Life as a free and fortunate human being is alSO rare simply in terms Of numbers. lfyou compare the num- ber ofsentient beings in the human realm and those in the realms of animals and so 応 r 市 , you will find that animals and birds far outnumber human beings. Even when they have obtained li as human beings, very few turn their minds tO 、 vard Dharma practice. There- fore, 、 have tO generate a WiSh deliberately tO extract meaning our lives as human beings. lt iS clear 仔 01 れ、 vhat 、 have discussed here that life as a free and fortunate human being is extremely rare. Those of us who are endowed with all these spe- cial features must realize that we have the ability tO achieve great goals. Here, where I am teaching the holy Dharma, 、 are surrounded by countless birds and in- sects. But, far from understanding these teachings, they have not the slightest thought of virtue. They only think about 応 od. So it is not sufficient that the Dharma be available. lndividuals require a working basis that enables them to understand and put the teachings 1ntO practice. Because of the long tradition of Great Vehicle Bud- dhism in Tibet, Tibetans have acquired certaln innate positive qualities. They are given to saying kind and sympathetic 、 MOrdS. Even in remote nomadic areas, il- literate Tibetans pray for the sake ofall sentient beings, thinking of them all as having been their mothers in past lives. I have met many people om these places, who ask me to come back to Tibet soon for the benefit Of all mother sentient beings. lt sometlmes makes me C R E AT I N G T H E P E R S P E C T I V E F 0 R R A C T I C E

practice Of Buddhism. But, because Of their positive lnstlncts and the changing times, we have been able tO meet and share the teachings. At one trme,western lands would have been called remotelands where peo- ple 、ö,rere not free tO practice. we should appreciate not only that we have been born as human beings, but also that 、 all no 、 have the conditions necessary for put- ting the Dharma intO practice. Life as a human being is the mostsuitable basis for attaming nirvana and Buddhahood. Since we have found such a great opportunity, nothing could be worse than failing to put it to good use. We have found this precious human birth as a result Of accumulating great V1rtue in the past.We must put it tO good effect no 、 by contlnuing tO practice the Dharma. other 、 we will be like the merchants of old who went to great lengths tO cross the ocean ln search Of jewels, only tO return empty-handed. This human body is likened to a ship in 、 MhiCh we can cross the ocean ofsuffering Ofthe cycle ofexistence. Having found it, 、 have no time to sleep and not dO the practice. Life as a free and fortunate human being is very dif- ficult tO find because lts cause is difficult to create. MOSt beings are involved in unvirtuous act1V1- ties, and therefore 1 れ OSt Ofus will take inferior rebirths. On the basis ofpresent conduct and behavior, it will be difficult for most of us to be born as human beings in our next lives. A. nd ifwe dO not Obtain human li , 、 will engage 0n1 メ in negative activities, With no oppor- tunity tO practice Dharma. AV ′ K E N I N G T H E M I N D , L I G H T N I N G T H E H E A RT

used in a misguided way tO create disturbances, diS- umty, and even 、 var. The achievements Of human intelligence are ObVi- ous. The ideas and actiV1ties Of even a single individual can have far-reaching benefits for millions of people and Other living creatures.When our human SkillS are channeled in the right direction, motivated 域 a proper attitude, wonderful things happen. Therefore, the value ofhuman life iS inestimable. From a more strictly spiritual perspective, lt IS on the basis Of a human li that we can develop different types of insight and real- izat10n. only the human mind can generate infinite love and compassion. Being more concerned about Other sentient beings than ourselves and 、 vorking tire- lessly in their interest are among the noble attributes Of human nature. Life as a human being iS extremely valuable in terms ofachieving both our temporary and ultimate goals. ln this context, the temporary goal refers tO attaining higher rebirth, and the ultimate goal refers t0 nirvana and んⅡ enlightenment. These goals are precious and difficult tO attain. TO dO SO, individuals must be in a posltion tO practice and tO accumulate the necessary causes. Only human beings are endowed with the op- portunity and intelligence to achieve these goals. lfwe are tO be reborn in the higher realms, 、 need tO re- frain 伝 01 れ un 、 Mholesome actlons and practice VIrtues like generosity and patience. When we engage ln right practlces, we have the potential tO achieve and Buddhahood. C R E AT I N G T H E P R S P E C T I V E F 0 R P RA C T I C E

laugh thatthey think of motherly sentient beings on in Tibet and nowhere else. Anyway, the important thing is that, because Of their compassion, they have strong positive lnstrncts tO care for sentient beings. Buddhism flourished in China in the 01d days, and Tibetans believed the emperors tO be emanatlons Of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva ofWisdom. ln retrospect, I think 、、 Mere narve in our S1ncerity and failed tO gain a reciprocal response. Consequently, 、 Tibetans have had to suffer. There have been great political upheavals since the Commun1Sts tOOk power. They seem tO hate Buddhism as if it 、 poison. Because Of indoctrina- t10n, the Chinese react tO each Other with hostility, suspicron, jealousy, and other negative thoughts. Dur- ing tO eliminate birds and insects for ideo- logical reasons, even children 、 recruited. Under such circumstances, their natural instlncts tO be kind and virtuous are suppressed. On the Other hand, in Tibetan families every effort is made tO instill virtuous imprints in the minds of the young ・ Life as a free and fortunate human being can be viewed in varrous ways.We are not qualified merely by being born as human beings. lmagine being born dur- ing what is known as a dark age, when a Buddha has not manifested in the human 、 vorld. You 1 a メ possess wealth, power, and influence, butspiritually you will be in the dark. At such times there iS no Dharma in the wor 旧 . lt is important tO understand 、 Mhat is meant by practice Of the teachings. Different modes and proce- AWA K E N I N G T H E M I N D , L I G H T E N I N G T H H EA RT

the right attitude. Reflect thatto be born as a free and fortunate human being is very rare. Ask yourselfwhat is the purpose of rebirth as a human being. We are not born intO this 、 Morld as human beings tO create more problems and confusion. If 、、 Mere, human ex1Stence would be worthless. Therefore, the right attitude to adopt is to think you will attain the fully awakened state Ofa Buddha on the basis Ofyour precious human I 飛 . Think that even if メ ou cannot ん lfi Ⅱ the needs of Other sentient beings, you will not dO anything tO harm them. lt is very important to refresh this kind of motivation right at the beginning of the day so that your motivatlon, right 伝 0n1 、 you 、 up, iS not influenced by disturbing emotions like hatred, anger, and desire. Your attitude 伝 0n1 the start should be Vir- tuous. And with that you can clean the place, arrange representations of the objects of refuge, offerings, and so forth. most important factor, before you start the ac- tual practice, iS tO cultivate the right kind Of attitude. Your motivation should always follow 。 themes: tak- ing refuge in the Three Jewels—the Buddha, his teach- ing, and the spiritual community—and the awakening mind. If your practice is not complemented by taking refuge in the Three Jewels, it will not be a Buddhist practice. If it is not influenced by the awakening mind, it 、 not be a practice Of the Great VehiCle or a cause for achieving the fully awakened state ofa Buddha. ln the practice oftaking refuge, it is not necessary [ 0 visualize the objects of refuge. You can reflect upon T H E M E D I TAT 1 0 N S E S S 1 0 N

there, and the one circumambulating are you doing?" The other replied' "l am meditating on patience. " The first retorted, "Eatshit!" and the medi- tator Jumped up' shouting in anger. This clearly shows that the realtest of practice is whether we can apply it 、 Mhen 、 encounter disturbing situatlons. I feel that practice after the seSSIOn is p rob ably 1 蝨 0 re important than the practice 、 dO during the session. During the seSSIOn 、 are actually refueling recharging our ergy tO be able tO dO the practice after the session. There- fore, the more we are able to mold the mind during the session, the better we will be able to face difficulties afterward. The text explains the nature of the special kind of human 1 飛 that has the freedom to practice the Dharma. lndividuals who have the freedom and op- portunity tO dO Dharma practice are no [ encumbered by wrong views. They are free 丘 om the constramts 0f birth as an animal, a hungry spirit' or a hell being. They have avoided being born in a place where the Buddha's teaching does not prevail or in a remote bar- baric land. Nor have they been born dumb or stupid ・ lmagine being born as a bird' concerned only with finding od. We would have no opportunity to prac- tice the Dharma. Fortunately, 、 have not been born as birds or animals but as human beings. even human beings, 、 could have been a land where the Buddha's teaching was unheard of. wealth and intelligence would make no difference; we would not be able to practice the Dharma. MY West- ern friends come 伝 01 れ places 、 there used tO be no C R E AT I N G T H E P E R S p E C T I V E F 0 R P R A C T I C E

the beings in celestial worlds, then those ofthe human 、 vorld. Continue the meditation by taklng on the mis- ery with its causes of those in the animal, the hungry spirit, and hell worlds. There are no rigid rules with re- gard to the object ofyour meditation. You are at liberty tO vary it according tO your taste and spiritual develop- ment. At times you can visualize taking on the miserres and their causes ofthe beings in all the realms of exis- tence ln one meditation seSS1011. 、 , t Other times you may like tO meditate on taking on the sufferings Ofone specific world for weeks and months. You can also imagine taking on the sufferings 0f beings who have entered the spiritual path. Even bodhisattvas who have attained the tenth spirituallevel have imprints of the misconception Of self still tO be removed. Of course, the Buddhas have no sufferings to be taken on. Nor is there anything you can take on 伝 om your spiritual master. ln any case, the purpose Of the entlre meditation is tO reduce and eliminate the self-centered attitude and promote and enhance your thoughts Of concern for Other sentlent beings. The practice must come from the core of your heart. lt should not be polluted by self-interest, thinking that this virtuous action 、 bring you peace, happiness, and a long life. What is meant here by concern for others is holding them dear not out Of attachment, but through clear realization Of their importance. Ultimately all sentient beings can at- tain the fully awakened state of a Buddha, because every being possesses the intrmsic Buddha nature. You T H E A ・ WA K E N I N G M I N D

heart. That way you will participate in the original VI rtue and accumulate merlt. Rejoicing at Others' virtue includes not only the vir- tuous actions Of Other people but aISO the virtuous actions done by bodhisattvas and beings seeking per- sonalliberation. lt can also include admiring the qual- ities of the body, speech, and mind of the Buddhas. ThiS is a practice 、 Mith very extensive potential. Simply by reJoiC1ng, you can accumulate great merlt in a short t11 e. On the negative side, it iS alSO true that even a briefmoment s anger or hatred can propel us intO m1S- erable states ofexistence for eons. The next branch is tO request awakened beings tO turn the wheel of doctrine. From the depth of your heart, requestthe Buddhas and bodhisattvas you have visualized before you tO teach. You request them tO teach the Dharma continuously tO sentient beings, in- cluding yourself, who are helpless, unprotected, and lacking discrimmation between right and 、ö,rrong. Following that is the request to the Buddhas not to pass away. When the Buddha appears among us as a human being 、 MhO takes birth, performs activities, and finally passes away, he is referred to as an emanation body. This is a request, therefore, thatthe Buddhas re- maln among us and dO not pass a 、 vay,. The final branch ofdedication involves taking steps tO prevent the fruit Of our vlrtuous deeds 伝 om being carelessly wasted. We do this by dedicating i い 0 the benefit and welfare of 砠 sentient beings. We make the wish that by the power Ofthe merit 、 have created 、 C A L L I N G T H E A 、 VA K E N E D T 0 W I T N を S S

圧 we pay careful attentron, one factor of our pre- dicament iS that whoever 、 are, 、 neglect Others and CheriSh ourselves. you are concerned 、 yourself, you have [ 0 spend your li in the worstsitua- t10ns. You will be reborn in miserable conditions. Even if you are reborn as a human being, your life will be short and you will frequently be sick and the butt of constant crit1C1sm and abuse. AII such misfortunes arise from self-centeredly neglecting others. lfyou reduce the tenacity ofyour self-centered atti- tude and strengthen your concern for Others, trying tO help them as much as you can, you will be happier, have more friends, and be free 伝 om regret. Therefore, concern for others is the r00 [ of all happiness, while self-centeredness leads tO destruction. Misery, fear, and nightmares are all due tO self-centeredness. When you are concerned for Others there iS no reason tO be afraid. Even among those 、 MhO have no lnterest in spiritual de- velopment, the more an individual cultivates a positive mind and a sense of universal responsibility, the hap- pier she will be. Such a person will have greater access to comfortable facilities. People will more readily offer her aSSIStance. AS human beings it iS essential tO have close friends, people who really care and show concern for you. Our ability to smile is a unique human feature. lfyou smile it makes others happy, and likewise it makes you happy ifothers smile at you. On the other hand, nobody likes a SCO 、 face. That is human nature. Of course, sometimes deceitfulness and lies can be disguised by a A 、 VA K E N I N G T H E M I N D , L I G H T E N I N G T H E H E A R T

As intelligent human beings, we have the ability to discrimrnate bet 、 Meen temporary and ultimate benefit. ・ are capable ofsetting aside lesser purposes in order tO achieve a greater one. If we lack discrimlnatlon ℃ will become engrossed in things of only superficial value and will be unable to plan and think beyond that. Since 、 possess this discrimrnation through the PO 、 Of human intelligence, if 、 have tO undergo certain problems in the short term in order tO achieve a more lasting happiness, we will readily do so. From the greater perspective Of 、 Will be prepared t0 forgo lesser gains for more significant purposes. As the Tibetan proverb has it: "Destroy one hundred and invite one thousand. Now that we have obtained the potential of a hu- man being, it iS important tO use lt wisely. If 、 em- ploy our discriminating intelligence on to disturb and upset Others, 、 are 、 Masting our human life. ln that case lt would definitely have been better not tO 00 0 0000 、 0000. 、、 000 、 0 00 0 00 000 、 000 000 : 第 0 、 precious li as a free and fortunate human bein , the best 、 can dO is tO 、 vork for definite goodness in the future. Even ifwe are unable tO dO that, it is important to complete this life in a positive way. First, we should understand the POS1tive qualities Of the practice. Sec- ond, ifwe listen to or read the stories of exemplary fig- ures of the past, we will have some model to follow, 、 MhiCh will give us enthusiasm. ln his previous lives on the path' the Buddha was an ordinary individuallike us. But due to the power ofhis awakening his greater concern for Others than AWA K E N I N G T H M I N D , L I G H T E N I N G T H E H EA RT