Gyalwang Karmapa’s teachings on “Living the Dharma”    (12th - 14th January, 2009)

January 14, 2009, Tergar Monastery, Bodh Gaya, report by Karma Palmo, photos taken by Karma Lekcho

Day Three

This is a summary of the oral English translation of His Holiness’s teaching.

His Holiness began the last day of the teachings for foreign students by announcing that he would bestow Refuge, the lung of the Preliminary Practice text that he composed last year, and also bestow Bodhisattva Vows, but first he decided to devote the entire morning session to questions and answers.

The first question concerned the profound meaning of reciting ‘Karmapa Khyeno’. His Holiness began his answer by explaining the meaning of ‘karma’: activity, or action, and ‘pa’: one who performs that activity.

He told how 100,000 Dakinis wove the black hat from their hair, consecrated it, and offered it to the first Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa. He was the one who performed all the activities of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the three times and ten directions. His Holiness also said that it does not need to be one particular individual who is called ‘Karmapa’, but that it can be a general name for all Vajra Masters who do the activities of the Buddha. It can be regarded as a title for all genuine masters. The Buddha had prophesied that when the Dharma is nearing extinction, he would come in the form of Vajra Masters to perform his Buddha activity.

The activity of the Buddhas is the activity that brings out the white, or positive, side of people, and that brings out the Buddha nature of all beings. So, when we recite ‘Karmapa Khyeno’, the purpose is to bring out the white or light side of our nature.

‘Khyeno’ has the meaning of entreating, ‘please think of me’. The purpose of this entreaty is also to remember the positive qualities of the lama again and again and to pray to the lama to remember us. It is not necessary to recite aloud, but from the heart. Milarepa said: ‘When I am alone, I call to my lama from my heart’.

This answer was followed by a couple of questions that His Holiness said he would answer at a later time, and then there was a question about how people who are non-Buddhist can be helped when they are coming close to the time of their death. His Holiness replied by saying that whether one has entered the Buddhist Path or not, everyone has the opportunity to be reborn in a positive state. It is not necessary to practice Buddhism to take a positive rebirth. The most important thing is the state of the mind at the time of death. So, for those around the dying person, it is very good to create the circumstances for the dying person to have a positive state of mind. Even if the person has not practiced extensively during their lifetime, if they have a positive state of mind at their time of death, this can make a great difference and is very helpful. His Holiness told the story of a butcher who killed many animals during his life, but when nearing his death, he heard about the Buddha and was so inspired that he passed away with one hand in the prostration mudra. When he was reborn, he took the form of a piglet, but that piglet had one human hand. He was taken to a monastery to live, and his life was saved. His Holiness emphasized that this was a true story and that he had seen a photograph of the small pig with the human hand.

A couple more questions were shelved by His Holiness, and then he bestowed the lung for the Preliminary Practices. He said that the students have come from many faraway places and need to take back with them something so they can continue to practice. Many people are starting to do their Ngondro practices now, so he planned to teach Vajrasattva and Guru Yoga in the afternoon session. Last time His Holiness taught the Ngondro, he said he had not permitted video or recording of his teachings on Guru Yoga, so this time, he would teach in such a way that it could be recorded.

Finally, His Holiness gave Refuge Vows to the assembly, explaining first the purpose of going for refuge. He explained that Refuge means that we can find support and safety, like the refuge that our mothers or parents who love us very much show to us. By taking refuge, we feel encouraged, and we receive a new hope, assurance and courage. These days, the world is passing through many crises, and people feel they can have no confidence or security, and nothing they can depend on. Through finding a true refuge, new hope and new confidence can be generated.

To go for refuge is similar to a small child running to his/her mother, and spontaneously calling ‘Ma’, when something undesirable happens. In the same way, when we face the sufferings and difficulties of samsara and the great problems of the world, and we feel there is no refuge or protection, we need to find not just an external refuge, but an internal, spiritual refuge, to give us inner strength and protection.

Buddha Shakyamuni passed away more than 2,500 years ago, and so today we cannot find him, but the power of his teachings remains. His radiance and his representations exist today. When we practice, it is not enough that the teachings of the Buddha are here; it is necessary to practice loving kindness and compassion. We need to use it, rely on it, and study with genuine masters. If we do this, there is no difference between that and meeting the Buddha himself. If we can do this, we will find protection and confidence within ourselves.

His Holiness made a comparison about the three Refuges. He said that the human brain has advanced a great deal and that three reasons can be posited for this development. Firstly, the experiences of past generations have been transmitted to us; we have learnt from previous generations. Secondly, we have not just copied, but we have used our own intellects and found new ways of doing things through our own wisdom. Lastly, life in this world is full of ups and downs, sufferings and positive experiences. We rely on friends and companions to share our tough and good times together, and for our support and progress. So, in the same way, we need the experiences of the Buddhas of the past to give us the knowledge of how to free ourselves from suffering and pain and to find lasting peace and happiness. This is the first refuge. The second refuge is the Dharma, the teachings that help us work with ourselves to find happiness. Then the friends with whom we can work together, with whom we can share support on the Path, represent the third refuge. So with these three refuges, we are on the Dharma Path; we are practicing a spiritual Path. We should feel that the Buddha is the Teacher, the Dharma is the Path and the Sangha is the spiritual friend with whom we go together.

His Holiness advised those taking refuge to carefully observe the Refuge Vows, to carefully follow what is prescribed and to avoid what is proscribed. He then completed the morning session by saying that the stones that had been brought from all over the world to form the stone altar that has stood beneath the Bodhi Tree during the Kagyu Monlam, have been imbued with blessings. He would distribute each stone to the participants at the end of the afternoon session so that they can take those stones out all over the world to carry each of our prayers and to spread the blessings of peace.
 

In the afternoon session, His Holiness first gave the Bodhisattva Vows, preceding this with a teaching on bodhicitta. He said there are many different liturgies for bestowing the Bodhisattva Vows, but that found in the Bodhicaryavatara is the easiest and best. He began by explaining how to generate bodhicitta in our hearts. To do this, it is important first to understand the Seven-Point Cause and Effect, and that all sentient beings have been our kind mothers. We should understand the great kindness of the mother, and feel gratitude for that, and also feel the equality of self and others and understand the importance of exchanging self with others. We need to generate strong compassion to arouse the wish to eliminate all the sufferings of beings. There are two stages to accomplish this: first to liberate oneself, and then to work to liberate others. A strong aspiration must be generated at the beginning.

His Holiness said that as we think primarily for the benefit of all suffering sentient beings, we also have to think about the container for sentient beings – this world in which all the sentient beings live. It has the capacity to provide all the necessities for sentient beings. We must be aware of the environment, and know about the destruction of the environment. He described how the forests are being destroyed in very terrible ways without any compassion or understanding, and how with wrong understanding, we were ignorant of what to get rid of and what to keep. We must know what we need to do for the benefit of others.

If we give rise to the aspiration to work for others, that is good, but we need more than that. We need to complete that aspiration by making a commitment to work for sentient beings. We should train and act in the Six Paramitas. This is what is meant by action, so we must do that according to our level, and according to the strength of our minds.

His Holiness explained that it is good to generate bodhicitta and to take the Bodhisattva Vows, but if we do not know how to work at our own level, it is not very useful. If we feel we have to do something that is beyond us, we will not be able to accomplish it, so we need to work out what is our own capacity. We are in a way inviting all sentient beings as guests, so it is therefore very important not to give up on our promise for them. We need to work step by step, otherwise, if we give up, it is like deceiving sentient beings. His Holiness emphasized that we must work and train step by step without giving up.

Generally, if we truly generate bodhicitta, it is said that if that bodhicitta had form, it would not be able to be contained within the whole of space, and that even if we are sleeping and not doing anything, great benefit is always occurring. His Holiness said that this description of the purpose and benefit of bodhicitta is not mere words, but has a very deep meaning. It means that wherever there is space, there are sentient beings, and wherever there are sentient beings there is karma, kleshas and there is suffering, so it is essential to have compassion and kindness. Bodhicitta covers all the places where there are sentient beings, and sentient beings are wherever there is space, so bodhicitta is everywhere.

His Holiness talked about pre-1959 Tibet, and said that most people there did not know about the world, but they did have an understanding that wherever there is space, there are sentient beings who need to be loved, who need to be freed from their suffering, who need to be covered by compassion and kindness. Therefore, when we generate this mind of enlightenment, the love covers wherever space covers, so it is understandable to say that when we generate bodhicitta, the merit is as vast as space. It is right to say that. His Holiness said that there was nothing more to say, our lives are full of talk, so let’s just do it, do it. He said that he would recite the verses for taking the Bodhisattva Vow first three times in Tibetan because of his ‘ego’ [he said this in English], as he is not so good at reciting in English, and then once in English, to make the meaning clear.

After bestowing the Bodhisattva Vows, His Holiness said we have been very fortunate to receive the bodhisattva attitude, and we should rejoice as if we have received a great treasure. If small negative things occur, our possessing the Bodhisattva Vows should make it easier to let go and deal with such small things, so we should value it and rejoice. We should feel that now we will really do something concrete.

His Holiness then turned to the short Preliminary Practice Text that he composed, based on the 5th Sharmapa’s Ngondro text, and began to teach the Vajrasattva practice. He explained that, basically the purpose of Vajrasattva practice is to purify negative deeds and obscurations. If we rely on the four antidotes or powers, our practice becomes more strong and effective:
1. The power of the support
2. The power of relying on the antidote
3. The power of repenting the negative deeds
4. The power of resolving not to repeat the negative deeds

The first power of the support refers to the Triple Gem in which we take refuge. We should briefly take refuge before starting Vajrasattva practice.

The second power of relying on the antidote is the actual visualization and recitation of the mantra of Vajrasattva. This practice is outlined in the text. We should feel the presence of Vajrasattva above the crown of our heads, as the union of compassion and emptiness. His Holiness stressed the importance of feeling that Vajrasattva is really there. We should feel that our negative deeds are purified through our strong request, after which nectar flows through the big toe of Vajrasattva, enters our Brahma aperture, and fills our body. We should feel that all obscurations are completely purified and that our body is clear like a bottle. In particular, His Holiness said, if we have committed some very serious negative action, or have broken vows and samayas, we should think of them, feel they are purified and feel there is really an effect.

The third power is to actually having strong repentance for the negative deeds we have committed. His Holiness emphasized the importance of this part of the practice, and drew the comparison of having a serious illness and undergoing surgery or treatment to remove it. In the same way, the negative deeds must really be taken out and eradicated.

Making a commitment not to repeat the negative action again in the future is the fourth power, and His Holiness said that if that intention is not present, however much we purify, the purification process is not complete. This fourth power is the way to totally remove the negative deeds. He said that undertaking not to repeat the action is a very difficult thing to do, but in order to truly resolve not to repeat the negative action, we must see the negative aspect of the deed, have revulsion for it, and strongly resolve not to repeat it. This is the basis of true purification.
The practice of Vajrasattva is used to purify all negative deeds, but it is especially important and relevant for the purification of broken vows and samayas. The samayas are the basis of our realizations, and it is of utmost importance to abide in the samayas and commitments, and not to overlook our breaches, but purify them immediately. In Vinaya, if we are keeping the Vinaya vows, we may not obtain a high level of attainment such as Stream Enterer in this life, but in the next life we will attain such a level. This is clear from the life story of Shariputra. He heard one word of Dharma and immediately attained the Path of Seeing. In the Vajrayana also, if we keep our samayas, even if we do not meditate or practice much, in eight or sixteen lives we will attain the Path of Seeing.

His Holiness stressed that the main point in Vajrasattva practice is not visualizing the colours or mudras, but the attitude of repentance and the resolve not to repeat the negative action. In Vajrayana practice, it is important to have clear visualization, but here in Vajrasattva practice, if the four powers are not there, it is not true purification practice. He explained that the main long mantra in the Vajrasattva practice is the one to be accumulated, while the short mantra should just be recited a few times at the end of the session. He also said that prostrations seem to be very difficult for some foreigners, so if they are really a problem, at least 1,000 prostrations should be completed. He cautioned, however, that if possible 100,000 prostrations should be completed, and only commuted to 1,000 if there is real physical difficulty.

At this point in the teaching, His Holiness said that people had also asked for teachings on Guru Yoga, but that time had run out. He jokingly said, ‘OM STOP SVAHA’. But, after loud persuasive cries from the audience, he began again to teach.

His Holiness said that there is the Uncommon Guru Yoga which is part of the Six Yogas of Naropa, and the Common Guru Yoga, which is the fourth practice of the Preliminary Practices. Vajrayana is a short cut, the quick path, and its main essence is devotion. Sometimes it is said that it is more effective to visualize the Lama as he is now, in living form, without transforming him into a Buddha, but here in the Preliminary Practices the Lama is visualized as Dorje Chang. We visualize the Lama as Dorje Chang so we do not see him as an ordinary being. His Holiness explained that in Vajrayana, we transform our ordinary way of seeing things, and so we also visualize ourselves as a yidam. In the Karma Kamtsang tradition, Vajravarahi is the principal yidam. The correct way to visualize is to hold the view of the union of emptiness and appearance simultaneously – wisdom and skillful means together. If they are separated, there is not much good effect.

Then, visualizing the Lama on top of the head as Dorje Chang, we should recite the Seven Branch Practice as an offering to the Lama.

When we practice the Vajrayana and visualize the yidam, the practice has to be imbued with the view of the union of wisdom and skillful means. We should see all as emptiness, and even if we have not a full understanding of what that means, we should think of it as much as possible. Because of that view, the right way of understanding, then that clarity, that consciousness transforms into the deity. The one consciousness performs two activities at the same time: the activities of skillful means and wisdom.

The deity has the qualities of the result – the enlightened being. Those qualities appear as the deity. This is the very special characteristic of Vajrayana. This is its speciality, to use the result at the beginning. In Sutrayana, we talk of the inseparability of wisdom and compassion, but the cause being the result is not elaborated upon.

His Holiness emphasized that bodhicitta has to be there too. We generate ourselves as the yidam with clarity and divine pride. We visualize the Lama on our head; maybe the pride becomes less, he said, but the clarity must be very strong. At this point we offer the Seven Branches to the Lama. We should see the Lama as the embodiment of the Four Kayas, but if we don’t know how to see this well, we should think of any positive qualities the Lama possesses and concentrate on those, and then make prayers from our heart. From the three places of the Lama, light comes and enters into our three places.

His Holiness then abruptly stopped and said there would be no time to distribute the stones, and then he would have to throw the stones at everyone! He told how the stones have come from 101 countries and that has made him very happy.

He said that what he actually says is not so important, but that the main thing is to see and meet everyone and be in the same place. He expressed his happiness at seeing everyone with his two eyes. His Holiness said he enjoyed that we all shared these three days of teachings together, and that he feels he has made a connection with every one of the participants, especially by reading and answering the questions. He thanked everyone for their questions and said even if he had no time to answer them all, he has read them all. He expressed his wish that he will see everyone again and again, and that perhaps everyone will return to the next Kagyu Monlam.

His Holiness said that the assembly should make prayers and dedicate the goodness that has been accumulated. He said that during the Kagyu Monlam, when everyone performed the aspirations and prayers, he hoped that they were not just words but that those words would take form in golden letters that emanate out from our hearts and spread throughout the whole world and give blessings and benefit.

Concerning the stones, His Holiness said that when he distributes the stones to each person, and wherever we bring those stones, carrying them with us to other countries, there will also spread the message of love and loving kindness in all corners of the world.

His Holiness said that in his heart he feels our presence, and it is his hope that we will become like a great light that shines in the darkness so that he can see all of us wherever we are, like stars in the sky, and that the shimmering of those stars will clear away the darkness of the world, and remove all the suffering and sorrow in the world.