This verse is mainly advising the ordained ones and those who
are practicing in monasteries or in isolation. The Tibetan word "gompa"
literally means, "isolated place" which means a place that is lacking in worldly
activities such as businesses. It is a place where the dwellers need not do
worldly things. Nowadays the monasteries may not qualify as "isolated places"
because we can find shops and restaurants in some monasteries.
The verse is saying that we have made the decision to live and practise
Dharma in monasteries or isolated places. Although we are isolated faraway from
town in a quiet place with few people, our mind is not isolated, it is wandering
and distracted by non-Dharma objects. Not only that, we even visit towns for
fun. The phrase 'drawn by distractions' means our mind is distracted rather than
being focused on the practice we are supposed to do.
The second part 'discourses we hear ...dice' means that we have received many
important and holy teachings and have studied many texts. But instead of
exerting the effort to practise all that we have heard and learned, we try to
deceive others through such activities as doing divinations and reading
horoscopes for people, as well as visiting families or homes to perform rituals.
Therefore it is very important to have proper motivation before we study or
receive Dharma teachings so that we can put into practice what was heard and
learned in order to make progress in developing the good heart.
We give up monks' vows, the true path to gain
freedom,
We would rather be married, have children and homes.
We cast to
the wind this rare chance to be happy,
And pursue further suffering, more
problems and woes.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the head
Of this
treacherous concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of this
self-centred butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.
The Tibetan translation for the first phrase is 'we give up
morality'. For those who have received any type of vows... if they keep the vows
purely, that becomes the cause to achieve liberation or be free from suffering.
And for those who have given up their vows and disrobed, got married and have a
family life, for them, they have 'cast away' or given away the cause for
happiness which is observing morality or keeping the vows.
There are two types of 'homes' as explained in the commentary. One refers to
those monks who run businesses or work for the administration of the monasteries
and the other to those who cannot keep the vows purely and subsequently give up
their vows. For these monks, there is no hope in achieving liberation.
Another explanation is for lay Buddhists. If one wishes to have happiness and
attain liberation, one needs to accumulate causes to achieve liberation or
Buddhahood which is the state that is free from suffering. The basic causes for
achieving this are observing the Ten Moralities and abandoning the Ten
Non-virtuous Actions. If one gives up observing these moralities, there is no
hope or chance of achieving liberation.
In the Tibetan translation, it is ‘we cast to the water this rare chance to
be happy....’ Here it means that the novice vows or fully ordained vows are the
means to attain liberation and happiness. If one disrobes, one has ‘cast away’
one’s chance or the cause of happiness. Even if one wishes to achieve happiness
or liberation and Buddhahood, by giving up one’s vows, one runs after suffering.
If one breaks one’s vows, one would be reborn in hell and experience suffering.
Similarly, for lay Buddhists, the cause for happiness or to be free from
suffering is to observe the Ten Moralities and abandon the Ten Non-virtuous
actions. Even though we wish for happiness and to be free from suffering, most
of the time we engage in the Ten Non-virtuous actions or engage in creating
negative karma. Therefore it says, ‘we cast our cause of happiness in the water’
which means that our time is wasted and we are just running after suffering. If
we engage in negative karma or unwholesome actions, the only consequence that
brings is suffering.
The underlying causes for all these drawbacks or faults are self-cherishing
and self-grasping. If one knows or understands this, even if one cannot
eliminate them completely, one can minimise them.
Discarding our practice to reach
Liberation,
We drift about searching for pleasure or trade.
We have
obtained human bodies with precious endowments,
Yet use them to gain only
hellish rebirths.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the head
Of this
treacherous concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of this
self-centred butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.
The gateway or the path to liberation is Dharma. ‘Liberation’
here does not mean the liberation of the Lower Vehicle. It means the non-abiding
Nirvana which is the state of Buddhahood. If we practise well, we can achieve
Buddhahood, but if we discard or ignore our practice, there is no way we can
achieve the non-abiding liberation (Buddhahood). Instead of trying to practise
well, we engage in businesses and get profit.
Instead of practising Dharma, we travel here and there, where there is no
Dharma teaching. Now we have achieved the Precious or Perfect Human Rebirth
which has the potential for us to achieve every type of happiness as well as the
potential to accumulate causes for liberation and omniscient mind or Buddhahood.
Instead of using it for liberation and Buddhahood, we use this body to engage in
unwholesome actions and accumulate negative karma. We create lots of negative
karma that will throw us into the hell realms. That is why the phrase mentioned,
‘Yet use them to gain only hellish rebirths’, which means one accumulates the
full causes to be reborn in hell.
Ignoring effects that the teachings can bring
us,
We travel on business for profit and gain.
Leaving behind all our
Gurus’ wise lectures,
We tour different places in search of some
fun.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the head
Of this treacherous
concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of this self-centred
butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.
The profit or the result of practising Dharma is at
least human or good rebirth in future lives. A greater profit would be to
achieve cessation of all delusions and be free from sufferings, the state of
liberation. The greatest profit is Buddhahood which is free from all faults and
obscurations, with all wholesome qualities fully developed. But instead, we
engage in businessesand try to make profit. If we compare these two profits
(Dharma and business), the profit we gain from business is very small as it is
only for this lifetime compared with the profit of Dharma. Although we can see
the difference, we'd rather go for the smaller profit by doing business. Again
this is due to self-cherishing.
It is explained that if we engage in businesses and price our products
reasonably according to the country’s rules so that the profit is not too much,
then the negative karma created is not as strong as in the case whereby the
products are overpriced so that the profit is unreasonably high, thereby causing
very strong negative karma. Not only this, engaging in any activity which is
related to negative karma or for this life’s purposes - even if one wishes for
happiness - is accumulating the cause for suffering or rebirth in the lower
realms.
The second part, ‘leaving behind...’ refers to those who live in monasteries.
Their job is to study hard and practise Dharma. When the Lamas give teachings,
they have to attend the teachings. But instead, they fail to attend the Dharma
talks, leave behind their practices and studies. They run to towns or visit lay
households to perform pujas (for business).
For the lay Buddhists who want happiness and to avoid suffering, the root of
happiness is Dharma. If one really wishes to have happiness or liberation, the
main cause is to practise Dharma. Therefore it is very important that whenever
there is a Lama giving teachings, one has to attend the teachings and whatever
one knows or has learned, one should put into practice. It is also advisable to
keep in contact with Dharma centres or monasteries where one can listen to
Dharma. All this we ignore (listening to Dharma and putting into practice all
that we have learned). This is caused by self-cherishing.
Question:
Trade and business are forms of livelihood as well as means to support
the monasteries. Even in monasteries, someone has to engage in some kind of
business to get funding for the monasteries. I don’t see what is wrong with
that?
Gen-la:
It
does not refer to all types of business. According to the Vinaya, fully ordained
monks cannot do business but if before he became a fully ordained monk, his
family is very poor and is heavily in debt, then in this case, for the sake of
caring for his family, he (fully ordained monk) can engage in business. However,
the profit from the business must be reasonable and accords with the rules of
the country.
Question:
It seems like the amount of profit is the determining factor for
negative karma. What about the motivation of the businessman himself? Such as
selling at a high price if there is no competition and selling at a low price
when competition is keen...ie pricing according to the market demand?
Gen-la:
There is no clear criterion as to whether one will create negative karma
or not by doing business. But in the Vinaya, fully ordained monks are forbidden
to do business because it will distract them from Dharma practice. Meanwhile,
there are also exceptions such as when the monk’s family is very poor and need
financial help, that monk is allowed to do some business to help his family. The
business one should do, whatever profit one makes, has to be according to the
laws and customs of the country. For example, deliberately charging particular
customers more because one thinks that they can be cheated, is creating negative
karma.
Question:
In some Theravada tradition, the ordained ones are not allowed to
touch money at all. Is that in the Vinaya?
Gen-la:
According to the Vinaya, one is not supposed to touch jewels (gold,
silver, diamonds, etc) and it is also mentioned that fully ordained monks are
only allowed to keep certain things which are very necessary for them. For the
remainder, (i.e. more than what one need), one is not to think that it belongs
to oneself but to one’s Guru or Teacher, and one can also think of keeping them
for others, for example some monks may need to take care of new monks. So they
have to prepare everything for the new monks. Also, keeping the money in case
one is sick. The point is, whenever one has more than necessary, one has to
think of the excess as belonging to one’s Guru or for things that one keeps for
helping others.
We hoard what we have, never willing to use
it,
And leech all our food and our clothing from friends.
We leave aside
wealth from our father’s inheritance,
Taking from others as much as we
can.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the head
Of this treacherous
concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of this self-centred
butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.
The second line in the Tibetan translation is ‘we
steal or use things that belong to the Sangha and whatever we have, we keep
aside, not willing to use them’. The negative karma of stealing from the Sangha
is very strong, it will result in being reborn in hell.
Suppose someone has decided to donate, for example, ten dollars to Drepung
monastery and you suggest to him that perhaps it would be good to offer to Sera
monastery or Ganden monastery. If that person finally donates to Sera or Ganden
monastery instead of Drepung monastery, you would have created very heavy
negative karma even though your motivation may be good or you do not harbour
ill-will towards Drepung monastery. This is because you prevented Drepung
monastery from receiving the donation. Therefore one has to be very careful not
to be caught in such a situation.
However, if the donor has not decided on the recipient as in the case when
someone passed away, and a relative approaches you for suggestion as to where to
give donations or which monastery to perform pujas, etc, you are free to give
suggestions. Otherwise, the negative karma is very heavy.
‘And leech all our food...taking from others as much as we can’. All these
lines are not in the Tibetan translation. However we can explain that, out of
miserliness, we keep aside whatever food and clothes we have, and steal or try
to get as much as possible from friends or others by cheating them, etc.. again
this is caused by self-cherishing.
It’s amazing how little endurance we have
To
do meditation, and yet we pretend
To have gained special powers so others are
fooled.
We never catch up with the paths of deep wisdom,
Yet run here and
there in a needless great haste.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the
head
Of this treacherous concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of
this self-centred butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.
‘Special powers’ refer to clairvoyance.
Dharmarakshita was surprised that a person who cannot bear hardship and have
little endurance to meditate can hope to achieve clairvoyance. In order to
achieve clairvoyance, one has to achieve calm abiding which is a pre-requisite
for achieving clairvoyance. In order to achieve calm abiding, it will take a
long time. It cannot be achieved over a few days as it takes months or years.
Thus Dharmarakshita is surprised with such a person who cannot endure the
hardship for a long time but who pretends to have achieved clairvoyance. If
someone asked him to check where one’s relative has been reborn, he just gave a
false explanation and instructions. This is again caused by self-cherishing.
Question:
Why it is that stealing from the Sangha creates heavier negative karma
than stealing from lay people?
Gen-la:
Four or more fully ordained monks/nuns are to be regarded as ‘Sangha’, an
object of refuge. So if one steals from them, it is considered as stealing the
Sangha’s property. Stealing from the Sangha is very heavy negative karma and if
the object stolen is food, the karma is the heaviest, among all other things/
properties.
Question:
Can you explain why is it that one needs to achieve calm abiding
before one can achieve clairvoyance?
Gen-la:
The Tibetan word for calm abiding is Shi-nay. ‘Shi’ refers to 'calm and
pacified' which means the mind is concentrating on one object. It can be any
object. However, if one uses the image of Buddha or one’s Guru, one has the
advantage of creating merit by just looking at them. In order to achieve calm
abiding, one has to achieve the Nine Stages of Mindfulness. When one is able to
concentrate on a single object as long as one wishes, even for months or years,
without any distraction, at that point, one has achieved suppleness of body and
mind, which means the body is very flexible and will not get tired and can stay
for months and years. The mind is very supple which means it will not get
distracted but remains concentrated on one object singlepointedly. At that time,
one has achieved calm abiding.
The main obstacles to achieving calm abiding are lethargy and excitement. In
the past, many practitioners mistook the ‘subtle sinking’ or ‘subtle lethargy’
as calm abiding because the object of concentration is very clear but the mind
is not strong or the intensity of the mind is absent. The mind is clear but not
strong/intense. Thus it is very important to find out all the details or to
study the method and sequence on how to achieve calm abiding.
Question:
When you mentioned ‘the mind is not strong’, does it mean the mind is
not supple? It gets tired easily?
Gen-la:
For example, when you hate a person, that mind is full of energy (on
hatred) but after some days, you don’t hate that person that much. The subtle
lethargic mind is something like that. The object is clear but the mind is not
acting very strongly. In the time between Lama Tsong Khapa and Marpa or
Milerapa, many practitioners in Tibet had mistaken this subtle lethargy as calm
abiding. It is explained in the Lam Rim.
The second part of the verse ‘we never catch up with the paths of deep
wisdom, yet run here and there in a needless great haste’. We should be speeding
towards enlightenment or liberation (free from suffering). Although we have not
generated renunciation, or ‘not catch up with the path of wisdom’, we travel
here and there (such as travel around the world) without any reason. This might
generate pride, as when we boast that we have travelled round the world. All
this travelling is a waste of time. If we want to travel, we should be
travelling towards the path which leads to liberation and enlightenment.
Someone gives us advice from the depths of his
heart,
Which is for our own good, but is harsh to our ears,
And with anger
we view him as if he is our foe.
Yet when someone without any true feelings
for us
Deceitfully tells us what we like to hear,
Without taste or
discernment we are kind in return.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the
head
Of this treacherous concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of
this self-centred butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.
There is a Tibetan saying that the word from someone
who genuinely cares about us is always unpleasant. Sometimes, our Gurus,
relatives or friends give us advice (with good intentions) so that we should
avoid or stop doing certain things. We always think that they are finding fault
with us and we get angry with or hate them easily and regard them as enemies.
Also, if we are doing something wrong, our relatives will find out and point to
us that we have done wrong.
When we have done something wrong, there are people who, with harmful intent,
would praise our wrong doings, saying things like,”Oh, whatever you do is right.
You are very skilful, you are great.” But inwardly these people have the
intention to harm us. But we like such people because we are not aware of their
ulterior motives. In the Tibetan text, we describe such persons as ‘mindless’ or
who have no mind because they are not able to discriminate what is good and bad.
Getting angry at those who give us good advice with thoughts of concern for us
and liking those who deceive us with sweet words, thinking that they are kind to
us...for these people who cannot differentiate good and bad... we refer to them
as ‘mindless people’.
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Note on authentication
Jacqueline Lam prepared the original typescript from the tape
recording. Pek Chee Hen checked and edited the typescript.
@ Losang Dragpa Centre, September 2001
