500 образов для медитации на шагах пути к просветлению, занятие 34

[Speaker 1]
Okay, let's do idam 34. You've been doing it for a couple days. Every lamrim will stop here and say, by the way, the greatest meditation object of all is to choose one of your teachers who has made a big change in your life.

The one that you admire. I have a fifth grade teacher that I really admire. I really admire my mom.

I had an eleventh grade teacher that I really admired. I had a college professor that I really admired. I have a heart lama.

So actually I almost never do any other teacher who I super admire. There's no greater meditation object than your teacher. The teacher who affected you the most.

And it could be, historically, it could be Jesus, it could be Buddha, it could be Nagarjuna, Mohammed. It could be an uncle who died when you were six years old, who affected you a lot, who's not here anymore. It could be, your mom or dad is very, very common as a great teacher in your life.

Okay, and because your mind is like a mirror, so whatever you put in front of the mirror will show in the mirror. You see what I mean? So if you put a holy thing in front of your mind, it will reflect in your mind.

And then as it reflects in your mind, you become more like them. That's why during the lion's dance, I'm surprised nobody asked me, don't waste any time on problems you see in your teacher. Don't pick a teacher and then say, he picks his nose all the time.

Don't go there. Don't focus on anyone's problems, your friend or your mother or your... Don't waste your time.

If you want a short answer, it came from you. You are seeing yourself. Then forget it.

Go focus on something sweet, because you will become more like that. Does your teacher have problems? Yes.

Do they have faults? Possibly. Should you focus on them?

You're wasting your time. Go to another teacher who's more commendable, admirable. Pick one who's sweet and pick a quality that's sweet.

So when you do the lion's dance, I encourage you not to go back in your past life and see who it was that you stabbed that your lama looks grumpy all the time. It's not a fun exercise. It's not a good thing to worry about.

Did you stab somebody? Yes. Is it helpful to go over it again and again?

Not really. So focus on the good qualities. Also in real life, with your friends and your family, and fellow students, focus on the good stuff.

There's lots. There's nobody who's totally bad. It's never happened in the history of the world.

People who tried to kill the Buddha, the one who tried to kill the Buddha was a great scholar, for example. Okay? Okay, anyway.

So pick a beautiful meditation object. Stick to something beautiful. Make your life beautiful.