Buddhist Conference 2554 (IV) - Attaining Spiritual Happiness with Mind Transformation Tools

Discourse was given by Geshe Tezin Zopa, famously remembered as the male lead in the buddhist film :Unmistaken Child. Was told by my friend, the film was well made and its in fact a factual documentary of how he finds back his master that passed on. Hopefully I can write something on that film in future :P

The way he behaves and talks really changed my perceptions of tibetan monks, which I thought to be more stern and boring. He was so alive, smart, charismatic, energetic, practical, scientific and the list goes on and on :P

He says that with great improvement in medical science, there is still new diseases and there are more people suffering from mental problems. He states that happiness is something internal rather than external. Subduing ones bad thoughts are the way to solve the cause of sufferings.

"Love has to be followed by compassion. We think we are giving love to others yet not mindful about actually imposing suffering to the person."

"Problems lies in ourselves, our delusion. Not being mindful of our actions and speech."

"The way to solve relationship issue is to observe one's mind."

"Expression of love should be compassion. Wishing the other only happiness and not suffering."

"Pure letting go of self-interest, self identity"

"To a Buddha, he sees the world as a pure-land. But we see it as Samsara."

"Best way to reduce past negative Karma is to use the body to help others."

break-up session

This section explores more on ways he advised :p

He first explains that Buddhist Tantric is different from Hindu Tantric. The intention, way and the goal is totally different. Buddhist's starts from compassion. Hindu focus on achieving heavenly pleasures while buddhist aims to attain wisdom and final liberations.

The different schools of thoughts in Buddhism are various vehicles that still supports and help each other.

Guidelines to single pointed meditations.

Obstacles
1. Laziness
2. Forgetting the object
3. Laxity & excitement
4. Non-application - losing focus on our object of focus and allowing other mind object to come in.
5. Over-application - Exaggerate the object of focus and adding more details to it.

Antidotes
Faith; Aspiration; Perserverance; Pliancy to cure problem 1.
Recollection to cure problem 2. Keep thinking of the object frequently.
Vigilance to cure problem 3. Observe and guard the mind.
Application to cure problem 4. Always bring the mind back.
Equanimity to cure problem 5.

He then shared his idea of transmission of disease in a rather less scientific yet interesting way. He says that sick is due to ripening of past negative karma. Volunteers and doctors that treats the patient that is down with some infectious disease does not get infected. We need to practise the 6 paramitas diligently.

As according to him during the Q&A, chanting of mantra, we radiate and provides positive conditions for others to evoke their past positive karmas.

Last point which I find it rather important and beneficial to all Buddhist.

"Practise of chanting, burning of joss-sticks with samsaric intentions make us come back to samsara." Meaning if we chant just for personal wealth,health and happiness in a mundane intentions, then we can only achieve mundane bliss. Instead, we should chant and pray with renunciation intention. Praying to leave Samsara. That should be the goal of all buddhist.

Heres another interesting one for people that has issue with their diet : "Eating using mindfulness that there are at least 84 million bacteria in our body. And by preserving a healthy body, we are sustaining their living."

Abstracts from the provided notes which I find good snd important to share.

We are responsible for fulfilling our innate instinct to seek and obtain happiness and not suffering. This applies even to ants. We surrender our 20 odd years of our lives to study in order to get a good job, we get into relationships and have families-this is all to get happiness.

The more we chase after happiness, getting to know more friends and wealth, we are still unhappy. Coz we are still completely controlled by our emotions and this is caused by our inability to control our minds because we don't MEDITATE. We don't habituate our minds with the Buddha's advice to be mindful of our actions that our body, speech and mind commit. Especially that of our mind.

There are more details and specific instructions in the notes but I guess if anyone wants I could lend or zap him a copy :P

Now ends my sharing on the Buddhist Conference!!! May all be well and happy. May we all cultivate a pure mind and intention, and achieving the ultimate bliss and happiness that is real.