What are the six perceptions for proper listening to Dharma? (6)

6. Be concerned with prolonged presence of Dharma in the world, for the benefit of beings in general.

Dharma is the single medicine for what fundamentally ails us all. 

Dharma is the only cure for suffering and the causes of suffering. 

It is necessary to be concerned with and to hope for the long survival of the Dharma until all beings are cured of samsara/suffering and its causes.

These six perceptions should be applied in an appropriate manner in each distinct juncture at which we listen to the teachings. 

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What are the six perceptions for properly listening to Dharma? (5)

5. Regard the guru or spiritual friend as Buddha or Arya Bodhisattva,  fully appreciate their kindness and have great respect for this person.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What are the six perceptions for proper listening to Dharma? (4)

4. Regard the earnest practice of Dharma as healing.

When one is seriously ill, one will not simply take a medicine for a week or two, but will take the medicine continuously until one is completely cured. 

In the same way, one needs to employ the teachings of one's guru assiduously - his or her instructions on what to accept and what to reject - until one is fully cured from the illness of samsara.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What are the six perceptions for proper listening to Dharma? (3)

3. To regard Dharma as medicine.

When we are ill, we will assiduously and carefully accept all necessary medical treatment - taking medicine, and so forth. 

In the same way, the practice of Dharma is like the medical treatment for the illness of samsara.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What are the six perceptions for proper listening to Dharma? (2)

2. See the teacher of Dharma as a physician.


This means that just as when one sees one's self as someone who is incurably ill, and in order to seek freedom from their illness, would enthusiastically seek the assistance of a physician and follow all of orders and prescriptions without fail, suffering as we do from the incurable illness of samsara, 
we seek the attention of the spiritual friend, and with great enthusiasm, we follow his or her instructions, willing to follow any of their Dharma instructions, because they will make us better.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Why should we always think of ourselves as being sick?

Usually we only think of ourselves as sick when there is something is physically wrong - arm or head hurts or something like this. 

But we are always sick as long as we are subject to the general and particular sufferings of samsara, for they are the worst sicknesses. 

We actually have a truly incurable illness - samsara. It is beginning-less, there is no end in sight, and we cannot get rid of it simply by dying.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What are the six perceptions for proper listening to Dharma? (1)

1. Regard one's self as a sick person who seeks treatment - to attend teachings with that kind of attitude.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

How should we regard the one who teaches us Dharma?

When hearing teachings about the freedoms and resources of this precious human existence, one should reflect upon the fact that insofar as one's self has wasted one's freedoms and resources, one is like a sick or ill person. 

One should similarly regard the spiritual friend who teaches one how to make these freedoms and resources meaningful as a physician, and the instruction they provide as medicine. 

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

How can we retain what we have heard in a teaching?

At the conclusion of a session of listening, before you start conversing with others or allow yourself to become distracted, review what was taught during that session and repeatedly recollect what was taught, ensuring that you will remember it. 


If there are points that you have forgotten, consult other practitioners who were present. In that way, day after day you will be able to add the points noted in that day's session to those made during previous days, so that you will recollect all the points from all the days.

By doing this, you will gradually train the faculties of recollection and retention. And you will become more and more able to retain more and more Dharma.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What attitude should we adopt when we begin to listen to Dharma?

When we begin to listen to a session of Dharma, it is important to establish a momentum of intention by thinking at the start: "During this session, I will listen well to the teachings and will do my best to remember them." 

When the guru says something that we find particularly striking, we should make the resolution "I must, at all costs, remember this clearly."

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

How does one avoid the defect of being like a vessel filled with poison?

The remedy for the defect of being like a filthy or poisoned vessel is to ensure that our motivation for listening to the teachings and while listening to the teachings is pure, is immaculate, is stainless.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What is the defect of being like a vessel filled with poison?

The defect of being a poisonous or filthy vessel is like when one pours something or places food or drink in a container that is either dirty or contains poison. Although the vessel holds the food or drink that is placed inside, the food and drink becomes unusable because it has been filled with filth or poison. 



This is an analogy for when one's body is physically present among the ranks of listeners to the Dharma teaching, one listens well to it and one even remembers it so that one can repeat what was said to others, but it is useless for one's own benefit, because while listening one has been motivated by one or more of the three poisons. 

This motivation has polluted one's act of listening to the Dharma so that what one hears is of no help to one's mind, and even beyond that, may contribute to the ruination of oneself and others.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

How does one avoid the defect of being like a leaky vessel?

The remedy for the defect of being like a leaky vessel is to ensure that one not forget what one has heard, but to carefully store all that one has heard in one's mind.

His Holiness, 17th Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What is the defect of being a leaky vessel?

The defect of being a leaky vessel is to fail to retain what is being taught. This is like a pot with a hole, so that no matter how much water is poured into the pot, eventually all the water will leak out, and not so much as a drop will remain for future use. 

This means that one's body is present, one attempts to listen to what is said, but makes no effort to retain what is being taught. Therefore, when later one needs to use the instructions in practice, one will have no recollection.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

How does one avoid the defect of being an upside down vessel?

In the Sutras we find the repeated injunction "Listen well, and fully, and retain what you have heard in your mind!" This is reference to avoiding the three defects of a faulty vessel.

The first injunction, to listen well, means to listen with enthusiasm, to listen with longing, to listen with a full and focused intention and in doing so, we avoid the defect of being an upside down vessel.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What is the defect of being an upside-down vessel?

There are three defects of a faulty vessel, which are used as analogies for how one should listen to the Dharma. 

The first defect is to be an upside-down vessel: if a bowl or cup is upside down, no matter how much water or liquid you pour into it, not a drop of it will will remain in the vessel. 

And this is an analogy  for someone who is at a Dharma teaching, but does not listen, does not direct their mind to what is being said. 

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

How should the Dharma be listened to?

With regard to how we actually listen to Dharma, it is said that we should be free from the three faults of a defective vessel, and possess the six positive aspects of listening.

In the Sutras we find the repeated injunction "Listen well, and fully, and retain what you have heard in your mind!" This is reference to avoiding the three defects of a faulty vessel.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa
Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What are benefits of listening to Dharma?

Hearing Dharma enables one to understand it. 
Hearing Dharma turns one away from wrongdoing
Hearing leads to knowledge of dharmas - it teaches one what to accept and what to reject.

In terms of what is accomplished through hearing - one accomplishes all the benefits associated with the three trainings. 

By hearing the Vinaya, since the Vinaya primarily describes the training of great moral discipline, one gains the benefit of great moral discipline.

By hearing the Sutras since the Sutras primarily describe the training of great samadhi, one develops the benefits of the training of great samadhi. 

And by hearing the Abhidharma, in the same way, one develops the benefits of the training in great discernment."

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What is the best way to listen to Dharma?

"Whenever we listen to teachings on Dharma, and we need to know what is required of both teachers and listeners.

The first thing in learning how to listen to Dharma, is to reflect upon the benefits of doing so.

We need to reflect upon the fact that having this precious human body for as long as we have it - until we are struck by the mara of death - we have this opportunity to listen to and reflect upon wondrous Dharma, which is a certain cause of unsurpassable awakening."

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What conduct contradicts taking refuge in the Dharma?

For example, a large number of people go to Kagyu Monlam. We bring along with us a lot of gossip... We spend too much time speaking of the faults of others, or trying to push one another's buttons. Also... much of our conversation seems to center around complaints and misgivings. 

But when we do this, we really need to turn inward and look at what we are doing.

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What can be done to bring the practice of Dharma into daily life?

As ordinary beings, of course we all have faults. We are not just ordinary beings, we are Dharma practitioners, which means that we have a responsibility. We have the responsibility to not focus on one another's faults, but to focus on one another's virtues, and this is like the life-tree of our Dharma.

We may say "I take refuge in the Dharma" but do we actually focus on what is good in others, on their virtues? If we do not, if we focus on others defects, then our taking refuge in the Dharma is really just words. 

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What must be done to ensure going for refuge is effective?

It is insufficient to merely recite the words of the vow of refuge. It is necessary that we actually entrust ourselves without reservation to the Three Jewels. If we do so, it is certain that the Three Jewels will protect us. 

Although we may experience the results in this life of our karmas or actions from previous lives, and it may cause us to wonder if the power of ability to protect us of the Three Jewels has somehow been weakened, if we persevere and continue to entrust ourselves to the Three Jewels, it is certain that we will be protected fully in future lives. 

If on the other hand, as soon as something slight goes wrong for us, we think "Oh, the Three Jewels lack compassion" or we turn elsewhere, divination, medical treatment, or so-on, these are signs of small mindedness. The temporary appearance of the protection of the Three Jewels not being evident is simply a result of our own failing to pray to them with sincerity. It is impossible that the Three Jewels could lack blessing. 

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What is the most important aspect of going for refuge?

The feeling of going for refuge is especially important. Sometimes people put too much emphasis on creating a clear image of the sources of refuge, without having first gained any feeling or appreciation for the act of going for refuge itself. 

If on the other hand, we first seek an understanding of and intense feeling of going for refuge, then gradually, clarity of image or clear appearance will arise of itself. Clarity of image without appreciation and feeling will not bring same benefits.

His Holiness, 17th Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What does it mean when things go badly, in spite of having taken refuge?

The temporary appearance of the protection of the Three Jewels not being evident is simply a result of our own failing to pray to them with sincerity. It is impossible that the Three Jewels could lack blessing. 

Recollecting the importance of trust, no matter what happens, whether things go well or ill, entrust yourself entirely to the Three Jewels, and never despair.

His Holiness, 17th Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

How should one uphold one's taking refuge?

Always recollecting the qualities of the Three Jewels, think of them with faith, and diligently pray to them. 

Do not accumulate wrongdoing through careless gossip or denigration of others. 

Regard all images of Buddhas bodies, speech, and minds, as well as all who wear the robes of the Sangha as Three Jewels and treat them with respect and veneration. 

Do not place any image of the Three Jewels on the bare ground or where they will be damaged. 

Do not even think of selling or pawning images of the Three Jewels.

Have such respect for the Three Jewels that you do not step over even a fragment of a tsa-tsa or a single letter from a text.

His Holiness, 17th Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What does one have to do to genuinely go for refuge?

For going for refuge to be fully authentic, it must possess four attributes:

The first is an understanding of the qualities of the Three Jewels, as described, for example, in the Sutra of the Recollection of the Exalted Three Jewels.

The second is to understand the superiority or difference of the Buddha, as opposed to other teachers, the Dharma as opposed to incorrect paths, and the Sangha as opposed to the communities of other traditions.  

The third, is to be fully committed to going for refuge with an attitude free from reservation, based on one's understanding of the qualities and superiority of the Three Jewels.

And the fourth is, even at the cost of one's life, never to seek any source of refuge other than the Three Jewels. 

His Holiness, 17th Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What does it mean to really take refuge in the Dharma?

When we take refuge in the Dharma, we are taking refuge in all of the truth of the path and the truth of cessation.

We need to investigate whether we are putting the truth of the path and the truth of cessation into practice. 

It is not enough that we say "I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Dharma."



His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa
Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What is needed in order to successfully go for refuge?

"What is most important is to understand the meaning of taking refuge, and to take refuge with strong and intense feelings that accompany doing so.

It is very important that taking refuge be a practice and a part of our daily life ongoing."

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

How do I find a qualified spiritual teacher?

"In many sutras and tantras, with regard to reliance upon spiritual friends, it is very hard to find a spiritual friend or master who is perfect, who possesses every quality and lacks any flaws. 

But it is sufficient to rely on a spiritual friend who has the most qualities and the least flaws."

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

I became a Buddhist because I want to be happy. Why do I still have suffering?

...while all beings want happiness, what we get is suffering. The reason why we don't get what we want, and why we get what we don't want, is because our wishes and our actions are contradictory to one another."

"While we wish for happiness, we do not engage in virtuous actions, the causes of happiness. While we wish not to suffer, we do engage in non-virtuous actions that are causes of suffering. Therefore, we are reborn in the three lower realms and suffer terribly there. So we need to understand and fear the intense and prolonged suffering of lower rebirth."

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa
Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What causes one to take refuge?

Since the precious human body is necessary for the achievement of liberation, we must understand its fragility. And also understand that when the human body is destroyed, one automatically goes through rebirth. 

And we have no idea and no way to know where or as what we are going to be born.

Therefore, through understanding this, we give rise to fear of the sufferings of  samsara. That fear is what inspires us to seek authentic sources of refuge from the sufferings of samsara. 

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa

Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Why do Dharma teachings frequently mention having a human body?

"The recognition of pervasiveness of suffering depends upon one gaining a precious human body, with its freedoms and resources. 

And also, one must recognize the fragility and impermanence of that human body, that the human state is like a butter lamp that is running out of fuel."

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa
Ogyen Trinley Dorje

What is required in order to achieve enlightenment?

"While our ultimate purpose is the achievement of enlightenment, the achievement of that depends on our giving rise to an authentic and intense desire to be free. This desire to be free depends upon a recognition of the pervasiveness of suffering in samsara."

His Holiness, 17th Gyalwang Karmapa
Ogyen Trinley Dorje

next post

What conduct contradicts taking refuge in the Dharma?
For example, a large number of people go to Kagyu Monlam. We bring along with us a lot of gossip... We spend too much time speaking of the faults of others, or trying to push one another's buttons. Also... much of our conversation seems to center around complaints and misgivings. 

But when we do this, we really need to turn inward and look at what we are doing.

What can be done to bring the practice of Dharma into daily life?
As ordinary beings, of course we all have faults. We are not just ordinary beings, we are Dharma practitioners, which means that we have a responsibility. We have the responsibility to not focus on one another's faults, but to focus on one another's virtues, and this is like the life-tree of our Dharma.

In many sutras and tantras, with regard to reliance upon spiritual friends, it is very hard to find a spiritual friend or master who is perfect, who possesses every quality and lacks any flaws. But it is sufficient to rely on a spiritual friend who has the most qualities and the least flaws. 

In relying upon a spiritual friend, and also in relating to one's Dharma friends, we need to be like bees that take the nectar from the flower, take what they need and do not adopt or take what they do not need. We therefore need to focus on the virtues of others, and not their flaws or defects. If we focus on defects of others, we will start to adopt defects of others, and there is simply no point in that. We are trying to improve ourselves, to increase our physical, verbal, and mental virtue. If therefore, we pay attention to the virtues of others, we will be inspired by them, and we will develop more faith, more devotion, more love, and more compassion. And this will be to our benefit.


We may say "I take refuge in the Dharma" but do we actually focus on what is good in others, on their virtues? If we do not, if we focus on others defects, then our taking refuge in the Dharma is really just words. 

The virtues of others are not recorded virtues, found in books. They are living virtues. We have the tendency to pay too little respect to the living virtues embodied in those around us. Especially in the case of someone we dislike, we will paint them in our minds as utterly negative, and convince ourselves that they have no virtues whatsoever. If we do that, there is danger that our taking refuge in the Dharma may simply be a matter of words. It is very important that we turn inward and think about this.


What constitutes a genuine or authentic vow of refuge?
What does one have to do to genuinely go for refuge?
For going for refuge to be fully authentic, it must possess four attributes:

The first is an understanding of the qualities of the Three Jewels, as described, for example, in the Sutra of the Recollection of the Exalted Three Jewels.

The second is to understand the superiority or difference of the Buddha, as opposed to other teachers, the Dharma as opposed to incorrect paths, and the Sangha as opposed to the communities of other traditions.  

The third, is to be fully committed to going for refuge with an attitude free from reservation, based on one's understanding of the qualities and superiority of the Three Jewels.

And the fourth is, even at the cost of one's life, never to seek any source of refuge other than the Three Jewels. 

If you possess these four attributes, then your vow of refuge will be fully authentic or genuine.

It is insufficient to merely recite the words of the vow of refuge. It is necessary that we actually entrust ourselves without reservation to the Three Jewels. If we do so, it is certain that the Three Jewels will protect us. 

Although we may experience the results in this life of our karmas or actions from previous lives, and it may cause us to wonder if the power of ability to protect us of the Three Jewels has somehow been weakened, if we persevere and continue to entrust ourselves to the Three Jewels, it is certain that we will be protected fully in future lives. 

If on the other hand, as soon as something slight goes wrong for us, we think "Oh, the Three Jewels lack compassion" or we turn elsewhere, divination, medical treatment, or so-on, these are signs of small mindedness. The temporary appearance of the protection of the Three Jewels not being evident is simply a result of our own failing to pray to them with sincerity. It is impossible that the Three Jewels could lack blessing. 

How should one uphold one's taking refuge?

• Therefore, always recollecting the qualities of the Three Jewels, think of them with faith, and diligently pray to them. 
• Do not accumulate wrongdoing through careless gossip or denigration of others. 
• Regard all images of Buddhas bodies, speech, and minds, as well as all who wear the actual robes of the Sangha as the actual Three Jewels and treat them with respect and veneration. 
• Do not place any image of the Three Jewels on the bare ground or where they will be damaged. 
• Do not even think of selling images of the Three Jewels, or pawning them. 
• Have such respect for the Three Jewels that you do not step over even a fragment of a tsa-tsa or a single letter from a text.

Recollecting kindness, constantly engage in devooted behavior, such as prostrations, offerings, and praise; i.e articulate devotion with body, speech, and mind.

Recollecting compassion, inspire others to go for refuge, and speak to them of qualities of Three Jewels.

Recollecting benefits of doing so, go for refuge three times during each day, and three times during each night.

Recollecting the defects of doing so, even at the cost of your life, do not abandon the sources of refuge.

What does it mean when things go badly, in spite of having taken refuge?
The temporary appearance of the protection of the Three Jewels not being evident is simply a result of our own failing to pray to them with sincerity. It is impossible that the Three Jewels could lack blessing. 

Recollecting the importance of trust, no matter what happens, whether things go well or ill, entrust yourself entirely to the Three Jewels, and never despair.


These four recollections are how you can ensure the continued protection by the three jewels throughout your life.

Having gone for refuge in the Buddha, do not rely on mundane gods.

Having gone for refuge in the Dharma, abandon all intentions and actions that are harmful to other beings.

Having gone for refuge to the Sangha, do not fall under the influence or keep company with extremists or those who are like extremists. 

When people accumulate the vow of refuge, normally people are doing prostrations. Technically, what shold be counted are refuge vows. The prostrations are not as important as the refuge vows themselves. Now, people count the prostrations and now the refuge vows. But one recitation of refuge vow should accompany each prostration. Ideally one wants to accumulate the refuge vows. 

Those who cannot do prostrations, if they accumulate 100,000 of refuge vows, this would be a proper performance of the first of the four preliminaries. I mention this so that you understand that in this first part of doing the preliminaries, i tis important to emphasize the act of going for refuge and the recitation of the refuge vow.

The feeling of going for refuge is especially important. Sometimes people put too much emphasis on creating a clear image of the sources of refuge, without having first gained any feeling or appreciation for the act of going for refuge itself. If on the other hand, we first seek an understanding of and intense feeling of going for refuge, then gradually, clarity of image or clear appearance will arise of itself. Clarity of image without appreciation and feeling will not bring same benefits.