- Karmic Causation -
H.E. Garchen Triptrul Rinpoche
November 15, 2001 - Boulder, Colorado

First and foremost, welcome to all of you dharma friends who have
gathered here tonight. Some of you are new students, and some of you are old
students. I¹m delighted to see you, and I would like to wish you ³tashi
delek² or auspicious good fortune
   
    Many of you I know; many of you I do not. Some of you, I know your
names; others I do not. Yet, in accord with the Buddhist view, I look at all
sentient beings as having been my kind parents, and thus I see all of you
with this pure view, and I have love for each and every one of you.

    This evening, I will be teaching on karmic causality, or karma, cause
and effect. Basically, this is one of the two essential truths of the
Buddhadharma.

    With regard to the ultimate truth, this is expressed in the aspiration
prayer of Samantabhadra, or Kuntuzangpo, the prayer that we just read. (text
of prayer follows transcript of this teaching) This is from the perspective
of the ultimate view or the natural state. We see that the nature of samsara
and nirvana is emptiness. From this perspective, we see that there is no
distinction to be made between Buddhas and sentient beings.

    Even though this is the case, we still see a vast difference between
enlightened beings and ordinary beings of the six realms of existence,
particularly when we look at the suffering of the beings of the three lower
realms of existence.

    In accord with the teaching of the aspiration prayer of Samantabhadra,
or Kuntuzangpo, we see that the distinction that is to be made is between
awareness and non-awareness. When we have awareness, then we are enlightened
beings, we are the Buddhas. Lacking awareness, we continue to wander in
samsara.

    With regard to the distinction between awareness and non-awareness, when
we are in the state of unawareness, then we tend to look at the outer
container, this worldly realm and the inner contents, that is, sentient
beings, as being real, as having some inherent reality. In addition, we look
at our experience of happiness and suffering as being real and inherently
established.

    But, in fact, this is not the case. From the perspective of the
awareness of the Buddhas, then the container and its contents, that is, this
worldly realm and the beings therein, are the very nature of impermanence,
like bubbles on the surface of water, not inherently established.

    If we look at the creator of these phenomena of reality, it is the mind
itself. If we look, for example, at this brocade, we should understand that
first arose the thought - the concept - of creating such-and-such a pattern
or design, and then the actual brocade was made. So we see that all of these
phenomena in samsara and nirvana arise from the mind itself, and yet the
mind itself is completely free from these extreme views of nihilism or
eternalism, existence and nonexistence. These four views can be condensed
into two - the nihilist and eternalist views.

    So in the prayer of Kuntuzangpo, it refers to a single ground, yet two
paths and two fruitions. An example of a single ground can be seen with a
flower. We understand that its roots go down into the ground, and yet it has
a single stem, so, for example, if we give rise to negative emotions, and we
experience suffering and so forth in our mindstream, these become the cause
of our traveling downward into the lower realms of existence and
experiencing the sufferings thereof.

    The very root of all the negative emotions is ignorance. When we give
rise to the six different types of negative emotions coming from ignorance,
then we meet with various unfavorable conditions and these give rise to the
six different principle types of suffering.

    The Buddhas, who were skillful in method and compassionate, gave
teachings on bodhicitta, and this is the single most important cause for
attaining the higher states of rebirth in the higher realms, and of
happiness and ultimately of liberation. So, in the same example of the stem
of a flower, we see that at its upper reaches are the blossom of the flower
and the nectar that comes forth from that. Just as there is a single stem
that has its roots in the ground that is symbolic of the lower realms, there
is the blossom on top that is symbolic of the higher realms.
   
    I can give another example - of water and ice. The nature of the mind is
the inconceivably vast ocean known as the Buddha nature. It has the very
fluid quality. When the mind is obscured by ignorance, it is as if this
water freezes and becomes solid. This obscuration comes from our habit of
self-clinging. Yet, if we make effort, we too, can melt the ice of
self-clinging and attain the state of Buddhahood.

    The Buddha, the transcendent conqueror, when first he taught the dharma,
he taught the Noble Truth of suffering, and on the basis of this, then, he
gave the four instructions for turning the mind to the dharma. The reason
for this is that if we don¹t first understand suffering, then we will not
seek out a method to transform the truth of suffering. It is for this reason
that the Buddha gave extensive teachings of the suffering of the beings of
the six realms of existence.

    There are those who will engage in the study of the dharma, and as a
result come to the conclusion that cause and effect are both empty - that
they are the nature of emptiness and this is the view of mahamudra and
dzogchen and so forth. Well, they are based on a slight understanding; they
come to this conclusion, but there is great potential for error in this
view. If phenomena are empty, or if they are not, can only be determined by
our own investigation into the state of our own minds. If we are able to
liberate negative emotions as they arise, then we can safely say that karmic
causality is the nature of emptiness. The incomparable Gampopa said that
until all conceptual thought is exhausted, then karma, cause and effect is
infallible, so it is very important to have this clear understanding of the
nature of emptiness in the context of karma, cause and result.

    We can safely say from the perspective of ultimate truth that karma,
cause and effect are empty in nature, yet if we investigate this, we will
ask, ³What is it that is made empty in this process?² Well, it is the
negative emotions themselves. If the negative emotions are rendered harmless
by our recognition of their empty nature, then they are like bubbles
appearing and disappearing on the surface of water. They do not have any
power to do harm to us. Or they are like a seed that has been burnt; it
cannot then sprout. And so when we see that our mind no longer falls under
the power of negative emotions, that they have no power to harm us, then we
have truly recognized their empty nature.

    Again, coming back to this distinction that is made in the aspiration
prayer of Kuntuzangpo, between awareness and non-awareness. When we look at
the practice of the six perfections, then we often refer to ³shes rab,² or
transcendent wisdom; we look at the practice of transcendent knowledge.
There are basically two types of knowledge, that is, worldly knowledge and
knowledge that transcends worldly phenomena. This second type is when we see
directly the nature of mind itself. This, then is the distinction to be made
between ordinary and extraordinary knowledge.

    We recite the prayers of refuge, and we say, ³I take refuge in the
Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, and I take refuge in the Sangha.² We
are continually taking refuge in these three jewels. Now, when we look at
the Buddha, we should understand that the qualities of the Buddha arise from
this perfection of transcendent knowledge - that is to say, the qualities of
the Buddha arise from the mind itself.

    We should understand that all happiness comes from knowledge; even the
happiness of the three higher realms of humans, gods and demi-gods comes
from worldly knowledge. For example, if we observe ordinary worldly
morality, this becomes a cause of obtaining a human rebirth. If we practice
generosity, this becomes a cause of accumulating wealth. If we practice
patience, the result of that will be having good companions and a long life.

    Today, many of you have received an empowerment, and our spiritual
friends, our gurus, are often giving empowerments. The purpose of these is
really to attain freedom, or independence of the three doors of body,
speech, and mind. We have fully received the empowerment when our mind no
longer falls under the sway of negative emotions. In this way then, we are
able to abandon various faults. This then leads to both the temporary
happiness of the three higher realms as well as the ultimate happiness of
perfect enlightenment. So, even if we are to receive a hundred empowerments,
the single essence of all of them is to attain this independence of the
three doors.

    What is this lack of knowledge? It was actually stated by (name
unintelligible) Rinpoche this lack of awareness - of even ordinary knowledge
- is the ignorance of sentient beings. And how this manifests is that all
beings, without exception, desire to have happiness, yet they don¹t know how
to create the causes of happiness - that is through the practice of the ten
virtuous actions. All beings, without exception, wish to be free from
suffering, yet they do not know how to avoid suffering - by avoiding the ten
non-virtuous actions. So, even though beings desire happiness, they continue
to create the causes of suffering, and even though they wish to be free from
suffering, they do not know how to create the causes of happiness.

    So, whether we are looking at beings in the form realm or the formless
realm, whether they be human or non-human, they are all averse to suffering
and attached to happiness. Yet, in order to obtain the happiness they so
desire, they really need to understand the causes of happiness; they need to
be introduced to the causes of happiness.

    In order to truly understand the causes of happiness as well as the
causes of suffering, we should carefully investigate from our own
observation. We should think deeply about our own sufferings and the
sufferings of others. It is for this reason that the Buddhas gave teachings
on all of the six realms of existence, but particularly on the three lower
realms of hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals. If we look at the hell
beings, they continuously suffer from the extremes of heat and cold. The
hungry ghosts continuously suffer from extremes of hunger and thirst, and
animals always suffer from ignorance and stupidity and the fear of being
preyed on by other animals.

    And if we look at the teachings given in the aspiration prayer of
Kuntuzangpo, we see there is much said about the sufferings of the hell
realms. But we might complain that we cannot actually see the sufferings of
this realm. But in fact, this is not the case. You can look all around you.
You can see the war that is being engaged in at this time in the world.
(Nov. 2001, Afghanistan) You can really ask how much fighting is going on.
How many people are being killed as a result of all of this? Really, it goes
on without ceasing. When we deeply investigate this, then we actually see
the suffering of the hell realms. Simply to hear about these things does not
bring much benefit, but when we completely immerse our minds in the
contemplation thereof, then we can see how this suffering manifests, even in
the human realm with the extremes of heat and cold to be found in different
areas with the natural disasters that are occurring all over the world. If we
deeply contemplate these things, then we will have a true understanding of
the sufferings of the hell realms.
   
    We cannot immediately put an end to the sufferings that we experience,
although we would like to. Wanting to put an end to suffering, we might get
good advice to become Buddhist and to take refuge in the three jewels, and
that this will put an end to it. But we should understand that the
sufferings that we are presently experiencing, whatever they be, the causes
of these sufferings have been created already in our former lifetimes. Yet,
if we study the Buddhadharma, we can understand from our own present
suffering, there is the potential of purifying our negative actions so that
similar suffering can be avoided in the future. If, for example, in the
present, we are experiencing the suffering of poverty and don¹t have enough
to eat and so forth, by receiving dharma teachings, we can come to an
understanding that we ourselves have created the causes for this present
poverty, and, by extension we can understand that through virtuous practice,
we can avoid experiencing that fruition in the future.
   
    If we look around us, we can see people who are actually enduring a
great deal of suffering, and yet there are others who live rather
comfortably. They remain kind of comfortable at home in a life of relative
ease. But even among them, we see that many commit suicide. And so it¹s
important to understand that if we don¹t have a true comprehension of karmic
causality, that even happiness and bliss will be perceived as suffering.
   
    When we become Buddhists and we receive the teachings of the dharma, it
is important to contemplate the suffering of all sentient beings - to deeply
consider how it is that these sufferings have arisen. The root cause is all
of our negative emotions. When we understand this, then we can look into our
own minds to investigate whether or not we have these negative emotions. If
we do, then we see that we have the cause to experience just these kinds of
sufferings in the future. It is for this reason then, that it is necessary
to reflect deeply on the sufferings of this worldly realm.
   
    If we really wish to alleviate the suffering of beings of this worldly
realm, we should understand that it is on the basis of precious bodhicitta
that we can do so. When we generate this mind of enlightenment and we make
prayers of aspiration to benefit beings, then we can actually accomplish
their benefit and welfare. For example, when someone you love very deeply is
suffering, then their suffering is experienced in your mind as if it were
your own. Through the power of precious bodhicitta, you can actually bring
benefit to them by speaking to them at that moment - by engaging them at
that moment that you are experiencing compassion. Not only do you bring some
benefit to them, but you are also purifying the obscurations of your own
mind at the same time.
   
    For some of you more senior disciples, you may know very well these
teachings on cause and effect. For the new ones among you, you may not have
received such teachings yet. In any case, it is important to understand that
the cause of suffering is our negative emotions. And then based on these
negative emotions, we engage in various negative actions. For example, if we
engage in the act of killing, then the fully ripened effect of that can be
to spend many years in the hell realms.
   
    For example, we may experience the fully ripened effect of rebirth in
hell as a result of killing - or, through the result of accumulating some
merit in the past, we can escape that hell realm and take a human rebirth.
Even so, we can continue to experience a fruition that is similar to the
original action. So, even though we may have the virtuous circumstance of
taking a human rebirth, we may enjoy killing small insects or whatever. We
tend to engage in an activity that is similar to the cause. We may also find
that we have a karmic propensity to continue to engage in this kind of
negative action again and again, whether it be killing or theft, or
whatever. Likewise, when we have made effort to cultivate virtue, when we
have generated bodhicitta, for example, in the past, then it is evident in
our future rebirths in that, as children, we have a very good and loving and
generous nature and so forth.
   
    And finally, we can experience a fruition that we have no freedom or
power to influence. The way this manifests is through karmic winds. Whenever
we have a particular negative emotion that is most powerful in our
mindstream, then that influences future fruitions, and what we find is that
even though we may not wish to engage in a particular action, through the
power of karmic wind energies, we are compelled to do so - we have no power
not to do so.
   
    Today, many of you have received an empowerment, and that becomes the
basis for realizing independence or freedom - that is the ability not to
fall under the influence of negative emotions. If we, in this worldly realm,
wish to accumulate or to accomplish virtuous actions, then we need to have
this ability not to allow the mind to fall under the power of negative
emotions. When we recognize the negative emotion of anger arising, for
example, we immediately will think, ³Oh, this is the cause of rebirth in the
hell realm!² and, instead of following after this anger, we can, at the
moment of its arising, purify it, and thus close the door to rebirth in the
hell realms. And if we habituate this kind of mental practice, it will come
to our aid also in the bardo, or the intermediate state between this life
and the next. Then, if we have created a positive karmic imprint through the
supplication of Buddha Amitabha and so forth, we will have the potential to
take rebirth in his pure realm.
   
    In this way, we should investigate well the faults and the qualities of
our different states of mind. We should be able to recognize with acuity the
six negative emotions as they arise in our mindstream. We should understand
that when we give rise to desire, it becomes the cause of rebirth in the
human realm, and from desire arises avarice and greed. These become causes
of rebirth in the hungry ghost realm where beings continually experience the
sufferings of hunger and thirst. Even though this is an independent realm
that we cannot see with our own eyes, we should understand that there are
many examples of the hungry ghost realm even here in this worldly realm. We
can see countries where people are continually enduring the suffering of
famine and hunger and thirst and so forth. And from this observation, we can
have an idea of some small understanding of what it is like in the hungry
ghost realm.
   
    When we recognize the arising of anger in our own minds, we should
understand that to be the cause of rebirth in the hell realms. Pride
conditions rebirth in the god realms where the principle suffering is of
dying, and of falling then to lower spheres of existence. In general, beings
in the god realm experience such a great deal of happiness and bliss that
they are completely distracted by these things, and they have no opportunity
to engage in dharma practice. This is the fruition of virtue - of virtuous
actions in their former lives. We can observe this even in the human realm
to some extent. When people are enjoying wealth and birth in a noble family
and good companions and so forth, this is all the fruition of positive karma
accumulated in former lifetimes. Yet, when they are completely distracted by
the enjoyments of this life, then, when all of that merit and virtue is
exhausted, they too, must fall to lower realms of existence. Likewise, we
should look at jealousy as being the cause of rebirth in the demi-god realm.
The principle sufferings of this realm are engaging in constant fighting and
quarreling and so forth.

    So, we should have a clear understanding on how these negative emotions
condition rebirth in the six realms of existence. When we have this
understanding, then we can make sense of our own sufferings. When we
experience illness and so forth, our understanding of karmic causality can
help us to deal with that. On the other hand, if we don¹t have an
understanding of the subtle workings of karma, cause and effect, then it
becomes very difficult to make sense of our human experience of suffering.
   
    We should deeply contemplate the incontrovertible nature of karma, cause
and effect. For example, if someone - if a father - has anger in his mind,
then the suffering that follows from that anger is naturally, spontaneously
arisen. He will always bear a negative expression on his face, and when his
children see him, they will feel fear thinking that he is angry at them, and
as a result of their fear, the father will assume that they do not like him.
And so the anger that exists in the father¹s mindstream is a kind of
self-perpetuating thing. Not only will he have a negative expression on his
face, but his speech will also reflect his negative mind-state, and
eventually this will lead to a state of mind in which everyone around him is
perceived as an enemy. He thinks that all of his associates dislike him.
This then becomes a cause for taking rebirth in the hell realm in which
everyone, without exception, is perceived as an enemy. In this way, we can
see how our negative emotions condition and give rise to mental phenomena.

    When we have an understanding of the six kinds of negative emotions,
then we can look at the proper types of conduct. Now, tonight, since I am
giving a very introductory teaching, I will explain this in terms of the
Hinayana path in terms of the ten non-virtues to be abandoned. The first of
these are the three negative actions of body, that is, killing, theft and
sexual misconduct.

    With regard to the first of these, killing, it is said that if we engage
in this activity, we experience the result of having a short life, or much
illness, or untimely death and so forth. If we engage in theft, the fruition
will be to experience poverty in the future, or no matter how much we engage
in business we don¹t make a profit, we don¹t experience success and so
forth. The result of engaging in sexual misconduct is to have negative
companions, partners with whom we constantly quarrel and fight, partners who
are physically unattractive and so forth.

    This is then followed by the four non-virtues of speech. The first of
these is telling lies, the second is divisive speech, the third is harsh
speech and the fourth is meaningless speech.

    With regard to the fruitions of these four, it is said that when we
engage in lies, we find that our friends tend to deceive us and the work
that we engage in, we are not able to accomplish. When we engage in divisive
speech, friends with whom we thought we had harmonious relations actually
turn out to not be good friends, and we end up having disharmony with them.
When we engage in harsh speech, then the things that people say to us tend
to be unkind and difficult for us to cope with. When we engage in
meaningless speech, the fruition of that is to have a mind that is unstable
and distracted.

    This is followed by the three non-virtuous actions of mind. When we have
a mind of jealousy, this is the first of the three. The second is wishing
harm on others. The third is having perverted views.

    With regard to the first of these, when we see others¹ happiness, when
we see their good qualities, when we see their wealth and so forth, if we do
not rejoice at these accumulations of virtue and rather, we are covetous of
them, then we are engaging in the first of these non-virtues. Desire is the
root of this mind of covetousness.

    Second, when we see others¹ accumulation of merit and their happiness
and so forth, and we fail to understand that that is the result of their
practice of morality and generosity and so forth, and that is the result of
their having purified negativities when instead we are extremely jealous and
wish to do harm to them, then we are engaging in the second of these. The
second is when we have harmful thoughts toward others.
   
    The third, perverted views, comes from having a lack of worldly and
spiritual knowledge. If, for example, we have no faith in the Buddhadharma -
if we believe the teachings on karma, cause and result are not true, then
this is a fault of perverted views. The fruition of this can be to take
rebirth among a group of people who have very unattractive physical features
and who others make fun of and others disdain as a result of their physical
appearance. This a sign then of a lack of knowledge that has led to
perverted views.

    There are many ways that we can give rise to perverted views. Some will
look at the unsavory conduct of various gurus and spiritual guides, and on
the basis of those observations, will abandon the study and practice of the
dharma. This is truly a perverted view. It is important for us to understand
that the dharma teachings and the conduct of individuals are two separate
things. The ideal situation is for us to maintain an impartial pure view,
not looking at the faults of different spiritual guides. By doing so, we are
the recipients of benefit; we are the ones who profit from that purity of
view. We should understand that whatever their conduct may be, that is their
responsibility, but from our side, we can benefit greatly from having pure
view.

    If we give rise to these kinds of perverted views, the fruition can be
that in future lifetimes we will not hear the words of the dharma teachings,
we will not meet with spiritual friends, and even if we have the occasion
to meet with such friends, we will easily develop perverted views toward
them; so, for this reason, when we recognize the arising of perverted views
in our own mindstream, we should immediately confess them and the negative
emotions that gave rise to them.

    These ten non-virtuous actions are accomplished through the six negative
emotions. This is why we should develop a mindful awareness that continually
recognizes the negative emotions that are arising in our minds. Each day, we
should investigate which negative emotions that we have given rise to. If I
look back on my actions of this day, and I see that I gave rise to anger and
that anger abided in my mindstream for a period of time, then I should make
effort to confess and purify that negativity so that it is completely
cleansed from my mindstream. If I can actually see this person at whom I got
angry as having been my kind parent, then it will go a long way toward the
purification of this negativity. If I can realize the harm that is caused by
this anger, if I can see that it will eventually yield a rebirth in the hell
realm, and that no good at all will come from it, then I will have a strong
incentive to purify the negative emotions that I have given rise to.

    So, as we study these six negative emotions, we should look at texts
that will introduce us to the preliminary Buddhist teachings. In particular,
we should make effort to study the nature of suffering. We can read texts
about the high view of mahamudra, dzogchen and so forth, yet if we don¹t
have a foundation in the four thoughts that turn the mind to the dharma,
then our practice will not be stable. We will not be able to separate our
mindstream from our fixation on cyclic existence. Yet, when we study these
four thoughts that turn the mind, we realize that there is no good to be
found in samsara at all. This, then will become a stable basis for our
future practice of the dharma. If, on the other hand, we don¹t completely
turn our minds away from cyclic existence, we will really never have a basis
for dharma practice. So it¹s really important that you read preliminary
texts on Buddhist practice.

    We should also become familiar with the antidotes to the six negative
emotions. These antidotes are condensed in the seven-limb prayer. The first
is the offering of prostrations as the antidote to pride. We should
understand that pride itself is the very root of perverted views. Now, how
is it that offering prostrations can antidote pride? Well, there are
basically three kinds of offering prostrations - those of body, speech and
mind. And among these three, mind is the principle.

    When we give rise to doubts about the teachings of the Buddha, we should
understand that this is our own fault, this our own lack of true
understanding and that countless Buddhas have appeared in the past, are
appearing in the present and will appear in the future through following
these precious dharma teachings. It is said there are as many Buddhas as
there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. Whenever we give rise to doubt
and hesitation about the dharma teachings, we should understand that is our
own foolishness, our own lack of insight. If we truly have an understanding
of the dharma, then it isn¹t necessary to even gain that much understanding
of other fields of inquiry. We should realize that there are countless
emanations of the Buddha appearing all around us, and as we cultivate pure
view, we will begin to see all sentient beings as emanations of the Buddha.
In this way, then when we recall the qualities of the enlightened ones, we
are engaging in prostrations of mind, the principle antidote to pride. On
the basis of giving rise to this mind, we say with our speech, ³I prostrate
to the Buddhas,² and we join our hands together at the crown of our heads
and so forth, and make physical prostrations. Now, if we engage in these
activities of body and speech without having made prostrations of mind, then
truly these mere physical prostrations are empty and meaningless.

    This point is very important. In fact, it is the essence of what we are
learning here tonight. We should know the qualities of the Buddhas. We
should understand their excellent enlightened attributes. It is the Buddhas
who have taught that the root of the suffering of the beings of the six
realms of existence is the six negative emotions. It is through their great
wisdom that we have received these teachings. Now we have the great capacity
to do harm. We can drop a bomb on others and kill their physical forms, yet
we have no power to extinguish their minds. Thus, we rely on the teachings
of the Buddhas who showed that negative emotions are the source of all
suffering. What is it that can obliterate these negative emotions? It is
bodhicitta - or the mind of enlightenment. When we view all sentient beings,
without exception, as once having been our kind parents, then we
spontaneously generate love for all of them. In the light of that love,
then, where is the negative emotion? where is the cause of suffering? In
fact, it does not exist. It is only through the compassion and the skillful
means of the Buddha that we have received such precious teachings. For this
reason then, it is important that we recognize negative emotions through the
practice of mindful awareness, and uproot them through the practice of
bodhicitta. This is something you should think about and consider well.

    The root of all suffering is our habit of self-clinging. When did this
habit arise? It has actually been conditioned by us since beginningless time
throughout cyclic existence day and night like snow accumulating - like many
snowflakes continuously falling and accumulating and becoming so thick and
so dense that they are completely obscuring. How would we - how could we -
possibly know the depth of this obscuration? It is only through the
teachings of the Buddha that we can become aware of it. If we look at this
cup that sits before us, we have the tendency to think, ³Oh, this is mine.²
... ³This is my chair,² ... ³This is my table,² and so forth. This is
habitual, this pattern of thought. Yet, by thinking in this way, we continue
to reinforce our habit of self-clinging. A king has this same feeling of
possessiveness toward his kingdom. The head of a family has the same feeling
of possessiveness toward his house and possessions and so forth. Thus this
habit of self-clinging since time without beginning has become as vast an
accumulation as Mount Meru.

    This attachment to the self gives rise to greed and avarice, the cause
of taking rebirth in the hungry ghost realm. Even if we were to get rid of
all of our possessions and to cut off our contacts with those beings to whom
we have attachment, this would not uproot our self-clinging. Yet, the
Buddhas, in all of their skill and compassion, taught how to make offerings,
how to offer the mandala and so forth as the antidote to this habit of
greed. This offering then, is the second of the seven limbs. Now, when we
continually habituate the mind to making of offerings as we do when we make
one hundred thousand mandala offerings, then we are thinking again and again
of this vast accumulation of the wealth of the universe - the entire outer
container and all of the sentient beings therein, our own bodies and all of
our own wealth and enjoyments, as belonging to the three jewels. When we
habituate this by doing it again and again and again, we really no longer
have a sense of possessiveness towards these things. We recognize them all
as the property of the three jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. When
we have habituated this, then even if we have possession of an entire
kingdom, it will not harm our practice. Thus, the skillful means of the
Buddhas are just like this.

    So, it¹s essential that we understand this key point of the teachings.
If we see a beautiful flower and we haven¹t received this instruction in
offering, we¹ll immediately think, ³Oh, I¹d like to have it for myself, I¹ll
take it home with me,² and together with that thought, this habit of
self-clinging is reinforced. If, on the other hand, we have received this
instruction, and we see this beautiful flower, we immediately make mental
offering of it to all of the Buddhas, and this reduces our habit of
self-clinging. And so it is with the practice of prostrations and offering
and so forth. Through these relatively small actions, we experience an
inconceivably great benefit. Thus, we should continually engage in effort to
antidote each and every negative emotion that arises in the mind.

    So, by practicing offering in this way, we close the door to rebirth in
the hungry ghost realm. And likewise, as we engage in each of the antidotes
to each of the negative emotions, we close the door to each of the six
realms of rebirth. The third of the seven limbs is the practice of
confession as the antidote to anger. Now when we see anger arising in our
minds, we should immediately generate regret and seek to purify that anger
through the generation of regret. It is important that as beginning students
and practitioners of the dharma, we see the faults of each negative emotion
and we view the negative emotions like a thief or like an enemy who has the
power to steal away our virtuous accumulations. If we have this perception,
then we will be very vigilant in guarding against the negative emotions.

    The fourth of the seven limbs is the supplication of all the Buddhas to
turn the wheel of dharma and this is the supreme antidote to ignorance.

    The fifth of these seven limbs is supplicating the Buddhas not to pass
into nirvana. This antidotes the doubts that many people have about whether
or not the Buddhas, in fact, exist - whether there is any truth to the three
jewels or not. When the Buddhas continue to abide, then this is the supreme
antidote to doubt. And it is said that just as space is completely without
limit, so too are the numbers of Buddhas without limit, and until sentient
beings are completely exhausted, the enlightened ones will continue to
abide. Just as a flame is not extinguished until the firewood is completely
burned, so too, will the Buddhas continue to abide until all sentient beings
have been liberated.

    (translator: "Rinpoche is now speaking about the dedication of merit.
Now this is the last, actually, of the seven limbs, and so I don¹t know if I
miscounted or if, perhaps, we missed one. This should be number seven.")

    To Buddhists, there are two very important essential practices. They are
first the accumulation of merit, and second the purification of
obscurations. Now in this worldly realm, we tend not to be so interested in
the accumulation of merit as we are in the accumulation of wealth. Yet,
according to the Buddhist view, the accumulation of merit is based in loving
kindness and compassion toward beings. And then when we purify our negative
emotions, this too becomes an essential aspect on the path of enlightenment.
Now, once we have engaged in activities that accumulate merit and purify
negativities, it is important that we take these roots of virtue and
dedicate them towards the enlightenment of all sentient beings. This too,
counteracts our doubt and hesitation. So, the seventh and final of the seven
limbs is the dedication of merit.

    (translator: "And maybe somebody can tell me if we miscounted. [short
discussion regarding the missing limb] OK, did we not do rejoicing? We
skipped that one? OK? We had supplicating the Buddhas to turn the wheel of
dharma as the fourth. Please add to your list then, rejoicing as the
antidote to pride and jealousy.")

    So, in brief, we always pray that sentient beings have happiness and the
causes of happiness, that they be free from suffering and the causes of
suffering. What this really means, is when beings have happiness and the
causes of happiness, we are praying that they have wisdom, the transcendent
awareness of the pristine nature of mind itself, and when they be free from
suffering we are praying that they be totally free of the negative emotions
that are conditioned by ignorance or unawareness of the nature of mind.
    Om Mani Padme Hum Hrih x8

The Prayer of Kuntuzangpo,
The Primordial Buddha Samantabhadra

    Ho! Everything - appearance and existence, samsara and nirvana, has a
single ground, yet two paths and two fruitions, and magically displays as
awareness or unawareness.

    Through Kuntuzangpo's prayer, may all beings become Buddhas, completely
perfected in the abode of the dharmadhatu. The ground of all is
uncompounded, and the self-arising great expanse, beyond expression, has
neither the name samsara nor nirvana. Realizing just this you are a Buddha;
not realizing this you are a being wandering in samsara.

    I pray that all you beings of the three realms may realize the true
meaning of the inexpressible ground.

    I, Kuntuzangpo, have realized the truth of this ground, free from cause
and condition, which is just this self-arising awareness. It is unstained by
outer expression and inner thought, affirmation or denial and is not defiled
by the darkness of unmindfulness. Thus this self-manifesting display is free
from defects.

    I, Kuntuzangpo, abide as intrinsic awareness. Even though the three
realms were to be destroyed, there is no fear. There is no attachment to the
five desirable qualities of sense objects. In self-arising consciousness,
free of thoughts, there is neither solid form nor the five poisons.

    In the unceasing clarity of awareness, singular in essence, there yet
arises the display of the five wisdoms. From the ripening of these five
wisdoms, the five original Buddha families emerge, and through the expanse
of their wisdom, the 42 peaceful Buddhas appear. Through the arising power
of the five wisdoms, the 60 wrathful Herukas manifest. Thus the ground
awareness is never mistaken or wrong.

    I, Kuntuzangpo, am the original Buddha of all, and through this prayer
of mine, may all you beings who wander in the three realms of samsara
realize this self-arising awareness, and may your great wisdom spontaneously
increase.

    My emanations will continuously manifest in billions of unimaginable
ways, appearing in forms to help you beings who can be trained. From the
beginning you beings are deluded because you do not recognize the awareness
of the ground.

    Being thus unmindful of what occurs is delusion - the very state of
unawareness and the cause of going astray. From this delusive state comes a
sudden fainting away and then a subtle consciousness of wavering fear.

    From that wavering there arises a separation of self and the perception
of others as enemies. Gradually the tendency of separation strengthens, and
from this the circle of samsara begins.

    Then the emotions of the five poisons develop - the actions of these
emotions are endless. You beings lack awareness because you are unmindful,
and this is the basis of your going astray.

    Through my prayer, may all you beings recognize your intrinsic
awareness! Innate unawareness means unmindfulness and distraction. Imputing
unawareness means dualistic thoughts towards self and others. Both kinds of
unawareness are the basis for the delusion of all beings.

    Through Kuntuzangpo's prayer, may all you beings wandering in samsara
clear away the dark fog of unmindfulness, clear away the clinging thoughts
of duality!

    May you recognize your own intrinsic awareness! Dualistic thoughts
create doubt, from subtle attachment to this dualistic turn of mind
dualistic tendencies become stronger and thicker. Food, wealth, clothes,
home and friends, the five objects of the senses and your beloved family -
all these things cause torment by creating longing and desire. These are all
worldly delusions; the activities of grasping and clinging are endless. When
the fruition of attachment ripens, you are born as a hungry ghost, tormented
by coveting and desiring, miserable, starving and thirsty.

    Through Kuntuzangpo's prayer, may all you desirous and lustful beings
who have attachments, neither reject longing desire, nor accept attachment
to desires. Let your consciousness relax in its own natural state, then your
awareness will be able to hold its own. May you achieve the wisdom of
perfect discernment! When external objects appear, the subtle consciousness
of fear will arise. From this fear, the habit of anger becomes stronger and
stronger. Finally, hostility comes, causing violence and murder. When the
fruition of this anger ripens, you will suffer in hell by boiling and
burning.

    Through Kuntuzangpo's prayer, you beings of the six realms, when strong
anger arises for you, neither reject nor accept it. Instead relax in the
natural state and achieve the wisdom of clarity!

    When your mind becomes full of pride there will arise thoughts of
competition and humiliation. As this pride becomes stronger and stronger,
you will experience the suffering of quarrels and abuse. When the fruition
of this karma ripens, you will be reborn in the god realms and experience
the suffering of change and falling to the lower rebirths.

    Through Kuntuzangpo's prayer, may you beings who developed pride let
your consciousness relax in the natural state. Then your awareness will be
able to hold its own. May you achieve the wisdom of equanimity! By
increasing the habit of duality, by praising yourself and denigrating
others, your competitive mind will lead you to jealousy and fighting, and
you will be reborn in the jealous god realm, where there is much killing and
injury. From the result of that killing, you will fall into the hell realm.

    Through Kuntuzangpo's prayer, when jealousy and competitive thoughts
arise, do not grasp them as enemies. Just relax in ease, then consciousness
can hold its natural state. May you achieve the wisdom of unobstructed
action! By being distracted, careless and unmindful, you beings will become
dull, foggy and forgetful.

    By being unconscious and lazy, you will increase your ignorance and the
fruition of this ignorance will be to wander helplessly in the animal realm.
Through Kuntuzangpo's prayer, may you beings who have fallen into the dark
pit of ignorance shine the light of mindfulness and thereby achieve wisdom
free from thought.

    All you beings of the three realms are actually identical to Buddhas,
the ground of all. But your misunderstanding of the ground causes you to go
astray, so you act without aim. The six karmic actions are delusion like a
dream. I am the primordial Buddha here to train the six kinds of beings
through all my manifestations.

    Through Kuntuzangpo's prayer may all you beings without exception attain
enlightenment in the state of dharmadhatu.

    Ah Ho! Hereafter whenever a very powerful yogin with his or her
awareness radiant and free from delusion recites this very powerful prayer,
then all who hear it will achieve enlightenment within three lifetimes.
During a solar or lunar eclipse, during an earthquake or when the earth
rumbles, at the solstices or the New Year you should visualize Kuntuzangpo.
And if you pray loudly so all can hear, then beings of the three realms will
be gradually liberated from suffering, through the prayer of the yogin and
will finally achieve enlightenment.