Tonight's subject is Maitreya principles. I feel this is most appropriate that I will talk about Maitreya principles and Maitreya principles. I think the simplest way to look at the Maitreya principles is to say, is there anything that we all have in common? Is there anything that different cultures have in common? Is there anything that different levels of age groups of people have in common?

[01:12]

Is there anything in common between people with different backgrounds? So-called high society, low society, middle society or something. So, when we ask this question honestly, I think we will come to the conclusion which will say we indeed have something in common. There is loving-kindness. I don't think there is any society, any culture, any religion who will not encourage us to develop loving-kindness.

[02:21]

I don't think there is any kind of effort which will not attempt for development of loving-kindness. Therefore, the conclusion for me is that loving-kindness is the common interest of humanity. Common interest. Now, how can we see a possibility which will promise us that we can develop loving-kindness? And others can develop loving-kindness. And we and others can communicate each other through loving-kindness based on the foundation of loving-kindness.

[03:34]

When we ask those questions, then it becomes rather specific. And these specifics can be, let's say, displayed in greater length. For instance, if you study Buddhism. I'm quite certain if you study any authentic religion or culture or education honestly, authentically, I'm quite certain that is what will be the kind of final result of whatever you study. But as far as I am concerned, how did I learn about loving-kindness?

[04:40]

And what makes me to be able to say something about loving-kindness? Responsibly, I can only tell you that because of Buddhism, I was able to know about loving-kindness. Not much as I should, but just enough that I can be not loud, but noisy about it. I'll try to be in a nice way. So, in Buddhism, there is the principle of loving-kindness applied everywhere.

[05:43]

Some Mahayanas and some Vajrayanas might like to say the Theravada aspect of Buddhism don't have loving-kindness, but which is not true. I can't agree with that. There is more and less emphasis on particular aspect of practice, because no one can do everything at once. Because everyone has just one mind, which is limitless, but somehow limited in reality. Therefore, we can't do too many things at the same time. It would be wonderful if we can, but unfortunately we can't. Because of that, the particular methods, definitely, there is more emphasis on loving-kindness and less emphasis on loving-kindness.

[06:49]

That's the obvious kind of emphasis. But beside that, everything about Buddhism, as far as my limited knowledge is concerned, is based on loving-kindness one way or another. Now, when you look into the basic, fundamental principles of Buddhism, we have to, fundamentally, we have to, let's say, forward our thoughts to the time of the Buddha, that is 2,500 years ago. And when we look at that prince, the Prince Siddhartha, why that prince left the palace? Why?

[07:59]

His soul, he can help humanity at large by leaving the palace, then helping with limited kind of perspective to his subject, by living in the palace. Because of that, Prince Siddhartha left the palace. We should never attempt to think that Prince Siddhartha left the palace because ruling a kingdom is too much for him. So, his reason for leaving the palace is he can help humanity by doing that. Not only that, but first, that is the first.

[09:05]

After leaving the palace, then as you know, maybe detail, maybe roughly, that he practiced for many years. He practiced for many years with hardship. It is not that hardship is something special. But if you wanted to get something very significant done in a short time, you must make up for it. Therefore, to achieve something most significant, as in my view, in such a short period of time, then he had to work very hard. So, after many years of very hard work, finally he attained liberation. Therefore, Prince Siddhartha became Buddha Shakyamuni.

[10:10]

After that achievement, after that realization, which is purely based on loving-kindness. The loving-kindness based on loving-kindness because he saw by attaining enlightenment he can help humanity. I am saying humanity because that is what we are living here. But there is much more, of course. It is beyond. But there is no point. I try to give many years here and get nowhere. So, the Buddha's attainment itself is motivated by compassion, loving-kindness. And the path through which he attains that liberation, enlightenment, is through the practice of loving-kindness.

[11:19]

Then, finally, his activity was the manifestation of loving-kindness. Even now, after more than two thousand years, logically speaking, I think we are enjoying immensely the result of what he achieved. Buddha was just one man. No, just one single man, just like any of us. And after his enlightenment, about forty-five years, he talked. And the materials that he left, he contributed for humanity, still now we are enjoying it. And that is what loving-kindness really means. And that is what loving-kindness does.

[12:24]

Now, every single words that were taught by Buddha purely is the manifestation of that realization which is achieved through that loving-kindness. Because of that, there is the essence of loving-kindness in every single word that Buddha taught. Now, we can elaborate loving-kindness. We can elaborate loving-kindness by compassion, with partiality and joy. We can elaborate each of them by saying compassion, loving-kindness, joy, impartiality.

[13:27]

That is what makes, in Buddhism, what is called bodhicitta, the complete. So the loving-kindness is one of the four major segments which describes bodhicitta. So each of those four somehow describes all other three, to make any of them complete. Now, in application of loving-kindness, when we look at it as teaching of Buddha, it takes a sort of transformation in itself. It has a history. It has a tradition. It has a lineage. It has a kind of very precise, detailed sort of explanation.

[14:39]

There is an answer. Almost all the questions that exist have been asked already. So if we ask a question, that would be just repeating something that somebody said a long time ago. Therefore, every single answer that we can think of are there. All the answers are there because they have been asked. Of course, we can ask. That's good for us. Now, that takes one particular kind of transformation. But then, we imagine ourselves, since we know about loving-kindness as part of the teachings of Buddha, and a Buddhist monk talking here. So this way, a little bit hard to imagine, but we imagine that we are just an ordinary person who never heard about Buddha,

[15:53]

who never heard about Buddhism, who never heard about this word loving-kindness as part of the teaching of Buddha. If we imagine that we put ourselves in that situation, then you have a question. What will that loving-kindness be? As a follower of Buddha, I have to say that loving-kindness is nothing less than the loving-kindness that Buddha was teaching. Exactly the same. The loving-kindness, which is beyond a human being, is a loving-kindness, a natural one, between animals. There are animals who have more loving-kindness than other animals.

[16:56]

Some dogs are more kind, some dogs are more mean. So, what about that one? The same thing, exactly the same thing, the loving-kindness. What it does is the same thing. The loving-kindness which is taught by Buddha, loving-kindness which is taught by father and mother, loving-kindness which is influenced by friends, loving-kindness which just emerged inside you, loving-kindness that you have discovered by life experience, all are the same loving-kindness. All are the same loving-kindness. They do the same thing. Now, when you look at two persons getting along, honestly, not pretending.

[18:02]

There are many people getting along, but they pretend, you know. They don't come. Leave them alone. I'm not bothered. I'm joking. No. We don't bother them in our conversation, ok? Now, two persons honestly getting along and happy. Why? Why these two persons get along and happy, honestly? Because they have loving-kindness to each other. So they get along. No? And when you see some kind of problem between people, some kind of problem between groups, what is happening? What is it? When you look at it, you know, directly, I mean directly, not complicated way, but directly,

[19:05]

that loving-kindness is lacking there, between both party or one party. Therefore, it gives all kind of faces, even encouragements for disharmony, difficulties, etc., etc. Therefore, loving-kindness generally plays most important role in the life of everyone. Now, one thing I must say, I shouldn't forget to say this. This is a small difference, but important difference, between loving-kindness that is from a teaching, which is like teaching of Buddha, and loving-kindness which is right there.

[20:05]

A small difference, but important difference is, you know, loving-kindness that we try to just do it by ourself. We might make mistakes. We might get it wrong, you know. We might think we are going to Canada, but after 200 miles of walk, we lose our campus. So, we end up in Mexico after 3 months walk. Something like that can happen. We can make mistakes. Even we try to be sincere, that is not a guarantee. Still we can make mistakes. Therefore, the differences there is, that when we follow a profound teaching, which is our life,

[21:09]

there is less chance for mistakes. Still, teachers can make mistakes. You can misunderstand as well, I mean, that also can happen. But there is a few steps more. Therefore, there is more kind of system and more kind of direction that protects you from making mistakes. That is the only difference. And those protections, you know, those kind of specific entity that helps you from making mistakes, protects you from making mistakes, etc., we call them blessings. You know, wisdom, blessing, etc., etc. The presence, the aliveness, all of that.

[22:13]

Beside that, there is no difference. All the loving kindness is the same thing. Now, as a Buddhist, I wanted to use my life meaningfully by teaching the words of Buddha. Obviously, you know, that's what I know, that's what I have, so I can only give what I have. But I also saw the other side. There is so much that every individual goes through. There is so much that existing culture, education, religion, etc., can offer.

[23:21]

There is so much. For me, it is not the traditional Buddhism that has something balanced. Traditional Buddhism has very precious things. I can say, I don't think traditional Buddhism lacks anything. You know, anything that I can think of, which is meaningful, is there in the teachings of Buddha, the traditional one. It is there. But it doesn't mean it is a justification that no one has it but us. I sincerely believe that every culture, every religion, every discipline has something meaningful to offer.

[24:27]

If I haven't seen it, that means I did not put enough time to learn about it. And if I don't understand, that means my intelligence is not open enough. Therefore, I somehow become kind of stubborn and I don't want to admit that someone has the same thing that I have. The sense of insecurity and sense of jealousy and sense of all of that is right there in us. We shouldn't have them, but we have them. I admit I have them too. I don't know how severe I have them, but I have them. That's why I'm here. I'm not enlightened. That is the reason. So, because of that, because of that reason, I believe that there is so much that is already there

[25:37]

as part of humanity, which can contribute so much for humanity. Then, out of everything, you know, the external kind of images, the terms, the particular kind of traditions, disciplines, I believe so much is there. But what comes in common is the loving kind. At the beginning of my talk here, I said I feel good about talking about Maitreya principle at Maitreya Institute. That's why, because I will say a little bit about Maitreya Institute here. Okay? I did not start the Maitreya Institute because I wanted to be, you know, famous or something.

[26:47]

Okay? Actually, to make Maitreya Institute a reality, I had to somehow sacrifice lots of things. You shouldn't forget that. In a certain level, it somehow kind of, you know, gives me some sort of interesting attitude about people. These Thais seem to think Buddhism is not enough. Something like that. Oh, yes. You never know. So let me forget about that. Forget about I am making Maitreya Institute to gain fame. No, not at all. Do I make Maitreya Institute because I don't have anything to do?

[27:50]

No, that's not true. Because I have plenty of responsibility. You see? I am right now, you know, if I think like most people think negatively, I am buried under the ground, maybe 200 feet. With all the projects, with all the responsibilities on my shoulders, even on my head, I hardly can think. Therefore, it is not that I don't have anything to do. Okay. Then, what on earth is the reason that I start Maitreya Institute? I saw there is great benefit when people somehow able to say,

[28:58]

we all have something in common. There is great benefit in it. It is a small thing. It is just like switch, you know, switch on. But when you are able to say, we have something in common, that changes so much, right there, positively. Therefore, I wanted to be able to share little bit of that which I have to those who are ready to have it, who are just like, you know, almost ready to crack the loom. It is built, but what's left is to crack. So, the people who are open, kind, compassionate, still into their own kind of trip, they are trapped with a very thin sort of shell.

[30:04]

Which will not allow them to merge. Therefore, I saw that, and I felt, Maitreya Institute and its effort will bring together people of different disciplines, who are aiming towards the same goal, to merge them. Therefore, they will not have this unnecessary burden in them. Which burdens are insecurity, which burdens are opposite of trust, which burdens are all kind of, you know, conditions for ego. My faith is best, I am better, you know, all that kind of.

[31:08]

So many elements are there, even in good people. Good people's biggest problem is they think they are better than other people. You know, honestly. So, to break through that would mean a lot for them. I don't mean I broke through that as I wish or as I should, but I broke through that a little bit, you know, just a little bit. And what it really did to me was a lot. I can say it did to me a lot. I still have millions of balloons to break. But still, you know, still the tremendous kind of relief that I can experience and I already experienced

[32:09]

by example, see, the Christianity, you know, just by able to say, you know, Jesus Christ, he is a Buddha or not, I don't know, but he is definitely a Bodhisattva. I mean, that changed a lot. You know, can you imagine? Many people even don't know Jesus Christ is a Bodhisattva. And they doubt. And nowadays, when I hear some people talk about Christianity, you know, even they talk about Christianity in a very sincere way from their side, but the way they interpret it, even my knowledge is so little, I see they are making Jesus Christ look bad. You know, that offends me. You know, for me, he is better than that.

[33:12]

They are madly better than that. Just like that. It gives more strength for my Buddhist background. It is a confirmation for what Buddha is and what he is teaching to us. Buddha, it goes beyond all the limits. So when I learn the positive side of any culture, any religion, that gives me a clear idea of what limitless is. When I know nothing but just what I belong to, then limitation and limitless and all of those things are just written there in the book, Black and White. And I see the same type of people, I talk with the same type of people,

[34:19]

same type of mind that I communicate. Therefore, my limitless, after some time, becomes rather mechanical sort of limitless. You know. And when I see something else, it is most helpfully that I understand, personally, one or two steps more, what limited means and what limitless means. I have an example. If it sounds presumptuous, don't get offended. I don't mean anything negative. Once, I was talking with a person, a stranger. That stranger is a wonderful man. And he told me,

[35:21]

Do you have, do you have, do you enjoy yourself? That's what he said. Do you enjoy yourself? That's it. And I think, and I can't answer, other than say, do I have any choice? I'd rather enjoy myself than not. So, then he said, no, no, I mean, do you have any problem? I said, I don't have any problem. Of course, there's lots of things. You have to do things. You know, you just can't just sit there and everything fall into order. You have to do things. But besides that, I don't have any problem. Then he said, well, I think I'm not making myself clear.

[36:25]

Maybe what you say problem and what I say problem is maybe different. What you mean by problem, you know, for you, but he said like this, For you, what it mean by problem? Then I have been not so nice to him, I have to confess. I told him, well, maybe you have never been into problem. You know, when you are in one of the real problem, then you know what is problem. Then he said, what do you mean? Then I have been nice to him again. I told him, ok, real problem is when you are sick. That is real problem. When you have nothing to eat, that's real problem. When you have no place to stay, that's real problem. When somebody try to beat you and kill you, that's real problem.

[37:29]

Then he said, I see, I have never been involved with them. So he was very lucky person, I'm very happy for him. Anyway, anyway, you know, when you see another dimension, another dimension, then your understanding gets, how do you say, increased. It somehow feeds lots of necessary and precious wisdom into you. That one simple kind of openness can make an extremely valuable leap in your important journey.

[38:33]

So I saw that, therefore I attempted to introduce this effort. And so far, it looks that it is going to the right direction. I'm very happy about it. Well, I'm saying this because I'm here and I saw also you have a lecture, you know, global and one behind me, etc. And so maybe it is right thing for you to hear from me. Anyway, after all, as a Buddhist, as a person who try to apply loving kindness in one's own life, as a person who try to do one's best to assist others through developing loving kindness,

[39:41]

I think it is very important for ourselves to practice loving kindness as much as we can. That is very important, very important part. I think it is very much possible that we try to somehow tell about loving kindness. We try to involve the kind of activities that help generate loving kindness. We might learn about loving kindness. We might encourage other people for learning and practicing loving kindness. But we might not practice loving kindness ourselves. That is very much possible. It sounds hypocritical. It sounds terrible. But there is no point denying it, since that is possible.

[40:47]

Therefore, besides doing everything we can out there, we practice loving kindness within ourselves. And it has to be beyond of any kind of limitation. The ultimate limitless is something, but relative tangible limitless is something else. So I am talking about relative, right here, in hand, you know, limitation. So, how can we practice loving kindness in our life, by ourselves, without involving less limitation as possible? How can we do that? Well, I think, number one, we have to be loving and kind to ourselves.

[41:54]

That is number one, I think, the way it starts. How can we be loving and kind to ourselves? This vocabulary, I will tell you. This vocabulary didn't exist in me until I came to West. Okay? Not because this fact didn't exist, but somehow I didn't get it. I was so dumb. After I got here, then I somehow caught this vocabulary and I understood. So number one thing is, we, each of us, we will have definitely our shortcomings. All kind of shortcomings. Many people will find reasons not to like themselves, not to be kind to themselves, not to be loving to themselves.

[43:00]

This is very much possible, but after all, what we really are, you know, we have to know what we really are. You know? Each of us, each of us, ultimately are perfect. Perfect. You know? In perfection, ultimately, we are the purest, we are the most perfect, we are the most positive. I mean, there is nothing that each of us don't have. That is the first thing that you have to understand. Especially, I mean, if you are a Buddhist, I mean, that is the principle of Buddhism. We call it Buddha nature. Each of us ultimately is Buddha.

[44:02]

You know? Ultimate negativity doesn't exist. Okay? Ultimate negativity doesn't exist in Buddhist principle. So, ultimately, we are perfect. Then you will naturally say, why so and so and so and such and such and such? Okay? Then that is what we call relative. Relatively, we have all the shortcomings. Relatively, we have anger. Relatively, we have ignorance. Relatively, we have attachment. All kind of things. Each of us have tons of all kind of things. And that is relative. All negativities are relative. That is the definition of positive and negative. You know? The place for the positive is ultimate.

[45:07]

Place for the negative is relative. Relatively positive, also possible. Because I have it. But negativity, as you overcome negativity, what will be left there is the positive. You know? Therefore, as a principle, each of us ultimately, most precious thing, purest thing, ultimately. We have... That is the major principle reason why we should respect ourselves. Why we should be loving to ourselves, kind to ourselves. That's it. And on top of that, then, when we know that is what you are, then you know, then you have to be able to somehow, you know, know.

[46:09]

You supposed to know that's what everyone is. That's what you are, then everyone got to be that. So, everyone's ultimate is pure. Most precious, most pure, most powerful, if you like to say that. That's also alright to say. Now, how to, how to take care of that? You know, we are taking care of this one way or another. We are taking care of this very badly or we are taking care of this nicely. Nothing, nothing goes into nothing. Everything works. Everything works. If I drop this cup, it will break. If I don't eat, I will go hungry. So, everything works. Now, instead of being negative to ourselves, we be positive to ourselves.

[47:20]

Because negativity brings more negativity. Positive makes things better. Quite simple. That is the reason, you know, why we should be positive. We try to be loving, we try to be kind to ourselves. Therefore, we also try to be loving and try to be kind to others. And that is fundamental. On that principle, we can be slightly more advanced than that. We got to. That is what we call skillful means. You know, on that basic knowledge, the fundamental knowledge, we add little bit of wisdom in there. So, that wisdom allows us to be real helpful.

[48:21]

Not just, you know, helpful. Real helpful. Okay? It is like that. Couple of weeks ago, I got a call. You know, overseas telephone call. Okay? In there, I got a very good example. Somebody tried to be very kind, but not being skillful, so being very harmful. So, that is what I mean by real kind. Real helpful. What I got into this telephone, this is a very silly subject, so maybe it is okay. Once in a while. It was about somebody's mother. Okay? Somebody's mother is terribly ill. And anything she eats goes away.

[49:24]

So, she is sick for many months and food doesn't stay inside her. And very desperate. So, doctors are there, everything is there. And why did that person call me? I don't really understand because any doctor would know why. When I asked her, it was a lady. So, I asked her, you know, why don't you call doctors? Why do you call me? She said, I want you to pray. And then I said, of course I will pray. Then she told me, you know, my mother cannot eat anything. Everything goes away. And I told her, what did you give to her? Then she said, this is the point. We are afraid, since she cannot digest anything, if we give her hot food, you know, it will somehow make things inside hot and everything come out.

[50:31]

So, we give her all cold food. Then I asked her, that person, I told him, what kind of cold food did you give her? He said, chicken soup cold. Imagine, milk cold. I mean, even I would not give her chicken soup cold. No milk. So, I told her, I can make it quite simple, maybe you call the right person. But tomorrow onwards, you eat it. Well, I had to spend the last five minutes of my time there talking, but I am happy after all. So, you know, we try to be helpful to ourselves. We try to be helpful to others by loving kindness, but that is not a guarantee.

[51:36]

We have to have wisdom, knowing how to go about it. We have to have the skillful means, you know, knowing how to exactly work with it. So, that will be the next thing, the fundamental loving kindness to ourselves and others, and the wisdom and skillful means which will make it happen for real. So, these are the few things that I have to say about loving kindness. Now, one last thing I'd like to tell you, because I got some request some time ago about emptiness. And I feel loving kindness and emptiness is very closely connected, therefore, this is maybe not a wrong situation to talk about it for a few minutes. Now, how does loving kindness work?

[52:41]

Why does loving kindness work? What space is there for loving kindness? Allowing loving kindness to be beneficial. We know loving kindness is beneficial. We know it works, but what makes it able to work? You know, the emptiness means that. Everything is just interdependent manifestation. Therefore, ultimately, nothing is there more than interdependent manifestation. That is the emptiness. Okay? So, emptiness, with all kinds of philosophical terms and analysis, the philosophical analysis, there is hundreds of books, difficult books on the subject of emptiness.

[53:50]

People can spend, you know, twenty years, thirty years studying emptiness and still get rather full head. Because there is not only one head. The simplest and most basic fundamental thing about the emptiness is nothing is more than interdependent manifestation. That is the emptiness. So, we can somehow be absence of loving kindness. We can also be with the presence of loving kindness. Because of the absence of loving kindness, we face lots of suffering. We create lots of suffering for others. Because of the presence of loving kindness, we ourselves experience joy,

[54:54]

and we help others also to make their life better. And it goes quite far from there, but that would be the first step. That would be the first step, you know. First step, where we will somehow gain happiness with our life, our self. We will be able to provide happiness for others. That is the kind of reason why there is a space for loving kindness. Because of emptiness. There is small shortage of information about emptiness. It is almost like, it becomes almost like nihilism. That nothing is there. I mean, it's not true. Everything is here, you know. I am talking, you are listening. You are all wonderful people there, responding beautifully.

[55:59]

All of this is here. So, it doesn't mean this is not here. But it means, this is not here more than interdependent manifestation. You know. If this is more than interdependent manifestation, then there is no space for anything else. So, emptiness means, this is not more than interdependent manifestation. There is true sentence which describes it very clearly. I must confess right now, I don't remember which text this true sentence comes from. But this true sentence is very simple. There is nothing which is not interdependent manifestation. Therefore, there is nothing which is not emptiness. This true sentence explains emptiness. It's there. Very clear and simple.

[57:02]

So, I hope this fulfills some of your interest in emptiness. Okay? Well, I have been talking. You have been listening. Now it is my time to listen and your time to talk. And I try to answer any question that you might like to ask. So, we have some time. Another one? About Maitreya Buddha, could you speak to us concerning an individual person who will come into this world? Or is it a principle for all of us who are practicing Buddhism? Okay. Maitreya Buddha is a name. Maitreya Buddha is a name of a particular Buddha. Like our past Buddha, or as far as his teaching is concerned, our present Buddha,

[58:09]

is Shakyamuni. Buddha Shakyamuni. So, the Maitreya Buddha is a name for future Buddha. A Buddha who is yet to come as a Buddha, just as Buddha Shakyamuni became Buddha. And a historical person. And his name is Maitreya Buddha. Now, maybe it is helpful for you to know, or make it more clear, in the sutra, as a prediction for Maitreya Buddha, when Bodhisattva Maitreya becomes Buddha Maitreya, the time for that, from this present time, is about 20,000 centuries from now.

[59:14]

So, the teaching of Bodhisattva Maitreya, one way or another, it will last for a long time. And when the teaching of Bodhisattva Maitreya, its taste, its smell, I think its sound goes first, I think. Then the taste and smell, everything is gone. Then, the Maitreya Buddha will attain enlightenment and then teach again. So, that is the next Buddhism. The teaching of the Maitreya Buddha. And so that will be, that will happen something like 20,000 centuries from now. Over 20,000 centuries. Yeah. So, it is a historical person, which is predicted in sutras by Buddha. As part of 1,000 Buddha, which is predicted.

[60:20]

Yes. Well, you know. Okay, you really like to hear it? You are curious. Well, for my mind, okay, it can be because where I grew up, it can be because Eastern culture and mentality, it can be anything. But I will consider there is nothing more precious than yourself. You can never hate yourself. It doesn't exist in my head, honestly speaking. You can't like anything better than yourself. So, I can be wrong. Maybe, you know, there is many people who hate themselves over there also.

[61:45]

But it never came into my mind. And when I came to West first, I came across with people who say, I hate myself. You know, I couldn't understand. First, honestly speaking, first I thought they are out of their mind. First of all, honestly, I thought they are crazy. First of all, we are crazy people, I mean mad people. Practically mad. And they will say all kind of things. They will do all kind of things. But yes, I did not connect that with a functioning, decent, down to earth person. At that time, that is eight years ago. So, somehow I had to work a little bit hard on it. And since you really like to hear, I have to say it. I appreciate.

[62:51]

Sometimes we are forced to commit harsh acts, from either destroying an insect, to disciplining a child, to defending a country. Can you talk a little bit about the role of loving kindness and compassion in relation to motivation? Thank you. Well, I am sure, I am sure, we should try to avoid any kind of harmful actions and intentions towards others. We should avoid. Remember that. We should do our best to avoid. But it doesn't mean there is no space for loving kindness in a worse situation like a war. Even in a war, even you are a soldier with a machine gun in your hand, fighting with your enemy, I can't deny that there is no room for loving kindness.

[63:53]

Still there is room for loving kindness. By some circumstances, without any choice, if you have to do it, you should, there is no reason thinking that there is no way to practice loving kindness here, therefore I want to, in the absence of loving kindness, no. I am sure there is room for loving kindness. I mean, I can't say exactly how, because I wasn't, you know, in that sort of situation, but if I am honestly a loving kindness practitioner, number one, I will not involve in those kind of things, and number two, if I have to involve without any choice, I don't know what that can be, but if that happens, I am sure, I will find a space for loving kindness. You know? I think anybody can understand that. So, I am sure there is space.

[64:57]

So before you take a harsh action, you can dedicate it that this is, you are approaching this in a positive way, as positive as possible. Well, I think it is very hard to, I understand what you mean, but that is a little bit hard for me to draw a conclusion. Why? You know, it is, of course, anything that we are speaking here, since we are just talking about it, learning about it, it is a little bit, little bit of ideology is involved here. You know, little bit of ideology is involved here. We are not doing it right now, much as we are talking, isn't it? All of us just sitting here in our wonderful safe, you know, I am in church, and we are talking about this, you know. Little bit of ideology is involved there. But if we talk about that kind of subject, then it is more of an ideology.

[65:57]

You know, it is because it is not happening. So I don't know exactly how to, you know, how to draw a conclusion there. I don't think there is any way, I don't think there is a way that we can draw a conclusion in that sort of thing. But another reason for that is we might be in that kind of situation in millions of different ways, in millions of different occasions. Nothing will be exactly the same. Therefore, according to what it is, you know, we might somehow find a way to do it better in that situation. So I can't draw a conclusion that they medicate or whatever. Or you might say, I am not going to get angry and get away by this. I will not lose my awareness.

[67:00]

You know, anything like that. But how to draw a conclusion? I have two ideas coming to my mind at the same time and I am having a little problem. So I am wondering if you could talk about the connection between loving ourself first and the principle of loving-kindness and putting others before our own self in the Mahayana principles. Well, I think there is this concept of your loving-kindness towards others should be disregarding yourself. There is that. But it doesn't mean the person will get there without going through first loving-kindness to yourself. Maybe a bodhisattva who is like that

[68:04]

has gone through everything in past life. You know? That is very much... I mean, it has to happen. It is like steps. And if you can have loving-kindness towards others and without concern about yourself, that is good. I am not discouraging you not to have that. If you are like that, it's already okay. That's good. That's it. But I'd like to comment on what you said. Two things coming at the same time? You know, multiple times that happens. Rinpoche, do you expect Tibetan Buddhism to be one of the foremost exponents

[69:08]

of Buddhism in the United States? Or do you expect it to be some other sect in Buddhism? Well, I can't expect anything. Why? Why? Because... Number one, number one, okay? Tibetan Buddhism or Japanese Buddhism or Chinese Buddhism, I mean, there is so much. There is so much. I don't think most people know here how many types of Buddhism are there. It is kind of massive, you know. If I bring... I think if I bring traditional costume, one set of each Buddhist tradition, I mean, I can create a huge museum. You know, that much difference is there, there. But it doesn't mean very much to me, honestly speaking.

[70:09]

Why there is all these different things? Because Buddhism is an old religion, number one. Olden days, you know, between 100 miles distance, the customs are different. The lifestyles are different. Sometimes even language are difficult because people don't travel that much. And even now, even now, I met with people in certain part of world, like Himalayan regions. People haven't traveled, you know, more than 100 miles. I mean, beyond 100 miles. I met with many people. So, that way, the culture, the livelihood, language, all of that affects how you dress,

[71:11]

what you emphasize. Therefore, even it is one Buddhism becomes too many traditions of Buddhism. So, therefore, it is very superficial to me. Nothing wrong with it. Even it is pretty good, actually. It shows the, you know, it shows the fineness, you know, refined kind of quality. Because each culture is so old and it is refined by hundreds and hundreds of generations. Therefore, it is a kind of something that went through lots of filtration. I have no desire that Tibetan Buddhism will take over all American Buddhism. It doesn't make any sense to think like that.

[72:13]

But right now, as a population, Chinese Mahayana is the largest right now. Because you just look at Chinatown here, you know, how many of those people's backgrounds are Buddhism? And almost all of them are Buddhists. And then, what kind of Buddhism is that? That's Chinese Mahayana. So, right now, the Chinese Mahayana is the largest population. And then, I think, second is Vietnam. Vietnamese. Vietnam Buddhism. But this difference doesn't mean very much. It's just a different language, different culture. Rinpoche, you mentioned impartiality in all the alphabets. What did you think? Could you elaborate on that a little bit?

[73:16]

Okay. Impartiality means that your loving kindness, your compassion, your joy, will not take any particular side. It is impartial. It is for all sentient beings. That's what impartiality means. It has to start from something. It starts from friends, and then it goes further. In your experience, when you've seen people move from a lack of loving kindness, especially to themselves and to others, into an expression of loving kindness to themselves and to others, is there some particular practical, step-by-step things that you have seen people do in order to make that transformation? Well, as far as Buddhism is concerned,

[74:21]

there is practical. It's quite simple. You learn about it. And you pray. That means you say about it. And then you think about it. Then you carefully, skillfully apply that. That's very much the common sense. But something came into my mind. Like, in the West, I saw people... This also I saw in the West more. When people develop loving kindness, or in the presence of loving kindness kind of situation, then they become very emotional. They cry. And they somehow become, you know, sort of very vulnerable. Very vulnerable. Delicate.

[75:23]

And that can become a problem. We have to be sensitive, of course. We shouldn't be like a rock. Just can't hear anything, can't feel anything. We shouldn't be like that. But when we are oversensitive, then itself becomes a problem. Therefore, that is something that maybe we have to be aware of. And we should not encourage ourselves to go on being sensitive and vulnerable and all of that. Emotional and all of that. We have to somehow allow our real sensitivities to manifest, definitely, but with a kind of caution. Cautious? With a caution. With a caution. This is a very specific question.

[76:28]

I'd like to know how Dzogchen school... I don't know if you know Dzogchen. Yeah. You're doing very well. Well, Tibetan Buddhism has eight major lineage. Eight. And the eight lineage all, how do you say, rooted to India. And because of the particular person who brought particular teaching into Tibet by crossing the Himalayan mountain, that is the only way. So that is a very big deal in those days. This is more difficult than going around the world I think ten times nowadays. So, because of individuals brought this

[77:30]

in different times and also different areas, Tibet is pretty big. Original Tibet is really, really big. What you see in the maps these days is, I think about half of it. I don't know what happened to the other half. It's still there. So, because of different time and different person and different areas of Tibet, then it became eight lineage. And Dzogchen and Chatien, etc., are kind of common term in one way. But there is also particular involvement with that term, with particular lineage. So, example with Nyingma lineage, they use the term Dzogchen. In Kadri lineage, example,

[78:31]

use the term Chatien. You know, I just gave you rough example. Therefore, when Nyingma talks about Dzogchen, they talk from the most basic to the highest, using the Dzogchen as the basic term. And when Chatien talks about the same subject, they use the term Chatien. And they talk about the whole thing from the basic to the top, you see. And sometimes, some kind of intellectual, how do you say, emphasis that happened, that sometimes Chatien, let's say, term users like to say Dzogchen uses too big words.

[79:33]

And sometimes Dzogchen, you know, term users like to say Chatien's terms are too fundamental, etc. And that's fun, that's nice. The human aliveness is quite, that's good, that makes things work. From the chat, I have a question regarding what you just mentioned about emotions and loving-kindness. If indeed you thought that emotion was part of Nyingma, and then you realize that it isn't, and you start to make some real qualitative changes around that, and then you start to experience pain, let's say pain in either your people that you've been emotionally kind to, you're not emotionally kind to them now because you're trying to exercise skillful means,

[80:35]

and then they start to treat you in a different way. What's going on there? Okay. Well, I think what you're saying is a most realistic basic process, I think. That's what you're talking about. If I understand it correctly, okay? I think this is very true that in any situation, beginning is a little bit naive. I mean, that is the place for the naiveness, you know? The naiveness, the concept, the reality, the term exists, so there must be a place for it. So what is the place for that is the beginning. You know, when you're involved with something that you haven't involved in the past, and when you're involved with it the first time,

[81:37]

you see the difference. You see the difference. It's just like, you know, a fake flower and a real flower. You see the difference. You never saw a real flower in your life, and you saw one, then you say, oh, this is wonderful, this is beautiful. And that is the, then it becomes naive. Got it? That is the place for the naiveness. But when you're really involved in it a little bit longer, then, you know, this thrill and this wonder and this all the kind of, you know, naive aspect of, you know, something, that goes away because you are more knowledgeable about it. You know more about it. You're more mature about it. Therefore, therefore,

[82:38]

your kind of emotion, thrill, all these things, goes away. And I personally will say that is good. That is good. Because we have to grow up. You know, we definitely have to grow up. You can't just, you know, always be in one place. You have to proceed forward. I think, as far as other people are concerned, you say you treat somebody emotionally, and then after some time, you become wiser. I hope I'm not being presumptuous, but you become wiser. Therefore, therefore, you treat the other person with concern and care rather than emotional kind of, you know, excitement and all of that.

[83:42]

You're superficial. That's very thin. So, you treat the other person real, with real care. The other person feels bad about it. It sounds like, it sounds like those other people did not grow yet. They're somehow growing. They're somehow, maybe, sometimes people never grow for a long, long time. You know, so, if that is true, then even your insight, you know more about the reality. Therefore, you're not, you're not naive anymore. But for their sake, you know, you might make a little bit of drama there. You know, skillful drama. I mean, that's necessary. You have to help them grow. But sometimes,

[84:43]

lots of people are very slow. Therefore, you know, it will not work if you don't be skillful. So, being skillful means, even you know it is not necessary to be this way, if being that way is the only way for them to appreciate, then you somehow, you know, for their sake, sacrifice. So, we have a term for it. This is a little bit too strong a term. So, forgive me. But just to make the subject clear, I will use it, okay? Don't take it literally. We have this word saying, play dumb. You know, sometimes even you are not dumb, play a little dumb for the sake of others will help them. Okay? Okay.

[86:04]

Okay. Well, just by doing it, just by doing it, just by sending positive thoughts to others, positive energies, taking their negative thoughts or negative energies away from them, the positive of their practice. Actually, how sincere you do it to others, that much possibilities for it really to influence others, help others. You know, the principle of being effective is always there, isn't it? Most effective way is you take a stick and you knock it on their knee. It will hurt them. So, they say, oh, you are really doing something. Now, you just sit there and send your loving kindness to them and take their negativities away.

[87:06]

They might say, nothing is happening. You must be laughing. You know. So, that is the difference. Because this is not physical. This is mental. But mental one, you need more skill. They also need some kind of let's say part that they themselves play. It will be quicker. Because you also do sending and taking and they also do sending and taking. This way it works. Since they don't do it and you are the one who is doing it, for them to really get it is a little bit harder. But because even they don't feel anything and you don't see anything, if you do it, much, much better than not doing it. So, we have to somehow carry on.

[88:08]

And when we say mastering something, this word mastering something becomes master of something. You know how to do it. When you know how to do it, then you become master of that particular subject. And how you become that? First you have to understand what it is. Then you have to know how to do it. Then you have to do it. So, as you do it, how much you do it, that much you become accustomed to it. How much you become accustomed to it, that much you become master of that. So you have to carry on to be able to live with that. It will take time. Alright, then, I think

[89:12]

it's time for us to excuse ourselves. I will ask Venerable Lama to pray with me. So, I'm sure he will join us. Venerable Lama speaks in Tibetan.

[89:59]

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