Transcripts and video excerpts

Video 1. Lamrim is the Most Important Thing

(duration: 3 minutes)

(You can read the transcript of the video below. Alternatively, you can read the same transcript alongside the video by clicking here to download it or view it in a separate window.)

If our mind is not in renunciation, bodhichitta, and right view, then what happens is our mind is being under the control of timug dendzin marigpa,^[1] the ignorance holding the I as truly existent, [as well as] the aggregates and so forth. Being under the control of that, then the three poisonous minds arise, then constantly, we create samsara. We initiate samsara. We create samsara. In one day, one hour, one minute, so many times we create samsara, we begin samsara—tendrel yänlag chunyi,^[2] the twelve dependent related limbs. Even in one day, even in one hour, even in one minute, we start so many, so it is endless, endless samsara. So, you have to suffer all this.

Therefore, we need to practice Dharma. We need to realize renunciation to samsara, by realizing that samsara is only in the nature of suffering, like being in the midst of fire. Then we need to realize bodhichitta, and right view, especially that, the antidote. Right view is the direct antidote to samsara, to the root of samsara—ignorance, timug dendzin marigpa. The antidote is the wisdom realizing emptiness. We have to know the correct emptiness, not what is called “emptiness” by many different schools. [We have to know] the Prasangika view of emptiness, the most subtle dependent arising. This emptiness we have to realize, without mistake. That becomes sooooooooooooo most unbelievably important.

The most unbelievably important thing in our life is lamrim. The practice of the three principal aspects of the path is the most important thing. This is the most important, more important than a job, money, or anything else in our life. It is the most important thing.