The Six Root Delusions

THE SIX ROOT DELUSIONS

In this series, The Six Root Delusions, you will be listening to lightly edited audio teachings by Gelek Rimpoche. These teachings were part of a series on mind and mental faculties titled Inner World of Mind and taught at Jewel Heart in Ann Arbor and New York during 2007 – 2008.

The titles and descriptions of the nine sessions are listed below –

Attachment
Session 1

Obsessive attachment is the ‘glue’ that binds us to the cycle of suffering. We project exaggerated qualities onto people and objects and our desire to obtain them can become overwhelming.

In this session, Gelek Rimpoche reminds us that, although we may experience pleasure from our interaction with our objects of desire, it is temporary and ultimately leads us into to an addictive need for more as well as a lack of fulfillment. Love, on the other hand, allows us to appreciate the people and objects in our life without becoming obsessed over them.

Anger
Session 2

A mind consumed by anger will never be at ease. Anger directed at others and even at oneself is a cause for continuing pain in this life and the next, and for rapid diminishing of our positive potential.

In this session, Gelek Rimpoche shares that when we recognize and gradually reduce our tendency to rely on this negative state of mind, we are able to transform our attitude into one of love and compassion.

Pride
Session 3

In this session, Gelek Rimpoche presents how we can work with people during the death process. He also explains that pride and the feeling that we are the most important one in the universe are nothing more than an over-identification with our physical form, our mental activities, and our feelings. Rimpoche points out that when we harbor a fear of loss of self, in part because of the changing nature of our psycho-physical makeup, we find ourselves grasping at and trying to protect the illusory sense of ‘I’ at all costs.

Ignorance
Session 4

Anger and violence lead to difficulties for the victim and for the perpetrator. In this session, Gelek Rimpoche explains that whether within the family unit or on the international stage, a non-violent attitude is the best way to establish harmony. The ignorance of ‘not knowing’ and of ‘wrong knowing’ and their relationship to anger and obsession needs to be examined in order to recognize how they affect our karma and hinder our positive development.

Six Root Delusions in General
Session 5

In this session, Gelek Rimpoche touches on motivation in terms of the rarity of experiencing Buddha’s teachings today. He also provides an introduction to how the ego functions and how negative emotions affect our mind and its development. He concludes with a brief explanation of how to learn and how to process knowledge.

Ignorance, Root of All Problems
Session 6

In Buddhist philosophy, ignorance is described as a lack of understanding of karma and a mistaken view of reality. Ignorance is the true source of all our suffering. This ignorance leads us to obsession and anger, which perpetuate our negativity.

In this session, Gelek Rimpoche raises to our attention that by applying wisdom, we can cut this ‘root’ of ignorance and thereby end the cycle of fear and pain. He concludes with a review of the three root delusions: hatred, obsession and ignorance.

Pride
Session 7

The mind is clear and lucid and yet has no tangible form. This mind is the root of our capability and is our means of developing spiritually. In this session, Gelek Rimpoche describes seven types of pride that affect us in various ways, such as overinflating our abilities and comparing ourselves favorably over others. Pointing out that some forms of doubt are encouraged in order to intensify the investigation of our predicament, doubt toward the authenticity and efficacy of the teachings of the Buddha can seriously restrict our progress on the path.

Doubt and Wrong View
Session 8

Healthy doubt prevents us from succumbing to ‘blind faith’. But doubt that denies basic truths will severely impede our spiritual development. In this session, Gelek Rimpoche explains that understanding the nature of reality requires a tremendous amount of effort. Through examination of the teachings, we develop a faith that enables us to overcome doubt and to progress on the path. By studying the five major categories of wrong view and seeing their faults, we are able to focus our meditations in the correct direction and avoid turning our practice into negativity.

Five Wrong Views
Session 9

The incorrect view of our self as not other than our psycho-physical constituents leads to an intense fear of the loss of that self. In this session, Gelek Rimpoche explains that five broad categories of wrong view need to be examined in order to overcome this negative mental faculty – which is, seeing our transitory aggregates as inherently existent; holding extreme nihilistic/eternalistic views; denying causality; observing useless precepts; holding to erroneous views.