These Classes Concluded with Class 7 on Sunday, November 12, 2017
VIDEO FILES of LIVE STREAMED classes are on FACEBOOK
Geshe Thupten Palsang's Malaysian students live streamed these teachings with Tibetan & English audio - on Geshe Palsang's FACEBOOK page created by his students:
Search for Thupten Palsang on Facebook.
DOWNLOAD AUDIO & TEXT FILES
Download a PDF of the text here: the Tale of a Wish-Fulfilling Dream or the Dream Tale.
Download Audio for the first class, Saturday, November 4, 2017:
Track 1 - Geshe Thupten Palsang introduces the text and its purpose, which is to provide support for our efforts to Generate Love & Compassion for all Sentient Beings per the Mahayana Vehicle of Buddhism.
Track 2 - Arya Nagarjuna explains the purpose of the Tale of a Wish-Fulfilling Dream [Dream Tale] -- to teach us methods/reasonings we can use to generate Loving Compassion for all sentient beings -- in Verse 1.
Since it is that which they achieve, it is like a dream;
Bodhisattvas accomplish that aspect.
In order to benefit samsaric beings
I will teach a few [methods for growing] fond of sentient beings.
Arya Nagarjuna presents five methods or reasonings to use in Verses 2-6. Geshe Palsang explains the reasoning method set out in Verse 2:
I and all sentient beings are equal [with regard to] happiness and suffering.
Being equal [with regard to] happiness and suffering, we are family.
So it is not right to completely abandon
These [beings] and enter Nirvana.
Download Audio for the second class, Sunday, November 5, 2017:
Track 1 - Geshe Thupten Palsang elaborates Arya Nagarjuna’s Second and and Third Reasoning methods for generating Love and Compassion for all sentient beings in Verse 3 & Verse 4 of the Dream Tale:
Together with these beings I experienced
The sufferings of the lower realms and
All sorts of happiness of the higher realms.
Since we dwelt as one, I am fond of them.
Not just once did I reside in every womb.
Nor is there a single sentient being
Who did not reside in my womb.
Therefore, we are all family.
Track 2 - Geshe Palsang presents Arya Nagarjuna’s Fourth Reasoning method for generating Love and Compassion for all sentient beings in Verse 5:
Further, I am fond of the Buddha.
As he worked hard for the sake
Of these [sentient beings] for a very long time;
That too makes me fond of sentient beings.
As he worked hard for the sake
Of these [sentient beings] for a very long time;
That too makes me fond of sentient beings.
Geshe Palsang responds to students' questions.
Download Audio for the Third class, Monday, November 6, 2017:
Track 1 - Geshe Thupten Palsang introduces Arya Nagarjuna’s Fifth Reasoning method for generating Love and Compassion for all sentient beings in Verse 5 of the Dream Tale:
In this way, since benefiting and harming
Are the [respective] causes of immeasurable
Happiness and suffering,
Sentient beings are also my gurus.
Track 2 - Understanding How the Mind Works in order to:
The five verses are elaborated in the text. Since this Fifth Reasoning is the most complex or difficult, Geshe Palsang begins an introduction to the working of the Law of Karma, which needs to be understood in order to meditate on this method:
- Law Cause & Effect vis-à-vis Law of Karma
- Law of Karma and Concomitant Karmic Results
- Understand Operation of Karma as primary results of virtuous, non-virtuous and neutral actions are Experiences of Feelings;
- "Origin" of our Mental Consciousness;
- Characteristics of our Mental-Emotional Experiences;
- Mind/Body relationship;
- How can results of activities of one life be experienced in the next life.
Geshe Palsang responds to a heartfelt and important question.
Download Audio for the Fourth class, Wednesday, November 8, 2017:
Track 1 - Geshe Thupten Palsang Introduction - Operation of Karma, cont., the Power of the Mind/Clairvoyance, Bardo & Rebirth, Prophecies.
Track 2 - Geshe Thupten Palsang presents Dream Tale text:
Verses 7-9 - Negative Karmic Effects Result from Harming Sentient Beings.
(7) The Sugata said, “In this life, experiencing
The sufferings of being murdered, beaten
Held hostage, threatened, and so on,
Those are the result of maltreating sentient beings.”
(8) Physical and non-physical harm,
Being destitute, of an inferior caste, and having a shor life,
One’s spouse dying, becoming blind:
These are the result of having harmed sentient beings
(9) Experiencing the different types of sufferings
On each level of the lower realms, down to Avici hell
That is all from my fault
Of having harmed sentient beings.
- Verses 10-11 - Positive Karmic Effects Result from Benefiting [& Not Harming] Sentient Beings.
(10) Offerings being made to oneself,
Being esteemed, attractive, and having wealth;
Those come through never maltreating
Pleasant or unpleasant sentient beings.
(11) Being free of disease, of an excellent caste,
Handsome, rich, powerful and having a long life,
Wealth, and so on, and a special spouse
Are the result of benefitting sentient beings.
Being esteemed, attractive, and having wealth;
Those come through never maltreating
Pleasant or unpleasant sentient beings.
(11) Being free of disease, of an excellent caste,
Handsome, rich, powerful and having a long life,
Wealth, and so on, and a special spouse
Are the result of benefitting sentient beings.
- Verses 11-13 - Positive Karmic Effects Result from Benefiting Sentient Beings.
(12) Through being fond of sentient beings,
One will attain kingdoms, great kingdoms,
Perfect kingdoms of the sublime wheel-turner,
And the dominions of power.
(13) Through benefitting sentient beings,
One also attains the state of a Buddha.
What is so marvelous about someone attaining
The insignificant state of an inferior celestial being?
One will attain kingdoms, great kingdoms,
Perfect kingdoms of the sublime wheel-turner,
And the dominions of power.
(13) Through benefitting sentient beings,
One also attains the state of a Buddha.
What is so marvelous about someone attaining
The insignificant state of an inferior celestial being?
- Q&A.
Download Audio for the Fifth class, Thursday, November 9, 2017:
Track 1 - Self-Cherishing is Root of All our Harmful Karmic Acts against Others, which Ripen as our own Suffering:
- Developing Mind that Cherishes Others Will Benefit Us in Our Daily Life Right Now.
- How Conjoining Daily Work with Compassionate Motivation to Benefit Others Produces Happiness
- Self-Cherishing’s Resentments Lead Us to Destroying our own Chances for Happiness
- Enhancing One’s Feeling of Closeness to All Sentient Beings Frees Us from Self-Cherishing’s Prison of Narrow-mindedness.
- Benefits of Focusing on Sentient Beings while Practicing the Six Paramitas
- Value of Practicing Each of the Six Paramitas
14) If those sentient beings did not exist
With whom could one be generous?
If living beings did not exist, on what basis
Could one achieve the morality of the Vinaya?
With whom could one be generous?
If living beings did not exist, on what basis
Could one achieve the morality of the Vinaya?
Track 3 - Verse 15. Without Beings [e.g., those Who Harm Us], We can’t Develop the Perfection of Patience:
15) For whose sake does a hero meditate
On patience for those who commit a fault?
For the sake of whom does he diligently work
To achieve his deeply desired object of attainment?
For the sake of whom does he diligently work
To achieve his deeply desired object of attainment?
Generating Generating Six Types of Clairvoyance
Verse 16. Without sentient beings, we cannot generate Love, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity & the Bliss of Meditative Absorption
Verse 17. Without sentient beings of varied types, interests and past life imprints, we cannot develop the Perfection of Wisdom.
Verse 18. Regard all beings as our Gurus as they are the cause for our Enlightenment
Questions & Answers
Download Audio for the Sixth class, Friday, November 10, 2017:
Track 1 - How to Practice the 1st-3rd Paramitas of Method, verses 19-22:
- Verse 19 - Don’t be frustrated by the Five Practices for taking all living beings as the Doorway to Great Bliss as these bring happiness in Samsara & lead to Full Enlightenment.
Vs. 19 - Thus, there will not be the slightest
impatience with the difficulty of moving towards Deliberately taking living creatures to be the
doorway to great bliss.
- Verse 20 - Practicing the Perfection of Generosity: As the Bodhisattva Liberating All, Buddha Gave Away Anything Requested by Anyone:
vs. 20 - WIth regard to the [correct] attitude:
Sentient beings are simply 'me'.
I will not strongly cling to material things
Neither at my spouse [and so forth].
- Verse 21 - Practicing the Perfection of Morality.
vs. 21 - I admit to having harmed myself,
My parents, and also my
Children and spouses;
Whereas sentient beings should not be harmed.
My parents, and also my
Children and spouses;
Whereas sentient beings should not be harmed.
Download Audio for the Seventh/Final class, Sunday, November 12, 2017:
Track 1 - Disadvantages of Not Practicing Method Aspect of Mahayana Path per Nagarjuna’s Dream Tale Instructions - verses 26-28:
Track 2 - Qualities attained through Practicing per Nagarjuna’s Dream Tale Instructions - verses 29-32:
Track 3 - No Shortcut/Quicker Route to the Qualities of Full Enlightenment:
