«Дар освобождения», курс 36 «Любовь во времена вируса», занятие 5

[Speaker 1]
Hi, welcome back to the meditations for this Middle of the Sun Lam Rim retreat. We've reached the fourth meditation which you will be doing during the fourth week. You'll be doing it during episodes 10 to 12 if I'm correct.

You'll be doing it that week that you're studying episodes 10 to 12. We are continuing with the chapter, the 10th chapter from Master Shantideva, which is called the chapter on dedication. NGO BA'I LUS We are in the fourth section of that meditation.

Now don't forget what Master Shantideva is doing with that section. He's dedicating a good karma. What good karma?

Of finishing the book. The 10th chapter is the dedication of writing the first nine chapters. It's kind of cool.

He's done this good karma. He's got this big pile of good karma. Sometimes you get an unexpected profit from your business.

It happens. It happens to me from time to time. Suddenly I get this big amount of money.

Then you have to think of how you're going to give it away. You can feel that with Master Shantideva here. He's got this big good karma landed in his hands of writing the guide to the bodhisattva's way of life.

Now he wants to give it away because he wants to protect it. He wants to give that good karma to other people. We're in the fourth part of that.

You and me, we're going to try to emulate Shantideva. We're going to think of some good karma we did. This lam rim says that a small good deed during a difficult time in the world is a big good deed.

Maybe as big as what Shantideva did. Normally if there was no virus, being nice to your neighbor wouldn't be such a big thing. But in the time of the virus, to be sweet to your neighbor, to help your neighbor, that becomes a very powerful good karma.

It's so powerful that we can do an act of truth. Act of truth is we say to ourselves in our meditation, we're going to say, if it's true that I got to know the neighbor at the end of my street, okay, I'll tell you secretly. He was a marine colonel and he was a fundamentalist Christian preacher.

Together. We never talked to each other before. He's old now.

We got to such a sweet relationship now. We worked on it. We both worked on it.

We didn't start out with a very good relationship, but we worked on it. The virus helped us. I'm going to dedicate this karma.

That's the good deed I did during the virus. We became quite close friends. I'm very proud of that.

That's my lam rim practice for the last few months. I worked on it. He worked on it, I'm sure.

That's the good karma. Then I'm going to dedicate it. I'm going to use it.

For what? If it's true that I became close friends with my neighbor that we didn't like each other before the virus, then should the virus itself be sent to the middle of the sun and burnt up for everybody? 25 million degrees.

By this act of truth, which could turn Niagara Falls backwards, I dedicate that act of truth to shooting the virus into the middle of the sun for people on this planet. Here we go. Get ready for your meditation.

Small smile. Relaxed forehead. Tummy's in.

Virus, COVID, tummy's pulled in a little bit. Hands are comfortable. Chin mudra if you like.

Back is straight. Shoulders are back. Let's prepare by taking ten breaths.

Ten long exhales. That's all.

[Speaker 2]
Very slow. Very long.

[Speaker 1]
For this meditation we're going to do an act of truth. For an act of truth you need some ammunition. You need a good deed that you have done, particularly in the last few months during this world crisis, world problem.

Let's each one of us think about something special thing that we did that was kind or nice to someone else during the virus. We all did something. That's going to be our ammunition.

Let's think about that. Something nice you did during the virus times. Just one is enough.

[Speaker 2]
Make it clear. Now let's dedicate that. Let's do an act of truth.

[Speaker 1]
If it's true that I did this kindness during the virus then... And here's a list from Shantideva. Then may there be beautiful gardens.

Lovely gardens appear in this world. People sitting in those gardens and enjoying, learning goodness. Dharma.

Learning the Dharma. It doesn't have to be Buddhist Dharma. But may there come to be beautiful places.

Maybe this is where we'll have to go back to teaching Dharma in large gardens in the Buddha's time. With social distancing in the gardens. May there appear gardens in this world.

[Speaker 2]
People relaxing on the grass or on a bench. Speaking about Lam Rim. If it's true that I was good during the virus.

[Speaker 1]
May there be teachings for everyone. May everyone meet the teacher who fits them.

[Speaker 2]
Through my good deed, may everyone meet the teacher who fits them.

[Speaker 1]
Now Shantideva makes a very interesting prayer. May the economy of the world be healthy. May the governments be well-managed governments that serve their peoples well.

And of course may the weather be good. And may the crops be successful and plentiful. May we have good governance around the world.

May we have good economy, world economy. If I was nice during the virus.

[Speaker 2]
Shantideva's next prayer is very interesting.

[Speaker 1]
If it's true that I was good during the virus to someone, then may medicines in this world be effective. May medicines work for people. May the vaccine against this virus be found quickly.

And may it work for everybody. Very interesting prayer that Shantideva made over a thousand years ago for us.

[Speaker 2]
May no one feel pain or fear.

[Speaker 1]
May no one be unhappy.

[Speaker 2]
May no one be hurt by another person.

[Speaker 1]
Where people are studying spiritual practice, whatever religion it may be, may they be successful. And may there be harmony in that group. And may they do good practice together.

May all churches, mosques, temples, or even people who have no religion, may they live in harmony. May their wisdom increase by my act of truth.

[Speaker 2]
May people believe in higher things.

[Speaker 1]
May they learn to make offerings to higher beings that they cannot see. May they always be reborn as a human.

[Speaker 2]
And may they reach enlightenment.

[Speaker 1]
There are plenty of Buddhas in the universe. There are countless Bodhisattvas in the universe. Shantideva makes an interesting prayer, act of truth.

Those Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, they have plans for us, for you, for me, for our family, for our friends, for our country. They have plans for us. They have plans in mind for us.

They may even involve going on a lower path for a while. But I dedicate the good karma of the service I gave to others during the virus, that those plans should come true. They should succeed in the plans they have for me and for you.

[Speaker 2]
Those plans should succeed. May all beings see emptiness in this universe. May all beings practice loving each other mainly.

May they learn to do deep retreat.

[Speaker 1]
May places like Diamond Mountain grow in many parts of this world where people can go and do deep retreat. We're doing sort of a retreat during the virus, but it's good to get out of your own home and go to a special place where people just do retreat. And the buildings are built for retreat.

May those retreat centers thrive and be healthy and serve many people, if I have been nice to someone during the virus. Try to remember the good thing you did. Send strong prayers to spiritual communities of all religions.

[Speaker 2]
Pray for their success. Please come back to your breath. Three long exhales.

[Speaker 1]
And then slowly open your eyes. Take a stretch. Yay!

Nice jump. See you in the next meditation.