Q. The teaching of rebirth is unfamiliar to the West. Can one practice Dharma effectively if one does not accept rebirth?
A. According to our definition of the practice of Dharma, no. We say that, whatever you practice, however high or good it may be, it is not Dharma if it is just intended for this life. Dharma is what you practice for the next life, so the idea of rebirth cannot be separated from the idea of Dharma. The law of karma is an intrinsic part of Dharma and future rebirth is the result of present causes.

Q. Many people in the West might deny the universality of suffering.
A. Buddhists however say that, wherever you are in worldly existence, there is suffering. It is wrong to ignore the continual presence of suffering. One should not hide from suffering; one should know its cause and try to avoid creating the causes of suffering.

Q. What is the ‘anatma’ or 'egolessness' doctrine as taught by the Buddha?
A. The Buddha sees that ego does not exist anywhere. Mind is not ego, body is not ego.  Ego is just a name given to a grouping of things: form, perception, feeling, impulses and consciousness all together. So, in reality, when you try to find what it is we call ego, there is nothing. Ego is just a name given to a collection of things.

Q. Even though we have no immortal soul, doesn't ego exist in some way?
A. No, ego never exists, but the continuity of mind exists.

Q. Whence does our strongest sense of ego arise?
A. Since beginningless time, we have been born in worldly existence with a very strong habit of thinking that the continuum of mind is our own ego, and we have lived with a very strong attachment to it.

Q. So ego is only a habit of thought?
A. Yes.

Q. Some Westerners think that death is complete annihilation.
A. That is not right: when you die your body ends, but your mind still continues.

Q. If there is no real ego, what continues?
A. The continuum of the mind: it is like a rosary – all the beads are different, but it is the same rosary.

Q. What is mind?
A. The are many parts to it, but there is a very basic aspect which we call kun-shi, (alayavijnana). Literally, this means 'foundation of all' and it is a lucent 'self-seeing'. It is the base on which worldly existence and liberation arise. It is actually unobstructed mind, that part of mind which doesn't grasp at outer objects. It is lucent and continues right from beginningless time until enlightenment is reached.

Q. This mind is also non-existent in the absolute?
A. Relatively it exists, of course. Ultimately, it is shunyata, but relatively it exists. In reality, you cannot say it exists or doesn't exist.

Q. Is it an individual or is it a kind of collective consciousness, a common basis of all individual minds?
A. It is individual.

Q. What distinguishes followers of the Mahayana from followers of the Hinayana?
A. There are seven differences, but the main thing is that one who wishes to get Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings belong to the Mahayana.

Q. Is compassion for all living beings just a matter of feeling sorry for them?
A. No. Compassion is a thought, the wish for beings to be free from suffering.

Q. Does compassion have to involve understanding the cause of suffering, or is it just a matter of feeling?
A. I think both are involved. Compassion has three phases: the wish that the cause of their suffering be removed, and the wish that beings should become freed from suffering by understanding the true nature of all things. The practice of compassion clearly involves an understanding of the causes of suffering.

Q. The meditation for arousing compassion is based upon a reflection of the kindness of our mother. What should we do if our mother was not kind?
A. Every mother can be considered kind. It is a great kindness that she gave you a human body. That is enough for you to consider her kind. If the meditation is difficult, you should always try to think of her kind actions and good qualities until the feeling of love arises.

Q. Your Holiness has said that our sense of 'I' is really an illusion. If this is so, why is it difficult for us to see this?
A. As I said earlier, from beginningless time, through many lives we have built up propensities which are reinforced by every act that assumes 'I' is real; these propensities make it very difficult for us to realize the illusory nature of 'I'.

Q. Seeing the unreality of ego is like breaking a bad habit?
A. Yes.

Q. Your Holiness has said that the teaching of rebirth is a relative truth and that many things exist relatively but not ultimately; what is this distinction between relative and ultimate truth?
A. Yes, there are two truths, relative and ultimate. Relatively we suffer, relatively there is cause, path and result. But in the experience of ultimate truth, nothing can be said to exist, nor not exist, nor both together, nor neither. These are what we call the four objectionable extremes; they are objectionable in the sense that valid logical objections can be raised to all four possibilities.

Q. Can ultimate truths be explained in words?
A. No, although it can be described to some extent. However, in fact, it can only be realized and experienced.

Q. Is the Madhyamika doctrine of emptiness taught by all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and is their teaching the same?
A. Yes, they all teach the same thing, but their ways of teaching differ. They all have their own qualities and all achieve the same result.

Q. Do followers of Mantrayana accept all the Mahayana teachings?
A. Yes, Mantrayana accepts all Mahayana teachings. It is distinguished by the greater variety of methods, the use of more direct methods to attain the truth.

Q. What is the significance of the vajra and bell used in tantric meditations and ceremonies?
A. Each has many facets, but they are mainly symbolic of method and wisdom, which are of equal importance on our path; they also represent masculine and feminine qualities.

Q. Ritual is important in Tibetan Buddhist practice: what is its use?
A. Ritual is very important and, through its practice, much progress may be made. However, it is not necessary for everybody to perform elaborate rituals. Only the Vajra and bell are necessary, and mudras.

Q. Why are mudras important?
A. They are very significant, externally and internally, and are very helpful in visualization practices. They also have much power in themselves, to protect, to receive blessings, to heal.

Q. What qualities are required before one can give wangs?
A. Three types of Gurus are described in the tantras. The highest type is one who has really seen the deity as clearly as we would see another person. The second type is one who has received some sign of spiritual accomplishment, at least some sign, even perhaps in a dream.

The third type, which is usual these days, is the Guru who has received all the necessary wangs and teachings from a proper Guru, and who has performed the retreats of certain major deities, who learned all the rituals, the mudras, the arrangement of the mandala, and so on. Then only can he give wangs.

Q. Is it good enough to receive the teaching from a Guru of the third type?
A. Yes, it make some connection, even if it is not close as the first type. The first type of Guru can introduce you to the deity as he would to a friend!

Q. What is a meditation retreat?
A. There are many different kinds. You can have a simple retreat when you practice the meditations on love, compassion and the resolve to win enlightenment. In tantric meditation you visualize the deities, recite the mantras, concentrate on seeing the deities' form very clearly, or simply meditate on shunyata. There are many practices.

Q. Why are retreats so important?
A. Through meditative retreats, you attain enlightenment. Without performing many retreats, it is not possible to attain enlightenment. It is well known that in Tibet many yogis spent years in solitary retreat for this purpose; some still do so in India . Unless you have the very highest qualities, it is not possible to attain Enlightenment in this life without performing long retreats.

Q. In Mantrayana practice, does it matter which deity one meditates on?
A. It is best to meditate on a deity with which one has a karmic connection. This is called yidam, or 'patron deity'.

Q. Can every deity be a yidam?
A. Not all. The protectors cannot be yidams. There is a class of deities which are yidams, and among these will be one with whom you have a particular connection.

Q. Can bodhisattvas like Manjushri and Avalokitechvara be yidams?
A. Yes, they have both forms, as bodhisattvas and as yidams.

Q. What qualities are required of us before we can take wangs?
A. Many different qualities of the worthy disciple are described, but the main qualities are faith, compassion and bodhicitta. People without a developed bodhicitta are not allowed to take major consecrations, the consecrations of deities like Hevajra.

Q. Is it still a matter of luck, even if one has developed bodhicitta, to find a Guru?
A. No, one has to search. One can always find a Guru from whom to receive teachings.

Q. What should a person do if he doesn't find a Guru?
A. He should search more!

Q. What is the annuttarayogatantra?
A. There are four classes of tantra of which anuttarayoga is the very highest. Briefly, it is the practice in which every act of one's life – even eating, bathing, and so on – everything that you do, every action in worldly existence both during your meditation and while you are not meditating, everything, every action is transformed into the path.

Q. Does Buddhist practice mean we have to renounce the material world?
A. According to Hinayana and Mahayana, yes – but according to Mantrayana, not necessarily.

Q. By renunciation, you mean going to the mountains and living like a hermit? Can we continue to live in cities and still practice?
A. Certainly, in Mantrayana. This is why Lord Buddha taught the Mantrayana to King Indrabhuti.

Q. Why then is monasticism important?
A. Monasticism is important to keep the tradition alive, to keep the teaching properly. When you stay in the world you can still practice, perhaps very effectively, but generally there is too much potential for distraction in the material world, and lay people don't have the time to practice properly or to study the teachings effectively. They have too many other things to attend to. Monks have a much better opportunity to practice and study Dharma, as they have nothing else to attend to.

End of Interview