Meditation On Suffering

Note: This meditation is recorded in Tibetan along with English translations. Lam Rim Meditation (Stages of Path) on Suffering: Geshe Sonam gives a short introduction to the three types of suffering and how we can be free of them, followed by a guided meditation. | "སྡུག་བསྔལ་ཤེས་པར་བྱ་སྟེ་ཤེས་པར་བྱར་མེད། | Suffering should be known; there is nothing to be known"

Transcript

The Lord of the Rings Thank you for your time.

I wish you a happy and blessed day.

I wish you a happy and blessed day.

So first of all,

To all of my Dharma friends,

Wherever you may be,

I wish you greetings,

Tashi Delek,

And I hope that you are well and I hope that you are happy.

I wish you a happy and blessed day.

I wish you a happy and blessed day.

I wish you a happy and blessed day.

So then today we will be continuing with this kind of series of these short,

Perhaps 22 or so,

Lamrim,

Or Stages of the Path meditation.

So this is part of that sequence.

I wish you a happy and blessed day.

We have already covered a number of these such as the mind's potential and so forth.

Yes,

We have covered a number of these such as the mind's potential and so forth.

So another one of the very important topics for us to understand from the Stages of the Path teachings are the results of virtuous or wholesome karma and the results of non-virtuous or unwholesome karma.

And so specifically today we will be speaking about these results of non-virtuous karma,

In particular suffering.

So in terms of our human rebirth,

It is on the basis of this human rebirth that we possess the capacity or the intelligence to first of all recognize that we are suffering,

And then be able to take the steps to cease or to stop that suffering.

So all of us sentient beings whether we are humans or animals We have the same wish to be able to reduce or to stop suffering However,

The problem is that many sentient beings such as animals and even some human beings They are not able to correctly identify the problem of suffering and they are not able to distinguish the causes of suffering All guess is that,

To describe a way it affects people,

ATN and in some ways It really fill a gap between that and our perception,

The question being r b That's why I showed it to the authorities So one of the famous sayings of Pine utilises N Buckle jump suffering should be known.

There is no suffering that can be known.

So what this means is that by recognizing,

Understanding,

And taking the steps to cease that suffering,

Then one will be able to get rid of that suffering which is not the case.

So in terms of these different types of sufferings,

If we can recognize and distinguish the coarser types of suffering,

The middling types of suffering,

And the more subtle types of suffering,

Then on the basis of this knowledge we can understand that in our present moment we're actually in quite a happy situation.

Alright,

So that will end Geshe-la's introductory remarks and we will now go to the meditation.

So please as much as possible put the microphone on.

Now if we turn to the situation of our human rebirth and we recognize the preciousness and the rarity of this human rebirth,

Then what is the result of wholesome or virtuous karma accumulated?

So while we have this human rebirth,

Then it's important to understand that the particular karma that we are accumulating,

In particular karma that is accumulated,

Connected with ignorance and so forth,

These lead to suffering and we can distinguish suffering into three types.

So in terms of the coarsest of these sufferings,

This is known as the suffering of suffering.

So for example when we speak of headaches,

When we speak of any sort of different illnesses,

Physical illnesses and so forth,

These are all sufferings and these are examples of the suffering of suffering.

And all of those illnesses,

Whatever those illnesses may be,

These are all the results of accumulated negative karma,

And they may be the result of the suffering of the illness.

It may seem like the illness or the discomfort arises due to some sort of temporary external condition,

But this is not the case.

This is a prediction.

So in terms of the wish to be without this suffering of suffering,

This is something that we human beings but also animals naturally possess.

So the meaning here is that if we only focus on removing this coarser suffering of suffering,

We won't really be able to derive the meaning,

Of this precious human rebirth.

The next type of suffering,

Which is a little bit more difficult to distinguish,

Is known as the suffering of suffering.

So the suffering of change is related to,

For example,

These temporary happinesses.

For example,

From eating some delicious food,

That fleeting happiness,

Or any other temporary fleeting samsaric or worldly happiness.

These are examples of the suffering of change.

So at first these things do give a little bit of happiness,

Or a little bit of a pleasant feeling,

But because they are in the nature of the suffering of change,

They do not last.

That is something only temporary,

Fleeting.

In order to sort of be able to distinguish and diminish related to the suffering of change,

One does not need to be a follower of the Buddha.

There are even religious traditions outside Buddhism that understand this.

The most important one to understand,

The more subtle type of suffering,

Is known as the all-pervasive,

Or compounded suffering.

In essence,

This is speaking to our five appropriated aggregates of samsara.

And it is said that these all-pervasive suffering,

Which is the five aggregates,

This is the basis for all of the problems that arise within samsara in cyclic existence.

It is like the root.

As long as we remain possessing these aggregates under the control of karma and affliction,

Samsara and its associated suffering cannot be ceased.

If we really want to be rid of suffering,

If we really want to clear away all of our problems,

We have to get rid of the situation of these five aggregates,

Which are under the control of karma and affliction.

Until now,

Having seen this problem,

We haven't really been able to recognize it,

And in a stable way address it.

We haven't been able to do that.

Whatever time I have left in this rebirth in the future,

I will devote myself to clearing away the causes of the reborn and the three unfortunate realms in particular,

And also clearing away the causes of these aggregates within samsara and the suffering.

How wonderful to be able to have the opportunity to clear away the causes of being reborn in these three unfortunate realms,

Or the three lower realms,

Because if I were to be born there,

I would only experience great problems and suffering.

The first step to be able to do this is to cultivate the causes to,

From lifetime to lifetime in the future,

Be reborn in the fortunate realms of humans or celestial beings.

If you really see yourself as precious,

As important,

Take the steps to eliminate the causes of being reborn in these three unfortunate realms,

Knowing that if one were to end up there,

One would only experience continuous problems.

Saying that I want to experience happiness but I don't want to experience suffering,

If we continue to take these rebirths with the five aggregates time after time,

We won't be able to achieve that.

Then,

If as much as possible,

In the instant that I have this precious human rebirth,

I am able to take action to reduce and eliminate the suffering of suffering,

The suffering of change,

And the all-pervasive or compounded suffering.

How wonderful,

How meaningful that is.

In terms of being able to get rid of my own suffering,

In terms of being able to benefit or bring welfare to others,

I have this amazing human rebirth,

Which is a basis for all of that.

How amazing.

How wonderful.

I am very grateful to be able to be able to be with you.

I am very grateful to be able to be with you.

I am very grateful to be able to be with you.

So Geshe-la said that this brings us to the conclusion of our brief meditation.

And in terms of that,

How do you feel about it?

I feel that the I feel that the I feel that the I feel that the I feel that the So on the basis also of being able to recognize our good circumstances,

Our happy circumstances,

Now this will help us to be able to achieve this greatly meaningful work.

I feel that the good circumstances will help us to achieve this greatly meaningful work.

So having achieved this human rebirth,

I will not allow myself to be confused or to be deceived from this task.

I definitely will engage in what is greatly meaningful,

Important work.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Reviews

Very thankful for your practices! Much love

I loved being able to hear directly from the teacher along with the translator and hearing the beautiful Tibetan language. Thank you 💕

Very fundamental

Thank you, Geshe-la and Venerable Khedrup!

Love, Kimberley 🪷🪷🪷

Excellent teaching. Thank you, Geshe-la and Ven. Khedrup. 💐🤍

Beautiful guided meditation and talk, very grateful
Namaste 🙏🏼 🌺