Excerpted from Ayang Rinpoche’s Introduction to Phowa

A Public Talk given April, 1996 – Rochester, NY in Rinpoche’s words.

 

Then, everybody, most important, we must have pure motivation. Pure motivation is like the basic ground or basically, how to say, like the foundation. Yeah, whenever we receive the teachings or practice, whatever we do, we must check our motivation and then we have to make pure motivation. This very important. Yeah, pure motivation is how the basic ground, like the basic ground, how is. Essence of the Buddha-dharma is the bodhicitta practice. Bodhicitta practice, how we can start?

“First we must have pure motivation”

Pure motivation, how they come up? We have to think about the other sentient beings, with us, how they connected, what the connection. If you found out what the connection, then you will think something – positive thought.

How the connection?

Our life, not only this life. Until now, limitless life we already took different six realms place. We took many rebirth, limitless. And most times we have two parents. Like this way, each sentient being already did our parents, many times. Like this way, every sentient being, every living being – is our parents. Our parents is the most important – whoever.

Somebody, they think, in the west, maybe, between parents and children, communication very poor. Yeah, this is, comes from custom, comes from that children, comes from parents. Many, depends many different ways. The children and parents between – the communication very bad, for this, some people, they think, “Parents is not kind, not so important they are.” Yeah, sometimes, yeah they will standing up, they will say, also, “My parents not kind. I never agree, your talk, that one.” Some people happens, like this, in the west.

See, this is just a few. And most, maybe ninety-nine percent, naturally – parents, they are much loving kindness with one’s child. Automatic, they have. How they loving kindness, where they comes from?

Every sentient being, we have Buddha nature. Buddha nature is naturally is positive, bodhicitta. Yes, this naturally loving kindness (with) each other, with other being, with your children, with your friends, this loving kindness comes from the buddha nature. By this, everybody they have loving kindness with the parents, yeah, they have loving kindness with one’s child, naturally.

But, this is the Kali Yuga time, and then, even (though) we are human being life, but still (among these six realms, human being, human life is the best for the dharma practice), but still, our merit, positive deed – very small, and negative deed – too strong.

Yeah, by this, by the ignorance, parents – sometimes not so kind with the child. Almost those people mind is mixed up, how to say, which we call crazy. Yeah, those kind parents few – not so kind with the child, but ninety-nine percent – definite they are. Automatic they have loving kindness with one’s child.

Like this way, our parents is the most, great kind with us – whatever. Sometimes parents they did something rough, with their, your children. Yeah, by this, some people, those childs, they think, “My parents is not so kind with me.” But parents have to be balanced with the children.

Children, like the flower grow up, in your garden. In your garden those tree and flower, just – if you don’t do any, how to say, try to make nice, cutting and something like this kind, if you don’t do that tree or those flower, (then they are) going bad and not can go straight and not look so nice. Those children, parents if they don’t do balance, then it will be like this, those flower, how they bend, grow up and then bend, not so nice. For example, like this, they need balance. For this parents doing balance with the child. Sometimes they have to do rough.

Why they doing rough with you? Of course, your parents something benefit for you: you are good person, good life, comfortable life, for this purpose try to make good person. Yeah and then these parents motivation is pure, most. Like this way, our parents is the most great kind. We must accept.

After we accept this life our parents most great kindness, most important and then, we have to take copy. Same like this life our parents, every other sentient being when they did our parents they did everything same way. For this, all those sentient beings great kind for us.

Our parents, now they are suffering in this six realms samsara place. Why they are suffering? That suffering, where they comes from?

“Actually, most, their suffering comes from their negative deed.”

Why they did negative deed? Because, those parents, we can see right now: Those parents own child how to keep nice life, good life. For this purpose those parents doing many negative deed. They are doing many negative deed for this ones child good life, their good condition, for this purpose.

All other sentient beings, why they suffering? Actually, they are suffering for us. Because when they did our parents, that times, they did many negative deed, most negative deed, for us. They did. Now they are suffering. We are connection automatic, like this way.

See? How the connection? Why we have to help other beings? Why they are suffering? We can see now. We must see.

We can found out all this, how the connection other sentient beings between us and then, we must help all those sentient beings, they are suffering for us. We must help.

And then, how we can help? Without spiritual path we are, how to say, helpless? Helpless – we can’t help. Even you have some condition, good condition, you are giving those who need it – people, but you can’t reach many beings, that much. Even you are giving something, not that much helpful for them, for the long times.

Which way, then, best way, how we can help? Best way through the which Buddha he can see past and present, future – all these three times. Buddha they can see everything clearly.

Which he mentioned he can see – that is really true or not? We can see very clear. For example, those Buddha’s prophecy, what they mentioned, previous times: everything is coming, now we can see. Yeah, in Buddha they mentioned: future it will be iron bird it will be flying. Iron bird means aeroplane. That times people they don’t have like this kind idea, nobody knows.

Buddha, he can see future really clear. We can prove like this way. And then Buddha, those Guru Padmasambhava what they mentioned: future, person will be like this, situation, and that times and disease will be like this, many disease you can’t cured, no medicine. Exact, we can see. See, Buddha what he mentioned: he can see three times. That’s really true, not just like talk.

“Yeah, we can, like this kind buddha, we can confidence. We can follow.”

See, Buddha, he’s mentioned all sentient beings between us connected like this. For this purpose we have to help other beings.

See, like this way, we have to help. But just your loving kindness and compassion, this not enough. We need more method. How to help? Which way to help? How we are getting the power? We like to help other beings. First we must have something power. Powerless, how can help others?

Then how we will get the power? Through the practice.

Our buddha nature, which they covered through the obscuration, slowly through the practice those obscuration which is like the cloud, cloud they covered, like the sun, yeah, cloud-covered sun, for example, like this. Yeah, obscuration they covered our buddha nature. We have to try to rid out, free from this obscuration and then we can see one’s buddha nature more. And then, automatic, realization, it comes up.

As much we do positive deed, we are getting merit and through the merit we are getting much power. As much we can purify our obscuration, that much your wisdom, it will be more. Clear, everyone we have primordial wisdom, but they covered our negative karma. Yeah, for this purpose all the different levels practice we have to do. For this purpose, stage by stage, different method. And then, we are getting something, power, our wisdom more clear, through this way we can help other beings. This power, we can reach everywhere, no limit.

Which I mentioned, we can reach everywhere, this really, it will be work, not just talk.

For example, we can see wherever anyplace, particular place, who they did great positive deed, that place, even that place (when) we reach there, we can feel different, very comfortable. Negative thought automatic is less and positive thought automatic increase. Very comfortable, feel everybody.

Like in India, Bodhgaya, which is Buddha enlightenment holy place, everybody they can feel, even the communist people. Yeah, non-religion people also, when they reach there, people can feel, very special, very comfortable. See, that place, Buddha he was, achieve to the enlightenment, by his blessing already, still in that place, we can feel. Those who did positive deed, this, it will be remain long times. Even the land, on that land, we can feel like this. Many like this kind for example they have.

See, this is the best way, which we are doing now, try to help other beings. Better than this, nothing. This is the best way to help other beings.

We have many different kind methods, how to think and how to do. We have great knowledge. Without this great method, even you like to help someone, but you can’t. If you have some condition, economic, you are giving few people who need it, then is finished, you can’t reach many people. Limitless sentient beings, you can’t reach. If you try to help with your hand, there, whatever they have suffering, try to rid out, still, you have not enough time.

See, this is the way: through the special primordial wisdom. Through this ways we can help other beings. When we are thinking about the positive thought, yeah, this really help for other being. Yeah, we have many proof of positive thought and how in that place, how we can feel.

Many people talk in the west, those communist country when we go, feeling is totally change. Feeling is very rough, unhappy and very heavy, narrow, they coming automatic, many people talked. Yeah, I did sometimes, in the Europe, through the communist country, East Germany, we went. Really something, we can feel, people talked, that is true, I can feel.

See, our motivation, positive thinking, very powerful, we can reach everywhere. This makes really different. Yeah, for this purpose, first we have to do pure motivation.

Pure motivation, which I mentioned, all those sentient beings, our parents, sky is no end, like this way all those sentient beings also, no limit. All those sentient beings, our parents, they are suffering. Buddha which he mentioned, this six realms samsara place is like the suffering ocean. That is really true.

Which we can little bit something happiness, bliss, this by the illusion. Through the illusion we can feel something, but this is not reality, happiness, and not real bliss. Reality bliss, happiness, when we are recognized one’s buddha nature, clearly, and then we practice on this, work on this. That time real bliss, happiness, that moment we can feel very clear. That bliss, happiness, always increase, as much you do practice, never change, never decrease, always it will be increase. Yeah, this is the only real happiness, bliss.

Yeah, other things Buddha which he mentioned even tip of the needle, even that much, in this six realms samsara place, real happiness they don’t have, even that much, Buddha, he mentioned. Like this, see, most sentient beings they are suffering, they are our parents. Why they suffering? For us, they are suffering. For this purpose, we are automatic connection. If we will think positive thought, it will be reach there. We can reach for them. This helpful for them.

Yeah for this purpose, whatever we do positive deed, we have to think, all those sentient beings, my parents they are suffering. When you think they are suffering, this makes in your mind compassion. If you don’t think they are suffering, compassion not easily come up. For this purpose in Buddha’s teaching, very detailed different six realms place, those different beings, how they suffering. For the compassion increase, for this purpose Buddha he give all this all those sentient beings suffering. And then, we are thinking about those sentient beings suffering and then, automatic, in your mind, coming compassion strongly.

And just compassion is not enough, we have to do something. What we do? For this purpose, I will take this teaching. After I receive this phowa teaching, I will do perfect practice on this. Through this practice, I will lead all those sentient beings, lead to the enlightenment state. For this purpose I have to take, now, teaching. Yeah, we have to think like this. This is the pure motivation. Why we have to do pure motivation with all the sentient beings I already talked in detail.

Yeah, everybody do pure motivation, this moment, most important, pure motivation. Without pure motivation, even you did virtuous deed, positive deed many kalpas, still, almost no meaning. Those virtues can be destroyed by the negative thought, very easy. With the pure motivation, whatever we did positive deed, that virtues always increase, stable, never decrease.

Even you did positive deed small thing, but your motivation is perfect pure, that small, your good deed, it will be increase, great merit. Large virtues coming like this. For this purpose, motivation is most important.

Yeah, this teaching time, and usually we have to check all the times, whatever you do activity, your talk, your body acting, whatever you do, for what purpose I will do this? You have to check, and then you have to try to do something mixed. Even that activity something for oneself, even still, something motivation mixed in there, then even the worldly activity but still something positive how to say , merit, is there.

Yeah, whatever you need for you, something important, if you have with this some pure motivation, then your wish, it will be more successful. Only your, how to say, by your attachment, ego, grasping, “I want this”, if you think, try, it is very difficult to get. Yeah, best method, little bit mixed there some pure motivation, then this really work, much helpful, your wish fulfilled. Okay, this much is enough.

Now everyone do good pure motivation, this the most important.

 

Then, phowa is, what is the phowa?

 

In buddha dharma which we have, detail, of course, Buddha, he give . . . Buddha, he can see with our sentient beings, 84,000 different kind negative thought. Detail, Buddha, he can see. For this, Buddha he give each negative thought, each one antidote teaching. But, all this, 84,000 negative thought, included to the five poisons. Five poisons: desire, hatred, jealous, proud, ignorance, these five. And then, these five poisons also, root of the poison, which is? Buddha he mentioned, three main poisons. Main negative thoughts, poison means. Three is: desire, hatred and ignorance. These three is the main negative thought, main poison.

And then, among these three also, which is really main root of the negative thought? Main root of the negative thought is our ignorance.

Ignorance, I don’t know, English language, ignorance meaning, really, how the people recognize ignorance means. In Tibet language ignorance means: which we can’t see, that is the ignorance. Same meaning? Is it?

Why they say, then, which you can’t see, that is ignorance? Which is what we can’t see? See. Which we cannot see, what is that? That is our buddha nature.

Automatically, even the different country, different language, that root is coming same. Meaning is same, see? Those who ignorance what is can’t see, those who know, those who don’t know, that much different, but mainly is same, ignorance.

Ignorance, every other sentient being, what they Buddha mentioned, we have buddha nature. Beginning, very beginning primordial state, we are perfect pure. We are Buddha.

But then gradually we are falling down. Like the kitchen what they mentioned how they falls sink, no? Little bit smaller, like this, how we fall in this negative thought.

See, about this in the Dzogchen teaching, very detailed, very clear. They mentioned: very beginning primordial state, means, in buddha dharma, especially Vajrayana buddhist teaching, often they coming primordial state, primordial wisdom. Many, coming like this.

Primordial means before the samsara, before the, how do you say, nirvana, before all those different pure lands, they don’t have anything – that moment they started, gradually, ignorance. Our buddha nature, beginning times, naturally is perfect, pure.

For example, our buddha nature is like the sun. With the sun, rays of sun is coming automatic with the sun. For example, like this, from our buddha nature five wisdoms, rays of light radiating. That moment, we can’t recognize. That primordial wisdom rays of light, where they comes from? Comes from oneself. Comes from one’s buddha nature, but they can’t recognize. Something other! From that time they started subject and object: oneself and other. That time started ignorance, gradually.

Who can see, the ignorance how they started? When they started, who can see? Primordial buddha, which we call Buddha Samantabhadra.

The primordial buddha, Buddha Samantabhadra, he saw everything. And then that moment primordial buddha, he strongly compassion for all those beings, how they illusion. How the ignorance started and then going through the illusion. Then primordial buddha, he thought, he think, “How, I can bring back all those beings?” “Back to the primordial state.” Which is the – primordial state naturally is pure – perfect pure.

And then, that times, primordial buddha, Buddha Samantabhadra, he is emanated many different kind pure buddha land. And then he emanated hundred deities. And then he is give many different teachings. All this, actually, different buddha and bodhisattva and deities and different teachings, pure land, all this method: how we can liberation. All this for the liberation different kind method, everything, comes from, primordial buddha. Yeah, we have to work on this.

See, ignorance started from beginning times from that place. Yeah, that ignorance name which we call which we can’t see, that is the ignorance. We can’t see one’s buddha nature. Even scientist people open our body, micro, what they say, microscope, even they look detail: can’t find. Where is the ignorance, which we can’t see? What is that? Where is that? Which is that? Even we looked, we can’t see!

“Only through the practice: purify obscuration, negative karma – through this ways then we can see one’s buddha nature.”

When we can see one’s buddha nature clearly, this means when we are recognize one’s nature of the mind. Our nature of the mind is the buddha nature. Yeah, then, when we can see perfect way one’s buddha nature and working on this and working on this and then gradually, then always, without try, on that state, automatic, all the times.

Who can do that level practice, those people, then no more, ignorance. They already can see forever, one’s buddha nature, no more ignorance there. Until this, we have ignorance. By the ignorance, all this negative thought comes from the ignorance.