Explore the Teachings of A Gift of Liberation with Interactive Outlines

Dive into the wisdom of A Gift of Liberation with our interactive outlines. Instantly access all the important ideas from this teaching, explore the original Tibetan text, and jump to the exact moment in the video where each topic is explained. Choose your path—English or Tibetan—and deepen your study with just a click.

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We’re excited to introduce an interactive way to engage with A Gift of Liberation, Thrust into the Palm of Your Hand. This project was created to fulfill a dream that Geshe Michael Roach has often shared—the desire to preserve and pass on the teachings of the Lam Rim for future generations. As he expressed:

“My teacher taught me this Lam Rim for over 25 years. I wanted to pass on this transmission. In Tibet, it’s considered important to pass on the blessing that I received from my teacher when he taught me this. So, I would like to pass on these teachings and then I would like you to pass them on to someone else. My dream is that I will teach you this Lam Rim and then you will pass it on to the next generation. I really hope that you will do that.”

To help fulfill this vision, we have created an interactive way to follow these teachings, preserving both the original Tibetan text and the oral transmission from Geshe Michael. He explained the importance of this preservation in his own words:

“I will be going very slowly through the original Tibetan text. To me, it’s the most beautiful thing in the world. I’m following the original Tibetan text because I want that also to be recorded. I was very fortunate that I met the great Lamas from Tibet when they came out. They’re gone now, but I want to pass that on. I want it recorded for people to come in later generations. I think it’s important for later generations.”

With this in mind, we now offer two ways to explore these precious teachings:

  1. Line-by-Line Tibetan Interactive Outline – This option presents the original Tibetan text line by line, along with images of the corresponding folios. Each line is linked to the teaching video, so when you click on a line, the video will open and start playing from the exact point where Geshe Michael explains that part of the text.
  2. English Interactive Outline – This option provides a structured breakdown of all the key ideas presented in each class. Every major topic is listed in order, and you can click on any section to instantly open the YouTube video at the exact moment where that topic is being discussed.

This means that whether you’re following the structured outline in English or studying the Tibetan text, you can jump directly to the part of the video where that topic or passage is being taught—making it easy to connect the text, translation, and oral commentary.

This project is a step toward making Geshe Michael’s vision a reality—ensuring that the transmission he received, and so lovingly passed on, will remain in the world for generations to come. Select an option below to continue this journey and help carry the blessings of these teachings forward.

Table of Contents

English Interactive Outline

Class 1

Time Topic
0:00 Introduction
2:02 Expanding the Teaching Scope: Developing and Sharing Advanced Buddhist Studies
3:30 Deep Dive into Core Teachings: Introducing "A Gift of Liberation Thrust into The Palm of Your Hand"
5:16 Vision for Teaching Succession: Fostering Future Teachers
9:00 Interactive Learning and Community Building
12:00 Long-Term Educational Commitment and Its Impacts
14:57 Lamrim emphasis on changing your heart vs. analytical teachings
15:36 Geshe Michael details his teaching approach. He plans to read and then explain the text in the old Tibetan way, which he rarely gets to practice due to his engagements in more contemporary seminars focussed on success in business or relationships
18:03 Meaning of the title of the text
19:33 Focus on the Authenticity of the lineage and unbroken oral tradition
20:20 The vision for practical application of teachings and integration of ancient wisdom in modern contexts
26:26 Being an example for others. The most effective way to teach is through one's actions and life choices, rather than solely through direct instruction
29:26 The structured, step-by-step approach of the Lamrim
30:44 Pabongka Rinpoche: This text we are studying was actually notes on a 21 day Lamrim teaching given in 1921 by Pabongka Rinpoche (1878-1941)
31:51 Trijang Rinpoche: The story of the preservation of these teachings is emphasized through the dedication of a young reincarnated Lama named Trijang Rinpoche (1901-1981) who attended the sessions and later devoted much of his life to compiling and clarifying the notes he took
34:48 Starting from the end with Meditation and Emptiness: Geshe Michael discusses the structured progression through the Lamrim teachings and his decision to adjust the traditional sequence for this course
38:16 Meditation & Emptiness as the key to unlocking potential and changing the world
39:47 Skipping to Pabongka's teaching on meditation from the 21st day of the teaching
40:24 Maitreya on the integration of theory and practice
41:47 Global Aspirations & the 6 Perfections
43:35 Navigating the Pathways of Spiritual Growth: Geshe Michael's approach to the 3 capacities in Lamrim teachings
46:28 The 6 Steps to Mastering Meditation
47:42 Trijang Rinpoche's visual aid for mastering meditation
53:09 How do you define the highest and deepest form of meditation?
57:31 Meditation as a Gateway to Higher Experiences
1:00:39 If you want to save the world or just yourself you have to see emptiness directly and you can't do that if you can't reach perfect meditation
1:03:48 The importance of meditation for deeply grasping all the steps of the Lamrim
1:12:09 The 6 Steps to effectively learn meditation
1:12:44 Step 1. Summary of the 6 conditions you need to get ready even before you even sit down to meditate
1:15:58 1. Summary of the Conducive Physical Environment for Meditation (5 Parts)
1:18:12 1st of 5 Specific Qualities of a Meditation Space: Things should be easy to find
1:22:18 2nd of 5 Specific Qualities of a Meditation Space: It should be a perfect place
1:29:19 3rd of 5 Specific Qualities of a Meditation Space: It should be a perfect location
1:40:44 5th of 5 Specific Qualities of a Meditation Space: You should have all the required articles for meditation
1:49:22 3rd of the conditions you need to get ready even before you even sit down to meditate: You have to learn to be happy with what you already have
1:52:57 5th of the conditions you need to get ready even before you even sit down to meditate: You must become a highly ethical person
1:54:49 4th of the conditions you need to get ready even before you even sit down to meditate: You have to start giving up excess stimulation and activity
2:20:15 6th of the conditions you need to get ready even before you even sit down to meditate: You should try to clean your mind of all those random thoughts
2:23:02 Review of all the 6 conditions you need to get ready even before you even sit down to meditate

Class 2, Part 1

Time Topic
0:00 Introduction & Review of Class 1: Review of the six different conditions to get ready for your meditation practice even before you actually sit down and meditate
0:27 1. You will need a place to meditate which is conducive to meditation
4:36 2. You have to reduce your needs
5:04 3. You have to learn to be happy with what you already have
6:31 4. You have to start giving up excess stimulation and activity
6:57 5. You must become a highly ethical person
8:21 6. You should try to clean your mind of all those random thoughts
8:49 Which is most important? Ethical practices are not merely preparatory but are integral to the meditation process itself, enhancing both personal growth and spiritual development throughout the steps of the path to enlightenment
11:42 Why it's gong to take so long to finish this course series. Understanding the Scope of the Teachings
13:40 Starting from the end: Geshe Michael reiterates his innovative approach to teaching the sections on meditation and emptiness from Pabongka Rinpoche's Gift of Liberation. He mentions that traditionally, these topics are taught towards the end of the Lamrim teachings, but he has chosen to address them first
14:48 The 2nd of the 6 steps to effectively learn meditation: The actual instructions on how to meditate
15:03 Nothing works! 'Separating Extremes from the Middle'. Here in The Gift of Liberation, Pabongka RInpoche mentions teachings from a text written 16 centuries ago by Maitreya, considered the next Buddha in our world. This text offers systematic techniques on how to meditate effectively
17:18 Addressing Common Meditation Challenges: Brief Introduction to the 5 Problems and the 8 Ways to Stop Those Problems
18:31 1st of the 5 Problems: (Lelo) Identifying and Conquering Laziness in Meditation
19:29 2nd of the 5 Problems: Forgetting the Meditation Instructions
19:40 3rd of the 5 Problems: Navigating Between the Two Extremes of Meditation
25:38 4th of the 5 Problems: Failing to action when you should be
25:47 5th of the 5 Problems: Taking action when you shouldn’t
26:22 Pabongka Rinpoche stresses the importance of these traditional sources for anyone seeking to deeply understand and practice meditation
27:41 “People Like You and Me”: Accessibility and Relatability
29:21 Encouragement to Use Proven Methods & Critique of Modern Disregard for Classics
32:46 Je Tsongkapa's strong warning about not using authentic and proven instructions on meditation
43:05 Je Tsongkapa on the extremely dangerous risks of subtle dullness in meditation
47:29 Dangers of Mahamudra meditation without clear goals and purpose
51:06 No Tolerance for BS! The importance of rigorous scrutiny in teaching and practice & the beauty of Je Tsongkapa's approach
55:42 From fixing your car all the way up to the highest levels of spiritual practice: Learning the 5 problems and 8 fixes are crucial
57:53 Your mind is like a beautiful work of art: You have an opportunity now to repaint your own mind
59:45 Beginning of detailed instruction of the 5 meditation problems and the 8 ways to stop those problems
1:00:18 1st of the 5 Problems: (Lelo) Identifying and Conquering Laziness in Meditation
1:00:55 4 of the 8 antidotes are targeted at the 1st problem of meditation (Lelo): 1. Admiration (དད་པ, dé pa) 2. Aspiration (འདོད་པ, dö pa) 3. Effort (ཚུལ་བ་, tsulwa) 4. Getting good at it! (གཞིན་སྔགས, shinjang)
1:01:31 How antidotes 1-4 are like a high school crush
1:09:48 What real meditation feels like. Single pointed focus in meditation: "Ting nge dzin" (སྒྲིབ་མེད་གི་ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན)
1:13:09 Pabongka RInpoche's definition of the 1st meditation problem (Lelo: not feeling like meditating)
1:13:53 The most important antidote for the 1st meditation problem: Shinjang

Class 2, Part 2

Time Topic
0:00 1st of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 1st problem of meditation): Admiration (དད་པ, dé pa)
0:13 A list of all the things that are cool about meditation from Master Shantideva:
0:47 1. We will avoid the problems of a distracted state of mind, which will ruin our spiritual practice
2:45 2. We can apply our mind firmly to whatever virtuous project or practice we choose
3:46 3. We get faster results from these undertakings because of this firmness of mind
5:12 4. We even find ourselves attaining clairvoyance and other miraculous powers
10:34 5. Our sleep itself turns to deep meditation
10:54 6. Our mental afflictions noticeably lose their strength
12:08 7. Most importantly, because we have a good ability to meditate we are able to quickly and strongly achieve all the steps of the path to enlightenment that we are about to undertake with the guidance of this text
15:26 2nd of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 1st problem of meditation): Aspiration (འདོད་པ, dö pa)
16:06 3rd of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 1st problem of meditation): Effort (ཚུལ་བ་, tsulwa)
17:17 4th of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 1st problem of meditation): Getting good at it! (གཞིན་སྔགས, shinjang)
18:26 2nd of the 5 Problems: Forgetting the Meditation Instructions
23:31 #1 Job: You must choose an object of meditation
25:38 Discussion about meditation objects: Pabongka Rinpoche takes this opportunity to discuss what we should choose for our meditation object
26:34 Meditation objects that are a waste of time
33:49 Worthy meditation objects
39:17 You become what you meditate on. Geshe Michael warns against meditating on negative or harmful objects, such as enemies or personal antagonists. He explains that focusing on such objects can lead to absorbing their negative qualities. Instead, he advocates for choosing objects that embody the qualities one aspires to develop, such as compassion, wisdom, or peace, found in one's heart teacher or other holy beings
40:22 Pabongka Rinpoche's description of the actual meditation of visualizing a holy being
42:50 A shopping list of worthy meditation objects
47:24 4 ancient meditation objects that trace back to Buddha's teachings. Geshe Michael touches upon the significance of reviving meditation techniques that have not been widely taught for hundreds of years. He emphasizes the value of these ancient methods, suggesting that they provide profound insights and benefits that modern practices might overlook
49:47 1. The All-Inclusive Object (khyab pa)
53:25 2. An Object for Understanding (mkhas pa་)
55:40 3. Styles of Meditation which would improve your own behaviour (che ba nyam jong gyi mig pa)
58:19 4. Styles of meditation which are meant to effect your general negative emotions (nyon mongs nyam jong gyi mig pa)
1:03:49 Meditation on emptiness is always the "ultimate fix" for your negative emotions

Class 3

Time Topic
0:00 Introduction & Review
1:00 Discussion on choosing a meditation object that's right for you. Don’t think you have to cover all the 4 meditation objects we covered last class. Pick the one that suits you and stick with it. Put your mind on one that fits your heart
5:44 Don’t put large gaps in your practice. Keep it up daily
7:09 Why meditation problem 2 is called "Forgetting the instructions" when it means "losing the object of meditation"
11:48 5th of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 2nd problem of meditation): Remembering (Drenpa)
14:43 Different people have different abilities to (Remembering, Drenpa) sustain awareness on the meditation object
15:42 Definition of Drenpa (Remembering) from "The Compendium of Higher Learning" (Abhidharmsamuccayah). There are three elements in this definition: 1. Object Familiarity, 2. Preventing Distraction, and 3. Functionality
16:10 1. Object Familiarity
19:57 2. Drenpa (Recollection) prevents the mind from being drawn away from the meditation object. The minute you sit down to meditate it should come automatically or spontaneously
21:15 3. Functionality: Drenpa (Recollection) serves the function of keeping the meditation object present in the mind continuously
23:16 You get to the 3rd problem of meditation because you fixed problem 2
25:16 6th of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 3nd problem of meditation which is mental dullness or agitation): Watchfulness (Sheshin)
25:49 Identifying the Enemy: The different ways the mind sneaks away from the meditation object
27:43 Darkness (Rmugs Pa): Your body and mind feel heavy, and you feel like you’re about to fall asleep. It is either karmically neutral or negative, can't be karmically positive. It always leads to Jingwa (Mental Dullness)
32:37 *The most important part of the meditation instructions: The difference between Obvious Dullness (BYING BA RAGS PA) & Subtle Dullness (BYING BA PHRA MO)
33:59 Subtle dullness is a huge danger because you can have subtle dullness (BYING BA PHRA MO) while both Fixation (GNAS CHA) and Brightness / Freshness (GSAL CHA) on the object are being maintained
37:23 NGAR: An Intensity of the Freshness (GSAL CHA): This is what Subtle Dullness (BYING BA PHRA MO) is lacking
39:17 Slightly defective meditation is the worst enemy of all. The greatest obstacle to all meditation is Subtle Dullness (BYING BA PHRA MO)
41:34 Not having Intensity (Ngar) means that, while the mind has Fixation on the meditation object, it becomes too sloppy and loose. Pabongka Rinpoche says in this situation, if you overdo the Fixation it can send you into subtle dullness.
43:22 Having Freshness (GSAL CHA) with Intensity (Ngar) means you have a pleasant degree of concentration on the object. The intensity of your freshness is a pleasant concentration
44:45 An example of what it feels like to have Freshness (GSAL CHA) and Fixation (GNAS CHA) without Intensity (NGAR)
50:17 Pabongka Rinpoche says these are things you can only know through personal experience
51:28 When we say Freshness (GSAL CHA) and Clearness we're not referring to how clear the object of meditation looks, but we're speaking about the freshness / brightness of the mind. Losing Freshness feels like a shadow passed thorough your mind
52:46 Very Crucial Point: The grave danger of mistaking subtle dullness as good meditation
55:45 "Don't think about anything" is a huge misinterpretation and has led to many people wasting their entire lives meditating in a meaningless way
57:40 What will happen to you if you fail to identify subtle dullness in your own meditation?
1:04:34 Agitation (Göpa): The 2nd half of Meditation Problem 3
1:07:40 Definition of Agitation from the "Compendium of Higher Learning" (Abhidharmasamuccaya): The mind is distracted by something it finds attractive and then it becomes unsettled
1:12:04 The important difference between Agitation (Göpa) and wandering
1:15:40 If Agitation and a wandering mind are both obstacles to reaching Stillness at this point (problem 3), why is only Agitation mentioned?
1:20:37 Thinking of virtuous things to help others when you’re supposed to be developing single pointed concentration on another object is a bad thing and an obstacle to perfect meditation
1:22:20 Obvious vs. Subtle Agitation (Göpa)
1:27:20 6th of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 3st problem of meditation): Watchfulness (Sheshin): It's just ringing the alarm, so it's not the actual direct antidote, but traditionally it's called the antidote because unless you have it you'll never apply the direct antidote
1:31:43 Interesting and subtle points to understand about Watchfulness (Sheshin)
1:33:35 In Mahamudra, when the object of meditation is your own mind, how does Watchfulness (Sheshin) apply then?

Class 4

Time Topic
0:00 Introduction
1:53 The function of Watchfulness (Sheshin): 6th of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 3rd problem of meditation)
5:06 Awareness' (Drenba) job is just to hold the object. It's Watchfulness' (Sheshin) job to watch whether Awareness (Drenba) has lost the object or not and rings the alarm if the object is indeed lost
5:50 Awareness (Sheshin) is not considered one of the 51 mental functions by itself. Pabongka Rinpoche says It should be included with wisdom
6:40 4th of the 5 Meditation Problems: Failing to action when you should be: (because sheshin awareness detected either jingwa (dullness) or gopa (agitation)
7:54 7th of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 4th problem of meditation): Take Action. Do Something!
8:44 Have to apply to appropriate antidote for the specific problem. Different antidotes for each 4: subtle dullness, obvious dullness, obvious agitation, & subtle agitation
9:54 If you detect subtle dullness stay on the same object but tighten down slightly on the object in the way that you would tighten your hand slightly if the tea were about to fall. But if you tighten down too much, you will get agitation and have to loosen up a bit on the object
16:51 Lord Buddha himself when discussing mediation compared it to the string on a guitar. Not too loose or too tight. You must use just the right amount of effort
19:24 How does it feel to go too far in tightening or loosening on the object when fixing meditation problem 4?
22:15 One of the most dangerous enemies is someone who is mistaken for a friend because it's hard to see their harmful intentions. Your own mind is pretending to be your friend when it goes into subtle dullness.
25:50 Antidotes for Dullness
50:33 Antidotes for Subtle Agitation
53:14 Story about King Shuddhodana (Lord Buddha's father)
1:03:00 The purpose of breath meditation was only as a drastic antidote to agitation in meditation. It’s good temporarily for bringing the mind back, but then you must go on to a real meditation object. Unfortunately breath meditation got popular and people lost real meditation objects
1:12:11 Don’t let your meditation cushion become your enemy. Stop your meditation while you’re still having a good time. Pabongka Rinpoche advocates for short meditation sessions in the beginning
1:14:08 Never stop anything on a bad note. This also applies to things in our lives like relationships and jobs. Resolve it first, then move on. Otherwise, you'll take those negative karmic seeds with you
1:16:15 Stop at the place where things are going great and you could squeeze another 10 minutes of great meditation. Stop there, because you will love your meditation cushion. You will part on good terms
1:17:51 Fighting the mind is exhausting. Later on when you sit down to meditate, you’ll take off from that point where you were exhausted. If you leave your meditation low, it will start low next time
1:22:00 Closing remarks and advice

Class 5

Time Topic
0:00 Introduction & Review
0:57 Short sessions: The key to avoiding negative meditation habits
6:58 If you keep up this practice of many short meditation sessions your fixation on the object will start to get longer by itself
7:37 Review of the 5 problems of meditation
11:16 5th of the 5 Problems: Taking action when it is not necessary
13:15 8th of the 8 antidotes (targeted at the 5th problem of meditation): Leave it Alone
13:48 Agitation & dullness persist until the 8th meditation level, where they are subdued. Attempting to fix them at this stage disrupts meditation.
18:24 Dangerous misinterpretations of the 8th antidote and meditation level have been common throughout history.
25:14 These meditation principles apply to all spiritual practices, from the beginning to the highest completion stage meditations in tantra
26:09 The practical steps for doing your meditation practice now that you know the theory of the prerequisites, 9 levels, 5 problems and 8 antidotes
26:55 The 7-point posture of Vairocana: Legs, Eyes, Spine, Shoulders, Chin, Teeth, Tongue (sometimes Breath).
37:13 Breath-watching is a preparatory step, not the main meditation. Shift focus to powerful meditative objects afterward. It was never meant to be the main meditation object!
40:07 Example of a powerful meditation object (Enlightened Being) and visualization details.
41:53 Don’t worry if the object isn't clear initially.
42:17 The 3 types of meditation: Fixed (Jokgom), Analytical (Chegom), Review (Shargom).
47:37 Visualization tips for fixed meditation of a holy being.
51:11 A simple yet powerful meditation object helps explore dullness and agitation—wisdom from past meditators.
52:50 Combat dullness by bonding tighter to the object; combat agitation by trying to stop any distraction of the mind
53:35 Further advice for developing fixation on the object and dealing with dullness and agitation.
57:40 Ultimately, whether you can stay on the object or keep your mind fresh has nothing to do with your conscious effort in the moment. What are the real causes for having a great meditation?
59:46 Don't be one of those people who says they are a meditator and has no clue about the details of meditation
1:00:05 You have to develop a meditation that has both of those things: clarity of the object and freshness of mind, and that includes the ability to tighten down on the hold of the object perfectly
1:00:43 Tie the mind to the object as if physically binding it.
1:01:06 Detect dullness & agitation *before* they occur. Use the watchdog mind (Sheshin) to apply the appropriate antidote: Dullness = tighten up and agitation = loosen up
1:03:39 Achieving single-pointedness of mind.
1:04:00 Defining "single-pointed meditation."
1:04:56 Like your favorite song. Maintain intensity of freshness in single-pointed meditation.
1:07:17 True mahamudra meditation: Meditate on the mind’s true nature. Only watching the mind or thoughts is not a useful meditation object.
1:08:48 True Mahamudra meditation avoids meditation problems and achieves single-pointedness more easily.
1:13:06 In a mahamudra meditation you have a unique option for stopping agitation or dullness, take it as the object of meditation
1:15:15 Choose a meditation object that's naturally attractive to you.
1:17:15 Goals, metrics, and the importance of knowing your meditation level.
1:20:46 Introduction to the 9 levels of meditation.
1:23:50 Detail of Meditation Level 1: Setting the mind on the object
1:27:17 Detail of Meditation Level 2: Keeping the mind on the object with brief continuity
1:32:29 Review: Applying the 8 antidotes to the 5 problems results in 9 levels. You'll be applying 6 powers to go progress through the 9 levels. The last thing are 4 modes of the mind.
1:34:49 Detail of Meditation Level 3: Keeping the mind on the object, with patches where you lose the object

Class 6

Time Topic
0:00 Intro
0:07 Detail of Meditation Level 4: Maintaining the mind tightly on the object
2:40 Detail of Meditation Level 5: Controlling the Mind
7:27 The key to remembering the 9 levels: If you know why each level is different, then that defines the level
8:36 Detail of Meditation Level 6: Pacifying the Mind
11:44 Detail of Meditation Level 7: Pacifying the Mind Totally
17:47 Detail of Meditation Level 8: Making the Mind Single-Pointed
23:51 Detail of Meditation Level 9: Achieving Equilibrium (Deep Meditation)
27:26 Different levels of meditation are sometimes named by where which realm you go to if you suddenly die when doing it
34:28 What it feels like to pass through the 9 levels
36:55 Wrapping up the 9 levels by repeating how each level differs from the one before it
46:32 The beginning of day 22 of Pabongka Rinpoche's teaching. Using perfect meditation to see emptiness directly
48:22 A Bird Needs 2 Wings: A Famous Quotation by Master Chandrakirti
50:20 The difference between the deceptive and ultimate forms of the Wish for Enlightenment (Bodhichitta)
56:41 Summary of the 6 powers which help you move up through the 9 levels of meditation
59:39 Summary of the 4 modes of the mind in which the mind goes through the 9 levels
1:06:21 Level number 9 is still not enough to see emptiness directly. You need level 9 plus enhancements
1:07:31 Level 9 is only an approximation of Shamatha
1:08:18 How do we move from level 9 to real Shamatha? You need Shinjang
1:11:11 What is the real meaning of Shingjang?
1:16:28 The 2 forms of Shinjang: Mental & Physical
1:17:45 A discussion of movements of pranic energy through the body triggered by deep states of meditation
1:19:17 The difficult and important concept of GNAS NGAN LEN: Extremely subtle seeds and related prana for negative states of mind

Class 7

Time Topic
0:00 Review
0:32 Chance of getting distracted by the bliss of Shinjang. Let it go a bit so you don't get lost in the good feeling and stay single-pointed on object of meditation
2:06 Shamantha: Beyond Level 9 - The perfect platform to see emptiness directly (BSAM GTAN DANG PO'I NYER BSDOGS MI LCOGS MED)
8:38 The ONLY goal of meditation is to reach a very specific level of concentration for seeing emptiness directly. Then you can use the power of that experience to change the whole world
11:48 Emptiness, pens, chew toys, and saving the world
15:31 "What we cannot afford not to have" - Breaking down the name of the perfect meditation level to see emptiness directly
16:53 You could, but what's the point? if you kept working on your meditation you could go through the 4 form and formless realm meditations, which are deeper meditations but there's no point
18:17 Deep meditation can bring temporary peace and focus, but it does not lead to lasting change or enlightenment on its own. It's a mistake if not used as a tool to see the nature of reality directly
22:57 You can reach all the way to the peak of the 8 form and formless levels in deep meditation but it will still not stop your suffering and only temporarily suppress your mental afflictions
23:26 Quotations and stories from scripture to support this point about high levels of deep meditative concentration that are not focused on understanding emptiness being a total waste of time
29:39 Get to that special level of concentration (BSAM GTAN DANG PO'I NYER BSDOGS MI LCOGS MED) and stop there. The only point is to use that very specific subtle state of mind to see emptiness directly
30:46 A very deep and beautiful section of the text where Pabongka Rinpoche is warning against using meditation for the wrong purpose. It should only be used to investigate the real nature of things (emptiness). Even high meditators trying to do Mahamudra are doing it in a mistaken way
40:47 A spiritual path that leads nowhere! Mistaking subtle dullness for deep meditation
42:43 What's a lower Nirvana?
44:43 What does grasping the ultimate nature of the mind mean and what doesn't it mean?
51:45 The attempt to simply stay in the present moment without investigating the true nature of the present moment accomplishes nothing more than to waste your entire life
56:33 If you want to make your meditation into a spiritual practice; if you want it to take you somewhere, then join to that meditation some high ideal
57:20 4 examples of high ideals to focus your meditation upon which will actually take you somewhere useful
57:25 1. Bodhichitta: The Wish for Enlightenment
57:52 2. Renunciation: "I'm tired of seeing people suffer in my life and want to do something to stop it"
59:02 3. An examination of where things are really coming from: Emptiness
59:28 4. The act of taking refuge: Seek some real higher protection in your life
59:50 Meditation is a tool that has no benefit in and of itself. Join it with these high ideals to turn your meditation into the highest spiritual practice
1:01:07 2 mistakes in Tibet about Mahamudra and meditating on emptiness. Don't make them!
1:07:42 Don't get attracted to worthless paths
1:08:16 It's not sectarian to learn to distinguish between a path that will benefit you and a path that will not

Class 8

Time Topic
0:00 Introduction
2:29 To really appreciate each step of the Lamrim requires that you meditate and understand reality, so we're starting with the meditation and emptiness sections first which is normally taught near the end
3:03 The purpose of studying meditation is to use those deep states of meditation to see into the code that underlies reality and then tweak it to stop war and illness and death itself. The marriage of Shamantha & Vipashyana
14:27 Geshe Michael clarifies popular misconceptions about Emptiness & uses the "pen example" to teach about emptiness clearly and correctly
28:55 The Importance of learning the material well & taking responsibility to pass this knowledge to others
31:07 Beginning of Day 22 of Pabongka Rinpoche's Teaching: How to Develop Special Insight into Reality (Vipashyana). PR says, "now that you know how to meditate perfectly, I’m going to teach you the essence of wisdom (Vipashana)
32:48 This part of the teaching is made up of three sections: 1. An explanation of why you personally don’t exist in the way you thought, 2. then an explanation of why all the other stuff around you doesn’t exist in the way you thought, and 3.how to apply that in a deep state of meditation
36:53 Part 1. An explanation of why you personally don’t exist in the way you thought. This is divided into 2 sections: a. how to develop this realization during a state of deep meditation and b. how to sustain and develop this realization following the meditation
41:02 A. How to develop this realization during a state of deep meditation. This part is divided into 4 parts.
41:05 A1: Identifying the thing that was never there, and actually couldn't be there, that you always thought was there (Gakja)
49:53 A2: Ascertaining that it must be a certain way (we'll cover that later)
50:07 A3 & A4: Methods of proving that things don't exist the way you thought. The proof of emptiness called "neither one nor many"
50:58 The World's Approach: Just a temporary fix. Suppressing your negative emotions vs. eliminating them forever at the root
55:52 Not-Ultimate Meditation: Breath meditation is an example of a a meditation practice that is not "ultimate" because the result is only a temporary fix. It doesn't kill negative emotions at the root
56:23 Ultimate Meditation: We don’t want a meditation that makes us less angry, but one that destroys seeds of anger at the root. We’ are looking for a meditation which would permanently change the very capacity of anger to grow in the human mind
58:15 The Importance of the Proper Meditation Level: There are deeper levels of meditative concentration which are deeper than those required to see emptiness directly and change reality
1:06:24 If you don’t understand how reality works and you attempt to do the other 5 Bodhisattva perfections, you will being doing so without understanding how things work and they will not function to bring you to Liberation and stop your negative emotions
1:13:14 A bird with one wing cannot go anywhere: Need method + wisdom. To reach enlightenment you need both wings
1:20:20 Ripping the fabric of reality. Even a little suspicion that the teaching about emptiness is true is enough to put a little irreparable rip in the very reality of the suffering of the world around you. It will only grow bigger and eventually you will rip the suffering of the world apart
1:28:59 To understand emptiness though you need to create the proper causes and conditions. Here's a list:
1:30:49 1. You are going to have to find a person who truly grasps the meaning of the teachings on emptiness—someone who not only knows the books, but has personal experience—and you have to go to them for teachings and advice
1:31:17 Then you're going to have to go listen to them teach it
1:31:32 2. Doing practices that accumulate good karma and remove obstacles to understanding emptiness
1:35:05 3. Asking for help from holy beings. This is done in the privacy of your own heart and mind
1:38:13 You will need *all* the necessary preconditions. Don’t jump into the book and think you don’t need to serve others and ask for help and you just need to read the book. If you do that, you’ll never get it

Class 9, Part 1

Time Topic
0:00 Introduction & Review
8:29 The Highest View of Emptiness: The marriage of emptiness and dependent origination. There are 4 great traditions from ancient India to explain emptiness. There were many versions of emptiness taught by Lord Buddha himself; they were given to different audiences according to their capacity. They were different and contradictory
10:31 Demonstration of this highest view of emptiness (Prasangika branch of the Madhyamaka School) with a bottle of aspirin and an airplane
31:38 What "dependent origination" really means
32:23 What "emptiness" really means
33:31 How are "emptiness" and "dependent origination" connected or married?
35:14 The meaning of emptiness *is* dependent origination: The unique feature of the Highest Middle Way school. They mesh so closely that they are the opposite side of the same coin
36:16 Lord Buddha adjusted his presentation based on the capacity of his audience. This is how the 4 classical schools of Buddhism formed and the reason for the 3 turnings of the wheel of Dharma
37:28 To those of a lower capacity he first taught that the "self" is not real or substantial from its own side to help them overcome their attachment to a real self This resulted in the 2 Hinayana schools (the Vaibhashika and the Sautantrika schools)
43:20 Don't be a person who copes with problems well, be a person who makes them non-events. Learn to make them not happen in the first place
45:12 The Lord Buddha met people who were a little more capable and he taught them "some things truly exist and some things don't truly exist" (The Mind-Only School)
47:25 To others who were even more developed than this, he taught that things are not exactly real, but they do have some quality in them of their own. He did "advanced fudging" (Independent group of the Middle Way school)
48:01 To the very highest disciples Lord Buddha said *nothing* has any nature of its own. Nothing has anything inside it that works (Prasangika group of the Middle Way School)
48:57 The ultimate intent and the final meaning of Lord Buddha is only expressed by the Prasangika group of the Middle Way School. Only this is the real truth and the rest was only adjusting it for lower audiences
49:30 Who are the three great figures in our lineage of the teachings on emptiness. This discussion touches on how the teachings of emptiness have been preserved, lost, and rediscovered throughout history. Geshe Michael points out that these teachings are so subtle and profound that maintaining their purity and continuity has been a challenge, yet they have been preserved thanks to the efforts of a few key historical figures who truly grasped and propagated them
53:52 1. Arya Nagarjuna, who lived about 200 AD
55:30 Emptiness taught by someone who has seen it directly is completely different than emptiness taught by someone who hasn't seen it directly
58:53 The longer a philosophy stays in the world, the more corrupt it normally gets, but in Buddhism the opposite happened. There has been a lineage of teachings clarifying for the newer generations, so it’s gotten more and more simplified and clearer
1:00:16 Any of those presentations which are in accordance with how Arya Nagarjuna taught emptiness are also in accordance with what the Buddha meant
1:01:55 If someone gives you a teaching on emptiness that doesn’t apply to your life and doesn’t help you be kind to others as a direct result of understanding that emptiness, it’s not useful and it’s wrong
1:03:50 In Buddhism the teachings on emptiness are the most misunderstood, especially Nagarjuna's teachings
1:06:17 Not following Nagarjuna and just making things up. It’s one thing to follow a wrong ancient tradition and it’s another to make up something that’s wrong—that’s the worst
1:09:17 What are the 2 Realities? (Deceptive and Ultimate Reality)
1:10:50 Nothing Works! "Every action you every undertook that was successful wasn’t successful for the reason you thought"
1:14:41 2. Master Chandrakirti, who lived about 650 AD
1:17:12 The gradual degradation of authentic teachings on emptiness in Tibet
1:18:58 (3) Je Tsongkapa (1357-1419)
1:20:24 Je Tsongkapa's amazing journey to clarify the teachings on emptiness in Tibet

Class 9, Part 2

Time Topic
0:00 What's the point of learning all of this information on emptiness & how to meditate
3:12 What are we all doing here? We try to be calm and civilized in a world where everything must be destroyed
4:45 Just understand emptiness and it's not a big deal to fix the world; You're already halfway there
6:23 Meditation is just a tool, like a microscope. You have to have something to put under it. Now we are starting the section on to what to put the microscope on
9:41 Je Tsongkapa was frustrated by the misunderstandings about emptiness in his time. He worked hard and got it extraordinarily straight, so the version of emptiness you get here is correct
15:46 Je Tsongkapa was told by Manjushri that if he wanted a very clear and correct explanation of emptiness to study Master Chandrakirti's writings which were based on Arya Nagarjuna's teachings
18:57 Je Tsongkapa's explanations are top notch but difficult; they take hard work, meditation, and a good teacher. But if you attack emptiness through JT’s explanation of it you can see emptiness directly
21:27 Understanding emptiness with the threefold process of learning, contemplation, and wisdom
22:38 Now Pabongka Rinpoche says he will now begin a short introduction to emptiness based on Je Tsongkapa's teachings
23:39 Starting the teachings on emptiness with the emptiness of the self (GANG ZAG GI BDAG MED); the emptiness of "you". Trying to establish that "you" are not who you thought you were
25:38 Quote from Aryadeva about 3 things we should do with our life: 1. stop things which are not goodness. 2. stop thinking of "you" as you. 3. stop all the ways you look at things
27:11 Sections of Lamrim for those of lowest & medium capacity are meant to stop: 1. things which are not goodness
28:53 Sections of Lamrim for those of highest capacity are meant to stop: 2. thinking of "you" as you (emptiness of self) & 3. all the ways you look at things (emptiness of things)
29:33 Pabongka Rinpoche is justifying his decision to teach the "emptiness of self" first based on this quote from Aryadeva's 3 step process
30:52 There is no difference in the "emptiness" when distinguishing between the "emptiness of self" and the "emptiness of things". They are both something which is not there. The difference is the thing
32:59 All emptinesses are equally nonexistent, but the "emptiness of you" is specific to you and the "emptiness of a thing" is specific to that thing. They are not much different in their content but in whom or what they apply to
35:32 It's more effective to start with the "emptiness of self" than the "emptiness of things" says Pabongka Rinpoche. Because it's intimate to you let's attack it first
36:44 There are many different classical ways to prove emptiness. Some of the famous proofs of emptiness:
37:25 1. Things are empty because they depend on other things (RTEN 'BREL GYI RIGS PA)
39:24 The ultimate test of a good proof of emptiness is one which actually helps you in a clear and practical way to completely and permanently stop your suffering and change the world
42:19 In class 10 we'll discuss the proof of emptiness which has 7 parts (RNAM BDUN GYI RIGS PA)

Class 10