“At the beginning, if you don’t correct your broken discipline, later it’s difficult to feel actual genuine faith and respect for the guru.” -Je Jigten Sumgon, Drigung Kagyu founder
“The tantras teach that you should protect and cherish the guru’s wealth like your own wealth. For this reason, you may only give the guru’s wealth to whomever the guru intends.” –8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje
“No songs, dance, and music in the guru’s presence. The exception is if during a ganachakra, one must sing a song or play music. Otherwise, if you do not have the permission of the guru, and without the guru’s instruction and just start singing all these various songs and music and so forth, without any particular purpose and without the guru’s permission that is not alright…”conversing” here means foolish topics, talking about various pointless and meaningless things, about worldly affairs. Just speaking about everything you have heard or seen, one should not speak about these in the guru’s presence.
“So, devotion is better than faith because faith is basically a mental quality. Like an expression of the mind but you only keep it in your mind. If you display it or express it in your physical and verbal behaviour then it becomes stronger and that is what we call devotion.” –17th Karmapa on Fifty Verses on the Guru
Introduction
For Tārā day today, returning to the 17th Karmapa’s Fifty Verses on the Guru (Day 11) teachings this year, here is a summary and transcript.
The verses discussed in the Day 11 teaching were on the “restraint of body, speech and mind” and how to behave properly when in the sight and hearing of a qualified guru, in terms of what is not allowed and what is allowed.
First, the verses were about protecting the wealth, possessions and close ones and retinue of the guru, as if they were your own. In particular, the 17th Karmapa explained that one could not just do whatever one wants with the guru’s property or things, even if one thinks it is a good idea and so on.
Then the following verses went into examples of what not to do where the guru can see or hear us. For example, not lying down when the guru is there, immediately standing when they get up, not mindlessly chattering or having worldly conversations which they can hear, not walking right in front of them without reason or permission, not acting seductively or flirtatiously, not singing, dancing or playing worldly forms of music and dance, not spitting or cracking one’s knuckles, not wearing headdress and so on. The Karmapa also reminded us that these are things that many elderly practitioners practice and there are good reasons to do so. The 17th Karmapa also gave several examples of how Milarepa, Je Jigten Sumgon, a former student of the 3rd Karmapa and other Tibetan Buddhist masters acted with respect, which not only benefited themselves but others. Including how Milarepa let Marpa’s wife, Dagmema (who was also a teacher to Milarepa) use his body like a stool when milking the animals. Also, how Jigten Sumgon started having negative views of the bad conduct of some monastics, and to counteract the “obstacle” he started prostrating and praising the monks, more than he had done so before.
The 17th Karmapa explained how the most important thing to remember with conduct of body, speech and mind, is they are mainly about having genuine devotion and respect. So, although it may look good externally when someone behaves with body and speech in these ways, if the inner mind lacks that respect and devotion, then it is just for show and meaningless. Like a worldly, political thing. Ideally, one would have all three body, speech and mind with faith and devotion, but of the three the inner mind is most important. The 17th Karmapa also joked about how one has to be careful these days saying someone is an elder, teacher or beautiful. But also if we say it (out of respect but not out of any real feeling) in a worldly sense to gain favour or their pleasure, is not how or why we should offer respectful body and speech to a guru. It goes much deeper than that, and is something that Tibetans previously used to pay more attention and had much interest in, as is evidenced by their major use of honorifics and titles.
The 17th Karmapa ended with an interesting discussion, based on the writings of the 8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje about the difference between faith (dey-pa) and devotion (mo-gu), and how of the two, devotion is more powerful and stronger. Faith is an inner mental quality, but it is hidden and does not express itself with body, speech and mind. Whereas devotion is both faith but also longing which then naturally and spontaneously expresses itself with actions of body and speech. Thus, we do not need to guess if someone has faith or not, we can see it clearly through their actions of body and speech, as people could (and did) with Milarepa and his guru, Marpa. The 17th Karmapa even seemed to joke at the end, that on the other hand, saying one has faith by having delight/joy in one’s mind would be OK.
As a personal observation, this final part of the teaching resonated with me in particular. One cannot fake devotion, event though the “outer” acts of respect can be performed. Devotion arises naturally and easily as wanting to support, promote, help and share the activities and teachings of the guru. One does not need to be asked to do so, or paid to do it, or even thanked by them (as in my case ha ha ha). It is an uncontrived effort that flows from the Buddha Nature, the Dharma and the devotion and respect to the guru and their activities, body, speech and mind easily and naturally.
May this summary and transcript support and help the 17th Karmapa’s activities and wisdom flourish and may all those who use it benefit them to act in respectful ways toward their guru.
Music? Devotion by Earth, Wind and Fire and I’ve Got So Much to Give to You by Barry White.
Written and compiled by Adele Tomlin, 3rd and 4th June 2025.
Fifty Verses on the Guru Transcript (Day 11)
“The point we have come to among the eight ways to show respect, there are eight subtopics here and among these we have now gone through the first three.
4) How to behave towards the guru’s things/objects/close ones
The fourth of these sub-topics is how to behave towards the guru’s things and their retinue/close ones. The [26th] verse [of the root text] that teaches this is:
“Always think, in equipoise, of the guru’s wealth as like your life. The guru’s loved ones as like the guru, and their people as your family.”
Here is the Sanskrit and so forth.
So, according to the interpretation of the Sanskrit commentary, the word guru has already been explained. It says that: the “guru’s wealth is like your life”. [Transcriber’s note: I would translate the Tibetan word here as “life-force” more than life].
The “wealth” here means the personal wealth of the guru, the possessions of the guru. If we describe the wealth, there are two: the personal (inner) wealth and the property (external) wealth. Personal wealth means the gold, silver and so forth. Whereas fields, houses and so forth are external wealth. I think it is basically a distinction of whether it can be moved or not. Gold and so forth can be carried away with your hand are the personal wealth. The houses, fields, and so forth, real estate are external, property wealth. So, you should consider them as like your life. So, life here means the life factor and like means being just like your life.
Then, it says the guru’s loved ones. The Sanskrit commentary of the guru’s loved ones means those people who are dear to the guru’s heart. Or as it says in the Tibetan “dugpa” (sdug-pa). For example, it means his loved ones, close to his heart, such as his secret consort or wife. For a yogi, this means their secret consort. It can also be understood as the guru’s children and their family. It is phrased differently in the Sanskrit but the people like your family [khor in Tibetan], means the guru’s retinue, their attendants, and the people around the guru. It says “those people.” One should view them as being like your own family. So, it means that you should view them with love and affection.
In equipoise/equality
Then there is the word “in equipoise/equality” (nyam-shagpa) which means seeing them like that without any distraction. So, one regards the guru’s close ones in that way continually without any diversion. One should always view them in this way. So, one should also view the things as like your own things and should always consider them the guru’s things. You should also consider those who are close to the guru’s heart and retinue and attendants, to be held in the same affection as your own family. You should pay respect to them equally in the same way.
So, the main point here is that according to the Sanskrit commentary the student should always do this with equipoise and post-meditation, without being distracted. So, without slipping up they should guard the guru’s wealth like their own lives, just as they guard their own lives, they should also protect the guru’s wealth.
And just as they pay respect to the guru, they should also pay that to the guru’s partner or consort just as they do to the guru. And just as they love their own friends and own people close to them and just as they feel affection for them and treat them, they should also treat the guru’s close ones the same. This is the meaning.
Not doing as you wish with the guru’s wealth and objects
To fill this in with a few quotations. When you talk about the guru’s wealth as being like your own life-force, the 8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje wrote about this in the Hundred Short Instructions. In particular, he said:
“The tantras teach that you should protect and cherish the guru’s wealth like your own wealth. For this reason, you may only give the guru’s wealth to whomever the guru intends.”
So, to whomever and whatever he wants to use it for, you need to do it as the guru wishes only. You should not decide for your own self and thinking about it and making your own decision. It must not be like this and then decide on your own, and say that you are using it for virtuous means, but you are using it incorrectly. That is an extremely grave unethical action.
So, you should also view all of the guru’s possessions in the same way you should view the guru’s own things and use it only use it the way the guru intends. If you do not do that, and decide for yourselves and think one does not need to do that and do something else instead and you are kind of like guessing what the guru might want, thinking: “Oh he probably wants this.” If you just sort of imagine that for yourself and do it kind of boldly, that is not okay.
Previous examples of respecting the guru’s close ones: Marpa’s wife and Milarepa
Previously, we were speaking about how to view the guru’s things, how to view their wife, secret consort and how to view their retinue. There are many examples of how this was done. For example, in the life stories of the gurus of the past for example when there was Lord Milarepa being respectful of Marpa and he was similarly respectful to his wife/consort, Dagmema, and their son. He did not see them as ordinary people and just think they are just regular people he did not think of them that way. So, there is that life story, or that example.
Likewise, there are many stories of Milarepa serving the consort, Dagmema. For example, when she was milking a cow, she had to squat to do that. So Milarepa would sit below her and be like a platform for her to sit on. So, she would sit on him like a stool. Of course, he did this for Lord Marpa Lotsawa he did the same thing for his wife, Dagmema and their son Dharma Dode, he thought of them also as Gurus.
Likewise, when the Mahasiddha, Ling Repa first went to see Phagmo Drupa according to the Blue Annals. At that point, Ling Repa was 38 years old and the time or the date was on the 18th day of the winter month it was on the solstice day. That is the day he arrived to meet Phagmo Drupa. At that time, Mahasiddha Ling Repa developed an unlimited compassion and also generated faith in the guru Phagmo Drupa. But he also saw and generated the vision that even the trees and birds are like emanations of Mahasiddha, Lingma. So, he had that kind of faith experience, of the great faith that he felt, the incalculable faith that he experienced.
Je Jigten Sumgon’s experience of the importance of respect and ethical conduct
Likewise, when Drigung Jigten Sumgon, first visited Phagmo Drupa. At first, some of the monks did not have such good conduct and he was displeased by this. In particular, there was Geshe named Samyepa and if you gave him a bit of yogurt then he would give you five measures of poor-quality barley instead. So, there was this kind of bad behaviour, or bad intentions. Geshe Samyepa was considered one of the better students.
So, Jigten Sumgon was thinking if the best ones are like this, then the lowest are probably nothing good. So, at the beginning he lost faith in the monastic community as a whole. So Jigten Sumgon had actually very sharp faculties and realized when he had that bad thought that it was an obstacle. So when he realized it was an obstacle then he went to each of the monastics and he prostrated three times to each of them and recited the seven-branch prayer in the presence of the entire sangha, as many times as possible. He recited this as many times as he could.
At first, people said “he is just kind of being pretentious, he is just pretending to have faith.” Later, they actually said he really had faith. So, at first, they thought he was pretending and doing something that no one else would do. Then, later people understood he really had faith and he was called a faithful person.
At that time, Jigten Sumgon said about this that:
“At the beginning if you don’t correct your broken discipline, later it’s difficult to feel actual genuine faith and respect.”
So, in brief, if you do not start with genuine, uncontrived devotion, then afterwards, it is difficult to develop uncontrived faith and devotion. That is the discussion about the 26th of the stanzas.
5) The three particular purities of immediate conduct
In terms of the outline, it is good to show it again, so at the beginning, if we take Lord Tsongkhapa’s commentary as the basis, then there are eight points in how to show respect. The first four, we have already gone through, and now we have come to the fifth, which is being pure in your immediate behaviour. This one also has three sub-topics:
- stopping inappropriate (ma-rigpa) behaviour
- practicing appropriate (rig-pa) behaviour and
- teaching other ways to stop inappropriate behaviour.
- Stopping inappropriate behaviour
This first point, has two points:
- training for when you are in the guru’s sight and
- training for when you are in the guru’s hearing.
These are the two points of training. Training in the guru’s sight means when you are in a place that the guru can see and how we need to be careful and what behaviour we need to do, and what we need to pay attention to. Even if one is in a place where the guru cannot see you, if one is in a place where the guru can hear you, we also need to be careful and pay attention to certain points.
Here, as I have mentioned before, when comparing the Fifty Verses on the Guru, there is the line from the Ornament of Mahayana Sutras which says:
“serve the guru spiritual friend with respect, gifts, service and practice.”
Here, we are speaking about the steps of serving the spiritual friend with respect. So next, we are discussing how to show respect to the guru. how to be polite, and be respectful. So, there are several stanzas about this. Most of these following stanzas are all about how to show respect to the guru.
Why good conduct is worthy of note and interest
Actually, explaining the text is rather easy to talk about the meaning of the words. But when you come to actually putting them into practice, there are difficulties to actually putting them into practice. Even if we need to do this and we think it is actually important for us to practice, it is imperative that we frequently practice.
In particular, for those who frequently see the gurus, there are people who frequently come to see the gurus, right? People who have many opportunities to come to see their guru, so people such as them and this kind of behaviour, I think we need to keep in mind and put into practice. In particular, for serving and attending the guru it is absolutely imperative that we know how to do them.
When you think about it, there are more than a few of these on how to show respect to the guru. When we look at them on the surface, they only seem to tell us how to show respect with body, speech how do you show respect physically how do you show it verbally how do you use polite or honorific speech. You might think that this is only how it is.
But in actuality and for a student, the one who is kindest in this world and the one who deserves or should be shown the most respect is our guru and our vajra master. For this reason, one thinks the guru is a master of Vajrayana and someone whom we should show great respect and be very polite to. I think that this text shows fairly clearly the way we should show them respect according to the ways of honourable well- behaved people.
So, with respect, we can think it is not just our own gurus but also normally, when we meet other great beings as well just how we should be showing respect and so forth, it is really beneficial. It is different than it was in the past. Now there are more connections between different people and ethnic groups than if it is a single people.
So, in this way, if you want to know the level of culture or of a person’s level, you have to look at their behaviour within a country if you want to see how level the level of education is in terms of their how long their history is. Also, the degree of participate prosperity that they have. You can basically see how they behave in a good or honourable manner, and also how they are polite and respectful. As we say in the snow land of Tibet:
“Your view may be equal to the gods but your behaviour must be in accordance with other people.”
So, for that reason, even in ancient times, our forefathers have said that we should take great interest in areas of knowledge related to good behaviour and consider them important. I think this is very clear.
Tibetan honorifics and rules of Vinaya as examples of Tibetans taking respectful conduct seriously
For example, we have honorifics in Tibet we have many different honorific words (she-sa) in Tibet. If one were to say that this is the most developed set of honorifics in the world, I think it would be fair to say this. Many scholars say that this is a fair thing to say. In particular, if we only think about the honorifics in Tibet, one could make a dictionary of just the honorifics. it would be a very complete dictionary if one was made.
What this shows us is that it is that our answer said that if we want to determine the honourable and the dishonourable, is the difference between their prostrations and so forth the dishonourable are primarily great in sleep and stomach. So, basically the idea is how much someone is honourable or dishonourable, what distinguishes someone is their behaviour or not the difference is the people who behave well are the honourable those who behave badly are the dishonourable. One has to distinguish them in terms of their behaviour.
In any case, it is very clear that our ancestors took a great interest in our good behaviour and so I think that for those of us who have interest in Tibetan culture and Tibetan history we should all also take an interest in in this.
Likewise, even in the Buddhist tradition, the basis of the three trainings is the training and discipline and this is said many times. When speaking about training or discipline it is primarily connected with our physical and verbal behaviour and within us.
For example, the largest category of downfalls is in what we call the Vinaya category of trainings. There are 112 trainings there this is the greatest number of downfalls this is the greatest number of offences in these. Among these, there are ten related to wearing robes, there are ten about how one goes and walks or travels, there are 20. There are nine related to how to sit. There are eight about when you are going for alms when you are begging for alms and for how you beg for alms there 21 related to how to eat and then the 14 related with how to take care of your alms and the 26 related to how you how you should teach dharma, there are 26. So, in total there are 112 trainings and they are primarily only speaking about our behaviours of body and speech.
Sometimes, one might think within Buddhists in general, within Tibetan Buddhism, we talk a lot about view and realization and think about who has a higher view and has few realizations but we are talking about view and realization via is greater, But if you only speak about that then it is something like just talking about faith and devotion because you cannot see someone’s realization or faith. You are just sort of taking it for granted it is a question of having faith you cannot we are not able to really figure out exactly how much experience or how much realization someone else has.
However, what we can see in terms of person’s actual honourable and good behaviour and fine upstanding ways is something we can actually see. Likewise, when we speak about the Bodhisattva scriptures, among the offenses there are 17 and 34 that violate virtuous qualities, 12 that violate benefiting beings and so forth.
If we know these, they are profound advice on how to benefit beings and not harm beings, and are very beneficial instructions for us. Likewise, in the secret mantra there are many vows in Samaya but the basis for them is not rejecting the dharma, having faith and conviction in the guru, being compassionate towards sentient beings, and so forth.
The behaviours that are related to physical behaviours of physical and verbal behaviours related to the guru are taught here in the Fifty Verses on the Guru in a single text. So, if we understand them in detail then we all know what is good behaviour in relation to the secret mantra. So, we will gain a good fair degree of knowledge, it very important for us to know.
When we think about the good behaviour that is taught in the Fifty Verses on the Guru so the good behaviour is taught in this the secret mantra. if we do not usually take interest in it but if we do pay attention to it, it is something that we have not there are many great old gurus who are still with us and so these are they always continue to do these, to perform these behaviours but we do not pay much attention to it. We do not see the way that they act and what is taught in the Fifty Verses, we do not see the connection, we are not able to make a connection. And as we are not able to make that connection, we are not really able to recognize oh this is that and so for that it is like our older Sangha members, many of the old ones that have actually practiced all these they put them into practice. Likewise, whether you have the people in the Tibetan and Himalayan regions many put into practice the many behaviours that are taught in the Fifty Verses. I think if we pay attention to it, we can know this.
3rd Karmapa’s student, Guye Gumpa Rinchen Pel: the person who did the most to protect the Karmapa’s teachings
Likewise, if we want to take a look at actual historical examples, such as in the Karma Kagyu history, there is a person named Kuye Gumpa Rinchen Pel. If you wonder who he is, according to the Feast of Scholars, it says is that Pal was a student of the third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje.
The 3rd Karmapa was in the area of Tolung and down at the bottom of that valley, there is a place called Nethang and he set up a camp there. While he was there, there were many little children who were gathering cow dung of the livestock and they were playing. At that time, there was a guard dog for the encampment that was tied down and it got loose and the children were playing and so they could not do anything and it went right towards them and all the villagers did not know what to do. But among them was one child he was actually pretty clever. There was a wicker container that was used for gathering firewood. And he turned it upside down and he crawled it underneath it and he stayed there inside it. He pulled the rope inside and the dog kind of could ran all around him but no matter how many times it ran in it was not able to get and was not able to bite him. So, the dog did not have anything to do, so it left. So, everyone said “Oh that that kid is really clever.” So, everyone was really amazed.
So, Rangjung Dorje then saw this boy was really intelligent different than others and understanding this he asked his parents and said “Please would it be okay for you to give me your child?” And then the child’s parents offered him to the child to him. He became very well known in the two traditions of sutra and tantra and they used to give him the name “Guye Gumpa.” These days it is the steward; a title it is a position like a steward. So he became the steward for the third Karmapa, and also for the fourth Karmapa and also for the fifth Karmapa, Dezhin Shegpa. In any case he was the steward for them, and because he was so well known in both the worldly and dharma affairs all the officials, including the princes of China and Mongolia and the great men the chief officials of Tibet and all other people considered him to be really an important figure because he had a brain. Whether in terms of dharma or politics he was extremely smart. Everyone called him great master but no one called him by any other name, they had such great respect for him. And it is said that there was no one greater than him ever who had done more for the teachings of the Karmapa. This is what it says in the dharma history the Feast for Scholars.
Likewise, the Lhorung dharma history says of him , that later he served as dharma lord Rangjung Dorje’s attendant and the way he followed the spiritual friend, he practiced exactly as taught in the Fifty Verses on the Guru. He did everything that it says you should do. He had all of the qualities taught in the Fifty Verses. Later the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje also helped extend his lifespan so that he got to a rather advanced age. So he extended his life-span.
In any case, these teachings from the Fifty Verses on the guru are something that if someone is an authentic guru, then these are things you are able to actually put into practice and something that you should put into practice.
Sometimes we think that the things that are taught in the Fifty verses you say you should do this or that and we just take an understand of it. it is not enough to just understand the meaning or to realize the meaning and it is also not a presentation of philosophy, if you have a good understanding then that is enough, right? But these behaviours are all things you have to put into practice That you have to do in your own actual life. It is not just something that you kind of leave it as something in your brain. It is something you have to incorporate into your heart and you have to show in the in your expressions of body and speech.
Training when in the guru’s sight
So, to continue I will speak about the root text here when speaking about the training when you are in the guru’s sight. There are several verses on this.
The first verse for training when in the guru’s sight says:
“Do not sit on their bed or walk before them, wear a turban or wrap yourself up. Step on their seat, or place your hands upon your hips when in their presence.”
So, if we are taking the Sanskrit commentary on the Fifty Verses, it says do not sit on their seat here means a couch. The Tibetan word “ten-pa” means like a place like a bed it is sometimes understood as a place to sleep to lie down. Most people in the past only had one place to sleep and one place to sit, there was not really any difference between where you sat and where you slept. So, basically, a bed means a place where you can lie down or sit and to sit means to sit down on or to lie down to sit on it or to be on it.
Then walking before them is like going ahead of the guru. A turban means fabric that you wrap around your head sort of like the Punjabis wear. So this is what is called a turban, wearing fabric around the head.
Next it says to drape or wrap yourself up. Like having an overrobe over your shoulders, to drape it over your shoulders. In the old days in India it was a sign of respect. These days they also do it in India when they have a guest, they wear various different headdresses or various mantles that they wear And so you wear this is like a sort of fine mantle and you sit on a seat while wearing this. That is not okay to do that.
Then, there is stepping on their seat, which means placing your feet on their seat. Then there is putting your hands on your hips. The hips here are basically your pelvis right? So you resting your hands on your pelvis, or you can place your hands and upper arms on the ribs and so forth. Basically it’s primarily putting your hands on your hips. You can put your hands on your back just talk about having your hands on your back so putting your hands behind your back at the butt so you can sit with your hands on your back so sitting like that so there are different uh several different meanings for placing your hands upon your hips or behind in your sacrum you can put them in various places. These are what are understood as so that is like an extension.
According to Tsongkhapa’s commentary, it says do not sit on their bed when you are in the guru’s presence. This means it is not okay to lie down on a bed when in the guru’s presence and when you are walking. Now you should not walk in front of the guru, or ahead of the guru. When you talk about wrapping your head wearing a turban means that in the presence of the guru you have to add the word in the presence of the guru you shouldn’t wear a turban in the presence of the guru nor when you sit on a seat you shouldn’t sit down on the seat before the guru gets it says it’s not okay to sit on your own seat before the guru does. When the guru is on the bare ground, it is not okay for you to stay on your cushion. Likewise, if you place your hands on your hips, it is not okay to just sit with your hands on your hips in the presence of the guru.
The main point is this is actually fairly easy to understand and the reason is in a bed not staying on an on a bed here it is a different. It is basically saying you should not sit on your bed where you would sleep, I think that is what it must mean. Also, one should not walk ahead of the guru. So when you pay attention then the gurus have to go first. Otherwise you should not go ahead. If you walk in front and make a big deal of yourself then that is not right. You should always allow the guru to go first. Also, in the presence of the guru there are different various hats that we can wear and there is particular purpose for those and when we are doing a ritual then you may wear the hats. Other than that you should not wear various things on your head if you do this then it is disrespectful.
Also, before the guru sits down then you should not sit down. So, if you sit down before the guru does, that is disrespectful. This is also our tradition, right? If the guru is sitting on the ground and you are on a seat, that is not good and if the guru is over there and you are sort of sitting there with your hands on your hips or leaning back then this is not good. It is a sign of great pride and so you should not do it.
The second of the trainings for when the guru is in sight:
It says: “Do not not stay lying down or seated when the guru stands up. Always perform the activity with the greatest energy and exertion.”
If we go through the meaning according to the Sanskrit commentary, “lying down” means you are lying down, you should not do that in the presence of the guru. You cannot just lie down in front of them. Basically, do not remain seated. Means you don’t remain seated when the guru is getting up and the standing up means rising into a standing position. This is what it means the next is “With the greatest energy and skill or exertion”. This means that you’re always enthusiastic and fulfilling the guru’s activity in as much as you can with the greatest exertion.
So I’ll explain this later so that is enough for now according to Je Tsongkhapa’s commentary. There’s the translation by Chak Lotsawa but that is no longer extant. Je Tsongkhapa says do not stay lying down or seated when the guru is standing or seated. What this should be understood is that when the guru is standing the student may not lie down or sit. So when the guru is seated do not lie down and when the guru is seated do not lay down.
So, at all times you should have the great skill and energy of lightness. Basically being very good at accomplishing the guru’s activities. So, the energy or lightness means like some people are like this right? If the guru is about to do something then they immediately get up and they are very quick to get up. It is easy for them to get up. This is what it means. Not and sitting there and not moving until the guru starts to stand and lying down like a corpse, that is not okay.
What does the guru need? Then immediately someone is very sharp-eyed they see that as some people do, they just know if they have to give something to when they go in, they know exactly what they need to give them. And for other people it is just like throwing a rock at a sheet and you have no idea what is going on. The guru says do something or get something and they say “what is going on? I do not know.” They are just like unable to completely understand anything. So the people like that. So, be someone who is quick to move or sit. This is what we should be like.
Basically, you should not just lie there like someone like a corpse like someone who does not know whatever. Instead you need to be able to be ready to be sent anywhere.
Now, if we take the Sanskrit commentary as the basis up through here this teaches the restraint of the body. It says this is the restraint of the body, and restraint of the speech. So, up to this point it teaches restraint of the body if we take it according to the Sanskrit commentary.
Not spitting, not stretching out one’s legs, not pacing back and forth, not having arguments
The third verse on the training in the guru’s sight (presence) if we take this according to Je Tsongkapa’s commentary this is:
“Do not spit mucus, or else stretch out your legs when you are seated, or walk about or have arguments while in the presence of the guru.”
In the Sanskrit commentary, it says spit is taught in combination with “the restraint of speech”, and means like mucus and so forth. This gets included within the speech here. So the word and “so forth” includes nasal mucus and residue from your teeth and tongue. Nasal mucus is like a runny nose the stains from that and basically something left in this the residue, and the stains on the tongue or teeth they should not be expelled at any place at all. As Tibet is a clean and a very vast place, there were not a lot of people. So when people were blowing their nose or spitting up mucus, they could just spit them anywhere. These days it is not so nice in in current society and people do not like it. So when someone would blow their nose, they just blow it right there but if you just do it anywhere it is probably not a big problem in Tibet if you are doing it anywhere. These, days if you do this in a city it is really not good at all. It seems very filthy to blow your nose and spit and hack up various things and spit it out someplace, that is not good at all. So, you should not just expel and spit up and cough up things everywhere.
So, the “stretching out your legs” here means sitting with their legs stretched out and this is a sign of carelessness. So, sitting with your legs stretched out is like being careless.
Then there is walking about and having arguments. So, here walking about basically means like pacing back and forth, without any purpose, right? I think this is what is meant here. Having arguments here does not mean like debating and talking about dharma, but instead having arguments and speaking words of disagreement. That is what should be understood here and we should not do these in the presence of the guru.
According to the Je Tsongkhapa commentary, what this says is that when you spit mucus and the like includes explain nasal mucus, sputum and so forth, you should not spit them and do not stretch out your legs when sitting on a cushion you shouldn’t pace to and from if there’s a walking back and forth in a place without any purpose. “Having arguments in the presence of the guru” means you shouldn’t have conflict or arguments in the guru’s presence. If you do this it is disrespectful.
This is very clear right? If you’re coughing up your mucus and so forth in the guru’s presence this is very careless right? You should not do this. Also, going back and forth in the guru’s presence, you should not do that either. If you are arguing about disagreements then you should not do that either.
Not showing affection/admiration and not singing, dancing, or playing music, or conversations
To continue with the next fourth verse we can split into two parts. The first is:
“Do not show affection to one another, sing, dance, play music or converse in a place where they can hear.”
The first lines are what we do in their sight. The next part is conversing in a place where they can hear and they are trainings for in the place where they can hear. We can just divide them like this and we have to divide them okay. For the Tibetan it is fine.
If you look at it in terms of the Sanskrit and the English and so forth it is difficult to understand, but if we take it in accordance with Tsongkhapa’s commentary, the first two lines are about training in the guru’s sight.
The second couplet is for training when the guru is hearing. So when you talk about not showing affection and so forth, this is translated differently in Tibetan it is a difficult the understanding than in the Indian commentary is not very good. I do not understand it well, but in any case, it is basically praising one another. So there are two ways to understand the word that translate “to one another” and there is also the Tibetan word [nye-ngag] which we can understand as praising one another. So, it is basically praising and admiring one another or showing affection to each other, is probably what it means.
The second one is like singing a song, singing a melody and music. For example, like lutes or drums and so forth and dance things like doing seductive or fearful or doing all the different nine expressions of dance and so forth.
If we take Lord Tsongkhapa’s commentary as a basis then here is that the first line here translated as do not show affection means like massaging limbs and so forth, or rubbing your limbs. Dance and music, means no songs, dance, and music you should do not do these in the guru’s presence. The exception is if during a ganachakra you must sing a song or play music. Otherwise, if you do not have the permission of the guru, and without the guru’s instruction and just start singing all these various songs and music and so forth, without any particular purpose and without the guru’s permission that is not all right.
The next is conversing in a place where they can hear. If we take this according to Tsongkhapa’s way, he divides it into two halves, the third and fourth lines in the Tibetan “or converse in a place where they can hear”. The term”conversing” means basically it’s like a factual or factional discourse they are talking about different groups of people. In Tibetan, we say “the Khampas say this, the Amdo say this, the people from U-Tsang say this”, so we’re talking about discussions like when you’re showing your bias and attachment. So, if there’s biased speech, such as “the Kagyus do this, the Sakyas do this the Gelugpa do this and the Nyingma do this”. One should not have such conversations in the presence of the guru. “In the place where the guru can hear”, means you should not do it where the guru can hear it.
If we take it according to Lord Tsongkhapa, “conversing” here means foolish topics, talking about various pointless and meaningless things, about worldly affairs. Just saying everything you have heard or seen, you should not speak about these in the guru’s presence.
2) Practising appropriate behaviour
So, according to Je Tsongkhapa’s commentary the next section is called “practicing appropriate behaviour”. As I said before, there are the things that you should do and that you’re not allowed to do. Now we’ve come to topic of the things that you are allowed to do, things that are appropriate to do or that you should do:
“Bow when rising from your seat and be respectful when you are seated. At night when the road is dangerous from waters, go first if instructed.”
According to the Sanskrit commentary, “bow” means to pay homage and “from your seat” means when you’re rising from your seat and standing up. The words “dangerous roads” means dangerous from waters, which means like rivers here. “At night” means in the dark, and “waters” means rivers, “dangerous road” means a road that is dangerous.
Then it says you should request the guru and if instructed. For example, at night if they can’t see the road clearly and there are also some rivers and water and dangers then at that point one can ask. Normally, the student is not allowed to go ahead of the guru, but if there’s a particular need one can ask the guru and one may go first ahead of them.
Now if we take it according to the interpretation of Je Tsongkhapa, the word “bow” means when you’re standing up or sitting down then at that point you should do it with a respectful behaviour. You should sit respectfully and stand up respectfully. Likewise, when you’re traveling at night or crossing rivers when you’re in various dangerous paths and roads you can ask the Guru’s permission and if you’re going out the night. You can go ahead to see the way or we’re crossing rivers when there are places that are dangerous in Tibet and in the past you would always see if you could forward the river. These people don’t understand how to do this, so it is testing the waters. So, first testing the way that you have to ask the guru’s permission, so if you go there is no fault.
3) Other teachings to stop inappropriate behaviour
So above are the things one is not allowed to do, and there are many inappropriate behaviours. There are some other inappropriate behaviours that are included.
“When they are in the teacher’s sight, the wise do not let their bodies fidget. They do not lean on pillars and such. Not do they crack knuckles.”
This verse means that intelligent students do not fidget their bodies and do not lean on pillars, basically leaning against or reclining on a pillar and a pillar is just an example.
Similarly, you should not lean on walls or people and so forth, they are all included. Also not stretching and cracking one’s knuckles. I will explain this later.
If we take it according to Je Tsongkhapa’s commentary, what he’s saying is that before the master, intelligent students should not with rigid bodies moving back and forth they should not lean their backs on pillars and so forth, and they shouldn’t crack their knuckles.
The knuckles are these right? We have the three knuckles on each finger we have the three joints on each finger one two three so these are the joints so here [Karmapa demonstrates]. What it means here is according to the Sanskrit:
Cracking knuckles, some people do this right? they pull out their fingers and it says one should not do that. One should not lean back on pillars and walls and cracking your knuckles and fidgeting back and forth turning around like moving this side and that you should not do these in the guru’s presence. There is nothing to misunderstand here, it is just a question of whether you can put them into practice.
6) The particulars of paying respect with body
The sixth is a teaching about these particulars of physical and verbal activity of paying respect physically. This has the distinctions of paying respect with the body and the second is paying respect with the speech. In terms of the outline, there are eight topics about how to pay respect and we’ve already gone through five. Now we have come to the sixth, how to pay respect with body and speech. So, the particulars of paying respect with body and speech. The first is how to pay respect with the body.
So first this begins with:
“When washing their feet or else anointing, or massaging their body and so forth, begin and also end with prostrations, and do it as is pleasing.”
So, when talking about “washing their feet or else anointing”, if we take it according to the Sanskrit commentary, then washing their feet means washing the guru’s feet using water to remove the dirt from the guru’s feet. There’s also anointing their body, what this means according to the Sanskrit commentary is basically rubbing the body with sesame oil and so forth.
It is spelled differently, so it should not be washed as it basically means anointing the body with oil, or rubbing it or smearing it with oil so it seems like there’s probably an extra there’s probably an extra letter in the Tibetan should actually so first is this should wash these uh but the second should uh ka in Tibetan should be anointing so basically rubbing their body with uh with oils that are good for their health, there’s also massaging them is moving them to remove it’s basically. So it means massaging them.
So in the Sanskrit, it means pushing down with your hands or your fist and kneading and so forth. When you do this you should do this you should begin and also end with prostrations. Before you do all these you should prostrate, and then wash their feet and so forth. Before you do them you should prostrate you should be preceded and do it as is appropriate so you do whatever is most comfortable. So, some gurus if you wash their feet with water then if a particular physical condition then you shouldn’t wash it with water and so you may also wash them wash them with like a mud or like with a clay this is also practice like this. It doesn’t mean that you actually have to do it necessarily with water. So you do what is best or what is appropriate.
If we take it according to Je Tsongkhapa’s commentary as a basis when washing the feet with water rubbing them or drying them or massaging them and so forth, you should always begin or precede it with prostrations. When the action has been completed you also need to end it with prostrations.
I think when talking about prostrations, we are talking about our usual prostrations where we stand up and prostrate right? So that’s what we immediately think of but in the Indian tradition there’s standing up and prostrating but in the Indian tradition there is no need to stand up, while you’re kneeling you can prostrate three times. I think from one perspective it probably was in India but it’s not well known. For example, in the Theravada tradition they don’t stand up to prostate the way we do, and they especially don’t have any full prostrations so we think has been said prostrate three times we imagine think of our normal way of prostration but when you think about that when you’re washing the feet because if you have to kind of really kind of extra excessive if you complicated when you have to stand up It’s an extra work but we normally think is if you think about the Indian prostrations it is easier because you’re kneeling and so while you’re kneeling then you prostrate three times you just bow three times and you touch your head to the ground you join your palms and touch your head on the ground. Then there’s a prostration right? If you think in this way then I think that sort of prostration is something that you can do easily whenever you’re walking or doing whatever you’re doing.
Massaging a King
I’ve heard of this like in Thailand there’s Thai massage which is very well known right? In Thais massages, sometimes you have to massage the king right? When you’re massaging the king then you have to be extremely respectful you have to prostrate and do various things first you have to before you prostrate before you have to various things before you begin and after you’ve done it so forth.
So similarly, there was this old tradition likewise in Tibet when uh cutting the guru’s uh hair when they’re shaving their head uh before shaving their head the person who shaved their head would prostate them before they did this and then again afterwards. So there is this tradition before so what this is saying is when you’re doing a particular washing, you need to do it in a respectful manner you should show respect and just do it any old way but it’s like a little bit of a ceremony, a little practice a little way of showing that it’s like a superior. So you prostrate then otherwise it wasn’t a particular reason but it’s sort of to show how significant the guru is in a form of a ritual or as a form of practice. Because of this the action that you do after that becomes like a special and a particular activity that you’re doing.
The particulars of serving the guru with speech
Following this, is the specifics of serving the guru with your speech:
“Whenever you pronounce their name, add to its end a term of respect. Say words that tell of their distinctions, in order for others to feel devotion.”
If we think about it according to the Sanskrit commentary, the first one it says the words are a little bit different in it. In any case, it says mention them not by saying their name you don’t say their name exactly you can’t just say their name. Instead at the end, you have to add like the word pada in Sanskrit at the end of the word. One should say like feet at the end, which is pada. One would have to say the name to speak to them you call them Shantipada, (Shanti feet) but the other person does not know who you’re speaking about then what you should say.
So, in order for the other person to say they need to say some words that tell other distinctions, so you should other words that distinguish them that they’re from this particular place, or they have this sort of a behaviour, this sort of place or they’re tall or short or light or dark skinned and so forth. You speak about them you speak of their qualities.
The basic point is if you’re speaking about the guru’s name it is not okay to say the guru’s full name instead if you’re going to say Shanti you take the last part of the name like Shanti and use that word Shanti and say not say the rest. In addition, it’s like saying in English “Mister” so if you’re talking about mister or lord Shantipa or so forth, that the other person doesn’t understand then what you say is you add a word that speaks of their distinctions. So like Shantipa who is from the east or Mr shanti who’s from the east of India. There is a particular term so that the person will understand whom you’re speaking about.
This also comes up in the Vinaya. For example, if we look at Acharya Shakyaprada’s three hundred verses on the Vinaya, what it says is be respectful by saying their name for a purpose. When addressing juniors use respectful names when addressing seniors too. The meaning of this as he says in his auto commentary called the Luminous on the Three Hundred verses, is when you say the guru’s name you should say the word with a purpose before you say the name, one should mention the abbot’s name for a purpose, and one should say it respectfully. If you do not say the abbot’s name for a purpose and just say the abbot’s name all on its own, then that is not okay. Likewise if you’re speaking to those who are senior to you, then you should use the word venerable and for those who are younger, you should use the word for junior or so forth and for elders use the word of respect for elder.
The main point is that in the Vinaya you have your own your abbot, right? Your abbot is incredibly important. So before you say the Khenpo’s name you should mention the name for a purpose when the saying the Khenpo’s name and for a purpose and so forth.
Likewise what it also says in the Vinaya, if someone is not your abbot then you not may not call them an abbot or Khenpo. Later, the word abbot or Khenpo became like a title for someone who has completed their education as if it is a title for and abbot of a monastery. However, in the olden days, the abbot/Khenpo in the Vinaya meant the person who gave you the vows according to the Vinaya. So, you were not allowed to call someone who was not your Khenpo as Khenpo but some people were given the name Kempo Kempo or Abbott and so everyone called them Khenpo and for that reason, you may call them Abbott otherwise, you are not allowed to call someone who is not your Khenpo as Khenpo.
If they’re older you can call them venerable, if they are younger than you can say respectable or likewise in the practice of the Tibetan masters of the past whether it was your own speaking about your own guru or your own Khenpo, you would say one whose name is difficult to speak about them for a person to speak about the one who’s difficult say by calling them by their name for a purpose it’s like someone who’s like incredibly significant you can’t even say their name but if it’s for a purpose if there’s a reason for saying it then do that then you have to say it for a purpose the name of one whose name is difficult to say then if you say that whether and so then you can mention their name whether you’re abbot or so forth.
Now another practice that happened is that while the guru is allowed you would not say the name when whose difficult his name it’s only after they have passed away that you could uh could say the word whose name is difficult to say while the guru is alive you would say their name for a purpose and reason and you would not say the word whose name is difficult to say once the guru had passed away when they had already passed into parinirvana then he would say uh to say the name of say of him whose name is difficult to say for a purpose and reason.
What these show is how important your guru is in absence and how much great faith and devotion one should have for them.
The difference between saying people’s names or titles for social/worldly reasons, and genuine respect for a teacher or Khenpo
In any case, among many cultures in particular when you speak of your guru, but also your parents who are senior to you, then of course you do not actually call them just by their names.
However, these days, everyone says “Gen la” or teacher in Tibetan right? If they are older, you call them “Gen la” which is mean elder, or teacher. If they have children, then people call them father (pa-la). Or if they are older women you can call them mother (Ama-la). These days though, if you are not careful, we need to look at people carefully, and if we say to people they are elder, or father and mother they look at you aghast [Karmapa makes funny facial expression] and say: “I’m not that old, I’m still a young guy.” So, when we call someone father or mother, these days we have to be really careful saying this.
Nowadays, in particular, to women in China you have to call them beautiful, whether they are beautiful or not you have to call them beautiful. If you call them beautiful then they’re delighted about it. When you go to a restaurant or any place you have to say they are beautiful. There’s nothing bad in saying it. But if you’re just saying everyone’s beautiful it means nothing anymore, because it is just about showing respect to people. So being respectful is being done for other people, it is not from your own feeling. That’s not the main thing here, it’s like for others. What I think is if other people think about this kind of respect, it is thinking about the other person’s feeling, the way the other person thinks is what we are thinking about here with respect. If you do those things then it makes life easier for those people doing it, so respect is basically this, right?
However, when we are talking about paying respect to the gurus and the Khenpos it is not to please the gurus and Khenpos to make them feel comfortable, nor to make any problems for them that we do it. That is why people do such things in society right? This kind of basic reason, if we think about it in this way that is what we need to understand.
The difference between faith, longing and devotion: Longing and devotion is better and stronger than faith alone
If we do not understand the main point and think that paying respect is just a like a custom and like an external thing, then there is no point to it. Being respectful is good but if you do not understand the main point and it is just like an external expression but you have no feeling inside, if it is just the external expression, then there is nothing important and nothing to be happy about there. For one, you can see whether you actually have respect deep inside yourself. Some people pretend to have it and they do everything. They are just performing all the respectful motions and speaking only from their mouth, but it is just talking from your throat up. People can know this. If you do not have the feeling from inside but you are just doing the expressing it physically it is meaningless. Because having faith and devotion from inside and that then being expressed that with your actions of body and speech then I think there is a point there.
In the past, there is the writing of the 8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje in which I have seen him teach the difference between faith (de-pa and devotion (mo-gu) . Faith (de-pa) is ta term used in the treatises. There are more references to that term in the treatises. Whereas devotion (mo-gu) is a term from the pith instructions and there are many references to that term in the pith instructions. Devotion has a particular meaning, which is greater than faith/belief. It is a combination of longing (mo-pa) and respect (gu-pa).
So faith brings longing (mo-pa), however how does respect (gu-pa) manifest and show itself? It shows in our acts of your body and speech and not just in the longing of your mind. However, because of having attained the power of faith, it also shows in the physical and verbal expressions.
So, devotion is better than faith since faith is basically a mental quality. It is like an expression of the mind but only kept it in your mind. Whereas if one is able to display that sincere faith through great power of one’s physical and verbal actions, that is what we call devotion.
We can see this very clearly in the liberation story of Milarepa. When he went to Lord Marpa, he had faith and devotion. It was not only that people could say he had faith and belief, it was through his physical expressions, of body and speech to Marpa. It was something one could actually see through his physical and verbal expressions. One could see clearly and exactly how the faith was present, that is what is meant by devotion. If one has great devotion then it just naturally and spontaneously pours out as a physical or verbal expression. So that we can see exactly how much power the faith/belief has. So, if you have great devotion then you actually have a lot of dedication and respect for the guru.
If you only have faith, then it is not so certain, right? It is like if someone has clear/brilliant faith, and has the delight in their mind that arises from that, then if one says they have faith, that is OK.