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The Four Noble Truth (Part 2)
Yesterday, I have explained a bit on the Four Noble Truth and out of the Four Noble Truth, the first truth which is the truth of suffering was explained. Today I will continue and talk on the second truth which is the truth of origination of suffering. Yesterday we talk about the three different kinds of sufferings such as suffering of suffering, suffering of change and suffering of pervasive condition of suffering. These are the three types of sufferings that we experience in our daily lives.
As we enter into a higher practice, especially Mahayana practice, we will understand that all sufferings are from the mind. Je Tsongkapa had composed a very beautiful Aphorism. On that which says “All the black and white actions or positive and negative actions are depending on your mind.” It means if your mind is positive, your actions will be positive and if your mind is negative, your action will also be negative. Therefore positive or negative actions depend on your mind condition. The Aphorism is beautifully written in Tibet like a Vowel which is a simple vocal sound, produced by continuous passage of the breath.
In Mahayana practice meditation is concentrated on the mind. If the mind is positive the realising of the path will be smooth. If the mind is negative the realising of the path will be difficult. From beginningless time we have done lots of negative actions and all such actions have accumulated negative karmas. We all know that Karma is like a seed waiting to be germinated and grow under certain condition. Without certain condition, the seed won’t grow. So those who are practicing at the higher level will understand the condition. Which is affliction, desire, anger and hatred. The moment any negative thought arises, these negative karma will also immediately arise. For this reason, the great masters never allow any negative emotion to arise. Though they too have lets of negative karmas in them, they will distance away, by way of controlling their minds.
If we have accumulated negative karmas, as long as we learn to control our mind, the negative karmas will not grow. Even if it grows, if we understand the Law of Karma, and cause and effect and practice patience and tolerance we will be able to overcome that. The negative Karma may ripen but easily faced. If we do not understand, it will be difficult to face.
As an example, let us take two persons, one is with negative thoughts and negative actions and the other one is without negative thought or action and with good karma who understands cause and effect, patience and tolerance and Dharma.
If someone were to use a knife to inflict a big wound in the hand of the person without negative thoughts or actions and with good karma who understand and practice Dharma, the pain he has to suffer is confined to only at the wound. Because he has a good heart and a good mind, there will be no distraction over the mind. He won’t get angry because of his patience and at the same time he accepts that and won’t speak or think negative and has no fear. He just accepts it as a reality. Even he is suffering in pain, there is no distraction over the three doors, body, speech and mind.
If the same wound is inflicted on the hand of the other person with negative thoughts and actions and no understanding of the Dharma, there will be lots of distractions in the mind. Maybe he is scared of dying, and thinking of negative actions like taking revenge or doing something negative. He will say all kinds of negative things and the body is filled with anger. As such the suffering of pain is not only confined to the wound but every part of the body is suffering.
When we can control our mind, it will help us to overcome any situation. If we could subdue our ignorance and try to create a good heart, we can easily face any negative thoughts and overcome any negative karma that may arise. If we do not have the spiritual value in us or a good heart, even if someone stare at us will make us angry. If someone were to utter some unpleasant words which will not cause us any harm, we will feel disturbed because of our own negative thoughts. A person with good heart will not even think about that. Great masters do have lots of negative karmas, but they use very strong antidote to prevent it from arising. They never let delusion or ignorance to arise because these are the ones ripening the negative karma. Some great beings want to overcome it by facing it and take the sufferings.
I have asked Rinpoche to take good care of his health, because I am scared that he will fall sick, but he said it is good to face it. With good spiritual understanding, the more you face it the better it is, because you can exhaust it. With good spiritual value and understanding of the Dharma, it is easy to face any negative karma. It is good to suffer when you are in the human form.
For those without Dharma knowledge when they suffer from any sickness, they can complain, maybe they will see a doctor to have it healed or even go to a lama for some prayers or do something to overcome the suffering. Along the way they will get angry as to why it has to be them suffering. Then they will generate more negativities and face more negative karmas in their next rebirth.
Those with good understanding and practice, try to balance the mind suffering. For example, if one were to suffer from something one must focus towards others who suffer even more. Make such compassion to minimize your own suffering.
His Holiness Dalai Lama was supposed to be in Bodhgaya in the year 2001 to perform the Kalachakra. The event was cancelled because he had a serious stomach pain caused maybe by an ulcer and couldn’t give the teaching. The pain was so severe that he was sweating. As he was driving trough the poorest street in India, he saw many people were suffering on the street including young children. Among them an old man was suffering without anyone to care for him. When he reached his room he couldn’t sleep because of the severe pain. His mind was constantly thinking of the old man he saw suffering on the street without anyone to care for him. Comparing himself to the old man, he found himself to be more fortunate. At least there are people taking care of him while the old man had to suffer alone. When he constantly think of that, his pain reduced.
Sometimes, my friends ask why they are facing this and that problems. I always refer to His Holiness situation and asked them to compare their problems to that of His Holiness. I asked them to visualize and compare their problems with His Holiness taking into consideration that His Holiness had lost a country, lost more than two million people and having to live in refuges camp yet having to shoulder the responsibilities of taking care of his people and culture. In spite of His Holiness having to face all these problems, there is no sign of sadness, anger or revenge shown on His face. He is ever smiling and practice compassion. By comparing our sufferings to that of His Holiness, it will help to reduce our own sufferings and we will appreciate our suffering.
Most important is we have to watch over our own thoughts. Even in our daily prayer and practice, and if you can watch over the five doors, and that is not to see negative, not to hear negative, not to smell negative, not to taste negative and not to feel negative. These are the things you have to watch through your main consciousness. Like the three doors of body, speech and mind, don’t act negative, don’t speak negative and don’t think negative. Watch through your mind constantly and that is the true practice. Why we do daily prayer is to watch our own mind and not to let it to have any negative thoughts. When we meditate or do our prayer every morning, we pray to do our best to watch over our mind and not to get into any negative thought. In the evening, before going to sleep, we sit down to meditate. If we had done good things we rejoice and make dedication and if we had done negative things, we confess and purify.
(End of part 2)
[this talk was given by Lama Phuntsho on 19 Oct 2009
and it has transcribed courtesy of Bro HP Lim]
