The Third Dalai Lama's Refined Gold & Shantideva's Guide; 11th-March-2007 (Day 7 of 9; Afternoon) - Dalai Lama Audio Teachings on Tibetan Buddhism Podcast

Summary: Nagarjuna, is widely regarded as a second Buddha. Several years ago, His Holiness met an Indian scientist who told him that reading Nagarjuna’s book Fundamental Wisdom he was proud to note the correspondence between his explanation of dependent arising and contemporary quantum theory. Those of us who follow Nagarjuna need to consider three points as themes of our practice, making effort in the awakening mind of bodhichitta, generating universal compassion wishing that all sentient beings be free from suffering and the wisdom understanding emptiness. Shantideva, author of the Guide, himself a follower of Nagarjuna explains that all happiness arises from cherishing others, and all misfortune comes from self-centrednesss. He portrays the fight with self-centredness as a dramatic struggle between the aspiring bodhisattva self and the old selfish self. His Holiness recalls that traditionally the Bodhisattva�s career takes three countless aeons, making the attempt to achieve Buddhahood in three years seem like ambitious propaganda. His Holiness performs the preliminaries for an empowerment of Avaloliteshvara at the request of some Chinese. The practice derives from the Bhikshuni Palmo, which His Holiness received first from Tagdrag Rinpoche and again from Ling Rinpoche. He remarks that he may have recited