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BRINGING YOUR PRACTICE INTODAILY LA TEACHING BY KHENPO TSEWANG GYATSO RINPOCHE

After we leave the meditation cushion, how do we go about applying theBuddha's teachings to our daily lives? Sangha Journal recently asked thisofKhenpo 1Sewang Gyatso Rinpoche, the U.S. representative of HisHoliness Penor Rinpoche, former head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan

.Buddhism. Khen Rinpoche's response was a comprehensive public teachingon the topic. His advice is offiredfirst from the Hinayana perspective, thentheMahayana, andfinally the Vajrayana. For each of these three paths, hereveals how to base one's meditation practice and behavior on afoundationof strong, clear intention and right view.

TIS MORNING, WE'READDRESSING howwe can applythe Buddhistteachings as a practice in day to day life; ,The Buddhist teachings arevery profound and vast, and therealso are many different levels at which we can pu t these teachingsinto practice. Condensingthe path into four divisions-intention, view, med-itation, and behavior-helps to showus howwecanapplythe practicein ourday to day lives.

All of practice,according to the scripturesof Sakyamuni Buddha and thetreatises of all the great scholars and masters of India, involves trainingyourmind through meditation or other means, and then discipliningyour speechand physical actions according to that mind training.Theactual practice is based on yourintention. Forexample, makinga vowhelps you discipline yourselfto carry throughwith a certain practice in a seri-ous way. There is the pratimoksha vow according to the lesser vehicles(Hinayana), the bodhisattvavow accordingto the gre.atervehicles' Mahayanapractice, and the vajrayana vows according to the tantric practice. Withintantra there can bean innertantricvowand an outer tantricvow. Your inten-tion also encompasses your attitude toward the spiritual practice, toward allbeings,and toward this cyclic existence. _

Mind training also is based on the view-your understanding of thenature of cyclic existence, of the nature of the external world,and of the inter-nal nature oflivingbeings.With rightviewyoucan do proper meditation prac-tice, and mind training can become actualized. Then, meditation becomesinseparable from behavior, or discipline of the body, speech and mind.

When allof the four causesand conditions-intention,view, meditation,and behavior or discipline-are properly assembled, then definitely one canhave fruition.

Everyone has the Buddhanature,or Christ nature,and anyone can,attainenlightenment if one follows the path seriously and continuously, with dili-gence and perseverance. The possibility of achieving within this liretimedepends on one's potential and one's facultyof mind. One doesn't necessarilyhave to practice everypath, includingHinayana,Mahayana,Vajrayana,and the

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inner and outer tantra. Every one of these paths is a complete path to liberation from the suffering of cyclic existence.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US WANTS TO GET RID OF SUFFERING. We don'tant to experience pain, negative emotions, depression, and other problems. We want to always be very happy, peaceful, prosperous, and healthy.

There is no difference among all the sentient beingseven poisonoussnakes and tigers wish to avoid the suffering of starvation and thirst. Forhuman beings, wherever they live and whatever their faith, traditions or possessions, they all want to experience peace and happiness and get rid of suffering and pain. For this purpose we look for some kind of spiritual support.Or, we do yoga, or train in the gym, go to school, learn songs and dances, go towork, and conduct the rest of our day to day lives.

We have become very busy for the sole purpose of achieving happiness,peace, and some level of freedom from pain and suffering. However, to be liberated from the suffering of this cyclic existence, or this samsara, then one hasto follow a spiritual practice.

Whatever path we follow, it has to be based exactly on the real nature ofreality. It must be based on valid cognition: Through very logical means, onecomes to know the nature of the truth, and the nature of the path itself, whichalso is the truth.

According to Hinayana Buddhism, one's intention first is to understandthe suffering of cyclic existence. The moment we know the nature of this suffering, we want to be liberated from it. We develop a sense of renunciation.One has to have this mind of renunciation, through which one can be completely dedicated to practice and become liberated. One's compassion and loving-kindness for other sentient beings may be limited, as long as one has thatintention to be liberated from suffering.

WITH THAT INTENTION, THEN THE REAL PRACTICE is based On the view,hich is the crucial point of all these teachings. The absolute truth isalways more difficult to understand, believe and actualize on the Hinayanapath. That doesn't mean that we cannot experience realization.The view according to Hinayana is the realization of the emptiness of self.We realize that whatever suffering we experience in our day to day lives isbecause of attachment and self-cherishing. This is the main cause of our beingreborn in samsara, over and over.

One has to study why self-cherishing or self-attachment is the cause ofsuffering. The teachings offer a very detailed explanation of this. Whateverquestions one may have related to it, there is an answer that makes you understand. You analyze and judge the answer in your own mind. When it is clear toyou, then you can accept its truth. For diat, you need to have valid logic andvalid cognition. It is not just that you have to believe what Buddha taught

you use all your intellectual wisdom,whatever skills and methods youhave, to examine it.

The only antidote to self-attachment is your ability to realizethe emptiness of the self. Again,there is a complete teaching onemptiness of self, with many different explanations and examples, soyou can become very clear about it.

BASED ON THE VIEW OF THEmptiness of self, you meditate on that emptiness. When youmeditate with continuity, diligenceand perseverance, then one day youwill have the direct perception,direct experience of the emptinessof self. The moment you have that

realization, then the concepts, afflicted mind, negative emotions, and attachment toward the self are instantly gone.

It is like when there is light, the darkness is gone. The darkness has nopower to remain. When you purify or abandon ignorance, then you havegained wisdom, a sense of insight in relation to the self's true nature.When you have that experience in practice, then naturally all the afflictions of mind also are purified. There is no way you could do any sort of negative action. You are not going to accumulate any source of karma.

Until you reach that realization through meditation practice, youriscipline or behavior should be based on the law of karma.Understanding the law of karma validates our view.

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It isnot like

your bodyis inCalifornia,your mind

is inNew York,

and yourspeech is

somewhere

sangha Every action we take has its own conse-J O U R N A t 'quences. Some of these consequences ripen rightaway, some within a few years, some in the nextlife, some even many lifetimes later.

Based on the law of karma, one avoidsharmful deeds and maintains any behavior thatis virtuous. The law of karma applies not only tophysical actions, but also to actions related to thespeech and mind. Neutral actions don't bring anykind of fruition, positive or negative. Virtuousactions have positive consequences such as happiness or prosperity. Consequences of non-virtuous actions are always negative, such as negativeemotions, depression, or other problems.

In the beginning, it is difficult for us to concentrate on always doing virtuous things. Wedon't have the habitual tendency. That is why we

22 need to work hard on it. First, we must have a in Maryland.sense of mindfulness in our day to day lives.Whatever we do, in our work, when we drive, wehave to be mindful.

Mindfulness training is very important. Itis not necessarily a kind of meditation, butrather some sense of awareness. It is not thatcomplicatedit is just, in this present moment,whatever you are doing, to be mindful.

When you are cutting vegetables, you have to be mindful or you will cutyour finger. This may cause you to become frustrated or angry, and to take it outon your family.

When you are doing practice you have to be mindful as well. If you spendyour session thinking, "I have to go shopping today at Wal-Mart," there is noreal practice. If your mind is wandering while you are chanting mantras, thenno matter how many mantras you chant, they will not be effective.

Whatever you do in your day to day life, you can watch your body, speechand mind. It is not necessary to watch a million things at onceonly your body,speech and mind, that which is within your self. It is not like your body is inCalifornia, your mind is in New York, and your speech is somewhere in

Maryland. Your mind and body are always with you, and you are the only onewho can really watch your self.We ourselves are responsible for our own world. We can take every possi

ble opportunity to avoid negativities and to do something virtuous. That is thediscipline and the behavior.

When we train our mind, we come to know that compassion andloving-kindness are good, and we want to practice and be in that way.Without mind training, this doesn't happen.Consider how all sentient beings are the same, like oneself. They all wish

to avoid problems, suffering, pain, just as I do. And they all wish to achievepeace and happiness, just as I do.

Contemplating on this, meditating on this, helps us to generate compassion and loving-kindness and gives us the intention to cany them intoour daily lives. We can talk, act, and feel with compassion and loving-kindness throughout our day.

When someone yells at you or criticizes or ignores you, even when youare being nice and compassionate, you have to understand that this personhas a problem, that is why he is angry, frustrated or blaming. When you try tobe more humble and nice, and try to subdue your ego, even strangers will likeit even if they don't know anything else about you.

In the Mahayana tradition, this intention is very important. If all youractions of body, speech and mind are governed by compassion and loving-kindness, the consequences will always be positive. No matter whether someone appreciates you or not, something positive will always result. Based onthe law of karma, no one can destroy that potential, steal it or exchange it.One day you will just gain the positive consequence.

When we don't have a deep understanding about that law, then whensomeone shows anger, we also respond in angerand that is always destructive. Responding with compassion is a way to subdue the other person's anger.When a husband is angry, the wife has to be more patient, loving and compassionate, and just take everything. That way she can pacify the husband'sanger. Similarly, when the wife is angry, frustrated, agitated, yelling at her husband, then he can just be compassionate and patient. "Oh honey, you have aproblem. Whatever I can do, I will help you. Don't worry, just relax."

Even if your spouse says "You are the reason I'm having all these troubles!," still you take it! "Okay, I'm the cause of all these problems." You can

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subdue your ego. You just say "I'm sorry" and take on the blame. Then ofcourse, the other person has no choice but to be relaxed.

If we cannot take one person's anger, how can we take the anger of allthese sentient beings? It is impossible!

It's similar between children and parents,sisters and brothers, between friends, between

- r e n e i g h b o r s . H a v i n g t h a t k i n d o f t r a i n i n g , o n e ' smind naturally becomes more virtuous, com-

CannOt pass ionate , lov ing, k ind. One becomes very1 . b r o a d m i n d e d .

one person'sanger, Gaining the right view in Mahayanapractice involves an understanding of thenonduality of interdependent origination.

Everything that exists in the world is dependentand interrelated. There is no single phenomenon that is inherently independent and inherently existing. Everything is dependent in itsnature.

That is the truth, that is the reality. It is sosubtle, and yet it is so vast and profound. Themore you examine the reality of interdependentorigination, the deeper your experience of it willbe, and the more sense it will make. You willdevelop direct perception of the nature of mind.

Interdependent origination is exactly like theWorld Wide Web, you know? All Websites areconnected with each other, all are interdepen

dent. Similarly, everything that exists and appears, since time without beginning, arises from that state of interdependent origination. There is no waythat one can argue that this is not the case. It is simply the nature of relativephenomena.Because all phenomena are dependently arising based on causes andconditions, no single phenomenon has its own inherent existencenot ourmind, our sensations, our body, the external world, nothing. The true natureof phenomena is emptiness.

how canwe takethe angerof allthesesentientbeings?

Emptiness and interdependent origination do not contradict each Vol. 1 no. 3other; they are harmonious and inseparable.

When we understand that things do not have their own true exisence, then we see their illusory nature. Then, even when good thingshappen or bad diings happen, we don't get too excited or depressed. Even whensomebody insults you or praises you, it doesn't really matter because it is stillillusion. You can just abide in the middle, with the intention of generating compassion and loving-kindness. That is the practice.

Discipline in Mahayana practice encompasses the six perfections (of generosity, ethics, patience, joyous effort, meditation, and wisdom). These perfections must be developed slowly, without falling into extremes. For example, ifone is overly generous and gives too much away, one may be left without thethings one needsand other people, who are supposed to also be generous,don't take care of you. When there is no immediate result, one has regret, andfeels that generosity just isn't working.

Practicing patience in daily life involves learning to relax, be patient, andhandle things slowly whenever problems arise. Impatience never brings a bet- ^ ter result.

One can't become perfected right away with the practices of the six perfections. But with diligence, perseverance, meditation, wisdom, we slowly, slowlyget stronger in the practice. Even Sakyamuni Buddha took three countless aeonlifetimes to carry through the six perfection practices.

One needs to be far-sighted: "Until I attain enlightenment I'll never, evergive up these practices, no matter if it takes a billion lifetimes. I still want to benefit all these sentient beings, no matter whether they feel grateful or not."However much you think you are benefiting them, that's how much they arebenefiting you. If there are no sentient beings, then how can you generate compassion or loving-kindness? If no one is mean to you, then how can you practice patience?

That is the bodhisattva path.With that discipline, you accumulate merit with the intention of being

compassionate and loving. Then, you view everything based on its reality. Then,just meditate, meditate. The actual meditation practice you do is on the view: onemptiness and on interdependent origination. Through your behavior, youaccumulate merit and wisdom, by which you can attain enlightenment.

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The inner tantric practices also are based on the view of generatingompassion, loving-kindness and bodhicitta, to attain enlightenment forthe benefit of all sentient beings. One develops this view such that it gets betterand better, higher and higher, and more and more profound. You try to have thepure perception that all sentient beings, including oneself, are like deities.

Then, one tries to have the intention of a deity: to perceive as a deity, behaveas a deity, meditate as a deity. There is no way an enlightened deity can do anything negative or harmful. You cultivate an awareness that perceives everythingas pure, perfect and accomplished by its nature. And again, everything has thenature of emptiness. Nonduality of awareness and emptiness is the view.

In your actual meditation practice you experience all appearance as deity,all sounds as deity mantra, and all your thoughts as enlightened deity's mind.When you maintain this view, you can carry that kind of mindfulness andawareness into your day to day life.

When somebody yells at you, you think, "This is a wrathful deity."Wrathfulness is the deity's display. Perceiving the person as mean and cunningis just afflicted mind.

You need courage to pursue your path in that way, in any given moment,whatever happens. As you seriously carry through this practice with diligenceand continuity, after some time you realize that you will never, ever again projectanything ordinary, like an ordinary sentient being. You project that all beingsare enlightened.

Since you have really experienced pure perception, you will never, ever havethe conceptual thought that "this is negative" or "this is good." Even when ordinary beings try to harm you, there is no way they can do so. Insults are like anecho, just an illusion.

Even if you cannot perceive all beings as deity, at least understand that theyhave the nature of emptiness, and that they appear because of interdependentorigination.

To actualize that kind of realization, to develop and truly experience thatview, one needs to take time to practice it in daily life. Then, one must focus onbehavior, or discipline of the body, speech and mind. Even if you cannot help,at least you don't consciously harm other beings.

One can lead one's daily life with that kind of commitment, based on generating compassion, loving-kindness and bodhicitta.

IN summary, this is how we train ourselves: generating compassion and loving-kindness in our day to day lives, and whenever possible doing the sixperfections or deity practices.The more one's mind is trained, the more capable it becomes of spreadingout, extending compassion toward the greater population. Finally, one will havethat practice which is called immeasurable compassion.

KHENPO TSEWANG GYATSO RINPOCHE is one of three senior khenpos (abbots) at NgagyurNyingma Institute in Bylakuppe, India, and is resident lama of Palyul Changchub Dargyeling, basedin Mill Valley, Calif. He has received comprehensive training under His Holiness Dilgo KhyentseRinpoche, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, and numerous othermasters. Khen Rinpoche studied at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarnathunder Khenchen Palden Sherab, graduating at the top of his class. He currently serves as the U.S.representative for H.H. Penor Rinpoche, Palyul lineage throneholder and former head of theNyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Khen Rinpoche's teaching was given in English at the Kunzang Palyul Choling retreat centerin Poolesville, Md., in June 2002. Kunzang Palyul Choling audiotaped the talk, Matthew Mackeytranscribed the teaching, Alan Schaaf of Palyul Changchub Dargyeling reviewed the edited transcript. Photographs were taken by Polly Turner just before and during the teachings.

Upcoming teachings by Khen Rinpoche include: Mid-January through February 2003, Palyul Namdroling Monastery, Bylakuppe,

Karnacaka, India. July 4th weekend, 2003, Nyungne Retreat at the Palyul Retreat Center, McDonough, New

York.For details about Khen Rinpoche's schedule, visit www.palyul.otgAhensched.html.

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