So,
I always like to start with a little bit of silent meditation,
And then generating our motivation.
And then we'll talk a little bit about purification in terms of the four opponent powers.
Okay?
So,
Sit up straight,
Your hands in your lap,
The right on the left,
The thumbs touching.
Become aware of your breath.
And just watch the gentle flow of your breath for a minute or two to let the mind calm down.
If you get distracted to another object or thought,
Notice that you're distracted,
But come back home to the breath.
Okay?
So,
Let's do this.
Okay?
So,
Let's cultivate our motivation and listen and share together this evening.
So that we can understand how our mind works and identify the actions that we've done that obscure our mind,
The negative emotions that disturb the mind,
And then engage in some purification practice to remedy these.
And let's do this for the long-term purpose of becoming a fully awakened Buddha so that we can be of the greatest benefit to each and every sentient being.
So on a previous daily Dharma gathering I went through the four principles of karma.
And a lot of the Q&A at the end,
People wanted to know how do we purify.
So when we've made mistakes physically,
Verbally,
Or mentally,
How do we remedy those?
And so this is kind of a follow-up on that.
Because we've all made mistakes because we're all afflicted sentient beings.
So the Buddha taught a practice called the Four Opponent Powers that helps us to purify the imprints or seeds of these negative or destructive actions that we've done.
And by purifying then we impede their ability to ripen.
And since so much of our unhappiness and so many of our problems are the result of these destructive actions,
By purifying we're stopping those results from maturing.
Or even if those results come,
They're shorter,
Not as intense like that.
And also I think purification is just psychologically helpful.
I have a theory that a lot of our psychological malheur comes from convoluted ethical conduct.
And so when we aren't acting in a constructive way,
Then it influences us psychologically.
We don't feel good about ourselves.
So I think purification practice helps us in terms of self-forgiveness.
And it helps us own up to what we've done and then purify it instead of carrying around a lot of guilt or instead of going through our whole life blaming other people for what's happened to us.
So the kind of actions we may have done that we have regret for.
They range in physical ones,
Killing living beings,
Stealing their things,
Sleeping around and disturbing relationships,
Verbal actions of lying,
Creating disharmony by talking behind people's back,
Harsh words and ridiculing people,
Idle talk.
Mental ones,
Sitting and thinking greedy thoughts,
How I can get something that belongs to somebody else.
Or malicious thoughts,
How I can get my revenge on somebody who harmed me.
Or thoughts that are embedded in wrong views,
That negate things that actually exist or that say things exist that don't exist.
And here we're talking about important philosophical things.
We're not talking about minor stuff.
So we've all done these different mistaken actions and other ones as well.
And so to purify the mind from them then there's the four opponent powers.
The first one is regret,
Not guilt.
Because with regret we just say,
You know,
What I did created a mess and it was done with a bad motivation.
So we just own our responsibility.
Guilt is different because guilt puts this whole thing of what a terrible person I am on top of the mistake.
So guilt just spins around ourself,
Basically.
Look what a horrible person I am.
And that kind of attitude certainly isn't realistic and it's not conducive for spiritual progress either.
So generating regret but without feeling guilty and shame and all this kind of stuff.
But definitely owning it.
And the second one I like to call restoring the relationship.
What it means is that when we have done destructive actions we've either harmed the three jewels and the Buddha Dharma Sangha and damaged our relationship with them,
Or we've harmed other living beings damaging our relationship with them.
So the way to correct these damaged relationships is to take refuge in the Buddha Dharma Sangha and to generate love and compassion and an altruistic intention for all living beings.
And so that completely,
Whereby we had a negative intention that made us harm somebody,
Now we are purifying that intention and generating a good one.
And the third of the four opponent powers is a determination not to do the action again.
So this is important because if we don't make a determination not to do it again then we're creatures of habit,
We just go and do it again.
So if we can't make a full determination to never do the action again then at least to think for the next two days I won't do it and then after two days extend it for another two days.
Something like that.
And then the fourth one is to do some kind of remedial action.
So this could be offering service to a charity or volunteering in some special capacity that is of benefit to others.
It also includes bowing or making offerings to the Triple Gem or meditating on love,
Compassion and bodhicitta,
Reciting the names of the Buddha.
There are many different kind of purification practices that we do.
So I thought I would lead you very briefly through this to give you a little taste of it.
Okay?
So,
Come back home to your breath.
And then first think of some actions that you regret having done.
Things you may have done physically,
Verbally,
Or even certain thoughts.
And have a feeling of regret but not guilt.
And think of specific things that you regret.
Where things make you regret.
Because they make you regret.
And then remedy the relationship by generating a constructive intention towards whomever you harm.
So taking refuge in the Buddha,
Dharma,
And Sangha,
And generating love,
Compassion,
And altruism towards all living beings.
That's the second step.
And then take refuge in the Buddha,
Dharma,
And Sangha,
And generating love,
Compassion,
And altruism towards all living beings.
Then develop an intention not to do those actions again.
And here you might think a little bit about if a similar situation occurred,
How you would work with your mind and how you would act so as to not repeat that behavior that you regret.
And then for the remedial action,
We'll chant Omani Pemi Hong.
The mantra of great compassion.
And if you know what Chenrezhi or Kuan Yin looks like,
You can visualize Chenrezhi,
Kuan Yin in the space in front of you,
And light coming from them into you as you chant,
And think that the light really purifies all the negativities.
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong.
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong.
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong.
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong.
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong.
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong.
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong,
Omani Pemi Hong.
So feel the blissful light from Chenrezhi or Kuan Yin flow into your body and mind,
And really feel like all those destructive actions,
All the things that you regret,
Have been purified.
And feel at peace because of this.
Thank you.
