GOM: a course in meditation

by Gehlek Rimpoche based on Tsongkhapa's Lamrim Chenmo and Lamrim Chungba given in weekly Thursday classes in the Jewel Heart Center, New York City 2004 We are all running, all the time, physically, mentally and emo- tionally. That is the life we are in. That is our reality. Buddha's idea of liberation is based on these four. It tells you how people get into it and how they can get out of it. In the Lankavatara sutra Buddha says, Why are people running around and suffer so much? Because they don't get emptiness straight, the nature of reality, what is really going on. They don't get the meaning of peace, [Skt. nirvana] straight. That's why they are circling, life after life. That is very important. Life after life, we're continuously doing the same thing. We may think, "Well, I am okay, I am not doing any- thing terrible and miserable". In one way it is true. We are greater than many others. But on the other hand, we are not liberated, we are not free. That much we know. For me the goal of spiritual practice, spiritual work, is that first we have to liberate ourselves, then help liberate others. Liberate from what? From running around. The fear combined with confu- sion is traditionally called ignorance [Tib. marigpa], which might not be exactly ignorance as we understand it. This one beats us so badly. It takes shelter in one of the emotions -- it can be hatred or obsession. We are running around within that.

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greenpen (2008-08-21)

Thanks