His Holiness the Dalai Lama: The Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (Bodhicaryavatara) says that there is a phenomenological difference between the pain that you experience when you take someone else’s pain upon yourself and the pain that comes directly from your own pain and suffering.

Teachings given on November 8, 1998 in Washington D.C. by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on The Eight Verses of Training the Mind.

Training the Mind: Verse 1

By thinking of all sentient beings as even better than the wish-granting gem for accomplishing the highest aim may I always consider them precious.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama – These four lines are about cultivating a sense of holding dear all other sentient beings. The main point this verse emphasizes is to develop an attitude Continue reading »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: True compassion and love in the context of training of the mind is based on the simple recognition that others, just like myself, naturally aspire to be happy and to overcome suffering, and that others, just like myself, have the natural right to fulfill that basic aspiration.

Teachings given on November 8, 1998 in Washington D.C. by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on The Eight Verses of Training the Mind.

Training the Mind: Verse 2

Wherever I go, with whomever I go may I see myself as less than all others, and from the depth of my heart may I consider them supremely precious.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The first verse pointed to the need to cultivate the thought of regarding all other sentient beings as precious. In the second verse, the point being made is that the recognition of the preciousness of other sentient beings, and the sense of caring that you develop on that basis, should not be grounded on a feeling of pity toward other sentient beings, that is, on the thought that they are inferior. Rather, what is being emphasized is a sense of caring for other sentient beings and a recognition of their preciousness based on reverence and respect, as superior beings. I would like to emphasize here how we should understand compassion in the Buddhist context. Generally speaking, in the Buddhist tradition, compassion and loving kindness are seen as two sides of same thing. Compassion is said to be the empathetic wish that aspires to see the object of compassion, the sentient being, free from suffering. Continue reading »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: One could say that for a Buddhist practitioner, the real enemy is this enemy within--these mental and emotional defilements.

Teachings given on November 8, 1998 in Washington D.C. by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on The Eight Verses of Training the Mind.

Training the Mind: Verse 3

May I examine my mind in all actions and as soon as a negative state occurs, since it endangers myself and others, may I firmly face and avert it.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

This verse really gets to the heart of what could be called the essence of the practice of the buddhadharma. When we talk about Dharma in the context of Buddhist teachings, we are talking about nirvana, or freedom from suffering. Freedom from suffering, nirvana, or cessation is the true Dharma. There are many levels of cessation–for example, restraint from killing or murder could be a form of Dharma. But this cannot be called Buddhist Dharma specifically because restraint from killing is something that even someone who is nonreligious can adopt as a result of following the law. The essence of the Dharma in the Buddhist tradition is that state of freedom from suffering and defilements (Skt. klesha, Tib. nyonmong) that lie at the root of suffering. This verse addresses how to combat these defilements or afflictive emotions and thoughts. Continue reading »

Teachings given on November 8, 1998 in Washington D.C. by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on The Eight Verses of Training the Mind.

Training the Mind: Verse 4

When I see beings of unpleasant character
Oppressed by strong negativity and suffering,
May I hold them dear-for they are rare to find-
As if I have discovered a jewel treasure!

His Holiness the Dalai Lama – This verse refers to the special case of relating to people who are socially marginalized, perhaps because of their behavior, their appearance, their destitution, or on account of some illness. Whoever practices bodhichitta must take special care of these people, as if on meeting them, you have found a real treasure. Instead of feeling repulsed, a true practitioner of these altruistic principlesshould engage and take on the challenge of relating. In fact, the way we interact with people of this kind could give a great impetus to our spiritual practice. Continue reading »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: In the next verse we learn that not only should we be tolerant of such people, but in fact we should view them as our  spiritual teachers.

Teachings given on November 8, 1998 in Washington D.C. by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on The Eight Verses of Training the Mind.Training the Mind: Verse 5 & 6

When others, out of jealousy
Treat me wrongly with abuse, slander, and scorn,
May I take upon myself the defeat
And offer to others the victory.

The point that is made here is that when others provoke you, perhaps for no reason or unjustly, instead of reacting Continue reading »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: The practice of tong len, giving and taking, encapsulates the practices of loving-kindness and compassion: the practice of giving emphasizes the practice of loving-kindness, whereas the practice of taking emphasizes the practice of compassion.

Teachings given on November 8, 1998 in Washington D.C. by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on The Eight Verses of Training the Mind. Training the Mind:  Verse 7

The seventh verse summarizes all the practices that we have been discussing. It reads:

In brief, may I offer benefit and joy
To all my mothers, both directly and indirectly,
May I quietly take upon myself
All hurts and pains of my mothers.

This verse presents a specific Buddhist practice known as “the practice of giving and taking” (tong len), and it is by means of the visualization of giving and taking that we practice equalizing and exchanging ourselves with others. Continue reading »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Whenever things appear to you, although they appear to have an independent or objective existence, you will know as a result of your meditation that this is not really the case. You will be aware that things are not as substantial and solid as they seem.

Teachings given on November 8, 1998 in Washington D.C. by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on The Eight Verses of Training the Mind.Training the Mind: Verse 8

In the final verse, we read:

May all this remain undefiled
By the stains of the eight mundane concerns;
And may I, recognizing all things as illusion,
Devoid of clinging, be released from bondage.

The first two lines of this verse are very critical for a genuine practitioner. The eight mundane concerns are attitudes that tend to dominate our lives generally. They are: becoming elated when someone praises you, becoming depressed when someone insults or belittles you, feeling happy when you experience success, being depressed when you experience failure, being joyful when you acquire wealth, feeling dispirited when you become poor, being pleased when you have fame, and feeling depressed when you lack recognition. Continue reading »

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: To non-believers, I request you to try to be warm-hearted. I ask this of you because these mental attitudes actually bring us happiness, as taking care of others actually benefits you.

Teachings given on November 8, 1998 in Washington D.C. by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on The Eight Verses of Training the Mind.His Holiness the Dalai Lama

For those who admire the spiritual ideals of the Eight verses on Transforming the Mind it is helpful to recite the following verses for generating the mind for enlightenment. Continue reading »