitchen. Emptiness, dependent origination, middle way. Okay?

And there's no other middle way. Okay? I like middle way.

You can study for thirty years. And I enjoy to read those books. But you just learned all of middle way.

There's no other middle way. Okay? You can learn many details, but you just learned the real middle way.

There's no other middle way. Okay? Got it?

Now, here we have a middle way. Now we have a middle way here. Number one.

Left side highway fence. Oh, Geshe-la, yeah, I yelled at my husband. It's a small thing, you know.

We do it all the time. Don't worry about it. Did you plant a seed?

Yeah, probably, but we do every day. Geshe-la, don't be worried about us. We yell at each other a lot.

It's just a little seed. That's the left side of middle way. Don't go there.

That's a big mistake. Watch. That's a big karma.

That's a big ... I'll do it one more time. Okay?

It's called eyebrow karma. Even that, 50 karmic seeds, and then have a fight with your husband for one minute, that's 3,600 karmic seeds.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
It's not a small thing. So, one side of the middle way, don't go there. Oh, Geshe-la, it's nothing.

We fight often. That's not a big fight. You want to see a big fight, you come tomorrow.

It's called nang chung. Nang chung means ... It's like this.

Not so much. That's one mistake. Okay?

What's the other mistake? Oh, I'm a bad person. I can't stop fighting with my husband.

I'm going to go to the hell. No, I should kill myself now. Okay?

That's the other extreme. Like, don't go crazy. Okay?

I'm ... Okay, good translation. Yeah, good.

Okay, don't go ... So, that's the other extreme. What's the middle way?

Okay, I made a mistake. I have some bad seed. It's like a cause of cancer in my body.

And I have to get it out. Okay? So, four steps.

Get the can. All right? That's all.

Just decide. Fight the bad seed. Be brave.

Middle way. That's middle way. Left side.

Show me with your hand. It's nothing. Don't worry Geshe-la.

We fight every day. No, I am worried. What's the other side?

Oh, I'm a bad person. I'm a bad person. Nobody loves me.

Okay, like that. Paralyzed. Don't do anything.

We need middle way. Okay, I made a mistake. Be honest.

I made a mistake. I had a fight with my husband. It's not a small thing.

And we say in English, it's not the end of the world. Clean it up.

[Speaker 2]
Okay?

[Speaker 1]
Then continue with your life. Okay. MI PHEN PAR If you think it's nothing, or you go crazy, MI PHEN PAR means it won't help you.

MI PHEN PAR RANG BYAG LAS DANG PO BA'I SHAB PA BYAS PA DE RANG NAS BYAS BA'I KU BYED KYI GSUNGS NAS GSUNGS PA'I SDIG PA DANG PAS BDAG BSAL PO YANG YANG MA BYUNG BAR DU SHAB PA ZHUGS DRA DANG RGYUN RING BA BYA GO It means ... Okay, we are beginners. SHAB PA BYAS PA We have to learn how to do this kind of cleaning bad seeds.

SHAB PA BYAS PA And there's a famous Buddhist book called GUL BYED KYI GSUNGS. It's a mantra for pushing you. Mantra for pushing you to do something.

It's an old sutra. And it has some signs, different signs, of ... It means the seed is gone.

So, I told you one sign. You will have a small disaster. Maybe ...

Jingang Jing says you will have a headache for one day. Unusual sudden headache. Or maybe a small car accident.

Okay. YANG YANG MA BYUNG BAR DU means do your purification until you get some good signs. Then I went and found you from that book.

The signs mentioned in that ancient book. And these are ... These are found in Tsongkapa's lamrim.

And I'll give them to you.

[Speaker 2]
Okay.

[Speaker 1]
There are six of them. Okay. Number one.

Oh, these are dream signs. Somebody asked me, Geshe-la, will we get any sign in our dream? If you made a big bad deed, and you clean it well, you will get signs in your dreams.

[Speaker 2]
Okay.

[Speaker 1]
Then Tsongkapa lists them from the old sutra. Number one. Say NGAN PAR GYUR PA.

Say NGAN PAR GYUR PA. In the dream, you will be vomiting some bad food. Like you ate bad tofu or something.

And you will be showing up in the dream. And that's a good sign. It means you are getting rid of the bad seeds.

Okay. Sometimes when you have stomach problem, my teacher, he will come in and say, you have bad stomach problem. I say, yeah.

He said, stick your finger down. I'm like, why? You will throw up.

You can try. It works. Then the bad food come out.

So, in your dream, you will see throwing up. So, actually that's a good sign. Okay.

The second one. SHO DANG OM MA LA SOGS PA MTHUNG BA DANG GYUR PA DANG Drinking something white. Like milk.

Or eating yogurt. Okay. You can try almond milk also.

Okay. Then something white. You are eating something white.

Or you are drinking something white. Sometimes you will also throw up again after that. In the dream.

Sometimes not. It means purification. The seed is finished.

Number three. NYI MA DANG BDAG BA MTHUNG BA Means you have a vision of a beautiful sun rise. Or you are watching the moon.

And the light is very beautiful. That means the seed is finishing. Number four.

Lots of people have number four. Maybe you had it in your dream. You are flying.

Without airplane. Like Superman. And that's a very good sign.

Many people ask me, Geshe-la, I dream I am flying. Without an airplane. That's a very good sign.

It means your bad seeds are finishing. Okay. MED PAR BA MED PAR BA means big fire.

Like a whole forest. Whole house is on fire. That means your bad seed is burning up.

Make sure it's not your can which is catching on fire. Okay? And your house.

Two people I know almost burned their house down with this can. Be careful. Watch the fire extinguisher.

Don't unplug it. Bad idea.

[Speaker 2]
Okay.

[Speaker 1]
Number six. You are having a fight with a big strong black man or a big strong black cow. Like wrestling.

Then you defeat them. And that's a sign that your seed is clear. Okay.

Yeah. By the way, I checked some other ancient books. And I found a few more.

If you want more. I found some more. Okay.

There's a famous ... The mother of all lamrim is called The Steps of the Teaching. Yeah, and it was written a thousand years ago.

And it was missing. And we found it. We found a copy in Russia.

And it was 400 years before Tsongkapa. And in there, it says in the dream, if you see monk or nun, it means your seed is getting cleaner. He also gave those other signs.

But he added more. Then he says, sometimes you dream about a tree and there's a liquid coming out of the tree. Like a white liquid.

Like ... looks like milk. And that's a sign that your seeds are getting cleaner.

He has two more. Then you imagine you are riding on a big animal. In your dream, you are riding like an elephant.

Or a very powerful bull. Or sometimes you are sitting on top of a mountain. Any high place.

There's a special throne in Buddhism. Like this shape. But there are four lions holding it up.

We call it lion throne. If you're sitting on that, it means your seeds are getting cleaner. Or you are in the ...

like in the five-star hotel in the top floor. Like beautiful palace. And you are sitting at the top, watching the beautiful ocean.

So maybe everybody here already has that sign. I think we should thank Jasmine again. And he gives one more.

In the dream, if you are listening to Dharma teaching, it means you got rid of your bad seeds. Let me see. I found another list.

I think it's nothing different. Let me see. This is from Shantideva.

Yeah, that list is the same. Yeah, I found four sutras. They are the same.

Okay. Alright. You guys ready?

Then he said all of us who are sitting in this class, of course we are sitting in the lam rim. That itself is the best kind of four powers. Automatic four powers.

Just ... yeah. Just come to Thailand.

You know, sit. You can even sleep. But if you are here, he said automatic four powers.

Every minute you sit here, you are cleaning bad seeds. Just by sitting in the class. BDAG GSAL KHYAB KHOR Debating is a great one for purifying.

Okay. TSOS PA TSUN CHAD KYANG, SAGS BYANG GI LTON DU BYAS NA, SDIG BYANG MTSONG SOGS SOGS DU GRO It cleans bad seeds and it makes new good seeds. Then he said something interesting.

Meditation helps to stop bad seeds. And don't forget, he says ... Okay, you got GSUNG RAB LA?

GSUNG RAB LA Don't forget there are three kinds of meditation. Those of you who studied DCI level three, you know there are three kinds of meditation. Say SHAR BSGOM, CHAD BSGOM, SBYO BSGOM.

Please say it loud because it will wake up the other people. Okay. SHAR BSGOM CHAD BSGOM SBYO BSGOM Good, you woke up.

You woke up three, four people. SHAR BSGOM means you meditate about ... what are the eight ...

you meditate about a list. What are the eight kinds of karma that a teacher needs? Oh, I need long life.

I should look nice. I should be high in society. To close your eyes and make this list, that's one kind of meditation.

SHAR BSGOM SBYO BSGOM you know. SBYO BSGOM means you bring your teacher here and you just enjoy their nice quality. Like my teacher, no matter how many mistakes I make, she didn't kick me out.

Thank you. So, to hold this picture in your mind, Oh, Lama, I made the same mistake I made for 48 years. Yeah, I know.

You're going to kick me out? No, not today. Okay, so then you hold your mind on that image.

That's called SBYO BSGOM. Okay, CHAD BSGOM is the third kind of meditation. It means problem-solving meditation.

For example, if you think about which husband is emptiness, where's the emptiness in the kitchen when my husband called me phantom? Okay, then think about that situation. Try to think where is the emptiness?

How many emptiness in the kitchen? Yeah, a lot. Okay, anyway, you can try to count all the emptiness in the kitchen.

The main one is the husband who doesn't come from you. Okay, so when you think about that problem, he says that's real meditation. And every moment you think about that problem, you are killing bad seeds.

When you study, you can't understand the book. You can't understand what Geshe-la said. Every moment you think about, what did he say?

I don't understand. That's a special bad seed killing method. To be confused in the class is a very special bad seed killing method.

So, my goal is to confuse you as much as possible. Okay, when you go like this, and you're trying to figure out what's Geshe-la saying? During this process, this is real meditation, and you are killing bad seeds.

Every moment like this, you are killing bad seeds. And he said here, that's real meditation. And he says, okay, last thing, then we take a break.

GOM SHES PA BLO TSUL DRA BUG TU LUS NAS BYA DGOS PA'I NGES PAR MED If you have this in the class, you are, actually, that's real meditation. And you don't have to go to a cave and meditate for three years. He said it here.

Well, still you should go to Diamond Mountain. But, actually, you don't have to. This one, in the class, you are in a cave at that moment.

You don't have to go to some mountain. Everybody says, oh, this guy sat in the snow here in this cave. He said, that's not the real cave.

Inside the class. What's Geshe-la talking about? That's a real staying in the cave.

You don't need separate caves. I tried a cave. I tried to meditate in a cave.

There's a pretty nice cave near my house. I stayed there one night. Three things happened.

First, a snake came inside. Green snake. In our place, green snake is very poisonous.

If they bite you, you have to die. No choice. Then I'm like, whoa!

Then I take a stick, push him out. Then, late at night, somebody came in. I couldn't see.

Then he's like, then I'm like, throwing rocks. Finally, in the morning, I start to meditate. Snake is gone.

Wolf is gone. Then I'm meditating. Then one spider came.

Then I said, I'm a tough guy. I'm not going to stop. Then, these are the spider with the long legs.

They don't bite you. I know. So I'm like, okay.

Then second one came. I'm like, I can do. Then finally, about 50, they are all climbing.

Then finally, I'm like, then I went back to my house. Much better than it came. Why?

It has a door. Okay, take a break. Who gives him a fried dough stick?

Who gives him a fried dough stick? Okay, thank you. Hi, China Soft Power.

He's from China Soft Power.

[Speaker 2]
Okay, thank you. Actually, I have a question. Actually, when I was in the classroom, I asked Mr. Wang Yijin.

[Speaker 1]
When we do anything, it actually has an origin. I'm jealous today because there was an origin that made me jealous. For example, one person hurts another person because there was a cause that led to today's result.

So when I was doing this, it should be I'm done.

[Speaker 2]
The bad seed exploded. Why is there a new seed to be born? It should be I'm done.

[Speaker 1]
If all of these have a cause, then where does the original cause come from? Okay, thank you. So I actually have asked this question to teacher Vivian during the break.

So my question is everything happens for a reason. Like today, I'm jealous of somebody else. It has a dependence.

It must have a cause before. So that cause creates jealousy or creates the hurt that I bring to other people. So then suppose this is the result of that dependence of that cause and this will finish.

So my first question is why would I have another new result because of this? Because it's supposed to be a result of the previous cause. Second part is, if everything has a cause, then what is the first cause?

Okay, good question. There's a famous sutra, and it has your answer. And it says every cause is also a result.

And every result is also a cause. So for example, if I feel jealous, it's a result of earlier jealousy. And at the same time, it's a cause for later jealousy.

And this is why we have Wheel of Life. Then, of course, comes the second question. So what was the first jealousy?

What was the cause of my first jealousy? And somebody asked this question to Buddha. Then there are called the famous fourteen unanswered questions.

Then Buddha go like that. But I will answer. Okay, just answer.

It means, which comes first, chicken or egg? Buddha will say, yes. It means, of course, no beginning.

And it's an interesting question. And I remember asking this question to my teacher. And I said, I'm uncomfortable.

If you say there's no beginning, then for me, it's uncomfortable. Buddha said, everything has a cause. That means everything has beginning.

So this world, everything should have beginning. And I said, we America people, our actual religion is called science. Everybody believes science.

They are Jewish, Christian, Hindu, doesn't matter. All of them believe science. Then my teacher is a very famous debater.

They had a contest in 1955. Fifteen thousand monks. He beat all of them.

He's number one. His teacher's teacher is Pabongka, who wrote this book. He cannot talk without debating.

If he asks you, would you like some tea, you have to be careful. What do you mean? Then he said, oh, science, we don't have science when I'm in my country.

What is the main idea of science? Then I felt a little bit proud. Because I know something my teacher doesn't know.

I said, Rinpoche, I will explain science. Oh, please. Then I said, science believe everything have cause.

Very similar to Buddha. Oh, really? I said, yeah.

For example, if there's a sickness, like cancer, then a scientist will try to find the cause with experiment. And this is the most important part of science. Don't believe anything.

Do experiment. Find out the cause. He said, oh, that's very good.

I said, yeah. I said, scientists believe everything has cause. He said, oh, everything has cause.

I said, yeah. He said, what caused the world? What caused the universe?

There's a big bang. He said, oh, really? I said, yeah.

And a big bang, everything come from big bang. Still the universe is expanding. Even our world, our sun, it's moving.

Everything start with big bang. Everything start with big bang. That's nice.

And what caused the big bang? Then he's like a trap. Then I'm like, I said, well, big bang didn't have cause.

It's the first thing. Big bang is the first thing. He said, oh, in the science, in the system which says everything have a cause, nothing has cause.

Everything doesn't have cause. Oh, very good system. Okay, understand?

And, of course, it's crazy. And up until that moment, I thought, oh, America people, we are most smart in the world. I think every country's people believe that.

Suddenly, I'm like, oh, yeah, big mistake. So, it's more logical if there's no beginning. And there is no beginning.

If everything has cause, then there's no beginning. Cannot be. It's not logical.

That's all. And your mind has no beginning. And your mind has no end.

I call it the long spaghetti noodle. Goes through all time. At some point in the spaghetti noodle, the person who has that mind becomes Buddha.

But then your mind continues forever. Your mind has no beginning. Your mind has no end.

At some point, you become Buddha's mind. Okay, next question. Thank you.

Great question. Thank you.

[Speaker 2]
Hello. Hi. Dear Geshe-la, may I ask what is the seeds of dimension?

And if the people is almost have a dimension or already have a dimension, what kind of seeds we can teach them to plant to clear the bad seeds? Yes.

[Speaker 1]
Okay.

[Speaker 2]
Okay, good question.

[Speaker 1]
Geshe-la always gives too long answer. So, I have a friend in New York. And she's actually Chinese.

And her father works at the United Nations. She asked me, I want to have a husband. I want to find a husband.

Then I said four steps. I want to find husband. Find a lonely person.

Like old person in the nursing home. Take them to the movie once a week. And then, coffee mingxiang.

Then, she did it. She actually did it. And then, she did it for three, four months.

She's an architect. But she's also teach yoga. So, she went to Los Angeles.

She lives in New York. And she said, I was expecting the seed to open. So, I had to teach a special yoga class.

And I was waiting to see if the boy comes in the yoga class. And I waited. Many people came in.

Like 20 people, 30 people. All girls. Yeah.

Then she's like disappointed. And they closed the door. Start the yoga class.

Then one person came late. Opened the door. He's like a boy.

You know them, right?

[Speaker 2]
Yeah, yeah.

[Speaker 1]
Don't talk. Then he looked at her. And she looked at him.

Then she called me right away. I met a boy. Seed opened.

He's a TV director. He has a good job. Then he's a nice guy.

And they got married. You know? And they asked me, will you come and do the marriage?

I said, yeah. I will come. But I have to tell you about the $20,000 agreement.

She said, what's a $20,000 agreement? I always do wedding for free. If you divorce within three years, you have to give me $20,000.

You waste my time. I didn't make any money from them. She's very happy.

Then this ... they just had a baby. Then we are sitting on the couch.

And we are eating wedding cake. So, if you want me to do a wedding, just prepare a wedding cake. Then I will come.

For the cake. And we are eating cake on that couch. This is a true story.

This is the same couch. I don't know why they cut my photo off. Okay.

But still I got the cake. Then I told her, so, how is your old lady at the nursing home? I said, how is your old lady?

Actually Geshe-la, I didn't visit her for a few months. I said, what's wrong? Oh, you know, when you get married, to pick out the dress, it takes like six weeks.

And prepare the invitation, all the food. I was too busy. I said, tell the truth.

You got the boy. You dumped the old lady. I don't need her anymore.

Okay. Then she's like ... Then I said, big mistake.

I said, you're definitely going to owe me $20,000. She said, no, no, we will never get divorced. I said, you will get divorced.

She said, why? I said, because you met him. Okay.

Meeting the husband is the cause of divorce in Buddhism. Why? When you meet him, when he comes in the yoga class, then you destroy the seed.

The growing of the tree destroys the seed. So definitely that relationship will break. All seeds die.

Husband is very expensive karma. It takes about 60 seeds every second. The longer you are together, the more seeds you are using, and you will lose him.

Then she's scared. On the wedding day, she's like ... What can I do?

I said, go back to the old lady. Keep making seeds. You cannot stop.

Then take your husband. Go together. Visit the old lady.

You cannot stop. Unfortunately, old ladies die. Then get a new old lady.

Don't stop. Keep planting seeds. Now, why am I talking about that?

By the way, now they have a happy marriage, and I think they have an old lady. Your question is about dementia. Mind is also coming from seed.

Your mind is coming from seed. What you hear when you close your eyes, somebody's talking. It's not you.

Seeds are opening. Words are coming out. I wonder when Geshe-la's finished the talk, I can have a youtiao.

Yeah. There's a thought coming out of the seeds. So, we are born with a debit card, physical debit card, and a mental debit card.

By living, they wear out. Like, by marriage, seeds wear out. So, you must plant new seeds.

Then, if you keep planting new seeds, your mind will not get older. Actually, if you are a good seed manager, your mind will get sharper as you get older. You can learn more languages.

You can read this ancient book easy. So, if you are a good seed manager, your body gets healthier and healthier. Your mind gets sharper and sharper.

How to get a sharp mind? Share this wisdom with other people. Now, let's say my mother is starting to get dementia.

Then, I have to encourage her to share wisdom with other people. For example, you can invite her friends for tea, and you can guide the conversation to something beautiful and meaningful. Then, she and her friends are talking about beautiful things like karma.

Then, they are planting new seeds for intelligence. I have my stepmother and I have my partner's mother. They are both 94.

My stepmother is still working. She still has a travel agent. Okay?

She's not stopped. Her mind is very sharp. So, you can do.

Now, what if they already mind is starting to finish? What can we do? Then, invite her friends.

Just sit together. Help her to give them tea or serve other people. Then, dedicate those seeds that her mind will improve.

So, don't let her to stop serving other people. I had a lady, her son was, what do you call? Retarded.

He can't do anything. Then, she said, what can I do? I cannot teach him four steps.

I said, take him to the children's hospital. Then, take some toys for the other children. Then, take his hand, put the toy in the hand and give to the other kid.

Open his hand. Then, he will get some karma. Then, she did that for like a year.

Now, he plays piano. Very strange. So, you can do.