INTRODUCTION
We will start from today and
for 8 days a text which has been composed about a 100 years before,
by a teacher called Geshe Langri Tangpa; and the name of it is the 8
verses of the mind transformation, or transforming the
mind.
One time the Dalai lama was
giving a teaching to non-Buddhist people, but more generally, and he
was asking them the question about what was appealing them into
Buddhism, what was calling them into Buddhism. And most of the
people say that what seems clear for them was Compassion,
this attitude to take care of others, to do not bring in front our
own selfish motivation, but instead to have a specific attention to
help others. So those 8 verses are about that. How to train the
mind, how to tame the mind in order that we can slowly, gradually,
become less and less selfish, less and less self centered.
We could say that what we call
Compassion in Tibetan Buddhism is not what is commonlly call
compassion outside. It refers to a specific type of engagement which
is without limit in the time, and without limit in the effort that
we want, that we wish to give for the sake of the others. The proper
term for Compassion in Tibetan Buddhism is awakening mind, and this
Awakening Mind, just the word by itself holds this very deep
concept of opening our mind completely to the others. Not only to
human beings, but to all sentient beings, to animal, spirits,
ghosts, to whoever needs any kind of help, to whoever is
experiencing suffering and need someone as a guide to get free from
that suffering. That is a broader definition of that extremely
altruistic motivation, commonly translated as Compassion.
Each day we will start by
reading the verse, trying to get an idea of its meaning, and then
meditate on it in order to get the essence of it. What does mean
meditate on it? In that case it's more a kind of analytical
meditation in the sense that you will not keep your mind on an
object, but you will turn your mind again and again and try to
understand exactly what it means and to have also a specific
attention about how to apply it in your daily life. So
probably you can review some situations, some scene, recently or
not, in which you have lost your temper, in which the anger has been
the first emotion to come out, and how you should have dealt with
that situation instead of getting angry. How it could have been
different if you would have been able to control your mind, to hold
your mind a little bit. Often in
Tibetan Buddhism the mind is compared to a wild elephant. And it is
said that a wild untamed mind is far more dangerous than a wild
elephant. A wild elephant may destroy houses, villages, but it's far
more easy to tame such animal than to tame our mind. Not only
because in this life we did not have the opportunity to learn maybe
truly how to tame it, and we haven't been educated since young on
that path. But also because since life and life and life we get
exactly the opposite habits, we get the habit to let it free, to let
it un-ruled. We get the habit to let the mind do exactly what it
wants. And to give us its orders. So sometimes we would like to do
something else, but we end up to do what our ego wants for its own
satisfaction. Slowly by slowly we have to reorganize our way of
thinking, not letting the negative emotions and disturbed mental
factors to arise as quick, but instead to think about what is the
best way to react, what is the proper way to deal with such
situation in order at least to do not harm people. Because that is
the first step. If we are not yet ready to help the others by any
mean, then the first step is surely not to harm them. It's to learn
how to stop our mouth, our actions, when we reach the point where
for any selfish reasons we will act in a way that can harm others.
That is important to do, to think about.
![](The 8 verses for transforming the mind_files/roue.gif)
1rst verse With the thought
of attaining enlightenment For the welfare of all beings, Who
are more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel, I will constantly
practice holding them dear.
2nd
verse Whenever I am with others I will practice
seeing myself as the lowest of all, And from the very depth of my
heart I will respectfully hold others as
supreme.
3rd verse May I
examine my mind in all actions And as soon as a negative thought
occurs, Since it endangers myself and others May I firmly
face and avert it.
4th
verse When I see beings of negative disposition Or
those oppressed by negativity or pain, May I, as if finding a
treasure, consider them precious, For they are rarely
met.
5th verse Whenever
others, due to their jealousy, Revile and treat me in others
unjust ways, May I accept this defeat myself, And offer the
victory to others.
6th
verse When someone whom I have helped Or in whom I
have placed great hope Harms me with great injustice, May I
see that one as a sacred friend.
7th
verse In short may I offer both directly and
indirectly, All joy and benefit to all beings, my mothers,
And may I myself Secretly take on all of their hurts and
suffering.
8th verse May
they not be defiled by the concepts Of the eight mundane
concerns, And aware that all things are illusory, May them,
ungrasping, be free from bondage.
To order the transcript, explaning each verse
in detail, do contact: Lodreu@dharmaling.org
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