Mind Training, 27 October 1992, part 1

Quoting from the the text itself. Uncontrollable wandering through rounds of existence is caused by grasping at ego as real. This ignorant attitude heralds the demon of selfish concern for welfare alone. We seek some security for our own egos. We want only pleasure and shun any pain, but now we must banish all selfish compulsion and gladly take up hardship for others’ sake.

So what we’re beginning to discuss is that we are our continual retaking of rebirths again and again is like the turning of a wheel. So this compulsive circling within cycles of existence has is brought about by both the causes and conditions. The main causes which act to bring this about are the conception of self grasping and self centeredness. Self grasping and self centeredness. And the various conditions which assist in this process are attachment, etcetera.

Describing the process of these reoccurring cycles of existence, which are caused by self grasping and self centeredness. Due to these, we become attached to our own self interests, and we inappropriately apply various methods whereby to bring happiness for ourselves alone, whereby to eliminate our own sufferings alone. So all our various activities which we engage in to this end brought about by these two causes of self grasping and self centeredness simply perpetuate these reoccurring cycles of existence. By way of analogy, it’s like the turning of the wheels in some type of machinery. They just keep turning, and that which powers them is the electricity.

And in the same way, it is self grasping and self centeredness which act to power this continual reoccurring cycles of existence, the taking of rebirth and the abandonment, and again taking of rebirth and the abandonment is reoccurring cycles that we’re involved in. And just as in the case of if we if we want to cease this, the turning of the wheel of the machinery, we simply have to turn the power off, that is to say we turn the electricity off. Likewise, in order to eliminate this reoccurring process of circling within these existences of rebirth, creating the karma, going through various types of suffering, we have to eliminate the the cause, that is to say self grasping and self centeredness. So the way that we can just as we can turn off the electricity and stop the wheels of the machinery, likewise, that which turns off the power the power and force behind these reoccurring compulsive patterns is with respect to that which acts as an antidote to self centeredness, it is other centeredness. And with respect to that which acts as an antidote to self grasping, it is the wisdom realizing selflessness.

So these two, other centeredness and the wisdom realizing selflessness act to to cut the cycles from the very root of this reoccurring existences. So the way that we can overcome these two basic causes of these reoccurring compulsive cycles is by means of firstly the antidote, with respect to other-centeredness, that is to say other-centeredness, beginning to concern oneself with the welfare of others through the practices of the perfections of, for example, generosity, ethics, tolerance, meditative stabilization, and effort. And with respect to that which acts as an antidote to self grasping, we cultivate wisdom. So it is by means of the cultivation of the six, the practice of the six perfections that we are able to eliminate the causes of these reoccurring cycles. Within the practice of the universal vehicle, as a means to overcome our self grasping, we practice the perfection of wisdom, the development of the wisdom realizing emptiness.

But as a prerequisite to that practice, it’s necessary that we practice the other five perfections. That is to say, in order that our practice of the perfection and wisdom go well, it has to be supported by the prior five perfections. And this act as a means to overcome our self centeredness. By means of the five perfections, we can overcome the force of our self centeredness through the practices of, for example, generosity, through the practice of abandoning the harming of others. That is to say the practice, the perfection of ethics.

And also with respect to the harm brought to us by others, cultivating tolerance, the perfection of patience or tolerance. And then working with joyous effort for the welfare of others, perfecting the perfection, developing the perfection of joyous effort. And then for the purpose of bringing about the ultimate welfare of others, engaging in meditative concentrations or the perfection of meditative stabilizations. These act as a fort for finding, bringing to fulfillment the practice of the wisdom, the perfection of wisdom. So it is by these means of the six perfections that we are able to overcome the faults of self grasping and self centeredness, and we are able to accumulate the two collections, and thereby eliminate all our various faults and bring to consummation all our excellent qualities.

What what is the root of the quality of our of our feeling experiences? The root of all our suffering is our self centeredness. The root of all our happiness is other centeredness. Just like a a tree has has its roots, is embedded in root, in its root, by means of its roots. Likewise, are these experiences of the feelings in terms of suffering, they’re probably brought about by self centeredness, In terms of happiness, they’re brought about through other-centeredness and the cherishing of others.

Śāntideva says that whatsoever harm and negativities we experience in the world all come about through seeking one’s own self interest alone. Whatever happiness and well-being are experienced in the world all come about through seeking the welfare of others. So it’s extremely important that we come to this understanding and appreciate this fact that all our various sufferings are brought about through our self centeredness, our sense of self-cherishing. And on the other hand, that all happiness is brought about through the cherishing of others or other centeredness. Presently, we aren’t able to appreciate this fact, so we have to begin by looking in term we aren’t able to appreciate the fact that happiness is brought about through other centeredness.

So we have to begin with in terms of looking at the at analyzing our self centeredness as to the quality of experience it brings us. So, President, we have to overcome some confusion that we have with respect to what are in fact the roots of happiness and what are the roots of suffering. By means of listening well and developing a discriminating awareness, a wisdom with respect to the actual causes of our feeling experiences, we can overcome our present understanding in that we think that self centeredness is the way to find happiness, where in fact it’s the way to only bring ourselves suffering. And we have to be able to see this. And at present, we we aren’t able to appreciate it.

Then on the other hand, beginning to see that other cherishing is in fact the way to find happiness, whereas opposed to our present way of thinking that it simply is a matter of bringing us more problems. And seeing that, we’re going to take a great sense of joy and we’re going to practice in development of other centeredness. So it’s extremely important that we see the tremendous advantages to be brought about by an attitude of other centeredness, and the excellent qualities and the benefits. We have to reflect upon this. As a means of working with other-centeredness, we are going to go on to develop love and compassion, exceptional resolve, the awakening mind.

In fact, all of the qualities of the universal vehicle, which are equal to space, will be developed in dependence upon this. We will be able to eliminate all our various faults and bring to consummation every excellent quality. And if we actually appreciate this very deeply, then we’re going to see, you know, I must develop a sense of other centeredness. And it’s just as in the case by way of analogy. If someone sees that engaging in some kind of business, there’s a lot of profit to be gained.

Seeing this, they’re going to very joyfully, going to engage with a great effort in their business. If they don’t see that there’s going to be any profit for them, it’s not going to be of any benefit, then they’re simply not going to be enthusiastic. So we have to analyze well what the the the what the profit is to be gained. We have to understand the various faults connected with self centeredness. By understanding, appreciating these faults very deeply, we simply will not engage in self centered activities.

But it’s because that we don’t see the faults of self centeredness, and by the power of this confusion, we continue to engage in self centered, self-cherishing activities. In dependence upon self grasping, that is to say, we conceive of a self which does not depend upon the aggregates. In fact, the self is dependent upon the aggregates. But we conceive of a self which is not dependent upon the aggregates. We’re conceiving of something which does not exist to exist due to the force of self grasping.

By the power of this self grasping, we then begin to cherish this fabricated self. And by that there arises a strong sense of I, I, I, which is independent, independently existent. And we develop an attachment to this I. And we develop a bias, a prejudice, for anything which is seen on the side of this I. And In dependence upon self, other arises.

And other is seen as the enemy, and we develop or the other side. And there, we develop hatred. So in this process, we’ve developed attachment and hatred. Due to the development of attachment and hatred, we engage in various types of unskillful actions such as killing, killing, stealing, various types of sexual improprieties, lying, all of the various types of negative actions. By the creation of these unskillful actions, we create negative karma.

Due to the force of these negative karma, we continue to circle within cyclic existence, taking one rebirth after another, which are in the nature of suffering. We have to undergo all the various types of sufferings in this continual circling pattern in which we’re caught up in. You know, being reborn as an animal going through the various sufferings, and rising up within cyclic existence, going back down within cyclic existence. It’s like, so we have to see the disadvantages and the faults of self centeredness. It’s like if we saw the terrible effects of drugs, you know, that understanding really the terrible effects of drugs, one simply would not only, you know, they would not want to buy them, one wouldn’t want to be around them.

One wouldn’t want to see them, having seen the terrible faults of taking drugs. By way of this analogy, these drugs would be analogous to self centeredness. So we have to be able to we have to be able to distinguish well the two types of selves, because presently we are making a mistake a mistake with respect to them. In terms of self centeredness, there is the conception of a self which is not dependent upon the aggregate, which exists independent of the aggregate. This self appears to the mind.

Then this is the self which is being cherished. In general, the self exists. We’re not talking about that self. That is a nominally existent self. I say, for example, the self that eats, that goes here and there.

This is the self which we are trying to work with in order to eliminate its various faults and develop its, all its excellent qualities. But this other self, which in fact does not exist but appears to exist, is the self that we’re cherishing and the self that we are engaging in various activities in order to bring happiness to. We want to be happy. And if we want to be happy, because of this very fact of wanting to be happy, this is the reason that we’re involved in ourselves in thought transformation. Why?

Because in looking upon, it is because we want to be happy that we are seeking to develop other centeredness. It’s not as if we are setting aside our longing for happiness in order to care for others. It is because we want to be happy that we’re trying to become other centered. Others are just like ourselves. Due to the force of karma and the effect of emotions, they uncontrollably circle within cyclic existence, experiencing all the various types of sufferings.

And we are to train ourselves to be able to take on the suffering of others. This is what we mean by other centeredness. But we don’t do this, but we do this in order to bring ourselves happiness. We are trying to develop other centeredness because we want to be happy. So, you know, there is self and then there is other.

In seeking happiness only for ourselves, that is to say, by the force of our self centered attitude, we engage in all the various activities in order to find happiness for ourselves and to eliminate our suffering. But it doesn’t work. It hasn’t been working. In fact, we have to be able to see that it, because of wanting to bring ourselves happiness, in order to bring ourselves happiness, in order to eliminate our suffering, what are we to do? We should train in developing other centeredness.

And this is the way for us to find happiness for ourselves and to eliminate our suffering. So it is by the force of self-centeredness that sentient beings, others, that they are experiencing all of their various types of suffering. We ourselves are trying to experience happiness. We’re trying to eliminate our suffering. And for that purpose, we are seeking to train in the development of other cherishing.

Others who are under the influence of self-centeredness in trying to do the same are continually experiencing suffering. They generate karma and various afflictive emotions. And what we are to do in development of other centeredness is to take on their various sufferings and to give them all our happiness. That is to say, the practice of taking and giving, taking on their suffering, giving away our happiness. Other centeredness is expressed through love and compassion.

Love in the sense of bringing happiness to others. Compassion in the sense of eliminating the suffering of others. So our practice is to take upon ourselves the sufferings of others and to give our happiness to them. According a verse by Śāntideva, in which he said, Those who want to quickly bring about the happiness of both self and others should engage in the secret practice of equalizing and exchanging self for others. So, though this is what we are training in is not included within the vehicle of secret mantra, though it is in fact part of what is called perfection tradition or the perfection vehicle or sūtra vehicle, still it is something which is not spread widely.

It is secret because of its great profundity, because it’s not for everybody. Those people who want to really sincerely train in this method, in this practice, have to be extremely, vast minds. They have to be of great intelligence and be very brave, and I think you all qualify. Those who are timid, those small minded individuals who are timid have great fear when they hear such a practice. But you are fearless, I’m sure.

You’re very happy about hearing this. Returning to the to the text itself. All of our sufferings derive from our habits of self-delusion. We heed and act out. As all of us share in this tragic misfortune, which stems from our narrow and self centered ways, we must take all our suffering and the miseries of others and smother our wishes of self-concern.

For those who want to experience only happiness and to completely eliminate all of their suffering, then we should engage in this practice of taking and giving. That others are suffering under the influence of afflictive emotions and karma, and development of compassion, which seeks to take upon ourselves their suffering, and the development of love, which wishes to give our happiness and skillful actions to others. That is to say, we are to train in taking and giving. So in this seeking happiness, we are not seeking happiness for ourselves alone or the elimination of only our own sufferings. This would be a great mistake.

This would not be a practice of the bodhisattva. But we are seeking to bring happiness to both self and others, and to eliminate the problems of both self and others. In hearing about this practice where we’re seeking to take on the sufferings of others and to give them our happiness, it might arouse some fear in many. Because thinking to take upon the suffering of others is something that we don’t want, that we ourselves would experience suffering. But there’s really no need to fear, because this is a practice which is done within our imagination.

In actual fact, to take upon sufferings of others is extremely difficult. And in actual fact, it’s