Rinpoche began by explaining the reason to come to Kopan. It is to learn about Buddhadharma and to learn about our lives. In reality we have been hallucinating from beginningless rebirths. So, we come to Kopan to learn lamrim and from this you come to know more about yourself and to learn about the meaning and purpose of your life. So many people commit suicide or have very strong depression because of not knowing the meaning of their life. But by coming to Kopan, we are studying about our life and what you can do with our life, to bring happiness, how to be free from death, rebirth, sickness and old age. Rinpoche then spoke about the three great meanings of this precious human life, to not be reborn in the lower realms, by protecting karma, refraining from non-virtuous actions and practicing virtuous actions. By abandoning the ten non-virtues and practicing the ten virtues and living in morality. This is how you can become free from samsara, by ceasing the cause of samsara – delusion and karma then you can achieve ultimate happiness, everlasting happiness. By abandoning the I and instead cherishing all sentient beings, not only those you love, but every sentient being. All your happiness comes from others and all your suffering comes from cherishing I. It is this concept of the real I, that we have been believing in from beginningless rebirths. Not only believing there is a real I, but cherishing it so much. But the minute that you think that I am here in this world to serve others, then suddenly you find happiness, then you can smile. With bodhichitta then everything you do is only for sentient beings. This makes your life most meaningful and most happy. Then everything that you do with your body speech and mind it becomes the cause of happiness for all sentient beings. That is the highest meaning of life and purpose of life. Then there was question: How to keep our mind in bodhichitta all the time? Rinpoche explained we have to train the mind in this, starting with doing the morning motivation and then to keep the mind in lamrim, the whole lamrim not just some part, this is laying the foundation. Then to keep your mind in awareness of bodhichitta, mindful and to dedicate all your activities for sentient beings. Your main goal and practice should be bodhichitta, that is most important thing not to miss out. This is what makes your life most happy. This is what you should study and practice as much as possible, to be able to achieve bodhichitta in this life. Then other main practice is to practice the good heart, to not harm others, even insects and to be kind to everybody day and night. Then all the good qualities and realizations come. If you want to achieve enlightenment then practice one dharma – great compassion, then all the buddhas qualities will come to you without effort.
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