[The Random Factor] Teachings of the Dali Lama

[The Random Factor]

Hey folks, first let me apologize for 
the delay. When I returned from Germany 
I found myself pushing hard to convey 
thousands of years of wisdom on a 
self-inflicted timeframe of two weeks.

Of course, my departure also meant I 
had a lot of other work build up too. 

One of the things the Dali Lama (the DL) 
talked about was how people in the West 
work obsessively and inevitably their 
peace of mind and their health is 
affected by their efforts. 

Three weeks ago I took a deep breath, and 
before I exhaled I knew I wouldn't get 
this issue out before my friend Nick 
arrived from Europe and we departed on 
another great adventure about two weeks ago. 

I forgave myself, hopefully you will too. 

For those who do not know, I was fortunate 
enough to attend 5 days of teachings with 
the Dali Lama in Hamburg Germany in July. 
The topic was Aryadeva's 400 Stanzas, also 
known as Four Hundred Verses on the Yogic 
Deeds of Bodhisattvas, a text at the heart 
of Tibetan Buddhism. 

The goal of these writings is to explore
the nature of suffering, and to illuminate 
the wisdom that dissolves this suffering
and awakens the Buddha in each of us. 

The DL also spent time discussing more 
general Buddhist concepts such as:

The three poisons: aggression, passion, 
and ignorance. 

Right Actions: meditation, insight, 
discipline, patience, generosity, and
exertion.

Also discussed, but not fully covered, 
were the 37 practices of Bodhisattva's. 
Check out this great site for more info 
on that. http://sealevel.ns.ca/bodhi/

For today, I will focus, just as the DL 
did, on the first eight chapters, pulling 
my favorite quotes from each and share
the lessons I took from these teachings.

The first 8 Chapters in the Text: 

1) Abandon Belief in Permanence
2) Abandon Belief in Pleasure
3) Abandon Belief in Cleanness
4) Abandoning Pride
5) Bodhisattva Deeds
6) Abandoning Disturbing Emotions
7) Abandoning Attachment to Sense Objects
8) Thoroughly Preparing the Student


1) ----- Abandon belief in permanence -----

We look at the past as having gone so 
quickly. Why then do we look into the 
future and think that we have so far to 
go? - paraphrase stanza 3

I found this particularly profound. So far,
this life has gone so quickly, yet when I 
look into the future I don't think of it as 
being brief. 

This chapter reminds us everything is 
impermanent. Possessions, creations, and 
lives all pass away in the end... an end 
which is not far away. Let go of attachment 
to this life and invest yourself in 
spiritual practice. 


2) ----- Abandon Belief in Pleasure -----

"Ordinary people are bent on pleasure; those 
who have pleasure are hard to find. Thus it 
is as if transitory beings are pursued by 
suffering. " - stanza 29

"The high (people with "good fortune") have 
mental suffering; for the common ("bad fortune" 
e.g. poor) it comes from the body. Day by day 
both kinds of suffering overwhelm people of 
this world." - stanza 33


This chapter boils down to the notion that 
the world provides more pain than pleasure 
and that trying to find contentment through 
worldly pleasures is futile. 
 
The truth of this is seen when we recognize 
that most of us do not experience pleasure 
any significant percentage of the time, 
despite the fact that we all would choose 
to experience pleasure all the time if it 
were that easy. 

The problem is, one pleasure is not enough, 
we always need more. More fun, more money, 
more friends, always more. This text argues 
that no worldly pleasure, or pleasure of the 
physical body can make you content in that 
complete and total, once-and-for-all type 
of contentment. 

A person who is always seeking more will find 
on their last day that they have never found 
contentment.


3) ----- Abandon Belief in Cleanness -----

"If, except to some people, a pot of filth
is objectionable, Why would one not think 
objectionable that from which the filth 
comes (your body)." - stanza 68 

The theme of this chapter is that you are 
dirty. Filthy, in fact... your body is a 
"poop machine" (DL's actual words) and so 
is that person you want to get naked. If 
you recognize that they are a filth factory 
your desire will wane.

I guess I had a problem with this chapter 
which uses negative associations with the 
body to reduce physical attraction and sexual 
desire. 

I'm not sure what tradition "your body is a 
temple" comes from, but apparently it's not 
Buddhist. 

This chapter made me wonder just how often 
they showered back then. 


4) ----- Abandon Belief in Pride -----

Even if you become a king with wealth 
and power, what good is this when you die. 
- paraphrased stanza 94

All beings are interdependent. Even a king 
is dependent on his subjects for his wealth 
and power.

Even the rich and powerful are dependent on 
the poor. Seeing yourself separate from this 
web of interdependence is delusional. 


5) ----- Bodhisattva Deeds -----

"Not a single movement of Buddhas is 
without reason; even their breathing
Is exclusive for the benefit of 
sentient beings"  - stanza 101

"Without intention, actions like going
are not seen to have merit and so forth.
In all actions, therefore, the mind 
should be understood as paramount."
- stanza 104

"In Bodhisattvas, through their intention,
all actions, virtuous and non-virtuous, 
become perfect virtue, because they are 
in control of their minds." - stanza 105

"Someone may build a precious reliquary
(temple/church) as high as the world; it
is said, training others to generate the
altruistic intention is more excellent."
- stanza 107

"Just as a physician is not upset with 
someone who rages while possessed by a
demon, Buddhas see disturbing emotions 
as the enemy, not the person who has 
them." - stanza 109

"Just as a mother is especially anxious
about a sick child, Buddhas are especially
compassionate toward the unwise." - stanza
111

"When one thinks of giving gifts, now 
there will be a great result, receiving 
and giving are like trade for the profit, 
which will be criticized." - stanza 120

"Even here, nothing harms one with a 
powerful mind, and thus, for such a one, 
worldly existence and nirvana are no 
different." - stanza 122

The lesson here is that actions of the 
enlightened are those supporting the 
greater good, not just for one's own 
benefit.

The DL said that stains (wrong thoughts) 
of the mind obscure this highest state. 
Stains of the mind, like all things, are 
temporary. 

And a mind that is clear can be stained 
again. It is for this that a "Buddha" does 
not refer to one with a pure mind, but a 
person who is constantly engaged in the 
practice of removing stains of the mind. 

Perfect wisdom is the natural state of the 
mind. The stains are temporary obstructions 
of this perfect mind. By simply focusing 
one's wisdom on a stain we see the stain 
and can dissolve it with right thought and 
right action.  

With a powerful mind, and compassion, the 
highest path is walked.


6) ----- Abandoning Disturbing Emotions -----

"Desire's activity is acquisition, anger's 
activity is conflict. As wind is to all the
elements, confusion's activity is nurture." 
- stanza 127

"Desire is painful, because of not getting. 
Anger is painful, through lack of might, and 
confusion, through not understanding. Because 
of this, these are not recognized." - stanza 128

"Desire is no friend, but seems like one, which 
is why you do not fear it. But shouldn't people 
particularly rid themselves of a harmful friend?"
- stanza 132

"Anger is lasting and certainly makes one do 
grave non-virtue. Thus constant awareness of 
their distinctions, will bring to an end 
disturbing emotions." - stanza 134

"As the tactile sense [pervades] the body, 
confusion is present in them all. By overcoming 
confusion, one will also overcome disturbing 
emotions." - stanza 135

"Buddha told those with desire that food, clothes 
and dwellings are all to be avoided and to remain 
close to their spiritual guides." -stanza 138

"Whoever is patient with the source of anger 
develops meditation. Saying you fear the source 
of good qualities is just foolish of you." 
- stanza 148

"Who has gone to the next world having ended 
all disparagement? Therefore, consider contempt 
preferable to ill deeds." -stanza 149


This chapter tells us that wrong action is a 
result of disturbing emotions like greed, 
hatred, and envy. Wisdom and mindfulness are 
the remedy. With our energy focused on these
pursuits our actions will automatically improve. 


7)-- Abandoning Attachment to Sense Objects --

"When there is no end at all to this ocean 
of suffering, why are you, childish people,
not afraid of drowning in it?" - stanza 151

"On Earth the maturation of ill deeds is seen
to be only deleterious. Thus to the wise the 
world appears similar to the slaughterhouse." 
- stanza 157

"If 'insane' means that one's mind is unstable,
what wise person would say that those in 
worldly existence are not insane?" - stanza 158

"Since all results will not definitely be 
achieved, and those that are will certainly 
come to an end, why exhaust yourself for 
their sake?" - stanza 161

This chapter affirms that objects don't bring 
happiness so why waste your energy on such 
pursuits?

Rid yourselves of negative thoughts and 
recognize delusions in order to break through
the world of illusion and experience the 
profound bliss that lies within.


8) ----- Thoroughly Preparing the Student -----

"Just as friendship between people who disagree
does not last long, desire does not last long,
when all things' faults are recognized." - 
stanza 176

"While attached to your own position and 
disliking others' positions, you will not 
approach nirvana. Neither [kind of] conduct
will bring peace." - stanza 185

"Not acting brings about nirvana; acting again
brings worldly existence. Thus, without 
complication, nirvana is easy to attain, 
but not the latter." - stanza 186 

"How can anyone, who has no aversion to this, 
take an interest in pacification? Like [leaving]
home, it is also hard to leave worldly
existence behind." - stanza 187

"First prevent the demeritorious, next prevent
[ideas of a coarse] self. Later prevent views
of all kinds. Whoever knows of this is wise."
- stanza 190

"Just as a barbarian cannot be guided in a 
foreign language, ordinary people cannot be 
guided except by the way of the ordinary."
- stanza 194

"Correct perception [leads to] the supreme 
state, some perception to good rebirths. The
wise thus always expand their intelligence to 
think about the inner nature." - stanza 196

"Through knowing reality, even if now one does 
not attain nirvana, one will certainly gain it 
effortlessly in a later life, as it is with 
actions." - stanza 197

"On hearing that the body lacks good qualities, 
attachment does not last long. Will not all 
disturbing attitudes end by means of this 
very path?" - stanza 199

This chapter suggests that from a state of 
suffering to Nirvana, from darkness to light, 
we can break the cycle of suffering and 
reincarnation through the cultivation of 
wisdom. 

Because... 

"Desire based on wisdom is ok." - Dali Lama

Best of luck whatever your endeavor,

Some Guy

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