Ringu Tulku Rinpoche

Teachings on the Dohas of Dsum Khyenpa DK1_2 & DK1_3 Doha Sung at the Time of Full Moon offering
Recorded at Kagyu Samye Dzong Edinburgh, April 12, 2011 Published or the !odhicharya "nline Shedra, December 2011 #ranscribed by $inna Stenroos

So % &ill go through one o the 'irst Karmapa(s )ery short dohas* % ha)e this translation o #ony Du * #ony Du is a )ery good scholar o #ibetan, and he has been &or+ing on translations since years, decades* ,e li)es in -epal* % also ha)e the #ibetan .te/t0, so &e ha)e been going through that* So, here the translation says1 "The recious one! "hen staying at a sacre# place at the time of #oing the full moon Delta Scorpio offering! sai# this$ .Rinpoche reads rom the #ibetan te/t*0 Lha mtshams nya zla. Nya zla means li+e ull moon* Lha mtshams is one o the stars* So he(s tal+ing about the month* 2hich % don(t +no& &hich one is this* %t must be Delta Scorpio* $aybe you +no& &hat is Delta Scorpio3 % don(t +no& either*

Any&ay, on one o these ull moon practices, then he sang this doha* %&ester#ay at the time of Delta Scorpio full moon in commemoration of the 'or#s passing! "e #i# the offering to the Three(% So, % don(t +no& e/actly, but it seems 4 his rje means his teacher 4 that maybe it is the 5ampopa(s passing commemoration* So &e made o erings to the #hree, maybe the #hree 6e&els, konchok sum: !uddha, Dharma and Sangha* %That e)ening * suplicate# the 'or#(% % made prayers, % made suplications to my 5uru, my 7ord* %*n a #ream #uring the early #a"n * thought that +etsun ha# come ,efore meThe 'or# sai# this to me(% So he had a +ind o a )ision o his teacher, and then, in that )ision, this is &hat his teacher said1 %.n#erstan# )ie" to ,e rigpa free from e/tremes(% .Rinpoche reads the )erse in #ibetan*0 Understand the view to be rigpa free from extremes. #he rigpa &hich is ree rom any e/tremes is the )ie&* 8nderstand it as the )ie&* -o&, rigpa* 2hen &e tal+ about the mind, &e say that &e try to di erentiate the sem and rigpa* "r sem and sems nyid* #he sem is the mind or the consciousness or a&areness9 it(s not :ust the consciousness, it includes all the unconscious also* #he mind that is li+e mani esting, that(s sometimes clear, sometimes not clear, that ma+es lots o emotions, thoughts, concepts, all +ind o distractions and all this9 you +no&, the thing that ne)er +ind o stays still, al&ays running around, al&ays coming and going, our usual mind 4 that is called the sem* igpa, it is said, is the essence o that* %t(s the same thing, it(s not di erent, there(s nothing di erent rom there* !ut it(s li+e the essence o that, the mind* 2hen you can ree it rom distractions, ree it rom dullness, ree it rom all the busyness* #he real essence o that 4 :ust the

clarity* !ecause that(s the +ind o the substance o the mind* E)erything comes rom there, :ust the a&areness, :ust the clarity* Sometimes &e call it the ;lear 7ight, sometimes &e call it also the 7uminosity* 2hen one can meditate and let the mind be totally ree rom all the distractions, all the disturbances and negati)e emotions, all +inds o emotions and things li+e that, then you ind, you e/perience that clarity* %t(s a clarity, but nothing else* %t(s an a&areness but nothing else* 2hen you can e/perience that, then there is nothing to be disturbed* #here is nothing to be distracted* #here is nothing that can +ind o be su ering or to be reed rom su ering* #he essence o our mind, the <uintessence o our consciousness* So, that e/perience is ree rom all e/tremes, because you cannot say (this exists! or (it is there!, because there is nothing there to e/ist* !ut you cannot say it doesn(t e/ist, because it(s also there, clear, there(s a clarity there* And it is li+e, it(s not something &e can conceptually say, !"his is like this# this is not like this! * So there ore it(s li+e &hat &e sometimes call emptiness and a&areness together* Emptiness and a&areness, because i you try to pinpoint and say &hat it is, &hat is it(s nature, &hether it has a shape or color or some substance or anything, then there is nothing, there(s nothing li+e that you can ind* #here(s nothing to be ound in any &ay* -othing to be ound* !ut it(s al&ays mani esting, it has the clarity* So there ore, that, he said, is the )ie&* -o& this is the understanding* 2hen in general +ind o !uddhist teachings &hen &e try to see the nature o the reality, &hat is the reality, then &e irst try to loo+ at the ob:ects, e)erything that is around us, and see ho& it is, in &hat &ay that is there, ho& it e/ists, and things li+e that &e try to analyze, and then &e ind that e)erything is li+e ( form is emptiness and emptiness is form! * 2e say something li+e this* 2hen &e say orm is emptiness, then that orm, &hate)er thing there is, &hen you loo+ at it, you ind that dependently arising1 it has no independent e/istence, because it(s a relati)e thing, it e/ists relati)ely, it doesn(t e/ist totally independently, permanently9 &ithout changing* %t(s a cause and e ect, there ore it(s al&ays changing, it(s caused by many causes and conditions, it(s a cause and condition thing, cause and e ect arising thing* $any di erent +inds o elements are there, and each element is li+e that* So there ore, because it(s impermanent, because it(s interdependent, because it(s dependently arising, there ore you don(t ind anything e/isting on its o&n, independently* #hat(s &hy &e say that orm is emptiness* !ut &hen you say that orm is emptiness it(s not saying that nothing e/ists* Emptiness is orm*

#here is al&ays something that is relati)ely there9 it(s not negating* !y understanding the emptiness o the orm the orms don(t disappear* #he orm is there* %t(s li+e magic* #hat(s the &ay ho& e)erything is* !ut in the =a:rayana &ay you loo+ at the mind* >ou understand the mind irst* !ecause i you understand the nature o the mind, there(s no problem* E)erything else is sol)ed by its o&n, because e)erything else is e/perienced by the mind* As a being, as a person, there is nothing % e/perience that is beyond the scope o my mind* So there ore, i % really understand the mind, i % really understand &ho % am, &hat % am, &hat(s the nature o my consciousness and a&areness, my mind, then % understand &ho % am and thereby &hat(s the relation o me &ith others* #here ore i % understand the mind, then % ha)e the )ie&* 2hen % ha)e the )ie&, then % +no& there(s nothing to be a raid o * #here(s nothing that can be destroyed in me* #here(s nothing that % need to be an/ious about* E)erything is changing any&ay* E)erything is interdependent any&ay* E)erything is impermanent any&ay* And because it is so impermanent, because it is so interdependent, because it(s so relati)e, there is nothing % need to be a raid o * So that is the understanding* 2hen that )ie&, not only a concept but the e/perience, happens, then % ha)e &hat &e call the )ie&* #hat )ie&* %.n#erstan# me#itation to ,e innate "ithout change(% #o be innate &ithout change* .Rinpoche reads the )erse in #ibetan*0 #hat means that &hat you are, ho& you are, that primordial, natural &ay 4 not ma+ing any changes to that, :ust being in that, allo&ing your mind to be in that state 4 that(s the meditation* #he meditation is not to create something ne& but meditation is to learn ho& to be the &ay you actually are* And allo&ing it to be* 2hen that happens then you ha)e the meditation* %.n#erstan# con#uct to ,e a peaceful min# "ithout attachment(% So, &ithin that, &hen &e are &ith that )ie& and &ith that meditation, &e ha)e nothing to run a ter

or run a&ay rom* 2e ha)e nothing to grasp at, &e don(t need to grasp at or to cling to anything* And so, there ore, .there is0 a complete peace, and &ithin the complete peace, you act* 2hate)er you ha)e to do you act &ithin that e/panse, &ithin that understanding, &ithin that )ie&* >ou do things but you don(t cling to anything, you don(t ha)e to cling to anything, there(s nothing to cling to and there(s no one to cling* !ecause there is nothing to be a raid o , there ore there is nothing you need to +ind o ha)e ear o losing or ear o not getting* So &hen that understanding happens, then you ha)e ree, totally peace ul, the peace ul action* #hat(s the action* .Rinpoche reads the ollo&ing )erse in #ibetan*0 %.n#erstan# fruition to ,e those three insepara,le(% 2hen you understand that, this )ie&, meditation and action9 i you can be in that, inseparable, one &ith that &ay o seeing, &ith that &ay o being, &ith that &ay o acting, then that is &hat &e call the result, the enlightenment or liberation, or &hate)er you &ant to call it* #hat(s the result* #here is nothing, no result, to get rom outside* .6ust0 to be able to understand and to e/perience the &ay you are and allo&ing that to be* .Rinpoche reads in #ibetan*0 #hat 4 i you get there, i you understand that 4 :ust that is ho& the actual dharma+aya unctions, or, .Rinpoche reads in #ibetan0 that accomplishes your o&n purpose* % someone can realize this, can understand this, can actualize this, then you ha)e accomplished your o&n purpose, you ha)e accomplished your o&n enlightenment* !ecause there is no need to do anything more, there is no need to get anything more, there is nothing to get rid o anything* #hat(s it* !ecause then you ha)e nothing to ear or, you ha)e nothing to lose, you ha)e nothing to hold on to, e)erything is totally in peace* So, then it says, %0o" perform enlightene# acti)ity for others1 sa2e li2e this(% "nce you ha)e accomplished your o&n purpose, your o&n attainment, your o&n actualisation, or &hate)er you call it, realization 4 because &e ha)e t&o things to do1 % ha)e to attain, % ha)e to do my o&n purpose, % ha)e to help mysel , and help others* % % realize this, i % understand completely ho& % am, then % ha)e helped mysel * % ha)e understood my ultimate nature, % ha)e got the &isdom* 5

-o& % don(t need to get anything more because % ha)e the understanding, % ha)e realization, % ha)e complete con idence 4 then no& % ha)e to start to do things or others* -o&, ho& can % help other beings3 So no&, this is &hat he says1 %0o" perform enlightene# acti)ities for others1 sa2e li2e this( erform generosity as a,sence of clinging(% ,o& you &or+ or the bene it o others, ho& you help others, is through Si/ Paramitas* #he irst is generosity* 5enerosity, the absence o clinging* #he essence o generosity is absence o clinging* >ou don(t need to cling to anything, you don(t need to ha)e any attachment, so there ore you ha)e ull generosity, you can gi)e, you can share* >ou only need to see &hat needs .there are0, &ho is bene ited in &hat &ay, and so, there ore, in this &ay you can help* >ou don(t ha)e anything that you(re clinging to that you cannot gi)e* -o&, there are t&o things &hen &e tal+ about generosity* 'irst thing is rom our side* Second thing is or others* $y side is &hen % ha)e no clinging, &hen % don(t ha)e attachment or clinging or holding on to, then % ha)e accomplished, % ha)e per ected the generosity* 'or the others, then, % ha)e to see &hat &ill bene it &hat and ho&* % ha)e to see &hom % can bene it, in &hat &ay, &hat is needed by these people* 2hat +inds o methods, &hat +inds o actions might help these people, and accordingly you act* So % don(t ha)e to do the +ind o supposedly the best thing* %t(s not about ho& good % am that % can gi)e* -o* %t(s about &hat is the best or them* So there ore % don(t ha)e attachment o &anting to be the best gi)er* 2hat is needed by them, &hat really helps, .% try to0 to ind out* #hen, % rotect #iscipline as a,sence of harm(% #he discipline is not to ma+e any harm* #he shila* Discipline it is sometimes called, the tsultrim ? shila$ sometimes it(s called the conduct, good conduct* #he sans+rit &ord is shila* #hat is (not harming(* % you &ant to understand &hat shila is, the essence is not harming* >ou +no& that you don(t ha)e to harm anybody, you don(t ha)e to do anything that &ould directly or indirectly harm*

#hen, %3ulti)ate patience as a,sence of anger(% 2hen there is no anger, &hen there is no irritation, &hen there is no disturbance o your mind, then that(s the patience* !ecause once your o&n anger or your o&n irritation or the disturbance o your mind is cleared, then you ha)e accomplished the patience* "nce you understand the nature o yoursel , you can ha)e this* %.n#erta2e perse)erance as a,sence of i#leness(% .Rinpoche reads the )erse in #ibetan*0 %nyoms las is, you can say idleness maybe, but it(s li+e uncaring* %nyoms las is uncaring, not ha)ing any interest, not ha)ing any concern* #hat(s the snyoms las, you can say idleness* 2hen you are not &ith that, &hen you are ree rom that, that(s diligence* Diligence is &hen you are ree rom &hat obstructs you rom per orming, doing things, good things, .ha)ing0 :oy in doing positi)e things* #hat(s &hat &e call the diligence* 2hen &e ha)e no disturbing emotions, &hen &e ha)e nothing that +ind o says that !& want to rest. & want to relax. & want privacy. & want to have time for myself.! 2hen you don(t ha)e to say this, then you ha)e complete diligence, because there(s nothing you ha)e to protect yoursel , there(s nothing you ha)e to +ind o lose, so there ore there(s no idleness* .Rinpoche reads the ollo&ing )erse in #ibetan*0 %3ulti)ate a,sorption as a,sence of #istraction(% Absence o distraction is meditation* #he meditation is &hen there is no distraction* So there ore, i you can ree yoursel rom distraction and &hen you really understand the nature o yoursel , there is nothing to ear, there(s nothing to be attained more, you are ree, so there is nothing to be distracted also* #here ore .Rinpoche reads the ollo&ing )erse in #ibetan0, %4ouse "is#om as great ,liss! free from ela,orations(% -o& this understanding, the e/perience that &e described &ith )ie&, meditation and action, that 7

is &isdom* And that is great bliss* >ou call it great bliss because there is no more any struggle* -o need o any struggle, there is, absolutely, you +no& there is no struggle, nothing to struggle about, not e)en a ear that there might be some problem coming or some negati)ity coming, because you +no& there(s nothing* So that(s the great bliss* "r'tral is, there ore, that it(s ree rom any +ind o grasping, you don(t ha)e to +ind o hold on to anything and that(s &hy it(s called tr'tral* ()ylie: spros bral* #hat +ind o &isdom .&e should0 generate* So, these si/ &e try to generate or others* 2e try to generate these si/ <ualities not only in yoursel but in others* So, %De#icate these si/ for the sa2e of migrators% Dedicate these si/ or the sa+e o other beings* ,ere it says !migrators!* #his is a translation o drowa* #he #ibetan &ord drowa is here translated as migrator* +rowa, all the samsaric beings are called drowa in #ibetan, means it(s +ind o constantly running, constantly passing on, you al&ays run, al&ays running either a ter something or a&ay rom something, and then going rom one realm to another* #he cycle o samsara, sometimes a little bit up to the higher realms, little bit better* Sometimes lo&er do&n, a little bit more, much more su ering and problem* And entrapped* #he e/ample is li+e a little ly in a bottle* % you put the ly in a bottle, the ly sometimes goes do&n and sometimes goes up but ne)er gets out o it* %n the same &ay, all these drowa, all these samsaric beings, &e are li+e a little bit trapped and sometimes go up, sometimes go do&n but actually in the same bottle* So there ore &e need to be reed* As long as &e cannot ree oursel)es rom the samsaric state o being, state o mind, &e cannot ree .oursel)es0 totally rom the su erings* !ut &hat is binding us is our o&n ignorance, our o&n a)ersion and attchment, our o&n negati)ity* #here ore, &hen &e can see &ho actually &e are, &hat actually our mind is, &hat is the nature o mysel , then you ind that there(s nothing to bind you, because the binding &as in the mind, binding &as in ignorance, binding &as +ind o imagination* #his is the binding 4 because &e can(t go out because &e thin+ &e can(t go out* !ut actually, the moment &e see that it(s li+e that, then &e can*

%t(s a little bit li+e the e/ample o the story o the s&an* >ou +no& the story, % thin+* % thin+ it &as a s&an but maybe it doesn(t matter, let it be* #he s&an laid an egg in the chic+en(s nest, you can say* #hen the chic+en sat on these eggs and then they all came out* So the chic+en said, !)e are all chicken# you have to come with me# you cannot go near the water because if you fall down in the water you will drown. ,ou should only peck the things# there!s a little bit of grains#- and things li+e that* #his little s&an &as thin+ing she &as a chic+en* #hen also she &as an ugly chic+en because a little bit clumsy, little bit bigger, or the time being no eathers and things li+e that, and she &as )ery sad about that* #hen she gre& up, gre& up, and a ter some time &as really gro&n up* #hen some s&ans came and said1 . ,ou!re a swan# let!s fly. She said, . No# & can!t fly# & can!t fly because & am a chicken. . No# you should fly# you are one of us. Let!s fly. & can fly# look/ . No# no# &!m a chicken/ So it too+ a long time to con)ince her that she &as a s&an, because she &as so con)inced that she &as a chic+en* So this is the +ind o e/ample rom !uddhist point o )ie& that although &e are s&ans in essence, &e are so used to thin+ that &e are a chic+en that &e are bound by the rules o the chic+en* So, there ore, &e need to train, to learn &ith )ie&, meditation and &ith all sorts o things to ma+e us understand that &e are actually s&an* And then &e can ly* #hat(s the idea* So, %That is "hat * hear# him say(% #his &as said by the Karmapa* So, % thin+ % stop here*

@Ringu #ul+u Rinpoche #his is a transcript o a recorded teaching by Ringu #ul+u Rinpoche* #he transcript has only been lightly edited and is meant to be used &ithin the !odhicharya "nline Shedra study conte/t*