Renunciation
Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche
---o0o---
Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche, the only one of the seven spiritual assistants
of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to escape from Tibet after the Chinese
invasion, is the highest incarnate lama of the Ganden Jangtse monastery.
Having complete knowledge of all the sutras and tantras, he kindly gave
the following teaching at Tushita on December 7, 1979. He passed away in
1983. Edited from an oral translation by Dr. Alex Berzin.
From Teachings at Tushita, edited by Nicholas Ribush with Glenn H. Mullin,
Mahayana Publications, New Delhi, 1981. A new edition of this book is in
preparation. Tushita Mahayana Meditation Centre is the FPMT centre in New
Delhi, India.
The Sanskrit word Dharma, chö in Tibetan, means to hold, or to uphold.
What is upheld, or maintained? The elimination of suffering and the
attainment of happiness. Dharma does this not only for ourselves, but for
all beings.
The sufferings we experience are of two types: those immediately visible
to us as humans, and those we cannot see without psychic powers. The
former include the pain involved in the birth process, the unpleasantness
of occasionally becoming sick, the misery experienced with growing old and
aging, and the terror of death.
The sufferings that come after death are not visible to an ordinary
person. We might think that after we die we will probably be reborn as a
human being. However, this is not necessarily the case. There is no
logical reason for us to assume that such an evolution will occur. Nor is
it the case that after we die we will not take rebirth at all.
As for the particular type of rebirth we will take, this is something very
difficult to know, something not presently within our sphere of knowledge.
If we generate positive karma during this life, it will naturally follow
that we will take happy forms of rebirth in the future. Conversely, if we
create mostly negative karma, we will not take a happy rebirth, but will
experience great difficulties in lower states of being. This is certain.
Rebirth functions that way. If we plant a seed of wheat, what grows is a
wheat plant. If we plant a seed of rice, a rice plant is produced.
Similarly, by creating negative karma we plant seeds of rebirth in one of
the three lower states as a hell creature, a hungry ghost or an animal.
There are four different states or realms of hells: hot, cold,
neighbouring and occasional hells. To further subdivide these, there are
eight different hot hells. The first of these is known as the Reviving
Hell. This is the one of least suffering, relatively speaking. To
understand the extent of the misery experienced here, the pain of a person
caught in a great fire would be very slight in comparison with that of
beings in the first hot hell. Each hell below the Reviving Hell has an
increasingly intense degree of misery.
Although the sufferings of hell creatures and hungry ghosts may not be
visible to us, those of the animals can be seen with our eyes. If we
wonder what would happen if we ourselves were to be reborn as animals, we
can just look at those around us and think what it would be like to have
their conditions. Dharma is what holds us back and protects us from
experiencing the suffering of these lower rebirths.
The entire wheel of rebirth, the whole of cyclic existence, has the nature
of suffering. Dharma is what safeguards us from all samsaric suffering.
Moreover, the mahayana Dharma, the teachings of the great vehicle, brings
protection not only to ourselves but to all living beings.
In Buddhism we hear a lot about the three jewels of refuge-Buddha, Dharma
and Sangha. The first of these includes all the fully enlightened beings
who teach the Dharma. Buddha Shakyamuni, who first turned the wheel of
Dharma at Varanasi by teaching the four noble truths, is most significant
to us. The last of these four truths-the truth of the path-is the Dharma
to be practised in order to achieve liberation. This is the refuge object
called the Dharma jewel.
Dharma practice entails two things: recognizing the root of samsaric
suffering and eradicating this root. What is the root of cyclic existence?
It is the grasping for a truly existent self and for the true existence of
phenomena. We need to develop a repulsion for this grasping which brings
us all our sufferings. We must develop an understanding of the antidote to
grasping at true existence. This antidote is the wisdom of selflessness or
identitylessness. It is this understanding of selflessness which will
bring us liberation from suffering.
The sufferings we experience in cyclic existence do not occur without a
cause. They are caused by the delusions and the karma created by the
delusions. The root of all delusion and karma is the grasping for a self.
When we understand this, we aspire to obtain the antidote to this grasping
for a self. Why have we not yet developed the antidote in our mindstream?
Why don't we understand selflessness? One reason is that we are not
sufficiently aware of death and impermanence.
The only possible outcome of birth is death. We are inevitably going to
die. There is no living being whose life did not end with death. People
try many methods to prevent death's occurrence, but it is impossible. No
medicine can cure us of death.
Just to think, "I'm going to die," isn't really the correct way to
contemplate death. Of course, everyone is going to die, but merely
thinking about this fact is not very powerful. It is not the proper
method. In the same way, just thinking of the fact that one is going to
disintegrate and degenerate, that one's body is going to decompose, is not
enough. What we have to think about is how to prevent our downfall.
If we think about the fear that comes at the time of death and about how
to eliminate that fear, then our meditation on death will be effective.
People who have accumulated a great deal of negative karma during their
lives become very frightened at the time of death. They cry, tears run
down their cheeks, their mouths dribble, they excrete in their clothing
and are completely overwhelmed. These are clear signs of the suffering
that occurs at the time of death because of fear caused by negative
actions performed during life. Alternatively, if during our lifetime we
withhold ourselves from committing negative actions, the time of death is
very easy for us to face. The experience is one of joy, like that of a
child going home to its parents. If we have purified ourselves, we can die
happily. By refraining from the ten negative ways and cultivating their
opposites, the ten virtues, our death will be easy and as a result we
won't have to experience rebirth in a condition of suffering. We can be
assured of rebirth in more fortunate states. By planting the seeds of
medicinal plants we obtain trees with medicinal powers, by planting the
seeds of poisonous trees we produce only harmful fruits. If we plant the
seeds of virtuous actions on our consciousness we will experience
happiness in future rebirths. We will have fortunate situations both
mentally and physically. This basic teaching of the Dharma-avoid the ten
non-virtuous deeds and cultivate the ten virtues-is given not only in
Buddhism but also in many other religions, including Christianity.
How should we contemplate death and impermanence? As mentioned previously,
just thinking, "I'm going to die," is not very beneficial. We should
think, "If I have created any of the ten non-virtuous actions, at death I
will have a great deal of fear and suffering to face, and as a result I
will evolve to a rebirth of intense misfortune. On the other hand, if
during my life I have created virtues, at death I will not experience fear
or suffering and will be reborn in a more fortunate state." That is the
correct way to contemplate death.
This meditation should not be merely the gloomy, pessimistic thought, "I'm
going to die and there is nothing I can do about it." Rather we should
think in terms of what will happen when we die. "Where will I go after
death? What sort of causes have I created? Can I make my death a happy
one? How? Can I make my future rebirths happy? How?"
When contemplating future rebirths we should remember that there is no
place in cyclic existence which is reliable. No matter what body is
obtained, it must eventually pass away. We read in history of people who
have lived for a hundred or even a thousand years. Yet no matter how
fantastic these accounts are, there is no case of a person who did not
eventually have to die. Any type of samsaric body that we gain is subject
to death.
Nor is there a place to where we can go in order to escape death. No
matter where we are, when the time comes, we will have to die. Then no
amount of medicine, mantras or practice will help. Surgical operations may
cure certain types of diseases within our body, but there are none that
can prevent death.
No matter what type of rebirth we gain, it will be subject to death. The
process is ongoing. Contemplating the long-range effects of our actions
and how the process of birth, life, death and rebirth is continuous will
help us generate much positive karma.
Even though we sometimes plan to practise the Dharma, we usually plan to
do so tomorrow, or the day after. However, no-one can tell when we will
die. If we had a guarantee that we definitely had one hundred years left
to live, we would have free space in which to arrange our practice. But
there is not the slightest certainty when we will die. To put off our
practice is very foolish. Some humans die in the womb even before they are
born, others die as small babies before they learn to walk. It doesn't
follow that you are going to live a long life.
Our bodies are very fragile. If they were made of stone or iron perhaps
they might give some feeling of stability. But if we investigate we will
see that the human body is very weak. It is very easy for something to go
wrong with it. It is like a delicate wrist-watch made from countless tiny
and fragile parts. It is not something to be trusted. There are many
circumstances which can cause our death: food which has become poisonous,
the bite of a tiny insect or even the prick of a poisonous thorn. Such
small conditions can kill us. The food and liquid that we use to extend
our life can become the circumstances which end it. There is no certainty
at all as to when we will die, or what circumstances will cause our death.
Even if we feel certain that we will live for a hundred years, many years
of that span have passed already and we haven't accomplished much. We
approach death like a man sleeping in a railway carriage, constantly
getting closer and closer to the destination yet unaware of the process.
There is little we can do to stop this process. We just constantly come
ever-closer to death.
No matter how much money, jewelry, houses or clothes we have accumulated
during our life, it will make no difference whatsoever at the time of our
death. When we die we will have to go empty-handed. Not even the tiniest
material object can be taken with us. The body itself must be left behind.
The body and the mind separate and the mindstream continues by itself. Not
only is it impossible to take a possession with us, we cannot even take
our body.
What accompanies the consciousness after death? If we have to leave our
body, our friends and all our possessions, is there any helper or anything
which accompanies our consciousness to the future life?
There is something that follows the consciousness after death: the karmic
imprints that we have accumulated during this lifetime. If we have
committed any of the ten negative karmic actions, a black karmic debt will
accompany the mindstream as it evolves into the future rebirth. By killing
other beings, stealing others' possessions or indulging in sexual
misconduct, black karmic debts from these negative actions of the body are
placed on the mindstream. By lying, slandering others, causing disunity
amongst people, speaking meaninglessly or harming others with words, the
black karmic debts of these negative actions of speech will travel with us
at the time of death. If we have had many covetous thoughts, often wishing
to have the possessions of others; if we have had ill-will towards anyone,
wishing that they be harmed or that something bad would happen to them; or
if we have held distorted views, such as 'there are no past or future
lives,' 'there is no such thing as cause and effect,' 'there's no such
thing as refuge,' these non-virtuous actions of mind will generate a black
karmic debt which travels with and directs our minds into future rebirths.
The reverse is also true. If we have performed virtuous actions and turned
away from creating negativity, the karmic seeds of such positive energy
will travel on our mindstreams and produce better circumstances in our
future lives.
When we really think about the situation we are in, we will resolve to try
in every way to generate positive karma and eliminate its opposite. We
should try to cleanse ourselves of as much negativity as possible, not
leaving even the smallest karmic debt to be repaid in our future lives.
We need to look at what type of reactions can happen within the law of
cause and effect. There is a story of a person who had very many good
qualities, but was harsh in his speech. He abused another, saying, "You
talk like a dog." As a result he himself was reborn as a dog five hundred
times. A seemingly small action can have a very large result.
Similarly, a very small positive action can produce a great result. There
is the story of a young child who made a humble offering to the Buddha and
as a result was reborn as the great king Ashoka, who built thousands of
Buddhist monuments and performed countless sublime activities.
Contemplating the various types of non-virtue that we have committed and
their results is a very effective way of ensuring our welfare and
happiness. If we think of the suffering we ourselves will have to
experience as a result of our negativity and thus give birth to a very
strong wish not to have to experience this type of misery, we have
developed what is called 'renunciation.'
Acquainting ourselves with this type of thinking in itself is a form of
meditation. First we should develop mindfulness of our own suffering; then
we should extend this mindfulness to all living beings. Consider how all
beings do not wish to have any suffering, yet are caught in a suffering
predicament. This type of thinking leads us to compassion. If we do not
develop the wish to be free from all our own suffering, how can we develop
the wish for other beings to be free from theirs? We can put an end to all
our own suffering, yet this is not ultimately beneficial. We should extend
this wish to all living beings, who also desire happiness. We can train
our mind and develop the wish for everyone to be completely parted from
their sufferings. This is a much wider and more beneficial way of
thinking.
Why should we be concerned with other living beings? Because we receive so
much from others. For instance, the milk that we drink comes from the
kindness of the cows and the buffaloes, the warm clothing that protects us
from the cold and wind comes from the wool of sheep and goats, and so
forth. These are just a few examples of why we should try to find a method
that can eliminate their sufferings.
No matter what type of practice we do-the recitation of mantra or any kind
of meditation-we should always retain the thought, "May this benefit all
living beings." This will naturally bring benefit to ourselves as well.
Our ordinary life situations can give us an appreciation of this. For
example, if someone is very selfish and always works for his own gain, he
will not really be liked by others. On the other hand, someone who is kind
and always thinks of helping others is usually liked by everybody.
The thought to be developed in our mindstream is, "May everybody be happy
and may nobody suffer." We must try to incorporate this into our own
thinking through recollecting it again and again. This can be extremely
beneficial. Beings who in the past developed this type of thinking are now
great buddhas, bodhisattvas or saints; all the truly great men of the
world based themselves on it. How wonderful if we could try to generate it
ourselves!
---o0o---
Q: Are we advised not to defend ourselves when somebody tries to harm us?
A: This question introduces a very extensive subject. If someone hits you
over the head with a club or stick, the best response is to meditate that
you are experiencing this because of your own past negative actions. Think
how this person is allowing this particular karmic debt to ripen now,
rather than sometime in the future. You should feel gratitude that he has
eliminated this black karmic debt from your mindstream.
Q: What if someone attacks my wife or child, who are under my protection?
Should I not defend them? Would it be a negative action to do so?
A: As it is your duty to protect your wife and child, you must try to do
so in as skillful a manner as possible. You must be clever. The best is to
protect them without harming the attacker. In other words, you need to
find a method of protecting them whereby you do not inflict any harm.
Q: He can harm my children but I cannot harm him? Is it not our duty to
defend our children against barbarous and cruel acts? Shall we just lay
down our lives?
A: In order to handle this situation skillfully you need a great deal of
courage. There is a story about a previous life of the Buddha, in which he
was a navigator who went to sea with a group of five hundred people in
search of a buried treasure. There was one man in this party who had very
greedy thoughts and, in order to steal all the jewels for himself, was
plotting to murder the five hundred. The bodhisattva (Shakyamuni Buddha in
a previous life) was aware of this and thought that to let the situation
develop was incorrect, as one man would kill five hundred. Therefore he
developed the very courageous thought to save the five hundred by killing
this one man, willingly accepting upon himself the full responsibility of
killing. If you are willing to accept having to be reborn in a hell in
order to save others, you have a greatly courageous thought. Then you can
engage in these acts, just as the Buddha himself did.
Q: Under such circumstances is killing still considered to be a negative
action?
A: Nagarjuna says in his Friendly Letter that if one commits negativity in
the name of protecting one's parents, children, Buddhism or the three
jewels of refuge, one will have to experience the consequences. The
difference is in whether or not you are aware of the consequences and are
willing to take them upon yourself in order to selflessly protect your
wife and child. If you harm the enemy, you are going to experience a
suffering rebirth. However, you should be willing to face this by
thinking, "I will take that suffering on myself and then my wife and child
won't suffer."
Q: Then according to Buddhism it would still be a non-virtuous act?
A: To protect your wife and child is a virtuous action, but to harm the
enemy is non-virtuous. You have to be willing to accept the consequences
of both.
Q: You said that if one creates negative karma one will suffer in the
future, but if one does good, happiness will follow. Can these good
actions lead to complete salvation, in the sense of not having to
experience rebirth?
A: If you wish to achieve salvation, you have to follow the teachings
completely and precisely. For instance, if you are following the Christian
path, you must follow the teachings of Christ perfectly. Then Christian
salvation is possible. Jesus alone cannot save us from our sins; we
ourselves have to do something. Otherwise, why would Jesus have said not
to sin? If we ourselves follow correctly what Jesus taught, I think that
Christian salvation is possible. If we follow correctly the teachings of
Buddha, Buddhist salvation is possible.
Source: www.lamayeshe.com
---o0o---
Update: 01-07-2003
