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Dharma Teachings
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Interviews with HH17 Karmapa, Thaye Dorje. Compiled from two interviews: Karma Guen, Spain, May 2004 and Czech Republic, June 2004
Question: Could you tell us what you have been doing in the last few months before coming to Europe? Karmapa: For the last two months I have mainly been studying in the Shedra next to my house in Kalimpong. I was there with other monks from the institute and just before I came here to Europe we all had an exam.
Karmapa: What I had finished was my education in meditation and rituals, not all the studies. I was, therefore, appointed as a Dorje Lopon, which means that I have finished studying the practice and transmission and I am therefore authorised to pass on these transmissions. My general studies are not yet completed. When they are, I will be a Khenpo.
Karmapa: It is developing very well. We are now in our third year and have around 80 students there.
Karmapa: The practices in the Diamond Way Buddhist centres can have the same benefit as all the practices and teachings of the Karma Kagyu tradition. It is a modern approach for the essential teachings that can bring results in the way that it has for all these years.
Karmapa: The head of the Karma Kagyu lineage means simply the one who has to take the responsibility to hold and pass on the transmissions of Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa.
Karmapa: Karmapa is a Sanskrit term and it means the 'one who carries the activity'.
Karmapa: Since the very first Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa, the main task was to keep the transmissions alive. Dusum Khyenpa held all the teachings and all the transmissions from Gampopa and they were passed on to the second reincarnation and to other Karma Kagyu masters. Most of the time, they went to the reincarnations of Shamar Rinpoche. In that way they have been passed on until now, until the 17th incarnation. In the Karma Kagyu it is the Lineage Holder who carries the transmission. The main activity of the Karmapa is to keep up the activity of the Dharma, the activity of the Buddha, and to bring it to all beings. In the old days, it was mainly to places inside Tibet, but today the activity has expanded so much that it is everywhere. As I said, it is the transmission that has to be kept alive.
Karmapa: The Dharma is not a religion, even though in many countries it is accepted as one. It is like a philosophy, but it is much more as it contains many practical methods that you can use. It is simply teachings and methods to open our minds to the Buddha nature we all have inside.
Karmapa: By using the Buddhist methods, we are able to see how Samsara works; and we see that all these difficult circumstances that we come across are due to our negative actions, negative thoughts and negative speech. By using the Dharma, by analysing the causes and affects of such difficulties and sufferings you are able to prevent the causes and overcome the problems. We are able to change our situation. Right now, we have the perfect circumstances, a perfect opportunity to attain perfect realisation.
Karmapa: It’s true, I always say that. I am sure that everybody is practicing very well but still I try to keep encouraging people to practice a bit harder, to push it a little bit more. We are all practitioners in this life, we have this wonderful opportunity, we are all lucky to have this precious human body but even though we have the Dharma we sometimes forget that we have to practice it harder. In western life this can be difficult as there is not much time, that is true, and most of the work that people are involved in has to do with everyday life, even though I know it supports one’s “Dharma-life”. But if we really want to practice the Dharma and become free from Samsara, then I still think that we have to practice harder. Of course this is not our last life but it is so precious that we really have a golden opportunity. Therefore, it is so very important not to waste it.
Karmapa: When I say hard I am trying to bring out the meaning of Tsuendru in Tibetan. I think you now use the word enthusiasm or joyful effort for this. Practicing hard doesn’t mean that you have to put a lot of stress on your body or on your mind. It is about taking more time and trying to find the right way to practice. Firstly, we should have a very clear view of what we are doing and understand what kind of results we will get, such as having less the stress or whatever. Then we should do it with joy. Try to find more time, try to do it as much as possible. There is also a difference between a beginner and somebody who has been Practicing for a very long time. For a beginner it is good to practice for short periods of time and then relax. But when somebody is used to having long meditation sessions, then for him it is very easy and simple. The more you meditate, the more the quality of your meditation increases. Even the physical feeling gets better and better. It is a gradual process.
Karmapa: It is an expression to say that you do the practice really hard, with a lot of determination.
Karmapa: One has to be constantly aware of how well one is doing, checking to see what kind of realisation you have. You have to become more conscious. Be mindful, but without judging yourself or your experiences.
Karmapa: You do need a teacher, one who has the realisation and experience, so he can guide you and you do not stray from the path. But then, while using that guidance as a tool, you also check things yourself.
Karmapa: If you want to be free from Samsara you have to find the Dharma, and you cannot find it yourself. You need support and help - and the teacher is the best for this. He or she is the one who shows us the way and actually represents all Three Jewels - Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Every teacher has the same essence, and the way to look at the teacher is to look at his or her qualities and not at the form that we see through our five senses. Whatever we perceive through your five senses is in the moment illusory, so you could get distracted in a way. In order to follow the general Buddhist way the teacher is not that important, but in the Diamond Way, the Vajrayana, it is fundamental. Because here the methods are special and then also the connection should be special. So the role of the teacher is very important and you should also be sure that he is the right teacher for you, as well as the other way around. The teacher should be sure that you are the right student. Traditionally this took three years.
Karmapa: I would say that to be a perfect practitioner we must at all times be aware and have bodhicitta, the enlightened attitude. These are the most important things. As long as we have them, then whatever practice we do and whatever we do in our daily life, will always be positive.
Karmapa: As long as beings are in Samsara and don’t have bodhicitta, then their intentions and acts are always for their own happiness. This becomes very selfish, and therefore they get into a lot of trouble such as having a lot of emotions that they aren’t able to control and don’t appreciate where their actions can cause problems. But with bodhicitta we have this awareness of how far we can go and at which point an action becomes bad. What we do then is not just for ourselves but always for others, without discrimination. Equally for everyone. The process of starting as a beginner and then progressing through different levels of attainment until full realisation is the bodhisattva path. You have to distinguish between two kinds of bodhicitta, the relative and the absolute. Relative bodhicitta involves developing loving kindness and compassion, which is based on the understanding that all sentient beings live in Samsara because of their disturbing emotions and karma. This understanding then naturally gives rise to wishing enlightenment for all beings. With this aspiration, one then acts as a bodhisattva and practices the six paramitas starting from the first, generosity. This is all relative bodhicitta. The understanding of the sixth paramita, wisdom, this is the ultimate bodhicitta. Through the realisation of the ultimate bodhicitta all six paramitas are perfected.
Karmapa: There are three different types of Buddhist teachings. For us, who use the Tantric practices, we must generate bodhicitta, and with this we must apply the inner and outer activity to it. This is essential for us to use the special methods of the Tantra. The inner activity is mindfulness, where you check your own mental state. And the outer activity is to be conscientious, to check your actions outwardly. But the most important part is the bodhicitta, the mindfulness that what we do is not just for ourselves but for everybody. And the root of this is loving kindness and compassion. There is no Vajrayana without this.
Karmapa: I would not say 'higher' or 'lower' practices. Buddha gave many kinds of methods and among them, the Tantra Way is known to be the path of very effective and skilful means. The Six Yogas of Naropa belong to this path and therefore give quick results when practiced correctly. For this you have to have a very good understanding of the whole meaning of the Dharma and spend time in retreat. But you cannot really say that it is 'higher', as if the practice of the Ngöndro for example would be something 'lower'. In general, the results of one’s practice are determined by both the degree of intensity in one’s practice and one’s intention, because the root or motivation should always be loving kindness, compassion and the enlightened attitude. We start with the firm aim to reach enlightenment in this life, and we will need determination in order to make good progress. We usually have a very hectic life and so it is good to work steadily through the processes such as the six paramitas. Using all the methods that are both available and within our capacity, we will steadily develop. In this way, we can reach liberation in one life. If we have made strong wishes then maybe the circumstances will arise where we can practice the Six Yogas of Naropa. On the other hand, maybe we will follow the Mahamudra Way like the Mahasiddha Saraha, but then this also requires time in retreat. Either way, we will really have to practice intensively if we want to reach enlightenment in this lifetime.
Karmapa: This is just human nature, I think. That is how Samsara works. It is simply a habit that we always want something new. Once we get used to it, we get bored. For the practice of Dharma this is quite negative, so we should try to loose this habit. If it happens then it would be good to think about the very simple foundations of Dharma: the four basic thoughts. That would be the best thing to do, to go back to the basics.
Karmapa: Firstly it is the karma of all the dharma friends from their previous lives that is ripening at the moment. All the favourable circumstances that we need must be present. And, on top of that, we have the most important thing - the teachings, which really go straight into our minds and open our minds. In fact I think there are three main causes: the students, the teacher and the teachings. Now, we have to put our effort in, to develop its potential.
Karmapa: This is very simple, I have the wish that everyone reaches enlightenment as soon as possible, really everyone. That’s all.
Karmapa: It would be the same wish. The most important thing is to practice Dharma, and then it is very important to have bodhicitta in every aspect of your activity. It’s very exciting or inspiring to begin something new, but the most difficult part is to continue. It is most difficult because it takes time, it takes courage, it takes a lot from you. So therefore, I would only suggest to keep practicing and to use Dharma as much as possible in your life.
Compiled from two talks with Gyalwa Karmapa - one in Karma Guen, Spain, on May 30th 2004 with questions by Claudia Knoll and Detlev Göbel, the other in a bus between Prague and Brno in the Czech Republic, on June 23rd 2004 with questions by Roman Laus. Edited by Gyalwa Karmapa together with Hannah Nydahl, Tomek Lehnert, Caty Hartung, Steve and Christina James.
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