The Third Dalai Lama's Refined Gold & Shantideva's Guide; 5th-March-2007 (Day 2 of 9; Morning) - Dalai Lama Audio Teachings on Tibetan Buddhism Podcast

Summary: Commenting that we all want peace and happiness, but that we have to discover how to secure them, His Holiness advises that if we have calm minds we will be able to achieve all that we want. He resumes his discussion of Essence of Refined Gold, which lays out the stages of the path to enlightenment. Stating that it is important to choose a reliable teacher, he refers to the Sakya tradition of the four valid factors: the valid founder, valid commentaries, valid teacher and valid experience. The text explains how we can make our lives meaningful, extracting the essence from this life as a free and fortunate human being, by practising the paths of persons of the three capacities. Because death is certain, but its time is unpredictable, it is urgent that we consider what gives rise to favourable rebirth. Following the paths of persons of the three capacities, not only do we need to practise what the Buddha taught, but we need to practice it now. How do we do begin By identifying suffering and severing its causes, mindful that only an understanding of selflessness undermines the ignorance that is the root of suffering.