According to Gelek Rimpoche, all basic Buddhist teachings are edicated to transforming negativities. Through learning, analyzing and the practice of meditation, we can clear our negative thoughts, ideas and habits—the obstacles to our spiritual

How Can We Improve Ourselves?

Jun 27th, 2020

Can we improve ourselves? And if so, how do we do it? The Buddhist goal is to become a Buddha, but our goal right now should be to become a better person as we move closer to that ideal.In this lesson, Rimpoche teaches us how to recognize o

What is Buddha Nature?

Jun 27th, 2020

Buddha nature is the basis of our spiritual practice, and the basis on which we are trying to uplift and improve ourselves. Buddha nature is the pure part of ourselves that continues on after death.In this lesson, Rimpoche explores reincarn

Signs that Buddha Nature Is Activated and Growing

Jun 27th, 2020

As we die our awareness shrinks and our consciousness becomes very subtle. At that point, we lose control, so either our negativities or our wisdom will take over. At death, our Buddha nature may or may not be activated. Moving from static Budd

Questions and Answers

Jun 27th, 2020

Rimpoche answers questions from students such as: If mind cannot become form, how do manifestations occur? What is Buddha nature? Is it a quality of the mind or a potentiality of the mind? When someone dies, is there something the living can do

Absolute and Relative Truth, and Dependent Origination

Jun 27th, 2020

The Buddha taught that there are two truths: relative and absolute. They are sometimes called: “conventional and ultimate truth.”In this lesson, Rimpoche explains the necessity to embrace both truths, because it is through relative truth th

Our Biggest Problem is Ignorance

Jun 27th, 2020

To transform our negative emotions, first we must understand the base, which is ourselves in this life. Then, we have to understand dependent arising, or emptiness, which is revealed through existence. When you see the truth and understand the

The Importance of Mahayana Motivation

Jun 27th, 2020

In this lesson Rimpoche discusses the importance of Mahayana motivation in everything we do. “It is not what you do but why you do it.” In Mahayana practice, we dedicate everything we do for the benefit of all beings. He also answers questions

Attachment

Jun 27th, 2020

Attachment is called the “glue of samsara” because it causes us to get stuck in never ending cycles of rebirth. Rimpoche urges us to overcome our denial and recognize our problems such as anger and attachment, so we can overcome them. Anger is

Anger

Jun 27th, 2020

In this lesson, Rimpoche talks about anger and its antidote, patience. Anger has the same negative effect on our minds whether directed at a living being or an inanimate object. Anger, which creates a rough mind, is very difficult to get rid of

Pride

Jun 27th, 2020

Pride is one of the eight fears from which Tara gives protection. The eight fears are called the “nightmares” of the spiritual practitioner and pride is one of them. The lion symbolizes pride because when anyone crosses or challenges the lion,

Doubt

Jun 27th, 2020

In this lesson Rimpoche discusses doubt, one of the root delusions that causes us trouble. Doubting the four Noble Truths, doubting Buddha, dharma and sangha, and doubting karma are what this root delusion is about. Doubt is a major obstacle fo

Cultivating Intelligent Faith

Jun 27th, 2020

Intelligent faith is the balance between blind faith and doubt. Spiritual development is the struggle between negative habitual patterns and the positive patterns we would like to create. For this we need intelligent faith, which functions as o

Five deluded views that lead to Ignorance

Jun 27th, 2020

Rimpoche reviews the five wrong views: 1. Jig Ta, or looking at our collection of impermanent skandhas (form, feeling, discrimination and volition within the individual, plus the senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch) and viewing that co

Transforming Ignorance is the most difficult task

Jun 27th, 2020

Ignorance underlies and links all the other negative emotions. Clearing the ignorance within us is extremely difficult. It is the ignorant “I,” not our Buddha nature, which has negative emotions. Our ignorant mind is focused on the contaminated

How negativities grow

Jun 27th, 2020

Rimpoche continues the discussion of ignorance, the root of all delusions. The direct opponent to ignorance is wisdom. This wisdom is the wisdom of knowing the fundamental true nature of reality, which is “solving the mystery of life.” For achi

Factors that cause growth of negativity

Jun 27th, 2020

The third factor that affects the growth of negativity is the influence of virtuous and non-virtuous friends. In order to be virtuous, you need support. The sangha is your support system. If you have non-virtuous friends, then the condition for

The effect of delusions on the individual

Jun 27th, 2020

Delusions destroy your mind and morality. Morality means protecting yourself from negativities by keeping vows and commitments. When delusions come up within you, they go against your personal commitment to being good, your personal commitment

How negativities affect death and rebirth

Jun 27th, 2020

Rimpoche teaches on why it is better to die with a positive mind than a negative one. He explains what to do to help someone who is dying, including making sure that the person dies peacefully, without any disturbance such as getting irritated,

The necessity of daily practice and meditation

Jun 27th, 2020

Rimpoche explains why it is absolutely necessary to have a daily practice in order to put into effect the things he discussed during this series of talks. He recommends saying a series of short prayers and mantras and meditating as you say the

Why Spirituality

Jun 27th, 2020

What is spirituality? There are so many different ideas, yet none of them are wrong. Is the purpose of spiritual practice to feel better, or is it to be better?In this talk, Gelek Rimpoche addresses the specific Buddhist goal of freeing our

An AA for negative emotions is what Gelek Rimpoche proposes in this teaching.We are addicted, he asserts, to anger, obsession, jealousy and hatred, instead of being soaked in love and compassion.

Karma

Jun 27th, 2020

Karma, the combination of intention and action is more difficult to understand than the Buddha's central insight of emptiness. Whether it is the individual karma arising out of our intentions and actions or the collective karma we create as a s

Buddha’s Advice

Jun 27th, 2020

In embarking on the path to enlightenment, Buddha shared three tools for a happy life – be kind, do no harm and watch your mind. The mind determines whether our actions are positive or negative.Gelek Rimpoche explains why the intention, act