Change: Why We Need to Practice the Four Mind Changings

Khenpo Gyaltsen taught on the four mind changings in São Paulo, Brazil. In this excerpt from his talk, Khenpo-la explains that first, we have to appreciate the need for change.

In his travels, Khenpo has observed that many people wish to practice high teachings such as Mahamudra or Dzogchen. However, he says that most of those students don’t actually have the firm basis to do those practices. That is why traditionally great masters instruct us to take time to contemplate the outer preliminaries: the four mind changings.

We can not merely stop at hearing the teachings. Listening to Dharma talks does plant a seed, but simply hearing does not bring liberation. Khenpo uses the example of taking medicine when we are sick. We would not stop at just receiving a diagnosis from a doctor. If we wished to become healthy, we would take the medicine he or she prescribes us. Similarly, when we hear Dharma teachings such as the four mind changings, we will only improve when we hear, reflect, and then put these teachings into practice.

If we don’t practice these, then it is impossible for us to develop true renunciation. And if we don’t give rise to renunciation, we will not generate pure refuge and bodhicitta vows. But if we contemplate and truly embrace these four mind changings they will allow us to enter the door of the Dharma:

1. Precious human birth
2. Impermanence
3. Karma and its result
4. Faults of Cyclic Existence (samsara)

If we want to change our minds, we take time to seriously consider and reflect upon these four topics. Our mind shifts from negative to positive thinking. Right now, we are attached to things of this world. If we are attached to samsara, then we will never want to free ourselves. On the Buddhist path, however, we rely on the power of renunciation. Otherwise, we can’t possibly become bodhisattvas or buddhas. So we really must understand what we can change.

We also can reflect on what Dharma really means. “Dharma” is a Sanskrit word. The Sanskrit root of Dharma (dhṛ) means “to hold”. Thus, we can think of Dharma as ‘that which holds or protects us.’ Similarly, when Tibetan translators used the word chos, one of the definitions is change. Dharma practice can actively change us. But these days, we are often very lazy, and we don’t practice. There are many excuses in the modern world for not practicing. We can overcome this habit and practice the Dharma in order to change.

These days the number of non-believers, or followers of no faith, has grown a lot. Many people have become materialists. But if we really think about it, do these people not want to change? Wouldn’t most people prefer to change anger into non-anger? Most people do want to change their minds. They don’t want to remain just the way they are. We don’t need to turn our lives upside down or leave our jobs, but we do need to devote some time to practice. These days, unhappiness, desperation, anxiety, and depression reach everywhere and everyone. These problems do not affect only the poor. We can’t say that rich people don’t have these same issues. And when people face these problems, they often turn to drugs or alcohol to lose themselves. We all know that these things don’t bring benefits. They usually make things much worse. Instead, we can turn to Dharma and learn how to change our minds.

Khenpo reminds us to check ourselves every single day. How are we developing our positive thoughts? What kind of motivation do we start with as we begin our day—how do we greet the morning? Are we really building our merit? These days, we often talk about having bad luck, but luck really comes down to merit. If we accumulate merit, then that brings us good circumstances or luck. Yet, if we don’t bother, then negativity can flow and that’s bad luck.

Instead, if we set virtuous intentions, then we automatically will experience positive results. Changing our minds can impact our daily life in this present life. If we want to live a happy daily life, then we need to change our minds and motivations.

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