His Holiness the Dalai Lama: “Because the essence of Buddhahood is within yourself, the activity of the Buddha can work in you”.

Day Two of Teachings to Koreans Continue from Tibet’s Spiritual Leader

Dharamsala, HP, India, 30 October 2012 (Samuel Ivor, The Tibet Post International) – Addressing the Korean delegation, which numbered almost 1000, as well as Tibetans, international visitors and Indian guests, His Holiness the Dalai Lama continued His teachings into Chapter 24 of ‘Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Treatise of the Middle Way’. Tuesday 30th October witnessed yet further insight into the sacred text by one of the world’s most revered spiritual leaders, in the Main Temple of Dharamshala, India.

Drawing upon Chapter 24 of Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Treatise of the Middle Way, which examines the Four Noble Truths (in forty verses) His Holiness stated: ‘We must rid ourselves of negative emotions, and self-grasping’. His Holiness added that to overcome negative emotions one must understand that nothing exists inherently, and that one must focus on emptiness. He drew upon verses eleven and twelve of the text by Nagarjuna, which highlight the nature of emptiness, and the Buddha’s approach to teaching the Dharma. His Holiness divulged: ‘What the Buddha has done is see that it is difficult to understand emptiness. He first taught the Four Noble Truths to His disciples, then let His disciples understand emptiness when they were ready’. Particular attention was drawn to verses 18 and 19 of ‘Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Treatise of the Middle Way’ (Chapter 24), urging followers to recite the verses when practicing and meditating on emptiness. He added that: ‘Without understanding emptiness, you cannot understand the Three Jewels’. ‘Because the essence of Buddhahood is within yourself, the activity of the Buddha can work in you. You can then reach enlightenment yourself. You have to combine emptiness with altruistic intention. The possibility of liberation will be combined with emptiness’.
His Holiness warned however that: ‘It depends on your effort. You cannot make wishful thinking to achieve liberation. It has to take effort. When you aspire to liberation, you have to focus on emptiness’.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama drew the second day of teachings to a close during the afternoon, having thoroughly educated and inspired the guests.
In an interview for the Tibet Post International, Venerable Jinok Sunim; esteemed Korean Lama of the visiting delegation, highlighted:
‘We had wished for a meeting with His Holiness for a long time. His Holiness wishes to make some teachings of the Buddha’s Dharma; He wants to improve the happiness of human beings’
Having arranged the meeting and visit for the Korean guests, Venerable Jinok Sunim highlighted that upon returning home, he wishes for the Korean guests to practice what they have learnt from His Holiness.
‘[In Korea] people’s egos are sometimes very strong now, in our society. His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings can teach us to seek change in society’.
Commenting upon future visits, the revered Korean Lama highlighted that he wished sincerely for more visits and teachings of Korean disciples in the future. The teachings on Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Treatise of the Middle Way will continue on October 31st in the Main Temple, Dharamshala. A live webcast of the event is available from Tibetan to Korean, English, Chinese and Russian at: http://www.dalailama.com/liveweb , http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/869-day-two-of-teachings-to-koreans-continue-from-tibets-spiritual-leader